Nefesh and Ruach

Synopsis

Rabbi Shimon tells Rabbi Aba that just as the Nefesh and Ruach cling to the body who loves them, man must love God and cling to Him, as the love of the soul and spirit. Men who rise every night to study the Torah will be blessed with God's love. The righteous ones, whose spirits and souls cling to God with the proper love, will rule on the earth below, and what they decree for the world will happen. We learn that when the holy souls come from above and the righteous of the world draw them through mating, there are very few that merit it. From the very beginning the souls of the great righteous ones have stood before God who watches them until it is time for them to come into a body; they deserve to ascend to heaven while they are still alive, like Elijah and Enoch. The levels of the souls of the righteous are greater than the angels, and they come down in every generation, in the future God will renew the world with them.

Boaz Breath Job Nefesh (Soul) Ruach (Soul) Soul (Nefesh) Soul (Ruach) Soul, The

215. Rabbi Aba said to him, "With my soul (Nefesh) have I desired You in the night; with my spirit (Ruach) within me I seek You..." (Yeshayah 26:9). HE QUESTIONS: It should simply state "my Nefesh in the night," MEANING IT SHOULD SAY, 'MY SOUL IN THE NIGHT; WITH MY SPIRIT WITHIN ME I SEEK YOU.' Why write also "I seek You," when it should say, 'it seeks You,' AS IT REFERS TO HIS SPIRIT. He answered: We have established? that it resembles "in whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath (lit. 'Ruach') of all mankind" (Iyov 12:10), MEANING THAT MY NEFESH AND MY RUACH ARE NOT HIS OWN NAMES, BUT ARE TWO LIGHTS - RUACH AND NEFESH - CLAD IN A BODY, AS EXPLAINED FURTHER.

Boaz Love Nefesh (Soul) Ruach (Soul) Soul (Nefesh) Soul (Ruach) Soul, The

216. Come and see that the Nefesh and Ruach always exist jointly in the world. We have learned the total service that man must serve the Holy One, blessed be He, is as we have learned, "And you shall love Hashem, your Elohim..." (Devarim 6:5). He needs to love the Holy One, blessed be He, with his very soul. This is referred to as an utter love, the love of his Nefesh and Ruach. Just as these NEFESH AND RUACH cling to the body and the body loves them, so must man love the Holy One, blessed be He, and cling to Him, as the love of the Nefesh and Ruach. This is in essence the verse, "With my soul have I desired You in the night," MEANING my very soul THAT IS CLAD IN MY BODY.[YB1]

216. ת"ח נַפְשָׁא וְרוּחָא אִשְׁתַּתְּפֵי כַּחֲדָא לְעָלְמִין. תָּנָא פּוּלְחָנָא שְׁלֵימָתָא דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְמִפְלַח לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּמָה דְּתַנִּינָן וְאָהַבְתָּ אֶת יְיָ' אֱלֹהֶיךָ וְגוֹ.' דְּיַרְחִים לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רְחִימוּתָא דְּנֶפֶשׁ מַמָּשׁ, וְדָא הוּא רְחִימוּתָא שְׁלֵימָתָא, רְחִימוּתָא דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ וְרוּחֵיהּ. כְּמָה דְּאִתְדְּבָּקוּ אִלֵּין בְּגוּפָא, וְגוּפָא רָחִים לוֹן. כַּךְ יִתְדָּבָק ב"נ לְרַחֲמָא לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, רְחִימוּתָא דְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ וְרוּחֵיהּ, לְאַדְבְּקָא בֵּיהּ. הה"ד נַפְשִׁי אִוִּיתִיךָ בַּלַּיְלָה נַפְשִׁי מַמָּשׁ.

Love Morning Righteous Thread

217. "With my spirit within me I seek You," MEANING I will cling to You with much love at night. Man needs to rise every night out of love for the Holy One, blessed be He, to toil with His service until morning rises, so there will be drawn upon him a thread of grace. We have learned that fortunate is the portion of man that loves the Holy One, blessed be He, with this love. The world survives thanks to these truly righteous ones who so love the Holy One, blessed be He, and they have sway over all harmful edicts that appear above and below.

217. אַף רוּחִי בְּקִרְבִּי אֲשַׁחֲרֶךָּ, אִתְדַּבְּקָא בָּךְ בִּרְחִימוּתָא סַגִיאָה, בַּלַּיְלָה. דְּבָעֵי בַּר נָשׁ מֵרְחִימוּתָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְמֵיקָם בְּכָל לֵילְיָא, לְאִשְׁתַּדְלָא בְּפוּלְחָנֵיהּ, עַד דְּיִתְעַר צַפְרָא, וְיִתְמְשַׁךְ עָלֵיהּ חוּטָא דְּחֶסֶד. דְּתַנְיָא, זַכָּאָה חוּלָקֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא ב"נ דִּרְחִימוּתָא דָּא רָחִים לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְהָנֵי זַכָּאֵי קְשׁוֹט דִּמְרַחֲמִין לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא הָכִי, עָלְמָא מִתְקַיְימָא בְּגִינֵיהוֹן, וְשַׁלְטִין עַל כָּל גְּזִירִין קָשִׁין דִּלְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא.

