04 Feb DOES HASHEM NEED US? A DEEPER UNDERSTANDING

Lately, a major
c o n t r o v e r s y
erupted when a
highly renowned
and influential
rabbi stated that G-d needs us. He
explained that the very fact that
Hashem created us proves that He
desires something from us—namely,
our relationship with Him and our
love. Needless to say, such statements,
which he repeatedly emphasized in
many different classes, sparked a huge
outcry.
On the surface, this claim appears
at best problematic and, at worst,
outright heretical. Since G-d is not
human and does not possess human
traits, the concept of having a need—a
fundamentally human characteristic—
cannot apply to Him. Suggesting that
we can provide something that G-d
lacks diminishes His transcendence
and implies a degree of human-like
limitation.
We firmly believe and know that
Hashem has no limitations and can
do anything He wills; thus, He has
no need for us in any way. We also
cannot benefit Him in any way, and,
obviously, there is nothing we can
do that He cannot. Therefore, the
above statements seem to be entirely
incorrect.
However, studying the words of
our sages and rabbis can provide a
surprisingly deeper perspective on
this concept. The Zohar (3, 7;2) states,
-“ישראל מפרנסים לאביהם שבשמים”
Israel sustains and provides for
their Father in Heaven. These words
are profound and require further
explanation.
Let’s begin with this week’s parasha
(Beshalach). The Ohr HaChaim
explains that when Moshe stood
before Hashem and prayed for the
sea to split, Hashem responded that
while He desired to help, He was
unable to do so. This was because He
created the world with two opposing
forces—Midat HaDin and Midat
HaRachamim—which are in constant
struggle. Midat HaDin opposed

saving the Jewish people, while Midat
HaRachamim sought to intervene. As a
result, Hashem declared that He would
not act directly; rather, the Jewish
people themselves needed to tip the
balance by strengthening their emunah
and jumping into the sea, thereby
empowering Midat HaRachamim to
override Midat HaDin.
This insight from the Ohr HaChaim
is fascinating. Consider this: Hashem,
who created the world and us, chose
to limit Himself in a way that makes
His help dependent on our actions,
even in moments of desperate need.
The Ohr HaChaim connects this idea
to another pasuk in parashat Haazinu:
‘You weakened the Rock that bore
you’, which Rashi explains to mean
that when we sin, we weaken Hashem,
so to speak. This concept is even more
striking—it suggests not only that
Hashem sometimes cannot help us
without our support, but that our sins
actually diminish His presence in the
world.
On the contrary, when we act correctly
by learning Torah and performing
mitzvot, we actually strengthen
Hashem, as the pasuk states: “Give
strength to G-d” (Tehillim 68:35).
Chazal explain this in Shemot Rabbah
(Eicha 1; 33): “When Yisrael fulfills
the will of Hashem, they add strength
to the might of the One above, as it
says (Tehillim 60:14): ‘With G-d, we
will achieve valor.’ However, when
Yisrael does not fulfill His will, it is as
if, so to speak, they weaken the great
power above, as it is written (Devarim
32:18): ‘You weakened the Rock that
bore you.’”
Similarly it is stated: “When Yisrael
fulfills the will of the Hashem they
increase strength in the might of the
One above, as it says (Bamidbar
14:17): ‘And now, let the strength of
Hashem be magnified.’ However,
when they do not fulfill His will, it
is as if, so to speak, they weaken the
great power above, and they, too, go
forth without strength before their
pursuers.”
This concept is repeated in Chazal in

various versions. For example, the
Gemara (Megilah 11a) states:
בעצלתים ימך המקרה ובשפלות ידים ידלוף”
“הבית
“Through laziness, the roof sags, and
through idle hands, the house leaks”
(Kohelet 10:18).
The Gemara explains that the pasuk’s
reference is to a more profound idea:
“Because Yisrael were lazy and did
not engage in Torah study, the ‘enemy’
of Hashem became poor.” (The term
“enemy” is a euphemism for Hashem,
used out of reverence.)
This passage teaches that when we
are lax in Torah learning, it is as if
Hashem Himself, so to speak, becomes
“impoverished.”
Rav Chaim Volozhin, in his sefer
Nefesh HaChaim (1; 9), presents this
same concept and adds an allegory
based on the pasuk: “I have compared
you to the horses of Pharaoh’s
chariots” (Shir HaShirim 1:9)-
meaning Israel are compared in this
pasuk to those horses. He explains its
meaning as follows: Normally, a rider
directs the horse, and the horse follows
wherever the rider leads. However,
during Kriat Yam Suf, the horses did
not obey their riders; instead, they led
them into the sea against their will.
Similarly, Hashem declares that Am
Yisrael always leads Him, so to speak,
through their actions—determining
positive or negative outcomes—even
against His will.
That is the meaning of the pasuk
—“רוכב שמים בעזרך” :(26 ;33 Devarim(
Hashem guides the world with the help
of Am Yisrael.
All the above clearly illustrate that
Hashem, after creation, chose to limit
Himself to act in this world only
according to the actions of Klal Yisrael.

Another idea presented by that well-
known rabbi is that Hashem “needs”

us in the way that a father needs his
children. When a person needs his
children, it does not diminish him in
any way. On the contrary, someone
who is devoid of feelings, uninterested

in companionship or family to love
and care for, is lacking something
fundamental.
Those who oppose this idea cite the
you If”—”אם תצדק מה תתן לו” :pasuk
are righteous, what do you give Him?”
(Iyov 35:7), implying that we cannot
help or provide Hashem in any way.
However, the response to this is that
performing mitzvot does not “help”
Hashem Himself, as He does not need
our mitzvot for Himself, but rather, it
enables Him to bestow goodness upon
us.
An analogy for this is a father who
owns a successful business and wishes
to bring his children into it. However,
he requires them to first learn the
trade in order to join. Even though
he desires to bring them in, if they
are unprepared, they cannot take part.
Clearly, the father does not need their
help, but he wants them to be involved
for their own benefit, so they too can
succeed.
Summary: There are two key
points in this discussion that require
clarification. The first is whether
Hashem limited His abilities
concerning our world, and the second
is whether Hashem needed to create
us in order to have entities to love and
interact with. Obviously, this topic is
not as simple as it initially seems and
is more kabbalistic in nature. Anyone
who wishes to study and gain an
understanding of it must seek proper
guidance from a true talmid chacham.