ביקש יעקב לישב בשלוה, Yaakov sought to live in tranquility. השם said, "Is it not enough for צדיקים what awaits them in עולם הבא, that they seek tranquility in this world?", whereupon Yaakov was beset with the distressing episode of מכירת יוסף.
On consideration of this statement, two questions arise: First, the גמרא in בבא בתרא says that השם did, in fact, grant יעקב the experience of עולם הבא during his lifetime. Second, is it tranquility that awaits צדיקים in עולם הבא? The גמרא in ברכות says that תלמידי חכמים have no מנוחה in עולם הבא.
The answer lies in the מהרש״א's explanation of the גמרא in ברכות. Of course, says the מהרש״א, there is מנוחה in עולם הבא, as we say יום שכולו שבת ומנוחה. On the other hand, the specific definition of מנוחה is rest from a task completed, "when the job is done." Those, then, who had spent a life in spiritual pursuit and merited thereby the experience of צדיקים יושבין כו׳ ונהנין מזיו השכינה- which the מהרש״א terms עיון שכלי- their work is never done, because עיון שכלי is eternal.
As such, we derive that the purpose of עולם הבא is עיון שכלי- from which there can be no מנוחה, no end- which is facilitated by מנוחה from all other things.
Now, it is logical that the ability to focus solely on spiritual advancement, without any disturbance, would be desirable even in עולם הזה. After all, such is the experience of עולם הבא. But השם says, "Is it not enough for צדיקים what is מתוקן, what is proper and right, in עולם הבא, but they desire that freedom also in עולם הזה." But such freedom is not always מתוקן, proper, in this world. Ease can lead to languor, and from there to indolence and even decadence. Rather, וירא מנוחה כי טוב- having glimpsed the ultimate tov of olam habah- ויט שכמו לסבול, use any agitation and unrest of life in this world as tools for self improvement.
Indeed, Yaakov merited עולם הבא during his lifetime. But at what juncture of his life did this take place? חז״ל deduce this from Yaakov's statement כי יש לי כל, which was said at a time when he had fled for his life from לבן, into the arms of עשו, and yet- יש לי כל. In עולם הבא, I will be free from any distraction; but in this world, the turmoil itself helps me to achieve the same purpose, דביקות בה׳.
Such was Yaakov's attitude when he faced the challenges of his life. May we all merit such clarity.
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