The Soul
נשמהThe neshamah — the Divine spark within, and its longing to return. The Sfas Emes on the soul.
175 essays
Noach
Lech Lecha
- Milah binds body to the neshamahLech Lecha · תרל"ו · Essay 4
- Milah as refinement that reveals the neshamahLech Lecha · תרמ"ט · Essay 3
- Milah reveals the soul's inherent wholenessLech Lecha · תר"ס · Essay 2
- Bris milah joins body to soulLech Lecha · תרס"א · Essay 2
- Milah and Shabbos Let the Neshamah ShineLech Lecha · תרס"ב · Essay 4
- Avraham: pouring the soul's light into the bodyLech Lecha · תרס"ג · Essay 1
Vayeira
- Milah binds body to the soul's lightVayeira · תרל"ו · Essay 1
- Milah opens the body to soul's lightVayeira · תרל"ז · Essay 1
- Opening the gates to know Hashem's secretVayeira · תרמ"ו · Essay 1
- Milah uncovers inner sight of the DivineVayeira · תרנ"ד · Essay 1
- Milah heals the soul by removing concealmentVayeira · תרנ"ז · Essay 1
Chayei Sarah
- The unseen soul cleaving to HashemChayei Sarah · תרל"ו · Essay 1
- Wholeness of soul, place, and timeChayei Sarah · תרמ"ז · Essay 1
- Elevating all life to its SourceChayei Sarah · תרנ"ז · Essay 1
- Body as wise servant of the soulChayei Sarah · תרס"א - תרס"ב · Essay 2
- Selfless servanthood earns the Shabbos neshamahChayei Sarah · תרס"א - תרס"ב · Essay 5
- Sarah's unchanging soul unites both worldsChayei Sarah · תרס"א - תרס"ב · Essay 6
- Wisdom as remembering the soul's rootChayei Sarah · תרס"ד · Essay 1
Toldot
Vayetzei
Vayishlach
- Body and Soul ElevationVayishlach · תרל"ו · Essay 1
- Shabbat as Higher IdentityVayishlach · תרל"ט · Essay 2
- Spiritual Ascent and AngelsVayishlach · תרמ"א · Essay 1
- Spiritual Mission and Divine IdentityVayishlach · תרנ"ז · Essay 2
- Soul Refinement through MitzvotVayishlach · תרנ"ח · Essay 1
- Jacob’s Mission and EternityVayishlach · תרנ"ט · Essay 1
- Inner vs. Outer Mitzvah PracticeVayishlach · תרס"ב · Essay 1
- Jacob’s Spiritual LegacyVayishlach · תרס"ג · Essay 1
Vayeshev
Mikeitz
Chanukah
- Hanukkah Light as Divine VesselChanukah · תרל"ב · Essay 5
- Light of Mitzvot and TorahChanukah · תרל"ז · Essay 4
- Light of Torah Through MitzvotChanukah · תרנ"ג · Essay 5
- Light of Mitzvot and SoulChanukah · תרנ"ה · Essay 1
- Soul as Divine LampChanukah · תרנ"ז · Essay 5
- Soul and Body in PraiseChanukah · תרס"א · Essay 2
- Spiritual Priorities Over WorldlinessChanukah · תרס"ב · Essay 1
- Light of Torah-Driven LifeChanukah · תרס"ה · Essay 4
Vayigash
Vayechi
Shemot
Yitro
Mishpatim
- Borrowing with the Owner exempts manMishpatim · תרל"ו · Essay 2
- Israel's justice and charity as Hashem's doingMishpatim · תרמ"ה · Essay 2
- Bnei Yisrael made into vessels for the mitzvosMishpatim · תרמ"ט · Essay 1
- Elevating the body to follow the soulMishpatim · תרמ"ט · Essay 2
- Shabbos equals all the mitzvosMishpatim · תרנ"ז · Essay 3
Shekalim
Terumah
Tetzaveh
- Becoming the mitzvah itselfTetzaveh · תרל"ה · Essay 1
- Tzaddikim safeguard the soul's holy sparksTetzaveh · תרמ"א · Essay 1
- Garments and Menorah: Body and SoulTetzaveh · תרמ"ב · Essay 2
- Garments refine the body, Menorah the soulTetzaveh · תרמ"ד · Essay 1
- Mitzvos as vessels for the soul's lightTetzaveh · תר"נ · Essay 1
- The mitzvah as a lamp revealing lightTetzaveh · תרנ"א · Essay 2
- Pure thought refines speech and deedTetzaveh · תרנ"ז · Essay 1
- Pure oil refined through crushingTetzaveh · תרס"א · Essay 2
Ki Tisa
Parah
Vayakhel
Vayikra
- Sincere small offering over grand gestureVayikra · תרמ"ב · Essay 3
- The soul as Hashem's witness through the bodyVayikra · תרמ"ט · Essay 3
- Shabbos soul untouched by sinVayikra · תר"נ · Essay 3
- Uniting body and soul through bittul, like MosheVayikra · תרנ"ז · Essay 1
- Reuniting the soul-fragment with its rootVayikra · תרס"א · Essay 2
- The soul as a limitless portion of the DivineVayikra · תרס"א · Essay 3
