"The Way of G-d"

Part 1: "The Fundamental Principles of Reality"

Ch. 3: "Mankind"

Paragraphs 9

Today we touch upon the recondite theme of The Resurrection of the Dead.

While many misunderstand it and many others reject it, belief in the Resurrection of the Dead is in fact an axiom of our faith. We hope to shed some light on it and to thus enable us all to understand the vital role it plays in our own ultimate perfection, as well as the world's.

For we'll find that the Resurrection of the Dead not only touches upon the resurrection of mankind-- but upon that of the world as well. Since both are inexorably linked, as we indicated in the previous entry when we said that when Adam and Eve erred they "did nearly irreparable damage to *themselves* and... *to the world*".

And as we put it earlier on (in 1:2:4), "we human beings stand center-stage" in creation, while "everything else... is secondary to us", and thus depends on and is tightly linked to us (see this quote in context). That's why, as Ramchal put it in "The Path of the Just" (Ch. 1) when we err, "both we and the world are damaged"; and when we strive for G-dliness, "both we and the world with us (are) elevated".

Ramchal goes to great pains to point out this week that neither we nor the world could ever achieve the sort of consummate perfection due *us both* while we're still in the current Post-Adamic state. Both we and it would need to experience decomposition and death, then resurrection.

So before discussing the Resurrection of the Dead we'd first have to explain decomposition and death.

Both, as Ramchal offers, are cosmic innovations. If you recall, Adam and Eve were warned not to "eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil; for you will surely die on the day that you eat from it" (Genesis 2:17). Which is to say that *they wouldn't have died had they not eaten from it*.

But death and decomposition-- the most frightening and threatening human experiences-- will prove to be a couple of mere "necessary evils" in the end, as we'll see; elements of a metaphysical "Plan B", if you will.

For what human death and decomposition is, in essence, is the process by means of which body and soul undo their dynamic relationship *for a time*, so that each may encounter what it alone must. And in order to allow for the Resurrection, and the great union with G-d that will take place in that environment.

But I get ahead of myself.

Apparently the human body must decompose in order for it to lose its identity, and to thus no longer be a party to the eating from the Tree of Knowledge. And the soul must leave the body in order to "restore its cells", so to speak, in the Soul Realm (as we'll come to see).

Not only we, but the world itself has to experience death and decomposition as a consequence of Adam and Eve's error (because of the aforementioned sure bond between us). For the world also played a role in the eating from the Tree of Knowledge (albeit a passive one); and it too must no longer be a party to that act.

Once the death and decomposition of the designated number of human bodies and the world at large comes about, a situation will arise that will allow for the reunion of body and soul, and for the re-establishment of a new world (which will be a sort of reunion of earth with its own "spirit"), and all will be primed for perfection.

Only then will the aforementioned ultimate intimacy with the Creator be possible.

Subscribe to Ramchal and receive the class via e-mail.