Work

We all work at something. Sometimes we work for money. Sometimes we work because we have a personal interest in achieving certain things.

But what if we didn’t need to work? What if everything was available without any effort? What if we all could just sit back, relax, and do absolutely nothing?

What would it be like, to not have to work? Boring? Maybe unfulfilling?

And then there is the nature of the work. What if our work is extremely important to ourselves and to humanity? That would give the work which we do, a whole different flavor.

There’s a story told about a fellow who was imprisoned, and for years he would push a wheel around in a circle, without knowing what the wheel was connected to. And he thought about what he might be accomplishing. Perhaps the wheel was grinding wheat for people to bake into bread. Perhaps by pushing the wheel he was generating electricity to light people‘s houses and give them warmth. But he never really knew, because for years he would just push the wheel, not seeing what it was connected to at the other end.

Then one day, he was given a chance to walk around the wall and see what the wheel was connected to. And lo and behold, it was connected to nothing. He felt absolutely crushed. All those years he had been working so hard, to accomplish nothing. All his efforts were so wasted.

Because accomplishing is important.

When we work, we help the world run. Everyone does their part. Doctors heal people. Lawyers help with legalities. Accountants help with balancing the books, dealing with taxes, and letting businesses know when they made or lost money. Shoemakers make shoes for people to wear. Farmers grow crops that feed the world. Parents care for and raise their children, while teachers educate them. And so on and so forth. Everyone seems to have some type of work that helps others, and therefore we feel that our work is worthwhile.

But what if the day comes when all of a sudden all our work is done? What if the day comes when AI or robots will do everything for us? What if the day comes when we can just sit back and relax? But then, what will we do? What will make us feel that our lives have purpose?

Maybe many people will still keep their old jobs, doing important work for humanity. (Interestingly, the way they do things may be quite different.) But even so, one would imagine that there will be a lot of free time. What will we do with it?

The prophets say that in the days of Moshiach we will be doing something on the most sublime level, accomplishing the most wondrous things. We will all serve G-d together, and fulfill His commandments, and we will be engaged in trying to understand some of His greatness, as illuminated in His Torah.

When all our needs are provided for, when — in the time of Redemption — food will be plentiful and delicacies will be as commonplace as the dust of the earth, and all our needs will be provided for, when that time comes, then we will be able to relax more, and we will have the opportunity to work at understanding what we can about G-d, and how He is One with our world and with ourselves.

In fact, by understanding ourselves, including our own physical anatomy, and our spiritual makeup, it helps us to understand G-d. Because we were made in His image.

“From my flesh. I will see G-dliness.” (Job 19; 26) By studying our physical world, and the wonders therein, it will help us to understand more and come closer to G-d Almighty.

As I remember it, the Lubavitcher Rebbe once said to a doctor, that when Moshiach comes, and people will be healthy, then what will doctors do? And the Rebbe answered, that doctors will then be occupied with two things: 1. Teaching preventive medicine. And 2. Teaching about the human anatomy, which will help us to understand more about G-d.

The time is soon approaching when “the entire world will be filled with knowledge of G-d,  just as waters cover the sea.” (Isaiah 11; 9) And then our efforts will be focused on a whole new dimension. It will be within the world, but beyond it. And via our physical world, we will come to know G-d.