An inherent unity

AyinBase with R' Paltiel 11/4/2010 Thursday 27 Cheshvan 5771

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Page 34 – just below the middle of the page. Line starts, “hanefesh atsmah... (at the end of that line)”

we are looking at the question of why the nefesh is called nefesh hasichli. Why is sechel used to describe nefesh, which is above sechel?

There are 2 levels in sechel. The first is the level that is at the stage of how sechel comes in reasoning and revelation. The second level is the way it is at its inception, which is an essential level.

The bird flies not because it has wings, but because it has the spirit of flight. A human being has sechel because it reflects what a human being is. It is not circumstantial.

The kochot are real and are rooted in the nefesh.

Still the faculties operate on a physical level and here we are saying that there is a level of sechel that is essential and yet it relates to the level that is operational.



... וחיי עולם

Eating and talking like a human being

AyinBase with R' Paltiel 11/3/2010 Wednesday 26 Cheshvan 5771

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Page 34 – near the middle of the page. Line starts, “hanefesh atsmah... (at the end of that line)”

The kochot can never fathom the full depth and richness of the nefesh, and yet we also refer to the nefesh itself as nefesh hamiskelet, that it has a quality of sechel. Why?

When one goes into a hall set up for a banquet he doesn't need to see the bride and groom to know that something special is going on – not just the food.

The way a person eats is reflective of being a human being and not an animal/eater. Sechel describes and guides how to eat like a human being. The nefesh doesn't give these directions per se, the nefesh says, “you're human not just an animal that eats”.

This is the translation of the essence at the sechel level. Something of the essence comes down to the functioning level.

Sechel identifies how things correlate.

The nefesh is called nefesh hamiskelet even though it is way beyond sechel/mind. Nefesh doesn't apply sechel to know what it wants and to know right and wrong.



... וחיי עולם

An infinite basis

AyinBase with R' Paltiel 11/2/2010 Tuesday 25 Cheshvan 5771

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Page 34 – near the middle of the page. Line starts, “kav ve chut... (abbreviated)”

Shoresh / rooot means talking about something in its preexistent state, and this gives it more reality than the fact of its existence.

Torah is chochmah, but the root of that chochmah is not chochmah at all – it is in the element of atzmus ein sof which is way above the element of ratzon/will. And even above the purest state where there is no taam for the ratzon.

Here we are not talking about a will that has any kind of reason/stimulus. When one's life is endangered one's sense of the value of life is aroused. So without the danger, there is no active message about the value of life. This, though is not true – the fact that we wake- up when threatened is not because the sense is not there, but because we are preoccupied with other things.

We do not perceive activity and feeling unless it can be measured externally. But actually, life is an internal process. It is not a static presence that can be injured. It is a self-contained resource that is continually rejuvenated. The ratzon/will is a reflection that it is a living soul.

Chochmah of torah is rooted way above this level of ratzon.

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... וחיי עולם

We close our eyes...

AyinBase with R' Paltiel 11/1/2010 Monday 24 Cheshvan 5771

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Page 34 – 14 lines from the top of the page. Line starts, “ki im... (abbreviated)”

Mitzvah is a direct connection that bypasses the distance between heaven and earth, but still there is an advantage of torah over mitzvahs, because of its earlier shoresh in atzmus ein sof.

The root of the wisdom of torah, the way it is rooted in essence is in atzmus ein sof, and above ratzon, and even above the ratzon that doesn't have a taam.



... וחיי עולם

Direct connect

AyinBase with R' Paltiel 10/31/2010 Sunday 23 Cheshvan 5771

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Page 34 – 2nd line from the top of the page. Line starts, “hishtalshalus...”

We are still looking at how mitzvahs are superior to torah. Mitzvahs are ratzon hashem – pillars that connect heaven and earth. A direct connection between His will and this world.

In torah there is the same factor, but it comes as an expression – it is also ohr of atzilus that comes into briah. The briah element and not the atzilus element is what is nimshach below.

Mitzvahs are done in the physical world, but they are not dressed in the physicality. The ratzon ha elyon directly connects here below.

Torah is mislabesh / enclothed in the sechel.

That having been said there is still an advantage of torah over mitzvahs. We said the illuminator that is contained in torah returns one to good. Thus we see from this quote that even if one caused damage, the luminary that is in torah brings one to good and is thus higher than mitzvahs (ie there was a failing/damage on the level of mitzvahs, but torah can address this).

There is a truth that does not come from any place – this is ratzon.


... וחיי עולם