In Judaism, Gehinnom is a temporary place where souls may go after death to atone for misdeeds. A soul can not spend more than one year in Gehinnom.

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What is the Purpose of Punishments in the Afterlife?

What is the purpose of punishments in the afterlife (Gehinom, kaf hakela, gilgulim, etc.)? Are all of them for cleaning up the person from the consequences of his bad deeds and therefore for his ...
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Why is hell termed Gehinnom?

Why is the place that that wicked are punished for their sins after death termed Gehinnom? Is there is an association with Gei ben Hinnom where idolatry was performed? If so why was this place singled ...
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How did Avraham save Terach?

The gemarah (eiruvin 19a) states that Avraham Avinu sits at the entrance to gehinom and doesn't allowed anyone circumcised to enter there. The Ariz'l (Sefer Likkutim, Parsha Vayera) states that the ...
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What is the kaf hakelah

A punishment for souls that do not immediately merit to enter gan eden (olam haba?) is to be flung about in the "kaf hakelah". What exactly is that? What is its purpose? Why specifically is that form ...
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Are souls in Gehinom (purgatory) spared from suffering on Yom Tov?

The Zohar (quoted here), says that the souls that are undergoing the painful cleansing process of Gehenom (purgatory, hell, see here), are given respite during the 24 hours of Shabbat. This idea is ...
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What are the characteristics of Sheol?

The Wikipedia article on Sheol is very unclear as to what it is and combined with the Christian understanding: quoting the New Testament in several places. Who goes to Sheol once they die (Jews ...
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Do we believe in Heaven and Hell?

In yeshiva I was always told about gan eden and gehinnom, and how the good go to one place while the bad go to the other. However, in popular culture, Jews are always said to not believe in Hell (and ...
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Who owns Gehenem (Hell)?

Who owns Gehenem (also known as Hell)?
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Geihinom and Gan Eden

What are Gohenom and Gan Eden? Is it common to go to Gohenom before Gan Eden?