Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah
Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehuda explore the idea that all details in the lower world have a counterpart in the Upper World, and that the creation of Adam is the culmination of the entire process of creation. The rabbis then discuss the nature of the emanations known as the Sfirot of the Creator, which leads to an extraordinary description of the qualities of the human soul. The three grades of the soul - Ruach, Nefesh, and Neshamah - are discussed and eventually agreed upon.
Every action in this physical dimension has a corresponding influence in the Upper Worlds. In truth, both worlds are actually one reality; they are like reflections in a mirror. This passage stimulates the high spiritual realms in which the Light is aroused and then reflected back to us in the physical world to refine and perfect our souls. Perfection refers to the subjugation of the ego, and the transformation of the selfish desire to receive into a desire to receive for the sake of sharing. Because sharing is the nature of the Light, when we share we take on the nature of the Creator. In effect, we "become God." When a stone is returned to the mountain from which it was hewn, oneness is again achieved between the part and the whole. There is no distinguishing feature separating them any longer. This God-like nature is awakened within us as we connect to this passage.
10. Rabbi Yitzchak and Rabbi Yehuda were studying the Torah one night. Rabbi Yitzchak said, We have learned that when the Holy One, blessed be He, created the universe, He made the lower world after the pattern of the Supernal World, and MADE the one correspond to the other. EVERY DETAIL IN THE LOWER WORLD HAS A COUNTERPART IN THE UPPER WORLD. And He is its Glory, both above and below.
10. רִבִּי יִצְחָק וְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה, הֲווֹ יַתְבֵי לֵילְיָא חַד וְלָעָאן בְּאוֹרַיְיתָא, אֲמַר ר' יִצְחָק לְרִבִּי יְהוּדָה, הָא תָּנִינָן דְּכַד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַלְמָא, עֲבַד עַלְמָא תַּתָּאָה, כְּגַוְונָא דְעַלְמָא עִלָּאָה. וְכֹלָּא דָּא לָקֳבֵל דָּא. וְאִיהוּ יְקָרֵיהּ לְעֵילָא וְתַתָּא.
11. Rabbi Yehuda said, Assuredly it is so, and He created Adam above all, WHO INCLUDES AND COMPLETES ALL THE PARTS OF CREATION. This is the meaning of, "I have made the earth, and created man upon it" (Yeshayah 45:12). Surely HE DOES NOT NEED TO REMIND US that He made the earth - so why is it written, "I have made the earth?" Because I "created man upon it," who exists to complete its unification into one wholeness. THAT IS, THE PURPOSE OF THE UNIVERSE, AND ITS PERFECTION IS MAN.
11. אֲמַר רִבִּי יְהוּדָה, הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, וּבָרָא אָדָם עַל כֹּלָּא, הה"ד אָנֹכִי עָשִׂיתִי אֶרֶץ וְאָדָם עָלֶיהָ בָּרָאתִי, אָנֹכִי עָשִׂיתִי אֶרֶץ וַדַּאי, מ"ט עָשִׂיתִי אֶרֶץ, בְּגִין דְּאָדָם עָלֶיהָ בָּרָאתִי, דְּאִיהוּ קִיוּמָא דְעַלְמָא, לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא בִּשְׁלִימוּ חַד.
12. He opened the discussion with the verse, "Thus says El, Hashem, He that created the heavens, and stretched them out; He that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it; He that gives breath (also: 'soul') to the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein" (Yeshayah 42:5). This verse has already been explained. Nevertheless, "Thus says El, Hashem, He that created the heavens," refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, high above - NAMELY, BINAH - who "created the heavens," (ZEIR ANPIN), FOR BINAH continuously improves ZEIR ANPIN BY EMANATING AND GIVING HIM MOCHIN. "He that spread forth the earth, and that which comes out of it" - namely, the Holy Land, the Bundle of Life, THE NUKVA - "gives a soul to the people upon it," is the land, THE NUKVA, that confers souls.
12. פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, כֹּה אָמַר הָאֵל ה' בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנוֹטֵיהֶם רוֹקַע הָאָרֶץ וְצֶאֱצָאֶיהָ נוֹתֵן נְשָׁמָה לָעָם עָלֶיהָ וְרוּחַ לַהוֹלְכִים בָּהּ. הַאי קְרָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, אֲבָל כֹּה אָמַר הָאֵל ה' בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם וְנוֹטֵיהֶם, דָּא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, לְעֵילָא לְעֵילָא, דְּאִיהוּ בּוֹרֵא הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאַתְקֵין לֵיהּ תָּדִיר, בְּכָל זִמְנָא. רוֹקַע הָאָרֶץ וְצֶאֱצָאֶיהָ, דָּא אַרְעָא קַדִּישָׁא, צְרוֹרָא דְחַיֵּי. נוֹתֵן נְשָׁמָה לָעָם עָלֶיהָ. הָאָרֶץ דָּא הִיא דְּיַהֲבָה נְשָׁמָה וגו.'
