Gehenna

Gehenna is a term used in Judaism and Christianity to describe a post-mortem realm of punishment or purification. The word derives from Hebrew Gehinom, meaning the Valley of Hinnom, a walled valley just south of Jerusalem. In the Hebrew Bible the site is associated with idolatrous rites and child sacrifice to Molech, and it is depicted as a cursed place. The term later enters Jewish and Christian literature as a symbol of judgment and afterlife punishment.

In Rabbinic Judaism Gehenna (Gehinnom) is generally understood as a temporary state of purification for the wicked, often described as lasting up to twelve months for most souls, with allowances for greater punishment in extraordinary cases. After purification, the soul proceeds to the World to Come; the righteous enter Gan Eden. Gehenna is thus not universally equated with eternal damnation in traditional Jewish thought, and some views emphasize moral refinement rather than a permanent penalty.

In Christian usage Gehenna appears in the New Testament, primarily in the sayings of Jesus, where it is often translated as "Hell" and presented as a warning about final judgment. Christian interpretations vary: many traditions view Gehenna as a state of eternal punishment, while others see it as a metaphor for severe, temporary judgment or even annihilation rather than endless torment. Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant theologies differ in emphasis but commonly associate Gehenna with divine judgment and separation from God.

Gehenna remains a literary and theological term in modern usage, frequently invoked as a symbol of hellish punishment or moral danger in art, literature, and discourse.