Divine Providence as a Part of the Chasidic Path
Wonders | August 15, 2025
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Divine Providence as a Part of the Chasidic Path

Wonders | December 10, 2025

One of the important allusions regarding our current year, 5785, which is fast coming to its end, is that in its Hebrew form, תשפה, it stands for “May this be a year of personal Providence” (יתִטָרְפּהָחָּגְׁשַהתַנְׁשאֵהְּת). Over the past year, HaRav Ginsburgh has taught repeatedly about the topic of personal Divine Providence in Chasidic thought. Here we bring you the fifth installment of his teachings on the subject. The first four parts were printed in Wonders issues 145, 146, 147, and 160.

ELEVATING WITH DIVINE PROVIDENCE DIVINE PROVIDENCE REVEALS VIRTUES

Even today, 265 after his passing, not everyone has a clear picture of what the Ba’al Shem Tov’s path in serving God entailed. Before us is a beautiful outline of the Ba’al Shem Tov’s path from the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (the Rayatz). The outline focuses on four essential principles that can be found in the Ba’al Shem Tov’s conduct and teachings: the nature of Torah, personal Divine Providence, the virtue of Israel, and the Love of Israel. We will quote the first two principles, then quickly summarize the third and fourth, and finally draw a correspondence between these principles and the letters of Havayah.

UNDERSTANDING THE TORAH

Said the Rebbe Rayatz:

The entire Torah is Names of God. Just as a name provides knowledge [of the object] but cannot provide direct apprehension [of the object in and of itself], so too the Torah, even the halachot that are clearly explained can only offer knowledge and not complete apprehension, because its interior is infinite.

The first principle here is essentially the sense that “God’s Torah is perfect” (ת ה'ַרֹוּתהָימִמְּת), in the way that the Ba’al Shem Tov explained it (which was further elaborated by the Rebbe Rashab surrounding the founding of the Tomchei Temimim yeshivah). Namely, that every word in the Torah is infinite, and therefore, its apprehension is limited to what is known as “knowledge of the existence [of an object or a concept] but cannot provide absolute apprehension. Even the Torah’s revealed dimension (the halachot, as the Rebbe Rayatz refers to it here) cannot be understood without its concealed dimension which is truly without end.

Even though this first principle is not directly related to personal Divine Providence, we can tie it to our earlier discussions of Providence. We explained that there is a perception of Divine Providence over the individual, a perception of Divine Providence that also includes the repercussions on the interactions of the individual with expanding circles—an understanding that each detail is connected to the general intention, which leads to the perception that everything is one.

In Torah, one can learn a word and understand its plain meaning—that is the lower level, which deals only with the specific word. However, to understand the deeper meaning, what Hashem wants here, one must also understand the word in context. This is done of course by reading the entire verse, the entire parashah, and sometimes even the entire book or the entire Torah. The word’s meaning derives from its context and influences the context reciprocally, in ever expanding circles. In the end, the truth of Torah is coherent and the meaning of every word integrates with all other Torah knowledge.

Beyond that, like the third level of Divine Providence already discussed, one perceives that every word in the Torah is a Name of God, as explained in this principle. The reasoning seems to be that since God’s existence is necessary (בָּיּחוְמ תּיאוִצְּמַה) then if every detail of Creation is necessary to complete God’s general purpose for Creation, then every detail of Creation is essentially a Name (i.e., a predicate) of God.

Beyond this third level, there is also a fourth, whereby everything in Creation is truly one unity. This is the perception that the entire Torah is one long Name of God, that “He and His Name are one,” or in the language of the Zohar, “Torah and God are one.”

The second principle discussed by the Rebbe Rayatz explicitly pertains to personal Divine Providence:

Divine Providence. Not only does it [personal Divine Providence] cover every creature in all its myriad details—including for instance that God sends a wind from His treasures to roll the straw and the hay, all of which happens for a specific purpose—but in addition, this purpose is the life force that ensures the creature’s unique stature, all this apart the life-force that only sustains the creature’s existence.

