What we do matters

I realize this is no great hidush, but I am struck by the mishna on this page again by the deep belief that what we do matters. This is the underlying assumption of everything we have studied in this mesekhet so far -- that our actions, or lack thereof, influence G-d.

How many people in our community still think that way? Clearly the Holocaust did a lot of damage to this notion, but in many ways it is the fundamental assumption of the mitzvot. No matter how much we spin mitzvot like a self-help program (you'll feel better -- and loose weight!), it ultimately comes down to feeling like your actions make a difference, not only on earth but also spiritually.

How do we teach that?