The secret of all secrets is passed on to those who are wise in their hearts. There are three levels that are attached to each other, and they are Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah. Nefesh is the force from which the body is built. When a man is aroused in this world to mate with his wife, all parts of the body agree on this and are prepared to receive enjoyment from it. Then the Nefesh and the desire of the person indulge willingly in that act. The Nefesh is drawn down and enters the sperm that comes forth....
From the combination of that desire and the Nefesh, another power is drawn from the levels of the angels, who are called Ishim (people). They all enter as the sperm flows, and the body is then built and constructed of them. This is the first and lowest power of the three levels....
And because the Nefesh offers a sacrifice by attaching itself to the foundation of the body, which is offered as a sacrifice to atone for the Neshamah, then part of it is offered to those grades that are considered as Ishim. Because part of the Nefesh, (the Ruach of the Nefesh) is drawn down from them. As it is written, "My offering and my bread for my fire (Heb. אִשַׁי)..." (Num. 28:2), which means to the Ishim. So, because it is an offering of the Nefesh, the Ishim take their part as well. And when one leaves this world, that Nefesh never leaves the grave. And because of the power, the dead know and talk with each other.
Ruach gives existence to the Nefesh in this world. It is drawn by the arousal of the Nukvah toward the male, when they are in a state of united passion. The female is aroused toward the male because of her passion to receive from him the Ruach, just like a woman in this world who is inseminated by the power of her passion to (receive from) the man. And this is the secret of the words, "and the spirit (Ruach) shall return to the Elohim who gave it" (Kohelet 12:7).
And this Ruach leaves this world and is separated from the Nefesh, (which remains hovering at the grave), and it enters the Garden of Eden of this world. There, it clothes itself with the air of the Garden of Eden, just as the supernal angels do when they come down to this world. Then, they clothe and cover themselves with the air of this world, because they were created from that spirit (Ruach), as it is written, "Who makes the winds (also: spirits) his angels" (Tehilim 104:4).
And in the midst of the Garden, there stands a pillar embroidered with many colors. And when that Ruach wishes to rise up, it disrobes from that clothing, enters to the pillar, and ascends until it reaches the place from where it came. As it is written, "and the spirit (Ruach) shall return".
And then, Michael, the High Priest, takes (the Ruach) and offers it as a sacrifice of sweet savor to the Holy One, blessed be He. And it remains there and enjoys the delicacies of the bundle of Life, "no eye had ever seen an Elohim, beside You..." (Isaiah 64:3). Afterwards, it goes down from there and returns to the earthly Garden of Eden. There, it enjoys all the delicacies, clothes itself again with that same clothing, and dwells there crowned with a crown twice as big as the one that it had possessed before.
The Neshamah is a supernal power high above the other two. It originates from the power of the male, which is the Tree of Life and ascends immediately. And these three levels are attached to one another. When they leave (the body), they all rise up and return to the places from which they came.
When the Ruach leaves this world and enters the cave of Adam and the Patriarchs, they give it a letter as a sign. Then it goes to the Garden of Eden. When it arrives there, it meets the Cherubs and the flame of the revolving sword. If it is meritorious, then they see the letter, which is the sign, and open the gate for it to enter. If they do not see the letter, they reject it and do not allow it to enter.
And it dwells there some time, sitting and clothing itself in the image of this world. And on the first day of the month and on Shabbat, when it wants to rise, the righteous men who are in the Garden of Eden give it a letter as a sign. And it ascends through that same pillar, where it meets the watchmen of the walls of Jerusalem. If it is meritorious, they open the gate and it enters. If not, they take the letter away and throw it out. As it is written, "The watchmen that go about the city found me...the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me" (Shir Hashirim 5:7). (The veil) is the letter given as a sign, which has been taken away from it, by the watchmen of the walls of Jerusalem. End of Sitrei Torah.
