Pirkei Avot - Ethics of the Fathers

~Level 1~
Bartenura - "better one hour of repentance and good deeds" - ie [utilized] for teshuva and good deeds.

"than all the life in the world-to-come" - for in that time, repentance and good deeds do not help a man, since Olam Haba is only to receive reward for what one has fulfilled in this world.

~Level 2~
Tiferet Yisrael - "repentance" - to rectify what the soul (nefesh) corrupted.

"good deeds" - to add perfection (shelemut) to the soul.

For in Olam Haba it is impossible to rectify the corruption of the soul or to add perfection to it.

"contentment (korat ruach)" - the term connotes "calming of one's mind" (nitkarera daato). For in Olam Haba one quiets his longing for the highest pleasure. For he already attained it.

"than all the life of this world" - for all pleasures of this world will eventually cease unlike the pleasures of Olam Haba which are eternal. Therefore, it is proper for you to guard your seconds of time which fly away quickly and not waste them. For that would be an irreplaceable loss, a loss of your precious time, the means for you to acquire the precious purpose..

~Level 1~
Rabeinu Yonah - "better one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world, than all the life of the world-to-come" - for in a short time in this world, a person gains Olam Haba.. the utility of this world is only for that purpose.

"better one hour of contentment of the world-to-come than all the life of this world" - as our sages said (Shabbat 63a): "All the prophets prophesied only for the Messianic age, but as for the world to come: 'no eye had ever seen..' (Isaiah 64:3)". For the good of Olam Haba has no valuation and no comparison. This is what David said: "how great is the good You have hid away for those who fear You" (Tehilim 64:3). May G-d in His mercy grant us this merit.

~Level 1~
Rashi - "better one hour of contentment of the world-to-come than all the life of this world" - for in this world, man does not have complete peace due to the troubles and evils that befall him and from his day of death which he fears.

"contentment" - that his spirit calms (nitkarer daato) and settles due to joy.

~Level 2~
Maharal Tzintz - "better one hour of contentment of the world-to-come than all the life of this world" - for in matters of this world, a person does not attain complete joy, since "man was born to toil" (Iyov 5:7), whether he is poor or rich. The poor man worries on his poverty while the rich man worries on his wealth. For it is liable to various damages, losses, and many potential mishaps which time brings.

~Level 2~
Chida, Chasdei Avot - "repentance and good deeds in this world" - he specifically said repentance (teshuva) and good deeds. For good deeds without teshuva are considered as nothing. On the contrary, he increases power to the Sitra Achra (forces of evil). Therefore, when a Jew comes to do a mitzvah, he needs to think in repentance (l'harher b'teshuva) in order that this mitzvah ascends favorably before G-d.

~Level 2~
Michtav M'Eliyahu chelek 1 - "better one hour of contentment of the world-to-come than all the life of this world" - ie if we were to combine all pleasures of every person who ever lived in this world and concentrate all the pleasure in one tiny second, nevertheless, it would be less than one "contentment (korat ruach)" of Olam Haba. "Korat ruach" is a tiny pleasure, like that of a poor man who walks on the street outside the king's palace and enjoys the faint smell of the food coming from the palace.

"Korat ruach" - this is the smallest possible reward. Thus we must say it is for the smallest mitzvah of which there is none smaller. For every mitzvah has reward in Olam Haba. Thus it is clear why there is no reward for mitzvot in this world since the reward for the tiniest mitzvah is greater than all of this world.

~Level 3~
Yismach Moshe, Shlach - every person has in his hands Olam Haze (this world) and Olam Haba (the world to come). If he wishes, he may take Olam Haba, the world of eternal bliss, and trade it for this ephemeral world mixed with sorrows.

Fortunate is he [if he takes Olam Haba]. For even if we suppose Olam Haba is only for one hour while this world is for 80 years, nevertheless, his trade is a good one. For our sages already testified that one hour of korach ruach in Olam Haba is greater than all the life of this world.

How much more so if the pleasures of this world are temporary, one day here, next day gone, while the pleasures of the next world are permanent and everlasting. How great and profitable is this business trade! There are some fools who purchase the temporary and ephemeral and all their days are anger and vexation, all their pleasures are imaginary and false and they lose the eternal world and everlasting bliss. Woe to that folly!

