They say the only thing we have when we leave this world is the mitzvot we did while we were in it. It’s not the clothes in our closets or the money in our bank accounts. We all have limited time on this earth and it’s a constant balance figuring out exactly where we should put our efforts and live.
Sometimes, this feeling can be overwhelming. Figuring out how to be the best Jew, friend, wife, mother, and so on can be extremely daunting. It’s common to feel like we’re never measuring up to the ideal we’ve created in our minds. To counter that feeling, I’ve been trying to just look at the small moments, the granular breakdown of life that feels so much more approachable and manageable in the day-to-day. After all, those little moments add up to something big.
Some of those ways involve internal and spiritual changes— saying just one blessing with intention or saying even one perek of Tehillim for someone who is sick.
Other ways involve external or physical changes such as with other people or the planet. Pausing before I want to say something negative for example, and then hopefully deciding not to say it. Regarding the planet, Hashem blessed us with this earth, and it’s our job to take care of it. I was really inspired by my interview with Yehudit Refson and all the work she’s doing to turn the Neve Yerushalayim seminary into a “green” campus. She’s planted fruit-bearing trees and a vegetable garden, brought in animals that fertilize the earth and is reducing waste.
Using less plastic can be a controversial topic in the observant Jewish world and honestly, I’m not sure why. I do get that as an Orthodox Jewish woman, preparing and hosting Shabbos meals every single week is a lot of work. I’m right there with you. Using aluminum tins and paper and plastic plates and disposable utensils can make a lot of the prep and clean-up easier. It’s just a fact, and no one should ever be shamed for using those products when they need them. But it’s also important to be mindful of what we’re doing and see what changes we can make that are doable and help the earth. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
“It’s important to see what changes we can make that are doable and help the earth. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.”
Food blogger Danielle Renov at @peasloveandcarrots has been recently posting about her own plastic reduction on her Instagram stories. She stopped using aluminum tins in her cooking and has eliminated disposable cutlery — even without a dishwasher. In our article, Yehudit also insisted that the food tastes better on real plates with real silverware!
That doesn’t mean you have to do exactly the same or cut things out entirely. Even just making one small change can make a difference. As Danielle explained, if every person just stopped doing or using one thing, think of the global impact that would make.
So, maybe for your family it’s picking one day a week to stop using disposables. Or only switching out your disposable cups for reusable ones. It’s like a micro-mitzvah. When you take on something small that you can easily continue doing, you create lasting change. We’re just kicking off summer as well when we usually spend more time outdoors. Taking a mindful moment to appreciate the nature around you may be a more impactful way to internalize the beauty of the earth and add motivation for taking one small step in a “greener” direction.
Recently, I was listening to a shiur (Torah class) on Zoom and someone asked during the Q&A session at the end what we can do to try and stop the hate against Jews in this world. Seeing how superfluous anti-Semitism is can make us feel so small and unable to make a dent. The Rabbi responded that what you can do is bring more of you to this earth. Are you a social worker? Keep helping people through their struggles. Are you a teacher? Keep teaching beautiful things and bringing people close to Torah. Are you a mother? Keep raising your children to a life of mitzvot. Are you a Jewish human? Keep learning, growing and living as a kiddush Hashem (sanctification of G-d’s Name).
We’re now halfway through the Hebrew month of Tammuz. According to the Sefer Yetzirah, the earliest extant work on Jewish mysticism, the bodily sense associated with this month is sight. Throughout Tammuz, we can use our eyes to look a little deeper. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of someone you might not like, work a little harder to see something positive. Maybe through that, you’ll like them more. Look inward to see the Divine within yourself — and know how important it is to bring that beauty outward. Look around you to see where there might be areas of your life you can make a micro-change. (You probably already know — or have a sense of — where that is.)
Whether it’s for the planet, within your family, at your job or just within yourself, there are infinite little ways you can create change. Just pick one tiny act and watch beautiful things blossom, both physically and spiritually.
xoxo, Alex
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