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Sefer Gilgulim - ספר גילגוּלים

" Re-Incarnation " by Reb Chaim Vital

The "Chapters"- "Gates of Wisdom" of the book

Sefer Gilgulim - ספר גילגוּלים

"The Book of Reincarnations"

by Reb Chaim Vital

 

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Understanding the Levels of the Soul

from "The Book of Reincarnations" by Reb Chaim Vital

אני מאמין באמוּנה שלמה שהבורא יתברך שמוֹ הוּא בורא וּמנהיג לכל הברוּאים והוּא לבדוֹ עשה ועוֹשה ויעשה לכל המעשים

The Soul and Belief in GOD

Believing or not believing in GOD - Thankfully in our generation more than in any other generation we have the freewill choice as to believe or not believe; in the past generations religious leaders brainwashed the population, and in many cases punished violently the non-believers. Hence these irresponsible leaders caused a backlash of rebellion against traditional man-made religious laws and the man-made "religions". It is inconceivable to understand that anyone can force someone to believe in GOD.

This freewill choice enables a person to think for themselves and use the power within ones own mind, thoughts and soul to come to the same conclusions as many other spiritually enlightened souls. The journey and pathway to "finding GOD" and "finding ourselves spiritually" in that we all contain a powerful spiritual soul within our physical existence is as amazing as the number of souls that live on this planet.

Belief in רבונו של עולם an Eternal Divine Spiritual Creator of the universe and belief in a SPIRIT world is an inner personal experience. Each and every individual has their own unique feelings, experiences and beliefs.

There are 3 basic guidelines, given by the good spiritual leaders to help each individual explore their own beliefs by themselves as we explained in the page on "Soul & Belief" from HeavensRegister website.

#1. Awakening your spirit within you - by looking at the Stars in the sky at night and looking at the beauty of nature, the trees, plants and flowers .

#2. Awakening ones belief in a soul and spiritual world . This occurs when someone you love dies and passes over to spirit world . Every single person in the world knows and loves someone, at some stage of their life who dies . This connection and continual process of life connects all the generations and spirit souls.

#3 Awakening the depths of love everyone has hidden and suppressed well springs of LOVE and creative loving energy deep inside . The opening up of true unconditional wellsprings of LOVE within ones soul, connects each person directly with the creative energy of this world - GOD . Feeling and expressing LOVE, connects one with life energy of GOD . Where there is love there is GOD, and where GOD is there is life, vitality, happiness, faith, hope and peace .

Only When a Person has Found the

Inner Spiritual Feeling & Belief in Spirit World

It is only when a person really and truly believes in an Eternal Divine Spiritual World and simply "knows" of the existence of a spiritual soul from within ones mind, thoughts and soul that one can start the journey to understand "Reincarnation"- the journey of ones soul, from where one has come and to where one is going.

The Awakened Soul

אלהי נשמה שנתת בי טהוֹרה היא אתה בראתה

The first questions one will be puzzled by when trying to understand the concepts and existence of soul (commonly referred to in Jewish teachings as a Neshoma נשמה), is what is a soul ? Where is it ? How can we quantify it ? All of these questions puzzle everyone. The soul, just like belief in GOD, is a feeling and awareness that each individual develops for themselves at a destined and specific time.

Reb Chaim Vital in the Book of Reincarnations explains that our physical and spiritual aspects exist together. It is clear exactly where our physical body is located, however our soul can exist in and out of our physical body; its energy ascends and transcends into our physical presence but can also be in two places at the same time or more accurately one facet of our soul can be in our physical body and another facet of our soul can be somewhere else.

Every Living and Non Living Entity in this Universe has a Soul

Every living and non living entity in this Universe has a soul, NOTHING physical can exist without a spiritual soul energizing and connecting it with the Eternal Divine Spiritual realms. This includes absolutely EVERYTHING; mountains, clouds, rocks, trees, flowers even a blade of grass, and the minutest of ants etc.,

This is one of the spiritual reasons that the Torah - Bible forbids destroying fruit trees, as indeed the person who cuts down a fruit tree is murdering a spirit soul, that was designated by GOD to provide its fruits to mankind. The levels of spiritual soul existence will vary in each group as follows:-

The 5 Levels of Created Existence בריאה

1. דוֹמם Inanimate objects like a stone or crystal rocks, mountains, the seas, and the sky, in fact everything that was created on Day 1 & Day 2 of the Creation of the Universe as written in Genesis Chapter 1.

