That feeling, that yearning... it’s deeply connected to the idea of tikkun olam, repairing the world. But what if repairing the world also means repairing ourselves? And what if, to do that, we need a little… help?
Think about it. Why would God, the Infinite, create all these complex spiritual realms, these "upper worlds," as the great Kabbalist Baal HaSulam puts it in his introduction to the Zohar? What purpose do they serve us?
It boils down to this: we can’t truly connect with the Creator, we can’t give back that spark of divine satisfaction, without tapping into these higher realms. It’s all about purifying our desires, refining that raw, sometimes self-centered "desire to receive" into something… more.
Now, how do we do that? That's where the concept of NaRaNḤaY comes in. These are the five levels of the soul: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, and Yechida. Think of them as rungs on a ladder, each representing a different level of spiritual awareness and refinement. As we ascend, level by level, we receive help. Assistance in purification, says Baal HaSulam, from the very lights of that level.
It's a gradual process, a spiritual climb. Each level we reach helps us purify ourselves further, making us ever more worthy of experiencing the joy, the pleasure, that’s baked right into the very purpose of creation. It's like the Zohar itself explains, echoing the Talmud (Yoma 38b): "One who comes to be purified receives assistance." But what kind of help? The Zohar answers: they receive the “holy soul” [Nishmeta Kadisha].
We need the assistance of each of these five levels of the soul, this NaRaNḤaY, to truly become purified. It’s all part of the divine plan, woven into the very fabric of existence. So, that yearning you feel? That's your soul calling out, ready to climb. Ready to receive the help that's waiting for you.
Maybe the journey isn't just about reaching the top, but about the transformation that happens along the way. Maybe it's about allowing ourselves to be assisted, to be guided, as we strive to become the best versions of ourselves. What do you think?