בשעה שמכניסין אדם לדין אומרים לו נשאת ונתת באמונה קבעת עתים לתורה עסקת בפו"ר צפית לישועה פלפלת בחכמה הבנת דבר מתוך דבר
When a man is brought before the [heavenly] court he is asked: "Were you trustworthy in business? Did you set time for Torah [study]? Did you try to have kids? Did you hope for the Messiah? Did you argue intelligently? Did you understand things based on other things?"
Rabbi Dr. Meir Tamari, In the Marketplace, pg. 14
Theft indicates a breakdown in individual and social morality.Judaism views economic evils as the beginning of the destruction of both Jewish and non-Jewish societies. The commentators, discussing the sin of biblical Sodom, argue, inter alia, that the reason for the cities’ destruction was their refusal to share their wealth with others, while the fate of the Generation of the Flood was sealed, according to the Sages, by the sin of theft. The chassidic Admor of Sochochov queried the latter. Since we know that the Generation of the Flood transgressed three major sins - idolatry, adultery, and bloodshed - for which the penalty is death, why did the rabbis say the world was destroyed because of theft, which does not merit a death penalty? He answered that theft is the beginning of the unraveling of the entire social fabric, which leads to the three major sins, and therefore, it was theft that led to their destruction. In the Jewish world, the same centrality of economic morality applies. It is well known that the rabbis saw groundless hatred as the reason for the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, yet the Jerusalem Talmud ascribes the reason for the destruction to the fact that the Jews of that generation loved money. Similarly, the writings of the prophets Isaiah, Amos, and Jeremiah foretell the destruction of the First Temple - partly attributed to the theft and avarice which had become rampant.
תנן אלו דברים שאדם עושה אותם ואוכל פירותיהן בעולם הזה והקרן קיימת לו לעולם הבא ואלו הן כיבוד אב ואם וגמילות חסדים והבאת שלום שבין אדם לחברו ות"ת כנגד כולם
It was taught in a Mishnah: These are the things that people do and enjoy their fruit (interest) in this world and the principle still is available to them in the world to come. And they are: honoring your mother and father, acts of lovingkindness, making peace between two people and the study of Torah is equal to them all.
Ron Wolfson in “The Seven Questions You’re Asked In Heaven”, p.45
Rabbi David Hartman, one of the great rabbinic educators of our time, recalls that as a boy in a yeshiva, someone came to the study hall one day asking for donations to support this celebration of the 750th anniversary of the death of Maimonides - The Rambam. The young Hartman looked up from his text and exclaimed: “the Rambam is dead? How can he be dead? He and I were arguing with each other just this morning!”
(כב) בֶּן בַּג בַּג אוֹמֵר, הֲפָךְ בָּהּ וַהֲפָךְ בָּהּ, דְּכֹלָּא בָהּ. ובָהּ תֶּחֱזֵי, וְסִיב וּבְלֵה בַהּ, וּמִנַּהּ לָא תְזוּעַ, שֶׁאֵין לְךָ מִדָּה טוֹבָה הֵימֶנָּה.
(22) Ben Bag Bag says: Search in it and search in it, since everything is in it. And in it should you look, and grow old and be worn in it; and from it do not move, since there is no characteristic greater than it.
Rabbi Ed Feinstein Wedding Speech
You are surrounded by your family and friends who love you, who raised you, and have brought you to this moment. But, from now on, you are no longer only a descendent. From now on, you have the potential to be an ancestor.
(5) And you shall love the Eternal your G-d with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. (6) And these words, which I command you this day, shall be upon your heart; (7) and you shall teach them diligently to your children, and shalt talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise up. (8) And you shall bind them for a sign upon your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes. (9) And you shall write them upon the door-posts of your house, and upon your gates.
Rabbi Harold Schulweis
Have children.
Adopt children.
Mentor children.
Teach children.
Leave a legacy.
You'll be asked about it in heaven.
