What Was the Purpose of Creation? Part 1 -The Epic Contradiction Between the Mekubalim & the Gemarah

Okay, welcome everyone to the inaugural. Not actually to the inaugural the uh let's see if you know what this word means. Aazont herpst. Yeah, I'm I'm protesting the common greeting after after Yamazunter considering the fact that winter is in 3 months in Halaka on December 21st and right now we're in September. We basically just finished summer in Halaka. >> Those who came from >> it's not the w I'm saying it's not the winter. So I don't know why people are so hung up on wishing people a good winter. Today it was like 75° you know this morning. >> Anyway, I I would like to institute agazonte her you know what that means for you people. >> Um harvestful. >> Okay. Close fall. How's that? Okay. But that's not that's just like a separate message. Okay. Tonight even though we usually do we're in the middle of the hardest per of we had to uh get all the way from Isra. But in the meantime, we have to read it. And uh I actually saw this week a question that I had for many years. It's relevant to Paras Vicious. I'm going to share with you the question that I've had I've had this question for many many many years. And I see I saw yesterday that one of the great authors of the 20th century named namely Rab Ary Kaplan who uh was a physicist and a scientist and then uh a Rav and a rabbi and an author and a great macar. He was a prolific author. He wrote according to some 47 swarm. His literary output is unparalleled. The swarm many swarm he wrote in a matter of months. If you ever saw he translated the Torah anthology, the mayam lo and he translated from the original ladino not he didn't translate it from Hebrew. He learned Ladino to translate it. >> There's a rub on the face to beat that. [laughter] Um, and actually I didn't know this. Uh, I put his name into he actually has a safer in Kaidesh that I was not aware of. The name of the safer is Moira Oer and it was taken from his manuscripts that were left over after he passed away. I think he intended it to publish it under the title and it's about creation. And this is a question I've had for a long time and it's about the creation of the world. So what better week to speak about the creation of the world than paras. By the way, it's not just paras, it's shabas. The shabas is named after the para we one of the only shabasim of the year that we name the shabas after the para of the week. Like next week is not shabas. It's paras. >> What? or the other one. >> It's the only part. Wait, it's the only one. Yeah. >> Okay. So, let me ask the question the way I had the question and then we'll see how Rabbi Kaplan asks the question. The question is probably the most basic question that any Jew could ever ask. Why did God create the world? Why did he create the world? If he created it, then he obviously wants something because if he didn't want something, then he wouldn't have created it. So what does he want out of the world? Why did he do it? So there's a famous Ramban. The Ramban in the end of paras. It's the most famous words the Ramban ever wrote. The Ramban writes the purpose of all the mitzvah. Raman wants to know why there's so many mitzvah that are you ever wonder like almost everything we do is you put on to remember you put on by the way let's say you put on and you forget to do this are you or are you not you forget to think and have a formal I'm having of if you don't think that according to are you or are you not >> you're not you're not there's a that says you're according to you're not but I put it on okay good for you you also put on your your your socks you also put on you know your yarmaka but you don't get a mitzvah unless you have the formal kavana have kavana what else do you need to think when you put on didn't say the word. >> You have to have kavana. You don't have to say anything. >> You don't have to say anything. >> What's the [cough] for [clears throat] >> what? >> What's the braha for then? >> Good question. Cuz you have kaz or maka. >> You want to know does the braha take care of kavana? It seems like it doesn't. >> I think the probably knew that you make a braha. >> Yeah, it's a good point. There is a that implies that the takes care of the seems the wouldn't do it. Okay. In any event, besides the formal, you also need to think you're putting on. Okay. Then in in case you might have forgotten after uh you know limiting the blood flow in of in your arm by putting on fill in every Friday night you pick up a cup of wine and you say and you still might forget. So seven days a year you can't eat any you still might forget. So seven days a year you have to leave your house and sit in the You still might forget. So every morning and every night you have to say wants to know why there's so many mitzvah. So Ramban says that Hashem is not going to prove himself in every generation. The main principles of Judaism is there's a God and that he created the world and that he controls everything that happens in the world and that he communicates with mankind and what proved that is and Hashem is not going to prove himself in every generation. So Hashem said I'm doing this once you better not forget it. So in every day, all day long, almost everything we do is to commemorate what what what Hashem demonstrated to the Jewish people when he took us out of Matim. And then the Ramban says