If You Want to Improve the World, Start by Improving Yourself

In Jewish texts, there's a discussion on whether the messianic era depends on human actions, particularly those of the Jewish people. Rabbi Eliezer states that the coming of the Messiah depends on the people's repentance and good deeds, while Rabbi Joshua argues that this era will arrive regardless of people’s actions. The decision leans towards Rabbi Joshua's view, suggesting global redemption will happen independently. In reality, the universe operates this way: Hashem declared that the world has a final goal where everyone will recognize and serve Him wholeheartedly.

This era will inevitably arrive! Yet Hashem entrusted humanity with the responsibility to assist in building this world, as a perfect world holds no value unless humans partake in its construction. Rabbi Yosef Sitruk offers a metaphor:

Human history resembles a train traveling towards a final destination, with room for everyone. Each individual can choose whether to stand at the station watching the train pass, as if uninvolved, or to take part in history actively. The train proceeds regardless. This is life, and by deciding to join, you exercise your free will, for who would rejoice in not participating?

Thus, every small gesture, smile, or coin we offer to help someone, and every detail in fulfilling a mitzvah, ensures our participation in the global plan, bringing the world closer to its ideal state.

Being a partner in world improvement does not necessarily mean engaging in political issues or being a dedicated human rights activist. Although such actions may be positive, the best way to contribute to world improvement is through personal actions.

If you're interested in improving the world, know that you can't change anything in others before you begin changing yourself. You cannot ask another to stop lying if you yourself lie. Changing the world is impossible without first reflecting on your own faults. Therefore, the most important thing is to start improving yourself.

But how? To understand what is needed to reach a certain ideal, you must determine why it hasn’t yet been attained. Our sages say that any generation in which the Temple isn’t rebuilt is as if it were destroyed in its time. The reason our generation is unworthy of seeing the Temple is that we continue making the same mistakes as the generation during which the Temple was destroyed. Therefore, we must ask ourselves what led to the dispersion and destruction of the Temple, identify our mistakes, and try to correct them.

The Second Temple was destroyed due to inappropriate behavior of the Jewish people. It wasn’t due to a lack of mitzvah observance, as people kept the commandments. The major issue was interpersonal relations; people did not respect one another. The way people speak about others says a lot about their relationships. Gossip and slander indicate a lack of respect among people. Such speech is still prevalent today and was the cause of the Second Temple’s destruction!

While the visible reason for the Temple's destruction was the Romans' military power, each event integrates well into Hashem's plan. Since then, the fact that days pass and the world remains far from its ideal state is a result of this behavior, which has not yet been amended. Those who desire a better world should first seek to correct their own shortcomings rather than those of others, especially regarding interpersonal relations. This does not negate the need for activism in society, community involvement, or fighting for a more just world, but that will be discussed later.

From the book "The Journey of Dan in Search of Life's Meaning," by Roni Dayan. To purchase the book at Hidabroot Shops,click here.