
Hayom Yom 23 Menachem Av - The second soul of a Jew is an actual part of G‑d Above
The daily Hayom Yom with Rabbi Yosef Katzman · Rabbi Yosef Katzman
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Show Notes
בְּחוֹרֶף תרנ"ב
In the winter of 5652 (1891),
"כַּאֲשֶׁר אַאַמוּ"ר לָמַד עִמִּי בְּסֵפֶר הַתַּנְיָא "וְנֶפֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִית בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל הִיא חֵלֶק אֱלֹקַהּ מִמַּעַל מַמָּשׁ
my revered father, the Rebbe [Rashab], taught me the statement in Tanya that “the second soul of a Jew is an actual part of G‑d Above.”
הִסְבִּיר כִּי הַנּוֹשְׂאִים בְּתֵּיבַת מִמַּעַל וּבְתֵיבַת מַמָּשׁ הֵם הֲפָכִים
He pointed out that the terms “actual” (mamash) and “from above" (mimaal) are contradictory.
מִמַּעַל תּוֹאֲרוֹ רוּחָנִיּוּת שֶׁבְּרוּחָנִיוּת וּמַמָּשׁ תּוֹאֲרוֹ גַּשְׁמִיוּת שֶׁבְּגַשְׁמִיוּת
“From above” alludes to the very highest levels of spirituality, whereas “actual” denotes the most palpable physicality.
וַיְבַאֵר כִּי זֶהוּ מַעֲלַת נֶפֶשׁ הַשֵּׁנִית
This, he explained, is the unique gift of the Divine soul.
שֶׁעִם הֱיוֹתָה רוּחָנִיוּת שֶׁבְּרוּחָנִיוּת פּוֹעֶלֶת בְּגַשְׁמִיּוּת שֶׁבְּגַשְׁמִיוּת.
Though it is sheer ethereal spirituality, it impacts physicality at its most palpable.
Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in English
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