13. Rabbi Yitzchak said, It is all above IN BINAH. HE DISAGREES WITH RABBI YEHUDA, WHO SAID THAT THE PHRASE, "GIVES A SOUL TO THE PEOPLE UPON IT," ALLUDES TO THE NUKVA. For from there, BINAH, the soul of life comes out into the land, THE NUKVA. The land receives the soul and issues it to all, as the river that flows (ZEIR ANPIN) RECEIVES FROM BINAH, holds all the souls and issues them to everyone in the land, THE NUKVA. She receives and distributes them to all MEN WHO ARE WORTHY OF HER.
13. אֲמַר רִבִּי יִצְחָק, כֹּלָּא אִיהוּ לְעֵילָא, דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן נָפְקָא נִשְׁמָתָא דְחַיֵּי, לְהַאי אֶרֶץ. וְהַאי אֶרֶץ, נָקְטָא נִשְׁמָתָא לְמֵיהַב לְכֹלָּא, בְּגִין דְּהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגֵיד וְנָפֵיק, אִיהוּ יָהֵיב וְעָיֵיל נִשְׁמָתִין לְהַאי אֶרֶץ, וְאִיהוּ נָקְטָא לוֹן, וְיָהֲבָא לְכֹלָּא.
14. Come and behold, when the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, he gathered his dust from the four directions of the world. He created him on the site of the Lower Temple, THE SECRET OF THE NUKVA, and then drew upon him the soul of life from the Upper Temple - THE SECRET OF BINAH.
14. תָּא חֲזֵי, כַּד בָּרָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לֵיהּ לְאָדָם, אַכְנֵישׁ עַפְרֵיהּ, מֵאַרְבַּע סִטְרִין דְּעַלְמָא, וַעֲבַד גַּרְמֵיהּ בַּאֲתַר דְּמַקְדְּשָׁא לְתַתָּא, וְאַמְשֵׁיךְ עֲלֵיהּ נִשְׁמָתָא דְחַיֵּי מִבֵּי מַקְדְּשָׁא לְעֵילָא.
15. The soul consists of three grades and therefore has three names, just like the Supernal Secret, Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah. The Nefesh, as has been explained, is the lowest of them all AND COMES FROM THE NUKVA, THE LOWEST OF THE TEN SFIROT. The Ruach is its sustenance. It rules over the Nefesh, being of a higher grade, AND IS DRAWN FROM ZEIR ANPIN to sustain it well in everything - BOTH IN CHOCHMAH AND CHASSADIM. The Neshamah is the supreme existence - NAMELY, THE LIGHT OF BINAH, WHICH IS HIGHER THAN THE LIGHT OF ZEIR ANPIN AND THE LIGHT OF THE NUKVA, THE RUACH, AND THE NEFESH. It reigns over all, being a holy grade superior to all - TO RUACH AND NEFESH.
15. וְנִשְׁמָתָא אִיהִי כְּלִילָא בִּתְלַת דַּרְגִּין, וְעַל דָּא תְּלַת שְׁמָהָן אִינוּן לְנִשְׁמָתָא, כְּגַוְונָא דְרָזָא עִלָּאָה, נֶפֶ"שׁ, רוּ"חַ, נְשָׁמָ"ה. נֶפֶשׁ, הָא אוֹקְמוּהָ, דְּאִיהִי תַּתָּאָה מִכֹּלָּא. רוּחַ, אִיהוּ קִיּוּמָא, דְּשָׁלְטָא עַל נֶפֶשׁ, וְאִיהוּ דַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה עֲלָהּ, לְקָיְימָא עֲלָהּ בְּכֹלָּא, כִּדְקָא חָזֵי. נְשָׁמָה, אִיהִי קִיּוּמָא עִלָּאָה עַל כֹּלָּא, וְשָׁלְטָא עַל כֹּלָּא, דַּרְגָּא קַדִּישָׁא, עִלָּאָה עַל כֻּלְּהוּ.