that you should be very careful. Now you still might forget. So therefore, Hashem wants us to put up a little sign on every doorpost that Hashem took us out of so that there's no door that you walk through that doesn't remind you that Hashem took us out of and therefore the Ramb says it's very important to be careful even in the smallest mitzvah because even the smallest mitzvah like a muza affirms that Hashem took which upholds all the great principles of Judaism and the Ramban says all the kona of all mitzvo is that we should believe in Hashem and thank him that he created us. Okay, that's the purpose of all mitzvah to believe in him and thank him for creating us. And then the Ramb says that's the purpose of creation. There's no other reason in the first creation of the world. God has no desire in this world. Except for a person to know the thank that he created us. So if I were to ask you why did God create the world? The Ramban says is that so that man should know Hashem and thank him for creating us. So in other words, what does God want out of us? He wants us to acknowledge him and to thank him. Okay? Isn't that why why why our mission in life is that why Hashem created us? It sounds more like why we were created, not why Hashem created us. If that makes sense. >> It does make a lot of sense. However, let's read the words one more time. [clears throat] That is the purpose of creation. that there is no other purpose in creation and God doesn't desire anything except for us to know him and thank him for creating us. That sounds like that's why God created the world. And on the other hand, you have a book called Msaram. You ever hear of the book Musharam? What does Musharam say? Why did Hashem create the world? Do you remember >> to give us the world to come? or the way he describes it to give man the ultimate pleasure which is him to experience him which is God and the place to experience him is the world to come and the logic of it is is God perfect or is he deficient he's perfect does God need anything he doesn't need anything so if he doesn't need anything then the fact that he created a seems indicate he needs something because if he didn't need anything he wouldn't have done this and the answer is no mam says God doesn't need anything so why did he create the world just an act of generosity he wanted to give his creations the ultimate pleasure which is him the chant over here as a close second you know but the god created the world as a close second and god created the world for the ultimate pleasure which is him that we should experience him. >> So part of perfection is kindness by creating and giving us giving us the >> Hashem is perfect. So he doesn't need anything. So he doesn't need anything. Why did he do this? The fact that he did it means he must have needed to do it. And the answer is no, he didn't need to do it. He did it as an act of pure generosity to us. >> And being generous is part of perfection. Is it part of perfection? Well, yeah, you could say that Hashem is the ultimate good and part of the ultimate good is to bestow that goodness perhaps. So the question I always had was so why did God create the world? Is it like the Msarim says to bestow kindness on us or is like the Ramban says that we should believe in him and thank him? I don't want to be that guy. But it's kind of incomplete. Like it kind of leaves you with like, okay, so why does Hashem want Okay, Hashem created us so that we know him and believe him and believe in him. Okay, why? >> Like it it just kind of leaves us with a why. Like it's not it's it's an answer. It's it's an only partial answer, >> which is sort of what you were saying before. Like you're just saying, okay, the Raman says God created the world, so we should thank him and believe in him. So what does God need that for? So the answer is well no that's just the prerequisite for him for us to be eligible to receive the ultimate benefit which is to come close to him and and to experience him. So in other words is telling us why God created the world and the Ramban is saying from our vantage point what is it that we need to say God wants out of us. In other words, the Ramban is focused on what is it in creation that God wants from us. But the mass sham is saying something even more basic. So, but from God's vantage point, why did he do it? >> They get the >> what you can't say that they've saying the same thing because >> no, they're not saying the same thing. >> I don't think seems to be focusing specifically on Haz, >> right? is focusing specifically on >> isn't there saying one's a prerequisite for the other >> to get you need to do why not it's not I don't know that they're mutually exclusive cuz cuz part of Hashem could have just created Haba right >> and then okay we get to rejoice in the closeness of Hashem like the says but no like the Raan says you need the prerequisite of omaz of getting to know Hashem and of believing it and then getting to know to reach what I don't know that they're >> so in other words the Ramb when the Ramban says God created the world so that we should know him and thank him is that God's motivation >> right >> that's not his motivation >> it's once the world is created what does he want out of us the the upshot of what he needs out of us is that we should acknowledge him and thank him what what motivated him to create a world in which our requirement