How can one dare proclaim to compress the vastness of Judaism, the bedrock of all monotheistic religions, in a… nutshell? Is that not insultingly pretentious??

I would have thought so, if it weren’t for the precedents that our sages set down some two millennia ago. Rabbi Akiva narrowed down the 613 commandments to one nuclear guideline for interacting with your fellow man or woman as stated in the Book of Vayikra: “Love your neighbor as yourself, I am the Hashem” (known as ‘Ve Ahavta’). Follow that, said Rabbi Akiva, and you’re good. All the rest are details that derive from that one golden rule.

Later Rabbis, when asked what is it that God wants from us, coined the phrase:

To Perfect the world under the sovereignty of God (known as ‘Tikun Olam). That, they explained, is the underlying reason for the creation of man and woman. Therefore, making the world a better place should indeed be every individual’s drive and purpose in life.

But let us take it a step further.

You see, in Yiddish one might comment on the above: “a groisse de metsiya” which in typical Jewish sarcasm would idiomatically translate as: “what’s the big deal?!” or “Is that’s what it’s all about?”

Shouldn’t the choice of “love over war” be self-evidential? Is it not the obvious aspiration for a normal society to choose life over death; a universal value to prefer good over evil?

Let me answer by questioning back: if it is so obvious, if “everybody knows that!”, then pray tell me – why is our world so far away from the obvious? Why are there battles and rivalry in every continent, country, state, settlement, neighbor hood, street, even family?

One must conclude that, for some reason or other, there exists a rift between what is desired and what is in fact, a reality.

The uniqueness of Judaism is that it has a plan. The Bible includes a detailed program of thirty points for the non-Jew, and of six hundred and thirteen points for the Jew. God Himself laid down these carefully planned operative instructions. What better guarantee that they should work? One need not convert to Judaism in order to fulfill one’s destination in life. All people were created in the image of God. All people are given a choice: to follow His instructions and spread good in the world, or to act upon the alternative. If they choose to travel the road paved by God’s manuscript, the good road, they will merit to leave it as purely as they entered it, with an additional sense of satisfaction for accomplishing His mission and with a bonus of Reward in the ‘World to Come. It’s as simple as that. If only all of who were created in His image, would follow His plan…

Moreover, say our sages of blessed memory notice that in both instances quoted above, (as in many more throughout the Bible) there is a reference to God in what would otherwise seemingly appear superfluous. I requote: “Love your neighbor as yourself, I am the Lord.” And: Perfect the world under the sovereignty of God“. Once one acknowledges the divine source for these humanitarian values, his faith can solidify them, from the lofty idea – to the imperative drive.

Because, the fact that these humanitarian values stem from the Almighty, implies that they are absolute truths. Not comparative, not flexible, not politically correct and definitely non-negotioanable.

The seven Noahide laws that are expected to be adapted by all the nations of the world (not just the Jews), are seven magnificent branches stemming from the trunk of the aforementioned golden rule: “perfecting the world under the sovereignty of God“. Of course these branches have many more that diverge from them. All in all creating what we refer to as “the tree of life”.

What are the Noahide Laws? How can we study them? Where have we been till now? Why isn’t all of the above common knowledge? If the Bible holds the key for Man’s search for meaning; if it includes a manual for “how to do it?”, then, why is it not done?!

All these are valid questions on the path of the righteous. One of the beauties of life is that one can spend a lifetime and never cease to learn something new. There are answers, of course to all these questions and more. But the core principle is as aforementioned: Do good; Perfect the World. That is Judaism in a nutshell. All the rest – is elaboration. We have the rest of our lives to study and to implement the Divine into this world. May there be fulfilled for us the words of the Prophet Isaiah:
“for My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples” (56:7).