Ask The Rabbi...
June 11 1994 Issue #25
 
========================================================================     
  
This issue is sponsored by El Al - Israel National Airlines
 
========================================================================     
  
This edition contains:
1.  Isn't there something wrong with sending mail (snail-mail) on Fridays?
2.  What is Olam Haba?
 
========================================================================     
  
Josh from Chicago asked:

>Dear Rabbi,

>I was told that even in the USA one should not mail letters on Fridays 
>because he is causing a non-Jew to work for you on Shabbat, which is 
>forbidden.  It makes sense to me, but I know a lot of my Orthodox friends 
>mail their letters on Fridays.  Are they breaking the (Torah) law?                                          
>Thank you,
 
* * * * * * * * * * * 
 
Dear Josh,

According to Jewish Law one is allowed to mail a letter on Friday for 
delivery by a non-Jewish mailman.  The reason:  Since he is not 
specifically asked or required to deliver it on Shabbat, you are not asking 
him to work for you on Shabbat.  He would be like any other contracted-
worker, with whom it is permitted to do business on Fridays.  It's 
permitted to mail the letter even if the mailman tells you he will deliver 
it on Shabbat, because it was his choice to deliver it then, and not per 
your request.

"Special Delivery" or a telegram is a different story.  In this case you 
are requesting delivery on Shabbat, and it would therefore be forbidden.  
However, there are ways to send these messages in the case of an emergency 
-- in such a case consult your LOR (Local Orthodox Rabbi). 

In a future edition of this column I intend to deal with the related topic 
of sending E-mail that is "delivered" on Shabbat.

Sources:	
o	Shulchan Aruch - Orach Chaim, 247:1.
o	Rabbi Yisrael Meir Kagen - Mishna Brura, Orach Chaim, 247:a,c,d.
o	Rabbi Yeshaya Neuwirth - Shmirath Shabbath Kehilchata, 31:20-21.
 
========================================================================     
  
Aaron Tapper from Johns Hopkins University wrote:

>Dear Rabbi,

>What is Olam Haba?
 
* * * * * * * * * * * 
 
Dear Aaron,

Literally, the phrase "Olam Haba" means the "World to Come."  Western 
Society understands the "after-life" as two different places:  "Heaven" and 
"Hell."  Heaven is where people are rewarded after life, and Hell is where 
they are punished.  However, Judaism does not accept this idea of two 
different places.  Rather, there is one Olam Haba.  Its nature, however, 
depends on one's manner of conduct in this world.

A powerful, yet cryptic description of Olam Haba is found in the writings 
of Rabbi Chaim Volozhin:

"The actions themselves of the person constitute the reward in Olam Haba.  
After the soul departs from the body it rises to take pleasure and 
satisfaction with the light, energy, and worlds of Kedusha (Holiness) that 
have been added and multiplied by his good actions.  This is what the Sages 
meant when they said that "All of Israel have a portion TO the World-to-
Come [We translate it as IN the World-to-Come, but the literal translation 
is TO the World-to-Come] and not IN the World-to-Come.  "IN" implies that 
Olam Haba is ready and waiting from the time of Creation, as if it where 
something with a separate existence, and if man warrants he will receive a 
portion of it for his reward [like a piece of candy waiting in G-d's pocket 
to be given to whoever deserves it].  In truth, Olam Haba is [made up of] 
the actions of the person, which he expanded and added and perfected into a 
place for himself [to dwell]....and so it is with the punishment of 
Gehenam, the sin itself is his punishment [it becomes the "space" that he 
will occupy during the time of his "reward"].

As you can see, this is a very complex subject; too complex to deal with in 
such a short column.  I advise you to study the following source texts for 
a better understanding of this fundamental topic.

Sources:
o	Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan - The Handbook of Jewish Thought, Moznaim 
	Publishing Corporation, edited by Abraham Sutton, 23:11-19.
o	Rabbi Chaim of Volozhin - Nefesh HaChaim 1:12.
o	Rabbi Y.M. Tucazinsky - Gesher HaChaim (The Bridge of Life).
 
========================================================================  

 
                                  SUBSCRIBE! 
 
to one of the many weekly "lists" published by Ohr Somayach Institutions: 
 
     dafyomi    - "The Weekly Daf," Rav Mendel Weinbach's insights into and 
                  comments on the seven pages of Talmud studied this week. 
                  Always interesting and CONTROVERSIAL reading! 
     ask        - Ask the Rabbi Column.  Rabbi Yehoshua Karsh, of  
                  Ohr Somayach Jerusalem, answers YOUR questions on
                  Judaism. 
     weekly     - Summary of the weekly Torah portion, plus summaries of 
                  commentaries from various sources.  Designed for  
                  ALL readers, from INTRODUCTORY to ADVANCED. 
     parasha-qa - Challenging questions on the weekly Torah portion. 
                  Includes the answers so you can check yourself! 
 
There is NEVER a charge for any of the above lists (though your local  
information provider, such as Prodigy or CompuServe, might charge a nominal  
fee).  To subscribe to any of these lists, send the message: 
 
	subscribe {listname} {firstname} {lastname} 
 
to:	listproc@jer1.co.il 
 
This address is only for SUBSCRIPTIONS.  If you have any comments,  
questions and suggestions, we'd love to hear them!  Send them to: 
 
	ohr@jer1.co.il 
 
Remember, these are all INTERNET addresses.   
Compuserve users must preface the address with "INTERNET:" 
 
========================================================================  
  
Questions are welcomed from ALL readers at ALL levels for inclusion in the   
Ask the Rabbi column.  Questions of interest to our general readership may   
be answered in this column; for those of a more personal nature, we will   
_try_ to answer personally via e-mail.  
  
To submit a question, address it to:  
        ohr@jer1.co.il  
to insure correct handling, set the subject to "ASK THE RABBI"  
  
To subscribe to ASK THE RABBI, send the message:  
        sub ask {firstname} {lastname}  
to   
        listproc@jer1.co.il  
  
=========================================================================  
  
Dedication opportunities are available for Ask The Rabbi.    
Please contact us for details.     
      
=========================================================================       
   Jewish   L         EEEEEEEE  Prepared by Ohr Somayach Institutions       
     J      L         E         22 Shimon Hatzadik Street, POB 18103       
     J      L         Exchange  Jerusalem 91180, Israel       
J    J      L         E         Tel: 02-810315 Fax: 02-812890        
 JJJJ       Learning  EEEEEEEE  Internet: ohr@jer1.co.il       
=========================================================================
(C) 1994 Ohr Somayach Institutions - All rights reserved.

