Description: Section II - Chapter 2 - 01
Derech Hashem
Section II Chapter 2 – 01
We have previously discussed that the purpose of mankind is to reach true perfection – the only real good that there is in this world – and that is the connection with Hashem, the hisdabkus which will take place in the world-to-come. Therefore, everything that happens to man is furthering him along this path to olam habah. Hashem created this world in His infinite wisdom, because the only way to achieve that ultimate good, is through passing the test of this world. Therefore, all parts of this world and everything that occurs in it, is a part of the preparation for the ultimate life in olam habah.
This preparation has two parts. There is one part which is specific to each person, which entails him perfecting himself through his deeds. There is another part, humankind as a whole, which needs to be prepared to enter the world-to-come as well, and achieve the perfection necessary for that.
Being that man was created with a yetzer tov and a yetzer horah, and free choice, it’s inevitable that there will be some righteous people, tzaddikim, and some reshaim – evil people who make the wrong choices. The end of the whole process of this world and the world-to-come will be when the tzaddikim are gathered together into one unit in connection with Hashem, and the reshaim are pushed away, and denied that pleasure.
But free choice doesn’t only separate different kinds of people. It also defines every person within themselves – because no one is perfect. We make some good choices and some bad choices. We are partially good and partially imperfect. When Hashem judges us and determines our fate according to our deeds, He takes everything into account – because it would defeat justice were He to ignore part of what we do. Every single deed is repaid in kind, whether a great act, or a small seemingly unimportant act, it’s not possible otherwise.
Hashem therefore decreed to divide up the way these deeds are dealt with. Every person’s deeds are defined by the majority. The majority receives its due in one world and the minority receives its due in another world.
The true reward for good deeds in is olam habah. The reward is that a person is misdavek to Hashem for all eternity. The greatest punishment is to be denied that good, and be lost. Hashem determines who makes it to the world-to-come based on the majority of deeds a person has done. If the majority are good, and he is a tzaddik, but yet he has done some evil deeds and has imperfections, he will receive his reward in the world-to-come, and this world will serve as the place to atone for whatever imperfections he has, or the bad deeds he has committed. This way the world-to-come can be a perfect reward – tzaddikim can be alone with Hashem in its full glory, without being deterred by any imperfection, because that has been taken care of in this world. Evil people, reshaim, who spend the majority of their lives committing sins, will receive the reward for whatever good deeds they have done in this world, and in the world-to-come they will have no place – because they don’t belong there!
Derech Hashem
Section II Chapter 2 – 01
We have previously discussed that the purpose of mankind is to reach true perfection – the only real good that there is in this world – and that is the connection with Hashem, the hisdabkus which will take place in the world-to-come. Therefore, everything that happens to man is furthering him along this path to olam habah. Hashem created this world in His infinite wisdom, because the only way to achieve that ultimate good, is through passing the test of this world. Therefore, all parts of this world and everything that occurs in it, is a part of the preparation for the ultimate life in olam habah.
This preparation has two parts. There is one part which is specific to each person, which entails him perfecting himself through his deeds. There is another part, humankind as a whole, which needs to be prepared to enter the world-to-come as well, and achieve the perfection necessary for that.
Being that man was created with a yetzer tov and a yetzer horah, and free choice, it’s inevitable that there will be some righteous people, tzaddikim, and some reshaim – evil people who make the wrong choices. The end of the whole process of this world and the world-to-come will be when the tzaddikim are gathered together into one unit in connection with Hashem, and the reshaim are pushed away, and denied that pleasure.
But free choice doesn’t only separate different kinds of people. It also defines every person within themselves – because no one is perfect. We make some good choices and some bad choices. We are partially good and partially imperfect. When Hashem judges us and determines our fate according to our deeds, He takes everything into account – because it would defeat justice were He to ignore part of what we do. Every single deed is repaid in kind, whether a great act, or a small seemingly unimportant act, it’s not possible otherwise.
Hashem therefore decreed to divide up the way these deeds are dealt with. Every person’s deeds are defined by the majority. The majority receives its due in one world and the minority receives its due in another world.
The true reward for good deeds in is olam habah. The reward is that a person is misdavek to Hashem for all eternity. The greatest punishment is to be denied that good, and be lost. Hashem determines who makes it to the world-to-come based on the majority of deeds a person has done. If the majority are good, and he is a tzaddik, but yet he has done some evil deeds and has imperfections, he will receive his reward in the world-to-come, and this world will serve as the place to atone for whatever imperfections he has, or the bad deeds he has committed. This way the world-to-come can be a perfect reward – tzaddikim can be alone with Hashem in its full glory, without being deterred by any imperfection, because that has been taken care of in this world. Evil people, reshaim, who spend the majority of their lives committing sins, will receive the reward for whatever good deeds they have done in this world, and in the world-to-come they will have no place – because they don’t belong there!