The Rebbe Rayatz means to say that the Ba’al Shem Tov is aware not only of the purpose behind the rolling of the leaf, straw, or hay, but of an additional inner purpose (which goes beyond fulfilling the purpose of Creation) that “ensures the creature’s life-force that is unique to its stature.” This is personal Divine Providence that reveals something very good.

Let’s explain this idea in more detail. The Ba’al Shem Tov does not say that personal Divine Providence is only what maintains the existence of every created being, but rather that it provides life-force—two levels of life-force. It is common to confuse and conflate existence (being) with life. Even though the two are related, as in the alternate reading of “You give life to them all” (םַּלֻת כֶּה אֶּיַחְה מַּתַא) as “You give existence to all” (םַּלֻת כֶּה אֶּוַהְה מַּתַא), they are distinct.

First, God brings something into existence and maintains its existence moment after moment, then He gives it life through the investment of the soul in the body, which is more closely related to Divine Providence. But the soul in the body is only the first level of life-force from God, there is a higher level, which is the core of personal Divine Providence. This level enlivens the particular and unique stature of the created being.

So for instance, regarding a human life: the life that sustains existence only ensures that the person not die—a good thing in itself, of course. But the most excellent form of safeguarding existence ensures that the person succeeds in fulfilling all their talents and virtues. This is a much higher level, and according to what is written here, it is the essence of personal Divine Providence. This is another beautiful observation regarding the Ba’al Shem Tov’s understanding of personal Divine Providence.

The next two principles of the Ba’al Shem Tov’s thought presented by the Rebbe Rayatz are the virtue of Israel (תַלֲעַמלֵאָרְׂשִי), and the Love of Israel (לֵאָרְׂשִת יַבֲהַא). Regarding the first, he emphasizes that for the Ba’al Shem Tov, even “the most insignificant individual in Israel serves as a crown for the greatness of God, the ever honored.” As such, the virtue of Israel, which adorns the greatness of God, corresponds to the sefirah of beauty, the primary emotional faculty.

In the Ba’al Shem Tov’s worldview, the fourth principle, Love of Israel (לֵאָרְׂשִת יַבֲהַא) represents love that is not based on the traits of the individual, but rather that they are part of the collective that is Israel.

Clearly these four principles can be corresponded to the four letters of God’s essential Name, Havayah, as follows: Understanding the Torah corresponds to wisdom as it is written, “Torah emerges from wisdom” (תַקְפַה נָמְכָחֵא מָתְיָרֹאו). The principle of personal Divine Providence corresponds to understanding and the first hei of Havayah, as will be explained. The virtue of Israel corresponds to the vav of Havayah and the six emotive faculties of which beauty is the central, as already noted. Finally, Love of Israel for every Jew, regardless of their station or stature, corresponds to the final hei of Havayah and the sefirah of kingdom, which represents the Congregation of Israel (לֵאָרְׂשִת יֶסֶנְכּ).

letter of HavayahsefirotBa’al Shem Tov’s principleyudwisdomunderstanding the Torahheiunderstandingexperiencing personal Divine Providencevavloving-kindness to foundationvirtue of Israelheikingdomlove of Israel

The truly novel insight from the model we have constructed from the Rebbe Rayatz’s enumeration of the Ba’al Shem Tov’s path is that Divine Providence corresponds to the intellectual faculties associated with the sefirah of understanding (otherwise known as mochin de'ima). This is an interesting observation because it illustrates the way in which the Ba’al Shem Tov (according to the Rebbe Rayatz) pictures personal Divine Providence.

Both parents, the father and the mother, watch over their children. But it is usually the case that the father watches from afar and is less involved in the daily details and affairs of the child. The mother, on the other hand, is normally much closer to knowing these details and daily issues. One might say that the mother watches over her child more closely than the father. The Ba’al Shem Tov desires that Divine Providence be close and personal, similar to how the touchstone verse for the entire Tanya seeks our service of God to be close and near, “for it [serving God] is very close to you.” Personal Divine Providence is thus, in the Chasidic view, a maternal form of Providence, whose purpose is to develop and nurture all the virtues inherent in the child born from the mother’s womb.

