Today is our final class discussing why Olam Habah isn’t written specifically in the Torah. We will finish up the two last reasons, and then discuss how bitachon is supposed to be used regarding Olam Habah.
The sixth reason given by the Hovot HaLevavot is based on the principle of “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” When G-d talks to people in this word, He uses this-world terminology, not the terminology of the next world. But as the story in the Navi tells us, when a Kohen Gadol was in the angelic world, G-d spoke to him about angelic reward.
The seventh and final reason given is that the reward of Olam Habah is different from any other reward. It’s not “if you work hard, you get paid well.” Olam Habah is not something separate or external from what you’ve done. Olam Habah is based on what you’ve become. It’s not a check/minus system. Rather, through your work in this world, you perfect yourself to the point that you’re capable and able to connect to G-d, and come close to Him. That is the reward- becoming closer to Hashem, and becoming one with Him. We call it Devekut- Being one with our Creator. So therefore, the notion that, “If you do this, you’ll get that” doesn’t apply to Olam Habah. Olam Habah is a whole different type of pleasure, that can’t be explained. That’s why it isn’t mentioned.
After this tangent of the seven reasons that Olam Habah isn’t mentioned in the Torah, the Hovot Halevavot comes back to his point, which is that Bitachon is necessary when it comes to Olam Habah.
Just like we have to rely on Hashem to have good day, be healthy, be successful, and for everything else we need, we have to rely on G-d that we’ll get Olam Habah. Relying on G-d and believing in Olam Habah is an integral part of our religion.
Every day in Baruch SheAmar we say, ברוך משלם שכר טוב ליראיו
Blessed is G-d that pays well to those that fear him.
And then it says,
ברוך חי וקיים
G-d lives forever.
G-d may not necessarily pay you in this world, but He will pay you. You have to believe that.
One of the 13 principles of our Torah is that we believe in reward and punishment. For example, I put Tefilin on today, so I know I’ll get rewarded for it beyond belief. I’m not doing it just to get the reward, but at the same time, I know that I have a wonderful boss, and He pays well. He pays overtime, and he pays weekends.
לפום צערה עגרא I have to believe that.
It has to be in the back of my mind that I’m not working for some cruel, עבודת פרח back-breaking process.
The Hovot Halevavot gives pesukim to prove his point.
When G-d told Avraham Avinu that he would have children, inherit the land, and made other promises as well, Avraham believed him.
והאמין בה׳ ויחשבה לו צדקה
And G-d considered that belief a righteous act. G-d always works with the system of promising us, then rewarding us. Why not just reward? Because we need to have that belief in G-d’s reward. That is part of the reason that we’re going to get rewarded! The Avot waited a long time, in Egypt they had to wait a long time, and we have a long Galut. But we have to believe. It’s one of the fundamentals of our religion. We have to believe in Mashiach, that Mashiach will come, and the world will be a different place. The whole world will recognize G-d. All of that is necessary bitachon.
Another pasuk the Hovot HaLevavot quotes is when David Hamelech said
לולא האמנתי לראות בטוב ה׳
בארץ חיים.
he would not have survived, had he not had the emunah that he would experience the goodness of G-d in the everlasting world.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that we don’t have to do anything. We have to go through Torah and mitzvot. We have to work at this. We can’t just rely. It’s not liked the level that one can reach in business, where they have full bitachon, and can just sit back and rely that their parnasa will just come down for them like the manna.
When it comes to Olam Habah, we have to work hard, and pray hard, and believe that G-d will reward us. That is a fundamental of our belief system. We rely and have Bitachon, that G-d rewards our mitzvot, though we aren’t worthy. We have bitachon and rely on G-d, and in that merit, ויחשבה לו צדקה, we will get Olam Habah.
As the Mishnah says,
כל ישראל יש להם חלק בעולם הבא
Every Jew in Israel has a part in Olam Habah
We have to believe this, and beEzrat Hashem, we will all get there at the right time.
Have a wonderful day.