Why Being a Good Person Isn’t the Final Goal: The Jewish View on Purpose and Torah

People who haven’t yet had the opportunity to observe Torah and mitzvot often ask: Can’t someone find purpose in life even without Torah and mitzvot? Isn't it enough for a person to choose to be good?

Of course, doing good is deeply valuable. G-d chose Abraham not because he kept mitzvot, but because he was a man of truth and kindness. Moses showed compassion even to sheep. He fled Egypt after saving a fellow Jew and trying to make peace between two others, saying to the wicked one (Exodus 2:13), “Why do you strike your fellow?” When he escaped to the desert, poor and destitute, Moses still risked himself to save women from the hand of bullies. Moses was passionate about justice and mercy, and for this reason, G-d chose him.

Our sages taught that the people of Israel are naturally compassionate, and this is one of their best qualities. The Torah was given for good people! It’s a guide for spiritual growth, for good people who want to become truly righteous.

A good person is like an uncut diamond. A diamond must be polished in order to shine, and a Jewish soul has enormous potential to reach incredible spiritual heights with Torah.

I once spoke with a medical student who asked me about the purpose of life. He told me that his dream was to study medicine so he could help humanity and save lives. I answered: “It's a beautiful and noble goal to be someone of kindness. But is that truly the highest possible goal a person can aim for? Isn’t it possible that there’s an even deeper and more meaningful purpose in life?”

(Since he wasn’t religious or familiar with Torah beliefs, I gave him a thought experiment from the world of science fiction.)

“Let’s imagine,” I said, “that you travel through time to the year 7000. By then, humanity has achieved total scientific and technological advancement. All diseases and disabilities have been cured. Robots do all our work. There are no more poor or suffering people. Every physics equation has been solved. You don’t even need to learn anymore, because a small chip in your brain gives you access to all existing knowledge. What would your purpose in life be then? Would you just sit around watching 3D reality shows and eating popcorn all day?

Right now, you’ve chosen to dedicate your life to medicine and technological comfort for humankind, but would your life still feel meaningful in a world where nothing is lacking? Do you see how the meaning you’ve described is based entirely on fixing what’s broken—on filling in the gaps? What about a positive goal, something beyond repair? What positive value are you striving for in life?”

To be honest, I was surprised by his silence. He was so focused on his mission that he’d never even considered the possibility of a higher, spiritual goal beyond the physical world. He simply said, “I don’t know.”

So I asked him: “You told me you believe in G-d. Why do you think G-d created a world with illness, disabilities, and hardship? There’s no doubt G-d has deeper reasons that we don't fully see that ultimately benefit us. G-d did give us compassion and intelligence to develop medicine and technology, and clearly He wants us to pursue healing and kindness. At the same time, that doesn’t mean that it's the entire purpose of your life in this world.”

G-d chose the best people—good people—to receive the Torah, so that they could rise even higher and earn eternal reward. A good heart is a powerful spiritual force, not only to do good in this world, but to bring goodness into the next world as well.

Our sages taught in Bereishit Rabbah (44:1): “The commandments were given only to refine people.” The mitzvot are tools to purify and elevate the soul and to help it achieve its potential holiness. They are intended to help us overcome inner drives, develop our character traits, and reach deep, lasting, spiritual joy. The goal is to acquire Torah knowledge, to live a life of action, prayer, effort, and dedication to our Creator, as the verse says: “And you shall love the Lord your G-d with all your heart, all your soul, and all your might.” This is the purpose of our lives, and it’s greater than life itself.

This is not to say that good people won’t be rewarded for their good deeds. On the contrary, our sages tell us that G-d does not withhold reward from any living being. Even someone considered wicked can enjoy the fruits of the few good things they did! All the more so for a person who is kind and upright, who will surely receive reward from G-d for every good deed.

At the same time, we must understand that good people can achieve so much more through Torah and mitzvot, because the Torah is G-d’s guide for good people.