A MAN’S SOUL WILL TEACH HIM

There is another series of teachings in Keter Shem Tov categorized together under the title “Serving God,” that emphasize that everything a person sees and hears should be treated as a lesson in serving God. Considering the principle of personal Divine Providence, our task is to understand what God wants from us when He shows us something, and to arouse Heavenly mercy to merit performing the particular action that we are being led to do. Even when a person reads something in the news or in matters of this world, the choice is in their hands: whether these things will lead them “to the lowest depths of darkness and gloom” or "to a place of light and the hidden essence of God, may He be blessed and exalted.”

It is in the context of this general idea that we encounter one of the most important expressions used by the Ba’al Shem Tov: A man’s soul will teach him:

The Ba’al Shem Tov, may his memory be for a blessing, says that everything a person sees and hears contains a command and a lesson from Heaven on how to serve God. However, we are required to properly understand what we are seeing and hearing and be careful not to misinterpret the meaning of what was heard or seen. The true understanding of the meaning of what we hear and see comes by way of, “A man’s soul will teach him.”

The way in which “a man’s soul will teach him” refers to how a person’s intellect is illuminated and filled with various explanations regarding the meaning of what they saw and heard. Through this process one comes to understand the instruction they are receiving from Heaven in how to serve God.

The Ba’al Shem Tov says that the sure way to reach the state of “a man’s soul will teach him” is by either a heartfelt and fiery recital of a chapter of Psalms, or by expending a corporal effort to do a Jew a favor, not just a favor with one’s money, or by the Love of Israel, out of self-sacrifice.

The Baal Shem Tov, may his memory be for a blessing, views the revelation of "The soul of a person will teach us" more in saying Psalms than in the Torah scholars who innovate new teachings and discussions in Torah.

The Baal Shem Tov, may his memory be for a blessing, says that reciting Psalms with a sincere heart, the effort of doing something good for a Jew whether it be in physical or in spiritual matters, and loving Israel are the keys that fit all the locks of the Heavenly chambers of mercy, healing, and salvation, as well as the Heavenly doors of livelihood.

Out of a belief in personal Divine Providence, and with humility, which is the instrument with which to perceive God’s Providence, one must also understand the message. This can only be achieved through the principle of “a man’s soul will teach him.” The Ba’al Shem Tov explains how to attain this illumination through a heartfelt fervor in saying Psalms, doing good for a Jew with physical effort (and not just with money), and loving Israel with self-sacrifice in an inner way (which is above even the effort of the body)—thinking about them, praying for them, and dedicating oneself to love them.

“DO NOT FORSAKE MY TORAH"

We will conclude with one more insight—an explanation of the verse “For I have given you a good teaching; do not forsake my Torah”:

“For I have given you a good teaching” refers to the Torah’s revealed dimension, which some may think is given to them, making them forget the Giver of the Torah (i.e., God). They focus on the details, searching for leniencies and posing questions. However, when one focuses on the Torah being “My Torah,” and studies the Torah’s inner dimension and believes in personal Divine Providence, then the end of the verse, “Do not forsake it,” is fulfilled. Meaning that we are not left alone and abandoned.

From the verse “For his desire is in the Torah of God, and in His Torah are his thoughts day and night,” the sages teach that initially the Torah is referred to as “the Torah of God,” and only later, through continued study, does it become “his Torah”—the Torah comes to be named after the person learning it.

Here however, the Ba’al Shem Tov emphasizes the merit of Torah that remains “My Torah,” God’s Torah, a recognition which prevents the learners from feeling that the Torah is theirs and causing them to forget the Giver of the Torah.

Those who engage only in the Torah’s revealed dimension, which once again is the intent of the words, “I have given you a good teaching,” might forget and abandon the Giver of the Torah triggering the verse “If you forsake me for a day, I will forsake you for two.” By studying the Torah’s inner dimension, one is granted the ability to believe in personal Divine Providence and become constantly aware of God’s Presence and nearness, and recognizes that He never forsakes us.

The main novelty here is that the ultimate purpose of studying the Torah’s inner dimension is the recognition of personal Divine Providence. It may even be that the spiritual worlds and their deep concepts, including their explanation in Chasidut continue to feel distant. Yet, through the Torah’s inner dimension, one is guaranteed to experience that God is near through His personal Divine Providence. When a person sees and experiences personal Divine Providence every moment, in merit of his learning the Torah’s inner dimension, he never feels abandoned.

