The World to Come Part I

7/31/2019 The World to Come Part I

1/17Spirituality & Kabbalah1

The World To Come: ParT I

Wt i t W i t W t C?

In this three-part series on the World to Come, we will discover that there is moreto the world than meets the eye. Fundamental to the Jewish worldview is theunderstanding that a spiritual reality exists beyond what we experience in the physicalworld. When a person dies, only his body is buried while his soul enters a spiritual

realm where it continues to live and have sel-awareness. During the Messianic Era the

soul rejoins the body during the Resurrection o the Dead in a world that has a clearer

recognition o God.

Just as the individual experiences dierent phases o existence that ultimately end up

in a higher reality, so too the human race as a whole. The present state o existence is a

temporary stage in the unolding development o mankind toward a utopian uture.

In this rst o a three-part series on the World to Come, we will explore the

ollowing questions: What is the World to Come is there lie ater death? Where does the Torah talk about a World to Come? What happens ater death? What does one experience in the World to Come? Is the World to Come in any way similar to this world?

What is the purpose o the World to Come?

Css Oti:

Section I. The Existence o a World to Come

Part A. Biblical Sources

Part B. Talmudic and Midrashic Sources

Section II. What is the World to Come?

Part A. The Two Phases o the World to Come

Part B. The Spiritual Delight o the World to Come

Part C. A Taste o the World to Come

Section III. The Purpose o the World to Come

Part A. The Place or Reward, Accountability, and Spiritual Perection

Part B. The Natural Consequence o Ones Actions

Part C. The Purpose o Creation


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Spirituality & Kabbalah 2

SeCTIOn I. The exIsTenCe of a World To Come

Beore getting into the specic denition o the World to Come and how it is attained, we will start by

demonstrating rom the Chumash (Five Books o Moses), Prophets, and Talmudic sources that Judaism

denitely arms belie in the aterlie. The Chumash does not directly reer to the aterlie or the World to

Come or reasons discussed in the Morasha class World to Come Part II.

ParT a. BIBlICal SOurCeS

1. Bisit (Gsis) 25:8-9; 35:28-9 T t gt to is pop, wic cos ft

t bfo bi, its t ftif.

Avraham (Abraham) expired and died at a good

age, mature and content, and he was gathered

to his people. His sons, Yitzchak (Isaac) and

Yishmael (Ishmael), buried him in the cave o

Machpelah, in the eld o Ephron, son o Zohar

the Hittite, which borders Mamre

Yitzchak lived to be 180 years old. He expired

and died, and was gathered to his people, old

and in the ullness o his years. His sons, Eisav

(Esau) and Yaakov (Jacob), buried him.

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The phrase gathered to his people refects joining the souls o others in a soul world.

2. Toot Yitzck, ibi. T isboi so ttcs itsf to ot sos ft t.

And he was gathered to his people this reers

to the soul which is gathered together with the

souls o its righteous ancestors; or when the soul

is in the body it is separated rom the rest o the

souls that are not connected to a body. Yet when

it leaves the body, the soul attaches itsel to the

rest o the souls that are similarly separated rom

their bodies.

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3. Kot (eccsists) 12:7 aft t t so ts to Go.

And the dust returns to the earth as it was, and

the spirit returns to God, Who gave it.

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4. I S (S) 28:3; 11-15 aft is t, t popt S ws is p i visio.

Shmuel had died and all Israel eulogized him andburied him in Ramah, in his home town ...


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Spirituality & Kabbalah3

And the woman said, Whom shall I raise rom

the dead or you? And he [King Shaul/Saul] said,

Raise up Shmuel or me And the woman

said to Shaul, I saw a great man ascending

rom the earth. He then said to her, What

does he look like? She said, An elderly man is

ascending, and he is garbed in a cloak. Shaulrealized it was Shmuel and he bowed down with

his ace to the ground, and prostrated himsel.

And Shmuel said to Shaul, Why did you disturb

me, to raise me up?

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5. Vyik (lvitics) 18:5, wit Sif, pss 9:10 T To poiss t if fo

kpig itzvot.

