Chassidic Rabbi

by Rabbi Benzion Cohen

August 11, 2010

One of my readers wrote “I don’t believe in Hashem. I stopped when I was 13.”

I can certainly understand this. I grew up in a family with liberal leanings. Some of us sometimes looked down on religion and on religious people. We were told that religion is the opium of the masses. Some of the people that I knew believed in Hashem, and some didn’t. Sometimes I believed in Hashem and sometimes I didn’t.

Why is it that some believe in Hashem and some don’t? Chassidus explains that Hashem created many worlds, higher and lower, and our world is the lowest. What is so low about our world? Our world has more evil than the higher worlds, and Hashem is more hidden.

If we look for Hashem we can find Him. If we want, we can deny Him. It is our choice.

Why should we look for Hashem? Here are a few reasons. Many people that we know believe in Him. In fact, according to a poll that I found on the Fox News web site, 92% of Americans believed in Hashem in the year 2004, and another 3% weren’t sure. Almost all of our grandparents, or great-grandparents, and their ancestors for the last 3,800 years believed in Hashem.

Those who believe in Hashem and keep His commandments have a better life. For example, take married life.Those who live by the Torah have close to a 100% rate of success. Almost all marry in their early 20s and stay happily married for the rest of their lives. Those who live secular lives have a much lower rate of success.

How does belief in Hashem improve marriages? First of all, it affects our outlook on life in general. The Torah teaches us that Hashem created us for a purpose, to do good and give of ourselves to make the world into a better and holy place. By living a life of Torah, we can overcome our selfish nature to a great extent, and devote our life to doing good. When two people get married, each intent on helping and giving to their partner in life and the children that will come, they have a good chance to build a happy and everlasting family. If a couple marries with selfish intentions, each dreaming about what they will get and what their partner will do for them, they are heading for disaster.

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