2. צוֹמח Vegetation, plants, trees and everything that grows, everything created on Day 3 of Creation מעשה בראשית of the Universe as written in Genesis Chapter 1.

3. חי Living creatures, animals, birds, insects and everything living as created on Day 5 of Creation מעשה בראשית of the Universe as written in Genesis Chapter 1.

This level of existence the animal kingdom that breathes, moves on the earth and needs to move in order to survive on this planet. The aim of this group is survival and is constantly searching for ways to feed each day. It has the occupation in populating and reproducing itself בניי חיי וּמזוֹני.

4. מדבר All humans beings in the world that have the gift of speech.

The basic human population has the same earthly animal level, which is here to learn lessons of survival and repopulating itself בניי חיי וּמזוֹני , but does have the intrinsic potential to elevate the soul to having a purposeful life of the next category :-

5. יהוּדי Spiritually enlightened and blessed humans that have used and do use the power of speech wisely (the power of רוח Ruach) are then blessed with the existence of a higher level of נשמה Neshoma Soul to be able to have higher purposeful life for sake of the existence of the world and of mankind.

The highest level in this physical world attainable is called יהוּדי , this is attributed to someone who has higher goals in life. A person whose life has a higher purpose other that survival and repopulation, who lives in service of GOD or service to mankind. With the objective to making this world a better place.

Such people are selfless and are constantly finding different ways to be of service to GOD and to humanity. This group know and believe in GOD and an eternal Divine spiritual world; they live in this world with inner peacefulness and glow of spiritual radiance knowing that this physical world is merely a short journey for ones soul.

The levels 3, 4 & 5 of created existence are reflected in the aspects and facets of the Spiritual Soul as follows :-

5 Aspects of the Spiritual Soul within each Person

1. נפש Nefesh is the "Earthly Soul"; every חי Living creature (Level 3 above) contains a Nefesh.

Every living creature, animal and human has a "Nefesh נפש Earthly Soul", this gives the body the natural instincts to eat sleep and the sexual desire to reproduce, the "Nefesh נפש Earthly Soul" is the key for survival and continuity of living life and humanity.

A persons "Nefesh נפש Earthly Soul" arrives in this physical world with ones conception, during the act of love of ones parents; "Nefesh נפש Earthly Soul" transcends down from spirit world through the fathers soul into the mothers body.

Sefer Raziel at www.raziel.info explains in astrological terms that the astrological energy within ones "Nefesh נפש Earthly Soul" is influenced by the time of conception (and NOT the time of birth as non-jewish / spiritual astrologers believe).

2. רוח Ruach is the "Spirit Soul" in breathing humans and animals, (Level 3&4 above), this explains the principle that humans can reincarnate as animals, especially where they need to correct the facet of רוח Ruach as explained 3 keys of Reincarnation page.

3. נשמה Neshoma is the Soul that is in the breathe of life for humans; this aspect of the soul is fully awakened spiritually; aware of all the profound consequences of ones actions, words and thoughts. One who thinks with ones "נשמה Neshoma Soul" is living life with a purpose, goal, ambition and has an inner driving motivation of yearning for something special. This inner yearning is the yearning of ones Soul נשמה Neshoma for a stronger and closer connection with GOD and a desire for spiritual enlightenment.

4. חיה Chaya is the Souls Life-Giving energy, the spiritual quality of the 4th Level of ones Soul "חיה Chaya" is where one acts as a channel to bring down spiritual "Life-Giving" energy from the realms of the spirit world to his physical world, this level is called "חיה Chaya" which means Life, as without this flow of spiritual energy there would be no life on earth.

