Divine Providence (or Higher Providence) is one of the central ideas in Judaism, establishing that the Holy One, blessed be He, watches over the creation He created. The Baal Shem Tov in Chassidic teachings added and emphasized the concept of "Divine Providence," establishing that G-d's supervision of creation extends to each and every detail; furthermore, that each and every detail has significance and an essential part relating to the purpose of the entire creation.

The Rebbe expressed that belief in Divine Providence is a foundation of Torah and mitzvos.

The Methods of Rambam and OthersEdit

In Judaism, there are different approaches to the explanation of Divine Providence.

The Rambam in his well-known book "Moreh Nevuchim" (Guide for the Perplexed) holds that individual Divine Providence exists only for the human species (excluding inanimate objects, vegetation, and animals) and even within the human species itself, not for everyone, but rather for people of complete intellect who cleave to G-dliness, and the more one's attachment to G-dliness increases, the more the individual Divine Providence upon him increases.

But for the wicked, says the Rambam, individual Divine Providence does not apply - exactly like with inanimate objects, vegetation, and animals - but only general Providence over the species as a whole, which causes the nature of the world to function as usual, and seemingly by itself without specific intervention from above.

According to "Sefer HaChinuch," individual Divine Providence applies to the human species as a whole, but not to inanimate objects, vegetation, and animals.

From the language of "Sefer HaChinuch," we learn that in his time, no approach was known in the Jewish world that held that individual Divine Providence applies to each and every detail of creation.

Even according to the approaches that hold that G-d's Providence over inanimate objects-vegetation-animals is general - when it concerns a specific detail of inanimate objects-vegetation-animals that has a relationship to humans, they admit that there is individual Providence over it. For example: although G-d does not supervise which fish will live and which will die, He does supervise the person who makes a living from them, and therefore these fish will have individual Providence. The same applies to a person's possessions, which G-d supervises in every detail, whether his ox will die or his pitcher will break.

The Approach of Chassidic TeachingsEdit

The founder of general Chassidism, our teacher the holy Baal Shem Tov, taught and revealed that individual Divine Providence applies to each and every created being, even to a leaf blown by the wind. The Alter Rebbe added that the Providence is not only over the occurrence itself (in the example: the movement of the leaf), but also over the causes of it (such as whether the leaf will be moved by wind or by a person passing by).

The proof for this is brought from a Gemara story:

Rabbi Yochanan when he would see a shalach (bird), would say: "Your judgments are like the great deep." And Rashi explained: Your judgments are even in the great deep, for You have designated the shalach to judge and execute Your vengeance on the fish of the sea, to kill those destined to die.

From here it is proven that G-d's Providence and judgment are upon each one of the fish of the sea, whether it will live or die.

Each Detail Relates to the Purpose of CreationEdit

In Chassidic teachings, the innovation of the Baal Shem Tov is explained in greater depth, that not only does G-d supervise every detail, but each detail has meaning and a deep intention in the path toward fulfilling the purpose of the entire creation. And in the words of the Rebbe Rayatz:

For example, the movement of one of the grasses growing in the depths of a forest or on one of the high mountains or in the deepest valleys where no person has passed, not only is the movement of that grass to its right and left, forward and backward throughout its lifetime according to Divine Providence, wherein the Blessed One has decreed that this particular grass will live for specific months, days, and hours, and during this time it will turn and bend to its right and left, forward and backward a certain number of times, but moreover, the movement of this particular grass has a general relationship to the overall purpose of creation, for in the combination and unification of all the particular actions of the countless myriads of details that exist in all the thousands and myriads of species in the four categories of inanimate, vegetable, animal, and human, the supernal intention in the mystery of the entire creation is fulfilled.

The Rebbe brings an example from what we see with a successful housewife: not only are all the items in her home in order and precisely planned, but each one has a purpose and function for the management of the home, and there is nothing missing or superfluous.

From this explanation, it is understood that the innovation of Divine Providence according to the Baal Shem Tov is not only regarding inanimate objects-vegetation-animals but also regarding humans. Because according to previous explanations, the individual Divine Providence over humans is due to their superiority, as they specifically fulfill the purpose of creation; therefore, the more superior the detail relating to the person is, and the more it relates to the purpose of creation - the more manifest the Providence over it will be. However, according to the Baal Shem Tov, each and every detail relates to the entirety of creation, and therefore the Providence is over every detail relating to humans to the same degree.

The Difference Between Providence Over Israel and the Rest of the WorldEdit

Despite the fact that the Baal Shem Tov revealed that Providence over every detail applies not only to the Jewish people but also to the nations of the world and other matters of the world, according to his approach there is still a special superiority in the Providence over Israel.

The explanation for this: For other details in the world, despite G-d supervising them, they are only a means to something else - for the sake of Israel. Therefore, the Providence over each detail is according to its superiority, to what extent it is relevant and essential to the purpose of creation. But for the Jewish people - who are the purpose of creation and not just a means - each detail has equal importance, and each of their details relates to the purpose of creation.

The Rebbe's innovation in understanding the different approachesEdit

The Rebbe innovated and taught that the approach of the Rambam and his own approach do not contradict each other.

The Rebbe taught that in hashgacha pratis (Divine Providence) there are two types: external hashgacha pratis and internal hashgacha pratis.

Internal hashgacha pratis means Divine Providence where Divine intervention is clearly visible and not concealed in the usual ways of nature.

The Rebbe explains that the Rambam and his school spoke about this type of hashgacha pratis, which indeed exists only for those who cleave to Divinity and not for the rest of the speaking species, plants, or animals.

The second type is external hashgacha pratis. This means that this Divine Providence is clothed in nature, and the Divine intervention in details is conducted while taking into account the laws of nature without disrupting them, and therefore it is not visible at all to the eye but appears as if nature is operating on its own.

In this type of hashgacha pratis, says the Rebbe, spoke the Baal Shem Tov, and to this type even the Rambam agrees with the words of the Baal Shem Tov.

Hashgacha pratis does not contradict unityEdit

This idea of Divine Providence from above on every single detail raises the question of how it is possible that Hashem, who is simple unity, watches over multiple separate details and yet does not divide and change according to the details He watches over. Because of this difficulty, philosophers investigating with human intellect could not grasp the concept of Providence.

The Alter Rebbe explains that the explanation for this is twofold: Hashem's knowledge is not like our knowledge, and therefore His providence over the details of creation is not in a way that He enclothes Himself within them in order to know them, but everything is known to Him - as our Sages say, "It is revealed and known before the One who spoke and the world came into being." Additionally, there is a Divine aspect that descends and clothes itself within the details of creation and watches over them, and this is through the enclothment of lights in vessels which are divided into multiplicity; but nevertheless, they are nullified to the light clothed within them. And regarding this aspect of the vessels it is said, "The eyes of Hashem roam throughout the earth," and also, "For Hashem's eyes roam throughout the earth."

External linksEdit

Booklet on Divine Providence in the World, Yishvam Segal, 5770.
Rabbi Adin Even-Israel (Steinsaltz), What is hashgacha pratis according to Chassidic teachings? Beit Chabad
Nachum Greenwald, Hashgacha pratis according to the Baal Shem Tov's approach, on the Chabad Torah for Yeshiva Students website
Rabbi Adin Even-Israel, Individual or general Providence?, on the Chabad Torah for Yeshiva Students website
Hashgacha pratis in the Rebbe's teachings, 'Mimizrach Shemesh' Issue 1, 10 Shevat 5783, page 8

Hashgacha Pratis - Divine Providence

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