Dew Earth Elijah Love Rain Soul, The Year

218. תָּאנָא, הַהוּא זַכָּאָה דְּאִתְדַּבָק בְּרוּחֵיהּ וְנַפְשֵׁיהּ לְעֵילָּא, בְּמַלְכָּא קַדִישָׁא, בִּרְחִימוּתָא כַּדְקָא יֵאוֹת. שַׁלִּיט בְּאַרְעָא דִּלְתַתָּא, וְכָל מַה דְּגָזַר עַל עָלְמָא אִתְקַיָּים. מנ"ל, מֵאֵלִיָּהוּ. דִּכְתִּיב חַי יְיָ' אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו אִם יִהְיֶה הַשָּׁנִים הָאֵלֶּה טַל וּמָטָר כִּי אִם לְפִי דְּבָרִי.

Angels Breath Creation Earth Female Heaven Hosts Male Merit Soul, The

219. Come and see: When the holy souls come from above downwards and the pious of the world draw them from the King and the Queen, NAMELY FROM THE UNION OF MALE AND FEMALE, there are few THAT MERIT it, that at the exact moment when they descend TO EARTH, they are standing AND SERVING before the King, who pleases to look at it. AFTERWARDS, IT DESCENDS INTO THE WORLD. When the Holy One, blessed be He, blew the breath INTO EVERY SINGLE SOUL AND into every angel in Heaven, all the hosts were created and stood complete, as we have established. This is what the verse says, "And all the hosts of them by the breath of His mouth" (Tehilim 33:6). Among THE SOULS, there are those that remain STANDING BEFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, AS MENTIONED, until the Holy One, blessed be He, causes them to descend.

219. תָּא חֲזֵי, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּאַתְיָין נִשְׁמָתִין קַדִישִׁין מֵעֵילָּא לְתַתָּא, וְאִינּוּן זַכָּאֵי עָלְמָא, מְשַׁלְּפֵי לְהוּ מִמַּלְכָּא וּמַטְרוֹנִיתָא, זְעִירִין אִינּוּן, דִּבְהַהוּא שַׁעֲתָא דְּנָחִית, קַיְּימָא קָמֵי מַלְכָּא, וּרְעוּתָא דְּמַלְכָּא לְאִסְתַּכְּלָא בָּהּ, כְּמָה דְּאוֹקִימְנָא, בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָשַׁב קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא רוּחָא בְּכָל חֵילָא וְחֵילָא דִּשְׁמַיָּא, כֻּלְּהוּ חַיָּילִין אִתְעָבִידוּ, וְקַיְימֵי בְּקִיּוּמַיְיהוּ, הה"ד וּבְרוּחַ פִּיו כָּל צְבָאָם. וּמִנַּיְיהוּ אִתְעַכְּבוּ עַד דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אָחִית לְהוּ לְתַתָּא.

Angels Boaz Chambers Creation Elijah Enoch Grades Heaven Soul, The

220. We have learned that from the day the world was created, THE SOULS OF THE GREAT PIOUS ONES have stood before the Holy One, blessed be He, held back IN HIS PRESENCE. THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WATCHES THEM until the time arrives to send them below, MEANING TO BECOME CLOTHED WITH A BODY, and they rule above and below. Thus the verse, "As Hashem the Elohim of Yisrael lives, before whom I stood." It doesn't say, 'I stand,' but "I stood," MEANING BEFORE DESCENDING TO THIS WORLD. Afterwards, he returned to his place IN HEAVEN and entered his chamber. Other SOULS do not ASCEND TO THEIR PLACE until they die. This is because they never stood earlier BEFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, ON THAT LEVEL of the others, NAMELY ENOCH AND ELIJAH THAT MERITED TO ASCEND TO THEIR PLACE WHEN STILL ALIVE. For this reason, Elijah became a messenger and angel above, AND ENOCH TOO. And these were those that clung most to the King, MEANING MORE THAN AN ANGEL.

220. וְתָאנָא, מִיּוֹמָא דְּאִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, קַיְימֵי קַמֵּיהּ דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וְאִתְעַכָּבוּ עַד דְּמָטָא זִמְנָא לְאַחֲתָא לוֹן בְּאַרְעָא, וְאִלֵּין שְׁלִיטוּ לְעֵילָּא וְתַתָּא, הה"ד חַי יְיָ' אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי לְפָנָיו, אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עוֹמֵד לָא כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר עָמַדְתִּי. לְבָתַר אַהְדָר לְאַתְרֵיהּ, וְסָלִיק לְאִדָּרֵיהּ, וְאִינּוּן אָחֳרָנִין לָא סַלְּקִין עַד דִּימוּתוּן. בְּגִין דְּלָא קַיְימוּ קוֹדֶם לָכֵן כְּאִינּוּן אָחֳרָנִין. וּבְגִין כַּךְ אֵלִיָּהוּ אִתְעָבֵיד שְׁלִיחָא, מַלְאָכָא לְעֵילָּא, וְאִלֵּין דְּמִתְדַּבְּקָן יַתִיר לְמַלְכָּא.

