Torah and Jewish Idea > Torah and Jewish Idea
Is a righteous gentile saved?
Uziyahu:
The concept of an after-life isn't found in early Yahwism/"Judaism". It isn't until the Babylonian Captivity, when the Jews become grateful to their Persian liberator, Cyrus the Great (called "Mashiach" in Isaiah), that they start to assimilate Persian Zoroastrian doctrines.
Jewish "immortality" comes through having children.
Abraham died at a ripe old age, contented and satisfied. He did NOT die still searching for a city whose builder and maker was G-d, as the so-called "New Testament" asserts.
Just like my grandfather, who died at age 100, Abraham was ready to die.
Tzvi Ben Roshel1:
--- Quote from: Uziyahu on November 13, 2007, 09:00:36 PM ---The concept of an after-life isn't found in early Yahwism/"Judaism". It isn't until the Babylonian Captivity, when the Jews become grateful to their Persian liberator, Cyrus the Great (called "Mashiach" in Isaiah), that they start to assimilate Persian Zoroastrian doctrines.
Jewish "immortality" comes through having children.
Abraham died at a ripe old age, contented and satisfied. He did NOT die still searching for a city whose builder and maker was G-d, as the so-called "New Testament" asserts.
Just like my grandfather, who died at age 100, Abraham was ready to die.
--- End quote ---
Judaism isnt just the written Torah, of course their is an after-life and we belive in it (Religious Jews). Its talked about from the Oral tradition. Anyway look at it logically- why would G-d create beings to just live in this world- most of the time struggling, etc. just to completly desroy them afterwards?
Uziyahu:
Oral tradition only talks about it because the concept was assimilated from foreigners, probably to keep Judaism "competitive" with foreign religions.
There is no longer a need for this false advertising, because many people no longer believe in an after-life.
It's a false hope, or at least something that can't be proven.
If there was a reward or hope of after-life, it would have been mentioned in the written Torah (if you don't like that term, which I use to differentiate a clearly DIFFERENT body of literature from the Oral Torah, then call it the Pentateuch, if you wish).
What IS mentioned OFTEN in the Tanakh, but RARELY talked about in the Oral tradition or modern Judaism, from what I've observed, is SHEOL.
What is sheol? It's where you are DEAD.
Apologies, but that's the TRUTH of the Tanakh. Believe what you want, but the evidence is on MY side of the argument.
Shlomo:
I really suggest you read:
Soul Searching (Seeking Scientific Ground For The Jewish Tradition Of An Afterlife)
Author: Yaakov Astor
Publisher: Feldheim Publishers, 2003
ISBN: 1568712499
http://www.feldheim.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?item=1-56871-249-9
For over two centuries, scientists have denied or ignored the possiblity of an afterlife. Now, however, research has taken an unexpected turn, finding compelling evidence of the existence of life after death and the human soul. This beautifully written, well documented book compares ancient Jewish teachings, and contemporary research on the subject of the afterlife. It is a fascinating, valuable, and insightful contribution to Jewish literature.
And another good one but, seriously, read the one above...
Jewish Views of the Afterlife
Author: Simcha Paull Raphael
Publisher: Jason Aronson, Friday, March 01, 1996
ISBN: 1568219385
In Jewish Views of the Afterlife, Simcha Paull Raphael guides the reader through 4,000 years of Jewish thought on the afterlife by investigating pertinent sacred texts produced in each era. Through a compilation of ideas found in the Bible, Rabbinic literature, medieval philosophy, Midrash, Kabbalah, and Hasidism, the reader learns how Judaism conceived of the fate of the individual after death throughout Jewish history.
But does an afterlife even exist? What role does it play in Jewish theology? While many affirm a belief in the afterlife, a scarce few are aware of where these teachings can be found in Jewish literature.
Once you read that first one, you can't help but think about the afterlife. I know because I used to believe like you.
Dominater96:
--- Quote from: lubab on June 13, 2007, 08:57:16 PM ---I should add that the Torah does give some examples of ways we could have a glimpse into what the next world is like. It says Torah learning is "Mein Olam Haba" a glimpse of the world to come. And it also says that Shabbos is also compared to the next world in our prayers we say after we eat. Physical suffering is like 1/60 (I beleive) of what we call hell.
(NOTE: not true for gentiles, gentiles are not allowed to keep the sabbath).
--- End quote ---
They are also not allowed to learn torah or as some call it "the old testement", as Rambam says in Hilchot melachim Perek 10, halacha 9
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