בס”ד
I Introduction
- Liturgy, Ani Ma’amin
| I believe with complete faith that there will be a resurrection of the dead at the time that pleases the Creator, may His Name be blessed, and His Name will be exalted for all eternity. | אֲנִי מַאֲמִין בֶּאֱמוּנָה שְׁלֵמָה שֶׁתִּהְיֶה תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים בְּעֵת שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה רָצוֹן מֵאֵת הַבּוֹרֵא יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ וְיִתְעַלֶּה זִכְרוֹ לָעַד וּלְנֵֽצַח נְצָחִים: |
II Rambam’s Formulation of the 13th principle
2. Rambam, Commentary on the Mishna, Sanhedrin 10:1
| The Thirteenth Principle: the resurrection of the dead, which we have already explained. | תחיית המתים וכבר בארנוה |
3. Mishna Sanhedrin, 10:1
| All of Israel has a share in the World to Come, as the verse states (Isaiah 60:21), “and your people are all righteous, they will inherit the land forever, the branch of My plantings, the work of My Hands to glorify My Name”. And these are they who have no share in the World to Come: one who says that the concept of the resurrection of the dead is not found in the Torah, etc. | כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל יֵשׁ לָהֶם חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה ס) וְעַמֵּךְ כֻּלָּם צַדִּיקִים לְעוֹלָם יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ נֵצֶר מַטָּעַי מַעֲשֵׂה יָדַי לְהִתְפָּאֵר. וְאֵלּוּ שֶׁאֵין לָהֶם חֵלֶק לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, הָאוֹמֵר אֵין תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים מִן הַתּוֹרָה |
4. Rabbi Ovadya of Bartenura, loc. cit.
| In the Gemara (Sanhedrin 90a) it states, and so much why, as it is taught: he denied the Resurrection of the Dead. Therefore, he will not have a share in the Resurrection of the Dead. And from here, I prove that the World to Come that is mentioned in this Mishnah is not the world in which the souls are placed at this time, but rather, the world of the Resurrection of the Dead | האומר אין תחיית המתים מן התורה. בגמרא קאמר, וכל כך למה, תנא, הוא כפר בתחיית המתים לפיכך לא יהיה לו חלק בתחיית המתים. ומכאן אני מוכיח שעולם הבא האמור במשנה זו אינו העולם שהנשמות מונחות בו בזמן הזה, אלא העולם של תחיית המתים כדפרישית: |
III Torah Sources on Resurrection
5. Sanhedrin 90b
| The proof from the Torah is as it is written: “And the Lord said to Moses, behold, you shall lie with your fathers and arise” (Deuteronomy 31:16). The heretics said to him: But perhaps the verse should be divided in a different manner, and it should be read: “Behold, you shall lie with your fathers, and this people will arise and stray after the foreign gods of the land.” The proof from the Prophets is as it is written: “Your dead shall live, my corpse shall arise. Awake and sing, you that dwell in the dust, for your dew is as the dew of vegetation, and the land shall cast out the dead” (Isaiah 26:19). The heretics said to him: But perhaps the prophecy was fulfilled with the dead that Ezekiel revived. No proof may be cited from that verse with regard to any future resurrection. The proof from Writings is as it is written: “And your palate is like the best wine that glides down smoothly for my beloved, moving gently the lips of those that sleep” (Song of Songs 7:10), indicating that the dead will ultimately rise and speak. | שאלו מינין את רבן גמליאל מניין שהקדוש ברוך הוא מחיה מתים אמר להם מן התורה ומן הנביאים ומן הכתובים ולא קיבלו ממנו מן התורה דכתיב (דברים לא, טז) ויאמר ה’ אל משה הנך שוכב עם אבותיך וקם אמרו לו ודילמא וקם העם הזה וזנה מן הנביאים דכתיב (ישעיהו כו, יט) יחיו מתיך נבלתי יקומון הקיצו ורננו שוכני עפר כי טל אורות טלך וארץ רפאים תפיל ודילמא מתים שהחיה יחזקאל מן הכתובים דכתיב (שיר השירים ז, י) וחכך כיין הטוב הולך לדודי למישרים דובב שפתי ישנים |
IV Nature of Resurrection
The resurrection will not only be a spiritual revival, but will involve a revivification of the physical body, and a reuniting of the physical body with the soul.
