Nefesh ha'elokit

Nefesh ha'elokit

In Kabbalah the nefesh ha'elokit (נפש האלקית, "Divine soul," also nefesh ha'elokis) is the Divine soul. It functions as the yetzer tov, the good inclination, and is the source of G‑dly desires.

The nefesh ha'elokit is composed of the ten sefirot from the side of holiness, and garbs itself with three garments of holiness, namely Divine thought, speech and action associated with the 613 commandments of the Torah.[1] Because its desire is to cleave to G‑dliness, it is usually in conflict with the nefesh habehamit, whose desire is initially for physical pleasures.[2]

Contents

Reluctance to be born

In Pirkei Avot[3] it is stated:

Do not let your yetzer hara reassure you that your grave will be a place of comfort for you. For against your will were you formed, against your will you were born, against your will you live, against your will you die, and against your will shall you give judgement and accounting before the King Who Reigns Over Kings, the Holy One, Blessed is He.

Bartenura explains there[4] that the soul does not desire to leave the pure place where souls reside before coming down to earth. An angel forces it to leave and enter the mother's womb, after which an angel again forces it to come out.

Regarding the same mishnah, the Lubavitcher Rebbe notes that "against your will you live" seems to conflict with "against your will you die." "Against your will you live" makes sense according to him, because the soul was on a much higher level before it came to this world, as at that time it was blissfully cleaving to G‑dliness. How, then, can it be said that "against your will you die?" He resolves it by explaining that the soul was convinced to descend by telling it that the Divine Intention is that it should "make a dwelling for G‑d in the lower realms"[5] by studying Torah and performing mitzvot. Thus, while it was reluctant to leave the Heavens, its inner desire is to create such a dwelling place in accord with the Divine Will. In this way, it is also reluctant to die and leave the world, because the mitzvot can only be fulfilled while enclothed in a physical body.[6]

Battle with the nefesh habehamit

See Nefesh HaBehamit

"Literally a part of G‑d above"

In the Tanya, it is stated that the nefesh ha'elokit is "literally a part of G‑d above."[7] This is supported by quoting the morning prayer "Elokai neshamah," which says "the soul You gave me is pure. ...You blew it into me,"[8] then quoting a phrase of the Zohar that "one who blows, blows from within him."[9] This is taken to mean, "from his innermost."[7]

Unique to Jews

The Tanya also notes that this soul is unique to Jews alone. It cites various verses[10][11] showing that Jews are considered G‑d's children, and then links it to a mystical statement that "a child is derived from the brain of his father." The Tanya then cites the Rambam[12] who says, "He is the Knowledge, and He is the Knower," thus proving that the Jewish Divine soul is derived from the Divine Thought, which is the same as G‑d Himself.[7]

Allegorical terms

Because the nefesh ha'elokit is derived from G‑d Himself, it is commonly referred to as a "prince" or a "princess" in many allegories. The Parable of the Harlot and the Prince from the Zohar[13] is one example. Another example is the Parable of the Princess and the Peasant.

Relation to human anatomy

The Tanya states that the nefesh ha'elokit resides primarily in the brain, from which it spreads throughout the body. It is also manifest, albeit to a lesser extent, in the right ventricle of the heart, from which it may take control of the left ventricle of the heart where the nefesh habehamit is primarily manifest.[2]

Additional Reading

References

  1. ^ Likkutei Amarim ch. 4, Tanya
  2. ^ a b Likkutei Amarim ch. 9, Tanya
  3. ^ 4:22
  4. ^ Bartenura to Avot 4:22, "Al karchach atah notzar"
  5. ^ Midrash Tanchuma, Naso 16; also Likkutei Amarim ch. 36, Tanya
  6. ^ Likkutei Sichot vol. 4, p. 1217
  7. ^ a b c Likkutei Amarim ch. 2, Tanya
  8. ^ Talmud, Berachot 60b; also p.6, Siddur Tehillas Hashem, et al
  9. ^ Lessons in Tanya on Likkutei Amarim ch. 2 notes that while the Tanya cites the Zohar for this phrase, it has since been lost and is missing from newer editions of the Zohar.
  10. ^ Exodus 4:22: "My firstborn son, Israel"
  11. ^ Deuteronomy 14:1: "You are children to the L‑rd your G‑d"
  12. ^ Hilchot Yesodei HaTorah 2:10
  13. ^ Zohar part II, 163a

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  • Nefesh habehamit — In Kabbalah the nefesh habehamit (נפש הבהמית, the animal soul, also nefesh habehamis) is the source of animalistic desires within a soul. Initially, its desire is to seek out worldly physical pleasures. However, it can be trained to desire… …   Wikipedia

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