סִתְּרָא דְסִתְּרִין לַחֲכִימֵי לִבָּא אִתְּמָסַר. (ארבע) תְּלַתּ דַּרְגִּין אִנּוּן דְּאֲחִידָן דָּא בְּדָא, ואִלֵּין אִנּוּן נֶפֶּשׁ (נשמתא לנשמתא נשמתא עלאה דאתקרי יו"ד) רוּ"חַ וּנְשָׁמָה. (נפ"ש) נְפֶּשׁ אִיהוּ חֵילָא דְּגוּפָּא אִתְּבְּנֵי מִנֵּיהּ. דְּכַד בַּר נָשׁ אִתְּעַר בְּהַאי עָלְמָא לְאִזְדַּוְוגָא בְּנוּקְבֵיהּ כָּל שַׁיִיפֵּי מִסְתַּכְּמֵי (נ"א מתכנשי) ֹ וּמִתְּתַּקְנֵי לְאִתְּהַנָּאָה (לנשמה) תַּמָּן, וְהַהוּא נְפֶּשׁ וּרְעוּתָּא דִילֵיהּ אִסְתַּכַּם בֵּיהּ בְּהַהוּא עוֹבָדָא (ממש) וּמָשִׁיךָ לֵיהּ לְהַהוּא נְפֶּשׁ וְאָעִיל לֵיהּ תַּמָּן בְּהַהוּא זַרְעָא דְּאוֹשִׁיד.
The secret of all secrets is passed on to those who are wise in their hearts. There are three levels that are attached to each other, and they are Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshamah. Nefesh is the force from which the body is built. When a man is aroused in this world to mate with his wife, all parts of the body agree on this and are prepared to receive enjoyment from it. Then the Nefesh and the desire of the person indulge willingly in that act. The Nefesh is drawn down and enters the sperm that comes forth....
וּמִגּוֹ רְעוּתָּא וּמְשִׁיכוּ דְנַפְּשָׁא דְּמָשִׁיךָ תַּמָּן, אִתְּמְשַׁךָ חֵילָא אוֹחֲרָא תַּמָּן מֵאִנּוּן דַּרְגִּין דְּאִתְּקְרוּן אִישִׁי"ם, וְעָאל כּלָּא בִּמְשִׁיכוּ דְּהַהוּא זַרְעָא, וְאִתְּבְּנֵי מִנֵּיהּ גּוּפָּא. וְדָא אִיהוּ חֵילָא קַדְמָאָה תַּתָּאָה דְּאִנּוּן (ארבע) תְּלַתּ.
From the combination of that desire and the Nefesh, another power is drawn from the levels of the angels, who are called Ishim (people). They all enter as the sperm flows, and the body is then built and constructed of them. This is the first and lowest power of the three levels....
וּבְגִין דְּהַאי (נשמתא לנשמתא) נְפֶּשׁ אַקְרִיב בִּדְבֵקוּתָּא וִיסוֹדָא דְגוּפָּא, קָרְבָּנָא דְּאִתְּקְרִיב לְכַפָּרָא עַל נִשְׁמָתָּא אִתְּיְהִיבַתּ חוּלָקָא לְאִנּוּן דַּרְגִּין דְּאִישִׁי"ם (דאתקרון רוח ונפש השכלית) בְגִין דִּמְשִׁיכוּ דְּחוּלְקָא דְּהַהוּא (נשמה) נְפֶּשׁ אָתֵּי מִנַּיְיהוּ. וְהַיְינוּ דִכְתִּיב אֶתּ קָרְבָּנִי לַחְמִי לְאִשַׁי (מהו לחמי לאשי דיהיב מזונא לאשי ודא הוא שפע מאור דאנון מתהנן מזיו השכינה) בְּגִין דְּהוּא כַּפָּרָה דְּנְפֶּשׁ נָטְלֵי חוּלָקֵיהוֹן. וְכַד מִיתּ בַּר נָשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא, הַהִיא נְפֶּשׁ לָא אִתְּעֲדֵי מִן קִבְרָא לְעָלְמִין, וּבְחֵילָא דָא יָדְעֵי מֵתַּיָיא וּמִשְׁתָּעוּ דָּא עִם דָּא.
