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Divine Observation and Human Actions
TANAKH
God's observation and awareness extend to every individual's actions, ensuring that no one can hide from divine scrutiny, even in darkness or gloom. The Book of Job, part of the Hebrew Bible, explores the themes of divine justice and human suffering, emphasizing God's omniscience and omnipotence.
For His eyes are upon a man’s ways;
He observes his every step. Neither darkness nor gloom offers
A hiding-place for evildoers.
Job 34:21-22
Divine Providence in Every Detail
MIDRASH
Even the smallest creatures and events are part of God's divine plan. The early medieval midrash, Bereshit Rabbah, a talmudic-era midrashic work on the book of Genesis, offers a detailed exploration of divine providence through stories and interpretations of the Book of Genesis.
The Rabbis say: Even matters that you consider superfluous in the world, like flies, fleas, and gnats, they, too, are included in the creation of the world, and through all of them the Holy One blessed be He executes His missions – even by means of a serpent, even by means of a gnat, even by means of a frog. Rabbi Tanḥuma said it in the name of Rabbi Menaḥma, Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: Rabbi Aḥa would relate this incident: A certain man was standing on the river bank. He saw a frog carrying a scorpion and transporting it across the river…
Bereshit Rabbah 10:7
Divine Justice or Cosmic Indifference?
COMMENTARY
The suffering of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked challenge the notion of divine justice. Malbim, a 19th-century Jewish commentator, offers a profound exploration of the Book of Job, questioning whether the governance of individuals is truly ordered by God or by a blind, undiscerning Cosmos.
Job had taken this to be axiomatic and had based his theses upon it; the new disputant [Bildad] acknowledged it too. However, Job had considered these matters from the viewpoint of 'individual' law, and so had reasoned as follows:
• For God to do any injustice is prohibited by His essential quality.
• However, the governance of individuals is patently not ordered according to law and justice, for we observe that it does not distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, all things come alike to all…
Malbim on Job 8:1:4
Exploring Divine Providence through Job
JEWISH THOUGHT
The Book of Job, whether historical or fictional, serves as a profound exploration of Divine Providence and theological questions. In his 12th-century philosophical work, The Guide for the Perplexed, Maimonides (Rambam) uses the story of Job to delve into different perspectives on God's Omniscience and Providence.
THE strange and wonderful Book of Job treats of the same subject as we are discussing; its basis is a fiction, conceived for the purpose of explaining the different opinions which people hold on Divine Providence. You know that some of our Sages clearly stated Job has never existed, and has never been created, and that he is a poetic fiction. Those who assume that he has existed, and that the book is historical, are unable to determine when and where Job lived. Some of our Sages say that he lived in the days of the Patriarchs; others hold that he was a contemporary of Moses…
Guide for the Perplexed, Part 3 22:1
Divine Providence in the Exodus
COMMENTARY
The Exodus from Egypt was an event that defied natural order, celestial influence, and human will, showcasing the supreme power and loving kindness of God. Isaac Abarbanel’s commentary on the Pesach Haggadah, the guiding text of the Passover seder, delves into the miraculous nature of the Exodus, emphasizing God's direct intervention.
This Personal Providence and Divine Will are praiseworthy far beyond the celestial order or angelic deeds; concerning such acts, the poet of Psalms wrote, “For Your loving kindness is great above the heavens; and Your truth reaches to the clouds.” (Ps. 108:5) The sages said that the Exodus from Egypt could not take place due natural order law, nor by celestial beings for three reasons:
● First, because the heavenly array prevented and inhibited the slaves from escaping from Egypt, as Ibn Ezra explains…
Zevach Pesach on Pesach Haggadah, Magid, First Fruits Declaration 18:10
Divine Intervention Beyond Natural Laws
JEWISH THOUGHT
Even though natural laws govern the fates of the seventy nations, G-d directly intervenes in significant events. Rabbi Isaac Arama’s medieval work, Akeidat Yitzchak, explores the concept of divine providence and how G-d's 'seeing' indicates direct intervention in historical events.
