Concepts of heaven in Judaism

[guno]

in Judaism heaven is not a gated community. The righteous of any people and any faith have a place in it. Our actions, not our specific beliefs, determine our fate. No concept of Hell exists in Judaism. The afterlife can take many forms.

Professor A.J. Levine expresses this truth most eloquently, “Jewish beliefs in the afterlife are as diverse as Judaism itself, from the traditional view expecting the unity of flesh and spirit in a resurrected body, to the idea that we live on in our children and grandchildren, to a sense of heaven (perhaps with lox and bagels rather than harps and haloes).” The afterlife is here on earth: One strand of Jewish thought sees heaven as a transitory place where souls reside after death. They reside there until they reunite with their physical bodies at the time when messiah comes. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach articulates this view in his early book, The Wolf Shall Lie with the Lamb. This approach differs from reincarnation since the return to life happens only in the messianic era, not as a regular occurrence, as in Hinduism. We live on through others: The Reform Jewish prayerbook expresses this idea through the metaphor of a leaf and a tree. A leaf drops to the ground, but it nourishes the soil so more plants and trees spring up. The same is true in our lives. We nourish the future through the influence we have on those who follow us. It can happen in unimaginable ways.

some more reading on this subject

Afterlife in Judaism | Jewish Virtual Library

 

[guno]

 

[Holos]

That is a very interesting perspective. Do you know of any parts in the English translated Torah (Old Testament) that would contribute to that understanding?

 

[BreezeWood]

They reside there until they reunite with their physical bodies at the time when messiah comes.

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prey tell, just where would the physical bodies be residing during the mean time till the messiah returns ... could a Spirit chose a body of the opposite sex, how does the body stay alive without a Spirit ?

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[HaShev]

I've already addressed this many times.
This proves the fallen false one who didn't describe anything, keeps you from paying attention to those who do.
By the way, next time try saying my name in Hebrew(HaShev) and not in English(return).

 

[Dhara]

Buddhists don't believe in heaven or hell either. Still there are states of mind that are happy and unhappy, which is a kind of heaven and hell while alive.

 

[HaShev]

I've come to the conclusion that since Christians believe this life is for suffering and the God of this world is their adversary
(2 Corinthians 4:4), then their seeking death is their suicidal mindset that death ends their suffering and then they have peace. In other words to their twisted mindset life is hell and death is escape from that which is a tough life in their mind.
Sources for this conclusion:
Blessed are those who chose life and cursed are those who chose death.
Deuteronomy\Devarim: 30:19 I call heaven
and earth to witness against you this
day,That I have set before you life and
death, the blessing and the curse;Therefore
choose life, that you may live, you and your
children.
Yet The Church teaches the curse when
they say:"solution for mankind's dilemma
lies in suffering, and through the portals of
death" "Suffering Is Also God's
Gift” - Pope John Paul II Angelus, October
13, 1996, Gemelli Hospital.
So why would you chose the Curse?

Jesus as the angel of death (power of the
devil according to book of Rev) and gate keeper to death:
Example of what they taught:
Death worship:
Colossians 2:12] and you were
buried with him in baptism Romans 6:4 We
were buried therefore with him by baptism
into death in John 18:33-37 :his kingdom is
not of the earth..
The mystery is you've been worshiping death and the gate keeper of death.
John 10 :9 {Jesus speaking} I am the
gate; whoever enters through me will be
saved. But his kingdom was not of this earth
it was in death so he claims to be the gate
keeper of Hades. Thus the whole world is
deceived.
Rev 9:1 the fallen star was given
the key to the shaft of the Abyss. remember
Jesus is the one admitting to having this
Key to the abyss in Revelation 1:18 He’s
also always saying salvation is in death and
we see his proud proclaimation of being the
gate keeper of death:
-Apocryphon of
James- "become seekers for death, like the
dead who seek for life; for that which they
seek is revealed to them. And what is there
to trouble them? As for you, when you
examine death it will teach you election.
Verily I say unto you, none of those who fear
death will be saved; for the kingdom of
death belongs to those who put themselves
to death!"

Lastly they promote a character that knowingly and willingly commits suicide according to their excuses to why he died.