The reality of life often raises difficult questions about how God manages His world. Because human understanding is limited, people might look at their surroundings and mistakenly perceive injustice. In truth, Divine providence is entirely comprehensive, perfectly just, and deeply rooted in kindness [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. On a natural level, God guides the world with perfect honesty by tailoring exact provisions for every creature, much like a doctor prescribing a precise diet for a patient [אבן עזרא]. This strict system of justice extends even to the food chain. When animals hunt one another, it is the result of a precise decree from God, who determines the exact lifespan of every creature, deciding whether it dies naturally or serves as food for another [רד״ק]. Others view this justice as the stable, unbreakable laws of nature that God established in creation, ensuring that nothing strays from its natural boundaries [מאירי].
Beyond the natural world, this perfect justice also applies to the complex reality of human reward and punishment. When observing life, one might wonder why good people suffer while wicked people prosper. The primary approach among commentators is that this confusing reality is actually the ultimate proof of God's absolute justice. If wicked individuals find success in this world, or if righteous people experience hardship, it is because God is settling accounts immediately. He rewards the wicked now for the few good deeds they have done, and He punishes the righteous now for their minor mistakes. This ensures that the primary, true reward for the righteous is kept whole for the World to Come [אלשיך, מלבי״ם]. Another perspective suggests that God's justice is not always strict judgment; it can also be an act of pure charity, providing for people who have earned no merit of their own [מצודת דוד].
Yet, God's management of the world is not limited to strict justice; it is deeply infused with kindness. There is a frequent shift in how He deals with humanity: God may open a situation with strict judgment, but He ultimately acts with deep mercy, especially toward people who are forgiving and overlook the faults of others [תורה תמימה]. While justice dictates what a person legally deserves, kindness represents God granting an abundance of good far beyond what is required, even when people are completely unworthy. When individuals repent, God lightens their punishment, forgives them, and tips the scales of judgment toward mercy [רד״ק, אבן עזרא, מאירי, ביאור שטיינזלץ].
Ultimately, the very existence of the world is an act of absolute kindness. God did not create the universe to fulfill a need of His own, nor did He create it to cause distress to His creations. The sole purpose of creation, and the reason God continues to sustain reality every day, is simply to do good. Every creature was formed with a positive purpose, designed to be part of a world built entirely on kindness [אלשיך, מלבי״ם, מאירי].