Saving the World

It is a terrible thing to see, to know, that there is only gloom, hopelessness, even a premature death, lying on the life path of others. And to feel powerless to alter the essential finality of that fate. Yet as part of the human community, if we ignore it, if we don’t at least try to change the outcome, aren’t we somehow complicit in allowing its continuance? Aren’t we obligated to scream ‘fire’ when there is one, and aren’t we obligated to try and put it out? ‘And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world(Jerusalem Talmud, Sanhedrin 4:1(21a)). To have saved an entire world -- now, that is truly a most worthy aspiration for each of us. Isn’t it?