The practices and believes of religions differ from one to another with the main religions such as Judaism, Budhissim, Hinduism and Islamic having different practices. Given the diverse practices and believes, this paper seeks to compare and contrast the characteristics of Judaism and Hinduism in terms of ideas of after life and nature of morality.

Ideas of the afterlife

One true thing that stands is that at one given point everyone is going to die, but the main question that echoes in the minds of individuals is what happens after death. Even though, science does not explain the concept of life after death but different religions do. Two of these religions that advance their explanations on life after death are Hinduism and Judaism. These two religions have been practiced over a long period, but their views about life after death are quite different. The differences clearly manifest in terms of rebirth and reincarnation, the resolve of reincarnation, the paths and places to achieve eternity, the fate of a person after they die and concept of heaven and hell (Thrane 23).

Reincarnation

Reincarnation is present in both religions, but the views about them are quite different. Hinduism believes in the reincarnation of souls yet in Judaism the concept of reincarnation is not equivocally mentioned in Torah; however, some individuals have always interpreted it as a traditional Jewish practice (Fuller 13). According to the Hindu religion, when an individual dies his soul leaves the body and progresses to another world, take some time in the new world and then gets back again. On the other hand, the rabbis or the Jewish scholars teach that the soul of a person leaves the body and then visits the heaven for refreshment purposes.

According to the Jews, during the Sabbath, Jews are not to spell out the sacred name as G-d gives every believer of the religion an extra soul (“Judaism and death” 2). In Maimonides, there are biblical references pointing towards reincarnation. A case in example is Daniel 12:13 which states that, “Now go your way to the end and rest, and you shall arise to your destiny at the end of days” (Thrane 29).

Purpose of Reincarnation

In explaining reincarnation, both Hinduism and Judaism have used different and distinct theories. For the Hindus, death is viewed as a provisional termination of physical activity, an essential way to recycle the various resources and energy. It is also a chance for the soul to appraise the various programs and policies attached to it. However, the Jews view the purpose of reincarnation differently. Judaism captures that reincarnation is a chance for the soul of an individual to meet the objectives and goals that were in the previous life and thus the man is then rewarded for meeting and attaining the desires of his Creator (Thrane 33). In Judaism, reincarnation is also perceived as a time for punishment of the previous actions of sinners. For instance, a rich man who is seen to have abused his power is to come back to life as poor. The other example is found in the concept of yibum where if a married man dies without siring a child; tradition would maintain that his spouse marry the brother to the man and the first born is named after the father (Fuller 19).

 

Paths

In Hinduism, there are two paths of movement after death in order to realize the eventual objective while in Judaism there is the definition of only one place to wait for eternity. The Hindus Holy book, The Bhagavad-Gita describes two paths along which the souls travel after death. First, we have the path of the sun which is also known as the bright path or the path that belongs to the gods. Second, there is the other path, the path of the moon, which is also known as the dark path or the path of the ancestors. It is known that when souls travel along the path of the sun, they always do not return, while those that travel in the path of the moon return. In Judaism, there is the believe that after death each goes to Sheol, which is known to be a dark place where individuals proceed to after death and stay there for eternity (Thrane 45).

 

Fate of Individuals

In both the religions, Hinduism and Judaism, the fate of a person is explained depending on the manner in which they lived in the world. In Hinduism, the fate of a person is decided through the previous deeds, their state of mind at the time of death, the time of his death. Also, the other determinant is the performance of funeral rites whether they are done in the appropriate and stated manner and whether they satisfy the commands of the scriptures (Fuller, 41). Similarly, in Judaism there is the concept of Judgment where individuals re judged by G-d, and it is viewed that their soul and body are reunited at this point. The soul is seen to blame the body for its actions. According to the Jews, judgment is to occur after the coming of the Messiah and individuals are either to be rewarded or punished depending on the manner in which they lived their lives.

