“On three things the world stands, on Torah – learning, on Avodah – divine service, on Gmilut Hasadim – acts of kindness.” This ancient teaching of Shimon the Righteous has accompanied my life these past 36 years, inspiring me with a frame of being.
Torah – learning has filled my life with profound meaning, but the idea of inquiry, of learning consciousness that accompanies us wherever we go, when we sit, and when we sleep, is what I’m talking about. Holding onto the idea of Torah, of learning, that there is still something else to learn and discover about myself, about the other, and the world, continues to fuel my curiosity and thirst for Torah – learning.
Avodah – divine service. I believe that every individual has a mission and a purpose here in this world. Maybe we’ve got more than one. Maybe we’re confused about what it is we are here to do, but the notion of service is what’s central to me. We are here to try our hardest to harness ourselves and leave the world better than before. As a rabbi, cantor, author, Yiddish actor, and social worker, I strive to understand my professional pursuits, my passions, my art as emanations of what I am here to do in this lifetime.
Gmilut Hasadim – acts of kindness. Sigh. What and where would we be if not for the kindness and support of others? Gmilut Hasadim is the understanding of the centrality of love in spiritual life, but it is also the importance of sharing that love with others, giving and building a world of loving kindness.
The Kabbalists, the Jewish mystics, offer that there is only light and vessels in this world. To that end, I pray, I struggle, and I strive to be a vessel of learning, divine service, and love.
Avram Mlotek is a rabbi, cantor, Yiddish actor, author , and licensed social worker. avrammlotek.com
