Vampire Weekend's Surprising Jewish Stories
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A six-year-old asked his mother the following question: If God created the universe, who created God? She turned to me for an answer.
A mother wrote to me last week with an interesting question:
My six-year-old son asked me the following: If God created the universe, who created God? What is the appropriate answer to a young mind?
I was doubly impressed – by the six-year-old who asked such a great a question, and by the mom who took his question seriously enough to ask how to answer him.
The first thing I wrote to the mom was how great that her son is asking such big questions. I suggested that even more valuable than the specific answer, she could use this as an opportunity to inculcate in her son the importance of questioning and being curious about the world and ideas. This is the bedrock of learning; indeed, the foundation of becoming his own individuated person, able to think for himself and carve out his own path in life.
This shouldn’t be taken for granted. I’ve met many young Jews who were turned off by Judaism when they were kids because their Hebrew school teacher or day school rabbi disregarded their question, or worse told them, “You can’t ask that question here.” That non-reply inadvertently conveys the message that you shouldn’t think and that Judaism doesn’t have the answers to your questions.
Then I suggested an answer the mom could share with her son:
When Abraham, the first forefather of the Jewish People, was a small boy, he asked his father a similar question. His father Terach owned an idol store with all sorts of cool gods on the shelves. One day his father got a new moon god and Abraham asked his father, “Hey, where did this one come from?” His father told him that he got it from the local idol factory. After all, somebody must have made that moon god.
Then Abraham asked your question, “Who created God?”
Abraham thought about that and then asked, “Who made the idol factory?” His curious mind kept going back in time, asking, “Who created that? And who created that?” Because everything that exists has something that came before it which created it, like you have parents, and your parents had parents, stretching all the way back in time.
At one point Abraham reached the beginning of it all, the first point of time, and he asked, “Who created Time? Who created the whole universe?”
As he got older, Abraham began to understand that the Being Who created Time must be Infinite, existing beyond Time, since Time wasn’t yet created. That Being is God.
Then Abraham asked your question, “Who created God?”
Now this gets really interesting. If something created God, is He God? If God was created, then he is just like us. He isn’t infinite; He has a beginning which means He exists in time. And since He exists in time He can also end, like all things eventually end. That isn’t God. God is Eternal. Eternal means He always existed; He has no beginning. So nothing made Him or gave Him life. He is Life, and all life stems from His never-ending lifeforce. And that’s why God can never die, since He exists above Time. So God’s existence is totally different that our existence.
I concluded by telling the mom that she’ll be surprised how much young minds can understand and to please let me know how her discussion goes.
A few days later she wrote me back:
Dear Rabbi Coopersmith,
I shared your answer with my son. We had a sincere conversation. He was very interested in the origin of the universe and the meaning of "Time" and "Eternal" being. But he was mostly interested in your final explanation that God is the source of Life. He concluded that everything in the universe is Life and is God and that is the meaning of life.
Thank you so much for giving me some tools to deal with such a big question and for nurturing a young mind.
The most sophisticated minds have difficulty describing the Infinite God and His interplay with creation. This precocious six-year-old did a pretty darn good, albeit imperfect, job. (A point to consider: Everything is a reflection of God; not everything is God – which is pantheism.) Indeed, God and Life are one. Nothing gives Him life; He is Life itself, eternal, unending and absolute, the transcendent Source of all existence.
I look forward to the next question he comes up with!
The answer sounds satisfying, but I would sincerely like to add the following questions: How do you know all this? Is there any sort of rational evidence for this kind of statement? Seems more like a leap of faith to me, and as such, it has no real significance.
In my community, the local Jewish paper has a 'Quotable Kid's' section, where people send in cute - sometimes thought provoking - quotes. Would this make a good one?
Anyways, I remember a rabbi adding to this that since we have only seen created matter in our lives, we cannot perceive what something that has not been created is like.
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Very inspiring. I loved both the question and the answer, Rabbi!
It would be very nice if we could access the other questions made before.
L. Wajman - Brazil
אהיה אשר אהיה
Shabbat Shalom Rabbi.
In Judaism what is the definite name for G_d or how best to refer, Why are there so many names for Hashem? Which would be the proper one to use.
When I pray, after Shema, morning and night I start out my prayers as Dear Father G_d,
Is this still proper?
Hi!
That is such a great question and reflects the deep thinking of the questioner!
To the best of my understanding, G-ds many names refer to different aspects of how He relates to us. (Although He is One and infinite, we are finite and can only understand each aspect seperately.) When generally referring to Him it is common to refer to Him as Hashem, G-d and Hakadosh Baruch Hu. The way that you refer to Him after Shema seems appropriate to me.
I hope this was helpful:)
Good luck!
I see God as metaphysical so speaking about him is really speaking about ourselves
This is a really thought-provoking discussion! Yes, let's encourage children, in fact everyone, to ask questions, big seemingly unanswerable questions. May we all think deeply and reflectively!
question: this is an important foundational discussion; how do people keep track of things like this so they can review them regularly and retrieve them when needed?
This is great! I wrote a joyful picture book answering another question young children often ask. The name of the book: Where Is God?
That's my absolute favorite book!
It's one that I am constantly reading to my students over and over!
Thank you for taking what can be seen as an esoteric concept and making it understandable even for small children!
Thank you Rabbi!
Forwarding to my children for their discussions with our grandchildren!!
Shabbat Shalom/Good Shabbos,
Roy Arluck
Your article inspired me to share it with my FaceBook friends "On this Shabbat, and with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur approaching, I thought this article by Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith was most appropriate... and not just for parents trying to answer a child's question. Even those with a fervent belief in God and eternity—and that there is a Heaven where the souls of our loved ones are embraced—sometimes need a "lift" in our spirituality. And, for some, this article might help. That said, the answer itself raises the "eternal" question—because philosophically, the answer itself is circular. But for many of us, the answer is simple...Because we believe with all our hearts. And with that, I will light my Shabbos candles, embrace my spirituality—and wish you all a Shabbat Shalom."
Please explain how everything is a reflection of G-d.
I feel like I am beginning to understand, but not there yet, when you say ‘Everything is a reflection of G-d; not everything is G-d – which is pantheism’. What is the difference between the two? Is G-d separate from the universe? From us?
The envisionment of God as a force connecting everything in time and space is what differentiates Judaism from most other religions. Most religions view God as an Authority who punishes people for transgressions rather than as a partner which provides connections. Authoritarian religions are based on what benefits the leaders rather than the members (including ALL Orthodoxies) and are inherently false.
The origin of G-D - may be a mystery - to most. Learning and Knowing that G-D exists - comes - when one prays to G-D as Eliezer (Abrahams Servant) did. He prayed with trepidation - and slight doubt - ONLY TO G-D - not - to the men he went with. He asked G-D to answer his prayer request - that would identify the person to be Isaacs future wife. G-D - immediately - not obtusely -answered Eliezers request - and it directly related to the prayer request. It presumably also confirmed Eliezers belief - in the G-D of Abraham.
Quite a profound question from such a precocious young boy! I have thought about this question and really appreciate your thoughtful response.
How beautiful to say that all things are a "reflection" of The Creator's (love,) rather than "is" The Creator. This adds clarification to my belief and at the same time removes the issue out of the realm of secular mythology.