The sources and people with this aspect of spiritual soulful energy of "Life חיה Chaya" are throughout the whole world and act in pure idealistic selfless service to the Divine Creator of the whole infinite Universe for the benefit of mankind and in service of GOD.

5. יחידה Yechida Oneness is the Souls desire to be at ONE with GOD, this is the souls existence of Oneness and wholesomeness with the Eternal Divine Universal GOD.

We explain on the page of Spiritual Laws and Rules of Reincarnation the understanding and ability to move between theses 5 levels of ones Soul (with sources and explanations including the original hebrew text from Shaar Gilgulim שער גילגולים הקדמה ב).

Appearances Are Deceptive

There Could be a Great Soul in Anything or Anyone

As explained on the home and introduction page of this website, this world is full of deceptive appearances; we may never know how great a soul there maybe in anyone or anything we see around us through our physical eyes; that is why the greatest spiritually minded people such as the Ari Zal and Reb Chaim Vital taught the importance of respecting everything and everyone, even plants, flowers, trees, birds and animals, as there could be a very great soul inside.

We explain on Spiritual Laws and Rules of Reincarnation a great soul may only need to reincarnate as a tree or animal to make a correction for their soul; hence the saying that fish contain the souls of righteous people נשמות צדיקים .

When a person indeed thinks carefully that there could be a great soul in anything or anyone, one will never ever make the foolish mistake or being arrogant, snubbing lesser people or judging anyone, Reb Chaim Vital emphasizes many times in his books that it is NOT for us to judge anyone.

Reb Chaim Vital explains this further that one shouldn't even judge anyone even those who seemingly don't believe in GOD, in a soul or in spiritual afterlife. After all we don't judge cats or dogs who can't say whether they believe in GOD or not; it is simply the facet of their souls existence in this world which doesn't give them the element of expression nor spiritual understanding.

By thinking and respecting everything in the world, one will come closer to GOD; recognizing with love and compassion that we are all creations of GOD with a spiritual soul within.

The 7 Stages of Life

The next stage of understanding life and the Soul before we come to understanding Gilgulim "Reincarnation" is to understand the 7 stages of life ; all the segments and periods of life we have as humans.

Such a Credit or Debt, Reward or Pain can only be collected when the person reincarnates to live life in this physical world. This is the purpose of גלגל החיים "Reincarnation of Souls" - the balancing of the spiritual books.

Each of "the 7 stages of life" identifies the natural need for a facet of our soul to develop, refine, mature, elevate and change; once we understand these 7 stages of life we can then understand "Reincarnation" much easier, as a simple method for our soul to progress in continuity of our past life, especially for lessons and stages of life that we failed or were beyond repair in the previous lifetime.

"The 7 Stages of Life"

The physical growth during our lives is simply a reflection of the spiritual growth as the levels of ones soul enters the physical body. As we grow and mature through these stages of life, we transform and change. In each period of our lives a different set of parameters & rules apply. It would be inconceivable that a 30 year old should behave in the same way as a 7 year old behaves, although we all know some people who never seem to grow up !

In understanding each of the 7 stages of life, we can then understand the infusion of the 5 levels and aspect of the soul existence in life :-

1. Infancy & Early Childhood 0 to 7 years old

Learning to survive, relying totally on the people around, copying and emulating everyone. The survival of the first 7 years is based totally, in receiving energy from others by any means possible, crying, demanding, even cheating and deception, or more subtly through loving and "being sweet". Whatever technique is applied to receiving from the adult world, this leaves a lasting impression on ones soul and is carried forward into adult life, unless changed by reprogramming this behavioral pattern.

In this "infancy stage" a baby reacts naturally, when something hurts and pains the immediate reaction is to CRY. Crying clears the negative energy so much that the infant will almost immediately forget the pain after a good cry. Crying is not only a way of attracting attention, but an inner spiritual reaction to dissolving the negative hurt. The child will also immediately forgive the hurt or damage and will never harbour any resentment.

As adults, we forget this "normal" reaction of crying to cleanse our soul that we were supposed to have learnt at this stage; instead adults fight the pain by suppressing the hurt feelings. Until the hurt becomes too much to cope with and affects the health of the adult.

