[Avodah] Tikkun Olam

[JoshHoff at aol.com]

In a message dated 4/2/2008 9:55:06 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
avodah-request at lists.aishdas.org writes:

Aleynu  does not say "tikun olam"; it says "letaken olam *bemalchut
ShDY*".   Those last two words are the ikkar, not the tafel, and those
who use the  term "tikun olam" definitely do not mean them at all.
I have never heard a  frum person use the term "tikun olam" or refer
to it at all as a Jewish  value; AFAIK it is entirely a foreign
concept, and even the term is not  used anywhere Jewish - the closest
we come is the takanot that were made  "mipnei tikun ha'olam".



At the risk of citing some people not usually cited in this forum,I  recently 
heard Rabbi Saul Berman mention the advice given to him by Rabbi A.J.  
Heschel when, as a young rabbi in Berkely, he asked for some guidance in  inspiring 
people. Heschel told him that we are a peopleo f fractured verses, and  he 
gave as examples all 3 cases mentioned in the above post. post-Aleinu, Shlach  es 
ami,and BILU. He said that in all three cases,the first half of the phrase is 
 not meaningful without the second. However, he said, the first half is also  
important,and,unfortunately,many Jews who work on the second half don't work 
on  the first half. The challenge of a rabbi is to give importance to both 
parts,and  not give the message of fractured verses.



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