Gehinnom (גיהנום) — Purgatory

Core definition

Gehinnom — "Gehenna," the purgatorial punishment of the soul after death — is the counterpart of Gan Eden: "it is known that Gan Eden and Gehinnom are the aspects of life and death" [58845/maamar_021 :: עב׳ 1014], as in Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai's weeping: "two paths are before me — one to Gan Eden and one to Gehinnom — and I do not know on which path they are leading me" (Berachos 28b) [58845/maamar_021 :: עב׳ 1012–1013]. Its sufferings are extreme: "all the sufferings of Iyov's seventy years are not comparable to one hour of Gehinnom" [57653/maamar_070 :: עב׳ 164] — "still, all the sufferings of Gehinnom are worthwhile for one hour of Gan Eden" [57653/maamar_070 :: עב׳ 162–165].

How the Rebbeim develop it

Gehinnom is placed in the cosmology of separation: "tumah and Gehinnom pertain only in BYA — there, the separation's matter" [15911/maamar_022 :: עב׳ 224]; in Atzilus there is no room for it. Its roots reach back to the shattering of Tohu: "the seven compartments of Gehinnom — and their root is the seven ancient kings of tohu that were broken, from which evil evolved" [58836/maamar_018 :: עב׳ 209]. Yet it is also counted among the seven things created before the world (Pesachim 54a) — with the qualification that "in Gehinnom — only Gehinnom's hollow was created before the world was created; and Gehinnom's fire was created on erev Shabbos" [15881/maamar_025 :: Intro]. Gehinnom belongs to the group of the seven that "depend on the world": the reward and punishment are only meaningful once there is one who needs them [15881/maamar_025 :: Intro].

The discourses treat Gehinnom as rectification, not retribution. Its work precedes the judgment in stages of refinement: "before they punish in Gehinnom — of snow or of fire — the punishment of chibut hakever comes," preceded by the shaking of the dust — as garments are washed of stains [58834/maamar_019 :: עב׳ 245–247]. The soul needs "kaf hakela and Gehinnom until he is refined (yivorer) for Gan Eden" [57653/maamar_070 :: עב׳ 32]. "The din and judgment before Gan Eden is only that it needs polishing and correction (meruk, tikkun) — like kaf hakela and Gehinnom" [58837/maamar_039 :: עב׳ 44] — in contrast to the harder din of the future.

There are immunities: "the fire of Gehinnom does not rule over Torah scholars" [58836/maamar_018 :: עב׳ 689; cf. 15911/maamar_022 :: עב׳ 148]. And its fire is transformed by avodah: in the exposition of "reshpei eish shalheves-Yah" (Shir HaShirim 8:6), Rashi's "sparks of strong fire from Gehinnom's flame's power" are read as the Divine soul's love — "from Gehinnom's flame comes to be Yah's flame" [31608/maamar_009 :: Intro].

Key distinctions

Related concepts

Sources