Been thinking a lot these days about Tikkun Olam – a Hebrew term. Another kind of friendship. Being a true friend of the World. Translated to mean: Tikkun = repair, Olam = the world. Repairing the world; Social Action/Social Justice. I think the concepts can get really overwhelming fast. Baby Steps. These days it seems that there is so much to do. And it is easy to get frustrated and go back to hiding under a rock – or saying let someone else take care of this. But how about just starting. “Start Anywhere”. How about making a small commitment every day to do good. Pay it forward if you can. Smile at someone. Here are some descriptions of Tikkun Olam that I have found on the internet:
The Mishnah teaches that each person is an entire world. Any tikkun made in that world reverberates through all the rest of the world. Each tikkun has the potential to change everything… the way you treat others, the commitments you make to family and friends—all these are means of tikkun olam, bringing the world yet closer to its ultimate state for which it was created.
Tikkun Olam is often used exclusively to describe acts of social justice and environmental awareness. These are certainly important, as we are all responsible to right injustice. “Silence,” goes the Talmudic edict, “is consent.”
And it is certainly vital that we ensure the sustainability of life upon this magnificent stage of creation.
You are not required to finish the task (of repairing the world) but neither are you at liberty to desist from it. – Rabbi Akiva
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. Nelson Mandela