Sheol and Afterlife
Question
What do the Holy words say about the afterlife, sheol, Abraham's bossum and judgement (especially as it relates to the Goyim? 980-282-0216. -brice nash
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for your question.
The term “Sheol” is indeed a very mysterious concept and there are many interpretations of what exactly it means.
You seem to assume that Sheol is a Kabbalistic concept but really its origins are in the Bible itself! Indeed, Sheol is mentioned several dozens times throughout scripture.
Our first encounter with the term Sheol is when Yakov goes into mourning upon the assumed death of his son Yosef. Yakov says that he will “go down to Sheol” associating that word with death and bad eternity. He uses the word again when pondering what would be if Benyamin did not return from Egypt along with his other brothers.
We find the word Sheol used again in the context of the evil Korach. Moshe warns Korach that his rebellion against G-d will lead to him and his followers going to “Sheol” which was materialized with the opening of the ground which swallowed up Korach and his followers here it becomes apparent that Sheol is associated with the common English term “hell,” namely, a place of punishment for the wicked. There are other references to Sheol in the Torah, as well.
The association with Sheol and death, and hell continues in the book of Shmuel and the Book of Melachim. It is perhaps in the book of Yeshayahu where we find the clearest association of Sheol with Hell where we are told that it is a place for the souls of sinner. Job, who life was full of severe trials and tribulations calls his life “Sheol.”
Source
Genesis 37:35
Genesis 44:29–31
Numbers 16:29–33
Deuteronomy 32:22
1 Samuel 2:6
2 Samuel 22:6
1 Kings 2:6–9
Isaiah 5:14
Isaiah 14:9–15
Job 17:13