is to acknowledge him and thank him. The motivation is God did it out of a generosity. I'm just sharing with you the question that I that I had. It seems to me that Rabbi Kaplan has a very similar if not identical question. Okay, but he's going to quote different sources. Let's start again. This is I think it's very interesting to find a Hebrew cafer that this is a manuscript that he wrote. Okay. So shall okay you'll see the same way in English he writes very crisp clear succinct concise look how look how he writes in Hebrew every individual has to ask himself what am I what did I come to the world for why was I created specifically meaning why was I created? Why was the whole world created in general? These are all questions we have to ask ourself. What am I? What did I come to the world for? Why was I created? Why was the whole world created? The wisdom a person needs the wisdom that a person needs is one thing to know to contemplate the secret of his master. The to know himself to know who he is. the how he was created where does he come from where should he go okay so we need to know why were we created so what's the answer all the holy books practically especially the that we live by their words they all concede The purpose of creation was that God should influence from his goodness to others. God is good. He's the ultimate good. As good as chant is where'd you get that from? >> Got it. >> As good as [snorts] Chant is, where's the chicken from? >> Grace. >> Grace. As good as Grace chicken is. >> Got it. >> The Sham [laughter] got it. The experience of connecting to God is the greatest pleasure is the greatest pleasure. Um actually and and the place of that pleasure is actually Shaman was once giving a schmoo and he was trying to describe he says it's like a Pepsi after a chant and people were very inspired you know they really you know really like a Pepsi after a ch and a few weeks later one of the tamid came over and said, "Reba, you changed my life." And says, "What? Why? You really what I said about oil?" He said, "Yeah." He said, "You're learning more." He said, "No, not exactly, but I never tried Pepsi after cholin before." And it's mamish taka. Very good. You know, anyway, >> I don't know. That's a good joke, you know. [laughter] So, so the teach is for Hashem to be from his goodness on others. Man was created only to delight with God and to get benefit from the splendor of Everybody knows that, right? You've all seen them. The purpose of creation is to take pleasure in the divine light and explains it further. The purpose of creation was to benefit from his goodness to others. And also in the You ever heard that safer? openings of wisdom. The third opening writes this. The purpose of creation was for God to bestow goodness according to his good desire and the epitome of goodness. Did now did the question this seems like such a basic question. Why did God create the world? And what nobody knew the answer until the ram came along 200 years ago. What about the did any of the talk about why God created the world? Yes. Rab Kaplan says this has already been found in he says who came first. Yeah. Who is the first being? God. There's nothing with him. So why did he make it? So if there's no one with him, why didn't he leave it that way? The creation was for goodness and for kindness. The the matter is even more clear in the God needs nothing. You know those bumper stickers, uh, you know, Hashem needs every Jew. No, he says God doesn't need anything. >> [laughter] >> you know, some of them they they cut it out. They put they put um every Jew needs Hashem, you know. >> Yeah, that's better. >> Um, >> but we'll see. We'll see because right now the Tom says because if he needed something then he's missing. Is God missing something? God is whole. God needs nothing. Question. If God needs nothing, then why did he create the world? He doesn't need anything. He if he doesn't need anything, he obviously didn't create the world cuz he needed something. No, that's pretty elementary. If God needs nothing, then he obviously didn't create the world cuz he needs something. He didn't create the world for a need. Then if God didn't create the world for a need, he must have created it out of generosity. >> It's really just everyone's the the outlier here. >> Well, he didn't even quote the Ramban. >> I know. Everyone's saying the same. >> He's going to see in in paragl he's going to quote Gamaras that seem to say like the Ramban. >> Yeah. He must have created it out of generosity. You ever hear of that? It's one of the who was were philosophers. He was the rebi of elbow. He speaks about this at length. that God's was for the reality of good even and you know who >> for so if you thought that this is just a natural continuation of the the are all they all agree also in the safer in it says God is good to everyone and it says God is good to those who hope to him it's a son who has an orchard when he waters it he waters everything rash explains he waters the whole world uh out of is goodness also used to say everything God does is for good including creating the world even the doesn't the says also in the superal one who yunes out means to give over like to carve out of oneself. He yuned out and he created it was a gift of love. So suffer we've established from and others the purpose of creation was that God needs nothing. So one thing we know for