Shabbat 31a: The Questions We’ll Be Asked in Shamayim
Save
Copy
Add to Collection
Export to Google Docs
ShareMotzei Shabbat Hashkafa Shiur for the Edison Chabura
The 6 Questions We'll Be Asked in Shamayim When Brought To Judgment
אָמַר רָבָא: בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמַּכְנִיסִין אָדָם לְדִין, אוֹמְרִים לוֹ: נָשָׂאתָ וְנָתַתָּ בָּאֱמוּנָה? קָבַעְתָּ עִתִּים לַתּוֹרָה? עָסַקְתָּ בִּפְרִיָּה וּרְבִיָּה? צִפִּיתָ לִישׁוּעָה? פִּלְפַּלְתָּ בְּחׇכְמָה? הֵבַנְתָּ דָּבָר מִתּוֹךְ דָּבָר? וַאֲפִילּוּ הָכִי, אִי יִרְאַת יהוה הִיא אוֹצָרוֹ — אִין, אִי לָא — לָא. מָשָׁל לְאָדָם שֶׁאָמַר לִשְׁלוּחוֹ: הַעֲלֵה לִי כּוֹר חִיטִּין לָעֲלִיָּיה. הָלַךְ וְהֶעֱלָה לוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ: עֵירַבְתָּ לִי בָּהֶן קַב חוֹמְטוֹן? אָמַר לוֹ: לָאו. אָמַר לוֹ: מוּטָב אִם לֹא הֶעֱלֵיתָה.
Rava said: When a person is brought to judgment [after he dies and goes to shamayim], they say to him:
1 - Did you conduct your business/financial affairs faithfully?
2 - Did you set times for Torah study?
3 - Did you engage in procreation?
4 - Did you anticipate the redemption?
5 - Did you engage in pilpul/dialectics in your Torah learning?
6 - Did you understand one matter from another?
1 - Did you conduct your business/financial affairs faithfully?
2 - Did you set times for Torah study?
3 - Did you engage in procreation?
4 - Did you anticipate the redemption?
5 - Did you engage in pilpul/dialectics in your Torah learning?
6 - Did you understand one matter from another?
And nevertheless, beyond all these, if Yirat Hashem is his treasure, yes. And if not, no.
A parable [to help understand this better]: a person said to his shaliach, “Bring a kor of wheat up to the attic for me to store there.” The messenger went and brought it up for him. He said to the shaliach, “Did you mix into it for me a kav of chomton [a preservative used to prevent worms and spoilage]? He said to him, “No." He said to him, “If so, it would have been preferable had you not brought it up.”
Stira: Some say Question 1 and Question 2 are Reversed...
Source of Stira: Rav Hamnuna said, “The beginning of a person’s judgment after he dies is that he is judged only concerning matters of Torah.” (Sanhedrin 7a)
Possible Resolution to Stira: In Sanhedrin 7a, on this statement of Rav Hamnuma, Tosafot says our Gemara in Shabbat 31a is referring to one who learned some Torah, but did not set aside time consistently to learn by being koveya itim. However, the Gemara in Sanhedrin 7a is referring to one who didn’t learn Torah at all (so the Heavenly Court will point out this fellow’s failing immediately by asking Question 2 first).
Opening Up Our Gemara
- These are the questions that every one of us will be asked by the Heavenly Court when we are niftar. What will you be able to answer?
- This Gemara is a gift from Hashem: it gives us the blueprint for what is expected of us (and hints to what is NOT expected of us).
- All of us are still young enough to make important changes in our lives. Look at these questions and BE REAL with yourself: What do you need to do differently in your life so you can answer, “Yes” to all of these questions?
Six Questions and Six Orders of the Mishna
Each Order of the Mishna corresponds to one of questions:
1 - Did you conduct business faithfully? [Zeraim]
2 - Did you set times for Torah study? [Moed]
3 - Did you engage in procreation? [Nashim]
4 - Did you anticipate the redemption? [Nezikin
5 - Did you engage in pilpul/dialectics in your Torah learning? [Kodashim]
6 - Did you understand one matter from another? [Taharot]
1 - Did you conduct business faithfully? [Zeraim]
2 - Did you set times for Torah study? [Moed]
3 - Did you engage in procreation? [Nashim]
4 - Did you anticipate the redemption? [Nezikin
5 - Did you engage in pilpul/dialectics in your Torah learning? [Kodashim]
6 - Did you understand one matter from another? [Taharot]
The recording for this shiur can be found at https://bobbarocas.com/shiurim.
Visit Rabbi Bob on Sefaria: https://voices.sefaria.org/profile/bob-barocas.
