Filed under: Tanya
Summery :
Last week we learned the Torah and its commandments dress on the 10 sefirot upon the man “filling” the 613 “organs” of his soul. These 613 “organs” consist of 365 sinews and 248 limbs of the body. By this one is bound up with God at the level of soul called “Nashama” called “bundle of life” , this is also referred to as the world to come. One can only get the merit of repentance and good deeds in this world For this reason, it has been said: “One hour of is better than the whole life of the World to Come”. The pleasure of the World to come is of the essence and glory of the Holy One, blessed be He Himself, no thought can grasp. All the physical things involved in God’s commandments that we do “become” vessels for supernal Holiness. Through these physical things we embrace God.
Now lets continue with the text of the Tanya :
Likutei Amarim, beginning of Chapter 5
A further explanation, so to explain the expression “grasp”, as in the words of Elijah, “No thought can grasp You at all”. When any intellect perceives and understands some intellectual subject, the mind grasps that subject and encompasses it.
When we say he grasps a concept we mean by his level of understanding one comes to comprehend by which they can internalize the idea as part of their own consciousness and reality..
The subject is grasped and encompassed by, and is clothed within, the intellect that understood and perceived it.
The understanding itself becomes joined of one’s own intellect.
Also, the intellect is clothed within the subject at the time of intellectual comprehension and grasping.
Not only does the concept one has learned stay with them being part of their own awareness, but when they are learning the concept there is made a connection to a certain depth of awareness concerning the concept. Some time in the future from this “point” of connection to the concept they can grow to a greater awareness of all that the concept involves.
Like when one understands and comprehends a particular law in the Mishnah or Gemara, clearly and thoroughly. His intellect grasps and encompasses that law, and his intellect is also clothed in it at that time. This law is the wisdom and Will of God. It so arose in His Will.
We are talking about “grasping”, comprehending the wisdom and Will of God, this is a amazing thing, something not of this world. One can only “grasp” God with their intellect through Torah study.
So, for example, Reuven would claim thus and Shimon thus, such and such should be the verdict between them. Even if litigation did not occur over these arguments and claims never did nor ever will come to pass. Yet, it arose thus in God’s Will and wisdom that if a person would claim this way and the other that way, the verdict be such and such. Therefore when one knows and comprehends this verdict as a law set forth in the Mishnah or Gemara or Poskim (the legal codifiers). He then actually comprehends and grasps the Will and wisdom of God, Whom no thought can grasp, nor His Will and wisdom. Except when they clothe themselves in the law set before us.
As the Law of God, his Torah is one with God as there is no separation between God and his will.
Then His intellect is also clothed within them. Now this is a most miraculous unity; in the physical realm there is no unity similar to it. So that they should actually become one and united from every side and way.
The God is in no means physical in His Essence so to say that a physical being can come into unity with God who is non Physical is a wondrous thing. As said before one comes into union with God by doing his will, here we see, we also come into unity with God through Divine contemplation. Before learning the concept it is still “above” the mind. It has yet to be received.
Filed under: Tanya
Summery :
Last week we learned that the three “garments” of the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah from the Torah and its commandments, are infinitely higher and greater than the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah themselves.
The Torah, is one with God’s intellect, with God Himself. By understanding Torah one is united with God Himself. It dresses upon a man. God contracted His Will and wisdom in the 613 commandments of the Torah and in the letter combinations of the Bible. In this manner the infinite nature of God was “contracted” so to become accessible to man. In the Torah and it commandments God has made a place where souls can come to commune with him through their thoughts speech and actions,
Now lets continue with the text of the Tanya :
After the Torah and its commandments dress on all ten faculties of the soul, and all of the soul’s 613 “organs”, from head to foot.
The ten faculties of the soul refer to the flow of the 10 sefirot dressing upon the man “filling” the 613 “organs” of his soul. These 613 “organs” consist of 365 sinews and 248 limbs of the body which are vessels to the lights of these 613 “organs” of the soul. The flow of the sefirot dresses to the body of man.
