The Talmud Yerushalmi (Shevi’is Perek 9 ) tells us that R’ Shimon Bar Yochai wanted to see what was taking place in the outside world. He emerged from the cave where he had been hiding for more than twelve years and observed a hunter spreading out a net in order to capture the bird that was flying overhead. A Heavenly Voice called out: “Dimus – mercy,” and the bird was saved. R’ Shimon Bar Yochai remarked, “Just as anything that happens to the bird must be decreed from Heaven, certainly any experience of the human being is controlled by the Word of Heaven.” And he left the cave.

The gemara recounts that R’ Yehoshua Ben Chananya once traveled to the great city of Rome, where he was told that a child, with a beautiful face and eyes, whose locks were arranged in curls, was in prison. R’ Yehoshua went to stand at the door of the prison and cried out (Yeshayah 42:24): -- “Who gave Yaakov for spoil and Bnai Yisroel to the robbers?”

R’ Yeruchem Levovitz expounds on the first pasuk in the Torah, “ Bereishis bara elokim.” He states that as soon as one learns this pasuk he is made aware of the existence of a Creator and a King of the universe. This knowledge is life-transforming, for it makes possible the realization that all that takes place in the world is replete with meaning and purpose, and nothing is insignificant.

The Medrash Rabbah (39:1) relates a parable with reference to the greatness of Avraham Avinu. A person traveling down an unfamiliar road noticed a magnificent palace in flames. He looked around, expecting to see the owner running with buckets of water to extinguish the fire. The palace appeared abandoned, however, and he wondered aloud, “Is it possible that a palace like this has no owner?” At that moment the owner of the palace looked out and declared, “I am the owner of the palace.”

“Al totzar es Moav v’al tisgar bom milchamah -- Do not distress Moav and you shall not provoke war with them”
(Devorim 2:9)

Rashi explains that with reference to Moav the Torah

Hashgacha Pratis, or Divine Providence, refers to Hashem’s supervision and governance of every action and aspect of the world in which we live. Nothing in life happens by chance, coincidence, or due to the fickleness of others. However, the Hashgacha Pratis may sometimes be manifest overtly, and at other times it is operative within the seemingly natural order of the world.

The term hashgacha consists of two components: One is Divine Guidance and the other is a form of Divine shemirah – protection. Although Divine Providence, or hashgacha, is exercised over all the creations, certain tzaddikim and righteous people merit an additional hashgacha, the Divine Protection.