All Questions
5 questions
3
votes
2
answers
271
views
How can Nefesh mean a dead person?
In Vayikra 21:1 it's stated that one should not defile himself for any (dead) nefesh (person).
How can a word like nefesh which seems to be the force that animated the body and gave it it's life, ...
- 7,596
7
votes
2
answers
962
views
What is the tzror hachaim (bond of life)?
On tombstones one finds the acronym for t'hay nafsho/ah tzrurah b'tzror hachaim (may the soul be bound to the bond of life).
What is this bond of life? Do we have any sources which explain what this ...
- 21.5k
4
votes
1
answer
121
views
Yom Kippur - Soul or Body
The Torah (Vayikra 16:31) says "וְעִנִּיתֶ֖ם אֶת־נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֑ם, You shall afflict yourselves." - this is a reference to Yom Kippur. Artscroll translates נַפְשֹֽׁתֵיכֶ֑ם to mean yourselves, but ...
- 7,025
13
votes
5
answers
2k
views
What's "chelek Eloak mimaal"?
I have frequently heard the human (or only the Jewish?) soul referred to as "חלק אלוק ממעל", literally "portion/section/piece/allotment of God (from) above".
What does this mean?
Who's the first to ...
- 73.9k
14
votes
7
answers
54k
views
Nefesh, neshama and ruach as words for "soul"
All three words can mean something like "soul", e.g., neshama in גלגול נשמות, and ruach in וַתְּחִי רוּחַ יַעֲקֹב אֲבִיהֶם (Bereshit 45:27). So, what is the difference?
- 1,575