G-d's Providence for the Non-Religious

Moshe Ben-Chaim

This week, a longtime friend posed an important question that I reprint with a response below. I thank him for his following question:

Reader: Rabbi Chait's "Faith or Beetachon" article brought my lack of understanding of this subject into stark relief:  

Isn't it correct that Yosef, was under direct providence from Hashem because of the level that he was on? Is it rational then, for regular individuals (like me), to have this sort of trust in Hashem?  Is it not probable that many of the things I experience, unlike a Yosef or the Avot, are merely accidents/coincidences, or worse yet, due to faults (stupidity) of my own? It seems that in order for Beetachon (as described by Rabbi Chait) to be real, the individual must have a closeness to Hashem, not an illusionary closeness. Do you agree that many people today feel very close to Hashem, but in actuality are very far away? 

My questions really boil down to:  What is the place of Beetachon in the life of non-righteous individual?  Is it possible for a non-righteous person to have "real" Beetachon? Is the Beetachon by a non-righteous individual rational and reciprocated by Hashem, or merely placating emotional insecurities?

Any light you can shed on the subject is much appreciated.

Mesora: Yes, even a non-religious person can benefit from G-d's providence. In his Moreh Nevuchim on this very topic, Maimonides states that G-d's involvement in one's life is proportional to his perfection:
Lesson #1: The very fact that there are "levels", clearly teaches that one on a lower level does have some providence.
Lesson #2: And although a non-religious person may be far away from G-d relative to others, this (less-religious starting point) is where every person commences his mission to come closer to G-d and His ways. Therefore, such a starting point is inevitable for all mankind. G-d knows this, and "regardless", He created man! He surely helps direct the genuine searcher towards new insights into Torah and personal growth. This must be.

And yes, many who are far from G-d can very easily fool themselves into believing things happen due to G-d's direct involvement in their daily lives. But we cannot have such knowledge without either a prophet telling us, or G-d Himself telling us. But as we do not have these two indications, it is quite haughty of a person to feel that G-d did in fact just enact a specific event for him, when in fact, G-d's natural laws repeat their specific and respective operations. Natural laws exists, and man exists. Therefore, many times, these two meet, and man derives either benefit, i.e., eating a fruit, or harm, i.e., he suffers injury while slipping on ice. While this is true, we must not discount the very real possibility that something may have been G-d's providence. Therefore, man must be both humble and realistic at the same time. Humble, that he does not feel convinced that something was G-d's intervention, and realistic, that it could have been.

One's Beetachon (trust in G-d) must, by its very definition, be proportionate to his knowledge of how G-d works. This is important. One must know the justice system of G-d, in order to have Beetachon in it. One cannot be trusting in someone who does not exist. Similarly, one cannot have Beetachon in the fact that G-d will do something, if in fact, G-d does not operate in the way imagined. The more knowledge man attains of G-d, that is how much more Beetachon he can have. A person is right to feel unsure whether G-d will step in to assist him, just as we learned that Jacob said, "I have grown small from your kindness." He too felt he might not be deserving of G-d to save him from his twin Esav. This was philosophically honest. This sets the right example for us.

We must continually learn more about G-d and His laws, making certain all we learn resonates 100% clear and true, and finally applying new these newly learned truths to our lives.