{"id":87,"date":"2018-05-14T20:53:28","date_gmt":"2018-05-14T20:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/?p=87"},"modified":"2018-05-22T13:28:37","modified_gmt":"2018-05-22T13:28:37","slug":"nephesh-hachaim-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/2018\/05\/14\/nephesh-hachaim-16\/","title":{"rendered":"Nephesh Hachaim 1:6"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nephesh Hachaim <\/em>1:6<\/p>\n

1.<\/p>\n

But the idea that we ourselves actually \u201canimate\u201d and function as the soul<\/em> behind \u201cthe body of the universe\u201d, so to speak, isn\u2019t to be taken literally. Because while the very instant a soul wants a part of its body to move, it does, yet we ourselves don\u2019t have that kind of sure, immediate, and definitive effect on things 1<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

It comes to this: G-d created man last 2<\/sup> so that he\u2019d comprise and be a compendium of all the heavenly and earthly phenomena that preceded him, and so that all those phenomena would contribute to and be played out in his own makeup and component-parts 3<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Indeed, each of our elements and parts were to correspond to a specific celestial world and capacity, and we were to be a paradigm of heaven and earth, which were themselves to correspond to our makeup 4<\/sup>.\u00a0 But then Adam and Eve sinned and a lot of that was moderated 5<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

2.<\/p>\n

The mitzvah-system is also connected to its celestial roots and to the entirety of creation. And in fact each and every mitzvah is a compendium of millions of celestial capacities and lights 6<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

As such, whenever someone performs a mitzvah he can either rectify things connected to the specific world and capacity relevant to that mitzvah, elevate them, or he can bolster their light or holiness — but only to the degree that G-d wants us to.<\/p>\n

But one\u2019s ability to affect such changes with his mitzvot depends on the quality of his performance of them, and on whether and to the degree to which he purifies his thoughts when he\u2019d engaged in them, too. And that in turn adds holiness and vitality to that part of his being that\u2019s engaged in the mitzvah that corresponds to it 7<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

3.<\/p>\n

Were we to fulfill all<\/em> of the mitzvot with all of their factors and conditions on the physical level, and were we to do that with pure and holy thoughts, we\u2019d rectify all of the celestial worlds, would have become an intrinsic instrument of that 8<\/sup>, and we\u2019d consequently be made holy and would be constantly surrounded by G-d\u2019s Glory 9<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

But when we\u2019d sin and sully one of our capacities and organs, that would reach up to the corresponding source of that celestial world and capacity, which could destroy it (G-d forbid!), lessen it, sully it, dim and diminish its pure light, as well as weaken and diminish its holiness — depending on the particular sin we\u2019d committed, how we\u2019d committed it, and depending on the status of the world involved.<\/p>\n

For not all the worlds can be affected the same way, in fact. The lower worlds could actually be destroyed (G-d forbid!), light could be withheld from higher ones, higher-yet worlds would be forced to emit less light or would be diminished somehow, while the arcane lights and holiness of the very highest worlds would be diminished 10<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s because the impurity would touch upon the upper realms, since they\u2019re all incorporated in those upper realms and contribute to them intrinsically 11<\/sup>.<\/p>\n

Footnotes:<\/p>\n

1\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>R\u2019 Chaim presents the first of his several complex and important notes to this chapter here. In short, it offers an illustration of the fact that things don\u2019t instantaneously move to our \u201ccommand\u201d from the fact that the angels don\u2019t (see Chullin<\/em> 91b).<\/p>\n

That might seem to be a far-fetched proof but it isn\u2019t. For if it\u2019s angels who enable things to happen here (see Derech<\/em> Hashem<\/em> 2:5:3-4), it follows then that if they don\u2019t immediately respond to our order that we don\u2019t control them (and the functions of the universe) the way a soul controls a body.<\/p>\n

2\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>That is, He created man as the sum of all that preceded him. See our discussion of this in footnotes 14 and 18 to the previous chapter.<\/p>\n

3\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>R\u2019 Chaim cites Zohar 2:75b (which — like most of the other sources cited here — speaks to our having been created in G-d\u2019s image, which is of course the major theme of this Gate), 3:48a, 3:117a; Idra<\/em> Rabbah<\/em> 135a, 141a; Reiya<\/em> Mehemena<\/em>, 3:<\/em>238b; Tikkunei<\/em> Zohar<\/em> Chadash<\/em> 2:97a; Zohar<\/em> Chadash<\/em>, 1:64b, 2:23b, 58b; Eitz<\/em> Chaim<\/em> 26:1, and Ari\u2019s Likkuttei<\/em> Torah<\/em>, Ki<\/em> Tissah<\/em> and Ha\u2019azinu<\/em>.<\/p>\n

4\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>This will be expanded upon in 2:5 below.<\/p>\n

