[kosta50]

I don't understand your response. The source is Jewish commentary. Many Jews no longer read the Torah, but rabbis do. They can confirm that whatI say is true

I don't dispute that what you are saying is what rabbinical Judaism says. I dispute that it is Jewish. The belief in the pre-existence of the souls is a pagan (Greek and Persian) belief that was added to Pharisaical Judaism, and survives to this day in its direct offshoot, rabbinical Judaism — and, apparently, in some corners of various Protestant sects as well.

This is what Jewish Encyclopedia has to say about this:

"It was only in connection with the Messianic hope that, under the influence of Persian ideas, the belief in resurrection lent to the disembodied soul a continuous existence."

This belief is, therefore, not "intrinsically" Jewish but pagan. Thus, the JE continues:

"This Platonic doctrine of the preexistence of the soul ... is taught also by the Rabbis, who spoke of a storehouse of the souls in the seventh heaven."

Clearly, then, modern Judaism is a mixture of old Judaism and (Greek, Persian) pagan beliefs.

What fascinates me is that some Protestant groups will adhere to this type of (rabbinical) Judaism rather than to Christian beliefs which — regardless whether based on traducianism or creationism — agree that the soul does not pre-exist the body.

Rabbinical Judaism also says that the souls of the Gentiles are created by the demons.

"Some of the rabbinical writings represent the soul of Gentiles as having a very different origin from the souls of Jews: the latter as emanations from God; the former as the spawn of demons."

Do you believe that too? Are some Protestants unsure if they are Christians or Jews? Or do they consider themselves a little bit of both?

[annalex]

Jacob had an additional soul
Which from archangel Michael he stole
This miraculous feat
Left Gentiles incomplete
Till at Pentecost they became whole.

[1000 silverlings]

I don’t know what kind of Christian you are, but Jesus is the true vine. As to where souls are and come from it’s not something that concerns me. I was pinged over here and gave an opinion from what I know.

[HarleyD]

The belief in the pre-existence of the souls is a pagan (Greek and Persian) belief that was added to Pharisaical Judaism

In my mind it is difficult to glean what what the original thinking of Judaism 3,000 years ago verses what the thinking is today. Even in Jesus' time there were arguments over whether there was a heaven and hell. Our Lord flat out told the Sadducee they were wrong. How on earth can one try to piece together what the true thought pattern was given 2,000 years of corrupt teaching?

In reading through the Jewish Encyclopedia I wouldn't make too much out of your quote as it is built upon a bunch of rabbinical traditions. (ouch!)

However, I couldn't help but noticing the Jewish view of the soul on another site:

Humans are born morally pure; Judaism has no concept analogous to original sin. Judaism affirms that people are born with a yetzer ha-tov (יצר הטוב), a tendency to do good, and with a yetzer hara (יצר הרע), a tendency to do evil. Thus, human beings have free will and can choose the path in life that they will take. The rabbis even recognize a positive value to the yetzer ha-ra: without the yetzer ha-ra there would be no civilization or other fruits of human labor. The implication is that yetzer ha-tov and yetzer ha-ra are best understood not only as moral categories of good and evil but as the inherent conflict within man between selfless and selfish orientations. - Wikipedia's Jewish Principles of Faith

I would say their view of the soul fits more in line with Orthodoxy than it does Reformed Protestantism. So much for Greek thought of the Jews. In fact, at the risk of insult, the Orthodox are convincing me that the Orthodox views are strictly built on western thoughts and ideas.