The Seven Questions You're Asked in Heaven: Reviewing and Renewing Your Life on Earth - Softcover

Wolfson, Dr. Ron

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1580234070 ISBN 13: 9781580234078

Publisher: Jewish Lights, 2009

Synopsis

How do you get to the heart of a life well lived?
Its all about the questions.

If you can hear the questions and apply them to the way you live your life on earth today, then when the time comes, your soul will be ready to take that stairway to heaven, prepared to answer the Seven Questions with a resounding Yes!, and take your rightful place among the angels.
from the Prologue

In this charming, inspiring and wise guide to a well-lived life, beloved teacher Ron Wolfson provides an advance copy of the Seven Questions youll be asked in heavenwhether youre a believer or a non-believer. The answers to these questions will help you shape a life of purpose and meaning on earth today.

Supported by wisdom from the Jewish tradition, lifes experiences, and personal anecdotes, Wolfson tells you about these transformative questions and explores the values that are at the heart of a life that matters. He offers funny, insightful and poignant stories of how peopleancient and contemporaryhave answered the Seven Questions through their everyday actions. He encourages you to reflect on your own life goals and provides ideas both big and small for achieving them.

About this title

About the Author

Dr. Ron Wolfson, visionary educator and inspirational speaker, is Fingerhut Professor of Education at American Jewish University in Los Angeles and a cofounder of Synagogue 3000. He is author of Relational Judaism: Using the Power of Relationships to Transform the Jewish Community; The Seven Questions You're Asked in Heaven: Reviewing and Renewing Your Life on Earth; Be Like God: God's To-Do List for Kids; God's To-Do List: 103 Ways to Be an Angel and Do God's Work on Earth; Hanukkah, Passover and Shabbat, all Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs Art of Jewish Living family guides to spiritual celebrations; The Spirituality of Welcoming: How to Transform Your Congregation into a Sacred Community; A Time to Mourn, a Time to Comfort: A Guide to Jewish Bereavement and Comfort and, with Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman, What You Will See Inside a Synagogue (all Jewish Lights), a book for children ages 6 and up. He contributed to May God Remember: Memory and Memorializing in Judaism―Yizkor, Who by Fire, Who by Water―Un'taneh Tokef, All These Vows―Kol Nidre and We Have Sinned: Sin and Confession in Judaism―Ashamnu and Al Chet (all Jewish Lights).

From the Inside Flap

Believe in life before death.

"Embedded within the Seven Questions you're asked in heaven are the answers. Each of us will answer the questions differently. The important thing is to ask them of yourself now. Heaven can wait."
--from the Epilogue What will happen in the next life? Who knows! In this challenging and provocative "life review," Ron Wolfson presents you with the Seven Questions you'll be asked in heaven that are designed to focus you on this life and how to make it matter.

He offers penetrating questions, inspiring stories, and practical advice to help you review your life--your goals, relationships, values, and priorities--and shape the answers to the Seven Questions that are your life's journey. Don't wait for heaven--ask yourself the Seven Questions now and make a difference in this world with a life of purpose and meaning.

"Draws wisdom from secular and religious sources, from erudite scholars to light-hearted comedians. Not out of text alone, but out of the context of living, our author coaxes questions not fully asked and answers gently proposed. With keen eye and sensitive ear, he captures the poignant moments of human relationship."
--Rabbi Harold M. Schulweis, Valley Beth Shalom, Encino, California; author, Conscience: The Duty to Obey and the Duty to Disobey

"A masterful translation of Jewish tradition as a prescription for everyday living. Follow the pages of this beautiful book and you will be grounded in values while discerning the priorities of a meaningful life."
--Rabbi Karyn D. Kedar, author, The Bridge to Forgiveness: Stories and Prayers for Finding God and Restoring Wholeness

Reviews

Despite the title of this guide, it is essentially a handbook as to how Jews and others ought to act during their lifetimes. Although Judaism has little to say about what happens after we die, educator Wolfson (God's To-Do List) asserts that on arrival in the next world, we are judged by a Heavenly Court, which reviews our behavior on Earth by our answers to seven questions. Three rabbis from the fourth, 18th and 19th centuries are the source of these questions: were you honest? did you leave a legacy? did you devote time to study? did you have hope in your heart? did you get your priorities straight? did you enjoy your life on earth? were you the best you could be? Using anecdotes and citing contemporary authorities, the author asserts that positive answers to these questions will prepare us for getting to heaven. This ingenious approach to proper conduct will appeal to those who believe in an afterlife, and possibly even a few who don't. (Sept.)
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Edition details

• Publisher: Jewish Lights
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1580234070
• ISBN 13: 9781580234078
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 176