And because the Nefesh offers a sacrifice by attaching itself to the foundation of the body, which is offered as a sacrifice to atone for the Neshamah, then part of it is offered to those grades that are considered as Ishim. Because part of the Nefesh, (the Ruach of the Nefesh) is drawn down from them. As it is written, "My offering and my bread for my fire (Heb. אִשַׁי)..." (Num. 28:2), which means to the Ishim. So, because it is an offering of the Nefesh, the Ishim take their part as well. And when one leaves this world, that Nefesh never leaves the grave. And because of the power, the dead know and talk with each other.
רוּחַ אִיהוּ דִּמְקַיֵּים לַנְּפֶּשׁ בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. וְאִיהוּ מְשִׁיכוּ דְאִתְּעֲרוּתָּא דְּנוּקְבָא לְגַבֵּי דְכוּרָא כַּד אִנּוּן בְּתִּיאוּבְתָּא חָדָא. וּכְדֵין אִתְּעָרַתּ לְגַבֵּי דְכוּרָא בְּתִּיאוּבְתָּא דִילָהּ, לְהַאי רוּחַ כְּגַוְונָא דְּנוּקְבָא לְגַבֵּי דִּלְתַּתָּא אַשְׁדִיאַתּ זַרְעָא בְּתִּיאוּבְתָּא לְגַבֵּי דְכוּרָא. וְסִתְּרָא דָא (כד אשדיאת שפע בתיאובתא לגבי נוקבא והכא רזא) (קהלת י״ב:ז׳) וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אל הָאֱלהִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָּנָהּ.
Ruach gives existence to the Nefesh in this world. It is drawn by the arousal of the Nukvah toward the male, when they are in a state of united passion. The female is aroused toward the male because of her passion to receive from him the Ruach, just like a woman in this world who is inseminated by the power of her passion to (receive from) the man. And this is the secret of the words, "and the spirit (Ruach) shall return to the Elohim who gave it" (Kohelet 12:7).
וְהַאי רוּ"חַ (ונפ"ש ונשמ"ה ונשמת"א לנשמתא כד) נָפְּקָא מֵהַאי עָלְמָא (ואתפרשת מנפש) (אתפרשן י"ה אסתלק לגנתא דעדן בשמיא עלאה ומתלבש בדיוקנא עלאה מרקמא בכל גוונין) עָאל לְגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן דִּבְהַאי עָלְמָא (תתאה), וְאִתְּלַבַּשׁ תַּמָּן גּוֹ אֲוירָא דְגִנְתָּא כְּמָה דְּמִתְּלַבְּשֵׁי מַלְאֲכֵי עִלָּאֵי כַּד נָחֲתִּין לְהַאי עָלְמָא. בְּגִין דְּאִנּוּן מֵהַהוּא רוּחַ הֲווּ דִּכְתִּיב, (תהילים ק״ד:ד׳) עוֹשֶׂה מַלְאָכָיו רוּחוֹתּ וגו'.
And this Ruach leaves this world and is separated from the Nefesh, (which remains hovering at the grave), and it enters the Garden of Eden of this world. There, it clothes itself with the air of the Garden of Eden, just as the supernal angels do when they come down to this world. Then, they clothe and cover themselves with the air of this world, because they were created from that spirit (Ruach), as it is written, "Who makes the winds (also: spirits) his angels" (Tehilim 104:4).
