ABSTRACT
In the Bible the notion that God controls and guides the universe is an essential belief. According to the Biblical tradition, there are two types of providence: general providence- God's provision for the world in general, and special providence- God's care for each individual. In Scripture God's general providence was manifest in his freeing the ancient Israelites from Egyptian bondage and guiding them to the Promised Land. For the rabbis the doctrine that divine providence affects the lives of all creatures was of central significance. During the medieval period, Jewish theologians continued to be preoccupied with the doctrine of providence. Regarding special providence, many Jews would want to say that God is concerned with each individual even though he does not miraculously intervene in the course of human history. Divine providence should hence be understood as a mode of interaction in which God affects the consciousness of the individual without curtailing his free will.