Angels Book of Adam Elijah Enoch Grades Righteous Soul, The

221. I found in the book of Adam that all Holy Spirits above, MEANING ANGELS, do the mission OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, and all come from one place. The souls of the righteous COME from two levels joined into one. Therefore, they ascend higher THAN ANGELS and their levels are greater THAN ANGELS. This is so. All those that were hidden there went down and up during their lifetime, such as Enoch, who did not die. We have already established this matter regarding Enoch and Elijah.

221. אַשְׁכַּחְנָא בְּסִפְרָא דְּאָדָם קַדְמָאָה דְּכָל רוּחִין קַדִישִׁין דִּלְעֵילָּא, עָבְדִין שְׁלִיחוּתָא, וְכֻלְּהוּ אַתְיָין מֵאֲתַר חַד. דְּנִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּצַדִיקַיָּיא מִתְּרֵי דַּרְגִּין דִּכְלִילָן בְּחַד, וּבְגִין כַּךְ סַלְּקִין יַתִיר, וְדַרְגֵּיהוֹן יַתִיר, וְהָכִי הוּא. וְכָל אִינּוּן דַּהֲווֹ טְמִירִין תַּמָּן, נַחְתּוּ וּסְלִיקוּ בְּחַיֵּיהוֹן, כְּגוֹן חֲנוֹךְ דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּיהּ מִיתָה. וְהָא אוֹקִימְנָא מִלָּה דָּא, בַּחֲנוֹךְ וְאֵלִיָּהוּ.

Creation Grades Heavens Soul, The

222. וְתָאנָא מְאָה וְעֶשְׂרִין וַחֲמֵשׁ אֲלַף דַּרְגִּין לְנִשְׁמָתְהוֹן דְּצַדִּיקַיָּיא, סְלִיקוּ בִּרְעוּתָא, עַד לָא אִתְבְּרֵי עָלְמָא, דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מְזַמְּנָא לְהוּ בְּעָלְמָא דֵּין, בְּכָל דָּרָא וְדָרָא, וְסַלְּקִין וְטָאסִין עָלְמָא, וּמִתְקַשְּׁרֵי בִּצְרוֹרָא דְּחַיֵּי, וְזַמִּין קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְחַדְּתָּא עָלְמָא בְּהוּ, עָלַיְיהוּ כְּתִיב, כִּי כַאֲשֶׁר הַשָּׁמַיִם הַחֲדָשִׁים וְהָאָרֶץ הַחֲדָשָׁה וְגוֹ.'

Atonement Boaz Food Sin Soul, The

223. "You shall afflict your souls..." (Vayikra 16:29). It says "your souls" in order that Yisrael be found meritorious before the Holy King, and meet with the goodwill of the Holy One, blessed be He. They must cling to Him in order that all their sins may be forgiven. Therefore, whoever eats and drinks on the ninth day and pleasures his soul with food and drink will find himself with the affliction on the tenth day doubled, and it will be considered as if he fasted on the ninth and tenth. "Your souls" includes all, body and soul, to surrender on this day in order to have atonement for sins.

223. תְּעַנּוּ אֶת נַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם, נַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם קָאָמַר, בְּגִין דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל מִשְׁתַּכְחִין קָמֵי מַלְכָּא קַדִישָׁא זַכָּאִין, וִיהֵא רְעוּתָא דִּלְהוֹן לְגַבֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, וּלְאִתְדַּבְקָא בֵּיהּ, בְּגִין דְּיִתְכַּפֵּר לְהוּ חוֹבַיְיהוּ. וְעַל דָּא, מַאן דְּאָכַל וְשָׁתֵי בִּתְשִׁיעָאָה, וּמְעַנְּגָא נַפְשֵׁיהּ בְּמֵיכְלָא וּמִשְׁתְּיָיא, אִשְׁתְּכַח בַּעֲשִׂירָאָה עִנּוּיָא דְּנַפְשָׁא בִּתְרֵין חוּלָקִין, וְאִשְׁתְּכַח כְּאִלּוּ אִתְעַנֵּי תְּשִׁיעָאָה וַעֲשִׂירָאָה. אֶת נַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם: לְאַכְלְלָא כֺּלָּא, גּוּפָא וְנַפְשָׁא, וּלְאִתְכַּנְּעָא בְּהַאי יוֹמָא, לְאִתְכַּפְּרָא עַל חוֹבֵיהוֹן.

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