In this sichat mussar we will address the issue of the paradox between the individual & his relationship to the community. On the one hand, each member of the Jewish nation has his own uniqueness and this generates responsibilities. As Hillel formulated it in Avot: I must be for myself, I must utilize my talents & abilities to live up to my potential and make my contribution. On the other hand,I must forfeit my selfish needs, even (to some extent) my own identity, for the sake of the community, as Hillel puts it: If I am for myself what am I? It is this dialectic that refines the individual and ultimately determines his achievement in Avodat HaShem.