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In Judaism, human mortality is tempered by the belief in the eternal immortality of our souls. Though there is no specific superficial mention of this concept in the Torah’s text itself, the rabbis of the Talmud have brought numerous proofs and support to the idea from a careful examination of words and juxtaposition of words in that text. The Talmud saw our existence in this world as naturally being a temporary one but that eternity and Heavenly judgment await us after our physical demise. The phrase that is used to describe this transition from earthly living to the eternal realm of the soul is "that one strips away one form of existence and assumes another form of existence." Though there are numerous metaphors that exist in Talmudic and rabbinic literature as to how this other form of existence looks, no definite and unanimous description of this eternal world is given to us except that it is purely spiritual and related to the soul’s connection with the Creator. Nevertheless, the very idea and belief in the immortality of the soul is one of the great ideas and comforts of Judaism and Jewish life. Death is not a black hole that consumes all. Rather life is our opportunity to gain immortality and eternity. This infuses life and living with a greater purpose than merely physical gain and pleasure. It gives our behavior here in this world cosmic importance and eternal value. Thus life and living become doubly important for the consequences of our behavior reach beyond time and space and this earth and its vicissitudes.
We all pray and hope for long life and healthy years. Length of life is a relative value. King Solomon in Kohelet refers to "days that are no longer desirable." He also mentions there that length of life is not necessarily an absolute value. "Even if a human lives a thousand years" there is little gain for that type of longevity. It should be noted that Solomon himself, according to Jewish tradition, only lived for 52 years. The quest for immortality lies deep within all of us. We all have a desire not to be forgotten by later generations and descendants. Much of the pursuit of fame and honor in this world is in essence a pursuit of immortality and the remembrance of later generations. Monuments and gravesites are part of this desire to be eternally remembered even when we are no longer here. But again the Torah warns us "not to turn to the dead." The Torah is firmly planted in life, in the here and now, in its never ending challenges and problems, achievements and struggles. It allows us no room for morbidity and depression. God is to be served in this world in happiness and purpose. The reality of the human condition is well known and omnipresent to us. But it is not to be permanently dwelled upon for otherwise life can never progress and inspire. We should always remember to "choose life."
Rabbis in Midrash
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Hosha'ana Rabba FLYDUBAI & HOSHANA RABBA- ANI VAHU HOSHIA NA- I & HIM SAVE US
"Ani vaHu Hoshia Na", "I and Him, Save Us". We don't just pray to Him, but we also pray to and for ourselves that we should emulate and educate our children to have that instinctive altruism with which He created the world. President Trump seemed amused about Yaniv Hayon, our PLUMBER who confidently worked with G-d like Superman (he learned from a pilot on a TV show!) to save 174 lives on the Dubai hijacking, but we in Israel are totally accustomed already 78 years to our plumbers, teachers, garbage-men, rabbis, farmers & doctors being Hashem's shlichim! This is what Zionism is about.
Moreshet Shaul Hashem Is your Shadow – part I
Based on Siach Shaul, Pirkei Machshava V’Hadracha p. 420 – an address from 1941
P'ninat Mishpat A Non-Contractor in Changing Times – part I
(based on ruling 85128 of the Eretz Hemdah-Gazit Rabbinical Courts)
Moreshet Shaul Our King on Rosh Hashana, Our Father on Yom Kippur.
Based on Aroch Siach, p. 221 (Rav Shaul Yisraeli)
