In the Work of Our Hands

People imagine that since G‑d is not physical, therefore He must be in heaven. But the heavens—and all things spiritual—are just as much creations as the earth. Less dissonant, more harmonious, more lucid—but finite realms nonetheless.

G‑d is not found due to the capacity of a place, but by His desire to be there. And what He desires most is to be found in the work of our hands, fixing up His world.

In the heavens is G‑d’s light. In the work of our hands dwells G‑d Himself, the source of all light.

Make Your Own Sanctuary

By Tzvi Freeman

From the wisdom of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, of righteous memory; words and condensation by Rabbi Tzvi Freeman. Subscribe and get your dose daily. To order Rabbi Freeman’s latest book, Wisdom to Heal the Earth, click here.

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18 Comments

Richard Florida February 11, 2018

In the Work of Our Hands G-d is not physical, but exists within physical being. Since this is so, I hesitate, almost resist, using the words “He” and”His” since this has led to falsely imagined male superiority in our world. This would be the perfect time to create more fitting words of description. Don’t you think so? Reply

Tzvi Freeman February 12, 2018

in response to Richard:

Sometimes we refer to G-d in the feminine, as "the Shechinah." But Hebrew has not neuter form—no "it."

For more explanation, please see Who Is Shechinah, And What Does She Want from My Life? Reply

Anonymous M. M. June 22, 2014

i read in Perek Shira, the song of Moses, that Hashem made the fields with wisdom and the heavens with understanding. I ponder that alot with humility.

So I thought of Perek Shira when i red this this AM and might draw a wrong analogy to apply what you wrote as one aspect of this tremendous meaning. But nonetheless I will share my thoughts.

Hashem founded the land with Chochma,wisdom. Like the work of man's hands with the source of light in the fields is founded with with His wisdom . And He established for the heavens with His understanding, Bina. Like the angels,the Holy Beasts, and souls that passed with the light is established with His understanding.

The song of the fields is in proverbs 3:19

I have many questions as to Chochma also dwelling on earth and also Bina as i learn what Hashem is like with His love and discipline for all His creation. Reply

Anonymous Oxford (Houston currently) June 20, 2014

Sorry if I'm misunderstanding. Are the heavens not eternal? Thank you for aiding me in my learning with your continuos contributions. May our prayers and mediations be acceptable before Him. Reply

David Levant Emerson,NJ May 23, 2014

Give him honesty and love, and all the rest will follow. Reply

Margaret Mesa, Arizona, USA February 6, 2011

To Smadar in Ont./Canada We cannot judge the world, we can only judge the actions in this world by the Word of G-d.

G-d gave us Torah so that we would know what to do and what not to do according to his instructions. He clearly said that the Torah was not that far in Heaven that you could not reach it. Therefore, He gave us this knowledge so that we could judge and chose from good and bad. If then, by studying Torah and teaching it to those who had not the chance for whatever reason in their lives, we would be accomplishing G-d's desires in saving the world from destruction. Because that is what evil is going to bring the world to, if we don't even try to get involved in His plan for salvation.

Our Heavenly Father is a loving One. And we are His children. Reply

cecilia beltran new york February 2, 2011

I seem to understand this but maybe in another way Rabbi, this is very seriously challenging to accept. I do think I understand it because you have generously recommended a couple of books to read and I have been on this trail for a while.

I understand that you are speaking of Malkhut. How in the end it is the behavior of man that brings G-d down from heaven, heaven being a realm of the mind. This is where all the conceptual archetypes dwell because they represent the universal forces that shape the physical world.

But as you said, it is in the work of our hands that G-d dwells himself. Am I right that you are speaking of our ability to create. Because G-d is the Creative Principle. He that deliberates and sets into motion something from nothing.

