Please explain the concept of the loneliness of G-d?

Question

Is this concept related to the creation of the world and/or the creation of man and if so, please explain.

I don't want explanations of the loneliness of man.

People from all religious backgrounds are welcome to participate. I would be especially happy to hear from Members of the Tribe (Jews).

Thanks to everyone who helps me with this question.

Answer 1

Well, I should start by saying that clearly, G-d doesn't NEED anything - that's kind of a first principle in Judaism, and probably Christianity and Islam. He is perfect, complete, and completely unique. That being said, we describe G-d in emotional terms that we can understand - terms like love, jealousy, and anger. The Torah also appears to give G-d anthropomorphic features, which is confusing given the commandment not to attribute to Him any physical form. G-d's "hand" or "arm" isn't a metaphor however. A metaphor isn't necessarily true. It can be a useful tool for understanding the truth, but it's not the truth itself. And if everything in the Torah is true (again a Jewish "first principle"), then a metaphor doesn't cut it. G-d must actually have a hand, and arm, fingers, eyes, the whole deal. And yet it's also an essential part of our faith that Hashem has no physical form whatsoever, and just to think like that is an aveirah. The answer is that G-d really does have all these things. The fact that WE have physical eyes and hands, we're the metaphor! G-d has these things in the truest sense of the word, and our physical organs are part of our being created b'tzelem Elokim, and by studying them, we can learn something about the Almighty.

Okay, getting a little off topic here. For more on the above, I would recommend the works of Rabbi Akiva Tatz, specifically, "Worldmask". Really I only wanted to talk about the emotional attributes, but discussing the physical was important because I'm trying to establish a link for you between man and G-d. To understand the loneliness of G-d, it helps to have a demonstrable understanding of how it is we're created in His image. Because I'm going to have to refer to the traits of human beings - not sure if it's the same as the "loneliness of man," but I think you'll find it helpful regardless.

Okay, so check this out, a lesson, straight from the Kollel of Budapest, Hungary (with whom I was privileged to spend several Shabbosim): All three of the patriarchs were famous for perfecting some sort of mida. The midah of Avraham Avinu alav hashalom was chesed - he was the all-time master of lovingkindness. Fortunate are we to have this man as the forefather of our nation. A few weeks ago we read Parshas Vayeira, with the story of Avraham, Sarah, and the three malakhim (angels). And we learn a very important lesson from this passage. So there Avraham Avinu was, sitting outside his tent, in the heat of the day! Note that Avraham Avinu was just three days past his own bris milah, and the third day is supposed to be the most painful. Rashi tells us that the day was especially hot so as to give Avraham a break. Surely no one would be travelling his way on such a hot afternoon. Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu wouldn't have to worry about caring for guests. And yet Avraham was sitting there, at the entrance to his tent, in pain. Yep, he was in pain alright! But not for the reason you'd think - commentaries teach that he was in pain because there was no one about to do chesed for. There are two ways to understand this. We can say that so great was Avraham Avinu that despite the lingering discomfort from his circumcision, his pain was caused by his urge to do chesed and his inability to do so. Or we can say that the mitzvah if bris milah so elevated his spiritual sensitivity that it's precisely BECAUSE of the bris that he would suffer so at the inability to do chesed. Perhaps there's really no contradiction here. In any event, G-d sent three angels disguised as men so that Avraham would have the opportunity to do the mitzvah of welcoming guests.

Okay, so you're probably wondering, if the subject is the "loneliness of G-d," why all this? The answer my friends is that from Avraham, we can learn a lesson about the nature of true kindness, and we can then apply it to our understanding of Hashem, yisborach shemo (G-d, for our readers unfamiliar with the various nicknames we Jews have for him.... ironic that the G-d of the Jews is sometimes referred to as the "nameless G-d" -- there are so many names, I've lost count!)...

