Aspects of Souls
Gate of Reincarnations: Review Of Chapter One, Section 4
It will be worthwhile to review some of what has been taught
until now, and specifically in relation to the information presented in this
section. The text of this section contains two distinct ambiguities, separated
by a parenthetical statement (not uncommon in the writings of the Arizal).
The parenthetical statement is what we have numbered paragraph
(3). It has already been explained that this refers to a situation where more
than one soul occupies the same body, and it will be explained later on.  | | " It concerns the need to rectify all the aspects of each world before one can advance to the next level of soul." | | |
The two uncertainties contained in the text are purposely left
unsettled.
The first uncertainty emerges from contrasting paragraphs 2 and
4. It concerns the concept of tikun, 'rectification', whether it applies
to both blemishes caused by transgression of negative commandments and
incompleteness in the performance of positive commandments, or to transgression
of negative commandments alone.
The second uncertainty emerges from contrasting paragraphs 1 and
5. It concerns the need to rectify all the aspects of each world before one can
advance to the next level of soul. (This is the case whatever the definition of
tikun - rectification discussed in the previous uncertainty is.) The
question now concerns how we should count "all the aspects" that need to be
rectified. Are they 5 of 5, or 5 of 25 (the NRNChY of his soul root
alone)? This will now be explained.
The NRNChY of his soul root
We have already learned that the five levels of soul correspond
to external worlds. | | " There has to exist within man sections from all four worlds" | | |
Since man unifies all four worlds of ABY"A, by necessity
there has to exist within him sections from all four worlds, and each section is
called by one of the five names: NRNCh"Y ( Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama,
Chaya, and Yechida), as we will explain....
The first level, Nefesh, comes from the world of Asiya;
the second level ruach, from the world of Yetzira, etc.
All Nefashot are from the world of Asiya only, all
Ruchot are from the world of Yetzira, and, all Neshamot are
from the world of Beriya....
We have also learned that each world has five parts or five
partzufim.
However, even this Nefesh [from the world of Asiya]
has many levels, and this is because Asiya itself also divides into five
Partzufim....
Hence, for a person to merit his Ruach from the world of
Yetzira, he must first have achieved completion of the five partzufim
of the Nefesh of Asiya.
Now we will learn that each of these partzufim can also
be further detailed into five partzufim. Thus, the world of Asiya
will contain 25 parts, or cells. All the other worlds above - Yetzira,
Beria, etc. - will also contain 25 cells each.
The way of depicting the 25 cells that comprise the Nefesh
that is derived from the world of Asiya is shown in the following diagram
that is entitled "The NRNChY of NRNChY". However, let us first
recall that the names of the souls, the sefirot and the partzufim
are interchangeable.
|
5 |
KETER |
ARICH ANPIN |
YECHIDA |
|
4 |
CHOCHMA |
ABBA |
CHAYA |
|
3 |
BINA |
IMMA |
NESHAMA |
|
2 |
THE SIX |
ZEIR ANPIN |
RUACH |
|
1 |
MALCHUT |
NUKVA DE' ZEIR ANPIN |
NEFESH |
Numbers have been added to this list of correspondences to
simplify the following diagram where the numbers 1 through 5 represent any of
the corresponding terms shown above.
The diagram that follows will deal only with the Nefesh
that is derived from the world of Asiya. In this respect it follows our
text. Now, let us review the text using the diagram as an explanatory aid.
1) It is not sufficient to only rectify the particular spot to
which his soul is rooted. Rather, he must rectify [all aspects of each level as]
we have mentioned, until he merits all of Asiya, at which time he can
achieve his Ruach of Yetzira. It is this way with all the worlds....
(5) Or, the following is possible, and it is the correct
[interpretation]. Let us say that he is from the Malchut of the Nukveh
of Asiya, called the Nefesh of Asiya.
Diagram of the NRNChY of NRNChY:
| . |
COLUMN #1 |
COLUMN #2 |
COLUMN #3 |
COLUMN #4 |
COLUMN #5 |
|
Row # 5 |
O |
. |
. |
. |
. |
|
Row # 4 |
O |
. |
. |
. |
. |
|
Row # 3 |
O |
. |
. |
. |
. |
|
Row # 2 |
O |
. |
. |
. |
. |
|
Row # 1 |
X |
. |
. |
. |
. |
|
ASIYA |
In our diagram the Nukva of Asiya is indicated by
the bottom row of Asiya, Row #1.
The Malchut of the Nukva of Asiya is
one-fifth (so to speak) of the partzuf Nukva of Asiya, indicated
in the diagram by the convergence of Row #1 with Column #1 (marked with an "X").
The text provides an example where the soul-root is Malchut
of Nukva of Asiya, the place marked X. That place is all
that he is required to rectify on Row #1. The text further implies that it has
already been rectified. Now it goes on:
He will need to rectify all the Malchuyot (plural
of Malchut): that of Ruach, and Neshama,
and Chaya, and Yechida of Asiya.
These are indicated in the diagram with the mark "0". In this
way he will have rectified one column in our diagram - i.e., the NRNChY
of Nefesh of the Nefesh from the world of Asiya.
Someone... whose soul-root is from Malchut of Asiya...
who rectifies only the Malchut of Asiya... only the first row of the first column - he... only acquires the Nefesh from the Nefesh that is
within Asiya.
Someone...The same one, whose soul-root is Malchut of Asiya...
who also rectifies Zeir Anpin of Asiya -
i.e., the second row of the first column in our diagram - he...
...acquires both the Nefesh and Ruach from Asiya.
Someone who also rectifies Imma of Asiya...
the third row of the first column...
...will have acquired the Nefesh, Ruach and
Neshama from Asiya. It is the same until he rectifies all five
partzufim of Asiya, in which case he will have acquired all the
NRNChY .
At that time he will have completed the general level of
Nefesh from Asiya, and it will be possible to advance to the level of
Ruach from Yetzira. In the first possibility of this uncertainty, each level of
NRNChY was detailed into five aspects corresponding to the five partzufim
of each world. Someone whose soul-root is in Asiya, for example, has to
rectify all five aspects of Asiya. In the new idea presented here, in the
second possibility of the question, each of the five partzufim of a world
is further detailed into five. Thus, there are 25 "cells" in Asiya.
Nevertheless, each person rectifies only five corresponding to the 5 levels of
NRNChY of his soul root in Asiya.
To link to the next article in this reincarnation series, Stages Traversed on Each Level of Soul, click here
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