This song is called “Aleinu L'Shabeach” or “It is Our Duty to Praise.” It is sung in Hebrew by the Maccabeats, but the video includes the lyrics in both Hebrew and English so more people can understand the words. The melody is wonderfully done, and the music is peaceful and calming. God is referred to as the Supreme King of Kings and the Holy One. The song repeatedly reminds us that it is our duty to ascribe greatness to the Lord as our creator and to give God praise, as it is easy to get caught up in the rush of life and stress about if we are fulfilling our true purpose.
While learning and planning for practical tangible needs is important, we should be careful not to get overwhelmed by those things. We can care about those things and also ease our tendency to become excessively stressed by focusing on what is most important. “The words of the wise are like goads, and the collected sayings are like firmly embedded nails, given by one shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness to the flesh. Now all has been heard. Let us hear the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:11-14).
It is good to learn. All truth is from God and we should focus on that. However, if all we do is learn stuff but don’t practice the truth God has given us, we are defeating the main purpose of life. The point of life isn’t just to know stuff, not even to merely master good theology, but to be the kind of people God wants us to be. In the Bible it says, “and one of them who was a Torah expert asked a sh’eilah (question) to trap him: "Rabbi, which of the mitzvot in the Torah is the most important?" He told him, “You are to love Adonai your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Matthew 22:35-37). The point of following God is submitting to the law of love. Love is the point. Do everything in love; be motivated by love. This is the main thing. “In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they may see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
--Written by Lee Bigg
