Is there special significance to events wherein G‑d's hand is obvious?

Question:

If every event in this world is orchestrated by G‑d, of what special significance are those events wherein G‑d's hand is obvious? Is my meeting the right person in a serendipitous way more an expression of His presence than when a tree falls in the forest and nobody's there to hear its crashing sound?

Answer:

Indeed, everything that happens is due to direct hashgachah pratit (Divine providence), but, as you point out, not always is G‑d's hand apparent.

Therefore, we ascribe special significance to those instances in which the hashgachah pratit is perceptible. The fact that G‑d allowed us to see the importance of a particular event is within itself an additional revelation.

By way of an example: nature too is an expression of G‑d. Nonetheless, special significance is given to miracles. For a miracle is a revealed expression of G‑dliness.

But for more on this subject I invite you to:

Read "Led By G‑d's Hand," a series of essays on this topic.

Listen to "Divine Providence, It's Bashert," a short lecture on this subject.

Yours truly,

Rabbi Yisroel Cotlar