What Judaism Teaches About DeathBy David T. E. S. Cooke
January 2, 2007
I recently attended the funeral of a Jewish man. I did not know him personally, but indirectly through an acquaintance of mine. There were many gathered in the chapel as an orthodox rabbi led the service to mourn the loss of a well-loved and well-respected individual.
As far as I know, this man did not know his Messiah and Lord - Jesus - before his passing. I quietly grieved over the immensity and permanence of such a tragic loss as I watched the service unfold. Forever this man will remain separated from His God and under the full weight of his sins in hell. His is the end of so many in this world who abide outside the covering of the blood of the Lamb. What consolation can be given his loved ones? There seemed to be nothing to offer but memories.
What struck me as I silently mourned was the great depth of sorrow shared by all in that chapel. Tears and heartache are certainly no surprise at a funeral, but unlike every other Christian funeral I have attended, there did not seem to be any sense of hope presented. A thick cloud of despair filled the room. I could understand this from the viewpoint of my Christian theology, but it made me ponder these questions: What exactly do Jewish people understand death to be? What are their thoughts on the afterlife?
A Jewish Theology of Death
One of their great sages from the twelfth century - a pillar of Jewish thought - was Rabbi Moses Maimonides or Rambam. In Rambam's last of his famous
Thirteen Principles of Jewish Faith, he states, "The resurrection of the dead is one of the foundations handed down by Moses. One who does not believe in it cannot be associated with Judaism or its religion." He cites Daniel 12:2 for support: "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt." Therefore belief in life after death is a fundamental tenet of Judaism.
In agreement with Rambam, a broad spectrum of modern rabbis are quick to assert the existence of an afterlife. They acknowledge the truth of the words of Ecclesiastes 12:7: "Then the dust [the body] will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it." However, what precisely this means, and what our actual experience of the afterlife will be, are matters of much debate and speculation within Judaism.
In general, Judaism recognizes three possible destinations after this life on earth. Our souls, which are described as not only eternal, but also as being a part of God's essence, will continue to live on after the death of our bodies. Like the Roman Catholic system, there is a belief in heaven, hell, and purgatory (though these terms have a somewhat different meaning in Judaism). Also, like Roman Catholics, Jewish people are believed to have the ability to ameliorate the afterlife conditions of their deceased loved ones through various means.
When we die, the rabbis say, there is first a judgment in the place called
Gehinom (their word for purgatory). In
Gehinom we will review the events of our earthly life and experience pleasure for what was good and pain for what was bad. The regret and remorse we will feel as our failures are recounted will purge our souls and prepare us for eternity. Some see this as a psychological catharsis, while others envision fire and snow being employed to cleanse us. Regardless of the means, a seventeenth century Kabbalist rabbi, Naphtali Bacharach explains, "
Gehinom is like a sponge; it sucks up the negativity that attached itself during the soul's journey on earth, allowing the soul to return to her original state."
The entirety of one's time in
Gehinom is not to exceed twelve months. However, the less wicked the soul, the less time in purgatory. As well, loved ones are able to lessen their departed relative's pain by doing good deeds and praying a special prayer (
Kaddish) on behalf of the deceased. The children of the deceased are instructed to pray in this way for eleven months. Also, some say the study of
Mishnah (Jewish oral Law) will "elevate" a departed soul more quickly. In fact, there are organizations which Jewish mourners can pay to study
Mishnah on behalf of their departed loved ones so they may escape
Gehinom sooner. (This is akin to the Roman Catholic notion of buying masses and indulgences for the dead).
The Uncertainty and Despair
One of the problems with this teaching is the great uncertainty, guilt, and sorrow it instills in the minds of those bereaved. They not only feel grief for the deceased in purgatory, but they also do not know how long their loved ones must abide there nor how much "fire" they must endure. Some people also feel compelled to use any means possible - including paying out for
Mishnah study - in order to help the deceased.
After a soul's time in purgatory, Judaism cannot offer more than an uncertain hope. Heaven (referred to as the "world to come") is the next step, but there are many different levels and divisions there. One rabbi compares it to the seating in an orchestra hall. Some people will be "front-row centre" with a close proximity to God and the joy of His presence, while others are in the back bleachers with very little proximity to God and very little joy. If you did not spend your life in spiritual pursuits, it is highly unlikely that you will find yourself very near to God in heaven. (This is what the vast majority of Jews have to look forward to). As well, there is much debate and confusion over whether or not we will have a physically resurrected body in heaven, and some hold that a soul may be reincarnated in a new human body before going to heaven.
