The End Of Days

"...among the heavenly household, and among the earthly household, and among the disciples who occupy themselves with Your Torah, whether they occupy themselves with it for its own sake or whether they occupy themselves with it not for its own sake. And as for all who occupy themselves with it not for its own sake, may it be Your will that they come to occupy themselves with it for its own sake." Rabbi Alexandri, after his prayer, would say thus: "May it be Your will, O LORD our God, that You establish us in a corner of light, and do not establish us in a corner of darkness, and let not our heart be grieved, and let not our eyes grow dim." Some say that this was the prayer of Rav Hamnuna, and that Rabbi Alexandri, after he prayed, would say thus: "Master of the worlds, it is revealed and known before You that our will is to do Your will, and what prevents it? The leaven in the dough and subjugation to the kingdoms. May it be Your will that You deliver us from their hand, and that we return to perform the statutes of Your will with a whole heart." Rava, after his prayer, would say thus: "My God, before I was formed I was unworthy, and now that I have been formed it is as though I had not been formed. Dust am I in my life, all the more so in my death. Behold, I am before You like a vessel full of shame and disgrace. May it be Your will, O LORD my God, that I sin no more, and as for what I have sinned before You, cleanse it in Your abundant mercy, but not by means of suffering and grievous illnesses." And this is the confession of Rav Hamnuna Zuti on the Day of Atonement. Rabbi Yohanan, when he would finish the book of Job, would say thus: "The end of a man is to die, and the end of a beast is to be slaughtered, and all are destined for death. Happy is the one who grows up in the Torah, and whose labor is in the Torah, and who gives pleasure to his Creator, and who grows up with a good name and departs the world with a good name; and of him Solomon said: 'A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death than the day of one's birth' (Ecclesiastes 7:1)." It was a favorite saying in the mouth of Rav: The world to come is not like this world. In the world to come there is no eating and no drinking, no procreation, no commerce, no envy, no hatred, and no rivalry. Rather, the righteous sit with their crowns upon their heads and delight in the radiance of the Divine Presence, as it is said: "And they beheld God, and they ate and drank" (Exodus 24:11).