In The Paths of Our Fathers: Chapter Two

He Used To Say: "Increasing Flesh Increases Worms [In The Grave]; Increasing Possessions Increases Worry; Increasing [The Number Of] Wives Increases Sorcery; Increasing Maidservants Increases Lewdness; Increasing Manservants Increases Thievery.

"[But] Increasing Torah Increases Life; Increasing Assiduous Study Increases Wisdom; Increasing Counsel Increases Understanding; Increasing Charity Increases Peace.

"One Who Has Acquired A Good Name Has Acquired It For Himself; One Who Has Acquired For Himself Torah Knowledge Has Acquired For Himself Life In The World To Come."

One Who Has Acquired For Himself Torah Knowledge Has Acquired For Himself Life In The World To Come

The World to Come refers to the Resurrection, the zenith of the Era of the Redemption. At that time, as the Rambam writes:[19] "The occupation of the entire world will be solely to know G-d. For the world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the ocean bed."[20]

Just as fish in the sea depend on their watery environment for life itself, in the Era of the Redemption, each being will realize that its existence depends on the knowledge of G-d, which encompasses it.

A person's connection to the life of the World to Come - the outpouring of Divine knowledge in that future era - depends on the acquisition of Torah knowledge in the present time. As implied by our Sages' statement:[21] "Happy is he who comes here having attained knowledge."

The knowledge we have attained in the present age influences our appreciation of the teachings to be revealed by Mashiach.

(Sichos Shabbos Tazria-Metzora, 5742; Likkutei Sichos, Vol. XXIV, p. 470)

Notes:

(Back to text) Mishneh Torah, Hilchos Melachim 12:5.

(Back to text) Yeshayahu 11:9.

(Back to text) Pesachim 50a. This statement is interpreted (Likkutei Torah, Vaes'chanan 6c) to apply to the soul's reward in Gan Eden, i.e., through the study of Torah in our material world, the soul attains the knowledge of pnimiyus HaTorah in the spiritual realms. Nevertheless, the same motif applies with regard to the teachings of the Mashiach, as implied by (Likkutei Torah, Shir HaShirim 22d and) Tanya, ch. 37, which states that all the revelations of the Era of the Redemption are dependent on our service in the present time.