Jewish Views of the Afterlife [Paperback]

Simcha Paull Raphael (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1568219385 | ISBN-13: 978-1568219387 | Publication Date: November 1, 2000

In Jewish Views of the Afterlife, Simcha Paull Raphael guides the reader through 4,000 years of Jewish thought on the afterlife by investigating pertinent sacred texts produced in each era. Through a compilation of ideas found in the Bible, Apocrypha, rabbinic literature, medieval philosophy, medieval Midrash, Kabbalah, and Hasidism, the reader learns how Judaism conceived of the fate of the individual after death throughout Jewish history.

In the wake of the horrifying deaths of six million Jews in the Holocaust, many turned away from Judaism and shunned a God who had seemingly allowed this senseless act of cruelty to occur. Others turned toward the faith, desperately wanting to believe in the doctrine that those whose lives had ended prematurely had passed on to another a better life.

But does an afterlife even exist? What role does it play in Jewish theology? While many affirm a belief in the afterlife, a scarce few are aware of where these teachings can be found in Jewish literature.

Among the topics discussed in this fascinating volume are heaven and hell, Olam Ha-Ba (The World to Come), Gan Eden, resurrection of the dead, immortality of the soul, and divine judgment prior to death.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Simcha Paull Raphael has performed an act of resurrection. He has restored the rich heritage of Jewish thought about life after death that has been repressed, disdained, or ignored for so long and he has made the heritage accessible for the first time toa new generation of Jews. His timing could not be better. This book arrives at a time when there is a Jewish renewal movement springing up that has new questions and that is in search of new perspectives on what life is really all about. It comes at a time when there is a new awareness of cosmology, a new curiosity about mysticism, and a new understanding of the nature of matter and energy. All these things come together to create a community that will be receptive to this book. There is enormous scholarship here, but even more important than the facts and the footnotes that it contains, there is a sense that this is a writer who writes out of his won innermost concerns. He is not just an archaeologist digging up the beliefs of his ancestors; he is a pathfinder pointing the way for many who want to learn. (Rabbi Jack Riemer )

[Raphael] traces, in a synoptic style, 4,000 years of Jewish thought on the afterlife by investigating pertinent sacred texts produced in each era. From the Bible, Apocrypha, rabbinic literature, medieval philosophy, medieval Midrash, Kabbalah, and Hasidism, the reader learns how Judaism conceived of the fate of the individual after death throughout Jewish history. (Association Of Jewish Libraries Newsletter )

[Raphael] traces, in a synoptic style, 4,000 years of Jewish thought on the afterlife by investigating pertinent sacred texts produced in each era. From the Bible, Apocrypha, rabbinic literature, medieval philosophy, medieval Midrash, Kabbalah, and Hasidism, the reader learns how Judaism conceived of the fate of the individual after death throughout Jewish history.... (Association Of Jewish Libraries Newsletter )

Simcha Paull Raphael has performed an act of resurrection. He has restored the rich heritage of Jewish thought about life after death that has been repressed, disdained, or ignored for so long and he has made the heritage accessible for the first time to a new generation of Jews. His timing could not be better. This book arrives at a time when there is a Jewish renewal movement springing up that has new questions and that is in search of new perspectives on what life is really all about. It comes at a time when there is a new awareness of cosmology, a new curiosity about mysticism, and a new understanding of the nature of matter and energy. All these things come together to create a community that will be receptive to this book. There is enormous scholarship here, but even more important than the facts and the footnotes that it contains, there is a sense that this is a writer who writes out of his won innermost concerns. He is not just an archaeologist digging up the beliefs of his ancestors; he is a pathfinder pointing the way for many who want to learn. (Rabbi Jack Riemer )

About the Author

Simcha Paull Raphael received a doctorate in psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco and ordination as a rabbinic pastor from Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi. He teaches in the Department of Religion at La Salle University, and serves as a spiritual director at Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. Dr. Rapahel is also in private practice as a psychotherapist specializing in bereavement, affiliated with Mount Airy Counseling Center. He resides in the Philadelphia area.

Product Details

• Paperback: 474 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc. (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568219385
• ISBN-13: 978-1568219387
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,560,451 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating and important read !, December 30, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Jewish Views of the Afterlife (Hardcover)

Most Jews are under the mistaken impression that Judaism does not believe in an afterlife. This is not so, and in fact Jewish texts preserve a rich tradition of how this concept has been understood and taught throughout Jewish history. This book is an excellent introduction and overview of how the afterlife is viewed in The Torah, The Talmud, the medieval works, the Midrash and the books of the Kabbalah (Jewish mysticism). One of its special features is that many medieval Jewish texts are presented here for the first time in English!

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A scholarly treatment of dying,death and the soul's journey, January 8, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Jewish Views of the Afterlife (Paperback)

The fate of the soul after death is the major focus of Simcha Paull Raphael's beautifully written tome. Culled from 4,000 year of classical Jewish source material it's topics include resurrection, Gan Eden and Gehenna, angels; the, history and tradition of the souls appearance and disappearance from the modern Jewish world, etc. You can start anywhere and skip about to your heart's content. Any good Jewish library is incomplete without it.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A terrific introduction, scholarly and beautifully written, January 5, 2002

By 

a reader (Arlington, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jewish Views of the Afterlife (Paperback)

It is rare to find a scholarly book that is a pleasure to read. Simcha Paull Raphael's book is one of these gems. The scope of his knowledge is amazing, and his writing style is a breath of fresh air. The author explores the evolution of Jewish beliefs about life after death from biblical times to the present. This is, without doubt, the best introduction I have seen. It is must read for anyone interested in this topic.