זוהר, תוספות כרך א ל״טZohar, Addenda, Volume I 39

Segment 1א׳

יָשָׁב רַבִּי בְּרָכְיָה וְדָּרַשׁ מָאי הַאי דְּקָא אֲמְרִינָן כָּל יוֹמָא הַעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְלֹא יָדְעִינָן מָאי קָאָמַר, הַעוֹלָם הַבָּא מְתַּרְגֵּם עָלְמָא דְּאָתֵי מְלַמֵּד שְׁקוֹדֶם שֶׁנִּבְרָא הָעוֹלָם עָלָה בְּמַחְשָׁבָה לִבְרוֹא אוֹר גָּדוֹל לְהָאִיר וְנִבְרָא אוֹר גָּדוֹל שֶׁאֵין כָּל בִּרְיָה יְכוֹלָה לִשְׁלוֹט בּוֹ, צָפָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאֵינָן יְכוֹלִין לְסוֹבְלוֹ לָקַח שְׁבִיעִי וְשָׂם לָהֶם בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְהַשְׁאָר גְנָזוֹ לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. אָמַר אִם יִזְכּוּ בָּזֶה הַשְׁבִיעִי וְיִשְׁמְרוּהוּ, אֶתֶּן לָהֶם זֶה לְעוֹלָם אַחֲרוֹן. וְהַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב, הַעוֹלָם הַבָּא. שֶׁכְּבָר בָּא מִקוֹדֶם שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְּרִאשִׁית. הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב, (שם ל"א) מָה רַב טוּבְךָ אֲשֶׁר צָפַנְתָּ לִירֵאֶיךָ פָּעַלְתָּ לַחוֹסִים בָּךְ נֶגֶד בְּנֵי אָדָם:

R. Berechiah sat and expounded: What is this that we say every day, “the world to come,” and we do not know what it says? “The world to come” — the Targum renders it “the world that comes.” This teaches that before the world was created it arose in thought to create a great light to give light; and a great light was created that no creature could master. The Holy One, blessed be He, foresaw that they would not be able to bear it. He took a seventh part and set it in its place for them, and the rest He stored away for the righteous in the future to come. He said: If they merit by this seventh part and keep it, I will give them this for the last world. And this is what is written, “the world to come” — for it had already come, from before the six days of creation. This is what is written, (Ibid. 31) “Oh how abundant is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You; which You have wrought for those who take refuge in You, in the sight of the sons of men.”