Soul (Neshama):

The Light that is clothed in the vessel of Bina within the Partzuf is called Neshama.

This is because the ten Sefirot of the Lights are termed NaRaN'HaY (Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, Yechida), and the ten Sefirot of the vessels are termed Ka'HaB ZON (Keter, Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin, Nukva).

This definition from Baal HaSulam explained in the language of Sefirot as we have in the book Tree of Life of the Ari is a good reminder that when Kabbalist speaks about "Soul" or Neshama they have a very precise definition - and very often this definition is far the usual one.

Here we can read in the definition:

The Light that is clothed in the vessel of Bina within the Partzuf is called Neshama

Meaning, when we talk about Soul, we are actually only talking about the degree of lights received in the spiritual vessels .i.e corrected desires.

This itself clarify a lot - because now we can see that we go back to something that is familiar : Light and Kli, the desire and what is received in the desire. 

So there is a specific corrected desire -  that is called Bina - and what is received in this kli, in this corrected desired, is felt in way that is called Neshama - the soul. 

And all the other degrees, Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, 'Haya, Yechida, are different degrees of the light as a function of the corrected desire to receive.

Six Hundred Thousand Souls

It was said that there are six hundred thousand souls, and that each soul is divided into several sparks. One must understand how it is possible for the spiritual to be divided, since initially only one soul was created - the soul of Adam HaRishon.

In truth, there is no more than one soul in the world, and that same soul is found in each and every one in complete measure, just as in Adam HaRishon. For the spiritual does not come in cuts or divisions; these belong solely to the definitions of corporeality. Rather, what was said about there being six hundred thousand souls and sparks of souls appears to be divided by the force of each body. That is, at first the body separates and completely prevents the radiance of the soul from shining upon him, and when the body becomes purified, according to the measure in which it is purified, to that same extent the general soul shines upon him.

…

Therefore, upon the correction of all the souls, they will draw to themselves all the aspects of the upper soul of Atzilut, to each and every soul, for the spiritual is not divided. Then, as it is written “And the Lord shall be King over all the earth.”

Indeed, in each and every particular, the whole is found, because in the end all the souls will unite into a single degree, to their spiritual root.

Baal HaSulam - Article "Six Hundred Thousand Souls"

So 600 000 thousand is a state of perfection where the whole light (as soul is a light received, not something that exists without being received) - we all have the potential to receive this whole light but it depends on "the purification of the body" meaning the correction of the desire to receive.

Now let's see how can we actually reach this complete degree.

To Which Degree Must a Person Attain So as Not to Reincarnate

1984 – Article 10 - RABASH

Question:
To which degree must a person attain so that he will not need to reincarnate again?

In Sha’ar HaGilgulim [Chapter of Reincarnations - written by the ARI]  it is written there: “One must reincarnate until one completes all the NaRaN'HaY.”
This implies that each person needs to correct only his own part and the root of his soul, and no more. By this, he completes what he must correct.

The matter is as follows: one must know that all the souls come from the soul of Adam HaRishon. For after he sinned with the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, his soul was divided into six hundred thousand souls. That is, what Adam HaRishon had as one  - called in the language of The Zohar "Zihara Ila’a" (Upper Radiance) - which he had all at once in the Garden of Eden [Atsilut] expanded into many parts.

This can be understood by way of an allegory: a king wished to send a large sum of gold dinars to his son in a distant land. However, all the people of his country were thieves and deceivers, and he had no faithful messenger. What did he do? He broke the dinars into small coins and sent them through many messengers, such that the benefit of theft would not be worthwhile for them to blemish the honor of the kingdom.

It follows that each person who is born is born with only a small part of the soul of Adam HaRishon. When he corrects his part, he no longer needs to reincarnate again. Therefore, a person can correct only what belongs to his part. About this it is written in the book Etz Chaim by the Ari "No day is like another, and no moment is like another, and no person is like another; Rather, each one must correct what belongs to his part.”

However, one must know that every person who is born has work in choice, for no person is born righteous. As our sages said: “The angel appointed over conception takes a drop and places it before the Creator and says before Him: What shall become of this drop - strong or weak, wise or foolish, rich or poor; but wicked or righteous he does not say.”

This implies that no person is born righteous, since “wicked or righteous he does not say.” Rather, this is given to a person’s choice. Each one, according to his exertion in Torah [Light] and Mitzvot [correction of desires] merits to purify his heart and correct the discernment that is imposed upon him from the root of his soul, and then he is completed.

The First Degree with Which a Person Is Born

The wholeness of the soul is that one has NaRaN (Nefesh Ruach Neshama) from BYA and NaRaN from Atzilut. This wholeness Adam HaRishon had before the sin. Only after the sin did he descend from his degree, and his soul was divided into six hundred thousand souls, as mentioned above.

For this reason, a person’s spirituality is called “soul” (Neshama), even when he has only Nefesh de-Nefesh. 

However, although every person is born at the smallest degree, at the same time it is said (Sha’ar HaGilgulim): “For every person can be like Moses if he wants to purify his actions, since he can take for himself another, higher Ruach from the height of Yetzira, and also Neshama from the height of Beria.”

From this it follows that when it is said, “There is no generation in which there are not people like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” the meaning is not that they were born that way and have no choice. Rather, these are people who strive to walk on the path of truth and give the exertion they must give. Such people always receive help from above, receiving the force to rise to higher degrees.

It follows that everything given from above is by way of assistance, but not without any work and choice.

Workshop

The article describes how we can reach the highest degree of the soul, but it says it depends on works and choice. What do you think is this work and choice?

Questions & Answers