Chapter Three

KEY WORDS TO KNOW FOR THIS CHAPTER

Sefirot (sg. sefirah): Ten divine, harmonious modalities by which G‑d creates and conducts His world.

G‑d is often described in kabbalistic literature as “the Infinite Light,” or just “The Infinite.” Everything within our world, on the other hand, is finite. The Zohar describes a kind of interface, a medium between the infinite and the finite, by which the infinite G‑d directs His finite creation. These are the ten sefirot. Without them, we could not imagine any relationship between the Creator and the created.

Sefirah is from the word sapir, which conveys brilliance and translucence. The ten sefirot serve somewhat as prisms to G‑d’s light. Out of infinity emerges a spectrum of ten distinct modalities of being. The matrix of ten sefirot becomes, as far as the creatures of G‑d’s world are concerned, a kind of divine personality, intellect and emotions, by which He relates to us and we relate to Him.

Everything in the universe is a reflection of these ten sefirot. They underlie every event and detail of the creation, from the largest to the smallest, granting them existence, imbuing them with life. If a fruit tastes sweet to you, it is because that fruit receives sweetness from the sefirah of chesed. If the nighttime sky or a mighty mountain strikes awe in your heart, you are experiencing the sefirah of gevurah. In the beauty of a tree or a peacock, you see the sefirah of tiferet.

At the beginning of the previous chapter, you learned that your second soul is a sample of the divine. As she descends to this world, she too follows the course of the Infinite Light, investing her intense light in ten faculties to interface with the universe she enters.

Being a divine soul, these faculties of hers are also “in the image of G‑d” – stepped-down, micro-versions of the ten sefirot. Her psyche acts as a microcosm, a miniature model of the inner workings of the cosmos. As Solomon wrote, G‑d placed the entire universe in the heart of each human being.

The intellect and emotions of your divine soul are not artifacts of a creation vainly attempting to emulate its Creator. They are the real thing, the divine as it squeezes itself into our world to become a visceral, blood and flesh being.

For an elucidated version of the classic passage of the Zohar on the ten sefirot, see Patach Eliyahu

Introduction

You’ve just discovered you have a divine soul. How do you tap into her energy? How can you channel it into down-to-earth reality?

In this chapter, Rabbi Schneur Zalman maps out the psyche of this divine soul to reveal his key strategy to harnessing its power.

This divine soul, it turns out, is a complete being of her own. She has her own mind, understanding, and awareness. Most importantly, she has the capacity to feel emotion – divine emotions of love and awe that can entirely transform human life.

If you would have direct access to those emotions, you would live life on an entirely different plane. But you don’t. You can’t tell your heart, “You must love. You must rejoice. You must yearn for union with G‑d.”

True, there are moments, even seasons in life, when you are inspired, when you can feel the pulse of your soul. Seasons such as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur when your soul soars high. Life events that shake you up and lay bare your deepest self. That day that seemed like any other until a flash of inspiration burst unexpectedly out of the clouds – a call from heaven to return home.

Yet, they run their course, they carry you, and then you fall back to your old self on the same cold earth, as though you just awoke from a dream.

It’s not that these episodes were inauthentic. It’s that they never belonged to you. They came, they went, and nothing changed. No investment, no returns.

How can you trigger that inspiration on your own? Because that’s the only inspiration that is lasting and real. If you don’t take yourself somewhere, you never really went there. If you can’t ignite your own heart, it doesn’t truly belong to you.

Here, Rabbi Schneur Zalman shows you the gateway that leads to your heart. It is your mind. Focused, spiritual contemplation. Ponder the divine with an obsession until it becomes real to you, and your divine soul will enter your heart in all its power.

It’s not a direct path – it’s not “do this and within five minutes you will feel fantastic.” True emotional attachments don’t come that way. Asking yourself, “Do I feel spiritual yet?” is not much different from asking, “Am I having fun yet?” All that’s achieved quickly and easily falls into the category Rabbi Schneur Zalman calls “vain delusions.”

Rather, it’s the longer-but-shorter path that Rabbi Schneur Zalman mentioned on his title page: Go this route, do the work, and in due course you will find yourself a different person, inspired and motivated from the inside out.

