Advanced Reincarnation Class 21

Shaarai Gilgulim - Gate of Reincarnations

As taught to Rabbi Chaim Vital by Rabbi Isaac Luria and Amended by Rabbi Chaim's Son Shemuel.

Translated from Sha'ar Hagilgulim by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher of Blessed Memory and Completed by Rabbi Perets Aurback.

Published online with commentary by Kabbala online.com

This version will not have all of the commentary.

Please note: The publisher explains that the Study of Kabbalistic Texts usually recommends that one review the material many times until they are familiar with the vocabulary at a minimum.

Also Note: Bold Text represents the translation of the original Text. Regular text represents the commentary and explanation of the translator. Chanoch's comments will be identified separately.

Three Types of Souls

Chapter 7 Section 1

By Rabbi Yitzchak Luria as recorded by Rabbi Chaim Vital; translation from Sha'ar Hagilgulim by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher

The First Type

The Rav will explain in this section that there are three different types of soul.

We have already explained that there are some souls that were not part of Adam's soul when it was first created. These are truly completely "new souls," whereas the souls that were already included in Adam are called "old souls" by comparison, of which there are two types.

This is a continuation of the last chapter. The new souls are those that are being born anew from the Unification of Face to Face. Since they are new, they were never included in the soul of Adam. The old souls that were included in the soul body of Adam were born from the Unification of Back to Back, but of these the Rav is now adding that there are two types.

Thus, there are three types, the first being those which were not included in Adam and which are considered to be completely new souls.

The second type of soul is a result of Adam's sin, after which his limbs "fell off" and he was reduced until he was no higher than one hundred cubits. This is the secret of the verse "…And You laid Your hand upon me". (Psalms 139:5) Just as it happened to his body, so too did it happen to his soul.

This is in the Talmud, Chagiga 12a. As a result of Adam's sin, G-d laid His hand upon him and diminished his stature. Before the sin, he spanned five spiritual worlds, whereas after the sin he only spanned one…

Prior to Adam's sin, he was said to have been five hundred cubits high. If taken literally, then he would have been between 750 to 1000 feet high. In Kabbalah, it means that before the sin, he spanned five spiritual worlds, whereas after the sin he only spanned one.

We have already seen that the sparks that constituted the spiritual body of Adam fell into the klipot. This is what it means that "his limbs fell off" and corresponds to the diminution of his physical stature as a result of the sin. However, some of the sparks remained part of him, i.e. included within him.

The sparks of his soul that remained within him after the sin were necessary for Adam himself. After the sin, he fathered Cain and Abel, and, as the sages (Pirkei d'Rebbe Eliezer, Chapter 21) and the Zohar say, it was from these sparks that they came. These constitute the second type of soul.

In other words, some sparks did not fall, but remained within Adam for the sake of his own existence, and most of these were transmitted to his children, Cain and Abel. These constitute the second level of souls that will be discussed in this chapter.

The third level is those sparks of his soul that left him at the time of the sin and which returned to the depths of the klipot.

Note that the Rav writes explicitly that they "returned" to the depths of the klipot.

The sages alluded to them by calling them "limbs that fell off". It was from this third level that the soul of Seth, the (third) son of Adam was taken.

[Commentary by Shabtai Teicher.]

chanoch's Commentary

i found this section confusing when i first read it. Here is my understanding from other readings and questions i asked my teachers.

When the vessels broke (as taught by the ARIzal) the sparks of light fell into different levels of the Klipot. Some of these sparks became the souls of inanimate objects in the physical world. Some became the souls of plants in the physical world while some became the souls of animals in the physical world and the higher souls became souls of human beings in the physical world. How it was determined which became what was not truly made clear other than the greater the desire to receive the deeper into the klipot they fell and ultimately this is the level of animals in our world. Thus when Adam fell the animals and the plants and the inanimate levels also fell.

