Editing Reincarnation (section)

===Judaism===
The belief in reincarnation developed among Jewish mystics in the medieval world, among whom differing explanations were given of the afterlife, although with a universal belief in an immortal soul.<ref>''Essential Judaism: A Complete Guide to Beliefs, Customs & Rituals'', By George Robinson, Simon and Schuster 2008, p. 193</ref> It was explicitly rejected by [[Saadiah Gaon]].<ref>''The Book of Beliefs and Opinions'', chap. VIII</ref> Today, reincarnation is an [[esoteric]] belief within many streams of modern Judaism. [[Kabbalah]] teaches a belief in ''[[gilgul]]'', transmigration of souls, and hence the belief in reincarnation is universal in [[Hasidic Judaism]], which regards the Kabbalah as sacred and authoritative, and is also sometimes held as an esoteric belief within other strains of [[Orthodox Judaism]]. In [[Judaism]], the [[Zohar]], first published in the 13th century, discusses reincarnation at length, especially in the [[Torah]] portion "Balak." The most comprehensive [[Kabbalah|kabbalistic]] work on reincarnation, ''[[Shaar HaGilgulim]]'',<ref>"Mind in the Balance: Meditation in Science, Buddhism, and Christianity", p. 104, by B. Alan Wallace</ref><ref>"Between Worlds: Dybbuks, Exorcists, and Early Modern Judaism", p. 190, by [[J. H. Chajes]]</ref> was written by [[Hayyim ben Joseph Vital|Chaim Vital]], based on the teachings of his mentor, the 16th-century kabbalist [[Isaac Luria]], who was said to know the past lives of each person through his [[Ruach HaKodesh|semi-prophetic]] abilities. The 18th-century Lithuanian master scholar and kabbalist, Elijah of Vilna, known as the [[Vilna Gaon]], authored a commentary on the biblical [[Book of Jonah]] as an allegory of reincarnation.

The practice of conversion to Judaism is sometimes understood within Orthodox Judaism in terms of reincarnation. According to this school of thought in Judaism, when non-Jews are drawn to Judaism, it is because they had been Jews in a former life. Such souls may "wander among nations" through multiple lives, until they find their way back to Judaism, including through finding themselves born in a gentile family with a "lost" Jewish ancestor.<ref>''Jewish Tales of Reincarnation'', By Yonasson Gershom, Yonasson Gershom, Jason Aronson, Incorporated, 31 January 2000</ref>

There is an extensive literature of Jewish folk and traditional stories that refer to reincarnation.<ref>Yonasson Gershom (1999), ''Jewish Tales of Reincarnation''. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson. {{ISBN|0-7657-6083-5}}</ref>