You shall observe My statutes and My ordinances,

which a person shall do and thereby live. I am

the Lord.

And thereby live in the World to Come.

Perhaps you might think that this phrase reers

to this world. But eventually everyone will die

and thereore what would be the meaning o live

by them? [Hence it must reer to the] World to

Come

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ParT B. TalmudIC and mIdraShIC SOurCeS

1. Bisit rbb 1:10 at t bgiig of istc, two wos w ct: tis wo

t Wo to Co.

Why was the world created with the letter beit

[i.e. in the word bereishit]? To teach you that

there are two worlds this world and the World

to Come [since the letter beit has the numerical

value o two].

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2. Piki avot (etics of t Fts) 4:16 Tis wo is cop to coio tt s ito

bt , wic is t Wo to Co.

Rabbi Yaakov said, This world is like a lobby

beore the World to Come. Prepare yoursel in the

lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall.

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3. rb (miois), ibi. If iivi cis t pop ttibts i tis wo,

its if i t Wo to Co.

The analogy is understood and the purpose is

well-known: In this world a person acquires the

attributes that enable him to merit lie in the

World to Come, and this world is the path and

passageway.

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4. mis, P 1:1 T picip pc fo t w of o ffots is i t Wo toCo.

These are the precepts whose perormance have

no set measure: leaving the corner o a eld or

the poor, the rst ruit oering, pilgrimage to

the Temple in Jerusalem, acts o kindness, and

the study o Torah. These are the precepts whose

perormance derives benet in this world, butthe principal reward awaits a person in the World

to Come: honoring ones ather and mother,

acts o kindness, bringing peace between two

individuals, and the study o Torah is equivalent

to them all.

.

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KeY ThemeS OF SeCTIOn I:

Judaism afrms the existence of life after death and a World to Come.H

T Cs (Fiv Books of moss) os ot icty f to t ftif o t Wo to CoH

fo sos tt wi b iscss i t mos css Wo to Co Pt II.

nvtss, t T cotis y fcs to if ft t t Wo to Co, H

t Popts co coictig wit t sos of t .

seCTIon II. WhaT Is The World To Come?

We demonstrated above that the Torah arms the existence o an aterlie, and that the soul continues to live

even ater it has let its earthly abode. In this section we will discuss what the World to Come actually is, and

what place it takes within the context o the Jewish worldview.

ParT a. The TWO PhaSeS OF The WOrld TO COme

As discussed in the Morasha Introduction to the Messiah and World to Come, The World to Come is split into

two phases. The rst phase is experienced ater death when the soul goes to the Olam HaNeshamot, the Worldo the Souls, and is already in existence. This stage is reerred to by the Talmud as Gan Eden (The Garden o

Eden). The second phase o the World to Come will be a uture era beginning with the Messianic period.


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Ater the arrival o the Mashiach there will be two separate resurrections o the dead. A rst resurrection will

take place immediately ollowing the arrival o the Mashiach. However, only people who were completely

righteous during their lietime will rise at that time. A second resurrection or the rest o mankind will ollow

at the end o the period o Mashiach. At that time, known as the Great Day o Judgement, God will settle

every score o injustice and determine precisely the level o eternal lie to be granted to each body/soul unit.

This will be an entirely new orm o existence, unlike either this world or the World o the Souls.

1. rc (rbbi mos Ci lzztto), m hIki T Wo to Co s twostgs.

The reward o the World to Come is, in

accordance with ones deeds in this world, a xed

degree o the true good, i.e. attachment to God,

which will then be enjoyed or all eternity. This

in turn is also divided into two parts, one being

in the World o the Souls, and the other in the

World ater the Resurrection

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2. rb (ncis), Tot a, S hG T Wo to Co foows pogssio of vts is tity t istc.

The reward o the souls and their existence in

the World o the Souls is called Gan Eden by our

rabbis

Ater the World o the Souls will come the era o

the Messiah, which is a part o this world.

At the conclusion thereo, the Great Judgment

and the Resurrection o the Dead will occur. This

is the period o reward that includes the body

and soul.

