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Why Does the World Need Continuous Creation? Secrets of Divine Presence Revealed

The concept of Divine Presence underlies every aspect of creation, continuously sustaining our universe. We often think: “The world was created long ago and now exists on its own.” We tend to compare the work of the Creator to human labor. When a jeweler crafts a silver cup, the finished product no longer depends on the craftsman. The jeweler can leave, and the cup remains unchanged.

Misconceptions About Divine Presence in Creation

This is how many people imagine the creation of heaven and earth—as if the world, once created, no longer needs constant maintenance. From this arises the denial of divine providence, miracles, and signs described in the Torah.

The Difference Between Human Work and Divine Presence

However, there is a fundamental difference between human work and the creation of the world. Humans merely change the form of already existing material. They take a piece of silver and transform it into a cup without creating anything fundamentally new.

The Almighty, however, created the world from nothing—“yesh me’ayin” (something from nothing). This creation is far more miraculous than, for example, the splitting of the Red Sea!

The Miracle of Splitting Waters Shows Divine Presence

Remember the story of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. The Almighty sent a strong east wind that divided the waters, and they stood like a wall. As long as the wind blew, the water remained motionless, contrary to its nature to flow downward.

If the wind had stopped even for a moment, the waters would have collapsed, following their nature. Thus, continuous action of divine power was required to maintain this miracle.

Continuous Divine Presence in the World

This applies even more to the creation of the world from nothing! If the creative force were to withdraw from creation even for a moment, the world would immediately return to a state of complete non-existence.

Unlike a stone wall that stands on its own, the created world is like waters held in an unnatural position. Its existence requires the constant presence of creative force.

The Letters of Divine Speech as Life Source

This creative force consists of the “letters of speech” of the Ten Utterances by which the world was created. As it is written: “You give life to them all” (“ve’atah mechayeh et kulam”). The word “give life” can be read as “bring into existence” (“mehave”).

The word “atah” (“You”) represents all the letters of the alphabet from alef to tav, and the letter “hey” symbolizes the five paths of pronunciation—the sources of all letters.

How Divine Presence Manifests in Matter

Although the Almighty has no physical form, expressions like “And G-d said” are often found in Scripture. This indicates the revelation of twenty-two supernal letters—first to prophets in their visions, and then through multiple descents—in the material world.

As it is written: “By the word of G-d the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.” These “letters” descend through numerous levels until they reach our physical world, creating and continuously sustaining the existence of all creations.

Transforming Your Worldview

Realizing that the world is constantly being created anew can completely transform our perception of reality. Each moment of life becomes a new act of creation, not just a continuation of the old.

We live in a continuous flow of divine energy that creates us anew at every moment. This is not just a philosophical idea but a deep understanding of reality that can change our attitude toward life and the world around us.

This understanding also explains the possibility of miracles—they do not violate the laws of nature but are merely a change in the direction of the constantly active creative force.

This article is based on the second chapter of “Tanya – Part 2 – Shaar HaYichud VehaEmunah” by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, one of the greatest Hasidic thinkers.

Afterword: The text of this article has not been approved by any sage, Torah scholar, or rabbi and is merely a simplified adaptation of the sacred text for general understanding. For comprehension of true wisdom and a deeper understanding of the original text, you should refer to the sources.

This and all other article texts of the Mega-Charity.Org resource express only the personal opinions of the authors who compiled them. They are intended only for general and superficial understanding of the real sources of wisdom. References to which are provided.