One possible way to open a discussion after a student asks you why he should care if there’s a G-d, is by turning the question on him: “Who said you should care? Do you care?”
By throwing the ball back into his court, you may provoke your student into revealing some of what’s going on beneath his question. If the conversation then takes an entirely unexpected direction don’t be surprised and just proceed at his pace, without trying to force him into your way of thinking.
It’s also possible that you won’t get a response at all, and in that case, if you feel he’s ready, you could follow up yourself by asking: “Should I care that I have a heart? Maybe I don’t have to care. My heart beats regardless of whether I care that it’s doing its job. Even if I pretend it’s not there it just keeps on functioning and keeping me alive.”
You could then add that such questions bother a lot of people for a very simple reason: They intuitively know that Hashem is there, creating everything, looking after them, keeping them alive and guiding their lives. No one can ever truly make peace with denial of Hashem’s existence. The truth that we sense deep within ourselves will always gnaw away at us if we try to deny it.
Only if and when he’s willing to hear, you can use the analogy of the heart and continue: “Let’s say you want to deny your heart’s existence, or at least, live as if you don’t have to take any notice of it. You just want to have fun, so you eat all kinds of junk, never exercise, and engage in dangerous pursuits such as bungee jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge... Do you think ignoring your heart’s needs will turn out well?”
There are many more ideas you can share, but again, only if it looks like he’s both interested and ready to hear. For example, many sefarim describe the Torah as our instruction manual for life. Only Hashem, who created the entire universe, knows how it functions. If we are wise, we will follow the rules; if we are foolish, we will ignore the rules and suffer the consequences.
Breaking the rules can seem like fun when you’re young; as we get older, we tend to appreciate the rules much more. Little kids think it would be amazing to have a diet solely consisting of cookies and candy. However, as adults, if we’re immature enough to actually try it out, we will surely come to understand why seeking fun and enjoyment is actually not the best way to live.
That doesn’t mean that cookies lose their appeal. They will probably always be tempting. The only way we can overcome the temptation is by internalizing the greater benefit of self-restraint for a higher goal of health and strength. The nutritional needs of the soul are not as obvious as those of the body, but the Torah makes it absolutely clear that the only way to nourish the soul is via the mitzvos — and that aveiros are like poison to us, no matter how enticing they may appear.
This doesn’t mean that living according to the Torah cannot be enjoyable — in fact, the opposite is true. Just as a top athlete feels bursting with energy and ready to tackle anything, and doesn’t even miss all the candy bars, a tzaddik (lehavdil) feels spiritual energy and dynamism and is delighted to forgo all the dubious pleasures of the world in order to function at his optimal best.
And just as a top athlete needs to keep in training in order not to lose his edge, a tzaddik must constantly strengthen himself in emunah and limmud haTorah in order to maintain his spiritual strength. An athlete will place his trust in his trainer plus all the latest sports research in order to attain his goals. As Yidden, our spiritual goals are so much more significant and their value is eternal — and we place our trust in Hashem and the Torah He has given us, secure in the knowledge that this is the only way to succeed in life.
While these options are equally relevant for parents answering their children’s questions, as the rebbi of your student, you have an advantage that parents don’t have in such circumstances. Parents are so emotionally bound up with their children that it is very hard to reply calmly and attentively without getting overwhelmed by concern. If a parent finds himself in such a situation, it may be better for him to suggest that the child consult with someone else, rather than trying to deal with it on his own.
But even if you do end up referring the seeking child to someone better qualified, never send the child away with the sense that he is simply causing trouble. Tell him how impressed you are with his honesty and integrity, and how much you admire his desire to seek the truth. Reassure him that there are answers, and that simply by asking he is already going in the right direction.