This is the World to Come, in which the body

will become like the soul and the soul will cleave

to the knowledge o God, just as it adhered to it

in the Gan Eden o the World o the Souls. Now,

however, it will be elevated to an even greater

degree and everything will continue to existorever and ever.

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3. rc, ai Bo, Pt I T tit Wo to Co is tiy w fo ofistc.

At that point God will judge each and every detail

that happened since the beginning o Creation,

all six thousand years o it. Then will come the

seventh millennium to break the mold then

the eighth millennium, that is, the new world. Atthat point a new structure [o Creation] will be

built o which we have no concept at all.

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For the sake o simplicity, we will use the term the World to Come to reer to the experience o the soul

ater death in general, although some o the sources below may reer specically to one stage rather than the

other.

ParT B. The SPIrITual delIGhT OF The WOrld TO COme

The details o immortality and the World to Come are not mentioned explicitly in the Written Torah. The

prophet thereore says when speaking o the World to Come, No eye has seen it, other than God, that

which He will do or those who hope in Him (Yeshayahu/Isaiah 63:4). Nevertheless, as we shall see in the

ollowing sources, the Oral Torah contains descriptions by way o analogy and metaphor.

1. T Bvi (Bbyoi T), Bcot 17 T Wo to Co is spiit igt.

A avorite saying o Rav was: The uture world

is not like this world. In the uture world, there

is neither eating, nor drinking, nor propagation,

nor business, nor jealousy, nor hatred, nor

competition. Rather, the righteous sit with their

crowns on their heads enjoying the radiance o

the Divine Presence.

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2. T Bvi, Tit 31 T igtos wi joic i t Psc of Go.

Ulla Biraah said in the name o Rabbi Elazar,

In the uture the Holy One, Blessed be He, will

make a circle or the righteous, and He will sit

among them in the Garden o Eden, and each

one will point to Him with his nger, as it is

written: And men will say on that day, this is our

God or Whom we have waited and He will save

us; this is the Lord or Whom we have waited

and we will be glad and rejoice in His salvation

[Yeshayahu, 25.9].

) (

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3. rc, dc hs (T Wy of Go) 1:3:12, Tstio by rbbi ay Kp,Fi Pbiss, p. 57 T isboi so pics igt i t Wo of t

Sos sii to wt it wi pic i t Wo to Co (ft rsctio).

However, when the soul leaves the body and

enters the World o the Souls, it can then radiate

reely with a brightness that bets it as a result o

its good deeds [while associated with the body].

Through both this and what it can attain in the

World o the Souls, the soul is able to regain the

power it lost while associated with the body.

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4. rbbi eiy dss, Stiv fo Tt, Vo. III, p. 191 a pso wi igt i t

ppcitio of Gos ov ckowgt, gt stisfctio fo is owcontribution to the fulllment of the purpose of Creation.

Upon entering the state known as the World to Come the tzaddik (righteous person), as we sawabove, begins to enjoy the splendor o the Shechinah (Gods Presence). God raises, so to speak, acorner o the curtain, and the tzaddik experiences a little o Gods greatness, o His overwhelming,

many-aceted love or His creatures. He gets an inkling o the majestic universal plan which God hasor all His creatures, and derives unimaginable joy rom the realization that his struggle with hisyetzerhara (Evil Inclination)in his previous state has signicantly contributed to the ulllment o that plan.His soul is suused with unutterable delight.

And another thing, the very act that he is granted such revelations, the very act that he is privileged

to experience so much pleasure must mean [i.e. he realizes] that his past eorts are appreciated. To

know that God, Whom he served, is pleased with him adds immeasurably to his satisaction.

ParT C. a TaSTe OF The WOrld TO COme

1. T Bvi, Bcot 57b Cti tigs tst of t Wo to Co.

There are three things which are a taste o the

World to Come: Shabbat, the sun, and usage.

What does usage mean? Usage o the bed

[i.e. marital relations]? But that weakens the

body. Rather it means usage o the orices [i.e.

emptying ones bowels].

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2. rbbi rv lct Pysic sstios of ig ity tst of t Wo toCo.

