Shiluach Haken and Divine Providence

מִשָּׁרְשֵׁי הַמִּצְוָה. לָתֵת אֶל לִבֵּנוּ שֶׁהַשְׁגָּחַת הָאֵל בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל בְּרִיּוֹתָיו בְּמִין הָאָדָם בִּפְרָט, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב (איוב לד, כא) כִּי עֵינָיו עַל כָּל דַּרְכֵי אִישׁ וְגוֹ' וּבִשְׁאָר מִינֵי בַּעֲלֵי חַיִּים בַּמִּינִים דֶּרֶךְ כְּלָל, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁחֶפְצוֹ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּקִיּוּם הַמִּין, וְעַל כֵּן לֹא יִכְלֶה לְעוֹלָם מִין מִכָּל מִינֵי הַנִּבְרָאִים, כִּי בְּהַשְׁגָּחַת הַחַי וְקַיָּם לָעַד בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַדָּבָר יִמָּצֵא בּוֹ הַקִּיּוּם. וּבְהַנִּיחַ הָאָדָם דַּעְתּוֹ עַל זֶה יָבִין דַּרְכֵי הַשֵּׁם, וְיִרְאֶה כִּי הַמְשָׁכַת קִיּוּם הַמִּינִין בָּעוֹלָם שֶׁלֹּא כָּלָה וְאָבַד אֶחָד מִכֻּלָּם, מִבֵּיצֵי כִּנִּים וְעַד קַרְנֵי רְאֵמִים מִיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְרְאוּ, הַכֹּל בְּמַאֲמָרוֹ וְחֶפְצוֹ עַל זֶה. וּכְמוֹ כֵן יֵדַע הָאָדָם כִּי אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁמֹר מִצְוַת בּוֹרְאוֹ וְיַיְשִׁיר כָּל דְּרָכָיו וְהוּא נְקִי כַפַּיִם וּבַר לֵבָב, תִּהְיֶה הַשְׁגָּחַת הָאֵל עָלָיו וְיִתְקַיֵּם גּוּפוֹ זְמַן רַב בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְנַפְשׁוֹ לָעַד לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וּכְגוֹן זֶה אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (סוטה ח ב), מִדָּה כְּנֶגֶד מִדָּה, כִּי בִּהְיוֹת זֶה הָאִישׁ נוֹתֵן דַּעְתּוֹ כִּי הַקִּיּוּם וְהַטּוֹבָה בְּהַשְׁגָּחַת הָאֵל בַּדְּבָרִים וְלֹא בְּסִבָּה אַחֶרֶת, יִזְכֶּה הוּא גַּם כֵּן שֶׁיִּפְנֶה עָלָיו הָאֵל לְטוֹבָה וִיקַיֵּם אוֹתוֹ, וּבִשְׂכַר הַקִּיּוּם וְהַיְּכֹלֶת שֶׁהוּא מַאֲמִין בַּבּוֹרֵא בְּעִנְיָן זֶה אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה בַּמִּדְרָשׁ (דברים רבה פ, כי תצא ו) שֶׁהָאָדָם זוֹכֶה לְבָנִים בִּשְׂכַר מִצְוָה זוֹ, כְּלוֹמַר שֶׁיִּמָּשֵׁךְ קִיּוּמוֹ, שֶׁהַבָּנִים הֵם קִיּוּם הָאָדָם וְזִכְרוֹ. וְדִקְדְּקוּ הַדָּבָר לְפִי הַדּוֹמֶה מֵאָמְרוֹ שַׁלֵּחַ תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם וְאֶת הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח לָךְ, כְּלוֹמַר בָּנִים תִּקַּח לְנַפְשְׁךָ, שֶׁהָיָה יָכוֹל לוֹמַר תְּשַׁלַּח אֶת הָאֵם וְלֹא וְאֶת הַבָּנִים תִּקַּח לָךְ. וּמִן הַשֹּׁרֶשׁ הַזֶּה אָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (ברכות לג, ב) שֶׁהָאוֹמֵר בִּתְפִלָּתוֹ רַחֲמֵנוּ, שֶׁאַתָּה הַמְרַחֵם כִּי עַל קַן צִפּוֹר יַגִּיעוּ רַחֲמֶיךָ, שֶׁמְּשַׁתְּקִין אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁאֵין הָעִנְיָן רַחֲמִים, אֶלָּא כְּדֵי לְזַכּוֹתֵנוּ עַל הָעִנְיָן שֶׁזָּכַרְתִּי. וְאָמְרוּ בְּטַעַם זֶה בַּגְּמָרָא (שם) מִפְּנֵי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה מִדּוֹתָיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רַחֲמִים, וְאֵינָן