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According to Jewish hermeneutics, there are five “levels” of the soul. Or better stated, “five ‘levels’ of soul consciousness.” The first four are mentioned at creation.
Conventional Understanding:
As we discovered in Part II, there are multiple components of man's existence. There is an aspect of human existence that is created from nothing [Beriyah]; there is an aspect formed from that which is created [Yetzirah]; and there is an aspect that is made from what was formed [Asiyah]. These degrees of creation, formation, and completion can be seen as stages in the creation process. However, these stages are not passive as they simultaneously contribute to man's corporeal existence. Corresponding to the degrees of human development are mankind's unique spiritual components.
According to Jewish understanding and hermeneutics, there are five “levels” of the soul. Or better stated, “five ‘levels’ of soul consciousness.” The varying degrees present themselves in five distinct Hebrew terms found throughout Scripture: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida.
The first four were briefly mentioned in Part I as we found these terms referenced directly in the first chapter of Genesis. The latter is not as directly evident but is frequently referenced and insinuated throughout the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. The word ‘Yechida’ roughly translates to “oneness” or “absolute” unity. We find this concept expressed in many of the sayings attributed Yeshua in the Book of John:
“Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me… (Jn. 14:10-11).”
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us… I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one… (Jn. 17:21-22)”
These statements, and many others like them are frequent in John’s gospel. What is the unity and oneness that Yeshua so often refers to? It is expressed in the Hebrew term ‘Yechida’ – the unity and oneness that man experiences as an aspect of his existence in unity with God. John often expresses these matters in lofty terms; however, the core of the idea is based in the Torah: “For part of God is His people. (Deut. 32:9)”
There is an undeniable truth that an aspect of our individual and corporal existence as members of God’s Kingdom are intricately bound with God’s own existence: “I and the Father are one (Jn. 10:30)” - and through this unity our existence emanates: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the soul of life [Nishmat Chayim], and man became a living soul [Nefesh Chayah]…” (Gen. 2:7)
As early as the first Parsha in the Book of Genesis, we see the emergence of man’s existence in the Creation narrative: There is an aspect of man that is eternally bound to the source of Creation, through whom man receives Neshama (breath), to operate as a physical Nefesh, and containing the full potential to possess Chaya (life).
As mentioned above, these accumulative terms represent five planes of man’s existence, and they emanate to allow us to connect with God on each level of Asiyah, Yetzirah, and Beriyah. These levels comprise of our existence, and each one of these levels are often and erroneously consolidated into the English concept of “soul”. As we examine the different levels of soul, let us properly define terms:
Nefesh
Genesis 2:7 informs us that the revelation of God’s emanating interaction with man’s existence results in Nefesh Chaya. Interestingly enough, this is an aspect of man’s existence that is shared with the animal kingdom: And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures (nefesh chayah) according to their kind, cattle and creeping things and the beasts of the earth according to their kind,” and it was so.” (Gen. 1:24)
It could be said that ‘Nefesh’ represents the most basic level of soul- consciousness known to man - the physical body and the physical world. The Nefesh functions in the world of Asiyah – the world of “doing” or the world of “action”.
Everything we do on a daily basis such as waking up, going to bed, and conducting our business is done in the world of Asiyah. And the experience of mankind within this world is perceived through the Nefesh. In this conscious state, the extent of man’s limitation is clearly defined by the nature of the physical world around us – the confines of time and space.
In the world of Asiyah, there is a direct correspondence to the effects of mankind’s righteous and evil actions. Another way of expressing this notion the idea of “cause and effect”. The experience of Nefesh determines that mankind has a limited amount of time to govern his actions and positively or negatively impact the world around him. It is this part of man’s existence which dies, and ultimately this aspect of man’s existence that our emissaries and Sages tell us are destined to be resurrected (1 Thess. 4:13-18)(Sanhedrin 91b).
Ruach
The next level of man’s incorporeal existence corresponds toYetzirah-Formation, and is called 'Ruach'. We see the term first attributed to God at the beginning of Genesis: “Now the earth was astonishingly empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the spirit of God (Ruach Elohim) was hovering over the face of the water (Gen. 1:2).”
The Torah tells us that the Ruach of God was present before the realm of Asiyah came into existence. The word ‘Ruach’ literally means ‘wind’ and is used to express God’s interaction with mankind in a realm beyond the confines of nature i.e. time and space.
“The wind [Ruach] blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit [Ruach] (Jn. 3:8).”
Man too possesses a ruach that is imparted by God; and this aspect of our existence is eternal in nature (as are the remaining aspects of man’s “spiritual” formation).
