The World Isn’t Small, It’s Just Well Managed

Have you ever heard the song: “It’s a small world“? This oft-used phrase explains how when you encounter a someone unexpectedly, it seems to be a coincidence that can be explained by how small the world that we live in actually is.

In Judaism, we believe there are no chance meetings. Rather, all occurrences are attributed to the Divine Providence, the G-dly hand which orchestrates all aspects of our lives. G-d is recreating the world every single moment, so naturally there is a holy and important reason behind meeting each and every individual at that specific times that we do.

It is our responsibility to appreciate the majesty of every moment, and take the opportunity to find the meaning in each new precious happening.

As you read this, Jonny Maxwell – a lone soldier from Columbus, Ohio – is fighting in Gaza. Just this past Tuesday, minutes before going into Gaza, Jonny saw my daughter Rochel, who is volunteering at a military zone on the Gaza border. She is spending the last part of the summer cooking and delivering food to soldiers before they go into Gaza and when they return from fighting.

“What a small world!” they might think. But the truth is much more profound. It’s not that the world is a small place, it’s just well managed.

It’s not that the world is a small place, it’s just that it is well managed.

Although Jonny is known as a Chayal Boded – or lone soldier – G-d sent him a sign that he indeed is not alone. Even before entering the labyrinth of an enemy which seeks the destruction of the Jewish people.

What does this story teach us?

No matter if we think we are alone, we are never truly on our own. Hashem, the creator of the world and the mightiest Power in the universe, is tightly holding onto us at all times: in our moments of joy, connection and elation and most definitely also in our moments of fear, unknown, uncertainty.

This week’s Torah portion, Matot-Masei recounts the journeys of the Jewish people after leaving Egypt. It speaks of how the Jewish people survived even though we traveled seemingly alone in a dangerous desert because G-d is holding us tight, as he is with Jonny, and with you, the reader.

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The portion of Matot-Masei concludes the fourth book of the Torah, and when we read it aloud in the synagogue, the congregation chants aloud the word “Chazak Chazak Venitchazek”, meaning “We will be strong and we will be strengthened.”

It’s not a small world after all

As we all hold our breathe with uncertainty over the future, let us remember that as Israel’s enemies seek vengeance on the world’s only Jewish State for the reason that we dare to defend ourselves, let us cling tightly to what we have always known to be true:

It’s not a small world after all. G-d is lovingly watching and overseeing every single detail of our lives, and there is no such thing as a coincidence, rather a sign from the one above that we are never alone, and that G-d is embracing each and everyone of us ever so tightly.

Shabbat Shalom,

Areyah