Why G-d Created Only One Human: The Value of a Single Soul

Why did G-d create only one human being at the beginning of creation, rather than two?

The Talmud (Sanhedrin 37) answers this question: “To teach you that anyone who destroys a single soul of Israel, it is considered as if they destroyed an entire world; and anyone who sustains a single soul of Israel, it is considered as if they sustained an entire world... Therefore, each person must say: ‘The world was created for me.’”

G-d created a single human being to show us that the entire world began with just one soul—highlighting the value and significance of each individual. To G-d, every person is an entire world, and that’s the lens through which we’re meant to view others, and ourselves.

Just as a parent sees each of their children as their whole world, regardless of how many children they have, so too does G-d view each of us as unique and irreplaceable. No one else can take your place or fulfill your specific purpose in G-d’s eyes, just as no child can replace another in the eyes of their parents.

G-d’s love for us is described in the Bible as the love of a father for his child: 

“Israel is My firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22)
“Is Ephraim [a name for the people of Israel] My dear son, My beloved child? For as often as I speak of him, I remember him still. Therefore, My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:19)
“You are children to the Lord your G-d” (Deuteronomy 14:1)

Many other verses depict G-d as a loving parent. His love for each of us is infinite—beyond anything we can understand or feel in human terms. It is higher than any form of love we’ve ever known. The Zohar teaches: “If people truly knew the depth of the love G-d has for Israel, they would roar like lions in pursuit of Him.”

G-d could have created countless "first humans," but He chose to begin with one, to teach us how deeply significant each person is. That way, every individual can genuinely say: “The world was created for me. I matter so much that G-d created the entire world with me in mind.” 

When we recognize how precious each of us is in G-d’s eyes, we begin to appreciate how much our actions matter. Every deed—whether a mitzvah (a good deed) or a transgression—carries enormous weight. It affects not only our personal spiritual world but also the entire universe, even the higher spiritual realms. Our choices bring us either closer to our “Father in Heaven” or create distance. Every positive act strengthens our connection to G-d, while every misstep causes Him pain and pushes us further away.

G-d watches over each of us with personal, individual care. As it says: “G-d looks down from heaven upon the children of man to see if there is one who is wise, one who seeks G-d” (Psalms 14:2).

Every action we take is seen from above and even our smallest deeds are noticed. G-d watches each of us as if we were His only child.