Why Did God Put Us in This World? The Deeper Purpose of Life’s Struggles

The Jewish people are called God's children, as it says: “You are children of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1). It is therefore certain that He wants only the best for us, which begs the question, why did God place us in a world that is not always easy? Why not simply put us straight into Gan Eden (Paradise)? What’s the purpose of living a life of challenges, trials, and so many commandments?

The purpose of creation, according to Jewish thought, is that God wanted to bestow goodness upon His creations. However, if the soul were to receive this goodness without going through a process of spiritual work, that goodness wouldn’t be perfect — it would be like “bread of shame”, a free gift that lacks value.

God therefore sent the soul into this world, which serves as its testing ground — a place of free will where the soul is given the ability to choose between good and evil. In this world, the soul battles between its desire to come closer to God and fulfill His will, and the natural pulls of desire, habit, and distraction. The effort to choose good, the decision to grow, and every mitzvah one fulfills, all become the soul’s earned reward in the World to Come. It is not charity, but deserved and eternal reward for the effort invested.

There’s a deeper layer. To truly receive spiritual pleasure in the next world without shame, a person must develop a close relationship with God. To explain this, consider a child receiving gifts from a loving parent — there is no embarrassment. If however the same child receives a gift from a teacher or distant relative, they often feel awkward or self-conscious. The difference lies in the depth of the relationship. The closer we are to the giver, the more joy and the less shame we feel in receiving.

So too, with God: the more we develop a true relationship with Him, the more the reward He gives us will be pure, joyous, and without shame. This is the deeper purpose behind our journey in this world.

How do we develop a close relationship with God?

The Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto), in the opening of his book Mesillat Yesharim, explains: “Man was created only to take pleasure in God and enjoy the radiance of His Divine Presence, for this is the true pleasure, the greatest delight possible. The place for this delight is the World to Come… but the way to reach it is through this world. This is what the Talmudic sages meant when they said, ‘This world is like a corridor before the World to Come’ (Avot 4:16). The tools to reach the purpose are the mitzvot that God commanded, and the only place to perform them is in this world. This is the reason that man was first placed here — so that through these tools, he may merit to arrive at the destination prepared for him. 

The only true way to create a relationship with God is by following the path He Himself gave us — the Torah and its commandments. It is through this that can we truly connect to Him, as it is written:
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but… to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes… for your own good” (Deuteronomy 10:12–13).

God who is infinite and perfect, does not need our mitzvot. He gave them to us out of love, for our benefit. The mitzvot contain Divine wisdom and provide the means to elevate ourselves spiritually and develop a deep, authentic bond with our Creator, leading ultimately to eternal joy and reward.

A life aligned with Torah and the fulfillment of mitzvot is what creates true inner connection to God. That is the ultimate purpose of our lives in this world.