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Is Reincarnation a Jewish Belief? PDF Print E-mail
Friday, 03 September 2010 13:28

Question:
What is your opinion regarding Reincarnation??  I personally do not see the logic in it and find it quite absurd. I haven't found any clear reference to it in the Tanach. Do you have any teachings on it? In the  last  couple  of  years it  has  been mentioned in  some  way  at  almost  every  shiur  and  platform  where  Judaism is being taught that I have attended.
Answer:
1.  You are correct. The concept of reincarnation does not appear in the T’nakh. It is similarly absent in  all  authentic  texts of Tora  sheba’al Pe  (the Oral Tradition).  It  follows  that Hazal  (the Sages)  knew nothing of this doctrine. A stubborn person might argue that Hazal knew of it but chose not  to mention it. To such a person I say: Seeing that the T’nakh and Hazal make no mention of it, on  what basis do you claim to know this?
2.  It is true that certain rabbis began mentioning this idea in their writings many centuries ago; it is
frequently  mentioned  in  the  Zohar  literature  (13th  cent.  Spain).  It  is  equally  true  that  many  authorities  have  ridiculed  this  belief  and  considered  it  heretical.  Reincarnation  is  correctly  associated with  Indian mysticism  and  religion.  (See  the Wikipedia  entry on  this  topic  for  some background.)  Volumes  have  been  written  attempting  to  explain  how  these  and  other  Indian mystical notions made their way into Jewish circles.
3.  You write that reincarnation has been mentioned at almost all shiurim which you have attended.
Interestingly,  the  very  same  thing  was  said  to  me  recently  when  overseas.  All  this  serves  to demonstrate to what extent sectarian concepts and beliefs have infiltrated the Jewish mainstream. Indeed,  some  would  argue  that  due  to  this  wide  spread  acceptance  a  Jew  today must  accept reincarnation. We reject this position; a view does not become correct because many believe it to be  so.  Until  Copernicus  (16th  century)  all  educated  people  believed  in  a  Ptolemaic  geocentric universe. In ancient and medieval times, demonology was considered a natural science, essential for a veracious understanding of reality. Spontaneous generation was only finally discredited and disproved by Pasteur (19th century). All these views were held by Jew and gentile alike; they were the  accepted wisdom. Such notions  and  theories, however, were  never part of  the Tora,  even  if assumed to be true in many Tora circles. Rambam (Maimonides) was centuries ahead of his time when  he  ridiculed  astrology;  today  his  view  is  commonplace.  As  times  change  and  mankind progresses, we are able to perceive more and more of the Truth.
4.  In brief, reincarnation is a foreign and unorthodox belief. It is pernicious and insidious because it tends to focus people’s attention on non-issues, distracting them from more meaningful concerns.
I recommend that you pay it no heed whatever.
Rabbi David Bar-Hayim

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Last Updated on Saturday, 21 May 2011 21:27
 

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