It would therefore be an excellent idea if we would learn from this infant stage, and cry whenever there is hurt instead of "suppressing" the negative emotions and forgive and forget immediately, instead of harbouring resentment jealousy bitterness, and all the negative emotions that prevent us living as complete and wholesome adults with lovely purposeful lives.

2. Childhood 7 - 13 years old

This stage of life starts the emergence of the personality and a very much "copied" identity; during these years a person, still impressed and sensitive to emulate the people, the mannerisms and character of those they come into contact with, copying the behaviour of others especially siblings and of ones parents.

This character is based entirely on the influences that the child comes into contact with. If the child is brought up by a nanny and the television, the parents must expect to see a confused child of our modern society. If the child is brought up by kind intelligent educated, thoughtful and loving parents, whom allow the child to be impressed by their etiquette and decency. The child will indeed copy the identity of those parents.

These years of education and transformation of character are the basis of the adult life. If in adult years the adult makes errors and mistakes, it is because the foundation of ones character in these years was poor. Hence in reforming and changing ones nature in later years, imperatively one needs to look at the influences of these childhood years. Debrainwashing and reprogramming all the false copied characteristics that one was impressed during childhood.

Inherently no person is bad or evil, it is simply their soul and character has been tainted by bad influences. Everyone is intrinsically good, and has the potential to accomplish greatness and goodness with love, kindness and sincerity; if a person doesn't have these good qualities this is indicative that the period of life from 0-13 years old was flawed and the damage needs to be undone.

שער גילגולים הקדמה ב

Reb Chaim Vital explains in the section in hebrew from שער גילגולים הקדמה ב that a person is given the נפש Nefesh the "Earthly Soul" from the moment of one is created, the Nefesh is within one from Conception to Death, and only when a person has a character the Ruach Breath of spirit can enter ones physical existence.

3. Adolescence, 13 until 20 years old

During these years the element of ones soul known as the "Ruach Breath of Spirit רוח", enters ones physical life and spiritual soul. The RUACH is the power of speech, learning to use this facet properly, constructively, lovingly and thoughtfully is the focus on this stage of life.

The power of speech allows a person to communicate ones inner thoughts to another person. Thereby creating energy whether it has constructive, through intelligent, kind and loving words, or destructive, through lies, deceit and slander.

This period of ones life allows the adolescent to explore these energies through the power of communication for both constructive and destructive, good and bad.

During this stage of life a person solidifies their identity and manner of communicating; if a person lacks confidence during these years from 13-20 then in later years a person will have to repeat this stage of life; and learn or teach oneself how to communicate constructively, creatively and lovingly.

The main reason for most failures at any age in ones life is the inability to communicate properly, indicative that the power of Ruach Breath of Spirit רוח from ones soul needs refining and correcting.

Reb Chaim Vital in the hebrew text from שער גילגולים הקדמה ב explains that one is given רוח Ruach the "Spirit Soul" in breathing humans; the profound ability to speak and communicate from the age of 13 onwards, however if one mishandles the power of speech the power of רוח Ruach is taken away and one lives life as a earthly basic human.

Losing the power and energy of speech is considered to be a "living death"; Reb Chaim explains that what is meant by losing the Ruach Spirit breathe of life, is that even though people speak their words have no energy nor power. The correction one must make is one of the "3 Keys of Reincarnation".

4. Adulthood, from 20 until 30-45 years old

Adulthood is the creative period of ones life. This stage allows all the lessons and foundations of ones character that one has developed to then assume a responsible role in life.

As a young and responsible adult one is given ones full soul נשמה Neshoma this is the full character of whom you are; this aspect of the soul is the fully awakened spiritual soul, whereby one is creating a purposeful life and is given according to Reb Chaim Vital at the age of 20.

This starts the period of marriage and sexual intimacy for the purpose of creating loving energy and having children. One has transformed ones nature from a "taker" of energy, to a "creator" and "giver" of loving and supportive energy. Ones career and purpose in life are formed in this period, and an identity label of whom you are is formed. This identity is based on your foundations of the earlier stages and guided by your values your set yourself during adolescence that is based on the Nefesh and Ruach.