What we learn from Avraham Avinu is that at the core of chesed is a need to give. This isn't as simple as, I see someone in need, then I'm glad to help them. And if no one is around, I can just relax. I mean, surely nobody's going to hold it against us if that's simply the level we're on. It's difficult as it is, dedicating ourselves to doing chesed for whosoever needs it (sometimes chesed is easy to do, and sometimes it's mor complicated). But Avraham Avinu, as we mentioned, was baal hachesed, chesed was totally his thing. And what we learn from him is that chesed, at its highest level, means not only doing kindness for anyone we encounter, but, when there is no one around, we should feel that burning need, the URGE to do good things for other people. We should feel acute distress when unable to do kindness - that's how much kindness should be a part of us. Just as we need to breath, to drink, to eat, so should we need to do kindness for others. That's the ideal.

Now, where did Avraham Avinu learn this chesed from? It's a safe bet he didn't get it from his family. Avraham, the first Hebrew, was called that because he stood on the "other side," that is, he stood for the opposite of everything his family (and society at the time) stood for. His father Terach was an idol salesman, for heaven's sake! Surely, Avraham learned this concept of chesed, not from his Dad, but from Avinu Shebashamayim ("Our Father who is in Heaven"). For someone who discovered the ultimate truth of G-d's existence and unity, this achievement isn't so surprising.

And so we come to the moral of the story, the reason for this whole long discussion. We have learned that chesed means more than just doing kindness, but ultimately, it's the consuming urge to do kindness. And chesed, as we know, is one of G-d's attributes. The creation of the universe was an act of chesed. Having no one with whom to share His benevolence, the benevolence that is what He is, He contract himself (note that one of the names of G-d is "HaMakom," "The Place," because it's not so much that G-d is within the universe as it is that the universe exists within G-d) and created the universe. And on at least this tiny rock we live on, he created all forms of life, plant, animal, and human. And his kindness is bestowed upon them all, as it is written: "poseach es yadekha u'masbia l'chol chai ratzon" ("you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing"). This, I believe, is what we can understand as the "loneliness" of the Creator. Before all was created, He had all this love, all this kindness, and nothing to do with it. And that's why the universe was created. You can read more on this and related subjects at www.beingjewish.com. I would recommend starting with the essay "Why Did G-d Create The World?" which you can find here: http://www.beingjewish.com/basics/whycreate.html

I hope this at least partly answers your question, and was as inspiring to you as it was to me when I first heard it.

Answer 2

The idea of the deity originally rose up to explain the unexplained. People didn't know why it rained, they didn't know what lightning was, they didn't know what the sun was, they didn't know why the seasons were around, etc. But they wanted to know what these things were, as they encountered them all the time. To solve this problem they figured that these mysterious, powerful things must be being done by someone, as when something mysterious occurs, it is a first instinct to blame it on someone. The assumption was however that because no human could influence these things, they must be being done by beings more powerful than humans. The concept replicated and changed from there.

Answer 3

I think that God was complete within Himself. You might ask that same question of a young woman who is single and happy. Why would she want ever children someday? God wanted us...just as a newborn baby can do nothing for its mother but she looks at it and smiles and she doesn't mind the dirty spits-ups and the nights without sleep. That is how God looks at us somewhat the same way. We cannot do really anything for Him yet He takes joy in us at times. You will understand when you have children

Answer 4

YHWH is completely self-sufficient. He created out of love and as an awesome display of his power. He does not get "lonely" but we do have the ability to hurt him by our actions (Genesis 6:6, 7)...although why anyone would WANT to do that is beyond me since he is so loving and just.

Answer 5

God doesn't exist. I consider it a lame explanation that God existed for eternity, got bored, and decided that he needed people to tell him how great he is. But that's the gist of what you get from most people when you ask why he created the world.

Answer 6

Well it could be that god had a empty universe and wanted to fill it with stuff because he was lonely, but that would be saying he made us out of depression

Answer 7

GOD is complete and completely fulfilled. He does not get lonely.

It was his desire to show love to his creation So right from the beginning the plan was to offer Jesus as a sacrifice so those who accept him could enter in.

Answer 8

I think it refers to the concept of monotheistic religion. Ie: there is only 1 supreme God and God exists without any kind of aid, partnership...Etc

Answer 9

Found you again at last! Who told you G*d get's lonely? It couldn't have been Him/her/It could it ?