The Fundamental Question: Man's Duty in This World

The Maharil Diskin was one of the leading Sages of Jerusalem in the nineteenth century. One day, someone told him about a very pious widow who had fallen ill and was now paralyzed. The rabbi hired a woman to bathe her daily and care for her, and meals were sent from his home to her every day. On one of the holidays, the rabbi went to visit her, and the widow asked him to bless her with longevity. She then explained the reason for this seemingly odd request:

“I cannot move unaided, and I rely on my assistant for everything. Most of the time I cannot even recite blessings as my body is unclean. But after this good woman you sent me bathes me, I am clean for a precious few minutes! Then I can pray and recite blessings. Isn’t it worthwhile to live a whole day in such a condition to merit blessing Hashem for those valuable moments?”

— The Seraph of Brisk (also cited in the Haggadah Maaseh Rav)

Man's Duty in His World

Following are the words of the holy Ramchal, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, written in his book The Path of the Just (chapter one), where he clarifies the duty of man in his world:

The foundation of piety and the root of perfect service is for a person to clarify and establish what his duty is in his world, and toward what he should direct his gaze and aspirations in all his efforts throughout his life. And behold, what our Sages of blessed memory have taught us is that man was created solely to delight in Hashem and enjoy the radiance of His Presence, which is the true pleasure and the greatest delight of all possible delights. The place of this delight is, in truth, the World to Come, for it was created with the necessary preparation for this purpose. But the way to reach this desired destination is through this world. This is what our Sages of blessed memory said (Avot 4:16): “This world is like a corridor before the World to Come.” And the means that bring a person to this purpose are the commandments which Hashem has commanded us. The place for performing these commandments is only in this world. Therefore, man was initially placed in this world so that through these means available to him here, he can reach the place prepared for him, which is the World to Come, to enjoy there the good that he has acquired through these means. This is what our Sages of blessed memory said (Eruvin 22a): “Today to perform them, and tomorrow to receive their reward.”

... And behold, Hashem has placed man in a place where there are many things that distance him from Hashem, namely the material desires, which if he follows them, he distances himself from the true good. So he is truly placed in the midst of a fierce battle, for all matters of the world, both good and bad, are tests for man: poverty on one side, wealth on another side ... tranquility on one side, suffering on another side. Until the battle is found to face him from before him and from behind. And if he will be valiant and win the battle from all sides, he will be the perfected person who will merit to cleave to his Creator and will exit from this corridor and enter the palace to bask in the light of life. And according to the measure that he conquered his inclination and desires, and distanced himself from those things that distance him from good, and strove to cleave to Him, so will he attain and rejoice in Him.

... In summary, man was not created for his state in this world, but for his state in the World to Come. Rather, his state in this world is a means to his state in the World to Come, which is his purpose.

The Ramchal then explains that it is inconceivable that man was created for his life in this world:

And you will truly see that no intelligent person can believe that the purpose of man's creation is for his state in this world, for what is man’s life in this world? Who is truly happy and tranquil in this world? “The days of our years are seventy years, and if with strength, eighty years, and their pride is labor and sorrow” (Psalms 90:10), with many kinds of distress, illnesses, pains, and troubles, and after all this — death. Not one in a thousand people can be found for whom the world increases pleasures and [brings him] true tranquility...

... And now that we know this, we will immediately understand the severity of the commandments upon us, and the preciousness of the service in our hands, for these are the means that bring us to true perfection, without which it cannot be attained at all ... Now we can comprehend ... [the importance of] absolute meticulousness in the matter of fulfilling the commandments and service [of Hashem], just as those people who weigh gold and pearls are meticulous due to their great value, for the end result is true perfection and there is no greater value...

We learn from here that man exists in this world only to fulfill the commandments, to serve Hashem, and to withstand the many trials and challenges. All the pleasures of the world are only relevant insofar as they provide him with assistance and give him peace of mind, so that he can turn his heart to this service that is incumbent upon him.