Nefesh

Nefesh is a Hebrew term traditionally rendered in English as “soul,” “life,” or “the person.” The word comes from a root related to breathing and life, and in Biblical Hebrew it primarily denotes the life principle that animates a living being, as well as the person themselves as a living, sentient entity.

In the Hebrew Bible, nefesh is used broadly to mean the life of a person or animal, and, in some contexts, the person or self as such. It can refer to physical life, appetite, or inner will, and it appears in diverse expressions that reflect both the vulnerability and the vitality of life.

In rabbinic and medieval Jewish thought, nefesh is often described as the lowest level of a multi-part soul. A commonly cited model places nefesh as the life-force that animates the body, ruach as the emotional-spiritual dimension, and neshamah as the higher, intellective soul. Later mystical traditions, such as Kabbalah, add higher levels called chayah and yechidah, creating a more complex schema of spiritual life.

Modern Hebrew usage tends to blur the strict philosophical distinctions, with nefesh frequently meaning “a person” or “the soul” in everyday speech, as well as referring to life or vitality in poetic or religious contexts.

The concept has influenced Jewish philosophy, liturgy, and literature, and it is often discussed alongside ruach and neshamah when describing the composition of the self. In secular contexts, nefesh is usually translated as “soul,” though scholars note the term carries particular Hebrew nuances tied to life, embodiment, and personhood.