“Each soul returns until it completes the task that was assigned at the Creation.”
— Chaim Vital, Šaʿar haGilgulím

1) What it is and where it fits

• Title and status text. What in Spanish is called “Sefer haGilgulím” is, in fact, Šaʿar haGilgulím (“Gate of Reincarnations”), one of the “Eight Portals” (Šemoná Sheʿarím), with which the later tradition held the writings of Vital, to systematize the teachings of the Ari. It is available in modern editions and platforms Hebrew texts with translations partial.
• Author and context. Jayyim ben Joseph Vital (1542-1620), born in Safed and died in Damascus, was the principal writer of the doctrine of the Ari (Luria, †1572). His key works include Etz Chaim and Eight Portals, where Šaʿar haGilgulím addresses of the form technique transmigration of the soul (gilgul) in the Kabbalah luriánica.

2) nuclear Doctrine: “gilgul”, “ibbur” and repair (tikkún)

• Gilgul: the transmigration of souls. Not appear explicitly in the Tanakh nor in the Talmud, and it develops in the medieval mystic (e.g., Zohar) and reaches systematic formulation with the Ari/Vital.
• Ibbur (“impregnation”): mode in which a soul additional enters temporarily in order to assist the living in its rectification; it is distinguished from a gilgul full. Šaʿar haGilgulím detailed scenarios and combinations according to the degree of perfection of nefesh–ruach–neshama.
• Tikkún (repair): purpose ethics-metaphysics of the process. In key luriánica is linked to the macro-myths of tzimtzúm, shevirat ha-kelim (breaking of the vessels) and meeting of “sparks” (nitsotsot): the soul goes to complete commandments, virtues and rectify faultscontributing to the repair and cosmic.

“The purpose of the gilgul is not punishment, but correction.”
— Isaac Luria (Ari)

3) Architecture of the soul and mechanics of reincarnation

• Three levels: nefesh (vital), ruach (spiritual and moral), neshama (intellective). Vital describes cycles in staggered: can be rectified first nefesh; if ruach/neshama still pending are, being produced returns combined, sometimes via ibbur.
• Return criteria: the soul returns to complete mitzvot not fulfilled, correct traits (middot), and repair damages. In exhibitions, the traditional corpus luriánico points out that some souls require multiple returns to complete the spiritual task.
• Lines of souls and genealogies spiritualliterature luriánica associated roots of souls with biblical figures (e.g., maps Abel/Moses; Cain/Shuaib) as types of mission and repairnot as claims historical biographical.

4) Typologies and cases treated by Shaar haGilgulím

• Fair and scholars: even the righteous can be reincarnated to remove a residue of failure, moral or complete a task for spiritual practice.
• Number of returns, and “opportunities”: the text discusses limits, combinations and conditions (e.g., when a ibbur it is enough; when it requires a new birth). These regulations vary by the level grinding and by the nature of the faults. (Exposure and summaries traditional Gate of Reincarnations).
• Relationship with halachic and ethical life: the mechanism does not replace the moral responsibility or legal; rather, it reinforces the imperative of teshuvah (return) and fulfillment of mitzvot as a way of tikkún. (Overview, in encyclopedia of judaism).

“The soul is like a flame that never dies out, just change the lamp.”
— Maximum hasidic inspired by the Sefer haGilgulim

5) Basics and background in the jewish tradition

• Bible and Talmud: no explicit mention reincarnation; some exegetes subsequent read references midráshicas, but do not constitute doctrine talmudic rules.
• Zohar: yes presents the framework mystic in the “all souls are subject to transmigration. This prepares the ground for the systematization luriánica.
• Safed, s. XVI: the circle of the Ari reinterprets the history-cosmos drama of fracture and repair, making gilgul an instrument of theological-ethical core. Vital fixed by writing and your child Shmuel Vital organizes the material in “portals”.

6) Keys to the interpretation of the text

• Gender: manual mystical-technical. Combines rules, casuistry and genealogies of souls; it is not narrative and systematic philosophy in the style scholastic.
• Language: Hebrew terms/arámicos (nefesh/ruach/neshama; gilgul/ibbur; qelipá/nitsots) that require glossary.
• Traditional use: a guide to self-examination of ethics and spiritual guidance discipled advanced; not intended to be used as a speculation biographical (“I was such a character”).
• State authoritative: influential in current kabbalistic and jasídicas later, but it is not dogma universal rabbinical judaism. (Encyclopedias of reference).

“With each act of kindness, the soul ascends a degree towards perfection.”
— Chaim Vital, comments to the Etz Chaim

7) thematic Axes concrete that the student must master

1. Mapping of the soul: hierarchies, successive acquisitions and conditions of the “entry” of each level.
2. Modalities of return: gilgul (full), ibbur (temporary/auxiliary). Cases cohabitation of souls and their limits.
3. Causality moral: what faults/mitzvot involve returns; how you specify the tikkún (commandments, character traits, study, acts of kindness).
4. Macro-myth luriánico: why the world requires repair (shevirá) and how the sparks rise through the lives of human beings.
5. Typologies bible: reads the archetypal (Abel/Moses; Cain/Shuaib) as parables of the character and mission.

8) Differences with other doctrines of reincarnation

• In the Kabbalah luriánica the return is teleological and ethical (do mitzvot and correct world), no a cycle fatalistic or a karma impersonal.
• The subject is the community of Israel and, by extension, humanity involved in the tikkún; working with levels of the soul and commandments concretenot only with “merit/demerit” in the abstract. (Visions set in encyclopedias and synthesis academic).

“He who knows the secret of the reincarnations, knows the mystery of time.”
— Attributed to Ari in the circles of Safed

9) historical Reception and impact

• Diffusion: from the XVII century, the writings of Vital circulated widely and bent current jasídicas and mystical sephardic.
• Discussion: philosophical currents and medieval rabbinical not mystical not canonizan reincarnation; the issue remains doctrine kabbalistic influential, accepted in large groups but not unanimous in judaism policy.

10) How to study Shaar haGilgulím today

1. Map prior system luriánico: tzimtzúm–shevirá–tikkún and levels of the soul. (Introductions luriánicas).
2. Read the text comment: versions yo/ing with glosses pedagogical help not to lose the case. (Sefaria; lessons “Gate of Reincarnations”).
3. Glossary active key terms.
4. Notebook case: score rules of combination (what happens if nefesh is rectified, and ruach/neshama not; when there is ibbur; time limits).
5. Bridge ethics-practical: translating each rule to habits, mitzvot and middot concrete (teshuvah, study, disciplined, tzedakah, repair, interpersonal). (Synthesis-traditional).

11) Warnings methodological

• Mystical genre: do not read like history literal or psychobiography. Its function is to to regulate the spiritual life within the framework of the tikkún.
• Sources: distinguish text-base (Vital) of disclosures secondary. Dating strong, refer to the Hebrew or to translation criticism.

“Teshuvah (return) not only rectifies the past, but unites the lives of the soul in a single melody.”
— Comment kabbalistic anonymous Safed

Summary

1. Shaar haGilgulím is the treaty luriánico (via J. Vital) that systematizes the reincarnation as a tool of tikkún personal and cosmic.
2. Operates on nefesh–ruach–neshama, with returns staggered and the figure of the ibbur for assistance temporary.
3. Your goal is not to speculate “who I was”, but to correct mistakes, complete the mitzvot and polishing the character; it is a ethics mystical applied.
4. Is influent in Kabbalah, and jasidismo, but it is not dogma universal in judaism policy.

“There is no death; only moved a garment.”
— Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, Zóhar

“The man must die many times in order to learn how to live.”
— Rabbi Moshe Cordovero