Update: 2017.12.26

הָעוֹלָם

This Epoch / Era / Age / World

הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה (this world-age, this world).

הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא: Future – No Past Nor Present. Ergo, Not Promised Eternal Realm

The term לְעוֹלָם dates at least as far back as when Mōsh•ëhꞋ compiled the Tōr•âhꞋ at Har Sin•aiꞋ (c. B.C.E. ). It was more than a millennium later, however, that the rabbis first reformed this term to apply to the contra-Biblical recycling of the idolatrous ancient Egyptian (vide Moses / "incarnate," with resulting mummies) and later Hellenist mythologies of a physical, bodily resurrection (leading to modern embalming and prohibitions against cremation) to a "heaven" or "paradise" – among the clouds, "caught up into the clouds," or among the stars, with streets (for flying cars, buses or ox-carts?), gold, jewels, light, wine, grapes, virgins, pets and other worldly, materialistic physical – ephemeral, not eternal – attributes.

Like all other clerics before and after them, the rabbis thus misidentify this as a physical (therefore, finite, ephemeral and vulnerable to degrading or conquering) ultimate man-cave, not an eternal state of being that includes the ultimate state of woman and genderless as well as man.

Since the rabbinic הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא explicitly specifies a world still to come, then it doesn't exist yet, nor has it existed in the past. Ergo, A world that is yet to exist is already self-evidently proven not eternal. A priori, הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, manifesting human-limited perspective, does not properly describe the Realm of י‑‑ה, which, by definition, has always existed since before the creation of our universe, continues to exist now and in the future. Moreover, the rabbis defined הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא as comprising bodily resurrection – like the Egyptians and Christians (and, much later, the Muslims). Clerics ever since have perceived "heaven" as "among the clouds" (one may look down and see from an airliner or the ISS?) or in the celestial realm among the stars and planets of the cosmos; some distant part of the physical universe; a "faraway place" (as Mohammed and Star Trek would put it) that is the "abode of the gods."

Today, we understand the clouds and "heaven," "the heavens," et al. as physical, dimensional sky, planets and stars basically like our solar system and galaxy. Birds flying back and forth from earth to the clouds of heaven are not accompanied by angels nor demons. Nor is "heaven" a mere humanities-philosophical state of self-actualization or some highest level of human mental, intellectual or religious euphoria in this life or within our physical cosmos and universe.

Tōr•âhꞋ is unique in having understood there must be somestate (not something) beyond our epoch and universe, on a far higher intellectual level.

Infinitely (Literally) Better Than Hellenist Heaven/Paradise

However, a further Biblical instantiation of this term is the phrase, לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד — lit. "to the age and until, beyond (i.e., some undefinable future)."

Though popularly Hellenized (i.e., anthropomorphized) as merely a part of the idolatrous "heaven" – within our physical universe, this undefinable future is, instead, the incorporeal (non-dimensional​=​spiritual) and timeless, supernal Realm of י‑‑ה, which includes the קְדוֹשִׁים/​nᵊphâsh•otꞋ of all of His Tōr•âhꞋ-faithful children.

Being קֹדֶשׁ, Tōr•âhꞋ requires ha•vᵊdâl•âhꞋ – which excludes both followers of doctrines of displacement mythology "Bibles" regardless of their ethnicity; and followers of frequent rabbinic strayings that contradict the pristine original principles of Tōr•âhꞋ, regardless of their "Jewish" ethnicity.

A priori, only the קָדוֹשׁ/​nëphꞋësh (not physical body) of those who are Tōr•âhꞋ-faithful – even when it means refusing rabbinic overreach – are among His true, קְדוֹשִׁים/​children. Only these, therefore, are exclusively our true קָדוֹשׁ family within the timeless קֹדֶשׁ Realm of י‑‑ה‎ – הַקָּדוֹשׁ, bâ•rukhꞋ hu.

Because this incorporeal Realm of י‑‑ה includes the קְדוֹשִׁים/​nᵊphâsh•otꞋ of our true family: all of His Tōr•âhꞋ-faithful קְדוֹשִׁים/​children, therefore, building and strengthening these קֹדֶשׁ familial bonds and relationships, making good memories and times, falls within the purview of קֹדֶשׁ – mutually exclusive from mᵊlâkh•âhꞋ.

עוֹלָם וָעֵד is the legitimate Biblical phrase contrasting against a tangible, physical or dimensional "paradise" or "heaven" as conceived by all other not-Tōr•âhꞋ (ergo, idolatrous) religions.

Nothing Physical, Then What?

עוֹלָם וָעֵד, even after distinguishing it from the profane-physical universe, realizing that it shares none of the physical characteristics universally associated with "heaven" or "paradise," is still riddled with intellectual and conceptual difficulties. We human beings are inextricably captives in our physical and dimensional environment. Thus, our knowledge of the incorporeal realm is limited to inferences based on our awareness of our own incorporeal states of consciousness, abstract ideas, dreams and thought – the incorporeal realm of our nëphꞋësh. We think of seeing, speaking with and hearing, hugging, loved ones. We will, I assert, sense them in a more intimate way than these; but light and eyes, and sound and ears and these other senses are physical and dimensional, not part of the eternal incorporeal realm.

Moreover, there is nothing physical nor dimensional about the nëphꞋësh nor relative to (one cannot even say "in") עוֹלָם וָעֵד. One cannot "go to" עוֹלָם וָעֵד. It is not a physical, dimensional place. Nor is it in the heavens (within the physical and dimensional, universe). Before the universe was created, י‑‑ה existed – but dimensions and physical particles and time did not exist before the universe. So, if you've been dreaming of living in a fine palace, or driving a fine car, having a magnificent yacht or airplane – or 70 virgins, then you need to rethink, reassess and reevaluate your direction and motivations.

Exhaustive Biblical Instantiations

All of the instances combine to offer a glimpse into עוֹלָם וָעֵד

• Shᵊm•ōtꞋ 15.18 — י‑‑ה shall reign לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד

• Tᵊhil•imꞋ 9.6 — You have blotted out their names לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד

• Tᵊhil•imꞋ 45.18 — therefore the am•imꞋ shall confess thank-praise to You לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד. Since there is no physical dimensionality, confessing cannot mean sitting (how does non-dimensional being sit?) around for eternity and repetitively chanting tᵊphil•otꞋ. I long ago trained myself to feel this thank-praise at all times.

• Tᵊhil•imꞋ 119.44 — So I shall watchguard Your Tōr•âhꞋ tâ•midꞋ, לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד. This is my feeling at all times. More people have their names blotted out (see Tᵊhil•imꞋ 9.6 above) on this point than on all of the others combined.

• Tᵊhil•imꞋ 145.1 — I will bless Your Name לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד. This is my feeling at all times.

• Tᵊhil•imꞋ 145.2 — I will glorify Your Name לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד. This is my feeling at all times.

• Tᵊhil•imꞋ 145.21 — Then all flesh shall bless His Holy Name לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד

• Dân•iy•eilꞋ 12.3 — … as the stars shine לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד

So how do you fare concerning progress לְעוֹלָם וָעֵד?

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