We discussed the view of the
Rambam that the most ideal form of serving God is out of a desire to do the
ultimate truth - “do what is true because it is true (עושה האמת מפני שהוא אמת)” - and not for any personal gain, not
even to merit olam habah. (Note:
The Rambam obviously believes that there is reward and olam habah for
one who serves Hashem, but that is not to be the driving force for such
service.)
However, there are sources that
could be understood to be encouraging one to serve Hashem to receive olam habah.
Firstly, it is important to consider the
words of the Rambam himself earlier in Hilchos Teshuvah where he
poetically describes – seemingly in an approving manner - the human craving for
olam habah. Additionally, other
great Jewish thinkers, such as Rashi, were seemingly not bothered by one who
serves Hashem for olam habah. In the
Mishnah in beginning of Pirkei Avos, Antigonus instructs a Jew trying to
serve Hashem not to be like a servant who serves his master in order to get a “pras.”
Rashi notes the Mishnah’s use of the word pras as opposed to sechar,
and writes that pras refers specifically to reward in this world. The implication of Rashi is that the Mishnah
is only condemning serving Hashem for earthly reward and not condemning one who
serves Hashem for sechar – reward in the next world.
Is serving for olam habah
ideal or not? Rav Tzadok ha-Kohen of
Lublin suggests that it depends upon how one views olam habah. Some view
olam habah as a world of enhanced physical pleasure. This perspective is uncouth and
incorrect. The proper view sees olam
habah as a place of heightened closeness to Hashem. Rav Tzadok argues that
if one serves Hashem out of a desire to be “rewarded” with closeness to Hashem,
then such service is ideal.
Why is service of Hashem that
seeks a “reward” of closeness to Hashem not an infringement of the Rambam’s
principle “do what is true because it is true (עושה האמת מפני שהוא אמת)?” I
once read a parable that can answer our question. What is the difference between a man who
marries a woman because she is rich and he wants money, and a man who marries
his wife because he wants a loving and caring relationship with her? In both cases, the man is marrying her
because “He” wants something. The
obvious difference is that money is not inherently connected to marriage, and
becoming rich is not a fundamental result of marriage. Hence engaging in matrimony purely to amass
money is immoral. However love and care are
concepts that are inherently related to marriage and possessing a loving and
caring relationship is a fundamental, even natural, result of marriage. Hence,
it is not immoral or improper when one marries for such a goal.
So too, in regards to avodas
Hashem. Because olam habah and
the closeness to Hashem it affords is a natural and inherent result of serving
Hashem, it is different than other “rewards” that are not intrinsically linked
with service of Hashem.
It remains that according to the Rambam
serving Hashem with the intention of achieving olam habah, i.e.
closeness to Hashem, is not the most ideal form of service, and the Rambam
still encourages one to “do what is true because it is true (עושה האמת מפני שהוא אמת)” and not in order to
receive a portion in olam habah. However,
we have shown that even for the Rambam such service is still not the same as
other forms of service of God that are for mundane rewards.
(Adapted by Micah Hyman)
No comments:
Post a Comment