AS: We all have heard what are called “hashgachah pratis stories” — like the man who went to minyan and missed the plane that crashed — but there’s so much more to it. Can you briefly tell us what hashgachah pratis is — and what it means to our lives?

RHK: Hashgachah pratis is our awareness of Hashem’s constant involvement in our world. What does it mean to our lives? Let’s look at a paraphrased quote from Living With Hashgachah Pratis:

When we internalize Hashem’s perpetual influence in our lives, it can reshape our perspective on life, turning every experience into a moment of gratitude, enabling gratitude to become second nature. Life — every breath, heartbeat, and fleeting moment — becomes a wondrous journey, enhanced by Hashem’s omnipresent care and love …. Even struggles and adversities are not mere hurdles; rather, they are specifically designed challenges meant to mold us, enabling growth and resilience, making us stronger and greater in the process …. When we feel Hashem’s hashgachah pratis in our daily struggles, it enables us to convert them into eternally rewarding spiritual growth.  

AS: The book contains more than 125 stories about hashgachah pratis in everyday life. How did you go about finding so many fascinating stories?

RHK: I don’t mean to give a “cute” answer, but it was hashgachah pratis. I heard some stories, experienced some, “accidentally” came across some, read some, researched some. But the fact that they all wound up in this book is truly Hashem’s hashgachah pratis, to be mechazek us in Living With Hashgachah Pratis.  

AS: Do you have any tips to help us strengthen our awareness of Hashem’s hashgachah pratis?

RHK: It is important for people to be mechazek themselves by keeping a personal journal of their own hashgachah pratis stories. Rav Moshe Feinstein, Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky, and Rav Yechezkel Levenstein advocated keeping a personal journal of hashgachah pratis stories in one’s daily life, as an effective means for personal chizuk. And readers can inspire others with their personal hashgachah pratis stories by sending them to HPratisStories@gmail.com, or by visiting https://vanitefillah.org, for inclusion in the next volume on hashgachah pratis. (Personal identifying information will be removed upon request.)

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Life — every breath, heartbeat, and fleeting moment — becomes a wondrous journey….