7 Comments Posted
This has changed my understanding of what has appeared in the media. Thank you for the article!
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This article mentioned that gehinom has a restoritive purpose for the souls who enter it and that there is a set beginning and end. However, I remember hearing that in some cases, such as those of an apostate Jew, the punishment continues beyond this set term. Does this means that in the case of an apostate jew, the suffering in gehinom continues indefinately? Also, does a non-Jew who, whether conscientiously or unwittingly, violate any or all of the seven laws of Noah (I mentioned unwittingly in regards to idolatry) also suffer indefinitely?
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I do not quite understand who is satan. Christianity teaches that he is a devil. An angel who once worship G_d in Heaven.
Is satan a spirit? If so where is his place in our lives. Was satan as angel? Is satan evil?
Please forgive me if I sound confused.
Thank you,
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It would seem to my mind - not having been brought up in Judaism but turning to it in later life that Jews seem to be in a Win-Win position. No matter WHAT we do in life the Jewish idea seems to be that G-d will forgive us - as long as we attended shul on Yom Kippur every year - and will let us go to live with him when we die!!. Is this reasonable?! BUT, if that's how you believe life - and death - happens, what's the use of anyone saying it doesn't? that it isn't logical? You are going to stick to what you are taught because it suits you. Otherwise, you would have to start looking at how you live and studying whether your ideas of who is best in a shul - a righteous man or the one who earns the most money there - are the wisest & best surely?!!!
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If you say that Satan is an entity that opposes G-d you are making a big mistake. Satan cannot be an all powerful anti G-d or we would be guilty of believing in another god which G-d himself says is a false belief and has warned us against doing and I tend to believe that he knows what he is talking about.
If you say that Satan is the manifestation of evil in the world you are partially right, but since we are ultimately responsible for our own actions then is is we who perform and are wholly responsible for.
If you say Satan is another name for "The Evil Inclination" in the world then I would agree and add a word of caution which is do not call "The Evil Inclination" Satan or you will just perpetuate the problems stated above.
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A soul can either vibrate on a very high level, an intermediate level or a low level. The higher the level the closer to One (God's name is One). The less I there is, the higher the level. I interferes with One. Once the I is made smaller and smaller, One can shine through more and more. I means: "I am great, I am strong, I am right, I know better, I studied all sciences, I can do whatever I want, I can have sex whenever and with whoever I want, I can do business dealings in whichever way I want, I can... I can on and on.
If this mind is enforced and maintained, then the Soul looses higher vibrations. The devil's effect is to lower these vibrations, to the point where there is no more humanity left. Then the soul becomes an animal soul.
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As the person who posted the original comment may I state my case further? In our evening prayers we pray "vehaser satan milphenenu vemacherenu" (and remove Satan from before us and behind us)?
I rest my case.
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