“What's Going On” p: 158

AyinBase with R' Paltiel ThursdayNight 4 Iyar 5772 

Page 158 – a third into the second paragraph of the page (line starts, 'ha-inyan....') For text, see link top right of the blog. Or for text right click here.

What is meaning that only a reflection of the soul is dressed in the body? And not the higher elements. And certainly not the essence of the soul. Hislabshut – enlothement – we say the soul is enclothed in the body. What does this mean? We have a G-dly soul and an animal soul. The animal soul relates to the worldly process perfectly, and it experiences every worldly effect. For example the animal soul is excited by 'a breath of fresh air' and the G-dly soul is present but not able to relate to the experience. It is here in the body, but does not experience all the 'happenings' in the world.

Similarly enlothement in the body... sechel/mind of the 'animal soul' is based on physical manifestations. The G-dly soul perceives it at a much higher level... the G-dly soul has its own interpretation and view of what's going on. 

The soul in the body must be behislabshut/involved since it gives life to the body. We have sechel/insight from our soul, and are sensitive to it in our physical brain... this is the meaning of the element that we can relate to is not the essence of the soul. The highest level of neshamah/soul, like the case of light and the interaction with an object can be identified... it is based on a changing status. There is presence and absence. The higher levels of the soul – chayah and yechidah are not reactive or the result of any kind of experience. These to levels are not involved with the body. This is to say if one has oneg/pleasure it is not due to any bodily experience.  

We have 2 distinct levels of soul – one is dressed in the body and one is completely above the body. For sure the essence of the soul is not dressed in the body. Creation of adam/man is the dressing of soul in body and how is that tzalmaynu – Our form, when it is functional levels that are in the body, not the essence of the soul.

It says, 'ach betzelem yithalach ish' – 'just in form does man walk'. The zohar says, 'when the soul comes down, then along with it comes a form. With that form he grows, and with that form/tzelem he walks around in this world, as it says ach betzelem... in his form does a man walk...' It is explained that the form is a garment for the soul and as a result of it the joining of soul and body is enabled... and man continues to persists in the world on this basis... It is necessary to understand the strength, value and advantage of this levush/garment that it is able to join together the soul and the body, although that in essence the soul and body are in 2 completely different states of being...

and how does it occur that all the expressions are through this garment... and by this garment/form it grows... the person grows... the meaning is that there is an increase of light... how is all this facilitated by means of the levush/form?

The principle is that the root of this levush/form is very high. This is similar to the form that encompasses zun/male and female.

It is higher than kochot atzmi-im – higher than the way the faculties are contained in essence.

A bases of what has been said above. There is a basic principle: 'we understand due to sechel/mind, we walk due to feet, and talk due to the mouth and engage in thought speech and deed and an unfathomable spectrum of activities... higher and lower without end... and we see the role of each faculty... this is all true, but it is not the truth. What is the truth? The truth is that I can do all these things because I am a human being. My faculties are tools to express the human quality. But the activities are not due to the tools! There is a superior presence. And all credit is due to that presence.