6. Ezekiel 37:1-14
| The hand of the L-rd came upon me. He took me out by the spirit of the L-rd and set me down in the valley. It was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many of them spread over the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “O mortal, can these bones live again?” I replied, “O L-rd G-d, only You know.” And He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the L-rd! Thus said the L-rd G-d to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you and you shall live again. I will lay sinews upon you, and cover you with flesh, and form skin over you. And I will put breath into you, and you shall live again. And you shall know that I am the L-rd!” I prophesied as I had been commanded. And while I was prophesying, suddenly there was a sound of rattling, and the bones came together, bone to matching bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had grown, and skin had formed over them; but there was no breath in them. Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, O mortal! Say to the breath: Thus said the L-rd G-d: Come, O breath, from the four winds, and breathe into these slain, that they may live again.” I prophesied as He commanded me. The breath entered them, and they came to life and stood up on their feet, a vast multitude. And He said to me, “O mortal, these bones are the whole House of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone; we are doomed.’ Prophesy, therefore, and say to them: Thus said the L-rd G-d: I am going to open your graves and lift you out of the graves, O My people, and bring you to the land of Israel. You shall know, O My people, that I am the L-rd, when I have opened your graves and lifted you out of your graves. I will put My breath into you and you shall live again, and I will set you upon your own soil. Then you shall know that I the L-rd have spoken and have acted”—declares the L-rd. | הָיְתָ֣ה עָלַי֮ יַד־ ד’ וַיּוֹצִאֵ֤נִֽי בְר֙וּחַ֙ ד’ וַיְנִיחֵ֖נִי בְּת֣וֹךְ הַבִּקְעָ֑ה וְהִ֖יא מְלֵאָ֥ה עֲצָמֽוֹת׃ וְהֶעֱבִירַ֥נִי עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם סָבִ֣יב ׀ סָבִ֑יב וְהִנֵּ֨ה רַבּ֤וֹת מְאֹד֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַבִּקְעָ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֖ה יְבֵשׁ֥וֹת מְאֹֽד׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הֲתִֽחְיֶ֖ינָה הָעֲצָמ֣וֹת הָאֵ֑לֶּה וָאֹמַ֕ר אֲדֹנָ֥י ד’ אַתָּ֥ה יָדָֽעְתָּ׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י הִנָּבֵ֖א עַל־הָעֲצָמ֣וֹת הָאֵ֑לֶּה וְאָמַרְתָּ֣ אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם הָֽעֲצָמוֹת֙ הַיְבֵשׁ֔וֹת שִׁמְע֖וּ דְּבַר־יְהֹוָֽה׃ כֹּ֤ה אָמַר֙ אֲדֹנָ֣י ד’ לָעֲצָמ֖וֹת הָאֵ֑לֶּה הִנֵּ֨ה אֲנִ֜י מֵבִ֥יא בָכֶ֛ם ר֖וּחַ וִחְיִיתֶֽם׃ וְנָתַתִּי֩ עֲלֵיכֶ֨ם גִּידִ֜ים וְֽהַעֲלֵתִ֧י עֲלֵיכֶ֣ם בָּשָׂ֗ר וְקָרַמְתִּ֤י עֲלֵיכֶם֙ ע֔וֹר וְנָתַתִּ֥י בָכֶ֛ם ר֖וּחַ וִחְיִיתֶ֑ם וִידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י ד’׃ וְנִבֵּ֖אתִי כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר צֻוֵּ֑יתִי וַֽיְהִי־ק֤וֹל כְּהִנָּֽבְאִי֙ וְהִנֵּה־רַ֔עַשׁ וַתִּקְרְב֣וּ עֲצָמ֔וֹת עֶ֖צֶם אֶל־עַצְמֽוֹ׃ וְרָאִ֜יתִי וְהִנֵּֽה־עֲלֵיהֶ֤ם גִּדִים֙ וּבָשָׂ֣ר עָלָ֔ה וַיִּקְרַ֧ם עֲלֵיהֶ֛ם ע֖וֹר מִלְמָ֑עְלָה וְר֖וּחַ אֵ֥ין בָּהֶֽם׃ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלַ֔י הִנָּבֵ֖א אֶל־הָר֑וּחַ הִנָּבֵ֣א בֶן־אָ֠דָ֠ם וְאָמַרְתָּ֨ אֶל־הָר֜וּחַ {ס} כֹּה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ אֲדֹנָ֣י ד’ מֵאַרְבַּ֤ע רוּחוֹת֙ בֹּ֣אִי הָר֔וּחַ וּפְחִ֛י בַּהֲרוּגִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה וְיִֽחְיֽוּ׃ וְהִנַּבֵּ֖אתִי כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוָּ֑נִי