sure if he needs nothing he didn't create the world because he needs something. Why did he do it? To give goodness. So I asked the question well the Ramban says God created the world so we should know him and thank him. Let's see how he asked the question from all the above sources. It's that God created the world to influence good. In many places it seems like the is that the creation should fear him. Now is that exactly like the Ramban? >> No, >> not exactly. The Raman says purpose of the creation is that we should know him and thank him. >> No, it's completely it's two different one's like a years one. No, >> I mean one one can mean the other. I'm saying if you properly know Hashem, I think by definition you fear him, >> right? If what what does knowing Hashem mean? Knowing this is a different >> Let's see how he asked the question. God created the world that we should fear him. God made that we should fear him. We find what does it mean? You know those words know that song. It's before your time. The words were written way before our time. >> Yeah. Is written before your time. Yes. God created the world so we should fear. Oh at the end of the world was created only for this. Another side question is Now that fits in with what does Ramban what does the Zara say? If God's light did not spread out on all creation, what does that mean? Had God not created the world? So we have two questions. One question is it's a stra idea that God created the world to shower us with kindness and the idea that God created the world to fear him. But a second question is did he create the world that we should fear him or that we should know him? Also it's that is not going to desire >> right and he's going to bring in that also [cough] that the says both. So we're going to have to answer the s we might not get to the answer this week. So you might have to come back again. Sheam will make sure to call you. you know, >> I will make sure I get more food, too. >> And whatever you don't eat this week, you'll finish next week. [laughter] Um, oh, even though we're still stuck with the first question, you can answer the second question. When the Gmorra says the purpose of creation is to fear him, you know what kind of year of fear? It's haramos. It's the awe of God's majesty which is really recognizing him. So it's not a s between the garra that says to fear him and the zar that says to know him or the ramban that says to know him. Although it might be a steer to what the ramban says that it's to thank him because thanking and your is different but maybe thanking is part of knowing and acknowledging anyway. He says that he says as follows because of the creation of the world we recognize Hashem's actions and his greatness and we fear him [clears throat] that the purpose of creation is that we should know So that means the fear is and since the world was only created to fear him >> that's the main >> like it says >> is being sac himself then >> why >> we brought the kma before with the saying that they're masking that it's only >> for was Because of >> Yeah. >> And now he's saying over here. >> Yeah. Very good. Good pickup. So basically if we concede that that's what the means that the world was created to fear. There must have been two purposes of creation. One that Hashem should bestow goodness on us and two that we should recognize him. So, Hashem needs two things. One is Hashem created the world to give us kindness and number two that we should recognize him. The thing is I think these are two things are mutually exclusive because how did these mafim come to the conclusion that God created the world to do good to us because they had a question God doesn't need anything so why did he create the world what do you mean he does need something he needs us to recognize him and if that's true then we have no we have no compelling argument anymore that God must have created the world as an act of generosity because we only came to that conclusion because why else did he create the world. But now we have a very good reason why he created the world. He says, look at this. When it entered God's mind to create the world, A to give us kindness B and to recognize him. The ai when he formulates the purpose of creation he says both statements he says when it entered god's mind to create the world a to give us goodness b to recognize him and will merit to be a chariot for his presence there were two purposes of creation but I think they're each each other. >> It's more than that. If there's two, then why isn't everyone say that there's two? You don't think the gun knew that there was two? But he clearly only says one. Okay, let's go a little further. No, that doesn't mean both. He wanted to show his wisdom for our benefit that Hashem should guide us and we should serve him. The first reason So here look how he formulates the question this is very difficult number one reshine kasha on the ramal why did he leave out the reason that we should fear him why leave out 50% of the purpose of creation the worse How is it possible that God who is absolute unity? How is it possible that the one God had two reasons to create the world? Logic dictates that if God is one, then he created the world for one main purpose. Like says the main reason is which one God created the world to be the is secondary. You know who else says that? No, >> the ramach in the which will not be the next