The spiritual and scientific truth behind ‘And it was very good’.
“And Elokim saw all that He did, and it was very good.”
At first glance, this verse might seem like a simple statement of divine satisfaction with creation. However, beneath these words lies a profound truth about the nature of existence itself. According to scholars of truth, the Kabbalists, the physical has no inherent or intrinsic identity, and the absolute truth and identity of everything is the Godly energy of that matter.
What we see and experience in the physical world is an emergent presence- merely a visible reflection of God’s constant and sustaining energy. This energy is ongoing and personal, unveiling itself moment by moment through the veil of the name Elokim. This name signifies the divine quality of concealment within the natural order.
When one truly internalizes that what appears as physical matter contains no intrinsic identity apart from this divine energy, he sees Elokim for what it is, an extraordinary shift occurs: everything reveals itself to be …… “very good”.
Rabbi M.M. Schneerson, The Lubavitcher Rebbe, once said at a farbrengen, Chassidic gathering, “Sometimes a person might become afraid and fallen and ask himself, how can I fulfill my mission, my purpose here in this world? We respond to him, you’re not thinking right.
This attitude and perspective are only for those with physical eyes. Those who, in their eyes of flesh, before they look at the world, first lift their eyes of flesh and look to heaven, seeing who created all this in the universe, then realize this is a world made by a benevolent God, an orchard, God’s Garden. “
The simple act of touching an object illustrates this beautifully.
When your skin touches the surface of a cold metal object, your senses perceive a clear, tangible experience. However, science explains that at the atomic level, your fingers never truly touch the object itself. Both your skin and the object are made up of atoms, each surrounded by tiny clouds of negatively charged particles called electrons. These electrons repel each other due to the electromagnetic force, a fundamental interaction in nature—similar to how two magnets with the same poles push away from each other.
Consequently, atoms cannot physically merge or overlap. Instead, the electrons’ repulsion creates a slight pressure between your skin and the object, which your nerves interpret as the sensation of touch.
It is this dance and interaction of the same energy that gives you the experience of touch and feeling.
Different materials feel different because their atoms are arranged in unique ways. The tightly packed atoms in metal let heat pass quickly, making it feel cold and solid. Softer materials like cloth or foam have more loosely arranged atoms, which makes them feel soft and warm. At the heart of each sensation is the unseen interaction of energy fields-forces invisible to our eyes but shaping our everyday physical experience.
This scientific fact aligns with the wisdom above of Kabbalah, which explains the spiritual essence behind the physical world.
Just as physics shows that matter is mostly space held together by energy, Kabbalah teaches that creation is an ongoing flow of divine life force. The visible world is a tapestry woven from this infinite energy, always hidden behind forms seen as separate objects. In both views, there is no real separation; everything is one continuous flow of energy, whether called electrons, atoms, or Divine light.
Realizing this unity changes the way we perceive everything around us. The objects we see-the cars, the trees, the people-are not isolated entities but expressions of the same sacred energy that sustains all existence. The boundaries we observe are not barriers but interfaces for interaction between different forms of that energy.
This understanding softens judgments about what is “good” or “bad,” because everything is part of a greater harmonious system rooted in divine perfection. “Everything is very good.” The phrase “and it was very good” becomes a timeless truth, encouraging us to see beyond appearances and recognize the essential depth, real identity, and goodness in all things.
A personal story reinforces this insight. Many years ago, a Yeshiva student in New York was held at gunpoint on a Friday night. When the robber demanded money, the student explained he carried none, upholding the sacred laws of Shabbat. The robber shot him, with the bullet lodging in his jaw. Remarkably, the student survived after the bullet was removed.
To an outsider, it appeared as though one independent being violently attacked another, a situation that could have ended in tragedy. However, upon deeper reflection, the outcome reveals the intention and plan of the One Divine energy that operates within every event.
The student’s survival, the bullet’s behavior, and the robber’s movements-all occur within a single, underlying energy stream of creation. This unity transcends physical cause and effect; it exposes a sacred order beneath even moments of danger and uncertainty.
If one could truly see reality as this dance of energy and spirit, life would reveal itself as deeply connected and “very good.” Suffering and struggle would be understood as parts of a larger unfolding, where every particle and action is embraced in the infinite care of Divine presence.
Just as your hand, in truth, touches no object but feels and experiences the force between electron clouds, so too, the way to look at the world is to see that we are constantly connected to the energy of Holiness, which sustains all existence invisibly yet tangibly.
It invites us to awaken to a deeper vision where the physical and spiritual merge a vision of unity, grace, and lasting goodness in everything we experience.
For more information on my workshops, I may be reached at http://www.rabbishlomoezagui.com or rsezagui@gmail.com