Notes:

  1. Sefer HaSichot 5703, pp. 160-161, as quoted in Keter Shem Tov (Kehot: 2004), pp. 483-484.
  2. For example, the word “bus” provides us with a certain knowledge of a vehicle that transports people at speeds probably no higher than 100km/hr. If we would add more adjectives to the word “bus,” such as “Greyhound bus,” we would know more about the exterior of the object and perhaps more about how it is operated, we would still not have a direct apprehension of its state, the mechanical state of its parts and functionality.
  3. See Wonders, Issue 160.
  4. See in length in our lecture on the Coherence theory of Truth, August 2018.
  5. Zohar 2:87a. See Ramban’s introduction to his commentary on the Torah. Yonat Elem ch. 29.
  6. Maimonides, Guide for the Perplexed 1:57. In all things except for God there is a radical divide between essence and existence (or being). They all have an essence, but their existence (or being) is superadded to them.
  7. Zohar Chadash (Margaliot), Midrash HaNe’elam 2b.
  8. See Zohar 1:24a, 2:60a. Tikkunei Zohar, beginning of tikkun 6.
  9. Nechemiah 9:6.
  10. Pardes Rimonim 6:8. Reishit Chochmah, S h a’a r HaKedushah ch. 7. Ta n y a, Sha’ar HaYichud VeHaEmunah, ch. 2.
  11. Keter Shem Tov (Kehot: 2004), pp. 394-397.
  12. Paraphrase of Job 32:8. See in length in our Hebrew volume, Shiurim BeSod HaShem LiYerei’av, volume 4, pp. 180ff. Available online at: https://tinyurl.com/3ja4bwrr.
  13. Keter Shem Tov (Kehot: 2004), pp. 326-327.
  14. Proverbs 4:2.
  15. Psalms 1:2.
  16. Avodah Zarah 19a.
  17. See Rashi on Deuteronomy 11:13.

One of the important allusions regarding our current year, 5785, which is fast coming to its end, is that in its Hebrew form, תשפה, it stands for “May this be a year of personal Providence” (יתִטָרְפּהָחָּגְׁשַהתַנְׁשאֵהְּת). Over the past year, HaRav Ginsburgh has taught repeatedly about the topic of personal Divine Providence in Chasidic thought. Here we bring you the fifth installment of his teachings on the subject. The first four parts were printed in Wonders issues 145, 146, 147, and 160.

ELEVATING WITH DIVINE PROVIDENCE DIVINE PROVIDENCE REVEALS VIRTUES

Even today, 265 after his passing, not everyone has a clear picture of what the Ba’al Shem Tov’s path in serving God entailed. Before us is a beautiful outline of the Ba’al Shem Tov’s path from the sixth Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchak Schneersohn (the Rayatz). The outline focuses on four essential principles that can be found in the Ba’al Shem Tov’s conduct and teachings: the nature of Torah, personal Divine Providence, the virtue of Israel, and the Love of Israel. We will quote the first two principles, then quickly summarize the third and fourth, and finally draw a correspondence between these principles and the letters of Havayah.

UNDERSTANDING THE TORAH

Said the Rebbe Rayatz:

The entire Torah is Names of God. Just as a name provides knowledge [of the object] but cannot provide direct apprehension [of the object in and of itself], so too the Torah, even the halachot that are clearly explained can only offer knowledge and not complete apprehension, because its interior is infinite.

The first principle here is essentially the sense that “God’s Torah is perfect” (ת ה'ַרֹוּתהָימִמְּת), in the way that the Ba’al Shem Tov explained it (which was further elaborated by the Rebbe Rashab surrounding the founding of the Tomchei Temimim yeshivah). Namely, that every word in the Torah is infinite, and therefore, its apprehension is limited to what is known as “knowledge of the existence [of an object or a concept] but cannot provide absolute apprehension. Even the Torah’s revealed dimension (the halachot, as the Rebbe Rayatz refers to it here) cannot be understood without its concealed dimension which is truly without end.

