A person has to believe that Hashem is watching over him and actively involved in everything that happens in his life. The pasuk (Iyov 34:21) states, “For His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He sees all his steps.” Hashem not only sees what happens, but is directly involved. Another verse (ibid 31:4) teaches, “He counts all my steps.” Everything that occurs is precisely calculated. We do not take a single extra step beyond that which we are supposed to take.
Remarkably, Hashem masks His involvement behind the veil of nature, making it appear as though events occur randomly and haphazardly. He does this in order to allow us the free will to decide whether we will look for His involvement in our lives, or just attribute everything to happenstance. Those who see through the mask of nature are privileged to see Hashem’s active involvement in their lives on a daily basis.
A woman sent me an email regarding the birth of her oldest daughter twenty years ago. She called the doctor to inform him that she was in labor, and the doctor offered to pick her and her husband up and bring them to the hospital – something that he had never offered to do for any other patient. The doctor intended to stop at a gas station on the way, but due to some unexplained impulse he went directly to their house. As the woman exited the front door, she felt ready to deliver the baby. Baruch Hashem, the doctor was right there and delivered the baby, and everything went smoothly.
The doctor repeatedly said, “Look at the hashgachah, look at the hashgachah!” He noted that he was not even planning on being home that evening, but his plans changed unexpectedly. Once he delivered the baby, it was perfectly clear why his plans changed.
It is so comforting to know that Hashem is constantly looking out for our well-being, and that nothing can happen to us unless Hashem wanted it to happen.
One Thursday, at around 11:40am, I was in shul preparing for a class I would be delivering, when I realized that I had forgotten to bring a sefer I needed. I rarely call my wife at that hour, but that day I called her cell phone to ask if she would be able to read the passage I needed from the sefer. She was running an errand and had planned to then go to the park with the children, but since she was not too far from home, she would first stop at the house to get me the information. Ten minutes later, she called from home. As she began speaking, I heard a lot of pent-up tension in her voice, and asked what was going on. She explained that she had gone home after completing the errand. When she walked in, she saw a burglar in the dining room. He was wearing black gloves and a hat, and held a bag with our menorah in it. As soon as my wife saw him, he became frightened and ran out the side door. Nothing was taken, and baruch Hashem no one was hurt.
At first there did not seem to be any important reason for why I forgotten my book at home that day. But in truth, Hashem was protecting us. There are no accidents, and there are no coincidences. Everything in life is only from Hashem.