All Questions
Tagged with soul hashkafah-philosophy
31 questions
0
votes
0
answers
31
views
Does anyone know how to contact Rav J. Glass who has posted a translation of Netivot Shalom online?
His now non-working email address is still visible where he posted his translation. It used to be [email protected]. I would like to find out if he has finished or is still working on finishing his ...
1
vote
0
answers
194
views
Mikva Erev Shabbat (for men) - looking for a detailed work on this practice
I would like to learn everything there is to learn about the practice of men going to mikva (immersing one's body in a ritual pool) on erev shabbat (Friday afternoon).
I am not looking for a sif katan ...
- 14.7k
2
votes
1
answer
155
views
Is the idea of a "philosophical zombie" compatible with Jewish thought?
Background to the question:
The "philosophical zombie" or "p-zombie" is a thought experiment describing a hypothetical being that is in every way identical to a human being, except ...
- 4,550
3
votes
3
answers
307
views
Are Jewish souls eternal? [duplicate]
Rabbi Kaplan in Moreh Ohr 3:4 (p. 43), brings a quotation from the introduction of Shefa Tal:
“The souls of the Jewish nation are a part of God, which is hinted to
in Dev. 32:9 ‘כי חלק ה׳ עמו, For ...
- 1,518
1
vote
2
answers
119
views
According to Tanya, does the animal soul partially abide in the mind?
Tanya Chapter 8 (source) writes that "the abode of the animal soul ... is in the heart, ... the left ventricle". In contrast, "the abode of the divine soul is in the brains ... [and] ...
- 844
2
votes
0
answers
162
views
How do the brain and the Neshama relate to each other?
We all know that every individual contains a "Neshama", or soul. The soul is the embodiment of our being; it is what makes us...us. The brain however, is the center of all our cognitive ...
- 21
-1
votes
1
answer
192
views
Biblical attribution of intelligence and feelings to the human heart
Traditionally, the human heart was considered the residence of the animated soul and numerous Biblical passages refer to that ancient belief:
"You shall love the LORD your God with all your ...
- 28k
1
vote
0
answers
112
views
Rambam's position regarding the unification of souls in the afterlife (Guide to the Perplexed-First Part Chapter 74 seventh argument)
In his Guide to the Perplexed-First Part Chapter 74 seventh argument, Rambam says:
You must bear in mind that those abstract beings which are neither bodies nor forces dwelling in bodies, and which in ...
- 2,646
3
votes
2
answers
113
views
Are there any writings which speak to the spiritual aspects of different materials (Metals/Wood/etc.)?
I found an article on Chabad which got into some spiritual ideas around metals. It specifically touches on Gold, Silver, and Copper and relates each to various concepts of holiness and spiritual ...
- 1,413
0
votes
0
answers
55
views
Do shedim receive schar?
Given that shedim can either do good or bad and are intelligent, speaking creations in this world, can they be punished and rewarded? Do they have mitzvos? Will they exist in olam haba?
- 143
2
votes
2
answers
190
views
Does a soul develop over a lifetime?
@AvrohomYitzchok asked me this question to support the assertions for another question: "Why don't newborns speak? Why do we need to learn a language?"
In my understanding, in Judaism, a ...
- 28k
1
vote
1
answer
78
views
What are the sources that the soul possesses the knowledge of a language?
@AvrohomYitzchok asked me this question to support the assertions for another question: "why-dont-newborns-speak-outright.
What are the sources that the knowledge of a language is a quality of ...
- 28k
-4
votes
2
answers
205
views
Why don't newborns speak? Why do we need to learn a language?
In our dualistic approach, the soul is one that possesses the knowledge of a/the language (not clear to me if all souls speak Hebrew or just 70, like the angels or just any language)
AFAIC, the soul ...
- 28k
4
votes
0
answers
75
views
What keeps the immaterial soul inside the physical body?
By what methods the immaterial soul is contained within the material body during our lifetime?
- 28k
2
votes
0
answers
74
views
Relation between brain damage and the soul
Physical damage to the brain can lead to various psychological and cognitive phenomena, like drastic changes in character, selective memory loss (like forgetting faces but remembering names or vice ...
- 28k
5
votes
6
answers
771
views
What happens the second you die?