16. The three grades, NEFESH, RUACH AND NESHAMAH, are included within men, who attain them by serving their Master. Thus first, man has a Nefesh, a holy vessel with which to be corrected. But when he is intent on purification through this grade, man is corrected and crowned with a Ruach, the holy grade that dwells on the Nefesh, with which the deserving man is adorned.
16. וְאִלֵּין תְּלַת דַּרְגִּין, כְּלִילָן בְּהוֹ בִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא, לְאִינוּן דְּזָכָאן לְפוּלְחָנָא דְּמָארֵיהוֹן. דְּהָא בְּקַדְמֵיתָא אִית בֵּיהּ נֶפֶשׁ, וְאִיהוּ תִּקּוּנָא קַדִּישָׁא לְאִתְתַּקָּנָא בָּהּ בַּר נָשׁ. כֵּיוָן דְּאָתֵי בַּר נָשׁ לְאִתְדַּכָּאָה בְּהַאי דַרְגָא, אִתְתַּקַּן לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּרוּחַ, דְּאִיהוּ דַרְגָּא קַדִּישָׁא. דְּשָׁרְיָא עַל נֶפֶשׁ לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בֵּיהּ בַּר נָשׁ, הַהוּא דְזָכֵי.
17. Once he is elevated by Nefesh and Ruach and attains correction through proper service to his Master, Neshamah, a supernal, holy grade that reigns over everything, dwells on him so that he may be adorned by the highest holy grade and be perfect in everything, on all sides, and thereby merit the World to Come. He is then beloved of the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written, "That I may cause those who love Me to inherit substance" (Mishlei 8:21). "...Those who love Me" refers to those in whom the holy Neshamah abides.
17. כֵּיוָן דְּאִסְתַּלַּק בְּהוֹ: בְּנֶפֶשׁ וְרוּחַ, וְעָאל וְאִתְתַּקַּן בְּפוּלְחָנָא דְמָארֵיהּ כִּדְקָא יָאוֹת, כְּדֵי שַׁרְיָא עֲלֵיהּ נְשָׁמָה, דַּרְגָּא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא, דְּשָׁלְטָא עַל כֹּלָּא, בְּגִין לְאִתְעַטְּרָא בְּדַרְגָּא עִלָּאָה קַדִּישָׁא, וּכְדֵין אִיהוּ שְׁלִימָא דְּכֹלָּא, שְׁלִים בְּכָל סִטְרִין, לְמִזְכֵּי בְּעַלְמָא דְאָתֵי, וְאִיהוּ רְחִימָא דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, כְּד"א לְהַנְחִיל אוֹהֲבַי יֵשׁ, מַאן אִינוּן אוֹהֲבַי, אִלֵּין אִינוּן דְּנִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא בְּהוֹ.
18. Rabbi Yehuda asks, If this is true, why is it written, "all in whose nostrils was the breath (Lit. 'the Neshamah') of life..." (Beresheet 7:22)? IF THOSE WHO ATTAIN NESHAMAH ARE THE LOVERS OF THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE, WHY DID THEY DIE DURING THE FLOOD? He replied, Surely THEY LOVED THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE. From all those in whom there was a holy Neshamah, none - such as Enoch or Jered, or the other righteous Ones - remained to protect the earth so it would not be destroyed in their merit. This is the meaning of, "all in whose nostrils was the breath (lit. 'Neshamah') of life, of all that was on the dry land, died" - they all had already died and departed from the world, and no one remained then to protect the world.
18. אֲמַר ר' יְהוּדָה, אִי הָכֵי הָא כְתִיב, כֹּל אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁמַת רוּחַ חַיִּים בְּאַפָּיו וגו.' א"ל הָכֵי הוּא וַדַּאי, דְּהָא לָא אִשְׁתָּאַר בְּהוֹ, מִכָּל אִינוּן דַּהֲווֹ בְּהוֹ נִשְׁמָתָא קַדִּישָׁא, כְּגוֹן חֲנוֹךְ, יֶרֶד, וְכֻלְּהוּ צַדִּיקַיָּא, בְּגִין לַאֲגָנָא עַל אַרְעָא, דְּלָא יִשְׁתֵּצֵי בְּגִינַיְיהוּ, הה"ד כֹּל אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁמַת רוּחַ חַיִּים בְּאַפָּיו מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר בֶּחָרָבָה מֵתוּ, כְּבָר מֵתוּ, וְאִסְתַּלָּקוּ מֵעַלְמָא, וְלָא אִשְׁתָּאַר מִנְּהוֹן מַאן דְּיָגֵין עַל עַלְמָא, בְּהַהוּא זִמְנָא.
