Hashem's Supernatural Love

Dor: "Hello. I'm 24, I'm in a period of growing in faith and I've recently started to observe Shabbat. I have a question troubling me about Hashem's love. To illustrate, I can say that my computer really helps me; I can do work with it, but I can't say I love it, because it has no feelings towards me. And similarly with natural laws. To make a big distinction, Hashem is not human, and He is above the concept of emotions, so how can He love me? Isn’t it anthropomorphism to say Hashem loves? I also don't understand how love can form between us when He doesn't really need us? I would be grateful if you could help me."

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Hello and blessings dear Dor,

First, allow me to congratulate you on your path to strengthen your faith. Well done, there's no doubt you have chosen life!

It's interesting to note that in the past, people mistakenly thought of Hashem as a vast cosmic force, unconscious, lacking wisdom and understanding. King David spoke about them (Psalms 94): "Understand, you senseless people; and you fools, when will you become wise? Does He who implanted the ear not hear? Does He who formed the eye not see? Does He who disciplines nations not chastise? Does He who teaches mankind knowledge not know? The Lord knows the thoughts of man..."

The one who created us undoubtedly understands us. This means that He, blessed be He, understands our thoughts as well as our most personal feelings, as He is the one who created our soul, our mind, and our heart. Hence, you can infer that Hashem understands you more than you understand yourself! He knows and understands everything you are thinking about Him and concerning Him. He is more your father than any father could be, for He does not just raise you; He created you from nothing, sustains you every second through His constant will, He is close to you and always accompanies you, and He has intention and will regarding your deeds and good purpose in His world. Every idea you conceive or feel stems from Him, blessed be He.

Now, you are correct that trying to compare Hashem to a human being is anthropomorphism, because Hashem does not think or feel as a human does. However, on the other hand, even trying to compare Hashem through any analogy to a rule we know is also our anthologization from nature. Hashem in His essence is not similar to any force in nature, and certainly not to a computer or a machine. If Hashem is beyond natural feelings, then certainly He is also beyond all human depictions of computers, robots, software, and the like. Hashem is completely separate from any other concept we can conceive of, whether intellectual or emotional.

Nevertheless, although we cannot grasp Hashem's essence, we have tangible evidence that Hashem possesses boundless wisdom, for He, blessed be He, created an ingeniously sophisticated world, operating according to complex mathematical laws, and created mankind's intellect so that it could attain knowledge of His existence!

Though we lack the ability to describe the immense wisdom of the Blessed Creator, as He is above and beyond any human apprehension, we know of His existence. Similarly, we can also understand that concepts of love and compassion with the Blessed Creator are higher and loftier than any emotion we can comprehend. In other words, just as Hashem's wisdom is supernatural, so too is His love supernatural!

Your question may resemble someone who sees a vast and mighty sea and says to himself: I cannot understand this great sea, I cannot grasp it in my mind, so perhaps there is no sea at all?

The very fact that we do not have the capacity to contain and grasp Hashem does not mean He lacks wisdom or love and compassion. Hashem surely exists, and He possesses superhuman wisdom, awareness, and love, which cannot be sensually apprehended. We are capable of visibly perceiving testimony to Hashem's wisdom and love for us.

And the greatest proof of Hashem's love is the fact that you can love: Love is actually something supernatural, superhuman, so the only reason you can love Hashem is because Hashem implanted in you a spiritual soul, and created you in the image of God. Without your spiritual soul, you would resemble animals that act according to instincts automatically (a cat does not truly "love" her kittens, for instance, as evidenced by the fact that once her kittens grow up, she can fight them for a piece of food, and ignores them completely even if they are hit by a car).

The ability to love is a supernatural trait that comes directly from Him, blessed be He. It is beyond nature, and for this divine love the soul was created.

You will notice the fact that Hashem Himself chose to command every person from Israel: "You shall love Hashem your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" (Deuteronomy 6:5).

Hashem chose to use the term "You shall love," which is an appeal to emotion. Not the expression "And you shall think of Hashem your God," but "And you shall love Hashem your God." Hashem desires your love for Him. Not only your intellect and logical thinking but your love, dedication, and desire towards Him.

In His holy Torah, Hashem likened Himself to a loving father, teaching us that even the chastisements He gives are likened to a father chastising his children for their benefit and love: "Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so Hashem your God disciplines you" (Deuteronomy 8), "I have loved you, says Hashem" (Malachi 1:2).

And regarding your last question, the sages said: "Any love that depends on something, when the thing ceases, the love ceases. But a love that does not depend on something never ceases" (Avot 5:9).

Hashem created you to benefit you, but He cannot receive anything from you in return, so His love is truly absolute, His love does not depend on anything at all! Therefore, even a righteous person is required to emulate Hashem, by loving Hashem with a love not dependent on anything, "Rabbi Akiva says: with all your soul, even if He takes your soul" (Berakhot 61b). In other words, your life’s meaning is the love that is not dependent on something, "And you shall love Hashem your God" - that is indeed the truest thing in the world. To love and to be loved.

I wish you the merit to be loved and to truly love Hashem. Good luck!