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While Judaism has long taught that there is a life after death, the details of this are unclear and long-debated.

When the early Jewish scriptures were written, many Jews believed that on death, all people would descend to a dark place called Sheol. As Jews came into contact with other influences, further teachings developed. These included teachings on Gan Eden and Gehenna. Sheol then became a place of purification, or waiting, before the individual was sent on to either Gan Eden or destroyed completely.

It was around the time of the Pharisees and early rabbis that teachings about life after death were developed further. The early rabbis taught that those who lived according to the halakhah would be rewarded in a world to come, called Olam Ha-Ba in Hebrew.

Later teachings about life after death included the idea that judgement would happen after the coming of the Mashiach. At this point some taught that the soul and body would be reunited, sometimes called resurrection of the body, while others believed that it would be the soul that would be eternal, a belief known as immortality of the soul. There would then be punishment or reward for the way they had lived, but there was no clear teaching on the exact nature of Heaven or Hell.

Judaism teaches that what is important is how a person lives their life and what happens after death should be left to God. Good deeds should be done for their own sake. In the Mishnah it says: