How Do You Know If a Cause Is Actually Good?

Answer

There’s a simple litmus test to see whether a cause is holy or not. Ignore the slogans on the T-shirts and the hashtags on social media. Look at the toolbox.

Holiness shows up at the job site with a hammer, some nails and a blueprint. It wants to build something. Unholiness shows up with a sledgehammer. It wants to smash something.

The defining trait of holiness is that it creates.

The Torah itself begins with creation. The very first thing G-d does is build a world. And the final words of our daily prayers ask G-d to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Judaism begins with creation and ends with construction.

Unholiness is the opposite. It seeks to destroy. A movement whose only plan is to "dismantle," "tear down," or "cancel," isn’t righteous. It’s immorality in a “Save the World” hoodie.

Unholiness has a marketing problem. It can’t admit what it is. It doesn't walk around with a "Bad Guy" nametag. Instead it hijacks good causes. It starts with a genuine concern for fairness, justice or peace. But slowly the focus shifts. Love for the victim is replaced by hostility for anyone who disagrees. What poses as “pro” something is really just “anti” something else.

Holy work leaves people feeling empowered, connected, and responsible. It heals relationships and builds bridges. Unholy work does the opposite. It leaves people suspicious of each other and quick to pick sides. It divides communities and turns friends into enemies.

Sometimes holiness does need to fight against harmful forces. The Torah itself recognises that evil must be stopped. But holy struggle removes only what is rotten, so something better can be built in its place. Destructive movements don’t repair structures. They just swing the wrecking ball.

So next time you encounter a “righteous” cause, ask one simple question: if these people get exactly what they want, will the world have more life in it? Will relationships be stronger? Will people feel more connected? Will something beautiful actually be built?

Don’t be fooled. Holiness leaves a better structure. Unholiness leaves rubble. If it doesn’t build, it’s not G-d’s work. No matter what hoodie it wears.