ייִדישער מחשבֿה אויף בראשית 23:8

THE Hebrew nefesh (soul) is a homonymous noun, signifying the vitality which is common to all living, sentient beings. E.g. “wherein there is a living soul” (nefesh) (Gen. 1:30). It denotes also blood,” as in “Thou shalt not eat the blood (nefesh) with the meat” (Deut. 12:23). Another signification of the term is “reason,” that is, the distinguishing characteristic of man, as in “As the Lord liveth that made us this soul” (Jer. 38:16). It denotes also the part of man that remains after his death (nefesh, soul) comp. “But the soul (nefesh) of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of life (1 Sam. 25:29). Lastly, it denotes “will”; comp. “To bind his princes at his will” (be-nafsho) (Ps. 105:22); “Thou wilt not deliver me unto the will (be-nefesh) of my enemies” (Ps. 41:3); and according to my opinion, it has this meaning also in the following passages, “If it be your will (nafshekem) that I should bury my dead” (Gen. 23:8); “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my will (nafshi) could not be toward this people” (Jer. 15:1), that is, I had no pleasure in them, I did not wish to preserve them. When nefesh is used in reference to God, it has the meaning “will,” as we have already explained with reference to the passage, “That shall do according to that which is in my will (bi-lebabi) and in mine intention (be-nafshi)” (1 Sam. 2:35).