This World and the World to Come According to Judaism -
I have been taught that if you say “yes” to the next world while living in this one, you will get the next world when you leave this one. What is the connection between this world and the world to come? What is the connection between Mitzvahs and Olam Haba? Is the relationship as simple as simply that doing Mitzvahs gets you to the Olam Haba? Surely that is one thing that our Sages teach. But the relationship has another facet to it; if you make this world better by doing Mitzvahs you are assisting G-d in bringing about Redemption and the Mashiach, and G-d appreciates that, very much. At the same time, the very act of the Mitzvahs keeps you clean and away from spiritual impurities and so you are investing your soul a place in the Olam Haba by keeping it clean while you have a body. The difference is between the Mitzvahs that people see you doing and the Mitzvahs that only G-d sees you do – the former is a Kiddush Hashem and the second is personal and intimate and brings you closer to G-d. All in all, all of the Mitzvahs bring a Jew closer to G-d; those pertaining to his fellow man and those pertaining to things G-d has told him to do (or not to do). Planting Redemption in this world earns a Jew Olam Haba.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
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