In 1942, the Rebbe published a calendar (entitled Hayom Yom) with a Chasidic message for each day. It is my custom to study these short and powerful messages every day. Last Friday I read the following message: A soul can descend into This World and live its seventy or eighty years - in order to do a favor for a fellow Jew in material matters, and how much more so, in spiritual matters.
This amazing concept can be applied within the context of daily life: Sometimes the purpose of an entire trip, enterprise or career choice may be in order to have a positive effect on one single person.
Earlier this week, Chani and I took a short trip to Cloud Croft and Ruidoso. During the ride we lost our way and decided to check out a housing complex we had noticed. In the main office I met another traveler from Albuquerque and during our conversation I discovered that he has family in El Paso. Surprisingly, we are acquainted with his family here in town and he is Jewish! What were the odds that our wrong turn would lead to this meeting with a fellow Jew I had never met before? I realized that this was not simply a chance encounter and something positive should result from it.
I asked my new friend if I may suggest that he do a mitzvah. Slightly taken aback, he asked me what I had in mind. “Have you had the chance to wrap Tefillin today?” I asked. Although he had celebrated his Bar Mitzvah and had observed others wearing Tefillin in Israel, he had never wrapped Tefillin in his life and was willing to do so with my assistance.
After he donned the Tefillin we recited the Shema together and he was glad to have had the opportunity to experience the mitzvah. Mazel Tov!
I am confident that the purpose of our entire trip was fulfilled in those five minutes.
This is the true meaning of Tikkun Olam. Everyone is a messenger from G-d to help another. We need to seize the opportunities that present themselves at every turn and use them to share the message of Judaism to all. It may be participating in a Torah class and encouraging a friend to join, or starting a trend in our social circle to observe a certain mitzvah - we start a ripple effect that continues forever.
By sharing one mitzvah at a time we will illuminate our world for the better.