Slingshot

Abigail, future wife of King David, prophesied that her then husband would end up being punished by God in a Kaf HaKelah, these words are usually translated as a slingshot. Jewish tradition teaches us that it refers to the soul of the person being tossed back and forth by angels. The thought of angels playing posthumous catch with your soul might sound intriguing, and even frightening, but what does it mean? Why would God design such a punishment? This last question is especially important because God always repays people measure for measure. How does being the ball in an eternal game of catch fit the description of measure for measure?

Ancient commentators explain that this divine retribution was designed for a limited set of people. It was for people who had the ability to keep their minds focused on the spiritual aspects of their lives, right brain activities, and instead chose to focus on more mundane activities. Their eternal reward is one in which they are tossed first to one angel, the angel that accompanies them to a place where they are able to enjoy and focus on the spiritual delights they could have had in this world. Just when they begin to appreciate what they could have had, they are whisked away and thrown to another angel who makes them experience the life of this world, with all its faults, sadness and wasted opportunities.

We create our own realities. What we put out is what comes back to us. We choose where our minds and hearts are during our lifetimes, and by doing so choose where they will be for eternity.