Philosphy - by Dr. Michael Ghods

Tikkun Olam, translated “repairing the world,” is a Hebrew term often used to express an individual’s mission on Earth on the macro scale. Before a singular human aspires to repair the entire world, the sages instruct one to tend to their Dalet Amot or “four cubits.” It’s appropriate that we don’t know the exact measure of a cubit, because we each have our own personal portion of Earth that we are meant to tend to and heal. Each portion being equally significant, however large or small. Actualize your Dalet Amot. The center is yourself. First respect yourself, take care of yourself, love yourself. Next those around you (your neighbor), so on and so forth until you create a multitude of concentric circles. When we each care for our micro, we will create circles that will intersect and overlap with the next person’s circle, ultimately culminating in Tukkun Olam.

My higher level education began at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) where I majored in Psycho-biology as an undergraduate. It was the start of my fascination with the intersection between the human body and human spirit & our intellectual faculties and emotive faculties. I completed my medical education in Northern California at the University of California, Davis (UCD) while living in Sacramento. My teachers helped me understand the human body and sharpen my intellect through exacting and cold academia. Simultaneously, I was learning Chassidic philosophy (Jewish mysticism). The warm teachings of the Tanya (the magnum opus of the Alter Rebbe) calmed my spirit and helped develop my emotions. I chose to do my Internal Medicine residency at the State University of New York (at Brooklyn), where we rotated at 3 hospitals, of which Kings County Hospital was the crown jewel. I left Brooklyn humbled by my experiences and simultaneously proud to have had such a training. My hope is to imitate the olive, which when finely crushed releases the purest of oils, to generate the most incredible luminescent display. Since completing residency I have joined the faculty at Harbor-UCLA, a county hospital in Torrance, continuing to work where I felt my impact would be most significantly felt: with an underserved population which has limited psychosocial resources.

My education has not ceased since leaving residency, every day and every encounter is an opportunity for growth and learning. In my return to Los Angeles, while interacting with people in my own community I found that people here are suffering just as they are in Torrance and Brooklyn, albeit through different maladies. I am hoping to begin another concentric circle of peace, love, and healing here in Beverly Hills. Starting with myself, Michael Jacob Ghods. A circle I hope will expand outwards and include the entire portion of Earth that I am meant to tend to and heal. G-d bless you all.

Tzedakah Breakdown

Tzedakah is the responsibility to give aid, assistance and money to the poor and needy, or to worthwhile causes. Tzedakah means being good stewards of and planning to give a portion of one's personal substance for the common good. Althought it is related to charity, the translation of tzedakah is broader than the definition of charity. Charity suggests benevolence and generosity, an act of the powerful and wealthy for the benefit of the poor and needy. Tzedakah is derived from the Hebrew language and means righteousness, fairness or justice.