New mind

B”H
2.2.10 (Tuesday, 18 Shevat) p.11 (few lines above middle) - Notes from Yehudah


Neshamos /souls are rooted in kalim (vessels) of atzilus and come down into this world, in order to rise up to a higher level (to the oros of atzilus).


Nefesh ha behamis (the animal soul) – can only relate to chumrius and gashmious (physicality).


Without avodah, the Nefesh ha behamis is drawn to chumri and gashmi and considers it the only reality. It is completely complacent in this. Doesn’t ask what am I here for? What do I accomplish when I eat this cake?


If he had any sense of bittel (self nullification), he would say yes I am chumri and gashmi, but it is meaningless.


Without avodah, he is drawn to chumri and gashmi and he justifies it. He only relates to his own presence.


Bittel ha yesh – Nefesh Elokis (G-dly soul) forces the Nefesh ha behamis to recognize that his mitzeus is not the end of the story. Nefesh ha behamis has seichel. Seichel is that he can understand things that are not of his own experience.


This is why the Nefesh ha behamis can understand that you are an entity that needed to be made (i.e. it was created) – without recognizing that someone made you and why you were made, you are not relating to the truth of your existence.


This is who I am, but this is not the full story. I want to relate to that which complements my story. Nefesh ha behamis of an animal couldn’t care less – can’t explain to it what it is. Human Nefesh ha behamis can act against its own preferences – an animal is not able to do this.


Difference between gashmi and chumri. Gashmi is the fact of gashmious. Chumri is the satisfaction of being gashmi – the disinterest in anything else – the coarseness of it.