Adam and Chava existed with a body and soul sparks in a spiritual level prior to existing in the physical world. This spiritual level is called the Garden of Eden. This spiritual level was also populated by the Race of Angels called Watchers or Teli or Dragons. The spiritual entities called Satan and Lilith (Please do not say her name but call her LL) took control of some of these Watcher Angels and enticed Eve and Adam to metaphorically eat from the Tree of Knowledge Good and Evil. Thus they were expelled from the Garden of Eve and were reduced in size both spiritually and physically. This expelling from the Garden is the idea of becoming physical.

At the level of the Garden of Eden they were able to move between all 5 worlds while after being expelled they were limited to the seven levels of earth the seven levels of Hell. All of these exist physically, in various dimensions.

Now all potential souls and soul sparks existed in Adam and Chava in the Garden of Eden. This terminology of losing their limbs is describing the idea that they lived in the Physical World striving to do Teshuvah. Yet do to the influence of the Satan and Lilith they continued to fall. Some of the souls that were originally part of the left and right arms of Adam and Chava actually left Adam and Chava and reincarnated as Cain and Abel. When they did the murder sin more sparks left all three of them. Thus the three are considered root souls of humanity.

Now what the ARIzal is explaining in this section is there are 3 levels of souls that have to do with the two sins. ONe set of sparks participated in both sins. One set of sparks only participated in the sin of Adam and Chava. And a third set of souls left Adam and Chava to grow through Dormita and Nesia at the time of the sin. This third group is called the new souls. There are other new souls that come from the other two levels as well as once a soul goes throug this dormita and nesia they are considered cleansed of something and called new. That something may be any one of the three aspects of the three levels of sin.

i hope this clarifies things a bit. The word new and the different names that we call they souls are referring to different levels even within one of these names and that leads to confusion.

New Souls

Chapter Seven, Section 2

By Rabbi Yitzchak Luria as recorded by Rabbi Chaim Vital; translation from Sha'ar Hagilgulim by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher

The first level is considered to be a completely new soul. It is about such a soul that has descended into this world, born into a body, that the sages alluded to when they said, "Come and see: When a person is born they give him a Nefesh, etc., and if he merits more, etc."

This is the statement appearing in the beginning of Saba of Mishpatim (Zohar, Mishpatim, p.94b). The Rav has quoted it several times, and we already learned about it in Chapter One, Section 2.

Since it is a first lifetime he can achieve everything…

It appeared to be a statement that applies to all first incarnations, but now it apparently applies only to first incarnations of completely new souls, those that were not originally part of Adam's soul before the sin.

chanoch's Commentary

This comment above will be confusing to you in that it refers to some aspects understood differently than my discussion above in section 1. Let us say that a Nefesh that incarnates as initially having gone through dormita and nesia is called a New Soul even if it has had previous incarnations prior to the dormita process. In other words the souls split into male and female as they come into the physical world. If this is the second time that they are splitting in this process they are not called a new soul. If it is the first time in this form of splitting into male and female they are called a new soul and can achieve a full and complete tikune in this incarnation potentially.

Since it is a first lifetime, he is able to achieve the Nefesh of Asiya until the Neshama of the Neshama of Atzilut, level after level, as it says, "…if he merits more, etc."

The Neshama of the Neshama is another nomenclature for the fourth general level of Chaya. Since it is a first lifetime he can achieve everything.

And this he can do without much effort. We have already explained this first level before. However, if during that time he sins and causes a blemish and dies, necessitating a return to this world, then he is called an "old gilgul".

chanoch's Commentary

His Cosmic soul mate will be born near him. In earliest generations they were twin sisters. in later generations that we would still call earlier - the 12 sons of Jacob's generation and prior they would be born into the same family. This is where the midrash says that the sons of Jacob married their souls mates that were twin sisters of their brothers. It is also the idea of arranged marriages that are still prevalent in some of the societies and parts of societies today. The arranged marriage of cousins is one of those traditions that allow for the easy meeting of soul mates which is what is called without much effort above.

Before going on to discuss the next level the Rav comes back to the subject of new souls to make one more point, which he also taught previously in the beginning of Chapter One.

