All Around the Afterlife*
Q. Will we retain our earthly memories in Heaven?
A. Thanks for your very interesting question. There are certainly sources that imply such a thing, but it's not clear whether they're meant to be taken literally or whether they're just expressing metaphysical concepts in a way that people can understand. The details of the afterlife simply haven't been revealed to us, so we'll have to wait until we get there to find such things out for sure!
Q. Do you mean we have to wait until we’re in Heaven to find out if we're going to have our earthly memories or not?
A. Yes, that's exactly what I meant.
Q. Can AI tell me what's in heaven?
A. AI only knows what people tell it. If people think they know, AI might repeat what people have said, but that doesn't mean it's accurate.
Q. So how else are we supposed know what’s in heaven?
A. Why do you think it's important for us to know that?
Q. To see if we will remember what we did from earth in heaven. How can we tell?
A. As I mentioned in my very first response (above), there are certainly sources that suggest that the dead retain their memories. Here are some examples: the witch of Endor appears to have summoned the prophet Samuel's spirit; King Ahab was led to his death by a spirit, which is generally accepted to have been the spirit of Naboth, who died because of Ahab; the matriarch Rachel is said to have cried for her descendants when they passed her tomb on their way to exile. In the Talmud, Rav Ashi was visited in a dream by the Biblical king Menashe. If you take all these sources literally, they certainly suggest that the dead remember their lives on Earth. But again, I couldn't say how literally they're meant to be taken.
Q. So how do we know what's in heaven while on earth?
A. We don't know what's in Heaven. We know that it's a place of reward, but the details haven't been given to us.
Q. Does the new earth realm exist in heaven for soul people to go to?
A. A literal "new Earth" is not a Jewish concept, so that doesn't apply. Here's an article that explains what little we know about the "world of souls."
Q. What do you mean that a new Earth is not a Jewish concept?
A. The phrase "new Heaven and new Earth" appear in Isaiah chapters 65-66. However, the major commentaries I consulted all agree that they are not intended to be taken literally. Rather, it refers to a new, better way of life, but on this same Earth. It has nothing to do with the afterlife.
Q. So how do I go to heaven after death?
A. In order to get into Heaven, I would recommend treating others well and doing your honest best to do what God has told us to do.
*Bonus points if you get the reference
Rabbi Jack's book Ask Rabbi Jack is available from Kodesh Press and on Amazon.com.