אֶלָּא גְּזֵרוֹת, וְאֵין הָעִנְיָן לוֹמַר שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְרַחֵם חָלִילָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי הוּא נִקְרָא רַחוּם, וְאָמְרוּ זִכְרוֹנָם לִבְרָכָה (שבת קלג, ב) מָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רַחוּם אַף אַתָּה הֱיֵה מְרַחֵם, אֲבָל כַּוָּנָתָם לוֹמַר, שֶׁאֵין מִדַּת הָרַחְמָנוּת בּוֹ חָלִילָה כְּמוֹ בִּבְנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהָרַחְמָנוּת בָּהֶם מֻכְרָח בְּטִבְעָם שֶׁשָּׂם בָּהֶם הַבּוֹרֵא בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אֲבָל הָרַחְמָנוּת אֵלָיו, מֵחֶפְצוֹ הַפָּשׁוּט שֶׁחִיְּבָה חָכְמָתוֹ לְרַחֵם מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהִיא מִדָּה טוֹבָה, וְכָל הַטּוֹבוֹת נִמְצָאוֹת מֵאִתּוֹ, וְאָמְרוּ כִּי בְּצַוּוֹתוֹ אוֹתָנוּ עַל זֶה לֹא מִצַּד הֶכְרֵחַ מִדַּת הָרַחְמָנוּת צִוָּנוּ בַּדָּבָר, שֶׁהֲרֵי הִתִּיר לָנוּ הַשְּׁחִיטָה בָּהֶן, כִּי כָּל הַמִּינִין לְצֹרֶךְ הָאָדָם הֵן נִבְרָאִין, אֲבָל הַצַּוָּאָה עַל זֶה וּבְאוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בְּנוֹ שֶׁהִיא כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ וּבִשְׁאָר מִצְוֹת רַבּוֹת, אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא כִּגְזֵרָה לְפָנָיו שֶׁגָּזַר עַל זֶה בְּחֶפְצוֹ הַפָּשׁוּט, וְאִלּוּ רָצָה בְּהֶפֶךְ מִזֶּה לֹא יַכְרִיחֶנּוּ דָּבָר וְלֹא יִמְנָעֶנּוּ סִבָּה חָלִילָה כָּמוֹנוּ אֲנַחְנוּ הַבְּנוּיִים בְּכֹחַ הַטְּבָעִים, שֶׁמִּדַּת הָרַחְמָנוּת תְּעַכְּבֵנוּ מִלְּהַשְׁחִית אוֹ תַּכְרִיחֵנוּ לְהֵיטִיב לִפְעָמִים. זֶהוּ עִנְיָן אָמְרָם אֵינָן אֶלָּא גְּזֵרוֹת, וּמִשֹּׁרֶשׁ הָעִנְיָן מָה שֶׁזָּכַרְנוּ. וְהָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה כָּתַב בְּטַעַם מִצְוָה זוֹ (במורה נבוכים ח"ג פמ"ח, י"ג הָרַמְבַּ"ן בפי' לחומש כאן) וּבְטַעַם אוֹתוֹ וְאֶת בְּנוֹ לְפִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לַבְּהֵמוֹת דְּאָגָה גְּדוֹלָה בִּרְאוֹתָן צַעַר בְּנֵיהֶן כְּמוֹ לִבְנֵי אָדָם, כִּי אַהֲבַת הָאֵם לַבֵּן אֵינֶנּוּ דָּבָר נִמְשָׁךְ אַחַר הַשֵּׂכֶל, אֲבָל הוּא מִפְּעֻלּוֹת כֹּחַ הַמַּחְשָׁבָה הַמְּצוּיָה בַּבְּהֵמוֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר הִיא מְצוּיָה בָּאָדָם. וְאָמַר הָרַמְבַּ"ם זִכְרוֹנוֹ לִבְרָכָה בְּעִנְיָן זֶה, וְאַל תָּשִׁיב מִלִּין מִמַּאֲמַר הַחֲכָמִים הָאוֹמְרִים עַל קַן צִפּוֹר וְכוּ', כִּי זוֹ סְבָרַת מִי שֶׁיִּרְאֶה שֶׁאֵין טַעַם לַמִּצְוֹת אֶלָּא חֵפֶץ הַבּוֹרֵא, וְאָנוּ מַחְזִיקִים בַּסְּבָרָא הַשֵּׁנִית, שֶׁהִיא שֶׁיֵּשׁ בְּכָל הַמִּצְוֹת טַעַם. וְהֻקְשָׁה עָלָיו מָה שֶׁנִּמְצָא בִּבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (פרשה מד א) וְכִי מָה אִכְפַּת לוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בֵּין שׁוֹחֵט מִן הַצַּוָּאר לְשׁוֹחֵט מִן הָעֹרֶף? הָא לֹא נִתְּנוּ הַמִּצְוֹת אֶלָּא לִצְרֹף בָּהֶן אֶת הַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ל ב) כָּל אִמְרַת אֱלוֹהַּ צְרוּפָה.

