Life in the Corridor

רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב אוֹמֵר, הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה דּוֹמֶה לִפְרוֹזְדוֹר בִּפְנֵי הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. הַתְקֵן עַצְמְךָ בַפְּרוֹזְדוֹר, כְּדֵי שֶׁתִּכָּנֵס לַטְּרַקְלִין:

הוּא הָיָה אוֹמֵר, יָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת בִּתְשׁוּבָה וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, מִכָּל חַיֵּי הַעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

                    וְיָפָה שָׁעָה אַחַת שֶׁל קוֹרַת רוּחַ בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, מִכָּל חַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה (אבות ד:טז-יז)

At the end of Avot’s fourth perek, Rebbe Yaakov makes two statements about the relationship between this world and the next. Together, the statements define the focus and goal of life in this world.

A Mere Corridor

Rebbe Yaakov begins by comparing our world to a corridor that leads to a palace —  Olam Haba (the next world).[1] Olam Hazeh (this world) is not the end goal. There is a better and more meaningful place — the “palace” — we reach after passing through this world. We are, of course, familiar with our world and drawn to its pleasures. Rebbe Yaakov teaches that this world is essentially just the “promo,” the hallway.[2]

The sefer Mesillat Yesharim begins by explaining (based on our mishnah) that we need to realize that we were not created (mainly) for this world.[3] Our souls ultimately seek things more meaningful than what this world has to offer; we should ensure that we are not lured astray by the non-spiritual aspects of our world.

Ultimate Reward

This concept connects to two other teachings of Rebbe Yaakov. The first is his assertion that Hashem rewards mitzvah observance only in the next world, not in this one.[4] Understandably, the reward is given in the palace, not the corridor.

Rebbe Yaakov also expresses this idea in the second mishnah (above), where he teaches that “one hour of tranquility in the World to Come is more precious than all of life in this world.”[5] Unlike in this world, where one can never be satisfied, the next world offers true peace, satisfaction, and tranquility. Reward is given only in the next world because one moment of serenity there is more significant than a lifetime of pleasure in Olam Hazeh. Knowing and appreciating this should help us avoid pursuing pleasure in this world. Doing so would be selling ourselves terribly short.[6]

The Way In

All this does not mean there is no importance to Olam Hazeh, the hallway. Though not the ultimate end, life in the hallway is significant, and we must maximize our time here. We see this from the first part of the (second) mishnah, where Rebbe Yaakov asserts that “one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world are more precious than all of the World to Come.” Though the next world is the world of reward and satisfaction, we earn this reward and satisfaction through our actions and growth in this world.[7] Though only a corridor, it is where we prepare to enter and earn our place in the palace.[8]

Kohelet Rabbah adds that “the next world is earned only by what we do in this world.”[9] Like passing through a corridor that is the sole entry to the palace, preparation in Olam Hazeh is the only way to reach the next one. Our efforts in this world are not just one way forward; they are the only way to earn and enhance our portion in the next world.[10]

Rebbe Yaakov emphasizes the need to take advantage of life in this world in the first mishnah when he urges, “Prepare yourself in the corridor, so that you may enter the palace.”[11] We earn the right to enter the palace of Olam Haba through our efforts in Olam Hazeh.

The Gra expressed this idea while crying on his deathbed.[12] His talmidim asked him why he was crying. Was he afraid of facing his Maker? What did he think he would be punished for? The Gra responded that he was crying because he would soon be unable to perform mitzvot and earn reward. The Gra appreciated the unique opportunity life in this world offers. Only here can we perform mitzvot and enhance our eternal life in the palace of the world to come.[13] 

Rebbe Yaakov’s teachings aim to help us develop the proper perspective on our world. We should realize that it and its pleasures are not the ultimate goal. That said, this world is important as the venue through which we earn our place in the next world. In the words of Rav Saadyah Gaon, “The tzaddik loves this world, not for itself, but only because of the level he reaches through it that serves as his springboard to Olam Haba.”[14]

Sha’ah Achat

Rebbe Yaakov’s words teach two additional valuable lessons. The first is his usage of the term “sha’ah achat (one moment).” Each and every moment has significance and thus needs to be taken advantage of. Rebbe Yehuda Hanasi famously quipped, “Some acquire their share in the next world through one moment (as opposed to others who require many years).”[15] Each moment can and should be of great significance and impact.[16]

Action and Reflection

The second lesson is about the primary importance of deed and self-reflection. Instead of Torah and chochmah, Rebbe Yaakov focuses on teshuvah (repentance) and maasim tovim (good deeds) as our world’s meaningful content.

Though we greatly value Torah learning and accumulating wisdom (talmud Torah k’neged kulam), actions are more important. As Rabbi Shimon the son of Rabban Gamliel taught in Avot’s first perek: “Lo hamidrash hu ha’ikar, ella ha’maaseh.”[17]

In fact, maasim are learning’s ultimate aim. Later in Avot,[18] Rebbe Yishmael ben Berokah defines ideal learning as that which is done to facilitate action. Ultimately, it is the maasim our learning inspires that make our learning of supreme importance. In the gemara’s words: “Learning is great(est) because it facilitates maaseh.”[19]

Rava emphasized the importance of both teshuvah and maasim in asserting that “teshuvah and maasim tovim are the tachlis (goal) of chochmah.”[20] Torah study and the pursuit of chochmah are a central focus of our time and energy because they help us build our identity and live our lives properly.[21]

Today and Tomorrow

We can summarize Rebbe Yaakov’s teachings with the gemara that explains the Torah’s[22] emphasis on the need to do mitzvot today with five words: “Ha’yom la’asosam; machar l’kabel secharam — Today (this world) is when we work. Tomorrow (the next world) is when we receive reward.”[23]

May we maximize every day of our lives by realizing we are here to prepare for the next world through reflection and growth!

