Questions tagged [soul]
Questions pertaining to the soul.
165 questions
-4
votes
1
answer
92
views
What is the mechanism of death by poisoning?
The four deaths mentioned in the Jewish law have a very straightforward physical impact on the body. All of them cause inability to breathe which is linked to "maintenance" of the soul, and ...
- 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
1
answer
112
views
What is a human?
In the secular world, a human being is mostly thought of as consisting of a body and some kind of spiritual component. A lot of the current understanding of how these "parts" interact comes ...
- 141
1
vote
0
answers
317
views
What did Jews really believe about the soul and life after death?
As a Christian, I am very interested in learning what did Jews and Judaism teach about the soul, particularity, what happens to the soul when one dies?
Biblical scholar Bart D. Ehrman, is of the ...
- 141
0
votes
0
answers
182
views
What are the differences between neshama or nefesh yisraelit and neshama or nefesh yehudit in a metaphysical sense?
I recall hearing that there are differences between a neshama or nefesh yisraelit and a neshama or nefesh yehudit in a metaphysical, kabbalistic, drush or sod sense and I would like to know what those ...
- 11
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
1
vote
0
answers
74
views
Does a person’s soul see through the navel when the person passes away (Ben Ish Hai)
I was studying with someone earlier today and he mentioned that he once read in the Sefer Ben Ish Hai that when a person passes away, his soul can ‘see’ (I don’t really know what that means) through ...
- 141
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
0
votes
4
answers
145
views
What does it mean to "kill a soul"?
The Gemara Berachos (32b) says
אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: כׇּל כֹּהֵן שֶׁהָרַג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ — לֹא
יִשָּׂא אֶת כַּפָּיו - Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Any Kohen who killed a
nefesh may not lift his hands in ...
- 14.7k
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
2
votes
3
answers
72
views
Locality and directionality in the world of immaterial souls
IIRC, in all prophecies and Rabbinic stories about Heavens, all Heavenly entities are local (let alone embodied), they have a certain location, they are not "all-around" or everywhere, and ...
- 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
1
answer
287
views
Can neshamos "communicate" with each other directly while we're alive
I was thinking about the confinement that the Derech Hashem discusses of the neshamos (spiritual creations) within the physical body. I'm guessing/assuming (feel free to connect) that spritual ...
- 785
4
votes
1
answer
474
views
Convert attached to another gilgul?
Someone just told me that a ger earns their Jewish status (on a kabbalistic level) by attaching themselves to a Jewish soul that has gone badly astray and needs to do a tikkun. By offering to do the ...
0
votes
1
answer
112
views
How can I understand the concept of Uncorporeality [closed]
Speaking of Corporality, one can describe it as a shape and as a consistence or a density.
Rambam 3rd article of principles states: "The belief in G‑d's non-corporeality, nor that He will be ...
- 185
0
votes
2
answers
489
views
What is a dybbuk?
I heard that a dybbuk is kind of like a soul that came back from heaven and inhabits a body.
1. Does anyone have any more information that would make the concept easier to picture?
2. Is there a ...
- 1,589
2
votes
1
answer
216
views
The Gra's "70 Abilities of the Soul"
I'm looking for more information on the concept of שבעים כוחות האדם, which was apparently discussed by the Vilna Gaon. What are they? Where did he learn of them?
I've read that he writes about this ...
- 4,419
0
votes
1
answer
281
views
Is Gilgulei Neshamot ever mentioned in Shas?
I have heard that somewhere in Shas, there is a case of Gilgul neshama mentioned. Is there actually such a case, and where is this to be found?
- 479
3
votes
4
answers
201
views
What is the soul and why is my conviction so weak? [closed]
Coming from a scientific materialist past, I have always had a hard time wrapping my head around the concept of G-D and the Soul (נשמה ,רוח ,נפש). Due to some personal experiences, I have come to ...
user20479
2
votes
0
answers
194
views
Does animal soul (Nefesh) come from the divine or the material?
[I assume] it is wildly accepted in Judaism that animals have souls (hence "anima"). In Hebrew, it is called נפש (Nefesh) and the Torah is full of this kind of references:
"וּֽלְכׇל־...
- 28k
10
votes
5
answers
2k
views
What is a summary of basic Jewish metaphysics or theology?
Whilst wishing no disrespect to any religion, various "basic concepts" are easily found summarised or explained in introductory texts or online. For example:
Buddhist metaphysics would have to do ...
- 293
0
votes
1
answer
139
views
Gain and loss of a Jewish soul - the delineations [duplicate]
If a human gains a Jewish soul at conversion, when does one lose it? Is it reasonable to say if one no longer places faith in Ad---i one loses it? Is a Jewish atheist much of a Jew, with respect to ...
- 115
3
votes
0
answers
259
views
Non-Jews reincarnating in Jews
I read in the name of (Ariz"l) some Kabbalistic books that Zimri Ben Salu was the reincarnation of Shechem ben Chamor that took Dina and the story of Bnot Moav is [allegorically] a repetition of the ...
- 28k
6
votes
1
answer
293
views
Learning one mesechta l'ilui Nishmas for two people
It is customary to learn mishnayos in order to elevate the soul of the deceased. Can one learn one tractate of Mishna and have in mind two deceased people l'ilui nishmasom, or can you only have in ...