Then one is truly completely bound up with God in the “bundle of life,” and the very light of God envelops and clothes it from head to foot. As it is written: “God is my Rock, in whom I take refuge”; and it is written, “Like victory God crowns us”. This is His Will and wisdom that are clothed in Torah and its commandments.
The “bundle of life” is the place where the level of soul called “Nashama” (the soul of Divine intellect) comes from and returns to. It is from here that the “Nashama” is given to man. It is also referred to as the world to come.
For this reason, it has been said: “One hour of repentance and good deeds in this world is better than the whole life of the World to Come.” Because the World to Come consists of enjoying the radiance of the ray of the Divine presence, it is the pleasure from comprehension of Godliness.
There is no time like NOW, repentance and good deeds in this world are your ticket to your place in the world to come. All there will be depends on what you have accomplished spiritually in this world. Again in the next world one can learn no more, every one there is limited by the questions and the understanding and merit they bring with them into the world to come. As by theses things will be determined their place in the future world.
How could it be possible for any created being, even a spiritual being of the higher worlds to comprehend any aspect of the light of God ? For this reason the reward of the souls in the World to Come is referred to as “the ray of the Divine presence”. But the essence and glory of the Holy One, blessed be He Himself, no thought can grasp Him at all.
In this world one “learns” Torah which is Divine thought and it is really from a much higher place than this world, but as said above it is God’s way to dress below in this physical world, but in truth even if we “learn” Torah in this world its thoughts reach much above this world so we can only say “How could it be possible for any created being to comprehend any aspect of the light of God ?. NO, not in this world except in a very contracted way. But in the world of truth, the world to come there we shall Delight from “the ray of the Divine presence ”. There in the world to come the Torah that we learned in this world will take on dimensions we cannot even imagine as it is written concerning this “No eye has seen but you God” (Isa. 64:3)
Only when one understands and dresses their soul in Torah and its mitzvot do they grasp and clothe themselves in God Himself. Even if the Torah has dressed itself in material physical things.
The Bread one invokes the name of God upon and eats, the strings of the fringes one is commanded to wear on a garment, The “Sedor” ( prayer book) one holds in one’s hand these all become vessels for God’s infinite light. This is a wondrous thing that the infiniteness of God can come down to this world to dress in material physical things of limit.
This is explained with the analogy of when one embraces a King. It matters not how many garments he dresses upon Himself. The body of the King is in them. The embrace of the king’s arm can still embrace one, even if it is in many garments. This is like as it is written “His (G-d’s) right arm does embrace me,” Because the Torah is related to the attribute of kindness, and water.
When one dresses the 613 Limbs of the King, the 613 “organs” of his soul. By fulfilling the 613 commandments. This is as embracing God, God embracing you.
Filed under: Tanya
Summery :
Last week we learned that , every soul has three garments. Those of thought, speech and actions. By these garments his Divine awareness and spiritual growth is either blocked by his evil Holy thoughts speech and action enhanced by his Holy thoughts speech and action. The manifestation of the Divine light in the commandments is the result of its expression through a man’s embracing the Love and fear of God in his of thought, speech and actions involving the 613 commandments of the Torah. As one who fulfills the commands and does them not from love, serves no God at all. By one’s actions, the fulfillment the 248 positive commandments one is distinguished by their love of God. Fear is the root of one’s observance of the 365 prohibitive commands. On a deeper level of fear he also fears the distance from God created by sin, this awareness keeps him from sinning.
Now lets continue with the text of the Tanya :
The three “garments” deriving from the Torah and its commandments, are called “garments” of the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah they are infinitely higher and greater than the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah themselves. For as explained in the Zohar, the Torah and the Holy One, blessed be He, are completely one. The Torah is the wisdom and Will of the Holy One, blessed be He, it is one with His glory and essence. As God is the Knower, the Knowledge… and the Known, as explained in the name of Maimonides. Even if the Holy One, blessed be He, is called Ein Sof (“Infinite”), and “His greatness can never be fathomed,” and “No thought can apprehend him at all,” and so are also His Will and His wisdom.
