Would there be bad tidings in Olam Haba?

Question

https://www.sefaria.org/Pesachim.50a.17

״וְהָיָה ה׳ לְמֶלֶךְ עַל כׇּל הָאָרֶץ בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה ה׳ אֶחָד וּשְׁמוֹ אֶחָד״. אַטּוּ הָאִידָּנָא לָאו אֶחָד הוּא? אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא בַּר חֲנִינָא: לֹא כָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, עַל בְּשׂוֹרוֹת טוֹבוֹת אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב״, וְעַל בְּשׂוֹרוֹת רָעוֹת אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ דַּיַּין הָאֱמֶת״. לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, כּוּלּוֹ ״הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב״.

"And the Hashem shall be King over all the earth, on that day shall Hashem be one and His name one” (Zechariah 14:9). Is that to say that now He is not one? Rabbi Aḥa bar Ḥanina said: The World-to-Come is not like this world. In this world, upon good tidings one recites: Blessed…Who is good and does good, and over bad tidings one recites: Blessed…the true Judge. In the World-to-Come it will always be: Blessed…Who is good and does good.

I get the general impression that this gemara is trying to demonstrate that Hashem not being One, so to speak, just means we can't perceive Him in the bad things that happen in life, which means we don't see Him in everything, and therefore it seems as if He is not One, ch'v.

So, it seems that the only way for this proof to work properly is that it is implying that there will indeed be "bad tidings" in Olam Haba, e.g. cancer(?), however in Olam Haba, we will not perceive it as bad in any way, but actually just see it as כֻּלּוֹ טוֹב (Kiddushin 39b which implies that there won't be things like accidents or death in Olam Haba!).

If it just means that in Olam Haba there won't be cancer, then that implies that Hashem actually isn't One now, ch'v? If you want to resolve it by saying that it means we will retroactively look at historic cancer with a good light, then what's the point of centering this discussion about berachot? We won't be able to say הַטּוֹב וְהַמֵּטִיב on cancer, ever, it's just theoretical (we are not allowed to say it now, and Ben Yehoyada seems to imply that there will not be things like cancer, and therefore I am not sure if he is answering this kashe or not).

This seems like an obvious question, I am sure it is dealt with somewhere, has anyone seen an answer to this?

Answer 1

Your citation from the Talmud is discussing the transition from this world (עולם הזה) to the World to Come (עולם הבא). Each stage in this transition is characterized by different qualities which are described in Torah literature, especially in Kabbalah and Chassidic teachings.

Olam HaBa, the World to Come is a generic expression like is explained by the Lubavitcher Rebbe in his discourse, להבין ענין תחיית המתים.

This follows the teaching of Rabbi Meir Ibn Gabbai in Avodat HaKodesh, Section 2:37, Section 2:38, Section 2:39, Section 2:41 and Section 2:43.

The 1st usage of the World to Come refers to the World of Souls to which one goes after death.

The 2nd usage refers to the World to Come which pertains to the Days of the Messiah. This time period is likewise divided into two sub-periods. The first of which operates like this world (עולם הזה) except that servitude to Kingship will change. Servitude to Kingship can mean either freedom from servitude and oppression to political systems or that G-d's Kingship is more revealed in the world, that in general, Jews will become free to practice Judaism.

During the beginning of this time period "bad things" will still exist, but the operation of the natural world will be increasingly seen as directed by G-dliness, that there is revealed Divine Providence like was characterized by the raid on Entebbe, the Six Day War, the Yom Kippur War, both Gulf Wars and the World Trade Center bombing.

The second stage of the Days of Messiah are characterized by a change in the natural world. This period is when the resurrection will first be manifest for a select few. This is what is referenced in Zechariah 2:3, Micah 5:4 and the Talmud, Sukkah 52b and Yoma 5a. The third Temple will be built at this time and Temple service reinstituted.

During this period sickness will disappear and lifespans will become exceedingly long, like was intended in the beginning with Adam HaRishon. This is where the expression that a person who dies at 100 years old is considered like a child comes from. This is also when the miraculous qualities of produce (גלסקאות) will return inside the land of Israel like is mentioned in Shabbat 30b.

The 3rd usage of the World to Come is referring to the World of Resurrection, meaning the general resurrection for all mankind (those who were not already resurrected among the select individuals) when the darkness will be "converted into light" and "bitterness will be converted into sweetness." This is also what is referred to as the great and awesome Day of Judgement (יום הדין הגדול והנורא). It is during this period that all the gentile nations will be resurrected for judgement together with the remainder of the entire Jewish people (ועמך כולם צדיקים). Those righteous gentiles will receive their reward at this time (after an exceedingly long life, they will experience death again and their souls will ascend to the World of Souls for eternity). There will be no manifestation of other or opposite at this time (אין עוד מלבדו).

This order is also what we say from the Siddur for Shabbat morning after the Yotzer blessing.