God extends His providence to human beings and judges them in accordance with what they deserve. This is, however, the case only for humans; God watches over animals and plants in a broader, more general way. Divine providence is also proportional to the individual’s degree of closeness and attachment to God, which is itself related to his intellect. Therefore, even with regard to humans, there are various levels of divine providence, and someone who is on a higher spiritual level merits a greater degree of divine providence.

Everything that happens to people is in accordance with divine justice:

Another fundamental principle taught by the Law of Moses is this: Injustice cannot be ascribed to God in any way whatsoever. All evils and afflictions, as well as all kinds of happiness of man, whether they concern one individual person or a community, occur in accordance with divine justice; they are the result of strict judgment in which there is no wrong whatsoever. Even when a person suffers pain from a thorn which pricks his hand, although it is immediately taken out, it is a punishment that has been inflicted on him for sin, and the slightest pleasure he enjoys is a reward [for some good action].

Individual providence is extended only to human beings:

I believe that divine providence in this low, or sublunary, portion of the world is concerned with details of the human species alone. It is only with this species that all that happens in life to individuals, their good and evil fortunes, are the result of divine justice, in accordance with the words, “For all His ways are judgment” (Deuteronomy 32:4). But I agree with Aristotle regarding all other living creatures, and a fortiori regarding plants and similar species. For I do not believe at all that [specific] divine providence is responsible for a certain leaf falling [from a tree], nor do I hold that when a certain spider catches a certain fly, it is the direct result of a special decree and the specific will of God at that moment…. In all these cases the action is, according to my opinion, entirely due to chance…. All this is providence over animal species [as whole units], and not to providence over individual animals.

Divine providence corresponds to the level that each creature has reached:

Understand thoroughly my position: I do not ascribe to God ignorance of anything or any kind of weakness. I believe that divine providence is related and closely connected to the intellect…. The more an individual has been able [to connect to] divine influence, due to his predisposition and his training, the greater must the effect of divine providence upon him be…. The level of divine providence is therefore not the same for all people…. Divine providence is very great in the case of prophets, and varies according to the degree of their prophetic ability, just as it varies in the case of pious and good people according to their piety and rightousness…. Ignorant and rebellious people fall into the category of animals; they are “like the beasts that perish” (Psalms 49:13). (Rambam, Guide of the Perplexed III:17–18)

The world and the laws of nature are governed in accordance with what God has decided, and this cannot be altered by people’s actions; that which has been decreed will indeed take place. Nevertheless, one who is devoted to God can be saved from such decrees and natural phenomena even though the divine decrees themselves are fulfilled.

The servants [the forces of nature] cannot change their nature or transgress the command that God has given them. Likewise, all heavenly and earthly creatures are affected by [these forces] in accordance with their nature]. Consequently, [the forces of nature themselves] cannot make it better or worse [for them]. If one bows down to the creations in the heavens [namely, the stars], this will not be effective. Rather, that which has been decreed upon the individual in accordance with the astrological constellation at his birth will happen to him, unless he believes in a power that is higher than that of the stars and devotes himself to it; then, he can be saved from decrees. For example, imagine an alignment of stars which determines that a certain river will flood a certain city, killing or carrying off its inhabitants. A prophet comes and warns them to return to God before this terrible day comes. They repent with all their hearts, and because they have devoted themselves to God, He puts into their minds the idea that all the residents of the city should leave the city in order to pray to God. They do so, and on that day, the river suddenly swells up and floods the entire city. God’s decree was not removed, yet He saved them. (Ibn Ezra, Exodus 33:21)

Further reading: For more on the stars and their influence on the Jewish people, see A Concise Guide to the Sages, p. 423.