A) Even though laws of nature have been appointed to govern the fates of the seventy nations of the world, this does not imply that G-d has totally relinquished control. Evidence is G-d’s direct interference at the time of the deluge, the tower of Babel, the destruction of Sodom etc. In each of these events the Torah uses the term "seeing," an attribute of G-d which invariably precedes G-d’s effort to bring about a correction in His universe.
Akeidat Yitzchak 54:1:10
Divine Providence and Prophecy
JEWISH THOUGHT
The direct intervention of God through prophecy and revelation refutes the idea that there is no divine providence. Rabbi Joseph Albo’s 15th-century philosophical work, Sefer HaIkkarim, emphasizes the significance of the first two commandments received face to face by the Israelites as proof of God's guidance and care.
Inasmuch as this opinion sounds very plausible so far as reason goes and was very prevalent at the time when the Torah was given, God was concerned about it, and wanted to eradicate it completely. It could not be eradicated through a prophet, for one who denied providence and revelation would deny the divine origin of prophecy in which the religionist believes. God therefore wanted to show as firmly as possible the refutation of this idea, as well as of the idea that absence of providence is a sign of greatness, and of the idea of making the heavenly bodies mediators between man and God…
Sefer HaIkkarim, Maamar 3 18:8-9
The Insulted King
MUSAR
God continues to sustain and nourish individuals even as they use that very sustenance to sin against Him. In the 16th-century Kabbalistic ethical work, Tomer Devorah, Rabbi Moses Cordovero explores the divine attribute of forbearance and how humans can emulate it.
‎The First: "Who is a power like You" instructs about the Holy One, blessed be He, being an insulted King [that] tolerates insult that is inconceivable. Behold, nothing is hidden from His oversight, without a doubt, and [yet] there is no moment ‎when a person is not nourished and preserved by the Highest force that flows upon him; and behold, you find that ‎there was never a person who sinned against God, without Him - at that very instant - [willing] the flow of his existence and the movement of his limbs. While this person sins with that force, He does not withhold it from him at all…
Tomer Devorah 1:2
Dynamic Divine Providence
TALMUD
God’s providence over the Land of Israel is dynamic, adjusting the timing and location of rain based on the moral state of the Jewish people. The Talmudic tractate Rosh Hashanah discusses how divine decrees regarding rain can be altered to ensure their effectiveness aligns with the people's behavior.
The Gemara raises an objection from another baraita: The verse states: “A land which the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it” (Deuteronomy 11:12). God’s constant providence over Eretz Yisrael is sometimes for the good and sometimes for the bad. Sometimes for the good; how so? If the Jews were wholly wicked on Rosh HaShana, so that only a meager amount of rain was decreed for them for the year, but in the end they repented…
Rosh Hashanah 17b:11-12
The Two Levels of Divine Providence
COMMENTARY
Rav Kook's exploration of Divine Providence delves into the moral dimensions of reward and punishment, repentance, forgiveness, mercy, and grace. In his work, Rav Kook presents a nuanced understanding of how Divine Providence operates on both a moral and spiritual level.
Two levels of Divine Providence
The first level of providence is associated with moral law, that is, good is rewarded and evil is punished. Moral laws also include, of course, repentance, forgiveness, mercy, grace, and so forth - that is, everything that comprises divine morality as we understand it.
Commentary on Selected Paragraphs of Arpilei Tohar 2:5:1
Faith and Intellect in Harmony
JEWISH THOUGHT
Integrating faith in Divine providence with intellectual understanding can create a harmonious balance between spiritual and worldly wisdom. Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook’s Shemonah Kevatzim examines how combining faith with intellect enhances one's overall perspective. He emphasizes that true fulfillment comes when faith, which underpins life, is thoughtfully integrated with intellectual pursuits, enriching the soul and its quest for knowledge.
