Questions tagged [soul]
Questions pertaining to the soul.
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Soul Fruit - what do we know?
Bereshit 2:9:
ויצמח יהוה אלהים מן־האדמה כל־עץ נחמד למראה וטוב למאכל ועץ החיים בתוך
הגן ועץ הדעת טוב ורע
And from the ground Hashem, God, caused to grow every tree that was pleasing
to the sight and ...
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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 ...
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Source for God creating the world to test the angels/souls
Is there a jewish source (even remotely) simmilar to the following story:
The angels/souls* in heaven were praising God, saying how awesome and great
God is, but God said to them "you only ...
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Which heart is refering in Psalms 51:12?
In Psalms 51:12 it reads
Fashion a pure heart for me, O God; create in me a steadfast spirit.
Which heart is refering to? Is refering to the organ that pumps blood?
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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 ...
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According to Rambam, where do the souls of the righteous dwell in the period between the death of their bodies and the resurrection?
I am an Italian Noahide.
If I have understood correctly, Rambam affirms that the resurrection of the dead is reserved only for the righteous, who, after being resurrected, will live a long and joyful ...
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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] ...
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Esav being Yaakob avinu's nefesh
I heard a concept saying that Yaakov's nefesh was inherited into Esav's neshama. Meaning, Yaakov's inclinations are Esav's actions, which shows the deep spiritual connection/bonds between the twins. ...
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What is the difference between Yizkor and Eil Molei prayers?
Of course, they differ in text, but in terms of their meaning, they are exactly the same. In fact, these are stylistically different two versions of the same prayer.
So can Eil Molei replace Yizkor ...
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Chatam Sofer and soulmates
I've been looking for the exact text, or at least a link to the Chatam Sofer bringing down the Ari on the topic of soulmates in Shu”t Chatam Sofer 7:34. I've seen it quoted in several articles, but ...
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Did G-d put Ruach HaKodesh from Moshe to the 70 elders?
Did G-d put Ruach HaKodesh from Moshe to the 70 elders?
Numbers 11:25:
Then, after coming down in a cloud and speaking to him, יהוה drew upon
the spirit that was on him and put it upon the seventy ...
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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 ...
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Non-Jewish G-dly Souls
Can the contrasting views of non-Jewish soul from Maimonides and from Kabbalah be reconciled?
Maimonides is quite explicit that all human beings have the potential for a G-dly soul, which is manifest ...
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Is it permitted to do past life regression therapy?
Is it allowed according to the halocha to do a hypnotherapy session where past life regression is done?
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Is one permitted to go to a haunted house for entertainment according to halocha [closed]
Is it permitted al pi halacha to visit a haunted house for fun or curiosity. And or is it a sakonas nefoshos.
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Where is the source in the Zohar that the neshomo of a person or righteous person comes down to the guf on the day of the yorzeit
I've heard it quoted, but I don't remember the exact source.
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ועם רוחי גויתי meaning in Adon Olam
What is the correct meaning and translation of the last line of Adon Olam: ועם רוחי גויתי
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Is there anywhere that discusses people and the types of souls they have?
I've heard people identify with the 4 elements, like that person is a more earthly soul or fire or water. But is there any discussion in any seforim anywhere that identifies traits with different ...
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According to the theory of Gilgul Nashamot, are the souls of converts reincarnations of souls that previously inhabited Jewish bodies? [closed]
As an explanation for why some gentiles feel connected to Judaism and therefore decide to convert, I have read that some rabbis see them as Jewish souls. That is to say that their souls in a previous ...
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According to the theory of Gilgul Nashamot, are there new souls?
Within the Jewish schools of thought that affirm the idea of reincarnation (i.e. that a soul can return to Earth in order to correct mistakes),
Are there any new souls on Earth today?
How do we know ...
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Where is evidence to support Jews have a different soul from non-Jews in Torah? [closed]
At what point in the Neshamah: Levels of Soul Consciousness is the separation between Jews and Non-Jews?
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Where does it say that a convert's yetzer hara becomes stronger?
I hear this from many authoritative sources but where is it from Torah she beal peh?
Is it merely because all the mitzvot are now obligatory or are there deeper reasons?
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Are there any references from the schools of Shammai and Hillel that support belief in the soul separating from the body at death?
I found an old question on Mi Yodeya asking for proof of the existence of the soul. Part of the question made this comment:
Judaism asserts that a human being is a composite of a body and a spiritual ...
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How come that the natural state of a newborn kid is non-theistic?
IIRC, when a person is conceived, a soul is brought before God whom it knows or recognizes well, who decides on its traits and puts it into a fetus, which studies the Torah with an angel for a couple ...
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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 ...
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What is breathing for, according to sages?
Initially, God breathed a soul into Adam through his nostrils (Gen 2.7). So we definitely know that breathing (נשימה) is linked somehow to the soul (נשמה).
We require breathing to survive and without ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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?
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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What keeps the immaterial soul inside the physical body?
By what methods the immaterial soul is contained within the material body during our lifetime?
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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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?
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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 ...
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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־...
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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 ...
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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 ...
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