The Purpose of Life According to the Lubavitcher Rebbe: A Message to the Next Generation

Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (11th of Nissan, 1902 – 3rd of Tammuz, 1994), known as the Lubavitcher Rebbe, was the seventh Rebbe in the Chabad Hassidic dynasty. On the 22nd of Elul 5714 (1954), the Rebbe sent the following letter in response to a group of girls who asked him: What is the purpose of human existence? What’s wrong with going to the movies? And what is Judaism’s attitude toward physical pleasures?

This was the Rebbe’s reply:

“Blessings and peace! I received your letter some time ago, and due to various reasons my response was delayed.

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, which we pray will bring goodness and blessings upon us and all of Israel, I would like to respond to your question—at least briefly, since your letter touched on matters that are difficult to fully address in writing.

You asked why man was created. But I ask you: Was man created solely to indulge in physical pleasures? The Jewish people are known as believers, the children of believers. We all believe that the Creator of the world governs it and watches over every single detail. If that’s true for every creature and creation, then how much more so for human beings—and even more so for the Jewish people, His chosen nation. Every single person has a unique mission in life—one that benefits not only the individual but the entire Jewish people.

What is the purpose of life? Anyone who truly contemplates this question can understand and recognize that our purpose is not to enjoy fleeting, material pleasures—things that exist today but are gone tomorrow. ‘Man was born to toil.’ If a person wants to attain inner satisfaction, they must exert effort in fulfilling Torah and mitzvot—eternal pursuits—and especially in helping others. This is why the Torah is called ‘Torat Chayim’, a Torah of life: it provides meaning and satisfaction not only for the World to Come, but for life in this world as well.

This does not mean, Heaven forbid, that a person should despise this world or afflict themselves physically. It is well known—and particularly emphasized in Chassidic teachings—that the goal is not to cause a person to suffer. On the other hand, you must remember what is primary and what is secondary. You must not turn physical pleasures, which are inherently secondary (like movies, which you wrote are hard to give up), into a ‘golden calf’ or an idol. Surely, you yourselves sense that these physical pleasures aren’t all that important—maybe even completely empty and meaningless! This perspective applies in every generation, but in our generation it’s even easier to understand.”

Referring to the aftermath of World War II, he writes: “Many ideals that people believed in turned out to be hollow and baseless. In times of crisis, money and power didn’t help people at all. This makes it easier to see and understand the simple truth—the proper path of life for all of us.

After the horrific Holocaust, each one of us is like a burning stick saved from the fire. We must see ourselves as messengers who cannot suffice with fulfilling only our own personal mission—we must also complete the mission of those who were taken before their time.

Jewish history teaches that only those groups who remained loyal to authentic Torah and mitzvot have survived. The other groups, who strayed from that path, disappeared from history—or survive today in dwindling numbers.

When we apply that principle on a personal level, we come to a simple conclusion: When a person lives in accordance with the Torah in their daily life, they gain the World to Come—and also this world. Their life becomes happy, meaningful, and deeply satisfying.

“I pray and I am confident that each and every one of you will walk the path our ancestors paved. Your spiritual happiness will also radiate into physical happiness.”