Q:
Will all Jewish souls return at the time of Moshiach or will some of those who are lost to Judaism remain lost?
A:
I’m just guessing, but I’m sure that there will be reshaim who will be lost forever. Because we know that in the next world there is such a thing as souls of Jewish reshaim that go lost.
If a man chooses to divorce himself entirely from the people and he feels that in the world of the gentiles that’s the only light and that’s the only happiness, and among his own people there’s nothing at all, so Hakodosh Boruch Hu says, “If that’s the case so when you die, you’ll go to Paris. Your soul will go to Paris.” It means you’ll be in the sewers of Paris.
I’ll tell you a little story. One morning before davenen – I used to take a walk before davenen – one morning a dog came out and started following me the whole way. The entire walk he was following me. I came back and I wanted to enter the beis haknesses yard but the poor dog wanted to come in. I closed the gate and didn’t let him get in. He stopped and looked at me with a sad look.
I started thinking, “It can’t be that it’s just a dog. It must be a neshama of some person who wants me to take him in again.” It was too late now. A lost soul.
Now it could be it wasn’t so. But still, it’s a good thing to imagine. A lost soul and now he became a dog now; the transmogrified poor fellow. He was following me around quietly, sadly. I came to the beis haknesses; we had a big yard with a gate and he wanted to come in. I closed the gate. He stopped and looked at me like this (the Rav made a facial expression of sorrow).
And so there’s no question that there are reshaim who go lost. No question.
But we have to know in this life before they die, their hearts tell them that they’re lost and that hurts them no end. And that’s when they should take advantage – while they’re still alive.
TAPE # 900
