Hashgacha Pratit and the Super Bowl

Rabbi Akiva Males

  • Today is Shabbos.
  • We just read Parshas Terumah containing the instructions on building a temporary home for G-d in this world.
  • It’s also Rosh Chodesh Adar I.
  • As such, there is a question of absolutely paramount Jewish importance that must be addressed.
  • While many non-Jewish theologians have exerted great efforts and attempted to tackle this question, I’m not aware of anyone who has written on this very fundamental theological question from a Jewish perspective.
  • Here is the question:
  • Does G-d really care who wins the Super Bowl tomorrow?
  • Let me strengthen the question:
  • In light of all of the unrest and Earth-shaking events taking place in Egypt and throughout the Middle East, does G-d really care who wins the Super Bowl tomorrow?
  • You’d be shocked as to how many writers have weighed in on this theological matter over the years.
  • Let’s see some of the ideas expressed by non-Jewish sources before we look for what the Jewish approach might be.
  • In the course of my research, a January 2009 line from a sports writer named Mark Kriegel is often quoted: “I refuse to believe that G-d – anyone’s G-d – has a rooting interest in the outcome of something as secular and perverse as a BCS [Bowl Championship Series] game.”
  • Another source that’s often mentioned is a January 26, 1998 Sports Illustrated article by William Nack entitled, “Does G-d Care Who Wins The Super Bowl?”
  • Here are some quotes from Nack:
  • “ . . . Does God take an active interest in the outcome of athletic matches? Did He favor Denver over Pittsburgh or Green Bay over San Francisco? Does a believer on one side of the ball have an advantage over a non-believer on the other side of it? Does God even know there is a Super Bowl?”
  • “. . . The idea that God intervenes in sports is one that most Christian theologians reject as absurd at best and blasphemous at worst. "The notion that God cares whether the Packers or the Broncos win the Super Bowl suggests that God is in detailed control of what human beings do, which is dubious," says Wood. "We have a terrible war going on in Bosnia and the persecution of Christians in Indonesia and the genocide in Rwanda, and to suggest, in that light, that God has a direct involvement in athletic contests trivializes the whole notion of God's involvement with the world. It is a heresy."
  • "It makes God look immoral and arbitrary," says Joseph C. Hough, a minister in the United Church of Christ and the dean of the VanderbiltDivinitySchool. "I find that religiously offensive . . . ”
  • While I can honestly understand why those people feel the way they do, we need to examine our Jewish sources to find our answers to these threeseemingly trivial but very important questions:
  • A)Is G-d aware that the Super Bowl is taking place tomorrow?
  • B)If G-d is aware of tomorrow’s big game, will He have a hand in its outcome?
  • C)Even if G-d would want to concern Himself with the Super Bowl, isn’t His plate already full with the many unfolding crises around the globe?
  • One of our people’s greatest sages was the RAMBAM / Maimonides.
  • Living in the 12th century, RAMBAM put together the 13 Principles of Jewish belief – the 13 Ani Maamin principles (Yigdal is based on these).
  • In at least two of RAMBAM’s principles, we find that he addresses the questions at hand.
  • א] אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, שֶׁהַבּורֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמו הוּא בּורֵא וּמַנְהִיג לְכָל הַבְּרוּאִים, וְהוּא לְבַדּו עָשה וְעושה וְיַעֲשה לְכָל הַמַּעֲשים.
  • י] אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, שֶׁהַבּורֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמו יודֵעַ כָּל מַעֲשה בְנֵי אָדָם וְכָל מַחְשְׁבותָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר הַיּצֵר יַחַד לִבָּם הַמֵּבִין אֶל כָּל מַעֲשיהֶם.
  • Perhaps the most fundamental Jewish belief is that of G-d’songoing involvement and stewardship of our world.
  • Judaism has always declared that this world has a Creator – and that Creator remains actively involved in our world and all of its affairs.
  • G-d is fully aware of everything that goes on in this world and He is also the Manhig – the One who guides all that occurs in our world.
  • This is referred to as G-d’s Hashgacha – supervision over our world and its inhabitants – or G-d’s Divine Providence.
  • Judaism teaches that no human being experiences anything in this world unless it was first decreed in heaven.
  • תלמוד בבלי מסכת חולין דף ז עמוד ב
  • ואמר ר' חנינא: אין אדם נוקף אצבעו מלמטה אלא א"כ מכריזין עליו מלמעלה, שנאמר: (תהלים ל"ז)מה' מצעדי גבר כוננו. . .
  • In several places, the Sefer HaChinuch spells out how central this idea is in Judaism.
  • For example, in explaining why the Torah forbids the Jewish people from dabbling in any form of sorcery, the Chinuch writes:
