Becoming Aware
I noticed a very interesting phenomenon. When you make a connection to something, you suddenly become more aware of its presence. For example, when you buy a car, you may think you are getting something that isn’t the same as everyone else has. You know what I am referring to. When a car becomes ubiquitous, like everyone driving the same Honda Odyssey minivan, or Tesla 3, or whatever else was on sale, it can become monotonous. Most people like standing out from the crowd and don’t want the same thing everyone else has.
Well, when I bought my car, I thought it was different and special. Until I started driving and noticing how many other people got the same car. It makes sense that they would, because I shopped wisely and considered my options, but now, I see them everywhere I go, when before I didn’t notice that they were out there.
A teacher friend had her own analogy. It’s like when you learn a new vocabulary word, she said. Suddenly, it appears all around you, being used in all sorts of circumstances. Whereas before, you didn’t notice it in use, now it triggers something in you and you take extra notice of it.
A Special Number
Maybe you have a number that is special to you, like 18 or 36 or 358. When it comes up, you take note. Certainly, when you check out at a store and your total is $18.36, or at the gas station your total is $35.80, it will jump out at you more than it will to people to whom the number has no meaning.
I have a special number like that. It’s 26, which is the numerical value of one of Hashem (God)’s more commonly used names. I also note 126, which is 1 (One is Hashem) and 26 (His name.) When I rented a mailbox in a shipping store years ago, I specifically chose box 126 for that reason. In fact, the topic for this column came up because someone was telling me a story of Hashgachah Pratit (Divine Providence), and the voice note I got was 1:26 long. I pointed that out and my friend said, “Only you would think of that.”
If You Look For God, You’ll Find Him
I don’t actually think that’s correct. Anyone who finds significance in that number would. But since I do find significance in it, I see it pop up all the time where others might miss it. That’s also why I see Hashgachah Pratit, Hashem’s Divine orchestration of things in the world – because these tiny details of happenstance matter to me. I see Hashem’s fingerprints because I’m connected to them, just like the people who see someone else driving “their” car. There’s a beautiful story I often share:
A little boy asked his mother, “Mommy, can you see God?” “Well, sweetheart,” she replied, “God lives high up in Heaven. We can’t see him,” and she returned to her phone call.
He asked his father, “Daddy, can you see God?” His father responded, “No son, God is invisible; we can’t see him,” and went back to his work.
Then he went to his grandfather. “Grandpa, can you see God?”
“Of course,” he answered. “I see Him in the sunrise, I see Him in the birds chirping in the trees, and I see Him in the way your eyes crinkle when you laugh.
In fact,” said Grandpa, as he took the boy’s hands into his own, “as time goes on, it’s getting so I can’t see much else.”
Often, we are blinded to Hashem by the physical world. We have other priorities and focuses. But if we were to connect and make Him ours, our choice after careful and thoughtful deliberation, appreciating the advantages of serving Hashem, we would start to see Him everywhere we go and appreciate His subtle orchestration of life.
God is in Every Part of Your Life
I was just traveling to Eretz Yisrael (Israel). I had tied a purple ribbon on the handles of my daughter’s duffel bag to identify it at the airport. It’s a good thing, too, because there were at least two others of the identical size and color (and yes, they came from an amazing store in Monsey.) For the bag my sister-in-law gave me, I had no such sign, and I actually forgot what it looked like!
I did basically know what it looked like, and eventually I found it. However, for the return trip, I cut a piece of ribbon from the duffel to adorn the suitcase. As I was tying it, it ripped! I was annoyed for a moment, until I realized I now had two pieces of ribbon long enough to tie, one on the top handle and one on the side. Hashem arranged that momentary agony when it ripped so that it would be better for me. What I thought was bad luck was just the opposite. I was so glad, happy, and grateful to see it, but if I hadn’t been looking, I am sure I would have missed seeing how the Creator tied everything up in a neat little bow.
By Rabbi Jonathan Gewirtz
Rabbi Gewirtz (Operation Inspiration) welcomes comments and feedback. Write to him at info@JewishSpeechWriter.com to share your thoughts. You never know when you may be the lamp that enlightens someone else.
