"You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother; you shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a sojourner in his land. Children who are born to them in the third generation may enter the congregation of Hashem." (Parshas Ki Seitzei 23:8-9)
Rashi comments on the words "Children who are born to them in the third generation, etc" as follows: "But converts of other nations are permitted immediately. We can learn from this that one who causes another to sin is worse than one who actually kills another - for one who kills, kills him [only] in this world. But one who causes another to sin, removes him from this world and from the world to come. Therefore, Edom who went out [to attack the Jewish People] with a sword, has not become abhorred. And similarly the Egyptians who attempted to drown the [Jewish baby boys]. However, these (Ammon and Moav) who caused them to sin, have become abhorred."
Rashi's explanation strikes a raw nerve within each one of us. Although we can intellectually understand that spiritually sin is worse than death in just this world, it is a concept that is difficult for our hearts to grasp. Perhaps the following might make this idea clearer.
The Gemarah in Rosh HaShanah (16b) brings down that Rabbi Cruspedai said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "Three books are opened on Rosh HaShanah: One of totally evil people, one of completely righteous people, and one that includes people with both good and bad deeds [Beinonim]. The completely righteous individuals are written and sealed immediately for life. The totally wicked individuals are written and sealed immediately for death. The [sentence for the] individuals with both good and bad deeds is suspended from Rosh HaShanah until Yom Kippur. If they merit, they are inscribed for life, if they do not merit, they are inscribed for death."
Tosafos asks, "From the understanding that some individuals have the same number of good deeds and bad deeds [and their sentence is suspended from Rosh HaShanah until Yom Kippur] it is implied that the definition of a righteous person is one whose merits are greater [than his bad deeds] and a completely wicked person [is defined] as one whose transgressions outweigh [his good deeds]. Sometimes, however, [we see this is not the case] the righteous are sealed for death and the totally wicked for life?" Tosafos answers, that it must be that the definitions of life and death, found in the statement of Rabbi Cruspedai, are referring to life in the World to Come.
Rabbi Chaim Friedlander in Sifsei Chaim, questions Tosafos' understanding of the Gemara. We all know that the type of judgment that Tosafos is referring too, concerning the World to Come, is not on Rosh HaShanah. Rather it is determined only when a person comes to the Heavenly Court after his death!?
Rabbi Friedlander answers that the establishment of one's spiritual essence [for the coming year] is the judgment on Rosh HaShanah that relates to the World to Come. This is similar to the statement of the Sages found in many places, "Who is destined for the World to Come?" The connotation is that it is not until after one's death that a person merits the World to Come. Rather, now [in his lifetime] he is already considered as one fated for the World to Come. In this way, a person's judgment is related to the World to Come - for on Rosh HaShanah a person's spiritual level is assessed. By conducting oneself as a "ben olam habah," a person of the World to Come in this world, he is "inscribing" himself into the all-time Book of Life! And that, in turn, determines the corresponding judgment in his personal sustenance [such as health, income, etc.] for the coming year.
From the above, we can change our perspective on how we lead our lives. The Sforno on the first words of Parshas Re'eh observes that the only options G-d placed before us are "blessing/life" and "curse/death," and nothing in between. This teaches us that we have to set our sights high. Life and death in physical terms is limiting. Encompassing the concept of the World to Come into our everyday thinking changes our perception of what is important in this world, and with it our direction of life. May we place ourselves in the right Book.