Remember, “We Have A Grand Total of Five Souls”? which I wrote under “Why … Ain Od Milvado"
Well, there is some follow-up to this article in this edition of Hamodia (note *at the end):
“Nefashos Rabbos
The article by Rabbi Shaya Winiarz, “It’s Not Your Sole Soul” (Parshas Ki Savo/Aug 25), seems to say that the nefesh is a “corporeal” soul, whereas the ruach and neshamah are “spiritual” souls. I looked in the provided source (Derech Hashem 3,1) and found that when a person sleeps his nefesh remains with the body, whereas the ruach and neshamah elevate themselves from the body. This seems to imply that there is a spiritual nefesh as well. The Tanya also mentions a spiritual nefesh in addition to the ruach and neshamah.
The Maharal (in Derech Chaim) writes on the mishnah “...” – referring to Rambam’s Shemonah Perakim – that jealousy is associated with the spirit and is in the heart, lust is associated with the vegetative and is in the liver, and honor is associated with the intellect and is in the brain, and these three remove a person from the world.
Perhaps we can explain that the materialistic person allows lust, the most “materialistic” of the corporeal soul, found in the liver, to ascend to the heart and brain, leading him to jealousy and seeking honour, resulting in בלם and his self-destruction; whereas the spiritual person directs the neshamah in his brain to connect to his ruach and nefesh in his heart and liver, resulting in “מלך" – dominion over his body and his corporeal soul.
With great respect, Y.E.
Author’s Response:
Shalom Reb Y,
Yes, there are conflicting sources as to the nature of the nefesh. But as you implied, there are actually two nefashos, nefesh hatachton and nefesh ha’elyon. One comes from the mother and one comes from the father. The lower nefesh is also called havla d’garmi, and it is the one that stays in the body even after death. This is one of the reasons we treat a dead body so respectfully – because the person is still there to a degree. The high nefesh does not stay in the body after death. I hope this will aid you in resolving the conflicts you find.
All the best, Rabbi Winiarz”
*"note that there is a lower nefesh that stays in the body even after death"
1 comment:
Maybe because at techiyat hamaisim, the lower nefesh is that same person will return as the same human being as we all know/knew him/her. That is why probably the lower nefesh remains in the body. Just guessing.
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