Is life just about avoiding suffering? A reflection on purpose, effort, and meaning. The current debate: between pain and avoidance.
- Rabino Rótem Tómer
- Apr 13
- 3 min read
The current debate: between pain and escape
In recent years, issues like euthanasia have gained visibility and polarization. Many voices, especially among young people, present it as an act of courage in the face of suffering.
However, this view oversimplifies a much deeper problem: the difficulty of finding meaning amidst life's challenges.
When life is reduced to avoiding pain and seeking immediate pleasure, the most important dimension of being human is lost: one's purpose.
The false promise of a life without difficulties
There is a widespread belief: if we eliminate difficulties, we will achieve happiness.
But reality proves otherwise.
Even in countries with high levels of well-being—where there are guarantees of health, education, and economic stability—suicide rates remain high.
This highlights an uncomfortable truth: comfort does not replace meaning.
Human beings were not designed just to live without problems, but to grow through them.
The challenge as an engine of growth
As we mature, we understand that life is not a space for passive consumption, but for active construction.
Effort is not a punishment. It is the mechanism through which we develop our abilities.
The key question is no longer: How do I avoid suffering?
And it becomes: What is worth investing my effort in?
This change of focus completely transforms the life experience.
Discover your value: from survival to impact
Each person has a unique combination of abilities.
True growth occurs when we stop focusing on our personal gain and start asking ourselves:
How can I contribute to the world?
What do others need that I can offer?
What is my role within something bigger?
When a person begins to positively influence others, their perception changes: they go from feeling empty to feeling needed.
And that's where one of the most powerful experiences of being human comes in: having a purpose.
The spiritual dimension: connection with the Creator
Without a connection to something higher, the effort can become exhausting and directionless.
But when you understand that life has a divine origin and purpose, everything changes.
Existence ceases to be an accident and becomes a mission.
From this perspective:
Challenges are not mistakes, but opportunities.
Capabilities are not accidental, but tools.
Life is not a burden, but a meaningful responsibility.
The Seven Commandments: a universal ethical foundation
One of the great confusions today is the lack of a clear moral foundation.
The Seven Universal Commandments (given to humanity from the Torah) offer a solid ethical framework that:
Define clear boundaries
Establish personal responsibility
It connects the individual to a universal truth.
When a person lives in alignment with these principles, their perception changes:
Suffering ceases to be an enemy and becomes part of the growth process.
The mistake of thinking that “my life belongs to me”
Today, the idea is promoted that each person has absolute control over their life and body.
But this view ignores a key dimension:
Life is not something we create, but something we receive.
This implies responsibility, not just freedom.
When this perspective is lost, decisions appear that seek immediate solutions, but generate deeper consequences at an emotional, spiritual, and existential level.
Taking care of the body, mind, and soul
Just as the body needs discipline to be healthy, the mind and soul also require work.
Comfort or pleasure is not enough.
True balance is built through:
Conscious effort
Inner search
Spiritual connection
True growth is not automatic. It is intentional.
A life with purpose: true quality of life
When a person:
Discover its purpose
Add value to others
He connects with the Creator
Start experiencing something different:
He doesn't just live... he lives with purpose.
And that difference is radical.
Final reflection
Life wasn't designed to be perfect, but to be meaningful.
The challenges are not the problem . The lack of direction is.
When we align effort, purpose, and spirituality, even difficulties become part of the journey.
A next step: not walking alone
This type of growth does not occur in isolation.
It requires guidance, structure, and community.
If you feel you are searching for direction, meaning, or a deeper way of living, you can continue learning and growing alongside others in a purposeful environment.
The Bnei Noaj Community is a space where this process is experienced in a practical, supported and constant way.
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