The Soul’s Journey Through Life, Death, and Beyond

The soul goes on a journey between worlds—a passage between spirit and matter, between closeness to G-d and distance, between divine revelation and concealment. It’s a long path, one that still continues to this very day. This journey can be divided into four main stages:

1. The Treasury of Souls

According to the Midrash (Tanchuma, Parshat Pekudei), all human souls—those who lived in the past, those alive today, and those yet to be born—were already created on the day G-d made the world. They are stored in a spiritual realm known as the "Treasury of Souls."

When the time comes for a soul to descend and fulfill its purpose, it is taken from this treasury and shown its mission: to remember its Creator and live a life of truth and loyalty. By doing so, it will merit eternal delight in the World to Come.

Before being born into a body, the soul is shown the higher realms—Paradise and the reward of the righteous, Gehenna and the punishment of the wicked. It is shown the sweep of history, past and future, and is taught the entire Torah.

Then, the soul is placed into a body, beginning life as a fetus in the womb. Before birth, an angel reminds it: “Know that the world you are about to enter is called a temporary life, while the world after resurrection is called eternal life.” The soul is then made to swear to live righteously, not to betray G-d or forget its true purpose.

2. Life in This World

During its time on Earth, the soul faces challenges and hardships. It is constantly called to choose between good and evil, to rise above comfort in order to grow, elevate itself, and come closer to its Creator, all within a world that hides the divine.

This life is the only place where free will truly exists, and where we can earn eternal merit through our choices. The time we are given here is meant for action—for self-fulfillment, growth, and the realization of our spiritual mission.

3. A Spiritual Interlude

After death, the soul ascends to the heavenly court, where it is judged based on its deeds—its mitzvot and good actions on the one hand, and its sins and negative behaviors on the other.

The verdict determines whether the soul has completed its rectification and can ascend to Paradise, or whether it still requires further correction. If the soul has not yet reached its spiritual completion, it undergoes additional purification before it can arrive at its ultimate destination.

4. The True World to Come

Contrary to popular belief, Paradise (Gan Eden) is not the final stop for the soul. It is merely a temporary resting place. The ultimate stage of existence will unfold after the coming of the Messiah and the resurrection of the dead.

What will happen then? It will be a form of Heaven on Earth—a perfected physical world in which fully refined souls return to live in resurrected bodies, experiencing eternal life.

The spiritual pleasure awaiting those who merit this state is beyond anything we can grasp. It comes from an absolute, unbreakable connection to the Creator—an ecstasy that defies human imagination.

In that future reality, not everyone will share the same spiritual level. Each person will occupy a different spiritual standing, based on the inner effort they made during their lifetime to grow and connect with G-d.

The measure of a person’s spiritual elevation in that eternal world will reflect the dedication and intention they invested while alive. The degree of spiritual progress one attained in this life will become their fixed state, for eternity.