The Torah begins with the narrative of creation, how G‑d brought the world into being from absolute nothingness. That is an awesome lesson.
Whenever an entity is made - brought into being although it did not exist before - a question is immediately raised: Why was it made?
Even a mortal acts with purpose, doing things with a goal in mind. Surely, this applies with regard to G‑d. He brought our world into existence, because He had a goal and a purpose.
A Dwelling Place
What was that purpose? On the verse, “and the spirit of G‑d was hovering over the waters,” our Sages comment, “this refers to the spirit of Moshiach.” And in other sources, they state, “the world was created solely for Moshiach.”
To explain: Our Sages tell us G‑d created the world because He wanted a dwelling, a home. A person lets loose and functions without inhibitions in his own home. So too, G‑d wanted a place where He could reveal Himself without constraints, where who He is can come into expression. That’s why He created our world.
But He did not want that revelation to be a natural part of the world’s existence. Instead, He wanted to be hidden at the outset, and for man to become His partner in creation, by shaping the world and developing it until he became aware that he is living within G‑d’s dwelling.
Our Mission
To refer to a classic chassidic expression: G‑d made the world out of nothingness, and man’s mission is to make the somethingness of the world into nothingness, i.e., to reveal its spiritual core. At that point, all the important somethings in the world will be dwarfed by this spiritual realization.
This greater purpose is also the purpose of every individual at every point in his life. Why does a person come to a particular place, at a particular time? Because there, he has the potential to help the world reach its ultimate purpose, and more particularly, to prepare that corner of G‑d’s home to carry out its function in this undertaking.
The culmination of these efforts will be the coming of Moshiach. This will be the turning point of history. Until his coming, the world’s purpose will not be apparent; it is something that we will have been told about, but not that we see. With his coming, and the Redemption that he will initiate, that will change.
It’s like the construction of a building. At the beginning, there’s a blueprint, and workers. But by just watching the workers, it would be very hard to get a picture of the desired structure. As the building progresses, however, its shape and its function become evident.
So too, with Moshiach’s coming, the purpose of the world’s creation will become apparent; we will understand that we are living in G‑d’s world.
Not Abstract
This is not an abstract discussion, but current events. To borrow an expression from the Previous Rebbe: we have already “polished the buttons,” everything is ready for the Redemption.
The values of freedom, tolerance, and generosity have spread throughout the community of nations. Regimes that have opposed them have toppled giving way for greater communication and sharing.
By “living with Redemption,” and anticipating the mindset of that future era, we can precipitate its spreading throughout the world.
Adapted from the teachings of the Rebbe, from Keeping in Touch, reprinted with permission from Sichos in English.
And G-d created the great sea-monsters (Gen. 1:21)
As Rashi notes, these were "the Leviathan (livyatan) and its mate." As explained by Chassidut, the Hebrew word "livyatan" means connection or joining. It refers to the very highest spiritual level, at which a person's attachment to G-d is constant and uninterrupted. Nonetheless, even on this superior level, every individual still needs a "mate," a good friend and supporter to help him in his service of G-d. (the Rebbe)
By the sweat of your face shall you eat bread (Gen. 3:19)
Rabbi Yosef of Novhorodok used to say: if a person has to work night and day just to fulfill the curse of, "by the sweat of your face shall you eat bread," how much more so should he expend time and effort to attain the blessing of, "blessed is the man who trusts in G-d"!
And G-d created the man (Gen. 1:27)
Why doesn't the Torah state after the creation of man, "and it was good," as it does after all the other things created during the six days? Every other creature was created complete, with its nature and instincts ready to be applied to the world. Man, however, was created incomplete, and it is his purpose in life to perfect himself. Human beings are given free will and the responsibility for their own development and improvement. That is why it doesn't immediately state, "and it was good" - we must wait and see how man behaves before passing judgement. (Klai Yakar)
He put him into the Garden of Eden to till it and to keep it (Gen. 2:15)
In the "Seven Blessings" of the marriage ceremony, the bride and groom are blessed with the following: "Happy and joyous may you be, O loving companions, like the joy of your progenitors in the Garden of Eden many years ago." May the young couple, just embarking on a life together, be as true and faithful to each other as Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, when they were as yet the only two people in the world. (Otzarenu Yashan)
From our Sages reprinted from LchaimWeekly.org - LYO / NYC
