General Rectification and Blemish
Gate of Reincarnations - Chapter Eleven, Section 7
Translation by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher
Tikun for the Nefesh is
accomplished through the performance of positive mitzvot, and blemish of
the Nefesh is caused by transgression, but for the Ruach the
emphasis is on occupation with the Torah and its study.
We will now explain rectification and blemish in detail. We
will begin with the rectification of Nefesh, that is from the world of
Asiya, which is the lowest of all of them and enters into a person first at
the time of birth.
You already know that no higher portion can enter until the
lower part completes its tikun. First, all the parts of the Nefesh,
that is from Asiya, must enter and complete their tikun.
Afterwards, the parts of the Ruach, that is from Yetzira, can
begin to enter within him. When they are completed, then the Neshama,
that is from Beriya, will begin to enter until everything is finished.
However, there are conditions and distinctions concerning
all this as will be explained in this, the eighth gate, called the Gate of
Reincarnations.
It seems that this general introduction ought to appear at the
beginning of the book! However, keep in mind what Reb Shmuel the son of Rabbi
Chaim Vital, the editor and redactor of the Eight Gates, wrote in the beginning
of this chapter. This chapter is a sort of abridgement of the entire subject of
gilgulim. Therefore, it makes sense that this introduction appears here.  | | " Occupation with Torah acquires Ruach...." | | |
Nevertheless, it is also worthwhile to keep in mind an important
rule concerning all Torah knowledge. Subjects, descriptions and stories of the
Torah are not necessarily presented in a chronological order. Events that occur
at a later time may very well appear before the presentation of other events or
descriptions that precede them. Similarly, sometimes what you need to know first
to understand the "beginning" will not appear until later. This is because the
Torah is an open or "infinite system" (if such a combination of words is
permissible).
The tikun of a person who merits to the Nefesh
of Asiya is through the performance of positive mitzvot whose
number is 248.
Blemish is a result of [positive mitzvot] that were
not fulfilled, or because of transgression of one of the 365 negative mitzvot.
Blemish caused by one of the positive mitzvot that was
not fulfilled, applies when both the opportunity and the obligation were
present, but he transgressed and did not do what was incumbent upon him to do.
In the next section the Ari will discuss mitzvot where the opportunity or
obligation were not present.
Occupation with Torah acquires Ruach that is from
Yetzira, as will be explained.
This statement is somewhat problematic, and needs to be
understood by broadening our conceptual categories. The Benei Aharon
(11:31) has also pointed this out. For example, if occupation with Torah alone
rectifies Ruach, then a person who is working on his Ruach should
be exempt from the active performance of all the other mitzvot!?
To answer this problem consider the following. It is the
teaching of the Ari in Etz Chaim 40:2, but the words quoted are those of
the Benei Aharon (ibid.).
All practical mitzvot (like tzitzit, tefillin,
eating matzah, sukkah, etc.) rectify the External ( Partzuf).
Mitzvot that are performed through speech, such as prayer and occupation
with Torah, rectify the Internal (partzuf).
The External Partzuf is a partzuf just like the
Internal Partzuf. It, too, has Vessels and Light, or mochin. The
two are equivalent and parallel. The only difference between them is one is
external and the other is internal. Relative to each other they are equivalent
to Nefesh (External) and Ruach (Internal) relative to each other.
Thus, on every level there are the External and Internal
aspects, or what can be called the Nefesh and Ruach of that level.
The Nefesh/External partzuf of any level is rectified by the
performance of practical mitzvot, whereas the Ruach/Internal
partzuf is rectified by the mitzvot pertaining to speech and thought. Click to link to the previous article in this series,
Gate of Reincarnations, Team Work 11:6
Click to link to the next article in this series,
Gate of Reincarnations, Categories of Positive Mitzvot 11:8
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