פרק ג'
Chapter Three

The Faculties of Your Soul

וְהִנֵּה, כָּל בְּחִינָה וּמַדְרֵגָה מִשָּׁלֹשׁ אֵלּוּ: נֶפֶשׁ רוּחַ וּנְשָׁמָה – כְּלוּלָה מֵעֶשֶׂר בְּחִינוֹת, כְּנֶגֶד עֶשֶׂר סְפִירוֹת עֶלְיוֹנוֹת שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּלְשְׁלוּ מֵהֶן,
Now, the divine soul, on each of her three distinct levels of nefesh, ruach, and neshamah, consists of ten faculties corresponding to the ten sefirot of the higher, divine world. These faculties are actually micro-versions of those sefirot, the outcome of a long process of descent through the chain of countless spiritual worlds.
הַנֶּחְלָקוֹת לִשְׁתַּיִם, שֶׁהֵן: שָׁלֹשׁ אִמּוֹת וְשֶׁבַע כְּפוּלוֹת;
Those ten sefirot are divided into two categories. Three are called “mothers” and seven are called “doubles.”
פֵּירוּשׁ, חָכְמָה בִּינָה וָדַעַת,
The three mothers are:
chochmah (wisdom or conception),
binah (understanding or comprehending),
and da’at (knowing, consciousness, and bonding).
וְשִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַבִּנְיָן: חֶסֶד גְּבוּרָה תִּפְאֶרֶת כוּ'.
The seven doubles are the seven powers by which the world was constructed in the seven days of creation:
chesed (benevolence),
gevurah (might),
tiferet (beauty),
…and four more.
וְכָךְ בְּנֶפֶשׁ הָאָדָם, שֶׁנֶּחְלֶקֶת לִשְׁתַּיִם: שֵׂכֶל וּמִדּוֹת.
As it is above, so too in the divine soul within a human being. The ten faculties of the soul are divided into two categories: intelligence and emotions.
הַשֵּׂכֶל כּוֹלֵל: חָכְמָה בִּינָה וָדַעַת,
Intelligence comprises chochmah, binah, and da’at.
וְהַמִּדּוֹת הֵן: אַהֲבַת ה' וּפַחְדּוֹ וְיִרְאָתוֹ וּלְפָאֲרוֹ כוּ'.
The emotions are love of G‑d, awe and reverence towards Him, a drive to glorify and praise Him, as well as others along the same lines.
וְחָכְמָה־בִּינָה־דַּעַת נִקְרְאוּ אִמּוֹת וּמָקוֹר לַמִּדּוֹת, כִּי הַמִּדּוֹת הֵן תּוֹלְדוֹת חָכְמָה־בִּינָה־דַּעַת:
Chochmah, binah, and da’at are called the mothers and the wellspring of the emotions because emotions are the children of the mind.
The Ten Sefirot and Faculties — a diagram of the ten divine sefirot and their parallel faculties of the soul. The Sefirot map to the Faculties of the Soul. The three Mothers correspond to the Mind (the parents): Chochmah (Wisdom, Insight, Conception, Self-Transcendence), Binah (Understanding, Developing, Comprehending), and Da'at (Knowing, Consciousness, Awareness, Bonding). The seven Doubles — with which the world was created — correspond to the Emotions (the children): Chesed (Benevolence, Love), Gevurah (Might, Awe, Reverence), Tiferet (Beauty, Harmony, Compassion), Netzach (Victory, Persistence in the face of challenge), Hod (Glory, Wonderment, Gratitude), Yesod (Foundation, Connection, Communication), and Malchut (Royalty, Dominion). Chochmah and Binah flow into Da'at, which in turn gives rise to the emotions below, headed by Chesed and Gevurah.

