I know that we as Jews have moral guides and laws for living. My question is : Why are we here. What is the reason for life? What is the Jewish perspective on the reason that we are here. I know it’s a big one but can you advise?
These are wonderful questions that you ask. They show a sense of meaning, morality, and goodness. In truth I admire you for asking them and I wish you well in your endeavors to find truth and meaning.
What I would like to do is answer your questions in very short form. I would like to go through your questions, write a short, concise answer to each that you will take, think about, and write back with more specific questions. Questions like “The meaning of life” are impossible to answer in a minute without knowing who I am talking to, or in this case, writing to. While the answers to the questions are consistent for all people, the way I would give the answer is, and I believe should be, unique to each individual. Therefore, read the answers and write me back whatever questions you have about my answers. That will tell me a tremendous amount about where you are coming from and what you really want to know.
Why are we here?
We are here in order to come closer to a Higher Power than ourselves. He created us for that purpose, and we spend our lives trying to find ways to attain that closeness which we define as spiritual greatness.
What is the reason for life?
The reason for life is in order to increase the goodness in the world. There is a physical and a spiritual world. Everything that we do in the physical world makes changes in the spiritual world as well. Therefore, every action that I do changes the spiritual world. I can literally bring the world closer or further away from the Source of Creation with every second of the day. We are all in control. That is the basic concept called free will.
What is the Jewish perspective on why we are here?
Well, this is really the same question as #2. The difference in the question is the words “Jewish belief.” There is a difference between the Jewish spiritual potential and the non-Jewish spiritual potential. The Jews were given 613 ways to connect spiritually and be uplifted, while the non-Jews were given 7. Really there are many more than this rabbinically, but these numbers are only the commandments from the Torah.
The above answers are cryptic on purpose. I want to know what questions you come up with now. With every answer, there should be tens more questions (I don’t expect that many). That is how you know that you are really learning something. If you are left with no questions and everything seems clear that means that you are just convincing yourself that it makes sense when really it makes no sense at all. Think about it. I always say, “The more I know, the more I know I don’t know.” The above answers are the base, bottom line answers with no explanation, so don’t be frustrated by them. Just ask what comes into your mind now.
Have a Wonderful Day,
Rabbi Gershon Litt