The mission of every Jew in life is to serve his Creator in all ways. The ultimate purpose of such service is to reveal the G-dliness in this world, and to elevate the physical into the spiritual. In short, to live one’s life in accordance with the dictates of Torah. An integral part of a Jew’s service is the obligation to ensure that others also fulfill their raison d’etre of serving G-d. Each Jew is responsible for another, for we are all brothers, our souls linked together in common destiny.
I was created solely to serve my Master. (Kiddushin 82a)
When will the master [Mashiach] come ? . . . When your wellsprings will spread forth to the outside. (Kesser Shem Tov p. 1)
The purpose of the creation of every Jew and of all the worlds is to make a dwelling place for G-d in this world. (Tanya Ch. 33)
Man, Judaism teaches, has a definite purpose to his life. Life is not aimless, or, at best, given to achieve some personal goal. There is a higher destiny to which man is directed, and it is to this end that all actions are guided. In the words of our Sages: "I was created solely to serve my Master." This statement, terse as it is, tells us all. "I" -- man, not only as a group or a community, but as an individual; "was created" -- one is not an autonomous being, independent and free, but a creation of G-d; "solely" -- this individual person’s entire raison d’etre, with absolutely no other purpose, is "to serve" -- to dedicate his whole life to "my Master" -- G-d is the Master of each individual and the entire world. And just as a servant is totally obedient to his master’s will, so too a person must be totally obedient to G-d’s will.
How is man to serve G-d? Man has not been set adrift without guidance, left to grope with his own human intellect for the best way of serving G-d. He has been given a manual, a blue-print which spells out clearly and unambiguously the proper path to take. The Torah contains the command wherewith man lives. It is the will of G-d, the sole means with which a person can serve his Maker.
For the non-Jew, the guide is the seven Noachide Laws, incumbent on all mankind as directed in the Torah. The Jew, who has a higher mission in life, whose service to G-d is of a loftier nature, is guided by the 613 mitzvos. The mitzvos are a bond between finite man and infinite Creator, the bridge which spans the chasm between the physical and the spiritual. They are the means through which the corporeal is transformed into the spiritual, and the mundane into G-dliness.
In general then, service to G-d, the raison d’etre of man’s existence, leads to one goal: bringing man closer to G-d. In the words of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi: "The purpose of the creation of every Jew and of all the worlds is to make a dwelling place for G-d in this world." There are many spiritual "worlds" whose inhabitants, angels, serve G-d. But precisely because they are spiritual creatures who know nothing of the limitations imposed by the physical, their service is not the ultimate fulfillment of creation. They are creatures who do not know evil, who are not beset by temptations. They serve G-d not through choice, but because to do otherwise would be contrary to their very nature.
The ultimate goal of creation is the service of Jews in this world -- this world whose grossness lies so heavily that the G-dliness which animates it is blanketed. This is the task, the purpose, the service of Jews: to remove that blanket, to tear away the veils that conceal the truth, and to reveal to all the G-dliness that lies therein. Every place, every person, every thing, can be permeated us with G-dliness, with awareness of G-d. A mere physical object, when used for a mitzvah, becomes elevated into the realms of holiness. It has been sanctified.
This is the meaning of making the world "a dwelling place for G-d." A Jew, exercising his free choice, converts the physical into the spiritual, sanctifies the mundane, and reveals the spark of G-dliness within every created thing; the world has been made a fit place for G-d’s presence. And when all the world has been so sanctified, when all living things join together to raise their voices in a chorus of praise and acknowledgment to their Maker, the Messianic age will have arrived.
Consonant with this ideal of transforming all things into vessels for G-dliness, a Jew cannot be satisfied with minimal obedience to the 613 commandments. His service must be such that "All your deeds are for the sake of Heaven" and "In all your ways you shall know Him." Not only are mitzvos incumbent upon a Jew, but even his personal matters, those things which seem to relate only to G-d -- "your deeds" and "your ways" should be dedicated to G-d. For every part of a Jew and his life can and should be so consecrated -- "all your deeds" and all your ways."
This inevitably leads to the realization that a Jew has a two-fold task in fulfilling his mission to make the world a fit dwelling place for G-d. First and foremost, a Jew must ensure that his personal conduct is consonant with the above goals, and that in his own life he is serving G-d continuously. But this alone is not enough. Simultaneously, a Jew must make every effort to ensure that others are also fulfilling their purpose of serving G-d. The dictum of our Sages that "I was created solely to serve my Master" applies to
all Jews, and we cannot rest until each and every Jew is fulfilling that dictum. Simply put, this refers to the obligation to spread Torah and mitzvos, to ensure that all Jews practice Judaism.
But why should one Jew bother about another? Is not one s own spiritual service sufficient? One of the great principles of the Torah is "You shall love your fellow as yourself." It is impossible for a Jew, against his very nature, to stand by and watch his fellow Jew commit spiritual suicide without taking steps to rescue him. All Jews are brothers, for we all have one Father; and how can I not help my brother? His soul is my soul, his agony my agony, his struggle my struggle. If he is walking in darkness, my path is also dimmed. If he is not whole, then I am also deficient. Each Jew is responsible for another, and we cannot be satisfied with our achievements while some are missing from our ranks. It is not enough that I am a fulfilled Jew. I must make sure that others are also.
