The world to come part iii

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The World to Come Part III The New You! Resurrection of the Dead

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t may be surprising to discover that the concept of resurrection is central to Jewish thought, given the fact that many people are familiar with it through other religions. But in fact, Techiat HaMaitim (the Resurrection of the Dead) in the future World to Come is one of the most fundamental principles of Judaism, and is the subject of this third part in the series of classes about the World to Come. As discussed in Parts I and II of this series, the World to Come is the time and place in which we will experience closeness to God commensurate with our actions and the choices we made during our lifetime. The first stage of this reward is in the entirely spiritual World of the Souls. But that is not the highest level of existence. Ultimately, the body will be resurrected and the soul will be reunited with the body to experience a new dimension of reality and attachment to God.

In this class we will seek to answer the following questions about this littleknown fundamental of Jewish faith: Does Judaism really believe in a resurrection? What is the purpose of resurrection? When will the Resurrection take place and how will it happen? What will life be like in the post-Resurrection World to Come? What lesson can we learn for our lives today from the Resurrection and World to Come?

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The World to Come III

Contents:

Section I. Belief in Resurrection Part A. Resurrection is Essential to Jewish Belief Part B. As Reflected in Prayer Part C. Biblical Sources for the Concept of Resurrection Section II. The Purpose of Resurrection Part A. The Necessity of Death Part B. Judgment of the Whole Person Part C. Perfection of the Physical World Section III. The Process of Resurrection Part A. The Stages of Resurrection Part B. How the Resurrection Will Happen Part C. Which Body will be Resurrected? Part D. Healing of Defects Part E. Where the Resurrection Will Take Place Section IV. The Nature of the Post-Resurrection World to Come Part A. Overview Part B. Manรข€™s Alternative Physical Nature Part C. Levels of the World to Come Part D. Economy of the World to Come Part E. Time in the World to Come Part F. Spiritual Growth in the World to Come Section V. The Lesson of the World to Come for This World

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The World to Come III

Section I. Belief in Resurrection Dear young man, You wrote to me and asked whether a fetus that was miscarried in your family will come to life at the Resurrection of the Dead. In the Talmud (Sanhedrin 110b) it is asked: From what age does a child gain a place in the World to Come? And the answer: From the moment the fetus is conceived. In his commentary, Rashi adds that this is true even if the fetus does not reach full term. We see that it is explicitly written that at the time of the Resurrection of the Dead, even fetuses will live. And furthermore they will have the status of tzaddikim (righteous ones) since they are clean and pure of any wrongdoing. Therefore you can be sure that at the time of the Resurrection you will have righteous brothers. May you be blessed with peace of soul and body. May you become great in Torah wisdom and deeds of kindness, Rabbi Moshe Feinstein (From Igrot Moshe, Yoreh Deah 3:138, slightly adapted) Belief in the Resurrection of the Dead is fundamental to Judaism. As we shall see below, Rambam (Maimonides) classifies it as one of the Thirteen Principles of Faith and it is referred to daily in the prayer book (siddur).

Part A. Resurrection is Essential to Jewish Belief

1. Rambam/Maimonides, Thirteen Principles of Faith, Principle 13 โ€“ Resurrection is one of the thirteen fundamental beliefs of Judaism. I believe with complete faith that there will be a Resurrection of the Dead, at the time when the Creator, may He be blessed, wills it to happen โ€ฆ

โ€ซ ืฉืชื”ื™ื” ืชื—ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ื ื‘ืขืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซืื ื™ ืžืืžื™ืŸ ื‘ืืžื•ื ื” ืฉืœืžื”โ€ฌ ... โ€ซืฉื™ืขืœื” ืจืฆื•ืŸ ืžืืช ื”ื‘ื•ืจืโ€ฌ

2. Maimonides, Treatise on the Resurrection of the Dead (Maโ€™amar al Techiat Hamatim) โ€“ Resurrection is a universally accepted tenet of Judaism. The concept of the Resurrection of the Dead โ€“ universally acknowledged by our people, incorporated in our daily prayers, which were composed by prophets and great wise men full of knowledge of the Talmud and Midrash โ€“ refers literally to the returning of the soul to the body after it has been separated from it โ€ฆ It requires no [allegorical] explanation โ€ฆ

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โ€ซื•ืื•ืžืจ ืฉืชื—ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ื ื”ืžืคื•ืจืกืžืช ื•ื”ื ื•ื“ืขืช ื‘ืื•ืžืชื ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซื”ืžื•ืกื›ื ืขืœื™ื” ืžื›ืœืœ ื›ืชื•ืชื ื• ืืฉืจ ืจื•ื‘ ื–ื›ืจื” ื‘ืชืคืœื•ืชโ€ฌ โ€ซื•ื”ืกืคื•ืจื™ื ื•ื‘ืชื—ื ื•ืช ืืฉืจ ื—ื‘ืจื•ื ื”ื ื‘ื™ืื™ื ื•ื’ื“ื•ืœื™โ€ฌ โ€ซื”ื—ื›ืžื™ื ื™ืžืœื ืžื”ื ื”ืชืœืžื•ื“ ื•ื”ืžื“ืจืฉื•ืช ืขื ื™ื ื” ืฉื•ื‘โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืื™ืŸ ื‘ื• ืคื™ืจื•ืฉโ€ฌ... โ€ซื–ืืช ื”ื ืคืฉ ืœื’ื•ืฃ ืื—ืจื™ ื”ืคืจื™ื“ื” ื–ื”โ€ฌ ...โ€ซื›ืœืœโ€ฌ

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Part B. As Reflected in Prayer

1. Nusach HaTefillah, Birkat HaGevurot (second blessing of the silent Amidah) โ€“ We praise God daily for His ability to resurrect the dead. You are eternally mighty, my Lord, the Resuscitator of the dead are You. You are abundantly able to save.

:โ€ซื”ื•ืฉ ึทื™ืขโ€ฌ ึด ื ึฐโ€ซ ึฐืž ึทื— ึผึตื™ื” ึตืž ึดืชื™ื ึทื ึผึธืชื” ืจึท ื‘ ืœโ€ฌ.โ€ซึทื ึธึผืชื” ึผึดื’ ึผื‘ื•ืจ ืœึฐ ืขื•ืœึธ ื ึฒืื“ื ึธ ื™โ€ฌ

He sustains the living with kindness. He resuscitates the dead with abundant mercy. He supports the fallen, heals the sick, releases the confined, and maintains His faith to those who sleep in the dust.

ึฐโ€ซืกื•ืžืšโ€ฌ ึต .โ€ซ ึฐืž ึทื— ึผึถื™ื” ึตืž ึดืชื™ื ึผึฐื‘ืจึท ึฒื— ึดืžื™ื ืจึท ึผึดื‘ื™ืโ€ฌ.โ€ซึฐืžื›ึท ืœึฐ ึผึตื›ืœ ึทื— ึผึดื™ื™ื ึผึฐื‘ ึถื— ึถืกื“โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ึผ ึฐืž ึทืง ึผึตื™ื ึฑืืžื•ึผ ื ึธ ืชื•โ€ฌ.โ€ซืจื•ืคื ื—ื•ืœึด ื™ื ื•ึผ ึทืž ึผึดืชื™ืจ ึฒืืกื•ึผ ืจึด ื™ืโ€ฌ ึต ึฐโ€ซ ื•โ€ฌ.โ€ซื ื•ืคืœึด ื™ืโ€ฌ ึฐ .โ€ซื™ืฉื ึต ื™ ึธืข ึธืคืจโ€ฌ ึต ื ึดโ€ซืœโ€ฌ

Who is like You, Master of mighty deeds, and who is similar to You? A King Who causes death and resurrection, and Who causes salvation to sprout.

โ€ซ ึถืžืœึถ ืšึฐ ึตืž ึดืžื™ืช ื•ึผ ึฐืž ึทื— ึผึถื™ื”โ€ฌ. ึฐโ€ซื“ื•ืžื” ึธึผืœืšโ€ฌ ึถ โ€ซึดืžื™ ื›ึธ ืžื•ืšึธ ึผึทื‘ ึทืขืœ ึผึฐื’ื‘ื•ึผ ืจื•ืช ื•ึผ ึดืžื™โ€ฌ :โ€ซ ื•ึฐ ื ึถ ึฑื ึธืžืŸ ึทื ึธึผืชื” ืœึฐ ึทื” ึฒื—ื™ื•ืช ึตืž ึดืชื™ืโ€ฌ:โ€ซื•ึผ ึทืž ึฐืฆ ึดืž ึทื™ื— ื™ึฐ ืืฉื•ึผ ึธืขื”โ€ฌ

:โ€ซ ึฐืž ึทื— ึผึตื™ื” ึทื” ึผึตืž ึดืชื™ืโ€ฌ,โ€™โ€ซึธึผื‘ืจื•ึผ ืšึฐ ึทื ึธึผืชื” ื”โ€ฌ

And You are faithful to resurrect the dead. Blessed are You, God, Who resurrects the dead.

2. Nusach HaTefillah, Morning Blessing โ€“ We thank God for our soul, knowing that He will take it away and restore it to us in the World to Come. My God, the soul which You have placed within me is pure. You created it โ€ฆ and You preserve it within me. You will eventually take it from me, and restore it to me in the future. As long as the soul is within me, I offer thanks to You โ€ฆ Master of all works, Lord of all souls. Blessed are You, God, Who restores souls to dead bodies.

...โ€ซ ืืชื” ื‘ืจืืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื ืฉืžื” ืฉื ืชืช ื‘ื™ ื˜ื”ื•ืจื” ื”ื™ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซืืœื•ืงื™โ€ฌ ,โ€ซ ื•ืืชื” ืขืชื™ื“ ืœื™ื˜ืœื” ืžืžื ื™โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืืชื” ืžืฉืžืจื” ื‘ืงื™ืจื‘ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ืœ ื–ืžืŸ ืฉื”ื ืฉืžื” ื‘ืงื™ืจื‘ื™โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืœื”ื—ื–ื™ืจื” ื‘ื™ ืœืขืชื™ื“ ืœื‘ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืจื‘ื•ืŸ ื›ืœ ื”ืžืขืฉื™ื ืื“ื•ืŸ ื›ืœ ื”ื ืฉืžื•ืชโ€ฌ...โ€ซืžื•ื“ื” ืื ื™ ืœืคื ื™ืšโ€ฌ .โ€ซ ื”ืžื—ื–ื™ืจ ื ืฉืžื•ืช ืœืคื’ืจื™ื ืžืชื™ืโ€ฌ,โ€™โ€ซื‘ืจื•ืš ืืชื” ื”โ€ฌ

Part C. Biblical Sources for the Concept of Resurrection In the following sources we will examine some of the allusions to the Resurrection found in the Torah and Prophets.

1. Shemot (Exodus) 6:3-4 โ€“ God promised the Land of Israel to the Patriarchs, yet the promise went unfulfilled in their lifetimes. And I [God] revealed Myself to Avraham (Abraham), to Yitzchak (Isaac), and to Yaakov (Jacob) โ€ฆ

...โ€ซื•ึธืึตืจึธื ืึถืœ ืึทื‘ึฐืจึธื”ึธื ืึถืœ ื™ึดืฆึฐื—ึธืง ื•ึฐืึถืœ ื™ึทืขึฒืงึนื‘โ€ฌ

And I have also established My covenant with them, to give them the Land of Canaan, the land of their dwellings, where they dwelled.

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โ€ซื•ึฐื’ึทื ื”ึฒืงึดืžึนืชึดื™ ืึถืช ึฐึผื‘ืจึดื™ืชึดื™ ืึดืชึธึผื ืœึธืชึตืช ืœึธื”ึถื ืึถืช ืึถืจึถืฅ ื›ึฐึผื ึธืขึทืŸโ€ฌ ึผ:โ€ซืึตืช ืึถืจึถืฅ ืžึฐื’ึปืจึตื™ื”ึถื ืึฒืฉึถืืจ ื’ึธึผืจื• ึผื‘ึธื”โ€ฌ

The World to Come III

2. Talmud Bavli, (Babylonian Talmud), Sanhedrin 90b โ€“ This promise implies that the Patriarchs will be resurrected. Since the promise went unfulfilled in their lifetimes, it will be fulfilled after they are resurrected. Rabbi Simai said, โ€œWhere in the Torah is the Resurrection of the Dead mentioned? In the verse, โ€œAnd I have also established My covenant with [the Patriarchs], giving them the Land of Canaanโ€ [Shemot/Exodus 6:4]. The verse does not say โ€œto give youโ€ but โ€œto give them.โ€ Hence [we learn that] the Resurrection is from the Torah.

โ€ซ ืžื ื™ื™ืŸ ืœืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ื ืžืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซืชื ื™ื ืจื‘ื™ ืกื™ืžืื™ ืื•ืžืจโ€ฌ โ€ซื”ืชื•ืจื”? ืฉื ืืžืจ (ืฉืžื•ืช ื•) โ€˜ื•ื’ื ื”ืงื™ืžื•ืชื™ ืืช ื‘ืจื™ืชื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ โ€˜ืœื›ืโ€™ ืœื ื ืืžืจ ืืœืโ€ฌ.โ€™โ€ซืืชื ืœืชืช ืœื”ื ืืช ืืจืฅ ื›ื ืขืŸโ€ฌ .โ€ซ ืžื›ืืŸ ืœืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ื ืžืŸ ื”ืชื•ืจื”โ€ฌ,โ€™โ€ซโ€˜ืœื”ืโ€ฌ

Rashi: โ€œTo give themโ€ โ€“ The verse implies that God promised the Patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, that He would give them the Land of Israel. But was it actually given to them? No, it was given only to their descendants. Hence, the verse teaches us that it has yet to happen; in the future God will give them the Land of Israel.

โ€ซืจืฉโ€ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื“ืžืฉืžืข ืฉื”ื‘ื˜ื™ื— ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ืโ€ฌ.โ€ซืืœื ืœื”ืโ€ฌ ,โ€ซืœืื‘ื•ืชื™ื ื• ืื‘ืจื”ื ื™ืฆื—ืง ื•ื™ืขืงื‘ ืฉื™ืชืŸ ืœื”ื ืืจืฅ ื™ืฉืจืืœโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื”ืœื ืœื‘ื ื™ื”ื ื ื™ืชื ื” ืืœื ืžืœืžื“โ€ฌ- โ€ซื•ื›ื™ ืœื”ื ื ื™ืชื ื”โ€ฌ โ€ซืฉืขืชื™ื“ื™ืŸ ืœื—ื™ื•ืช ื•ืขืชื™ื“ ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ื ืœื™ืชืŸ ืœื”ื ืืชโ€ฌ .โ€ซืืจืฅ ื™ืฉืจืืœโ€ฌ

3. Devarim (Deuteronomy) 32:39; Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 68a โ€“ God takes lives and grants life again in the future. See, now, that I, I am He โ€“ and no god is with Me. I put to death and I bring life, I struck down and I will heal, and there is no rescuer from My hand.

