Monday marks the 3337th anniversary of the Giving of the Torah. The Torah is the greatest gift that anyone has ever received.
It’s no wonder that I receive constant questions and queries from people asking me, “What does the Torah say about this?” From the atom bomb to AI. From war in Ukraine to the cure for cancer. From Donald Trump to King Charles. From ecology to astrology. We all want to know what the Torah has to say about it.
It reminds me of a question posed to the Previous Lubavitcher Rebbe in Soviet Russia: Which political party is aligned with the Torah?
The Rebbe responded simply and succinctly. The good within each party is sourced in Torah.
The truth, however, is that there is something far more profound than finding the Torah’s perspective on the world’s ills and inventions.
It’s finding the Torah’s direction in my personal life.
Luckily, this is the one area in life where it’s certainly not a guessing game. Nor is it subject to debate or controversy.
Our Sages teach us that a person is called a “Small World.” Whatever G-d created in the big world, He incorporated within the human being. We are each a pocket-sized world.
In a letter, the Rebbe once wrote that a person “will walk most steadily and assuredly if he will not be conscious of his walk and not seek to consciously coordinate the hundreds of muscles operative in locomotion, or he would be unable to make his first step.”
Figuring out all the world’s problems can be daunting. And, it can be a futile effort. But figuring out what I’m meant to do in the here and now – that’s within reach! Ever since Sinai we have marching orders!
Applying the Torah’s ideals to a changing world is a fascinating endeavor.
But, the primary goal of Torah is to be a personal guide to me in my life. Following the instruction manual for the mini-world is the best formula for changing the entire world. And, it will give me the greatest direction and clarity.
As the saying goes, “It’s a Small World After All.”