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"I see," said the King, "that the guarantees of an afterlife made by other religions are richer and more bountiful than yours. These faiths lay greater emphasis upon reward in the World to Come than do the Jews."
To this the Rabbi responded, saying, "However all their rewards purportedly take place only after death; there is no benefit during one's lifetime, nor is there any indication in this lifetime of the future reward.
Foundations of Faith (51)
Rabbi Zalman Baruch Melamed
23 - 23. Why Was Torah Given to Israel Alone?
24 - 24. The Significance of the World to Come
25 - 25. The World to Come – Further Clarification
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The Rabbi asked: "But what would you say about someone who was witness to these great angelic spectacles through prophetic experience? Someone who had seen with his own eyes the awesome event of the Divine revelation at Mount Sinai and had heard for himself the word of God?"
The King of the Khazars answered: "Such a person would unquestionably desire for his soul to be constantly separate from his physical senses so that it could continuously bask in this holy light. I must therefore conclude that such a person would desire death."
The Rabbi said: "The guarantees of reward in our religion are not of the sort that it is impossible to prove; they are not related to an afterlife. It does not say in our Torah that 'if you will perform this commandment, I will bring you gladness and pleasure after death.' The guarantees of reward in Judaism are our bonding to Divinity, here in this world, through prophecy and near-prophecy, and the attachment of Divinity to our people with grandeur, glory, and wonders. God says to Israel, 'You will be a nation to Me, and I will be a God to you, and I will lead you (Leviticus 26:12). Some of you will stand before Me, and some will ascend to the heavens.' This refers to the prophets who used to roam amongst the angels. The angels referred to them as 'sons of man' so that they would be able to distinguish them from the angels all around. Scripture also states that angels will roam amongst you, and you will see them – sometimes only one, sometimes many at a time, in camps. They will protect you and fight for you, as it says regarding Jacob, 'He encountered angels. When Jacob saw them, he said, "This is God's camp." He named the place Twin Camps'" (Genesis 32:3).
In this world we are called upon to cling to the Divine Presence, hear the word of God, see Divine visions, and lead a transcendent existence. The World to Come is the natural continuation of the sublime existence which we already lead in this world.
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Postscript: In the above article, some of what appears to be the dialog of Rabbi Judah Halevi's The Kuzari has in fact been added by Rabbi Melamed for purposes of clarity and explication.
Much of the translation of The Kuzari in the above article is taken from N. Daniel Korobkin's translation of The Kuzari (Jason Aaronson Inc.).
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