Spreading Judaism effects much more than helping another Jew realize his potential of serving G-d. Every Jew brought closer to Torah, every additional mitzvah performed through these efforts, adds to the sum total of G-dliness in the world. The world becomes that much closer to revealing its true existence, and that much closer to becoming a fit dwelling place for G-d. In other words, in spreading Judaism I am not just helping a fellow Jew in his personal mission. I am also bringing the entire world closer to perfection, to the day when all the veils will be removed and G-dliness will shine forth in its full glory.
Encouraging fellow Jews to return to their heritage has always been one of the foremost principles in Jewish history. In recent y ears, this principle has been more intensely emphasized with the revelation of Chassidus. Chassidus, the inner teachings of the Torah, the esoteric, is the "soul" of Torah, and the study of it brings a Jew closer to G-d. The revelation of this wisdom has taken place specifically now, in these last few generations, for two reasons. As the exile increases in intensity, its gloom can only be combated by more light, spiritual light which dispels the spiritual darkness. Chassidus provides that light. In addition, we are living in a time close to the Messianic age, when " the earth will be full of the knowledge of the L-rd." Chassidus, which is the study of the inner teachings of Torah, is a preparation to the Messianic age.
Thus, in these last few generations, the propagation of Chassidus has become an integral part in the general work of spreading Torah and mitzvos. Indeed, the Baal Shem Tov, the founder of the Chassidic movement, was promised that the Messiah will come "when your wellsprings will spread forth to the outside." In other words, when all Jews have true knowledge of G-d, when G-dliness has permeated people’s lives -- all their "deeds" and "ways" -- the world will have become a "fit dwelling place for G-d" -- ready for the revelations of the Messianic age.
The obligation to bring Jews closer to Judaism rests upon every Jew, whatever his individual standing; no one is exempt. Those on the highest spiritual level, and those who have just begun to swim in the sea of Torah -- each must do his part according to his individual capabilities. A Jew cannot lock himself away in the privacy of his own devotions for fear of being sullied by contact with those of less lofty standards; nor can he excuse himself with protests of inadequacy. If one is fortunate enough to be in possession of that which is "our life and the length of our days" -- Torah and mitzvos -- he must share it with others.
A simple parable: Imagine yourself a pauper. Would you not raise your voice in protest when you have not the means to eke out even the barest of existences while another indulges in luxuries -- yet refuses to help you? How can a Jew rest content in performing mitzvos for himself, when another is missing the essentials of Judaism? And if he does not demand it of you, if he does not even realize he is spiritually a pauper -- there is even less excuse for your indifference. Your brother’s ignorance of his own deficiencies can only elicit greater compassion on your part.
Even those with little knowledge must share that which they do possess. To teach the aleph-bais, or the rudiments of Judaism to those who know even less than he -- this too is an obligation. All must be involved in spreading Judaism, men, women, and even children. Children often have greater influence on their peers than adults, and they too can inspire and encourage their friends to become better Jews.
This then is the basic obligation to spread the light of Torah to all Jews. Wherever a Jew may be, he has the duty and privilege to influence his environment for good. At work and at home, he must utilize all opportunities to bring his fellow Jews closer to the path of their forebears.
But we can go further. If it is incumbent upon us to influence Jews encountered randomly in one’s immediate environment, our obligation logically extends to actively
seeking out Jews who are in spiritual need. Besides helping those whom one encounters solely by Divine Providence -- in the work place, socially, etc. -- a Jew must also seek to help those who are removed from his immediate surroundings.
In practice, if one knows that there are Jews -- or even a single Jew -- living in a far-off place who are removed from their religion, it is one’s duty to go there to teach, inspire, and encourage them to be better Jews. Such action is predicated on the assumption that reaching out to estranged Jews is much more than just a task incidental to one’s own life. It is relatively simple to assume that each person has his own sphere -- job, individual service to G-d, etc. -- and if in the pursuit of his personal goals he encounters other Jews, then he will endeavor to influence them for good. But one goes beyond one’s comfortable confines in realizing that spreading the light of Torah and Chassidus cannot be relegated to secondary status. Rather, it is the mission in life, and must be acted upon accordingly.
An outrageous, overly-demanding standard? Let us refer back to that mentioned at the very beginning: "I was created solely to serve my Maker." The purpose of a Jew’s life is not to amass riches, acquire fame, or any of the goals people commonly aspire to. Nor is it enough to compartmentalize one’s life into personal affairs and religious matters, paying one’s religious dues but reserving the right to live the other part of one’s life as one pleases. Man was created solely to serve his Maker, to live his life according to G-d’s criteria, not man’s. Every thought, word, or deed -- one’s entire life -- is dedicated to this end: to carry out his G-dly mission in this world in the best, most complete manner.
Man serves G-d in all things. To quote again: All your deeds should be for the sake of Heaven" and "In all your ways you shall know Him." A truly complete service to G-d is when one s life is totally dedicated to sacred work, G-d’s work. There is no greater service than a total absorption in spreading Torah and mitzvos, in revealing the spark of G-dliness within each Sew -- in making of the world a fit abode for G-d.
