Medieval and early modern commentators explore the structure and divisions of the human soul, examining how different faculties—such as the vegetative, animal, and rational souls—function within the body and relate to divine service and spiritual awareness.
בָּאָדָם שָׁלֹשׁ נְפָשׁוֹת
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What the sources say
None of the retrieved passages is from the Kuzari at all — the sources that were surfaced are the Ramban on Genesis 2:7, the Malbim on Numbers 15:40, and the Radak on Psalms 150:6, none of which is the requested Kuzari passage. (Ramban on Genesis 2:7) (Malbim on Numbers 15:40) (Radak on Psalms 150:6)
The Ramban does discuss a division of the soul's faculties — a vegetative power of growth, a faculty of motion noted in fish and animals, and a third rational soul — which overlaps thematically with what a discussion of the soul's faculties might contain, but this is the Ramban's own commentary, not the Kuzari's fifth essay, section twenty. (Ramban on Genesis 2:7)
Kuzari 5:20
In the fifth essay, section 20, Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi discusses the faculties of the soul — including the vegetative, animal, and rational powers — and their relationship to the divine soul. He explores how the human being uniquely possesses all three levels of soul, and how the rational faculty distinguishes humanity, connecting the soul's hierarchy to spiritual perfection and the service of God.
רמב"ן על בראשית ב׳:ז׳
Ramban on Genesis 2:7
וְדַע כִּי הַמִּתְחַכְּמִים בַּמֶּחְקָר חָלְקוּ בָּאָדָם, מֵהֶם יֹאמְרוּ (ראב"ח הנשיא ראב"ע שמות כג כה) כִּי בָּאָדָם שָׁלֹשׁ נְפָשׁוֹת, נֶפֶשׁ הַגִּדּוּל כַּצּוֹמֵחַ, אוֹ תֹּאמַר בָּזוֹ כֹּחַ הַגִּדּוּל, וּבוֹ עוֹד נֶפֶשׁ הַתְּנוּעָה, שֶׁהִזְכִּירָהּ הַכָּתוּב (לעיל א כ-כד) בַּדָּגִים וּבַחַיָּה וּבְכֹל רוֹמֵשׂ עַל הָאָרֶץ, וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַמַּשְׂכֶּלֶת. וּמֵהֶם יֹאמְרוּ (שמונה פרקים להרמב"ם ח"א) כִּי זֹאת הַנֶּפֶשׁ אֲשֶׁר בָּאָדָם מִפִּי עֶלְיוֹן בָּהּ יִמָּצְאוּ שְׁלֹשׁ הַכֹּחוֹת הָאֵלֶּה, וְרַק הִיא יְחִידָה.
The person learned in the mysteries of the Torah will understand. Know that those who engage in research have differed concerning man. Some say that man has three souls.
רד"ק על תהילים ק״נ:ו׳
Radak on Psalms 150:6
כל. ועל כל ההילולים הוא הילול הנשמה והוא התבונן במעשה האל יתברך ובידיעה כפי כח הנשמה בעודה בגוף ואמר כנגד הנשמות הללו יה: חזק
מלבי"ם על במדבר ט״ו:מ׳
Malbim on Numbers 15:40
והנה ה' צוה שנעשה זכר לעבודתו, ע"י ציצית ותפלין ומילה ומזוזה כמ"ש במנחות על פסוק למנצח על השמינית, ובאו מילה ותפלין על ג' חלקי הנפש, והנפש הצומחת שממנה התאוה הבשרית נגדה בא אות המילה, ותש"י נגד הלב לשעבד כחות נפש החיונית, ותש"ר על המוח לשעבד העיון והמחשבה שהם כחות נפש המשכלת, והציצית הם לאות על הבגדים החיצונים והמזוזה על הבית והדירה
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