For the Jew, meaning, pleasure, understanding and self-actualization can only be met through the observance of Torah.

Every thinking human being has four deep-seated, psychological needs: meaning, pleasure, understanding and self-actualization. For the Jew, these needs can only be met through the observance of a Torah lifestyle. Without Torah, the neshama lacks the essentials for lasting spiritual and emotional satisfaction, whether or not one is conscious of it.

1. MEANING

"Man's search for meaning is the primary motivation in his life and not a 'secondary rationalization' of instinctual drives..."

"A public-opinion poll was conducted a few years ago in France. The results showed that 89 percent of the people polled admitted that man needs 'something' to live for."

- From Man's Search For Meaning, by internationally-renowned psychiatrist Viktor E. Frankl

According to Western ideology, there is no absolute purpose to life. Good and evil, meaning and meaninglessness, are matters of personal taste. Yet with all the "freedoms" this philosophy embraces, it disposes of the one and only ingredient that gives life profound and lasting satisfaction: a transcendent purpose - the recognition of a Creator who cares about man's actions. A Creator who invests him with the ability to make choices that either further G-d's purpose or undermine it.

As vitally as he needs to breathe, eat and sleep, every human being needs to know that his existence matters. The philosophies of relativism and purposelessness, however, inevitably engender in man gnawing questions about the meaning and purpose of his life. "If nothing really matters, why am I making such an effort to be a good person? Is life just about killing time until death?"

Understandably, this creates a subconscious anxiety which many people dread uncovering. Better to convince oneself that life has no purpose at all, than to confront the tormenting realization that I have lived life in ignorance of that purpose.

Those who do confront the question often embark on a painful, protracted search for meaning, frequently drifting through the array of alternatives to Western values, such as Zen, Buddhism and Transcendental Meditation. The greater majority, however, accepts society's insistence that there are no answers, and tries to deaden their pain through various mediums of distraction. Some lose themselves in the world of entertainment and illusion - television, movies, and video games. Others dedicate mind and soul to "making it" in their careers. Many, in an attempt to relieve their anxiety, adopt the belief that there is no Creator, no responsibility, no accountability and no goals. Without a viable alternative to meaninglessness, these people have no choice but to avoid contemplating life too seriously.

But despite the best efforts of distraction and rationalization, our souls long for meaning. And until the soul receives the nourishment (read: meaning and purpose) it so vitally needs, man will never find lasting tranquility. On some level (most often subconscious), he will continue to be plagued by the disharmony between what he deeply craves and what Western ideology claims life has to offer.

Imagine you've started a new job. You show up Monday morning at 9:00 a.m., eager to begin work, prepared to receive a set of tasks and instructions. But, to your surprise, there's no manager on hand to tell you what your responsibilities are, what rules you are to follow, or how to use your time meaningfully. You want to contribute something, but you have no idea how to direct your energy and enthusiasm.

After sitting idly for a few days, you finally decide, "I might as well do something." So you look around and try to get an idea of what the operation is all about. You ask your co-workers, "How can I be helpful? What can I do that is of real value?" But they mock your earnestness and deride your enthusiasm as naivet?. "There is no point," they tell you. "There's no rhyme or reason to our actions, no goal for us to attain."

You are shocked and confused. Your spirits are dampened. But you decide to press on. When you spot different ways to be helpful, you pitch in and lend a hand. You do some things that in your assessment seem to be valuable contributions to the overall good of the company. But you are never quite sure if your efforts are worthwhile.

After going on like this for a month, you learn that the company president will be coming in three days, to evaluate your work and decide if your time has been well spent or wasted. Your colleagues are stunned, and you feel extremely nervous. "How do I know if I did a good job? Will I be told that I wasted my time here, or was I, indeed, a productive worker?"

Underneath it all, this is how many people feel when they reflect back on their lives, to evaluate what they have accomplished.

"Ashreinu mah tov chelkeinu umah na'im goraleinu"-- Fortunate are we and how pleasant is our portion. As Torah Jews, our inner longing to lead meaningful, productive lives is nurtured and guided from the start. In early childhood, our parents and teachers outline the goals for which we are to strive. We are given a clear set of instructions to help us accomplish those goals and measure our progress. The goal is our relationship with G-d, our tools are the mitzvos and the obstacles to avoid are the aveiros. The framework for success and meaning is neatly laid out for us in the intricate structure of Torah life. Best of all, we need not struggle to find the goal. We are free from the start to focus our energies and resources on achieving it.