In both religions, there is mentioning of Heaven and hell in their scriptures. The individuals who are perceived to have lived within the confines of the scriptures move to the realm of paradise. Individuals who are seen to be bad or lived without the doctrines of their scriptures are stuck in damnation. The Hindus believe in numerous sun filled worlds and a number of dark and demonic worlds but in Judaism there is only one heaven and a single hell (Fuller 34). Some of the known worlds according to Hindu religion include Vaikunth, Kailash and Brahmalok.

The Hindu says that good people in their religion go to Indralok, which is the standard heaven while the typical hell is the YamalokJayaram (Fuller 46). In Judaism, the concept of heaven and hell is simple and states that good people Gehenna or Gehinnom

Hinduism and Judaism are two distinct religions with different views on the idea of the afterlife. The differences that arise in the two religions clearly postulate that there is no single way of being saved rather it depends on several other factors including the morals and faiths of the religions. Through the teachings and rituals, each religion gives answers to the questions of what happens and how people can flourish after death.

 

Nature of Morality in Judaism and Hinduism

The ethics that are defined and used by Jews are considered as the intersection of Judaism and Western philosophical tradition of ethics. The nature of morality in Judaism aims at answering a number of moral questions that are raised among the believers(O’Connor 36). According to the religion, laws and ethics are intertwined, and the traditional halakh laws address several problems that are associated with ethics.

 

Justice, Truth and Peace

Rabbi Simeon ben Gamaliel taught: “The world rests on three things: justice, truth, and peace” (Avot 1:18). Justice (“noise” comparing to the Biblical “p”) being God’s must be vindicated, whether the article be of incredible or little esteem (Sanh. 8a). “Let justice go through the mountain” is the trademark saying credited to Moses (Sanh. 6b). Taking and abuse, regardless of the possibility that just in keeping down overnight the enlisted man’s income, are prohibited.

Deception, boot licking, prevarication and false swearing are additionally prohibited. The notoriety of a kindred man is consecrated (Ex. 21:1). Story bearing and unkind suggestions are restricted as is scorn of one’s sibling in one’s heart (Lev. 19:17). A vindictive, persevering aura is deceptive; love for seniority is instilled; justice might be carried out; right weight and just measure are requested; destitution and wealth should not be respected by the judge (Lev. 19:15, 18, 32, 36; Ex. 23:3).

Shalom (“peace”), is one of the underlying standards of the Torah, as “her ways are average ways and all her ways are shalom (‘peace’).” In Proverbs 3:17 The Talmud clarifies, “The whole Torah is for the purpose of the methods for shalom.” Maimonides remarks in his Mishneh Torah: “Incredible is peace, as the entire Torah was given so as to advertise peace on the planet, as it is expressed, ‘Her ways are charming ways and all her ways are peace.’”

Loving-Kindness and Compassion

Simon the Just taught: “The world teachings are pivoted in three integral things: Torah, serving God, and showing some sense of loving-kindness (chesed)” (PirkeiAvot 1:2). Loving-kindness is here the center moral excellence. Loving-kindness is nearly connected with sympathy in the convention. Absence of sympathy denotes individuals as barbarous (Jer. vi. 23). The rehashed orders of the Law and the Prophets that the widow, the vagrant and the outsider ought to be ensured demonstrate how profoundly, it is contended, the inclination of sympathy was established in the hearts of the equitable in old Israel(Maccoby 13).

Kinship is additionally profoundly prized in the Talmud; the very word for “partner” is “companion” (“chaver”). Regard for one’s kindred animals is of such vitality that Biblical preclusions may be transgressed on its record (Ber. 19b). Particularly do unclaimed dead require deferential entombment.

