Rabbi Chaim Vital teaches us that the body is simply a garment for the soul. The soul is essential. The body is secondary. It is there to allow the soul to express itself. The Torah is composed of 613 Mitzvot – 248 positive commandments and 365 negative commandments. The soul’s spiritual makeup is made in this way, and the body is made as a perfect fit for the purpose of the soul.
We begin Chapter 1 of the Gates of Holiness getting to understand the body and the soul and how we will have to sanctify ourselves both physically and spiritually if we are to achieve the feelings and experience that Ruach Hakodesh – Divine Inspiration affords us.
It is a doable path for anyone who is prepared to put in the effort to sanctify themselves as should be done – without losing track of the reality of our physical lives.