What do our sources say about what happens the second you die. I’m pretty sure I heard somewhere that one’s soul comes out of their body and they float around the room. Are there any fascinating ...
- 1,419
-1
votes
1
answer
140
views
Why is laughter unique to humans?
Read in a book by Rabbi Moshe Shapiro zt'l (Shiurei Rabeinu sec.Purim) that only two truly laugh, human beings and G-d (Tehilim 2:4). If this is true, why is laughter unique to human beings of all ...
- 21.5k
1
vote
2
answers
530
views
Does the Neshama (soul) choose the body?
I think i might have read in various places i just can't find where that the neshama chooses the body based on the life missions that it needs to accomplish so it chooses the most suitable conditions ...
- 1,036
1
vote
1
answer
134
views
5 "parts" of the nefesh- What is the Rambam's source?
In his introduction to Avos (Shmomneh P'rakim), the Rambam delineates 5 "parts" of the human nefesh. Is this something that he came to on his own or does he have a source for this?
I know that the ...
- 9,948
5
votes
2
answers
1k
views
What is the Yeshiva Shel Maala?
What is the "yeshiva shel maala" (literally yeshiva on high) that is found a number of times in Chazal's writings (ex. "whoever teaches his fellow's son Torah merits and sits in the yeshiva on High" - ...
- 21.5k
3
votes
0
answers
171
views
Source for ability to speak before Neshama
I've always understand conventional Jewish belief is that there are different aspects to the soul, and each one provides different abilities. The נפש is common to all living creatures and it is the ...
- 20.2k
16
votes
7
answers
3k
views
Am I a body with a soul or a soul with a body?
I've always thought that our true essence, who we actually are, our personalities are our souls. To me, bodies are just temporary "homes" for the soul. My body can perish, but my soul will continue ...
- 4,666
4
votes
3
answers
283
views
Role of the soul in living things
Are the bodies of living things (bacteria, plant, animals, humans) running like a purely physical machine or are they coupled with some kind of spiritual soul to breathe life into this machine.
Our ...
- 21.5k
4
votes
3
answers
432
views
What distinguishes humans from animals?
Both Humans and animals seem to have:
Flesh: (Bereshit 6:13) The ketz (end) of kol basar is come before Me.
Nefesh Chaya: (Bereshit 1:30) wherein is a Nefesh Chaya
Ruach Chayim: (Bereshit 6:17 & ...
- 1,099
7
votes
4
answers
259
views
How does punishment in the World to Come make sense?
If a person is able to make choices in this world, and especially if a person is able to disbelieve that there is a Divine order of any type, how does it make sense for a person's soul to be punished ...
- 41.9k
-4
votes
2
answers
211
views
Would whole brain emulation be compatible with Judaism?
Many people theorize that in principle, the brain could be uploaded to a computer which would then contain the person's consciousness. Would a successful demonstration of this be compatible with ...
- 431
3
votes
3
answers
580
views
Do Amalekites not have souls?
I remember reading once (in Sender Zeyv's novel Ten Lost), that some Jewish sources say that Amalekites don't have souls. Obviously, this might not be so reliable, coming from a work of fiction, so I'...
- 431
13
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is there really a distinct "Jewish soul"?
I have heard many times about Jews having a "special soul" or a "Jewish soul" - a soul which is either lacking and/or fundamentally different than that of non-Jews.
However, the sources which are ...
user3342
7
votes
2
answers
895
views
What are the implications of karet?
Does karet mean the soul will not ever enter the olam haba? Can teshuvah rectify the transgression which lead to the karet? Can that soul in another re-incarnation rectify the blemish of karet? By "...
3
votes
2
answers
451
views
How did Chazal know they were right about "who is a Jew"?
My question is predicated on the assumption that Jews were created by God as fundamentally different from non-Jews. (I am referring, for example, to the idea that Jews have a special type of soul. And ...
- 20.2k
9
votes
5
answers
795
views
Is the brain the seat of the soul?
There are disturbing ideas in the Feb 21, 2011 Time magazine cover article 2045: The Year Man Becomes Immortal. The article attributes to Raymond Kurzweil the prediction that within the next 25 years ...
- 277