Life Wheel

The Zohar states that depending on how one lives on earth, one will be rewarded accordingly after death. There are many different realms of consciousness in the life after death, just as many as there are on earth. The Zohar states: "For there are many abodes prepared by the Holy One, blessed be He, each one according to his grade … As the works of the righteous differ in this world, so does it differ in the next world … It is the path taken by man [woman]in this world that determines the path of the soul on her departure … the goal which a man [woman] sets himself [herself] in this world, so does he [she] draw to himself [herself] [after bodily death]. If a man [woman] follows a certain direction in this world, he [she] will be led further in the same direction when he [she] departs … if holy, holy, and if defiled, defiled."

In the 'World of Souls', the neshamot retain their individuality. According to Nahmanides, following the ordinary physical life of the person, the body would be refined and then clothed in malakhut (the garments of the angels), and thereafter, proceed into the unfolding spiritual world, which would arrive once the resurrecion has taken place. In this ethereal world the spiritual bodies would be assembled together in the various Sefirot.

The Zohar goes on to elaborate how the soul makes a vow before G-d to perform piously while on earth. If the soul succeeds in carrying out mitzvoth, the soul will, during its earthly stay, weave a mystical garment which it will wear after death in the lower Paradise. Before the souls descend to earth they have to wait in a storehouse in the Garden of Eden which is also named "the body of the souls." Over here the souls become more autonomous whereby they are clothed with celestial garments of light, and it becomes noticeable as to how their tangible garments in this world will be.

The Zohar explains the journey of the soul descending to earth. From the Storehouse in the Garden of Eden, the soul moves into the halls of the Upper Garden of Eden which is called the "Holy of Holies." This hall is likened to a female which is always ready to receive, in this case it is equipped to accept all the holy spirits and souls that are descending to earth. This hall is a beautiful place of delight for the souls and the Holy One takes pleasure in them. The souls move to the fifth hall, the Hall of Love. Since the world was created, all the souls have waited here to descend to earth.

From the fifth hall the souls move into the sapphire pavement and then soar down to the lower Garden of Eden where they spend thirty days to prepare them for life on earth. The soul is shown both the sufferings of Gehinnom and the bliss of the Garden of Eden. The soul swears to follow the principles of the Torah and to meditate on the mysteries thereof. Gabriel therewith introduces the spirit into the body. There are two other accompanying angels who remain with the soul throughout its life. It appears that these angels become the conscience of the person. The Zohar likens the soul's stay in the Garden of Eden to learning in an academy, as follows: "Everything that [the souls] learn in this world they already knew before they came into this world."

Abigail Sarah Bagraim, Email info@abigailsarah.co.za

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