โ€ซืจืื• ืขืชื” ื›ื™ ืื ื™ ืื ื™ ื”ื•ื ื•ืื™ืŸ ืืœื”ื™ื ืขืžื“ื™ ืื ื™ ืืžื™ืชโ€ฌ :โ€ซื•ืื—ื™ื” ืžื—ืฆืชื™ ื•ืื ื™ ืืจืคื ื•ืื™ืŸ ืžื™ื“ื™ ืžืฆื™ืœโ€ฌ

Pesachim 68a โ€œI put to death and I bring lifeโ€ โ€“ The Holy One, Blessed be He said, โ€œWhoever I cause to die, I shall resurrect.โ€

โ€ซืคืกื—ื™ื ื“ืฃ ืกื— ืขืžื•ื“ ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืžื” ืฉืื ื™ ืžืžื™ืช ืื ื™ ืžื—ื™ื”โ€ฌ:โ€ซืืžืจ ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ืโ€ฌ

4. Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 26:19 โ€“ The dead shall live. Your dead shall live; corpses shall arise; awaken and sing, you who dwell in the dust โ€ฆ

...โ€ซื™ึด ึฐื—ื™ื•ึผ ึตืž ึถืชื™ืšึธ ื ึฐ ึตื‘ืœึธ ึดืชื™ ื™ึฐ ืงื•ึผ ืžื•ึผ ืŸ ึธื” ึดืงื™ืฆื•ึผ ื•ึฐ ืจึท ึผึฐื ื ื•ึผ ืืฉึนื›ึฐ ื ึต ื™ ึธืข ึธืคืจโ€ฌ

5. Daniel 12:2 โ€“ The dead shall yet awaken once more. And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awaken โ€ฆ

... ึผโ€ซืจึท ึผึดื‘ื™ื ึดืž ึผึฐื™ื ึตืฉื ึต ื™ ึทื ึฐื“ ึทืžืช ึธืข ึธืคืจ ื™ึธ ึดืงื™ืฆื•โ€ฌ

Key Themes of Section I: HH Although many may find it surprising, belief in the Resurrection of the Dead is a fundamental principle of Judaism, universally acknowledged by all classical sources, and codified as a tenet of Jewish faith by the Rambam.

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HH This fact can be seen in the many references to the Resurrection found in the standardized prayers of the Jewish people. HH While the Torah does not make specific reference to the event of the Resurrection, it is hinted to in a number of verses. The concept is made more explicit in the writings of the Prophets and the Talmud.

Section II. The Purpose of Resurrection In this section we will explore the purpose and deeper meaning behind the Resurrection. In the previous class we discussed the spiritual experience of attachment to God found in the World of the Souls after death. Is this experience as a disembodied soul not a sufficient reward? Why must the soul and body be reunited for the purpose of Creation to be fulfilled? By way of answering the above questions, let us ask a more fundamental question: why must man die in the first place only to be resurrected in the future? Why couldnโ€™t his soul remain with his body forever? Part A: The Necessity of Death The phase of life called death โ€“ which is the parting of the soul from the body โ€“ was never part of the original plan of Creation. Death only became a necessary component of manโ€™s experiences after Adamโ€™s transgression in the Garden of Eden.

1. Bereishit (Genesis) 3:17-19 โ€“ Adam was originally destined to live forever. After he ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, death was decreed upon man. God said to Adam, โ€œBecause you listened to the voice of your wife and ate of the tree about which I commanded you saying, โ€˜You must not eat of it,โ€™ accursed is the ground because of you. Through suffering will you eat from it all the days of your life. Thorns and thistles will it grow for you, and you will eat the herb of the field. By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread until you return to the ground, from which you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust shall you return.โ€

โ€ซื” ึตืขืฅโ€ฌ-โ€ซืŸโ€ฌ ึธ โ€ซืฉ ึทืž ึฐืข ึธึผืช ืœึฐ ืงื•ึนืœ ึดืื ึฐืฉ ึผึถืชืšึธ ื•ึท ึผืชึนืื›ึท ืœ ึดืžโ€ฌ-โ€ซื™โ€ฌ ึธ ื โ€ซื™ื– ื•ึผ ืœึฐ ึธื ึธื“ื ึธื ึทืžืจ ึผึดื›โ€ฌ โ€ซึฒืื ึถืฉืจ ึดืฆ ึผึดื• ึดื™ืชื™ืšึธ ืœึต ืืžึนืจ ืœึนื ืชึนืื›ึท ืœ ึดืž ึผึถืžื ึผ ื•ึผ ึฒืืจื•ึผ ืจึธ ื” ึธื” ึฒื ึธื“ ึธืžื”โ€ฌ . ึธโ€ซึผึทื‘ ึฒืขื‘ื•ึผ ืจึถ ืšึธ ึผึฐื‘ ึดืข ึธึผืฆื‘ื•ึนืŸ ึผืชึนืื›ึฐ ืœึถ ึธึผื ื” ื›ึผ ึนืœ ื™ึฐ ึตืžื™ ึทื— ึผึถื™ื™ืšโ€ฌ .โ€ซืฉ ึถื“ื”โ€ฌ ื‚ ึผึธ โ€ซืฉื‘ ึทื”โ€ฌ ื‚ ึถ โ€ซืขโ€ฌ-โ€ซืชโ€ฌ ึต โ€ซื™ื— ื•ึฐ ืงื•ึนืฅ ื•ึฐ ึทื“ืจึฐ ึผึทื“ืจ ึผึทืช ึฐืฆ ึดืž ึทื™ื— ืœึธ ืšึฐ ื•ึฐ ึธืื›ึท ืœึฐ ึผึธืช ึถืโ€ฌ โ€ซื” ึฒื ึธื“ ึธืžื” ึผึดื›ื™โ€ฌ-โ€ซืœโ€ฌ ึธ โ€ซื™ื˜ ึผึฐื‘ื–ึต ึทืขืช ึทื ึผึถืคื™ืšึธ ึผืชึนืื›ึท ืœ ืœึถ ึถื—ื ึทืขื“ ืืฉื•ึผ ึฐื‘ืšึธ ึถืโ€ฌ .โ€ซืข ึธืคืจ ึผึธืชืืฉื•ึผ ื‘โ€ฌ-โ€ซืœโ€ฌ ึธ โ€ซืข ึธืคืจ ึทื ึธึผืชื” ื•ึฐ ึถืโ€ฌ-โ€ซื™โ€ฌ ึธ โ€ซึดืž ึผึถืž ึธึผื ื” ืœึป ึธึผืง ึฐื— ึธึผืช ึผึดื›โ€ฌ

2. Ramchal (Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto), Derech Hashem (The Way of God) 1:3:9, translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Feldheim Publishers, pp. 51-53 โ€“ After Adamโ€™s transgression, man is in a non-perfect state. To re-attain the perfection for which man was destined, his body and soul each undergo a purification process. [After Adamโ€™s mistake] justice decreed that neither man nor the world will ever be able to rise to perfection while still in their current fallen state. Because they remain in this spoiled, nonideal condition, and evil in the meantime has increased, both man and the world must go

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,โ€ซ ืฉืœื ื™ื•ื›ืœื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืื•ืœื ืžืœื‘ื“ ื›ืœ ื–ื” ื’ื–ืจื” ืžื™ื“ืช ื“ื™ื ื• ื™ืชื‘ืจืšโ€ฌ - โ€ซ ื”ื’ื™ืข ืืœ ื”ืฉืœืžื•ืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซืœื ื”ืื“ื ื•ืœื ื”ืขื•ืœื ืžืขืชื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื“ื”ื™ื™ื ื• ื”ืฆื•ืจื” ืฉื™ืฉ ืœื”ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซืขื•ื“ื ื‘ืฆื•ืจื” ืฉื ืชืงืœืงืœื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืœื ื™ืฆื˜ืจืš ืœื”ื ื‘ื”ื›ืจื—โ€ฌ.โ€ซืขื›ืฉื™ื• ืฉื‘ื” ื ืชืจื‘ื” ื”ืจืขโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื”ื”ืคืกื“โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื“ื”ื™ื™ื ื• ื”ืžื™ืชื” ืœืื“ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซืขื‘ื•ืจ ืžืขื‘ืจ ื”ื”ืคืกื“โ€ฌ .โ€ซืœื›ืœ ืฉืืจ ื”ื”ื•ื•ื™ื ืฉื ืชืงืœืงืœื• ืขืžื•โ€ฌ

The World to Come III

through a stage of destruction before either can arrive at perfection. Man must therefore die, and everything else that was corrupted with him also must perish. The soul cannot purify the body until the body dies and deteriorates and a new structure is composed, that the soul can enter and purify โ€ฆ

โ€ซ ืืœื ืื—ืจ ืฉืชืฆื ืžืžื ื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืœื ืชื•ื›ืœ ื”ื ืฉืžื” ืœื–ื›ืš ื”ื’ื•ืฃโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืื– ื™ื—ื–ื•ืจ ื•ื™ื‘ื ื” ื‘ื ื™ื™ืŸ ื—ื“ืฉโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื•ื™ืžื•ืช ื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื•ื™ื™ืคืกื“โ€ฌ,โ€ซืชื—ื™ืœื”โ€ฌ ...โ€ซื•ืชื›ื ืก ื‘ื• ื”ื ืฉืžื” ื•ืชื–ื›ื›ื”ื•โ€ฌ

It was therefore decreed that man should die and then be brought back to life. This is the concept known as the Resurrection of the Dead โ€ฆ

โ€ซ ื•ื”ื•ื ืขื ื™ื™ืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืขืœ ื›ืŸ ื ื’ื–ืจ ืขืœ ื”ืื“ื ืฉื™ืžื•ืช ื•ื™ื—ื–ื•ืจ ื•ื™ื—ื™ื”โ€ฌ ...โ€ซืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ืโ€ฌ

The true time and place of reward will therefore be after the Resurrection in this renewed world. Man will then enjoy his reward with both body and soul. The body will be purified by the soul, and will therefore also be in a proper state to enjoy that good.

โ€ซ ื“ื”ื™ื™ื ื• ื–ืžืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื–ืžืŸ ื”ื’ืžื•ืœ ื”ืืžื™ืชื™โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื”ื ื” ืœืคื™ ืฉื•ืจืฉ ื–ื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืžืงื•ืžื• ื”ื•ื ืื—ืจ ื”ืชื—ื™ื™ื” ื‘ืขื•ืœืโ€ฌ...โ€ซืงื™ื‘ื•ืœ ื”ืฉื›ืจโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื‘ื”ื™ื•ืช ื’ื•ืคื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื•ื”ืื“ื ื™ื™ื”ื ื” ื‘ื• ื‘ื’ื•ืคื• ื•ื‘ื ืฉืžืชื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉื™ืชื—ื“ืฉโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืžื•ื›ืŸ ืขืœ ื™ื“ื” ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ื ื”ื ื” ื‘ื˜ื•ื‘โ€ฌ,โ€ซืžื–ื•ื›ืš ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ื ืฉืžืชื•โ€ฌ .โ€ซื”ื”ื•ืโ€ฌ

Death is the process by which the soul and body are temporarily separated and return to their sources. The soul returns to the World of the Souls and the body returns to the ground. This is so that a new, purified structure can be built at the time of the Resurrection, when the soul will re-inhabit the body, free from the deficiencies caused by Adamโ€™s transgression.

Part B. Judgment of the Whole Person Another purpose of the Resurrection is so that the body and soul can be reunited for the purpose of standing in judgment before God. The following incident in the Talmud is explained more fully by Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg in the subsequent source.

1. Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 91a-b โ€“ Body and soul must be judged as one unit. Antoninus said to Rabbi (Yehudah HaNasi), โ€œThe body and the soul can both free themselves from judgment. Thus, the body can plead: The soul has sinned, [the proof being] that from the day it left me I lie like a dumb stone in the grave [powerless to do anything]. While the soul can say: The body has sinned, [the proof being] that from the day I departed from it I fly about in the air like a bird [and commit no sin].โ€ Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi replied, โ€œI will tell you a parable to explain this. To what may this be compared? To a human king who owned a beautiful orchard which contained splendid figs. He appointed two watchmen for the orchard, one lame and the other blind. [One day] the lame man said to the blind man, โ€˜I see beautiful figs

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โ€ซ ื’ื•ืฃ ื•ื ืฉืžื” ื™ื›ื•ืœื™ืŸ ืœืคื˜ื•ืจโ€ฌ:โ€ซืืžืจ ืœื™ื” ืื ื˜ื•ื ื™ื ื•ืก ืœืจื‘ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉืžื™ื•ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื ืฉืžื” ื—ื˜ืืชโ€ฌ:โ€ซ ื›ื™ืฆื“? ื’ื•ืฃ ืื•ืžืจโ€ฌ,โ€ซืขืฆืžืŸ ืžืŸ ื”ื“ื™ืŸโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ.โ€ซ ื”ืจื™ื ื™ ืžื•ื˜ืœ ื›ืื‘ืŸ ื“ื•ืžื ื‘ืงื‘ืจโ€ฌ- โ€ซืฉืคื™ืจืฉื” ืžืžื ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื”ืจื™ื ื™โ€ฌ- โ€ซ ืฉืžื™ื•ื ืฉืคื™ืจืฉืชื™ ืžืžื ื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื’ื•ืฃ ื—ื˜ืโ€ฌ:โ€ซืื•ืžืจืชโ€ฌ .โ€ซืคื•ืจื—ืช ื‘ืื•ื™ืจ ื›ืฆืคื•ืจโ€ฌ

โ€ซ ืœืžืœืšโ€ฌ:โ€ซ ืœืžื” ื”ื“ื‘ืจ ื“ื•ืžื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ืืžืฉื•ืœ ืœืš ืžืฉืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซืืžืจ ืœื™ื”โ€ฌ ,โ€ซ ื•ื”ื™ื” ื‘ื• ื‘ื›ื•ืจื•ืช ื ืื•ืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ืฉื”ื™ื” ืœื• ืคืจื“ืก ื ืื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื‘ืฉืจ ื•ื“ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืžืจโ€ฌ.โ€ซ ืื—ื“ ื—ื™ื’ืจ ื•ืื—ื“ ืกื•ืžืโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื”ื•ืฉื™ื‘ ื‘ื• ืฉื ื™ ืฉื•ืžืจื™ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื‘ืโ€ฌ.โ€ซ ื‘ื›ื•ืจื•ืช ื ืื•ืช ืื ื™ ืจื•ืื” ื‘ืคืจื“ืกโ€ฌ:โ€ซืœื• ื—ื™ื’ืจ ืœืกื•ืžืโ€ฌ .โ€ซื•ื”ืจื›ื™ื‘ื ื™ ื•ื ื‘ื™ืื ืœืื›ืœืโ€ฌ

