Editing Afterlife (section)

====Reincarnation in Jewish tradition====
Although there is no reference to reincarnation in the Talmud or any prior writings,<ref>Saadia Gaon in Emunoth ve-Deoth Section vi</ref> according to rabbis such as Avraham Arieh Trugman, reincarnation is recognized as being part and parcel of Jewish tradition. Trugman explains that it is through oral tradition that the meanings of the Torah, its commandments, and stories are known and understood. The classic work of Jewish mysticism,<ref name="youtube.com">{{YouTube|mM8dn68vgD8|Reincarnation in the Jewish Tradition}}</ref> the Zohar, is quoted liberally in all Jewish learning; in the Zohar, the idea of reincarnation is mentioned repeatedly. Trugman states that in the last five centuries, the concept of reincarnation, which until then had been a much-hidden tradition within Judaism, was given open exposure.<ref name="youtube.com"/>

[[Shraga Simmons]] commented that within the Bible itself, the idea [of reincarnation] is intimated in Deut. 25:5–10, Deut. 33:6 and Isaiah 22:14, 65:6.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_reincarnation.htm |title=Ask the Rabbi – Reincarnation |publisher=Judaism.about.com |date=17 December 2009 |access-date=8 March 2014 |archive-date=9 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309003453/http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_reincarnation.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Yirmiyahu Ullman wrote that reincarnation is an "ancient, mainstream belief in Judaism". The Zohar makes frequent and lengthy references to reincarnation. [[Onkelos]], a righteous convert and authoritative commentator of the same period, explained the verse, "Let Reuben live and not die&nbsp;..." (Deuteronomy 33:6) to mean that Reuben should merit the World to Come directly and not have to die again as a result of being reincarnated. Torah scholar, commentator and kabbalist, [[Nachmanides]] (Ramban 1195–1270), attributed Job's suffering to reincarnation, as hinted in Job's saying "God does all these things twice or three times with a man, to bring back his soul from the pit to... the light of the living' (Job 33:29–30)."<ref>{{cite web |last=Yirmiyahu |first=Rabbi |url=http://ohr.edu/yhiy/article.php/1077 |title=Reincarnation " Ask! " Ohr Somayach |publisher=Ohr.edu |date=12 July 2003 |access-date=8 March 2014 |archive-date=9 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140309003907/http://ohr.edu/yhiy/article.php/1077 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Reincarnation, called ''[[gilgul]]'', became popular in [[folk belief]] and is found in much [[Yiddish]] literature among [[Ashkenazi Jews]]. Among a few kabbalists, it was posited that some human souls could end up being reincarnated into non-human bodies. These ideas were found in several Kabbalistic works from the 13th century and among many mystics in the late 16th century. [[Martin Buber]]'s early collection of stories of the [[Baal Shem Tov]]'s life includes several that refer to people reincarnating in successive lives.<ref>Martin Buber, "Legende des Baalschem" in ''Die Chassidischen Bücher'', Hellerau 1928, especially ''Die niedergestiegene Seele''</ref>

Among well-known (generally non-kabbalist or anti-kabbalist) rabbis who rejected the idea of reincarnation are [[Saadia Gaon]], [[David Kimhi]], [[Hasdai Crescas]], Yedayah Bedershi (early 14th century), [[Joseph Albo]], [[Abraham ibn Daud]], the [[Asher ben Jehiel|Rosh]] and [[Leon de Modena]]. Saadia Gaon, in [[Emunoth ve-Deoth]] (Hebrew: "beliefs and opinions"), concludes Section VI with a refutation of the doctrine of [[metempsychosis]] (reincarnation). While rebutting reincarnation, Saadia Gaon further states that Jews who hold to reincarnation have adopted non-Jewish beliefs. By no means do all Jews today believe in reincarnation, but belief in reincarnation is not uncommon among many Jews, including Orthodox.

Other well-known rabbis who are reincarnationists include [[Yonassan Gershom]], [[Abraham Isaac Kook]], Talmud scholar Adin Steinsaltz, DovBer Pinson, David M. Wexelman, [[Zalman Schachter-Shalomi|Zalman Schachter]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sytekcom.com/rooster/bta-faq1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716181413/http://www.sytekcom.com/rooster/bta-faq1.html |archive-date=16 July 2011 |title=Reincarnation and the Holocaust FAQ}}</ref> and many others. Reincarnation is cited by authoritative Biblical commentators, including Ramban (Nachmanides), Menachem Recanti, and Rabbenu Bachya.

Among the many volumes of Yitzchak Luria, most of which come down from the pen of his primary disciple, Chaim Vital, are insights explaining issues related to reincarnation. His ''[[Shaar HaGilgulim]]'' ("The Gates of Reincarnation") is a book devoted exclusively to the subject of reincarnation in Judaism.

Rabbi Naftali Silberberg of The [[Rohr Jewish Learning Institute]] notes that "Many ideas that originate in other religions and belief systems have been popularized in the media and are taken for granted by unassuming Jews."<ref>{{cite news|title=Where does the soul go? New course explores spiritual existence|url=http://www.westhartfordnews.com/articles/2015/10/14/news/doc561ecaa6934c1312697232.txt|agency=West Hartford News|date=14 October 2015|location=Middletown, CT|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304101640/http://www.westhartfordnews.com/articles/2015/10/14/news/doc561ecaa6934c1312697232.txt|url-status=live}}</ref>