Unveil the Wonders: Every Creation Has a Purpose

The Earth flourishes with 350,000 different plant species. Over 5,000,000 unique and diverse animal species thrive on this rich tapestry, continuously enchanting humans living in such a vibrant and fascinating world.

Every creature and plant has its unique role in this grand enterprise. Nature researchers and zoologists are frequently amazed as they discover the unique benefits of another creature, realizing that without it, the world would not be the same. 'You remember the entirety of the work and none of the creature is forgotten by You' (from Rosh Hashanah prayer), 'Everything Hashem created in His world, He did not create a single thing in vain' (Masechet Shabbat 77b), 'Even things you consider superfluous, such as flies, mosquitoes, and fleas, are part of the covenant of the world' (Midrash Vayikra Rabba 22:2).

The Great Philosophers of Antiquity pondered why the world needed so many kinds of animals and plants. The Rambam in his introduction to the Mishnah broadly describes this idea: 'Know that the ancients conducted a deep inquiry, given the wisdom granted to them, concluding that everything must have a purpose. Because nothing exists idly, and after establishing this general rule, they began dividing all existents to know the purpose of every created species. They saw that artificial things, meaning those made for workmanship, have a known purpose in their making. Things produced by divine craftsmanship and natural wisdom, such as types of trees, herbs, earth mines, stones, and animal kinds, have their existence altered currently unknown. It cannot be understood rationally, unless revealed through prophecy or understanding future outcomes, because it is beyond human capacity to investigate. The goal of certain ants being with wings and others without, or why certain worms are many-footed and others fewer-footed cannot be comprehended. However, for larger topics, the purpose of creation is clearer. Solomon, granted wisdom by Hashem as promised, understood the fundamentals of creation of these types as a person can comprehend. He spoke of the purpose in creating trees, herbs, and living creatures. Generally speaking, all existents beneath the moon are for humanity alone.

Some animals are for food, like sheep and cattle, and others provide non-food benefits like donkeys carrying loads or horses for traveling long distances quickly. Some species’ benefits are unrecognized, yet they assist humanity unknowingly. Trees and plants serve as food or medicine, while herbs and other species offer their uses, albeit sometimes unknown due to human cognitive limitations.

Without a doubt, there is no plant, fruit, or animal—be it elephants or worms—that lacks some utility for people. Proof lies in how every generation uncovers herbs and fruits unknown to their predecessors of significant utility. Human rationale cannot encompass each land plant’s benefit; however, it is unveiled through generations of experience (Introduction to the Mishnah by Rambam).

Nature's Surprising Contributions It was Charles Darwin, the renowned zoologist, who discovered the essential and unique benefits of…worms. Surprisingly, our world could not sustain itself without them. In 1881, a year before his death, Darwin published the book 'The Formation of Vegetable Mould through the Action of Worms,' asserting that in the absence of worms, vegetation would deteriorate to the point of disappearance.

Each year, Darwin estimated, more than 2.5 tons of dry soil pass through the digestive system of earthworms in a well-populated field, recreating the topsoil surface at a rate of every two years. New vegetation requires large amounts of fertilization and aeration to flourish and grow, producing fresh, juicy, nutrient-rich fruits. Worms deep in the ground manage the soil filled with decayed leaves and natural organic waste, replenishing rich nutrients for plant roots to absorb.

And There's More Sir A. John Russell in his book 'The Microbial Flora of the Soil' notes that a gram of soil treated with organic manure contains about 29,000,000 bacteria. The bacteria's weight within rich soil amounts to over sixty kilograms. Upon death, these organisms decompose into humus that enriches the soil by natural means.

The ground also harbors an abundance of other microscopic organisms: actinomycetes, thread-like creatures sharing traits with both bacteria and fungi; microscopic algae relative to marine algae; protozoa composed as their name implies of a single cell; and bizarre fungi lacking chlorophyll, changing from single-cell forms to branched structures, including yeasts, molds, and larger mushrooms—some toxic, others edible. The vegetative part of some of these fungi interacts beneficially with many green plant roots in a mutually advantageous way.

Fungal mycelium intertwines with tree roots in contact, forming a system called mycorrhiza. This discovery was confirmed by Sir Albert Howard when he found that the roots of France’s healthiest vineyards were abundant in mycorrhizas. These vines were world-renowned for their high-quality wines.

We can find the mutual dependency among Earth’s creatures within the natural food chain. Deer and zebras consume grass and wild plants, transforming them in their bodies into proteins. Carnivorous animals and birds rely on these creatures at some stage, and worms convert the carcasses of these predators back into organic fertilizer, fostering renewed grass growth.

Despite these remarkable nature-based discoveries, Darwin's premise of 'the struggle for existence'—where only harsh conflict prevails, a concept accepted by the modern world—was vigorously challenged by Kropotkin. He authored 'Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution,' compiling precise scientific data across various life forms, demonstrating unequivocally that without mutual aid, no living thing could survive even for a moment. Kropotkin overturned this staunchly held belief, asserting that while a struggle for existence does occur, it is not the foundation of life. Rather, mutual aid and compassion underpin nature's principles. Darwin himself discovered one aspect of 'His mercies are upon all His works’ during his final years, as we have witnessed here.

The World's Largest Chemical Plant Across the oceans, kilometers of floating plankton plants coexist with global vegetation, performing miraculous photosynthesis that generates life-giving oxygen. Without vegetation, this gas would not exist, and animals reciprocate by producing plants’ essential food, carbon dioxide. However, none of this would matter if…cows were not ruminating.

