The Kabbalistic Levels of the Soul

Genesis 2:7
‫נִּש ַ ָ֣מת חַ יִּ ִּ֑ים ַוַָֽֽיְ ִּ ַּ֥הי ָ ָֽהאָ ָ ָּ֖דם לְ נֶ ַּ֥פֶש חַ ָיָֽה׃‬
ְ ‫ן־האֲדָ ָ֔ ָמה וַיִּ פַ ַּ֥ח בְ אַ פָ ָּ֖יו‬
ָ֣ ָ ‫ת־האָ ָ֗ ָדם ָעפָר֙ ִּמ‬
ָֽ ָ ֶ‫ֱֹלהים א‬
ִִּ֜ ‫וַיִּ יצֶ ֩ר יְ ה ָ֨ ָוה א‬

The LORD God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the neshama (breath) of life, and man became a nefesh (living)
being.

Bereishit Raba 14:9

The soul has five names: nefesh, ruach, neshama, chaya and yechida.

Nefesh is the lowest level of souls. It is what animates the physical body and gives it life, and gives one
awareness of their physical senses. Now, although the Nefesh is the life-force of the body, this does not
mean that the Nefesh creates the body or is actually physical. The nefesh is believed to reside in a
creature’s blood.

Ruach is the next level of soul — a higher plane of consciousness than the rank of Nefesh. The primary
manifestation of Ruach is in the emotions.

Neshama corresponds to one’s intellect. Neshama analyzes underlying principles abstracted from the categories of thought imposed upon them by
the human mind and human experience. It seeks to pierce through to the essential rather than the ephemeral.

The Zohar also expands on the fourth and fifth parts of the human soul. The first mention of these parts of the soul, the Chaya and the Yechida, is
contained in the Midrash Rabbah. Modern kabbalist Gershom Scholem wrote that these aspects of the soul represented the highest level of intuitive
understanding and that only a special few individuals might attain these elements for themselves. These two parts of the soul remain external to the
body and therefore receive only rare mention in other sections of the Zohar. Here is an explanation of these two aspects of the human soul:

Chaya is the aspect of the soul that gives one the consciousness of the divine life force. The soul merges into a state of complete nullification of the
ego and achieves knowledge of the absolute truth of things. Whereas the primary activity of the level of Neshama is to use intellectual
comprehension in order to come to communion with God as the Creator of the worlds, the level of Chaya communes with God as He transcends the
worlds.

Yechida cleaves to and reflects the original Infinite Light of God. This is the essence of the soul which is naturally and immutable bound to the Holy
One. This is the highest level the soul can reach. The soul achieves full union with God.

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 The Zohar’s Mystical Menorah Meditation Method

‫כ״ז‬:‫משלי כ׳‬
‫י־בטֶ ן׃‬
ָֽ ָ ‫נִּש ַ ָ֣מת אָ ָדִּ֑ם ֹ֝ח ָ֗פׂש כָל־חַ ְדר‬
ְ '‫נָ֣ר ה‬

Proverbs 20:27
The Lamp of God is the soul of a human, which reveals all of His innermost parts.