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in the orchard. Come and take me upon your shoulder that we may take and eat them.โ€™ So the lame man rode on top of the blind man, and took and ate them. โ€œSometime later, the owner of the orchard came and asked them, โ€˜Where are those beautiful figs?โ€™ The lame man replied, โ€˜Have I then feet to walk with?โ€™ The blind man replied, โ€˜Have I then eyes to see with?โ€™ What did he do? He placed the lame man upon the blind man and judged them together. So will the Holy One, Blessed be He, bring the soul, [re]place it in the body, and judge them together. This is referred to in the verse, โ€˜He will call to the heavens above and to the earth, to judge His peopleโ€™ [Tehillim/Psalms 50:4]. โ€˜He will call to the heavens aboveโ€™ refers to the soul; โ€˜And to the earth, that he may judge his peopleโ€™ refers to the body.โ€

โ€ซ ืœื™ืžื™ื ื‘ืโ€ฌ.โ€ซ ื•ื”ื‘ื™ืื•ื ื•ืื›ืœื•ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซืจื›ื‘ ื—ื™ื’ืจ ืขืœ ื’ื‘ื™ ืกื•ืžืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืžืจ ืœื•โ€ฌ- ?โ€ซ ื‘ื›ื•ืจื•ืช ื ืื•ืช ื”ื™ื›ืŸ ื”ืŸโ€ฌ:โ€ซ ืืžืจ ืœื”ืŸโ€ฌ.โ€ซื‘ืขืœ ืคืจื“ืกโ€ฌ :โ€ซ ืืžืจ ืœื• ืกื•ืžืโ€ฌ- ?โ€ซ ื›ืœื•ื ื™ืฉ ืœื™ ืจื’ืœื™ื ืœื”ืœืš ื‘ื”ืŸโ€ฌ:โ€ซื—ื™ื’ืจโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื”ืจื›ื™ื‘ ื—ื™ื’ืจ ืขืœโ€ฌ- โ€ซื›ืœื•ื ื™ืฉ ืœื™ ืขื™ื ื™ื ืœืจืื•ืช? ืžื” ืขืฉื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืฃ ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ื ืžื‘ื™ืโ€ฌ.โ€ซื’ื‘ื™ ืกื•ืžื ื•ื“ืŸ ืื•ืชื ื›ืื—ื“โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื ืืžืจ ื™ึด ึฐืงืจึธ ื ึถืืœโ€ฌ.โ€ซ ื•ื“ืŸ ืื•ืชื ื›ืื—ื“โ€ฌ,โ€ซื ืฉืžื” ื•ื–ื•ืจืงื” ื‘ื’ื•ืฃโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื™ืงืจื ืืœ ื”ืฉืžื™ืโ€ฌ.ึนโ€ซึทื”ื ึธึผืฉ ึทืžื™ึด ื ึตืž ึธืขืœ ื•ึฐ ึถืืœ ึธื” ึธืืจึถ ืฅ ืœึธ ึดื“ื™ืŸ ึทืข ึผืžื•โ€ฌ .โ€ซ ื–ื” ื”ื’ื•ืฃโ€ฌ- โ€ซ ื•ืืœ ื”ืืจืฅ ืœื“ื™ืŸ ืขืžื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื–ื• ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ- โ€ซืžืขืœโ€ฌ

2. Rabbi Yaakov Weinberg with Rabbi Mordechai Blumenfeld, Fundamentals and Faith โ€“ The body is just as much a part of us as the soul. The relationship of body and soul is like that of a blind man and a lame man (Sanhedrin 91b). Just as there could be no punishment for the lame man alone, there can be no reward or punishment for the soul. Alone, it cannot sin. A soul only sins in its body. Reward and punishment can only apply to the entity that is the person, the body and soul together. Only thus can justice be meted out. The soul cannot enter the World to Come without the body. Is it possible that once the entity of body and soul achieves a place in the World to Come, the body is discarded? A soul is not an image of God. A body is not an image of God. The soul doesnโ€™t have free will. Only the two together have free will, only the two together are the image of God. This ultimate experience of being connected with actual, absolute Existence requires the whole being, the body as well as the soul. Without resurrection, without manโ€™s knowing that he, as he now perceives himself, will experience this pleasure, the idea of the World to Come is irrelevant. People are not impressed with their soul existing in the World to Come. They canโ€™t relate to such an existence because they feel that their soul alone is just not their whole self. The principle of resurrection implies that the body is not merely an object but a subject. The body is part of the person himself.

Part C: Perfection of the Physical World Another purpose of the Resurrection of the Dead is that it is a time when everything in existence reaches its tikun (perfected state), fulfilling its ultimate purpose in Godโ€™s plan. At this time, the whole physical creation will join the spiritual world in a new unity.

1. Rabbi Ehud Rakovski, Daat Tefillah: Kedushah โ€“ The entire world will be renewed along with man in the service of God. The Resurrection of the Dead will not be for

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โ€ซื•ืœื ื™ื”ื™ื” ืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ื ืœื”ืื“ื ืœื‘ื“ ืืœื ื›ืœ ืคืจื˜ื™โ€ฌ 8

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man alone, but rather for every force in the entire universe that came into actualization at any time since Creation โ€“ they will all be renewed and perfected at the time of the Resurrection of the Dead. The whole idea of man being resurrected is that he is a microcosm of the world, but the whole world will likewise experience the same thing. This is what Rabbi Shlomo Elyashiv wrote in HaDeโ€™ah (Vol. II, Ch. 2), โ€œThe central principle of the Resurrection of the Dead, as it has been revealed to us by the Arizal, is continuously taking place even in this world as we find more and more of the physical world being harnessed for the good of man. It is all to be used in the service of man โ€ฆ and when he uses the world in the service of God โ€ฆ both he and it rise up higher and higher, each and every force according to its intrinsic nature โ€ฆโ€

โ€ซื”ื›ื—ื•ืช ื“ื›ืœ ื”ื‘ืจื™ืื” ื›ื•ืœื” ื•ื”ื ื”ื’ืชื” ืืฉืจ ื‘ื›ืœ ื™ืžื™โ€ฌ .โ€ซ ื”ื ื” ื›ื•ืœื ื™ืชื—ื“ืฉื• ื•ื™ืชื•ืงื ื• ื‘ืขืช ืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซืขื•ืœืโ€ฌ .โ€ซื•ื›ืœ ืขื ื™ืŸ ืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ื ืืฉืจ ืœื”ืื“ื ืฉื”ื•ื ืขื•ืœื ืงื˜ืŸโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืจื‘ ืฉืœืžื” ืืœื™ืฉื™ื‘โ€ฌ.โ€ซื”ื ื” ื™ืชื ื”ื’ ื›ืžื• ื›ืŸ ืœื›ืœ ื”ืขื•ืœื ื›ื•ืœื•โ€ฌ โ€ซ โ€œื›ื™ ื”ืจื™ ืขื™ืงืจ ื”ืขื ื™ืŸโ€ฌ:โ€ซ [ื‘]ื”ื“ืขื” ื—โ€ื‘ ื“ืจื•ืฉ ื‘โ€ฌ,]โ€ซ[ื›ืชื‘โ€ฌ โ€ซื“ืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ื ื ื•ื“ืข ื”ื•ื ืžื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ืืจื™ื–โ€ืœ ืฉื”ื•ื ื ื•ื”ื’โ€ฌ โ€ซื‘ืืžืช ืชืžื™ื“ ื‘ื›ืœ ืจื’ืขโ€ฆื•ื”ื ืžื” ืฉืื ื• ืจื•ืื™ื ื’ื ื‘ืขื•ืœืโ€ฌ โ€ซื”ื–ื” ืฉื™ื•ืฆื ืชืžื™ื“ ืคืขื•ืœื•ืช ื—ื“ืฉื•ืช ื‘ื›ืœ ื—ืœืงื™ ื”ื“ืฆื—โ€ืžโ€ฌ .โ€ซ ื—ื™ ืžื“ื‘ืจ] ืฉื‘ื” ื•ืžืชืงื ื™ื ืœืฆื•ืจืš ื”ืื“ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ืฆื•ืžื—โ€ฌ,โ€ซ[ื“ื•ืžืโ€ฌ โ€ซื•ื›ืœ ืคืขื•ืœืชื ื”ืจื™ ื”ื•ื ืœืฆื•ืจืš ื”ืื“ืโ€ฆื•ื›ืฉืžืฉืชืžืฉโ€ฌ โ€ฆโ€ซื”ืื“ื ื‘ื”ื ืืชื ื”ืžื’ื™ืข ืœื• ืžื”ื ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืจืฆื•ืŸ ืงื•ื ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซืขื•ืœื” ื›ืœ ื—ืœืงื™ ื ืคืฉื• ืขื ื›ืœ ื›ื—ื•ืชโ€ฆื”ืœืœื• ืœืžืขืœื”โ€ฌ ...โ€ซ ื›ืœ ื›ื— ื•ื›ื— ืœืฉืจืฉื• ื•ืžืงื•ืจื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซืœืžืขืœื”โ€ฌ

Key Themes of Section II: HH After Adam ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, it became inherently impossible for man to achieve perfection in his current state. The purpose of the Resurrection, therefore, is for man to transition through a stage of death, after which the soul will be reunited with a purified body. HH Like a lame man on the back of a blind man, neither can claim the reward nor accept responsibility on his own. Similarly, since man is composed of body and soul, the Resurrection is the time when they will be reunited to receive reward and accept responsibility for their actions together. HH Resurrection is not just for man alone; he is the microcosm of the universe at large. Ultimately, the whole physical world will be renewed along with man in a new, elevated form of existence.

Section III. The Process of Resurrection Part A. The Stages of Resurrection After the arrival of the Mashiach (Messiah), there will be two separate resurrections of the dead. A first resurrection will take place following the arrival of the Mashiach. However, only people who were completely righteous during their lifetime will rise at that time. A second resurrection for the rest of mankind will follow at the end of the period of Mashiach.

1. Responsa of Rabbi David ibn Zimra (Radbaz), Vol. III, #1069 โ€“ The Resurrection will take place in two stages, first for the righteous and then for everyone else. You, my dear friend, asked me about the time

โ€ซืฉืืœืช ืžืžื ื™ ื™ื“ื™ื“ ื ืคืฉื™ ืขืœ ื–ืžืŸ ื”ืชื—ื™ื™ื” ืœืคื™ ืฉืงื‘ืœืชโ€ฌ

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of the Resurrection, for you claimed to have received a tradition from your forefathers that it will take place close to the time of the seventh millennium [which begins in 2240 CE], along with the โ€œShabbatโ€ of the world, which will be a time of complete rest. Secondly, you were bothered by the possibility that the great righteous people, who died for the sake of Godโ€™s name during the period of exile, would not see the good fortune of Israel and will not be able to rejoice in their joy [during the Messianic times].

โ€ซืžืื‘ื•ืชื™ืš ืฉื”ื•ื ืกืžื•ืš ืœืืœืฃ ื”ืฉื‘ื™ืขื™ ืขื ื”ื›ื ืกืช ืฉื‘ืชโ€ฌ โ€ซื”ืขื•ืœื ืฉื›ืœื• ืžื ื•ื—ื” ื•ืงโ€ืœ ืโ€ื› ื”ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ื•ื—ืกื™ื“ื™ ืขืœื™ื•ืŸโ€ฌ โ€ซืืฉืจ ืžืชื• ืขืœ ืงื“ื•ืฉืช ืฉืžื• ื‘ื’ืœื•ืช ืœื ื™ืจืื• ื‘ื˜ื•ื‘ืชืŸ ืฉืœโ€ฌ :โ€ซื™ืฉืจืืœ ื•ืœื ื™ืฉืžื—ื• ื‘ืฉืžื—ืชืŸโ€ฌ

The answer: All my life I was bothered by this question, until I saw the words of the Ritva (Rabbi Yom Tov Asevilli) in the name of his rabbis that there will be two resurrections. The first will be a private one for the righteous that died during the period of exile, and that will be close to the time of the coming of Mashiach. They will merit to experience the good fortune of Israel in both body and spirit, as well as [to see] the building of the Beit HaMikdash (Temple), and they will rejoice in joy, etc. And the second, more general resurrection will be close to the time of the Shabbat of the world, just as you and I have received the tradition. That is what is referred to as the World of the Resurrection, and upon it was it said, โ€œMany of those who sleep in the dust shall awaken โ€ฆโ€ [Daniel 12:2].

โ€ซืชืฉื•ื‘ื” ื›ืœ ื™ืžื™ ื”ื™ื™ืชื™ ืžืฆื˜ืขืจ ืขืœ ื“ื‘ืจ ื–ื” ืขื“ ืฉืจืื™ืชื™โ€ฌ โ€ซื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ืจื™ื˜ื‘โ€ื ื–โ€ืœ ื‘ืฉื ืจื‘ื•ืชื™ื• ื โ€ื  ื“ืื™ื›ื ืชืจื™โ€ฌ โ€ซืชื—ื™ื•ืช ืื—ืช ืคืจื˜ื™ืช ืœืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ืฉืžืชื• ื‘ื’ืœื•ืช ื•ื”ื™ืโ€ฌ โ€ซืกืžื•ื›ื” ืœื‘ื™ืืช ื”ืžืฉื™ื— ื•ื™ื–ื›ื• ืœื›ืœ ื™ืžื•ืช ื”ืžืฉื™ื— ื‘ื’ื•ืฃโ€ฌ โ€ซื•ื ืคืฉ ื•ื™ืจืื• ื‘ื˜ื•ื‘ืชืŸ ืฉืœ ื™ืฉืจืืœ ื•ื‘ื‘ื ื™ืŸ ื”ื‘ื™ืช ื•ื™ืฉืžื—ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซื‘ืฉืžื—ืช ื—ืœืฃ ืขื‘ื•ื“ืชื ื•ื›ื•โ€™ ื•ืโ€™ ื›ืœืœื™ืช ื•ื”ื™ื ืกืžื•ื›ื”โ€ฌ โ€ซืœื”ื›ื ืกืช ืฉื‘ืช ื›ืืฉืจ ืงื‘ืœืชื™ [ืงื‘ืœืช] ื•ื”ื•ื ื ืงืจื ืขื•ืœืโ€ฌ ึผโ€ซื”ืชื—ื™ื™ื” ื•ืขืœื™ื” ื ืืžืจ ื•ึฐ ืจึท ึผึดื‘ื™ื ึดืž ึผึฐื™ื ึตืฉื ึต ื™ ึทื ึฐื“ ึทืžืช ึธืข ึธืคืจ ื™ึธ ึดืงื™ืฆื•โ€ฌ :โ€™โ€ซื•ื›ื•โ€ฌ

A second resurrection will take place at the end of the Messianic era, at a time that is known as the Yom HaDin HaGadol, the Great Day of Judgment. At that time, all people, both good and evil, will rise. However, the evil ones will be judged and punished while the righteous will be awarded their portion in the eternal World to Come.

2. Ramchal, Maamer HaIkarim, BeGeulah โ€“ All will be judged after the final Resurrection. At the time of the Resurrection, both the righteous and the wicked shall arise. The wicked who sinned but did not receive the full measure of their punishment will receive it then.

