What is EVERYBODY on the planet talking about? I mean EVERYONE!!!
All of social media, all the conversations on the street, at cafes, at work, at the ballgame, during Chazaras Hashatz and Krias HaTorah etc. etc. etc.
Here it is - OLAM HA-ZEH!!! This world. People are OBSESSED with this world. Understandably. That is human nature.
But we are only here for eternity. The value of this world is solely to perfect ourselves and the world bringing to תיקון עולם במלכות ש-די, for the sake of eternity. But nobody is talking about that. [Or at least almost nobody. Of course there are exceptions to everything].
And of course as products of this world we get sucked into that.
Mussar Haskel: We are in this world, as the Mesillas Yesharim so beautifully explains, only for the sake of the next world. This world matters and has a purpose - but not a self contained purpose but something far beyond it. Our lives in this world are filled with disappointments and difficulties. Who has it easy? If you know someone who you think has it easy and has always had it easy then you clearly don't know this person well enough. Hashem makes it hard for all of us so that we can grow spiritually, which is what it is all about. Nobody ever saw a U-Haul next to a hearse [I borrowed that one from Denzel Washington]. You can't take any of your stuff with you. Only your Neshama with its Torah and mitzvos.