The achievements in ones life during this period identify whom the person is and are simply a reflection of the inner soul Neshoma. If we compare to a budding flower some radiate beauty, colour scent and aroma whilst some simply grow leaves and seeds. Nonetheless everyone has a purpose and an identity, this period identifies the fruits of ones earlier stages of life.

At this stage one is using all ones thoughts מוֹחין דקטנוּת וּמוֹחין דגדלוּת , that is ALL of ones mind, thoughts and soul to create events that have consequences for yourself and for other people. With the essence of ones Neshoma Soul one takes personal responsibility for all of one's thoughts words and actions.

During this transition from childhood to adulthood, many immature adults feel disorientated, yearning to go back to a playful irresponsible childhood, well for those who refuse to "grow up" the element of the soul known as "Neshoma" is withdrawn from them, thereby leaving their life in limbo until they are ready to WAKE-UP spiritually. Hence the concept of late-developers - people whose spirit of Ruach may enter their physical existence at the age of 30 instead of 13 and people whose soul Neshoma enters at 40 instead of 20. This is known as the "waking up" stage of "midlifecrisis".

5. The Spiritual "Wake-up" Stage of Life

From 26 - 45 years old until the end of life

This period is exceedingly important, and happens to everyone. Reb Chaim Vital calls this stage the "spiritual wake-up call" in our modern day time many call this the "mid-life-crisis" stage.

During this stage in mid-life years, a person will have found their identity and role in life based upon the foundations made from childhood, but there will be a dissatisfaction with attainments in life, one will have a growing awareness of physical decline and mortality, experiencing "down-in-the-dumps" depressing moments, feeling that the life they wanted and dreamt of is not filled with the excitement, vitality and sense of loving creative purpose they had imagined as a child. This stage of life will have the emphasis on a search for truth, meaning and purpose of life.

If one chooses to ignore feelings by suppressing any need for change, one will settle directly into "old age" - a selfish life without use or creative purpose to anyone. With such a bad decision to go into an "old age" mode one looses the spiritual essence of one soul "Neshoma" which goes away, this is known as being spiritually "side-tracked" גלות הנשמה .

Nonetheless one can "find" oneself at anytime anyday of any year to return and come back "on-track" as soon as one recognizes that one has lost the energy of life "Neshoma"; this is the spiritual purpose of a dedicated day each and every year תשובה Yom Kippur, the day of reflection and atonement each and every year on the 10th of Tishrei, to wake-up spiritually and come back on-track".

Building Solid Spiritual Foundations

Most people, use these spiritual "wake-up" feelings sensibly to either make slight alterations to their lives or to turn their lives "upside-down" starting afresh and building solid foundations.

Having pursued with vigour - desires, wishes and fantasies of a teenager, by the mid life crisis years, the honest person will realize that these were the wishes and desires of an immature teenager. Now with the wisdom of experience, the gift of intuition, strength of an adult soul Neshoma and with honesty, the individual confronts the innermost feelings. Knowing that getting-it-right will lead to a wholesome and "golden" period in life. Getting it wrong will lead to a premature living death like so many other vacant and empty people.

At this stage in life, it becomes an emergency to CHANGE, at all costs, even at the expense of status in life, (if the job is depressing and draining then there is no other option than to quit the job or business), or at the expense of divorce (if one realizes that the husband/wife is not suitable with the same spiritual or life aspirations).

This time of transformation, is always accompanied by reminiscing the childhood and adolescent years. This is instinctively done by the soul, as a way to help guide the person, the mid-life crisis person feels that they went wrong somewhere, and will investigate honestly where that point in life occurred, by "going back" in time .

The root cause for not having a perfect and wholesome life is that the foundations laid were of poor quality. By uprooting those bad foundations and laying new ones, based on spiritual, purposeful, loving and creative values, the person transforms the inherent "childhood" NEFESH soul and "adolescent" RUACH soul stages that were engrained, (and in some cases brainwashed) by misinformed and misguided parents. One then learns to be ones own parent, laying good foundations.