It is a amazing thing we are saying here the Torah, is one with God’s intellect, it is one with God Himself. By understanding Torah one is united with God Himself, as he is in it, literally. So it dresses upon a man and we say upon a man as the Divine thought in the Torah is of God, and is much higher than the source of the Nefesh (animal soul), Ruach (emotional soul) and Neshamah (intellectual soul) of man.
Concerning this difference between human intelligence and Divine wisdom, our Sages have said, “Where you find the greatness of the Holy One, blessed be He, there you find His humility.” God contracted His Will and wisdom in the 613 commandments of the Torah and in their laws, and in the letter-combinations of the Bible. and God’s Will and wisdom are also contained in the words of the Aggadot and Midrashim of our Sages, of blessed memory.
As it’s written above “No thought can apprehend him at all,” there was needed a way to reveal God’s lofty will to the Physical creations. He did this by dressing it in the physical terms and objects of Torah and its commandments, so that it might be accessible to human intelligence, in order that man may thereby be united with God. Most of the mitzvot (commandments) involve material objects: tzitzit (fringes) are made of wool, tefillin of leather, and so on. Even the commandments which appear more “spiritual” involve physical objects in theirthe laws governing their practical application. For example, the mitzvah of loving one’s fellow, although essentially a “spiritual” mitzvah, as it requires one’s emotion, and demands that one aid his fellow materially, financially, and with his own time and physical efforts. In this manner the explicit Divine will which is of the infinite nature of God was “contracted” so to become accessible to man..
So that that every Neshamah,Ruach and Nefesh, in the human body, will be able to grasp this knowledge. This is so that men can fulfill them in action, speech and thought. Also so that thereby they dress themselves with all its ten aspects in these three garments.
The ten aspects refer to the 10 sefirot, these being God’s conduits by which he transmits his creative, constructive energies through the Torah and its commandments.
Therefore the Torah has been compared to water, for just as water descends from a higher level to a lower level, the Torah descends from its place of glory. It is God’s Will and wisdom, and “Torah is one and the same with God,” No thought can comprehend Him at all.
“No thought may be able to grasp God at all”, but He makes himself Known and transmits His Divine energy by having it dress in the Torah and its commandments.
So the Torah needed to journey in a descent through hidden stages, stage after stage, in the unfolding of the Worlds. Until it clothed itself in material matters and things of this corporeal world, which comprise nearly all the Torah’s commandments and their laws.
In the Torah and it commandments God has made a place where souls can come to commune with him through their thoughts speech and actions, which become garments of Divine light upon these souls.
Also in the physical letter combinations written with ink in a book, namely the twenty-four books of Torah, the prophets and the writings. So every human would be able to grasp them with thought, speech and actions. Speech and actions are on a level lower than thought.
In this are many secrets concerning the Divine names which enables God’s will and light to become revealed in this world itself and in the men who “evoke” this will.
Filed under: Tanya
Summery :
Last week we learned that One must work to arrive at the level of awareness that God fills and surrounds all worlds. One must reach a real love and fear of God by “Dat” (knowledge) of His Presence. When one has Knowledge they “feel it”. If they don’t they do not “know”. The knowledge manifests from Divine Wisdom that comes as a flash of lightening inspiring our knowledge of God and Divine service that results in doing God’s commandments in love and awe.
Now lets continue with the text of the Tanya :
In addition , every Divine soul (nefesh elokit) possesses three garments. They are: thought, speech and actions that are involved in the 613 commandments of the Torah.
The way a person involves his Thought in doing God’s commands. How careful he is to refrain from saying evil speech and all the Holy things which he speaks. All His actions whether evil or good, these all make garments for his soul. By these garments his Divine awareness and spiritual growth is either blocked by his evil Holy thoughts speech and action enhanced by his Holy thoughts speech and action.
