DOES THE SOUL SURVIVE?

There is a Jewish tale of twins in the womb. As one emerges from the birth canal, he is greeted with an embrace and celebration. Meanwhile, the unborn twin, unconscious of his future fate, is panic- stricken over his imminent entry into a new life and the potential loss of all he has ever known.

Likewise for us who live an earthly, embodied existence, the concept of our future death is frightening. We cannot know with certainty what will happen once we die. We are saddened to imagine leaving poor loved ones and the familiarity of our current existence. Yet the Jewish tradition affirms that our physical demise is not the end of our consciousness. In the words of rabbi Ya’akov, “This world is a passageway before the World to Come. Prepare yourself in the passageway in order to enter the main room.”

from: Jewish Lights Publishing… www.jewishlights.com