Brochas Daf Yud amud beis

"I have done that which is good in Your eyes” – Rab Yehuda says in the name of Rav, he joined geulah to tefillah.” 

This gives a scriptural basis to the contention of R. Yochanan on daf daled and daf tes – “who is a ben Olam haBa? One who joins (the blessing of) redemption to the evening prayer.  But it doesn’t explain why this action, as opposed to some other action or tefillah qualifies him for this reward.  Also, in Pirkei Avos we are told Col Yisrael Yaish l’hem haylik b’Olam HaBa.  All of Israel has a place in Olam HaBa.  If I already have a portion, what does it mean that being careful in my seder ha tefillos will make me a Ben Olam HaBa?

The Chafetz Chaim among others, answers the second question. Every member of Klal Yisrael has a portion in Olam HaBa, but a portion can be large or small and can change in size. The defining characteristic of a Ben, of a son is that he has access to the entire property of his father.  The Ben Olam HaBa is therefore the recipient of all the largesse of HaKodesh BoraHu, not just some part of it.

My working assumption as to why this particular action qualifies one as a Ben Olam haBa had been that we were not liberated from Mitzrayim to become hefker, but to be servants of HKBH. Tefilloh represents avodah and thus the proximity demonstrates that we “get it.” i.e. we recognise that our purpose in this world is to divorce ourselves from untrammelled physicality and to lose no time attaching ourselves to spirituality. The Ben Yehoyada says that the evening prayer, which we are told was instituted by Yaakov, represents Bayis Shlishi, and that in joining a mention of geulah to that of the maariv Shemone Esre, we are effectively stressing our emunah/faith in an ultimate redemption.   

Interestingly, in the last lines of the Talmud Nida, which we studied less than two weeks ago, the final Brysa reads as follows:  Tana d’bei Eliyahu. Col haShone Halachos b’col yom, muvtach lo, sh’Hou Ben Olam HaB. All who learn Halochos daily, can be assured of being, a Ben Olah Haba.  In his Perush on Agadata the Maharal explains that Halocha represents an actualisation of Emes in Olam HaZe, of truth in this world.  A Halicha, a pathway, needs to take us from point A to point B.  If it veers to right or left we are misdirected.  Failing to achieve our goals by diverging from the proper path leads us literally says the Maharal into dead-ends.  This is the opposite of the true Halicha.  Following the Halocha keeps us on the straight and narrow, and that represents a journey to the infinite, the transcendental, which is Olam HaBa.