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Is it realistic to believe that a time will come when everything will be perfect and there will be nothing left for us to do?
It seems like an unrealistic belief because we are accustomed to the world being imperfect and we are resigned to coping within its limitations. A perfect world is inconceivable. According to Torah, however, the world was originally created in a perfect state, and was corrupted through the acts of mankind. Ever since the sin of Adam and Eve, we have been working on rectifying that blemish and purifying the world again. When Moshiach comes, the world will be restored to its original state of perfection.
However, according to Chassidic teachings, G-d deliberately left room for imperfection in the world, in order to allow us to play a role in creation. Each time we do a divine act or kindness, we perfect that aspect of the universe. Over the generations, the cumulative effects of our good deeds have been slowly returning the world to its previous state.
This is not to say that the Redemption will merely restore the world to a state that already existed in the past. The perfection after Redemption will be completely different for it will be earned through our own efforts.
Does this mean that the Redemption marks the end to human ambition, innovation and improvement? Absolutely not. We will be released of the burden of battling negative forces, neither from within or without, and we will be left with an infinite landscape in which to grow personally, spiritually and emotionally. There will be no end to the insight we can gain and share, and the depth of meaning that we will find in existence. Each day will be a new experience of uniting with the Creator and discovering new facets of G-dliness.
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