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Chapter 2: The Continuous Dependence of Creation on G-dliness

9^th Shevat

1. Refuting the Heretics

Heretics who deny Divine providence and G-dly interaction within the world, often compare the act of divine creation to human craftsmanship, which is a flawed analogy.
In human creations, such as a silversmith crafting a vessel, indeed the object remains independent of its creator once completed. However, this analogy fails to account for the fundamental difference between human craftsmanship which is the creation of something from something and the divine act of creating something from nothing (creatio ex nihilo).

Creation is an ongoing miracle, surpassing even the splitting of the Red Sea. During that event, G-d used a strong east wind to hold the waters upright as walls. Without the sustaining force of the wind, the waters would have resumed their natural flow.
This demonstrates that even natural phenomena, like water’s tendency to flow downward, are the result of divine creation.

The act of creation is not a one-time occurrence but requires the continuous presence of the Creator’s activating force. Without this force, everything would revert to nothingness.
This ongoing divine influence is described in Scripture as “You give life to them all,” signifying both life and existence brought forth from nothing.

Creation is sustained through the letters of the ten utterances recorded in the Torah. These letters embody divine speech, which is the source of all existence.

The Hebrew alphabet, from alef to tav, symbolizes the breadth of divine speech. The letter hey further alludes to the physical organs of speech, despite the Creator having no physical form.
These letters serve as the medium through which divine energy flows into the world.

The supernal letters of divine speech not only create but also communicate with humanity. They are revealed to prophets through their intellect and comprehension, manifesting in their thoughts and speech, as noted in the verse, “The spirit of G-d spoke within me, and His word is upon my tongue.”

While prophets experience divine speech in a higher spiritual realm, the letters of creation descend through numerous stages until they become enclothed in the physical world of Asiyah.
This process allows the divine word to sustain even the most corporeal aspects of creation, as expressed in the verse, “By the word of G-d were the heavens made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.”