One true believer once came to the prophet Elias. He was very concerned about what hell and heaven were because he wanted to live righteously.
-Where is hell and where is heaven?
The man turned to the prophet with this question, but Elias did not answer. He took the questioner by the hand and led him through dark alleys to the palace. Through the iron gates they entered a large hall with many people, poor and rich, in rags and precious garments. In the middle of the hall there was a huge cauldron on the fire, with soup boiling in it, which in the East is called “ashch”. The brew gave off a pleasant smell throughout the room. People with sunken cheeks and meaningless eyes crowded around the cauldron, trying to get their portion of the soup.
The companion of the prophet Elias was amazed when he saw in their hands a spoon as big as themselves. The entire spoon was made of metal, hot from the soup, and only at the very end of the handle there was a wooden handle. The hungry people greedily poked their spoons into the cauldron. Everyone wanted to get their share, but no one succeeded. They had difficulty pulling the heavy spoons out of the soup, but since they were too long, even the strongest could not put them into their mouths. Those who were too zealous burned their hands and face and, overwhelmed by greed, poured soup on their neighbors’ shoulders. With curses, they attacked each other and fought with the same spoons with which they could satisfy their hunger.
Prophet Elias took his companion by the hand and said: “This is hell!”
They left the hall and soon no longer heard the hellish screams. After long wanderings through dark corridors, they entered another room. There were also a lot of people sitting around here. In the middle of the hall there was a cauldron with boiling soup. Each had the same huge spoon in his hand as Elias and his companion had already seen in hell. But the people were well-fed, and only quiet, contented voices and the sounds of spoons being dipped were heard in the hall. People came in pairs. One would dip the spoon and feed the other. If a spoon turned out to be too heavy for someone, then another pair immediately helped with their spoons, so that everyone could eat in peace. As soon as one was satisfied, another took his place.
Prophet Elias said to his companion: “This is paradise!”
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru