Jewish mystical tradition has a fascinating way of looking at this very idea, particularly through the lens of the Sefirot and the human soul.

The Emanator, blessed be His name, set things up in a really interesting way. Imagine it like this: the basic "stuff" of creation, the raw material, stays the same. But! The soul of that creation, its essence, can actually grow and expand. It's like getting an upgrade without changing your hardware.

This, my friends, is the concept of the Neshamah Yetera (נשמה יתרה), the Additional Soul. It's that extra spark we receive, especially on Shabbat and holidays, that elevates us beyond our everyday selves.

Now, this isn't just about us humans. The concept extends upwards, into the realm of the Sefirot (סְפִירוֹת‎), those ten divine emanations through which God reveals Himself. Think of them as the building blocks of the universe, each representing a different attribute of the divine.

The Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, a Kabbalistic text, explains that something similar happens with the Sefirot. Their "exterior," which is linked to the physical realm and, interestingly, the root of the human body, can receive an "interior soul" beyond what it would normally be entitled to. This is called an "ascent" (Aliyah).

It's a dynamic process, though. When a Sefirah is still in the process of receiving what it should have, that’s considered "growth towards completion." But when it gets something more, something beyond its inherent nature? That’s when we talk about ascent.

Think of it like a plant. As it grows towards its full, natural size, we call it "growth." But if, through some special circumstance – extra sunlight, perfect soil – it blossoms with an unexpected abundance, we might say it has "ascended" to a new level of beauty and vitality.

These "additions" aren't random, though. They're tied to specific times – weekdays, Shabbat, holidays. The Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah suggests that this is where those additions come from. There's a rhythm, a divine choreography, to the way these extra measures of soul and spirit are bestowed.

So, what does all this mean for us? Perhaps it's a reminder that we, too, are part of this grand cosmic dance. We have the capacity for growth and ascent. The potential for more than we might think. Maybe it’s about recognizing those moments – those Shabbat dinners, those moments of connection, those acts of kindness – when we receive that Neshamah Yetera, that extra spark, and allow ourselves to ascend.

What kind of ascent will you choose today?