Think of our lives as divided into two phases. First, there's the phase of avodat adam, the service of humanity, our time here in this world. Then comes the phase of receiving our reward, the sekhar for our actions. These two encompass everything.
Here, now, in this world, we’re told that the body is gass, coarse, and shrouded in darkness, riddled with imperfections. It’s the soul’s job to fortify the body with enlightenment and holiness, to refine it, illuminate it. This is the work of a lifetime.
And what happens when that refinement is complete? That's when the reward comes. Body and soul, together, receiving the good that awaits.
But here’s the real puzzle: why isn’t the soul just stronger? Why doesn't its light instantly perfect the body, banishing all flaws in a single, glorious moment? Why do we have to work so hard?
Da'at Tevunot (72) explores this very question. What is the measure of the soul’s strength within the body?
Imagine, if the soul's power were overwhelming, its light intensely bright, it would instantly elevate the body. Deficiencies would vanish. The yetzer hara, the "evil inclination," essential for free will and the whole system of reward and punishment – it wouldn’t have any power over us! Just like angels, whose abundant light and perfect knowledge render them immune to temptation.
Think about it. The prophet Isaiah (11:9) paints a picture of the future where "They shall not do evil nor corrupt throughout my holy mountain; for the land will be filled with knowledge." And Ezekiel (36:26) says, "And I shall remove the heart of stone from their flesh…" This is the potential when the soul's elevation is so much greater.
But there's another side to this too. What if the soul were too weak? What if it were fundamentally humble, lacking greatness? It wouldn’t be able to withstand the immense glory and greatness that awaits it in the future – a future where it will be even greater than the angels!
So, we find ourselves in a delicate balance. The soul needs enough strength to guide and refine the body, but not so much that it obliterates the very challenges that make growth possible. It’s a cosmic dance, a carefully calibrated system designed to allow us to choose, to struggle, to ultimately earn our reward.
It makes you wonder, doesn't it? Are our struggles not a sign of weakness, but rather a testament to the precise and perfect way in which we were created? A system that allows us to truly become worthy of the light that awaits.