Quotes:Yeheedah

H. P. Blavatsky

Yeheedah. Lit., “Individuality ”; esoterically, the highest individuality or Âtmâ‐Buddhi‐Manas, when united in one. This doctrine is in the Chaldean Book of Numbers, which teaches a septenary division of human “principles”, so‐called, as does the Kabalah in the Zohar, according to the Book of Solomon (iii.,Io4a so as translated in I. Myer’s Qabbalah). At the time of the conception, the Holy “sends a d’yook‐nah, or the phantom of a shadow image” like the face of a man. it is designed and sculptured in the divine tzelem, i.e., the shadow image of the Elohim. “ Elohim created man in his (their) tzelem ” or image, says Genesis (i. 27). It is the tzelem that awaits the child and receives it at the moment of its conception, and this tzelem is our linga sharira. “ The Rua’h forms with the Nephesh the actual personality of the man ”, and also his individuality, or, as expressed by the Kabbalist, the combination of the two is called, if he (man) deserves it, Yeheedah. This combination is that which the Theosophist calls the dual Manas, the Higher and the Lower Ego, united to Âtmâ‐ Buddhi and become one. For as explained in the Zohar (i., 205b, 206a, Brody Ed.): “Neshamah, soul (Buddhi), comprises three degrees, and therefore she has three names, like the mystery above: that is, Nephesh, Rua’h, Neshamah “, or the Lower Manas, the Higher Ego, and Buddhi, the Divine Soul. “It is also to be noted that the Neshamah has three divisions;” says Myer’s Qabbalah, “the highest is the Ye‐hee‐dah ” — or Âtmâ‐Buddhi‐Manas, the latter once more as a unit; “the middle principle is Hay‐yak “ — or Buddhi and the dual Manas; ”and the last and third, the Neshamah, properly speaking ” — or Soul in general. “They manifest themselves in Ma’hshabah, thought, Tzelem, phantom of the image, Zurath, prototypes (mâyâvic forms, or rûpas), and the Dʹyooknah, shadow of the phantom image. The D’mooth, likeness or similitude (physical body), is a lower manifestation” (p. 392). Here then, we find the faithful echo of Esoteric science in the Zohar and other Kabbalistic works, a perfect Esoteric septenary division. Every Theosophist who has studied the doctrine sketched out first in Mr. Sinnett’s Occult World and Esoteric Buddhism, and later in the Theosophist, Lucifer, and other writings, will recognise them in the Zohar. Compare for instance what is taught in Theosophical works about the pre‐ and post‐mortem states of the three higher and the four lower human principles, with the following from the Zohar: “ Because all these three are one knot like the above, in the mystery of Nephesh, Rua’h, Neshamah, they are all one, and bound in one. Nephesh (Kâma‐Manas) has no light from her own substance; and it is for this reason that she is associated with the mystery of guff, the body, to procure enjoyment and food and everything which it needs. Rua’h (the Spirit) is that which rides on that Nephesh (the lower soul) and rules over her and lights (supplies) her with everything she needs [ with the light of reason], and the Nephesh is the throne [ of that Ru’ah. Neshamah (Divine Soul) goes over to that Rua’h, and she rules over that Rua’h and lights to him with that Light of Life, and that Rua’h depends on the Neshamah and receives light from her, which illuminates him. . . When the ‘upper’ Neshamah ascends (after the death of the body), she goes to . . . the Ancient of the Ancient, the Hidden of all the Hidden, to receive Eternity. The Rua’h does not [ go to Gan Eden [ because he is [ up with] Nephesh the Rua’h goes up to Eden, but not so high as the soul, and Nephesh [ animal principle, lower soul] remains in the grave below [ Kâmaloka] (Zohar, ii., 142a, Cremona Ed., ii., fol. 63b col. 252). It would be difficult not to recognise in the above our Âtmâ (or the “upper” Neshamah), Buddhi (Neshamah),. Manas (Rua’h), and Kâma‐Manas (Nephesh) or the lower animal soul; the first of which goes after the death of man to join its integral whole, the second and the third proceeding to Devachan, and the last, or the Kâmarûpa, “remaining in its grave”, called other wise the Kâmaloka or Hades.

Source: H. P. Blavatsky, The Theosophical Glossary, art. Yeheedah