During my stay in Meron, I lost a valuable hearing aid that I had purchased only a week earlier. It is unpleasant to lose something essential for hearing, especially when its value is in the thousands of shekels, and it happens in such a short period. While I was contemplating the loss and trying to locate the device, a man approached me. He had come to Meron specifically from abroad to celebrate his son's chalaka (the traditional first haircut) at the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. He asked me to cut his son's hair as per the custom.
I asked the boy's father if he had any sweets to cheer the child and prevent him from being scared. The father responded that he did not. In the middle of our conversation, a man standing nearby handed me a handful of sweets without saying a word.
I was moved by the fact that, among all the Jews in the courtyard of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai in Meron, this specific individual happened to be standing next to me, overheard our conversation, and took the initiative to provide the treats. This could only be hashgacha pratis! Then I thought to myself: "Just as this man with the candies appeared through hashgacha pratis, so too, the loss of my hearing aid is under hashgacha pratis!"
This realization uplifted my spirits and brought me great joy. After all, HaKadosh Baruch Hu does only what is good for us, and everything happens with wondrous providence. We must recognize that not only what we understand as "good" is under providence, but even what appears to us as "not good" is also under miraculous supervision!
- Moreinu HaRav