אוּף הָכִי רוּחא מִתְּלַבָּשׁ בְּגַּן עֵדֶן דְאַרְעָא בְּדִיוּקְנָא דְהַאי עָלְמָא וְתַּמָּן אִתְּעַדְּנַתּ בְּכָל עִדּוּנִין, בְּגַּן עֵדֶן דָּא אִיתּ צִּיּוּרִין וְדִּיוּקְנִין דְהַאי עָלְמָא. וְאִיתּ צִּיּוּרִין וְדִּיוּקְנִין דְעָלְמָא עִלָּאָה, וְתַּמָּן כָּל אִנּוּן צַּדִּיקַיָּיא אָזְלִין וּמִתְּעַדְּנִין תַּמָּן, וּבְרֵישׁ יַרְחֵי וְשַׁבַּתֵּי אִנּוּן בָּעָאָן לְסָלְקָא לְעֵילָא. (דיוקנא דא מרו"ח וא"ש דבהאי עלמא ובדיוקנא דא אתעדנו בכל עדונין ובכל זמנ"י וירח"י ושבת"י אסתלקו רו"ח ונפ"ש ומתפשטי מהאי גופא ומתלבשי בדיוקנא עלאה בגן עדן דלעילא מרקמא בכל גוונין. באן אתר הוא י"ה בלבושא דיליה ואזדווגו כחדא ידו"ד ואנון נהנין מאור השכינה) וּבִמְצִּיעוּתּ גִּנְתָּא אִיתּ עַמּוּדָא חָדָא מֵרֻקָּמָא בְּכָל גְּוָונִין. וְהַהוּא רוּחַ כַּד בָּעָא לְסָלְקָא, אִתְּפַּשַׁט תַּמָּן מֵהַהוּא לְבוּשָׁא (ונפשא אשתארת תמן בגופא) וְעָאל גּוֹ הַהוּא עַמּוּדָא (וסלקת) וְסָלִיק לְעֵילָא גּוֹ הַהוּא אֲתַּר דְּנָפְּקַתּ מִנֵּיהּ, כְּדִכְתִּיב וְהָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב וְגו'.
And in the midst of the Garden, there stands a pillar embroidered with many colors. And when that Ruach wishes to rise up, it disrobes from that clothing, enters to the pillar, and ascends until it reaches the place from where it came. As it is written, "and the spirit (Ruach) shall return".
וְנָטִיל לָהּ מִיכָאֵל כַּהֲנָא רַבָּא וּמַקְרִיב לָהּ קָרְבַּן בּוּסְמִין קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךָ הוּא, (ואתת) וְיָתְּבָא תַּמָּן וּמִתְּעַדְּנָא בְּהַהוּא צְּרוֹרָא דְחַיֵּי (ישעיהו ס״ד:ג׳) דְּעַיִן לֹא רָאָתָּה אֱלהִים זוּלָתְּךָ וְגו'. לְבָתַּר נָחֲתָּא לְגוֹ גִנְתָּא דְאַרְעָא וּמִתְּעַדְּנָא בְּכָל עִדּוּנִין, וְאִתְּלַבְּשַׁתּ בְּהַהוּא לְבוּשָׁא (ואזדווגא בנפש דידיה) וְיָתְּבָא תַּמָּן בְּטוּרָא עַל חַד תְּרֵין מִכַּמָּה דְּהֲוַתּ בְּקַדְמִיתָּא. (ודא הוא בחול ואסתלקא בישיבות דגן עדן ומתעסק באורייתא ובכל רישי ירחי וזמני ושבתי נחתא אזדווגת בנפש).
And then, Michael, the High Priest, takes (the Ruach) and offers it as a sacrifice of sweet savor to the Holy One, blessed be He. And it remains there and enjoys the delicacies of the bundle of Life, "no eye had ever seen an Elohim, beside You..." (Isaiah 64:3). Afterwards, it goes down from there and returns to the earthly Garden of Eden. There, it enjoys all the delicacies, clothes itself again with that same clothing, and dwells there crowned with a crown twice as big as the one that it had possessed before.
נְשָׁמָה הִיא חֵילָא עִלָּאָה על כָּל אִלֵּין, וְאִיהִי מֵחֵילָא דִדְכוּרָא רָזָא דְאִילָנָא דְחַיֵּי. וְדָא סָלְקָא לְעֵילָא מִיָּד. וְכָל הַנֵּי (ד"א אנון) תְּלַתּ דַּרְגִּין מִתְּקַשְׁרִין כְּחֲדָא דָּא בְּדָא. וְכַד מִתְּפָּרְשָׁן כֻּלְהוּ סָלְקִין ותָּבִין לְהַהוּא אֲתַּר דְּנַפְּקוּ מִנֵּיהּ.
The Neshamah is a supernal power high above the other two. It originates from the power of the male, which is the Tree of Life and ascends immediately. And these three levels are attached to one another. When they leave (the body), they all rise up and return to the places from which they came.
כַּד הַאי רוּחָא נָפְּקַתּ מֵהַאי עָלְמָא וְעָאלַתּ בְּגוֹ מְעַרְתָּא דְּאָדָם וְאֲבָהָן תַּמָּן, אִנּוּן יָהֲבִין לָהּ פִּנְקָס סִימָנָא וְעָאלַתּ לְגַבֵּי גִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן, קְרִיבַתּ תַּמָּן וְאַשְׁכָּחַתּ כְּרוּבִים וְהַהוּא לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְּהַפֶּכֶתּ. אִי זָכָאתּ חָמָאן פִּנְקָס סִימָנָא וּפָּתְּחִין לָהּ פִּתְּחָא וְעָאלַתּ. וְאִי לָא דַּחְיָין לָהּ לְבַר.
When the Ruach leaves this world and enters the cave of Adam and the Patriarchs, they give it a letter as a sign. Then it goes to the Garden of Eden. When it arrives there, it meets the Cherubs and the flame of the revolving sword. If it is meritorious, then they see the letter, which is the sign, and open the gate for it to enter. If they do not see the letter, they reject it and do not allow it to enter.
וְיָתְּבָא תַּמָּן, כָּל הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְּיָתְּבָא מִתְּלַבְּשָׁא תַּמָּן בְּדִיוּקְנָא דְהַאי עָלְמָא. וּבְרֵישׁ יַרְחֵי וְשַׁבַּתֵּי כַּד בָּעָאתּ לְסַלְקָא. צַּדִּיקַיָּיא דִּבְגִנְתָּא דְעֵדֶן יַהֲבִין לָהּ פִּנְקָס סִימָנָא, וְסָלְקַתּ בְּהַהוּא עַמּוּדָא וּפָּגְעַתּ בְּאִנּוּן נָטְרֵי חוֹמוֹתּ יְרוּשְׁלֵם, אִי זָכְאָה פָּתְּחִין לָהּ פִּתְּחָא וְעָאלַתּ. וְאִי לָא נָטְלִין מִינָהּ הַהוּא פִּנְקָס וְדַחְיָין לָהּ לְבַר. תָּבַתּ לְגִנְתָּא ואָמְרָה (שיר השירים ג׳:ג׳) מְצָּאוּנִי הַשׁוֹמְרִים הַסּוֹבְבִים בָּעִיר וְגו' נָשְׂאוּ אֶתּ רְדִידַי מֵעָלַי, דָּא אִיהוּ פִּנְקָס סִימָנָא דְּנָטְלֵי מִנֵּיהּ (ד"א מינה). שׁוֹמְרֵי הַחוֹמוֹתּ אִלֵּין אִנּוּן נָטְרֵי חוֹמוֹתּ יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. (כדוגמא דא נשמתא לנשמתא אתפשט מההוא לבושא דלעילא ומסתלק לעילא לעילא ואתהני מאור השכינה. ונשמה (ס"א ונפשא) אשתארת בגופא (שמות קמא ב) ובכל רישי ירחי וזמני ושבתי נחתא נשמה לנשמה ומזדווגא לנשמה דאשתארת בגופא ומזדווגא בנשמה ודיוקנא דגנתא דעדן דלתתא הוא אש ומים שנאמר שמים. עד הכא רוחא דשמאלא היורדת למטה אזלת לדרגא דיליה ונפש דיליה אשתארא בגופא דארעא דכתיב, (איוב י״ד:כ״ב) אך בשרו עליו יכאב וגו'. ועל דא אמרו דמתיא ידעי בעלמא דאתי מיקרא דצדיקייא ומעלמא תתאה ומשתעיין דא עם דא) (עד כאן סתרי תורה):
And it dwells there some time, sitting and clothing itself in the image of this world. And on the first day of the month and on Shabbat, when it wants to rise, the righteous men who are in the Garden of Eden give it a letter as a sign. And it ascends through that same pillar, where it meets the watchmen of the walls of Jerusalem. If it is meritorious, they open the gate and it enters. If not, they take the letter away and throw it out. As it is written, "The watchmen that go about the city found me...the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me" (Shir Hashirim 5:7). (The veil) is the letter given as a sign, which has been taken away from it, by the watchmen of the walls of Jerusalem. End of Sitrei Torah.