GEN835 One important facet of Judaism that many people overlook, however, is the importance of making things beautiful. While this may seem somewhat superficial, it is actually an important part of our religion. For instance, it says in Genesis 15:2, “This is my God and I shall glorify Him.” The Rabbis who wrote the Mechilta, a commentary on Exodus, understood this to mean that one should always perform the mitzvot with as much beauty as possible, as an act of devotion to God. Therefore, it is actually incumbent upon us to make things in our lives more beautiful. (By Adam Goodkind)