anonymous: Is our ultimate purpose for self-perfection through following the laws of G-d, or to focus on the service of g-d specifically?

Rabbi Shlomo: i am not sure I understand the question

anonymous: well, heres the crux of my statement

Rabbi Shlomo: ok

anonymous: If someone were to come to me, asking me the purpose of life, what would I say?

anonymous: to serve g-d, or to perfect myself through the laws he gave us

anonymous: what is the emphasis? 

Rabbi Shlomo: the purpose of life is to serve G-d

Rabbi Shlomo: part of that service is perfecting oneself, but that is only PART of that service

anonymous: Is that why g-d created us? 

Rabbi Shlomo: Yes, G-d created everything for his glory - we were created to service Him - and He wants us to perfect ourselves and the world around us - through HIS methods and towards HIS goals

anonymous: I often dicuss this with my freinds, but they say is it not a slefish pupose to create inorder for self glorification ?

Rabbi Shlomo: aha!

Rabbi Shlomo: 1) That is why you need to read my whole statement. What is the "Service" that He wants?

Rabbi Shlomo: 2) Is it less selfish to say we exist to perfect OURSELVES?!

Rabbi Shlomo: 3) Creating us to serve Him would only be selfish it He needs the service more than we. But what if He essentially does not need us ONE iota; but He wants to give us the merit of being involved in a divine plan? Is it still selfish? or is it extremely generous of Him to go through the "trouble" of creating all the world, and all of us, so that we may be fortunate enough to be helpful in the Divine plan!

anonymous: that is truly an insightful concept

anonymous: so, our service to him is not for g-d but for us alone

Rabbi Shlomo: ultimately!

Rabbi Shlomo: So although we live with the intention to serve him - that alone is to OUR benefit more than it is to His

anonymous: wow, that clears alot up, thank you

anonymous: one more thing before I go, Is this beleif accpeted throughout judiaism ?

Rabbi Shlomo: absolutely. Hold on and I will give you two talmudic statements that demonstrate this

anonymous: that would be grealy appreciated

Rabbi Shlomo: Ethics of our fathers 6:11 "Everything that G-d created in His world, He did not create but for His glory. As is stated (Isaiah 43:7): "All that is called by My name and for My glory, I created it, formed it, also I made it." "

anonymous: and the other source

Rabbi Shlomo: Right after that we say "Rabbi Chanania Ben Akashia said, G-d wanted to give merits to the Jewish people, so He gave them an abundance of Mitzvahs..."

Rabbi Shlomo: From this we see that the world was created for G-d, and yet G-d is concerned about OUR merits

Rabbi Shlomo: the other source is...

Rabbi Shlomo: There are two (seemingly) conflicting statements in the Talmud. One says every person can (and should) rightfully say "the whole world was created for me"¹, and the other statement says "I was created to serve my Creator"²

Rabbi Shlomo: They are both true as explained above. Our function is to serve our Creator, but that alone is a benefit for me, so in essence the whole world was created for my benefit – and that benefit is that I should have the opportunity to serve my creator

anonymous: Thank you very much, these are pretty irrefutable soruces

anonymous: thank you for all your help, have a good afternoon