For Torath Mosheh Jews Only: Olam Ha-Bah (The World To Come)

[David Davidovich]

This thread is for Torath Mosheh Jews only: What is the Jewish Olam Ha-Bah (The World To Come)? Also, why does it seem to be described as non-corporeal / ethereal type place, even though Hebrew verses that I've seen seem to describe it as a reconditioned physical, earthly place? Plus, how exactly does the resurrection of the dead work in the Jewish world to come?

Additionally, below is a link to a website which discussion this, along with the embedded YouTube video at that site.

click here: The World to Come | My Jewish Learning

P.S. And why would the Torah still be in use for a perfected society?

 

[David Davidovich]

No takers?

 

[David Davidovich]

An alternate view, and one that seems to have been held by the majority of early Jewish authorities, was articulated by Nahmanides, a medieval Catalonian kabbalist and talmudist, who insisted that the World to Come is what will come into being in the present world after the messiah comes and the dead are returned to life. Nachmanides distinguishes between the World to Come, in which the physical body is present and the ancient Temple rebuilt, and the World of Souls (olam haneshamot), where the soul goes after the death of the body. Unlike Maimonides, who believed that the resurrection of the dead would be followed by a second death and the eternal rest of souls in the World to Come, Nachmanides believed the resurrected would enjoy eternal physical life in the messianic age.

Both these ideas draw support from the Talmud. In its discussion of the aforementioned mishnah about all Israel having a share in the World to Come, the Talmud explains that denial of a share in the World to Come to those who reject the resurrection is an appropriate punishment because it’s “measure for measure” — that is, commensurate with the crime. Since the denied person doubted the resurrection, they will not be resurrected themselves. Ergo, the World to Come refers to resurrection.

But Maimonides’ view that the World to Come is a place of pure spirit also draws support from the Talmud, in particular a statement from Rav recorded in the Talmud in Berakhot 17a:

The World to Come is not like this world. In the World to Come there is no eating, no drinking, no procreation, no business negotiations, no jealousy, no hatred, and no competition. Rather, the righteous sit with their crowns upon their heads, enjoying the splendor of the Divine Presence.​

Perhaps the unclarity of the World To Come is what helped to boost Christianity as an offspring of the Jewish culture.

click here: The World to Come | My Jewish Learning

 

[David Davidovich]

Perhaps the unclarity of the World To Come is what helped to boost Christianity as an offspring of the Jewish culture.

click here: The World to Come | My Jewish Learning

It's interesting that I just came across this video. Also, it makes me wonder what amount of Avodah Zarah was in the late BCE and the early CE Jewish culture.

 

[Ehav4Ever]

No takers?

Doesn't the information you presented already answer your questions?

 

[David Davidovich]

Doesn't the information you presented already answer your questions?

I don't know. With everything else that Jews have to say about topics and doctrines, it seems like they would have more to say about this. Also, what exactly do the few Jewish texts say about the world to come and the soul and sheol? Plus, in the OP video, it says that the ideas about the world to come were developed later by Rabbis and Scholars 2000 years ago. Are Jews ashamed of those ideas?

 

[Ehav4Ever]

Are Jews ashamed of those ideas?

No, but how does one describe places and situations that people normally don't come back from when they get there? There are many who say that we already know, directly from Hashem, that there is a reward for the mitzvoth some in this world and most in the world to come. Until a Jew gets there, there is no need to go all in on it and focus on it especially when it was never intended to the main focus of the Torah.

 

[Ehav4Ever]

Plus, in the OP video, it says that the ideas about the world to come were developed later by Rabbis and Scholars 2000 years ago. Are Jews ashamed of those ideas?

Okay, and who are the people who produced the OP video? What are their sources? How old are there sources? Are there sources agreed up by Torath Mosheh and Orthodox Jews from all ancient communities?

These are the questions that one should ask when reviewing any information.

 

[dybmh]

what exactly do the few Jewish texts say about the world to come and the soul and sheol?

"Jewish texts" is a pretty wide open playing field. Just looking at what most people call the Torah, there's not much regarding these topics. But there's hints.

For example, the phrase, "gathered to his people" when Abraham died, Isaac died, Aaron died, and Moses died. That's a clue that something about them and others before them continued after death.

Then there's the mysterious Betzalel. A careful reading of the narrative has Moses proclaiming to the Jewish people "See! Hashem has called Betzalel son of Uri son of Chur by name..." Which is wierd. How could they see it? And why specify two generations back. One possible answer is, Betzalel literally took on Chur's spirit. And his appearance literally changed miraculously so that they could see that God had called him by name. By name "Son of Chur" literally. Just to show I'm not making this up, I'll attach a Rabbi's write-up on this. There's quite a few interesting reasons to understand the story this way.

There's a similar theory about Pinchas, after the Baal Peor affair. Pinchas is also specified two generations back, Son of Eleazer Son of Aaron. It's very rare to see this, so, people think there's a reason. And his actions are called zealous. So, there's a hint that Pinchas had been granted a zealous spirit, and maybe this spirit came from Nadav and Avihu who are the literl sons of Aaron. In Lev. 10, the epsiode with the "strange fire", they were zealous, and got zapped. And here their spirits get another chance to use their zealotry in a positive way through a connection with Pinchas.

These examples show that the belief in an immortal soul has a source in the text.

Regarding the world to come, the best example from the text ( maybe the only example ) is way back in Gen 1. If I recall, the idea is that in Gen 1, there was a light created which is not the light of the sun. So the question is, what is this light? One possible answer is that it is a special light that is reserved for the righteous in the world to come.

Hope this helps a bit. Zooming out to include "Jewish texts" like Talmud and Midrash, there's loads of stuff. But that's much later and perhaps that's not what you're looking for.