Community MagazineOctober 2021

36 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE All of us have no doubt heard of the concept of Olam Habba – the World to Come. What many of us do not realize, however, is that the term “ Olam Habba ” is not synonymous with “ Gan Eden .” Olam Habba is, without question, the place where the righteous receive their reward for the good deeds they performed while on this world. But the fact that it’s called “the World to Come” indicates that it does not yet exist – as opposed to Gan Eden , which quite obviously has existed since the dawn of creation. In this month’s installment, we attempt to dispel the common misconceptions surrounding this topic and describe the magnificence of the World to Come. We will also try to determine who will be allowed to live in this world, and when this world will come into being. Where Does the Soul Go After Death? The term “ Olam Habba ” is generally understood as referring to the dwelling place of the soul after it leaves the body and ascends to the heavens, where one receives his reward for his achievements here on earth. Our sages teach us that when the soul departs from the human body and ascends to heaven, it is first brought before the heavenly tribunal to determine whether it is worthy of eternal reward in Olam Habba . If the man or woman was righteous and is thus found worthy, then the soul is immediately brought to Gan Eden in the heavens, where it joins the rest of the sadikim , enjoying magnificent spiritual pleasures that cannot be described or understood by human beings. But if, Gd forbid, a soul is deemed unworthy, it is either brought to the fires of Gehinom to be cleansed, or painfully chased by prosecuting angels until deemed worthy of being cleaned in Gehinom . In some instances, a soul can be returned to earth to try to rectify the misdeeds of a previous life. The Ramban (Rabbi Moshe Nachmanides, 1194-1270), as well as most other commentaries, point out that the soul does not receive its full reward in Gan Eden 1 . The complete reward is dispensed only at the end of the world’s existence, following the Messianic Era, during Olam Habba – the world’s final chapter of existence, a glorious paradise where all the righteous people from all generations receive their full and final reward. Accordingly, Gan Eden and Olam Habba are two entirely separate entities. Essentially, Gan Eden serves as a “waiting room” (though quite a pleasant one, to say the least) where the righteous remain until the time of Olam Habba , an existence that will come into being only after the Messianic Era, to receive their eternal reward. Interestingly enough, the sages teach that the sadikim ’s “account” continues to grow during the period they spend “waiting” in Gan Eden . Many of the good deeds performed during a person’s lifetime yield long-term effects upon others that can continue for generations. Therefore, while “waiting” in Gan Eden , the reward allotted for the righteous in Olam Habba can continue to grow without limit. A Physical or Spiritual World? The Rambam (Rabbi Moshe Maimonides, 1135-1204) was of the opinion that Olam Habba will emerge in two stages. The first stage will begin at the time of tehiyat hametim when all the righteous will be brought back to life in a physical form. The “new world” they will inhabit will be more elevated than the world as we know it, but will still be a physical world where people eat, drink, and engage in all other physical activities. Eventually, however, all people will reach such an exalted spiritual level that their souls will leave their bodies and rise to the heavenly Olam Habba , a completely spiritual existence, where they will receive their final and full reward for all eternity. Others, however, including the Ramban, maintain that Olam Habba entails only one stage. In their view, the righteous will receive their eternal reward immediately after tehiyat hametim , in the elevated physical world in which they will live after resurrection. 2 The Pleasures of Olam Habba The Talmud comments that the intense spiritual pleasures that await the righteous in Olam Habba cannot be described with words, and cannot be imagined by the human mind. Even the greatest prophets, the sages teach, were unable to contemplate the full extent of these spiritual delights. In fact, the sages tell us that just a brief “smell” of Olam Habba provides greater pleasure than all the delights offered in this world combined. Olam Habba – The World to Come – Part XII R’ ELIYAHU CHAIM ABOUD