The wait is nearly over! In the coming weeks, my book, "Reality Check: A Handbook of Hashkafa", will finally be released to the public! I am very excited to share this work with you. So while you are waiting to pick up your copy of "Reality Check", here is a preview, available exclusively here on "Nation's Wisdom":
Chapter 6
Olam
Habah
There are constant references
throughout Torah shebe’al peh regarding how
everything we do in this world is not for this world, but for a world after
this one — a world fittingly known as Olam Habah, the World to
Come. Two of the more famous references are: “This world is like a corridor
before the World to Come. Prepare yourself in the corridor in order to enter
the banquet hall,”[1] and “He who
works on Shabbos eve will eat on Shabbos.”[2] Olam Habah itself is
described as a place where tzaddikim sit and bask in the glory of the Shechinah, where peace reigns, where the glory of Hashem is seen…[3]
Did you understand any of what you just
read? It’s not exactly a clear description. So what, then, is Olam Habah?
Understanding Olam Habah
At its simplest level, Olam Habah
is the primary goal for our existence in this world, as well as the destination
for our souls after we die. Everything we do in this life is in order for us to
benefit from the pure spiritual atmosphere that is Olam Habah. For that’s exactly what it
is, a place of spirituality where we can come close to G-d in a way that would
not be possible in this physical world. Olam Habah is where we receive
our reward (or punishment, chas v’shalom) for our actions
in this world. While there is a concept of reward in this world as well,[4] the reward we
truly covet is the spiritual reward found in the World to Come, which is
infinitely more enjoyable. Our whole journey through this world is only so that
we can grow spiritually in order to gain more reward in Olam Habah.
Olam Habah can be gained in only
one second,[5] or even through
the performance of a single mitzvah! However, once we enter Olam Habah,
we can no longer achieve higher levels of spirituality. Olam Habah is a
place of existence, not of growth. All growth must be done through Torah and
mitzvos, and they can only be performed in this world.
"The
Importance of the
World"
There is a famous story told about the
Vilna Gaon. When he was on his deathbed, he clutched his tzitzis
in his hands and began to cry. He explained, “Here I can purchase a mitzvah for
a few pennies, and through it gain immeasurable reward. But in the next world,
no matter how much money I spend, I cannot gain any reward and serve my Creator!”
Based on his incredible life of learning and teaching Torah, the Gaon was
assured a prominent spot in the World to Come (and he must have known it), and
yet he still wanted to reach higher and higher levels of ruchniyus.
Appreciating
Olam Habah
Once we’re in Olam
Habah, all that is left of us is our spiritual essence, our soul. In order
to gain access to this spiritual existence, we must leave our physical body
behind in this world, but we only do so after we have gained as much
spirituality as possible through learning Torah, doing mitzvos, and serving
Hashem in any way we can.
This provides an interesting insight: Olam
Habah is totally spiritual, and we know that spirituality comes from
Hashem, and by extension, the Torah. Therefore, people who do not appreciate
Torah and mitzvos (regardless of whether or not they keep them) will not appreciate Olam Habah!
Imagine someone who does not seek
spirituality or appreciate it. Would he even want to live in a place
like Olam Habah? This is another reason why it’s important for
us to understand what it is we’re doing when we
observe mitzvos; it’s the only way for us to truly appreciate our actions, even if we’re already
keeping the Torah. And it’s the only way
for us to truly gain Olam Habah.
"What Is
Spirituality"
While we may know of the gemaras
and midrashim that describe the atmosphere of Olam Habah,[6] since it’s a spiritual
existence, it’s impossible for us physical beings to really understand what is
actually happening there; the level of kedushah goes beyond our ability
to express it in words or fully conceptualize it. But whatever concepts we do
have, we can apply them to our understanding of Olam Habah…and
multiply it by infinity!
Sometimes, it is mistakenly believed
that there are three planes of existence: this world, Olam Habah, and
whatever plane Hashem exists on. This is not true, as Olam Habah
is not separate from Hashem; it is the same place as Hashem. When people die,
we daven that their souls merit being next to Hashem’s throne, the Kisei
HaKavod. Our intention is that they should be as close as possible to the
spirituality of G-d, which is Olam Habah.
The
Purpose of Living in This World
If
the whole purpose of our life in this world is to get to the next, then why is
this world even necessary? Why didn’t Hashem put us straight into Olam Habah
in order to immediately take pleasure in His Shechinah instead of having us struggle through this world with all of its
challenges?....Want to read the rest of the chapter? How about the entire book! Make sure to pick up your copy of "Reality Check", available in Jewish bookstores in January 2016!
Learn more by visiting our website at Hashkafahandbook.com and by liking our Facebook page.
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[1]
Avos 4:16.
[2]
Avodah Zarah 3a. The Gemara is explaining that only those who prepare
themselves in this world, through doing Torah and mitzvos, will be able
to enjoy the benefits of Olam
Habah.
[3]
Brachos 17a.
[5]
Avodah Zarah 18a.
[6]
See the first paragraph of this chapter.
