Leo XIV invokes ‘tikkun olam’, a concept of Jewish Kabbalah
Let’s break down what Leo XIV’s cringeworthy reference to ‘tikkun olam’ does and does not mean.
Let’s break down what Leo XIV’s cringeworthy reference to ‘tikkun olam’ does and does not mean.
(WM Round-Up) – When speaking to participants in Chicago’s ALS Walk for Life, Leo XIV offered a warm greeting and words of gratitude for scientists, caregivers, and patients.
But in the midst of his remarks, he made an extraordinary aside:
“Our Jewish brothers and sisters tell us that one of the great projects given the human family by God is to complete and perfect the very good creation given us — tikkun olam.”
“Tikkun Olam” is broadly described as “any activity that improves the world, bringing it closer to the harmonious state for which it was created.”1 It refers to repairing – perhaps more properly improving – the world, through human activity.
However, while it would probably be a mistake to treat Leo’s passing reference to tikkun olam too seriously, the term has darker and more troubling meanings than it may appear, which makes his invocation both scandalous and embarrassing.
Tikkun olam in liberal circles
In recent decades, it has been bandied about in Jewish and non-Jewish circles as a slogan for naturalistic social activism. Both Barack Obama and Bill Clinton have used the term as a means of establishing common ground with American Jewish voters.
The term is associated with spreading “values” such as abortion rights, feminism, LGBT ideology, environmental politics. Writing in JNS, Dr Sheila Nazarian explained that
“The term has skyrocketed in popularity today, particularly among the American-Jewish left. In fact, it is so commonly used in liberal circles that it has become something of a punchline. […]
“[A]ctivist-minded Jewish liberals treat it as a synonym for “social justice,” referring to acts of civic responsibility meant to “repair” the political and social ills of the world. Tikkun olam has come to refer to things like ‘allyship,’ ‘supporting marginalized communities,’ ‘championing diverse voices’ or simply just adopting progressive politics, all in the name of some alleged ancient Jewish commitment to fighting injustice and uplifting the oppressed. Some Jews even interpret it as simply ‘voting for the Democratic Party.’”
Given his political commitments, it seems probable that Leo XIV understands the term either in this sense – or at least, in a broader sense of good deeds having some power to “repair the world.”
However, this represents the secularisation of a term which originally had a religious meaning, which it continues to have religious Jews.
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