Each one o these things [in Berachot 57b] is a eeling o spiritual awareness that a person experiences

with his physical senses:

1. Shabbat: a sense o the nature o spirituality experienced by the body.

2. The sun: a sense o the infuence o celestial bodies on the body.

3. Marital relations: the continuity o the Jewish people experienced with the body. But since the

physical sensation weakens the body it ails to parallel the experience o the World to Come,

thereore the alternative version:

4. Emptying ones bowels: the bodys experience o expelling the bad.

Any awareness o a higher existence that a person can sense with his own body is a taste o the

World to Come.

3. ms, Bcot 57b Sbbt is fit yt iscb tc of t Wo to Co

Five things are one-sixtieth o another: Shabbat is

one-sixtieth o the World to Come.

Just as we nd in regard to orbidden mixtures

that one part in sixty maintains its identity andis not nullied so too here, all the things

mentioned retain aint traces o the original.

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4. rbbi eiy dss, mictv meiy, Vo. V, p. 96 Sbbt vs so of t i

spiit igt tt wits s i t Wo to Co.

Shabbat is a taste o the World to Come,

meaning that it is an aspect o the World to Come

right here in this world, [it is a piece o] the

hidden spiritual light [that exists in the World to

Come].

.

Similarly, observing Shabbat ceasing all physically creative activity and eorts to improve the physical

world instills a sense that the true purpose o lie is spiritual and that our involvement with the physical

world is not all-important.

KeY ThemeS OF SeCTIOn II:

Cti pics i tis wo it to t t of istc i t Wo to Co. T iH

ft, tog, is tt t Wo to Co wi b pic s t spiit igt of big i

Gos Psc.

O wi igt i t ppcitio of Gos ov ckowgt, gt stisfctio foH

his own contribution to the fulllment of the purpose of Creation.

Pysic sstios of ig ity tst of t Wo to Co.H

Sbbt vs so of t i spiit igt tt wits s i t Wo to Co.H

SeCTIOn III. The PurPose of The World To Come

The World to Come is the ultimate purpose o Creation to be eternally attached to the Will o God. By

using our ree will and utilizing the opportunities or spiritual growth in this world, we create a meaningul

World to Come. The World to Come is also the time we are rewarded or our positive actions in this world,

learn rom our mistakes, and become spiritually puried. As will be explained in the third Morasha class

on the World to Come, The New Me, Resurrection of the Dead, it is where we will experience the greatestspiritual delight and connection to God.

ParT a. The PlaCe FOr reWard, aCCOunTaBIlITY, and SPIrITual PurIFICaTIOn

In the World to Come we will be rewarded or the goodness we accomplished, learn rom our misdeeds, and

become spiritually puried.

i. rw fo t rigtos

1. dvi (dtooy)7:11, wit rsi citig T, evi 22 T Wo to Co is

t pc of civig w fo kpig t itzvot.

Keep the commandment, the decrees and the

laws that I command you today to do.

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rsi

Today to do and tomorrow, in the World to

Come, to receive the reward.

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2. rc, dc hs 1:3:3 I t Wo to Co pso ps t t w fo

t ffot to pfct isf i tis wo.

Gods goodness decreed that there be a limit to

mans eort required to attain perection. Ater

his period o eort is completed, he attains his

level o perection and is then allowed to enjoy it

or all eternity. God thereore created two distinct

periods, one as a time o earning and the other as

a time o receiving reward. However, the trait o

goodness is stronger since the time or earning is

xed according to Gods Will, while the time or

receiving the reward has no end. Rather, a person

will derive pleasure orever rom the perection

that he achieved.

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3. rb, hicot Tsv (lws of rptc) 8:1 rigtosss is w wit ifi t Wo to Co.

The goodness that awaits the righteous is the

World to Come. This is lie which has no death,

and goodness which has no element o bad. This

is the meaning o the verse: In order that it will

be good or you and you will have length o days

(Devarim 22:7). We learn rom tradition that

it will be good or you in the world which is

all good [this world] and you will have length

o days in a world which is limitless [lit. all

long]. This is the World to Come.

