Jewish

• • Many believe in life after death because in the classical Jewish tradition there are teachings on life after death. ​(e.g. humans have a soul which will one day return to God, a future judgment when some will be rewarded and others punished.​)
• • Mishnah contains recorded debates and judgements including issues of life after death
  • (Maimonides outlined Thirteen Principles of Faith for Jews, 13th speaking of a revival of the dead…when it shall please the Creator.)
• • Afterlife is dependent on how one lived during their time on Earth (good life = heaven, bad life = hell)
• • Sheol = after death Jews would descend to a dark place called Sheol (early belief)
• • Gan Eden and Gehenna = further teachings developed including teachings on Gan Eden and Gehenna.
• • Sheol became a place of purification, or waiting, before the individual was sent to either Gan Eden or destroyed completely.
• • Olam Ha-Ba = Early Rabbis taught if lived according to Halakhah (scriptures w laws for living), you’d be rewarded in a world to come
• • Later teachings included the idea of judgment would happen after the coming of Mashiach (messiah)
• • Judaism teaches how the person lives is important and good deeds should be done for owns sake
• •  There will be punishment or reward for the way they have lived, but there's no clear teachings on EXACT nature of heaven/hell
• • Resurrection = some believe the soul and body would reunite when the Messiah comes (resurrection of the body)
• • Some believe the soul would be eternal (immortality of the soul)