nefesh
Quick Summary
In Judaism, nefesh is a Hebrew term often translated as "soul" or "spirit," but its meaning is more complex. Rather than referring to a distinct, immortal part of a person, the biblical understanding is that a human being is a nefesh, a unified psychosomatic entity. This means a person is a living being, a unit of vital power, not a dualistic combination of body and soul.1
While some ancient Jewish thought, influenced by Greek philosophy, did explore dualistic interpretations, rabbinic thought generally remained closer to the biblical view of humans as a single, integrated unit. The concept of nefesh is central to understanding Jewish views on humanity, life, and the afterlife, though specific interpretations have evolved over time.1
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JudaismThe earthly-spiritual creature…biblical material, particularly the words nefesh, neshama, and ruaḥ—which are often too broadly translated as “soul” and “spirit”—indicates that these terms must not be understood as referring to the psychical side of a psychophysical pair. A human being does not possess a nefesh but rather is a nefesh, as Genesis…
Read More…biblical material, particularly the words nefesh, neshama, and ruaḥ—which are often too broadly translated as “soul” and “spirit”—indicates that these terms must not be understood as referring to the psychical side of a psychophysical pair. A human being does not possess a nefesh but rather is a nefesh, as Genesis…
Read More- deathJudaism
The word nefesh originally meant “neck” or “throat,” and later came to imply the “vital spirit,” or anima in the Latin sense. The word ruach had at all times meant “wind” but later came to refer to the whole range of a person’s emotional, intellectual, and volitional…
Read MoreThe word nefesh originally meant “neck” or “throat,” and later came to imply the “vital spirit,” or anima in the Latin sense. The word ruach had at all times meant “wind” but later came to refer to the whole range of a person’s emotional, intellectual, and volitional…
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