As we have already explained beforehand, the Nefesh comes to him at birth, but the Ruach cannot come to him until he is thirteen years old and one day; the Neshama, cannot (come) until he is twenty years or more. In this way he advances and gains according to his deeds until he achieves the NR"N of Atzilut, according to the level of his years.

In effect, there are two requirements conditioning the advance of soul from level to level: one is age, and the second is the merit of his deeds.

chanoch's Commentary

Age represents Mercy or Chesed - the opportunity to correct any mistakes through Teshuvah. The merit of the deeds is Gevurah. These two Sefirot are always connected just not as strongly as Chochmah and Binah which are always in Zvug - sexual intercourse and unity. Chesed and Gevurah are usually connected especially in a new soul.

i bring you this information to start teaching you to think like a student of Kabbalah. Why would you just accept the statement that starts in effect? You need to begin to question not just accept as you are taught to do in your classes and by your previous teachers.

[Commentary by Shabtai Teicher.]

Sparks Retained

Chapter Seven, Section 3

By Rabbi Yitzchak Luria as recorded by Rabbi Chaim Vital; translation from Sha'ar Hagilgulim by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher

In this section the Rav will explain in greater detail what the second level of soul is, and he will describe an advantage of the first level over the second.

The second level consists of the sparks of the soul that remained with Adam after the sin, and which he bequeathed to Cain and Abel when they were born. They are considered to be new to some extent, but not completely. When they are rectified they will be more elevated than all the other souls that fell from Adam since they had the ability to remain in Adam, and they did not fall into the klipot. It was during the actual lifetime of Adam that he bequeathed them to his sons…

When his sons Cain and Abel inherited them, it was not considered an actual gilgul as if they came from a first body that died. It was during the actual lifetime of Adam that he bequeathed them to his sons when they were born. Therefore, all the sparks that are included in Cain and Abel are considered as if they are still part of Adam himself, as if they did not fall from him.

When these sparks came as part of Adam, they did not come to rectify themselves. Even though they were a part of him, they did not belong to him. Thus, they are considered as if they never came.

Not all the sparks that were included in Adam fell from him, as we learned previously. Some of these soul-sparks remained within him, and he needed them for his own existence. However, others that remained within him were not needed for his own tikun, and they were transmitted to his sons, Cain and Abel. It is these that constitute the second level discussed here. Since they were not needed by Adam himself, and they also did not fall with the other old souls, they are to be considered as "somewhat new", an intermediate category between the new souls (first level) and the old souls (third level).

Also, when they later came included within Cain and Abel during the lifetime of Adam, it is also not to be considered a true incarnation. They did not come for themselves (again) because they had yet to be divided into individual sparks in their own bodies. Rather, they were only included in the bodies of Cain and Abel, which was not to be considered a true incarnation.

They were included in Cain and Abel, apparently, because the latter were still the roots of the entire human race that was to follow. However, they were not participants in the gilgul. They were just being stored there awaiting distribution.

Hence, only when one of these sparks is afterwards apportioned to a body is it considered a first incarnation in the world. It is a new incarnation to some extent, but not entirely, because they did already come in Adam, Cain,and Abel. If one of these almost-new souls sins, he will have to die and reincarnate…

If such a person sins and causes a blemish and dies and reincarnates, then it will be called an old gilgul.

If one of these almost new souls sins, like other old souls, when he completes Nefesh from Asiya, he will have to die and reincarnate in order to get Ruach, etc..

During the first time in the world it is called a somewhat new soul, as we have explained. It can achieve the Nefesh of Asiya, the Ruach of Yetzira, the Neshama of Beriya, and the Nefesh of Atzilut.

In this respect they are like new souls. If they have not yet become blemished, then they can grow all the way to Nefesh of Atzilut.

However, it cannot achieve more than this, which is a difference between these second level souls and the first level souls, which can attain all the way to the Neshama of the Neshama of Atzilut.

The first level souls can complete until Chaya of Atzilut, but the second level souls can complete only until Nefesh of Atzilut. Still, that is very much relative to old souls.

The reason for this difference is that when Adam sinned, he lost the "Supernal Radiance" [Zehira Ila'ah, as mentioned in the Zohar, Kedoshim 83a], which is the levels of RNCh"Y of the world of Atzilut.

