JEWS: Do You Believe in Hell?

[roseglass6370]

I'm Christian but have two good friends who are Jewish. Both of them have told me that Jews don't believe in Hell. I want to know if this is the general consensus amongst the Jewish community.

So, do you believe in Hell, or Satan, or Heaven for that matter? Why or why not?

Just curious.

Thanks!

-Brooke

 

[b&wpac4]

I do not believe in Hell. I do not believe in Satan in the Christian sense.

Heaven in a Christian sense is a bit more vague. If you define it was God's realm or however you want to say it, that's fine, but I don't picture streets of gold and mansions.

 

[roseglass6370]

I do not believe in Hell. I do not believe in Satan in the Christian sense.

Heaven in a Christian sense is a bit more vague. If you define it was God's realm or however you want to say it, that's fine, but I don't picture streets of gold and mansions.

What do you believe the afterlife is like? Who do you believe Satan is? I mentioned to my friend today that Satan was brought up in Genesis (which I believe is part of the Torah) and my friend said that he didn't recall that ever being there.

 

[b&wpac4]

What do you believe the afterlife is like?

That afterlife is not an important part of Judaism. Basically, the belief is that you end up with God and that's enough. As to what happens to evil people, there are several thoughts, but since none of them are actually contained in the Hebrew text, they are only speculation. Personally, I believe everybody gets to be with God eventually.

Who do you believe Satan is? I mentioned to my friend today that Satan was brought up in Genesis (which I believe is part of the Torah) and my friend said that he didn't recall that ever being there.

Satan is only mentioned in Genesis IF you believe the serpent was Satan. I haven't spoken to any Jews who believe this is the case. In terms of mentions of HaSatan (the Satan) they are VERY sparse in the Hebrew text and it is generally believed that he was a loyal angel of God who is tasked with testing mankind. I read the book of Job and I see a story where Satan wanders up to God's throne and God doesn't seem to be angry he is there, just asks where has he been. The Hebrew word satan means obstacle, adversary, or accusatory.

 

[sidhe]

I love answering questions about my ethnic heritage.

Judaism 101: Olam Ha-Ba: The Afterlife

The average person descends to a place of punishment and/or purification, generally referred to as Gehinnom (guh-hee-NOHM) (in Yiddish, Gehenna), but sometimes as She'ol or by other names. According to one mystical view, every sin we commit creates an angel of destruction (a demon), and after we die we are punished by the very demons that we created. Some views see Gehinnom as one of severe punishment, a bit like the Christian Hell of fire and brimstone. Other sources merely see it as a time when we can see the actions of our lives objectively, see the harm that we have done and the opportunities we missed, and experience remorse for our actions. The period of time in Gehinnom does not exceed 12 months, and then ascends to take his place on Olam Ha-Ba.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

LLOJ subscribes

 

[b&wpac4]

I love answering questions about my ethnic heritage.

Judaism 101: Olam Ha-Ba: The Afterlife

and, as you know, that's just one view among others, but I would say it is most likely the prevailing one. It would be closer to the Catholic view of Purgatory than Hell, in my opinion.

 

[sidhe]

and, as you know, that's just one view among others, but I would say it is most likely the prevailing one. It would be closer to the Catholic view of Purgatory than Hell, in my opinion.

Pretty much, yeah. My friend the Intergalactic Space Jew would probably argue that reincarnation is supposed to fulfill the same purpose.

 

[Wicked Willow]

Aw, I'm too late! All the important points have already been ticked off!

All I can do now is present a rough timeline:

Proto-Semitic religion (polytheism) -> Proto-Judaism (henotheism) -> Judaism (strict monotheism)/Christianity (monotheism with dualist elements; "fallen" angels, eternal hellfire, etc.).

