- Gilgul
Gilgul, Gilgul neshamot or Gilgulei Ha Neshamot (Heb. גלגול הנשמות) refers to the concept of
reincarnation , emanating from the Kabbalistic framework withinJudaism . In Hebrew, the word "gilgul" means "cycle" and "neshamot" is the plural for "souls."Soul s are seen to "cycle" through "lives" or "incarnations", being attached to different human bodies over time. Which body they associate with depends on their particular task in the physical world, spiritual levels of the bodies of predecessors and so on.Gilgul
In
Kabbalah the most basic component of thesoul is called thenefesh and is always part of the "gilgul" process, as it must leave at the cessation of blood production (a stage ofdeath ). It moves to another body, where life has begun. There are four other soul components and different nations of the world possess different forms of souls with different purposes.The essential Kabbalistic text in regards to "gilgul" is called Sha'ar Ha'Gilgulim ["Sha'ar Ha'Gilgulim, The Gate of Reincarnations", Chaim Vital] ("The Gate of Reincarnations") [http://www.safed-kabbalah.com/ShaarGilgul/Introduction.htm] , based on the work of Rabbi
Isaac Luria (and compiled by his disciple, RabbiChaim Vital ). It describes the deep, complex laws of reincarnation. One concept that arises from Sha'ar Ha'gilgulim is the idea that "gilgul" is paralleled physically by pregnancy.ee also
*
Samsara
*Transmigration of souls
*Yibbum References
External links
* [http://www.chabad.org/search/keyword.asp?scope=6198&kid=6569 Jewish view of reincarnation]
* [http://www.aish.com/rabbi/ATR_browse.asp?s=reincarnation&f=tqak&offset=1 Ask the Rabbi - aish.com]
* [http://www.gilgulim.com Jewish Spiritual Teachings on Reincarnation from Sefer Gilgulim by Reb Chaim Vital]
* [http://cf.uba.uva.nl/en/collections/rosenthaliana/menasseh/19f7/index.html Sefer Nishmath Hayyim by Menasseh Ben Israel]
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