Why reincarnation

But please please be mindful that many Jews do not recognize reincarnation as a Jewish teaching - and never did. I call for tolerance on this issue. As ideas on reincarnation are spread and promoted by Aish. Let us be careful not to let this become a dividing issue, and let us avoid ignorance and arrogance in our discussions on reincarnation.

As to those who have experienced memories from a "past life," I must add that I too have had such memories and some really powerful experiences of accurately "remembering" events and places distant from my own time and space. Rather than assuming reincarnation, however, I suspect that souls are tied: Maybe I inherited memories from distant ancestors, etc. I understand your point. But you have to realize that there are many issues that many Jews do not accept today, or haven't over the ages.

The question is, what is the basis for belief and what is the basis for disbelief? That was my question, so I did the research and found out that, at least with respect to reincarnation, there is no basis to assume that it is not part of Torah belief. It is okay to have an opinion, but when it comes to important issues, it should be an informed opinion, and unfortunately many people go by what they have heard, not by what they have researched.

Anonymous , March 4, AM. I would just add that it would be worth your while to learn Sha'ar HaGilgulim, which will give you a more accurate picture of just how central a topic reincarnation is in mainstream Torah Judaism, and necessary for that matter.

Dave L. In my post above , I called for tolerance and stated that rejection of reincarnation does not necessarily equal ignorance. I indicated that it is ignorant and arrogant to assume ignorance in the many, many observant Jews who have studied the issue and still reject reincarnation. Many of us have invested a lifetime in intense, ongoing research and yet conclude that we reject reincarnation. In the two responses to my post, my point is proven, as commentators respond by assuming that I am unfamiliar with Shaar Hagilgulim, telling me that I need to study and get a "more accurate" picture, and that I "need to realize," etc.

They write as if my reasoning is rooted in assumption and that I am unfamiliar with Torah Judaism. Let me be humble and put it mildly: I am quite well educated and Torah Judaism is my life. Some of our greatest Torah teachers promote belief in reincarnation, while others reject reincarnation - all from equally strong and Torah based reasoning.

I hope we as Jews can agree to disagree, and be respectful towards various approaches to reincarnation, without arroganly assuming that those Jews who do not share our views on this particular issue, lack research experience and just need "enlightened.

I am stunned and surprised by the anger, accusations and arrogance I have encountered lately for not believing in reincarnation. Pinchas Winston , March 8, PM. Dear Dave L, I do not know what you are referring to.

All I was trying to point out was that you should first look at THE sources that deal with the issue of reincarnation before rejecting it. It is so mainstream that we even mention it daily before going to bed in Krias Shema al HaMittah. Rather, I detect hypersensitivity on your part regarding the issue because there was nothing in either my article or responses that attacked anyone for believing otherwise.

But I would be very curious to see your list of mainstream sources that both discuss and reject reincarnation, upon which you and the "others" you mention base yourselves. We are created in the image of G d and that image is spiritual. We are not physical beings; we are spiritual, because we are created in the image of G d.

Our bodies are not who we are, our bodies are a means of experiencing material reality…. We are created in the image of G d and because we are, we are eternal, inhabiting new bodies as and when required. When we humans bit into the fruit in the Garden, biting the fruit was not the sin. The sin was to mistrust G d would forgive us. G d had already given us freedom of will and as G d is no hypocrite, G d would never have given us an order and limited that freedom!

G d was testing us, finding out if we would trust His forgiveness and we failed! Proof of our failure is all around, every second of every day. Our mistrust of who we are and our mistrust of each other is the evil we do to one another! If we lived trusting each other what would our world be?

But we do not, instead we mistrust and suffer all that mistrust brings to us! But trust is a choice and we all know when we decide to trust or mistrust! John Gee. Great article! I have been convinced of the truth of reincarnation ever since my first visit to Jerusalem, in I "knew" the Old City very well, although I'd never been there before in this life. I never, ever got lost there, even when exploring on my own.

But in the newer parts post-medieval I easily lost my way and needed a guide. I felt strongly that I must have been there before, and this feeling has only deepened on subsequent visits.

Reincarnation must be true. Singer , March 4, AM. Elizabeth, many of the mysteries of life are easily deniable if one has a predisposition against the existence of such things or if one has had no experience with such things. If you live in Iowa your whole life and are told that the existence of oceans is a fable, you would be inclined to believe it. But your soul knows more. Once you open the door to Intuition, you may find that even Iowa has a shoreline on the Atlantic Ocean. Our souls come from somewhere and they go somewhere when this life is over, and they come from somewhere and Pinchas Winston , March 3, PM.

You are correct, and one day we'll have to find out why especially since so many others hold the opposite and it is such a central part of the concept of personal tikun. Secondly, he lived before the spread of Kabbalah, which unlike revealed Torah, has become clearer with passing generations.

Thanks for this educational information. I am a Christian also, and I find this to be an uplifting insight. For the first time in my very deep and serious life, I'm thinking about what really matters. What happens before death. And what if this is the only chance we get? I took a great Kaballah class, and not I'm finally ready to consider: that about now????

If reincarnation is a widespread occurrence, which body gets the soul at the time of resurrection, the 1st, the last, all, etc.? If you want more information about this point you will find it at the link provided below. Raphael , March 4, AM. Your answer reminded me of an incident with the Ben Ish Chai, a prolific author who served as Chief Rabbi of Bagdad in the nineteenth century.

A woman came to him and asked: "I am a widow, and a fine man has asked me to marry him. I have one concern: My deceased husband was such a wonderful man, and we had such a loving marriage, that I want to be with him again, in the Next World.

Would my remarriage prevent this from happening? I am Christian but I am fascinating of what you write it s absolutely amazing and look forward the continuation of your immense for me message I m glad I have subscribed your web page Grazie Mille Toda Thanks. Seder HaDoros is an excellent resource when one is looking for unexpected connections between events. For example, Vashti, the wicked first wife of Achashverous, liked to force Jewish girls to break Shabbos, in an abusive and humiliating way.

The Gemara talks about a certain Jew who sold his cow to a non-Jew. The new owner was shocked and dismayed when his purchase refused to work on Shabbos, as it had gotten used to taking the day of. Even hard beatings could not coerce that cow to work. Vashti was reincarnated as that cow. She abused Jewish girls to force them to break Shabbos;now, she in turn suffered abuse, for Shabbos.

Measure, for measure. TMay , March 5, PM. That interpretation means that animals and humans who are abused or tortured or murdered deserve it. Thinking that, would lead observers to be callous and uncaring. What does that say about Holocaust victims? When I first saw the title, I was thinking that it would be another "close-but-no-cigar" type of discussion. I was very pleasantly suprised to read a understanding of the Eternal nature of the soul, i.

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Reincarnation is a Jewish concept with a very long Jewish tradition. Why is there Reincarnation? How does that actually work? But how does only a keyed-in number deliver so much more additional software to its user? Life is about doing exactly this, and ideally, in one lifetime.

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info. It sounds like the stuff of fantasy, but some scientists do believe that it is a feasible concept.

Dr Ian Stevenson, former Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Virginia School of Medicine and former chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Neurology, dedicated the majority of his career to finding evidence of reincarnation, until his death in Dr Stevenson claims to have found over 3, examples of reincarnation during his time which he shared with the scientific community.

The cases of such children have been investigated.