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Is reincarnation an accepted Jewish belief?

by Mrs. Sarah Levi

  

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The answer is yes.

With regards to the skepticism, well, this is certainly not a new occurrence--it actually stems from generations of debate over this little known yet intriguing notion.

The debate over reincarnation was very much a controversy between the Kabbalists and philosophers. "Kabbalah" literally means "reception." The traditions of Kabbalah were transferred from one generation to the next, an unbroken chain since the original knowledge was taught over 3,300 years ago on Mount Sinai. Those who did not receive these well-guarded traditions argued against reincarnation based on their logical thought process. It did not seem to make sense to them, and being that they had not received it as tradition, they felt that it did not exist.

The traditions of Kabbalah were transferred from one generation to the next, an unbroken chain since the original knowledge was taught over 3,300 years ago on Mount Sinai

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a wind that passes away

Posted by: Anonymous on Feb 23, 2006

I am not well versed in Kabbalah, but I don't understand how this view lines up with Tehillim (Ps.) 78:39 "So He remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passes away, and comes not again." Perhaps you could elaborate on this.

shalom

Editor's Comment

The flesh is but a wind which passes away.

reincarnated or dust?

Posted by: Anonymous, Winter Park, FL on Mar 29, 2006

David wrote in one of the Psalms, to paraphrase his words, that the dead know nothing. That they can not hear or see. That even their plans die with them. In this passage where the the dead indeed dies and does not live on, how can reincarnation be explained? And if reincarnated, which is also a New Age belief, how can we know what we previously existed as? thanks.

Editor's Comment

1. David is referring to the body and its faculties -- not the eternal soul. 2. We cannot know what and who was the previous body which housed our souls. Obviously, this knowledge isn't necessary in order to complete our earthly mission -- otherwise G-d would surely have given us the capability to access this information.

Previous Lives

Posted by: x ben x on Nov 15, 2006

If you want to know how you acted in previous lives, look at how people act towards you.

RELATED CATEGORIES

Philosophy » Afterlife
Kabbalah
Jewish mysticism. The word Kaballah means "reception," for we cannot physically perceive the Divine, we merely study the mystical truths which were transmitted to us by G-d Himself through His righteous servants.