284. The soul of man is called by three names, which are Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah. They are all combined with each other, and their strength is found in three places. The Nefesh is present in the grave until the body decays into dust, and so it rolls around in this world to be among the living and to be acquainted with their pain. At a time of need, it pleads for Mercy for them.

285. The Ruach is the one that enters the terrestrial Garden of Eden and is shaped there in the form of the body from this world, in a garment that it dons there. It experiences these pleasures and delights that are in the brilliance of the Garden of Eden. And it ascends above, TO THE UPPER GARDEN OF EDEN, on the Shabbat and beginning of new months and Festivals, and it delights there and returns to its place. Therefore, it is written, "And the spirit (Heb. ruach) returns to the Elohim who gave it" (Kohelet 12:7). It shall surely return, MEANING during these times that we have mentioned.

286. Neshamah ascends immediately to its place, to that place from where it emerged, NAMELY TO MALCHUT, FROM WHICH THE NESHAMAH IS BORN. It is for it that the candle illuminates, WHICH IS MALCHUT, to illuminate above. BECAUSE THE SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS ASCEND BY MAYIN NUKVIN (FEMALE WATERS) TO ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT, THEY BECOME PAIRED THROUGH THEM. This one never descends below. In this is included whoever is included, NAMELY MALCHUT, from all the sides from above and below, BECAUSE MALCHUT COMPRISES THE SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS. Until THE NESHAMAH ascends to and becomes attached to the Throne, WHICH IS THE WORLD OF BRIYAH, the Ruach is not crowned in the terrestrial Garden of Eden and the Nefesh does not settle in its place. As soon as THE NESHAMAH ascends, they all can rest, FOR THEY ARRIVE AT THEIR PLACE.

287. And MERCY is needed for the inhabitants of the world. When they are in sorrow and they go TO PRAY at the cemetery, this Nefesh awakens. It goes and floats and awakens Ruach, and that Ruach awakens toward the Patriarchs, ascends and awakens the Neshamah. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, has Mercy on the world as we have already established. Even though they have explained the subject of the Neshamah in other ways, MEANING THAT NEFESH IS IN ASIYAH, RUACH IN YETZIRAH, AND NESHAMAH IN BRIYAH, they all amount to this format. This is the clarification of the matter, and it is all one.

288. When the Neshamah is detained from ascending to its place, the Ruach goes and stands by the entrance of the LOWER Garden of Eden, but they do not open the entrance for it. It goes and drifts and no one pays attention. The Nefesh goes through the world and sees the body becoming wormy and judged in the grave, NAMELY THE THRASHING IN THE GRAVE, and it mourns for it as we have established, as it is written, "Only when his flesh is on him does he feel pain, and while his soul (Heb. nefesh) is within him does he mourn" (Iyov 14:22). Everyone is punished until the Neshamah is bound in its place above. Then they all become bound in their place.

289. All these three are one bond, similar to above in the secret of Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah, WHICH ARE MALCHUT, ZEIR ANPIN, AND BINAH OF ATZILUT, for they are all one and one bond. The Nefesh, WHICH IS MALCHUT, has no independent light, which is why it participates in the secret of one body, WHICH IS THE THREE WORLDS (BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH) THAT MALCHUT DONS, AS A SOUL DOES A BODY, to delight and nourish it in all its needs. About this, it is written, "And gives food to her household, and a portion to her maidens" (Mishlei 31:15). "Her household" refers to the body which She nourishes, and "her maidens" are the limbs of that body, NAMELY THE SFIROT OF BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH.

290. Ruach is the one who rides on the Nefesh and dominates it, and illuminates it with all that it needs, NAMELY ZEIR ANPIN. The Nefesh is the throne for this Ruach. It is Neshamah who takes out this Ruach, gives it power, dominates it and illuminates it with that light of life, NAMELY BINAH. That Ruach depends upon this Neshamah and shines from it with the light that it illuminates upon it. That Nefesh is dependent upon this Ruach. It shines from it and is nourished by it. And they are all one bond.

291. That supernal Neshamah, NAMELY BINAH, ascends into the flow from the most ancient of all and the most concealed, and it is filled WITH LIGHT from it because it does not stop ILLUMINATING. AND AS LONG AS THE NESHAMAH DOES NOT RETURN TO ITS PLACE, this Ruach does not enter the Garden of Eden which is the Nefesh, NAMELY MALCHUT. The Ruach dwells only in the Garden of Eden, BECAUSE ZEIR ANPIN AND MALCHUT UNITE THE ONE WITH THE OTHER, and the Neshamah is above. Also, the Nefesh, WHICH IS MALCHUT, is not settled in its place in the body below, WHICH IS BRIYAH, YETZIRAH AND ASIYAH, AS LONG AS THE NESHAMAH DOES NOT RETURN TO ITS PLACE ABOVE.

292. In the same way, it is all explained in man BELOW. Even though THE NEFESH, RUACH, AND NESHAMAH THAT ARE IN MAN are all one bond, the Neshamah ascends above with the flow from the pit, NAMELY YESOD OF MALCHUT. The Ruach enters the Lower Garden of Eden similar to above, AS ZEIR ANPIN ENTERS THE GARDEN OF EDEN OF ATZILUT, WHICH IS MALCHUT. The Nefesh settles in the grave. And if you ask, in relation to the Nefesh above, WHICH IS MALCHUT, WILL YOU ALSO SAY that it settles in the body in the grave? Where then is the grave ABOVE? HE ANSWERS, But rather in that strong Klipah, BECAUSE PERTAINING TO MALCHUT, IT IS SAID, "HER FEET GO DOWN TO DEATH" (MISHLEI 5:5), FOR SHE BECOMES ATTIRED AT HER END IN THE STRONG KLIPAH, WHICH IS THE ASPECT OF DEATH AND GRAVE. Therefore, the lower Nefesh is similar to this below, and they all resemble one another. Therefore, THE NESHAMAH is divided into three levels, NAMELY NEFESH, RUACH, AND NESHAMAH. They are one bond and one secret.

293. As long as the bones are STILL in the grave, BEFORE THEY HAVE DECAYED, that Nefesh is present there. And here is the secret for those who know the true way, for those who fear sin. At the time that the Neshamah is adorned above in the Holy Crown, WHICH IS MALCHUT, the Ruach is standing in the supernal Light during Shabbat, the first day of the month and Festivals. When the Ruach descends from the supernal Light to dwell in the Garden of Eden and illuminates and sparkles, the Nefesh stands in the grave and is attired in the form that the body had originally. All the bones take that form and praise and acknowledge the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "All my bones shall say, 'Hashem, who is like You'" (Tehilim 35:10). It does not write 'say,' but rather "shall say" MEANING IN THE GRAVE.