Afterlife

Is it mandatory to light yarzheit candles for deceased relatives? I am asking because it is not always convenient for me to do so.

Shalom, Rabbi. I have a question for you. Rabbis said that Gehazi was too wicked to go to Olam Haba. But all of his sins were that he lied to Elisha. We all sometimes lie to others. No one is perfectly honest. Gehazi also lied to Elisha the prophet, but was it so evil? If one has no portion in Olam Haba merely because he or she lies, no one can have eternal life. Why does Gehazi have no portion in Olam Haba? What makes his sin so evil?

If bees make honey ice cream, is the honey dairy? Or tevel or shmita?

Hello, I am a noahide from korea. I'm not trying to bash Judaism, I'm trying to understand it. How am I supposed to understand this? I've understood from several rabbinical youtubes that gentiles are not meant to be inferior. Is this why gentiles are forbidden to learn Talmud? I've been a Noahide since I left Christianity and I'm shocked to see this, but truth can be painful and I'm willing to accept this if it's true. Is this idea approved as truth within Judaism? The difference between the Jewish soul, its self, its inner desires, its overflow, its character, its standing, and that of all the nations, at all their levels, is greater and deeper than the difference between the human soul and the soul of an animal. Between the latter, there is merely a quantitative distinction; between the former, an essential qualitative distinction pertains. -Orot (Jerusalem, 2005), 156, no. 10. See also his introduction to this statement in the preceding paragraphs, as well as his comments to the preface of Pirkei Avot, “All Jews have a portion in the World to Come,” in Olat Ha-Ra’ayah (Jerusalem,1996), pp. 156-157 “The Alter Rebbe in Tanya (Tanya), chapters. 1–2) explains that a Jew has two souls – a G-dly soul, which partakes in some fashion in the actual substance of God Himself, and an animalistic soul, which descends from klipat noga, the evil that contains within it an admixture of divine light. Therefore, he explains, any good character trait found in a Jew reflects the essential goodness found in his soul. The soul of a gentile, however, according to the Tanya, is purely animalistic and not Godly. It descends from the evil forces that have no potential for goodness in them whatsoever. Therefore, any good deeds performed by gentiles are done for ulterior motives and cannot possibly reflect essential goodness. According to this philosophy, a gentile is not merely a lower form of life, but is essentially and irredeemably evil; his substance derives from the sitra achra, the evil forces that threaten all goodness and purity in the world (from Rav Assaf Bednarsh, https://www.etzion.org.il/en/philosophy/issues-jewish-thought/issues-mussar-and-faith/jews-and-gentiles) After much consideration, it seems that the majority of rabbis agree with this opinion, but I'm wondering if I've understood it correctly. I want to know the truth and even if this is true, am ready to accept it. Thank you very much.

Is 9 Tammuz 5783 a prophetic harbinger made manifest? 2Kings 25:3 And on the ninth day of the fourth month the famine prevailed in the city, and there was no bread for the people of the land. Jeremiah 39:2 And in the eleventh year of Zedekiah , in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month the city was broken up. Jeremiah 52:6 And on the fourth month , ninth day of the month , the famine was sore on the city so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

Hello, my grandmothers third Yartzeit was on Lamed Sivan, last week Monday. On that Thursday night, i had a dream in which i was walking into my living room, I see her sitting on the couch smiling and i got to hug her before the dream ended. The powerful thing for me is that in my dream, the hug felt very physical and i remember both the physical and emotional feelings i had in that moment. I wish i could remember what she said if she said anything, but she most likely said something like ‘I love you’ And ‘I’m ok’. I also know she was definitely not wearing dark clothing, I believe it was bright and colorful. But during that dream and when i woke up, i felt a feeling of comfort having been shown that she is ok and that she has made the effort to come to me. I’d like to add that I’ve been having a tougher time this month with my grief, because of some accomplishments and celebrations held that she wasn’t there for. I guess i want to know the extent of the significance these types of dreams hold and if i can take it to mean something, especially since it was the same week as her yartzeit and i haven’t dreamt about her (at least not that i can remember and definitely not with physical feelings attached) since the year of her passing. I’ve also heard stories from my parents about their own dreams with their deceased loved ones and similar things. I know that the Torah talks about dream interpreting and stuff, but i also don’t think every dream has a significance, but i want to know how to tell the difference. Thank you so much.

Is there a prayer that is "sung" for the dying?

Hi, So I am a relatively 'new' believer in the teachings of Judaism. The journey both into the culture and the faith has been amazing so far. I actually began reading the Talmud and embarked on a journey to study the Torah and Tanakh in fullness as well. Of course, I face questions about my faith of which I have been able to counter many easily with knowledge both from verses of the Torah and Tanakh and parts of the Talmud that I have read. However, recently I was met with the question of Daniel 12:2 and the meaning of 'eternal damnation' whereas I thought Judaism was based off the belief of Gehonnim not being an 'eternal state' of punishment but a place of purification and cleansing in preparation for the new world- in short, not exactly 'a hell'. I have tried searching for myself but so far I am inconclusive. How exactly does Judaism frame Gehonnim especially in light of Daniel 12:2? Or did I have the teachings of the afterlife wrong all-together?