Life After Death
Question
What happens after death ?
Answer
Shalom!
Thank you for your question.
To write about everything on the afterlife in Judaism would not be possible in such a forum. However, I will share a few words with you about the common concepts of “Heaven” and “Hell.”
Heaven and Hell are where our souls go to after death for punishment and then reward. However, Heaven and Hell in Judaism are very different than the common misconceptions that many have. There is no red devil with a pitchfork in Hell nor are there angels with wings running Heavenly offices and departments.
Rather, when we die our soul goes through an approximate one year of “cleansing” in Hell, well, more accurately, “Gehinnom,” in preparation for Heaven, more accurately, “Olam Haba” – the next world. During this first year period the soul is being purified from the sins it committed during the person’s lifetime. We are taught that surviving relatives can help ameliorate the plight of the soul of the loved one during this year by reciting kaddish (generally done for eleven months) and performing good deeds “in merit of” and “for the elevation of” the departed soul.
Following this cleansing period the soul takes its place in Olam Haba, Heavenly reward, commensurate with the mitzvot and good deeds the person performed in this world. Every year on the yahrzeit, the day of death, the soul ascends to a higher place in Olam Haba.
It is believed that the soul of a parent continues to watch over the lives of his or her children and grandchildren and derives pleasure from the good deeds they perform.