Why did G-d put us here.

The Baal Shem Tov taught, a soul descends down to this world and lives 70 or eighty years, sometimes just to do one favor. A practical down to earth kindness and especially if the favor is spiritual.

So it’s possible, when we stop for a moment and take time away from ourselves to help another, that effort, might be the entire reason we were placed in this world!! That small physical favor  or how much more so if it is spiritual, might connect us with our entire raison d’etre – internal satisfaction like nothing else can give us. Imagine what happens if we missed the occasion??

The Bible, when it speaks of Abraham and why G-d loved him so much tell us, “For I have known (and cherished) him, because he instructs his sons and his household after him to keep the way of G-d, acting with charity and justice.” More than all the trials and tribulations that Abraham overcame and proved his loyalty to G-d, was the fact that Abraham would bring merit to others in the ways of charity and kindness.

One of the significant differences between Noah at the time of the flood and Abraham, was that Noah was not nearly as concerned with others as was Abraham and therefore was not characterized as a complete righteous person.  Whereas Noah  when he was told of the flood he faithfully got building the ark, Abraham the moment he heard G-d wanted to destroy Sodom in which his nephew Lot was residing, Abraham began to bargain with G-d and plead with G-d,  to save the entire region.

In the Talmud, Raish Lakish teaches, Abraham had a plan to spread the awareness of G-d and teach monotheism. When a traveler would finish eating and drinking and was getting ready to thank Abraham, Abraham would direct the guest to thank G-d who provided all that is good even in middle of a desert. If the person refused to acknowledge this awareness, Abraham would charge full price for being the only “7 Eleven “, the going market price for not having any competition, almost like airport prices, for a glass of water. This would change the mind of many to see the merit in Abrahams suggestion.

“Abraham worked on the men and Sarah worked on the women.”

Once a follower - Chassid came for a private audience with Rabbi Shnuer Zalman. After a discussion regarding the persons own personal advances in spirituality, the Rabbi tells his student, ‘What is all your studying of the Bible and all your personal improvement worth, if you haven’t yet brought the light into others. ” Ultimately, we are here not for ourselves. We are here, so that through our own lives there will be a greater good for mankind and the universe. The irony is, that when we give of ourselves for others we gain most from it for ourselves.

Raish Lakish whom I mentioned earlier once said. “I learned a lot from my teachers, and from my colleagues, but I learnt most from my students.”  When we give, in whatever capacity, we get more for ourselves.

When a person dedicates himself to help others, especially by bringing them an awareness for their own purpose in life and bringing them closer to understanding the great value in giving the right education for their children, this brings that person much greater success and help from above in those exact areas, that he should have more clarity in his own life, and more success with his own children.