For regular earthly life to continue, a precise 21% of oxygen is required from the atmosphere's gas mix, leaving researchers astonished by the balancing act that maintains this percentage. Each year, millions of tons of methane and nitrous oxide gases are emitted into the atmosphere, rapidly combining with oxygen to prevent its levels from rising disproportionately. But where do these gases originate? It turns out, methane comes from termite mounds, beetles, and ruminating cows—all contributing to the Earth's maintenance. In Newsweek, renowned researcher Oulek wrote: 'Some biologists studying beetles noticed methane emissions from the insects; it seemed insignificant to them. Other scientists examining the upper atmosphere noticed the methane, unaware of the beetles.'

Midrash recounts how King David realized he understood the necessity of everything except spiders and madness, yet they ultimately saved him from Saul. Today, we know how right he was, observing creation’s participation in the delicate balance of life—even involving cows’ rumination! Enthusiasm may distract from cows’ usual benefits as an astonishing factory producing diverse products. Put grass into one side of the production line and out comes milk, white cheese, yellow cheese, butter, cream, and even plastics made from casein and lactic acid! Simple grass transforms into delicious meat and hides for a variety of products. Remarkably, just as humans bear offspring, our food continues to perpetuate itself. Each food continually births subsequent new food generations, ensuring endless replenishment without depletion. If food were like static minerals scattered across the Earth, it would have been long exhausted. Yet, here we see the astonishing purposefulness where the Earth unceasingly produces fresh food from the remains of prior food generations again and again.

Consider another example: can we imagine the benefits of bees? Every plentiful, flowering field exists thanks to bees’ pollination. Bees are essential for fertilizing 100,000 plant species (!) and all stone fruit-bearing trees. Without bees, we’d lack juicy fruits and fragrant, colorful blooms while restoring our spirits from wildflowers’ offerings. These examples are merely a small, representative sample showcasing the benefits derived from several known animal species. As nature research advances, the astounding picture emerges, clearly illustrating each creature, no matter how small, fulfills a crucial role in the universe that perpetuates our way of life this way.

Why So Many Stars? Despite the immense number of animals on Earth, their scope and size shrink compared to the universe’s vast dimensions. Often, one wonders why we need the billions of galaxies containing billions of stars: what benefit can we derive from them? In recent years, many astrophysicists began basing their studies on 'the Anthropic Principle.'

This principle proposes that the distant stars and galaxies create a variety of physical conditions on Earth through gravitational, electromagnetic, and other influences; these particular conditions are necessary for human life and existence (thus, the principle's name derives from the Greek word ANTHROPOS—Human, further details published in 'The Thinking Time' reports 26-27). Even the slightest deviation from favorable physical conditions on Earth would render life altogether, and human life, in particular, impossible. These conditions rely on the combined effects of billions of stars and galaxies, suggesting the universe is so perfectly designed to facilitate human life on Earth.

Rabbi Avigdor Miller proposes an additional idea in his book Rejoice, O Righteous about the need for such a vast universe: 'Great is reverence, for heaven and earth were created solely for reverence' (Kohelet Rabbah, 3:17). Earth's unlimited resources, the grand phenomenon of human intelligence, character, and deeds, and space's endlessness with all its vast expanses filled with countless stars—all were created for one purpose: to aid humanity in revering (recognizing) their Creator. The purpose, therefore, is immense if infinite means have been created for its achievement.

What purpose does the space realm serve? Why were countless gigantic worlds created amidst spaces full of light beyond seemingly infinite space confines? In our hands lies the key to this mystery, 'And God has done it that they should fear before Him.' 'He created glory for His name' (Morning's Creator prayer). If our Earth were enclosed by a dome with finite dimensions, our esteem for the Creator's greatness would be finite. To give an example of His immeasurable nature, we were given the chance to gaze into space. Humans can dispatch space ships traveling long and ever further distances, but there's no apparent end. Our telescopes penetrate to infinite distances, revealing yet how much larger the massive space extends beyond their reach. The world's physical infinity crushes any small understanding notions. Yet this world is a mere grain of sand compared to its Creator. His creation is insignificant when compared to Him. Recognizing this is one supreme goal. Soaring into space at legendary speeds toward the moon is to reveal what the Torah always seeks to teach—but humanity never fully learns: the Creator is infinite. While on the moon, humans realize they have not even begun to penetrate space. The moon is just a prisoner of Earth's gravity, close neighbor, and our backyard. Yet still is at a considerable distance from Earth. Given this, how vast is the space to other moving solar system regions? The sun is a relatively tiny star (Rigel star is 13,000 times brighter than the sun) among 100 billion in our galaxy, which itself is insignificant among infinite galaxies in the vast expanse. At 111 million miles per minute speed, we could reach the moon in a second, but it would take 500 years to reach 'Rigel' (in our galaxy).

A single Hercules group carries a million stars, with 35 thousand brighter than the sun. Everything, whatever its incalculable dimensions, stems from the Creator's hands, fashioned and maintained according to His will. Yet all this is merely an introduction: 'This world is compared to a corridor before the World to Come; prepare yourself in the corridor to enter the banquet hall' (Avot 4:15). Estimating the World to Come's dimensions requires first appreciating the world’s size, just as one estimates an event hall’s magnitude by the entrance hall's dimensions. Entering an enormous entrance hall, one can expect a larger grand hall beyond. Since the World to Come bears infinite proportions, we require proportionately significant preparation.

The infinite joy of eternal life stems from the thrill of witnessing Hashem's infinite presence. Therefore, glimpsing His radiance in this world is critical preparation for the grand celebration. For achieving this, all physical reality is created: to provide a sense of the Creator’s infinite greatness; one must seize the opportunities here. 'Lift your eyes up high and see: Who created these?' (Isaiah 40:26). That's their purpose: for humanity to observe them and gain a glimpse of the greatness of the One who made them.