Torment in the Grave
Known commonly as Chibut HaKevar, the "Torment in the Grave', the tradition teaches that affliction awaits a person who did not succeed in fighting their Yetzer Hara during their lifetime.
Beyond the veil of physical existence, Jewish tradition describes a series of judgments, or refinements, the soul experiences upon its transition. Among these various stages is Chubut HaKever.
Allusions to this concept can be found in many sources, but a more technical description can be found in the Kabbalistic masterpiece known as Shaar HaGilgulim¹. In this work, Rabbi Chaim Vital shares the learnings he gleaned during his time under his teacher, master Kabbalist, Rabbi Isaac Luria.
What may be a shock for many readers is that these teachings seem to shed light on the teachings of the Gospels, in particular, a story told by Jesus himself in Luke 16.
"Torment in the Grave"
Known commonly as Chibut HaKever, the "Torment in the Grave', Jewish tradition teaches that a kind of spiritual affliction awaits a person who failed to subdue their Yetzer Hara (Evil Inclination)² during their lifetime.
During Chibut HaKever, tradition teaches³ that a group of angels are dispatched to someone who has passed. Upon arrival, they begin to 'shake out' impurities, to begin the refinement process for both the body and soul.
Though all souls must go through this stage gate, the experience will be more rigorous for those whose souls accrued a higher degree of unrectified impurity during their time on Earth. The righteous, however, may endure only a brief experience before proceeding onward to the spiritual Garden of Eden⁴.
A common analogy you may find likens this process to the beating of a rug - or a garment - to remove dust and dirt that has become embedded within the fibers. Expounding this idea, the Arizal teaches a soul will undergo a fiery purification experience. While this is not literal fire, this too is a metaphor for a higher dimensional purification⁵.
In this metaphor, the dust represents the klippa⁶ and the sin that remains if one has not done teshuvah (repentance). We read:
"... Then these angels take him by the corners and shake and beat him with fire - just as a garment is held from the ends and shaken to remove dust - until the klippa leaves him completely.
This is called chibut hakever, which is like the beating and shaking of a garment. They deepen the grave in order to create an area within which to shake and beat him." - Shaar haGilgulim 23:3
The takeaway is that this experience is something we may want to make all attempts to avoid.
Two Names
At some in the process, it is taught that the Angel of Death will appear to someone who has died and ask them a series of questions, regarding how they spent their time on Earth. Did they study Torah, whether or not they engaged in good deeds, and in particular, about their name.
This is an interesting idea as we will see.
