Ben Masada and Judaism

[Eucharisted]

Ben Masada denies two fundamental beliefs in Judaism:

• The resurrection of the body
• The World to Come (Heaven)

While Judaism dose not focus on what comes after death, but puts more focus on the here and now, it is precisely because Jews believe everyone will reach Heaven that Judaism dose not bother much with the afterlife. Why worry about life after death if everyone goes to Heaven? Everyone goes to Heaven, so Jews focus on their relationship with God rather than preparing for life after death.

Some people believe the fundamental beliefs of Judaism are just opinions, or are the beliefs of different sects in Judaism. For example, Reformed Jews don’t believe in the resurrection. However, as common sense shows, every religion must have one origin, so the various sects and groups which pop up in a religion must deviant in some way from the truth. Hence, Reformed Jews deviant from the belief in the resurrection. There are many verses in the Bible which allude to the resurrection and to the World to Come:

Resurrection

• Ezekiel’s vision of the dry bones
• 1 Samuel 2:6
• Elijah raises a boy from the dead
• Elisha raises the son of a Shunammite woman
• Job 19:26
• Isaiah 26:19
• Daniel’s vision

World to Come

• Ezekiel’s vision of Heaven
• The Tabernacle is a copy of the Heavenly Sanctuary
• 2 King 2:11
• Psalm 53:3
• “Our God is in Heaven; whatever God wills is done”
• Amos 9:6
• 2 Chronicles 6:22-30

But you don’t even have to take my word! For I have the word of a Rabbi and the word of JewFAQs.
JewFAQs: jewfaq.org/olamhaba.htm
Ask the Rabbi: judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_afterlife.htm