Believe it or not but it is proven: each of us can be born again
Is it possible to be reborn?
Can a person bring about such a great change in himself, and become someone else?
The answer is yes, and there is proof of that
Believe it or not but it is proven: each of us can be born again
Eruvin Tractate Daf Kah (Photography and Editing: Walla! NEWS)
The Gemara in Tractate Eruvin Daf so speaks of people who converted.
A Gentile who converted and joined the Jewish people is considered according to Halacha as if he were reborn, even if until now he had been an idolater, and had done all kinds of evil deeds.
Once he converted - everything was deleted.
He becomes a Jew in every way, and must not be reminded of his past deeds and shamed.
This case, of a convert living, illustrates to us that there is indeed a reality of rebirth.
A person can detach himself from his past, from his background, in such a strong and meaningful way - that he is literally considered a new person.
Who was the first immigrant in history?
Our Father Abraham.
He grew up in the home of Terah, who was a pagan, owner of a sculpture shop.
What is the chance that the son of such a person, will become a great believer in Gd, from whom the belief in one God came to the whole world?
How did it happen?
This secret is found in the famous words that the Holy One said to Abraham: "Go from your land and from your homeland and from your father's house, to the land which I will show you."
Gd indicates in these words three things that Abraham should walk away from, break away from: your land, and your homeland, and your father's house.
What do these things mean?
Anyone can make a difference.
A person dips in a mikveh to purify himself.
Illustration (Photo: AP)
Men hope (Photo: AP)
The commentators explain that there are three types of influences that a person must release in order to be born again: habits, genetics and the environment.
From your country - these are the earthly desires in man, all kinds of material habits in which man has settled.
And your homeland - these are the innate qualities in man, which seem to him to be his nature.
They, too, can be changed, directed in positive directions.
And from your father's house - these are the influences of the family, society and education that the person received, from his relatives, neighbors and friends.
The values he was educated on, the way he looked at the world, and all the opinions and views he received from those around him.
Rabbi Chaim David Kowalski, presenter of the digital gemara, explained that not only a living person can be reborn.
Anyone can do this, even those born Jewish.
As we have seen before, everyone has negative influences that surround him, all sorts of bad habits that he is immersed in - whether it is under the influence of family, society, his desires or the qualities he was born with.
A person who manages to free himself from these negative forces, and bring about real change in himself - is also considered as if born again.
As if he had become a different person.
And surely God will love him very much for that.
Rabbi Chaim David Kowalski, presenter of the digital gemara (screenshot: Walla! NEWS)
Tractate Brachot, page 9 (Photo: Walla! NEWS, screenshot)
Want to learn more topics according to the Gemara?
This is your chance to join the digital gemara venture.
This is a project in which you will watch a daily video clip based on the daily page presented by Rabbi Kowalski, founder and head of the Maorot Daf Yomi organization.
As part of this, each person can be part of hundreds of thousands in Israel and around the world who take care to regularly study one page of Gemara a day, by watching a short daily video.
The section on the change that a person can make is based on the daily page in Tractate Eruvin, page so, and it is also published in full on the Digital Gemara website.
In this section, you will meet daily at significant and fascinating points related to daily life, based on the daily study of the Gemara.
The project is free of charge for its participants.
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