Reincarnation
O
ne of the common misconceptions that people have about Judaism is that “reincarnation is totally alien to Jewish thought” (Simon Glustrom, The Myth and Reality of Judaism, 1989). Many people are surprised to learn that Judaism actually affirms belief in reincarnation, whereby the soul returns to the world to live a new life, a doctrine usually associated with Eastern religions. In reality, though, it should not seem so surprising. The basic concepts underlying reincarnation are fundamental to Jewish outlook, such as the eternity of the soul, Divine reward and punishment, and the future resurrection of the dead. Whereas the latter concepts are fundamental to the classical understanding of Judaism, reincarnation has not enjoyed a prominent place in the Jewish tradition. The idea of reincarnation in Judaism has been fully developed in the tradition of Jewish mysticism known as Kabbalah. Even there, it has remained a much-guarded secret of the spiritual world. The Ramban (Nachmanides), who often delves into the mystical, only hints to the concept of reincarnation. As such, reincarnation is a concept less familiar than others, but certainly no less Jewish.
In this class we will dispel the myth that Judaism does not believe in reincarnation and seek to answer the following questions: What are the central Biblical sources for reincarnation, as understood by the Kabbalists? What is the purpose of reincarnation? How does reincarnation work? How many times can a person be reincarnated? Can a human be reincarnated as an animal? What are the philosophical implications of belief in reincarnation? Are there findings in modern science that confirm the belief in reincarnation?
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Spirituality & Kabbalah