Menachem Bluming Muses: Do Jews believe in hell?


Here’s an interview that I had for a blog recently, skip this if you have already read it on their blog:
“Rabbi Menachem Mendel Bluming you lead a congregation in Potomac, Maryland and we have spoken with rabbis of other congregations. What is your perspective? Do Jews believe in hell?”

 “Yes, in some way we do, but it is very different than what other religions depict it as.”

 “In what way?” We asked of Bluming.

 “There are no demons with tridents who poke you and burn you and there is no fire because it is not a physical place. In Jewish tradition is called Gehennom.” Bluming responded.

 “Tell us more,” we were intrigued.

 “Have you ever said something that you later regretted deeply? Have you ever acted in a certain way and then later relived that experience in your mind and it caused you such agony and pain to think that you would have done something like that?” Mendel Bluming asked.

 “Uh- huh, we hesitantly admitted...”

 Bluming continued, “when your soul leaves its physical encasement and its eyes open up to the truth it sees the incredible potential of its capability and the impact of its deeds. When the soul leaves its bodily shackles it regrets deeply the experiences and words and thoughts that deviated from its incredibly important mission. From a Jewish perspective the idea of burning in hell is the burning sense of regret and pain from missed opportunities in this world. The pain to the soul is very deep.”

 Wow, very different perspective than we had heard before. We asked for more.
“This world is the world of accomplishment. One thing that I can pretty much guarantee is that you regret the words that you speak when you are very angry. Words spoken in a time of fury are very often regretted. Imagine if you screamed at your own spouse or your own child when you were angry or tired or just frustrated, imagine the pain and regret that you feel of those spoken words later. Imagine if you knew the eternal impact that each of our words and deeds have that would magnify the regret. When the soul is exposed it sees the truth so clearly and that pain of regret is what we call hell.

 It doesn’t usually last long just as it does not take long for you to regret words that you spoke when you were angry. That feeling of deep regret that the soul experiences cleanses it of that experience and the soul is then purified and ready to be elevated to its eternal reward in the garden of Eden/ Gan Eden.” Menachem Mendel Bluming explained.

 There you go! That was my interview! Wishing you long life and may we have very little to regret at the end...
Menachem Mendel Bluming

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