Humanity’s Common
Values
Today, we live in a thriving world of over seven
billion people, with fewer casualties of war, less poverty, longer and
healthier lives than ever before in recorded history. Technology and medical
breakthroughs continue to abound along with global commerce and
communications. But this progress is
possible only because of humanity’s common values.
In G‑d’s Likeness
It’s a very big
world, and yet no two people are alike. No two people think alike, look alike
or live the same life. Yet the Torah declares something very radical: that
every human being is created in the likeness of G‑d. Each human being is a representative of the
Creator, each in his or her unique, irreplaceable way. Which means that the
life of each person is sacred. The Jewish sages taught: “Anyone who takes a
single life, it is as though he has destroyed the entire world. And anyone who
saves a single life, it is as though he has saved the entire world.” That is the only measure we have of a human
life: Each one is worth the entire world.
Fixing Up the
World
Can human beings make the world a better place?
For most of history, wise people laughed at this notion. Many considered this
world a dark and cursed place. No one imagined that we could make permanent and
lasting change. Everything, they said, goes in cycles. Sometimes good prevails,
sometimes evil. But the Torah sees all of time as a story, working towards an
era of peace and wisdom here on earth. It is the duty of every person to leave
the world behind better than he or she found it. All of us, in our actions, are
builders of a world to come. This idea is called tikun, which means to fix up the world - to
make it even better than its Creator made it.
G‑d created this world out of love. G‑d loves this world, and G‑d
sustains all of its creatures with love. And the greatest gift of love G‑d can
give us is the opportunity to partner with G‑d in the creation of the world, by
setting it straight and bringing it into harmony.
World Peace
Is peace better than war? It’s hard to believe, but not long ago most
people thought war was a great enterprise. It was the way men showed their
strength and nations demonstrated their power. People who protested war were
generally considered foolish crackpots.
But more than 2,600 years ago, the Jewish prophets Isaiah and Micah prophesied of a time when nations would choose
never to go to war again and the world would be filled with peace. – Shalom.
It wasn’t until the close of the First
World War that people began to understand that humanity, with its vast new
arsenal of technological weapons, could no longer afford to go to war. After
the Second World War, the nations of the world built a great structure - the
United Nations - where they would sit and discuss peace instead of war. On a
wall in the United Nations Headquarters complex are engraved the words of
Isaiah and Micah: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, their spears
into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift the sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war anymore.”
Be the eternal optimist - remember that we are
all created in G-d’s likeness; remember that our mission is to make our home a
better place; remember that a world of peace and spirituality can exist with G-d’s
help and yours.
Ani Maamin – “I believe”
Shalom!
Rabbi Stuart Paris, HaKohen
We thank you in advance for your help and generosity.