Zohar, Lech Lecha

Come and see: Nefesh is the lower animation that is attached to the body, like the light of a flame, ‫תָּ א ֲחזֵי (לעיל עז ב) ֶנפֶׁש ִאיהִ י ִא ְתעֲרּותָּ א‬
where its lower black light is attached to the wick and is not separated from it and is only repaired ‫הֹורא‬
ָּ ְ‫ כְ גַּוְ ונָּא ִדנ‬.‫תַּ תָּ אָּ ה ְד ִא ְתדַּ בְ קָּ א בֵ יּה בְ גּופָּא‬
in it. ‫הֹורא תַּ תָּ אָּ ה ְד ִאיהִ י אּוכְ מָּ א‬ ָּ ְ‫ ִדנ‬.‫ְדבּוצִ ינָּא‬
‫ִא ְתדַּ בְ קַּ ת בִ פְ ִתילָּה וְ לָּא ִא ְתפְ ַּרׁש ִמנָּּה וְ לָּא‬
And when the black light is repaired and held on to by the wick it becomes a throne for the upper ‫ וְ כַּד ִא ְתתַּ קְ נַּת בַּ פְ ִתילָּה‬.‫ִא ְתתַּ קְ נַּת אֶ לָּא בָּ ּה‬
white light which is upon it, for it dwells upon the black light. ‫ָּורא‬ָּ ‫נְהֹורא עִ לָּאָּ ה חִ ּו‬
ָּ ִ‫ִא ְתעֲבִ ידַּ ת כ ְֻּר ְסיָּיא ל‬
‫הֹורא אּוכְ מָּ א‬ ָּ ְ‫דׁשַּ ְריָּיא עַּל הַּהּוא נ‬.ְ
And this white light corresponds to the light of the Ruach.

After the two of them are repaired, the black light and the white light, which is upon it, the white ‫לְ בָ תַ ר כַד ִּמ ְתתַ קְ נָן תַ ְרוַויְ יהּו ִּא ְתעֲבִּ ידַ ת הַ הּוא‬
light becomes a throne for the hidden light which is unseen and unknown, which dwells on the ‫נְהֹורא ְס ִּתימָ אָ ה ְדלָא‬
ָ ִּ‫ָורא כ ְֻּר ְסיָיא ל‬ ָ ‫הֹורא חִּ ּו‬
ָ ְ‫נ‬
white light. ‫הֹורא‬
ָ ְ‫ִּא ְתחֲזי וְ לָא ִּא ְתיְ ידַ ע מַ ה ְדשָ ָרא עַל הַ הּוא נ‬
‫ וְ כְָך הּוא בַ ר נָש‬.‫הֹורא ְשלִּ ים‬ ָ ְ‫ ּוכְ דין נ‬.‫ָורא‬ ָ ‫חִּ ּו‬
And this corresponds to the light of the Neshama, and then it is a complete light. ‫ כְ מָ א‬,‫ ּוכְ דין ִּאקְ רי קָ דֹוש‬.‫ְד ִּאיהּו ְשלִּ ים בְ כלָא‬
‫דֹושים אֲשֶ ר‬ִּ ְ‫ג׳) לִּ ק‬:‫ (תהילים ט״ז‬,‫ְדאַ ְת אָ מר‬
In the way that there are three lights within a flame, one on top of the other: 1) Black light ‫'בָ אָ ֶרץ המָ ה וְ גו‬.
attached to the wick, which is the lowest of all, 2) White light which dwells upon the black light,
3) Hidden light which is unknown, that dwells upon the white light.

Thus it is with a person who is complete in everything, who has also three lights, one on top of the
other, as described above with the light of the flame, which are Nefesh Ruach Neshama.And then
this person is called holy, as the verse says: "As to the holy and mighty ones that are in the
land ..." (Psalm 16:3).

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 Zohar 1:50-51

Come and see, one who desires to know the wisdom of holy unity should ‫ יִּ ְסתַ כַל בְ שַ לְ הֹובָא ְדסָ לְ קָ א‬.‫לְמנְ דַ ע חָ כְ ְמתָ א ְדיִּ חּודָ א קַ ִּדישָ א‬
ִּ ‫ מָ אן ְדבָ עי‬,‫אֲבָ ל תָ א חֲזי‬
gaze upon a flame that rises from a coal, or from a lit candle. For the flame ‫ ְדהָ א שַ לְ הֹובָ א לָא סָ לְ קָא אֶ לָא כַד ִּא ְתאַ חִּ יד בְ ִּמלָה‬.‫ אֹו ִּמּגֹו בֹוצִּ ינָא ְדדָ לִּ יק‬.‫ִּמּגֹו ּגַחֶ לְ תָ א‬
only rises when it is attached to a physical object. ‫ּגַסָ ה‬