When a person does the precepts which require physical action. Also with his power of speech when he explains all the 613 commandments and the aspects of these laws. With his thought he comprehends all that he is capable of understanding in the Pardes (i.e., the four levels of explanation) of Torah. Then all of his soul’s 613 “organs” are clothed in the 613 commandments of the Torah. Specifically: the Knowledge wisdom and understanding of his soul are clothed in his comprehension of the Torah in [the four levels of] Pardes of the Torah, to the extent of his comprehension and according to the source of his soul.
There are many commands in the Bible which require having the Holy Temple, may it be rebuilt quickly in our days. The Energy of these commandments, their garments for our souls are only acquired now by learning them. The nature of the Garment he acquires depends of the level of his understanding, his perception of God’s blessed commandments.
And his 7 lower sefirot (explained below), namely the emotions of fear and love (of God) together with their offshoots which are the 5 other lower sefirot, are clothed in the fulfillment of the commandments in deed and in word, meaning in the study of Torah, which is “the equivalent of all the commandments.”
These are the 7 lower sefirot Chesed (“kindness”), Gevurah (“severity”), Tiferet (“beauty”), the other four being: Netzach (“endurance”), Hod (“splendor”), Yesod (“foundation”), and Malchut (“royalty”).
The manifestation of the Divine light in the commandments is the result of its expression through a man’s embracing the Love and fear of God. Love and fear empower the other 5 lower sefirot, it is through them that one fulfills God’s commands in this physical world. By His love and fear of God the man will either do the commandments of God like one who follows empty dogma or he will do them with a great awe and love. Only by his study of Torah will he come to understand the commandments and know of their lofty nature and approach them correctly with a great awe and love. Thus the sages say “the study of Torah is equivalent of all the commandments.”
Because love is the root of observance of all the 248 affirmative commands; from it they issue forth, and without it they have no true being. He who fulfills them in truth, is he who loves God’s Name and truly desires to cleave to Him.
As one who fulfills the commands and does them not from love, serves no God at all. But he is only serving himself. One’s love of God and desire to cleave to Him are the only true things that will inspire him to observe the commandments. How is it possible to cleave to God by fulfilling the commandments if they are not a expression of one’s love of God ? Not only does one not come closer to God by fulfilling the commandments in a way of rote with out love of God, but it makes one even more distant from God.
Now, one cannot truly cleave to Him except through the fulfillment of the 248 positive commandments. For they are the 248 “limbs of the King” (of God, King of the universe), as it were, as is explained elsewhere.
Many people say “I am a good person, I have hurt no one”, But the real question concerning one’s spiritual attainment is not what harm they have done but what good they have done. By one’s actions, the fulfillment of the 248 positive commandments one is distinguished by their love of God. The Lover of God runs after His will which is expressed in the positive commandments. They are what God wants done so he chases after them with all his might. It is said that the 248 positive commandments are the 248 “limbs of the King”. This is because they are his explicit will and He dresses in them. There Holy energy dresses in the 248 bones of the Human body, so they are called Limbs.
Fear is the root of one’s observance of the 365 prohibitive commands, for he (the God-fearing person) will fear to rebel against the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He.
He knows God’s providence runs the world and he does not want the pain of God’s punishment that comes from transgressing against God. This is a low level, but most go through this level of fear before they acquire awe of God which is the upper level of fear, above fear of punishment.
Or a deeper level of fear — that he feels ashamed before God’s greatness, so that he will not rebel against the all-seeing eyes of His glory by doing what is evil in His eyes, namely, any of the abominable things hated by God, which are the kelipot and sitra achra (the “other side”) which draw their sustenance below from man below (in this world) and have their hold in him so that they be able to derive their sustenance and life force through him through his violation of the 365 prohibitive commandments.