  • ספר החינוך מצוה רמט
  • משרשי המצוה. . .ועוד שהם סבה להדיח האדם מאמונת השם ומתורתו הקדושה. ולבוא מתוכם לכפירה גמורה, שיחשוב כל טובתו ורעתו וכל אשר יקרהו שהוא דבר מקרי, לא בהשגחה מאת בוראו, ונמצא יוצא בכך מכל עקרי הדת. על כן, כי חפץ השם בטובתנו, ציונו להסיר מלבנו מחשבה זו ולקבוע בלבבינו כי כל הרעות והטוב מפי עליון תצאנה לפי מעשה האדם אם טוב ואם רע, והנחשים לא מעלין ולא מורידין, וכמו שכתוב [במדבר כ"ג, כ"ג] כי לא נחש ביעקב ולא קסם בישראל. . .
  • (See also Chinuch Mitzvah numbers 255, 241, and 380.)
  • So getting back to our original questions:
  • A)Is G-d aware that the Super Bowl is taking place tomorrow?
  • The Jewish answer is: Certainly. As RAMBAM put it:אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה, שֶׁהַבּורֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמו יודֵעַ כָּל מַעֲשה בְנֵי אָדָם
  • B)Will G-d have a hand in the outcome of tomorrow’s game?
  • The Jewish answer is:Absolutely. As RAMBAM put it, G-d is the ּמַנְהִיג לְכָל הַבְּרוּאִים- His Divine Providence governs all that goes on and effects the world human population.
  • C)Isn’t G-d’s plate already full with the many unfolding crises around the globe?
  • The Jewish answer is that as the מַנְהִיג לְכָל הַבְּרוּאִים – the One who continues to guide this world and orchestrate all the events of world history, G-d is perfectly capable of multi-tasking. G-d’s capabilities are beyond anything that us mere mortals can envision and is not bound at all by our human limitations.
  • But there’s still one more very important question to be answered:
  • Granting that G-d is aware of the Super Bowl, will have a hand in determining it’s outcome, and that He is not overwhelmed by all of the other pressing matter vying for His attention, why on Earth should G-d care about the Super Bowl?
  • It’s one thing to say that He could care, but why should He care about its outcome?
  • I think the answer to this question lies in one of our people’s most important and celebrated experiences.
  • About 2,500 years ago, G-d showed us how - despite all of the other pressing matters going on in His world - He was aware of, and involved Himself in the outcome of something as silly as an official state-run Persian beauty pageant.
  • That’s right, it was that “silly” little beauty pageant which ended up saving our entire Jewish people.
  • Today is Rosh Chodesh Adar I.
  • Very soon, Jews around the world will once again gather to read Megilas Esther.
  • We’re all familiar with the story of Megilas Esther.
  • From start to finish, the entire Megilas Esther is all about G-d’s Hashgacha – His ongoing involvement and stewardship of our world.
  • Is there any way to explain how Esther – a nice Jewish girl – was chosen from amongst the most beautiful woman in Acheshveirosh’s entire kingdom to become his next queen?
  • It was all Divine Providence.
  • Our commentators explain how every step of the entire Purim story – from start to finish – was a case-study in Hashgacha – of G-d’s continued involvement in our world and the survival of the Jewish people.
  • Was it clear to anyone at the time as to why G-d should have taken an interest in that “silly” Persian beauty pageant?
  • Absolutely not.
  • In retrospect, however, G-d’s actions become completely understandable.
  • It was only by Esther winning that pageant and becoming queen, that the Jewish people could have a hope of surviving Haman’s decree of Jewish extermination.
  • That seemingly insignificant beauty pageant played a major role in G-d’s plan for the great scheme of things.
  • (See the Ralbag’s Toeliyos numbers 9 and 16 on Megilas Esther.)
  • The story of Purim reminds us all about G-d’s ongoing Hashgacha – His involvement in our world and our people’s survival.
  • The story of Purim reminds us that:
  • A)G-d is fully aware of all that goes on in our world
  • B)G-d has His hand in everything that goes on in our world
  • C)Despite all of His many responsibilities, G-d is perfectly capable of multi-tasking and involving Himself in seemingly minor human interest events
  • But lastly, Purim reminds us that:
  • D)Whether we’ll ever be privileged to see it or not, all that goes on around us is part and parcel of G-d’s orchestrating world events. We have no idea how one seemingly minor episode can have such massive ramifications. G-d, however, the world’s Manhig – director has the ability to make all of those connections and understand why it’s important to use His Divine Providence to influence world events of all shapes and sizes so that His ultimate plan can be brought about.
  • In conclusion, in answering the question of G-d’s involvement with tomorrow’s Super Bowl, let me paraphrase William Nack one last time:
  • “There may be all kinds of ways in which the outcome of a game could serve G-d’s purpose – but ultimately, G-d isn’t a Packers or Steelers fan.”
  • Have a good Shabbos.

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