The "Supernal Radiance" is the soul of Adam from the level of Atzilut. When he sinned the higher levels of the "Supernal Radiance" disappeared by ascending above. The only level that was left to him was the Nefesh of Atzilut.

They are called the "Supernal Radiance" and rather than fall into the kelipot, which are only in the three worlds of BY"A, they were taken up to their places. Thus, from all the levels of Atzilut called "Supernal Radiance", only the Nefesh of Atzilut remained. Whenever there is sin, then the higher lights ascend and depart in order not to be taken up in the sin and sullied…

This description is exactly the same as the description of one of the details of the Shattering of the Vessels. In that place also, when the vessels broke, the higher lights ascended back to where they had come from. At the same time the sparks, equivalent here to the lower lights, descended together with the broken vessels into the realm of the kelipot.

The Rav explains, furthermore, that whenever there is sin, then the higher lights ascend and depart in order not to be sullied.

Thus, when these sparks that were included in Cain and Abel come into the world now for the first time, they can only achieve through their deeds up to the level of the Nefesh of Atzilut and no more.

However, completely new souls can grow from the Nefesh of Asiya to the heights of Atzilut called "Supernal Radiance". This is an advantage of the first level over the second level.

chanoch's Commentary

This section is clear as it is written. The question does occur as to what is the significance of this information. For the time being it is creating definition of New Soul - A Soul in Adam that rose prior to the sin of adam; Old Soul - A soul that participated in the sin and therefore will need to die and be reincarnated; A third level which is called Almost New Soul - A soul that was given to Cain and Abel while Adam was alive and did not participate in the sin thus these almost new souls are considered new when it comes to the idea that they can complete thier Tikune. Yet the Tikune can not complete above the level of Nefesh of Atzilut.Remember that a true new soul can complete its Tikune up to the level of Chaya of Atzilut.

Now let's ask another question. A soul who left Adam prior to the Sin, what is the Tikune of this soul? Now is the time for you to respond. Here is a hint: What was the one Mitzvah given to Adam? Is that still a MItzvah? How about the concept of allowing oneself to not try to make another person see your Truth as his Truth? Think about this.

[Commentary by Shabtai Teicher.]

Challenge to 2nd Level Souls

Chapter Seven, Section 4

Translation from Sha'ar Hagilgulim by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher

Another advantage of Level One over Level Two is the facility by which the highest levels of soul can be rectified, whereas Level Two souls can rectify the highest levels only with difficulty and effort, even though they can achieve the highest levels.

There is another advantage of a new soul, which has been called "Level One". When it comes into the world for the first time it can easily attain within the same body the Nefesh of Asiya until the Neshama of the Neshama, as we have mentioned. The Nefesh will become the "dwelling place" and "throne" of the Ruach, and the Ruach to the Neshama, and so on.

The main point here is that new souls can easily achieve all the highest levels. Furthermore, as new levels are attained, each previous level becomes the "dwelling place" or "throne" of the next level. This is none other than the concept of Hitlabshut, or "enclothing", which was explained in a special note at the end of Chapter Two.

However, this is not the case for (the souls of) Level Two, which are the sparks that were included in Cain and Abel. Although they can achieve as high as the Nefesh of Atzilut in one lifetime, it will not be with the ease of Level One. This is what we spoke about regarding the secret of Yibum at night, and the verse,"My Nefesh has desired You at night; even (with) my Ruach that is within me will I seek for You…" (Isaiah 26:9).

In Chapter Three, Section 8 we learned that a person who completes his Nefesh cannot normally receive his Ruach in the same lifetime if his Ruach has already been blemished in a previous gilgul. He will have to die and reincarnate, unless "the need is great". By meditating upon the verse, "My Nefesh has desired You at night; even (with) my Ruach that is within me will I seek for You…" when he goes to sleep at night, he can cause his Ruach to descend in place of his Nefesh. This will allow him to rectify the Ruach in the same lifetime that the tikun of the Nefesh was completed. After a Nefesh has become completely rectified, it leaves a person at night while he sleeps…

One of the points that the Rav will add here is that the Ruach will descend in the morning in place of the Nefesh while it is clothed within the Nefesh of the convert. It cannot descend into a body without being ensconced within a Nefesh, and its own Nefesh has remained above in the Supernal Well. Therefore, as we shall see, it clothes itself in the Nefesh of the convert.

