Interestingly, in Judaism, there is almost no data on the afterlife. At the same time, other Abrahamic religions, such as Islam and Christianity, pay a lot of attention to this topic. But the Torah does not say what will happen to a Jew when he dies. However, even close contact with the Egyptians did not have a significant impact on the Jews. Of course, it is difficult to say that the Jews do not have a complete idea of the afterlife, but this is more an abstraction derived from the general logic of Judaism than a well-developed concept. That is, if you go to the mosque, they will tell you about the afterlife, if you go to the church, they will also tell you, but in the synagogue you are unlikely to get any answers.
Of course not. The Unknown breeds Fear. The answer to Fear is Faith, which is able to RECONCILE, to FIND an ALTERNATIVE. Faith creates a myth that explains any kind of fear. As laughter-the sublimation of Sex – so Faith – the sublimation of Fear-creates Laws that can be followed – in order to avoid the Horror of Death – rules of behavior, sacrifices, etc. The afterlife-instead of the Fear of death-is replaced by the Joy of Meeting departed loved ones, Eternal Life-IF the Laws and Prohibitions-Taboos were not violated during life.
There was one such people – the Jews. Three and a half thousand years ago, they didn't believe in an afterlife. The roots of Judaism go back about 4,000 years, to the days of Abraham. The beginning of the creation of the sacred Hebrew scriptures dates back to the XVI century BC, and the completion – to the time of Socrates and Plato, who formed the theory of the immortality of the soul. Do these scriptures teach that the soul is immortal?
The answer is found in the Encyclopaedia Judaica: “It was only in the period following the writing of the Bible that a clear and firm conviction emerged that the soul is immortal… and [this belief] has become one of the cornerstones of the Jewish and Christian faith.” It also says: “At the time of writing the Bible, the individual was considered something inseparable. Therefore, there was no clear distinction between the soul and the body.” The Jews of ancient times believed in the resurrection of the dead, and, as the encyclopedia notes, “this was clearly at odds with the belief in… the immortality of the soul.” Thus, the doctrine of the immortality of the soul penetrated Judaism under the influence of Greek philosophy, and now this concept has become generally accepted in almost all branches of Judaism.
In Buddhism, there is also no concept of an afterlife, there is a concept of “samsara”, that is, an endless cycle of rebirths, which can be overcome by achieving enlightenment and nirvana. However, whether nirvana can be considered an afterlife is also a question.
Interestingly, in Judaism, there is almost no data on the afterlife. At the same time, other Abrahamic religions, such as Islam and Christianity, pay a lot of attention to this topic. But the Torah does not say what will happen to a Jew when he dies. However, even close contact with the Egyptians did not have a significant impact on the Jews. Of course, it is difficult to say that the Jews do not have a complete idea of the afterlife, but this is more an abstraction derived from the general logic of Judaism than a well-developed concept. That is, if you go to the mosque, they will tell you about the afterlife, if you go to the church, they will also tell you, but in the synagogue you are unlikely to get any answers.
Of course not. The Unknown breeds Fear. The answer to Fear is Faith, which is able to RECONCILE, to FIND an ALTERNATIVE. Faith creates a myth that explains any kind of fear. As laughter-the sublimation of Sex – so Faith – the sublimation of Fear-creates Laws that can be followed – in order to avoid the Horror of Death – rules of behavior, sacrifices, etc. The afterlife-instead of the Fear of death-is replaced by the Joy of Meeting departed loved ones, Eternal Life-IF the Laws and Prohibitions-Taboos were not violated during life.
There was one such people – the Jews. Three and a half thousand years ago, they didn't believe in an afterlife. The roots of Judaism go back about 4,000 years, to the days of Abraham. The beginning of the creation of the sacred Hebrew scriptures dates back to the XVI century BC, and the completion – to the time of Socrates and Plato, who formed the theory of the immortality of the soul. Do these scriptures teach that the soul is immortal?
The answer is found in the Encyclopaedia Judaica: “It was only in the period following the writing of the Bible that a clear and firm conviction emerged that the soul is immortal… and [this belief] has become one of the cornerstones of the Jewish and Christian faith.” It also says: “At the time of writing the Bible, the individual was considered something inseparable. Therefore, there was no clear distinction between the soul and the body.” The Jews of ancient times believed in the resurrection of the dead, and, as the encyclopedia notes, “this was clearly at odds with the belief in… the immortality of the soul.” Thus, the doctrine of the immortality of the soul penetrated Judaism under the influence of Greek philosophy, and now this concept has become generally accepted in almost all branches of Judaism.
In Buddhism, there is also no concept of an afterlife, there is a concept of “samsara”, that is, an endless cycle of rebirths, which can be overcome by achieving enlightenment and nirvana. However, whether nirvana can be considered an afterlife is also a question.