The five truths of Judaism that will surprise you
Maybe it's not what you thought?
Let's look at these five realities:
1. We must savor the pleasures of the world:
The Jerusalem Talmud says that the Creator will rebuke us for not enjoying the permitted pleasures of this world (Tractate Kiddushin, 4:12)
G-d did not create the delights of this world to mock us.
Enjoy that chocolate ice cream, but do so consciously, like a connoisseur, savoring every bite. That way, you'll be the one in control of the physical, not the physical, of you.
Towards the end of his life, Rabbi Shimson Rafael Hirsch—the great 19th-century German rabbi—asked his students to accompany him to the Swiss Alps.
He wanted to make sure that when he reached the World to Come and the Creator asked him, "Shimson, did you see my magnificent Alps?", he would be able to answer in the affirmative.
Estrangement from the material world is not a Jewish ideal. In fact, holiness can only be achieved through using the physical world properly.
Think of all the Hebrew words that are related to kedushá (holiness):
Kidushin (covenant in marriage) the bond that unites a man and a woman, Kidush over wine, Shabbat Kodesh, the holy Shabbat, on which it is a mitzvah to eat delicious food and rest.
All of these words center around physical activities because, according to Judaism, holiness comes through elevating the physical, not denying it!
2. Judaism believes in Heaven and Hell, but probably not the version you're imagining.
Life after death is an expression of the relationship with the Creator and the spirituality we have nurtured and developed in this world.
The way one experiences the afterlife depends entirely on one's preparation beforehand. Every choice in this world shapes our existence and creates either a connection or a disconnection with the World to Come.
Imagine two people listening to a concert. One of them studied musical composition, read about the composer, and is highly attuned to all the details involved in the creation of the symphony. For them, the concert is a rich and satisfying experience. The other person attended out of obligation and actually hates classical music. For them, the concert is boring and even painful.
Just one concert... two very different types of experiences.
Our essence doesn't undergo a profound transformation when we leave this world. Quite the opposite happens. Our essence is fully expressed in the World to Come. The pain of disconnection and the acute awareness of what we could have been if we had chosen differently—that is the Jewish view of Hell.
3. You don't need to be Jewish to go to Heaven, nor to achieve "the famous salvation" as some religions consider it.
Contrary to popular belief, Someone who is not Jewish can perfect himself spiritually and can even secure a place in the World to Come!
The obligation to fulfill the mitzvot of the Torah is only for Jews. However, the Torah mandates seven commandments for non-Jews, and Maimonides states, "Any non-Jew who fulfills the seven commandments to serve God belongs to the righteous among the nations and has his portion in the World to Come."
4. Jewish beliefs have a rational basis:
The first mitzvah of the Ten Commandments is to know that there is a God.
Some religions require a leap of blind faith: that you assume something is true just because you emotionally want it to be true.The Torah commands us to build a rational basis for our belief. Believe in the Creator because you have sufficient convincing arguments that lead you to conclude that He truly exists. Use your mind, not your heart.
You may have questions and doubts, and you may never achieve 100% knowledge. The mitzvah of "knowing that there is a God" tells us: don't be complacent in your belief. Face your questions, gain clarity, and strengthen your foundation by acquiring more information and concrete facts. You must know that there is a God, not blindly assume His existence.
5. It is a great Precept to be healthy:
Mezuzah? Check. Kosher food? Check. Running shoes? What?!
Living a healthy spiritual life also requires living a healthy and robust physical life. Maimonides, the great philosopher and physician, wrote in the Mishneh Torah:
“Since maintaining a healthy body is within the ways of the Creator, since it is impossible to have any understanding or knowledge of the Creator when one is sick, it is a person’s duty to avoid whatever is harmful to the body and to cultivate habits that promote health and vigor” (Laws of Character Traits, 4:1).
He was also a strong supporter of exercise:
“As long as one exercises, exerts himself, and does not eat to the point of satiety… he will not suffer illness and will increase in strength… He who is lazy and does not exercise… even if he eats proper food… will be filled with pain all his days and his strength will fade” (ibid., 4:14-15).
(from Rabbi Nechemia Coopersmith)
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