Rambam writes in Hilchos Teshuva 8:3 referring to Olam Haba:
וזהו השכר שאין שכר למעלה ממנו והטובה שאין אחריה טובה והיא שהתאוו לה כל הנביאים
This is the reward above which there is no higher reward and the good beyond which there can be no [other] good. This was [the good] desired by all the prophets. (Chabad.org**)
In Hilchos Teshuva 9:2 he writes:
ומפני זה נתאוו כל ישראל נביאיהם וחכמיהם לימות המשיח כדי שינוחו ממלכיות שאינן מניחות להן לעסוק בתורה ובמצות כהוגן וימצאו להם מרגוע וירבו בחכמה כדי שיזכו לחיי העולם הבא
For these reasons, all Israel, [in particular,] their prophets and their Sages, have yearned for the Messianic age so they can rest from the [oppression of] the gentile kingdoms who do not allow them to occupy themselves with Torah and mitzvot properly. They will find rest and increase their knowledge in order to merit the world to come. (Chabad.org)
Yet in Hilchos Teshuva 10:1 (the very next halacha) he writes:
אל יאמר אדם הריני עושה מצות התורה ועוסק בחכמתה כדי שאקבל כל הברכות הכתובות בה או כדי שאזכה לחיי העולם הבא ואפרוש מן העבירות שהזהירה תורה מהן כדי שאנצל מן הקללות הכתובות בתורה או כדי שלא אכרת מחיי העולם הבא אין ראוי לעבוד את ה' על הדרך הזה שהעובד על דרך זה הוא עובד מיראה ואינה מעלת הנביאים ולא מעלת החכמים ואין עובדים ה' על דרך זה אלא עמי הארץ והנשים והקטנים שמחנכין אותן לעבוד מיראה עד שתרבה דעתן ויעבדו מאהבה
A person should not say: "I will fulfill the mitzvot of the Torah and occupy myself in its wisdom in order to receive all the blessings which are contained within it or in order to merit the life of the world to come."
"[Similarly,] I will separate myself from all the sins which the Torah warned against so that I will be saved from all the curses contained in the Torah or so that [my soul] will not be cut off from the life of the world to come."
It is not fitting to serve God in this manner. A person whose service is motivated by these factors is considered one who serves out of fear. He is not on the level of the prophets or of the wise.
The only ones who serve, God in this manner are common people, women, and minors. They are trained to serve God out of fear until their knowledge increases and they serve out of love. (Chabad.org)
This appears to be a blatant contradiction. First he writes that everyone including prophets and sages desire the Messianic Era because then they will have nothing keeping them from engaging in Torah and mitzvos to attain olam haba. Yet then he writes that engaging in Torah and mitzvos in order to earn olam haba is improper, and it is not the way of the prophets and sages.
How is this to be reconciled?
Do any sources in Rabbinic Literature note this apparent contradiction?
(I have seen one source that kind of addresses this, and I can post it as an answer, but I did not find it very compelling.)
**In the original translation the word "no" does not appear. However, as without the word "no" it means the exact opposite of what is being said, I added in the word assuming it to be a simple mistake.
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