Today we will look at the terms that many have heard, which is tikkun olam. Tikkun Olam literally means repairing the world. What exactly does it mean, exactly who is doing the reparing, and what does it look like?
What is Tikkun Olam? Its usually expressed in about 4 different ways: the anticipation of the divine kingdom as is declared in the full Aleynu prayer; the midrashic call to preserve the physical world; the rabbinic desire to sustain the social order; and the Kabbalistic belief in our power to restore divine perfection.
The term and concept Tikkun Olam appears nowhere in the Torah itself, but first appears only in the Mishna and Talmud in the context of the courts and halakhic (legal) regulations involving disputes and legal rights.
Tikkun Olam is mentioned in the Aleinu Prayer. Some believe that Aleinu was written by Tanna Rav in the 3rd century in Babylon for Rosh Hashanah services. Rav was the first to institute the Aleinu into the service. However, other Jews believe the prophet Joshua wrote the prayer after conquering Jericho. A majority of Congregations generally use do the Aleinu (first part) and following after with the V’ne’ehmar. But Orthodox congregations may do the Aleinu with the V’al Kein, followed with the V’ne’ehmar and the Al tirah. In total these would encompass the full Aleinu prayer.
In the V’al Kein portion, Tikkun Olam is mentioned.
“Therefore we put our hope in You, Adonai our God,
to soon see the glory of
Your strength, to remove all idols from the Earth,
and to completely cut off
all false gods; to repair the world (tahken olam) in Your holy
Kingdom. And for all living flesh
to call Your name, and for all the wicked of the
Earth to turn to You.”
In the explanation of Tikkun Olam (repair the world), it is generally in reference to social justice (as of recent times, and promoted by those with a political agenda.) This has been a popular catchphrase for a few decades, yet it isn’t entirely about social justice. Tikkun Olam is tied to God’s Holy Kingdom/B’Malchut.
The example like in the Aleinu prayer, Repairing the world isn’t specifically what we do (although we are given the opportunity to), but it is Hashem who restores and makes all things new (Rev. 21:5).
In the V’al kein prayer, the line reads l’takein l’olam b’malchut Shaddai: to repair the world (tahken olam) in Your holy Kingdom. Repairing the world/restoring all things are found in the life of the Kingdom of the Almighty.
One of these principles are revealed to us in the commandment “you shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
Everyone knows that we must do good to others. Thousands of moral and ethical codes have been passed down and established for centuries. And of course everyone has heard of the Golden rule.
The earliest source is from…
Also
In the Talmud there is a story of a proselyte that went to Rabbi Shammai to convert him to Judaism, and asked him to teach him the Torah (wisdom of the Torah) while standing on one foot. To this, Rabbi Shammai beat him and chased him off. So the man went to the rabbi’s rival, Rabbi Hillel (the elder (c. 110 BCE – 10 CE). The man asked him (the same) to teach him the Torah. This is the response of Rabbi Hillel to the proselyte.
“Whatsoever is hateful to thee, that do not thou to thy neighbour; , “this is all the whole law”, and the rest is an explication of it (is commentary), go and be perfect:”
-Talmud Bavli Shabbat folio 31
Even among the Karaites, they hold the statement in similar fashion…
“all things that a man would not take to himself, “it is not fit to do them to his brethren”.”
Yet both of these statements are commandments of conduct in the negative form.
Anyone can focus on what not to do to another person. For example, I don’t want anyone to stick their leg out to trip me, so I wont do that to another person. But what about taking what doesn’t belong to you. With the condition of the human heart, we can play moral or ethical gymnastics as far as what not to do. What is being stated is a good principle, but it lacks in the focus to do good to our neighbors. (simply speaking “don’t do the bad.”)
Mashiach Yeshua had declared the aim of the Torah, and what we know as the Golden rule.
“Always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that sums up the teaching of the Torah and the Prophets.”
-Matthew 7:12
This may seem as a simple selective change in words, but the point is clear and strong. Messiah turns the statement around and makes it a positive commandment. If you want a slice of delicious pie, offer a slice to someone that may want one. Or you want to be cared for, care for others. (For example, smile or say something edifying and nice) See the principle? In a sense of speaking its “Going above and beyond the call of duty” (and not just refraining from doing to others what you don’t want others to do to you). In this He commands us to do good.
Last week, I spoke about Isaiah 42 which speaks of Messiah making the Torah great and glorious/honorable. So likewise, even in this commandment He charges us to go above what is basic, just as He did. Loving your neighbor as yourself…
All throughout the TaNaKh, Hashem tells us what’s in His heart, and it is that that is part of the Malchut Hashamayim/Kingdom of Heaven. It is Pursuing Justice and caring for those who are needy or less fortunate. (Lev. 19:15, Prov. 29:7 31:9, Is. 1:17, etc.)
Jeremiah 22:16
He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?” declares the LORD.
Acts 20:35
In everything I have given you an example of how, by working hard like this, you must help the weak, remembering the words of the Lord Yeshua himself, It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
There is great satisfaction and blessing when we help others. Truly it makes us feel good, but it also causes us to be thankful, humble, and reflect on God’s tender mercies.
Now when these things were not happening, but rather injustice reigned, judgment would later come to that nation.