In addition, the Rav has added here a new nomenclature for this phenomenon. He calls it "the secret of Yibum at night", and has mentioned it here since it is possible, through meditation at night upon the verse mentioned above, to attain all three levels of NR"N in one gilgul.

After a Nefesh has become completely rectified, it leaves a person at night while he sleeps, and the Nefesh of a convert enters him in its place in the morning together with the Ruach of the man himself.

At night while a person sleeps he deposits his soul Above. Normally the soul comes back the next morning to continue on with its tikun, which in the case of a completed Nefesh would not be necessary. Therefore, it remains Above, and instead the Nefesh of a convert returns in its place to make possible the tikun of the Ruach during a single lifetime. The Nefesh will be the "throne" for its own Ruach…

[The Ruach] will be clothed within this Nefesh until it is completely rectified. At that point the first Nefesh will return to the body, and they remain together. The Nefesh will be the "throne" for its own Ruach.

If the person merits even more afterwards, then his Nefesh and Ruach will leave him at night, and in the morning his Neshama will enter him and remain there until completely rectified. After that time, his Nefesh and Ruach will re-enter him, and the three levels will remain together.

However, all of this is only with great effort and difficulty, and after focusing intently. This is the secret of the verse, "If He would take notice of him, then He would gather into Himself his Ruach and Neshama". (Job 34:14) If he will be wise, and if he knows the meditation "Yibum at Night", of which we spoke, and if he will pay attention and focus his heart, then he will be able to gather unto himself, in this body, his Ruach and Neshama without the need for further gilgulim.

With the proper wisdom, understanding, and concentration, a person who might normally have required many different gilgulim to rectify his Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama can use the "Yibum at Night meditation" as a way to complete all three of them during one incarnation.

In addition, another advantage of Level One souls over Level Two souls has been explained. Although Level Two souls can achieve very high levels like Level One souls, they can only do so with great effort and difficulty, when the need is great, and when they are proficient in the meditation called "Yibum at Night."

chanoch's Commentary

Do you know which verse in the night time Shema is the Yibum at Night meditation? It is the Verse Isaiah Chapter 26 Verse 9: This verse is part of the Night Time Shema. It is necessary to do more than just read it to allow it to work.

Hebrew

נפשי אויתיך בלילה אף-רוחי בקרבי אשחרך כי כאשר משפטיך לארץ צדק למדו ישבי תבל

Transliteration

Nafshi Aviticha Balailah Af Ruchi Bakerevi Ashchircha Ki CaAsher MeShifticha LaAretz Tzedek Lamdu Yoshvai Tayvel.

Translation

With my soul have I desired Thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me have I sought Thee earnestly; for when Thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

I suggest you utilize the tools of Kabbalah to study these verses. The tools like the first and last letters and the gematria plus the word and letter count.

[Commentary by Shabtai Teicher.]

Early Death of Tzadikim

"Gate of Reincarnations": Chapter Seven, Section 5

By Rabbi Yitzchak Luria as recorded by Rabbi Chaim Vital; translation from Sha'ar Hagilgulim by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher

People who do not know how to draw down Ruach and Neshama through the "yibum at night meditation" have to die, and if they are tzadikim who have rectified the Nefesh at an early age, then they will die young, and this applies to second level souls as well. This person must therefore die in order to rectify his Ruach in a second body…

A person may completely rectify his Nefesh, but not know how to draw his Ruach to him to rectify it, as has been previously explained: leaving his Nefesh at night (in the Supernal Well) through meditation upon the verse, "My Nefesh has desired You at night…." (Isaiah 26:9) This person must therefore die in order to rectify his Ruach in a second body. When it is rectified, then his Nefesh will join him.

