There are two major theories on the nature of the body-mind-spirit which we call human. One of those theories argues that the body, mind, and spirit are all part of the same organism and cannot be separated into pieces. Those of a religious bent argue that the body when it dies remains united in the grave to the mind and spirit. The more extreme argue that existence is terminated with death and there is nothing beyond. To these people, of course, the anecdotal evidence presented by those who were clinically dead and yet arose are the results of synaptical and chemical events in the brain. Of course, these people do not explain how a brain with no activity measurable can have synaptical or chemical reactions. The other difficulty with their position is the almost universal belief in ghosts that goes back many thousands years, much farther than civilization itself. They argue that there are no ghosts and so they simply refuse to deal with these phenomena.
The other main theory suggests that the spirit is pre-existing and is put into the body which holds it like a container and from the interaction of the spirit with the body a mind arises with thoughts and ideas and goals. This theory presupposes death to be a release of the spirit from the body and suggests that the spirit waits somewhere for final disposition. These people believe in ghosts. These people sometimes believe that the spirit is reincarnated in another body and lives again, at least so is the belief of 1/3 of the world or more.
I want to discuss two scriptural passages very early in the scriptural history. Both come from the earliest portions of Bereshit (Genesis). In order to understand them, one must understand some words that will appear. First, we have the word "nephesh" which mean soul in Hebrew. Next, we have the word "ruach" which can mean wind or spirit in Hebrew. Lastly, we have the word "neshamah" which breath in Hebrew.
The first passage says: "And YHVH of the G-ds moulded Adam, the man, from the clay of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the neshamah (breath) of life, and Adam became a living soul (nephesh)." Gen. 2:7.
This passage says that the body is completely separated from the soul and that that separation can only become united when a neshamah enters into the body.
The second passage says: "Unto Adam also unto his wife did YHVH of the G-ds make garments of skin and clothed them." Gen. 3:21.
This passage implies that before this time Adam and his wife were spirits without bodies and that it was only after the sinfulness in the garden that YHVH gave them bodies.
The position then of scripture seems to be that the spirit, the mind, and the body are all separate portions of what makes a man a man. A third passage puts it well.
"Then shall the mud return to the earth as it was and the spirit (ruach) shall return unto the G-ds whom gave it." Eccl. 12:7.
This passage clearly separates the body and spirit and says clearly the spirit was placed in the body by the G-ds. So we are left with a truth so profound that it changes our entire understanding of life.
First, we can conclude that the body is an Ark which holds the Neshamah, the Ruach, and the Nephesh. Each of these entities is unique. The Zohar suggests that the body is completely separated from the mind and spirit, but it goes further and suggests that the relationship between these three entites is like a candle's flame. A candles flame has a blue color at the base. That color represents the nephesh the living soul. All animals have this base. Resting as if on a throne on top of the color blue is a white color. The white color is like the Ruach, the spirit which rests on the nephesh and is the repository of the mind. At the top of the flame is a golden yellow. This color is like the Neshamah which was breathed into man, came from G-d and returns to G-d with the Ruach at the end of life.
As a further clarification, consciousness scientists are beginning to suspect that the mind is not so much a part of the body as attached to the body. Scripture adds some interesting words to that question as well, for its says: "Or ever the silver cord be loosed ..." Eccl. 12:6 The scripture suggests that there is a silver cord of energy that keeps the ruach attached to the body and this nephesh-ruach-neshamah connection. The ruach can go out from the body, when we sleep or meditate or pray. It remains attached to the body so long as the silver cord, that energy tether, is not broken. So that explains the idea of bilocation, of spirit travel, of remote viewing etc. One must remember that silver is very maleable and can be stretched to unimaginable lengths. Likewise, one can stretch this cord for as much as 12,500 miles and may be further.
Having shown you the position of Scripture on this subject, I can say to you that the Pharisee position that sees the body-mind-spirit as one is not supported by scripture, as usual, and in fact, the opposing view of the Kabbalists is correct.
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