There are three “days of judgment” in fact: Rosh Hashanah, when you’re judged for the year to come; the day of your death, when you’re judged for the afterlife; and finally, when you’re to be judged for eternity [1] (which is why it’s termed the “Great” or ultimate Day of Judgment).
The Great Day of Judgment will occur after the resurrection of the dead [2], it will take place in Emek Yehosaphat [3], and it will be a “dark and stunning day — a fearsome and frightening” [4] and “horrific” [5] day.
It’s generally held that everyone’s right to resurrected in fact will be judged then, as well as the ultimate fate of each one’s body and soul [6]. But Ar’i contends that only non-Jews are to be judged then [7].
Two things will serve you especially well in the Great Day of Judgment: your having observed the Shabbat [8] and learned Torah [9].
And after the Great Day of Judgment will have come about God’s presence will become manifest to all [10], and it will become clear that everything that had occurred was purposeful and perfectly and flawlessly set in order [11].
Notes:
[1] Ramban’s Sha’ar HaGemul.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Midrash v’Yoshaiah.
[4] Otzar HaMidrashim.
[5] Midrash Tanchuma, Pekudai.
[6] Ramban’s Sha’ar HaGemul.
[7] See Nephesh HaChaim 1:17, implying that they alone would need to be judged whereas the body and souls of all Jews will automatically merit The World to Come.
[8] Mechilta, Beshalach.
[9] Midrash Daniel.
[10] Midrash Tanchuma, Shoftim.
[11] Otzar HaMidrashim.
(c) 2014 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org
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