Do Jews Fantasize About the Afterlife?

Yes, Judaism believes in life after death. The Bible talks about Sheol, where the dead go to reside — a place of darkness, where nothing much really happens. But there was little else about the next world — probably because the Egyptians believed in it, and biblical Judaism is, in one sense, a rejection of ancient Egypt.

But, in post-biblical Judaism, Jews taught that the dead would reside with God in olam haba, “the world to come,” or in a heavenly Gan Eden, Garden of Eden. This becomes standard Jewish belief. People always tell me this sounds Christian. Where do you think Christianity got it from? Not only Christianity, Islam liked the idea as well. (And, by the way, Jewish theology is very clear: all righteous people — not only Jews — get into olam haba.)

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