Come and see, in the rising flame there are two lights. One white, shining ‫הֹורא‬
ָ ְ‫ וְ חַ ד נ‬.‫ורא ְדנָהִּ יר‬ָ ְ‫הֹורא חִּ ו‬
ָ ְ‫ חַ ד נ‬.‫נְהֹורין‬ִּ ‫ בְ שַ לְ הֹובָא ְדסָ לְ קָא ִּאית ְתרין‬,‫תָ א חֲזי‬
light; and one light to which black or blue is attached. The white light is on ‫אֹורח‬
ַ ְ‫ורא ִּאיהּו לְ עילָא וְ סָ לְ קָ א ב‬ ָ ְ‫הֹורא חִּ ו‬
ָ ְ‫ הַ הּוא נ‬.‫ְד ִּא ְתאַ חִּ יד בָ ּה אּוכְ מָ א אֹו ִּתכְ לָא‬
top, and it rises in a straight path. And the blue/black light is beneath it, and ‫ וְ הַ הּוא‬.‫ורא‬
ָ ְ‫הֹורא ִּתכְ לָא אֹו אּוכְ מָ א ְד ִּאיהּו כ ְָרסַ יָא לְהַ הּוא חִּ ו‬
ָ ְ‫ּותחֹותיּה הַ הּוא נ‬ ְ .‫ִּמישֹור‬
it is a seat to the white. The white light rests upon it and they are attached to .‫ורא שָ ארי עִּ לָּויּה וְ ִּא ְתאֲחִּ ידּו דָ א בְ דָ א לְמֶ הוי כלָא חַ ד‬ ָ ְ‫הֹורא חִּ ו‬
ָ ְ‫נ‬
one another, forming a single unity.

The light that is either black or a shade of blue that is below, is a throne of .‫ָורא‬
ָ ‫הֹורא אּוכְ מָ א אֹו ַּגוָון ִּתכְ לָא ְד ִּאיהּו לְ תַ תָ א הּוא כ ְָרסַ יָא ִּדיקָר לְ הַ הּוא חִּ ּו‬
ָ ְ‫וְ הַ הּוא נ‬
glory to the white [light]. And herein lies the secret of techelet. And this blue ‫ וְ הַ אי כ ְָרסַ יָא ִּתכְ לָא (או) אּוכְ מָ א ִּא ְתאֲחַ ד בְ ִּמלָה אָ ח ֳָרא‬.‫וְ עַל דָ א ָרזָא ִּד ְתכֶלְ תָ א‬
(or) black throne is attached to another object below it that kindles it and ‫ורא‬
ָ ְ‫הֹורא חִּ ּו‬
ָ ְ‫לְ ִּא ְתדַ לְ קָא ְדהּוא ִּמתַ תָ א וְ הַ הּוא ִּא ְתעַר ליּה לְ ִּא ְתאַ חֲדָ א בִּ נ‬
arouses it to attach itself to the white light (alt. above).

