265 - Olam Haba (Part-9)

We've been discussing the tremendous importance that there is to try to build our belief in the next world, in Olam Haba. Although, a believing Jew understands that this world is certainly not our final destination, and we are all going to another place called Olam Haba, however, there are many levels in what it means to believe so. The first thing that we might do in trying to internalize this belief is learning about the information offered by Torah commentaries about the process of what is in store for us. 

As discussed, once our neshamah departs from our body, after it is cleansed if necessary via the process known as chibbut hakever, the neshamah makes its way up to what is called the olam haneshamas. And it is there that we have much Torah literature about what happens, such as in Gan Eden, Gehinnom, and the like. We discussed that at some point, when Hashem decides it's right, Mashiach will come to the physical world that we live in, and only those who are alive at the time will merit His arrival. And as the Rambam says, we should not get caught up too much as to the exact details of what's going to happen when Mashiach comes, because we don't really know until it's going to actually happen. 

Nevertheless, one thing is for sure, it's going to be the most incredible thing in the world, in many ways, beyond anything we might be able to comprehend. For thousands of years, every day, the Jews have been waiting for this great day, and we have a daily mitzvah to yearn for this great day to arrive. So we can certainly understand how this is something very important in Hashem's eyes. And again, our job is not to try to understand exactly what's going to play out then, because that's Hashem's business. Our job is to believe that if Hashem says this is extremely important and amazing, then we should certainly go ahead and yearn for that day to arrive. Obviously, our main motive should be that if that is Hashem's will, for the world to operate in the messianic state, that should be our main motive. However, it is certainly also acceptable and praiseworthy to want to be alive at that time, to be able to experience Mashiach with our very own eyes. 

There are different opinions amongst the Torah commentaries as to exactly how many years will transpire after the arrival of Mashiach. But at some point after that happens, there will be the next part of the process, which is called techiyas hameisim, the resurrection of the dead, where all people who have passed on, who merit this part of the process, will be resurrected back to life. According to the most accepted view of the Ramban and the Kabbalists and most Torah commentaries, once the stage of the resurrection of the dead occurs, our body and soul will then move into a new existence called Olam Haba, where although we will still have a body together with our soul, we will then move into a new existence with complete holiness, where we will not need to eat, drink, nor use our bodily functions. 

The Gemara in Berachos 34b states some amazing things with regards to the coming of Mashiach. But thereafter, the Gemara states that when it comes to what's going to transpire in the time of Olam Haba, our minds cannot even begin to comprehend the greatness of such a thing. Just to put it into perspective, if you stop for a moment and try to imagine a world where time doesn't exist - our minds cannot comprehend such a thing, because in our existence, it is impossible to exist in a world where time doesn't exist. And in a similar vein, our minds cannot even begin to comprehend the forms of pleasure that will exist in the next world, because the greatest forms of pleasure that exist within our imagination in this world do not even compare to one moment of the slightest pleasure in the next world. 

There is much Torah literature about all of these concepts, and one interested in pursuing these topics further will certainly be able to find very valuable information easily accessible. However, let us remind ourselves that our main purpose in this world is to earn our place in the next world. Meaning, our job in this world is not to try work out what is going to transpire and how it's going to be then, because that is up to Hashem, and our experience will be B'ezrat Hashem when that time arrives. Our purpose in learning these topics is to motivate us to come to more Yiras Shamayim, fear of heaven, and Ahavas Hashem, love of Hashem. Because when we're able to internalize that the concepts of Olam Haba are not just fairy tales, but rather a real destination for our real future, we are then, B'ezrat Hashem, able to be motivated to use our time in this world in the most efficient manner, when we realize that each moment that we have in this world is an opportunity to gain eternity for eternity. What a tremendous opportunity we all have to be learning about Olam Haba and making an effort to Bezrat Hashem internalize that the next world is our true, final destination.