The Five Levels of the Soul

The Neshama, or Soul, is the upward moving spiritual essence which pulls the person towards HaShem. It resides around the head, and has 5 levels, or emanations.

1. Nefesh

Your embodied, animalistic soul- or, the lowest level of consciousness; a spiritual essence which resides within the physical body and provides awareness of the physical world (Asiya — the world of Action) and keeps the person alive.

The divine service associated with the level of Nefesh is acknowledgment of, and submission to, the supreme authority of HaShem (especialy the fulfillment of the Mitzvot).

2. Ruach

Literally "Spirit", it is the connection between your soul (Neshamah) and its first emanation (Nefesh); your emotional soul, and the cause of all a person's feelings, personality, and other related qualities. It is associated with the world of Yetzirah (the world of Formation).

In terms of Divine service, this entails arousing the complementary emotions of love and awe of HaShem. The love and awe of HaShem are aroused primarily through the active contemplation of the divine energy which forms and maintains the world of Yetzira.

3. Neshama

Literally, "Soul"; refers to your intellectual soul- or, rather, the conceptual grasp of the intellect and the continuous search for understanding; it analyzes underlying principles from the categories of thought imposed by the human mind and experience, seeking the essential rather than ephemeral.

This level contemplates the manifestation of Divine energy in the world of Beriya (the world of Creation).

4. Chaya

"Living One", referring to your consciousness. But this level is not concerned with the self- but rather communes with HaShem as it transcends the worlds. More specifically, it focuses on what HaShem is not; how It is not limited or finite. Through this understanding, the soul merges with HaShem, and there is no self-identity outside of It.

This level of the soul gazes upon the Divine energy of the world of Atzilut (the world of Emanation).

5. Yechidah

"Single One"; your soul of singular unity, corresponding with Adam Kadmon: The Divine plane for existence within Creation; it is the infinite Divine light without vessel; the "primary of all primaries"; the collective essence of the soul not yet manifest yet naturally and immutably bound to The Holy One.

The Zohar states that when a person is born they are given the first emanation of Nefesh from the world of Asiya (the lowest world). If, through divine service and proper action, they make themself worthy, they are then given Ruach on the plane of Yetzira. With greater effort, they can earn the revelation of Neshama, paralleling the world of Beriya. If they purify themself greatly, they may be able to attain the level of Chaya paralleling Atzilut- and maybe even Yechidah — the God consciousness of the level of Adam Kadmon and beyond; Yechidah transcends all the worlds, since it is never separated from HaShem. It is "truly part of God above".