Q&A: The Meaning of Life
The Meaning of Life
Question
Hello Rabbi. Recently I came across your content while trying to find an answer to the question of the meaning of life.
I didn’t find a place where you speak about this (it’s possible I missed it), so I’d be glad if you could address it here. What is the meaning of life in your view? It’s hard to accept the thought that life came into being randomly, without any guiding intention. If there really is none, why do good just because I’m here? (Of course I know that you think there is a guiding intention; I’m just raising what seems to me an obvious question for someone who thinks there isn’t.) I’d be glad to hear your opinion.
Answer
I didn’t understand the question. If there is no God, nothing has meaning, and neither does life. See my column, “What Is Meaning.”
Discussion on Answer
The question is not well-defined. Our purpose in life is probably to serve Him and keep His commandments. But one could disagree and say that our purpose is to live, and the commandments are only the proper way to live.
I don’t know how to answer such a question, and as I said, it also isn’t well-defined. But it’s clear that without God there is no meaning—not because it’s impossible to find meaning, but because the very concept of meaning is emptied of content. See my above-mentioned column.
I couldn’t find it. Could you attach a link to the column?
Thank you
Just search for “What Is Meaning.” It’s the first result: https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=f18e4f052adde49eb&q=https://mikyab.net/posts/8462/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiHoNPQ29aIAxXoAfsDHQyZAvIQFnoECAAQAg&usg=AOvVaw0CJdYcpoOSWwY32uAJ_IDJ
I understand. If there is indeed a God, what is the meaning of life?