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Blood Brothers, Soul Brothers
Translation and commentary by Avraham Sutton
from the Writings of the Ari
Based on the fact that the soul clothes itself within the body
[see "Anatomy of Creation"], we can understand the meaning of
another enigmatically worded verse, "If the blood of the man shall be
spilled by a man, his [the second man's] blood shall be spilled, for in the
image of G-d He made man." (Gen. 9:6)
The Ari re-reads the first half of this verse to refer to
the soul and the body:
"If the blood of the man...by a man " refers to
the blood [ i.e. Nefesh)] of The Man [the Superior Man - Adam Tachton]
by a man [which inhabits
the Inferior Man - Adam Elyon]. For it is known that the blood is the Nefesh.
In the Torah, the reason given for the prohibition against
eating/drinking the blood of any animal is, "For the soul of all flesh is
[in] its blood" (Lev. 17:14). In another place, it is written, "For
the blood is the soul" (Deut. 12:23). In every case connected with blood,
the word that is used for "soul" is by a man.
The same applies to man. Man's Nefesh is said either
to be his blood, or in his blood. One way or the other, the Nefesh
is directly associated with the blood. Nefesh, as known, is the lowest
aspect of the five levels of the soul; the aspect that "comes to
rest" (in Hebrew, "nafash") in the body. Nefesh is
thus the link between all the higher aspects of the soul, and the body.  | | " Man...is a combination of two completely diverse and dissimilar elements, namely, the body and soul..." | | |
In Derech Hashem (3:1:1), the Ramchal writes:
Man is different from any other creature. He is a
combination of two completely diverse and dissimilar elements, namely, the body
and soul [ Neshama]. [When we speak of man's soul, however, we are
actually speaking of two different things.] One type of soul [Nefesh]
that man has is the same that exists in all living creatures. It is this
[animal] soul that is responsible for man's natural feelings and intelligence...
In addition, there exists in man a spiritual entity that is
very different and much higher [than this animal soul]. The only reason that
this entity becomes part of man is to bind him to the Highest Roots... It is
through this spiritual entity that the influence bestowed upon man from the
Highest Sources is transmitted. From the divine soul, this influence is
transmitted to the animal soul, and then to the body.
The Nefesh Elyona [supernal divine soul] directs the Nefesh
Tachtona [the lower, animal soul], and through it, performs its
necessary functions... The divine soul is bound to the animal soul, which in
turn, is linked to the most ethereal aspect of the blood. In this manner, the
body and the two souls are bound together [in a chain].
Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan comments on the statement, "The
divine soul is bound to the animal soul, which in turn, is linked to the most
ethereal aspect of the blood." He writes: | | " When one man kills another, the main damage done is to the second man's body..." | | |
Rabbeinu Bachya on Leviticus 17:11 writes that this
refers to the last revi'it of blood in the body [a revi'it is a
quarter of a biblical lug, i.e. approximately 3 oz.]. In Sota 5a,
s.v. Adam, Rashi writes that this is the minimal amount of blood with
which a person can live, while Tosafot writes that this is the amount of
blood in the heart. A third opinion is that of Rambam on Mishnayot
Ohalot 2:2; he writes that this is the amount of blood with which a person
is born.
The most significant explanation is that of the Ari in Etz
Chaim 42:1. He explains there that this "revi'it of blood"
refers to the highest element of the blood, namely, the "essence
life-force of the brain", which, in effect, is the interface between the
spiritual [divine soul] and the physical [body].
We can understand this on the basis of other statements
found in Etz Chaim. The nerves, as well as the veins and arteries, are
said to contain the most refined fraction of the "blood" (Etz
Chaim 20:5, 40:12, 41:1). The only thing that flows through the nerves,
however, is the neural impulses, and therefore these impulses must be
considered the most refined fraction of the "blood". This, of course,
is the "essence life-force of the brain" mentioned above, since all
mental activity depends on neurological impulses. According to this, the
"animal soul"... depends on this "blood," namely, the
neurological processes. This is the meaning of the statement, "the soul is
[in] the blood." The reason for the prohibition against eating all blood
would then also be because this neurological activity directly depends on the
blood for sustenance (Aryeh Kaplan, notes to Derech Hashem, Part Three,
note 3, p. 347).
Rabbi Chaim Vital continues:
The verse informs us that, when one man kills another, the main
damage done is to the second man's body. The reason for this is now given,
"For in the Tzelem Elo-him [image of G-d] He made man." Unlike
Gen. 1:26, where Tzelem and Demut are both mentioned, the verse
mentions Tzelem ["image", which is associated with the soul]
but not Demut ["likeness", which is associated with the body].
This comes to tell us that the main punishment for manslaughter is for the evil
and damage that is inflicted on the victim's soul.
[But this itself could lead to a mistaken understanding.] A
man-slaughterer might mistakenly think that, by killing his victim's physical
body, he is thereby doing a favor for his soul. After all, he is releasing it
from its dungeon! | | " The soul...yearns constantly to rise up [and return] to her Father's house..." | | |
For, indeed, the soul is a "portion of G-d from on
high" (Job 31:2). She therefore yearns constantly to rise up [and return]
to her Father's house. [Until then] she is dejected, for she is forced to
inhabit a material body. If so, the man-slaughterer concludes, he should be
rewarded [for releasing her], not punished!