โ€ซ ื•ื”ืจืฉืขื™ื ืฉื—ื˜ืื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื”ื ื” ื‘ืชื—ื™ื” ื™ืงื•ืžื• ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ื•ืจืฉืขื™ืโ€ฌ .โ€ซื•ืœื ื ืฉืœื ื‘ื”ื ื”ืขื•ื ืฉ ื”ืจืื•ื™ ื™ืขื ืฉื• ืื– ื›ืจืื•ื™ ืœื”ืโ€ฌ

However, after the Resurrection will be the Great Day of Judgment on which God will determine who deserves eternal life and who will be lost โ€ฆ Those who deserve to remain in existence will be assigned an appropriate level according to the system of justice in the newly created world.

โ€ซื•ืืžื ื ืื—ืจื™ ื”ืชื—ื™ื” ื™ื”ื™ื” ื™ื•ื ื”ื“ื™ืŸ ื”ื’ื“ื•ืœ ืฉื™ื“ื™ืŸ ื”ื‘ื•ืจืโ€ฌ โ€ซื™ืชื‘ืจืš ืืช ื›ืœื ื•ื™ืฉืคื˜ ื”ืจืื•ื™ื™ื ืœื™ืฉืืจ ืœื ืฆื—ื™ื•ืชโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื”ืจืื•ื™ื ืœื™ืฉืืจ ื™ืฉืืจื• ื‘ืžื“ืจื’ื”โ€ฌ...โ€ซื•ื”ืจืื•ื™ื™ื ืœื™ืื‘ื“โ€ฌ .โ€ซืฉืชื’ื™ืข ืœื”ื ื›ืคื™ ื”ืžืฉืคื˜ ื‘ืขื•ืœื ืฉื™ื—ื•ื“ืฉโ€ฌ

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Part B. How the Resurrection will Happen We find differing opinions in the Midrash as to exactly how the physical resurrection of bodies will take place. Will the body be reconstructed from its original matter or will God create a new body into which the soul will be resurrected?

1. Bereishit Rabbah 14:5 โ€“ Will the resurrection mimic the growth process of a new fetus or will it reverse the process of decay after burial? โ€œAnd He formedโ€ [Bereishit 2:7 is written with two letter yuds] representing two formations of the body: one in this world and one in the World to Come.

,โ€ซ ื•ื™ืฆื™ืจื” ืœืขื•ืœื ื”ื‘ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื™ืฆื™ืจื” ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื”ื–ื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื™ื™ืฆืจ ื‘โ€™ ื™ืฆื™ืจื•ืชโ€ฌ

The School of Shammai and the School of Hillel had a dispute. The School of Shammai maintains that manโ€™s formation in the World to Come will not be like that of this world. In this world skin and flesh are formed first, the sinews and bones last; but in the future manโ€™s formation will begin with sinews and bones and finish with the skin and flesh, for thus it says in connection with the prophecy of the resurrection of the dead by Yechezkel (Ezekiel): โ€œAnd then I looked, and behold, upon [the skeletons of dry bones] were sinews, and flesh had come up on themโ€ (Yechezkel 37: 8) โ€ฆ

โ€ซ ื›ืšโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื‘โ€ืฉ ืื•ืžืจื™ื ืœื ื›ืฉื ืฉื™ืฆื™ืจืชื• ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื–โ€ฌ,โ€ซื‘โ€ืฉ ื•ื‘โ€ื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื”ื–ื” ืžืชื—ื™ืœ ื‘ืขื•ืจ ื•ื‘ื‘ืฉืจโ€ฌ,โ€ซื™ืฆื™ืจืชื• ืœืขื•ืœื ื”ื‘ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืื‘ืœ ืœืขืชื™ื“ ืœื‘ื ืžืชื—ื™ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื’ื•ืžืจ ื‘ื’ื™ื“ื™ื ื•ื‘ืขืฆืžื•ืชโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื›ืš ื”ื•ื ืื•ืžืจโ€ฌ,โ€ซื‘ื’ื™ื“ื™ื ื•ื‘ืขืฆืžื•ืช ื•ื’ื•ืžืจ ื‘ืขื•ืจ ื•ื‘ื‘ืฉืจโ€ฌ โ€ซื‘ืžืชื™ ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ (ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ ืœื–) ืจืื™ืชื™ ื•ื”ื ื” ืขืœื™ื”ื ื’ื™ื“ื™ืโ€ฌ ... โ€ซื•ื‘ืฉืจ ืขืœื”โ€ฌ

The School of Hillel said that just as man is formed in this world, so will he be formed in the World to Come. In this world the skin and flesh come first, the sinews and bones last; so in the future will his formation begin with the skin and flesh and end with the sinews and bones.

โ€ซ ื›ืš ื™ืฆื™ืจืชื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซื‘โ€ื” ืื•ืžืจื™ื ื›ืฉื ืฉื™ืฆื™ืจืชื• ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื–โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื– ืžืชื—ื™ืœ ื‘ืขื•ืจ ื•ื‘ื‘ืฉืจ ื•ื’ื•ืžืจ ื‘ื’ื™ื“ื™ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื‘โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ืš ืืฃ ืœืขืชื™ื“ ืœื‘ื ืžืชื—ื™ืœ ื‘ืขื•ืจ ื•ื‘ื‘ืฉืจโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื‘ืขืฆืžื•ืชโ€ฌ .โ€ซื•ื’ื•ืžืจ ื‘ื’ื™ื“ื™ื ื•ื‘ืขืฆืžื•ืชโ€ฌ

2. Ibid. 28:3 โ€“ Man will be resurrected from an indestructible bone in his spine. Hadrian โ€“ may his bones rot โ€“ once asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chanania, โ€œFrom what part of the body will the Holy One, Blessed be He, cause man to blossom forth in the future?โ€ โ€œFrom the luz, the โ€˜nutโ€™ of the spinal column [the prominent bone just below the back of the neck],โ€ he replied. โ€œHow do you know that?โ€ he asked. โ€œBring me one and I will prove it to you,โ€ he replied. He ground it in a grinder but it did not get ground; he threw it into the fire, yet it was not burnt; he put it in water, but it did not dissolve; he placed it on an anvil and hit it with a hammer, but the anvil split and the hammer broke, yet the โ€œnutโ€ was not damaged at all.

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โ€ซืื“ืจื™ืื ื•ืก ืฉื—ื™ืง ืขืฆืžื•ืช ืฉืืœ ืืช ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื”ื•ืฉืข ื‘ืŸ ื—ื ื ื™ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืโ€ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซืโ€ืœ ืžื”ื™ื›ืŸ ื”ืงื‘โ€ื” ืžืฆื™ืฅ ืืช ื”ืื“ื ืœืขืชื™ื“ ืœื‘ืโ€ฌ โ€ซืžืœื•ื– ืฉืœ ืฉื“ืจื” ืโ€ืœ ืžื ื™ืŸ ืืชื” ื™ื•ื“ืข ืโ€ืœ ืื™ืชื™ืชื™ื” ืœื™ื“ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉืจืคื• ื‘ืืฉ ื•ืœืโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื˜ื—ื ื• ื‘ืจื—ื™ื ื•ืœื ื ื˜ื—ืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืื ื ืžื•ื“ืข ืœืšโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื ืชื ื• ืขืœ ื”ืกื“ืŸ ื•ื”ืชื—ื™ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื ืชื ื• ื‘ืžื™ื ื•ืœื ื ืžื—ื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื ืฉืจืฃโ€ฌ โ€ซืžื›ื” ืขืœื™ื• ื‘ืคื˜ื™ืฉ ื ื—ืœืง ื”ืกื“ืŸ ื•ื ื‘ืงืข ื”ืคื˜ื™ืฉ ื•ืœื ื—ืกืจโ€ฌ .โ€ซื›ืœื•ืโ€ฌ

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Part C. Which Body will be Resurrected? Judaism affirms the belief in reincarnation and therefore one soul might have lived many lifetimes in different physical bodies. The prospect of resurrection raises the question: which body will be the one to be resurrected? This question is asked by the Zohar, in the next source.

1. Zohar I, 131a โ€“ Man will be resurrected in the body in which he achieved the greatest degree of self-perfection. Rabbi Chizkiah asked, โ€œIf all the dead bodies rise up from the dust, what will happen when a number of bodies shared the same soul in succession?โ€

โ€ซืืžืจ ืจื‘ื™ ื—ื–ืงื™ื” ืื™ ืชื™ืžื ื“ื›ืœ ื’ื•ืคื™ืŸ ื“ืขืœืžื ื™ืงื•ืžื•ืŸโ€ฌ โ€ซื•ื™ืชืขืจื•ืŸ ืžืขืคืจื ืื™ื ื•ืŸ ื’ื•ืคื™ืŸ ื“ืืชื ื˜ื™ืขื• ื‘ื ืฉืžืชื ื—ื“ืโ€ฌ ,โ€ซืžื” ืชื”ื ืžื ื™ื™ื”ื•โ€ฌ

Rabbi Yose answered: โ€œThose bodies which were unworthy and did not achieve their purpose will be regarded as though they had not been: just as they were a withered tree in this world, so will they be regarded at the time of the Resurrection. Only the last one that had been firmly planted and took root and prospered will come to life, as it says, โ€˜He will be like a tree planted near water โ€ฆ whose leaves are ever freshโ€™ (Yirmiyahu/ Jeremiah 17:8). This alludes to the body that struck deep root, produced fruit, and prospered. But of the former body which remained fruitless, which did not take root, which was unworthy and did not achieve its end, it is written, โ€˜He will be like a lone tree in the desert, and will not see when goodness comes โ€ฆโ€™ (ibid. 17:6), i.e. he will not be included in the Resurrection, and will not see the light stored up at the Creation for the enjoyment of the righteous โ€ฆโ€

โ€ซืืžืจ ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื•ืกื™ ืื™ื ื•ืŸ ื’ื•ืคื™ืŸ ื“ืœื ื–ื›ื• ื•ืœื ืืฆืœื—ื• ื”ืจื™โ€ฌ โ€ซืื™ื ื•ืŸ ื›ืœื ื”ื•ื• ื›ืžื” ื“ื”ื•ื• ืขืฅ ื™ื‘ืฉ ื‘ื”ื”ื™ื ืขืœืžื ื”ื›ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซื ืžื™ ื‘ื”ื”ื•ื ื–ืžื ื ื•ื’ื•ืคื ื‘ืชืจืื” ื“ืืชื ื˜ืข ื•ืืฆืœื— ื•ื ื˜ืœโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืขืœื™ื” ื›ืชื™ื‘ (ื™ืจืžื™ื” ื™โ€ื–) ื•ื”ื™ื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉืจืฉื™โ€™ ื›ื“ืงื ื™ืื•ืช ื™ืงื•ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื“ืขื‘ื“โ€ฌ,โ€™โ€ซื›ืขืฅ ืฉืชื•ืœ ืขืœ ืžื™ื ื•ื’ื•โ€™ ื•ื”ื™ื” ืขืœื”ื• ืจืขื ืŸ ื•ื’ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซืื™ื‘ื™ืŸ ื•ื ื˜ืข ืฉืจืฉื™ืŸ ื•ืืฆืœื— ื›ื“ืงื ื™ืื•ืช ื•ืขืœ ื”ื”ื•ื ื’ื•ืคืโ€ฌ โ€ซืงื“ืžืื” ื“ืœื ืขื‘ื“ ืื™ื‘ื™ืŸ ื•ืœื ื ื˜ืข ืฉืจืฉื™ืŸ (ื•ืœื ื–ื›ื” ื•ืœืโ€ฌ โ€ซืืฆืœื—) ื›ืชื™ื‘ (ืฉื) ื•ื”ื™ื” ื›ืขืจืขืจ ื‘ืขืจื‘ื” ื•ืœื ื™ืจืื” ื›ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื™ืชื ื”ื™ืจโ€ฌ,โ€ซื™ื‘ื ื˜ื•ื‘ ื•ื’ื•โ€™ ื›ื™ ื™ื‘ื ื˜ื•ื‘ ื“ื ืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ืโ€ฌ โ€ซื”ื”ื•ื ื ื”ื•ืจื ื“ื–ืžื™ืŸ ืœืื ื”ืจื ืœื”ื• ืœืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ื“ื”ื•ื” ื’ื ื™ื–โ€ฌ ...โ€ซืงืžื™ื” ืžื™ื•ืžื ื“ืืชื‘ืจื™ ืขืœืžืโ€ฌ

Part D: Healing of Defects There are two seemingly conflicting prophecies about what will happen to physical defects during the Resurrection that are reconciled by the Talmud below.

1. Yimiyahu 31:7 โ€“ The resurrected will come back with the same physical defects with which they died. Behold, I shall bring them from the land of the north, and gather them from the far reaches of the earth. Among them shall be the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman and the woman in labor; a great assembly will return to there.

โ€ซื”ึดื ึฐื ึดื™ ืžึตื‘ึดื™ื ืื•ึนืชึธื ืžึตืึถืจึถืฅ ืฆึธืคื•ึนืŸ ื•ึฐืงึด ึทึผื‘ืฆึฐืชึดึผื™ื ืžึดื™ึทึผืจึฐื›ึฐึผืชึตื™ ืึธืจึถืฅ ื‘ึธึผืโ€ฌ :โ€ซืขึดื•ึตึผืจ ื•ึผืคึดืกึตึผื— ึทื”ึธืจึธื” ื•ึฐื™ึนืœึถื“ึถืช ื™ึทื—ึฐื“ึธึผื• ืงึธื”ึธืœ ื’ึธึผื“ื•ึนืœ ื™ึธืฉืื•ึผื‘ื• ึผื”ึตื ึธึผื”โ€ฌ

2. Yeshayahu 35:6 โ€“ The resurrected will be healed of their original defects. Then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the

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โ€ซึธืื– ื™ึฐ ึทื“ ึผึตืœื’ ึธึผื› ึทื ึธึผื™ืœ ึผึดืค ึผึตืก ึทื— ื•ึฐ ึธืชืจึนืŸ ืœึฐ ืืฉื•ึนืŸ ึดื ึผึตืœื ึผึดื›ื™ ื ึด ึฐื‘ ึฐืงืขื•ึผ ึทื‘ ึผึดืž ึฐื“ ึธึผื‘ืจโ€ฌ

The World to Come III

tongue of the mute shall sing, for waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.

:โ€ซึทืžื™ึด ื ื•ึผ ื ึฐ ึธื—ืœึด ื™ื ึผึธื‘ ึฒืขืจึธ ึธื‘ื”โ€ฌ

3. Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin 91b โ€“ The resurrected will arise with defects and then be healed of them. Reish Lakish contrasted two verses: It is written, โ€œAmong them will be the blind and the lame, the pregnant woman together with the woman in labor.โ€ And yet another verse states, โ€œThen shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute shall sing, for waters shall break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desertโ€ (Yeshayahu 35:6). How can these verses co-exist? They shall rise with their defects and then be healed.

