Does Hashem Really Care for Me at Every Moment, and How Can We Merit Special Providence?

Is someone up there watching over me? Does anyone up there truly see what’s happening to me in every moment of my life? One of the fundamental beliefs that grants peace of mind is the belief in Hashem's providence over us. Knowing that everything that happens to us is planned and meant to advance us on our life path gives inner and eternal meaning to the various events and challenges we face in our lives.

The knowledge that there is a Creator who loves me and considers me precious and important as an only child, who cares for me and oversees my life, provides calm to the human soul and support in difficult times.

In Psalms (33:13-15) it is said, "From the heaven Hashem looks; He sees all the descendants of man: From His dwelling place He watches all the inhabitants of the earth: He who forms the hearts of them all; He who understands all their deeds"; and in the Prophets (Jeremiah 32:19) "great in counsel and mighty in deeds, whose eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds." Similarly, in the Talmud it is stated "No person stubs his toe below unless they announce it from above, as it is said, 'Man's steps are directed by Hashem, how then can anyone understand his own way?'" (Talmud, Chullin 7b).

Is Hashem's providence over us logical? And how can we intellectually understand that this is the reality? Imagine a couple planning to have a child. The pregnancy goes well, and the birth is successful. Suddenly, there is a perfect baby in the world, just as they dreamed and wanted. Is it conceivable that this couple would abandon this baby, leave the hospital, and have no interest in what happens to it? Is the scenario of abandoning the baby even logical, assuming the couple is mentally healthy, financially stable, and wished to have a child from the start and love it dearly?

And so Hashem testifies to His great love for each of us: ""You are children of Hashem your God" (Deuteronomy 14:1); "Hashem has chosen you because of His love for you" (Deuteronomy 7:7-8); "for Hashem your God loves you" (Deuteronomy 23:6) and more.

The Creator made the universe and humanity with the purpose of granting eternal goodness to the souls of His creations. Everything that happens is planned by Him and designed to lead us to that eternal goodness. Abandoning humanity to chance contradicts the entire purpose of creating man. Hashem created with purpose, and neglecting it prevents creation from reaching its goal.

Hashem did not leave us to live mysterious, enigmatic lives. He revealed to us the path to that eternal goodness in the Torah, as stated in various places, such as: "And now, Israel, what does Hashem your God ask of you, but... to keep the commands of Hashem and His decrees that I am giving you today – for your own good" (Deuteronomy 10:12-13), and "Observe and hear all the words that I commend you, so that it may go well with you and your children after you forever, by doing what is right and good in the sight of Hashem your God" (Deuteronomy 12:28) and more.

If Hashem wished to create humanity for a specific goal and desires us to reach the purpose of life because of His love for us, then leaving us to random occurrences contradicts all this.

Out of His love for us, Hashem wants us to reach our goal, for our own good, and for this purpose, He watches over us and guides us toward our goal with hidden providence. Sometimes, a person born with a temperamental disposition, needing to overcome this trait in their character, will face situations or people that provoke anger to work on their character. The opposition that sometimes enters our lives is the only thing that can move us from our usual place; sometimes, a person far from observing Torah and mitzvot experiences events in their life that lead them to contemplate the purpose of their life, and so on.

The Creator runs the world, and everything happens under His providence and by His hand. Nonetheless, it is worth knowing that it is possible to merit more personal and close providence, which not all beings attain. This providence is merited only by those who desire and strive to live a life of rectification and fulfillment of Hashem's will. When a person lives their life with the goal Hashem set for us, then Hashem grants them the ability to reach this goal by guiding them to it with special and personal providence.

Seeing the Providence: Rabbi Panger's poignant story about a girl who attempted suicide: