We have all heard the expression “he/she is a work in progress”. Usually it is referring to someone who is somewhat rambunctious or not meeting your expectations. But the truth of the matter is that we are all a work in progress.
This week we begin a new cycle of the Torah with Bereishis and the story of creation. After creating everything else in the world Hashem creates the human being – Adam.
In creating Adam, Hashem says “Let us make man” (Bereishis 1:26). Many of the commentaries are bothered by this statement. Who is ”us”? Hashem is the sole Creator. Who is Hashem including in the creation of man? I saw a beautiful explanation given by Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski quoted by Shira Smiles. He explains that the us is referring to Hashem and man. Everything in the world was created complete and perfect – except for the human being. We were created incomplete. We were given great potential but it is our responsibility to actualize our potential and to raise ourselves from just being another form of animal life. Hashem has made us His partners in creation with the task of perfecting ourselves.
We often hear about Tikkun Olam – repairing or fixing the world. If we want to change the world, we have to start with ourselves.
Rabbi Yisrael Salanter, the founder of the Musar movement in the 19th century, taught, “When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. But I found it difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my country. When I found I couldn’t change my country, I began to focus on my community. However, I discovered that I couldn’t change the community, and so as I grew older, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, but I’ve come to recognize that if long ago I had started with myself, then I could have made an impact on my family. And, my family and I could have made an impact on our community. And that, in turn, could have changed the country and we could all indeed have changed the world.”
Yes, we do have the ability to change the world. But the only way we can accomplish that is by working on ourselves and becoming the best person we can be. Hashem has given us the manual for how to accomplish this task. It is the Torah and the 613 Mitzvos. By following His guidelines, we can perfect our relationships with other people and with Hashem and at the same time set an example for the rest of the world to follow.
Shabbat Shalom