Even though this first principle is not directly related to personal Divine Providence, we can tie it to our earlier discussions of Providence. We explained that there is a perception of Divine Providence over the individual, a perception of Divine Providence that also includes the repercussions on the interactions of the individual with expanding circles—an understanding that each detail is connected to the general intention, which leads to the perception that everything is one.

In Torah, one can learn a word and understand its plain meaning—that is the lower level, which deals only with the specific word. However, to understand the deeper meaning, what Hashem wants here, one must also understand the word in context. This is done of course by reading the entire verse, the entire parashah, and sometimes even the entire book or the entire Torah. The word’s meaning derives from its context and influences the context reciprocally, in ever expanding circles. In the end, the truth of Torah is coherent and the meaning of every word integrates with all other Torah knowledge.

Beyond that, like the third level of Divine Providence already discussed, one perceives that every word in the Torah is a Name of God, as explained in this principle. The reasoning seems to be that since God’s existence is necessary (בָּיּחוְמ תּיאוִצְּמַה) then if every detail of Creation is necessary to complete God’s general purpose for Creation, then every detail of Creation is essentially a Name (i.e., a predicate) of God.

Beyond this third level, there is also a fourth, whereby everything in Creation is truly one unity. This is the perception that the entire Torah is one long Name of God, that “He and His Name are one,” or in the language of the Zohar, “Torah and God are one.”

The second principle discussed by the Rebbe Rayatz explicitly pertains to personal Divine Providence:

Divine Providence. Not only does it [personal Divine Providence] cover every creature in all its myriad details—including for instance that God sends a wind from His treasures to roll the straw and the hay, all of which happens for a specific purpose—but in addition, this purpose is the life force that ensures the creature’s unique stature, all this apart the life-force that only sustains the creature’s existence.

The Rebbe Rayatz means to say that the Ba’al Shem Tov is aware not only of the purpose behind the rolling of the leaf, straw, or hay, but of an additional inner purpose (which goes beyond fulfilling the purpose of Creation) that “ensures the creature’s life-force that is unique to its stature.” This is personal Divine Providence that reveals something very good.

Let’s explain this idea in more detail. The Ba’al Shem Tov does not say that personal Divine Providence is only what maintains the existence of every created being, but rather that it provides life-force—two levels of life-force. It is common to confuse and conflate existence (being) with life. Even though the two are related, as in the alternate reading of “You give life to them all” (םַּלֻת כֶּה אֶּיַחְה מַּתַא) as “You give existence to all” (םַּלֻת כֶּה אֶּוַהְה מַּתַא), they are distinct.

First, God brings something into existence and maintains its existence moment after moment, then He gives it life through the investment of the soul in the body, which is more closely related to Divine Providence. But the soul in the body is only the first level of life-force from God, there is a higher level, which is the core of personal Divine Providence. This level enlivens the particular and unique stature of the created being.

So for instance, regarding a human life: the life that sustains existence only ensures that the person not die—a good thing in itself, of course. But the most excellent form of safeguarding existence ensures that the person succeeds in fulfilling all their talents and virtues. This is a much higher level, and according to what is written here, it is the essence of personal Divine Providence. This is another beautiful observation regarding the Ba’al Shem Tov’s understanding of personal Divine Providence.

The next two principles of the Ba’al Shem Tov’s thought presented by the Rebbe Rayatz are the virtue of Israel (תַלֲעַמלֵאָרְׂשִי), and the Love of Israel (לֵאָרְׂשִת יַבֲהַא). Regarding the first, he emphasizes that for the Ba’al Shem Tov, even “the most insignificant individual in Israel serves as a crown for the greatness of God, the ever honored.” As such, the virtue of Israel, which adorns the greatness of God, corresponds to the sefirah of beauty, the primary emotional faculty.

In the Ba’al Shem Tov’s worldview, the fourth principle, Love of Israel (לֵאָרְׂשִת יַבֲהַא) represents love that is not based on the traits of the individual, but rather that they are part of the collective that is Israel.

