Does G‑d care?
Have you ever asked yourself that question?
Many have, and the question is real. One might think that such a question would be not be acceptable in Jewish thought. But it is. Not only is it an acceptable question, here's a quote from the Torah itself - the very heart of our belief - that says that G‑d... does not care:
'If you sin, what do you do to Him? If your transgressions are many, how do you affect Him?
If you are righteous, what do you give Him; what does He receive from your hand?'
In other words, if we err, the Almighty Creator is far too great to be affected by mere human mistakes and troubles. If we do well, it's just the same!
So why are we Jewish? Why bother? Why do we continuously try to lift ourselves to higher standards, try to give our children a Jewish education, or celebrate the Jewish holidays?
Let's rewind for a moment. What exactly was it that G‑d doesn't (truly) care about? In the words of the Torah quoted above, our sins, transgressions or righteous deeds. But there is something that G‑d does care about. Immensely. In fact, He cares about it so much that the entire universe - all five quintillion stars, endless planets, creatures, waterfalls, beetles, elephants, vast plains and great oceans - was made just for it.
Just what is this ‘it’?
You. Us.
But I thought God doesn’t care?
Indeed.
Have you ever been emotionally attached to something because of what that object represented, or who it belongs/belonged to? Perhaps a grandparent’s notebook or a child’s drawing.
So, do you really care about fading notebooks or petty drawings? You probably do not. If you would find one lying around in a school or a trash can, you likely wouldn’t even notice it. So why are you so attached to this particular one? Because of the person behind it. This is not just any notebook or drawing. This was made by a person who you truly care about - that’s why it’s special.
Notwithstanding the immense spiritual energy and holiness embedded in each and very Mitzvah or line of Torah, it isn’t (only) that spiritual energy that G‑d cares about. What He truly does obsess over is each and every individual. If we do that Mitzvah or study that Torah, suddenly everything changes. That Mitzvah becomes a Mitzvah that one of God’s children did, and that makes all the difference.
In the words of the book of Psalms (also part of the Torah):
‘If only my people would listen to me, if Israel would follow my paths’.
So does G‑d care? It depends. About a mistake, error, or even righteous act per se? Not necessarily.
But does G‑d care about a Mitzvah, an act of kindness or study of Torah that we do? There's nothing more meaningful.
If an opportunity comes our way to do even a small good deed, let's remember that the Creator of the universe is hoping we will.
Rabbi Avrohom