Tikkun Olam

When the term tikkun olam — translated as “repair,” “betterment,” or “improvement” of the world — first appears throughout the fourth chapter of tractate Gittin in the Mishnah, it refers to rabbinic edicts likely meant to foster social order, like Hillel’s prozbul and the decree that two witnesses must sign a divorce document. In the ancient Aleinu prayer, the term is used in the context of a future messianic era in which idolatry would be obliterated, and all would recognize God’s omnipotence. In kabbalistic literature, tikkun olam means performing religious acts in order to gather fragments of God’s light and return them to their source. In modern times, many use "tikkun olam" to refer to pursuing social justice.