Each person can profit or lose. He can ascend higher and higher, "becoming a tzadik like Moshe Rabeinu or a wicked man like Yeravam ben Navat.." (Rambam, Teshuva 5:2). Thus this world is a world of trade.

~Level 3~
Matanat Avot - "better one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world.." - this mishna is a continuation of the previous mishna. It comes to drill into us more why it is so important to utilize our time in this world to acquire merits for Olam Haba

In the previous mishna, the sage explains in clear and penetrating manner to those who did not yet attain wisdom: "this world is but a corridor before Olam Haba".

These people tell themselves: "so what if this world is a narrow corridor relative to Olam Haba? Perhaps the main pleasures are found specifically here in the corridor. Thus it is better to utilize one's time to pursue the pleasures and lusts of this world. For in Olam Haba there aren't pleasures at such a high level [as this world]."

There is definitely an outlook like this as we find in Isaiah (ch.22): "eat meat and drink wine for tomorrow we die". Such people certainly think it is worthwhile to eat meat and drink wine in order to enjoy as much as possible in this world before death. For after death, we will not be able to have so much pleasures.

on this the Tanna answers them: "fools! You measure Olam Haba according to the low level you recognize here in this world? You think Olam Haba is another type of fancy hotel like what you see in the vacation advertisements? Forget all that! Olam Haba is something immensely greater than anything you can possibly imagine!! To such a collosal extent that all the greatest pleasures of this world are not worth even one small scent of Gan Eden from outside". (see Rambam Hilchot Teshuva 8:6).

Whoever hears these things and understands them in his heart will certainly realize that it is very worthwhile to utilize our time in this world to acquire more and more possessions for Olam Haba in order to attain the eternal bliss there which is unfathomable and without comparison.

"better one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world, than all Olam Haba" - in my youth I found this very difficult. How is it possible that before this, the Tanna said Olam Haba is worth more than all of this world and now he says there is something in this world worth more than all of Olam Haba?

This is like saying Reuven has a 100 dollar bill in his hand while Shimon has 10 pennies. Shimon tells Reuven: even though your bill is worth more than my 10 coins, but nevertheless, one of my pennies is worth more than your 100 dollar bill". Is this conceivable?

We can answer according to the famous story of the Vilna Gaon. Near his death, he held his tallit and said: "woe to me that I am leaving a world where it is possible to acquire the mitzvah of tzitzit with a few small coins and I am going to a world where even if I wanted to forego all my Gan Eden in order to merit to do one mitzvah, I will not be granted permission, not even for the smallest mitzvah".

Even though the Vilna Gaon certainly knew that in Olam Haba he will rejoice greatly in the mitzvot he did and the immense reward, but nevertheless, it was clear to him that when he reaches Olam Haba he will very much want to descend again to this world in order to merit to more and more closeness to G-d, which is the reward of Olam Haba.

Even though certainly in Olam Haba no man will be granted permission to do this, as brought in the Talmud: "once a person dies he becomes exempted from the mitzvot" (Shab.30b). But nevertheless, the Tanna uses this concept to picture for us that even the greatest tzadikim who certainly have infinite reward in Olam Haba, but nevertheless they are prepared to forego all their tremendous reward in order to merit to live one more hour of teshuva and good deeds in this world.

This is to rouse us to grab more and more mitzvot every day we live in this world so we don't cry in Olam Haba for not running after the mitzvot [in this world] and then it will already be too late..

~Level 3~
Yachel Yisrael - for most people, it is correct to say: "better one hour of contentment of the world-to-come than all the life of this world". Most people are unable to feel closeness to G-d while attached to a physical body. They cannot "derive pleasure from the radiance of the Shechina (divine presence).. which is the greatest possible pleasure that can possibly exist" (Path of the Just, ch.1).

For most of us, the service of G-d in this world is done primarily out of recognizing our duty in this world and out of hope for future reward. Thus only after leaving this world, separating the spirit from the physical - only then can the soul feel the pure spiritual pleasure.

