THE PURPOSE OF CREATION
THE PURPOSE OF CREATION
Shavuot
The atheist
believes that the world happened on its own and has no purpose. He believes we are here to survive, to make the best of it. G-d believers, though, have a question to answer. What is the purpose of Creation? What is its meaning? There are a lot of answers. Every religion has its own answer, its own belief. What is Judaism’s belief?
On Friday night, over a brimming cup of wine, we cite Kiddush. We stand, while testifying that G-d created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. There are many who begin Kiddush with the last two words of the passuk before Vaychulu, Yom Hashishi- Vaychulu Hashamayim… On the sixth day. And He finished the Heavens and the Earth…
There is not even one extra letter in the Torah. Why does the Torah refer to Yom Shishi ,“sixth day” as “Yom Hashishi”, the sixth day? Our Rabbis derive that the sixth day, is referring to the sixth day of the month of Sivan, Shavuot, the day when we accepted the Torah at Mt. Sinai. G-d created the Universe on condition that the Jews accept the Torah on that sixth day of Sivan. If not, the Universe would revert to nothingness. (Shabbat 88a)
How can we understand that G-d, epitome of kindness, would destroy the world, if no nation accepted the Torah? Doesn’t our kind G-d want to be good to us and give us a world of pleasure? Even if it is only materialistic, not spiritual, pleasure?
The question is not a question. A world of material pleasure alone, devoid of spirituality, is life without meaning. Material pleasure is short – lived. You blink, and it’s gone. Such a world is already a world of nothingness, Tohu Vabohu, because it has no point, no purpose. It is like a wedding without a bride. A Brit Milah without a baby. A Shabbat table without Kiddush. There is no meaning, just make merry, make merry. Being on this lifelong merry-go-round doesn’t make sense. Work to make money, Money to buy food, Food to give Energy, Energy to go Work, Work to make Money, etc. etc. It is like chewing flavorless chewing gum. A world without Torah, a universe without a purpose, is absurdity. No point. Why bother? Who is G-d being kind to, keeping Planet Earth spinning? The Universe would go back to nothingness without Torah, because a world without a reason to live, a world without a purpose to die, is not a world that’s worth spinning.
As we cite our prayers, we remind ourselves daily of the answer to this fundamental question. Baruch Elokeinu Shebraanu Lichbodo… Blessed is our G-d, Who has created us for His Honor … and Who has given us the Torah of truth, and instilled in us everlasting life (World to Come). These are the purposes of Creation. To honor G-d. To learn Torah and to elevate the physical world, by living a life of purpose and meaning. Out of His infinite kindness, G-d created the Universe especially so that we could have a good, meaningful time with Him in our lives down here, and so that afterwards, we could enjoy being with Him up there. So, have a good time. Just don’t leave G-d out!
