Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah

152. Come and behold, "My soul (Nefesh)" - this is the one that dominates at night and pursues its own grade, WHICH IS THE NUKVA OF ZEIR ANPIN, IN ORDER TO CLEAVE ON TO IT. "My spirit (Ruach)" governs during the day. As it is written, "With my soul (Nefesh) have I desired you in the night," this is the Nefesh that rules at night, BECAUSE AT THAT TIME IT RISES ON HIGH AND IS PRESENTED BEFORE THE KING. "With my spirit (Ruach) within me will I seek you early" refers to the Ruach, which governs during the day.

153. And if you say THAT NEFESH AND RUACH are two different grades, separate from each other, it is not so! They are two combined as one grade. And there is a higher grade that governs them both; it cleaves to them and they to it - and it is called Neshamah.

154. All these grades rise in accordance with the secret of the inner Wisdom, because when the grades look at each other, man is able to look upon the Supernal Wisdom and the Neshamah can enter to them - TO THE NEFESH AND THE RUACH, and they cling to it. So when THE NESHAMAH governs, then man is called holy, perfected in all ways and is entirely devoted to the Holy One, blessed be He.

155. The Nefesh rouses from below, WHICH MEANS THAT IT IS LOWEST OF THE LIGHTS NEFESH, RUACH, AND NESHAMAH. Because it is closest to the body and nourishes it, the body clings to it and it to the body. Afterward, THE NEFESH is amended BY THE GOOD DEEDS A PERSON PERFORMS and becomes a throne on which the Ruach dwells. This is because of the awakening of the Nefesh, which is attached to the body. As it is written, "Until the spirit (Ruach) be poured upon us from on high..." (Yeshayah 32:15).

156. After both, THE NEFESH AND THE RUACH, are amended, they are ready to receive the Neshamah, because the Ruach becomes a throne on which the Neshamah rests. And this Neshamah is high above all and remains concealed, unattainable, and most hidden!

157. So there is a throne for the throne, BECAUSE THE NEFESH IS A THRONE FOR THE RUACH, WHICH IS ALSO A THRONE, and a throne for the highest level, BECAUSE THE RUACH IS A THRONE FOR THE NESHAMAH, WHICH IS HIGH ABOVE THEM BOTH. And when you study these grades, you find in this subject the secret of Wisdom. IN OTHER WORDS, YOU LEARN HOW THE LIGHT OF CHOCHMAH IS DRAWN BY THE NEFESH, RUACH, AND NESHAMAH. And everything is in accordance with the higher Wisdom, in order to achieve certain mysteries.

158. Come and behold, the Nefesh is the awakening factor from below that cleaves to the body. Just like the light of a candle, in which the lowest light, which is black, clings to the wick and exists only through it. So, when THE BLACK LIGHT is improved through AND CLINGS TO the wick, it becomes a throne for the white light above it, BECAUSE THE WHITE LIGHT rests upon the black light. THIS WHITE LIGHT IS EQUIVALENT TO THE LIGHT OF RUACH.

159. After they are fixed, THE BLACK LIGHT WITH THE WHITE LIGHT OVER IT, the white light becomes a throne for a concealed light. What rests on the white light, which is neither seen nor known, IS EQUIVALENT TO THE LIGHT OF NESHAMAH. The light is now complete IN SUCH A MANNER THAT THE CANDLE HAS THREE LIGHTS - ONE ON TOP OF THE OTHER. FIRST, A BLACK LIGHT, WHICH IS THE LOWEST OF THEM ALL AND IS ATTACHED TO THE WICK OF THE CANDLE; SECOND, A WHITE LIGHT THAT RESTS ON THE BLACK LIGHT; AND FINALLY, A HIDDEN LIGHT THAT RESTS ON THE WHITE LIGHT. And so a person who reaches perfection in everything ALSO ATTAINS THESE THREE LIGHTS, ONE OVER THE OTHER, AS IS EXPLAINED BY THE LIGHTS OF THE CANDLE, WHICH CORRESPOND TO THE NEFESH, THE RUACH, AND THE NESHAMAH. Then that person is called 'holy,' as it is written, "for holy people who are in the earth..." (Tehilim 16:3).

160. This appears in the same manner, according to the sublime secret, IN THE VERSES BEFORE US. Come and behold, at the time when Abraham came to the land of Yisrael, the Holy One, blessed be He, appeared before him. As we have already stated and as it is written, "to Hashem, who appeared to him" (Beresheet 12:7). There he attained the LIGHT OF Nefesh, and he built an altar for that grade. After this, "he still journeyed on toward the Negev," where he attained the LIGHT OF Ruach. And after that, when he rose to cleave to the LIGHT OF Neshamah, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF BINAH THAT IS CALLED THE "CONCEALED WORLD," IT IS WRITTEN THAT HE simply "built there an altar to Hashem" (Beresheet 13:18). AS IT IS NOT WRITTEN 'TO HASHEM WHO APPEARED TO HIM,' THIS refers to the Neshamah, which is the most hidden of all. THEREFORE, IT IS NOT WRITTEN, 'TO HASHEM WHO APPEARED TO HIM' IN RELATION TO THE NESHAMAH, AS IS WRITTEN FOR THE LIGHT OF NEFESH.

161. After this, Abraham knew that he should undergo purification and be crowned with more grades. So immediately, "Abraham went down to Egypt," where he was saved by not being enticed by the bright lights. As a result, he was purified, and returned to his place. Since he went down to Egypt and he was purified, immediately it says, "Abraham went up out of Egypt." He assuredly "went up," WHICH MEANS THAT HE ROSE A GRADE, AS HE NOW MERITED THE LIGHT OF CHAYAH, WHICH IS THE SECRET OF CHOCHMAH OF THE RIGHT SIDE, and returned to his place, TO THE LAND OF YISRAEL. And he cleaved to the Supernal Faith, as it is written, "to the Negev," WHICH ALLUDES TO THE CHOCHMAH OF THE RIGHT, NAMELY CHESED THAT RISES UP DURING MATURITY AND BECOMES CHOCHMAH. THERE ARE FIVE GRADES IN THIS GRADE - NEFESH, RUACH, NESHAMAH, CHAYAH AND YECHIDAH - AND ABRAHAM NOW MERITED ITS FIRST GRADES.

162. From here onward, Abraham acquired the Supernal Wisdom, cleaved to the Holy One, blessed be He, and became the right of the world. As it is then written, "And Abraham was very rich in cattle, in silver and in gold" (Beresheet 13:2). "Very rich" from the direction of the east, WHICH IS TIFERET; "in cattle" from the west, WHICH IS MALCHUT; "in silver" from the south, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH, and "in gold" from the north, WHICH IS BINAH.

163. Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Aba, and their companions came and kissed the hands of Rabbi Shimon. Rabbi Aba wept and said, Woe for the time when you shall leave this world. Who shall then illumine the light of Torah? Happy is the fate of the companions who have heard these interpretations of Torah coming from your mouth!