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THE PURPOSE OF CREATION
B.S.D.
Rabbi Shimon Kessin
Hashem created the human soul so that it can share eternity with him
The Torah reveals to us the extraordinary reason for creation. Hashem desired, because of His absolute goodness, to create another being besides Himself that would resemble Him to the extent that it could, so that it would co exist with Him for eternity17. By experiencing this eternal coexistence, this created being would share with Hashem, to the extent that was possible for it, the reality of the divine. This reality is an ecstatic, joyful existence that knows no diminishment or end. To fulfill this desire, Hashem created the human soul, an extraordinary spiritual essence having an image like resemblance to Him and fully capable of this experience. At the beginning of its creation, the soul can be said to have entered into a hypothetical dialogue with Hashem, its creator. The dialogue went as follows:
The hypothetical dialogue between Hashem and the soul
Hashem: "I have created you with the ability to co-exist with me forever and through this I will share the divine experience with you to the extent that it is possible for you. In this circumstance, you will be in constant ecstasy, bathed by the beauty and awe of my divine truth. This will be your world and it is my great gift to you."
Soul: "I am truly staggered by this magnificent gift and the love that is behind it. However, much as it would please me, it also presents certain problems for me. You are the source of existence and consequently, You are the ultimate creator. Since I bear a certain image like resemblance to you, I have similar creative tendencies. This creator aspect in me would make me feel very uncomfortable with the idea that my eternal existence is being presented to me as a gift, that is, without my having done anything to create and produce it myself. This discomfort would certainly mar the ecstasy that is your intention for me."18
Man has the ability to "create" his own destiny
Hashem: "I have already foreseen this. The gift that I will give you therefore, will not be the actual eternal existence itself but rather only the possibility for you to create it yourself. You will create it by choosing with your own free will to coexist with Me. Your choice will become your destiny and your final reality and it will be considered as your act of creation."19
Soul: "How and under what circumstances am I to actually make this choice?"
The soul must earn its own eternal existence by attaching itself to Hashem through its own free will
Hashem: "Your ability to become eternal rests completely with your becoming attached to Me since I and I alone, am the source of all existence. Attachment to Me then, will become the focus of your choice and this choice will affect your ability to exist. However, to enable you to choose freely between attachment and separation from Me, first I must conceal My absolute power and presence from you. This will allow you to have the illusion that you can separate from Me and be completely independent with an existence and power all of your own. With this illusion, you will be able to separate from Me if you so wish.
The physical body and its physical environment
In order to conceal Myself, I will place you, the soul, temporarily, in a condition where we will no longer be in direct contact. This condition will be a physical world. In this world you will be encased in a body. You will become a human and your body will only allow you to know a reality presented to you from your five senses and nothing more. However, even though I will appear to be hidden from you because of your physicality, it will not be totally so since your intellect and your spiritual sensitivity will allow you to find Me and know of My existence if you seek Me in true humility. Your body, however, will resist this effort by continuously presenting you with impulses and drives in another direction, that of self empowerment through the pleasure and comforts it offers. Should you choose this direction, we will be separated and you will lose the ability to co exist with Me.
This attachment can be achieved only through the observance of the mitzvos
To further compel you to choose between attachment or separation from Me once you become human, I will reveal to you certain commandments. Even so, I will still be hidden from you since your body will still separate us. These commandments will apply to your physical being and either direct you to do something (positive commandment) or not to do something (negative commandment). If you listen to your intellect and the intuitive spiritual sense of truth that I have implanted in you, you will realize that I am your creator, your father, and your ultimate destiny. You will be encouraged to observe these commandments and through them you will develop an intimate relationship with Me. This will become your attachment to Me.20
If, on the other hand you listen to your body and its impulses, you will falsely believe that you can be independent of Me and be a source of your own power. You will then be encouraged to transgress these commandments and because of this become separated from Me. The choice will only be yours and I will not interfere with it. Through that choice, you will either create an eternal co existence with Me or not.21 Your ability to create your own destiny by an act of your own free will introduce into the world the principle of Justice. This will become the dominant principle governing your creation and final destiny."
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