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Prayer for the Day presented by Rabbi Warren Elf of the Liverpool Reform Synagogue.

Good morning.

One important component for me about Judaism is the commitment to Tikkun Olam, the repair of the world.

This recognises that the world is not perfect and that we have a responsibility to do something about it, to try to improve things even though we cannot put everything right.

Years ago, I was introduced to a rabbinic saying, by Rabbi Tarfon - as a song, long before I learnt it from the text 鈥� 鈥淚t is not your duty to finish the work but neither are you free to neglect it鈥�. I recall hundreds of young people on summer camps singing the song in Hebrew with gusto, long before they grasped what it was really about.

The words can be applied to all sorts of things but it was very deliberately linked to what God expects of us and what we have to do.

Yet it does not specify what the work is or even in what area it should be focused. We know that there is so much room for improvement in our world, in so many areas, and yet we also know that we, as individuals cannot do everything.

Which is one reason why I think we are stronger when acting together, trying to improve things in our world. And each of us has to decide which areas we want to focus on. I know that I cannot do everything that I would like to act upon. In fact, there are times that I wonder if I am making any real difference in our world or making any improvement whatsoever?

I believe and hope that I am but I am also aware of my failings. So, I pray that every day I can find a way of making even the smallest positive contribution to our world.

I pray that I always find partners to help repair the world, and that I do what I can, bit by bit to make that difference, with others each step of the way.

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