Do Jews Believe In Heaven And Hell?

Do Jews Believe In Heaven And Hell?

A Jewish student once asked me if Jews believe in heaven and hell.

I explained to this student that Judaism has a concept of heaven and hell, but emphasized that we do not believe in eternal damnation.

The student then asked another question: “So why do some religions obsess about heaven and hell while the Jewish bible hardly mentions it?”

An answer to this question is found in this week’s Torah portion, Toldos (Genesis 25:19–28:9), where in Genesis 27:28, Isaac blesses Jacob with “the dew of the heavens and the richness of the earth.”

Although we are blessed with the dew of heaven, our focus must be on our mission here on earth, refining it through the observance of Torah and mitzvot.

We do not focus on the “promise of heaven” or fear of “eternal damnation” because we do not want our service to God to be tainted with an ulterior motive.

The fear of hell or the promise of heaven and salvation could be a powerful bribe to believe a certain way, as it says in Exodus 23:8, “Do not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the righteous.”

Our sages in Ethics of Our Fathers 1:3 put it this way: “Do not be as servants who serve their master for the sake of a reward.”

May this Shabbos provide opportunities to give thanks for the blessings we receive and for the opportunities to serve and connect to God without the temptation of ulterior motives.

Shabbat Shalom,

Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz

→ Get my new book - Know What to Answer - When Someone Challenges Your Faith. Available on Amazon at: https://a.co/d/crv9E0L