Your Greatest Achievement | Rabbi Daniel Glatstein

When one thinks about their lifetime, what their greatest achievements were, what they're most proud of, what מעשים טובים do they think will earn them a share in the World to Come, a person may think, oh, about that time that they learned a Masechta and they really knew it well. One may have even learned the entire Shas. Someone may think about the time they gave a substantial amount of Tzedaka to somebody really in need, and bailed them out of a difficult situation. Or somebody may have been involved in a Chesed organization. And these are all very noteworthy achievements for HaKadosh Baruch Hu. But what may be overlooked is that actually, in the World to Come, one's greatest share may be for something else entirely. The Vilna Gaon reveals to us that there are 310 worlds in the World to Come. Hashem is destined to bequeath to a righteous person 310 worlds. Did you ever think about how these worlds are allocated? We may say, Well, probably 300 of them or most of them are for the good deeds we do, and maybe a couple of them are given to those who overcome temptation. No, says the Vilna Gaon. Just the opposite. Of the 310 worlds, three hundred of them are given for overcoming the Yetzer Hara, and only ten of them are given for מעשים טובים and for doing good deeds. So the next time, maybe you're walking down the street, and you encounter a temptation, and the Yetzer Hara is trying to persuade you to look. After all, he says, you've done so many great things in your lifetime. There are so many Mitzvos that you will earn a great share in the World to Come. Don't lose this opportunity, because by overcoming the temptations of the Yetzer Hara, this may loom larger than any achievement in your entire lifetime. So next time you have that challenge, you tell yourself, This is the opportunity of my life to earn something that I could be proud of for all of eternity.