''Sha'ar ha Gilgulim'' (''Gate of Reincarnations'', שער הגלגולים) is a
kabbalistic
Kabbalah ( he, קַבָּלָה ''Qabbālā'', literally "reception, tradition") is an esoteric method, discipline and Jewish theology, school of thought in Jewish mysticism. A traditional Kabbalist is called a Mekubbal ( ''Məqūbbāl'' "rece ...
work on ''
Gilgul
Gilgul (also Gilgul neshamot or Gilgulei HaNeshamot; Heb. , Plural: ''Gilgulim'') is a concept of reincarnation or "transmigration of souls" in Kabbalistic esoteric mysticism. In Hebrew, the word ''gilgul'' means "cycle" or "wheel" and ''nesh ...
'', the concept of
reincarnation
Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is a ...
put together by Rabbi
Hayyim Vital
Hayyim ben Joseph Vital ( he, רָבִּי חַיִּים בֶּן יוֹסֵף וִיטָאל; Safed, October 23, 1542 (Julian calendar) and October 11, 1542 (Gregorian Calendar) – Damascus, 23 April 1620) was a rabbi in Safed and the foremo ...
who recorded the teachings of his master in the 16th century CE.
[Gate of Reincarnations - classics "Torah Concepts of Reincarnation", an introduction by Perets Auerbach]
/ref>
Authors
Based primarily on the Zohar
The ''Zohar'' ( he, , ''Zōhar'', lit. "Splendor" or "Radiance") is a foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah (the five ...
(זהר) ("Splendor"), the section Mishpatim
Mishpatim (—Hebrew for "laws," the second word of the parashah) is the eighteenth weekly Torah portion (, ''parashah'') in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading and the sixth in the Book of Exodus. The parashah sets out a series of laws, whic ...
(מִּשְׁפָּטִים "laws"), where ''gilgulim
Gilgul (also Gilgul neshamot or Gilgulei HaNeshamot; Heb. , Plural: ''Gilgulim'') is a concept of reincarnation or "transmigration of souls" in Kabbalistic esoteric mysticism. In Hebrew, the word ''gilgul'' means "cycle" or "wheel" and ''nes ...
'' are discussed, it also borrows heavily from the teachings of the prominent Kabbalist Rabbi Isaac Luria
Isaac ben Solomon Luria Ashkenazi (1534Fine 2003, p24/ref> – July 25, 1572) ( he, יִצְחָק בן שלמה לוּרְיָא אשכנזי ''Yitzhak Ben Sh'lomo Lurya Ashkenazi''), commonly known in Jewish religious circles as "Ha'ARI" (mean ...
(1534-1572), otherwise known as the "Arizal". The book was composed by the Arizal's main disciple Rabbi Hayyim (or Chaim) Vital and amended by his son Rabbi Shmuel Vital,[ as a section or "gate", of the primary Kabbalistic text '']Etz Hayim
Etz Hayim, also transliterated as Eitz Chaim ( , meaning "Tree of Life"), is a common term used in Judaism. The expression can be found in , referring to the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. It is also found in the Book of Proverbs, where it i ...
'',[ (עץ חיים, "Tree fLife").
]
Contents
As well as outlining principles of personal rectification or Tikkun, and reincarnation
Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is a ...
, this work describes the spiritual roots of many of the great Torah
The Torah (; hbo, ''Tōrā'', "Instruction", "Teaching" or "Law") is the compilation of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, namely the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. In that sense, Torah means the s ...
scholars of the past. Furthermore, it often provides information about the future in terms of predicting challenges to be expected throughout Jewish history and particularly the "End of Days End of days may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Films
* ''End of Days'' (film), a 1999 supernatural film
Music
* ''The End of Days'', a 2010 album by Abney Park
* ''End of Days'' (soundtrack), a soundtrack album from the 1999 film
...
".[
]
References
External links
''Gate of Reincarnations'' - classics
Kabbalah texts
Books about reincarnation
Isaac Luria
{{Kabbalah-stub