Therefore, "better one hour of contentment of the world-to-come" - of true spiritual pleasure in Olam Haba, "than all the life of this world" - than all the imaginary pleasures in this world.

But there are some special people, very few, which merit to ascend. They are capable of feeling sublime pleasure without equal while still in this world and attached to a physical body.

Rabbi Yehonatan Eibschutz in his book "Yearot Devash" (derush 12) speaks of those who merited the sublime level of "you shall love the L-ord your G-d with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might" (Shema).

This is the maximum love of which there is none higher. One who truly loves another and succeeds in pleasing his beloved will delight in this as if he attained all the pleasures of this world and even beyond this.

All the pleasure he attains for himself will not be equal in his eyes to the delight he feels for having succeeded to please his beloved.

Servants of a beloved flesh and blood king are prepared to suffer bitter cold and scorching heat, physical and emotional suffering - everything in order to fulfill the will of their king.

They are even willing to sacrifice their own lives for him. How much more so are these things appropriate regarding love of the Creator..

Regarding those special individuals, it is correct to say: "better one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world, than all the life of the world-to-come".

For only here can a man please his Creator. Only in the world of action there are mitzvot (commandments) and it is possible to fulfill the will of the Creator. Olam Haba is a world of reward only. There it is impossible to fulfill even one single mitzvah.

If so, those who truly love [G-d] prefer the "korat ruach" (contentment) they have in this world when engaged in teshuva (repentance) and good deeds. This pleasure of doing the will of G-d is greater in their eyes. For the "korat ruach" waiting for them in Olam Haba is only for themselves. How then can they possibly delight fully without the possibility to continue to please their Beloved?

Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin in his book Ruach Chaim explains in this manner the verse in Tehilim: "Bestow reward upon Your servant; I shall live and keep Your word" (Tehilim 119:17).

I want to receive my reward in such a way that I will remain alive here in this world. I prefer to live forever in this world and not merit to life in Olam Haba. Why? "that I keep Your word" - here I will always be able to fulfill Your will.

Although eternal bliss is waiting for me - constant closeness to G-d, without the barrier of the body. But for what are all the rivers of paradise (Gan Eden) worth relative to the happiness of fulfilling the will of my Creator?!

These things appear far from our grasp. But there are many stories of great torah luminaries who were prepared to trade all their portion in Olam Haba in order to merit to fulfill one mitzvah.

Fulfilling the will of their Creator was greater in their eyes than all their reward.

It is told of the Vilna Gaon that he burst into tears near his death. When asked by his disciple about his weeping he replied: "I am not worried about what awaits me after death, but I am pained about leaving this world. I cry because in Olam Haba, I will no longer be able to attain what is easily obtained here."

As he spoke, he lifted his tzitzit and said: "the mitzvah of tzitzit. One can merit it for a few small coins in this world. In this world, one can merit with a tiny effort to acquire more spiritual perfection, to merit to another second of pleasing the Creator. But in Olam Haba, it is impossible to merit to do any mitzvah for any price whatsoever. Whose heart will not weep for losing the ability to merit more perfection? How can I not sigh for losing the ability to please my Maker?"

Indeed great are the tzadikim (righteous) who reached the recognition that: "better one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world, than all the life of the world-to-come".

~Level 4~
Daat Zekenim - in the talmud: "the purpose of wisdom is repentance and good deeds" (Berachot 17a). This means that wisdom by itself, the wisdom of torah which is the highest - nevertheless, it is not the purpose. Rather, the purpose of wisdom is repentance and good deeds. Wisdom is as nothing relative to deed.. Wisdom is but a gateway to come to deed.

This is what we learned: "better one hour of repentance and good deeds than all of Olam Haba". For it is impossible to measure and estimate what is hidden and buried in a deed. If we were to do an "analysis" on the tiniest deed, it would reveal to us just how much is hidden and buried there - more than the highest wisdoms... and "receiving guests is greater than receiving the face of the Shechina (divine presence)" (Shabbat 127a)...

This is the secret of action! And this is what our sages brought (Bereisheit Rabba 19:7) "the primary [dwelling place] of the Shechina is below (ikar shechina b'tachtonim), ie in the world of deed...