What Does God Want From You?

In today's "Random Torah" we take a look at a teaching from the Tanach - from the prophet Michah. Here he shares with us an amazing teaching. He tells us what God wants from us - in just one sentence!

Tanakh

Micah 6:8

הִגִּ֥יד לְךָ֛ אָדָ֖ם מַה־טּ֑וֹב וּמָֽה־יְהוָ֞ה דּוֹרֵ֣שׁ מִמְּךָ֗ כִּ֣י אִם־עֲשׂ֤וֹת מִשְׁפָּט֙ וְאַ֣הֲבַת חֶ֔סֶד וְהַצְנֵ֥עַ לֶ֖כֶת עִם־אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃

“He has told you, O man, what is good, And what the LORD requires of you: Only to do justice And to love goodness, And to walk modestly with your God;

DON'T BE SURPRISED!

Living in a world with questions, one of them stands out - if I am to believe in God, I wonder to myself what is it that He ultimately wants from me?!

Being Jewish can mean considering fulfilling all the Mitzvot of the Torah - 613. This is no light matter. Many of us may get ourselves worked up feeling inadequate that perhaps we are not fulfilling every iota of what the Torah demands from us. For those who are already observant, many will go around with all sorts of reasons as to why certain things happen to others. They already "know best!" much like a newly married couple already know everything there is to know about marriage - just because of their recent wedding! Such people will emphasise to others their lack of performing such-and-such a Mitzvah as being the cause for the troubles. They're not frum enough!

Others will tell people that their Middot (behavioural traits) need improving and then go on to lists all their faults. Sometimes when we hear these criticisms, we can find ourselves completely overwhelmed with life - with the Torah, and with the Almighty God.

Michah the prophet, however, tells us another important concept. While observance of all the 613 Mitzvot is vital, there are some other keys that share with us what God is looking for from us. What really does God want from us?!

What is good? - he asks. Do justice. Be honest. Make sure others behave in an honest manner too. Teach the world what honesty is - because we must be fair to each other. Justice must be done. We are not to be living in a jungle - or learning from the sharks in the sea that teach us that the bigger the fish, the more it can consume whenever it so chooses whenever it wants to - just because it's bigger! Do justice. Be fair. Be honest!

Love goodness. Tzitzit are important. Wearing Tefillin is important. Observing Shabbat is important. Don't scoff at the laws of Family Purity. There is much to do... but love goodness. Wherever you go, consider the situation ahead. Does it really look like you are pursing good when you choose a particular path with yourself or with others? Think about what is about to happen before doing it - or before saying something to another. Is it pursing goodness? Does it show your love to do good - you love for goodness? Or is it just an arrogant follow-on of the behaviour of the shark?

Most of all - walk modestly with your God. It really doesn't matter what religion you belong to - that you think it to be right. It is vital that walking modestly with God be a key component in your daily life. Everything needs to be done in a modest manner. No matter how much one learns. No matter how much one does. Everything must be done with humility, with modesty. One walks with God.

One doesn't have to be frum to do all these things. But one has to be attuned to good. One has to be attuned to God and not just ritual observance. Being attuned to God means seeking justice, loving goodness and walking modestly with God.