But the Torah has already provided an answer to this distorted
view of reality. "For in the image [Tzelem] of G-d"; this is
[again] none other than the spiritual aspect of man, his soul, i.e. "He
made man" - the physical aspect, the Asiya-body. For, as we
explained, when the soul descends, it dresses up in the atmosphere of this
world [which is none other than the body of Asiya].
This makes harming the body tantamount to harming the soul.
[Now, it is known that the descent of] the Shechina into
this lower dimension is for a very exalted purpose [i.e. for the eventual
elevation of all the worlds back into divinity]. [As such, it is the divine
parallel of the soul's descent into the body.] For the Shechina is none
other than the G-dly Presence that wishes to [reveal itself and] dwell in all
its glory in our physical world.
This last phrase is borrowed from the second half of the
verse, "His deliverance is surely near for those who fear Him; the time is
close when He will cause the radiant glory of His indwelling presence to be
revealed in our land". (Psalms 85:10)
On the other hand, it is known that one who worships idolatry
causes the Shechina to depart from Israel, leaving this world like a
dead body [without a soul]. | | " Causing a man's soul to depart and to leave this world is tantamount to causing the Shechina to depart from Israel..." | | |
The man-slaughterer's sin is exactly the same. Causing a man's
soul to depart and to leave this world is tantamount to causing the Shechina
to depart from Israel. Why? "For in the image of G-d, He made man."
Thus, just as one who causes the Shechina to depart is deserving of punishment,
so also, is one who has caused the soul of a man (which is a portion of G-d on
high) to depart is deserving of punishment.
I have found two sources for the above parallels. First, Yevamot
63b:
We have a tradition: If one does not [marry and thus] try to
fulfill the command to "be fruitful and multiply" (Gen. 1:28,
9:7), it is as if he has spilled blood [i.e. committed manslaughter]. It is
thus written, "If the blood of a man shall be spilled by a man, his [the
second man's] blood shall be spilled, for in the image of G-d, He made
man" (ibid. 9:6). Immediately following this, it is written,
"You shall therefore be fruitful and multiply..." (ibid. 9:7)...
Rabbi Yaacov explained:
It is as if he diminished [G-d's] presence [in the world], as it is
written, "For in the image of G-d, He made man," which is immediately
followed by, "You shall therefore be fruitful and multiply" [i.e. not
only to replace one human soul for another, but to replenish the quantum of
G-dliness in the world that was depleted by the loss of human life]... | | " When Cain killed Abel, the Shechina departed and went up to the 2nd firmament... " | | |
Our rabbis have taught us: It is written, "When it [the
Ark] came to rest, he [Moses] said, 'Return, G-d, [to rest Your presence on]
the ten thousands of Israel's thousands" (Num. 10:36). We learn from here
that the Shechina does not rest on less than a minimum of two
ten-thousands (20,000) plus two thousands (2,000) (= 22,000). If, therefore,
there were 21,999 Jews, and such a person desisted from having children, hasn't
he thereby caused the Shechina to depart from Israel!
Abba Chanan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: It is written
[concerning Nadav and Abihu], "They had no children" (Num. 3:4).
Behold, if they had had children, they wouldn't have died!
Others say: [Where do we learn that one who doesn't have
children] causes the Shechina to depart from Israel? It is written
[concerning Abraham], "I [G-d] will uphold My covenant between Me and
between you and your descendants after you throughout their generations, an
eternal covenant. I will be G-d to you and to your offspring after you"
(Gen. 17:7). When you have offspring, the Shechina rests [on you]. When
you have no offspring, upon whom shall the Shechina rest? On trees and
rocks?!
The main source for the concept of departure of the Divine
Presence from the world is found in Bereishit Rabba 19:6. There, it is
recorded that, when Adam sinned, the Shechina went up and departed from
the earth plane to the 1st Firmament. This means that the consciousness of
G-dliness became occluded and hidden from men's minds. In the generations that
followed, the Shechina made six additional major "departures."
The Midrash enumerates all seven stages of this occlusion process:
Rabbi Abba bar Cahana said: It is written, "They heard
G-d's voice moving about in the Garden" (Gen. 3:8). The word [translated
as] "moving about" is "mit'halech", a reflexive form
of the verb "to walk", indicating that the Shechina, which was
meant to dwell below, was now departing and going up in leaps and bounds. Once
Adam had sinned, the Shechina departed to the 1st firmament. When Cain
killed Abel, the Shechina departed and went up to the 2nd firmament.
When men began to worship idolatry during the generation of Enosh, the Shechina
departed to the 3rd Firmament. The sins of the generation of the Flood caused
the Shechina to depart to the 4th Firmament. The sins of the generation
of the Tower of Babel caused the Shechina to depart to the 5th
Firmament. The sins of the Sodomites caused the Shechina to depart to
the 6th Firmament. The sins of the Egyptians in the days of Abraham caused the Shechina
to depart to the 7th Firmament.
[ Likutei Torah (Chumash HaAri, Bereishit,
p. 6)]
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