Life According to Charlie Harary and Legend of Korra

We are very near the end of Kohelet. This week, we began working in Chavruta on the Yirei Elokim's final speech. As of this moment, I do not have enough understanding of what he's saying to whom to reflect on that. However, this weekend has given me a lot to ponder in many different ways.

The first and most obvious way is that I heard Charlie Harary speak. After his speech on Friday night, I approached him with some friends to thank him for giving me an extra boost of inspiration after coming off of an inspirational high this summer. After I was done speaking to him, one of my friends asked a question. I honestly cannot remember exactly what the question was about, but the answer was much more profound than the question. Mr. Harary started talking about how Judaism is the perfect blend of both the spiritual and physical worlds. We cannot have too much physical pleasure, nor can we have only spiritual pleasure. Judaism is constructed to reflect a balanced world in which people have a connection to both the spiritual and the physical. At the time, I thought that this was extremely insightful and is probably the essence of why Judaism is the way it is.

Then, on Saturday night, I was sitting in my room watching the season 2 finale of Legend of Korra. Disclaimer: SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!! 

Anyway, season 2 has been all about how Avatar Korra is the bridge between the spiritual and physical worlds. Korra is the human host for the spirit of light. In this final episode, she has to battle the spirit of darkness. Predictably, Korra succeeds in subduing the dark spirit and restores balance to the world. After the battle is won, Korra ponders closing the entrances from the spirit world to the physical world. The first Avatar closed the portals ten thousand years before. Korra deliberates and finally decides to leave the portals open. In a speech to the world, she claims that her decision not to close the portals will allow the merging of the physical and spiritual world; humans and spirits can now live together in peace.

While this show might seem like some light-hearted children's show, it actually has some deep messages about finding meaning and balance in life. What Korra did when she vanquished the evil spirit and kept the doors to the spirit world open was truly restore balance to the universe. This way, both the spiritual and physical realms can exist in balance with each other. Perhaps this is the way to find the meaning in life. At this point, I don't think I have to point out that the philosophies of the Neheneh, Ammal, and Chacham were rejected because of their extreme views of how the world works. I can only hope that the Yirei Elokim and Kohelet himself come to the conclusion that both Charlie Harary and Korra have: a balance needs to exist or G-d's system will not work. Man is accountable and should work through a partnership with G-d. Physical pleasure, work ethic, and intelligence are all necessary parts of the world, but none alone is the most important. In the end, it is a joining of all of the philosophies (without their extreme conclusions about how horrible the world is) that will prevail.

What do you guys think? What is the meaning of life? Which way will Kohelet turn? Is there more to life than what I have suggested? Is it necessary for G-d to be involved? Can a balance be maintained without G-d's involvement?