Hashem told Avram to go אשר הארץ אל אראך, "To the land that I will show you." The Baal HaTurim writes that אראך is gematriya 222, the same as בעננים, clouds. The Baal HaTurim writes, "This tells us that there were clouds that went before Avram, showing him the way." Perhaps we can also explain that this hints that Hashem bestows His kindness when it appears dark and negative. When it seems to be בעננים, -cloudy and distant, at those times, אראך, Hashem reveals Himself and His kindness to the Jewish nation.
The clouds on Har Sinai are called הערפל (Shemos 20:18), and the Baal HaTurim writes that הערפל is gematriya שכינה. The Nesivos Sholom explains that this indicates that when there are clouds, Hashem is there. As the Torah says האלקים שם אשר הערפל, "The opaque darkness where Hashem was there." This is as it states (Malachim 1, 8:12) לשכן אמר 'ה בערפל, "Hashem said that He will dwell in the thick darkness."
The Mashal of the Burning Mansion
The Midrash (Bereishis Rabba 39) tells the following mashal: "A traveler saw a דולקת בירה, a mansion on fire. He said, 'Could it be that this home doesn’t have an owner?' The owner peeked at him and said, 'I am the owner of this home.' So too, Avraham said, 'Could it be that the world doesn’t have a leader?' Hakadosh Baruch Hu peeked out to him and said, 'I am the leader of the world.'"
Commentaries on this Midrash explain that Avraham looked at our wondrous, magnificent world and recognized the Creator through it. But then he saw the resha'im who destroy the world with their aveiros. (Their sins destroyed the world in the generation of the mabul and the generation of dor haflagah.) Avraham didn’t understand why Hashem wasn't taking care of the world. Since Hashem created it, He should guard it from becoming ruined. The Midrash compares this to a traveler who sees a house on fire and says, "This house surely has an owner; why isn't he putting out the fire?"
The house owner peeked out at him and said, "I am the owner of the house." Similarly, Avraham didn’t understand why Hashem was allowing the resha'im to destroy the world. Hashem revealed himself to Avraham and said, "I am the Owner of the world."
The Midrash states, הבירה בעל עליו מציץ, "The owner of the house peeked at him." מציץ, peeked, is an unusual expression. It seems that the Midrash should have stated, עליו הביט הבירה בעל, "the owner of the house looked at him." What is implied by הציץ, peeked?
Peeking Through the Cracks
To answer this question, we bring the pasuk (Shir HaShirim 2:9) מן מציץ החלונות מן משגיח החרכים, "Looking through the windows, peeking through the cracks..." What is the difference between "looking through windows" and "peeking through cracks"? When one looks through a window, he sees everything that's in front of the window, but because he sees so many things, he isn't focused on anything in particular. When one peeks through the cracks, he sees less but can entirely focus on what he sees.
We want Hashem to "peek" at us and see us with intense focus so we will receive His hashgachah pratis on a very high level. Avraham merited this special hashgachah pratis after he saw the house/world burning. This suggests that when one goes through hard times, Hashem's hashgachah is more intensely on him.
This can be compared to when a child is chas veshalom ill and hospitalized. Although parents love all their children equally and don’t have favorites, now their love and attention are focused on the child who needs their help most. When we go through hard times, chalilah, Hashem's eyes are focused on us, watching and guiding us with extra love and care. If the hospitalized child pleads to his parents to be with him, they will be even more devoted to that child. When one goes through difficulties and turns to Hashem, הבירה בעל עליו הציץ, Hashem watches you with immense hashgachah pratis.
The Baal Shem of Michelstadt's Lesson
When the Baal Shem of Michelstadt zt’l was five years old, he was called a wunderkind (genius-child) because of his quick and ingenious mind. The count of Michelstadt heard about the child's wisdom and wanted to witness it with his own eyes. He summoned the child to his castle.
The count instructed his family and staff not to be around when the child arrived. He wanted it that way, to test the child. The castle had many rooms, and there wouldn’t be anyone to ask for directions. He wished to see if the child would find him.
When the day arrived, the count stood at the window of his room and watched the child as he came to the courtyard. The count was sure it would take the child a long time before he would knock on the door. Surprisingly, it was only a few minutes before the count heard knocking at his door and a voice called, “Good day, honorable count.”
The count asked, “How did you know I was in this room?”
“Before entering, I stood outside the castle and took in what I saw. I noticed that the curtains of all the rooms were open to let in the sunlight, but one room had the curtains drawn. I understood that you were watching me from behind the curtains in this room.”
Years later, the Baal Shem of Michelstadt zt’l repeated this story and explained the lesson that we can learn from it. When one is going through hard times in life, he feels that the curtains of heaven are drawn, that's a sign that Hashem is peeking out at you from behind the curtains, watching you in concealment. In fact, at those times, Hashem's hashgachah over you is even more pronounced.
