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I read somewhere in the Internet (Sorry, I forget where it is...) that Gehinnom is a temporary place. Is it true?

If it is true, how about the notorious reshaim (ex: Hitler Y"SH)? Are they punished in Gehinnom forever?

Win Aero
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  • According to a b'raisa (Rosh HaShana 17a), certain exceptionally evil people are indeed punished eternally ("כגון ירבעם בן נבט וחביריו יורדין לגיהנם ונידונין בה לדורי דורות"). – Fred Jun 18 '15 at 22:27
  • related https://judaism.stackexchange.com/q/29576/759 – Double AA May 16 '17 at 13:46
  • @Fred How do you translate לדורי דורות as eternally? – Rabbi Kaii Feb 16 '23 at 00:45
  • @RabbiKaii The term is generally taken to mean "never-ending", though a more direct translation would be something like "for all generations". Some opinions suggest that even this does not necessarily refer to eternal punishment (and they also interpret "גיהנם כלה והם אינם כלים" [ad loc.] in a more optimistic manner), such as the Rama' MiFano (Chikur Din 5:1, in describing the sixth category of sinners). – Fred Feb 16 '23 at 18:21

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R Avigdor Miller (in Rav Avigdor Miller on Olam Haba, pp. 272-274) answers your question specifically saying the punishment can last forever for some

Hitler is not being purified. Hitler is in Gehinnom and undergoing what Hashem is capable of giving - and he can do a lot. He is in the "incinerator". It's a great revenge [see MT Teshuva 8:5].And it's the foundation of our emunah. Just as a Jew believes in Hashem, he believes in a Gehinnom. They are inseparable, because there is no justice if there is no Gehinnom. [...]

No question about it. All the Nazis [...] are sitting in Gehinnom together - and are not being purified. The indescribable pain they go through is not for their benefit. It won't make them any better. [...] They are receiving the nekamah hagedolah [great vengeance].

That is the fire of Gehinnom that never goes out.

mbloch
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Sanhedrin - cheilek (chapter 11) discusses "Olam Haba" and people who didn't get to go there. Among their number is "Bilam Ha-Rasha". Because Bilam wasn't Jewish it acts as a proof that righteous gentiles can obtain "Olam Haba" (otherwise Bilam didn't lose anything, he never had a chance in the first place)

In Gittin there is a whole section (around daf 52) discussing the destruction of the Temple which is commonly read Erev Tisha B'Av in the afternoon (as one of the sections you are allowed to study when general study is prohibited). During this section it goes through various sinners and what they suffered in the "afterlife". Bilam is among their number, so there was a kind of "life after death" for him and it continued at least until the time of this Gemara.

If that is the meaning of "Gehinnom" then yes indeed they are published "forever" or at least for a long time.

With regards to Moshal (stories) in Gemara they are not always intended to be taken literally (unlike Halacha which is) but may be there to teach morals. So one cannot use this as a definitive "proof". I guess we'll find out more when we get there.

CashCow
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  • It doesn't say he 'lost' olam haba. It says he didn't get it. You have not presented a logical proof. – Double AA Jun 18 '15 at 14:55
  • The Mishnah states he didn't get Olam Haba, the Gemara (I tnink) uses it as proof that righteous gentiles do and his reason for not getting it was his wickedness, not because he wasn't Jewish. – CashCow Jun 18 '15 at 14:57
  • If the gemara says it, please indicate as much. Your current 'proof' is lacking. – Double AA Jun 18 '15 at 14:59
  • I don't have the Gemara with me and I studied that section of Cheilek about 12 years ago I think. Gittin I read every year so that's more fresh in my mind and that is the section where his question is really answered anyway. – CashCow Jun 18 '15 at 15:01
  • Not having read a source in 12 years is certainly grounds for not remembering it well, but it also makes me wonder why you felt comfortable citing it in a post? – Double AA Jun 18 '15 at 15:03
  • "I guess we'll find out more when we get there." Such pessimism!;) – Loewian Jun 18 '15 at 15:03
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    The "afterlife" whatever it is... – CashCow Jun 18 '15 at 15:14
  • @DoubleAA What's wrong with the proof? If the Mishna is singling out Bilaam as not getting Olam Habbah, then obviously his kind would otherwise get it. – HaLeiVi Jun 18 '15 at 15:35
  • @HaLeiVi No. Maybe he's an example of what kind of action a Jew would do to not get it. Or maybe Bil'am was different because he was a prophet and therefore a) had more rights to enter than ordinary non-Jews, b) wasn't able to attain a high prophetic level which might be analogous to or occuring in Olam haBa. – Double AA Jun 18 '15 at 15:38
  • @DoubleAA He actually did attain high prophetic levels. Chazal say that he saw what Moshe Rabbeinu didn't. Anyhow, you seem to be pushing an alternative understanding over the natural one, and contrary to its context. Why is that? – HaLeiVi Jun 18 '15 at 15:43
  • @HaLeiVi take a look at his "about me" section of his profile page. – Y     e     z Jun 18 '15 at 20:42
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    @yEz Who, Bilaam? – HaLeiVi Jun 18 '15 at 21:32
  • @HaLeiVi that's not a nice name to call DoubleAA – Y     e     z Jun 18 '15 at 21:34