The ruach primarily manifests itself through our love and motivation to serve God: “The fruit of the Spirit (Ruach) is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).” The Sages refer to the function of ruach as “the toil of the heart” (Bereshit Rabbah 85:9). And since the Ruach Ha’Kadosh is a direct manifestation of God’s interaction with mankind that is attainable in the world of asiya, the consciousness of “ruach” is considered a lower, yet equally important, level of man’s existence.
Neshama
The next aspect of man’s existence corresponds to Beriyah-Creation and is called the Neshama (breath); and the primary function of the Neshama represents mankind’s ability to grasp God’s primordial qualities of Chachmah (Wisdom) and Binah (Understanding).
It is Wisdom calling, Understanding raising her voice. She takes her stand at the topmost heights, By the wayside, at the crossroads… In the distant past I was fashioned, At the beginning, at the origin of the earth. (Proverbs 8:1-2, 23)
These qualities of the Almighty (chochmah and binah) are the vehicles through which all of creation comes into existence. In in order for there to be an intelligible design for creation, there first had to exist a supernal Creator. The ability to comprehend this “illumination” of primordial knowledge and wisdom is experienced through the Neshama: “Indeed, it is a spirit (ruach) in man, and the breath (Neshama) of the Almighty [which] permits them to understand (Job 32:8).”
Like the ruach, the neshama is a level of soul consciousness that man is capable of experiencing while the nefesh is functioning within asiya. As such, it is natural to say that the neshama is the vehicle through which Biblical luminaries such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel received their Divine insight known as Nevuah (Prophecy).
The New Testament emissary and student of Raban Gamliel, Saul of Tarsus (Paul), mentions this level of consciousness as he indirectly refers to a personal experience:
“I know a man in Messiah who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven (level of Neshama). Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know – God knows. And I know that this man… was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. (2 Cor. 12:4)
The Neshama allows us to commune with God in such a way that our consciousness can perceive God’s immeasurable qualities that serve as the originator of life itself and the creation of all that exists. Hence Paul’s remark, “inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.”
Chaya & Yechida
Finally, we arrive to the remaining levels of soul-consciousness that exist beyond Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama and they are ‘Chaya’ and ‘Yechida’. Like the former, the latter two exist beyond time and space. However, it is impossible to comprehend Chaya and Yechida while the Nefesh is alive and engaged with the Asiyah.
Chaya is referenced throughout the New Testament, and primarily in the writings of John, as “eternal life.”
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life (Chaya), and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one (Yechida).” (John 10:30)
Chaya describes what is beyond our consciousness in the realms of Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama. It allows us to see God in a way that transcends all aspects of existence and physical reality; and represents the knowledge of the absolute truth as it pertains to the source of all existence. Chaya describes the life that Adam had in the Garden. Our Sages explain in the Jerusalem Talmud (Berachot 83b) that Adam Kadmon, the first man, was able to “perceive from one end of the world to the other.”
What do our Sages mean to imply by this statement? Chazal explain that Adam’s primordial essence was not in the lower physical world of asiya with our limits of time and space and surrounded by planets, stars, and galaxies; but that Adam’s existence was illuminated by the supernal light of God’s presence which allowed him to have full comprehension i.e. full capacity for Divine wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. This state of existence necessitates a complete and thorough denial and nullification of one’s self. In essence, there being no identity outside of life and unity with God. The Midrash concludes by explaining that Adam Kadmon’s severance with his comprehensible unity and life with God came as a result of his sin.
What was the source of Adam’s rupture with God? Adam failed to nullify his own identify and in one moment granted the desires his own ego. The result was the state of consciousness and comprehension of God as we know it in the realm of asiya. The endeavor of mankind hence forth has been to rectify the severance and restore our relationship with God to that of Adam Kadmon: Transcendent life (Chaya) and complete unity (Yechida) with God.
As discussed at the onset of this discourse, much of ancient and modern philosophy and theology would like to suggest that man’s existence is comprised of two components, the dualism of body and soul - Physicality and spirituality. However, the Torah, and by extension, Judaism’s view of man’s existence is not so simplistic.
The reality demonstrates that 4 out of 5 levels of mankind’s existence takes place outside of physical and relative dimensions. To reiterate, the majority of man’s existence (80 percent) is outside of time and space. The implication suggests that humans are primarily eternal beings, as apposed to the dualistic position of “half physical and half spiritual.”
What then does that make of our current state of consciousness - the life of nefesh? The case could be made that because the minority of our existence is experienced within the realm of asiyah, i.e. mortal life on earth, then the concept of the four remaining levels render the nefesh insignificant. Indeed, such distinctions have been made throughout history and left some to hold little regard for the physical body and world around us. However, the human experience as defined by Torah and Judaism also proves that such notions are erroneous.