The last step probably needs some explanation: in the 1st century CE, Judaism wasn't a monolithic whole as far as its cosmology was concerned. Hellenic and Persian influences (among others) had seeped into Jewish thought and folklore, and different sects held vastly different views. Judaism as we know it today descended from a group that sought to keep the religion as pure as possible, seeking to eliminate foreign influences such as Persian dualism ("good God vs. evil opposer waging a spiritual war on Earth"). Christianity, on the other hand, is descended from a line of tradition that didn't eliminate those influences, but embraced them wholeheartedly. (Which should be kinda obvious, seeing how proto-Christianity flourished in the Jewish diaspora/the greater Mediterranean rather than the Jewish heartlands.)

 

[MichaelNZ]

The Being Jewish Web Site has a very good article on the Jewish view of Satan.

Does Judaism believe in Satan?

 

[roseglass6370]

Thank you all for your replies!! They were very informative.

I just went back and re-read the temptation of Adam and Eve and realized that it doesn't say anything about the serpent being Satan! I had never realized that before. I still personally believe it was him, but it's interesting that it was never clearly stated (or if it was it read over it.)

 

[peepnklown]

Judaism does not have a particular doctrine about hell or the afterlife but, has a mystical tradition of Gehenna (which is a type of purgatory).

 

[xDenax]

Rabbi Tovia Singer has said he believes there is an eternal hell for the extremely evil. First time I've heard of it. I asked my local Rabbi about it but he's still thinking before he gets back to me.

 

[b&wpac4]

Rabbi Tovia Singer has said he believes there is an eternal hell for the extremely evil. First time I've heard of it. I asked my local Rabbi about it but he's still thinking before he gets back to me.

That's not unheard of in Judaism. As I said earlier, the Tanakh is very silent on the exact nature of the afterlife. There are many different view on the afterlife, but all of them are speculation. For the most part, however, most Jewish sources do not have an eternal punishment for evil.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

That's not unheard of in Judaism. As I said earlier, the Tanakh is very silent on the exact nature of the afterlife. There are many different view on the afterlife, but all of them are speculation. For the most part, however, most Jewish sources do not have an eternal punishment for evil.

Thanks.
This Messianic Christian had the same thing to say about it concerning the Covenantle parable in Luke 16

Lazarus and the Rich Man - Here a little, there a little - Commentary

*snip*

The parable of Lazarus and the rich man has been the foundation for many of the erroneous beliefs about "hell" within traditional Christianity...........

CONCLUSION

The parable of Lazarus and the rich man, long used by mainstream Christian ministers to teach the "reality of hell," really has nothing to say about punishment or reward in the afterlife. Yeshua used this story, which fit the common misconception about life after death in his day, to show the fate that awaited the Jewish nation because of the unbelief and faithlessness which caused them to reject him as the Messiah.

 

[marlowe007]

Here's another question for Jews that I have yet to resolve:

Which sacred text takes precedence in your religion, the Tanakh or the Talmud?

 

[b&wpac4]

Here's another question for Jews that I have yet to resolve:

Which sacred text takes precedence in your religion, the Tanakh or the Talmud?

That's easy:

The Torah is top priority, the rest of the Tanakh is below the Torah, and the Talmud and all other rabbinic texts are under those. If a rabbinic text were to contradict the Torah or the Tanakh then it would be rejected.

 

[b&wpac4]

Thanks.
This Messianic Christian had the same thing to say about it concerning the Covenantle parable in Luke 16

Also, Luke 16 is not part of the Tanakh.

 

[ChavaK]

Rabbi Tovia Singer has said he believes there is an eternal hell for the extremely evil. First time I've heard of it. I asked my local Rabbi about it but he's still thinking before he gets back to me.

There is no cut and dry belief about the afterlife given in the Torah, so there are
varying opinions about it. I disagree with Rabbi Singer, my own view is that
those who are truely evil simply have their souls destroyed and cease to exist.

As a whole, Jews to not believe in Hell, in HaSatan as Christians understand "him"
(he is an accuser who can not go against G-d's will and is often likened to the
"evil inclination" in us).

We don't spend a lot of time wondering about the world to come; we believe that
if we lead a good life and follow G-d's will via His commandments, the future will
take care of itself.

 

[Princess-Pumpkin]

Thank you so much for this thread... such interesting articles and replies