It’s Not Just a Good Book: The Torah as the Instrument of Redemption

by Ram ben Ze'ev

It’s Not Just a Good Book: The Torah as the Instrument of Redemption

There is a dangerous mindset, subtle and quiet, that has crept into the consciousness of some Jews—perhaps not intentionally, but through a slow erosion of expectation.

It’s the idea that Torah, while powerful, is primarily a tool for personal growth. That mitzvot (מצוות) help us become better individuals. That study makes us wiser, and that prayer helps us feel more connected.

All of that is true—but if that is all we believe, we are missing the entire purpose of the Torah and the Jewish mission.

If you do not expect the coming of Mashiach (משיח, the Anointed One), if you do not believe that spreading the light of Torah will and not just can change the world, then you are not merely limiting the Torah—you are distorting it. G-D forbid, it becomes in your eyes just a “really good book.” And that is a view that must be re-examined urgently.

A Lesson from the Foundations of Faith

The Rambam codified the belief in the coming of Mashiach as one of the thirteen essential principles of Jewish faith. To await his arrival daily is not poetic language—it is a commandment that reflects the soul’s yearning for purpose fulfilled, for a world rectified, for Malchut Shamayim (מלכות שמים, the Sovereignty of Heaven) to be revealed in this world.

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The Holy Zohar teaches that G-D looked into the Torah and created the world—הסתכל באורייתא וברא עלמא (histakel be’oraita uvara alma). Torah is not merely guidance—it is the architecture of existence. To engage with Torah and mitzvot is to interact with the essence of Creation, with the intention of bringing it to its completion: the era of redemption.

When we perform mitzvot, when we study Torah, when we live as Jews not only for self-improvement but as partners in the redemption of the world, then we are truly fulfilling our purpose. Otherwise, we risk reducing the infinite to the manageable. G-D forbid.

A Modern Application

Consider how Torah is presented today in many circles—as a path to wellness, as a framework for ethical living, as a cultural heritage. These may appeal to modern sensibilities, but they are insufficient. Torah is not our heritage—it is our mission. It is not a guide—it is the driver of the world’s destiny.

If we raise children to see Torah as merely a source of tradition, they will treat it as optional. If we ourselves treat mitzvot as symbolic or cultural, we rob them of their power. But if we live with emunah (אמונה, faith) that every action draws divine light into the world and brings the geulah (גאולה, redemption) closer, then our Judaism is alive with purpose.

Every mezuzah affixed, every Shabbat kept, every act of charity, every moment of sincere Torah study—it is all cosmic. Every Jew who returns to Torah strengthens the world’s soul.

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A Reflection for Today

Ask yourself honestly: Do I expect Mashiach? Do I anticipate his arrival not as fantasy, but as certainty? Do I see Torah as the instrument that will change the world, not just as a guide to personal morality?

If your answer is hesitant, you are not alone. Many have forgotten to yearn. But today is the day to remember. To reawaken the heart’s expectation. To realign with the vision that Torah is not just for us—it is for the world.

We must never be satisfied with the state of things. We must never accept a world where G-D’s Presence is hidden and justice is delayed. We must burn with the desire to complete the mission given to us at Sinai.

A Call to Action

To every Jew in every land: Reignite your faith in the power of Torah—not as a private treasure, but as the tool through which we will, with G-D’s help, transform the world.

Teach your children to expect Mashiach. Learn Torah with urgency. Perform mitzvot with kavanah (כונה, intention). Speak to others with conviction that redemption is not a fantasy—it is our future.

And when someone asks what keeps you going, say with clarity: “Because I believe that the Torah will change the world—and I believe that Mashiach is coming.”

Because that belief is not hope.

It is truth.

It is our destiny.

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Bill White (Ram ben Ze'ev) is CEO of WireNews Limited, Mayside Partners Limited, MEADHANAN Agency, Kestrel Assets Limited, SpudsToGo Limited and Executive Director of Hebrew Synagogue