Exploring the Realms of the Afterlife: A Journey Through the Seven Heavens

The Holy Chambers

The Zohar, over 230 pages, elaborates on the seven levels of sacred chambers in the lower Gan Eden, with parallel refined chambers in the upper Gan Eden: Sapphire Brick, Celestial Bones, Splendor, Love, Merit, Will, and the Holy of Holies. Each chamber has unique traits and angels in charge. Here’s a brief glimpse:

First Chamber: Sapphire Brick

[Adorned with precious stones and gold. Three times daily, it receives light from the attribute of Tiferet. Souls of converts reside here. The prophet Obadiah presides over this chamber.]

Second Chamber: Celestial Bones

[Illumined by Binah's light, this chamber hosts souls of those who suffered in this world, court martyrs, and those who powerfully recited “Yehei Shmei Rabba.” Angel Orpheliel comforts them and escorts the souls to bathe in the Dinur River for renewal. Angel Adriel guides those who barely sinned in their lives.]

Third Chamber: Splendor

[Home to souls tortured by severe illness, deceased infants, and those who mourned the destruction of the Holy Temple. Angel Achinael teaches Torah to the ungrown infants.]

Fourth Chamber: Love

[Find here souls mourning for Zion and Jerusalem, and those murdered by foreign nations. The Ten Martyrs reside here too. Guardian angel GadriahEl stays with those murdered until Hashem avenges their deaths.]

Fifth Chamber: Merit

[Occupied by souls of repenters and those martyred for Hashem. King Menashe of Judah manages this chamber. Angel Adrachineel takes care of those who intended to repent but did not complete the process.]

Sixth Chamber: Will

[Souls judging others kindly reside here. Patriarchs Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob stand respectively on the right, left, and center, surrounded by the twelve tribes. Angel Tzedkiel nurtures souls of returnees who restored perfectly.]

Seventh Chamber: Holy of Holies

[Located in the upper Gan Eden, hidden from souls in lower chambers. In its center, a tri-colored pillar (black for Gevurah, white for Chesed, green for Tiferet) transports souls from lower to upper Gan Eden. Archangel Michael supervises the angels here. Present are souls who attained the 50th level of Binah, holding the secret of liberty.

Matching the seven lower chambers, seven exist in the upper Gan Eden.]

(Zohar, Pekudei 245-286)

The Realms of Righteous Women

Rabbi Shimon shared a vision of six heavenly chambers filled with joys, where a curtain separates from male access. Seats here host prophetesses. The seventh chamber embraces four additional chambers for the Matriarchs: Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, and Leah. Only four prophetess chambers are detailed: 1) Bithia, 2) Serach, daughter of Asher, 3) Yocheved, 4) Deborah.

In the first chamber, Bithia, Pharaoh's daughter, resides with the prophetess Abigail and countless righteous women. Each possesses luminous comforts without constraint. Thrice daily, a herald announces that the likeness of the faithful prophet Moses arrives, and Bithia moves to view him and declares her fortune in raising this light. This delight surpasses all joys.

Bithia rejoins women to engage in Torah commandments. Each embodies their earthly forms in garments of light crafted from worldly mitzvot, though not as resplendent as those of men, due to exemption from time-bound mitzvot. They study unattainable commandments and their secrets in the upper world. Resting in Bithia's chamber, they are called serene women, free from Gehinnom's torment.

In the second chamber, Serach dwells among thousands. Thrice daily, the presence of Joseph's likeness is announced, prompting her to rejoice and view him, expressing gratitude for delivering his living news to Jacob, earning her entry to Gan Eden in life. Prophetess Huldah shares this chamber.

Following, she joins other women, singing the Creator’s praises, each in joyous places. They continue Torah commandment studies.

In the third chamber, Yocheved, Moses' mother, resides with Miriam. Daily, without heralds, she offers praises to Hashem alongside fellow women, singing the “Song of the Sea,” beginning “And Miriam the prophetess took...,” enchanting righteous men of Gan Eden. Holy angels join her praises to Hashem.

In the fourth chamber, Deborah, the prophetess, resides similar to fellow prophetesses and women. They recite the earthly song, “Then sang Deborah and Barak, son of Abinoam” (Judges 5).

Here ends detailed descriptions of four chambers; the fifth and sixth are omitted. The seventh encompasses hidden chambers for the Matriarchs, unrevealed or seen by anyone.

Women and men inhabit separate spaces daily until midnight, where male and female souls unite, mirroring this world’s midnight union. Upper world unification involves soul envelopment in soul, light enveloping light, unlike this world’s physical union. This guided unification follows respective domains; earthly bodies adapt to physical realms, while the upper world’s entails light. (Refer to “Mishpatim” folio 98b for soul coupling yielding converts' souls. Holy souls touch converts in the transition from lower to upper Gan Eden.)

Matriarch’s chambers are named 'secure daughters’ chambers' (Isaiah 32:9), which I haven’t seen. Fortunate are the righteous—male and female—who walk straight paths in this world, earning upper world joys.

(Zohar, Shelach 167-171)

What do Female Souls do While Male Souls Ascend to the Upper Gan Eden?

In this period, all women assemble in Bithia’s chamber, engaging in ancient studies, then proceed to Serach's with her, enjoying new and old Torah insights, then Yocheved’s, through all seven chambers.

(Zohar, Shelach 179-185)

The Chambers of Impurity

[As sacred chambers exist, parallel defiled chambers are in Gehinnom: Pit, Destruction, Duma, Yawning Mire, Sheol, Shadow of Death, and Low Earth. These mirror seven names of the evil inclination: evil, worthless, sinner, wicked, destroyer, scoffer, and arrogant.

Below is a concise description of each. For detailed comments, refer to the Zohar text with “Sweet as Honey” interpretation.]

A) Pit – [For those with idle chatter, slander, disrespecting Torah scholars. When a soul reaches the first holy chamber, angel Tahariel at the gate rejects unworthy ones; it's seized by angel Duma and taken to the Pit. Here, the angel Putaht lashes souls for leading eyes to evil thoughts, while destructive angels, resembling serpents and scorpions, bite.]

B) Destruction - [Inhabited by souls who publicly humiliated others, rejoiced in others’ sins, neglected synagogue visits, cursed, acted arrogantly, or committed extramarital affairs. Evil angels here make false dreams.]

C) Duma – [Here are those who spoke lewdly, doubted others, loaned with interest, or neglected to answer amen to blessings. Duma, the Gehinnom and death angel, resides here.]

D) Yawning Mire - [For those who disdained the poor, spilled seed, became ritually impure, took bribes, or disrespected Shabbat.]

E) Sheol - [For skeptical souls of Torah and resurrection, who inspired hate, kindled feuds, overlooked charity, avoided circumcision, and lacked fear of Hashem.]

F) Shadow of Death - [Occupied by impure spirits who incited forbidden desires. Souls, caught in forbidden cravings, endure severe pain letting go of material bonds at death.]

G) Low Earth -[An inescapable realm of Gehinnom’s fire and Zalmon snow. Inhabitants caused great suffering.]

[Each level parallels a window to the lower Gan Eden.]

(Zohar, Pekudei 283-284)

Kaf HaKela: Wandering Souls

Upon death, a person’s body becomes defiled from sins and the soul departs to pure air, seeking entry to the first chamber, Sapphire Brick. Rejected, it tumbles like a stone within *Kaf HaKela*—angels tossing the soul back and forth...

Moreover, angel Duma seizes it as Gehinnom’s minister, with no escape except when righteous pass through Gehinnom, rescuing souls from Sheol...

(Zohar, Lech Lecha, Sweet as Honey, 287-288)