Contemplation Gives Birth to Emotion

וּּבֵיאוּר הָעִנְיָן,
This is how the mind gives birth to emotions:
כִּי הִנֵּה הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ הַמַּשְׂכֶּלֶת, שֶׁהוּא הַמַּשְׂכִּיל כָּל דָּבָר – נִקְרָא בְּשֵׁם "חָכְמָה", "כֹּ"חַ מָ"ה".
The intelligence of the divine soul’s mind, the faculty that enables her to conceive any idea, is called chochmah (חָכְמָה), which is comprised of two words: ko’ach mah (כֹּ”חַ מָ”ה).
Ko’ach means “potential.” Mah means “what,” referring to something undefined, beyond knowing. You know, but you don’t know what you know.
וּכְשֶׁמּוֹצִיא כֹּחוֹ אֶל הַפּוֹעַל, שֶׁמִּתְבּוֹנֵן בְּשִׂכְלוֹ לְהָבִין דָּבָר לַאֲשׁוּרוֹ וּלְעָמְקוֹ, מִתּוֹךְ אֵיזֶה דְּבַר חָכְמָה הַמּוּשְׂכָּל בְּשִׂכְלוֹ – נִקְרָא "בִּינָה".
You now have some packet of chochmah from your mind. The next step is when you make this potential real. You contemplate it, trying to understand something of it thoroughly and deeply – that is called binah.
וְהֵן הֵם "אָב" וָ"אֵם" הַמּוֹלִידוֹת אַהֲבַת ה' וְיִרְאָתוֹ וּפַחְדּוֹ.
These two, chochmah and binah, are the father and mother that give birth to emotions – love of G‑d, awe of Him, and palpable reverence for Him.
How does your mind give birth to emotions?
כִּי הַשֵּׂכֶל שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ הַמַּשְׂכֶּלֶת, כְּשֶׁמִּתְבּוֹנֵן וּמַעֲמִיק מְאֹד בִּגְדוּלַּת ה', אֵיךְ הוּא "מְמַלֵּא כָּל עָלְמִין" וְ"סוֹבֵב כָּל עָלְמִין" וְ"כוּלָּא קַמֵּיהּ כְּלָא חֲשִׁיב"
It starts when your divine soul’s mind engages in a very deep contemplation of G‑d’s greatness – how He pervades all worlds, how He transcends all worlds, or how everything might as well be nothing relative to Him.
נוֹלְדָה וְנִתְעוֹרְרָה מִדַּת יִרְאַת הָרוֹמְמוּת בְּמוֹחוֹ וּמַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ, לִירֹא וּלְהִתְבּוֹשֵׁשׁ מִגְּדוּלָּתוֹ יִתְבָּרֵךְ שֶׁאֵין לָהּ סוֹף וְתַכְלִית,
When you do this, a sense of reverence before something much greater than you is born in your mind. This newborn awareness awakens, affecting your thoughts, filling you with a sense of awe and embarrassment from G‑d’s greatness, because it is greatness without end.
וּפַחַד ה' בְּלִבּוֹ.
Palpable fear of G‑d begins to throb in your heart.
וְשׁוּב יִתְלַהֵב לִבּוֹ בְּאַהֲבָה עַזָּה כְּרִשְׁפֵּי אֵשׁ, בַּחֲשִׁיקָה וַחֲפִיצָה וּתְשׁוּקָה וְנֶפֶשׁ שׁוֹקֵקָה, לִגְדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא.
And then, your heart ignites in love as fierce as a flaming fire, yearning, desiring, longing – a soul longing for the greatness of the Infinite.
וְהִיא כְּלוֹת הַנֶּפֶשׁ,
This is the meaning of a soul swooning out of love.
כְּדִכְתִיב: "נִכְסְפָה וְגַם כָּלְתָה נַפְשִׁי וְגוֹ'",
As it is written, “My soul yearns, she even swoons for the courtyards of G‑d. My heart and my flesh sing to the G‑d of life!”
וּכְתִיב: "צָמְאָה נַפְשִׁי לֵאלֹהִים וְגוֹ'",
And, as written, “My soul thirsts for G‑d, for the living G‑d! Oh when will I come to appear before G‑d?”
וּכְתִיב: "צָמְאָה לְךָ נַפְשִׁי וְגוֹ'".
And, as written, “My soul thirsts for You! My flesh yearns for You!”
וְהַצִּמָּאוֹן, הוּא מִיסוֹד הָאֵשׁ שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹהִית, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתְבוּ הַטִּבְעִיִּים, וְכֵן הוּא בְּעֵץ חַיִּים, שֶׁיְּסוֹד הָאֵשׁ הוּא בַּלֵּב,
This thirst stems from the fire element of the divine soul. As the naturalists write, and so is also written in Etz Chaim, the element of fire is in the heart.
וּמְקוֹר הַמַּיִם וְהַלֵּיחוֹת מֵהַמּוֹחַ, וּכְמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּעֵץ חַיִּים שַׁעַר נ', שֶׁהִיא בְּחִינַת חָכְמָה שֶׁנִּקְרָא מַיִם שֶׁבַּנֶּפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹהִית.
But the source of the water and moisture element is in the brain. As stated in Etz Chaim, portal 50, chochmah is the water of the divine soul.
וּשְׁאָר הַמִּדּוֹת כּוּלָּן, הֵן עַנְפֵי הַיִּרְאָה וְהָאַהֲבָה וְתוֹלְדוֹתֵיהֶן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּמָקוֹם אַחֵר.
This describes the birthing of the emotions of awe and love. The rest of the divine soul’s emotions are branches and offshoots of those, as discussed elsewhere.

