The Torah tells us, "Because on it He rested from all His labor" (Genesis 2:3). But what does that really mean? Rabbi Pinḥas, quoting Rabbi Hoshaya in Bereshit Rabbah 11, offers a fascinating insight. He suggests that God only rested from the labor of creating the world. Think about that for a moment. The act of bringing everything into existence? That's some serious work!
But, according to this teaching, God didn't rest from all labor. There's still the ongoing business of, well, running the universe. More specifically, dealing with the wicked and the righteous. This is where it gets interesting.
Rabbi Pinḥas explains that God continues to perform actions with both the wicked and the righteous, showing each "the essence of what is their fate." In other words, God is constantly involved in rewarding good and punishing evil, based on their deeds. This kind of work, this constant calibration of justice, never ceases.
But is that really considered "labor" in the same way as creating the cosmos? Absolutely, say the sages. They find support in verses like Jeremiah 50:25: "The Lord opened His armory and took out the weapons of His fury, for it is labor [for the Lord]." This verse equates punishing the wicked with labor. It's not easy being the cosmic judge, jury, and executioner, apparently!
And what about rewarding the righteous? Is that also labor? Well, according to Psalm 31:20, it is! The verse says, "How great is the goodness You have in store for those who fear You, which You have fashioned for those taking refuge in You, in the presence of people." The key word here is "fashioned," which the Rabbis associate with labor. Bereshit Rabbah makes this association explicitly, noting the connection between "fashioning" and "labor."
So, according to this midrash — this interpretive story — God's work is never truly done. God rested from the initial act of creation, but continues to be actively involved in the ongoing management and moral balancing of the world. It's a powerful image, isn't it? It suggests a God who is not just a creator, but also a constant presence, always working to ensure justice and reward. It also suggests that if we want to know what God does all day, maybe we should focus less on the initial act of creation and more on the ongoing labor of upholding the world. What do you think?