LIFE AFTER DEATH
For Sheol cannot praise you, death can not celebrate you;
they who go down into the pit cannot hope for your truth. The living, the
living, shall praise you, as I do this day; the father to the children shall
make known your truth.
Isaiah 38:18-19
If I ascend up to heaven, you are there! If I make my
bed in Sheol, behold, you are there!
Psalm 139:8
A favourite saying of Rab was: [The World to Come is not
like this world.] In the future world there is no eating nor drinking nor
propagation nor business nor jealousy nor hatred nor competition, but the
righteous sit with their crowns on their heads feasting on the brightness
of the divine presence, as it says, And they beheld God, and did eat and
drink.
Berachot 17a
Now this disagrees with Samuel. For Samuel said, This
world differs from the Messianic era only in respect to servitude of the
exiled, for it is said, For the poor shall never cease out of the land.
This supports R. Hiyya b. Abba, who said, All the prophets prophesied only
for the Messianic age, but as for the world to come, the eye hath not seen,
O Lord, beside thee [what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him].
Shabbath 63a
God also decreed that he should die. Taking pity on him,
however, God allowed him when he died to be buried near the Garden of Eden.
For Adam had made a cave near the Garden, and had hidden himself there with
his wife. He knew it was near the Garden, because he saw a faint ray of
light enter it from there, and therefore he desired to be buried in it;
and there he was buried, close to the gate of the Garden of Eden. So it
is that when a man is about to depart from life, Adam, the first man, appears
to him and asks him why and in what state he leaves the world. He says:
"Woe to thee that through thee I have to die." To which Adam replies:
"My son, I transgressed one commandment and was punished for so doing;
see how many commandments of your Master, negative and positive, you have
transgressed".
Zohar I, 57b
R. Yesa said: 'Adam appears to every man at the moment
of his departure from life to testify that the man is dying on account of
his own sins and not the sin of Adam, according to the dictum, "there
is no death without sin".
Zohar I, 57b
R. Judah said: 'Abraham recognised the cave of Machpelah
by a certain mark, and he had long set his mind and heart on it. For he
had once entered that cave and seen Adam and Eve buried there. He knew that
they were Adam and Eve because he saw the form of a man, and whilst he was
gazing a door opened into the Garden of Eden, and he perceived the same
form standing near it. Now, whoever looks at the form of Adam cannot escape
death. For when a man is about to pass out of the world he catches sight
of Adam and at that moment he dies. Abraham, however, did look at him, and
saw his form and yet survived. He saw, moreover, a shining light that illumined
the cave, and a lamp burning. Abraham then coveted that cave for his burial
place, and his mind and heart were set upon it.
Zohar I, 127a
We have learnt that when a man's soul departs from him,
all his relatives and companions in the other world join it and show it
the place of delight and the place of torture. If he is virtuous he beholds
his place and ascends and sits there and enjoys the delights of the other
world. But if he is not virtuous, his soul remains in this world until his
body is buried in the dust, and then the executioners take hold of him and
drag him down to Dumah and to his appointed storey in Gehinhom.' R. Judah
said: 'For seven days the soul goes to and fro from his house to his grave,
and from his grave to his house, mourning for the body, as it is written:
"His flesh shall suffer pain for him, and his soul shall mourn for
it" (Job XIV, 22), and it grieves to behold the sadness in the house.
We have learnt that after seven days the body begins to decay, and the soul
goes in to its place. It enters the cave of Machpelah, where it is allowed
in up to a certain point according to its deserts. It then reaches the place
of the Garden of Eden and meets the Cherubim and the flashing sword which
is in the lower Garden of Eden, and if it is worthy to enter, it enters.
We have learnt that four pillars [Tr.note: i.e. angels.] are waiting there
with the form of a body in their hands, and with this it gleefully clothes
itself and then remains in its appointed circle in the Garden of Eden for
its allotted time. Then a herald makes proclamation and a pillar of three
colours is brought forward, which is called "the habitation of Mount
Zion" (Is. IV, 5). By means of this pillar it ascends to the gate of
righteousness, in which are Zion and Jerusalem. If it is worthy to ascend
further, then happy is its portion and lot that it becomes attached to the
Body of the King. If it is not worthy to ascend further, then "he that
is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy"
(Ibid. 3). But if it is privileged to ascend further, then it beholds the
glory of the King, and enjoys the supernal delight from the place which
is called Heaven. Happy he that is vouchsafed this grace.'
Zohar I, 218b
We have learnt that the soul is linked with the body twelve
months in the grave, and they are judged together (this, however, does not
apply to the souls of the righteous, as we have laid down), and it is present
in the grave and is aware of the sufferings of the body. It also knows the
sufferings of the living, but does not intervene on their behalf. After
twelve months it is clad in a certain vesture, and goes to and fro in the
world, learning certain things from the spirit and interesting itself on
behalf of the living who are in distress. But this is only when there is
among them a virtuous man whose merit is properly recognized by them. For
so we have learnt, that when a virtuous man is left in the world, he is
known both among the living and the dead, and when the world is in great
distress and he cannot deliver it, he makes the trouble known to the dead.
