Pensée juive sur La Genèse 25:5

The variety of ways of pious conduct by individuals mentioned in the Talmud, demonstrates that it simply is not given to one person to fulfil all possible permutations in one lifetme. Performance and study of each of the sections brings its own reward in terms of happiness, enlightenment etc., but the impact of Torah in its totality is infinitely greater, and even different conceptually. The reward for fulfilment of each mitzvah may vary from "gold" to "fine gold," but the reward for the totality of observance is eykev rav, is so great that it cannot be defined in terms which our imagination understands. Similarly, when the Mishnah in Peah 1,1, promises dividends in this world for certain types of good deeds performed, whereas the "capital" is reserved for the world to come, the concept is identical with that expressed by the Psalmist. A study of the expressions used by our ancestors when blessing their children, or Israel as a whole, reveals that the change in the wording used reflects the ongoing and ever increasing closeness that existed between the various recipients on the one hand, and G'd on the other, just as already Abraham, Isaac and Jacob had different conceptions of mikdash the holy sanctuary, Abraham calling it "mountain," Isaac "field" and Jacob "house," respectively, there has been dynamic progress towards an increasingly intimate relationship between Israel and G'd. The uniqueness of this relationship is seen when Moses says "hail unto you Israel, who is like you?" Here he had paraphrased the words he had used in the song of thanksgiving after crossing the sea of reeds, when he had sung "who is like You O Lord, amongst the deities?" The reason the Jewish people wanted the reward in olam haba spelled out is, that they felt unless there was such a thing, the advantage of man over other creatures in this universe would not only be illusory, but man would actually be worse off than the animals. This very thought is in Solomon's mind, when he asks "what is man's gain in return for his toil?" (Kohelet 1,2) He refers to the comparison with the "inferior" creatures. Torah study and observance, force these conclusions on man. (see chapter thirty three) Moses' reply was that description in detail of that reward would deprive it of part of its value. Whenever we specify something, we give finite limits to the matter thus defined. Therefore, in order to preserve the comprehensive value of the reward, it could only be described as "indescribable."