If by this time he still does not know how to send his Ruach away at night in order to draw his Neshama to rectify it according to the previously mentioned meditation, then he will have to die a second time so that his Neshama can enter a third body to become rectified. After rectification, his Nefesh and Ruach will re-enter to join his Neshama, as discussed previously.

Remarkably, this is why some completely righteous people die early in life. They have rectified their Nefesh entirely after only a few years, but they do not know how to draw down their Ruach by sending away their Nefesh using the meditation we mentioned earlier. They die at an early age since there is no reason to delay their time in this world.

There is no reason for them to remain in this world since they have completed the tikun of their Nefesh. If they would receive Ruach, then they could begin the tikun of Ruach while still in the same lifetime. However, since they do not know how to draw down their Ruach, and have no need for further rectification of the Nefesh, there isn't any reason for them to remain in this world.

They leave early [so] that their Ruach may enter a second body to become rectified. The same is true for righteous people who merited their Nefesh and Ruach and rectified them, and do not know how to send them away to draw down their Neshama.

This is the esoteric meaning of the verse "…They die, but not with wisdom" (Job 4:21). Sometimes people die due to a lack of wisdom, not knowing how to draw down their Ruach or their Neshama. However, this only applies for someone who has rectified his Nefesh, but whose Ruach and Neshama still remain blemished from the first time.

It should be recalled that the Rav reverted to the discussion of the "yibum at night meditation" by way of explaining the second advantage of first level over second level souls. Their ascent can go beyond Beriya to the level of Nefesh of Atzilut…

Second level souls are those that remained in Adam after his sin and were transmitted to his sons, Cain and Abel. Like first level souls, they can complete immense tikunim in one lifetime, from the Nefesh of Asiya to the Nefesh of Atzilut. However, unlike first level souls, they can only accomplish this with great difficulty and effort, and it was for this reason that the Rav reverted to the discussion of the "yibum at night meditation."

However, second level souls have been somewhat blemished by the sins of Adam, Cain and Abel. They can only advance from level to level with difficulty and with the assistance of the "yibum at night meditation".

We have now explained the advantages of the first level over the second level.

These second level souls were blemished to some extent by the sins of Adam, Cain, and Abel, although not like those souls of the third level who fell into the realm of the kelipot. Therefore, they need the "yibum at night meditation" in order to ascend from level to level, but their ascent can go beyond Beriya to the level of Nefesh of Atzilut.

In contrast, someone whose Ruach and Neshama were not previously blemished does not need the meditation in order to ascend from level to level.

Someone whose Ruach and Neshama are already rectified and now completes the rectification of his Nefesh, then his Ruach and Neshama can enter to be clothed within the Nefesh since they are already rectified like it.

Obviously, Ruach and Neshama do not need to enter a body if they have already been rectified. In contrast, if they are only unblemished, they will still need to come in order to complete their tikun. Thus, it is likely that the words "already rectified" written here should be understood as "not blemished". Ruach and Neshama that are unblemished, but their tikun has not yet been completed, will be able to enter and become ensconced within a rectified Nefesh. Since they are not blemished, the rectified Nefesh can become an exterior garment or throne for them.

[Commentary by Shabtai Teicher.]

chanoch's Commentary

Have you ever heard the phrase at a funeral or a Shivah call - The Good die Young? This is the reason behind that phrase as well as the comfort that it may bring to the bereaved family.

As you read this section did you ask yourself Why does someone correct their nefesh early and learn the Yibum at Night Meditation and another person corrects their nefesh early and does not? If not you are not learning to think like a Kabbalist.

By the way i have not yet learned the answser to this question yet i keep asking it. Remember i once waited 13 years to get an answer to a question i asked in Kabbalah.

Advantage of Level Two Souls

"Gate of Reincarnations": Chapter Seven, Section 6

By Rabbi Yitzchak Luria as recorded by Rabbi Chaim Vital; translation from Sha'ar Hagilgulim by Yitzchok bar Chaim; commentary by Shabtai Teicher

The growth of New Souls depends upon two factors: merit and the passage of specific time segments; but the growth of Level Two souls that were included in Cain and Abel is not limited by a time factor and depends only upon merit.