Here we are speaking of the upper level of fear of God. This involves as spoken above shame before God’s presence because one’s sins, he does not like to be shamed before God so he will not transgress. He also fears the distance from God created by sin, he loves closeness to God, this awareness keeps him from sinning.
By doing God’s commands and abstaining from transgression one invokes special providence of Mercy. By transgression of the 365 prohibitive commandments of the Torah one cleaves to the other side gives them power from this side of Holyness inherent in this is Divine judgment in this world, the next or both. How much better is it to fear and love God.
Summery :
Last week we learned that the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah, consist of ten aspects corresponding to the Ten Supernal Sefirot . The sefirot are of 2 aspects 3 mothers and 7 doubles being 3 intellectual powers and 7 emotional powers..One way these ‘powers” are manifest is by 10 of the 22 Hebrew letters. As is taught by our father Abraham in his book “Sefer Yetzera” (the Book of Formation).
In the Bible in its original language “Hebrew” the Soul is called by 5 names, having 5 levels..
Now lets continue with the text of the Tanya :
It is explained that the intellectual faculty of the soul first conceives any matter by a power called Chochmah (Divine creative wisdom-inspiration) which is composed of the two words“ what- power.” . As it is by this power called chuchmah that anything is first conceived by in Divine thought before it materializes in this world.
Cognition as far as we are concerned begins with what is called Chuchmah. Chuchmah comes like a “flash of lightening” it is a creative thought. All things begin with this moment of “inspiration”. In the same way only when the seed of a idea yet to be developed enters one’s mind as “chuchmah” is it possible for one to eventually define its details and act up it.
When one brings forth a idea from potential into a complete actual thought,. This is, when one contemplates with his intellect on the point in order to understand a matter to its depth. The idea evolves from what he had conceived in his intellect . This is called “Binah” (Understanding)
The creative idea, that is a power of Chuchmah revealed by the name Ya”h and other Divine names can comes like a flash of light in dark room. That which was not seen, understood, or though at one time possible suddenly appears relevant. It was like this that the Light bulb was created. Before the invention of the light bulb who would have thought such was possible but once the” Chuchmah” was revealed for the foundation of wisdom involved in the engineering of the light bulb through Bina, the power of objective intellect. The creative thought is probed, analyzed and developed then a light bulb could be made, it is like this with all things.
They (Chochmah and Binah) are the “father” and “mother” which give birth to love of God, and awe and fear of Him.
Awe is the higher level, this is acquired when one comes to “know” God. This is by experience, such is earned by learning the Torah and doing Mitzvot (the commandments) and especially according to ones upright character always acting in kindness to all creations. Then one realizes who they are standing before and they are then always in Awe. Before acquiring this “awe” one must first come to the fear of God’s punishment.
Which is a lower level than the Awe described above but until one has respect for their father in Heaven enough to know he sees all and is thus afraid to transgress against Him he has not any ‘real’ awe of God’s greatness as such a person does not really “know” God at all.
Filed under: Tanya
Summery :
Last week we learned that the soul descends degree by degree through the Worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, from Chochmah (God’s wisdom). The higher level souls provide nourishment of spiritual energy of sustenance to those souls from a lower level. The Neshamot of the righteous are drawn from the Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah of greater righteous souls and the sages, the “heads” of Israel in their generation. They receive awareness and inspiration from this sustaining flow. While with the wicked there abundance of Divine light also comes from sadeekem (righteous Holy men) but it comes from the back, in a way that does sustain the person but does NOT give them any awareness or inspiration.
Now lets continue with the text of the Tanya :
It is written in the Zohar and Zohar Chadash that it is essential to conduct oneself in a holy manner during sexual relations, which is not the case with the most people.
As most people do not have knowledge of what Holiness is and which is the proper way to act when effecting the Marital union. Some just have no interest in God while others carry on in a way with the opposite effect of a holy union. All Depends on The marital union as by it’s nature will be conceived such and such a soul and it will be given. How much better, how much a blessing it is when one conceives in Holiness and a Holy soul is given to be born.
