Afterlife

[MorningSong51]

Please give a brief explanation because I’m a little confused about the afterlife - from a Jewish point of view. Are there souls serving punishment in the afterlife? Explain then Rosh Hashanah - and the day of judgment?

 

[GEddie]

Please give a brief explanation because I’m a little confused about the afterlife - from a Jewish point of view. Are there souls serving punishment in the afterlife? Explain then Rosh Hashanah - and the day of judgment?

Although I am not Jewish, my understanding is that there are temporary punishments in the afterlife. That is why, like Catholics, Judaism has prayers for the dead.

ICXC NIKA

 

[MorningSong51]

Although I am not Jewish, my understanding is that there are temporary punishments in the afterlife. That is why, like Catholics, Judaism has prayers for the dead.

ICXC NIKA

Hi Geddie,

Thank you for your information. My question is that the afterlife is understood as a place that one can be punished for sins that were committed during one’s lifetime here, correct? However, Gehinnom is the postmortem destination of unrighteous Jews and Gentiles. In one reference, the souls in Gehinnom are punished for up to 12 months, correct? When in thought, the afterlife - is a general term for the soul of the departed to either be placed in punishment or a place of reward.

When speaking about the afterlife - there are those souls who are either punished but yet, depending upon the severity of the sin, can still have their souls ascend with the righteous, correct? I still think of that verse in Deuteronomy (chapter 29) 5 Yet the Lord says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. 6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God.”

Jewish Beliefs on the Afterlife:

An early common theme is that death means rejoining one’s ancestors. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and other patriarchs are “gathered to their people” after death (see Gen. 25:8, 25:17, 35:29, 49:33; Deut. 42:50; 2 Ki. 22:20). In contrast, the wicked are “cut off (kareit) from their people” (Gen. 17:14; Ex. 31:14). Other imagery emphasizes the finality of death: the dead are like dust returning to dust (Genesis; Ecc. 3:19-20) or water poured out on the ground (2 Samuel 14:14).

Another recurring biblical image of the afterlife is as a shadowy place called Sheol. It is a place of darkness (Psalm 88:13, Job 10:21, 22) and silence (Psalm 115:17), located in low places (Numbers 16:30, Ezekiel 31:14, Psalm 88:7, Lamentations 3:55; Jonah 2:7, Job 26:5). In 1 Samuel 2:6, God puts people in She’ol. In Isaiah 14:9-10, the departed in Sheol rise up to greet leaders who have now been brought low as they are. The author of Psalm 88 laments his impending death with these words: religionfacts.com/judaism/beliefs/afterlife.htm

 

[PJM]

=MorningSong51;9269755]Please give a brief explanation because I’m a little confused about the afterlife - from a Jewish point of view. Are there souls serving punishment in the afterlife? Explain then Rosh Hashanah - and the day of judgment?

***OK here it is in brief!

Genesis 1:26-27 “And he said: Let us make man to our image and likeness: and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moveth upon the earth.And God created man to his own image: to the image of God he created him: male and female he created them.”

How and WHY?

God is “Spirt [Spirtual] and truth” John.4: 23-24 “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Of the many BILLIONS of God Created things only One; Only Humanity: 1. Emmulates God 2. By having like God: a mind, intellect, and a FREEWILL attached to our souls. Each of these is too a “Spiritual Thing” and it is in the way that we are “like God.”

WHY does humanity exist? Why does humanity alone have these “Spiritual Gifts”?

Isa.43 Verses 7and 21*: “every one who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." AND the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.”

This package of Spiritual attributes permit man alone to Know of God [which a primary ROLE of the Universe]; and Knowing of God FREELY [the reason for our spiritual gifts in RIGHT application] to choose to Know, LOVE, Glorify, and fully Obey Him so that we MIGHT join Him forever in heaven.

Unlike our physical bodies which can be killed and Do Die; our “other self” being Spiritual cannot be killed and CANNOT die.

It is this “Other self”; that emulates God and will endure for Eternity. Note: our Minds, Intellects, Freewills are ALL essential to Knowing God; and knowing good and evil. And being Spirital can live forever. It is this “other self” that goes to heaven; hell or purgatory then heaven.

**Deut.30: 19 **“I [YOUR GOD] call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before [Given you the ability and the “right” to make YOUR OWN CHOICE] you life and death, blessing and curse; therefore choose life, that you and your descendants may live,”

God by absolute necessity MUST grant to every human person at least “sufficient grace” to Know God [through Creation if nothing else]. This grace can: 1. be accepted and rightly applied 2. be accepted and incorrcly applied 3. REJECTED. Our choice.

Where one spends Eternity is a PERSONAL choice that is ONLY affirmed and Confirmed by God. That friends is thw hows and whys of Devine Justice.

I pray this is both brief enough and informative enough for your needs? If Not please let me know.

God Bless you and Grant you His Understanding;
pat/PJM**