Summary of the Soul
Gates of Reincarnation: Categories of Souls, Chapter Eleven, Section 1
Translation by Yitzchok bar Chaim;
commentary by Shabtai Teicher
Shmuel [the son of Rabbi Chaim Vital and editor of the
Writings of the Ari] says: I found an essay that is a brief summary of the
entire subject of gilgul, and it seems to me that it is a choice
selection of everything that has been said about the subject. It contains what a
person absolutely needs to know in order that he may accomplish rectification.
Here, the categories of souls are detailed. The
content of this section has already been written explicitly, or it was implicit
in the first sections of Chapter One; see the extensive commentary that has been
included there, and especially the tables of correspondences.
There are four Worlds, and they are [nicknamed]
ABY"A [ Atzilut, Beriya, Yetzira, and Asiya].
Each world consists of five partzufim. They are
Arich Anpin, Abba and Imma, Zeir Anpin and Nukva
of Zeir Anpin.
However, there is an incongruity concerning them.
This is new information.  | | " The souls of human beings are different than all the other aspects contained within the four worlds..." | | |
Each of the three worlds of BY"A equals one [of
the three lower partzufim] of Atzilut - Imma, Zeir Anpin
or Nukva. However, there are not two worlds above BY"A that
replicate Abba and Arich Anpin of Atzilut because [those
levels] are very hidden.
Each one of the three lower worlds is "equal" to one
of the three lower partzufim of Atzilut. The two higher
partzufim do not have such a correspondence. Although the Ari does not spell
it out, the realm of Souls has the same incongruity. Chaya and Yechida
do not enter into the body or fit into any of its vessels.
The Souls of human beings are different than all the
other aspects contained within the four worlds of ABY"A because they are
the secret of "You are children to the Lord your G-d..." (Deut. 14:1) | " There is a deeper
...connection between the Souls and the Creator than there is between the Worlds and the Creator..." | | |
There is a deeper, more immediate and more intimate
connection between the Souls and the Creator than there is between the Worlds
and the Creator. The relationship of the Creator to the Souls is like that of
father to son. In other respects, however, the realm of the Souls is a replicate
of the Worlds.
The realm of Souls is a replicate of the Worlds, in
general and in particular.
The section that follows is comparable to a meditation
in which the serious student should be so proficient in these categories that he
can review them by heart even when he is falling asleep.
Souls from Atzilut
The souls that are from the World of Atzilut
divide into five categories corresponding to the five partzufim of
Atzilut.
Those that are drawn from A"A are called "Yechida".
Those from Abba are called "Chaya".
Those from Imma are called " Neshama".
Those from Z"A are called " Ruach".
Those from Nukva are called " Nefesh".
They are all divisions of Atzilut.
Afterwards, come lower ones. There are those that are
drawn from the world of Beriya, and they are called the "Neshama
[that is] from Beriya".
Those from Yetzira are all called the "Ruach [that is] from Yetzira".
Those from Asiya are called the "Nefesh [that is] from Asiya".
Those that are drawn from Imma of Atzilut
are called "Neshama of Atzilut"; those that are drawn from the
World of Beriya are called "Neshama of Beriya".
In the same way, those that are drawn from Zeir
Anpin of Atzilut are called the "Ruach of Atzilut";
those that are drawn from the World of Yetzira are called the "Ruach
of Yetzira". Those that are drawn from Nukva of Atzilut are
called the "Nefesh of Atzilut"; those that are drawn from the
World of Asiya are called the "Nefesh of Asiya".
This is in general, but there are also details, as
follows.
Souls from Arich Anpin of Atzilut
The souls that come from Arich Anpin of
Atzilut divide into five categories:
From Keter of Arich Anpin is what is
called the "Yechida of Yechida".
From its Chochma is what is called the "Chaya
of Yechida".
From its Bina is what is called the "Neshama
of Yechida".
From its Six Extremities is what is called the "Ruach
of Yechida".
From its Malchut is what is called the "Nefesh
of Yechida".
All these five categories are, in general, "Yechida".
The five aspects of Chaya that come from
Abba of Atzilut divide in the very same way, and they are all called
"Chaya".
It is the same with the five categories of Neshama
that come from Imma, and they are all called "Neshama".
It is the same with the five categories of Ruach
from Zeir Anpin, and they are all called "Ruach".
It is the same with the five categories of Nefesh
from Nukva, and they are all called the "Nefesh of Atzilut".
These are all the categories of Atzilut. Now
come the categories of BY"A.
Souls from the categories of BY"A
It is the same with the three worlds of BY"A,
but all five divisions of each world are only equivalent to one of the
partzufim of Atzilut, as already mentioned.
The Neshamas that are from Arich Anpin
of Beriya are called the "Yechida of Beriya".
Those from Abba are called "Chaya".
Those from Imma are called "Neshama".
Those from Zeir Anpin are called "Ruach".
Those from Nukva of Beriya are called
the "Nefesh of the Neshama [that is] from Beriya".
All these five categories that are from the five
partzufim of Beriya are called the "Neshama that is from
Beriya".
All five of them equal the five categories of
Neshama of Atzilut.
Similarly, the souls from the five partzufim of
Yetzira divide into the Yechida, Chaya, Neshama,
Ruach and Nefesh. They are all called the "Ruach [that is]
from Yetzira".
They are equal to the five categories of Ruach
of Atzilut.
Similarly, the souls from the five partzufim of
Asiya divide into the Yechida, Chaya, Neshama, Ruach
and Nefesh. They are all called the "Nefesh [that is] from
Asiya".
They are equal to the five categories of Nefesh
of Atzilut.
We have already learned (Gate of Reincarnations 1:4)
that each of these five can also be subdivided into five more. Theoretically,
there is no final level of subdivision. Nevertheless, the Ari will provide
specific numbers in the next section.
Before going on, it is worthwhile to summarize: The
Nefesh, in general, is from Asiya. The Ruach, in general, is
from Yetzira. The Neshama, in general, is from Beriya. They
correspond to particular partzufim in Atzilut: Nukva,
Zeir Anpin and Imma, respectively. These, in turn, are the Nefesh-Ruach-Neshama
[ NR"N] of Atzilut. Chaya, on the other hand, does
not derive from Atzilut in general, but only from Abba of
Atzilut. It is the same with Yechida, which is not ascribed here to
Atzilut or to Adam Kadmon in general, but to Arich Anpin
of Atzilut only.
Behold, souls have been explained in general and in
particular. Click to link to the previous article in this series,
Gate of Reincarnations, From Parents to Children 10:2
Click to link to the next article in this series,
Gate of Reincarnations, Roots and Sparks 11:2
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