that we're learning after the when said God created the world to be mive we need to know this when we say God created the world for our goodness We need to know our goodness means being close to him love being close to him and achieving it. reason that the Raji says writes that I'm telling you God created the world to do goodness to us and I purposely left out what the Raji says that God created the world that we should know him because look what the Ramak says incorporated in God creating the world for our benefit is that we should know him. >> Let's go back to the steer then. >> But we have to explain what that means. How is knowing God the way? It must be God created the world that we should for kindness that we should get the ultimate pleasure from him. But it must be the way to get that is by knowing him. >> So that's a need. >> No. >> Well, it's not the kindness to us. Well, is >> kindness itself may not be a need. It may just be a function of reality. >> Giver needs a picture. >> Yes. Exactly. >> God creating the world. It's not God leading the world. It's just fulfilling creation. >> It's implicit in is his reality of of being a >> meaning it's it's completing the brio. >> Get to it. Hashem creating things outside of himself or I don't know if that's the right way to say it but Hashem creating humans with the is a function of creation as a whole. >> What's the basis to >> or I like I said that it's a function of Hashem's reality. Hashem is perfect. He's the epitome of goodness. That dictates implicitly that he has to be mive. Not because he needs to, because that's a function of his perfection. But again, what do we do with the what do we do with that which the Raji says that the purpose of the of creation is that we should know him? Where does that come in? The Raak is saying it's secondary. That's not the >> Yes, the right the is it's where where he makes a a jump over here where he's assuming going just back a little bit where he says that it's it's logical to say that since Hashem is one therefore there would be one reason. Where did he get that where does he get that from? >> Yeah, I don't like that so much either. >> Where does he get that from? >> If that if that were true, Hashem is one. So then maybe there should be one mitzvah like everything should be one. What's the basis to say? What's the basis to say that there should be only one reason since such >> there is such a concept for example there's an idea that uh the philosophers debate could there be another amanar or does god's unity dictate that there can only be onear if I'm not mistaken the raak in paradum was the one who said >> that they're hed by the aliens >> yeah that the ramach and the God's unity dictates there's only one chosen nation. So similarly there is a concept you know we have one Tyra there. >> Why again? Why though? Like we're all children. We're all like you know what I mean? Like >> well there wasn't one chosen nation. We were the nation that chose it. >> No. >> Yes. >> Oh me he's saying it would still be one. >> We chose God, >> right? >> But because of that God chose us. When we say we're the chosen nation, it doesn't mean we chose him. >> But are not chosen? >> They're not chosen. >> So why why are they responsible for anything? >> They're they're not responsible for most things, but they have basic duties because the rights of passage in this world. >> Can I ask a very basic uh maybe silly question? >> Okay. Yeah, I'm ask we're making the assumption that everything that Hashem does is good. So, how do we make that like that junk where we're saying that Hashem created the world out of kindness? So, I assume that that's stemming from everything that Hashem does is good. So, like I can I can come up with some answers, but I'm curious to hear like how you would approach that. >> What was the question? >> God is the epitome. He he God's perfection and perfection of goodness dictates that every single thing that he does is an expression of that goodness especially the creation of the world. So if we say it means everything including the creation of the world. Let's let's finish up this gimmel and then maybe next week we'll continue. Let's set up the question. Second last. This is what the intended basis the purpose of the to benefit man. What was the benefit that they should recognize him? So again the schl is like like intertwining these reasons then they would cling to him with eternity. That is the purpose of the anticipated. So to me it sounds like as follows. We'll have to see how he develops it next week. Namely god created the world for one reason to shower us with kindness. What is that kindness? That we should cling to him. How do we cling to him? By knowing him. So it is both correct to say God created the world for kindness and that he created the world that we should know him. Because actually knowing him is the direct way that we will attain the ultimate kindness which is clinging to him. And let's see how he develops item next week. Right now we're sort of left with a question. There are many sources the God created the world for and yet there are many sources that God created the world that we should fear him. But he's going to develop he's going to refine this and explain it uh a bit more. Okay. >> Okay. >> Maybe uh you you want to leave it here and then we'll uh >> I don't see them being mutually exclusive. >> Okay. Here.