Description: Belief in Hashgachah 01
Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh
Volume I Pages 71 – 72
We are now beginning the fourth chapter of sefer Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh, titled ‘Emunas Hashgachaso Yisbarach Shmo,’ the belief in Hashem’s Hashgachah – divine providence.
We have learned through the chapters teaching us how to attain a true belief in the existence of Hashem. The next level was attaining the belief that Hashem created all, and we are His creations. We learned through the process of attaining that clarity as well, and it’s something which requires constant focus and learning, day after day, to add a little more of this knowledge into our daily life, in all our activities, so that it can eventually become a natural part of our outlook, how we perceive everything. We will be able to look at a chair, and it will scream at us, “I was created by Hashem!”
The next level we will now begin is to achieve a real and tangible belief in ‘hashgachas Hashem,’ Hashem’s awareness and influence on every aspect of this world.
In the Torah, we see there were those who believed in Hashem’s existence, that He created the world, but thought that He then abandoned the world to chance. The reason they thought this way was for two reasons. One, they couldn’t believe that a deity such as Hashem would be interested in the daily life of a human. It’s not even comparable to us being interested in the daily trials and tribulations of a particular ant named Moe. Unless we are entomologists, this does not concern and can’t possibly concern us. The distance between us and Hashem is much, much greater, than us and an ant. Second, they looked at the way the world worked, they struggled with the age-old question of ‘Tzaddik v’rah lo, rashah v’tov lo,’ How can evil things happen to good people and evil people seem to be enjoying life, and therefore concluded that God abandoned the world.
Our job is to strengthen and clarify the belief, that not only did Hashem not abandon the world, chas v’shalom, but there isn’t a second that passes that doesn’t have Hashem’s full attention. Hashem will never ignore the world, not now, and not ever. We need to begin to work on this point, until we feel it and live it as a reality. Through this knowledge, we will form a powerful connection with Hashem.
In our daily lives, there are two kinds of transactions or matters that we engage in. There are those that we classify as big deals, and there are those that we consider small and insignificant. For example, when we go to buy a house – that’s a big transaction – it’s a big deal. When someone is looking for a shidduch, and goes out on a date – he’s in middle of a big matter – something which his or her whole life revolve around. In these issues we feel very strongly that we are very dependent on Hashem. We need Him, we need His help, we won’t be successful unless Hashem wants us to be and directly gets involved in the process. We daven special tefillos, look for segulos, sometimes we go to tzaddikim to get brachos, everything and anything we can do to incur favor in the eyes of Hashem, and be zocheh to ‘siyatah dishmayah,’ heavenly assistance – when we need it the most.
But what if we are going to the store to buy a pack of paper. We go to Staples and look at the different kinds of paper, this many pounds or this kind of brightness, we compare prices and amounts, maybe you check your smartphones to make sure you aren’t getting ripped off, and we make the purchase. Do we feel we need Hashem in this particular transaction? Not really. It’s a small, insignificant matter, and I can take care of it myself! Why would Hashem be involved!?
That’s where we need to put our hearts into – developing this kind of Emunah – that Hashem is involved in every single transaction, every matter, from the largest to the smallest. We need His help and assistance, whether we are buying tomatoes or a house, and without His assistance, both won’t be successful, and with His assistance they will be. If we can successfully internalize this, we will be living a life bound to Hashem in every act we do – something which will create a true bond with Hashem, a real relationship.
Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh
Volume I Pages 71 – 72
We are now beginning the fourth chapter of sefer Bilvavi Mishkan Evneh, titled ‘Emunas Hashgachaso Yisbarach Shmo,’ the belief in Hashem’s Hashgachah – divine providence.
We have learned through the chapters teaching us how to attain a true belief in the existence of Hashem. The next level was attaining the belief that Hashem created all, and we are His creations. We learned through the process of attaining that clarity as well, and it’s something which requires constant focus and learning, day after day, to add a little more of this knowledge into our daily life, in all our activities, so that it can eventually become a natural part of our outlook, how we perceive everything. We will be able to look at a chair, and it will scream at us, “I was created by Hashem!”
The next level we will now begin is to achieve a real and tangible belief in ‘hashgachas Hashem,’ Hashem’s awareness and influence on every aspect of this world.
In the Torah, we see there were those who believed in Hashem’s existence, that He created the world, but thought that He then abandoned the world to chance. The reason they thought this way was for two reasons. One, they couldn’t believe that a deity such as Hashem would be interested in the daily life of a human. It’s not even comparable to us being interested in the daily trials and tribulations of a particular ant named Moe. Unless we are entomologists, this does not concern and can’t possibly concern us. The distance between us and Hashem is much, much greater, than us and an ant. Second, they looked at the way the world worked, they struggled with the age-old question of ‘Tzaddik v’rah lo, rashah v’tov lo,’ How can evil things happen to good people and evil people seem to be enjoying life, and therefore concluded that God abandoned the world.
Our job is to strengthen and clarify the belief, that not only did Hashem not abandon the world, chas v’shalom, but there isn’t a second that passes that doesn’t have Hashem’s full attention. Hashem will never ignore the world, not now, and not ever. We need to begin to work on this point, until we feel it and live it as a reality. Through this knowledge, we will form a powerful connection with Hashem.
In our daily lives, there are two kinds of transactions or matters that we engage in. There are those that we classify as big deals, and there are those that we consider small and insignificant. For example, when we go to buy a house – that’s a big transaction – it’s a big deal. When someone is looking for a shidduch, and goes out on a date – he’s in middle of a big matter – something which his or her whole life revolve around. In these issues we feel very strongly that we are very dependent on Hashem. We need Him, we need His help, we won’t be successful unless Hashem wants us to be and directly gets involved in the process. We daven special tefillos, look for segulos, sometimes we go to tzaddikim to get brachos, everything and anything we can do to incur favor in the eyes of Hashem, and be zocheh to ‘siyatah dishmayah,’ heavenly assistance – when we need it the most.
But what if we are going to the store to buy a pack of paper. We go to Staples and look at the different kinds of paper, this many pounds or this kind of brightness, we compare prices and amounts, maybe you check your smartphones to make sure you aren’t getting ripped off, and we make the purchase. Do we feel we need Hashem in this particular transaction? Not really. It’s a small, insignificant matter, and I can take care of it myself! Why would Hashem be involved!?
That’s where we need to put our hearts into – developing this kind of Emunah – that Hashem is involved in every single transaction, every matter, from the largest to the smallest. We need His help and assistance, whether we are buying tomatoes or a house, and without His assistance, both won’t be successful, and with His assistance they will be. If we can successfully internalize this, we will be living a life bound to Hashem in every act we do – something which will create a true bond with Hashem, a real relationship.