5\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>The point about Adam and Eve\u2019s sin was offered in R\u2019 Chaim\u2019s second footnote here (rather than in the text itself as we laid it out, though it\u2019s not clear why.).<\/p>\n

This footnote offers a lot of R\u2019 Chaim\u2019s insights into Jewish Thought, so we\u2019ll take each point separately.<\/p>\n

A. He offers that Adam and Eve were originally made up of only holy component parts (also see Ramchal\u2019s Adir<\/em> Bamarom<\/em> p. 11, and Leshem<\/em>, Deah<\/em> 2:3:1). And that wrong thus originally stood outside of their beings<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Thus while they were free and able to choose to do wrong by enabling it to enter their beings, their doing it was only as likely as one of us freely choosing to walk into fire (I.e., they certainly could<\/em> have, but why would they want to<\/em>?).<\/p>\n

B. It was only after they sinned that wrong became a part of their — and our own — inner being, and then entered the universe\u2019s system, too, given that man and the universe mirror each other. That\u2019s when things began to be negatively affected by human actions.<\/p>\n

(It\u2019s thus vitally important to recognize that everything cited in this chapter and beyond takes place in the less than perfect world that resulted from their sin.)<\/p>\n

C. By now, though, wrong is such a part of our inner being that we mistakenly think its promptings are coming from our very own selves, and it seems to us as if we ourselves want to do wrong. But it\u2019s not us per<\/em> se<\/em> so much as those internalized forces of wrong that are \u201cspeaking\u201d to us (R\u2019 Chaim directs our attention to Eitz<\/em> Chaim<\/em>, Sha\u2019ar<\/em> Kelipot<\/em> Nogah<\/em> 2; Sha\u2019ar<\/em> Gilgulim<\/em> 1; and Berachot<\/em> 17a, Shabbat<\/em> 146a. See Chovot<\/em> Halevovot<\/em> 5:5, and Hilchot<\/em> Geirushin<\/em> 2:20, as well).<\/p>\n

(This last point is a very telling insight into our own misunderstanding of things. It offers that we tend to \u201cmisread\u201d our hearts, for it\u2019s not we ourselves who want to sin but rather the forces of un-holiness using our own voices like unholy ventriloquists!)<\/p>\n

D. All of that thus brings about a great admixture of things in our hearts so that we\u2019re sometimes righteous and other times wrongful, In fact, even our deeds can be somewhat right and sometimes wrong at the very same time (see Rambam\u2019s remarks at the end of his commentary to the Mishnayot<\/em> of Makkot<\/em>). As such, no one is utterly righteous and no one is utterly wrongful (see Hilchot<\/em> Teshuva<\/em> 3:2), as we all have imperfect intentions from time to time.<\/p>\n

E. The state of affairs in which wrong entered our beings as a consequence of Adam and Eve\u2019s sin continued on until the time we received the Torah at Mount Sinai (Shabbat<\/em> 146a, also see 3:11 below), though it tragically returned when we constructed the golden calf (Ibid. 89a).<\/p>\n

F. The statement that Adam and Eve would die if they sinned (Genesis 2:7) wasn\u2019t a threat of punishment<\/em> so much as a warning that they\u2019d internalize impurity by sinning and that the only thing that could rectify that would be the decomposition of their body and the subsequent purification of their beings (see Derech<\/em> Hashem<\/em> 1:3 and Da\u2019at<\/em> Tevunot<\/em> 72).<\/p>\n

G. In any event, death and human impurity will continue until the End of Days, when death will be undone (Isaiah 25:8) and the spirit of impurity will be removed (Zachariah 13:2) (also see Ma\u2019amarim<\/em> 5).<\/p>\n

(The central point here seems to be that now that we\u2019re in this less-than-perfect situation, whatever we do is a combination of right and wrong, thus we affect the universe both for the better and for the worse. So, R\u2019 Chaim\u2019s point at the beginning of the chapter that we don\u2019t really serve as the \u201csoul\u201d of the universe — which he\u2019ll address in the very next chapter in another light — could also be explained this way: we\u2019re not exactly the world\u2019s \u201csoul\u201d because we\u2019re no longer on the level we\u2019d need to be. After all, how could the world\u2019s \u201cbody-parts\u201d respond to us immediately if we\u2019re at one and the same time telling them to do one thing [i.e., the right thing] and its opposite [i.e., the wrong thing]? And the repetition in this chapter of a lot of what\u2019s offered in 1:4 above about our capabilities and inner makeup likewise serves to make the point that those factors are now on a lower status.)<\/p>\n

6\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>Cited are Zohar 2:85b 165b; Tikkunei<\/em> Zohar<\/em> 129b-130a; and Eitz<\/em> Chaim<\/em>, Sha\u2019ar<\/em> Hayichudim<\/em> 2. See 4:29-30 below.<\/p>\n

7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>But, again, we can no longer affect them to the degree we could have had Adam and Eve not sinned and had our ancestors not erected the golden calf.<\/p>\n

