As Rabbi continues, the Torah rarely tells us the reward mitzvah
performance earns us. We have no means of determining -- and certainly no right
to arbitrate -- the relative importance of each mitzvah. We may well be
surprised one day to discover that the "insignificant" deeds which no one takes
much note of this world are far more consequential in the World to Come, whereas
the high-profile ones down here will hardly be noticed up above. As the Talmud
remarks, upstairs is an upside-down world (Pesachim 50a). It could very well be
that the few dollars and minutes we spent affixing that small mezuzah on our
doorpost was far more precious to G-d than the many thousands we spent on that
lavish Bar Mitzvah affair for our child. (And by the way, a mezuzah is supposed
to be reexamined by certified scribe twice every seven years.) We really have
little way of truly knowing, and even more absurdly, we often borrow the same
criteria we use to measure importance in the secular world -- prestige, public
recognition -- to the spiritual realm. For better or worse, chances are we'll be
in for some mighty big surprises after 120.
In Olam HaBa [World to Come],
the good in everything will be obvious and there will be no need for the
Blessing of "Dayyan Ha'Emet [Judge of Truth]": Pesachim 50a
The rich and
important will be taken lightly, while those who are downtrodden in this World
will be on top: Pesachim 50a
Light will be plentiful in the World to Come:
Pesachim 50a
One should even learn Torah without pure intent, for that will
bring him to do it with proper intent: Pesachim 50b
Praised is one who
arrives in The World to
Come with his learning at hand: Pesachim 50a
Martyrs killed by the King,
specifically the Harugei Lud [2 brothers who claimed to have committed a murder
in order to prevent the Jews as a whole from punishment], get the highest place
in The "World to Come":
Pesachim 50a
Charity overturns a Divine judgment for
death: Rosh HaShanah 16b
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Good deeds hold a power of their own and induce/self-generates perfection in olam hazeh this world
In Judaism the performance of assigned good deeds the mitzvahs is not a capricious divine act and their weighted significance of performance is unknown to us and it is to our advantage we know not how the Holy One accords weight to the various mitzvahs in association with the 613 laws of the torah. They are designed by observance to perfect our spiritual bodies in accord with the positive commandments.In Pesachim 50a of the Talmud, the upper heavenly court(olam haba) is described as an upside down world in contradisnction to this world of trial (olam hazeh).The simple good in olam haba will be obvious and not convoluted beyond recognition or hid as in olam hazeh. Note the highest place in the world to come awarded to the Harugei Lud . AND charity subverts the wrath of God.He coming with his learning at hand will be a learning far more than that of the intellect but a thoroughly inegrated learning impregnating the body and spirituality of the student.
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