Kevin writes...

I have a question I need your insight on-, in regards to life after death you seem to indicate a kind of soul sleep or something along those lines. What did Paul mean when he said "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord" and in Luke 16:19-31 the poor man was carried to the bosom of Abraham after he died and the rich man was sent to Hades where he seemed to be able to have a conversation with Abraham about warning his family to repent and turn to God. I'm sorry, but I love to ask questions.

Rabbi Isaac Levy responds...

Let's remember there is nothing 'new' in the 'New Testament', but only a confirmation of the 'Old Testament'. Paul in his writings was stating that all of God’s people are inscribed in the Book of Life. The Book of Life is in heaven- being absent from the body but present with the Lord is an assurance that we are not forgotten, but that we are written in the Book of Life; so when the time of resurrection takes place all who are found in the Book of Life will rise to eternal life.

To understand the story of Lazarus and the rich man, it is important to note that Hebrew is a poetic language and it is also anemic in terms of having a large vocabulary to work from. So one word can mean many things, and it is for this reason the Hebrew people use idioms or parables to paint a verbal picture. In this case, the story of Lazarus and the rich man is a metaphor- it is not real. Abraham (Avraham) represents God, Lazarus (Eleazar in Hebrew) represents the nation of Israel, and the rich man represents the Gentile nations who have inflicted pain and suffering on Lazarus (Israel).

Shalom.

Rabbi Isaac Levy