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The Derech Hashem Series

Shiur / Class #70

The Components of Creation in Detail, Part 1

Given
Saturday, January 6, 2018

Given by
Rabbi Mendel Kessin

https://torahthinking.podbean.com/mf/play/ynug3z/Derech_Hashem_-_The_Way_of_God_-_70_-_The_Components_of_Creation_in_Detail_Part_1_-_Rabbi_Mendel_Kessin.mp3

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Synopsis is not necesarrily in Rabbi Kessin's own words

Rabbi Kessin elaborates on the different parts of creation as set forth by the Ramchal.

Hashem

  • Hashem Himself is unknowable

The Sefiros

    • These are unknowable to us
    • They create reality and all that is contained within
    • These can be thought of as Hashem’s fingers, so to speak, meaning the tools by which He creates and maintains the realities
    • 2 sets of 10:
      • Sefiros D’Igulim / The Cyclical Sefiros: These create and maintain realities and all beings. They do not change
      • Sefiros D’Yosher / The Straight Sefiros: These are responsible for the quality of existence. Their illumination can be revealed or hidden to varying degrees by Jews resulting in different effects in creation.

Malachim / Angels

  • Beings that serve as agents who carry out the will of Hashem
  • There are 10 classes of malachim, each with subdivisions

Physical Organisms

  • These have a lifeforce called the nefesh habehami / animalistic spirit or the nefesh tachtonis / the lower spirit.
  • This force is completely physical, though it is the most ethereal of anything physical. It is detectable (as opposed to spiritual entities). This force resides in the blood.
  • Variations on the magnitude of this force provide varying degrees of faculties.
  • When the organism dies, it’s nefesh habehami evaporates.

Man

  • A composite of spiritual and physical elements
  • Man cannot access his spiritual elements directly until zikuch / purification of the body by the soul takes place
  • Man has a nefesh tachtonis in addition to the neshamah / soul.
  • The neshamah is the greatest being after the sefiros
  • There are 5 levels to the soul – each corresponding to a different level of reality and are connected or relate to the body in some way:
    • Nefesh elyonah / the higher spirit
      • Connected to the liver
      • Corresponds to the reality of Asiyah (the physical realm)
    • Ruach
      • Connected to the heart
      • Corresponds to Yetzirah
    • Neshamah
      • Connected to the brain
      • Corresponds to Briyah
    • Chayah
      • A spiritual aura around the person
      • Corresponds to Atzilus
    • Yechidah
      • Hovers over the person
      • Corresponds to Adam Kadmon
  • A Jew has all 5 parts of the neshama and, through them, can influence the illumination of the Sefiros. This allows him to take part in creating Olam Haba and thereby take part in it.
  • A Non-Jew only possesses a nefesh elyonah. He can influence the physical and his own mazal
  • Non-Jews can experience a certain degree of Olam Haba by virtue of a connection to a Jew

Sheidim / Demons

  • Sheidim are also physical / spiritual composites, having both physical and spiritual attributes, for example:
    • We cannot detect them directly like a spiritual entitiy
    • They have spiritual abilities
    • They have physical limitations
    • They can die and propegate
  • There are many types of sheidim

Previous in the Derech Hashem series:

The scope of the redemption process

Next in the Derech Hashem series:

The Protests in Iran, Bannon’s Comments & More

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The Derech Hashem Series

Shiur / Class #70

The Components of Creation in Detail, Part 1

Given
Saturday, January 6, 2018

Given by
Rabbi Mendel Kessin

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