Dybuk: The Mysteries of Spiritual Possession
The dybuk, often called an evil spirit, represents the restless soul of a deceased individual who clings to the living, often causing spiritual or physical disturbances. From the New Testament to the Kabbalah, we will explore this idea in depth.
Have you ever wondered - what exactly is an unclean or evil spirit? New Testament readers are familiar with the accounts of various exorcisms, but there is little insight into what they are or how someone became inhabited in the first place.
In this article, we'll look at the tradition of Dybukim for answers.
What is a Dybuk?
The word Dybuk comes from the Hebrew root, Davak (דבק), meaning to 'cling.' We see this word in Genesis 2:24:
Therefore, a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cling to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.
A Dybuk is therefore a clinging soul.
Often conflated with demons, a Dybuk is more often associated with the disembodied soul of a deceased human, typically one who has unresolved sins. In general, we should keep some fluidity with these definitions as, like most things spiritual, we are trying to describe the incomprehensible.
Many cultures have similar concepts of disembodied human souls, or ghosts - but in the Jewish tradition, they are often referred to as evil spirits (Ruach'ot Ra'ot | רוחות רעות).
These souls, burdened by serious sins, may become trapped in a kind of spiritual exile as they repay their debts. In this state, a Dybuk can find and enter a living host.
Unlike an Ibur² - a positive spiritual attachment that benefits the host - a Dybuk is generally negative, even malicious, causing physical harm and psychological disturbances.
Jewish tradition has been captivated by these stories for as long as the tradition can recall.
As hinted above, the New Testament contains many famous stories of these attachments, each requiring slightly different remedies to remove.
The New Testament's inclusion of Dybukim aligns with Jewish tradition, suggesting deeper connections with the broader tradition of 'transmigrations of the soul' (gilgul neshamot).
Some may be wondering, how does one become inhabited by a Dybuk?
How To Become Possessed by a Dybuk
If a living person accrues a certain degree of unrepentant spiritual impurity (through sin), they open themselves up [spiritually] to a Dybuk.
The Talmudic³ statement seems to be instructive here, that people sin when a "spirit of folly" enters them. Unless remedied, this can lead to a downward spiral of sin, impurity, and a greater foothold on the host.
