Looking for Meaning in Life? Maybe You've Been Looking in the Wrong Place

Many people spend their lives searching for meaning, often assuming it can only be found in major achievements, life changing decisions, or extraordinary moments. Judaism offers a different and surprising perspective. It teaches that the routines of everyday life, including work, rest, eating, and even the simplest daily activities, can all become part of a life filled with purpose and meaning.

The Shulchan Aruch (Orach Chaim 231:1) expresses this idea clearly:

"And so too, in everything from which a person derives benefit in this world, one should not intend it for personal pleasure alone, but for service of the Creator, blessed be He, as it is written (Proverbs 3:6), 'In all your ways know Him,' and the Sages said: 'Let all your deeds be for the sake of Heaven,' so that even optional matters, such as eating and drinking, walking and sitting, rising and marital relations, speech and all the needs of your body, all of them should be for the service of your Creator, or for something that leads to His service.

For even if one was thirsty or hungry, if he ate and drank for his own enjoyment, it is not praiseworthy; rather, he should intend to eat and drink in order to sustain himself to serve his Creator.

And likewise, even to sit in the company of the upright, to stand in the place of the righteous, and to walk in the counsel of the pure hearted, if he did so for his own enjoyment, to fulfill his own desire and craving, it is not praiseworthy, unless he did it for the sake of Heaven.

And similarly regarding sleep, needless to say that at a time when he is able to engage in Torah and mitzvot, he should not indulge in sleep for his own pleasure; rather, even when he is weary and needs to sleep in order to rest from his exertion, if he does so for the pleasure of his body, it is not praiseworthy. Instead, he should intend to give sleep to his eyes and rest to his body for the sake of health, so that his mind not become confused in Torah because of lack of sleep."

Everyday Actions Can Become Spiritual

The Shulchan Aruch presents a unique way of looking at life. The question is not only what a person does, but why they do it. Even actions that seem entirely routine, such as eating, drinking, resting, or taking care of one's health, are not separate from a person's spiritual life.

When these activities are done in order to preserve the strength Hashem has given us and enable us to live lives of kindness, growth, mitzvot, and service of Hashem, they take on a completely different meaning. Ordinary moments become opportunities to serve a higher purpose.

Serving Hashem Through Every Part of Life

This same idea appears in the Ramban's commentary on the verse, "You shall fear Hashem your God, Him shall you serve, to Him shall you cleave, and by His name shall you swear" (Deuteronomy 10:20).

The Ramban explains:

"And the meaning of 'Him shall you serve,' according to them, is that one should be with Him at all times like a purchased servant who ministers constantly before his master, making his master's work primary and his own needs secondary.

From this comes what they said (Avot 2:12), 'Let all your deeds be for the sake of Heaven,' so that even the needs of the body should be for the sake of serving Hashem: one should eat, sleep, and attend to bodily needs in order to sustain the body for the service of Hashem.

As they said (Bereishit Rabbah 9:6), 'And behold, it was very good,' this refers to sleep. Is sleep then a good thing? Because through sleeping a little, a person rises and engages in Torah. And one should intend in all bodily needs toward the verse that says (Psalms 146:2), 'I will praise Hashem while I live; I will sing to my God as long as I exist.' And this is the correct explanation."

The Ramban teaches that a person should view every action as part of a greater purpose. Even life's necessities, including eating and sleeping, should help a person serve Hashem. Someone who eats in order to gain strength or rests so they can continue doing good transforms even the simplest parts of daily life into meaningful acts.

Giving Every Moment Greater Meaning

Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz, the spiritual supervisor of the Mir Yeshiva, explains the Ramban's teaching in these powerful words:

"At every moment of my life, every one of my pursuits, even physical matters, eating, drinking, and sleeping, when they are fulfilled for their true purpose, I am praising Hashem."

The Ramban returns to this same principle in his famous letter to his son:

"In all your words and actions and thoughts, and at all times, think in your heart as if you are standing before Hashem and His Presence is upon you, for His glory fills the entire world."

Here too, the Ramban teaches that a relationship with Hashem is not limited to special moments or sacred places. It is meant to accompany a person throughout every aspect of life.

When a person remembers that they stand before Hashem and directs their thoughts, words, and actions toward what is good, even the most ordinary moments become filled with purpose. In this way, everyday life itself becomes an opportunity to grow closer to Hashem and to live a life of lasting meaning.