19. Come and behold, There are grades upon grades, Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah, grade above grade; first Nefesh, being the lowest grade, as we said, then Ruach, which dwells on Nefesh and is above it. Neshamah is the highest grade, as has already been explained.
19. תָּא חֲזֵי, כֹּלָּא אִינוּן דַּרְגִּין, אִלֵּין עַל אִלֵּין, נֶפֶ"שׁ, רוּ"חַ, נְשָׁמָ"ה, דַּרְגָּא עַל דַּרְגָּא, נֶפֶשׁ בְּקַדְמֵיתָא, וְאִיהִי דַרְגָּא תַּתָּאָה, כִּדְקָאֲמָרָן. רוּחַ לְבָתַר, דְּשַׁרְיָא עַל נֶפֶשׁ, וְקָיְימָא עֲלָהּ. נְשָׁמָה, דַּרְגָּא דְסָלְקָא עַל כֹּלָּא, וְאוֹקְמוּהָ.
20. Nefesh is David's Nefesh, THE NUKVA, which receives the Nefesh from the river that flows, NAMELY, FROM ZEIR ANPIN. Ruach stands over the Nefesh, which cannot exist without the Ruach, which dwells between fire and water, NAMELY, TIFERET, THE CENTRAL COLUMN BETWEEN GVURAH, CALLED 'FIRE,' AND CHESED, CALLED 'WATER.' From here Nefesh is nourished.
20. נֶפֶשׁ: דָּא נֶפֶשׁ דָּוִד, וְאִיהִי דְקָיְימָא לְקַבְּלָא נֶפֶשׁ, מֵהַהוּא נָהָר דְּנָגֵיד וְנָפֵיק. רוּחַ: דָּא רוּחַ דְּקָיְימָא עֲלֵיהּ דְּנַפְשָׁא, וְלֵית קִיּוּמָא לְנֶפֶשׁ, אֶלָּא בְּרוּחַ, וְדָא אִיהוּ רוּחַ, דְּשַׁרְיָא בֵּין אֶשָּׁא וּמַיָּא, וּמֵהָכָא אִתְּזָן הַאי נֶפֶשׁ.
21. Ruach depends for its existence on yet a higher grade called 'Neshamah,' which is the origin of both Ruach and Nefesh, NAMELY, THE LIGHT OF BINAH, FROM WHICH ORIGINATES THE LIGHT OF ZEIR ANPIN CALLED 'RUACH,' AND THE LIGHT OF THE NUKVA CALLED 'NEFESH.' The Ruach is nourished from them. When Ruach travels, Nefesh also travels, and all is one. They approach each other, Nefesh to Ruach and Ruach to Neshamah, and are all one.
21. רוּחַ, קָיְימָא בְּקִיּוּמָא דְדַרְגָּא אוֹחֲרָא עִלָּאָה, דְּאִקְרֵי נְשָׁמָה, דְּהָא מִתַּמָּן נָפְקֵי נֶפֶשׁ וְרוּחַ. מִתַּמָּן אִתְּזָן רוּחַ, וְכַד נָטֵיל רוּחַ, כְּדֵין נָטְלָא נֶפֶשׁ, וְכֹלָּא חַד, וְאִתְקְרִיבוּ דָּא בְּדָא, נֶפֶשׁ אִתְקְרֵיב בְּרוּחַ, וְרוּחַ אִתְקְרֵיב בִּנְשָׁמָה, וְכֹלָּא חַד.
22. Come and behold, " ...Came near to him" refers to the one world approaching the other world, THE ADVANCEMENT OF THE LOWER WORLD, THE NUKVA, THE ASPECT OF NEFESH CALLED 'JUDAH,' TOWARD THE UPPER WORLD, YESOD OF ZEIR ANPIN, THE ASPECT OF RUACH CALLED 'JOSEPH,' so that all becomes one. Because both Judah and Joseph were kings, they approached each other and joined together.
22. תָּא חֲזֵי, וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלָיו, תִּקְרוּבְתָּא דְעַלְמָא בְּעַלְמָא, לְאִתְאַחֲדָא דָּא בְּדָא, לְמֶהֱוֵי כֹּלָּא חַד, בְּגִין דִּיהודָה אִיהוּ מֶלֶךְ, וְיוֹסֵף מֶלֶךְ, אִתְקְרִיבוּ דָא בְּדָא, וְאִתְאֲחִידוּ דָּא בְּדָא.