โ€ซืจโ€ืœ ืจืžื™ ื›ืชื™ื‘ (ื™ืจืžื™ื”ื• ืœื) โ€˜ื‘ื ืขื•ืจ ื•ืคืกื— ื”ืจื” ื•ื™ื•ืœื“ืชโ€ฌ .โ€™โ€ซื™ื—ื“ื™ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซื•ื›ืชื™ื‘ (ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ืœื”) โ€˜ืื– ื™ื“ืœื’ ื›ืื™ืœ ืคืกื— ื•ืชืจื•ืŸ ืœืฉื•ืŸโ€ฌ .โ€™โ€ซืืœื ื›ื™ ื ื‘ืงืขื• ื‘ืžื“ื‘ืจ ืžื™ื ื•ื ื—ืœื™ื ื‘ืขืจื‘ื”โ€ฌ ?โ€ซื”ื ื›ื™ืฆื“โ€ฌ .โ€ซืขื•ืžื“ื™ืŸ ื‘ืžื•ืžืŸ ื•ืžืชืจืคืื™ืŸโ€ฌ

Why is it necessary to first resurrect the body with its defects and then heal it? Why not just resurrect the healed body?

4. Zohar III, 91a โ€“ One will be resurrected into his previous state in order to be recognizable. When they awaken from the dust, they will rise up as they went in โ€“ lame or blind, so that no one will be able to say it was a different person who was revived.

โ€ซ ื—ื’ืจื™ืŸ ืื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื”ื›ื™ ื™ืงื•ืžื•ืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื›ืžื” ื“ืขืืœื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซโ€ฆื›ื“ ื™ืชืขืจื•ืŸ ืžืขืคืจืโ€ฌ .โ€ซืกื•ืžื™ืŸโ€ฆ ื“ืœื ื™ื™ืžืจื•ืŸ ื“ืื—ืจื ื”ื•ื ื“ืืชืขืจโ€ฌ

โ€ซ ื•ื™ืฉืชื›ื—ื•ืŸ ืฉืœื™ืžื™ืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ืงื•ื“ืฉื ื‘ืจื™ืš ื”ื•ื ื™ื™ืกื™ ืœื•ืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืœื‘ืชืจโ€ฌ ... โ€ซืงืžื™ื”โ€ฌ

Then, the Holy One, Blessed be He, will heal them so they will be whole before Him โ€ฆ

Part E. Where the Resurrection Will Take Place

1. Zohar I, 131a โ€“ Those bodies buried in the Diaspora will have to travel through subterranean tunnels to get to Israel. The soul will only be restored to the body in the Land of Israel. Observe that it has been laid down that the dead of the Land of Israel will be the first to rise, and of them it is written, โ€œYour dead will come to lifeโ€ (Yeshayahu 26:19). On the other hand, the words โ€œMy dead bodies shall ariseโ€ (ibid.) allude to the dead of other lands, since instead of saying, โ€œshall come to lifeโ€ it says โ€œshall arise.โ€ The living spirit, in fact, will only infuse the bodies in the Land of Israel. But the bodies buried in other lands will rise without the spirit of life, and only after they have rolled underground and reached the Land of Israel will they receive souls and be truly resurrected โ€“ only there, but not in other lands.

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โ€ซืชื ื—ื–ื™ ื”ื ืืชืžืจ ื›ืœ ืื™ื ื•ืŸ ืžืชื™ืŸ ื“ื‘ืืจืขื ื“ื™ืฉืจืืœโ€ฌ โ€ซื™ืงื•ืžื•ืŸ ื‘ืงื“ืžื™ืชื ื‘ื’ื™ืŸ ื“ืงื•ื“ืฉื ื‘ืจื™ืš ื”ื•ื ื™ืชืขืจ ืขืœื™ื™ื”ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืขืœื™ื™ื”ื• ื›ืชื™ื‘ โ€œื™ึด ึฐื—ื™ื•ึผ ึตืž ึถืชื™ืšึธ โ€ ืืœื™ืŸ ืื™ื ื•ืŸ ื“ื™โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื™ื•ืงื™ื ืœื•ืŸโ€ฌ โ€ซื‘ืืจืขื ื“ื™ืฉืจืืœ โ€œื ึฐ ึตื‘ืœึธ ึดืชื™ ื™ึฐ ืงื•ึผ ืžื•ึผ ืŸโ€ ืืœื™ืŸ ืื™ื ื•ืŸ ื“ื‘ื’ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซืืจืขืืŸ ืื—ืจื ื™ืŸ ื“ืœื ื›ืชื™ื‘ ื‘ื”ื• ืชื—ื™ื™ื” ืืœื ืงื™ืžื” ื“ื”ืโ€ฌ โ€ซืจื•ื—ื ื“ื—ื™ื™ ืœื ืชืฉืจื™ ืืœื ื‘ืืจืขื ืงื“ื™ืฉื ื“ื™ืฉืจืืœโ€ฌ โ€ซื•ื‘ื’ื™ืŸ ื›ืš ื›ืชื™ื‘ ื‘ื”ื• ื™ื—ื™ื• ืžืชื™ืš ื•ืื™ื ื•ืŸ ื“ืœื‘ืจ ื™ืชื‘ืจื™ ื’ื•ืคืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืœื‘ืชืจ ื™ืชื’ืœื’ืœื•ืŸ ืชื—ื•ืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซื“ืœื”ื•ืŸ ื•ื™ืงื•ืžื•ืŸ ื’ื•ืคื ื‘ืœื ืจื•ื—ืโ€ฌ โ€ซืขืคืจื ืขื“ ื“ื™ืžื˜ื•ืŸ ืœืโ€ื™ ื•ืชืžืŸ ื™ืงื‘ืœื•ืŸ ื ืฉืžืชื ื•ืœื ื‘ืจืฉื•โ€ฌ .โ€ซืื—ืจื ื‘ื’ื™ืŸ ื“ื™ืชืงื™ื™ืžื•ืŸ ื‘ืขืœืžืโ€ฌ

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The World to Come III

Because the Land of Israel is the place of the ultimate Resurrection, Jews as far back as the Patriarchs have always longed to be buried there, as the next source illustrates.

2. Bereishit 47:29-31, with Rashi โ€“ The Land of Israel was always the desired burial place of the Forefathers, since they would be resurrected easily at the time of the Resurrection. When Israel (Yaakov) realized that he would soon die, he called for his son Yosef (Joseph), and said to him, โ€œPlease โ€“ if I have found favor in your eyes, please place your hand under my thigh [to swear] and do kindness and truth with me โ€“ please do not bury me in Egypt.โ€ Rashi โ€œPlease do not bury me in Egyptโ€ โ€“ โ€ฆbecause the process of resurrection for those who die outside the [Holy] Land will necessitate โ€ฆ rolling through underground passagesโ€ฆ

โ€ซึนืืžืจโ€ฌ ึถ โ€ซ ื•ึท ึผึดื™ ึฐืงืจึธ ื ืœึด ึฐื‘ื  ึนื• ืœึฐ ื™ื• ึตึนืกืฃ ื•ึท ึผื™โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ืœึธ ืžื•ึผ ืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉืจึธ ึตืืœโ€ฌ ื‚ ึฐ ึดโ€ซื™โ€ฌ-โ€ซื›ื˜ ื•ึท ึผึดื™ ึฐืงืจึฐ ื‘ื•ึผ ื™ึฐ ึตืžื™โ€ฌ ;โ€ซื ึธ ื ื™ึธ ึฐื“ืšึธ ึผึทืช ึทื—ืช ื™ึฐ ืจึต ื›ึด ื™โ€ฌ-โ€ซืฉื™ืโ€ฌ ื‚ ึด , ึธโ€ซืืชื™ ึตื—ืŸ ึผึฐื‘ ึตืขื™ื ึถ ื™ืšโ€ฌ ึด โ€ซื ึธ ื ึธืž ึธืฆโ€ฌ-โ€ซืœ ึนื• ึดืืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ึทืืœ ื ึธ ื ึดืช ึฐืง ึผึฐื‘ืจึต ื ึด ื™ ึผึฐื‘ ึดืž ึฐืฆืจึธ ื™ึด ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉ ึธื™ืช ึดืข ึธึผืž ึดื“ื™ ึถื— ึถืกื“ ื•ึถ ึฑื ึถืžืชโ€ฌ ื‚ ึด โ€ซื•ึฐ ึธืขโ€ฌ

โ€ซ ื•ืฉืื™ืŸ ืžืชื™ ื—ื•ืฆื” ืœืืจืฅโ€ฌ... - โ€ซึทืืœ ื ึธ ื ึดืช ึฐืง ึผึฐื‘ืจึต ื ึด ื™ ึผึฐื‘ ึดืž ึฐืฆืจึธ ื™ึด ืโ€ฌ ...โ€ซ (ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™) ื’ืœื’ื•ืœ ืžื—ื™ืœื•ืชโ€ฌ...โ€ซื—ื™ื™ื ืืœืโ€ฌ

Similarly, Yosef requested that his bones be brought out of Egypt during the Exodus and buried in the Land of Israel (Bereishit 50:24-26).

Key Themes of Section III: HH There will be two stages of resurrection: first, the completely righteous will be resurrected when the Messiah arrives to share in the experiences that will occur at that time. Second, everyone else will be resurrected at the end of the Messianic Era. HH While belief in resurrection is universal, we find different opinions as to how the physical process of resurrection will take place: either a new body will grow organically or bones will rise and recover their flesh. HH If a person is reincarnated, the body in which the soul achieved the greatest self-perfection will be the one in which it shall be restored. Any defects the body may have had will also be visible at first, so that everyone will recognize each other in the World to Come. After this, all defects will be healed. HH While physical resurrection may happen anywhere in the world, the actual restoration of the soul to the body will only take place in the Land of Israel.

Section IV. The Nature of the Post-Resurrection World to Come Part A. Overview The post-Resurrection World to Come will usher in an entirely new form of existence. The nature of the post-Resurrection world flows from its purpose โ€“ to provide a venue for experiencing a closeness to God

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achieved in oneโ€™s previous lifetime. As such, spirituality and awareness of God will be much more apparent than it is today. The laws of the physical world, the awareness of time, and the manner of spiritual growth will all be drastically altered in the World to Come. As we shall see below, the physical world will be governed by laws of nature that facilitate the receiving of reward rather than earning it. This is Judaismโ€™s utopian vision for the future.

1. Ramchal, Derech Hashem 1:3:4, translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Feldheim Publishers, pp. 47-49 โ€“ The World to Come will function according to laws of nature conducive to receiving reward. Since the period of earning and that of reward are different, it is appropriate that manโ€™s environment and experiences be different in the two. While he is striving toward perfection, he must be in a setting containing elements necessary for such effort. The period of earning must therefore be one [where a maximum challenge exists and] where the spiritual and physical are in constant strife. In this environment there must be nothing to prevent the material from prevailing and doing what it can, and conversely, there must be nothing to prevent the spiritual from doing likewise. Nothing should exist that would give either one an inappropriate advantage. Although it might seem best to make the spiritual stronger than the physical, in the light of manโ€™s true purpose and what God desires of him, namely, that he earn perfection through his own effort, it would not be good at all.

โ€ซ ื›ืš ืจืื•ื™ ืฉื™ืชื—ืœืฃ ืžืฆื‘ื• ื•ืฉืืจโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืื•ืœื ื›ืคื™ ื”ืชื—ืœืฃ ื–ืžื ื™ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ื™ ื›ืœ ื–ืžืŸ ื”ื”ืฉืชื“ืœื•ืช ื”ื ื” ืฆืจื™ืš ืฉื™ื”ื™ื” ื‘ืชื›ื•ื ื”โ€ฌ.โ€ซืžืงืจื™ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื™ื•ื›ืœื• ืœื™ืžืฆื ื‘ื• ื›ืœ ื”ืขื ื™ื ื™ื ื”ืžืฆื˜ืจื›ื™ื ืœื• ืœืคื™โ€ฌ,โ€ซืื—ืชโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ื™ ื”ื ื” ืžื•ื›ืจื— ืฉืชืžืฆืโ€ฌ- โ€ซ ืคื™ืจื•ืฉโ€ฌ.โ€ซืขื ื™ืŸ ื”ื”ืฉืชื“ืœื•ืช ื”ื–ื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืœื ื™ื”ื™ื” ืœื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซืœื• ื”ืžืœื—ืžื” ืฉื–ื›ืจื ื• ื‘ื™ืŸ ื”ืฉื›ืœ ื•ื”ื—ื•ืžืจโ€ฌ โ€ซื“ื‘ืจ ืฉื™ืขื›ื‘ ืืช ื”ื—ื•ืžืจ ืžืœืฉืœื•ื˜ ื•ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืืช ืฉืœื•โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืœื ื“ื‘ืจ ืฉื™ืขื›ื‘ ืืช ื”ืฉื›ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซื›ืคื™ ื”ืฉื™ืขื•ืจ ื”ืจืื•ื™ ืœื•โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื›ืŸโ€ฌ.โ€ซืžืœืฉืœื•ื˜ ื•ืœืขืฉื•ืช ืืช ืฉืœื• ื›ืคื™ ื”ืฉื™ืขื•ืจ ื”ืจืื•ื™ ืœื•โ€ฌ ,โ€ซืœื ื™ื”ื™ื” ื“ื‘ืจ ืฉื™ื’ืจื•ื ืœื—ื•ืžืจ ืœื”ืชื—ื–ืง ื™ื•ืชืจ ืžืŸ ื”ืจืื•ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ื™ ืืขโ€ืคโ€ฌ.โ€ซื•ื’ื ืœื ื™ื’ืจื•ื ืœืฉื›ืœ ืœื”ืชื—ื–ืง ื™ื•ืชืจ ืžืŸ ื”ืจืื•ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื”ื ื” ืœืคื™ ื”ื›ื•ื ื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉืžืฆื“ ืื—ื“ ื”ื™ื” ื ืจืื” ื–ื” ื™ื•ืชืจ ื˜ื•ื‘โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื”ื•ื ืงื ื™ืช ื”ืฉืœื™ืžื•ืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ืืžื™ืชื™ืช ื•ื”ืขื ื™ืŸ ื”ื ืจืฆื” ื‘ืื“ืโ€ฌ .โ€ซ ืื™ื ื ื• ื˜ื•ื‘โ€ฌ,โ€ซื‘ื”ืฉืชื“ืœื•ืชื•โ€ฌ

In the period of reward, however, the exact opposite is appropriate. The more the physical would prevail, the more it would darken the soul and prevent it from being drawn close to God. During the time of reward, it is therefore appropriate that the soul prevail and that the physical be totally subjugated to it and not restrain it at all. And that is why God created two worlds, this world and the next: this world is the place that runs according to the laws of nature conducive to manโ€™s effort while the World to Come functions according to laws of nature that are fitting for receiving reward.