Clearly these four principles can be corresponded to the four letters of God’s essential Name, Havayah, as follows: Understanding the Torah corresponds to wisdom as it is written, “Torah emerges from wisdom” (תַקְפַה נָמְכָחֵא מָתְיָרֹאו). The principle of personal Divine Providence corresponds to understanding and the first hei of Havayah, as will be explained. The virtue of Israel corresponds to the vav of Havayah and the six emotive faculties of which beauty is the central, as already noted. Finally, Love of Israel for every Jew, regardless of their station or stature, corresponds to the final hei of Havayah and the sefirah of kingdom, which represents the Congregation of Israel (לֵאָרְׂשִת יֶסֶנְכּ).

letter of HavayahsefirotBa’al Shem Tov’s principleyudwisdomunderstanding the Torahheiunderstandingexperiencing personal Divine Providencevavloving-kindness to foundationvirtue of Israelheikingdomlove of Israel

The truly novel insight from the model we have constructed from the Rebbe Rayatz’s enumeration of the Ba’al Shem Tov’s path is that Divine Providence corresponds to the intellectual faculties associated with the sefirah of understanding (otherwise known as mochin de'ima). This is an interesting observation because it illustrates the way in which the Ba’al Shem Tov (according to the Rebbe Rayatz) pictures personal Divine Providence.

Both parents, the father and the mother, watch over their children. But it is usually the case that the father watches from afar and is less involved in the daily details and affairs of the child. The mother, on the other hand, is normally much closer to knowing these details and daily issues. One might say that the mother watches over her child more closely than the father. The Ba’al Shem Tov desires that Divine Providence be close and personal, similar to how the touchstone verse for the entire Tanya seeks our service of God to be close and near, “for it [serving God] is very close to you.” Personal Divine Providence is thus, in the Chasidic view, a maternal form of Providence, whose purpose is to develop and nurture all the virtues inherent in the child born from the mother’s womb.

A MAN’S SOUL WILL TEACH HIM

There is another series of teachings in Keter Shem Tov categorized together under the title “Serving God,” that emphasize that everything a person sees and hears should be treated as a lesson in serving God. Considering the principle of personal Divine Providence, our task is to understand what God wants from us when He shows us something, and to arouse Heavenly mercy to merit performing the particular action that we are being led to do. Even when a person reads something in the news or in matters of this world, the choice is in their hands: whether these things will lead them “to the lowest depths of darkness and gloom” or "to a place of light and the hidden essence of God, may He be blessed and exalted.”

It is in the context of this general idea that we encounter one of the most important expressions used by the Ba’al Shem Tov: A man’s soul will teach him:

The Ba’al Shem Tov, may his memory be for a blessing, says that everything a person sees and hears contains a command and a lesson from Heaven on how to serve God. However, we are required to properly understand what we are seeing and hearing and be careful not to misinterpret the meaning of what was heard or seen. The true understanding of the meaning of what we hear and see comes by way of, “A man’s soul will teach him.”

The way in which “a man’s soul will teach him” refers to how a person’s intellect is illuminated and filled with various explanations regarding the meaning of what they saw and heard. Through this process one comes to understand the instruction they are receiving from Heaven in how to serve God.

The Ba’al Shem Tov says that the sure way to reach the state of “a man’s soul will teach him” is by either a heartfelt and fiery recital of a chapter of Psalms, or by expending a corporal effort to do a Jew a favor, not just a favor with one’s money, or by the Love of Israel, out of self-sacrifice.

The Baal Shem Tov, may his memory be for a blessing, views the revelation of "The soul of a person will teach us" more in saying Psalms than in the Torah scholars who innovate new teachings and discussions in Torah.

The Baal Shem Tov, may his memory be for a blessing, says that reciting Psalms with a sincere heart, the effort of doing something good for a Jew whether it be in physical or in spiritual matters, and loving Israel are the keys that fit all the locks of the Heavenly chambers of mercy, healing, and salvation, as well as the Heavenly doors of livelihood.

