Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Every Creature Will Know God’s Oneness

The ultimate destiny of all living beings is to receive life and delight not from worldly pursuits, but from God alone, for “His Divinity is sufficient for every creature” (Rashi on Genesis 17:1). To be sure, many distinctions apply to this delight, which the righteous yearn to experience in the World to Come. Nevertheless, even the humblest creature in the hierarchy of creation eventually will attain enlightenment. Divine wisdom pour forth, until even the humblest creature will realize God’s Oneness, and thus live forever. However, the main thing is to strive for enlightenment in this life - by dedicating oneself to God through the Torah and commandments, which express God’s Oneness. Fortunate is he who perseveres until he attains his goal (Rabbi Nosson Sternhartz, Likkutei Halachos, Tefillin 6:8, as abridged by the Rav of Tcherin in Otzar HaYirah, Hasagas Elokus, 3).