That is how I understand this. When we are being creative not chaotic (meaning we move around in circles like automatons, reacting being mindless), we in fact embody the creative nature of G-d and in so doing become the dwelling place of G-d? Reply

Anonymous Mesa, AZ February 2, 2011

In The Work Of Our Hands I need His Grace to do His work in this world. Because without His Grace, it is impossible.
Let us pray for His Grace, for this is a very difficult task do accomplish in a world where the enemy wants to rule and bring down G-d's children.
Rabbi Freeman your message to Steve, strenghtens me in the sufferings I am going through with certain relations. I am deeply rooted in your believes... I am grateful. Reply

Smadar Thornhill, ON/Canada February 2, 2011

In the Work of Our Hands How do we know that G-d desires us to fix His world. Isn't that Ego's desire? After all before we can fix the world we must judge what it is that needs to be fixed. Who are we to judge what is right and what is wrong in G-d's world? Reply

Miss Judith L Witten Brockton, Ma/USA February 2, 2011

G-d's work through our Hands It is wondrous to know that since G-d directs we can be certain that our work is through his eyes and what he wants done and his light. G-d does direct the whole thing that is being done-even when you take a break from work-G-d said to-so there!!! Reply

Michelle February 2, 2011

beautiful thank you for again sharing such a lesson as this. you bless us so much through each and every act of this kindness in doing so.

G-d bless you abundantly for your service Reply

Stella H Howell Wokingham, United Kingdom February 2, 2011

In the Work of Our Hands God's light is HIS HOLY SPIRIT which HE sends upon us, when we pray, and request this.
This is possible only after purification of our bodies. Unfortunately, many professing to heed the Word of GOD, do not follow HIS LAWS. By this I refer to GOD's LAWS & not crazy man made ones which are senseless! Reply

Syed February 2, 2011

Immense Immense description! Reply

Steve Parker Marietta, GA June 30, 2008

In the Work of Our Hands I must accept, then, that 2,000 years of martyrdom clearly trumps my premise of G-d as a "physical" -- though indefinably physical -- essence. l continue, however, to struggle with the notion that G-d cannot be any partiuclar thing -- physical, spiritual, essential or otherwise. It seems to fly in the face of our understanding of G-d as infinite. How can G-d be infinite, yet specifically not physical. There simply must be, among all the components, some component of The Almighty that constitutes physicality, whatever that definition might be. Otherwise, Hashem is limited ... which, of course, He cannot be. This is obviously far too perplexing for my small brain to absord. I apologize for not grasping this concept far better than I apparently should. I thank you, though, for your generous sharing of time. Reply

Tzvi Freeman Thornhill, Ontario June 27, 2008

For Steve again When thinking about matters where paradox abounds, human reason is no longer sufficient. We must rely on tradition and prophecy. The Jewish People as a whole has accepted that G_d does not take on a physical form. We have allowed ourselves to be martyred en masse rather than accept such a belief. Two thousand years of persecution have passed and we have been impervious as diamonds to the notion. We are not going to entertain such an idea now. Reply

Steve Parker Marietta, GA June 27, 2008

In the Work of Our Hands Rabbi: I understand your point, yet my concern remains that G-d must be more than "found in the physical" if, in fact, G-d is all things. Though it is obviously impossible to define the physical realm in which G-d exists, it must be accepted that He, in fact, resides there since infinite excludes nothing. I am not attempting to play a semantics game. Since G-d is omnipotent, He cannot be confined. Your human example is compelling, but we are not discussing here the limitations inherent in human experience. We are talking about G-d and the infinite, existing without boundaries and beyond description. I must also argue that G-d is simultaneously strong and weak. The All-Encompassing must be alll things without exception since defining that which cannot be described is impossible, at least within the framework of that which we are allowed to know. Have a wonderful Shabbos. Reply

Tzvi Freeman Thornhill, Ontario June 27, 2008

For Steve Of course G_d can be found in the physical as much as He is found in the spiritual--and even more, since that is where His will is focused. But any notion that G_d Himself is physical is antithetical to Jewish belief. Maimonides enunciates this as one of his 13 principles of the faith.

Physicality simply means that an object can be discretely measured and defined by that measurement. There is no virtue in physicality on its own. To say that G_d is not physical does not detract from His perfection, just as saying G_d is not weak does not detract from His omnipotence.

To give an example from human experience: If I am a good writer, I can be found in my words. If I would be a very good writer, I could be found in my simplest words as much as in my most sophisticated. Yet nevertheless, I am not my words. I am the author of those words. Reply

Steve Parker Marietta, GA June 27, 2008

G-d, being infinite, is in fact physical. Since G-d is all things, He must be physical as well. Our limitless Creator must, by definition, also be physical in nature. If not, Hashem is defined (limited) by a restriction that cannot be applied to infinite power and source. The unfortunate premise that G-d is not physical is deeply and disturbingly flawed. Reply

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