More Discussions for this daf
1. Freeing one's self 2. Afflictions of Love 3. Tenth son
4. Davening 5. Aba Shaul was upset for only two things in his life 6. Keri'at Shema Al ha'Mitah
7. Exemptions to the Bedtime Shema 8. Yisurim Shel Ahavah 9. The tooth borne by Rebbi Yochanan
10. Reference Gemara 11. Forced to sell 12. Al Tikrei
13. correction Afflictions of Love 14. Loss of Children 15. Olam HaBa
16. TALMID CHOCHUM 17. Rav Yochanan and the bone of his tenth son
DAF DISCUSSIONS - BERACHOS 5

E Hoffmann asked:

What does the Gemara mean by including that "Olam HaBa is one of the 3 things that are 'nikneh be-yesurin'? Unlike Eretz Yisrael and Torah, which are acquisitions unto themselves, and thus could (theoretically) be acquired without pain (which the Gemara comes to dispel), Olam HaBa is acquired through Torah and Mitzvos on this world, and thus, le-fum tzaara agrah, it's understood that the more difficult the mitzvah, the greater one's portion in Olam HaBa. In other words, what would I have thought before learning this Gemara, and what additional insight into the nature of Olam HaBa is presented by it?

E Hoffmann, Toronto Canada

The Kollel replies:

At first, I was inclined to say that even if it is obvious that Olam h'Ba is acquired with Yisurin, as you suggest, it would not matter if the Tana added it to a list of three, where the other two are not so obvious.

However, it is not necessary to say this, since the Yisurin regarding Olam ha'Ba, refers to physical suffering, just it does in the other two cases (not to hard work, as you assume). As the Agados Maharsha explains, for a person to earn his full reward, he needs first to suffer in this world, to atone for his sins. And this is something we would not have known if not for Rebbi Shimon bar Yochai's Beraisa.

Kindest regards

Eliezer Chrysler