# Jewish Dopers - what do you think of gilgul (reincarnation)?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-gilgul-reincarnation/1017157>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [April 18, 2025, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-gilgul-reincarnation/1017157 "2025-04-18T01:04:41Z")\
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**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2025, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-gilgul-reincarnation/1017157/1 "2025-04-18T01:04:41Z")

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As some of you might know from my MPSIMS thread, I’ve taken an interest in Jewish mysticism recently and I’m just a few days away from starting a ritual from a medieval grimoire inspired by Kabbalah. As part of this, I’ve been reading up on Judaism and Jewish history and lore in general, and just now while reading up on Sheol and various Jewish ideas of the afterlife I came across the concept of gilgul - the idea that a human soul can be reborn again and again, and not necessarily in human form, until it achieves a state of spiritual perfection similar to the Hindu/Buddhist concept of death and rebirth until one achieves Nirvana.

I’d never even heard of Judaism having a belief in reincarnation before, or heard any of the Jewish people I’ve ever met express a belief in it. Modern Judaism AFAIK doesn’t really seem to spend much time dwelling on the afterlife as opposed to living a good and moral life in this world, and it’s apparently very closely tied to Kabbalistic philosophy, but in the reading I’ve done so far it appears that even Chabad (of whom I get the impression that many Jews consider them to be well-intentioned but kinda “out there” in general) endorses the idea and considers it an integral part of the Jewish faith.

> **[Gilgul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilgul)**
>
> Gilgul (also Gilgul neshamot or Gilgulei HaNeshamot; Heb. .mw-parser-output .script-hebrew,.mw-parser-output .script-Hebr{font-family:"Ezra SIL SR","Ezra SIL","SBL Hebrew","Taamey Frank CLM","SBL BibLit","Taamey Ashkenaz","Frank Ruehl CLM","Keter Aram Tsova","Taamey David CLM","Keter YG","Shofar","David CLM","Hadasim CLM","Simple CLM","Nachlieli",Cardo,Alef,"Noto Serif Hebrew","Noto Sans Hebrew","David Libre",David,"Times New Roman",Gisha,Arial,FreeSerif,FreeSans}גלגול הנשמות‎, Plural: גלגולים‎ G...

[https://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article\_cdo/aid/380599/jewish/Judaism-and-Reincarnation.htm](https://www.chabad.org/kabbalah/article_cdo/aid/380599/jewish/Judaism-and-Reincarnation.htm)

I know we have quite a few Jews on the Dope, practicing and non-practicing in various degrees. I’m curious as to what those of you who are willing to share think of it - is it something you’ve heard of at all? Does it get brought up in temple readings or sermons? Do you believe in it? Is it something you’re aware of but don’t put much stock in? Is this just a case of the ultra-Orthodox believing something weird and esoteric that other Jews find silly?

I’d be very interested in hearing any opinions you may have on the topic.

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