Welcome to Embrace Shabbat.
The Gemara in Masechet Brachot teaches that there are three things in this world that are microcosms of Olam Habah, one of which is Shabbat. Similarly, the Zohar relates that HaKadosh Baruch Hu wanted to provide an example of Olam Habah in this world, and He therefore gifted the Jewish people with Shabbat. Furthermore, the Medrash אותיות דרבי עקיבא says that at the time of Matan Torah, HaKadosh Baruch Hu called to the Jewish people and said that He was giving them the Torah and if they observed the mitzvah of Shabbat, they would be rewarded with Olam Habah. They asked for an example of the reward, and HaKadosh Baruch Hu answered them, “Shabbat. Olam Habah is entirely Shabbat, and the example is Shabbat.” Shabbat is מעין עולם הבא- a taste of the world to come.
The Gemara teaches: מתנה טובה יש לי בבית גנזי ושבת שמה, [Hashem said] I have a good gift in My treasure house and Shabbat is its name. The Marharal asks why Shabbat is the only mitzvah that is considered a “gift from the treasure house.”
The Maharsha explains that G-d’s “treasure house” is Olam Habah, and Shabbat is the only mitzvah that emanates from that “treasure house.”
However, the Maharal is still bothered about why Shabbat is singled out. He explains that generally, Olam Habah is given as a reward for performing a particular mitzvah; it is an outcome of a person’s actions. However, Shabbat is Olam HaBah itself- it is not an outcome of the mitzvah. Therefore, this term is used to highlight that the reward for Shabbat is above all.
אות היא בני ובניכם, [Shabbat] is a sign betweeen Me and you. The Ohr HaChaim explains that Shabbat is merely an אות, a symbol, of the Shabbat to come. When Hashem grants us with a נשמה יתירה on Shabbat, He is providing us with a flavor of Olam Habah that will come in the future.
סידורו של שבת explains in his introduction that the exact measurement given for Shabbat is 1/60th of Olam Habah. He explains that anything less than this amount would be batel b’shishim and not exist. Shabbat is the smallest possible amount of Olam HaBah, and the true reward is much greater.
Rav Wolbe used to say that if a person wanted to “take his Olam Habah pulse,” he should check his connection to Shabbat. The more pleasure and enjoyment that a person gets from Shabbat, the greater their connection to Olam Habah. Olam Habah will be an entirely spritual experience, just like our experience with Shabbat. Yes, a person can connect with the eating and drinking of the day, but they should connect more on a spiritual level. Learn Torah and see “Wow! If this is how delicious learning Torah tastes, imagine what Olam Habah is going to taste like.”
B’ezrat Hashem, we should all experience that great flavor of מעין עולם הבא, a microcosm of Olam Habah that Shabbat has to offer.
Shabbat Shalom.