Shabbat HaGadol
Pesach
Shmini
Tazria
- Refining the animal soul to rise firstTazria · תרל"ד · Essay 2
- Man elevates creation by revealing gloryTazria · תרמ"א · Essay 2
- Man as microcosm bridging two worldsTazria · תרמ"ה · Essay 2
- Man's dual form: body and inner imageTazria · תרמ"ז · Essay 1
- The hidden inner point within the bodyTazria · תרנ"ב · Essay 1
- The soul descends to elevate the bodyTazria · תרנ"ג · Essay 1
- Soul within body and bris milah's tikkunTazria · תרנ"ה · Essay 1
- Freedom of the soul through TorahTazria · תרנ"ו · Essay 1
- Milah and Shabbos reconciling body and soulTazria · תרנ"ז · Essay 1
Metzora
Acharei Mot
Kedoshim
- Mitzvos draw down the soul's heavenly rootKedoshim · תרל"ז · Essay 2
- Holiness as the soul's exalted inner pointKedoshim · תרמ"ד · Essay 1
- Three holinesses, two given to YisraelKedoshim · תרמ"ו · Essay 2
- Channels of holiness: space, time, soulKedoshim · תרמ"ז · Essay 1
- Unity and Shabbos as vessels for holinessKedoshim · תרמ"ט · Essay 2
- Mitzvos through unity with the collectiveKedoshim · תרנ"ב · Essay 1
- Parents form the body, Hashem gives the soulKedoshim · תרס"א · Essay 1
- Drawing soul's holiness into the bodyKedoshim · תרס"ג · Essay 1
- Torah's holiness in the soul is indestructibleKedoshim · תרס"ג · Essay 2
Emor
Behar
Bechukotai
- Two statures: body and inner soulBechukotai · תרל"ו · Essay 4
- Daily spiritual renewal through TorahBechukotai · תרמ"ג · Essay 3
- Toil in Torah recreates the selfBechukotai · תרמ"ו · Essay 2
- Mitzvos perfect soul through thought, speech, deedBechukotai · תרמ"ט · Essay 2
- Torah learned to be lived draws inner light into deedsBechukotai · תרנ"ז · Essay 1
Bamidbar
Shavuot
Naso
Beha'alotcha
- Nefesh and ruach paths of avodahBeha'alotcha · תרל"ה · Essay 2
- Mitzvos as the soul's lamp purifying the bodyBeha'alotcha · תרמ"ב · Essay 1
- Mitzvos as lamps for the soul's lightBeha'alotcha · תרמ"ז - תרמ"ח - תרנ"ב · Essay 2
- Drawing Heaven Down and Preparing the Vessel BelowBeha'alotcha · תרמ"ז - תרמ"ח - תרנ"ב · Essay 5
- Soul-Food Sustaining the Body through the MannBeha'alotcha · תרמ"ז - תרמ"ח - תרנ"ב · Essay 7
- One mitzvah perfected contains all 613Beha'alotcha · תרנ"ו · Essay 1
- Body and soul: weekday lamp and Shabbos lightBeha'alotcha · תרס"א · Essay 1
- The soul as the lamp of Hashem and ShabbosBeha'alotcha · תרס"ב · Essay 2
Shlach
Korach
Rosh Hashanah
- Renewing the inner point of lifeRosh Hashanah · תרל"ו · Essay 2
- Shofar awakens the soul and mercyRosh Hashanah · תרמ"ו · Essay 3
- Shofar and the soul's recognition before HashemRosh Hashanah · תרנ"ב · Essay 2
- Unconditional love of the neshamahRosh Hashanah · תרנ"ז · Essay 3
- Renewing the soul on Rosh HashanahRosh Hashanah · תרנ"ט · Essay 3
- Torah lishmah awakens dveikusRosh Hashanah · תרס"ב · Essay 3
- The three levels of life renewed on Rosh HashanahRosh Hashanah · תרס"ג · Essay 1
Shabbat Shuva
- The pure inner point and Shabbos teshuvahShabbat Shuva · תרל"ד · Essay 2
- Teshuvah as fulfilling one's missionShabbat Shuva · תרנ"א · Essay 1
- Hashem's Nearness Through TeshuvahShabbat Shuva · תרנ"ה · Essay 1
- Shabbos as Teshuvah Out of LoveShabbat Shuva · תרס"ב · Essay 5
- Teshuvah renews the Ten Dibros within usShabbat Shuva · תרס"ה · Essay 1
Sukkot
- Longing for the shade of the sukkahSukkot · תרנ"א · Essay 1
- Sukkah: rising above nature toward HashemSukkot · תרנ"ד ותרנ"ו · Essay 1
- Taking the heart's inner wisdomSukkot · תרנ"ד ותרנ"ו · Essay 3
- Torah as inheritance and betrothalSukkot · תרנ"ד ותרנ"ו · Essay 13
- Souls of Yisrael as vessels for Torah's lightSukkot · תרנ"ה · Essay 6
- Sukkos renews the soul as a new creationSukkot · תרנ"ח · Essay 3
- Joy of the Chag from the soul's lightSukkot · תרס"ד · Essay 3