Faith
Why Do We Get Goosebumps? A Torah Perspective and Spiritual Experience
Understanding the connection between body and soul when emotions trigger physical reactions
- Daniel Blass
- |עודכן
What is the explanation in the Torah regarding a person who feels goosebumps? Why does this happen? Does it affect the soul?
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Goosebumps are a physical reaction where the tiny muscles under the skin contract, causing the hairs to stand up. This system is part of the body’s natural mechanism to stimulate a physical response.
In human beings, goosebumps can be triggered not only by cold, but also by emotional experiences, much like tears.
From a Torah perspective, goosebumps don’t affect the soul, but rather the soul influences the body and causes the sensation of goosebumps.
The Torah teaches that God “breathed into man the breath of life,” placing a soul within us. The soul is like the driver of the body, just as a driver steers a car. When you experience a deep emotional response, because of the spiritual meaning behind what you encounter, it is your soul that awakens that reaction. The soul moves the body to express itself, sometimes through tears, and sometimes through the chills that run through your skin.
As the book of Job says: “From my flesh I shall behold God” (Job 19:26). By observing our own bodies, we can glimpse the deep spiritual connection between humanity and the Divine.
