Musar על ברכות 33:12

This is the meaning of the Rabbinic statement (Berachot 17a) that in the future the righteous will sit in Heaven and wear their crowns on their heads. The term used in that statement is עטרותיהן "their very own crowns" instead of simply עטרות על ראשם, "crowns on their heads." It is a reference to the choices the righteous had to make before attaining their status. To sum up, the Israelites receive both the reward the angels receive and also their very own reward. The former is perceived as part of G–d Himself. Both these sanctities are not within the province of G–d to control, as we know from: חוץ מיראת שמים, "Everything is within the power of Heaven, except instilling fear of Heaven in a person" (Berachot 33). The sum total of rewards received by Israel is threefold then. There is the קדושה which is part of G–d, and there are two further קדושות, sanctities, earned by Israel's performance.

Berachot 10 asks whom David had in mind when he repeated the words ברכי נפשי five times in Psalm 103. The answer given is that David addressed himself to the relationship between G–d and the soul. The Talmud lists five aspects in which the soul is like G–d. Just as G–d fills the universe, so the soul fills the body. Just as G–d sees without being seen, so the soul sees without being seen. Just as G–d sustains the whole universe, so the soul sustains the whole body. Just as G–d is pure, so the soul is pure. Just as G–d resides within an inner sanctum, so the soul resides within the most hidden area of the body. David said that the soul, because it possesses these five features, is suitable to bless the Lord who excels in these five areas. The soul judges the body because of the five aspects in which it is similar to G–d. The author cites proof how the five attributes of G–d possessed by the soul affect man.

There is yet another altar above the one on which the archangel Michael offers the souls of the righteous, just as there were two altars in the Tabernacle on earth. There is an outer and an inner altar. When the Torah gives the measurements of these two altars we are told that they should be square (Exodus 27,1 and 30,1). This is strange since the Torah had already given the measurements of both the front and the sides of these altars, i.e we know that they were to be square. The extra words רבוע, square, may therefore be understood as an allusion to the corresponding altars in the Heavenly Sanctuary. The "outer" altar in the Heavens corresponds to the encampment of the Israelites in the desert which was square and which was guarded by the four angels Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Raphael. The "upper" altar in the Heavens was supported by the four חיות which Ezekiel saw in his vision in which he was shown the מרכבה (Ezekiel chapter 1). This is where the crown of the good name is at home. The crown of priesthood is immediately below. The border or crown around the Altar represents the righteous in the World to Come who sit around the table wearing their crowns and enjoying the splendour of G–d's presence.