Meditation That Makes It Personal

וְהַדַּעַת,
We’ve described chochmah and binah. As for da’at (knowing):
הוּא מִלְּשׁוֹן "וְהָאָדָם יָדַע אֶת חַוָּה",
This is the term the Torah uses to describe the first intimate union, “And Adam knew Eve.”
וְהוּא לְשׁוֹן הִתְקַשְּׁרוּת וְהִתְחַבְּרוּת,
Accordingly, da’at is not how you accumulate knowledge, but how you connect and identify with that knowledge.
שֶׁמְּקַשֵּׁר דַּעְתּוֹ בְּקֶשֶׁר אַמִּיץ וְחָזָק מְאֹד, וְיִתְקַע מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בְּחוֹזֶק בִּגְדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, וְאֵינוֹ מַסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ.
To achieve da’at, you need to fasten your mind in contemplation with a very firm and strong knot, intensely fixing your thoughts upon the greatness of the Infinite G‑d. You don’t let your mind wander.
כִּי אַף מִי שֶׁהוּא חָכָם וְנָבוֹן בִּגְדוּלַּת אֵין־סוֹף בָּרוּךְ־הוּא, הִנֵּה אִם לֹא יְקַשֵּׁר דַּעְתּוֹ וְיִתְקַע מַחֲשַׁבְתּוֹ בְּחוֹזֶק וּבְהַתְמָדָה – לֹא יוֹלִיד בְּנַפְשׁוֹ יִרְאָה וְאַהֲבָה אֲמִיתִּית,
This connection through intense focus is crucial. You could be wise and understanding in the greatness of the Infinite, but if you don’t fixate your mind and focus your thoughts firmly and persistently in your contemplation of that wisdom and understanding, your soul won’t give birth to genuine awe and love.
כִּי אִם דִּמְיוֹנוֹת שָׁוְא.
Without da’at, whatever emotions you achieve are but vain delusions.
וְעַל כֵּן, הַדַּעַת הוּא קִיּוּם הַמִּדּוֹת וְחַיּוּתָן, וְהוּא כּוֹלֵל חֶסֶד וּגְבוּרָה, פֵּירוּשׁ, אַהֲבָה וַעֲנָפֶיהָ וְיִרְאָה וַעֲנָפֶיהָ:
That is why da’at is considered one of the parents of the emotions. Da’at ensures that your thoughts will give birth to viable, authentic love and awe. It is the sustaining power and lifeline of those emotions and their respective branches. Within da’at itself, chesed and gevurah – the emotions of love and awe – are already present in a subtle, cerebral way.
The Three Intellectual Faculties of the Soul — three icons. Chochmah: the seed of an idea. Binah: your exploration and development of that idea, stretching it out in all directions and plumbing its depth. Da'at: connecting to an idea and not letting go until it becomes real to you; creates viable and authentic emotions.

What Have We Discovered?

  1. Your divine soul is an entire being. She has three mental faculties that give birth to seven emotions.
  2. Intellect is not an island and emotions are not wild beasts. The feelings in your heart are the children of your mind.
  3. Deep contemplation is the passageway for your soul into your heart. This is the path of Chabad: Chochmah, Binah, Da’at. The objective is to achieve authentic love and fear within your heart.

Notes

  1. Likutei Torah, Emor, 32a; R. Menachem Mendel of Lubavitch, the Tzemach Tzedek, Biurei HaZohar, vol. 1, p. 70; B’Sha’ah Shehikdimu 5672, rev. ed., vol. 1, pp. 269ff.
  2. Torah Ohr, 13b–14a.
  3. Genesis 1:27.
  4. Ecclesiastes 3:11.
  5. Torat Menachem – Hitva’aduyot 5750, vol. 2, p. 482, n. 20.
  6. See Tanya, Igeret HaKodesh, nos. 15 and 25.
  7. Sefer Yetzira 1:8.
  8. Zohar III, 28a, 34a; Tikunei Zohar, 4a, 96a.
  9. Zohar III, 290a.
  10. These are three ascending perspectives of G‑d’s relationship with the world. Zohar III, 225a; I, 11b. We will explore these perspectives in more depth later in chs. 48 and 51, as well as in the next section of Tanya, Sha’ar HaYichud v’HaEmunah.
  11. Psalms 84:3.
  12. Psalms 42:3.
  13. Psalms 63:2
  14. See Etz Chaim, portal 5, sec. 5.
  15. See Etz Chaim, portal 50, sec. 1.
  16. See Tanya, Igeret HaKodesh, no. 15.
  17. Genesis 4:1. See Etz Chaim, portal 48, sec. 2