Just was saddened to learn a friend of the family died. Not that I needed another reminder because I think about questions like this quite frequently, but I was wondering what forum members think happens to your soul when you die? I asked Chaim a related question on the last Ask JTF and he pointed out that the Ram Bam stated while there is definitely an afterlife, nobody knows for sure what it entails. Any realistic theories? At least it is a comfort to know that their is another world to come, surely much more just than the mess we currently find ourselves in at times. Later.
Ari
Firstly, it is Rambam, or Rabbi Moshe Ben Maimon, aka Maimonides.
Secondly, I don't believe in afterlife of a dead person. Isn't it oxymoronic enough?
Afterlife is not a life, but what comes after it, that is death, which is an end.
Now, if a person by himself ceases to exist in any world upon his death, a memory of him may live in other living people’s souls. That is the true afterlife.
Good and right deeds will ensure your afterlife in people's hearts. You thus will live in them, but you won’t witness that.
Watch this:
That's a horrible thing to say.
That is horrible. If that is the case, Hitler has a lovely afterlife being worshipped by neo nazi boeheads the world over. It also means arafat and a fallen IDF hero share the same fate. We might as well forget Torah and just suck up to young people.
I don't know why you say that!
Hitler died like a dog. He had to be killed earlier. I dont care how many times he burns in hell now. His actual life had to be turned into hell.
Arafat died of AIDS. How can you compare this rat's fate with one of a fallen IDF soldier? Apples and oranges!
I said it to illustrate to silliness of your previous post. If the afterlife consisted only of being remembered by the living, then both evil people fondly remembered by their followers would have the same fate as good people fondly remembered by theirs. Didn't you see the point?
1) I see the point. And it is indeed silly! This is called a wishful thinking.
2) Fate applies to the life in this world, and not in any other world.
3) Evil people must be punished here on Earth. That’s why you have courts. Or maybe you think we should not punish them hoping that G-d will “take care of them”?
4) Now, memory is a memory, and not afterlife. You can’t force people to remember certain people in one way or another.