Guide
Death and the Next World in Ancient Judaism
4th Century BCE–6th Century CE
By Carol Bakhos
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No Life after Death
All this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate one does not know. Everything that confronts them is…
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Enjoy This Life
My child, treat yourself well, according to your means,
and present worthy offerings to the Lord.
Remember that death…
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The Soul’s Holding Pattern
Then I went to another place, and he showed me on the west side a great and high mountain of hard rock and inside it four beautiful corners; it had [in it] a deep, wide, and smooth (thing) which was…
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Dying Souls Have a Vision of Their Future
It is written: She is clothed with strength and splendor; [she looks to the future cheerfully] (Proverbs 31:25, NJPS). The entire reward for the righteous is prepared for them in the future to come…
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The Fear of Death
Rava sat before R. Naḥman and saw that R. Naḥman was slipping into death. R. Naḥman said, “Master, say something to him [the Angel of Death] so he will not torment me.” Rava replied, “Master, are you…
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Death with a Divine Kiss
Let all righteous ones pray to You at the time of finding (Psalm 32:6). [ . . . ] R. Naḥman bar Isaac said: The time of finding refers to death, as it is said: Findings [totsa’ot] at death (Psalm 68…