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Judaism and
Reincarnation
By RabbiYerachmiel Tilles
Judaism and Reincarnation
How prevalent is the Jewish belief in reincarnation today? How
does it differ from the Asian belief? What do the Rabbis think of
it?
The root of the word " Torah" is the verb "to instruct". Torah's
primary function is to teach us how to live Jewishly, in harmony
with G-d's will. As such, the basic levels of scriptural
interpretation lead to a practical understanding of mitzvot and
related Jewish values.
" Many Jews are surprised to learn, or may even wish to deny, that
reincarnation...is an integral part of Jewish belief..."
The Torah, however, is a multi-layered document. Many of its
deeper levels of interpretation are not readily accessible; and
they may not lend themselves to obvious, practical application in
daily life. As such, these more esoteric aspects of Torah are not
of interest to significant segments of the Jewish population,
including some rabbis and scholars.
Consequently, many Jews are surprised to learn, or may even wish
to deny, that reincarnation - the "revolving" of souls through a
succession of lives, or "gilgulim" - is an integral part of Jewish
belief. But this teaching has always been around. And it is firmly
rooted in source-verses.
Examples abound. Ramban, one of the greatest commentators on the
Torah (and on the Talmud), and a seminal figure in Jewish history,
hints several times that reincarnation is the key to penetrating
the deep mysteries involved in the mitzvah of yibum (the
obligation of the brother of a childless, deceased man to marry
the widow). In his explanation of Gen 38:8, he insists that
Yehudah and his sons were aware of the secret of reincarnation,
and that this was a major factor in their respective attitudes
towards Tamar.
" The responsibility
lies with us..."
The Jewish understanding of reincarnation is different from
Buddhist doctrines. It in no way leads to fatalism. At every point
of moral decision in his life, a Jew has complete free choice. If
not for freedom of choice, how unfair it would be of G-d to make
demands of us - especially when reward and punishment is involved!
Reincarnation does not imply pre-determination. It is, rather, an
opportunity for rectification and soul-perfection.
The holy Ari explained it most simply: every Jew must fulfill all
613 mitzvot, and if he doesn't succeed in one lifetime, he comes
back again and again until he finishes. For this reason, events in
a person's life may lead him towards certain places, encounters,
etc., in ways that may or may not make sense. Divine providence
provides each person with the opportunities he needs to fulfill
those particular mitzvot necessary for the perfection of his soul.
But the responsibility lies with us. At the actual moment of
decision in any given situation, the choice is ours.
One of the ways in which heaven maintains our ability to exercise
complete freedom of choice is by not allowing us conscious
knowledge of previous incarnations. Consequently, it might seem to
some people that there is little practical benefit in being aware
of this doctrine. Furthermore, many scholars contend that these
mystical concepts can easily be misunderstood, or carried to
erroneous and misleading conclusions. We can therefore understand
why this and similar subjects are only hinted at in scripture, and
why some knowledge and a great deal of determination are often
required in order to gain access to this information.
For an in-depth English treatment of the Jewish doctrine of
reincarnation, see the running translation and commentary of Shaar
Gilgulim on
www.KabbalaOnline.org. |
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