Afterlife
For many Jews, thinking about whether there is reward, punishment or any sort of afterlifeLife after death. at all, is unimportant. Judaism focuses much more on people’s actions and purpose in their lives on Earth, rather than ideas about what might happen after people die.
Judaism does have ideas about an afterlife, but unlike some other religions, the Jewish faith does not have a single, agreed-upon teaching about life after death.
Earthly life as preparation
The MishnahLiterally ‘teaching’, the first document of rabbinic Judaism, assumed to have been written down from the oral tradition about AD200. teaches Jews that life on earth is preparation for olam ha-baThe Hebrew name for the spiritual afterlife. It is also used to describe the Messianic age., ‘the world to come’, which many Jews look forward to:
This world is like a lobby before the Olam Ha Ba. Prepare yourself in the lobby so that you may enter the banquet hall.
The term olam ha-ba can be used to refer to the afterlife as well as the Messianic Age on earth.
Judgement
Many Jews believe that God judges how good or bad people have been in order to decide their destiny in the afterlife. Jewish people who believe in God’s judgement, believe the decision on whether they should be rewarded or punished is based on how well they have followed the mitzvotCommandments or laws in Judaism..
God will bring every deed into judgement … whether it is good or evil.
Many Orthodox JewsJews who live by the Torah and rabbinic law (halakhah) and who only accept changes that can be supported by the Torah. believe that the Day of JudgementThe last day, when God judges all of humanity according to how they have lived., or Yawm al-DinThe Day of Judgement (yawm means ‘day’, and din means ‘judgement’)., will occur after the coming of the MessiahThe promised deliverer of the Hebrew nation at the end of times..
Some Jews believe that on the Day of Judgement, everyone will be resurrection (Judaism)A Jewish belief that people will rise from the dead when the Messiah (or Mashiach) comes. so that they can be judged. They find evidence for this in the Book of Daniel: Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake; some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:2). Others believe that only those who are morally good will be resurrected.
Some Jews, including some Reform JewsJews who have adapted their laws and practices as modern life has changed. who do not accept the idea of a Messiah, believe that they will be judged as soon as they die. Others believe they will be judged twice: firstly by God when they die, and secondly by the Messiah on the Day of Judgement.
Resurrection of the Dead
Orthodox and Reform Jewish ideas about resurrection differ greatly:
- Many Orthodox Jews believe that after they die, each person’s physical body will be resurrected. Therefore, cremationReducing a corpse to ashes by burning. and any action that changes the body after death, like autopsyAlso known as a post-mortem, it is a scientific examination of a body to determine the cause of death., is forbidden.
- On the other hand, many Reform Jews believe that only the soulThe spiritual part of a human being. It is believed by many that the soul is eternal. will be resurrected. The body is not needed because in life it was simply a container for the soul.
Question
What does ‘olam ha-ba’ mean?
Olam ha-ba means ‘the world to come’. Sometimes it is used to refer to the afterlife, and sometimes to the Messianic Age.