Zechariah 7:9-13
In the past Adonai-Tzva’ot said, ‘Administer true justice. Let everyone show mercy and compassion to his brother. Don’t oppress widows, orphans, foreigners or poor people. Don’t plot evil against each other.’ But they wouldn’t listen, they stubbornly turned their shoulder away and stopped up their ears, so that they wouldn’t have to hear it. Yes, they made their hearts as hard as a diamond, so that they wouldn’t hear the Torah and the messages that Adonai-Tzva’ot had sent by his Spirit through the earlier prophets. This is why great anger came from Adonai-Tzva’ot; and it came about that just as they hadn’t listened when he called, so Adonai-Tzva’ot said, ‘I won’t listen when they call;
A prime example of that injustice, and more specifically, sin
was S’dom and Amorah.
Ezekiel 16:49-50
The crimes of your sister S’dom were pride and gluttony; she and her daughters were careless and complacent, so that they did nothing to help the poor and needy. 50 They were arrogant and committed disgusting acts before me; so that when I saw it, I swept them away.
Sefer Yashar tells of some of the wicked accounts of what was done to the poor and the afflicted. Chapters
The judges were corrupt, travelers were swindled beaten, and so on.
Homeless injustice (clamping down on alms and good deeds for the poor). This concerns me when we recall what has been happening in recent years in our back yard.
Gaddafi’s experience with a homeless person…
(We have all been in that place or understand certain hardships. Yet, His love keeps us. Let us count the ways. His transforming love in us…..His ways are higher than our ways)
Spec and Moat in eye
You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. (dead works), (introspection)
The account of the Shomroni/Samaritan was praised.
But apart from Mashiach we can do nothing. Through Him we are cleansed from dead deeds to serve the Living God.
(The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles)
Didache 6:1
For He does not come to call men according to their social status, but He calls those whom the Spirit has prepared.
Advent of Mashiach
This is the heart of the Kingdom ushered in by Mashiach.
John 10:10
The thief comes only in order to steal, kill and destroy; I have come so that they may have life, life in its fullest measure.
Matthew 20:28
For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve — and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
On the Hebrew Calendar there are listed times and dates of rabbinic and biblical fasts. Of course each of these fasts serve a purpose. However, whenever it comes to the Moedim/Appointed times, the Passage in Isaiah is almost always called to remembrance.
Isaiah 58:6-7
“Here is the sort of fast I want —releasing those unjustly bound, untying the bands of the yoke, letting the oppressed go free, breaking every yoke, sharing your food with the hungry, taking the homeless poor into your house, clothing the naked when you see them, fulfilling your duty to your kinsmen!”
Luke 4:18-19
“The Spirit of Adonai is upon me; therefore he has anointed me to announce Good News to the poor; he has sent me to proclaim freedom for the imprisoned and renewed sight for the blind, to release those who have been crushed, to proclaim a year of the favor of Adonai.”
Responding to the talmidim of John Yochanan the immerser, whether He was Messiah or not…
Luke 7:22
So he answered them by saying, “Go, tell Yochanan what you have been seeing and hearing: the blind are seeing again, the lame are walking, people with tzara‘at are being cleansed, the deaf are hearing, the dead are being raised, the Good News is being told to the poor— and how blessed is anyone not offended by me!
THIS IS TIKKUN OLAM; Tikkun Olam is more than just social programs, it’s restoration to the whole World. This is why it is said (speaking of the corner stone) This is Adonai’s doing, and it is Marvelous in our eyes!! It is about lives being transformed for the service in the Divine Kingdom.
Rabbi Matthew Salathe of Temple Aron HaKodesh stated:
“The Kingdom is Gods presence actively redeeming His creation.”
This is the Kingdom that was given to the Son of Man in Daniel 8, (more specifically) it was Messiah that ushered if forth.
Yn 18:36
Yeshua answered before Pilate, “My kingship does not derive its authority from this world’s order of things. If it did, my men would have fought to keep me from being arrested by the Judeans. But my kingship does not come from here.”
(Messiah)His Actions have a lasting effect. Messiah has gone forth before us. We get to participate in the expansion of His Kingdom, we are commissioned to do as He did, to bring restoration in His power and Spirit. We are the Salt of the Earth. (Tzedek Tzedek tirdof – Devarim 16:20) Justice, Justice you shall pursue.
Least of these
Matthew 25:31-40
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, accompanied by all the angels, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The ‘sheep’ he will place at his right hand and the ‘goats’ at his left.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you made me your guest, I needed clothes and you provided them, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ Then the people who have done what God wants will reply, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and make you our guest, or needing clothes and provide them? When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ The King will say to them, ‘Yes! I tell you that whenever you did these things for one of the least important of these my brothers, you did them for me!’
We are to be of one heart, mind and hold the focus/goal of His Kingdom become manifest in our lives. Just like in the parsha, the children of Israel in the wilderness. The response by the people for contributing and assisting the project of building the Mishkan was overwhelming. It is the work of the Almighty operating in our hearts moving us to labor in His field. He is the One who oversees the work and makes it come to pass.
Sometimes we are either scared to get involved or are just looking for an opportunity to get involved.
Although we shouldn’t just relegate it to a temporary time like an hour in a day or a festival/appointed time, but rather, whenever we have and are given that opportunity to do so. However, it is a great place to start. Customarily, on chagim/holidays like Purim, we are to give to the poor and needy.