โ€ซื•ื‘ื–ืžืŸ ืงื™ื‘ื•ืœ ื”ืฉื›ืจ ื”ื ื” ืจืื•ื™ ืœื• ืฉื™ื”ื™ื” ื‘ืžืฆื‘ ื”ืคื›ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ื™ ื”ื ื” ื›ืœ ืžื” ืฉื™ื”ื™ื” ื”ื—ื•ืžืจ ืฉื•ืœื˜ ื‘ืื•ืชื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซืœื–ื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื”ื ื” ืœื ื”ื™ื” ืืœื ืžื—ืฉื™ืš ื•ืžืขื›ื‘ ืขืœ ื”ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื–ืžืŸโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืขืœ ื›ืŸ ื”ื ื” ืจืื•ื™ ื”ื•ื ืฉืœืโ€ฌ,โ€™โ€ซืฉืœื ืชืชื“ื‘ืง ื‘ื‘ื•ืจื ื™ืชโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื”ื—ื•ืžืจ ื™ื”ื™ื” ื ืžืฉืš ืื—ืจื™ื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื™ืฉืœื•ื˜ ืื– ืืœื ื”ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืืžื ื ืขืœ ื›ืŸโ€ฌ.โ€ซืœื’ืžืจื™ ื‘ืื•ืคืŸ ืฉืœื ื™ืขื›ื‘ ืขืœ ื™ื“ื” ื›ืœืœโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืขื•ื”โ€ื– ื”ืžืงื•ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ืขื•ื”โ€ื– ื•ืขื•ื”โ€ื‘โ€ฌ,โ€ซื ื‘ืจืื• ืฉื ื™ ื”ืขื•ืœืžื•ืชโ€ฌ โ€ซื•ื”ื—ื•ืงื™ื ื”ื˜ื‘ืขื™ื™ื ืฉืœื• ื”ื ืžื” ืฉืจืื•ื™ ืœืื“ื ื›ืœ ื–ืžืŸโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื”ืขื•ื”โ€ื‘ ื”ืžืงื•ื ื•ื”ื—ื•ืงื™ื ืฉืœื• ื”ื ืžื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ื”ืฉืชื“ืœื•ืชโ€ฌ :โ€ซืฉืจืื•ื™ ืœื• ื‘ื–ืžืŸ ืงื™ื‘ื•ืœ ื”ืฉื›ืจโ€ฌ

Part B. Manโ€™s Alternative Physical Nature After the Resurrection, when the soul will be reunited with the body, our new bodies will have a spiritual composition. We will no longer need food and water; rather, we will be nourished from spiritual energy alone. The level of our bodies then will be similar to the level of our souls now, while our souls will be higher still.

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1. Ramban (Nachmanides), Torat HaAdam, Shaar HaGemul โ€“ Just as we are sustained by food and drink in this world, we will be sustained by the radiance of Godโ€™s Presence in the World to Come. In the World to Come, God will cause people to be satiated from the radiance of his Divine Presence (Bava Batra 10a).

โ€ซื”ืงื‘โ€ื” ืžืฉื‘ื™ืขืŸ ืžื–ื™ื• ืฉื›ื™ื ืชื• ืœืขื•ื”โ€ื‘ ืฉื ืืžืจ ืืฉื‘ืขื”โ€ฌ )โ€™โ€ซื‘ื”ืงื™ืฅ ืชืžื•ื ืชืš (ื‘โ€ื‘ ื™โ€™ ืโ€ฌ

This means to say that those that merit it will be sustained by the splendor of [Godโ€™s] glory just as their bodies had been sustained in This World by food and drink.

โ€ซืจืฆื• ืœื•ืžืจ ืฉืงื™ื•ื ื”ืื ืฉื™ื ื”ื–ื•ื›ื™ื ื”ื”ื ื‘ื–ื™ื• ื”ื›ื‘ื•ื“โ€ฌ ...โ€ซื›ืงื™ื•ื ื”ื ืคืฉ ื‘ื’ื•ืฃ ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื– ื‘ืื›ื™ืœื” ื•ืฉืชื™ื”โ€ฌ

We have seen the proof of the above phenomenon in regard to the pure of soul whose bodies were sustained by little physical sustenance; the more pure the person, the less sustenance he required. For example, manna was absorbed easily and was created by a supernal light that came into physical form only by virtue of Godโ€™s Will. It was only eaten by those who experienced the tremendous spiritual elevation at the Splitting of the Reed Sea, as it is said, โ€œThe maidservant at the Sea saw more than Yechezkel in his prophecyโ€ (Mechilta, Parshat Beshalach).

,โ€ซื•ื”ื ื” ืจืื™ื ื• ื›ื™ ื–ื›ื™ ื”ื ืคืฉ ืงื™ื•ื ื’ื•ืคื ื‘ื“ื‘ืจื™ื ื”ื“ืงื™ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ื™ ืื ืฉื™ ื”ืžืŸ ื ืชืงื™ื™ืžื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื”ื–ื›ื™ื ืžื”ื ื‘ื“ืงื™ื ืžืŸ ื”ื“ืงื™ืโ€ฌ โ€ซื‘ืžืŸ ื”ื ื‘ืœืข ื‘ืื‘ืจื™ื ืฉื”ื•ื ืžืชื•ืœื“ืช ื”ืื•ืจ ื”ืขืœื™ื•ืŸโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื–ื›ื• ื‘ื“ื‘ืจ ืžืฉืขื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ืžืชื’ืฉื ื‘ืจืฆื•ืŸ ื‘ื•ืจืื• ื™ืชื‘ืจืšโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ืžื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉื ืชืขืœื™ืช ื ืคืฉื ื‘ืžื” ืฉื”ืฉื™ื’ื• ื‘ื ืคืœืื•ืช ื”ื™ืโ€ฌ โ€ซืฉืืžืจื• (ืžื›ื™ืœืชื ื‘ืฉืœื—) ืจืืชื” ืฉืคื—ื” ืขืœ ื”ื™ื ืžื”โ€ฌ .โ€ซืฉืœื ืจืื” ื™ื—ื–ืงืืœ ื”ื ื‘ื™ืโ€ฌ

2. Talmud Bavli, Sanhedrin 91a โ€“ We will live forever. [The] Tanna dโ€™vey Eliyahu [states]: The righteous, whom the Holy One, Blessed be He, will resurrect, will not revert to dust, for it is said, โ€œAnd it shall come to pass that he that is left in Zion and he that remains in Jerusalem shall be called holy, every one that is written among the living in Jerusalemโ€ (Yeshayahu 4:3). Just as the Holy One endures forever, so shall they endure forever.

โ€ซ ืฆื“ื™ืงื™ื ืฉืขืชื™ื“ ื”ืงื“ื•ืฉ ื‘ืจื•ืš ื”ื•ืโ€ฌ:โ€ซืชื ื ื“ื‘ื™ ืืœื™ื”ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซื’) ื•ื”ื™ื”โ€ฌ:โ€ซ ืฉื ืืžืจ (ื™ืฉืขื™ื”ื• ื“โ€ฌ,โ€ซืœื”ื—ื™ื•ืชืŸ ืื™ื ืŸ ื—ื•ื–ืจื™ืŸ ืœืขืคืจืŸโ€ฌ โ€ซื”ื ืฉืืจ ื‘ืฆื™ื•ืŸ ื•ื”ื ื•ืชืจ ื‘ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ื ืงื“ื•ืฉ ื™ืืžืจ ืœื• ื›ืœโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืฃโ€ฌ- โ€ซ ืžื” ืงื“ื•ืฉ ืœืขื•ืœื ืงื™ื™ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ื›ืชื•ื‘ ืœื—ื™ื™ื ื‘ื™ืจื•ืฉืœื™ืโ€ฌ .โ€ซื”ื ืœืขื•ืœื ืงื™ื™ืžื™ืŸโ€ฌ

Part C. Levels of the World to Come This new state of existence will not come about overnight; rather, mankind and the world will proceed through various levels of existence as spirituality slowly but surely overcomes and then replaces physicality.

1. Rabbi Chaim Freidlander, Sifsei Chaim, Pirkei Emunah Uโ€™Bechirah, Vol. II, pp. 226-7 โ€” In the first level of the World to Come the soul will be in control and the body will be nourished from spirituality. The first level of the world of reward is the seventh millennium, which the Sages described as โ€œa millennium of desolationโ€ after which

Spirituality & Kabbalah

,โ€ซื”ืžื“ืจื’ื” ื”ืจืืฉื•ื ื” ื‘ืขื•ืœืžื•ืช ื”ืฉื›ืจ โ€“ ืืœืฃ ื”ืฉื‘ื™ืขื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ) โ€œื•ื—ื“ ื—ืจื•ื‘โ€ ื•ืื—โ€ื›โ€ฌ.โ€ซื›ืคื™ ืฉื”ื’ื“ื™ืจื• ื—ื–โ€ืœ (ืกื ื”ื“ืจื™ืŸ ืฆื‘โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื”ืขื•ืœื ืฉืœ ืืœืฃ ื”ืฉื‘ื™ืขื™ ื”ื•ืโ€ฌ,โ€โ€ซโ€œื”ืงื‘โ€ื” ืžื—ื“ืฉ ืขื•ืœืžื•โ€ฌ

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โ€œGod will renew His worldโ€ (Sanhedrin 92b). The world of the seventh millennium will be temporal, but unlike the first six millennia in which physicality rules like โ€œthe master of the house,โ€ in the seventh millennium, while physicality will still exist, it will be โ€œas a wanderer from place to place, a guest looking for lodgingโ€ (as Ramchal has described it in Daโ€™as Tevunos, p. 83). That is, the body will not have control.

โ€ซ ืืš ื”ื”ื‘ื“ืœ ืฉื›ืืžื•ืจ ื‘ืฉื™ืช ืืœืคื™ ืฉื ื™ืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซื›ืคื™ ืฉืขืชื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื‘ืืœืฃ ื”ืฉื‘ื™ืขื™โ€ฌ,โ€โ€ซื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื”ื•ื ืฉื•ืœื˜ โ€œื›ืื™ืฉ ื”ืฉื•ืจืจ ื‘ื‘ื™ืชื•โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืš ื”ื•ื ืจืง โ€œื›ืื™ืฉ ื ื•ื“ื“โ€ฌ,โ€ซืืฃ ืฉื™ืฉ ื’ื•ืฃ ื›ืžื• ืฉื”ื•ื ืขืชื”โ€ฌ โ€™โ€ซืžืžืงื•ืžื• ื•ื›ืื•ืจื— ื ื•ื˜ื” ืœืœื•ืŸโ€ (ืœืฉื•ืŸ ืจืžื—โ€ืœ ื“ืขโ€ืช ืขืžโ€ฌ ,โ€ซ ืฉืื™ืŸ ืœื’ื•ืฃ ืฉืœื™ื˜ื”โ€ฌ,)โ€ซืคื’โ€ฌ

Rather, everyone will be on the level of Moshe (Moses) when he ascended the mountain: who did not eat or drink. This does not mean that he fasted for forty days, but rather that his body was completely drawn after the spiritual and sustained by the spirituality of the soul. As such, there was simply no need to eat or drink. That is why the Sages have referred to this type of world as โ€œa day that is entirely Shabbat and tranquil for eternal lifeโ€ (Sanhedrin 97a). The body will not be entirely nullified by the soul but rather the soul will be free of the necessity of physical needs. That is what the Sages meant when they said that there would be โ€œone millennium of desolationโ€ โ€“ desolation of physical needs, that is, physicality shall not dominate. Clearly, though, the desolation of the physical is an empowerment for the soul, for by virtue of the cessation of physical needs the soul is able to develop and build itself up for the future elevation of the time after the seventh millennium.

โ€ซืืœื ืžื“ืจื’ืช ื”ืื“ื ืชื”ื™ื” ื›ืžื• ืžืฉื” ืจืขโ€ื” ื›ืฉืขืœื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉืื™ืŸ ืคื™ืจื•ืฉื• ืฉื”ืชืขื ื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ืฉืœื ืื›ืœ ื•ืœื ืฉืชื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซืœื”ืจโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืœื ื’ื•ืคื• ื”ืœืš ืœื’ืžืจื™ ืื—ืจื™ ื”ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื‘ืฆื•ื ืืจื‘ืขื™ื ื™ื•ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืžืžื™ืœื ืœื ื”ื™ื” ื–ืงื•ืง ืœืื›ื•ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื ื™ื–ื•ืŸ ืžืจื•ื—ื ื™ื•ืช ื”ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืœื›ืŸ ื”ื’ื“ื™ืจื• ื—ื–โ€ืœ ืขื•ืœื ื–ื” โ€œื™ื•ื ืฉื›ื•ืœื• ืฉื‘ืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืœืฉืชื•ืชโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ ืœื ื‘ื˜ืœโ€ฌ,).โ€ซื•ืžื ื•ื—ื” ืœื—ื™ ื”ืขื•ืœืžื™ืโ€ (ืกื ื”ื“ืจื™ืŸ ืฆื–โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืœื ืฉื™ืฉ ืจืง ืฉื‘ื™ืชื” ืžืคืขื•ืœื•ืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ื’ื•ืฃ ืืœ ื”ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื–ื• ื”ื”ื’ื“ืจื” ื‘ืคื™ ื—ื–โ€ืœ ืขืœ ืืœืฃโ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ื’ืฉืžื™ื•ืช ืฉืœ ื”ื’ื•ืฃโ€ฌ ,โ€ซ ื“ื”ื™ื™ื ื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ืฉื‘ื™ืขื™ โ€œื•ื—ื“ ื—ืจื•ื‘โ€ โ€“ ื—ื•ืจื‘ืŸ ืคืขื•ืœื•ืช ื”ื’ื•ืฃโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื‘ืจื ื—ื•ืจื‘ืŸ ื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื”ื•ื ื‘ื ื™ืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉืื™ืŸ ื”ื’ื•ืคื ื™ื•ืช ืคื•ืขืœืชโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื‘ืขื•ืœื ื”ื”ื•ื ืขโ€ื™ ืฉื‘ื™ืชื” ืžืคืขื•ืœื•ืช ื”ื’ื•ืฃโ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืœืงืจืืช ื”ืžืฉืšโ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ื™ื ื™ื›ื•ืœื” ืœื”ืชืคืชื— ื•ืœื‘ื ื•ืช ืืช ืขืฆืžื”โ€ฌ .โ€ซืขืœื™ื™ืชื” ืื—ืจ ืืœืฃ ื”ืฉื‘ื™ืขื™โ€ฌ

2. Ibid. โ€“ In the second level of the World to Come the soul increases its dominion, yet the body still has some influence. The second level โ€“ the eighth millennium โ€“ will see the universe transformed into a world of pure spirituality with only the slightest trace of physical influence. At this stage the body will be completely secondary and subservient to the soul. This will facilitate the ability of both of them to receive their spiritual reward.