Now we will explain an advantage of the second level over the first level. First level [souls] are unable to achieve NR"N all at once. If his deeds are worthy, at thirteen years he merits Ruach…

The next few sentences are not easy to comprehend, but the overall intention of the Rav can be clarified. The classical commentary on Gate of Reincarnations, Benei Aharon by R' Shimon Agassi, makes a parallel between the following teaching and what is taught in Etz Chaim (25:3). It is explained there that there are two different modes for the growth of Zeir Anpin. One depends upon the passage of specific time segments, and the other does not. In the same way we will see that the growth of Level One souls depends upon two factors: one is the merit of deeds, and the second is the passage of specific numbers of years. When he is born he gets a Nefesh, when he is thirteen he gets Ruach, etc. On the other hand, the growth of Second Level souls is not limited by the time factor. They can merit from Nefesh to Chaya at one time, independent of age, and that is their advantage over first level souls.

Although they [First Level souls] merit [by virtue of their deeds], it is only through the number of years [that they can achieve growth].

In other words, at birth a person merits Nefesh and if his deeds are worthy, at thirteen years and one day he merits Ruach. When he reaches twenty years and there is sufficient merit, then the Neshama enters. This is the way it precedes until everything is completed.

Clearly, the growth of Level One souls depends upon two factors: merit and age. Level Two [souls]… are not dependent upon years but rather upon actions…

However, Level Two [souls] can achieve until the Nefesh of Atzilut even before the age of thirteen years and one day. When these sparks were included together within Cain and Abel, they were able to merit to all of the levels mentioned. Therefore, now as well, they are able to achieve all the levels fitting for them at one time. They are not dependent upon years but rather upon actions, including the meditation mentioned previously.

Second Level souls are not dependent upon the passage of specific time segments in order to achieve growth. The reason for this is that all the sparks of Level Two souls were included in Cain and Abel. At that time had Cain and Abel not sinned they could have grown all the way from Nefesh to Chaya. This potential became inherent in their sparks, even those that would be born later on.

However, the new souls of Level One are like those that have just been created. Their growth takes time. But once the paradigmatic pattern is established, then the passage of specific segments of time to develop is not a limitation, as the Rav has written in Etz Chaim (25:3, p.2:15a-b).

Know this rule. Whenever we are talking about the growth of Zeir Anpin needing time, we are talking about its first emanation. From then onwards, after it is emanated and set up, even though it receives new mochin every day as at first, it doesn't need to wait for [the passage of specific] time. In one instance it can be done, and not over long periods of time…

Therefore, new souls of Level One are dependent upon specific time segments. Level Two souls have already had the paradigmatic pattern set up. They do not need to wait for the passage of years. It appears that it is dependent upon the person's actions, and not his age…

Knowing this, we can now account for two different statements that seem to differ regarding the same issue. At the beginning of parashat Mishpatim (Zohar, 94b) it says, "Come and see. When a person is born, they give him a Nefesh... If he merits more, etc." It appears that it is dependent upon the person's actions, and not his age. This refers to Second Level souls that were included in Cain and Abel, and which are called "new" in some respect.

In Sabba of Mishpatim (Zohar, 98a), it seems that it is dependent upon one's age, as it says, "When he reaches thirteen years it is said about him, "…Today I have given birth to you ". (Psalms 2:7) Then they give him a Ruach. When he reaches his twentieth year, they give him a Neshama. Regarding this it says, "A son I was to my father…" (Prov. 4:3) This refers to Level One souls, which are completely new souls, and were never included in the soul of Adam.

chanoch's Commentary

As i mentioned previously time is relating to Mercy while deeds relate to Judgment. Chesed and Din or Gevurah. Remember the midrash that says the world was created on judgment and only after the Creator saw that the world could not exist on judgment alone he injected Mercy which is time. Here it is second level souls that exist without mercy. Thus it appears that the human being is also created upside down. This is an item that needs to be contemplated.

[Commentary by Shabtai Teicher.]