Is Divinity Like an Emotionless Computer?

Hello Rabbi, I am 24 years old and have been living abroad for two and a half years. I've been strengthening my faith and even started observing Shabbat. I have a question that deeply troubles me and causes me great discomfort. I hope you can help me. From my understanding, Hashem loves us unconditionally. Based on our actions, we can influence the blessings or light we receive from Him. My connection with Hashem is quite strong at this point in my life, but after comprehending this idea, I have had doubts, causing a painful and distressing feeling. How can love exist if Hashem gives us all this love but needs nothing in return? He has no emotions. It’s like I'll never love my computer. I know it’s a bit complex, and please forgive me for the odd analogies. I hope I'm not sinning with my words. Your assistance is crucial as this matter greatly burdens me. Thank you.

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Peace and blessing,

First of all, let me commend you on your strengthening process. Well done, you have chosen life..

Regarding your question:,

True love is unconditional love, love not meant to receive anything in return. The sages say: "Love that depends on something, once that thing is gone, the love fades. Love that does not depend on anything never fades" (Ethics of the Fathers 5, 9).

Hashem created you to do good for you, but He cannot receive anything from you in return. Thus, His love is absolute, not dependent on anything at all.

The righteous person is required to emulate Hashem by loving Him with a "love for its own sake," meaning for the sake of heaven, not to receive a reward. As the sages say: "Do not be like servants who serve the master in order to receive a reward" (Ethics of the Fathers 1, 3).

A complete person serves Hashem out of love, not to receive a reward in the afterlife, nor from fear of hell, but purely out of absolute love for Hashem. Thus, the righteous emulate Hashem, who loves us without expecting anything from us in return, for Hashem cannot receive anything from His creations. This is true love, and true love is required from a person, just as the Creator bestows upon him..

When you don't fulfill your purpose in this world, you harm the divine desire to do good for you, as your creation's aim was to benefit. This is the divine intention—to bestow upon you the abundance of goodness possible. When your choice does not follow the path of love to Hashem, you not only "block" divine abundance, but contradict your actions against the eternal and greatest divine desire to benefit you. By analogy, it’s said you disappoint Hashem, acting against His will, causing Him distress just like a father would feel for a beloved son who rebels against his love..

While ultimately Hashem also gave you the choice, so nothing happens in the world without His knowledge and will, yet the intention and purpose intended for you are affected. A craftsman created a chair to sit on, not to break it. A broken chair results contrary to the purpose set for the chair, contradicting the purpose Hashem defined for creation for doing good..

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You're correct that the attempt to liken Hashem to a human is anthropomorphism, as Hashem does not think and feel as humans do. But attempting to liken Hashem to a computer or robot or natural law is also anthropomorphism. For Hashem is not similar to any force of nature, software, or computer. If Hashem is beyond emotions, He is certainly beyond human-like representations of computers or robots. Hashem transcends any concept conceivable by human intellect or emotion..

Yet it's factual that Hashem is intelligent, having created an incredibly logical world that operates by ingenious laws, and created humans capable of perceiving His existence. Hashem created logic and thought and designed a critically planned universe, indicating He's aware, knowledgeable, and with planning ability—not a random, thoughtless force. There is no doubt that Hashem has intent..

Yet we also understand that Hashem does not have a "brain" in a skull, and His intelligence is different and superior to any intelligence we could imagine. We have no capacity to describe the intelligence of the Creator, as His intelligence is far and beyond human comprehension..

Similarly, we must understand that concepts like love and mercy in Hashem are as lofty and different from any emotion that we as humans can comprehend. Just as Hashem possesses knowledge manifesting in the world but is certainly not human knowledge we could grasp and understand, so too Hashem has love, but not human love we could grasp and understand..

What is your question similar to? To someone who sees a great and mighty sea and says to themselves, I cannot comprehend this great sea, I cannot grasp it in my mind, so maybe there is no sea at all? Or someone who looks into space and hears there are billions of stars and due to the magnitude of it asks, perhaps there is no universe or stars??

The very fact that we cannot comprehend Hashem and His nature does not mean He has no wisdom, love, or mercy. Just as we cannot grasp the sea's dimensions or space does not mean there is no sea or space..

There is Hashem, and He has above-human wisdom and awareness and love, not perceivable by sensory perception because they transcend human comprehension.. 

Divine thought, divine will, and divine love—these are things that cannot be understood or even demonstrated to humans, as they do not belong to our human concepts at all..

On the other hand, you must also understand that since Hashem created us, He certainly understands us. He understands our thoughts, our characteristics, and even our most personal emotions..

Some people think Hashem is an unconscious force, devoid of thought and understanding, and to them, King David says (Psalms 94): "Discern you brutish among the people, and fools when will you become wise? He that planted the ear, does he not hear? He that formed the eye, does he not see? He that instructs nations, does he not correct? He that teaches man knowledge, does Hashem not know man's thoughts..."..

He who created eyes in humans can certainly see, even if not through eyes..

He who created ears in humans can certainly hear, even if not through ears..

He who judges the world and creates suffering in it certainly has thought and intent in the world..

He who gave humans the logical ability to understand the world and existence certainly knows and understands humans..

Therefore, it is said that He who created our emotions certainly understands what emotions are. This means Hashem understands you more than you understand yourself. He is more your father than any father could be to any creature on Earth because He is near to you, your creator, and has intent and will concerning your deeds and best purpose. Everything you understand or feel stems from Him and His decision concerning you, and He knows and comprehends everything you are currently thinking about Him..

Note that Hashem Himself chose to command every person in Israel: "And you shall love Hashem your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your might."

Hashem chose to use the phrase "And you shall love," which appeals to emotion. Not the phrase "And you shall think about Hashem your God," but rather "And you shall love Hashem your God." Hashem wants your love towards Him. Not just your logical mind and thought, but your emotional love, devotion, and desire towards Him..

Hashem Himself compares Himself to a father, claiming He chastises us as a father chastises his sons for their benefit and love: "And you shall know with your heart, as a man chastises his son, so Hashem your God chastises you" (Deuteronomy 8).

I ask you to search on Google for "Fateful Conversation." It is a very important booklet for you, describing a dialogue between an atheist and Hashem after death. When you reach the end of the booklet, you will find a comprehensive explanation on the concept of divine love, the divine purpose in creating the world, the giver and receiver concept that you mentioned, and an answer to the question of why Hashem created us at all..

I hope that you will be privileged to be loved and to love Hashem truly and sincerely.,
Yours sincerely,
Daniel Blass