Gehinom Time

Question

Hello,

I was wondering if Gehinnom has a set amount of time that a soul must spend in it and if it does what happens with it after that period.

Many thanks.

0

Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    The Rabbis teach that, as a rule, the maximum amount of time a soul spends in Gehinom is twelve months.

    Why twelve months? After all, because it is a completely spiritual place there is no time in Gehinom. There are no months and there are no days. So what does twelve months mean?

    The point of Gehinom is rectification. In Jewish philosophy, the year is a circle that brings us back to the same spiritual point. A “year” in Gehinom is the soul being purified to the point that it comes around full circle to its original state of pristine purity.

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team