Chassidut and G - d

B"H

In Judaism, G – d is a being we are unable to grasp let alone understand. G – d neither has a body, matter nor form. He is infinite – has been existing all the time and will do so infinitely. He has no beginning and no end.

But how can I as a mortal human being have a connection to G – d ? Does He need me and the world at all ? The answer is NO, He doesn't. G – d is totally independent from anything and He doesn't need us but we need Him. The whole idea of why He created the world and humankind is only based on speculations. G – tt has never given us a precise answer about "WHY" He did such and such. "His thoughts are not our thoughts", so it says in the prophets ("Thee thoughts are not My thoughts").

Chassidut has its own opinion about how humans can come closer to the infinite being called G – d. How can I as a human build a relationship with Him. However, Chassidut doesn't concentrate on the infinity of G – d but rather on an individual relationship.

Already the Baal Shem Tov (approx. 1700 – 1760) made up a theory that G – d is in everything on earth. We can even find Him in the deepest abysses and in evil. The Besht (Baal Shem Tov) based his ideas on the Lurianic Kabbalah (Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, 1534 – 1572). Rabbi Luria introduced a new symbolic language into the existing Kabbalah. He spoke about the "Zimzum" where only G – d is pure existence and nothing else. Before creation, only He existed and filled out any space; the absolute nothingness. Then He decided to create the universe, and in order to do that, He withdrew Himself within Himself. A very complicated and metaphoric concept and not easy to explain or understand.
Metaphorically speaking, G – d withdrew Himself in order to make space for creation. Withdrawal here stands for not using all of His perfect powers in the creation process in order to make space for evil. If G – d hadn't withdrawn His perfection, the universe would have been perfect and no evil could exist. But as we have to have a free choice, we need to have evil. Otherwise there wouldn't be a choice and free will.

According to the Baal Shem Tov (Besht), G – d is everywhere, as He withdrew Himself within Himself. G – d limited Himself but is still everywhere. As a result, G – d is here all the time and we don't even need to look for Him.
As an example, the Besht told the following parable:

Once, a great wise King invited all the people into His castle. While visiting, the people should have been able to collect as many treasures as they wanted. The only problem was that the castle was surrounded by high walls and towers and within the castle were many gates and rooms. However, the walls and towers were only an illusion and didn't really exist.

Most people walked in through the first gate and started collecting the treasures. They didn't make any effort in searching for more put just picked up what was laying at the entrance. Then they walked home. Only one man started searching for more and especially the King. The more he searched, the more all the illusions around him (walls, towers and rooms) just seemed to disappear.

Meaning:
G – d is everywhere in this world but due to all kinds of visual illusions, we don't always see Him. Only when we start searching for Him, all illusions just vanish.

Moreover, in Judaism we have to concept that the whole creation was formed (created) from nothing. When G – d still filled all the space, there was no form or matter at all, and then G – d created the universe only by His thoughts and without physical material. Although the Rambam (Maimonides) loved the Gentile philosopher Aristotle, he started disagreeing with him, as Aristotle claimed that G – d created the universe with preexisting matter. Shortly before the Rambam, Rabbi Avaraham ibn Da'ud (the "Ravad") avoided mentioning and explaining the discrepancies between Greek philosophy and Judaism about this creation issue. The Rambam, however, proved that the universe was created from nothing.

But coming back to our subject "Chassidut and G – d":
According to Chassidut, we can already build up a relationship with G – d while we are eating. Before we eat (and after), we say the appropriate blessings (Berachot) and thus cause a Tikun Olam (rectification of the world). Furthermore, we thus free all reincarnated souls (Neshamot) caught in the food. Reincarnation is an extremely important subject in Judaism and especially in Kabbalah. However, everyone should study the subject thoroughly and not draw fast conclusions. Rabbi Yitzchak Luria described the whole reincarnation issue in the book "Shaar HaGilgulim" and there is says that, as a punishment, souls can be reincarnated in stones, animals, food, plants, etc. However, this can only happen for a certain amount of time and not for ever.

A further Baal Shem Tov idea was to overcome negative thoughts and turn them into something positive in order to cuase a Tikun (rectification). This way, someone can come closer to G – d.

And what do we do today ?
Basically the same but also prayer and doing Mitzwot is a way of drawing closer to G – d and have a relationship with Him. In general, Chassidut can help anyone finding a relationship with G – d and get closer to Him.