And it is fitting to be happy about this, because as long as faith [in providence], which provides the basis to life in the world, exists without an intellectual framework, it does not blend with all of the waves of life of the spirit of wisdom, which yearns to comprehend.
Shemonah Kevatzim 1:13:2
Divine Providence and Moral Behavior
CHASIDUT
Divine providence, according to Rebbe Nachman, is influenced by one's moral behavior, with those who are not good left to the natural order. In Likutei Moharan, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov explores the relationship between human behavior and Divine intervention.
When a person does good, [God] directs his [life] by Divine providence. But when he is not good, [if God] were to direct his [life] by Divine providence, not even a shred of good could come his way. Consequently, [God] leaves him to nature, so that there is a possibility that good will come his way by the dictates of nature.
Likutei Moharan, Part II 17:3:3
Perceiving Divine Providence
LITURGY
The righteous find joy in perceiving Divine Providence through the natural world, seeing it as a cloak concealing God's true supervision. This passage from the Rosh Hashanah Machzor, recited during morning prayers, emphasizes God's sovereignty and providence.
In this psalm, (33) Dovid expresses the joy of the righteous in the Divine Providence of God in every aspect of the world and in the affairs of man. For the righteous see the “laws of nature” only as an external cloak, concealing the true supervision of God. They see through the laws of nature and perceive the Divine order and providence of the Creator.
Machzor Rosh Hashanah Ashkenaz Linear, The Morning Prayers, Hodu 454
Divine Presence in Joseph's Life
KABBALAH
The Zohar reveals the direct and personal involvement of the Divine Presence in the life of Joseph, leading to his success and prosperity. The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, offers deep spiritual and mystical insights.
Joseph walked through the valley of the shadow of death, having been brought down to Egypt, but the Shekinah was with him, as we read: “And the Lord was with Joseph”, and by reason of the presence of the Shekinah all that he did prospered in his hand; so much so that if he had something in his hand and his master wanted something of a different kind, it changed in his hand to the kind his master wanted. Hence, it says “made to prosper in his hand”, the reason being that the Lord was with him.
Zohar, Vayeshev 20:206
God as Our Shepherd
SECOND TEMPLE
Philo of Alexandria likens God to a shepherd who ensures that nothing is lacking for those who obey Him. This interpretation of Psalm 23 offers a comforting perspective on God's guidance and protection, especially in times of distress.
[115] And since God cares for His own flock He has ready at hand a multitude of gifts for those of His charges who obey Him and do not rebel. In the Psalms there is a hymn of this kind, “The Lord is my shepherd, and nothing shall be lacking to me” (Ps. 23(22):1).
On the Change of Names 20:1
Supervising Kosher Cheese Production
HALAKHAH
The level of supervision required for kosher cheese production has significant practical implications for kosher certification and the feasibility of large-scale cheese production. Rabbi Chaim Jachter's analysis in Gray Matter explores the differing rabbinic opinions on this issue, particularly those of the Rama and the Shach.
This dispute has a major impact on the level of supervision required for the cheese-making process. According to the Rama, occasional inspections suffice, because the Gemara (Chullin 4a) states that yotzei v’nichnas k’omeid al gabav dami (spot checks are equivalent to constant supervision). According to the Shach, however, a mashgiach (supervisor) must constantly be available on location to participate in the cheese-making process. This explains why it is impractical for a large company to have its cheeses certified kosher and why kosher cheeses are generally made by companies…
Gray Matter III, Kashrut, Gevinat Yisrael 24
New Year's Greeting Card writen in Yidish:" A look: in the sky, there is your bright star, you will be a happy bride this year." The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, UC Berkeley.
New Year's Greeting Card writen in Yidish:" A look: in the sky, there is your bright star, you will be a happy bride this year." The Magnes Collection of Jewish Art and Life, UC Berkeley.

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