Act

"It is not incumbent upon you to complete the work, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it."(Pirkei Avot, 2:21)The phrase Tikkun Olam literally means "repairing the world." As Jews, we strive to participate as partners with God in this holy work. The concept of Tikkun Olam originates in Kabbalah, with the 16th Century mystic, Isaac Luria.According to Kabbalah, in order to create space for the world, God needed to contract. That contraction is called tzimtzum. God then created vessels to contain the Divine light. However, God's light was too dynamic and many of the vessels shattered, scattering shards all over creation. Kabbalists believe that these shards are broken pieces scattered around our world. And, that it is our purpose to gather the lost light. That is the entire purpose of the mitzvot, commandments. Looking at the world around us, the brokenness can be overwhelming and paralyzing; but our tradition teaches us that inaction is not an option. At Community Synagogue of Rye, we have countless opportunities to do small things that can make a big impact.