Q:
Rabbi Miller always tells us that this world is a wonderful world of benefits. But then why did Rabbeinu Ha’kodosh say that he didn’t benefit from this world at all? And he was praising himself when he said that.
A:
If Olam Ha’zeh is a good thing, then why did Rabbeinu Ha’kodosh praise himself before he died by saying that he hadn’t had any ha’na’ah from this world at all? And the answer is that that is one of the benefits of being in this world. That’s why this world is such a good thing. You’re living in this world of so much good and so many benefits and you have to train yourself to say no. And to say no to yourself is a tremendous hatzlacha. In the next world it will be too late. There will be no more opportunities to say no to yourself. No more opportunities for greatness. In this world you can still say no to yourself. I want to do it but I won’t! “Oh,” Hashem says. “Now you’re utilizing this world!” Because that’s what this world is for.
TAPE #143