There are some in Judaism, in their understanding of the afterlife, who also assert the possibility of hell. Hell is not a place for many people - only a handful will experience it (such as the likes of Hitler and, as some would contend, Jesus). These souls will experience an eternity of punishment because they are "too evil" to be purified - they have done irreparable harm to the Jewish people. However, the existence of hell is downplayed and sometimes ignored altogether in Jewish thought, though it must remain a nagging possibility.
A Works-Based System
Fundamental to Judaism (and similarly in Roman Catholicism) is a works-based system of merit: Our good deeds and religious pursuits earn us our place in glory. We may have to suffer a while for our sins after we die, but in the end, we will purge them away and God will - must - accept us. However, we cannot know how this will work out precisely, and the best many can hope for is a joyless existence many levels away from God's most intimate presence.
It is no wonder there was such sadness and despair at that funeral I attended! Jewish teaching is so far from the clear truth of God's Word and the Good News we have in Jesus Christ. The reality of life after death is much different than what Judaism presents. There is not only a grimmer fate for most people, but also a brighter, surer hope for those few who enter at the narrow gate of Messiah.
The Hope of the Gospel
The Bible emphatically and repeatedly asserts that there is life after death. Our souls, though not a part of the essence of God, were created by God at our conception and were designed by God to live forever. (Cf. Gen. 2:7, Zech. 12:1). Thus bodily death ushers our souls into the spiritual realm, whence they will be reunited to our resurrected bodies at the last day. (Cf. 2 Cor. 5:8 & 1 Cor. 15:51,52).
There are only two destinations after this earthly life: heaven or hell. Purgatory is a completely unbiblical idea. Jesus explains, in a passage that parallels Daniel 12:2, "The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God [Jesus]; and those who hear will live…all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation" (John 5:25-29). A judgment, where each will stand before God, immediately determines to which destination we shall be sent. As J. I. Packer writes in his
Concise Theology, "Death is decisive for destiny."
To those sent to the place of life - heaven - the Lord Jesus will say, "Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matt. 25:34). This will be a glorious experience without any regret or sorrow. Every single soul in heaven will "always be with the Lord" (1 Thes. 4:16,17) in the "fullness of joy" (Ps. 16:11). There are no levels or divisions in heaven, though there are rewards. (Cf. Matt. 5:12).
To those sent to the place of condemnation - hell - the Lord Jesus will say, "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matt. 25:41). This will be a dreadful but just experience of the wrath of God. In hell, people will undergo punishment and torment for their sins, and there will be "weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Luke 13:28). It is an eternal death sentence.
Based on Faith - Not Works
Though God's Word describes the inhabitants of heaven as "those who have done good" and the inhabitants of hell as "those who have done evil," this does not mean that we merit our destiny in any way through prayers or good works. Human effort cannot earn us a right standing before God. (Cf. Phil. 2:8,9). Rather, we must trust in the perfect righteousness and atoning sacrifice of Messiah Jesus alone.
Jesus says, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live" (John 11:25). He also tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16).
By faith in the work of Jesus, our sins are covered and we are given a righteous standing before God. The evil that we have done is erased and our good deeds shine like the sun. Without faith in Christ, however, the record of our sin remains forever etched in our souls. Any good that we have done is tarnished and our evil deeds are remembered before God.
Faith gives us great hope as anyone, no matter how sinful or imperfect, can secure a glorious home in heaven by simply trusting in our Lord and Messiah - Jesus! There need be no uncertainty or despair for loved ones who die in the Lord. There is real joy as the deceased enter a place where "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away" (Rev. 21:4).
We do not "sorrow as others who have no hope" (1 Thes. 4:13) when a loved one dies in Christ. But we do sorrow for those who die outside of Christ; and we sorrow for their families. However, it is not too late for those who are still alive to hear the truth of the Gospel. It is not too late for our Jewish friends to put their faith in the One who offers sure hope - Jesus.
