Shabbat and the World to Come

חֲמִשָּׁה וְשִׁשָּׁה וַעֲשָׂרָה סִימָן: חֲמִשָּׁה אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים, אֵלּוּ הֵן: אֵשׁ, דְּבַשׁ, וְשַׁבָּת, וְשֵׁינָה, וַחֲלוֹם. אֵשׁ — אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לְגֵיהִנָּם. דְּבַשׁ — אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לַמָּן. שַׁבָּת — אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. שֵׁינָה — אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לַמִּיתָה. חֲלוֹם — אֶחָד מִשִּׁשִּׁים לַנְּבוּאָה.

Berakhot 57b:13

The numbers five, six, and ten are mnemonics for the categories to follow. The Gemara says: There are five matters in our world which are one-sixtieth of their most extreme manifestations. They are: Fire, honey, Shabbat, sleep, and a dream. The Gemara elaborates: Our fire is one-sixtieth of the fire of Gehenna; honey is one-sixtieth of manna; Shabbat is one-sixtieth of the World-to-Come; sleep is one-sixtieth of death; and a dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy.

דאמר ר' שמעון בן לקיש נשמה יתירה נותן הקב"ה באדם ערב שבת. ולמוצאי שבת נוטלין אותה הימנו שנאמר (שמות לא, יז) שבת וינפש כיון ששבת ווי אבדה נפש:

Talmud Bavli, Beitzah 16a

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The Holy One, blessed be He, gives the Jew an extra soul ("Neshamah Yetayrah") on Shabbat eve. After Shabbat ends, it is taken away from the person, as it says, "He ceased working and rested - Shavat Va'Yinafash" (Exodus 31:17), since it ceased, the soul is lost.

Otiot d'Rabbi Akiva
Israel said before the Holy One, Blessed Be God: ‘Ruler of the world, if we observe the commandments, what reward will we have?’ God said to them, ‘The world-to-come.’ They said to God: ‘Show us its likeness.’ God showed them the Sabbath.

ישעיהו נ״ח:י״ג-י״ד

(יג) אִם־תָּשִׁ֤יב מִשַּׁבָּת֙ רַגְלֶ֔ךָ עֲשׂ֥וֹת חֲפָצֶ֖יךָ בְּי֣וֹם קָדְשִׁ֑י וְקָרָ֨אתָ לַשַּׁבָּ֜ת עֹ֗נֶג לִקְד֤וֹשׁ יְהוָה֙ מְכֻבָּ֔ד וְכִבַּדְתּוֹ֙ מֵעֲשׂ֣וֹת דְּרָכֶ֔יךָ מִמְּצ֥וֹא חֶפְצְךָ֖ וְדַבֵּ֥ר דָּבָֽר׃ (יד) אָ֗ז תִּתְעַנַּג֙ עַל־יְהוָ֔ה וְהִרְכַּבְתִּ֖יךָ עַל־בָּ֣מֳותֵי אָ֑רֶץ וְהַאֲכַלְתִּ֗יךָ נַחֲלַת֙ יַעֲקֹ֣ב אָבִ֔יךָ כִּ֛י פִּ֥י יְהוָ֖ה דִּבֵּֽר׃ (ס)

Isaiah 58:13-14

(13) If you refrain from trampling the Sabbath, from pursuing your affairs on My holy day; If you call the Sabbath “delight,” Adonai’s holy day “honored”; And if you honor it and go not your ways nor look to your [own] affairs, nor strike bargains— (14) Then you can seek the favor of Adonai. I will set you astride the heights of the earth, and let you enjoy the heritage of your father Jacob— For the mouth of Adonai has spoken.

Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, "The Sabbath"
The solution of mankind's most vexing problem will not be found in renouncing technical civilization, but in attaining some degree of independence of it. In regard to external gifts, to outward possessions, there is only one proper attitude--to have them and to be able to do without them.

Study Questions
1. What might the sages mean by suggesting that Shabbat represents "the world to come"?
2. How might this or might this not fulfill the prophet Isaiah's vision of Shabbat?
3. How would we frame Shabbat in order to experience "the world to come" as individuals? As families? As communities?