What is Hashgacha Pratis?

by Chava Pinchuck

 

What is Hashgacha Pratis? It can be translated as "Divine Providence," but it means that God is engaged with the world on an ongoing basis. In Psalms (34:13-14) we say: "From heaven God looks down, He sees all mankind. From His dwelling place He oversees (hishgiach) all inhabitants of the earth."

 

In the secular world, some say "Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous," or as Théophile Gautier noted "Chance is the pseudonym of God when he does not want to sign." But as Jews we know that God is intimately involved in our lives. In Maimonides' formulation of the Thirteen Principles of Faith, the first is that "the Creator...creates and guides all creatures, and that He alone made, makes, and will make everything." There is, of course, interplay between trust in God (bitachon) and hashgacha pratis.  If you truly believe in God's omnipotence and involvement in the world, then anything can happen. Someone once said "Everything is hashgacha pratis, but it is only sometime that we are fortunate enough to actually realize and appreciate God's "hand" in directing the world."

 

How have I seen this personally?

 

I was at a very challenging point in my life. I had just ended an unhealthy relationship, and as an older single, I doubted I would ever meet my bashert. In the meantime, I was in the midst of changing careers and deciding whether to leave the job I had and start pursuing my new career, or waiting to finish my training before looking for a different job. That decision was made for me when my company announced that the department in which I was working was being transferred to a different state, and that I was not one of the people with the options to transfer there. I had already scheduled a trip to Israel, and I questioned whether it would be prudent to incur these expenses when I would likely be out of work soon, but I decided I should go while I still had a job.

 

The trip was a Chizuk mission. I went with a group that visited Gaza (when they were still discussing the "disengagement"), Chevron, and several other places. We went to show support for these communities, and I had the opportunity to pray in Israel at many holy places where I poured out my heart: "God, I don't know what I should do -- personally or professionally. Which direction should I go? Please help me."

 

Upon returning to the United States, things became clearer. I realized it was time to have a career I really enjoyed, and I told my supervisor I was interested in leaving the company with a severance package. The Shabbat after I returned, I was walking to synagogue when I met my friend's husband. He asked if I would like to come to lunch, and I decided to go.  I had planned on walking across the neighborhood to a different friend, but we agreed that if it was raining I might not be there.  As I approached my friend's house, there was a man standing the doorway who was also invited. These friends were hosting a "singles" lunch, and I found out later that the wife told the husband to try and find more women at synagogue to "balance" the table. Some of the group stayed a little while after lunch to talk, and this gentleman engaged me in conversation.

 

My official "separation notice" was issued two weeks before we got married, so I finished my training and got my certificate the same day I had my first sonogram (!). For those who say that "God works in mysterious ways," I say it's not so mysterious if you have trust and look at events knowing that God does everything for the good.