There is no Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah without a garment that comes from the Nefesh of its father’s and mother’s essence.
The nature of this garment is according to the Holiness of the Marital union that created this conception. This garment always connects us to our mother and father. In a sense they are always with us. For this it is written :
“I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of them that hate me”. Why would God punish one man for another’s sin, unless in some way were the same person ?
All the commandments that the soul fulfills are influenced by this garment. the abundance from heaven is all given through this garment. However great a soul it may be, it still needs the father’s sanctification during the time the soul is conceived in a body.
2 things mostly are being dealt with here. There is the soul, and as we know they are many many sources and levels of souls. There is also this “garment” which is upon the soul. She is created according to the holiness of the parents in their marital union.
But the soul itself is distinct from its “garment” is not affected by the parents‘ sanctification; in fact it sometimes happens that the soul of an infinitely lofty person comes to be the son of an despicable and lowly person.
The soul may not be effected for bad or good by the intent when the soul is conceived in the child. But what soul will come down to the parents to give birth to. This depends on the merit of the parents and many other factors. So see that when one gives birth to a child they bring down the soul and a part of themselves joins with that soul as a “garment” to it.
All this has been explained by Rabbi Isaac Luria, of blessed memory, in Likutei Torah on Parshat Vayera, and in Taamei HaMitzvot on Parshat Bereishit.
Filed under: levels of the Soul, Tanya | Tags: animal soul., divine intellect, lofty place, toe nails, yetzirah
Summery :
Last week we learned that of Nashamot there are “higher and higher levels”. All the souls were a part of the body of “Adam”. This place in the body of Adam is called their source. There are men who have only achieved the level of Nefesh (Animal Soul). Others have merited revelation of their Ruach (Emotional Soul) and others their Nashama (Soul of Divine intellect). Adam’s garments in the Garden of Eden, his skin was as what is now our finger and toe nails.
Now lets continue with the text of the Tanya :
By the soul descending degree by degree through the unfolding of the Worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, from God’s wisdom, as it is written: “You have made them all with wisdom (Chochmah)”. The Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah of the ignorant and less intelligent come into being are bound and united with a wonderful and mighty unity with their original essence, namely, an extension of Chochmah Ila‘ah (Supernal Wisdom).
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The souls of all men as said above come from Chochmah Ila‘ah (Supernal Wisdom) even if only the lower levels are a man’s soul are now revealed. Even a ignorant man’s soul is still united with the lofty place from where it is emanated from. So one can always work to reveal the higher level’s of one soul which are as of yet unknown to him. The souls revelation is filtered of quantity and quality of light as it descends through the worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. Atzilut is the “World of Emanation” or Nearness to God. Atzilut is the world of Godly awareness. It is the realm of people who have so refined themselves to a very high level. The Level of soul called “Chyah” resides here. Beriah Beriah is the world of creation. It is the world of the level of soul called “Nashamah”. Yetzira, or formation. Yetzira is the world of spiritual entities, angels. Here resides the level of soul called “Ruach”. Asiyah is the physical world. This is the world “where the action is” – where perfection and rectification takes place. The creatures of the world of Asiyah are divided into the mineral, vegetable, animal and human categories. The is the world of the animal soul called Nefesh. These world and soul levels will be discussed in great deal later.
The nourishment and life force of the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah of the ignorant are drawn from the Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah of the righteous and the sages, the “heads” of Israel in their generation.
As we said before there are souls from the feet of Adam and others find their source in the head of Adam. There are Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah from each of these levels of root souls. The higher level souls provide nourishment of spiritual energy of sustenance to those souls at a lower level, especially to those from the same source in the body of Adam. The righteous and the sages of Israel are those who have achieved these higher soul levels of revelation. These higher souls even effect the creative thoughts that come to those from the same source. By their coming closer to God, those from their own source are also brought closer to returning to God.
