The Zohar states that Eliyahu Hanavi was the Reincarnated soul of Pinchas, the grandson of Aharon the Kohen Gadol. Pinchas was the hero whose active zealotry saved the Jewish People from destruction by a deadly plague (Bamidbar 25). Is Reincarnation mentioned in TANACH?

 

The Ramban brings a proof text for Reincarnation from the book of Iyov. "Wow, all these wonders G-D does, 2 or 3 times with a person. To bring back his soul from the grave, to light up his life with the eternal living light" (Iyov 33:29-30).

 

Why is Reincarnation necessary? Life works the way that education works, which is about moving up from level to level as one matures and becomes more intelligent. The educational process that we go through in life is meant to enhance a person's ability to function in the world, and to help us make the most of our lives. Life is about our need to become responsible members of society.

 

As a person grows up, his spiritual capabilities also increase and mature but not automatically. The more one puts into an education the more one derives from it. Similarly, the more one puts into spiritual growth, the more one grows spiritually, and the more spiritually empowered one becomes. This process of spiritual growth enables one to enjoy and delight in G-D's presence for eternity in the After Life.

 

Kabbala teaches that though we all have one, special soul, each soul is actually comprised of 5 parts, each of which has a specific name, Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida. Nefesh is the life force. Ruach is the spirit. Neshama is the breath of life. Chaya is the living soul, and Yechida is the unique soul. These soul parts represent the path to spiritual completion and perfection. Each soul level provides increasingly greater access to higher levels of spiritual capacity and eternal closeness to G-D.  

 

At birth every individual has all 5 levels of soul. We have to if we are going to receive G-D's light to keep us functioning, since the 5 levels of soul connects us to the light of G-D, which nourishes our souls and keeps our bodies alive. To be missing a level of soul would be to break the personal connection between one and G-D, the Source of Life. 

 

The Torah gives a person access to higher levels of spiritual understanding and to the perfection of the soul. The problem is that the Evil Inclination interferes with our ability to climb the Soul Ladder from Nefesh to Ruach to Neshama etc, so much so that time can run out on our lifetime before we are done. People often remain stuck on the lowest levels of soul for entire lifetimes.

 

G-D can't afford to give up on any Jewish Soul, as Iyov 31:2 states, "We are a portion of G-D from above." Thus, there is Reincarnation. We return to complete and perfect what we started in other lifetimes, even if we aren't aware of who we were or where we were. The Hebrew word for Reincarnation is GILGUL, which means recycling. Therefore, G-D is in the recycling business.

 

The Hebrew word GILGUL, GIMMEL LAMED GIMMEL VAV LAMED has the same numerical value of the word CHESED, CHET SAMACH DALED which is 72. 72 is the number which is G-D's mystical name, SHEM AYIN BET=72. When this type of numerical connection occurs, it implies a profound, conceptual relationship. GILGUL is the ultimate CHESED (loving kindness) of G-D, in that a soul is given another chance for the refinement of its past and the spiritual growth and advancement of its future.

 

To succeed in Eternity, a soul returns to this physical world again and again to do its TIKUN and to fulfill its spiritual mission. G-D says to the Soul, "You can pay Me now, or you can pay Me later." This is true, because G-D is in the Soul repair business.