Chapter 4
Now, to understand the purpose of the descent of these two souls into this world, since even the life-giving animal soul was nullified in the Light of Hashem in its spiritual source before it descended through many levels of concealments and constrictions of Divine revelation.
Why did it descend so far that it would require the Divine soul to be sent down after it to refine it and elevate it? If both the Divine soul and the animal soul were aware of, and connected to Hashem in their respective spiritual sources, why did Hashem have to send the animal soul down and make it have physical desires, and then send down the Divine soul to elevate it again? The animal soul could have just remained in its source on High, where it was connected to Hashem.
To answer this, we first need to understand the nature of the battle between the two souls and its appointed time, as is explained in the Zohar, “The time for battle is at the time of prayer.”
Another quote from the Zohar: “Whoever kills the ‘snake’ is given the daughter of the King, and this is the idea of prayer.”
The explanation behind this: In Pesukei Dezimra, a person separates the bad of his animal soul from the good of his animal soul, as it is written, (Tehillim 149:6) “The praises of Hashem are in their throats (mouths) and a double-edged sword is in their hands.”
This implies that through praising Hashem, they fight their animal soul as though with a double-edged sword. The idea of a double-edged sword is that these praises cut down the bad of the animal soul in two ways: 1-They elevate the good of the animal soul above to connect to Hashem, and 2-They remove the bad of the animal soul to remain below and away from the person.