Zohar I, 225a
Now, whoever looks at the form of Adam cannot escape death.
For when a man is about to pass out of the world he catches sight of Adam
and at that moment he dies.
Zohar I, 248b
. . . according to tradition, sinners are judged in Gehenna
for twelve months.
Zohar II, 33b
"He will deliver his soul from going into the pit"
(Job XXXIII, 28); which signifies that man is.advised to redeem his own
soul by repentance and amendment. In fact, the words "he shall redeem
her".have a double significance: they point to man's own redemption
of his soul by repentance, followed by the.redemption from Gehenna effected
by the Holy One. "To sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no.power."
Who is this "strange nation"? Hapless is the soul when she leaves
this world after being attached to.a man who has turned away from the right
path. She desires to ascend to the heights, in the midst of the.holy hosts;
for holy hosts stand along the way to Paradise, and "strange"
hosts line the other way, to.Gehenna. If, then, the soul is worthy and wears
the precious protecting garment, multitudes of holy hosts.stand ready to
join her and accompany her to Paradise.But if she hath not that garment,
the "strange" hosts.compel her to take the path which leads to
Gehenna. Angels of destruction and confusion are they, who will.gladly take
their revenge on her. But "He shall have no power to sell her unto
a strange nation", if "His.garment is upon her", by which
the Holy One guards her from the "strange nations" of the angels
of.destruction and despoilment.
Zohar II, 97a
Truly, all souls must undergo.transmigration; but men
do not perceive the ways of the Holy One, how the revolving scale is set
up and.men are judged every day at all times, and how they are brought before
the Tribunal, both before they enter.into this world and after they leave
it. They perceive not the many transmigrations and the many mysterious.works
which the Holy One accomplishes with many naked souls, and how many naked
spirits roam about.in the other world without being able to enter within
the veil of the King's Palace. Many are the worlds.through which they revolve,
and each revolution is wondrous in many hidden ways, but men neither know.nor
perceive these things!
Zohar II, 99b
Three names has the soul of man: nephesh, ruah, neshamah.
They are all comprised one within the other, yet they have three distinct
abodes. Nephesh remains in the grave until the body is decomposed and turned
into dust, during which time it flits about in this world, seeking to mingle
with the living and to learn of their troubles; and in the hour of need
it intercedes for them. Rua,h enters the earthly Garden (of Eden) and there
dons a likeness which is in the semblance of the body it tenanted in this
world: that likeness being, as it were, a garment with which the spirit
robes itself, so that it may enjoy the delights of the radiant Garden. On
Sabbaths, New Moons and festivals it ascends unto higher regions, imbibes
the joys thereof, and then returns to its place. Concerning this it is written:
"And the spirit (ruah) returns to God who hath given it" (Eccl.
XII, 7)-namely, at the special seasons and on the special occasions which
we have enumerated. Neshamah ascends at once to her place, the region from
whence she emanated, and for her sake the light is kindled to shine above.
She never again descends to earth. In her is consummated the One who combines
all sides, the upper and the lower. And as long as she has not ascended
to be united with the Throne, the ruah cannot crown itself in the lower
Garden, nor can the nephesh be at ease in its place; but when she ascends
all the others find rest. Now when the children of men are in sorrow or
trouble, and repair to the graves of the departed, then the nephesh is awakened
and it wanders forth and rouses the ruah, which in turn rouses the Patriarchs,
and then the neshamah. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, takes pity on the
world.
Zohar II, 141b
'God shows kindness to His creatures in not divesting
them of their earthly garment until other garments, more precious and finer
than these, are prepared for them. But the wicked, they who have never turned
to their Lord with a perfect repentance-naked they came into this world,
and naked they must return from it, and their souls go in shame to join
the other souls in like plight, and they are judged in the earthly Gehenna
by the fire from above. Some of them flutter upward after a time; these
are the souls of the sinners who had intended to repent, but died before
they had carried out their intentions. These are judged first in Gehenna
and then flutter upward. See how great is the mercy of the Holy One towards
His creatures! The most wicked sinner, if he have intended repentance, but
dies without carrying out his resolve, is, it is true, punished for having
gone out of this world without having repented, but his good intention is
not lost, but it ascends to the Supernal King and there remains until the
Holy One, seeing it, prepares for that soul a place of refuge in "Sheol",
where it twitters repentance. For the good intention issues from before
the Holy One, and, breaking all the strong gates of the habitations of Gehenna,
reaches at last the place where that sinner lies. It smites him and awakens
in him again that intention which he had had on earth, causing the soul
to struggle and ascend from the abode of Sheol. Truly, no good thought is
ever lost from the remembrance of the Holy King. Therefore, blessed is he
who nourishes good thoughts towards his Lord, for, even if he cannot put
them into practice, the Holy One takes the will for the deed.
Zohar II, 150a-b
Gehenna has seven doors which open into seven habitations;
and there are also seven types of sinners: evildoers, worthless ones, sinners,
the wicked, corrupters, mockers, and arrogant ones; and corresponding with
them are the habitations in Gehenna, for each kind a particular place, all
according to grade. And over each habitation a special angel is appointed,
all being under the direction of Duma, who has thousands and myriads of
angels under him, to punish sinners according to their deserts. The fire
of the Gehenna which is below comes from the Gehenna which is above, and
is kindled by the heat of the sinners in whom the evil inclination burns,
and there all the piles burn. In Gehenna there are certain places and grades
called "Boiling filth", where the filth of the souls that have
been polluted by the filth of this world accumulates. There these souls
are purified by fire and made white, and then they ascend towards the heavenly
regions. Their filth remains behind and the evil grades, called "Boiling
filth", are appointed over that filth and the fire of Gehenna rules
over it. There are certain sinners who pollute themselves over and over
again by their own sins and are never purified. They die without repentance,
having sinned themselves and caused others to sin, being stiff-necked and
never showing contrition before the Lord while in this world; these are
they who are condemned to remain for ever in this place of "boiling
filth" and never leave it
Zohar II, 150b
All sinners, as long as their bodies in the graves are
intact, with all their limbs, are judged body and soul together, each in
its own way; but as soon as the body is decayed, the punishing of the soul
ceases. Those souls that are destined to leave Gehenna now leave it; those
that are to have rest now find it, and those who are destined to become
dust under the feet of the righteous become dust, each according to its
deserts. How excellent a thing it is, therefore, both for the righteous
as well as for sinners, when their bodies are in close contact with the
earth so that decay can set in quickly and their punishment may not be prolonged
through the continued existence of the body; for there is not one of the
righteous who can escape the judgement of the grave, for the angel appointed
over the graves stands over the body and punishes it daily. And if the righteous
have to undergo this judgement of the grave, how much more so the wicked!
But when the body decays, the judgement ceases in both cases. The only exceptions
are those saints who are the pillars of the world, who merit that their
souls immediately after death should ascend forthwith to the regions appointed
for them. They, however, are few.
Zohar II, 151a
It has been affirmed that in quitting this world a man
has to endure seven ordeals. The first is the judgement of heaven when the
spirit leaves the body. The second is when his actions and utterances march
in front of him and make proclamation concerning him. The third is when
he is placed in the grave. The fourth is the ordeal of the grave itself.
The fifth consists in his being consumed by the worms. The sixth is the
suffering endured in Gehenna. The seventh ordeal is that his spirit is condemned
to roam to and fro in the world, and is not able to find a resting place
until his appointed tasks have been completed. Hence it behoves man continually
to review his actions and to repent before his Master.
Zohar II, 199b
It is written: "And a river went out of Eden to water
the garden", etc. (Gen. II, 10). It is of importance to know the source
and origin of the river that went out of Eden into the Lower Garden. Eden
itself is most recondite, and no eye is permitted to discern it. The inner
reason is that had the Lower Eden been allowed to be disclosed, the position
of the Higher Eden also would have become discoverable. In order, therefore,
that the Higher Eden should remain enveloped in holy mystery, the Lower
Eden, from which a river went out, had also to be entirely hidden, and so
it is undisclosed, even to the souls in the Garden of Eden itself. Now,
as that river flows out of Eden to water the Garden, so from the portal
in the centre of the Garden emerges a stream of light that divides into
four sections, radiating in four directions, passing the four portals previously
mentioned, and illuminating the inscribed letters. That fourfold beam issues
from Eden, at the Lower Point that shines opposite the Celestial Point.
That point is illumined, and is itself transmuted into Eden, the fount of
the light. That Point itself is not given to any to see or know, but only
the light radiating from it, before which the righteous in the Garden of
Eden prostrate themselves, as already said. That Lower Point is in its turn
Garden in relation to the Celestial Eden, a spot not given to any to know
or to perceive. Concerning all this it is written: "No eye hath seen
beside thee, O God" (Isa. LXIV, 3), which is an allusion to the holy
Lower Point that alone has knowledge of the Lower Eden which is hidden in
the Garden, there being none other that has knowledge of it.
Zohar II, 210b
'The river that goes forth out of the Lower Eden is a
mystery only known to the initiated, and is alluded to in the words: "and
he will satisfy thy soul in dry places (zahzahoth, al. with brightness)"
(Isa. LVIII, 11). The soul that quits this dark world pants for the light
of the upper world. Just as the thirsty man pants for water, so does the
soul thirst for the brilliancy of the light of the Garden and the firmament.
The souls sit there by that river that flows out of Eden; they find rest
there whilst clad in the ethereal garments. Without those garments they
would not be able to endure the dazzling light around them; but protected
by this covering they are in comfort and drink their fill of that radiance
without being overwhelmed by it. It is the river which renders the souls
fit and able to feast on and to enjoy that radiance. The celestial river
brings forth the souls who fly off into the Garden; the lower river in the
terrestrial Garden, on the other hand, builds up the souls and makes them
fit and able to enjoy those radiances, and so to mount up to the celestial
Paradise through the central opening of the firmament and by the pillar
that stands in the centre of the Lower Paradise.
Zohar II, 210b-211a