Through Torah, the most mundane and routine activities of life are elevated. With the blessing "Asher Yatzar," even going to the bathroom becomes an opportunity to enhance our appreciation of G-d's greatness and our love for Him. And while we may never accomplish all that we should, a Torah lifestyle removes the specter of meaninglessness that haunts our non-observant friends and neighbors. We have internal stability, gained from the knowledge that life is purposeful and valuable. We are given ongoing opportunities to accomplish things that are mistakenly meaningful, and the realization that our choices truly matter is tremendously empowering and reassuring. It rescues us from foundering helplessly in a sea of confusion and illusion.

2. LASTING PLEASURE

Western ideology tells us to live for pleasure: "If it feels good, do it!"

Indeed, today more than ever, everything is permissible, and available in excess.

But are people significantly happier now than they were years ago?

It seems that what is available in the marketplace is obviously not enough to give people real fulfillment.

Look around. See how many members of our society seek escape. How many thousands of successful, talented people regularly lose themselves in drugs, alcohol, entertainment, sports, and that multitude of illusions designed to distract them from the reality of life. Calculate the exorbitant amounts of time and money spent in this country, in pursuit of illusory pleasures: a bigger car, a more exciting vacation, a fancier house.

But nothing satisfies the craving for lasting, meaningful pleasure.

Final Exit, a book on how to commit suicide in the comfort of your own home, appeared on the New York Times Best-Seller List - a clear indication of how many people are not receiving the type of pleasure that makes the effort of living worthwhile.

To be fulfilled, a human being needs higher, more sublime pleasures than the experiences a physical world can provide. After all the money has been made, all the food tasted, and all the honor and power achieved, there is still something missing, something which makes all other pleasures fade in comparison.

It's called the transcendental. The experience of a Presence infi-nitely greater than ourselves. An awareness of the reality and awesomeness of G-d.

Occasionally, people get a glimmer. Perhaps they catch a sunset that takes their breath away with its splendor. Or witness the wondrous miracle of birth.

That sensation, that experience of awe, is the feeling they get when their neshama senses its Creator. In their inner core, they know they have been in touch with something far grander than their five senses alone can grasp.

Ultimately, lasting pleasure of this kind is found only by tapping into the spiritual experiences of kedusha and ruchnius. These experiences are what make life continuously refreshing and energizing for the Jew. Through Torah and mitzvos, the Jew connects with the Ratzon Hashem and touches the transcendental on a daily basis, forging within himself a deeper and deeper connection to his Source. The Jew was created to receive this elevated pleasure. Without it, he will always be left wanting.

Consider how routine and flat your weeks would become if, for example, you didn't have Shabbos, the day set aside for the Jew to re-fine his appreciation of G-d's presence in the world. One day would run into the next and never leave you the time to break out of life's mundane routine and experience the transcendental.

People who have no Shabbos, or any similar experience of kedusha, feel an emptiness in their lives - despite being "free" to partake in all the pleasures the world offers. Since the Western world has only a superficial understanding of pleasure, its merchandise cannot satisfy on a deep level. People who invest more and more into the physical world will ultimately become less and less fulfilled.

Torah, on the other hand, offers access to the full range of pleasure, from the simple enjoyment of good food to the ecstasy of Ahavas Hashem (lit. "love of G-d), the grandest of all delights.

3. TOOLS FOR LIVING

Mankind's creative genius for harnessing technology to make life more comfortable has resulted in the proliferation of an enormous range of machines and gadgets. From the basic to the complex, almost every instrument comes with an "owner's manual," a set of instructions that enable the customer to derive optimum benefit from his purchase.

We can't program a VCR without first reading the instructions. Learning to fly a plane may take months of lessons. Performing brain surgery requires years of intensive study and training. The more complicated the procedure, the more we need preparatory training and detailed instructions.

