Why don't Jews believe in Hell?

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

If you do a little research (google, ask your Jewish friends), Jews don't believe in Hell, probably because it's not mentioned in the Old Testament. Instead, they believe in trying to live a good life now

I asked an orthodox rabbi at an on line Yeshiva the same thing. His response was that they do believe in divine punishment after death..The Jewish hell sounds just like the Christian purgatory;everyone eventually gets out.


Perhaps it's pertinent to ask why Christians DO believe in hell. Christianity began as a strictly Jewish sect,following a rabbinical tradition which is still extant in orthodox Judaism..One HAD to be a practicing Jew to belong,or convert. That meant following the Law,ALL of it,as admonished by Jesus.

Saul introduced eternal Hell to Christianity during the de-Jewifying process Christianity went through from the C1st. (Saul's epistles predate the Gospels) Smart move; makes a counter point to heaven,and appeals to notions of revenge and natural justice, albeit at a rather primitive level.(part of the redneck appeal of Christianity)

A more cynical person might say people are motivated by both hope of reward and fear of punishment. Being able to terrify people with the fear of hell is a powerful tool of social control and wonderfully lucrative financially.