Ibbur and Dibbuk: When a Soul Joins a Soul

Most people who have heard of Jewish reincarnation know the word gilgul, a soul returning to the world in a new body. The Arizal (Rabbi Yitzchak Luria) described two other phenomena that are often confused with it: ibbur and dibbuk. Both involve a soul joining a person who is already alive. They are very different from each other, and the tradition treats the subject with caution.

Gilgul, in brief

In gilgul, a soul comes into a new body at birth and lives a full life. It carries a correction to make, a mitzvah it did not complete or a trait it did not repair (Sha’ar HaGilgulim). The new person does not remember the earlier life.

Ibbur: a righteous soul as a guest

Ibbur (literally “impregnation”) is a temporary arrival. A soul that has already left this world returns for a limited time, joins a living person, and stays with him for a particular purpose. The Arizal teaches that this is usually a righteous soul, and its purpose is to complete a mitzvah it left undone or to help the person it joins (Sha’ar HaGilgulim). The visitor does not take over. The host remains himself, and the visitor lifts him, and may be felt as a greater clarity or drive toward a particular good.

Ibbur differs from the neshamah yeterah (the additional soul) that every Jew receives on Shabbat. The additional soul is a gift to everyone on a regular basis. Ibbur is a specific arrangement for a specific person.

Dibbuk: a soul that clings

The word dibbuk comes from davak, to cling. It describes a soul that has not found rest, usually because of its deeds in life, and attaches itself to a living person against his will. The Kabbalistic literature, beginning with the accounts of the Arizal and his student Rabbi Chaim Vital, describes cases of this kind and the methods used to bring the soul to rest. Our article on exorcism and paranormal investigation discusses the sources.

A necessary caution

It is important to say what this tradition does not permit. Mental and physical illness have causes that medicine can address, and a person who is suffering should see a doctor first. The Kabbalists who wrote about dibbuk were known for their reluctance to make the diagnosis. Even the Arizal is said to have been very careful about who he was willing to help in this way. A reader who feels that something is wrong should not conclude that it is a dibbuk, and should look for qualified medical help before anything else.

Why the teaching matters

The Arizal’s teaching has a hopeful side. A soul that is stuck can be helped, which is the reason the living say Kaddish and learn Torah for those who have died. The levels of the soul are described in the article on the five levels, and full reincarnation in Sha’ar HaGilgulim.