Out of a belief in personal Divine Providence, and with humility, which is the instrument with which to perceive God’s Providence, one must also understand the message. This can only be achieved through the principle of “a man’s soul will teach him.” The Ba’al Shem Tov explains how to attain this illumination through a heartfelt fervor in saying Psalms, doing good for a Jew with physical effort (and not just with money), and loving Israel with self-sacrifice in an inner way (which is above even the effort of the body)—thinking about them, praying for them, and dedicating oneself to love them.

“DO NOT FORSAKE MY TORAH"

We will conclude with one more insight—an explanation of the verse “For I have given you a good teaching; do not forsake my Torah”:

“For I have given you a good teaching” refers to the Torah’s revealed dimension, which some may think is given to them, making them forget the Giver of the Torah (i.e., God). They focus on the details, searching for leniencies and posing questions. However, when one focuses on the Torah being “My Torah,” and studies the Torah’s inner dimension and believes in personal Divine Providence, then the end of the verse, “Do not forsake it,” is fulfilled. Meaning that we are not left alone and abandoned.

From the verse “For his desire is in the Torah of God, and in His Torah are his thoughts day and night,” the sages teach that initially the Torah is referred to as “the Torah of God,” and only later, through continued study, does it become “his Torah”—the Torah comes to be named after the person learning it.

Here however, the Ba’al Shem Tov emphasizes the merit of Torah that remains “My Torah,” God’s Torah, a recognition which prevents the learners from feeling that the Torah is theirs and causing them to forget the Giver of the Torah.

Those who engage only in the Torah’s revealed dimension, which once again is the intent of the words, “I have given you a good teaching,” might forget and abandon the Giver of the Torah triggering the verse “If you forsake me for a day, I will forsake you for two.” By studying the Torah’s inner dimension, one is granted the ability to believe in personal Divine Providence and become constantly aware of God’s Presence and nearness, and recognizes that He never forsakes us.

The main novelty here is that the ultimate purpose of studying the Torah’s inner dimension is the recognition of personal Divine Providence. It may even be that the spiritual worlds and their deep concepts, including their explanation in Chasidut continue to feel distant. Yet, through the Torah’s inner dimension, one is guaranteed to experience that God is near through His personal Divine Providence. When a person sees and experiences personal Divine Providence every moment, in merit of his learning the Torah’s inner dimension, he never feels abandoned.

Notes:

  1. Sefer HaSichot 5703, pp. 160-161, as quoted in Keter Shem Tov (Kehot: 2004), pp. 483-484.
  2. For example, the word “bus” provides us with a certain knowledge of a vehicle that transports people at speeds probably no higher than 100km/hr. If we would add more adjectives to the word “bus,” such as “Greyhound bus,” we would know more about the exterior of the object and perhaps more about how it is operated, we would still not have a direct apprehension of its state, the mechanical state of its parts and functionality.
  3. See Wonders, Issue 160.
  4. See in length in our lecture on the Coherence theory of Truth, August 2018.
  5. Zohar 2:87a. See Ramban’s introduction to his commentary on the Torah. Yonat Elem ch. 29.
  6. Maimonides, Guide for the Perplexed 1:57. In all things except for God there is a radical divide between essence and existence (or being). They all have an essence, but their existence (or being) is superadded to them.
  7. Zohar Chadash (Margaliot), Midrash HaNe’elam 2b.
  8. See Zohar 1:24a, 2:60a. Tikkunei Zohar, beginning of tikkun 6.
  9. Nechemiah 9:6.
  10. Pardes Rimonim 6:8. Reishit Chochmah, S h a’a r HaKedushah ch. 7. Ta n y a, Sha’ar HaYichud VeHaEmunah, ch. 2.
  11. Keter Shem Tov (Kehot: 2004), pp. 394-397.
  12. Paraphrase of Job 32:8. See in length in our Hebrew volume, Shiurim BeSod HaShem LiYerei’av, volume 4, pp. 180ff. Available online at: https://tinyurl.com/3ja4bwrr.
  13. Keter Shem Tov (Kehot: 2004), pp. 326-327.
  14. Proverbs 4:2.
  15. Psalms 1:2.
  16. Avodah Zarah 19a.
  17. See Rashi on Deuteronomy 11:13.
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Wonders | August 15, 2025