The Existence of G - d

B"H

Why do so many people have problems believing in ONE absolutely perfect G - d ?

Can we after all imagine an infinite "being" without any form or shape ? It seems that too many times we just follow our human weaknesses and only want to accept a G - d we can see or touch. At least he should have a form. Many people prefer a human G - d with whom they can identify. However, in Judaism any idea of a human G - d, statues, pictures, etc. is seen as idol worship.

One of my favourite authors is the American Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan z"l. In his book "Innerspace" he makes the best point about what G - d really is. G - d is ONE being. Hence, no one stands beside to him. Only He created everything. Our human intellect is limited and, therefore, unable to grasp ONE infinite entity such as G - d. In Judaism and particularly in Kabbalah, we don't speak of G - d's inner essence but only of His will and His relationship to His creation. Kabbalah has brought for countless metaphors in order to explain the relationship between G - d and His creation (see Rabbi A. Kaplan, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto - Ramchal, and others).

The great Kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707 - 1746) gave a detailed description of G - d and how He let's us know His will (see "138 Pitchei Chochmah" by Rabbi Luzzatto). Rabbi Luzzatto or most people know him by the abbreviation "Ramchal" is one of the most important Kabalists whose Kabbalistic writings are based on the Arizal (Rabbi Yitzchak Luria). The Ramchal wrote about Kabbalah as well as about Mussar ("The Path of the Just" or "Derech HaShem").

It is very important to understand that G - d is only ONE being. His existence is infinite and we are not capable to understand what happened before the creation of the world and what comes afterwards. We can only speculate about the reason why G - d created our world and us.

We don't know the inner essence of G - d and only speak about His will. In the book "Yedid Nefesh" it says that through G - d's creation His will became visible. He has unlimited powers but created our world with limited powers. Thus, he only made a small part of Himself visible.

Why did G - d not create everything with His unlimited powers ?

Here we have to remember that G - d is absolutely perfect. If he had created the world with His perfect unlimited powers, then we would be perfect as well. For this reason, He had to limit His power in order to create humans with a free will. Only this way we can have the choice between good and evil. It is in our hands if we become G - d - fearing beings or the opposite. Do we fulfill the Mitzwot or not ? Our task is to control our nature and to use our resources in order to fulfill His will.

Many times in the Torah, G - d is described with human attributes. G - d speaks, G - d is angry, etc. We have to understand that there is no human attribute whatsoever which can describe G - d, as He has no such attributes. He gave us the Torah in a human language so that we are able to understand it.

Unfortunately, in the course of time, people took these metaphors literally and thus misinterpreted the whole Torah. The Rambam (Maimonides) tried his best to clarify such misconceptions. The first chapters of his "Guide of the Perplexed - Moreh Nevuchim" is full of clarifications of Torah metaphors.
The very first chapter of the "Guide" explains the first sentences of Parashat Bereshit. There is says that Adam HaRishon was created in the image of G - d. The word "image" doesn't mean a human G - d with shape and form. It only means that humans have an intellect just as G - d does. We can decide about good and evil.

Kabbalah often speaks about the Zimztum, a contraction of G - d. He had to limit Himself in order that men have free will.
But you have to be careful when you learn about the Zimztum, as this is nothing else but another metaphor and not to be taken literally. It is not a real event but only shows G - d's inner essence.

The book "Yedid Nefesh" brings up the question about the difference between G - d's will and our will. When we want something, we think and than act. Whereas when G - d wants something, he only thinks and already creates with His thoughts. The very unique thing is that He still keeps up a relationship with His creation afterwards.