The Only Absolute Truth

9 Kislev November 29, 2025

In this week’s Torah portion, we read Jacob’s heartfelt supplication to the Almighty. In his prayer, he declared, “I have been humbled by all Your kindnesses and by all Your truth” (Genesis 32:11). The phrase “all Your kindnesses” is readily understood, for G-d had indeed bestowed numerous mercies upon him. However, the phrase “all Your truth” requires examination. Can truth be pluralized? Is there such a thing as a half-truth, or is truth a binary concept—either wholly true or not?

While there may not be “half-truths,” we certainly live in a world of relative truths. This distinction must be made carefully. I refer neither to moral truths, which are categorical—murder, for instance, is universally evil, not merely subjectively so—nor to objective truths, such as mathematical certainties. Rather, I refer to truths that are dependent on perspective.

Relative Truths

Consider the character of Robin Hood. Was he virtuous or villainous? The answer is relative. Compared to a citizen who respects the law and finds legal means to aid the impoverished, Robin Hood’s thievery is condemnable. However, compared to the wealthy misers of his time who hoarded their fortunes and ignored the plight of the poor, he appears a noble figure.

Consider another scenario: Two individuals rent identical apartments next door to one another. Is this a sign of wealth or poverty? It depends entirely on their antecedents. For the man who was formerly homeless and now maintains steady employment and a private residence, this apartment represents wealth and good fortune. For the man who spent his life in a mansion only to lose his fortune in a failed investment, this same apartment represents poverty and misfortune.

Similarly, suppose one’s aging parents move into one’s home. Is this a burden or a blessing? Again, it is a matter of perspective. If one values privacy above all else, this may be viewed as a distressing intrusion. However, if one finds joy in providing dignity to their parents, saving them from destitution, one is truly fortunate. The reality is relative to the perspective.

The Prayer of Levi Yitzchak

Every year on Yom Kippur, we pray that the House of Israel should not require the assistance of one another, nor that of other nations. Superficially, this is a prayer for financial independence. However, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdychiv offered a deeper theological insight.

On Yom Kippur, our judgment is sealed; the righteous are inscribed for life, and the wicked for the opposite. Yet, judgment can be relative. An individual may not be exceptionally meritorious on their own, but compared to a neighbor, they may appear exceptionally righteous. Conversely, a community may lack virtue, but compared to terrorists who commit atrocities, they appear saintly. Thus, Rabbi Levi Yitzchak explains, we pray that the House of Israel be judged on its own absolute merits, not merely by comparison to other people or nations. We seek an absolute judgment, not a relative one.

We see this relativity in our communities as well. A synagogue congregant may be admired for his ability to lead services or read from the Torah. He is celebrated until a true expert arrives in town. Suddenly, the local leader is overshadowed and no longer perceived as exceptional. He has not changed; his skills remain identical. However, his standing has been diminished by the introduction of a higher standard. This is a relative truth.[1]

G-d Does Not Count Numbers

There is a poignant story concerning a Talmudic academy in Bnei Brak situated next to a retirement home. Students often utilized the home’s chapel for quiet study. One day, the academy’s star pupil moved into the chapel and remained there for several days, visibly despondent. An elderly resident approached him to inquire about his distress.

The boy explained that he had been the top student, but several brilliant new students had recently joined the academy. He was now ashamed to show his face in the study hall because, through no fault of his own, he had fallen from the first rank to the fourth or fifth.

The elderly gentleman rolled back his sleeve to reveal the blue numbers tattooed on his arm by the Nazis. He said, “Young man, numbers only mattered to the Nazis. The Almighty does not care about numbers. He cares only about the effort you exert.”

Absolute Truth

Every instance of relative truth stems from viewing the world through a material lens: Are you acquiring more or less? are you receiving more recognition or less? However, one can adopt a Divine perspective in which truth is absolute.

Are you wealthy or poor? Material wealth is irrelevant to this question; our lives are enriched by meaning, not currency. Are you the highest-ranking pupil in the academy? It is of little consequence, provided you are fulfilling your potential.

This distinction is evident in judicial systems. In human courts, a defendant may be convicted, but the sentencing is discretionary. A judge considers numerous variables—prior history, intent, remorse—meaning two people guilty of the same crime may receive vastly different sentences. There is no absolute link between the specific crime and the duration of punishment; it is relative.

This is not the case with the Torah’s justice system. The Almighty prescribes precise consequences for precise transgressions. It is not a relative system, but an absolute one. The transgression itself demands a specific rectification, and the mitzvah demands a specific reward. The system is internally aligned and inherently consistent.

This is the depth of Jacob’s sentiment when he confessed to being humbled by “all of G-d’s truth.” The Almighty does not traffic in relative truths—principles that apply in one scenario but not another. When G-d speaks, the truth is absolute, eternal, and applicable in every circumstance.

Jacob did not view the world through a superficial lens. He looked deeply into the essence of creation, identifying the flow of Divine energy that constitutes the character and cause of all existence. He perceived G-d’s truth in every direction. He saw nothing that was out of place or unsynchronized, for he perceived the inner truth that harmonizes all of creation.

He did not see many truths. In every detail, he saw the truth. All the truth. And this humbled him.

The question remains: do we possess the courage to emulate Jacob? Do we have the resolve to look past the opinions of others and seek the core truth of every person and situation?

It is a demanding question, but life would not be worth living if this question were not worth asking. Jacob asked it, and as our patriarch, he bequeathed this capacity to us. We can and should as it, too.[2]

[1] Rashi on Genesis 6:9 says the same thing about Noah. In his generation, he was righteous. Compared to Abraham, he was not.

[2] This essay is based on Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin, Latorah Ulamoadim, pp. 60–31.