The Jewish Home Chapter 5: Five Levels of the Soul – An Inverted Seal

In light of the above, an obvious question arises. What category corresponds to the yud of G-d's name, the world of Atzilut, and to the higher, kotso shel yud, the tip of the yud, which is the sefirah of keter? To understand this, we must return to the first model of the three categories. In the first model, the home corresponds to the highest level of the nefesh, the makeef harachok, called the yechida. The clothing, the makeef hakarov, corresponds to the chaya. In Kabbalah, the chaya is generally the yud of G-d's name, and the yechida is the "tip of the yud." Mazon corresponds to the first hei of G-d?s name. This is the phenomenon in Kabbalah called the Chotam Hamithapech, the "Inverted Seal." The very highest level of yechida becomes physically manifest at the level of malchut. The very highest descends to the very lowest. The chaya primarily manifests at the level of madim, clothing, which are the characteristics of the heart.

Mazon, the first hei of G-d's name,is the pivotal point. We have seen that food is the hinge on which the other two categories reflect themselves.

To Summarize:

The five levels of the soul are called nefesh, ruach, neshama, chaya, yechida. The yechida reflects itself in the nefesh. This is revealed in the relation between Mashiach and King David. Each of the five levels of the soul correspond to a general soul root. The Arizal explains that the general soul root of the nefesh in all of Am Yisrael is King David. The ruach is the prophet, Elijah. The neshama, which is the mind, mochin d'Imma, is Moses, as stated in the Gemorah that Moses merited binah. The chaya corresponds to the ideal and primordial, blissful state of Adam and Eve before the sin. Had Adam stood that trial successfully, he would have risen to the level of yechida. Since he failed the trial he fell from all the levels of Olam ha'Atzilut. The highest level, yechida, is that of Mashiach, may he become revealed speedily in our days.

It is clear that of all the previous figures, Mashiach reflects himself in King David. That is why Mashiach is referred to as Mashiach ben David. The pivot point is Moses. The union of Mashiach and David depends on the power of Moses. In Kabbalah we are taught that the Mashiach possesses the soul of Moses within the body of David. Thus he is physically the son of David but it is the soul of Moses that is manifest in his inner state of consciousness.

Likewise, Moses reaches up and takes the spiritual level of Adam before the sin and manifests it as Elijah the Prophet. Had Adam not sinned, he would not have been punished with death. The soul that did not physically die is Elijah. In this respect, the rectification of Adam before the sin, or the return to the idyllic state of Adam prior to the sin, was achieved by Elijah. This was done with the power of Moses. This is Chotam Hamithapech.

To summarize: