What Does Judaism Teach Happens After Death?

[JTC]

(the question title wasn't supposed to say "a year ago ..." I goofed )

A year ago I knew a Jewish woman, and I asked her this. She didn't know, but finally she asked her son's friend, who attended a prestigious Jewish university or seminary school in NYC. I think it was called "The Yeshiva School". The answer was reincarnation, although they didn't call it that. But I was told that either our souls or spirits, return to Earth to live again, and that new life is based on what the person did in this life. I was shocked because I never knew Jews believe in reincarnation. But I did know the question the disciples asked Jesus in John 9:2 implied they might have believed in reincarnation.

9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

But since Jesus so skillfully avoided the issue, I assumed the implication was false. Now I'm told it's true, this is what Judaism teaches.

So question #1, does anyone know if this is what Judaism teaches?

If it is, can there be some truth to it?

If so, how does it relate to what we already know?

Edited August 12, 2012 by JTC

[Guest shiloh357]

It depends on the branch but some groups in Orthodox Judaism teach the transmigration of the soul. Your more liberal groups like the Reformed have those that do teach reincarnation. Reformed Judaism is like the New Age religion with a Jewish veneer.

[JTC]

Thank you for that answer. But what is the transmigration of the soul? I suppose I can google all this stuff, but I think there's a purpose I ask it here. That is God has a purpose for it. I'm also wondering why I don't just google it.

[gdemoss]

Thank you for that answer. But what is the transmigration of the soul? I suppose I can google all this stuff, but I think there's a purpose I ask it here. That is God has a purpose for it. I'm also wondering why I don't just google it.

Your doing what you are led to do for a reason. That reason might never be manifested unto you but it is important that you do what is good that is placed in your heart by God to do. In this case, part of the reason you were led to do this is me. I needed to hear these things. I am probably not the only one who did and God may even lead someone to this post via Google on down the road.

Peace in Christ,

Gary

[JTC]

Hi Gary,

I'm noticing me and you keep coming to each others attention. I don't think that's a coincidence.

I'm a very troubled man, and my impression of you is that you aren't. But maybe we have similar questions. I noticed your offers to Carlos and that leads me to believe you are a man of God. I hope I am too.

I did google transmigration of souls and read more than I wanted to know. More than I grasp at my age. Some of it was scary. But some of that stuff seems true to me, only because such ideas occurred to me before I read them. I think it's a mistake to try and overly analyze this stuff. I think all the philosophers go wrong when they try to understand every little detail.

Here is one of my troubles. Why is it certain things have eluded me all my life, no matter how hard I tried? Why do some of these things just "come" so easily to other people, and I can't get them at all?

I seem destined to be lonely and alone all this life. I thought it would end someday. But the older I get the more alone I become. And I don't have peace about it.

As a young man I studied psychology to try and understand myself, and to help others. But I never got the PhD, and I did help others, but only informally. But psychology fails to explain why I'm alone. I am a Christian, but if I lived another life (lives) that would explain the troubles psychology doesn't. But I don't want to believe this. And yet ...

[Guest shiloh357]

Thank you for that answer. But what is the transmigration of the soul? I suppose I can google all this stuff, but I think there's a purpose I ask it here. That is God has a purpose for it. I'm also wondering why I don't just google it.

It is how the Jewiish mystics (Kabbalists) refer to reinarcnation. They believe the spirit is continually reborn There is more to it than that but I am too tired to type it all out.

[JTC]

So let's assume transmigration of souls, and reincarnation are all real. The problem is when this happens to a soul, it loses the identity it now has. Growing up isn't an experience I look forward to doing again. Being human always involves suffering, no matter who we are.

So I think while we're in the age of man, unsaved souls reincarnate or transmigrate. Therefore, one thing Jesus does is to end and break this never ending cycle of reincarnation. The fact being that no one can be good enough to actually make it to Heaven on their own merits. This I believe.

And yet Jesus Himself placed tremendous importance on what we do. So our behavior must still be important, even if we think we are saved. Why or how, I don't know. But this is what God has laid on my heart to say. We all need to be more mindful of what we do. The idea that we accept Jesus and then can do any sins we please, for as long as we please, and it won't matter is false. But I'm not sure in what ways. I'm certainly not perfect, but I'm very aware that what I do is going to matter.

So if transmigration and reincarnation are true, I think they are only true until we reach the end of the age of man. At that time comes the 2nd death when satan and his angels are bound forever, and all unsaved and unjust souls are destroyed forever.

And yet something is still missing. But I don't know what.

[Guest shiloh357]

It is appointed unto man once to die and then the judgment. We get one shot at this life and the only thing we take with us into eternity is the decision we made for or against Jesus Christ.

God didn't create us and then leave us to keep coming back until we finally get it right. Rather he knew that we needed a Savior to redeem us from sin. Jesus imputes his righteousness to us and makes us right with God so there is no reincarnational rat race.

Too often, people adopt reincarnation hoping to avoid accountability for their sin.

[JTC]

Well then those people are misunderstanding reincarnation. If you reincarnate that's total accountability for sin. Every little sin you do is weighed against what little good you did, and thus you get another life. I find it rather unpleasant, to say the least.

What worries me is people accept Jesus to avoid accountability for sin. I keep running into people who have the attitude that now that they accepted Jesus they can sin to their heart's content. All will be forgiven. They feel they no longer need to concern themselves with what they do.

I agree that sins committed before they accept Jesus are forgiven. But to willfully continue to sin, and assume all is forgiven, just doesn't seem right to me. Isn't that like thinking they can keep crucifying Jesus for their new sins over and over again? (maybe that's the wrong scripture)

I just don't believe we can continue to live the way the world does and think we're going to Heaven without some sort of consequence.

[jasoncran]

why not go to jewfact.org or chabad org but shiloh is correct. that is what i have heard.