What Is the Purpose of Creation?
Man is the center of Creation.
Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Book of Zohar,” Item 18
The purpose of the creation, of all the worlds, was for man alone.
Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Book of Zohar,” 39
The Creator’s desired goal for the Creation He had created is to bestow upon His creatures, so they would know His truthfulness and greatness, and receive all the delight and pleasure He had prepared for them.
Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Book of Zohar,” 39
All the conducts of Creation, in its every corner, inlet, and outlet, are completely prearranged for the purpose of nurturing the human species from its midst, to improve its qualities until it can sense Godliness as one feels one’s friend. These ascensions are like rungs of a ladder, arranged degree-by-degree until it is completed and achieves its purpose.
Baal HaSulam “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose”
What was the purpose for which the Creator created this lot? Indeed, it is to elevate him to a Higher and more important degree, to feel his God like the human sensation, which is already given to him. And as one knows and feels one’s friend’s wishes, so will he learn the ways of the Creator.
Baal HaSulam, “The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence”
The aim of the Creator from the time He created His Creation is to reveal His Godliness to others. This is because the revelation of His Godliness reaches the creature as pleasant bounty that is ever growing until it reaches the desired measure.
And by that, the lowly rise with true recognition and become a chariot to Him, and to cleave unto Him, until they reach their final completion: “Neither has the eye seen a God beside thee”
Baal HaSulam, “The Giving of the Torah,” Item 6
Man’s reality is built with profound, endless wisdom. The Creator created many a great creature, higher than high and higher still, and all are needed in their posts, for nothing is superfluous and all is based on the fundamental cornerstone, which is that what the Creator desires of man’s work is for him to correct all of the deficiencies of creation, and elevate himself, elevation by elevation, until he cleaves to His holiness. There is where all issues of remoteness from Him are found, as well as all their generations, and all the matters in nearing Him and all their generations. Indeed, they are all great and profound matters and all are bound to incarnate under great circumstances to achieve the inclusive wholeness.
Ramchal, Daat Tevunot (Knowledge of Intelligence)
Man was made to lift up the Heavens.
Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Kotzk
The purpose of Creation is invaluable, for a tiny spark such as a person’s soul can rise in its attainment Higher than the ministering angels.
Baal HaSulam, “A Handmaid that Is Heir to Her Mistress”
The purpose of the creation of the world is the revelation of His Kingdom, for there is no king without a nation.
Rabbi Shneor Zalman of Liadi, The Tanya,
“Shaar HaYehud VeHa’Emuna [Gate of Unification and Faith],” Chapter 7
Our final aim is to be qualified for adhesion with Him—for Him to reside within us.
Baal HaSulam “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose”
The purpose of the soul when it comes in the body is to attain returning to its root and to cleave unto Him, while clothed in the body, as it is written, “To love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to cleave unto Him.”
Baal HaSulam, “Letters,” Letter no. 17
Every person is obliged to attain the root of his soul.
Baal HaSulam, “The Acting Mind”
It turns out that the purpose of the whole Creation is that the lowly creatures will be able, by keeping Torah and Mitzvot, to rise ever upward, ever developing, until they are rewarded with Dvekut with their Creator.
Baal HaSulam, “The Giving of the Torah,” Item 6
The meaning of the souls of the children of Israel is that they are a part of God Above. The soul cascaded by way of cause and consequence and descended degree-by-degree until it became suitable to come into this world and clothe the filthy corporeal body.
By keeping the Torah and observing its Mitzvot, it ascends degree-by-degree until its stature is completed, and it is fit to receive its reward from The Whole. This has been prepared for it in advance, meaning attaining the holy Torah by way of the Names of the Creator, which are the 613 deposits.
Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the book, From the Mouth of a Sage”
All the worlds, Upper and lower and everything within them, were created only for man. This is so because all these degrees and worlds came only to complement the souls in the measure of Dvekut that they lacked with respect to the Thought of Creation.
In the beginning, they were restricted and hung down degree-by-degree and world after world, down to our material world, to bring the soul into a body of this world, which is entirely to receive and not to bestow, like animals and beasts. It is written, “A wild ass’s colt is born a man.” This is considered the complete will to receive, which has nothing in the form of bestowal. In that state, a man is regarded as the complete opposite of Him, and there is no greater remoteness than that.
Afterwards, through the soul that clothes within one, he engages in Torah and Mitzvot. Gradually and slowly, from below Upwards, he obtains the same form of bestowal as his Maker, through all the discernments that hung down from Above downwards, which are but degrees and measures in the form of the desire to bestow.
Each Higher degree means that it is farther from the will to receive, and closer to being only to bestow. In the end, one is awarded being entirely to bestow and to not receive anything for himself. At that time, one is completed with true Dvekut with Him, for this is the only reason why man was created. Thus, all the worlds and everything in them were created only for man.
Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to the Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 9