Estimated reading time: 4 minutes
Ask the Rabbi with Rabbi Chaim Mintz
If Hashem (God) wants us to do His will and keep the mitzvot (Torah commandments), why does He not reveal Himself more clearly? Wouldn’t it be far easier to be faithful in our observance if His existence were absolutely clear?
Rabbi Chaim Mintz responds:
Why Doesn’t Hashem Reveal Himself?
A World Designed for Growth
Yes, if Hashem’s presence were felt more acutely, it would be far easier to keep His commandments. But that would undermine the very purpose of this world. We are in this world to face challenges and, through overcoming them, earn our eternal reward in the World to Come. If everything came easily there would be no growth from struggle, and there would be no way to earn our reward in the World to Come.
That is why Hashem created a world in which He is hidden. In fact, the word עולם (world) shares a root with העלם (concealment). Now that God is hidden, we must seek Him out and reveal His presence from within that concealment. And the more we do so in this world, the more we merit to cleave to Him in the World to Come, free from any barriers or concealment.
Revealing Hashem Through Everyday Life
This mission is not limited to belief or perception. Our actions are also meant to reveal Hashem’s Presence within the physical world. Although the physicality around us — eating, sleeping, working — appears purely material, with no obvious connection to holiness, when utilized properly and with the right intentions, these acts reveal their connection to Hashem. When we eat and sleep to gain energy and clarity for Torah study and fulfilling mitzvot, or engage in business to support our families and give tzedakah (charity), we uncover the holiness within what seems purely physical. Through our actions, we break through the mask of physicality and reveal the Divine purpose hidden within it.
Hashem’s Concealment Throughout History
Although in This World there must always be some degree of hiddenness, how much Hashem is hidden depends on us. When we are on a higher spiritual plane, free from sin, we merit greater revelation from Hashem. But when we sin, Hashem becomes more hidden, referred to as hester panim, a concealment of God’s presence (see Devarim 31:17–18).
Yet even when Hashem is more revealed, the yetzer hara (evil inclination) rises to match that clarity, creating confusion and new challenges proportional to the revelation, which is why sin occurred even in the times of greatest clarity.
When Hashem placed Adam and Chava (Eve) in Gan Eden (The Garden of Eden), His presence was palpable. Despite that, the nachash (serpent) was still able to lure them to sin, and as a result, Hashem distanced Himself, bringing about a state of concealment. Humanity gradually lost clear recognition of the truth and descended into idol worship.
This continued until our forefathers began to draw awareness of Hashem back into the world, culminating at Mount Sinai, where Hashem opened the heavens and revealed His presence openly, leaving no room for doubt about His existence and His Torah. But then came the sin of the golden calf, and God’s presence was once again concealed.
A similar pattern is seen in the Holy Temple, where the Divine presence rested and open miracles were common, making Hashem’s presence tangible and undeniable. Yet once again the yetzer hara sharpened his tactics, and the Jewish people fell prey to sin and were sent into exile, where Hashem’s presence became hidden once more.
Our Mission Today
Now that Hashem’s presence is yet again hidden, our task is to seek Him out and reveal Him through our beliefs and our actions. By doing so, we draw closer to the ultimate redemption, when Hashem will be fully revealed in this world, and we will merit eternal closeness to Him in the World to Come.
In Short
God is hidden because the purpose of life is to serve Him by overcoming challenges and finding Him within the concealment, thereby earning our reward in the World to Come.
Written by Rabbi Aaron Shapiro
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