This week I received several emails asking me to vote in a contest held by a foundation in the United States that awards one million dollars to the most voted institution. It turns out that the Friendship Circle, A Jewish institution that helps children with special needs is participating in this contest.
Beyond inviting everyone to vote (by clicking here) and participate in the development of this activity, I wanted to explain how powerful this idea is.
Nuestros sabios dicen en la Etica de Nuestros Padres (Pirkei Avot) «No te corresponde terminar el trabajo, pero tampoco eres el dueño para no hacerlo». Entre las diferentes explicaciones de esta idea, cabe destacar que no se requiere de cada persona que haga «todo» el trabajo del mundo, es decir, de nadie se exige que refine el mundo entero, ni que, trabajando el soledad, modifique el universo para hacerlo una morada para Di-s. Cada persona tiene una capacidad limitada que Di-s le dio para hacer su trabajo de la manera más completa. Lo que no quiere decir que sea mucho ni poco, simplemente lo que le corresponde según el plan maestro de la Creación Divina.
Esto es lo que quiere decir «No te corresponde terminar el trabajo» es decir, que hagas «todo» solo (si te corresponde hacer el cien por ciento de lo que puedes hacer). Por el otro lado, «tampoco eres el dueño para no hacerlo», lo que significa que no debes dejar de hacer lo que esté en tus manos simplemente por el hecho de que te parezca insignificante.
Based on this, we can understand that simply clicking a few buttons and voting for the well-being of an institution may seem insignificant, but we must know that its effect can be very powerful, since, with little effort (and no monetary cost at all) one is helping a group of people who help an even larger group of people and so on, in an exponential effect to the point that those who receive this help are people who otherwise would never have been able to access such basic things as companionship, joy, education, community life, etc., due to having special needs.
In addition to all this, it is important to highlight the emphasis the Rebbe always placed on the small contributions each person can make to society, including the idea that one should never be satisfied, neither with one's own spiritual level nor with one's contribution to the overall upliftment and refinement of the world. It is never enough. There is always more that can be done.