The reward or the righteous is to merit this

pleasantness and be part o this goodness. The

punishment or the wicked is that they will notmerit this lie, but will die.

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ii. Accountability and Spiritual Purication

As the last source indicated, it is possible or a person to miss out, even entirely, on the experience o lie in

the World to Come. But the alternative to reward in this instance is not punishment, but rather simply lack

o existence. Judaism does not believe in eternal damnation.

The World to Come has a mechanism to maximize the number o those who will be awarded eternal lie. It is

called Gehinnom, a spiritual cleansing process that prepares the soul or entrance to the World to Come.

Imagine standing completely visible before God, with your memory wide open, completely transparent without


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any jamming mechanism or reducing valve to diminish its force. You will remember everything you did and see

it in a new light. You will see it in the light of the unshaded spirit, or, if you will, in Gods own light that shinesfrom one end of Creation to the other. The memory of every good deed and mitzvah will be the sublimest ofpleasures, as our tradition speaks of Olam Haba. But your memory will also be open to all the things of whichyou are ashamed. They cannot be rationalized away or dismissed. You will be facing yourself, fully aware of

the consequences of all your deeds. We all know the terrible shame and humiliation experienced when one

is caught in the act of doing something wrong. Imagine being caught by ones own memory with no place toescape. This indeed, may be what Daniel is alluding to when he says (Daniel 12:2), And many of them thatsleep in the dust shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to reproach and everlasting shame. (From, If

You Were God, Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, NCSY Publications, pp. 30-31.)

1. rc, dc hs 2:2:4 Gio is spiit csig pocss to s ti ttc i t Wo to Co.

In his kindness, God maximized mans chances

o successully attaining his ultimate goal.

He thereore decreed that there should be a

secondary way to attach onesel to God or those

or whom such attachment is tting, namely

those who were overcome by evil, but not to

such an extent that they should lose existence

entirely. These people thereore experience the

punishment o Gehinnom, the purpose o which

is to recompense the person according to his

transgression in a way that he will be let with no

debt to pay or his misdeeds. He will then be able

to achieve his ultimate reward in accordance with

the good acts that he perormed.

By virtue o this system, the actual number o

those who are lost completely is minimized.

[Such a severe consequence] only applies to

those who have so completely been taken over

by evil that it would be impossible or them to

experience the true reward and eternal delight.

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The ollowing is an example rom the Mishnah o one who needs the spiritual cleansing o Gehinnom.

2. T Bvi, Kisi 82, wit ms a gty octo is sti fo Gio.

The best o doctors are destined or Gehinnom.

ms

That is, someone who considers himsel to be

the best o doctors, the most expert o whom

there is no equal. He relies too much on his own

intelligence, and in his arrogance sometimes

makes an incorrect diagnosis and ends up killing

the patient by prescribing something that was

actually harmul or him. He should rather haveconsulted with other doctors since he is dealing

with matters o lie and death.

.

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The Mishnah is not picking on doctors. They are highlighted here since they have great responsibility in

dealing with matters o lie and death. Nevertheless, the principle o accountability or ones actions, whether

in our careers, interpersonal relationships, or to God, applies to everyone.

iii rw i tis Wo t nt

One o the classic answers that Judaism oers to the question o why the righteous suer or the wickedprosper is that the righteous suer in this world in order to avoid any suering in the next; so too the wicked

are given their reward in this world rather than receive any share in the World to Come or whatever mitzvot

they might have perormed.

1. T Ysi (Js T), P 1:1 (5) T wick w i tiswo fo wtv goo ty o, wi t igtos pis fo wtv sis

ty coit.

I someone has a majority o merits and a

minority o sins, he will be punished or the ew

sins in this world so that he can receive his ullreward in the World to Come. But i someone

has a majority o transgressions and a minority o

merits, he is given the reward or his ew mitzvot

in this world and will be held accountable or his

misdeeds in the World to Come.

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2. dvi 7:10, wit rsi Go givs t wick ti w i tis wo.

And He repays those who hate Him, to their ace,

to cause them to perish; He will not delay the onewho hates Him, but he will repay him to his ace.

rsi

And He repays those who hate Him to their ace

during his lietime, God pays him his good

reward, in order to cause him to be lost rom the

World to Come.

