“Ask the Rabbi” Any Jewish Question with Rabbi Shmuel Greenwald Here’s Today’s Question!

It’s true that Judaism contains many detailed laws governing much, if not all, of our daily behavior. But that raises an important question: What does spirituality actually mean?

In Judaism, spirituality is not about escaping the physical world. Rather, it is about elevating the physical and transforming ordinary actions into opportunities for connection with the Almighty. We take the material things of this world and use them for a higher purpose.

For example, wax candles are, by themselves, ordinary objects. Yet, when we light Shabbat or holiday candles, they become instruments of peace, holiness, and connection to Hashem. Through a simple physical act, something mundane becomes spiritual.

The same principle applies to the details of Jewish life. The more we care about something, the more attention we pay to its details. A person might do an occasional favor for a friend, but when it comes to a spouse, they are attentive to countless small things: What foods does my spouse enjoy? What activities make them happy? What gestures are meaningful to them? The details matter because the relationship matters.

Love is expressed through attentiveness. The “little things” are not a burden; they are often the greatest expression of care.

Our relationship with Hashem is no different. The many details of mitzvot are opportunities to express our love, commitment, and awareness of His presence in every aspect of life. What may seem like minutiae is actually the language of a close relationship. Through the small things, we sanctify the ordinary, and ultimately discover that the small things are what shape the big things.