This Sages comment on the verse, “And cleave unto Him” saying he who cleaves unto a Torah scholar actually becomes attached to the Shechinah (the Divine Presence).” For, through attachment to the scholars, the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah of the ignorant are bound up and united with their original essence and their root in Supernal Wisdom, He and His wisdom are one, and “He is the Knowledge…” As for those who willfully sin and rebel against the Torah the nurture of their Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah comes from the back, as it were, of the Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah of the scholars.
The truly righteous and the sages are forever bound with the source of there soul in a more revealed way than other men. This can be seen by their thoughts speech and actions which are continually involved in fulfilling God’s will. Obviously keeping such company influences one to do the right things. One learns not only from what the righteous teach, and by observing their actions. But as said before, all souls nourish from other souls working on a higher level. The closer one is to righteous men and the sages the more their own souls can open up inspired by their soul’s direct connection to the soul of righteous people and the sages they are close to. All is only sustained by the God’s Divine energy some receive it directly by fulfilling Torah and mitzvoth and being close to the righteous and the sages. But even the wicked are sustained by God. They receive this from in a way called the “back” as they are kept alive but flow of Holiness that sustains them is not merited and only come to them out of God’s mercy. It is said to come by way of the “back” of God as it comes without inspiring these men to return to God. They have free will, but God still has mercy upon them sustaining them ever hoping they will some day return in repentance.
Summery :
Last week we learned that part of the Soul of man is actually a part of God above. God blow into Adam this soul from within Himself. The seed of a man is formed by the thoughts of one’s parents at the time of conception, so too the “Nashama” of man is from the brain of God.. The “Nashama” (soul of Divine intellect), is from Divine wisdom and that is a part of God Himself and so is Your “Nashama”
Now lets continue with the text of the Tanya :
Even if there are myriads of different levels of Neshamot (souls), higher and higher levels to no end. The souls of the Patriarchs and of Moses our Teacher are by far superior to the souls of our own generations, the period called the “feet of the Messiah.” The latter souls are like the very soles of the feet in comparison with the brain and the head. Similarly, within each generation we find the same disparity among Neshamot: there are those who are the “heads (the leaders) of the multitude of Israel,” so designated because their souls are in the category of “head” and “brain” in comparison with those of the masses and the ignorant.
We said before that the Nashamot are from God’s thought and Chuchmah (wisdom). But, even if all Nashamot come from the same place they are far from being the same as there are “higher and higher levels”. All the souls are included in and were a part of the body. of “Adam”. This place in the body of Adam is called their source Some have a source at a higher level as the head of Adam. Most souls in these later generations are from the feet of Adam. Yet, in each generation are souls from many sources.
As there are many levels between Nefashot (the soul-level of Nefesh). So to with the soul levels of, Ruach and Neshamah.. The root of every Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah, from the highest to the lowest soul within the ignorant and most stupid Jew or non Jew who observes the laws of Noah are all from the Supreme Mind which is Chochmah Ila‘ah (Supernal Wisdom).
The Souls are eminated from a very high place all of them from Chochmah Ila‘ah (Supernal Wisdom). This is their source. Yet in reality there are those men who have only achieved the level of Nefesh (Animal Soul). Others have merited revelation of their Ruach (Emotional Soul) and others their Nashama (Soul of Divine intellect). Each of these may have their source in Chochmah Ila‘ah (Supernal Wisdom), but they may be revealed from a much lower level then Chochmah Ila‘ah (Supernal Wisdom), their source. All depends on merit and Divine mercy.
The analogy of the soul’s descent to a child from his father’s brain includes even the childs nails of his feet. They come into existence from the very same drop of semen drawn from the brain. While nine months in the mother’s womb, the soul descends degree by degree, changing continually, until the nails are formed from it.