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The ollowing two stories illustrate the inverse relationship between reward in this world and reward in the

World to Come:

3. T Bvi, Tit 25 It is pfb to civ w i t Wo to Co.

[Rabbi Eliezers] wie said to him, How long

must we go on suering so much rom poverty?

What should I do? he asked her. Pray that

Heaven give you something. He prayed and a

shape o a hand came rom Heaven and handed

him a golden table leg. In a dream he saw that in

the uture all the righteous would be eating on

tables that have three legs and he and his wie

would be eating on a table with two legs.

] [] [

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He asked his wie, Is it alright with you thateveryone else will be eating at a complete tableand we will be eating at an incomplete table?She said to him, What can we do? Pray that theytake it back. He prayed and they took it back.It was taught that the second miracle was greater

than the rst miracle because we have a traditionthat Heaven can give things, but does not takethem back.

] [

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4. Sot (eos) rbb 52:3 rw i tis wo c ct fo w i t Woto Co.

It once happened that a student o Rabbi Shimon

ben Yochai let Israel [to earn money] and

returned very wealthy. The students saw him and

were jealous. They also wanted to leave Israel [to

make money]. Rabbi Shimon understood and

took them to a certain sloping valley. He prayed

and said, Valley, valley, ll up with golden

coins. It began to fow with golden coins. Rabbi

Shimon said to his students, I you want gold,

here is gold. Take or yourselves whatever you

want. But you should know that whatever you

take now will be deducted rom your portion in

the World to Come, or the real compensation or

learning Torah is only in the World to Come.

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Note: One should not get the impression that Judaism idealizes poverty as a sign o righteousness. Earning aliving and providing or ones amily are basic responsibilities. The point being made here is that ultimatelythe goal o lie is to accrue spiritual accomplishments. Moreover, we can never know whether or not we aredestined or lie in the World to Come. Hence, there is no way o telling i our ortunes in this world are dueto reward or the minority o our mitzvot or or some other reason altogether. Sometimes God gives us thingsthat we have not yet earned just or the sake o giving us the chance to do a mitzvah. Similarly, we cannotknow i our misortunes are a punishment or the minority o our transgressions. Maybe they are just a test oour virtues, an opportunity to earn greater reward!

Practically speaking, the advice o our Sages has always been not to spend our time retting about the

implications o our ortunes or misortunes, rather to do the utmost to attach ourselves to God in this world.This is the only real assurance o lie in the World to Come.

ParT B. The naTural COnSequenCe OF OneS aCTIOnS

Viewing the World to Come as a reward or our actions does not quite capture the causal relationshipbetween the two. In reality, the World to Come is less o a reward granted by Divine grace than it is thenatural product o ones eort to grow spiritually in this lie through Torah and mitzvot.

1. mii, Cibb hTsv 541 T Wo to Co gows ot of tis wo.

The World to Come is not a reward or ones

actions but their ruit. In other words, it is

produced rom them like a ruit rom a tree.

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2. nfs hCi 1:12 W ct o Wo to Co wit o s.

The reason that the Sages said that all Israel have

a portion to the World to Come and not in the

World to Come is because it is not something

that was created during the Six Days o Creation.

It is not a separate entity such that i a person

is righteous they will give him his reward rom

it. The truth is that the World to Come is built

by the person himsel. Each person expands,

adds, and determines his own portion through

his actions. Each member o Israel has his own

portion in holiness, light, and radiance that is

xed and added to the World to Come through

his good deeds.

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3. rbbi Zv lff, aio Tp T o ffot w p o sotig, t o wppcit it.

I a person receives a watch as a git and then loses it, the person may eel badly, but not as badly as i

he actually purchased the watch. However, lets say the person manuactured the watch himsel rom

scratch, toiling endless hours in crating it. I the watch were to get lost now, how would he eel? The

idea is that those projects which we invest eort in, bring us the greatest appreciation and meaning.

Consequently, our eort in this world actually builds our World to Come.

