Paraphrased explanation: Genesis records God telling Adam & Eve that they were going to return to the ground they were formed from. (Die)
Revelation reveals a Day where the dead (even in HELL- Hebrew/Greek “grave”) are to be resurrected & judged.

So simple- so clear! No “Immortal Soul”, no Hellfire, Purgatory, or a heaven with trillions of human angels!

I’ve never met a 100% “good” human being in my whole life. Have you?

I do actually like the Jewish concept of the after-life though. Makes G-d a lot more merciful than the “eternal hell” doctrine that Christianity pre-supposes we are all headed for — and it is more in line with all the near-death experiences that have been written about.

Of course, we’ll never truly know until it happens.

Neil, what a great concept…but I think you’re wrong. Sometimes that’s called HELL ON EARTH!

But if your concept of Jewish hell is right, imagine those family reunions:

“Leo, what the hell are you doing here? I thought you were one of the good guys.”

“Sarah, your skirt is too short, your shirt is too tight. Stop flirting with the devil. He’s a hot-blooded shaigetz.”

“Aunt Ethel, you’re not the only one shvitzing here, you know–quit complaining!”

“Someone pass me a marble bagel and shmeer on some cream cheese and some SMOKED salmon.”

City Girl - I believe I can fly if I try hard enough - can I prove it? Nope
I can’t prove to you that you don’t have free will either - it is only something you can grasp on your own when you become exposed to the “big picture.”

I know it sucks to realize that we’re not as amazing as we like to think - we’re so small in our present form you have no idea - I used to be the best at everything I did … but keep on thinking that if it makes you feel good. I don’t care about feeling good or being the best dancer/skiier/rollerblader/swimmer/whatever at this stage of the game - all I care about is getting closer to the goal ASAP.

I believe that I have 100% complete free will. I am the only one in charge of my past, present, and future. This is why I believe that palm reader, tarot cards, etc are bullsh*t, cause how can someone see my future if I have complete free will. To think anything in my life is predetermined by an outside entity is the unthinkable.

You’re right - we are a pretty stupid generation so far - everything has pretty much been developed in this material world and now we’re just dealing with the frills …

Abraham and Moses and all those other guys you read about - that was us back there - that was us at the destruction of the temple etc. - we keep coming back again and again and it’s all been planned that way from day one. Moses’s soul is a special soul that keeps coming back in different forms to leave us writings that suit that particular generation - the last time around he came in the form of Ba’al HaSulam (owner of the ladder) - Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag who wrote the commentary on the Zohar - who was also my rabbi’s teacher’s father … he wrote very clearly that in our generation the wisdom would become exposed to everyone because if once upon a time someone like Moses would do the work for all of humanity - now we have to do it ourselves.

I’m not sure if your vessel is ready for kabbalah - you’re asking a lot of questions about important stuff and that indicates that the question about the meaning of your life is starting to bother you … that’s when the ‘point in the heart’ opens up and starts looking for answers that can satisfy it.

Whether you will pursue this some more or not right now is the only real choice you will make in this world - everything else in your life was predetermined from the moment you were conceived.