This week’s parsha, Tazria, begins discussing the laws pertaining a woman who is bearing a child. The parsha begins with the words, “ isha ki tazria/ if a woman conceived seed…” The idea behind this phrase is that we should be grateful to Hashem for the kindness he shows to even the unborn.
The Midrash continues to depict this idea further:
During the time of conception, the angel Layla is in charge of bringing a neshama from Gan Eden to this world. The neshama of the unborn child does not wish to be uprooted from the Divine source and pleas with Hashem, “I am pure and holy, linked to Your Glory. Why should I be degraded by having to enter a human body? Hashem replies and says, “It is not as you say, the world where you will live surpasses in beauty from the world you have emanated from. You were fashioned for the sole purpose of becoming part of a human being and being elevated by his deeds.”
In other words, even though the soul experiences complete bliss and tranquility in olam haba-the world to come- we were destined to live in olam haze-this world. Despite all the pain and suffering we endure, this world is considered greater. Because we have the opportunities to elevate our souls through learning Torah and doing mitzvot, we have more opportunities in this world to accumulate merits, whereas in olam haba- the world to come- those opportunities no longer present themselves to us. Furthermore, we should use this insight to take advantage of every day to do as many mitzvot as possible and to continuously elevate our neshamas-souls- through learning Hashem’s beautiful Torah. We need to take advantage of every single moment, because before we know it, olam haba’s undisturbed bliss and tranquility await us, but unfortunately, with no more opportunities to elevate ourselves.
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