Table Talk from the desk of Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld
May 31-June 1, 2024 • 25 Iyar 5784 • BeChukosai (Lev 26-27).
The goal of this blog is for a wiser Shabbat table.
In the spirit of Ben Zoma's four life-changing questions last week, here's another set of Talmudic questions: the six questions they ask you after you die.People like to say that Judaism focuses more on this world than the next. Maybe that's exactly the point of this Talmudic teaching - to help us up our game in this world, in this short lifetime that we have on this planet.
Before reading the questions, try asking everyone at the table to guess what questions a person is asked as he or she arrives at the next world.
Here's the passage (Tractate Shabbat 31a):
Said Rava, at the time that a person is brought to Judgment, they say to him:
1. Were you 100 percent strictly honest in every business dealing?
2. Did you schedule time on your calendar for daily or weekly or at least monthly Torah study?
3. Did you get involved with the next generation (raising or educating children)?
4. Were you optimistic about humanity?
5. Did you study intelligently?
6. Did you study deeply?
1. Were you 100 percent strictly honest in every business dealing?
2. Did you schedule time on your calendar for daily or weekly or at least monthly Torah study?
3. Did you get involved with the next generation (raising or educating children)?
4. Were you optimistic about humanity?
5. Did you study intelligently?
6. Did you study deeply?
Each of these could be a stand-alone conversation topic in its own right.
But it seems to me that the order of Rava's questions is also instructive.
The first and foremost question is how honest you were when it came to handling money. What does that say about a person?
Yet half or more of the questions are about pursuing or increasing wisdom. What does that say about a person?
What do you think?
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As always, this message can be read online at http://rabbiseinfeld.blogspot.com.
(A version of this message appeared on my Times of Israel blog.)
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