Genealogy Insights

Welcome to Sefer Hapliyah, a personal blog dedicated to exploring Jewish ancestry from Apatin, offering family trees, historical context, and engaging research findings. What Sefer HaPliyah means?  Gilgul (Reincarnation/Transmigration of Souls): A core concept in Kabbalah is gilgul neshamot, the “transmigration of souls” or reincarnation. This belief posits that souls may return to the physical world in different bodies to fulfill their purpose, rectify past misdeeds, or complete specific mitzvot (commandments).

   * Ancestral Gilgul: A particularly interesting aspect of gilgul is the idea that the soul of an ancestor can be reincarnated into a descendant. This is not necessarily seen as a punishment or reward, but rather as an opportunity for the soul to achieve its spiritual perfection and for the lineage to continue its spiritual journey.

   * Returning Jewish Souls: Some Kabbalistic teachings, particularly from the 14th-century Sefer HaPliyah, suggest that non-Jews who feel a strong attraction to Jewish life may have Jewish souls that are gilgulim of their own Jewish ancestors from previous generations (3-7 generations back), seeking to “return home” to the Jewish people.

 * “Ibur” (Impregnation of Souls): Beyond full reincarnation, Kabbalah also discusses the concept of ibur, where a soul (often of a righteous individual) can “impregnate” or temporarily attach itself to a living person’s soul. This can occur for various reasons, including to help the living person perform mitzvot or to rectify something that was left incomplete by the “impregnating” soul. In this way, an ancestral soul (or a righteous soul in general) can provide a form of spiritual assistance or guidance by influencing the actions and spiritual growth of the descendant.

 * Zehut Avot (Merit of the Ancestors): While not direct guidance, the concept of Zehut Avot (“merit of the ancestors”) is significant in Jewish thought, including Kabbalah. It suggests that the righteous deeds of one’s ancestors can create a spiritual legacy that benefits their descendants, sometimes even protecting them or paving the way for their spiritual development. This merit can influence a descendant’s destiny and provide a hidden form of “guidance” or divine assistance.

 * Neshama (Soul): Kabbalah elaborates on the different levels of the soul (Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, Yechida). These levels represent different degrees of connection to the Divine. Ancestral connections can impact the spiritual state of a descendant’s soul, influencing their spiritual inclinations and challenges. I’m 7th generation from my last Jewish ancestor Joseph Deutsch born in 1779 in unknown to me location. He was married to Margaretha Rubin/Reuben born in 1780. The Deutsch family, besides husband and father, thirty-three-year-old Jozef, and his wife, thirty-four-year-old Margareta, included five children. The eldest daughter, Julijana, was seventeen at the time of recording. Next was ten-year-old Magdalena, seven-year-old Jakob, four-year-old Martin, and the youngest member of the Deutsch family, Jozef. Additionally, the family included fifty-four-year-old widow
Katarina Deutsch, mother of Jozef Deutsch. Within this family, sixteen- year-old Kašpar N. was also recorded, whose relationship to the other members is unknown. Joseph son Jakob Deutsch married in 1828 a Catholic and a German Rosina Muller and converted to Christianity. If he didn’t would I be alive today? If I manage to convert to Judaism in 2028 it will mark 200 years since 1828, since the last day Judaism was practiced in the family. It would show the world that what was Jewish once no human can assimilate. I visited the exact geolocations my Jewish ancestors once lived, locations of their houses and their synagogue. After that day, my obesity and 10 year nicotine addiction, and depression just vanished. I don’t care if anyone will believe me that certain ancestral geolocations can have healing powers. I believe, and my son starts to believe. That’s what matters. We got to keep the faith, Judaism and Kabbalah are following the laws of wisedom, those laws are eternal. A caterpilar doesn’t know he will become a butterfly.