I really like reading bumper stickers. As a kid whenever we went on a family road trip, we would always look for them and read them out loud in the car.

Some were serious, like “Drive gossip away” and others were humorous like “Maybe the hokey pokey is really what it’s all about.” Somehow, I doubt it.

Occasionally you see a bumper sticker that makes you think and captures an important message. For example, “Think global! Act local!”

Unfortunately, many people are very engaged in thinking globally, but are not interested in local change. They worry about changing everyone else but give very little thought to their own life and what they need to change.

This reminds me of the safety instructions that they give before taking off on a plane. If the oxygen masks come down, they tell you to take care of yourself first before helping others. If you can’t breathe, you will not be of any assistance to those around you.

The verse tells us something that should be obvious but isn’t always. Before doing anything else, the kohein gadol (high priest) had to effect his own atonement. He had to “act local” and make sure that his own house was in order and only then worry about others.

The Sages of the Mishna say the following: “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, then what am I?”

Life is a delicate balance between taking care of yourself, worrying about yourself and “thinking globally.” While both are critical, you need to start locally with yourself.

There is a story told of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter that when he was young, he wanted to change the world. Then he realized that there was enough work to do in his community. Later he realized that he needed to work on himself. He ended up changing the world.