Spiritual Hunger vs. Material Success: Why People Embrace Judaism

Lior asks: “It seems to me that people only become religious because of material suffering such as illness, poverty, and so on. Maybe if life were just good and comfortable, people wouldn’t need religion at all?”

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Hello and blessings,

There are countless testimonies of individuals who returned to religious observance even though they were at the very top — successful, wealthy, and admired. They chose to return to faith not because of suffering, but because they found no real satisfaction in material success. Their souls longed for deeper, spiritual meaning.

Intellectuals, scientists, and thinkers have returned to faith out of a thirst for purpose. Among them are philosophers like Dr. Daniel Shalit and Benny Lévy, professors such as Yirmiyahu Branover and Doron Auerbach, physicist lecturer Arik Neveh, Prof. Gerald Schroeder, Haim Ziegler, and many more.

Artists, Musicians, and Business Leaders

Famous Israeli actors also chose to embrace faith out of a search for truth and spirituality, not due to lack of comfort. Among them are Rabbi Uri Zohar, Shuli Rand, Evyatar Banai, Yehuda Barkan, Ika Zohar, Evyatar Lazar, Hanan Lederman, Doron Sheffer, and others.

Popular musicians who found their way back include Adi Ran, Gad Elbaz, Eti Ankri, Evyatar Banai, Ariel Zilber, Hedva Levi, Yechiel Erez, Beni Elbaz, and more.

Even very successful business leaders made this journey, such as Shlomo Kalish and Rami Feller.

A Deeper Hunger in Every Human

Even highly successful and famous people, who reached the peak of material pleasure, did not find true happiness, until they searched for spirituality and found it in their Jewish faith.

Within every person exists a spiritual hunger that material success can never satisfy. Animals can find their full happiness in this world, but humans long for more. No matter how many material pursuits we chase, or how often we achieve the success we crave, we can never be truly happy until we answer the spiritual hunger within us.

A Parable from the Sages

A farmer married a princess and every day he tried to make her happy. First, he brought her chickens, but she was not pleased. The next day he brought her goats, but still she was not pleased. Finally, he brought her the most expensive cows in the land, but she still remained unsatisfied. Why? Because she was the daughter of a king, and her heart therefore longed for royal treasures.

The same is true for our soul. Because it is from a higher, spiritual source, nothing in this world can truly satisfy it. Only the Torah and mitzvot which are from that same higher source, can bring it joy, as they alone connect it to the Creator.