This provocative image from the Israel Museum provides one of the most compelling examples of what modern art can accomplish.  Even as the values of contemporary society become more tangled, our priorities more topsy-turvy, our ideals more overgrown with deadwood, and the roots of civilized society increasingly shriveled, it’s not too late to take a fresh look at where we are and where we’re headed.

We just need to look with open eyes and clear minds.

The Talmud compares a person whose wisdom exceeds his good deeds to a tree with many branches and few roots.  Ideas that fail to materialize into positive action may be worse than no ideas at all, since they allow us to live in the world of the mind and praise ourselves for our noble intentions while we stand idly by and allow evil to reign.

Only by recognizing the contradictions in our own lives will we be able to turn the world right-side-up again and restore order amidst the chaos.