Stages Traversed on Each Level of Soul

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Similarly, [this process of spiritual growth continues] in this way, until the person has thus rectified all five partzufim of Asiya, giving him NRNCh"Y, which is called a whole Nefesh of Asiya.

Each aspect of the five levels is complete in its three sections, Ibur, Yenika, and Mochin, alluded to in the verse, "His mother would make him a small robe, etc." (Samuel I 2:19).

There is a direct transference of light to the souls, as a mother does to a fetus inside her womb

Literally, these words mean: 'embryo', 'suckling', and 'brains'. The first term refers to a stage where the sefirot netzach, hod and yesod are "pulled up" on top of chesed, gevura and tiferet, and in this posture of "three within three" they are curled up within the womb of bina. In this way she provides a direct transference of light to them, as a mother does to a fetus when the fetus is inside her womb.

The second term refers to the stage when these sefirot have since left the womb of bina-Imma, but like a new-born child they still require direct "nourishment" (of light) from their "mother," i.e. bina. This stage corresponds to the sefirot of chesed, gevura and tiferet because the size of the partzuf is now equal to all six sefirot from yesod to chesed.

The last term, mochin-brains, is another way of referring to the sefirot of chochma, bina, and daat, which function as the "brains" of a partzuf. This stage is also called "adulthood" or "maturity", and the size of the partzuf is correspondingly enlarged. The partzuf has now grown to its full size of ten sefirot; it is now complete and whole (to see Ibur-Yenika-Mochin chart) click here

The levels in the growth of the soul go through the same three-stage process of spiritual development

All partzufim develop towards completion through these three stages; and we are being taught here that all the levels attained in the growth of the soul also go through the same three-stage process of spiritual development.

Then he merits the Ruach, which comes from Yetzira. On this level there are also five parts, and they make up the complete Ruach of Yetzira. It is the same with respect to Neshama from Beriya, Chaya [from the world of Atzilut], and Yechida [which corresponds to the level called "Adam Kadmon" - "First Man"]. However, this is not the place to elucidate.

[Commentary by Shabtai Teicher.]