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There is a story told within our tradition of an important decision God had to make on the sixth day of creation: "Should I create humanity?"

To that point, God's newly minted universe was perfection. The heavens, the earth, land, vegetation, the stars, the sun, moon, sea creatures, birds, and animals were all in place.

It was good. But was it enough?

So, God -- being the living embodiment of wisdom and balance -- sought a variety of opinions.

God first approached the Angel of Truth. "Should I create humanity?"

"Don't do it!" said the angel. "This person will insist they have the truth, and so will another and another. And in the fight to assert their truths, your beautiful world will be destroyed."

God thanked the angel and moved on to the Angel of Peace. "Should I create humanity?"

"Yes, God, please create humanity," the angel replied. "Over time, this person will learn to compromise with that person of a different viewpoint. I believe that your world will be brought to completion when humans learn to listen to each other and make peace."

God then threw the Angel of Truth to the ground, and in that moment, humanity was created.

As this much-interpreted story inspires us to consider, there are too many people in this world who claim to have the inside track on what truth is, and what God truly wants of us.

There are constant debates within Judaism over how to perform various rituals, as well as who is "in" and who is "out". 

In the same way, Islam has been divided over who the rightful successor to Mohammad should have been. Christianity has been split along denominational lines for centuries upon centuries.

During the late 1990s, violence erupted at a Sikh temple during a debate over whether worshippers could sit in chairs as opposed to mats.

Is this what God wants of us?

The answer to this question, many believe, is contained in this week's prophetic reading (Haftorah) from the book of Micah which answers Judaism's ageless question.

About two thousand years ago, our Sages were concerned that Jewish observance was waning. It was termed "the peoples' ongoing spiritual diminishment."

The Rabbis concluded that Judaism's 613 Mitzvot(Commandments) were too many to remember -- so, based on King David's Psalm 15 -- they condensed all Mitzvot into 11 requirements.

"Who deserves to walk in God's tent?"

The Talmud answers: "One who walks in perfect innocence and works righteously, and speaks the truth from his heart; who has no slander on his tongue, who has done his fellow no evil, nor cast disgrace upon his close one, in whose eyes a contemptible person is repulsive, but who honors those who respect God, who can swear to his detriment without retracting; who lends not his money on interest and takes not a bribe against the innocent.

"The doer of these shall never falter." (Babylonian Talmud, Makkot 24b)

But, as it turns out, even these 11 benchmarks were too much to remember.

So the Rabbis, based on a passage from Isaiah 33:15, further condensed the code into six requirements.

"Who is the person who can successfully fulfill God's commandments?"

"One who walks with righteousness and speaks with fairness, who spurns extortionate profit, shakes his hands from holding a bribe; who seals his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil."

But the Rabbis concluded that this too was TMI. And so, in today's terms, they reduced Judaism's 613 commandments into one three-part tweet, which resonates to this day.

The Talmud answers the question, quoting the words of the prophet Micah: "What does God require of you?"

"Only to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."

There are so many in this world who claim custody of the truth. They are not humble.

There are many who hoard their possessions, or limit access to food, shelter, and prosperity.  Many continue to degrade the integrity of God's creation in pursuit of wealth. They are neither good nor kind.

There are also many in this world who judge the religions of others, or their levels of observance.

Many in our community fear being "Jewbarrassed" over their lack of Hebrew, or understanding or the prayers, or when to bow, stand, or sit.

In the end, these laws and rituals are of little meaning if we do not base them on justice, kindness, and humility. These are the foundations of Judaism.

But if we remember and follow Micah's words -- the essence of Judaism's 613 commandments -- then I believe that the vision of the Angel of Peace will one day be realized.

It is ever more important during these times of "spiritual diminishment" that we remember, according to our tradition, what God really wants from us.

"Only to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God."

It is the ultimate and attainable path to peace, serenity, and the healing of this broken world.

All the rest is commentary.

Rabbi Irwin Huberman