R\u2019 Chaim offers another note here that is likewise full of insights into Jewish Thought.<\/p>\n

A. As soon as someone has it in mind to perform a mitzvah something of a \u201ctrace\u201d (i.e., an impression) of that mitzvah is implanted in its celestial source above — even before the person actually performs it. And that enables a \u201csurrounding light\u201d to shine down upon him, and for a degree of holiness to encompass him (cited are Zohar 2:31b, 2:86b, 2: 128a, 3:122a. Also see 1:12 below and Ma\u2019amarim<\/em> 29).<\/p>\n

(Notice the reintroduction of the idea of one thing encompassing another, the way bodies encompass souls of course, G-d\u2019s being encompasses the universe — and how upper worlds encompass the lower worlds they control as discussed in\u00a0 note 4 to1:5 above. Along the same lines, see 7C below which discusses being encompassed by the Garden of Eden, 7D about being encompassed by holiness, and 7E about being encompassed by Gehenom<\/em>.)<\/p>\n

B. <\/strong>That holiness and the encompassing lights then enable that person to \u201cattach himself onto G-d\u201d, if one could say as much, in his lifetime.<\/p>\n

C. The \u201cencompassing light\u201d then helps him to actually fulfill the mitzvah, which then strengthens that light. And that then gives him the wherewithal to fulfill yet other mitzvot given that he\u2019s \u201cliterally<\/em> sitting in the Garden of Eden\u201d then (as R\u2019 Chaim puts it. See 1:12 below, Ruach<\/em> Chaim<\/em> 6, and Ma\u2019marim<\/em> 2 at end) where the yetzer<\/em> harah<\/em> has no power to thwart him (see Ma\u2019amarim<\/em> 20, 24).<\/p>\n

D. You can actually sense the holiness you\u2019re surrounded by at that time if you concentrate, and can thus grow in your soul.<\/p>\n

E. The opposite is true, too, though. For when you sin — not just think<\/em> about sinning (see Kiddushin<\/em> 39b where it\u2019s pointed out that one would have to actually commit a sin for harm to be done, and yet would only have to think of fulfilling a mitzvah to reap the benefits of that) — you draw a spirit of impurity down upon yourself (see Zohar 2:31b and 2:86b cited above), become surrounded by an impure spirit, and the very \u201cair of Gehenom<\/em> surrounds you\u201d even though you\u2019re alive (see Avodah<\/em> Zara<\/em> 5a).<\/p>\n

8\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>The term used here is merkava<\/em> or \u201cchariot\u201d. That\u2019s to say that you\u2019d be the \u201cdriver behind the wheels\u201d of the instrument that accomplished all of that.<\/p>\n

9\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/sup>R\u2019 Chaim cites Zohar 2:155a; and Raiyah<\/em> Mehemna<\/em>, 3<\/em>:239a. See 4:15 below.<\/p>\n

10\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>R\u2019 Chaim cites Zohar 2:85b, Tikkunei<\/em> Zohar<\/em> 129b.<\/p>\n

11\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/sup>R\u2019 Chaim\u2019s final note to this chapter is presented at this point. It cites the fact that the idea that the upper realms are all connected to man can be found in Tikkunei Zohar Chadash<\/em> 97a; Raiyah<\/em> Mehemna<\/em>, 3:<\/em>219b; as well as in Sha\u2019arei<\/em> Kedusha<\/em> 3:2; Likkutei<\/em> Torah<\/em>, Ki<\/em> Tisa<\/em> and Ha\u2019azinu;<\/em> and in Bereishit<\/em> Rabba<\/em> 8:3 and Kohelet<\/em> Rabba<\/em> 2:12.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

(c) 2017 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<\/p>\n

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org<\/a><\/p>\n

———————————————————-<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Rabbi Feldman’s new annotated translation of Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag\u2019s \u201cIntroduction to the Zohar\u201d is available as \u201cThe Kabbalah of Self\u201d on Kindle here<\/a>. His annotated translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here<\/a> and his annotated translation of Rabbeinu Yonah\u2019s “The Gates of Repentance” is available here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).<\/p>\n

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes torah.org entitled \u201cSpiritual Excellence<\/a>\u201d and \u201cRamchal<\/a>\u201d that can be subscribed to.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nephesh Hachaim 1:6 1. But the idea that we ourselves actually \u201canimate\u201d and function as the soul behind \u201cthe body of the universe\u201d, so to speak, isn\u2019t to be taken literally. Because while the very instant a soul wants a … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5,7,8,2,3,6,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-87","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hashkapha","category-kabbalah","category-mussar","category-nephesh-hachaim","category-reb-chaim-of-volozhin","category-torah","category-volozhin"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8YhFQ-1p","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=87"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":89,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/87\/revisions\/89"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=87"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=87"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rabbiyaakovfeldman.aishdas.org\/nephesh-hachaim\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=87"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}