וַתָּבוֹא֩ בָהֶ֨ם הָר֜וּחַ וַיִּֽחְי֗וּ וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ עַל־רַגְלֵיהֶ֔ם חַ֖יִל גָּד֥וֹל מְאֹד־מְאֹֽד׃ וַיֹּ֘אמֶר֮ אֵלַי֒ בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם הָעֲצָמ֣וֹת הָאֵ֔לֶּה כׇּל־בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל הֵ֑מָּה הִנֵּ֣ה אֹמְרִ֗ים יָבְשׁ֧וּ עַצְמוֹתֵ֛ינוּ וְאָבְדָ֥ה תִקְוָתֵ֖נוּ נִגְזַ֥רְנוּ לָֽנוּ׃ לָכֵן֩ הִנָּבֵ֨א וְאָמַרְתָּ֜ אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם כֹּה־אָמַר֮ אֲדֹנָ֣י ד’ הִנֵּה֩ אֲנִ֨י פֹתֵ֜חַ אֶת־קִבְרֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם וְהַעֲלֵיתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִקִּבְרוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם עַמִּ֑י וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמַ֥ת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ וִידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י ד’ בְּפִתְחִ֣י אֶת־קִבְרֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם וּבְהַעֲלוֹתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֛ם מִקִּבְרוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם עַמִּֽי׃ וְנָתַתִּ֨י רוּחִ֤י בָכֶם֙ וִחְיִיתֶ֔ם וְהִנַּחְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם עַל־אַדְמַתְכֶ֑ם וִידַעְתֶּ֞ם כִּֽי־אֲנִ֧י ד’ דִּבַּ֥רְתִּי וְעָשִׂ֖יתִי נְאֻם־יְהֹוָֽה׃ {פ} |
V Who Will Be Resurrected?
7. Midrash Rabba, Bereshit 13:6
| Rabbi Chiya bar Abba said, “rain is even greater than the resurrection of dead, for the resurrection of the dead is intended for man, while rain is given to both man and animals; the resurrection of the dead is intended for Israel, while rain is given to both Israel and non-Jews. | רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא אָמַר, וּגְּדוֹלָה מִתְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים, שֶׁתְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים לָאָדָם, וְזֶהוּ לָאָדָם וְלַבְּהֵמָה. תְּחִיַּת הַמֵּתִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְזוֹ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים. |
8. Rabbi Shmuel Ashkenazi, Yefei To’ar, loc.cit.
| “The resurrection of the dead is intended for Israel”—not exclusively for Israel, for the righteous among the nations have a share in the World to Come and will rise during the resurrection of the dead. Rather, its primary purpose is for tzadikkim (the righteous). Thus, we find in Tractate Ta’anit that the resurrection of the dead is reserved for the righteous, while rain is given to both good and evil people. | תה”מ לישראל לאו דוקא לישראל כי גם חסידי אומות העולם יש להם חלק לעוה”ב ויקומו בתה”מ. אבל פירושו הוא לצדיקים. וכן הוא במסכת תענית שתה”מ לצדיקים וירידת גשמים לצדיקים ולרשעים: |
9. Daniel 12:2
| And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. | וְרַבִּ֕ים מִיְּשֵׁנֵ֥י אַדְמַת־עָפָ֖ר יָקִ֑יצוּ אֵ֚לֶּה לְחַיֵּ֣י עוֹלָ֔ם וְאֵ֥לֶּה לַחֲרָפ֖וֹת לְדִרְא֥וֹן עוֹלָֽם׃ |
10. Abarbanel
| (1) It would be unfair to all the others if only those who had the good fortune to be alive at that time would be privileged to enjoy the benefits of the Redemption. Therefore, all the dead will be resurrected – the righteous to enjoy the benefits they merited, and others in order to witness their own ultimate downfall. (2) The nations then to be resurrected will realize the folly of their beliefs and will acknowledge G-d’s sovereignty, in the spirit of the prophecy that appears in Zephaniah 3:9: “For I shall then make the nations pure of speech, so that they will all call upon the Name of G-d and serve Him with one purpose.” |
By Rabbi Tani Burton
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