The Ramchal on the Purpose of Life: How to Build a Deeper Connection With Hashem

“The root of all spiritual service is that a person should always turn toward his Creator, knowing and understanding that he was created for no other purpose than to cleave to his Creator.”

Source: Ramchal, Derech Hashem, Part I, Chapter 4.

Meaning of the Quote

The Ramchal explains that the foundation of a person’s spiritual service is to continually turn toward his Creator. This means living with an ongoing awareness of Hashem and understanding that the ultimate purpose of life is to cleave to Him.

This connection is not merely a theoretical aspiration. It is a way of life in which a person seeks to bring an awareness of Hashem into everyday existence and make serving Him an integral part of every aspect of life.

Practical Ways to Apply This Idea in Daily Life

1. Pray with genuine connection, not merely as a technical obligation

Example: A person wakes up in the morning and says Modeh Ani not simply out of habit, but with a genuine awareness that Hashem has given him another day of life as a gift.

2. Perform mitzvot with emotional connection, not merely out of obligation

Example: Instead of lighting Shabbat candles simply because “that is what we are supposed to do,” a person does so with the desire to bring the light of holiness into the home and experience closeness to Hashem through the mitzvah.

3. View the events of life as part of a Divine mission

Example: A person experiences financial difficulties or a challenge at work. Instead of falling into despair, he tells himself, “Hashem is guiding me. There is something here that I am meant to learn.”

4. Transform physical activities into spiritual ones

Example: A person eats or sleeps not only to satisfy physical needs, but also with the intention of keeping the body healthy and strong in order to serve Hashem better.

5. Study Torah not merely to acquire knowledge, but to draw closer to Hashem

Example: A person studies Talmud not only in order to understand the subject, but also to connect with Hashem’s will and wisdom.

In conclusion, the Ramchal teaches us that it is not enough to perform mitzvot simply because “we must.” A person should continually direct his heart toward Hashem and live with an awareness of his relationship with the Creator. Every moment of life, whether prayer, eating, working, or speaking with others, can become a means of achieving devekut, closeness to Hashem, when it is approached with the right intention and with a desire to bring holiness into everyday life.

A Few Words About the Author

The Ramchal, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, passed away approximately 280 years ago. He was an outstanding Torah scholar whose writings encompassed Jewish thought, mussar, and Kabbalah. He lived and taught in Italy and, toward the end of his life, moved to the Land of Israel, where he is traditionally believed to have been buried in Tiberias.

Many of his writings were lost over the years. Among the works that survived and were published are Mesillat Yesharim (The Path of the Just), Derech Hashem (The Way of God), and Da’at Tevunot. These works remain foundational texts in Jewish thought and mussar to this day.