The Meaning of “Dybbuk”

The word “dybbuk” often conjures images of evil spirits and horror movies. But in Jewish mysticism, the idea of a dybbuk is far more nuanced and less cinematic.

The Hebrew word dybbuk comes from the root D-V-K, meaning “to cling” or “to cleave.”

Rather than a demon or an external force, a dybbuk is understood in Jewish mysticism as a human soul that has not found rest. Unable to fully detach from the physical world, it clings to a living person, seeking resolution for something left unfinished.

Kabbalistic Origins

References to wandering or unsettled souls appear in Kabbalistic literature, particularly in the writings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, known as the Arizal, who describes the soul's ongoing journey of rectification.1 According to this framework, each soul enters the world with a specific mission, and when that mission remains incomplete, the soul may return — sometimes multiple times — through various reincarnations, in a process known as gilgul. In this context, the idea of the dybbuk is not inherently frightening, rather it reflects a soul working to complete its Divine purpose. Click here for more on reincarnation.

From Mysticism to Folklore

Mentions of dybbuks in early Jewish sources are rare. The concept became more widely discussed in later folkloric writings, particularly in Eastern Europe, where stories about dybbuks illustrated moral lessons.

A dybbuk, similar to a soul undergoing the process of gilgul, is a spiritual phenomenon that reflects unfinished work in the soul, not a supernatural villain.