So What's Better, Really?

[Rabbi Yaakov would say]: 'A single moment of repentance and good deeds in this world is greater than all of the World to Come. And a single moment of bliss in the World to Come is greater than all of the present world.'
[Ethics of our Fathers, Ch. 4:17]
~~~
Wouldn't it be cool to know the mystical, inner meaning behind the various Mitzvot (Commandments) we Jews do? Well, Rebbe Menachem Mendel, also known as the Tzemach Tzedek (1789-1866), sure thought so. So he decided to write a book entitled "Derech Mitzvotecha"-"The Way of Your Commandments," expounding on many of these inner meanings.

The 1st Mitzvah he discusses is: "to be fruitful & multiply" (Gen. 1:28).
"There are 3 Partners in the creation of every child," the Rebbe writes. "Man & Woman form the body, while G-d Infuses the soul."



As the Rebbe proceeds to explain the body & soul's composition, all of a sudden he stops abruptly, as if wondering: 'Why get to know about the mystical implications of marriage and childbirth, when one basic, fundamental question is so perplexing that it has to be answered before moving forward:'

And that Q: is:
Why does the soul have to descend into a body in the 1st place!?

Perhaps you might say that it's in order to take pleasure in the world's glorious, physical bounty.
Like in the movie 'City of Angels,' where the angel (Nicolas Cage) wishes to experience physical life and its various experiences and pleasures.
This suggested hypothesis is rejected by the Rebbe with such amazing words, they haven't left me since reading them one night a few years ago in my yeshiva in New York:

'Before descending into this world, the soul basked in the radiance of G-d's Divine Presence...And even if a person lived a 1,000 years in total peace and tranquility,
living as a king over all kings, lacking absolutely nothing of the world's bountiful pleasures, in truth it wouldn't be worth even ONE moment of pleasure in the lowest levels of the spiritual worlds!...'
As it is said: "A single moment of bliss in the World to Come is greater than all of the present world." Wow.
Sorry for suggesting that idea. I guess it's back to the drawing board.
So... why the heck would G-d Send our souls into this kill-joy of a world?? Doesn't seem cool at all...

"G-d Is Good," the Rebbe assures us. Take a look at the 1st part of the above teaching:
"A single moment of repentance and good deeds in this world is greater than all of the World to Come."
But how can that be reconciled with the greatness of bliss in the next world??

And then comes the bombshell.

True, the pleasures of this world can't touch even a glimmer of the amazing pleasure the soul has above, level upon level of greater closeness to G-d.
Ahh, but ALL of these revelations of G-d above are finite, and are as nothing compared to what happens when one performs a single mitzvah in this physical world.
When one feels a moment of longing to come close to G-d.
Not only that, but "all of the possible levels of pleasure of the next world is like nothing compared to this revelation!"
For the revelation of G-dliness above is, at the end of the day, limited, whereas our deeds down here draw down an infinite level of G-dliness.

So in conclusion, the physical pleasures of this world are truly as nothing compared to one ounce of spiritual pleasure.
But our soul came down for a special purpose. To accomplish something of infinite proportions that it could never have dreamed of doing above.

May you have a Shabbat Shalom, and enjoy the physical pleasure of Wine and Challah!
For that too is a mitzvah!

-Daniel