What Is the Purpose of Life? A Jewish Perspective on Meaning, Free Will, and Human Destiny

One of humanity’s oldest and most profound questions has always been about the purpose of life. What is the secret of existence? How did life begin? What is the reason behind creation, and what is the purpose of human life?

Judaism offers an answer to this ancient, mysterious question that was revealed to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai, when the Creator of the universe disclosed His purpose for human existence.

According to Judaism, our purpose is to fulfill the 613 commandments (mitzvot) in the Torah. Some of these commandments are beyond human comprehension, while others are easier to grasp. Even those we think we understand however, only reveal a superficial layer of their deeper spiritual essence.

The blueprint of life, and of the universe itself, is found in the Torah. As the Midrash (Bereishit Rabbah 1:2) teaches: “The Torah says: I was the artisan’s tool of the Holy One, blessed be He. When a mortal king builds a palace, he doesn't do it without a plan or blueprint. Similarly, G-d looked into the Torah and created the world.”

The more a person engages with the Torah, the more they come to understand the true purpose of creation. and their own role in it. The more they live by its guidance, the more meaning and direction their life holds.

King Solomon, the wisest of all men, summarized the purpose of life in one verse (Ecclesiastes 12:13): “Fear G-d and keep His commandments, for this is the whole of man.”

The Human Drive for Meaning

Maimonides (Rambam), one of Judaism’s greatest thinkers, taught that the ultimate goal of a person is to know G-d to the extent that human intellect allows (Eight Chapters, Chapter 5). The kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Cordovero wrote in Tomer Devorah that our purpose is to emulate G-d's attributes in our actions. The 18th-century thinker Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal), in Mesillat Yesharim (Path of the Just, Chapter 1), explained: “Since life is filled with suffering and ends in death, the only logical explanation for our existence is that we were created to delight in the presence of G-d and enjoy the radiance of His glory.”

Viktor Frankl and the Modern Search for Meaning

Many modern thinkers also explored the idea of life’s purpose. Psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl, in his famous book Man’s Search for Meaning, emphasized that meaning is not a luxury, but is essential for survival.

Based on his own experiences in Nazi concentration camps, Frankl observed that even in the worst conditions, people could endure unimaginable suffering if they found meaning in their lives. “People who were physically weaker but had a sense of meaning survived more than those who were stronger but felt purposeless.”

Frankl described humanity as being driven by a “will to meaning.” In our modern age, he observed, people may have comfort and technology, but many suffer from what he called an “existential vacuum”—a deep sense of emptiness, boredom, and lack of purpose. This inner void often expresses itself through frustration, depression, aggression, or addiction. According to Frankl, filling this void with a sense of meaning—especially one that goes beyond the self—is the key to emotional healing and human growth.

Ramchal: The World Was Created for You to Choose

Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal), in Maamar HaIkarim (Discourse on the Fundamentals), writes: “The essence of creation is this: G-d created the world so that human beings can attach themselves to Him and enjoy ultimate goodness. To achieve this, He gave humanity the ability to choose between good and evil. When one freely chooses good, they earn eternal goodness.”

Why were all other creations brought into existence? Ramchal answers: “All of creation was designed as a stage on which the human being can fulfill their purpose. We may not understand why every creature exists, but we have received the tradition that everything in the world was created for the sake of the human being.”

In order for us to earn our reward, we must be tested. For this reason we live in a world with both good and evil, so we can reject one and choose the other. G-d placed both holiness and impurity in the world:

• Holiness represents closeness to G-d

• Impurity represents distance from Him

Our actions either draw divine light into the world or increase spiritual darkness. “G-d gave us mitzvot (commandments) as a system to draw holiness, and prohibited certain actions because they draw impurity. The ultimate good is closeness to G-d, and mitzvot are the channels through which we access His goodness.”

This World Is a Means, Not the End

In Mesillat Yesharim, Ramchal writes: “Human beings were not created for their situation in this world, but for the next. This world is merely a corridor leading to the eternal one. Our main task is to fulfill commandments, serve G-d, and be tested. The pleasures of this world are intended to help us perform our duties, not to distract us from them.”

He explains in his book Derech Hashem (The Way of G-d): “Learning Torah is absolutely essential. Without it, we wouldn't know how to live or what to do. But beyond that, Torah study itself brings a person to spiritual perfection. Among all divine influences in the world, Torah brings the highest and most precious form of connection.”

Suffering, Faith, and Growth

Life comes with ups and downs. During hard times, people often ask: Why me? Is there justice? Why does this happen? Even when it’s hard to believe, Jewish tradition teaches that these moments are opportunities for growth and connection.