As human beings, we are responsible for more than just our own personal development. We are also tasked with sustaining and developing the world. The Torah addresses both of these responsibilities in its first chapter, when it describes man’s creation.
Populating — How We Are Similar
As we saw in earlier pieces, man’s first commandment and most basic responsibility is to populate the world through procreation. G-d created the world and all of its species; their continued survival hinges on each species sustaining itself.
Yeshayahu HaNavi explains that “Lo tohu v’ra’ah; la’shevet yetzarah — Hashem did not create [the world] to be void, but formed it for habitation.” Hashem does not intend for the world to lie desolate. He expects birds and fish to fill the skies and seas, and animals and man to populate the land.
The commandment to procreate is not limited to humans; it is a universal principle that applies to all living beings. In fact, Hashem charged the birds and fish with the mission before creating man. When He fashioned man, Hashem tasked him with the responsibility He had already given other living beings.
Developing — Our Unique Role
Although Hashem assigned man a responsibility similar to that of other creatures, He also added unique elements to both man’s nature and mission.
The Torah tells us about both by sharing Hashem’s thoughts on man before creating him. Although Hashem created many things during the six days of Creation — light, sky, land, sun, moon, stars, birds, fish, and animals — the Torah tells us nothing about their nature or purpose.
And then, on the final day of Creation, the Torah turns to man and tells us about both. It does so by sharing Hashem’s considerations with us: “Let us make man in our image and form, and they shall have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.”
Hashem revealed His intention for humanity because humans play a crucial role in His world. Hashem created the world, but left it in an unfinished form. This, explained the Kotzker Rebbe, is why the Torah refers to Hashem’s creation as reishit. Hashem created the beginning with the intention that it be developed further. Chazal described it this way: “Everything Hashem created in the six days of Creation requires further work [completion].”
The Malbim saw this as part of the intention of the aforementioned pasuk from Yeshayahu, which uses the word la’shevet to describe Hashem’s objective for the world. Hashem wants the world to be developed, not just populated. The Malbim’s explanation of the word is probably the basis of the term Chazal used to describe the goal of developing the world: yishuv ha’olam.
Man is the one Hashem tasked with this mission. Hashem programmed other living beings — fish, birds, and animals — to survive and perpetuate their species. He destined man to develop the world. This is why Hashem invested man with Godliness: so he could direct the world and all of its creatures.
Man is precious in that Hashem created him in His image. This preciousness, which reflects itself in man’s advanced thinking and speech, enables man to play a Godly role in G-d’s world. G-d created “the beginning”; man is meant to do the rest, and this is part of our life’s mission.
Our responsibility to develop the world is a critical part of our life’s mission, to the point where one not involved in this mission is disqualified from testifying in court. The Rambam explains that this is because he violates the “prohibition against involving oneself in meaningless activities.” The Rambam then adds that we should focus our lives in this world on acquiring wisdom and accomplishing yishuv ha’olam.
In his Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah, the Rambam takes the significance of yishuv ha’olam even further. He explains that it is central not only to our mission in this world, but also to life in the next — we get to the next world by properly developing this one.
When Yishuv Becomes Tikun
Yishuv ha’olam includes many dimensions.
On the most basic level, we are responsible for shaping the world physically, including actions such as planting trees and building cities. But our responsibility extends beyond that. We are also meant to develop civilizations that both function properly and have a proper understanding of our life’s mission.
This goal is what the first Jews, Avraham Avinu and Sarah Imeinu, dedicated their lives to. In contrast to earlier tzaddikim, such as Chanoch and Noach, who had little impact on others, Avraham and Sarah profoundly affected the masses. They invited people into their home and inspired them to commit themselves to Avodat Hashem.
We, too, should seek to inspire others. We should both lead by example and actively seek to inspire. This is how many commentaries explain Hashem’s designation of the Jewish people as a “nation of priests.” Though we are not all Kohanim, we are all meant to serve as a light to the world and lead civilization in the right direction.
Chazal referred to this idea as “tikun ha’olam.” Our goal should be not only to develop the world, but to “fix” it. This means not only populating and developing the world, but also ensuring that it functions in a just and righteous manner.
This is what we pray for in the Aleinu tefillah when we ask Hashem to “to perfect the world under the sovereignty of the Almighty.” Many contemporary Jews devote themselves to tikun ha’olam. The Aleinu tefillah should teach us how to channel these efforts towards bringing people closer to avodat Hashem.
Rav Kook explains that this is the ultimate form of yishuv ha’olam. Hashem created the world so that human beings could live meaningful lives. When we inspire people to live this way, we help the world realize its true destiny.
May we appreciate the broader responsibility and mission Hashem tasks us with, and may this appreciation inspire us to accomplish both.
Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the RZA.
His new book, Essentials of Judaism, can be purchased at rabbireuventaragin.com
