Q&A: The Connection Between the Torah and a Good Life
The Connection Between the Torah and a Good Life
Question
Hello.
In my understanding, living according to the Torah is also, generally speaking, a better life. This is simpler to see when it comes to matters between one person and another, but it is also true regarding matters between a person and God: a person who lives life with awareness of what lies beyond, a person who trains himself to delay gratification, a person who observes standards of modesty—usually his life will be happier (I hope you agree with me, and if not, I’d be happy to hear an explanation).
(Or one could explain reward and punishment in this world this way more broadly, but that doesn’t really affect the actual question that follows.)
Assuming that is so, what explains the connection between the Torah’s commandments and these positive results? Did the Holy One, blessed be He, create nature in such a way that it would fit the Torah’s commands? Or did He establish the Torah’s commands so that they would fit human nature? Some other possibility?
Thank you
Answer
I don’t know what you are basing this thesis on, especially when you compare it to every other person—not necessarily only secular Jews in Israel, but people of every religion and in every place.
There are claims that a religious life gives a person meaning, and that makes him happier. I assume that has nothing to do with the content of any particular religion.
In any case, I have no idea how the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world and how He determined the Torah’s commandments.