A Guide to the Afterlife

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A Guide to the Afterlife

The way the soul will operate when it is not enclosed within the body. The different phases the soul goes through from when it departs the body until it reaches its place in the upper worlds.

By Nissan Dovid Dubov

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24 Comments

Rashi Schulsinger January 25, 2024

Is there any special meaning when a loved one dies on our birthday? Like the grandfather dying on his grandson’s birthday? Reply

Eliezer Zalmanov for Chabad.org January 28, 2024

in response to Rashi Schulsinger:

It definitely highlights the connection between the souls of the two individuals. Reply

Anonymous Chicago May 7, 2023

What happens if our loved one dies on the eve of Yom Kippur? Reply

Eliezer Zalmanov for Chabad.org May 8, 2023

in response to Anonymous :

The date of a person's passing certainly has a connection to the person soul. So passing away on the holiest day of the year tell us something about the quality of the individual. Reply

Anonymous Australia July 29, 2020

What happens to the soul if a person dies Shabbos morning on Chanukah? Is there a deeper meaning when someone dies on Shabbos or Yom Tov? Reply

Simcha Bart for Chabad.org August 5, 2020

in response to Anonymous :

Shabbat and Chanukah are auspicious times when we don't say supplication prayers (Tachanun) and even those souls who are being judged in Gehinom are released on Shabbat. Additionally, the Zohar teaches that 3 righteous people passed away on Shabbat, Moses, King David, and Yosef Hatzadik "Joseph (son of Jacob) the Pious". I would, therefore, say that all of these are a good omen for someone who passed away then as well. Reply

Anonymous Jerusalem March 2, 2020

Regarding t’chiyat hametim, if a soul has been in multiple physical bodies, which body will be used in the resurrection? Reply

Rabbi Yossi Grossbaum, for Chabad.org Folsom, CA March 19, 2020

in response to Anonymous:

The soul is like a flame of a candle. If one uses the first candle to light another one, the original candle is not diminished and the second is not any smaller. The "root" may be the same but when the soul is "reincarnated" it is essentially like a second candle being lit. Each soul will be resurrected in the body they previously inhabited. Reply

Anonymous Jerusalem March 2, 2020

If the soul is outside of time, why does it take each soul 11 months to “decompress” and get used to it’s new reality? Surely it should either be
a) whenever it is ready to move on, according to each individual soul’s need/ability based on the mitzvot it did.
Or
b) some other non-time bound criteria. Reply

Rabbi Yossi Grossbaum, for Chabad.org Folsom, CA March 19, 2020

in response to Anonymous:

The soul is not limited to the physical world in the same way that it is when it is enclothed in a physical body. But the soul is still connected to time nonetheless. Reply

Paula USA North carolina April 28, 2018

Wonderful lesson! Thank you for doing G-D' s work. This is my second listening. After my spouse passed 10 years ago, I found this audio. Words cannot describe the comfort I found here-such encouragement and inspiration to always strive to do what is good. Many blessings be upon you. Reply

Cara L Duty TIPP city February 24, 2018

If the desire for the soul is to not feel distress , and so hasten the body back to dust is ideal, then it follows that there would be very much distress if the tzadik's body, which you said does not decompose, would forever be in distress. Can you explain please? Thank you. Reply

Simcha Bart for Chabad.org February 26, 2018

in response to Cara L Duty:

The distress is from the worms etc. attacking the decomposing flesh - but the Tzaddik's body is so holy that it is not susceptible to this, and therefore is not in distress.
Reply

Vincent Italy May 8, 2017

I am not jewish, but I agree with this so very much, thank you and G'd bless you! Reply

Liam Flanagan Australia May 6, 2016

My son died on the 27/03/2015 I can feel him at time's is this him, I have a place where I leave toy's flowers his favourite food's. I am haunted in my own mind at finding him doing CPR for 45 minute's! His words the night he died Daddy if I take my medication I will not die will I? my answer of course not , for what will Daddy do without you! First and only time I lied too him, not that it was a concious lie as that's what I was told by Doctor's Reply

Anonymous March 25, 2015

my Friend's son died on 23.3.2015, is there is any possibilities that his spirit can come and stay with us in our home? how it reacts? good or bad? Reply

Orlando Rolan Florida October 13, 2014

Soul or Spirit? Hi: Please answer this question for me. What is the difference between Soul and Spirit? I think that the human soul is the human body itself, the Spirit is what goes to Our G--d when the body dies. Do you believe that the human being is body, soul and spirit, three in one; just what most people believe. My wife think that when a person dies, the spirit return to G--d and the body to the tomb and soul goes to another place. What are your comments? I don't believe in a trinity, 'three in one" like many people think and neither think that a person is composed of body, soul, and spirit. I believe a person is body and spirit. Thank you. Reply

Mrs. Jacqueline Mascaro August 28, 2012

a friend that died on Sept 11,2011 my firend died on september 11, 2011. I continue to have dreams about him and have had since he died. I have known this man since he was child.

I did have a dream that i saw him and he got a book or some kind of completion for the death of his anniversary.

what does this mean? Reply

Anonymous West Palm Beach, FL via wellingtonjewishcenter.org December 14, 2009

The words you use For example, when you describe the "pain" of the soul - what does that mean? There is no physical pain in that dimention. There is no physical "feeling" - or else you are measuring by the on-earth bodily responses. They are no longer applicable and the semantics we use to describe them are inadequate because - in fact - we just aren't "knowing" enough to know that our verbal descriptions are accurate. Reply

Huna Pencovici Haifa Israel July 20, 2017

in response to Anonymous:

We can't know as living beings how pain is sensed after we die
But doing as many mitzvot as one can is as an "insurance policy"
So if you want to be on the safe side multiply your mitzvot. But do not forget that they must be done with innocent intentions, kavanna Tmima. Reply

Father Shlomo October 14, 2009

RE: Torah I would suggest that you check out the books of the kabbalists like the AriZal. Perhaps Sefer Hagilgulim. Reply

Anonymous brookville,, ny September 25, 2009

LFIE AFTER DEATH Does this all apply to only Jewish souls, or everyone regardless of religion? I believe the Rabbi is very accurate in his description of what happens to humans after they die. It is a warning that more people who know about. Maybe the world would be a better place if people thought about what will happen after they die. Reply

Camella Ramiah/Ramayah/Ramaya Caroni, Trinidad September 25, 2009

Torah Where in the Torah can i get this information about the soul that you lecture about Reply

Anonymous ny, usa May 5, 2009

the soul I believe this is absolutely true. It is in our hands as to how we be after this life. Pity the poor souls that if better educated could have changed their fate. Reply

A Guide to the Afterlife