Soul & Breath

31/12/2025

In Hebrew, "soul” (נשמה) means "breath” (נשימה).

“And God blew into his [Adam's] nostrils the soul [breath] of life [נשמת חיים].”

In breath, we inhale oxygen (air) and exhale carbon dioxide (fire).

In Hebrew, to "inhale” (שאיפה) means to "aspire" (שאיפה). [Note that the word "aspire" in English contains the letters air, while the letters spir begin the word spirit, אויר, a synonym of , air - the word "air" in English derives from the word , avir, in Hebrew]

To "exhale” (נשיפה) means to "hiss” (נשיפה), like a snake (alluding to the primordial snake in the Garden of Eden) that hisses its venomous fire.

We inhale air, aspiring to reach the Source of life, and exhale fire. Life binds together, in ongoing pulsation, air and fire.

Just as "soul" means "breath" (the breath of life, air), we also find that the soul is likened to fire: "The soul of man is the candle of God."

Our soul aspires to God (inhalation), and shines as a candle to illuminate reality (exhalation).