From the one drop of semen from the Brain of the father, coming from God’s Chochmah Ila‘ah (Supernal Wisdom). From this High level the Nashama of the child descends and it descends level by level to create each particular aspect of the child.
Yet it is still bound to and united in a wondrous and mighty unity with its original essence and being, namely, the drop of semen as it came from the father’s brain. Even now, in the son, the nails receive their nourishment and life force from the brain that is in his head. Like as written in the Gemara (Niddah), “From the white of the father’s drop of semen are formed the veins, the bones and the nails of the child.”. In Etz Chayim, Shaar HaChashmal, it is likewise stated in connection with Adam’s garments in the Garden of Eden, that they (the garments) were of “nails” from “tevuna” the cognitive faculty of the brain.
It is a wondrous thing that the soul descends from such a high place and descends to what may be such a low place to become revealed. Like in a man completely far from spirituality or even one involved in evil and yet their soul is still attached to its source, even if for the man there is no revelation to him from this Divine and lofty place. The Alter Rebbe here draws attention to what is one of the most lowly levels of the Human body, the nails of a man’s hands and toes. The rebbe reminds us that these being of the most lowly level being a place where tuma (evil energy) collects. Likewise has a high source being of Adam’s garments in the Garden of Eden. His skin was as our nails. They, the “nails” are from “Tevuna” the cognitive faculty of the Nashama. While our skin is not directly a revelation of our Nashama but only our animal soul called Nefesh.. It seems our nails are a unique example of wondrous thing still bound to and united in its source in “Tevuna” the cognitive faculty of the Nashama, that descends now, to such a low place to become revealed. As the Nails were Adams garment in The Garden of Eden.
Filed under: Tanya
Summery :
Last week we learned that there is good, sparks of light, that are trapped in the klipa (shells), in the soul. It is one’s God given mission free these sparks from their entrapment in the Klipa. As while these sparks are in the klipa they have power to enhance work of ones evil inclination. We also learned that one rejects God and clings to Idolatary their soul emanates from the other, side unclean kelipot. But when one follows the Torah or lives according to the 7 laws of Noah their soul is emanated from Holiness.
Now lets continue with the text of the Tanya :
The second soul of one who follows the Torah or lives according to the 7 laws of Noah is truly “a part of God above,” specifically. As it is written“And He (G-d) blew into his nostrils a soul of life” and “You blew it into me.”. It is written in the Zohar, “He who blows, blows from within him,” that is to say, from his inwardness and his innermost being. For it is of a man’s internal and innermost vitality that a man expels by blowing with force.
Job says concerning it “A part of G-d above” (Job 31:2), this is by no means a metaphor. The word “Nashama” (soul) and “Nashima” (breath) are the same word with different vowels. This is a very deep concept.
These “Nashamot” (souls) have arisen from within in the thought of God. “You are children unto God your Lord.” These souls are called God’s children because just as a child is derived from its father’s brain, so too is the “Nashama” derived from God’s thought and wisdom.
We are talking about the “Nashama”, the soul of Divine intellect. The seed of a man is formed by the thoughts of one’s parents at the time of conception, so too the “Nashama” of man is from the brain of God. There are 5 levels of soul a man may merit, within them are many subdivision without limit. Angels, are rooted only in and created by Divine “speech”. Speech is external in comparison with thought. The source of mans “Nashama” is from a higher place than even the angels.
“God is wise, but not with a wisdom known to us created beings,” because He and His wisdom are one, and as Maimonides writes, “He is Knowledge and simultaneously the Knower” Maimonides continues: “And this is not within the power of any man to comprehend clearly”; as it is written, “Can you find and understand God by searching?” And it is also written, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts,”
God’s wisdom and comprehension are totally different from man’s. Man cannot be said to be the Knowledge and the Knower. God is dressed in Divine thought, we are privileged to contemplate the Divine. God’s wisdom is one with Himself, so it follows that the Nashama, which is from Divine wisdom actually derives from God Himself. And is a part of God Himself.
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