A strange fear.

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  • December 29, 2013 6:46 pm at 6:46 pm #611694
    Lost1970
    Member

    I understand that the fear of punishment in the afterlife is very rational, and people who are not completely frum should fear even more. I observe many laws, and now I am learning Torah every day, but I am far from being righteous.

    A strange fear which I have is dying without writing my autobiography and my social/political ideas in a book. Many less observant people have a fear of dying without accomplishing some goals which have nothing to do with afterlife. Why is this the case?

    December 29, 2013 6:59 pm at 6:59 pm #996459
    SaysMe
    Member

    the desire to leave behind something, a legacy, a lasting impression, a mark…

    December 29, 2013 9:12 pm at 9:12 pm #996460
    zalman
    Participant

    Lost1970 Don’t put to much effort into it. Nobody will read it other than your family

    December 29, 2013 9:26 pm at 9:26 pm #996461
    the-art-of-moi
    Participant

    zalman-

    Dude, that is one negative attitude you’ve got! I hope Lost wasn’t offended…

    December 30, 2013 1:25 am at 1:25 am #996462
    HaLeiVi
    Participant

    Since we are actually made of higher stuff, and we know innately that we are meant to live forever, we feel the desire not to disappear along with the body. From the beginning of history people were obsessed with leaving an everlasting memory.

    As explained here:

    http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/coffeeroom/topic/handed-a-pen-during-shiva-anyone-know-the-story#post-437292

    It is a fight for survival of your everlasting element. But, Mitzvos and Massim Tovim are what actually give a person what he needs to be everlasting.

    December 30, 2013 2:49 am at 2:49 am #996463
    SaysMe
    Member

    taom +1

    December 30, 2013 3:24 am at 3:24 am #996464
    Lost1970
    Member

    >> Lost1970 Don’t put to much effort into it. Nobody will

    >> read it other than your family

    You are right — most autobiographies are full of lashon hara and are written by atheists or gentiles or semiobservant Jews. Perhaps someone who really has an eternal purpose would not be interested in leaving something in this world.

    December 30, 2013 3:25 am at 3:25 am #996465
    Lost1970
    Member

    >> Dude, that is one negative attitude you’ve got!

    >> I hope Lost wasn’t offended…

    Thanks — I am not offended at all.

    December 30, 2013 3:29 am at 3:29 am #996466
    Lost1970
    Member

    >> Since we are actually made of higher stuff, and we

    >> know innately that we are meant to live forever, we

    >> feel the desire not to disappear along with the body.

    >> From the beginning of history people were obsessed

    >> with leaving an everlasting memory.

    Very interesting.

    December 30, 2013 6:51 am at 6:51 am #996467
    rebdoniel
    Member

    We have a fear of leaving this world without having made certain accomplishments.

    But life is fleeting and passing. If I were to die tomorrow, I’d be happy, knowing that I leave this world and galuth for something better.

    December 30, 2013 9:21 am at 9:21 am #996468
    Nechomah
    Participant

    I think a person’s will (tza’va) should contain the message that they want to pass down to the people they are giving over their belongings, that it should be used the way the original owner intended. You should have a chance to fully develop in your mind what you want to write in it as your opinions may change as you age and grow mentally. Maybe you should write a journal in which you can encapsulate your autobiography with small pieces of different experiences in your life.

    December 31, 2013 1:59 am at 1:59 am #996469
    Lost1970
    Member

    >> We have a fear of leaving this world without having made

    >> certain accomplishments.

    Unfortunately I have accomplished very little in my life so far. I have performed a few mitzvas and committed many transgressions. The PhD in mathematics which I hate with passion is not my accomplishment — it is my disaster.

    December 31, 2013 2:03 am at 2:03 am #996470
    Lost1970
    Member

    >> Maybe you should write a journal in which you can

    >> encapsulate your autobiography with small pieces

    >> of different experiences in your life.

    I am too lazy even to gather everything I posted in the past on many forums. But some therapists believe that laziness is depression.

    Laziness can be good if it prevents someone from sinning. If I was industrious enough to write a book about many people who have wronged me, it would be a sin. Many authors gave eternal infamy to their parents and family members.

    December 31, 2013 5:44 pm at 5:44 pm #996471
    miritchka
    Member

    Very interesting. Truth be told, anything left behind in this world will only be to the benefit of the family left behind. Once the neshama goes up, everything on this world that “belonged” to it is worth nothing. The only thing that is worth something are the actions we did in this world.

    Do I fear the very idea of dying? yes, the fear of the unknown is scary. The fear of not doing enough good and the amount of sins I’ve done on this world terrifies me.

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