Life and Good: The Purpose of Living
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Life and Good: The Purpose of Living

Ba'er Heitev | December 10, 2025

:עָרָה תֶאְו תֶוָמַּה תֶאְו בוֹטַּה תֶאְו םיִיַּחַה תֶא םוֹיַּה ˃יֶנָפְל יִתַּתָנ הֵאְר דברים פ"ל פט"ו

See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil. {30:15}

“Good”, not “life”, is the most significant word in this verse. This indicates that one should not do good in order to live; rather, one should live in order to do good.

Reb Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

:עָרָה תֶאְו תֶוָמַּה תֶאְו בוֹטַּה תֶאְו םיִיַּחַה תֶא םוֹיַּה ˃יֶנָפְל יִתַּתָנ הֵאְר דברים פ"ל פט"ו

See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil. {30:15}

“Good”, not “life”, is the most significant word in this verse. This indicates that one should not do good in order to live; rather, one should live in order to do good.

Reb Menachem Mendel of Kotzk

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