What do Jews believe when it comes to the concept of hell and a devil?

Question

I've heard some answers to this before, but they have all been vague.

For example, what would happen to someone like Hitler when he died?

I would prefer to only hear from Jewish people as sometimes others can unintentionally get the details about a religion wrong.

Answer 1

there is no devil. the closest jewish equivalent to hell would be gehinnom, the place where souls go to be cleansed of their sins before moving on to unity with G-d. for those people who believe in gehinnom, nobody can agree on what its like or what happens there. other people don't believe in gehinnom at all.

Answer 2

VERY tricky question, with a few different answers.

"Sa-tan" means adversary in Hebrew. Interpretations of that role vary, but the character is never given as much importance as in Christianity. In fact, outside of Torah readings and commentary, I've never heard it mentioned.

Judaism has a concept of hell called Gehenna. It's more of a sort of Hades, a dark place where souls go. Again, its significance is limited.

There is actually a strong tradition of reincarnation in some parts of Judaism, particularly the mystical sides. There's an idea that there are 600,000 Jewish souls circulating.

What is strongest today is the sense of 'salvation through generation', that, whether there is an afterlife or not, what's most important is the characters of the kids one raises (or teaches, just as crucial from the Jewish point of view) and the quality of how one is remembered. That's why we say "may his/her memory be for a blessing." It's in the memories of others that we most surely continue to have life.

In memoriun for two very dear friends.

Answer 3

You have to realize there are Hassidic Jews, Orthodox Jews, Reformed Jews, Conservative Jews, and I don't know how many other kinds. So although I am not Jewish myself, I would advise you to consider which kind of Jews you want to ask.

Answer 4

Y Judaism includes a belief in (ha'satan), The Satan, but not in the devil. This title derives from the root verb (satan), which has several related meanings: [to] denounce, [to] condemn, [to] be an adversary, [to] persecute, [to] hate. The verb is used in the Hebrew Bible in this context as well (e.g., Zech 3:1; Ps 38:21[20], 109:4). The noun (satan), is a derivative of the root verb, and has several related meanings as well: an accuser, an adversary, a foe, a hindrance, a prosecutor. Of the 30 applications of this noun in the Hebrew Bible, it is used in this context on 11 occasions (Num 22:22,32; 1 Sam 29:4; 2 Sam 19:23; 1 Kgs 5:18, 11:14,23; Ps 71:13, 109:6,20,29). The remaining 19 instances are all examples of its usage as a title/name. With one exception, all these instances utilize the explicit form of the title, inclusive of the definite article, and appear as (ha'satan), The Satan, also known as The Adversary. The single exception is at 1 Chronicles 21:1, where it appears simply as (satan), Satan, and the context clearly indicates this is a reference to (ha'satan).



The following attributes of (ha'satan) are evident from the Hebrew Bible:



¤ (ha'satan) is an angel, a bona fide member of the Heavenly Host:



Job 1:6 - Now the day came about, and the angels of G-d came to stand beside the L-rd, and the Adversary [ (ha'satan)], too, came among them.



¤ As one of the angels of G-d, (ha'satan) was created without a free will.



Though there is no direct reference to this in the Hebrew Bible[12], it can easily be deduced from the various accounts of angels and their missions, as well as an understanding of what "free will" really means. In the simplest terms, "free will" means the ability to say "no". In all the narratives in the Hebrew Bible where angelic missions and actions are noted, in the Hebrew Bible, there is not a single instance where an angel refused an assigned mission.[13]



¤ As an angel, being a messenger of G-d, (ha'satan) obediently carries out the mission assigned to him by G-d.



(ha'satan) has the job of "testing" people's character in terms of their ability to "test" people's character, their ability to control the evil inclination[14]. As such, he acts as "the prosecution", accusing and presenting the collected evidence in support of the case the "defendant".



The Book of Job is where this battle between (ha'satan) and the good inclination plays out, and where it is evident that (a) he is completely under the control of G-d, acting solely with divine permission to carry out torment, and (b) man's virtue, a manifestation of the good inclination, can prevail[15].



A religious belief in an entity that competes with G-d and has its own power and authority to oppose Him violates the basic tenets of monotheism. Judaism views (ha'satan) as an angel who works for G-d, not against Him, and who must obtain permission from G-d for every action that he takes. (ha'satan) actually facilitates human growth by providing the necessary challenge. Had G-d wanted mankind to just "be good" at all times, He would have created automata. Instead, humans were created with a free will, which gives them the ability to make choices:



Deuteronomy 30:15,19 – Behold, I have set before you today life and good, and death and evil,

(19) This day, I call upon the heaven and the earth as witnesses [that I have warned] you: I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; and you shall choose life, so that you and your offspring will live;



Of course, G-d wants us to "choose life" and to strive for the good. In stark contrast to the Christian idea of Satan/Devil, by challenging mankind, (ha'satan) serves G-d in making human goodness a true choice and an opportunity to continuously excel.



Judaism's concept of "hell" is post-Biblical. The Hebrew Bible makes no direct reference to a place that fits the common Christian concept of hell and has no specific word to name it.



The Talmud speaks of a place to which are consigned the souls of persons who did not lead exemplary lives on earth, the Hebrew word for which is (geihinnom). This term derives from the Biblical place known as both (gei-hinnom), [the] Valley of Hinnom (e.g. Neh 11:30) and (gei ven-hinnom), [the] Valley of the Son of Hinnom (e.g., Jer 19:6). This is a valley located south of Jerusalem, where fire god Moloch was worshipped (via the sacrifice of children) by the Ammonites. During the times when the Temples stood in Jerusalem, the same place served as a garbage dump where the carcasses of the animals that were offered as sacrifices at the Temple were burned.[16]



Views vary about the nature of and what transpires there, whether it is a physical or spiritual place, and whether the dead or their souls inhabit it. The prevalent opinion within traditional Judaism is that all but the souls of the most righteous spend some time in , a period that may last up to, but not exceed 12 months. The place can be likened to a spiritual forge where the souls of decedent are cleansed of the stains from the sins for which the people did not repent prior to dying. Once all sins have been purged from it, the purified soul ascends to the "world to come". The only exceptions to this are the most righteous and the profoundly wicked. The souls of the most righteous are said to ascend directly to the "world to come". According to some, the souls of the profoundly wicked people are destroyed after 12-months in , or they continue to exist, but remain in a constant state of remorse, according to others.



There are also many views on the actual process that takes place in during the time that the souls spend there. Some describe it as place of severe punishment, somewhat reminiscent of the fire and brimstone treatment according to the Christian perspective. Others simply view it as a time when the decedents get an objective picture of their lives where they see the wrongs they have done, and experience remorse for these deeds. Some Jewish mystics hold that a demon is created for every sin a person commits during their lifetime, and after a person dies, he or she is punished by the very demons that he or she created.

Answer 5

The Jews Believe the Old Testament. You should read it and see.

Answer 6

I know you don't want to hear from Xtians but.......

During the time of Christ the concept of the devil, demons and hell were prevalent among Jews. That is obvious from reading the N.T. Jesus did not introduce this concept.

Answer 7

I'm pretty sure that Jews don't have a hell.

Answer 8

Neither exists, the worst that can happen is absence from god.

Answer 9

hell is physical labor.like,working to support yourself.