People see the pity others have for those who are hungry, thirsty or in serious trouble. They know how others react to a person who doesn't have clothing or shoes. Therefore, they do not want to find themselves in such a predicament.
But one who sees clearly can also perceive the great pity we must have on souls in the World to Come. In the future life, there are souls which are literally naked. Still, it is impossible to show them any pity. If a person lacks clothing in this world, others can take up a collection and buy it for him. But such pity is impossible in the World to Come. The clothes one needs in that place are Torah and good deeds,30See Zohar II, 210a; Ramban on Genesis 49:33; Pardes Rimonim 31:5. and these cannot be given as charity.
The Rebbe discussed this another time, and said that in the World to Come, many people will be left outside. They will cry in a bitter voice, “Give us something to eat!” People will come to them and say, “Here is food and water. Eat! Drink!” But those outside will answer, “No! No! We cannot use such food. What we need is the food of Torah and devotion.”
Other people will be left outside, naked. They too will cry, “Give us something to cover ourselves with!” Again people will come to them and say, “Here is some clothing.” But they will also reply, “No! Such clothing is absolutely useless to us. We need mitzvot and good deeds to cover ourselves with.”
The Rebbe then said, “Happy is he who is worthy of eating many chapters of Mishnah, drinking a number of Psalms, and clothing himself with some good deeds.”
עָנָה וְאָמַר: הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁל הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הַכֹּל רוֹאִין, וּבִשְׁבִיל זֶה הַכֹּל רוֹדְפִין אַחַר הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה.
The Rebbe once said that everyone can see pity in the world. People do not want to be the objects of such pity and therefore pursue worldly things.
כִּי רוֹאִין, כְּשֶׁהָאָדָם רָעֵב וְצָמֵא וְכַיּוֹצֵא קָשֶׁה לוֹ מְאֹד וְיֵשׁ רַחֲמָנוּת גָּדוֹל עָלָיו. וְכֵן מִי שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ עֵרֹם וְיָחֵף יֵשׁ רַחֲמָנוּת גָּדוֹל עָלָיו.
People see the pity others have for those who are hungry, thirsty or in serious trouble. They know how others react to a person who doesn't have clothing or shoes. Therefore, they do not want to find themselves in such a predicament.
אֲבָל מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ עֵינַיִם וְרוֹאֶה גֹּדֶל הָרַחֲמָנוּת שֶׁיֵּשׁ עַל הַנְּשָׁמוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, כִּי שָׁם בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא נִמְצָאִים בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהוֹלְכִים עֲרֻמִּים מַמָּשׁ וְאִי אֶפְשָׁר לְרַחֵם עֲלֵיהֶם כְּלָל. כִּי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כְּשֶׁהָאָדָם עֵרֹם בְּלֹא מַלְבּוּשׁ אֲזַי אֶפְשָׁר לְקַבֵּץ נְדָבוֹת עֲבוּרוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ קַאפְטִין [סוג מלבוש]. אֲבָל בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, מִי שֶׁהוֹלֵךְ עֵרֹם אִי אֶפְשָׁר לְרַחֵם עָלָיו כְּלָל. כִּי שָׁם אֵין מוֹעִיל שׁוּם רַחֲמָנוּת, כִּי אֵיזֶה מַלְבּוּשׁ הוּא צָרִיךְ? הֲלֹא הוּא רַק מַלְבּוּשׁ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וּמִצְווֹת, וְלָזֶה אֵין מוֹעִיל שָׁם רַחֲמָנוּת.
But one who sees clearly can also perceive the great pity we must have on souls in the World to Come. In the future life, there are souls which are literally naked. Still, it is impossible to show them any pity. If a person lacks clothing in this world, others can take up a collection and buy it for him. But such pity is impossible in the World to Come. The clothes one needs in that place are Torah and good deeds,30See Zohar II, 210a; Ramban on Genesis 49:33; Pardes Rimonim 31:5. and these cannot be given as charity.
אֲבָל מִי שֶׁזּוֹכֶה לְהִתְקָרֵב לְצַדִּיק אֲמִתִּי, הוּא יָכוֹל לָרוּץ לְהַצַּדִּיק וְלִקַּח אֶצְלוֹ אֵיזֶה מַלְבּוּשׁ לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ עַצְמוֹ.
But a person who is close to a true tzaddik can run to him and receive from him some article of spiritual clothing to put on.
שׁוּב שָׁמַעְתִּי שִׂיחָתוֹ הַקְּדוֹשָׁה מֵעֵין זֶה, שֶׁאָמַר: בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא מֻנָּחִין כַּמָּה בְּנֵי אָדָם בַּחוּץ וְהֵם צוֹעֲקִים בְּקוֹל מַר: 'תְּנוּ לָנוּ מַה לֶּאֱכֹל', וּבָאִין אֶצְלָם וְאוֹמְרִים לָהֶם: 'הֲרֵי לָכֶם אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה אִכְלוּ וּשְׁתוּ', וְהֵם מְשִׁיבִים 'לֹא לֹא, אֵין אָנוּ צְרִיכִים אֲכִילָה זֹאת, רַק אָנוּ צְרִיכִים אֲכִילָה וּשְׁתִיָּה שֶׁל תּוֹרָה וַעֲבוֹדָה'.
The Rebbe discussed this another time, and said that in the World to Come, many people will be left outside. They will cry in a bitter voice, “Give us something to eat!” People will come to them and say, “Here is food and water. Eat! Drink!” But those outside will answer, “No! No! We cannot use such food. What we need is the food of Torah and devotion.”
וְכֵן מֻנָּחִים כַּמָּה בְּנֵי אָדָם עֲרֻמִּים בַּחוּץ וְהֵם צוֹעֲקִים גַּם כֵּן מְאֹד: 'תְּנוּ לָנוּ בַּמֶּה לְהִתְכַּסּוֹת', וּבָאִין אֶצְלָם וְאוֹמְרִים: 'הֲרֵי לָכֶם מַלְבּוּשִׁים', וְהֵם מְשִׁיבִים: 'לֹא, אֵין אֵלּוּ מַלְבּוּשִׁים נִצְרָכִים לָנוּ כְּלָל. רַק אָנוּ צְרִיכִים מִצְווֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בָּהֶם'.
Other people will be left outside, naked. They too will cry, “Give us something to cover ourselves with!” Again people will come to them and say, “Here is some clothing.” But they will also reply, “No! Such clothing is absolutely useless to us. We need mitzvot and good deeds to cover ourselves with.”
עָנָה וְאָמַר: אַשְׁרֵי מִי שֶׁזּוֹכֶה לֶאֱכֹל כַּמָּה פְּרָקִים מִשְׁנָיוֹת וְלִשְׁתּוֹת אַחַר־כָּךְ אֵיזֶה קַפִּיטְלִיךְ [פרקי] תְּהִלִּים, וּלְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּאֵיזֶה מִצְווֹת.
The Rebbe then said, “Happy is he who is worthy of eating many chapters of Mishnah, drinking a number of Psalms, and clothing himself with some good deeds.”