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The World to Come Part III THE WORLD TO COME PART III The New You! Resurrection of the Dead t may be surprising to discover that the concept of resurrection is central to Jewish Ithought, 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 little- known 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? 1 Spirituality & Kabbalah 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. Man’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 Spirituality & Kabbalah 2 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 – Resurrection is one of the thirteen fundamental beliefs of Judaism. אני מאמין באמונה שלמה, שתהיה תחית המתים בעת I believe with complete faith that there will be a שיעלה רצון מאת הבורא ... Resurrection of the Dead, at the time when the Creator, may He be blessed, wills it to happen … 2. Maimonides, Treatise on the Resurrection of the Dead (Ma’amar al Techiat Hamatim) – Resurrection is a universally accepted tenet of Judaism. ואומר שתחית המתים המפורסמת והנודעת באומתנו The concept of the Resurrection of the Dead המוסכם עליה מכלל כתותנו אשר רוב זכרה בתפלות ,universally acknowledged by our people – והספורים ובתחנות אשר חברום הנביאים וגדולי incorporated in our daily prayers, which were החכמים ימלא מהם התלמוד והמדרשות ענינה שוב composed by prophets and great wise men full of knowledge of the Talmud and Midrash – refers זאת הנפש לגוף אחרי הפרידה זה ... ואין בו פירוש literally to the returning of the soul to the body כלל... after it has been separated from it … It requires no [allegorical] explanation … 3 Spirituality & Kabbalah THE WORLD TO COME III PART B. AS REFLECTED IN PRAYER 1. Nusach HaTefillah, Birkat HaGevurot (second blessing of the silent Amidah) – We praise God daily for His ability to resurrect the dead. ַא ָּתִּה גּבְור לָעולֲם אָדנְי. מַחֵּיֵה מִתַים אָּתַה רְב ל ִׁהושַיע: You are eternally mighty, my Lord, the Resuscitator of the dead are You. You are abundantly able to save. ְמַכְלֵּכַל חִּיְּים בֶחֶסְד. מַחֶּיֵה מִתְּים בַרֲחִמַים רִּבֵים. סומְך He sustains the living with kindness. He ְנופִלְים. וֵרופִא חולּים וַמִּתֲיר אּסוִרּים. וְמַקֵּיֱם אּמוָנתו resuscitates the dead with abundant mercy. He ִל ֵׁישֵנָי עָפר. supports the fallen, heals the sick, releases the confined, and maintains His faith to those who sleep in the dust. ִמָי כָמוךַּבַעְּל גּבוּרות וִמֶי דומ ָּה לְךֶ. מֶלְךֵמִמּית וְמַחֶּיה Who is like You, Master of mighty deeds, and ּוַמְצִמַיחְיׁשּוָעְה: וֶנֱאָמַן א ָּתְה לַהֲחֵיות מִתים: who is similar to You? A King Who causes death and resurrection, and Who causes salvation to sprout. ָּבּרוְךַא ָּתְה ה’, מַחֵּיַה הֵּמִתים: .And You are faithful to resurrect the dead Blessed are You, God, Who resurrects the dead. 2. Nusach HaTefillah, Morning Blessing – We thank God for our soul, knowing that He will take it away and restore it to us in the World to Come. אלוקי, נשמה שנתת בי טהורה היא, אתה בראת... My God, the soul which You have placed within ואתה משמרה בקירבי, ואתה עתיד ליטלה ממני, me is pure. You created it … and You preserve it ולהחזירה בי לעתיד לבא, כל זמן שהנשמה בקירבי ,within me. You will eventually take it from me מודה אני לפניך... רבון כל המעשים אדון כל הנשמות and restore it to me in the future. As long as the soul is within me, I offer thanks to You … Master ברוך אתה ה’, המחזיר נשמות לפגרים מתים. of all works, Lord of all souls. Blessed are You, God, Who restores souls to dead bodies. 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 – God promised the Land of Israel to the Patriarchs, yet the promise went unfulfilled in their lifetimes. וָאֵרָא אֶל אַבְרָהָם אֶל יִצְחָק וְאֶל יַעֲקֹב... And I [God] revealed Myself to Avraham (Abraham), to Yitzchak (Isaac), and to Yaakov (Jacob) … וְגַם הֲקִמֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּם לָתֵת לָהֶם אֶת אֶרֶץ כְּנָעַן And I have also established My covenant with אֵת אֶרֶץ מְגֻרֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר גָּרו ּבָה:ּ them, to give them the Land of Canaan, the land of their dwellings, where they dwelled. Spirituality & Kabbalah 4 THE WORLD TO COME III 2. Talmud Bavli, (Babylonian Talmud), Sanhedrin 90b – 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. תניא רבי סימאי אומר, מניין לתחיית המתים מן Rabbi Simai said, “Where in the Torah is the התורה? שנאמר )שמות ו( ‘וגם הקימותי את בריתי Resurrection of the Dead mentioned? In the אתם לתת להם את ארץ כנען’. ‘לכם’ לא נאמר אלא verse, “And I have also established My covenant with [the Patriarchs], giving them the Land of ‘להם’, מכאן לתחיית המתים מן התורה. Canaan” [Shemot/Exodus 6:4]. The verse does not say “to give you” but “to give them.” Hence [we learn that] the Resurrection is from the Torah. רש”י :Rashi אלא להם. דמשמע שהבטיח הקדוש ברוך הוא To give them” – The verse implies that God“ לאבותינו אברהם יצחק ויעקב שיתן להם ארץ ישראל, promised the Patriarchs, Avraham, Yitzchak, and וכי להם ניתנה - והלא לבניהם ניתנה אלא מלמד Yaakov, that He would give them the Land of Israel. But was it actually given to them? No, it שעתידין לחיות ועתיד הקדוש ברוך הוא ליתן להם את was given only to their descendants. Hence, the ארץ ישראל. verse teaches us that it has yet to happen; in the future God will give them the Land of Israel. 3. Devarim (Deuteronomy) 32:39; Talmud Bavli, Pesachim 68a – God takes lives and grants life again in the future. ראו עתה כי אני אני הוא ואין אלהים עמדי אני אמית See, now, that I, I am He – and no god is with ואחיה מחצתי ואני ארפא ואין מידי מציל: Me. I put to death and I bring life, I struck down and I will heal, and there is no rescuer from My hand. פסחים דף סח עמוד א Pesachim 68a אמר הקדוש ברוך הוא: מה שאני ממית אני מחיה ,I put to death and I bring life” – The Holy One“ Blessed be He said, “Whoever I cause to die, I shall resurrect.” 4. Yeshayahu (Isaiah) 26:19 – The dead shall live. יִחְ יוּ מֵתֶיךָ נְבֵלָתִ י יְקוּמוּן הָקִ יצוּ וְרַ נְּנוּ שׁ ֹכְ נֵי עָפָ ר..
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