Unrivaled Potential
It is important to remember that in the lower level of asiya, it is the Neshama through which human beings are capable of comprehending God through Divine intellect, and it is the Ruach through which we can comprehend God by the “toils of the heart”. All of these are manifested, and developed, and perfected through the experience of the Nefesh.
Indeed, the Nefesh is our greatest conduit to affect the restoration of our broken world. From the beginning, it was mankind’s failure to nullify his own cravings that ensured the fall of Adam Kadmon. The realm in which human beings are capable of rectifying the chasm is in the world of asiya. In essence, man possesses the potential to affect the cosmos with his actions; to the extent that every positive deed contributes to the restoration of God’s unity and every negative action serves to intensify the severance. The good deeds that work to unify God’s name are called mitzvoth. The negative actions that undermine God’s unity are generally referred to as chet (sin).
Interestingly, over the centuries, incorporated into Jewish prayer books is a meditation by which an individual directs his heart towards the ideals of rectifying the world and rectifying God’s unity before performing a mitzvah: “I perform this for the sake of the unification of the Holy One, blessed be He, and His Shechinah, to unite the name yud, heh with vav, heh, by means of that hidden and concealed one, in the name of all Israel.”
The understanding that mitzvoth and adversely sin have a direct impact on the unity and disunity of God’s name has a profound impact on our halacha (our walk) with God. If the downfall of Adam was the decent into the bleakness and confusion of this world, then the purpose of being in asiya must be to inspire all of mankind to the ascent that is necessary to traverse the worlds back to God.
Just as one act of self-indulgence was capable of severing our state in chaya and yechida, so too does every action that involves denial one’s ego – the determination to choose God and to choose His people above our own personal aspiration – the key to rectifying unity through all five levels. That is why Moses admonishes us, “and you will observe and fulfill them [mitzvoth] with all your heart and all your soul [nefesh] (Deut. 26:16).”
In order for mankind to serve God with all capacities of one’s heart and nefesh requires a consistent act of love that manifests itself in actions – with every thought, every word spoken, and every deed. As the King David writes, “May the sayings of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable before You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer (Tehilim 19:15). “
Practical Application
The ability to choose God in such a manner truly requires the denial of one’s ego and personal agenda. In Judaism, our Sages describe the necessary transcendence that takes place with the performance of mitzvoth as the “peeling” of the shell; in Hebrew, represented by the word Kelipah – Kelipah is a term used to describe the barrier (orlah) each individual must overcome to bring about tikkun (reconciliation) in the world. Much like a fruit tree whose fruit is full of enriching nutrients, yet requires the benefits to be extracted by peeling its kelipah, so too must the same take place for a man’s heart.
Our rabbis teach that every individual is endowed with two inclinations, one bad (yetzer hara) and one good (yetzer tov). The concept is derived from Genesis 6:5, when God perceives that the state of man’s inclination [yetzer] – prior to the generation of the flod – was always evil [ra].
In essence, humanity’s continual desire to satisfy the yetzer hara had rendered them completely numb to the will of the Creator – to the extent that in the time of Noah, mankind’s status was no longer reconcilable; that generation had fully traversed and immersed itself in what is known in Judaism as the Sitra Achra – literally “the other side” of impurity or “the other side” of the Kelipah.
The profound essence of the Torah is that mankind not only has the potential, but the responsibility to transcend the barrier by pealing away the shell. In doing so, an individual demonstrates his love for God; and where love flourishes, unity with Hashem becomes all the more attainable. The decision of human beings to exercise their freewill in such a way to choose God and to favor the community with every selfless thought, word, and deed are the greatest manifestations of love; and these are what the Apostle Paul describes as the fruits of the spirit!
The foundation of Judaism is the realization that life has a purpose, and that man’s existence has purpose; and that as we walk through this life, our existence is not solely of our own (Kaplan, 1990).
“Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Ruach HaKodesh, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies - nefesh (1 Cor. 6:19-20).”
“Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life [chaya]; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness (Romans 6:13).”
Truly it can be said, that the greatest potential to positively affect every aspect of our existence and all of creation is through the mitzvoth we endeavor to fulfill in the world of asiya with our nafshot (plural nefesh).
Contrary to popular assumption, the greatest level to which all humans should aspire are not found in euphoric and sensationalized experiences that we would attribute to “spiritual” in nature, but rather a transformation of the sometimes seemingly mundane world that surrounds. What will it take for this immense reconciliation to take place? We begin by connecting the millions upon millions of neshamot (pl. neshama) around us back to the Creator, one mitzvah, one deed, and one act of love at a time.
In John 14:15, the Moshiach himself provides the recipe for this action: “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.”
May it be our desire to partake in this endeavor with a sincere heart, and actively participate in the good works that serve to hasten the endeavor of restoring the gulf between God and humanity.
