Judaism-Afterlife

Judaism Original Afterlife
Judaism is based mostly around a covenant with Yahweh and the Jewish people in this life. Because of this, the belief in afterlife is not as essential in Judaism as it is in other religions; instead the Jewish people have enforced an emphasis on present and earthly life. While many religions have distinct treatments of those who have done wrong during their lifetime and those who have not once they reach the afterlife, Judaism promises to reward or punish these people in the present life. Thus there is a common belief that people with many different "moral distinctions" are all brought to the same place under the same treatment and conditions in afterlife. It is because of the limited belief in afterlife that the Jewish people have adopted some of the beliefs from other religions.

Influences from Other Religions
The beliefs of afterlife in Judaism are influenced by:

Christianity and Islam
From Christianity and Islam, Judaism borrowed the belief that when and if the Messiah comes, all who are dead will be brought back and there will be a final judgment, or a “Judgment Day” where all souls will be judged. Those who have sinned will be sentenced to eternal death or hell and those who have not will be sent perpetually to heaven or paradise. This is very similar to the Jewish beliefs borrowed from Zoroastrianism.

Zoroastrianism
The Jews borrowed the idea of resurrection from the Zoroastrianism beliefs; they then combined this idea with the idea of a "Judgment Day". Thus creating a day in which all souls are resurrected to be judged before afterlife.

"Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt (12:2)."

Modern Day Beliefs in Afterlife
As Judaism began to learn of the beliefs of afterlife from the other religions they too began to accept these beliefs. So it is today, that the Jewish society accepts a wide variety of afterlife beliefs that combine the traditional beliefs of many religions.

"Jewish Beliefs about the Afterlife." Religion Facts. 2007. Religion Facts. 18 Dec 2007 <[|http://www.religionfacts.com/christianity/beliefs/afterlife.htm>.] Lewis, James R.. Afterlife Beliefs and Phenomena. Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1994.