[Avodah] SHOMER PESA'IM HASHEM

[Ilana Sober Elzufon]

One way to understand shomer pesa'im H' is to think about the alternative
outlook.

There are people who are obsessed with achieving maximum safety for
themselves and their kids. They hire babyproofers to go over every inch of
their house to make sure there is nothing that could conceivably be a
hazard. They are constantly reading the latest information on what food is
good for you, bad for you, might conceivably have too much mercury or
pesticides, might reduce your risk of cancer by 1%. They take vitamins,
never go outside without sunscreen, religiously undergo every recommended
medical screening, don't let their kids walk anywhere alone, etc.

I think this attitude is derived from a conception that it all depends on
us. Only we can prevent some terrible accident or disease from striking our
family. No One is watching out for us.

However, if one has an attitude that H' runs the world and that He watches
over us, and there is hashgacha pratit (I know - machloket rishonim about
how much and for whom), than one can be a bit more relaxed. One can say,
I'll live my life normally, do the regular things that everyone does, and
rely on HKBH to make sure nothing dire happens (unless, of course, He davka
wants it to happen...). That outlook is shomer pesa'im H'.

Of course this is based on doing normal regular things that everyone does
all the time, and that changes with time and society. Smoking used to be in
this category; it may no longer be. Similarly riding without seatbelts. But
I think going outdoors for a little while without sunscreen, or eating tuna
fish, are still in that category.

With safety, perhaps one should take the middle road. On the one hand -
v'nishmartem me'od l'nafshoteichem. I am definitely in favour of seatbelts,
sunscreen, helmets, and healthy food - I'm not trying to denigrate them! But
on the other hand - realize that we are not in control. A terrible
catastrophe can ch"v strike the most careful person, and a person who is not
particularly careful can live to 100. G-d runs the world and we don't.
Knowing that lets us relax a bit and act normal. Shomer pesa'im H'.

- Ilana
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