definitions please

[Ruchamah]

Could someone explain the differences between Olam HaZeh, Olam Haba and
La'Atid Lavo? Thanks!
Blessings,
Ruchamah

[Mark]

First, I would prefer that Aaron would answer you because he is vastly my superior when it comes to common usage of the language.

The first thing to consider is the word "ow-lam".

Whenever I see this word, my mind pictures a grassy hill and I am standing just at the foot of it.

Ow-lam habah is that which is on the other side of the hill. It represents that which is unknown. We can really only speculate as to what is on the other side. As we go up the hill, we cam begin to see glimpses; but we really never know what is there until we have crested it.

Ow-lam hazeh is this side of the hill: the life that we are currently living.

La'Atid Lavo is that which is coming, seen or unseen. The distinction between them is that we are moving ever toward the aw-lam haba. The la'atid lavo is coming toward us.

[Ruchamah]

Wow Mark, thank you, that is excellent! The reason I ask is because i read a midrash once where the rabbis argued over whether would be kept in L'atid lavo, some saying yes and some saying that there will be no need. That caused me to wonder where this fits prophetically. Does L'atid lavo represent the 8th day maybe, and Olam Haba, the Kingdom Age?
I love that it is coming at us!
Ruchamah

[Mark]

I would be hesitant to speculate, not having read the commentary that you are speaking of- and even so, coming from a fundamentalist Christian background (me, not necessarily you). We must be acutely aware of our tendancies to insert our Western conclusions into Mediteranian concepts- particularly as they relate to life, the after-life and the eternity beyond.