- 42.7k
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
3
votes
0
answers
356
views
Sources that all future souls were at Mount Sinai?
What are the sources for the common understanding that all future souls were at Mount Sinai?
I saw the Chasam Sofer bring the gemarra in Shevuos (39a), but that's talking about parshas Nitzavim.
A ...
- 20.2k
12
votes
2
answers
621
views
What causes a person to remain in this world as a ghost?
A baraita on Berakhot 18b relates a story where a pious man sleeps in a cemetery and hears two spirits talking. One of them suggests they wander the world, and the other says she can't because she ...
- 57k
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
3
votes
1
answer
298
views
Is Aryeh Kaplan's definition of the self in Jewish Meditation accurate ("nothingness" chapter)?
Let me preface this question by stating that I'm Jewish with a background in Zen Buddhism. Eastern philosophy was my first introduction to spirituality coming from an atheistic/materialistic worldview....
- 444
3
votes
2
answers
266
views
Does Judaism teach that the soul cannot rest until the body turns to dust?
In the movie "To Dust" they claim that "Judaism teaches that the soul cannot rest until the body turns to dust."
Is there any basis for this claim?
- 10.7k
2
votes
0
answers
68
views
Self-association with God [duplicate]
I alway admired the Jews for having a belif system that their is only one God. But recently I got this message from a Christian that claimed that they associate themselves with God, by saying part of ...
- 319
1
vote
1
answer
73
views
Does Orthodox Judaism endorse or prescribe exercises and acts to help counteract negative influences or inner spiritual issues and conflicts?
I know this question sounds kind of "New Age" in terms of theme but I was genuinely curious if Orthodox Judaism has any figures who endorsed such topics or books which discussed the topic (either in ...
user15672
2
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Why the soul comes in through the nose and comes out through the mouth?
G-d blows the soul in through the nostrils, not his mouth:
וַיִּיצֶר ה"א אֶת־הָאָדָם עָפָר מִן־הָאֲדָמָה וַיִּפַּח בְּאַפָּיו נִשְׁמַת חַיִּים וַיְהִי הָאָדָם לְנֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה׃
the LORD God ... ...
- 28k
9
votes
1
answer
162
views
The soul and Sleep
I’ve heard from a Rabbi that the falling feeling you get while your sleeping that wakes you up (known as the hipnic jerk) is your soul falling back into your body. Are there any other sources that ...
- 1,419
-1
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Do a goy (gentile), and/or an animal have ALL of these - Nefesh-Ruach-Neshama-Chaya-Yechida
Can someone please give me a clear source as to whether or not a goy (gentile), and/or an animal have ALL OF THESE FIVE Nefesh-Ruach-Neshama-Chaya-Yechida. (More specifically looking for sources about ...
- 7,092
-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
529
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
0
votes
3
answers
363
views
Does the Torah discuss the difference between Jews and non jews?
I know that Jews are forbidden to marry non Jews. This leads me to believe that there is some intrinsic and apparently incompatible difference them. Regardless of this prohibition though, I wonder if,...
- 187
5
votes
2
answers
4k
views
What happens when the neshama has an aliya?
there is a common practice to learn torah for someone who is deceased 'l'iluy nishmato/a' - to raise her/his soul. There is also a common (american/ashkenazik?) custom for a relative of a deceased ...
- 15.3k
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 ...
- 9,938
1
vote
1
answer
100
views
Does one get back his neshama in the exact form when resurrected?
I'm viewing the phrasing in the paragraph Elokai Neshamah:
ואתה עתיד לטלה
ממני ולהחזירה בי לעתיד לבא
My loose translation:
In the future, you will take it from me and return it to me in the (...
- 71.5k
5
votes
0
answers
76
views
Smelling Besamim before Havdallah
According to our minhag that we smell Besamim during Havdallah as part of Havdallah, if one smelled Besamim after Shabbos before Havdallah (for whatever reason), should or can that person omit the ...
- 21.2k
1
vote
0
answers
101
views
Does Judaism say that souls can or cannot be destroyed?
Does Judaism say that souls can or cannot be destroyed? Just asking because I was raised a Christian, and it didn't make any sense to me, at all, that a "soul" could be destroyed. All I know is that's ...
- 11
3
votes
1
answer
152
views
sanctify the soul or sanctify the world?
I read a chabad sheet which claims (no source) that the main purpose of our religious service is to sanctify the world and not the soul and that this was the mistake of the spies who thought they ...
- 21.5k
6
votes
1
answer
653
views
Location of the Neshama
The gemara in Brachot 10a says that the Neshama fills the body
מה הקדוש ברוך הוא מלא כל העולם - אף נשמה מלאה את כל הגוף
On the other hand we find places that indicate the Neshama is in the brain/...
user8726
0
votes
1
answer
151
views
where does the feeling of shame come from?
according to our sources, shame is unique to humans (Duties of the Heart 2:5 "reflect on the feeling of shame with which man alone has been endowed").
It does not exist in animals. Is shame a ...
- 21.5k
3
votes
0
answers
1k
views
Is there a source in Torah that a soul chooses his parents before being born?
Many years ago, I read in a Jewish book that a soul chooses his parents before being born, but I cannot remember the name of the book. Is there an authentic Torah source that confirms this? Thank ...
- 31
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