התקווה
כל עוד בלבב פנימה
נפש יהודי הומייה
ולפאתי מזרח קדימה
עין לציון צופיה.
עוד לא אבדה תקוותינו
התקווה בת שנות אלפיים
להיות עם חופשי בארצנו
ארץ ציון וירושלים
Hatikvah
As long as the Jewish spirit is yearning deep in the heart,
With eyes turned toward the East, looking toward Zion,
Then our hope - the two-thousand-year-old hope - will not be lost:
To be a free people in our land,
The land of Zion and Jerusalem.
Redemption Blessing from Prayer Book:
There can be no G-d but You...You O Eternal our G-d, rescued us from Egypt...You redeemed us from the house of bondage...You split apart the waters of the Red Sea, the faithful You rescued, the wicked drowned...then Your beloved sang hymns of thanksgiving.... They acclaimed the King, G-d on high, great and awesome source of all blessings, the ever living G-d, exalted in His majesty. He humbles the proud and raises the lowly; He helps the needy and answers his people's call... Then Moses and all the children of Israel sang with great joy this song to the Eternal. Who is like You oh Eternal among the mighty? Who is like You, so glorious in holiness? So wondrous Your deeds, so worthy of praise! The redeemed sang a new song to You; they sang in chorus at the shore of the sea, acclaiming Your sovereignty with thanksgiving: The Eternal shall reign forever and ever. Rock of Israel, arise to Israel's defense! Fulfill Your promise to deliver Judah and Israel. Our redeemer is the Holy One of Israel, the Lord of hosts is His name. Praise to You oh Eternal, Redeemer of Israel.
Ron Wolfson in “The Seven Questions You’re Asked In Heaven”, p.80/81
In the first question we find the word chochmah - wisdom. In Jewish study there are three kinds of knowledge: chochmah, binah and da’at. According to my esteemed teacher, Rabbi Elliot Dorff, chochmah is the kind of knowledge that one gains from experience - wisdom. In the second question we find the word havanta - understanding. The root word of havanta is binah. Bina refers to analytic ability, understanding that comes from analyzing arguments reaching and conclusions. Da’at is factual knowledge, the what, where, when, and how of a thing. Put it altogether and we come to another way to read Rava’s questions: did you ask questions about your life experiences that lead you to wisdom? Did your analysis lead you to understanding? Now we’re not just getting at how to study but why we study.
רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר, ... וְשׁוּב יוֹם אֶחָד לִפְנֵי מִיתָתָךְ.בוֹא:
Rabbi Eliezer says.....repent one day before your death.
משל למלך שזימן את עבדיו לסעודה, ולא קבע להם זמן. פיקחין שבהן קישטו את עצמן וישבו על פתח בית המלך, אמרו: כלום חסר לבית המלך? טיפשין שבהן הלכו למלאכתן, אמרו: כלום יש סעודה בלא טורח? בפתאום ביקש המלך את עבדיו. פיקחין שבהן נכנסו לפניו כשהן מקושטין, והטיפשים נכנסו לפניו כשהן מלוכלכין. שמח המלך לקראת פיקחים, וכעס לקראת טיפשים. אמר: הללו שקישטו את עצמן לסעודה - ישבו ויאכלו וישתו, הללו שלא קישטו עצמן לסעודה - יעמדו ויראו.
Shabbat 153a
A king summoned his servants to a banquet without appointing a time. The wise ones adorned themselves and sat at the door of the palace. [‘for,’] said they. ‘is anything lacking in a royal palace?’ The fools went about their work, saying, ‘can there be a banquet without preparations’? Suddenly the king desired [the presence of] his servants: the wise entered adorned, while the fools entered soiled. The king rejoiced at the wise but was angry with the fools. ‘Those who adorned themselves for the banquet,’ ordered he, ‘let them sit, eat and drink. But those who did not adorn themselves for the banquet, let them stand and watch.’