Death? Jewish Thoughts on Eschatology and Olam Haba

(9) As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, So he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.

(19) Thy dead shall live, my dead bodies shall arise— Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust— For Thy dew is as the dew of light, And the earth shall bring to life the shades.

Anyone who looks into four things would be better off if he had not come into this world: what is above, what is below, what is before, and what is after. And anyone who has no consideration for the honor of his Maker would be better off if he had not come into the world.

(16) Rabbi Jacob used to say: This world is like a vestibule before the world-to-come. Fix yourself up in the vestibule so that you may enter the banqueting hall. (17) He would say: Better one hour spent in repentance and good deeds in this world than the whole life in the world-to-come. And better one hour of bliss in the world-to-come than the whole life in this world.

(10) He also used to say that there are five things that [last] twelve months: The judgment of the generation of the flood, twelve months; The judgment of Job, twelve months; The judgment of the Egyptians, twelve months; The judgment of Gog and Magog in the time to come, twelve months; The judgment of the wicked in hell, twelve months, for it is said, "And it will be from [one] month until the [next appearance of the same] month" (Isaiah 66:23). Rabbi Yohanan the son of Nuri says: From Passover to Atzeret, for it is said, "And from one sabbath until the [next] Sabbath."

Rav had a favorite saying: "The world-to-come is not at all like this world. In the world-to-come there is no eating, no drinking, no procreation, no commerce, no envy, no hatred, no rivalry; the righteous sit with their crowns on their heads and enjoy the radiance of the Shekhina (Divine Presence), as it is written (Ex. 24:11) 'And they saw G-d and they ate and drank.'"

Rabbi Yokhanan said: Everyone who exerted oneself in Torah study in this world, in the world-to-come will not be set down to sleep, but rather will be led to the Beit Midrash of Shem and Eveir, and of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and Moses, and Aaron.

(1) These are things the fruits of which a person enjoys in this world, while the principal remains for them in the world to come: Honouring parents, acts of lovingkindness, and bringing peace between people. And the study of Torah is equal to them all.

(1) All Jews have a share in the World to Come, as it says, (Isaiah 60:21), “Thy people are all righteous; they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified.” These have no share in the World to Come: One who says that [the belief of] resurrection of the dead is not from the Torah, [one who says that] that the Torah is not from Heaven, and an Apikoros. Rabbi Akiva says: also one who reads outside books, and one who whispers [an incantation] over a wound, saying, (Exodus 15:26) “I will bring none of these diseases upon thee that I brought upon the Egyptians for I am the Lord that healeth thee.” Abba Shaul says, also one who utters the Divine name as it is spelled.

Rambam in Mishneh Torah, Sefer Ha-Madda (Hilkhot Teshuvah 9:1): The rewards promised in the Torah only serve to remove impediments that could distract one from serving God. But the Torah never mentions the ultimate reward of Olam ha-Ba. Why? In order to reach the religious/intellectual level in which service towards God can be for its own sake (li-Shemah), and not for the receipt of reward or fear of punishment.