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The Multiple Souls of Adam
Translated
and annotated from Sefer Baal Shem Tov by Rabbi Eliezer Shore
(first
posted on KabbalaOnline.org)
"Then the L-rd your G-d will return your captives from exile, and
He will have mercy upon you. He will gather you again from all the nations
where the L-rd your G-d had dispersed you" [Deut. 30:3]
Every single Jew must perfect and make ready the part of the Moshiach
that relates to his own soul. As it is known, the word "Adam"
is an acronym for the names "Adam, David, Moshiach." Adam's
size was from one end of the earth to the other, and included in it all
the souls of Israel. After the sin of eating the forbidden fruit, however,
his stature was diminished. Like Adam originally, Moshiach's soul will
be made up of all the 600,000 souls of the Congregation of Israel, as
it was before Adam's sin.
Therefore, every Jew must make ready that portion of his own soul that
corresponds to that of Moshiach until the entire structure of the worlds
is fixed and established. Then there will be a universal Unification,
without end. May it be soon in our days!
[from Me'or Einayim, Pinchas; translation from Sefer Baal Shem
Tov and commentary by Rabbi Dr. Eliezer Shore; first posted on //BaalShemTov.com]
~~~~~~~~~
Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov ["Israel, Master
of the Good Name (of G-d)," 1698-1760], a unique and seminal figure
in Jewish history, revealed the Chassidic movement and his own identity
as an exceptionally holy person, on his 36th birthday, 18 Elul 1734. He
passed away on the festival of Shavuot in 1760. He wrote no books, although
many claim to contain his teachings. (Also referred to as "the BeShT",
from an acronym of Baal Shem Tov.)
Rabbi Eliezer Shore studied in yeshivot in New York
and Israel for many years,and received rabbinic ordination. He currently
lives in Jerusalem, where he is a writer, storyteller, and Torah teacher.
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