Since there is no hell in the Jewish religion, where do the wicked go?

Question

Are they reedemed first and then go to heaven? Do they just go into limbo? Or do they just remain in their graves?

Anyone hear a Rabbi?

Answer 1

Only the very righteous go directly to Gan Eden. The average person descends to a place of punishment and/or purification, generally referred to as Gehinnom (guh-hee-NOHM) (in Yiddish, Gehenna), but sometimes as She'ol or by other names. According to one mystical view, every sin we commit creates an angel of destruction (a demon), and after we die we are punished by the very demons that we created. Some views see Gehinnom as one of severe punishment, a bit like the Christian Hell of fire and brimstone. Other sources merely see it as a time when we can see the actions of our lives objectively, see the harm that we have done and the opportunities we missed, and experience remorse for our actions. The period of time in Gehinnom does not exceed 12 months, and then ascends to take his place on Olam Ha-Ba.

Only the utterly wicked do not ascend at the end of this period; their souls are punished for the entire 12 months. Sources differ on what happens at the end of those 12 months: some say that the wicked soul is utterly destroyed and ceases to exist while others say that the soul continues to exist in a state of consciousness of remorse.

Answer 2

They go to the grave like everyone else. It depends a lot on which practice of the Jewish religion you refer to, some hold to no resurrection or afterlife whatever, others to a resurrection of the righteous only, others to a purgative state between reincarnations, others to a general resurrection and judgment. Places of any sort in an afterlife are largely metaphorical, unexplored, unprovable, and speculative. Gehinnom was the trash dump of Jerusalem, across the Hinnom Valley, a place polluted by infant sacrifice. (Isa. 57:9)

Answer 3

They go to sheol (the common grave of mankind), just like everyone else. Not every religion promises reward or punishment in the afterlife. At some point in the future certain people will be redeemed, but I'm not up on the specifics of who.

Answer 4

What makes you think there is no hell in the Jewish tradition? They believed that the soul goes to Sheol the place of the dead. By the time of Jesus a more defined sense of heaven and hell was developing. Thus Jesus can talk with understaning about Lazarus in heaven not being able to help the Rich Man in hell who is begging for water to quench his thirst.

Pastor John

Answer 5

They go to a place similar to purgatory to see there errors and harm they did and come to feel remorseful. Then they enter heaven.

Answer 6

they have to miss the early bird special and pay full price for dinner.


forever.

Answer 7

don t know