There is a concept in Jewish mystical thought known as gilgul, which can be translated as reincarnation. Gilgul does not necessarily mean that a soul in its entirety has been reincarnated; it may only be a nitzotz, or spark of a soul, that is reincarnated. That is to say that an individual can possess a nitzotz from the soul of someone who has lived previously. Gilgul occurs when the preceding incarnation of that soul has more to accomplish.
Rabbi Menashe Ben Israel of the 17th century writes that the word, gilgul, in Hebrew letters equals the numerical value of 72, which is also chesed, the Hebrew word for kindness. When this type of numerical connection occurs,it implies a conceptual relationship. In this case, reincarnation is seen as the ultimate kindness, in that a soul is given another chance for the refinement of its past and the spiritual advancement of its future.
Ultimately, a soul can never fail. To succeed, the soul will come back as many times as necessary to fulfill its spiritual mission. This is the view of the Kabbalists, who call the process of the soul's returning for the purpose of rectification tikkun, or repair. Sometimes it is discussed as the birur hisaron, or the clearing of a shortcoming.
If greatness is your soul's destiny, then to achieve it, it's only logical that you have a plan. Just as you would not head off to college without knowing about the school you'll be attending, souls do not randomly incarnate into this world. Rather, souls arrive with a very specific curriculum containing both goals and challenges. Your parents are a big part of that program.
It is in this respect that the Hasidic master Rabbi Yisrael of Rhizin teaches that our souls choose our parents. While the reasons for a soul's choice of parents will vary, it is always significant. Reasons can include past life relationships, or simply the conducive environment that the parents can provide for the soul in achieving its overall goal.
In a broad sense, your parents are the guarantors of your mission. How this works is different in every case. One possibility is that your parents will provide positive mentoring, as guides and as a support system. Another is the opposite - that they will model for you what you do not want to become and thus clarify the positive direction in which you need to go. For many it is a combination of the two. The key is to know that directly or indirectly, your parents create the fire behind your passion to grow toward your spiritual advancement.
Here is an exercise to help you find out what your purpose is in this world and what role your parents are playing in it. Ask yourself these three questions:
1. Regardless of what I do for a living and what my obligations are, what is the theme that most obviously is pushing my soul forward in life, day after day?
2. What is the one theme that best describes the force pulling my soul off track day after day?
3. What role have my parents played, directly or indirectly, in developing these themes?
Why bother looking at these themes at all? Because through them we can discover the real reason we chose to come here this time around, and as an added bonus, we may discover why we chose our parents to raise us. Ultimately, the biblical commandment does not obligate us to love our parents, but to honor them. Honor in Hebrew is kibbud, which literally means "to make heavy". To honor our parents means to acknowledge them as people of tremendous worth in our pilgrimage of life. It demands effort and often requires a tolerance for emotional pain, yet it is the most dignified endeavor of an entire lifetime.
Copyright 2000 by Michael Ezra Ozair, Los Angeles, CA. Prepared in collaboration with OLAM Magazine. Please distribute freely for non-commercial purposes.
Rabbi Michael Ozair has been providing spiritual guidance for the last 15 years to a very wide and diverse range of people. He is an ordained rabbi, a well sought after scholar in the area of Kabbalah, published author, life coach and spiritual counselor. Michael's expertise stems from merging his knowledge as a teacher of metaphysics with his experience in practical counseling. He can be reached at coach@kabbalahcoach.com or by visiting his site at http://www.KabbalahCoach.com
(Channelled)Roy, what a marvellous job you are doing on your... Read More
We all hear of the concept of the "Enlightened Master",... Read More
The first gospel written by Matthew,who is Levi, is the... Read More
Whenever, we have a task or project to carry out... Read More
As Christian's we are often very independent. We try to... Read More
As a Psychiatrist I spent most of my life training... Read More
I am a big believer in the strength of a... Read More
"Cast all your anxiety on Him for He cares for... Read More
Worldwide extensive research is being published related to the mind-body... Read More
Why Abandon Religion?It is so commonly believed today that religion... Read More
The truth revealed as we read about Hazael also reminds... Read More
What is it with angels and digital clocks? I fell... Read More
While I do hope to avoid arguing the merits or... Read More
I am going to remind of some simple, yet important... Read More
On Shamans and Shamanism ... Shaman, a Tungus (Siberian) word,... Read More
Is it not true that only after gaining Enlightenment (Self-Realization)... Read More
As I sat down today to write this article, I... Read More
There are many different and interchangeable terms that are used... Read More
A Tarot card deck typically consists of 78 colorful cards... Read More
"It's a big challenge. It's a journey into the unknown.... Read More
You will become as great as your dominant aspiration...If you... Read More
Most forms of psychotherapy I know either tries to help... Read More
Why do we have an Ego?Almost all spiritual guides say... Read More
The expression "Spiritual Enlightenment" has been used often in reference... Read More
The Kundalini is a pool of energy that lies dormant... Read More
The more we worry about money, and who's asking for... Read More
Do you ever get into those moods where you just... Read More
In God's world, everything can be used as an anology... Read More
Some may ask why in a disaster some people are... Read More
"Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my... Read More
What is success? It probably means different things to different... Read More
"All you who are thirsty, come and drink." ISAIAH 55:1,... Read More
"Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught... Read More
Woodstock, the watershed event for a generation, had a far... Read More
Do you ever feel that what you read in some... Read More
One of the biggest myths to evolve in the growing... Read More
A Nathan type prophet sees with his eyes. A Samuel... Read More
70% of people who send me feedback at http://www.insideoutmusic.net tell... Read More
Ephesians 4:4-6 indicates that Christians ought to practice one single... Read More
Let me say that marketing can be a corrupting experience.... Read More
You're probably sabotaging your successful Christian life right now if... Read More
In looking back at my process over the years I... Read More
When I was 10 years old my father decided to... Read More
In a recent case study which I also summarized in... Read More
What the Animals Tell Us"I am the Sun's son. I... Read More
I love rivers. I have for many years lived away... Read More
It seems to me that our moment to moment relationship... Read More
Peter is a man after my own heart. I feel... Read More
Forget what you have read or seen about vampires. The... Read More
Several months ago, I read an... Read More
The question of life after death is one that continues... Read More
In Corrogue it is frosty.The ramp into our "acre of... Read More
Good morning beloved,I always feel a need to let people... Read More
Today is the day that I'm getting back into exercise.... Read More
Even Pandora and her box come in two versions. In... Read More
On January 13th 1982 an Air Florida flight crashed off... Read More
Sounds like a tall order doesn't it? But I think... Read More
It was said that Caesar Augustus one night consulted his... Read More
It is no doubt that so many of you are... Read More
Some people go to physics and spiritual readers for advice... Read More
The ultimate purpose of dreaming is to provide you with... Read More
I thought I would draw this article up as a... Read More
Recently, I received a frantic midnight call from one of... Read More
Can God really heal your pain? Does every trial come... Read More
I have almost died twice in my life. The first... Read More
What really binds us to any negative emotional state in... Read More
Spirituality |