Question
Where does the soul of a Jew go upon death in the Tanakh and what is Sheol and is there a connection with the word paradise in the english language?
Answer
Paradise comes from the Hebrew "pardes"= orchard. "Pardes" is an image used allegorically by the rabbis to refer to the eternal existence of the abstract Divine truths at the root of existence. Upon death, a righteous person's soul takes it place in eternity.