When a movie director makes a film , the director has a very clear end vision fixed in their head . The director will use his/her experience insights and knowledge to keep going over the same scene until its 100% correct . Similarly the honest adult in mid-life crisis will keep on making the corrections until the perfect "end vision" is fulfilled. However, painful and boring it maybe to keep going over the same scene, the person realizes that unless it is perfect, they will NOT be able to live with the uncomfortable feelings of "uselessness of life".

This intuitive inbuilt feeling of wanting to get-it-right is a demand from within ones soul and is indicative that one soul is reincarnated, one has come back to life to get-it-right in this life. Only when a person has broken the cycle of Reincarnation and succeeded is their a relief of inner tension, this is a sign of spiritual success, until that moment of breaking the pattern of reincarnation one will feel unsettled inside.

6. The Golden Age,

From Mid-Life Crisis Years for Eternity

This period is ONLY applicable to those people whom have worked on themselves during the mid-life crisis years, refining their character with spiritual meaning of life. This person now has a life of creative purpose based on kindness, love and spiritual understanding .

This stage of life is where one acquires the spiritual level of the Soul known as חיה Chaya the Souls Life-Giving energy; this spiritual quality of the 4th Level of ones Soul "חיה Chaya" is where one acts as a channel to bring down spiritual "Life-Giving" energy from the realms of the spirit world to this physical world, this level is called "חיה Chaya" which means Life, as without this flow of spiritual energy there would be no life on earth.

Such a spiritually enlightened and refined person radiates and exudes life and vitality. It is said that many spiritually successful 40-60 year olds look and feel younger that some "Old aged" 20-30 year olds having attained the spiritual level of Soulful "חיה Chaya".

In this Golden Stage of life, comes a maturity, wisdom and knowledge that all of life is interrelated in a cycle of Divine life and loving energy. There is no shortage nor scarcity of love, as love is created by ones soul, thoughts and actions, abundance runs freely in ones life and nothing is impossible. One exudes a peace, calmness and contentment with life.

The next stage of spiritual progression within the "Golden Age" stage is the ultimate existence (5)יחידה Yechida Oneness the Souls desire to be at ONE with GOD, this is the souls existence of Oneness and wholesomeness with the Eternal Divine Universal GOD can come at anytime, but due to the constraints of this physical world one can only espire to live this level of spiritual existence for several hours each day; one would be practically be angelic if one could live at this level all day everyday, nonetheless physical death for all the enlightened souls, means a progression to a permanents state of complete Oneness with GOD in the Eternal Divine Spiritual World.

7. Old age, possibly from 30 years old on

This period of "old age" is the acceptance that ones productive creative years have ended. That the person no longer has anything to offer of any purpose to other people. This stage of life is where one loses חס ושלום ones Neshoma and Ruach and returns to the stage of a child having just a Nefesh soul inside.

The inevitability of such a persons life is going to require another life and the person will surely be reincarnating to live life again in the future. This inner confrontation of accepting eventual death, together with the fact that the person knows that they have messed up their life beyond repair in this life, brings upon them "old age".

But this attitude is a false one as if a person really wishes they can restore life vitality at any age; the freewill choice is in everyone's hands; however the older a person is the more difficult changes can be, nonetheless for so long as a person is alive it is NEVER too late to change.

Reincarnation is ONLY necessary

When a Soul is Beyond Repair in One Lifetime

Now that we have explained the 7 stages of life that exist during the course of ones physical life, we can now understand the "Meaning of Gilgulim -Reincarnation" - which is in fact the purpose of living in this life as a correction & continuity of our souls experience from our previous life, especially when and if a soul and situation are beyond repair in one lifetime, and therefore a Credit or Debt is issued over a persons soul.

Such a Credit or Debt, Reward or Pain can only be collected when the person reincarnates to live life in this physical world. This is the purpose of גלגל החיים "Reincarnation of Souls" - the balancing of the spiritual books as we explain in the next chapter "Meaning of Gilgulim -Reincarnations.