โ€ซ ื—ื™ื“ื•ืฉ ื”ืขื•ืœืโ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ืžื“ืจื’ื” ื”ืฉื ื™ื” โ€“ ืืœืฃ ื”ืฉืžื™ื ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืชื”ื™ื” ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ ืฉืœื™ื˜ื” ืžืกื•ื™ืžืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื”ืคื™ื›ืชื• ืœืขื•ืœื ืจื•ื—ื ื™ ื–ืšโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ืšโ€ฌ,โ€ซ ืื‘ืœ ืื– ื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื™ื”ื™ื” ื˜ืคืœ ื•ื‘ื˜ืœ ืืœ ื”ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉืœ ื”ื’ื•ืฃโ€ฌ .โ€ซืฉื™ื•ื›ืœื• ืฉื ื™ื”ื ืœืงื‘ืœ ืืช ืฉื›ืจื ื”ืจื•ื—ื ื™โ€ฌ

3. Ibid. โ€“ In the third level of the World to Come the soul will be only slightly burdened by the body. In the third level โ€“ the ninth millennium โ€“ the body and soul combination that ascended to the level of the eighth millennium will be further refined, the body having even less dominion,

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โ€ซ ืฉื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื•ื”ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซืžื“ืจื’ื” ื”ืฉืœื™ืฉื™ืช โ€“ ืืœืฃ ื”ืชืฉื™ืขื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื™ืขืœื• ืžื“ืจื’ื” ื ื•ืกืคืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉืขืœื• ื‘ืžื“ืจื’ืชื ื‘ืืœืฃ ื”ืฉืžื™ื ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ื“ื‘ืจื™ ื”ืจืžื—โ€ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉื™ืฉืืจ ืœื’ื•ืฃ ืจืง ืฉืœื™ื˜ื” ื›ืœืฉื”ื™โ€ฌ

Spirituality & Kabbalah

The World to Come III

as Ramchal has written (Daโ€™as Tevunos, p. 79), โ€œThe soul will not be able to develop all of its potential. Rather, it will feel an ever so slight burden without being able to pinpoint quite what is holding it back.โ€ In this world the soul will still be somewhat bound by the body.

โ€ซ ืœื ืชืžืฆื ื›ื— ื”ื ืฉืžื” ื‘ืขืฆืžื”โ€ฌ:)โ€ซ(ื“ืขโ€ืช ืขืžโ€™ ืขื˜โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืœื ืชืจื’ื™ืฉ ื›ืžื• ืื™ื–ื” ื›ื•ื‘ื“โ€ฌ,โ€ซืœื”ืชืคืฉื˜ ื‘ื›ืœ ื›ื•ื—ื•ืชื™ื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื‘ืขื•ืœื ื”ื”ื•ืโ€ฌ,โ€โ€ซ ื•ืื™ืŸ ืคืจื˜ื™ ื”ืžื ื™ืขื” ื ื•ื“ืขื™ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซืžื•ืขื˜ ืœื”โ€ฌ .โ€ซื™ื”ื™ื” ืขื“ื™ื™ืŸ ืื™ื–ื” ืžื•ื’ื‘ืœื•ืช ืœื ืฉืžื” ืขโ€ื™ ื”ื’ื•ืฃโ€ฌ

4. Ibid. โ€“ The fourth stage of the World to Come is when the body is completely subservient to the soul. The fourth level, which is the highest level in the world of reward โ€“ the tenth millennium โ€“ is when the body will be completely and utterly subservient to the soul. From then on, the body and soul will together take delight in God in perfection forever and ever. This level is far beyond what man can fathom โ€ฆ

โ€ซืžื“ืจื’ื” ื”ืจื‘ื™ืขื™ืช ืฉื”ื™ื ืžื“ืจื’ื” ื”ืขืœื™ื•ื ื” ื‘ืขื•ืœืžื•ืชโ€ฌ ,โ€ซ ืฉื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื™ืชื‘ื˜ืœ ืœื’ืžืจื™ ืœื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ืฉื›ืจ โ€“ ืืœืฃ ื”ืขืฉื™ืจื™โ€ฌ โ€ซื•ืžืื– ื•ื”ืœืื” ื’ื•ืฃ ื•ื ืฉืžื” ื™ืชืขื ื’ื• ื™ื—ื“ ื‘ืฉืœื™ืžื•ืช ืืชโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืžื“ืจื’ื” ื–ื• ื”ื™ื ื ืฉื’ื‘ื” ืžืื•ื“โ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ืฉื™โ€ืช ืœื ืฆื— ื ืฆื—ื™ืโ€ฌ ...โ€ซืœืžืขืœื” ืžื”ืฉื’ืช ืื ื•ืฉโ€ฌ

Part D. Economy of the World to Come As man develops through these elevated stages of existence, the physical world too takes on more spiritual properties. However, since manโ€™s need for the physical world will decline in proportion to his spiritual growth, why should the world present such bounty? The answer, symbolized by the following two Talmudic excerpts, is that the physical world will effortlessly provide for manโ€™s sustenance in contrast to the Old World order when man had to toil. (Rabbi Reuven Leuchter).

1. Talmud Bavli, Ketubot 111b โ€“ There will be overflowing natural bounty, no food preparation necessary, and no scarcity of resources. The World to Come is not like this world. In this world there is difficulty involved in harvesting and treading [grapes], but in the World to Come a man will bring one grape on a wagon or a ship, put it in a corner of his house and use its contents as [if it had been] a large wine cask, while its timber would be used to make fires for cooking. Each grape will contain thirty kegs of wine. This is hinted to in the verse, โ€œAnd you would drink the blood of grapes like delicious wineโ€ [Devarim 32:14]. Do not read it as โ€œchamerโ€ (delicious wine) but rather as โ€œchomerโ€ (a volume measure of 30 seโ€™ah).

โ€ซืืžืจื• ืœื ื›ืขื•ืœื ื”ื–ื” ื”ืขื•ืœื ื”ื‘ื ื”ืขื•ืœื ื”ื–ื” ื™ืฉ ื‘ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื”ืขื•ืœื ื”ื‘ื ืžื‘ื™ื ืขื ื•ื” ืื—ืชโ€ฌ.โ€ซืฆืขืจ ืœื‘ืฆื•ืจ ื•ืœื“ืจื•ืšโ€ฌ โ€ซื‘ืงืจื•ืŸ ืื• ื‘ืกืคื™ื ื” ื•ืžื ื™ื—ื” ื‘ื–ื•ื™ืช ื‘ื™ืชื• ื•ืžืกืคืง ื”ื™ืžื ื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืื™ืŸ ืœืš ื›ืœโ€ฌ.โ€ซื›ืคื˜ื•ืก ื’ื“ื•ืœ ื•ืขืฆื™ื• ืžืกื™ืงื™ืŸ ืชื—ืช ื”ืชื‘ืฉื™ืœโ€ฌ โ€ซืขื ื‘ื” ื•ืขื ื‘ื” ืฉืื™ืŸ ื‘ื” ืฉืœืฉื™ื ื’ืจื‘ื™ ื™ื™ืŸ ืฉื ืโ€™ (ื“ื‘ืจื™ืโ€ฌ .โ€ซืœื‘) โ€œื•ึฐ ึทื“ื ึตืขื ึธ ื‘ ึผึดืชื ึฐืฉ ึผึถืชื” ึธื— ึถืžืจโ€ ืืœ ืชืงืจื™ ื—ืžืจ ืืœื ื—ื•ืžืจโ€ฌ

2. Talmud Bavli, Bava Batra 122a โ€“ There will be unlimited real estate in the World to Come. The division of land in this world is not like the division of land in the World to Come. In this world if someone has a grain field he cannot have an orchard. If he has an orchard he does not have

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โ€ซื•ืœื ื›ื—ืœื•ืงื” ืฉืœ ืขื•ืœื ื”ื–ื” ื—ืœื•ืงื” ืฉืœ ืขื•ืœื ื”ื‘ืโ€ฌ โ€ซื”ืขื•ืœื ื”ื–ื” ืื“ื ื™ืฉ ืœื• ืฉื“ื” ืœื‘ืŸ ืื™ืŸ ืœื• ืฉื“ื” ืคืจื“ืกโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืœืขื•ืœื ื”ื‘ื ืื™ืŸ ืœืš ื›ืœโ€ฌ.โ€ซืฉื“ื” ืคืจื“ืก ืื™ืŸ ืœื• ืฉื“ื” ืœื‘ืŸโ€ฌ .โ€ซืื—ื“ ื•ืื—ื“ ืฉืื™ืŸ ืœื• ื‘ื”ืจ ื•ื‘ืฉืคืœื” ื•ื‘ืขืžืงโ€ฌ

The World to Come III

a grain field. But in the World to Come, everyone will have a hill, a valley, and a flat field.

3. Rabbi Yerucham Levovitz, Daโ€™as Torah, Bereishit p. 28 โ€“ Oneโ€™s physical portion in the World to Come is limitless. I was once with HaGaon Rav Naftali Amsterdam when someone related an incident to him. One person said to another, โ€œYou want me to do something for you? Well, if you give me your portion in the World to Come I will do what you ask.โ€ The other person didnโ€™t agree. When Rav Naftali heard this he exclaimed, โ€œThis person does not understand; he is an ignoramus and a fool. What does it matter to him if he gives part of his portion to someone else? He will still have more than enough for himself! This person doesnโ€™t understand the World to Come. This is complete ignorance. One could give away portions to a hundred different people and it would still make no noticeable difference to him or to his portion, for each portion in the World to Come is limitless, without end.โ€

โ€ซื”ื™ื™ืชื™ ืคืขื ืืฆืœ ื”ื’ื”โ€ืฆ ืจโ€™ ื ืคืชืœื™ ืืžืกื˜ืจื“ื ื–ืฆโ€ืœโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืชื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืกืคืจื• ืœืคื ื™ื• ืžืขืฉื” ื‘ืื—ื“ ืฉืืžืจ ืœืจืขื”ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื”ื ื” ืื ืชืชืŸ ืœื™ ื—ืœืงโ€ฌ,โ€ซืžื‘ืงืฉื ื™ ืฉืืขืฉื” ืœืš ื–ืืช ื•ื–ืืชโ€ฌ ,โ€ซืžื—ืœืงืš ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื”ื‘ื ืื– ืืขืฉื” ืžื” ืฉืืชื” ืžื‘ืงืฉื ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื›ืฉืฉืžืข ื–ื” ืจโ€™ ื ืคืชืœื™ ื–ืฆโ€ืœ ืขื ื”โ€ฌ.โ€ซื•ืจืขื”ื• ืœื ื”ืกื›ื™ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ื™ ืžื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ืขื ื”ืืจืฅ ื•ื›ืกื™ืœ ื”ื•ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืืžืจ ื›ื™ ื”ืœื• ืื™ื ื• ืžื‘ื™ืŸโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืžืกืคื™ืง ื“ื™ ื•ื”ื•ืชืโ€ฌ,โ€ซืื™ื›ืคืช ืœืš ื›ื™ ืœืจืขืš ื’ื ื›ืŸ ื™ื”ื™ื” ื—ืœืงโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื”ื ื” ื–ื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื”ื ื” ืœื ืžื‘ื™ืŸ ืžื” ื–ื” ืขื•ืœื ื”ื‘ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซื’ื ื‘ืฉื‘ื™ืœืšโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื™ื›ื•ืœ ืืชื” ืœื™ืชืŸ ื—ืœืงื™ื ื’ื ืœืžืื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซืขื ื”ืืจืฆื•ืช ืคืฉื•ื˜ื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ื™ ื›ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซืื ืฉื™ื ื•ืžืžืš ื•ืžื—ืœืงืš ืœื ื™ื’ืจืข ืขืœ ื™ื“ื™ ื–ื” ื›ืœื•ืโ€ฌ .โ€ซื—ืœืง ื•ื—ืœืง ื”ื ื”ื• ืขื“ ืื™ืŸ ืงืฅ ื•ืขื“ ืื™ืŸ ืชื›ืœื™ืชโ€ฌ

Part E. Time in the World to Come

1. Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, Sifsei Chaim: Emunah Uโ€™Bitachon, Vol. II, p. 190 โ€“ Time will be perceived differently than it is currently. โ€œThe World that is eternally longโ€ [Kiddushin 39b] means that even the first moment of it will have limitless length, for even one moment of eternity is itself an eternity.

โ€ซโ€ ื”ื™ื™ื ื• ืฉื’ื ื”ืจื’ืข ื”ืจืืฉื•ืŸ ื”ื•ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซโ€œืœืขื•ืœื ืฉื›ื•ืœื• ืืจื•ืšโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ื™ ื‘ืจื’ืข ืื—ื“ ืฉืœ ื”ื ืฆื— ื™ืฉ ื‘ื• ืืช ื›ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซืืจื•ืš ืœืœื ื”ืคืกืงโ€ฌ .โ€ซื”ื ืฆื—โ€ฌ

Part F. Spiritual Growth in the World to Come Although the time for earning reward will have ended, the World to Come will not be a static situation. A person will continue to grow, acquiring greater heights of spirituality as time progresses.

1. Talmud Bavli, Berachot 64a โ€“ Torah scholars will go from strength to strength. Rabbi Chiya bar Ashi said in the name of Rav, โ€œTorah scholars have no rest, neither in this world nor in the World to Come [for they continually delve further into the pleasure of Godโ€™s Presence โ€“ Maharsha], as it says, โ€˜They go from strength to strength, every one of them appears before God in Zionโ€™โ€ (Tehillim 84:8).

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โ€ซ ืชืœืžื™ื“ื™ ื—ื›ืžื™ื ืื™ืŸโ€ฌ:โ€ซืืžืจ ืจื‘ื™ ื—ื™ื™ื ื‘ืจ ืืฉื™ ืืžืจ ืจื‘โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื ืืžืจโ€ฌ,โ€ซืœื”ื ืžื ื•ื—ื” ืœื ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื”ื–ื” ื•ืœื ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื”ื‘ืโ€ฌ .โ€ซื™ืœื›ื• ืžื—ื™ืœ ืืœ ื—ื™ืœ ื™ืจืื” ืืœ ืืœื”ื™ื ื‘ืฆื™ื•ืŸโ€ฌ

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2. Ramchal, Derech Hashem 1:3:13, translated by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, Feldheim Publishers, p. 59 โ€“ Even in the post-Resurrection World to Come man will still be able to elevate his spiritual level. When the soul is recombined with the body after Resurrection it will no longer be bound or restricted and it will enter the body with all its brilliance and strength. The body will then experience a great enlightenment, and it will not have to develop gradually as a child does now. The soul will immediately shine forth and purify the body to a very great degree. This does not mean, however, that resurrected man will not be able to continue to elevate himself.