While we all understand the need to spend years preparing for a career, few take the time and effort to properly equip themselves for life's most complex and potentially rewarding challenges: choosing a spouse, making a marriage work, raising well-adjusted children, actualizing one's potential, being a moral person, and building a flourishing society.

There is nothing inherent in Western life that imbues man with the clarity or focus to live life effectively. Nor are there any schools that address the challenges of living. The purpose of secular education is not to learn how to live but to learn how to make a living.

Without a solid foundation in place, individual and communal life will not withstand the tests of time. Left to his own devices, man is bound to confront obstacles which he is ill-equipped to surmount. The evidence is all around us. The rampant problems plaguing our society - divorce, drug abuse, depression, suicide, alcoholism, murder, rape - speak loudly enough.

But while American society is critically ill at the youthful age of 200 plus years, the Torah lifestyle is still vibrant and flourishing more than 3,300 years after its inception.

The word "Torah" literally means instruction. Toras Chaim, as it is referred to in our prayer book, means "Instructions for Living." From the time he begins to learn, the Torah Jew is immersed in a curriculum that provides him with the tools for successful living. With daily, weekly, monthly and annual mitzvos embracing the length and breadth of life, Judaism charts the way for us to develop our potential to the fullest.

When we step back and look at the wealth of practical and ideological lessons woven through the life-cycle of a Jew, and compare it with the life-cycle of a secular person, the contrast is stark. Compare Rosh Hashana and its awesome significance with a New Year's Eve in Times Square.

Whether it is interpersonal relationships, self-awareness, dealing with parents, choosing a spouse, building a cooperative community, animal rights or environmental concerns, Torah spans the gamut of human activity and is the ultimate "user's manual" for maximum benefit from the world and from our lives. To ignore it is to invite tragedy.

Note: While Torah society is not entirely problem-free, most of the difficulties that do exist occur precisely when its members subordinate Torah values to that of popular culture.

4. REACHING OUR POTENTIAL

Everyone wants to be great. As we grow older, however, and begin to understand how daunting and confusing a task this is, many of us settle for something less; the price of greatness is simply too high.

We are all potential virtuosos at living; G-d implants within each of us the capacity for greatness. But when that potential is not brought to life, we experience frustration, similar to a concert pianist who is denied access to a piano.

To attain any level of competence, however, we need more than just desire. We need clear guidance: a vision to strive for, and the tools with which to reach that vision.

The Torah is our instruction manual for greatness. It provides the framework that helps a person understand himself psychologically and spiritually. There are clear goals to aspire to, and practical observances and tools that help us reach our ideals. There are role models to emulate, who show us what is truly practical and attainable. The Torah way of life helps us tap into our potential and shepherds us along the road of becoming the people we want to be.

Western culture cannot focus on teaching values, because values are considered subjective and relative. Schools can teach reading, writing and arithmetic, but they are completely ineffectual in teaching morals and ethics. Consequently, Western culture spawns generations of people who are frustrated at not being able to realize their potential, people who are confused about who they are and what direction their lives should take.

CONCLUSION

Imagine that you were never taught about the purpose of life. Imagine you had no concrete way of knowing if your life was good or if your existence mattered. Imagine your time was spent acquiring material possessions and your spiritual side was all but ignored. You weren't sure if G-d existed, never mind experiencing His greatness and love for you. You cynically viewed the moral staples of Jewish life as outdated and naive: Kibud Av V'Aim, Shalom Bayis and Derech Eretz were not in fashion. You did not know the difference between the desires of your Yetzer Hara and the pull of your Yetzer HaTov.

How would you feel? Off balance? Confused? At a loss as to how to attain the satisfaction and pleasure you know life should produce?

The more you can summon up that feeling, the better you can appreciate what Judaism offers, and the closer you will be to becoming an "Onkeles" in kiruv. Just being frum and doing mitzvos protects us from a lot of the world's nonsense and preserves our sense of self. Judaism gives us a basic foundation that no man-made ideology can supply.

Because, for so many of us, Torah observance is taken for granted, we may not easily recognize how lacking we would be without its insights, values and spirituality. Take a step back for a moment, though, and you will gain the perspective to truly appreciate the many benefits and advantages of Torah life. With this awareness, you will achieve the clarity and motivation to share your riches with others - in other words, to take on the challenges and joys of kiruv.