Question:
I’m scared of dying. Who isn’t? Still, I don’t know what awaits me. I know you don’t know, but might have a good guess. I’m only 42 so it seems silly perhaps. But it really bothers me. If like to think I’m a good person and while not the most religious Jew, a good Jew with a good moral compass
Answer:
Your question is excellent
Your fear of death, shows that you are a thinking person, a person who does not think is not afraid.
It is important that you know that death only frightens those who think that death is the end, or those who know that there is life after death but do not bother to prepare for it.
We Jews know and believe that after death, the soul rises to the top and then the life of the soul begins, for this life we bother and prepare all our lives in this world by doing the commandments, so we are not afraid of death, because we have prepared for it and we try to come as prepared as possible for this moment of death.
It is important for me to tell you that, in order to be prepared for the afterlife, you have to prepare properly, it is not enough to be a Jew with a good moral conscience, because it is really to settle for little, why don’t you strive to be in the afterlife in a higher place, closer to the Shekhina, to have a status and a place in the first rows, not just to be in the stands and observe everything from afar.
You probably know, that the place to prepare for the afterlife, is only in this world while we are still alive, after death it is no longer possible to improve the situation. Therefore, it is important to use the time here to do good deeds and study the Torah, and of course to be careful not to fail in transgressions.
The more you work hard in all of this, the better you will be in the afterlife, the more prepared you will be there, and of course you will also stop being afraid of death.
P.S. I strongly recommend that you read chapter 1 of the book Mesilat Yesharim.
Blessed for longevity and years in strong health and in doing the will of G-d will be blessed
Rabbi David Ohayon
Jerusalem, the Holy City
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