โ€ซ ืœื ืชืชืžืขื˜ ื•ืœืโ€ฌ,โ€ซืื›ืŸ ื‘ืฉื•ื‘ื” ื‘ื’ื•ืฃ ืื—ืจ ื”ืชื—ื™ื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืื– ืžื™ื“โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ืืœื ืชื›ื ืก ื‘ื›ืœ ื–ื”ืจื™ื” ื•ื‘ื›ืœ ื›ื—ื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซืชืชืขืœืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ืœื ื™ืฆื˜ืจืš ืœื• ื”ื’ื™ื“ื•ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซืชื–ื›ืš ืืช ื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื”ื”ื•ื ื–ื™ื›ื•ืš ื’ื“ื•ืœโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืืœื ืžื™ื“ ื‘ืฉืขืชื•โ€ฌ,โ€ซืžืขื˜ ืžืขื˜ ืฉืฆืจื™ืš ืขืชื” ืœื™ืœื“ื™ืโ€ฌ .โ€ซ ื•ืžื™ื“ ืชื–ื›ื›ื”ื• ื–ื™ื›ื•ืš ื’ื“ื•ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซืชืื™ืจ ื‘ื•โ€ฌ

โ€ซ ืฉื™ื”ื™ื• ืœื’ื•ืฃ ื•ืœื ืฉืžื” ื™ื—ื“ ืขื™ืœื•ื™ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ืืžื ื ืœื ื™ืžื ืข ื–ื”โ€ฌ .โ€ซืื—ืจ ืขื™ืœื•ื™ืโ€ฌ

The instant that the soul reenters the body, the individual is raised to a high spiritual level and the body experiences its initial enlightenment. At this point, the body will immediately be on a higher level than it could ever possibly attain in its first life.

โ€ซ ืฉืžื™ื“ ื‘ื‘ื•ื ื”ื ืฉืžื” ื‘ื’ื•ืฃ ื™ื”ื™ื” ื”ืื“ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซืื‘ืœ ื”ืขื ื™ืŸ ื”ื•ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื™ืชืขืœื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื•ื’ื•ืคื• ื™ืงื‘ืœ ืžื™ื“ ื–ื™ื›ื•ืš ืจืืฉื•ืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ื”ื•ื ื™ืงืจ ื•ื ืขืœื”โ€ฌ .โ€ซื‘ื• ืžื›ืœ ืžื” ืฉื”ื™ื” ื›ืœ ื™ืžื™ ื—ื™ื™ื• ื”ืจืืฉื•ื ื™ืโ€ฌ

The degree of enlightenment will depend on the individualโ€™s good deeds in his first life, and accordingly he will be placed on an appropriate level among those worthy of enjoying this ultimate perfection. [This level, however, is not permanent,] and the complete person, both body and soul, will still be able to elevate himself in relation to the initial level upon which he is placed.

โ€ซื•ื™ื”ื™ื” ื”ื–ื™ื›ื•ืš ื”ื”ื•ื ื›ืคื™ ื›ืœ ื”ืžืขืฉื™ื ื”ื˜ื•ื‘ื™ื ืฉืขืฉื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื™ืฉื™ื ืื•ืชื• ื‘ืžื“ืจื™ื’ื” ืฉืจืื•ื™ ืœื• ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ื‘ื™ืŸ ื”ื–ื•ื›ื™ืโ€ฌ,โ€ซื›ื‘ืจโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ืคื™โ€ฌ,โ€ซ ื•ืื—ืจ ื›ืš ื™ืชืขืœื• ืฉื ื™ื”ื ืขื™ืœื•ื™ืโ€ฌ.โ€ซืœื™ื”ื ื•ืช ื‘ืฉืœื™ืžื•ืชโ€ฌ :โ€ซืžื” ืฉืจืื•ื™ ืœืžื™ ืฉื”ื•ื ื‘ืžื“ืจื™ื’ื” ื”ื”ื™ืโ€ฌ

Key Themes of Section IV: HH The World to Come after the Resurrection of the Dead will be governed by laws of nature that facilitate the receiving of reward rather than the earning of it. HH As the ultimate purpose of Creation, it will be designed to provide the greatest spiritual delight and connection to God. Just as man is sustained here by food and drink, there he will be sustained by the radiance of Godโ€™s Presence. HH It will be a physical world, yet there will be overflowing natural bounty, endless resources, no death, an altered sense of time, and continual spiritual elevation. The soul too will not be bound by the limitations of the body and man will experience an awareness of God beyond that which we can currently imagine.

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The World to Come III

Section V. The Lesson of the World to Come for This World 1. Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, Sifsei Chaim, Pirkei Emunah Uโ€™Bchirah, Vol. II, pp. 230-1 โ€“ The World to Come teaches us the meaning of our lives in this world. The subject of the World to Come and belief in it are not just fundamental principles of faith that teach us the greatness and kindness of God. As Rabbi Saโ€™adiah Gaon said, โ€œThere is nothing more spectacular about the Resurrection than there is about Creation itself.โ€ (This sentiment is based on the Talmud, Sanhedrin 91a: If that which at one time did not exist came into existence, then all the more so will that which already exists come into existence again.) That is, the actual existence of man testifies no less to Godโ€™s greatness and kindness than does the Resurrection of the Dead.

โ€ซ ืื™ืŸ ื”ื•ื ืจืงโ€ฌ,โ€ซื ืžืฆื ืฉืขื ื™ืŸ ืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ื ื•ื”ืืžื•ื ื” ื‘ื•โ€ฌ โ€ซืžื™ืกื•ื“ื•ืช ื”ืืžื•ื ื” ื›ื“ื™ ืœืœืžื“ื ื• ืืช ื’ื“ื•ืœืช ื”ื‘ื•ืจื ื•ื”ื›ืจืชโ€ฌ :โ€ซ ื›ืคื™ ืฉื”ืจืกโ€ื’ ื›ื•ืชื‘ ืขืœ ืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ืโ€ฌ,โ€™โ€ซื—ืกื“ื™ื• ื™ืชื‘โ€ฌ .โ€ซโ€œืื™ืŸ ื‘ื–ื” ืคืœื ื™ื•ืชืจ ืžืขื™ืงืจ ื‘ืจื™ืืชื•โ€ (ื•ืขื™ื™ืŸ ืกื ื”ื“ืจื™ืŸ ืฆืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ื™ ืขืฆื ื‘ืจื™ืืชโ€ฌ,)โ€ซ ืœื ื›ืœ ืฉื›ืŸโ€ฌ- โ€ซื“ื”ื•ื™ ื—ื™ื™โ€ฌ,โ€ซื“ืœื ื”ื•ื• โ€“ ื—ื™ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซื”ืื“ื ื”ื•ื ืคืœื ื•ื”ื›ืจืช ื’ื“ื•ืœืช ื”ื‘ื•ืจื ื•ื—ืกื“ื™ื• ืœื ืคื—ื•ืชโ€ฌ ,โ€ซืžืชื—ื™ื™ืช ื”ืžืชื™ืโ€ฌ

Rather, since the reward of the World to Come is a function of manโ€™s effort and toil, we can learn that the purpose of man in this world and the way in which he prepares himself [for the World to Come] is through the fulfillment of the Torah and the mitzvot. The soul elevates the body and purifies it, and therefore it too is elevated and further elevates, according to the effort of a person in this world. To whatever extent the body is able to become a receptacle for receiving the reward of the World to Come together with the soul, it is a function of manโ€™s efforts in this world. To the degree to which man purifies his body in this world, it will be fit to participate in the reward of the World to Come.

โ€ซืืœื ืžืชื•ืš ืฉื”ืฉื›ืจ ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื‘ ืœืคื™ ืžื™ื“ืช ืขืžืœื•โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื ืžืฆื™ื ื• ืœืžื“ื™ื ืฉืชืคืงื™ื“โ€ฌ,โ€ซื•ื”ืฉืชื“ืœื•ืชื• ืฉืœ ื”ืื“ืโ€ฌ ,โ€ซื”ืื“ื ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื– ื•ื”ื›ืฉืจืชื• ื”ื•ื ืขโ€ื™ ืงื™ื•ื ืชื•ืจื” ื•ืžืฆื•ื•ืชโ€ฌ ,โ€ซ ื•ื’ื ื”ื™ื ืชื•ืกื™ืฃโ€ฌ,โ€ซืฉื”ื ืฉืžื” ืชืขืœื” ืืช ื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื•ืชื–ื›ื›ื•โ€ฌ ,โ€ซ ื›ืคื™ ืžื“ืช ืขื‘ื•ื“ืช ื”ืื“ื ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื–โ€ฌ,โ€ซืœืขืœื•ืช ื•ืœื”ืชืขืœื•ืชโ€ฌ โ€ซืฉืขื“ ื›ืžื” ืฉื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื™ื”ื™ื” ื‘ืจ ืงืœื™ื˜ื” ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ืจืื•ื™ ืœืงื‘ืœโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื–ื” ืชืœื•ื™ ื‘ืขื‘ื•ื“ืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซืืช ืฉื›ืจ ืขื•ื”โ€ื‘ ื™ื—ื“ ืขื ื”ื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื‘ืื•ืชื” ืžื™ื“ื” ืฉื–ื™ื›ืš ืืช ื’ื•ืคื• ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื–โ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ืื“ื ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื–โ€ฌ .โ€ซื›ืš ื™ื”ื™ื” ืจืื•ื™ ืœื”ืฉืชืชืฃ ื‘ืฉื›ืจ ืขื•ื”โ€ื‘โ€ฌ

It turns out, then, that we are here in this world to prepare our bodies and souls for eternal reward, for the body too needs to be prepared for the World to Come by the power exerted over it by the soul. The body should function as an assistant in the service of the soul. Accordingly, also in the World to Come the body will merit to be in the service of the soul; as the soul receives supernal splendor so too will the body, forever and ever.

โ€ซ ืฉืื ื—ื ื• ื›ืืŸ ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื– ืžื›ื™ื ื™ื ืืช ื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื•ืืชโ€ฌ,โ€ซื ืžืฆื ืื™ืคื•ืโ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื’ื ืืช ื”ื’ื•ืฃ ืฆืจื™ืš ืœื”ื›ื™ืŸโ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ื ืคืฉ ืœืฉื›ืจ ื‘ืขื•ืœื ื”ื ืฆื—โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื™ืฉืžืฉโ€ฌ,โ€ซืœืขื•ื”โ€ื‘ ืขโ€ื™ ื”ืฉืœื˜ืช ื”ื ืฉืžื” ืขืœ ื”ื’ื•ืฃโ€ฌ โ€ซ ื›ืš ื’ื ื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื‘ ื™ื–ื›ื”โ€ฌ,โ€ซื‘ืขื•ื”โ€ื– ืจืง ื›ื›ืœื™ ืฉืจืช ืœื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ืฉื”ื ืฉืžื” ืชืงื‘ืœโ€ฌ,โ€ซื”ื’ื•ืฃ ืœื”ื™ื•ืช ื›ื›ืœื™ ืฉืจืช ื ื˜ืคืœ ืœื ืฉืžื”โ€ฌ โ€ซ ื•ื”ื’ื•ืฃ ื™ืงื‘ืœ ืืช ื–ื™ื• ื”ืขืœื™ื•ืŸ ืžื”ื ืฉืžื” ืœื—ื™ื™โ€ฌ,โ€ซืืช ื–ื™ื• ื”ืขืœื™ื•ืŸโ€ฌ .โ€ซื ืฆื— ื ืฆื—ื™ืโ€ฌ

2. Pirkei Avot (Ethics of the Fathers) 4:16 โ€“ This world is a chance to prepare for the next. Rabbi Yaakov would say, โ€œThis world is comparable to the antechamber before the World to Come. Prepare yourself in the antechamber, so that you may enter the banquet hall.โ€

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โ€ซืจื‘ื™ ื™ืขืงื‘ ืื•ืžืจ ื”ืขื•ืœื ื”ื–ื” ื“ื•ืžื” ืœืคืจื•ื–ื“ื•ืจ ื‘ืคื ื™โ€ฌ โ€ซื”ืขื•ืœื ื”ื‘ื ื”ืชืงืŸ ืขืฆืžืš ื‘ืคืจื•ื–ื“ื•ืจ ื›ื“ื™ ืฉืชื›ื ืกโ€ฌ :โ€ซืœื˜ืจืงืœื™ืŸโ€ฌ

Spirituality & Kabbalah

The World to Come III

Key Themes of Section V: HH Belief in a future life in the World to Come should not seem any more miraculous than life itself: if God can give us life in this world then He can certainly grant life again in the World to Come. HH Belief in the World to Come is not simply a statement about our faith in God and His attributes. Rather, this belief imparts to us a perspective on the meaning of our lives in this world โ€“ that we are here to prepare ourselves for the next world through Torah study and the performance of mitzvot. HH Since the body too must be prepared for the spiritual existence of life in the World to Come, we must start the process of making the body subservient to the soul. To the extent that we can do that in this world, we will have life in the World to Come as well.

Class Summary: Does Judaism really believe in a resurrection? Yes, this is a fundamental principle of Judaism, universally acknowledged by all classical sources, and is codified as a tenet of Jewish faith by the Rambam.

What is the purpose of the Resurrection? The post-Resurrection World to Come will usher in an entirely new form of existence. It will provide a venue for experiencing a closeness to God achieved in oneโ€™s previous lifetime.

When will the Resurrection take place and how will it happen? After the arrival of the Messiah, there will be two stages of resurrection. At the beginning of the Messianic Era completely righteous individuals will arise. Later, at the end of the Messianic Era, everyone else will be resurrected for the Great Day of Judgment, followed by the World to Come.

What will life be like in the post-Resurrection World to Come? As the ultimate purpose of Creation, it will be designed to provide the greatest spiritual delight and connection to God. Just as man is sustained here by food and drink, there he will be sustained by the radiance of Godโ€™s Presence.

What lesson can we learn for our lives today from the future Resurrection and World to Come? The World to Come teaches us that the ultimate goodness is attachment to God. Since we know where we are headed, we can use our time here to prepare for the existence in the World to Come by studying Torah, performing mitzvot, refining our character, and helping others. This is the ultimate tikun olam.

Spirituality & Kabbalah

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The World to Come III

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READING & SOURCES Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, The Handbook of Jewish Thought, Vol. II, Ch. 23, 25 Rabbi Chaim Friedlander, Emunah Uโ€™Bechirah, Vol. II, pp. 179-252

Section I. Belief in Resurrection Rabbi J. David Bleich, With Perfect Faith, pp. 619-681 Sanhedrin 90b, citing Bamidbar 18:25-28 Sanhedrin, beginning of Ch. 10

Section II. The Purpose of Resurrection Rabbi Yochanan Bechhoffer, Even Shetiah, pp. 100-101

Section III. How the Resurrection Will Happen Bereishit Rabbah 96:5 Zohar I, 113b (Midrash HaNeโ€™elam)

Section V. The Post-Resurrection World to Come Rabbi Eliyahu E. Dessler, Michtav Mโ€™Eliyahu, Vol. I, pp. 284-295

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Spirituality & Kabbalah

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