re: #209 Liet_Kynes

Gehenna is not hell. Not even close. The closest Christian cognate to it would be purgatory.

For one thing, Gehenna is something that souls can get out of. In fact, we believe that they get a review every Yom Kippur.

Right away you know you are not talking about the Christian notion.

Second of all, the purpose of Gehenna is a sort of purification. It is not meant to be a place of eternal torture.

Be careful about linking to various encyclopedia references or perhaps better put reading them through… From your own link:

All that descend into Gehenna shall come up again, with the exception of three classes of men: those who have committed adultery, or shamed their neighbors, or vilified them (B. M. 58b).

Further, be careful about lecturing observant Jews about their own religion… :)