At times, this blue-black changes to red, but the white light above it never ‫ורא ְדעֲליּה לָא ִּא ְשתַ ני‬ ָ ְ‫הֹורא חִּ ּו‬ ָ ְ‫ וְ הַ הּוא נ‬.‫סּומקָ א‬ְ ‫וְ דָ א ִּתכְ לָא אּוכְ מָ א לְ ז ְִּמנִּ ין ִּא ְתהֲדַ ר‬
changes, for it is constantly white. However, the blue changes to these ‫ לְ ז ְִּמנִּ ין ִּתכְ לָא‬.‫ אֲבָ ל הַ אי ִּתכְ לָא ִּא ְשתַ ני לִּ גְ וָונִּ ין ִּאלין‬.‫ורא הּוא תָ ִּדיר‬ ָ ְ‫ָלְמין ְדהָ א חִּ ּו‬
ִּ ‫לְ ע‬
[other] colors; at times it is blue or black, and at times it is red. And it is ‫ ִּא ְתאֲחִּ יד לְ עילָא בְ הַהּוא‬.‫ וְ הַ אי ִּא ְתאֲחִּ יד לִּ ְת ִּרין ִּסטְ ִּרין‬.‫סּומקָ א‬ ְ ‫ ּולְ ז ְִּמנִּ ין‬.‫אֹו אּוכְ מָ א‬
attached on both sides. It is attached above to that (alt. supernal) white light, ‫ ִּא ְתאֲחִּ יד לְ תַ תָ א בְ הַ הּוא ִּמלָה ִּד ְתחֹותֹוי ִּד ְמתַ קְ נָא ביּה‬.‫ורא‬ ָ ְ‫הֹורא (ס''א עילאה) חִּ ּו‬ ָ ְ‫נ‬
[and] it is attached to that object below that has been set to give it light (to ‫ לְ אַ נְ הָ ָרא (מלין דשויין ליה לאדלקא) ּולְ ִּא ְתאַ חֲדָ א ביּה‬.
serve as kindling) and to attach itself to it…

And resting above the white light is a concealed light that surrounds it. And .‫ וְ ָרזָא עִּ לָאָ ה הָ כָא‬.‫נְהֹורא ְס ִּתימָ א ְדאַ קִּ יף ליּה‬
ָ ‫ שַ ְריָיא לְעילָא‬,‫ורא‬ ָ ְ‫הֹורא חִּ ּו‬
ָ ְ‫וְ עַל נ‬
herein lies a supernal mystery, and all of it can be found in the rising flame, ‫וְ כלָא ִּת ְשכַח בְ שַ לְ הֹובָא ְדסָ לִּ יק וְ חָ כְ ְמ ִּתין ְדעֶלְ יֹונִּין ביּה‬.
in which the wisdom of the higher realms are present

3
The Zohar turns our attention to a burning candle as an object of meditation on “holy unity.” The first quality of this unity is noticing that the flame
requires a coarser, physical object to grab hold to. The flame itself is a source of light, it contains a spiritual nature, but it requires something more
tangible to attach itself to.

The next stage of unity has to do with noticing the colors that form the flame. There is a “white” light and a “blue” or “black” light within the flame.
The darker part of the flame rests below the lighter part of the flame, and together, these colors form a single, unified flame. The Zohar once again
draws our attention to the physical wick that rests beneath the darker flame, which in turn serves as a “throne” or seat to the white flame above it.
Here the Zohar depicts all three elements - the wick, the blue/black, and the white - as existing together in a continuous thread that becomes more
majestic and ethereal as it ascends.

Within the various layers of color of the flame, there are those that change their hue, and those that remain the same. The blue may change to black or
red, representing the dynamic ebb and flow of life that takes place in proximity to the physical realm of experience. These changing colors are
attached on both sides: they are joined from above to that supernal white light, and below to the physical object that serves as its kindling. In this
way, the procession includes the concrete, physical realm (wick) at the bottom; the changing, fluid realm in between (blue/black/red); and the
unchanging, transcendent light (white) that constantly hovers above. All of these layers of reality are unified in the candle’s flame, as they remain
rooted to something in the physical domain.

Now, the Zohar turns our attention to the light that radiates beyond the white of the flame - a hidden, concealed light that surrounds the bright
contours of the flame itself. This relates to a hidden Divine realm that is present but not directly perceivable. It is attached to all of the other levels of
the flame, but rather than perceiving it directly, we may relate to it through its mystery.

Taken as a whole, the Zohar sees a burning candle as a mirror of Divine unity. It embodies a single continuum that unites the most sublime and
elevated realms to the most concrete elements of physical reality, holding all of these layers together in a single unity. The Zohar invites us to
meditate on the burning candle, and allow ourselves to be enveloped by its exquisite vision.