4. rbbi moci Bc, Gtwy to Jis, p. 61 T Wo to Co is y t

Wo tt Cos ot of o ctios.The condition o the souls existence in Olam Haba, its degree o closeness and connection to God, is

directly determined by its previous activities in the physical world; it is the world that comes the

state that results directly rom what happens in this world.

An illustration that death reveals whatever spiritual state already exists in the person is ound in the ollowing

Talmudic excerpt, as explained by Rabbi Dessler in the subsequent source.

5. T Bvi, Bcot 18b T iti t s cocs s w ty w iv.

A man went and spent the night in a cemetery,and he heard two spirits conversing with one

another. Said one to her companion, My dear,

come and let us wander about the world and let

us hear rom behind the curtain what suering

is coming on the world. Her companion said

to her, I cannot go since I am buried in matting

o reeds [she was ashamed to be seen in such

attire Ritva]. But you go, and whatever you

hear tell me

. ..., : ,

: .,

...


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6. rbbi eiy dss, mictv meiy,Vo. II, p. 62 T tsitio fo if i tis

wo to if i t t wo (t Wo of t Sos) os not cg t ssc of pso, it jst reveals it.

A persons desire is his essence And you

should know that death does not change the

internal state o the person. The wicked person,

who in his lietime was attached to the illusion

[o this world], so too ater death will be attached

to this very illusion; but since he will not be

able to satisy his desires, he will lust ater them

all the more and develop an enormous appetite

or them. The Talmud records how the spirits

were interested in the aairs o this world.

Furthermore, there was even one spirit that was

embarrassed by the act that she was buried in

reeds. See how her sensitivity or sel-respect

remained in death just as it was in lie!

...

, .. ,

, . ,

,,

,

.

ParT C. The PurPOSe OF CreaTIOn

The World to Come is the ultimate goal or each individual and humanity as a whole. Only by utilizing every

opportunity or spiritual growth in this world can we create a meaningul World to Come. Thereore, while

in this world we need to ocus our eorts to earn the greatest good by striving to ulll the Will o God with

all our energy and resources.

1. Piki avot 4:16-17 ec wo s its vtgs.Rabbi Yaakov said, This world is like a lobby

beore the World to Come. Prepare yoursel in the

lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall.

He used to say, Better is one hour o repentance

and good deeds in this world than the entire

lie o the World to Come. Better is one hour o

spiritual bliss in the World to Come than the

entire lie o this World.

,;

.

,; ,

. ,

Wic wo is btt?

On the ace o it, the two statements above seem to contradict each other, but they were said in the same

breath by the same person. The resolution is as ollows:

Gods purpose in Creation was to give the ultimate good to another, namely man. That good, closeness

to God Himsel, is only experienced in the World to Come. As such, this world is secondary, a mere

antechamber, to the World to Come.

But in order or it to be the greatest possible good, the closeness to God must be earned rather than simply

handed over on a silver platter. Lie in this world is the opportunity or earning the true good o the World to

Come, and in that sense it is more valuable.


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2. rc, dc hs 1:2:1-2 Tis wo is oppotity to t gtst goo,

ttct to Go.

Gods purpose in Creation was to bestow o His

good to another His wisdom thereore decreed

that the nature o this true beneaction be His

giving created things the opportunity to attach

themselves to Him to the greatest degree possibleor them.

Gods wisdom, however, decreed that or such

good to be perect, the one enjoying it must be its

master. That is, he must earn it or himsel

,

...

, ,- .

...

3. rc, msit Ysi (Pt of t Jst), C. 1 T igt of ttct to Go it Wo to Co is t vy ppos of Ctio.

Our Sages o blessed memory have instructedus that man was created or the sole purpose

o reveling in the Eternal and delighting in the

splendor o the Divine Presence, this being

the ultimate joy and greatest o all pleasures in

existence. The true place or this pleasure is in

the World to Come, which was created solely or

this purpose.

However, the path that helps us reach our

desired goal is this world. That is what our Sages

meant when they said that this world is like anantechamber to the World to Come (Avot 4:21).

