Don’t Read History - Make It!

“If I were given one hour to save the planet, I would

spend 59 minutes defining the problem and one minute resolving it,” Albert Einstein said.

We seem to be constantly living on the edge. The current challenges are both global and transformative. Our natural reaction as human beings is to get increasingly agitated and anxious. It is not surprising that we are seeing more and more polarization around the world.

Our prophets and sages envisaged this day and provided clear guidance in response.

From the beginning of time, our world and all its inhabitants have been constantly evolving towards achieving their full potential.

Central to this process is the purest expression of reality, which is its interconnected and interdependent nature.

This dynamic presents both the biggest opportunity and tremendous challenges for society. It sends a very compelling message to us all. We must all learn how to get along!

The Rebbe - whose birthday we celebrate today - foresaw this moment in time and suggested the following.

First, he said, we are in the midst of a historic opportunity! The world is desperate, as it has no alternative.

He said, the time has come to share the universal moral code which was revealed to us at Mount Sinai and which we were instructed to teach the world.

There is only one way to live in an interconnected and interrelated world. There must be a universal code to which we are all aligned. In truth, this is the most liberating experience because only then can society attain optimal performance.

Second, and most importantly, he said, with the new paradigm in mind, one thing is obviously clear. Each component of this interconnected and interdependent world is integral to the equation. If only one person fails to play his role, chaos will ensue!

Perhaps this can be crystallized in his most oft cited quote from Maimonides: "Each person must see themselves and the whole world as equally balanced between good and evil. When he does one evil deed the scale is tipped to the bad - he and the world is destroyed. When he does one good deed the scale is tipped to the good - he and the world is saved”.

We don’t learn history, we make history. Each and every one us. We must play our part. Yes, it’s a huge responsibility. It is also the most liberating for individuals as well as for society as a whole!