The Double Winner

Translated by Rabbi Lazer Brody

No one knows what he came to this world to correct. We can’t possibly know when our tikkun has been achieved. No one knows how they’ll leave this world, either. Yet, we should always remember that we’re mortal, and destined to die someday. King Solomon, the wisest of all men, advised (Ecclesiastes 7:2): “It is better to frequent the house of mourning than the house of feasting, for it signifies the end of all men – and the living should take it to heart!”

Apparently, the above advice to attend funerals and visit mourners is simple: By visiting mourners, we remember that someday, our lives will terminate also. Surprisingly though, certain professionals like doctors, nurses, and geriatric attendants see death all the time, yet how many of them are aroused to teshuva? Many of them remained bogged down in the pursuit of material amenities their entire lives. Even the undertakers, who with their own hands bury dozens of people, don’t seem to be any more spiritually-aroused than anyone else.

That’s why King Solomon stressed, “And the living should take it to heart!” All of us must remember that we’re mere mortals, here today and gone tomorrow; if we forget, we’re liable to fall into spiritual slumber. A person must tell himself, “Hey, the day will come when I die too! People will be sitting shivah (seven-day mourning period) for me also!” If he doesn’t do so, he won’t wake up from his spiritual slumber, even if he goes to funerals every day. That’s why King Solomon implored, “…take it to heart!” The contemplation of our final day on earth and subsequent day of reckoning helps us monitor our thoughts, speech, and deeds. We’re not talking about scaring ourselves, but simply dealing with reality to view this world in proper perspective.

Since I’m mortal, what should I be doing with my life in this world? Even if I achieve abounding fame and wealth, ultimately, I’ll die! No one can avoid this destiny. If so, is there anything of meaning to do in the material world? A person who contemplates life in such a manner will surely arrive at the needed conclusions. He’ll realize that there’s a Creator to the world, with Whom he should speak to and establish a personal relationship. He should ask the Creator to help him understand why he was created and what his own special mission here on earth is.

As soon as a person contemplates his final day on earth, all the lies of the material world crumble. Nothing can fool him! A person who knows that he’s going to die someday won’t be willing to waste time and effort on inconsequential endeavors. He won’t be willing to waste his most valuable asset – time! He has no idea how much time he has here on earth. He doesn’t even know if he’ll live to see tomorrow. Even if he does merit a long life, one’s days transpire like a passing shadow. We look back and we don’t know where the time went.  Therefore, we must think carefully about how and where to invest our time in such a sorely limited lifespan.

One who is pursuing his purpose in life enjoys every moment. The affairs of the physical world don’t interest him. He doesn’t care about the type of watch he wears, whether his shirt is a brand name, or if his coffee is sweet enough. All he cares about is utilizing every moment to get to know the Creator, for that’s his purpose on earth.

The people whose time and efforts in this world are devoted to material gains and amenities are upset by anything that is not to their liking. They suffer severe tribulations in their quest for worldly success. They have no rest, forever striving for more status, money and amenities. Much of their efforts are in vain. Even the ones who achieve their material dreams must sooner or later leave them behind. All their efforts and material acquisitions no longer help them. They leave here penniless, with no grand titles, no rank and no Swiss bank accounts. It no longer matters whether they drove a Cadillac or a Mercedes. Everything is left behind. They are taken to the next world with nothing of a material nature.

A person who therefore invests his time and efforts into this world is a double loser: His life in this world lacks meaning and he forfeits a desirable future in the World to Come. The opposite is also true: a person who devotes his life to his true purpose is a double winner. He lives a life of inner peace in this world, with joy and happiness, and he lacks nothing in the next world. This is the path of emuna, our mission in life, to get to know and get closer to Hashem. This is the path of the double winner, who enjoys a good life in this world and the very best of the World to Come.