Self-respect

Notwithstanding showing looking after others, Jewish sources have a tendency to show that man is compelled by a solemn obligation to protect his life (Berachot 32b) and his wellbeing (Bronner 2). Sustenance hazardous to wellbeing are more to be made preparations for than those ceremonially illegal. Jewish morals deny humbling toward oneself. “He who subjects himself to unnecessary blames toward oneself and fasting, or even prevents himself the delight from claiming the wine, is a heathen” (Taanit 11a, 22b). An individual need to give represents each legitimate delight he won’t (Talmud Yer. ?id.iv. 66d). An individual ought to show a sense of pride concerning both his body, “regarding it as a picture of God” (Hillel: Midrash Leviticus Rabbah 34), and his articles of clothing (Talmud Shabbat 113b; Ned. 81a). As per Judaism, genuine goes past the idea of breathing and having blood course through our veins; it means existing with a reason and associating with God and other(Maccoby 65).

Hinduism

Hinduism postulates that individuals are the moral agents and have the basic of applying their understanding of their religion to their daily lives. Hindus accept that the preeminent reality, Brahman, exists in all things, including the assemblages of all people. Hindu profound quality lectures the essentialness of understanding and understanding this perfect vicinity.

 

namaskar is established on the rule that one salutes the flash of the heavenly in the other. Kindness and accommodation are key Hindu values.

More of stress is put on sympathy than in different conventions, and ladies are now and again maintained as incredible good illustrations as well as extraordinary masters (Solomon 22). Past that, the Mother is a Divine Figure, the Devi, and the part of the imaginative female vitality assumes a real part in the Hindu ethos. VandeMataram, the Indian national tune (not hymn) is focused around the Divine mother as encapsulated by ‘Mother India’ paralleled to ‘Mama Durga.’ An attention on the household life and the delights of the family unit and town may make Hindu morals some more traditionalist than others on matters of sex and gang(Eilberg-Schwartz 49).

Of all religions, Hinduism is among the most perfect with the perspective of approaching truth through different manifestations of symbolization: its sanctuaries are regularly pompously embellished, and the thought of a master who is both spellbinding performer and profound aide, or who just practices some exceptional dedication, (for example, holding up his arm a good fit for his entire life, or moving on the ground for a considerable length of time on a journey), is essentially acknowledged as a genuine decision in life (Weber 12).

Ethical conventions in Hinduism have been impacted by rank standards. In the mid-twentieth century Mohandas Gandhi, avaishnava, embraced to change these and accentuate customs imparted in all the Indian religions: vegetarianism and a belief system of damages diminishment heading at last to peacefulness. Moreover, there was part of dynamic making of truth through mettle and his “satyagraha” and dismissal of chicken heartedness and concern with torment or without a doubt substantial damage (Solomon 35). These perspectives have affected much-advanced thinking on ethics today, particularly in the peace development, ecology development, and those dedicated to social activism.

Works Cited

Bronner, Leila Leah. “Journey to Heaven: Exploring Jewish Views of the ,” 2011.

Eilberg-Schwartz, Howard, ed. People of the body: Jews and Judaism from an embodied perspective. SUNY Press, 2012.

Fuller, Christopher John. The camphor flame: Popular Hinduism and society in India. Princeton University Press, 2004.

Maccoby, Hyam. Ritual and Morality: The Ritual Purity System and Its Place in Judaism. Cambridge University Press, 2009.

O’Connor, Catherine I. “Characteristics of spirituality, assessment, and prayer in holistic nursing.” The Nursing clinics of North America 36.1 (2001): 33-46.

Solomon, Robert C. “Morality and the good life: An introduction to ethics through classical sources.” (2009).

Somer, Eli. “Trance possession disorder in Judaism: Sixteenth-century dybbuks in the Near East.” Journal of trauma & dissociation 5.2 (2004): 131-146.

Stevenson, Ian. Children Who Remember Previous Lives: A Question of Reincarnation, rev. McFarland, 2000.

Thrane, Susan. “Hindu end of life: Death, dying, suffering, and karma.” Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing 12.6 (2010): 337-342.

Weber, Max. The religion of India: The sociology of Hinduism and Buddhism. MunshiramManoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., 2000.