NEW YORK (VINnews/Yair Hoffman) – To those who have recently lost a loved one: may you find comfort in knowing that the neshamah of your dear one has embarked on a profound and purposeful journey, guided by the loving hand of HaKadosh Boruch Hu.

There is a fascinating Abarbanel on the verse in Bereishis (2:7): “Hashem formed man of dust from the ground, and He breathed into his nostrils the soul of life, and man became — lenefesh chaya — a living soul.” The Abarbanel explains that Hashem created the soul to be living constantly — everlasting, without death and not lost.

This and other Torah sources teach us that the neshama is immortal — a foundation of Torah-true Judaism. This truth is reflected in the emphasis placed upon Shabbos observance. Although we keep Shabbos primarily because the Torah commands us to do so, it is also the flagship of Jewish belief. We cease all forms of creative activity because Hashem ceased from creation and rested on the seventh day. By resting as well, we declare to the world our belief in the Creator, that He is the essence of all that is good, and that He rewards good and punishes evil. In order to receive this reward and punishment, the soul must be immortal.

The Zohar (Vol. II 118b) explains that the body and the neshamah, or soul, are two separate things. The body houses the neshamah (Vol. II 142b). The neshamah becomes attached to the guf, the body, while yet in the womb. The Talmud (Niddah 30b) derives this from the verse in Iyov (29:3): “When He lit His candle over my head; by His light I would go through the darkness.” The Talmud further explains that the soul is taught the entire Torah during the nine months in the womb, and that this time is replete with remarkable goodness.

The soul is likened to a lamp, as it says: “Ner Hashem nishmas ha’adam — a lamp of G-d is the soul of man” (Mishlei 20:27), and “For You light my lamp, Hashem; My G-d brightens my darkness” (Tehillim 18:29).

The Soul Departing

The Midrashei HaZohar on Koheles (p. 1196) explains that 30 days before a person’s death, the neshamah begins to fade. However, it remains with the body until the actual moment of death — yetzias ha’neshamah. When the soul departs, it is compared to the extinguishing of a lamp (Shir HaShirim Rabbah 6:1).

The connection that binds the soul to the body is quite strong. The Gemara in Avodah Zarah (20b) teaches that in order to sever this connection, the Malach HaMaves — the Angel of Death — frightens the person, causing the soul to detach from the body. If the person developed a close connection to Hashem during his or her lifetime, there is “ein macharid” — no frightening on the part of the Malach HaMaves. Rather, the soul departs out of its own desire to attach itself to the Shechinah, which arrives at that moment.

Seeing the Shechinah

In the third chapter of Kallah Rabbasi, the verse in Shmos 33:20 is explained: “For no man shall see Me and live” — this refers to their lifetime. But at the time of death, they do see. The Rash MiShantz in his introduction to the Toras Kohanim explains that it is similar to the state of the soul before it was bound to the body.

There are different levels, however. Some perceive more of the Shechinah than others, though almost everyone perceives a type of light. It appears from Pirkei Rebbi Eliezer (chapter 34) that this is part and parcel of the process of death.

The Megaleh Amukos (Parashas Emor, ofen 17) cites the Sefer HaTemunah, a Kabbalistic work, that when the soul departs the body, it sings the hymn of “Mizmor Shir L’Yom HaShabbos.” This likely refers to those on a high spiritual level — individuals who merit to see the Shechinah at the time the soul departs (Avodas Yisroel of Rav Yisroel of Kozhnitz, Parashas Parah).

The severing of body and soul is sometimes painful and sometimes not, depending upon the spiritual level of the deceased (see Ohr HaChaim, Parashas Bechukosai 26, and Gemara in Berachos 8a). According to Pirkei D’Rebbi Eliezer (34), the sound of the separation is one of the six sounds that reverberates throughout the universe, yet is not audibly heard.

The Five Facets of the Neshamah

The Midrash (Bereishis Rabbah 14:9) refers to the neshamah with five names or forces: Nefesh (soul), Ruach (spirit), Neshamah (breath), Chayah (life force), and Yechidah (unique singularity). The master Kabbalists explain that these five names describe five dimensions of the soul. Nefesh is the engine of physical life. Ruach is the emotional self, imbuing the individual with personality. Neshamah is the intellectual self. Chayah is the life force that instills will, commitment, and faith. Yechidah connotes the very essence of the soul — its unity with its source, the singular essence of Hashem.

The Time of Confusion

Immediately upon death, the neshamah can be in a state of utter confusion. It is therefore considered a great chesed to remain with a dying person so that he or she does not die alone.

During this time, the soul may forget, out of confusion and fright, who it was. The Shla HaKadosh therefore recommends that one become familiar with a verse in the Torah that alludes to his or her own name — that is, a verse whose first and last letters match the first and last letters of one’s name. These verses are typically found and recited at the conclusion of the Shacharis Shemoneh Esreh.

The soul, now detached from the body, is painfully aware of all things that physically surround it — particularly before the body is buried. It can also hear words spoken by those near the body. The Talmud (Shabbos 152a) tells us that the soul mourns for its body for a full seven days, as derived from the verse “His soul mourns for him” (Iyov 14:22).

For this reason, those who perform the taharah, and those who watch the body before burial, should refrain from frivolous conversation, so that the neshamah not be further bewildered.

