Daniel 12:2 and the Resurrection

Question

Hi,

So I am a relatively ‘new’ believer in the teachings of Judaism. The journey both into the culture and the faith has been amazing so far. I actually began reading the Talmud and embarked on a journey to study the Torah and Tanakh in fullness as well.

Of course, I face questions about my faith of which I have been able to counter many easily with knowledge both from verses of the Torah and Tanakh and parts of the Talmud that I have read. However, recently I was met with the question of Daniel 12:2 and the meaning of ‘eternal damnation’ whereas I thought Judaism was based off the belief of Gehonnim not being an ‘eternal state’ of punishment but a place of purification and cleansing in preparation for the new world- in short, not exactly ‘a hell’.

I have tried searching for myself but so far I am inconclusive. How exactly does Judaism frame Gehonnim especially in light of Daniel 12:2? Or did I have the teachings of the afterlife wrong all-together?

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    As you point out, the concept of “eternal damnation” is not a Jewish one (with the exception of certain extremely wicked people as taught at the end of Tractate Sanhedrin). There is a lot of discussion among the commentaries about how to explain the verse, but they all teach that it is not a reference to Gehinom. Rather, it refers to the Resurrection of the Dead. Who will be resurrected and who will not is the subject of great debate, and there are several possibilities that are raised. Who is correct? I do not know and I do not think that anyone can know definitively. In the immortal words of Maimonides, as he discusses the Resurrection, “We will not know until we know.”

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team