Finding Heaven in this life or the next
Q:What is your vision of heaven? What images - from Scripture, tradition, culture or your personal experience - best describe heaven for you?
Among many Jews, it's popular to say that Judaism doesn't believe in heaven or hell. For better or worse, Jewish literature is actually filled with images, reflections and meditations on heaven and hell. But it is true that far more Jewish ink has been spilled on how to create heaven on earth than how to find it in the next life. Either way, an old Hasidic story teaches about life in heaven wherever that heaven may be.
In the story, a man is offered the opportunity to see both heaven and hell before he dies. First, he is taken to hell, where he sees a beautiful hall filled with people seated at banquet tables sagging with wonderful delicacies. Being a poor man, the visitor was especially moved by this, until he noticed that all of the people wore miserable expressions and looked rather emaciated.
Confused, the visitor was about to ask his guide to explain the situation when he noticed that all of the people seated at the tables had their arms tied in such a way that they could not bring the food to their mouths. Instead, they were forced to stare endlessly at that which they most desired but could not acquire. This was surely hell.
Having seen hell, the visitor was escorted by his guide to heaven. Arriving in heaven, the man saw the same hall, with the same sagging tables, and people who also had their arms tied such they that could not access the food for themselves. But here, the room was filled with laughter and the people looked happy and content. It was then that the visitor noticed the difference between heaven and hell.
In heaven, people had learned that even though they could not feed themselves, they could feed each other. And with each resident helping those seated around him or her, they had created heaven.
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