Editing Garden of Eden (section)

===Jewish eschatology===
[[File:Hieronymus Bosch - The Garden of Earthly Delights - The Earthly Paradise (Garden of Eden).jpg|upright=1.2|thumb|right|The Garden of Eden in the left panel of [[Hieronymus Bosch|Bosch's]] ''[[The Garden of Earthly Delights]]'']]
In the [[Talmud]] and the Jewish [[Kabbalah]],<ref name="Gan Eden">{{JewishEncyclopedia |title=EDEN, GARDEN OF |url=https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5428-eden-garden-of |access-date=2023-11-09 }}</ref> the scholars agree that there are two types of spiritual places called "Garden in Eden". The first is rather terrestrial, of abundant fertility and luxuriant vegetation, known as the "lower {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden" ({{transliteration|he|gan}} meaning garden). The second is envisioned as being celestial, the habitation of righteous, Jewish and non-Jewish, immortal souls, known as the "higher {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden". The [[rabbi]]s differentiate between {{transliteration|he|Gan}} and Eden. Adam is said to have dwelt only in the {{transliteration|he|Gan}}, whereas Eden is said never to be witnessed by any mortal eye.<ref name="Gan Eden"/>

According to [[Jewish eschatology]],<ref name="Eschatology">{{JewishEncyclopedia |title=ESCHATOLOGY |url=https://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/5849-eschatology |access-date=2023-11-09 }}</ref> the higher {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden is called the "Garden of Righteousness". It has been created since the beginning of the world, and will appear gloriously at the end of time. The righteous dwelling there will enjoy the sight of the heavenly {{transliteration|he|[[chayot]]}} carrying the throne of God. Each of the righteous will walk with God, who will lead them in a dance. Its Jewish and non-Jewish inhabitants are "clothed with garments of light and eternal life, and eat of the tree of life" (Enoch 58,3) near to God and his anointed ones.<ref name="Eschatology"/> This Jewish rabbinical concept of a higher {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden is opposed by the Hebrew terms {{transliteration|he|[[gehinnom]]}} and {{transliteration|he|[[sheol]]}}, figurative names for the place of spiritual purification for the wicked dead in Judaism, a place envisioned as being at the greatest possible distance from [[heaven]].{{citation needed|date=July 2023}}

Some modern Orthodox Jews believe that history will complete itself and the ultimate destination will be when all mankind returns to the Garden of Eden.<ref>{{cite web|title=End of Days|date=11 January 2000|url=http://www.aish.com/ci/a/48925077.html|publisher=Aish|access-date=1 May 2012}}</ref>

====Legends of the Jews====
In the 1909 book ''[[Legends of the Jews]]'', [[Louis Ginzberg]] compiled Jewish legends found in [[rabbinic literature]]. Among the legends are ones about the two Gardens of Eden. Beyond Paradise is the higher {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden, where God is enthroned and explains the Torah to its inhabitants. The higher {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden contains three hundred and ten worlds and is divided into seven compartments. The compartments are not described, though it is implied that each compartment is greater than the previous one and is joined based on one's merit. The first compartment is for Jewish martyrs, the second for those who drowned, the third for "Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai and his disciples," the fourth for those whom the cloud of glory carried off, the fifth for penitents, the sixth for youths who have never sinned; and the seventh for the poor who lived decently and studied the Torah.<ref name="Legends">{{Cite web |title=Chapter I: The Creation of the World |url=https://sacred-texts.com/jud/loj/loj103.htm |access-date=2023-11-09 |website=sacred-texts.com}}</ref>

In chapter two, ''Legends of the Jews'' gives a brief description of the lower {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden. The tree of knowledge is a hedge around the tree of life, which is so vast that "it would take a man five hundred years to traverse a distance equal to the diameter of the trunk". From beneath the trees flow all the world's waters in the form of four rivers: Tigris, Nile, Euphrates, and Ganges. After the fall of man, the world was no longer irrigated by this water. While in the garden, though, Adam and Eve were served meat dishes by angels and the animals of the world understood human language, respected mankind as God's image, and feared Adam and Eve. When one dies, one's soul must pass through the lower {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden in order to reach the higher {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden. The way to the garden is the Cave of Machpelah that Adam guards. The cave leads to the gate of the garden, guarded by a cherub with a flaming sword. If a soul is unworthy of entering, the sword annihilates it. Within the garden is a pillar of fire and smoke that extends to the higher {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden, which the soul must climb in order to reach the higher {{transliteration|he|Gan}} Eden.<ref name=Legends/>