Time in the Teachings of Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi

 
2. The world-to-come. 
2.1. The world-to-come and this world. 
In Rashaz’s teachings, as in the classical rabbinic sources, the “world-to-come” [
ha-
‘olam ha-ba
] is often contrasted with “this world” [
ha-‘olam ha-zeh
].
152
If this world 
is marked by confusion, then the world-to-come will be marked by fixed order: 
When Scripture says “Today to do them”
[Dt 7:11], [it means today] and not 
tomorrow,
153
stressing that this world is the world of doing [
‘olam ha-
ma’aseh
], in which man was given free will [
behirah
] to choose [to do] good. 
Moreover, even if he has already transgressed, he can repent and [then] 
resume his divine service. But this is not the case in the world-to-come, 
where man has no free will [
behirah hofshit
]; rather, once he is in the world 
to come, he remains the same as he was in this world […] The reason for the 
difference between this world and the world-to-come is that everything in the 
world-to-come has its own set place, and the levels are all separated from one 
another: angels and souls are segregated within their own holy quarters, and 
evil has nothing whatsoever to do with good. For this reason, where there is 
evil, there is no trace of good. But this is not the case in this world, where 
good occurs even where there is evil. Therefore, even if a person has 
151
Z
iii, 71b. See Rashaz’s epistle sent to the Hasidim in the Land of Israel, following the passing 
away of his teacher, Menahem Mendel of Vitebsk, T4, 27:146a-b. 
152
See Klausner, 
The Messianic Idea
, 409. 
153
The ‘doing’ refers to the performance of the commandments. See 
b
‘Eruvin 22a and 
b
‘Avodah 
zarah 3a, on the verse “Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the 
judgments, which I command thee today, to do them” [Dt 7:11]. According to Rashi 
ad loc.
, “today” 
refers to this world and “tomorrow” to the world-to-come, where after death, there will no longer be 
any point in performing the commandments, because [
b
‘Avodah zarah 3a] ‘[only] he who has toiled 
on the eve of the Sabbath will eat on the Sabbath’” [Appendix 12].

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154 
committed a transgression, he can perform a commandment and change his 
demeanour from evil to good.
154
Rashaz identifies here two crucial differences between this world and the world-to-
come, one cosmic and the other personal. From the cosmic perspective, this world is 
a place in which good and evil are intermingled. Good can be drawn to evil entities 
and vice versa: evil can reach places which are intrinsically good. This means that, 
the hierarchical structure of this world is fluid and constantly liable to be disturbed: 
what is high may become low, and what is low can rise up. The fluidity of the 
mundane hierarchy results from the two types of divine light that illuminate it, the 
immanent and the transcendent. The immanent light, which “fills all the worlds” 
[
memale kol ‘almin
], varies according to the order of concatenation [
seder 
hishtalshelut
] and determines the hierarchy of beings in the world by shining on each 
and every one according to its place in this hierarchy. This light can be compared to 
the powers of the soul that animate all the body parts, each according to its place and 
function.
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On the other hand, the transcendent light, which “surrounds all the 
worlds” [