Jewish animism & the notion of "soul"
"Two souls exist in the earth being, Wind Spirit and Breath Spirit. Wind Spirit [Rua'h] journeys from one end of the universe to the other while a person dreams. Breath Spirit [Neshamah] dwells deep within the chambers of chambers." Midrash Olam Katan, No. 4, from Gershon Winkler, Magic of the Ordinary.
Jewish tradition uses different names for the soul. The ones that are mostly used in the Tanakh are neshamah (breath), nefesh (living being) and rua'h (wind). Kabbalah adds two more terms: 'hayyah (life) and yekhidah (singularity), but I won't be talking about these two in this post because I don't personally use them in my practice for now.
Many non-monotheistic systems of belief incorporate soul dualism, or the doctrine of multiple souls. Wikipedia tells us: "In many cases, one of the souls is associated with body functions ("body soul") and the other one can leave the body ("free soul" or "wandering soul"). Sometimes the plethora of soul types can be even more complex. Sometimes, a shaman's "free soul" may be held to be able to undertake a spirit journey." My animistic perspective on Judaism is no different: I do believe in a pluralistic conception of the soul.
The Torah says "For the nefesh of the flesh is in the blood." (Leviticus 17:11). Nefesh, thus, is associated with the blood of a living thing, and dies with it. Neshamah is the part that is reincarnated in the Gilgul Neshamoth, the Wheel/Cycle of the souls. Neshamah is given directly by HaShem, and is responsible of the nefesh, as it is written: "He blew into his nostrils the breath of life [nishmath 'hayyim] and man became a living being [nefesh 'hayyah]." (Genesis 2:7). That leaves us with the rua'h, the wind. I equate this with the "free soul" of soul dualism, the one that can travel outside the body, as the opening quote of this post illustrates : "Wind Spirit [rua'h] journeys from one end of the universe to the other while a person dreams." I believe the rua'h also travels when the body is in certain trance states. Some people may thus be able to journey through the universe. HaShem is also said to have Their own rua'h, the rua'h Elohim (Spirit of G-d), the rua'h HaShem (Spirit of the Name), or the rua'h haQodhesh (Holy Spirit), sometimes equated with the Shekhinah. These notions are not to be confused with the Christian Holy Ghost, one of the three persons of the Trinity, a concept which can't exist in Judaism.
I believe every thing created by HaShem has a neshamah. In the Tehilim, the Book of Psalms, inanimate things are said to praise HaShem:
"Praise Him, all His angels, praise Him, all His hosts. Praise Him, sun and moon, praise Him, all bright stars. Praise Him, highest heavens, and you waters that are above the heavens. [...] Praise HaShem, O you who are on earth, all sea monsters and ocean depths, fire and hail, snow and smoke, storm wind that executes His command, all mountains and hills, all fruit trees and cedars, all wild and tamed beasts, creeping things and winged birds" Psalms 148:1-4;7-10
"Let all that breathes [neshamah] praise Yah." Psalms 150:6
Everything is alive, and everything is constantly praising its Creator. This is the core belief of Jewish animism.
כל הנשמה תהלל יה הללו יה
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