The guf
Encyclopedia
In Jewish mysticism the Chamber of Guf (also Guph or even Gup) Hebrew
for "body", also called the Otzar (Hebrew for "treasury"), is the Hall of Souls
, located in the Seventh Heaven . Every human soul is held to emanate from the Guf. A possible (though not a literal) reading of
the Talmud
, Yevamot 62a, is that the Messiah
will not come until the Guf is emptied of all its souls.
The mystic significance of the Guf is that each person is important and has a unique role which only they, with their unique soul, can fulfill. Even a newborn baby brings the Messiah closer simply by being born.
In keeping with other Jewish legends that envision souls as bird-like, the Guf is sometimes described as a columbarium
, or birdhouse
. Folklore
says sparrow
s can see the soul's descent and this explains their joyous chirping.
The peculiar idiom of describing the treasury of souls as a "body" may be connected to the mythic tradition of Adam Kadmon
, the primordial man. Adam Kadmon, God's "original intention" for humanity, was a supernal being, androgynous
and macro-cosmic (co-equal in size with the universe). When this Adam sinned, humanity was demoted to the flesh and blood, bifurcated and mortal creatures we are now. According to Kabbalah
, every human soul is just a fragment (or fragments) cycling out of the great "world-soul
" of Adam Kadmon. Hence, every human soul comes from the guf [of Adam Kadmon].
Within the Tanakh
, there is a passage used to teach that the spirit within humans did not pre-exist, but was created within each person in the womb:
"The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The saying of the LORD, who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, And formed the spirit of man within him" (Zechariah 12:1. The Holy Scriptures: JPS. Copyright 1917 by the Jewish Publication Society of America)
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
for "body", also called the Otzar (Hebrew for "treasury"), is the Hall of Souls
Well of Souls
This article describes the cave in Jerusalem. For the series of novels by Jack Chalker see Well World.The Well of Souls is a natural cave located immediately beneath the Foundation Stone, under the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem...
, located in the Seventh Heaven . Every human soul is held to emanate from the Guf. A possible (though not a literal) reading of
the Talmud
Talmud
The Talmud is a central text of mainstream Judaism. It takes the form of a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, philosophy, customs and history....
, Yevamot 62a, is that the Messiah
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
will not come until the Guf is emptied of all its souls.
The mystic significance of the Guf is that each person is important and has a unique role which only they, with their unique soul, can fulfill. Even a newborn baby brings the Messiah closer simply by being born.
In keeping with other Jewish legends that envision souls as bird-like, the Guf is sometimes described as a columbarium
Columbarium
A columbarium is a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns . The term comes from the Latin columba and originally referred to compartmentalized housing for doves and pigeons .The Columbarium of Pomponius Hylas is a particularly fine ancient Roman example, rich in...
, or birdhouse
Nest box
A nest box, also spelled nestbox is a man-made box provided for animals to nest in. Nest boxes are most frequently utilized for wild and domesticated birds, in which case they are also called birdhouses, but some mammalian species may also use them. Birdhouses are the most common types of nest...
. Folklore
Folklore
Folklore consists of legends, music, oral history, proverbs, jokes, popular beliefs, fairy tales and customs that are the traditions of a culture, subculture, or group. It is also the set of practices through which those expressive genres are shared. The study of folklore is sometimes called...
says sparrow
Sparrow
The sparrows are a family of small passerine birds, Passeridae. They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer...
s can see the soul's descent and this explains their joyous chirping.
The peculiar idiom of describing the treasury of souls as a "body" may be connected to the mythic tradition of Adam Kadmon
Adam Kadmon
In the religious writings of Kabbalah, Adam Kadmon is a phrase meaning "Primal Man". The oldest rabbinical source for the term "Adam ha-Ḳadmoni" is Num. R. x., where Adam is styled, not as usually, "Ha-Rishon" , "Ha-Kadmoni" ....
, the primordial man. Adam Kadmon, God's "original intention" for humanity, was a supernal being, androgynous
Androgyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
and macro-cosmic (co-equal in size with the universe). When this Adam sinned, humanity was demoted to the flesh and blood, bifurcated and mortal creatures we are now. According to Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
, every human soul is just a fragment (or fragments) cycling out of the great "world-soul
Anima Mundi
Anima mundī is Latin meaning "the soul of the world" which can refer to:*Anima mundi, the soul of the world*Anima Mundi , a 1991 documentary film directed by Godfrey Reggio*Anima Mundi , a Brazilian video and film festival...
" of Adam Kadmon. Hence, every human soul comes from the guf [of Adam Kadmon].
Within the Tanakh
Tanakh
The Tanakh is a name used in Judaism for the canon of the Hebrew Bible. The Tanakh is also known as the Masoretic Text or the Miqra. The name is an acronym formed from the initial Hebrew letters of the Masoretic Text's three traditional subdivisions: The Torah , Nevi'im and Ketuvim —hence...
, there is a passage used to teach that the spirit within humans did not pre-exist, but was created within each person in the womb:
"The burden of the word of the LORD concerning Israel. The saying of the LORD, who stretched out the heavens, laid the foundation of the earth, And formed the spirit of man within him" (Zechariah 12:1. The Holy Scriptures: JPS. Copyright 1917 by the Jewish Publication Society of America)
See also
- Pre-existencePre-existencePre-existence , beforelife, or pre-mortal existence refers to the belief that each individual human soul existed before conception, and at conception one of these pre-existent souls enters, or is placed by God, in the body...
- TraducianismTraducianismIn Christian theology, traducianism is a doctrine about the origin of the soul , in one of the biblical uses of word to mean the immaterial aspect of human beings . Traducianism means that this immaterial aspect is transmitted through natural generation along with the body, the material aspect of...
- The Seventh SignThe Seventh SignThe Seventh Sign is a 1988 apocalyptic drama film written by Clifford and Ellen Green and directed by Carl Schultz.-Plot:Signs of the apocalypse are appearing, along with a mysterious wanderer. Father Lucci is the Vatican official investigating them...
: The plot of the 1988 film was based on the Guf mythology. The protagonist's baby is due on February 29, the date when the last soul will leave the Guf.