Reviving the Ancient Belief: Resurrection in Jewish Thought

In the Mishnah, Tractate Sanhedrin (Chapter 10, Mishnah 1) states that those who deny the resurrection have no share in the world to come. Maimonides, in his commentary on the Mishnah, writes, "The belief in resurrection is a foundation of the Torah of Moses; there can be no religion or connection with the Jewish nation for someone who does not believe in it, except it is for the righteous." In his 'Mishneh Torah,' Maimonides rules: "Those who do not believe in the resurrection, among others, have no part in the world to come and are cut off due to the severity of their sins."<\/p>

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Scriptural Evidence for Resurrection<\/strong><\/p>

Several verses in the Scriptures indicate the belief in resurrection:<\/p>

· In Deuteronomy (32:39): "See now that I, even I, am He, and there is no god with me: <\/span>I kill and I make alive;<\/strong> I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand."<\/span><\/p>

· Isaiah (26:19) says: "<\/span>Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise.<\/strong> Awake and sing for joy, you who dwell in the dust."<\/span><\/p>

· Daniel (12:2) states: "<\/span>And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake,<\/strong> some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt."<\/span><\/p>

· Also in Daniel (12:13): "But go your way till the end; and you shall rest, <\/span>and shall stand in your allotted place at the end of the days.<\/strong>"<\/span><\/p>

Another source in the Torah is Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones, portraying a unique image of revival (Ezekiel 37:1-14):<\/p>

"The hand of Hashem was upon me, and He brought me out in the Spirit of Hashem and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And He led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry... Then He said to me, 'Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of Hashem... Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live... And behold, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them... And breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army... These bones are the whole house of Israel... 'Thus says Hashem G-d: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am Hashem; I have spoken, and I will do it,' declares Hashem."<\/p>

Melamed, a commentator, noted that this not only suggests a literal future resurrection but symbolizes the ultimate redemption and revitalization, akin to the scattered dry bones coming back to life.<\/p>

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Resurrection: A Miracle or Natural Phenomenon?<\/strong><\/p>

Rabbi Eliyahu Dessler, a profound Jewish thinker, discussed the understanding of resurrection through natural occurrences in his book, 'Michtav Me'Eliyahu' (Part 1, p. 177):<\/p>

"If we ask: What causes grain to grow and develop? The answer seems obvious: by preparing the soil, planting seeds, and watering them, all natural causes, the grain grows. However, if we question what causes these actions to result in growth, we might receive a puzzled look as if to say, 'Isn't it always this way?' But isn't it indeed a constant miracle since that's what we've become accustomed to? Now imagine we witnessed a grave, where a body decomposed, gradually rise, and emerge fully alive—is this not a miraculous resurrection? So why not perceive the seemingly mundane growth of crops from decayed seeds as a form of resurrection? It's all a miracle—only our familiarity with plant growth blinds us. If it were the reverse, we'd consider bodily resurrection as natural, and plant growth as miraculous.<\/p>

The truth is, there is no difference between miracle and nature; both stem from Hashem's will. What we call nature is simply what we are accustomed to, allowing room for human challenge and recognition of Hashem in all things."<\/p>

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A Holocaust Survivor's Story of Hope - A Moment for Reflection<\/p>

Rabbi Azriel Tauber, a renowned speaker and author, shared his mother’s unshakable faith in resurrection during the Holocaust:<\/p>

"My four siblings were born in the hell of the Nazi Holocaust, between 1940 and 1944, while I was born before. The first three survived the Nazi claws due to divine providence, but when my mother was pregnant with her fourth, she was taken to Auschwitz. The brutal Nazis used her for experiments during childbirth, ultimately killing the baby in cold blood, may she rest in peace. My mother’s life was spared in the aftermath. During those dark times, when asked how she could bring children into such a world, she answered, 'I am a Jewess; I must do my part, and Hashem will do His.'<\/p>

Years later, I asked her if she believed she and her children would survive. She replied, 'I knew I was no safer than others and feared for our lives. Yet, I never regretted giving birth. As a Jew, I believe in resurrection—every child is eternal and will live forever, in defiance of all those who sought to destroy us.'"<\/p>

May the words of Isaiah (25:8) be realized soon: "He will swallow up death forever; and Hashem G-d will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of His people will be removed from all the earth, for Hashem has spoken." Amen.<\/p>