The First Twelve Months After Death

For the first twelve months after death, portions of the soul hover near the body. For most neshamos, until the body reaches a certain level of decomposition, the soul wanders nearby and has no permanent resting place — a source of pain and discomfort. During this time, the soul is aware of and pained by the physical changes occurring to its body. Reciting Tehillim is a source of comfort for the confused neshamah.

The Talmud (Shabbos 152a) states that “worms are as painful to the dead as needles are to the flesh of the living” (Iyov 14:22). The Mekubalim call this “Chibut HaKever” — the affliction of the grave. For some individuals, what transpires in the grave can be even more painful than Gehinnom itself.

Judgment

During that first year after death, the soul is initially judged by the Heavenly Court. In addition to this initial judgment, the souls of the wicked are further reproved for twelve months. Others are reproved for a lesser time, depending upon the severity of their deeds and whether they performed teshuvah.

If teshuvah mei’ahavah — repentance out of love of Hashem — was performed, then the sins of one’s lifetime are not only erased but actually count as mitzvos. This remarkable gift, beyond our full comprehension, also lessens the time the neshamah spends in the cleansing process.

Because those who are particularly righteous or who performed teshuvah mei’ahavah do not require the full twelve-month stay in Gehinnom, Kaddish is traditionally recited for only eleven months — so as not to imply that the deceased requires the maximum period.

We thus see that how one is regarded here on earth affects, to some degree, the disposition of the individual in Heaven as well.

For this reason, when mentioning a parent’s name during the first year after death, one should say: “Hareini kaparas mishkavo — May I be an atonement for his resting place.” The main judgment after death occurs in Gehinnom, where the soul is cleansed in a spiritual fire and purified to receive its eternal reward. The fire abates every Shabbos.

Souls Sent Back

There are souls judged at the initial judgment as not yet ready for the spiritual purification that Gehinnom accomplishes. These souls are sent back to this world so that they may gain some form of merit. Once they do, the judgment process can then proceed. Even if this takes longer than twelve months, we treat everyone as though their maximum time is twelve months.

The souls of the truly righteous are in one sense even greater than the angels on high: they are able to progress higher and higher in their ultimate heavenly abode. Zechariah the Navi was shown a vision of stationary angels and told (3:7), “If you go in My ways . . . then I will give you a place to move among [the angels] standing here.” Angels, with their limited form of bechirah, remain at one level of Gan Eden. A truly righteous person can ascend — both before and after the neshamah has departed.

Merit for the Neshamah

How can a soul continue to ascend after it has departed? If, during one’s lifetime, one raised children who perform mitzvos, helped create Torah learning, or has descendants and others who learn Mishnayos or recite Kaddish on his behalf, the soul can shift its Heavenly station upward.

What Others Can Do

It is crucial to know that there are six degrees of tikkunim one can perform for the deceased — and Kaddish is actually the lowest of these six levels. They are enumerated by Rabbi Eliyahu Gutmacher, a primary student of Rabbi Akiva Eiger, in his sefer entitled Sukkas Shalom. Each ascending level is a higher form of tikkun for the soul:

1. The recitation of Kaddish.
2. Davening before the amud for the congregation.
3. Fulfilling a mitzvah that one’s father or mother instructed in their lifetime.
4. The study of Torah.
5. Teaching Torah publicly.
6. Teaching Torah publicly in a manner that bridges day and night — that is, between Mincha and Maariv, or after Shacharis in the morning.

Lighting a Candle

Shlomo HaMelech compares the neshamah to a lamp (Mishlei 20:27): “Ner Hashem nishmas Adam — the lamp of Hashem is the soul of a person.” Dovid HaMelech likewise stated, “For You light my lamp, Hashem; My G-d brightens my darkness” (Tehillim 18:29).

The neshamah remains in the home during the shiva period and is comforted by the presence of a candle lit in its honor. The candle mirrors the nature of the neshamah, which is drawn toward it in a state of glory and happiness (see Rabbeinu Bachya, Shmos 25:31). Ideally, the candle should be lit in the home where the deceased lived; if not, it should be lit where the mourners are sitting shiva.

Ideally, the candle should be lit by the child of the deceased. When lighting it, one should say: “Harei ani madlik ner zo l’zecher nishmas _____ ben _____.” The candle should remain lit for the entire shiva. If the candle burns out, it should be replaced.

Conclusion

The Zohar tells us that from the mitzvos a person performs in his or her lifetime, the Holy One fashions garments that clothe the neshamah. These spiritual robes allow the soul to stand in the courtyard of the King. Without them, the soul cannot perceive the pleasantness of Hashem — Noam Hashem. The converse is equally true: when sins are committed, a decrepit robe is placed over the neshamah and its time in Gehinnom is set in motion.

The processes that occur to the neshamah after it departs from the body are complex and, at times, sobering. Yet it is entirely possible to prepare for this passage properly. We see the tremendous importance of cultivating a dveikus — a cleaving to Hashem — of performing teshuvah out of genuine love of Hashem, and of supporting Torah study throughout one’s lifetime. May Hashem speedily bring about the removal of death laNetzach.

The author can be reached at [email protected].
This article is dedicated in memory of the author’s mother-in-law, Mrs. Sally Hirsch a”h, Tzalcha bas R’ Moshe HaKohen,