THE PLACE WHERE SOULS GATHER UNTIL RESURRECTION.

[Tzvi Ben Roshel1]

AN ESSAY ON FUNDAMENTALS BY RABBI MOSHE CHAYIM LUZZATO Z’L
THE PLACE WHERE SOULS GATHER UNTIL RESURRECTION.
There are certain "places" that were prepared for the soul after it leaves the body. One such place is where the soul can repose, if it is worthy, until the Resurrection. The other is a place where it is purified with punishments if it bears sins that prevent it from enjoying such repose.
The place of repose is called the Garden of Eden (Paradise), and it has various levels. There is an upper Garden of Eden and a lower one. In the lower Garden of Eden, the souls repose in the form of the bodies in which they once existed, enjoying various types of spiritual delights. This place therefore contains such delights as were decreed to exist there.
The upper Garden of Eden is a place where souls exist in their true essence. Here they enjoy greater and higher spiritual delights than exist in the lower Garden of Eden.
In the Garden of Eden, there are changes of times and passage of seasons, each having its own special delights. There are also different levels for those enjoying these delights.
Gehinomm is the place where souls are punished. They experience pain and suffering according to what is necessary for their particular situation. just as there are different Levels of delight, so are there, various levels of suffering.
As a result of this suffering the wrongdoings of sinners are expiated, and if they are then worthy of reward they are cleansed of their sins and can go to their repose. If they are not [worthy of reward, however], they are punished until they are completely destroyed. This, however, occurs only to a minuscule minority of Jews.