Daily Tanya Wednesday 17th Elul Igeres Hakodesh 15: Understanding the Sefiros from our souls

Post Views: 194

Epistle 15

17th Elul

📖 Purpose of Study: Understanding The Sefiros

“To understand parable and metaphor, the words of the wise and their riddles” — this refers to grasping the concept of the Sefirot (Divine emanations). This awareness has been passed down in the land from the holy ones above, may their souls rest in Eden.

 

🧠 Drawing Divine Insight of the Sefiros from Human body

To bring this closer to human intellect, we reflect on the verse:
“From my flesh I shall behold God” — meaning, one can understand something of God’s divinity through the soul clothed in human flesh.

 

🗣️ Teachings of the Sages and Zohar

Based on our sages’ commentary on the verse “Bless the Lord, O my soul…”:
Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, so too the soul. And according to the Zohar on the verse “He breathed into his nostrils the breath of life”: “One who breathes, breathes from within himself” — implying that the soul originates from the Divine essence.

 

🌌 Even the Lowest Soul Has Divine Roots

Even the Nefesh of Asiyah (lowest soul level) comes from the union of Zeir Anpin and Nukva of Asiyah. Their intellect (Mochin) — which are the levels of Chayah and Neshamah —
are the backside vessels of Zeir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilut, which are actual Divinity.

 

💡 Divine Light Hidden in Wisdom

Within these vessels shines the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), which is clothed and concealed in the Wisdom of Atzilut, where “He and His vessels are one”.

 

🔥 The Soul as a Channel of Divine Light

Therefore, even in the human soul, the Infinite Light shines, clothed and hidden in the light of wisdom within it, to give life to the person.

 

🧬 Understanding the Sefirot Through the Soul

From this, a person can begin to understand something of the higher Sefirot,
since all of them shine within his soul, which is composed of them.

TopicDetails
Purpose of StudyUnderstanding Parables and Wisdom, grasping the concept of the Sefirot, awareness passed down from the holy ones above
Divine Insight from Human Experience“From my flesh I shall behold God” — understanding God’s divinity through the soul in human flesh
Lowest Soul Has Divine RootsNefesh of Asiyah comes from union of Zeir Anpin and Nukva of Asiyah; their intellect (Mochin) are the backside vessels of Zeir Anpin and Nukva of Atzilut, which are actual Divinity
Divine Light Hidden in WisdomWithin these vessels shines the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), clothed and concealed in the Wisdom of Atzilut, where “He and His vessels are one”

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

Leave A Comment?

You must be logged in to post a comment.