How Does Judaism View Death?
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The Life After Life
The Psalmist said, (Psa 23:6) "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever." The prophet Daniel was told, (Dan 12:13) "But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days."
Conclusion: It is clear that from these two witnesses alone, there is life after life.
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Life's transformation after losing my mom
When my mom died, in pain, suffering and humiliation, I looked for answers, trying to comprehend why, blaming myself for not doing enough, interfering with her wish to take her life - the hardest lesson in my immature and sheltered life.
This shaped the rest of my life. I learnt, analyzed, and got wiser, opened up my heart even more to my family and anyone around me.
For people who don't know me, it's hard to accept the free gifts that come from my heart. People are so much conditioned to expect the ulterior motive. And I do have mine - I want to see healthy people, who don't suffer,
I used to work as a database administrator at Metlife - a job which paid good, and gave me satisfaction. However, when my son was born - he became my life, my everything.
Money is not everything for me - people are.
I will always be thankful to my husband for not putting me down for being generous with my time, sharing my knowledge and using my essential oils on others.
Thank you!
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Praying at the grave of others
Hi Uri Yitzchak,
Thank you for your response. I never saw any of my family members or the Jews where I grew up do such a thing, but that I mean pray in graves of the dead. We go and visit our deceased and remember them, place a stone on top of their graves. That is all my family did. I know that we are to go to Him and ask of Him what we need, that is what I was taught and that is what I do. Hashem is first, I don't ask anything in the merit of any deceased person, only Hashem.
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Alright to be mad at G-d
My Rabbi said,' that it's okay to be mad at G-d, he can take it....'
By giving us 'free will' and wanting us to have a relationship with him, has it's good points and bad. G-d can't be in control of all, since he gave us free will.
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to Talma Praying at the graves of tzadikim (righteous people )to intercede in their merit to Hashem on our behalf, has always been part of the culture of the Jewish People, both Ashkenazim and Sepharadim. When we pray in a cemetery we don't pray to the dead, but only to Hashem and only ask to favor us through the merits of these pious people who are buried there. I am also a Sephardic Jew, and as a matter of fact, and for your information, sepharadim also have been praying for centuries at the graves of tzadikim. It has nothing to do with Ashkenazim and/or idolatry and worship of the dead. By the way all Jews and from all walks of life still pray at Maarat ha Machpela in Hebron and also at the graves of the Rambam, Arizal, Ramchal, Baba Sali, etc,etc,etc. I hope this will educate you a little bit more Reply
Praying at the grave of others
Hi,
As a Sephardic Jew I have never understood this worship and dedication of the Ashkanazi Jews worship of the dead, or praying to the dead. Hashem tell us in Torah that we are not to worship the dead or to go to their graves and ask them anything, it is idolatry because a person is not asking Hashem but someone that was a human made by the creator. Hashem is not to be exchanged by the soul/spirit of a dead person. He is a jealous G-d and He wants us to focus on Him and not in any dead person, not even Moshe that was our greatest prophet.
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Talma I think you understanding is a bit wrong. You do not pray to the tzadic at his grave but to Hashem. You are saying Hashem I agree with the lifestyle of this person,my hearts desire is to live like he/she. Please deal with me in the merit of his life. I went to Rachel's tomb to pray for my last born son's bashert, he just could not find one. We arrived at the grave site late afternoon, hot and sweaty, I was too tired to go up to the grave , so I sent my housekeeper, I said to her :"Jane, like Abraham sent his servant so I send you go to the grave and pray to Hashem to send Sidney his 'Rebecca' " I stayed in the bus and I prayed to Hashem and asked in the merit of Rachel ,would He please answer my request. A peace came over me and I sensed "Yes but you will have to fetch her" I said :" no problem even if it is in Sweden" - the country the furthest away from South Africa. Well 18 months later, Sidney and Rebecca's betrothal was on the 21 Dec. in Sweden! I just arrived back.