Every now and then, it is necessary to break with what we are doing. We are a fifth of the way through with counting. Yesterday I got an email from a community college student. He is taking a world religion class. He is asking five religions one simple question. What is the purpose of life on earth. Simple? Hah! But maybe that is why we are counting our days, to figure out the answer to this question. To make our days count. To give purpose to our lives. Or maybe Douglas Adams had it right after all. The meaning of life is 42. If you look at gematria, 42 equals the word Elohai, one of the names of G-d. It also equals Ima, mother. So 42, G-d, is the meaning of life. Makes sense, no?

Here is what I wrote to him:
That is a very important and deep question. Did you ask many rabbis in the hope that at least one would answer? I have done a lot of work on interfaith dialogue so I would love to see what you come up with if you can share your final paper with me that would be excellent.

Your question sparked some immediate responses in my head–and I gave it to my seventh grade Bar and Bat Mitzvah students to see what they would come up with. Judaism is a 5000 year tradition with many opinions and even arguments. This is one of the things we have argued about for centuries so there is no one correct answer. In fact there is an old joke about two Jews and three opinions.

Here is mine–with some help from my seventh graders.
Our purpose on earth is to be a good person. Hillel taught “In a place where there are no men strive to be a man.” He also taught “Do not do onto others as you would not have them do onto you.” and also when someone asked him to teach all of Judaism while standing on one foot, much like you have just done, he said, “Love your neighbor as yourself, the rest is commentary, go and study.”

Micah said it this way, “It has been told to you what is required of you, to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your G-d.”

So what is this part about G-d? Abraham was the first monotheist, the one to believe in only one G-d and G-d told the Israelites we are to be a “light to the nations.” We do this in many ways, by making the world a better place (tikkun olam, repairing the world), by teaching about that One G-d and witnessing that there is only One G-d particularly when we recite the Sh’ma, Hear O Israel, the Lord our G-d, the Lord is One.” Some would say, particularly in the mystical streams of Judaism, that our purpose on earth is to unite with that One G-d, either here in this world on earth or in the world to come.

Now having said that, Jews believe that the reward is in this life, not in the world to come so the focus is on living a moral and ethical life today. We are taught to praise G-d and to thank G-d for what we have. In fact the rabbis of the Talmud taught we should say a 100 blessings every day. That leads to living a very intentional life. I think it is like Thoreau who said in his introduction to Walden Pond, “I went to the woods to live deliberately.”

Perhaps our purpose is to imitate G-d or to be like G-d. Sifre Ekev teaches “To walk in God’s ways” (Deuteronomy 11:22). These are the ways of the Holy One: “gracious and compassionate, patient, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, assuring love for a thousand generations, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin, and granting pardon” (Exodus 34:6). This means that just as God is gracious, compassionate, and forgiving, you too must be gracious, compassionate, and forgiving.” The text continues that as G-d clothed the naked, we should clothe the naked. As G-d visited the sick, you should visit the sick. As G-d fed the hungry, you should feed the hungry. As G-d buried the dead, you should bury the dead.

Now for the opinions of our youth, because they captured some important points…

The purpose of life according to Judaism is to serve G-d with all our heart, soul and might and to give our prayers to G0d. ANother purpose is to give peace to our enemies. And finally to make sure we spend time with our families.
The purpose of life is to fulfill G-d’s great name. I believe G-d made us praise His Great Name.
I think the purpose of life is to teach the next generation about Judaism to carry it on. Also some might believe it is to do whatever G-d wants us to do.
The purpose of life is different for everyone. According to Judaism it is to follow G-d and pray to Him and to teach everyone the stories of Judaism so we never forget about them.
The purpose of life is to teach about Judaism which is a new religion create by G-d. Some religions were made up by people but Judaism was made by G-d. He/She gave us rule and we have to do them. That is the purpose.

There you have it. Six Jews. Lots of opinions. See if it helps. If you have more questions, feel free to write or call and again, thank you for giving me something to think about and a built in lesson plan for yesterday!