The means that lead to this goal are the mitzvot

that God commanded us to observe, and the

place or doing the mitzvot is in this world alone.

Thereore, man was rst placed in this world

to use the methods available to him in order

to reach his intended destination, the World to

Come. There he will enjoy the good which he

acquired by virtue o these means. That is what

our Sages o blessed memory meant when they

said, Today to do and tomorrow, in the World toCome, to receive the reward (Eruvin 22a).

,

, ..

. ,) : (

.,

..

,,

:) ( , .:

The ollowing story demonstrates how the possibility o reward in the World to Come invests lie in this

world with limitless value.

4. rbbi ao Pock, T lws of Tzitzit, p. 6 Tis wo is oppotity fo igt w of t t.

It is told that the students o the Vilna Gaon, in the last hours o his lie, gathered around his bed,

eager to hear their great masters last words. They expected to see him joyous at the prospect o his

reward in the World to Come, but were surprised to see him with tears on his ace. He held up his

tzitzit and said, How beautiul this world is! For just a ew coins one can buy threads and tie tzitzit,

and so come close to the Shechinah. But in the World to Come it is impossible to do any o this.


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KeY ThemeS OF SeCTIOn III:

The reward for spiritual development in this world is life in the World to Come, rst in the WorldHof t Sos tity i t post-rsctio wo.

That reward, a connection to God, is innitely more valuable than anything that can beHpic i tis wo. mo t jst pyoff fo goo bvio, tog, s i t Wo

to Co is t ict cosc of o ctios ig tis ifti. dt oy ovs tot s, vig t so i wtv stt it c ig its bif sty i tis wo.

T pic of cosss to Go i t Wo to Co is t tit so tt Go ctHt ivs. Oy i t Wo to Co is Gos ppos i Ctio t givig of goo toot cty iz. nvtss, it is oy tog tiizig vy oppotity fospiit gowt i tis wo tt w c ct igf Wo to Co.

ClaSS SummarY:

WhaT IS The WOrld TO COme IS There lIFe aFTer deaTh?

Yes. Judaism arms belie in lie ater death and in a phase o history called the World to Come.

Where dOeS The TOrah TalK aBOuT a WOrld TO COme?

The Torah reers to the World to Come indirectly (or reasons discussed in part II). It talks about the soul

being gathered to its people ater death, returning to God, and records accounts o communicating with the

dead.

WhaT haPPenS aFTer deaTh?

The soul leaves the body and enters the World o the Souls (Olam HaNeshamot). It remains there until theResurrection o the Dead, at which time the soul is re-united with its body and the world assumes a totally

new orm o existence, reerred to as the World to Come.

WhaT dOeS One exPerIenCe In The WOrld TO COme?

A person enjoys the level o personal perection and closeness to God that he managed to build with the

good deeds he accomplished in this world. The pleasure o the experience in the World to Come is greaterthan anything available in this world.

IS The WOrld TO COme In anY WaY SImIlar TO ThIS WOrld?

Physical sensations o a higher reality are a taste o the World to Come. However, the main eature will be

taking pleasure in the radiance o Gods Presence.

WhaT IS The PurPOSe OF The WOrld TO COme?

The World to Come is the ultimate purpose o Creation to be eternally attached to the Will o God. By

using our ree will and utilizing the opportunities or spiritual growth in this world, we create a meaningul

World to Come. The World to Come is also the time when we are rewarded or our positive actions in this

world, learn rom our mistakes, and become spiritually puried. It is where we will experience the greatest

spiritual delight and connection to God.


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addITIOnal reCOmmended readInG & SOurCeS

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Handbook of Jewish Thought, Vol. II, Ch. 23, Immortality and the Soul

SeCTIOn I.

Rabbi Yaakov Astor, Soul Searching, Appendix A

SeCTIOn II.

Ramban, Shaar HeGemul

Ramchal, Derech Hashem, Part 1, Ch. 3

ArtScroll Tractate Sanhedrin, Vol. III, Appendix A

Ner Leele Books, This World and the Next, pp. 39-49

Witt by rbbi dvi Sy

eit by t mos Cic T

Documents

The World to Come Part I