Reply To: A question about being self- centered

Thank you, everyone, for your responses. I am actually very aware of everything you all said. It was just bothering me that these ideas I was taught aren’t really the best way to find meaning and purpose in the world that G-d gave us. I believe that it is more beneficial to live life helping others and making positive impressions on people than to live life just racking up “points” for ourselves for the world to come.

Also, as a side point, something else has been nagging me, and it’s something that some of you brought up here. It is the concept of doing good deeds because G-d wants us to. Of course, this is the highest level of holiness, to do something out of love for G-d, and only because He said so. But really, I’m worried about that concept. Because if, G-d forbid, a Jew questions G-d’s existence or rebels against the Torah, and he was taught to only do good deeds because G-d wants us to, then he has no reason to do good deeds. If he doesn’t believe in G-d, he will have no problem stealing, murdering, etc., because the only thing preventing him from doing such things is that “G-d said not to”. Wouldn’t it be safer for people not a such a high level of faith, to be taught the lessons and rules of basic moral conduct that they are simply how a mature, responsible human being should act? I think people will be more understanding that one should not kill because it is breach of moral human conduct rather than “G-d said we shouldn’t kill”. Especially because such a major problem in our generation is a lack of faith in G-d. Perhaps people (like us, I hope) who are solid in their faith can do good deeds and act morally because G-d wants us to, but for those of lesser faith, I think it would cause more problems.