Dear reader,
I am a great somebody . . . I am a little nobody.
The entire world was created just for me . . . Feeling arrogant is Satan in disguise.
Every individual is an entire world . . . I am but the dust of the earth.
Judaism is replete with this contradictory dialogue. On the one hand, we’d be foolish not to humbly realize our smallness against the vast infinitude of our Creator and His creation. On the other hand, we view the world as an equal balance, with my action being capable of tipping the scale.
And if you think about it, so much of our value system is predicated on this “irrational” belief that my actions matter, even while acknowledging that we are but one cog—though a vital one—in the grand scheme.
This week, we begin an amazing prayer video series by Malki Bitton. But why do I pray? Because I am convinced that my words—yes, my puny words—can actually have a profound effect on life’s circumstances. That our grand Maker wants to hear from me, connect to me and values my perspective.
Why do we value the life of every individual? And more so, why do we view special children, who may not be able to think or function at a high level, or at any level, and consider them “special”? Because we believe that every soul is a unique creation of G‑d, created with an infinite, priceless connection to Him, irrespective of how he or she is able to contribute to society.
Why do we take time from our day to cheer another? Because we believe that our actions count, and that every time we have helped or uplifted another human being, we have made our world an infinitely greater place.
So, it is precisely when we can acknowledge our smallness in the vastness of our Creator that we can also identify our infinite potential as partners with Him in improving our world.
Young children often intuitively and seamlessly understand this. Here’s a short poem written by my daughter Sara Leah, who just turned ten.
You’re by the Kotel on your own,
You touch the wall, the wall of stone.
You lift up your face to the sky,
And with your small voice, whisper “why?”
Why, G‑d, is the exile so long?
Why can’t the world just get along?
Why can’t the world be happy,
With Moshiach standing next to me?
You close your eyes, a thought comes to you,
It’s up to me and the things I do.
So let us all try, you and me,
To be the best that we can be.
Because it’s all up to me.
Up to me.
Wishing us all a great week in which we live up to our infinite potential!
Chana Weisberg,
Editor, TJW
P.S.: Another must-read this week is Levi Welton’s Are Women Dirty? The Truth Behind Ritual Impurity. Looking forward to reading your comments!