It is from the roots of this commandment [that it is] to put into our hearts that the providence of God, may He be blessed, is upon all of His creatures — with the human species individually, as it is written (Job 34:21), “For His eyes are upon a man’s ways, etc.”; and upon the other species of animals generally, meaning to say that His desire, may He be blessed, is towards the existence of the [particular] species. And therefore, no species will ever become extinct from all of the species of creatures, as it is due to the providence of the Living and Existing forever, may He be blessed, that their existence is found. And when a man places his mind to this, he understands the ways of God and he will see that the continuous preservation of the species in the world — that not one of all of them became extinct and lost from the day they were created, “from the lice’s eggs to the antelope’s horns” — is all from His statement and His will about this. And so too, will a man know that when he observes the commandments of his Creator and straightens all of his ways and be of clean hands and a pure heart, that the providence of God will be upon him and preserve his body for much time in this world, and his soul forever in the world to come. And like this did they, may their memory be blessed, say (Sotah 8a) [that] it is [payment] measure for measure; since when this person places his mind to that which existence and good are resultant of God’s providence over things — and not from another cause — he too merits that God should turn to him for the good and make him exist. And about the reward for the existence and the ability [given] since he believed in the Creator about this matter, they, may their memory be blessed, said in the Midrash (Devarim Rabbah 80:5 on Ki Tetseh) that a person merits children as a reward for this commandment, which is to say that his existence will continue — as children are the existence of a person and his remembrance. And they extrapolated this apparently from its stating, “you shall surely send away the mother and the young (banim) you shall take for you,” meaning to say, “children (banim) take for yourself.” As it could have stated, “you shall surely send away the mother” [only] and not [also] “and the young you shall take for you.” And about this root, they, may their memory be blessed, said (Berakhot 33b) that we silence one who says in his prayer, “Have mercy upon us, as You are the Merciful One, since Your mercies extend to the bird’s nest.” As the matter is not [one of] mercy, but rather it is in order to bring us merit in the way I have mentioned. And they said about this reason in the Gemara there, “It is because he makes the attributes of God into mercy, and they are [actually] only decrees.” And the matter is not to say that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not have mercy, God forbid — as behold, He is called the Merciful One; and they, may their memory be blessed, said (Shabbat 133b) [that] just like the Holy One, blessed be He, is merciful, you too have mercy.” Rather, their intention is to say that there is no trait of mercy in Him, God forbid — like with people, [such] that the mercy in them is forced by their nature that the Creator, blessed be He, placed in them. But mercy for Him is from His simple desire — that His wisdom loves to have mercy, because it is a good trait, and all good traits are found with Him. And they said [that] in His commanding us about this, it was not by force of the trait of mercy that He commanded us in the thing; as behold, He permitted their slaughter, since all the species are created for the needs of man. But [rather] the command about this and about “it and its son,” which is like it, and many other commandments are only like a decree in front of Him, since He decreed about it with His simple desire. And if He had wanted the opposite of this, nothing would force Him [to do otherwise] and no cause would prevent Him, God forbid. [This is,] as opposed to us, who are built with the power of [our] natures, [such] that the trait of mercy impedes us from destroying, or sometimes forces us to do good. This is the matter of their saying [that] they are only decrees, and it is from the root of the thing of that which we mentioned. And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote in explanation of this commandment (Guide for the Perplexed 3:48, and some have the textual variant, Ramban in his commentary to the Torah here) and of “him and his child,” [that] it is because animals — like people — have great distress in seeing the pain of their children. As the love of the mother for the child is not a matter that follows the intellect, but rather it is from the effects of the power of thinking that is found in animals, [just] as it is found in people. And Rambam, may his memory be blessed, wrote about this matter, “Do not answer me with words from the statement of the Sages [in] which they say, ‘To the bird’s nest, etc.’ since this is the reasoning of the one to whom it appears that there is no explanation for the commandments, except for them being the will of the Creator. But we maintain the second reasoning, which is that there is an explanation for all of the commandments.” And [Ramban] challenged him from that which is found in Bereishit Rabbah 44a, “And for what would the Holy One, blessed be He, care if an animal is slaughtered from the [front of the] neck or from the back? Behold, the commandments were only given to refine the creatures with them, as it states (Proverbs 30:5), ‘Every word of God is refined.’”