Quotation על דברי הימים ב 20:20

This is also a proof that the soul after death is united with spiritual beings. For union during life is a proof of union after death. Moses alludes to this when he says, But ye that did cleave unto the Lord your God are alive every one of you this day. He is speaking with reference to the philosophers, who believe that only the perfect individual can unite with the spiritual beings, but not an entire congregation; but you, he says, do all of you cleave unto God. Moreover, the philosopher believes that such union is possible only after death in the spiritual life; whereas you have attained this union this day while enjoying material life, much more certain is it that you will attain it after death. He proves that such union is attainable during life from the fact that God accepts the prayer of those who ask Him to change the laws of nature in the conduct of existence. This is the meaning of the verse in the sequel, For what great nation is there, that hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is whensoever we call upon Him? All this shows that belief in God and in His Torah gives perfection to the soul, causes it to unite with the celestial beings, and subjects nature to its will. Through faith the soul rises high above the things of nature, and can therefore control them. This is why Abraham’s faith is praised, And he believed in the Lord; and He counted it to him for righteousness. Moses and Aaron were punished because they did not believe, Because ye believed not in Me, to sanctify Me … therefore ye shall not bring … We also read in the Bible, Believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper, showing that belief is the cause of prosperity and happiness. It is also the cause of eternal life, as Habakkuk says, But the righteous shall live by his faith. This can not mean physical life, for the righteous man lives no more than the wicked. The reference is to eternal life, the life of the soul, which the righteous enjoy, and which they trust that God will enable them to attain, as we read, But the righteous, when he is brought to death, hath hope. The meaning is that the righteous hopes to attain that good when he dies, but when the wicked dies, his hope perishes, as we read in the Bible, When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish. For the wicked can not attain spiritual life after death, and they do not enjoy union with God during life. Therefore they are always accounted as dead, as our Rabbis say, Righteous men are called living even after death; wicked men are spoken of as dead even while they are alive. This is why we find that miracles are performed for men of faith, and not for men of speculative knowledge, so as to show that faith stands higher than speculation and the things of nature. Therefore one may through it attain true union with God during life and after death, which is higher than nature.