Editing Paradise (section)

==Judaism==
{{See also|Paradise in Judaism}}
According to [[Jewish eschatology]],<ref name="Eshatology">[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=460&letter=E#1239 Eshatology] – JewishEncyclopedia; 02-22-2010.</ref> the higher [[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 ''[[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="Eshatology"/> This Jewish rabbinical concept of a higher Gan Eden is opposed by the Hebrew terms ''[[gehinnom]]'' (the source, via [[Yiddish]], of the English "Gehenna")<ref>[[Leo Rosten]], ''[[The Joys of Yiddish]]'', © 1968; [[Pocket Books]] edition, 1970, p. 127:<br/>"Gehenna... Hebrew: ''Gehinom'': 'Hell.' Literally: the Valley (''gay'') of Hinnom"</ref> and ''[[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]].

===Rabbinic Judaism===
In modern Jewish eschatology it is believed 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>

In the [[Talmud]] and the Jewish [[Kabbalah]],<ref name="Gan Eden">[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=39&letter=E Gan Eden] – JewishEncyclopedia; 02-22-2010.</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 Gan Eden". The second is envisioned as being celestial, the habitation of righteous, Jewish and non-Jewish, immortal souls, known as the "higher Gan Eden". The [[rabbi]]s differentiate between ''Gan'' and Eden. Adam is said to have dwelt only in the ''Gan'', whereas Eden is said never to be witnessed by any mortal eye.<ref name="Gan Eden"/> In [[Rabbinic Judaism]], the word 'Pardes' recurs, but less often in the Second Temple context of Eden or restored Eden. A well-known reference is in the [[Pardes (legend)|Pardes story]], where the word may allude to mystic philosophy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=65&letter=P#ixzz0ZWg2S0OP|title=JewishEncyclopedia.com|access-date=2 October 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013054031/http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=65&letter=P#ixzz0ZWg2S0OP|archive-date=13 October 2011}}</ref>

The [[Zohar]] gives the word a mystical interpretation, and associates it with the four kinds of Biblical exegesis: ''peshat'' (literal meaning), ''remez'' (allusion), ''derash'' (anagogical), and ''sod'' (mystic). The initial letters of those four words then form {{lang|he|פַּרְדֵּס}} – ''[[Pardes (Jewish exegesis)|p(a)rd(e)s]]'', which was in turn felt to represent the fourfold interpretation of the [[Torah]] (in which ''sod'' – the mystical interpretation – ranks highest).