Rav Reuven Taragin is the Dean of Overseas Students at Yeshivat Hakotel and the Educational Director of World Mizrachi and the RZA.

His new book, Essentials of Judaism, can be purchased at rabbireuventaragin.com.


[1] Avos 4:16.

[2] The Chafetz Chaim famously used this mishnah to explain why he lived in a simple home with simple furniture. He compared himself to a traveler who makes due with simple accommodations while traveling.

Rav Yonasan Eibeshitz (See Yaarot Devash, Chelek 1 Derush 6) adds that we are meant to learn this lesson from the sukkah. Our moving into a dirat arai (temporary structure) should impact the way we live all year round. We should realize that we are here only temporarily and not seek to build fancy homes.

Rav Meilech Biderman compares those who focus on the pleasures of this world to someone who chooses their doctor based on the comforts of the waiting room.

[3] Mesillat Yesharim 1. In that piece, the Mesillat Yesharim proves from the difficulties we face and lack of satisfaction we feel in this world that there must be something beyond our world.

[4] Kiddushin 39a.

[5] Avos 4:17.

[6] See Chovot Halevavot (Shaar Avodas Elokim, Perek 9), who compares life in this world to one given access to riches for only a year. If he is wise, the person will seek to move the riches to the place he will be after the year.

[7] The Radvaz (She’eilot u’Teshuvot Radvaz, 3:555) talks about someone who didn’t cry when he lost a relative because he said “he was now in a better place.” He mentioned to him that this isn’t the Jewish approach, and that this is the approach of philosophers who see no value in this world. Judaism sees every moment in this world as valuable and as a way to prepare for the next world, so we definitely do and should cry over a person who can no longer work to prepare and improve himself.

[8] See also the commentary of the Medrash Shmuel to the mishnah, which explains the phrase “mi’kol Olam Hazeh” as implying that the nachas ruach of the next world comes from the effort in this one.

[9] Kohelet Rabbah 4:5. Note that the medrash reverses the order of Rabbi Yaakov’s two statements and puts the one about teshuvah and maasim tovim first. This reversal puts the two ideas in chronological order. First he speaks about the work we need to perform in this world and then the nachas ruach we receive from it in the next. The order also strengthens the explanation of the Medrash Shmuel (quoted above).

[10] See Masechet Avodah Zarah 3a, which tells us that Hashem explains at the time of  yemos haMoshiach that it is too late to earn reward for mitzvah performance. The saying attributed to Hashem is that “only those who toiled on Erev Shabbos have what to eat on Shabbos.”

This analogy can be understood through the teaching of Rav Chaim Volozhin (Nefesh HaChaim 1:12) who explains that the intensity of the spiritual atmosphere and pleasure that a person experiences in Olam Haba is literally created by the person’s actions in this world. Our portion in the next world is not an external reward for our actions. It is a natural outgrowth. (See also how Rav Chaim uses this idea to explain the formulation of the mishnah (l’olam versus ba’olam) we use to introduce our learning of Pirkei Avot [Ruach Chaim 1:1].)

[11] Avot 4:16.

[12] See Halakhic Man, pg. 30.

[13] See the words of Rabbenu Yonah (Talmidei Rabbeinu Yonah on the Rif, Maseches Berachos 19b) who explains the words of Rabbi Nechunyah ben Hakana’s tefilah (Meseches Berachos 28b) —  “Anu ratzim l’chayei Olam Haba” — to mean that we should be cognizant of and preparing for our inevitable death by making sure to take the most we can (of Torah and mitzvot) with us.

[14] Emunot V’Deiot, Maamar 10.

[15] Talmud Bavli, Masechet Avodah Zara 17a.

[16] The Gemara in Kiddushin (49a) teaches that if a man proposes to a woman on the condition that he is a tzaddik, we need to consider the possibility that they are married even if we know the man to be a rasha because he may have had teshuvah on his mind. Even a moment of mere intention can change a person’s nature and identity.

See also the Meiri (Yoma 85a) who uses this to explain why we violate Shabbat to save even someone who might not live much longer. We violate Shabbat even to facilitate a moment of life because the moment might be used for teshuvah.

[17] Masechet Avot 1:17.

[18] Masechet Avot 4:5.

[19] Talmud Bavli, Masechet Kiddushin 40b.

See also Sefat Emet (Emor 5643), who learns from our mishnah that a life lived with commitment to Hashem is greater than a moment of willingness to give up one’s life for these values.

[20] Talmud Bavli, Masechet Berachos 17a.

[21] See Ramban (Shichichas Asa’ein 15, based on Berachos 21a) who explains that the mitzvah (mi’d’Oraysa) to recite birkos haTorah is (only) because of the fact that the Torah includes the actions that earn us a place in the next world.

[22] Devarim 6:6 and many other places.

[23] Eruvin 22a.