A Mitzvah A Day

This month of January brings the world into the new year 2025, according to the Gregorian calendar.

Many people make resolutions for the secular new year, sometimes without giving much thought to what we can realistically achieve. We often fail because we feel overwhelmed or think we can’t stick with changes for the long run. Jewish tradition offers a different path to follow, one that helps us set ourselves up for success.

The word “resolution” is all about being determined to fix something we think needs improvement in ourselves. imagining that once we have fixed it, we are done. We know that life in general, rarely moves in a predictable straight line. Yet we make these resolutions believing that if we’re not moving directly from A to B, we must be doing something wrong? Or at least we could be doing something better. In contrast, Judaism asks us to focus on daily acts of kindness, and a commitment to working on making the world better for everyone, in small steps.

Building Jewish life means committing to doing mitzvot each and every day. The literal meaning of the Hebrew word mitzvah is commandment, from the root of the word (tz-v-h) which means to command. Often, however, the word mitzvah is described as doing a good deed. Following the path of mitzvot is all about actions—not just thinking good thoughts or wishing someone well, but actually doing things that show empathy and kindness.

Doing and keeping mitzvot are the pathway to live a more meaningful and purposeful life, using the personal and unique gifts that God has given us. But it’s not something we do alone. The path of mitzvah is all about connecting with others.

There is an additional way to define the word mitzvah. Tzavta is an Aramaic word that means “connection” or “joining.” By doing simple acts, we link the divine with the human and connect with people all around us.

Resolutions are usually about self-improvement. Popular ones include losing weight, getting organized, and learning new skills. They all focus on bettering ourselves but often overlook our relationships and connection with others.

In the Talmud our rabbis teach: “One mitzvah leads to another mitzvah.” Avot:4:2 In doing something for someone else, we may find that we also benefit. Our good deeds, our acts of connection lead to tikkun olam, repair of relationships and of the world around us.

A few years ago, PJ Library created this chart, “A Mitzvah A Day”, designed to inspire families to commit to doing a month of mitzvot, one for each day.

In 2025, let’s commit to doing a mitzvah a day, using Jewish wisdom to guide our actions and strengthen our connections in the new year.

L’shalom,

Rabbi Audrey S. Pollack

Print your own Mitzvah A Day chart at PJ Library.

Filed under: Rabbi's Message

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