LEV929 Animals, too, possess nefesh and ruach, for lust and anger are found in them as they are in men, but a human being possesses a neshamah in addition, which speaks and which distinguishes between truth and falsity. When the body dies, the nefesh of lust and the nefesh of ruach die, and there remains the form of the wise supernal neshamah which does not die with the death of the body. And (Koheleth 12:7): "And the ruach will return to God, Who gave it," refers to the ruach of wisdom. When a man sins, the neshamah of his nefesh and that of his ruach die, as it is written (Yechezkel 18:4): "The sinning nefesh will die," and Moshe our teacher, may peace be upon him, the man of God, said [this verse]: "And I will cause that nefesh to be excised from the midst of its people, and (Ibid 7:20): And that nefesh will be cut off from its people," indicating that that which dies is called nefesh. After the death of the wicked man, the wise neshama is hurled as from a sling for having hearkened to ruach and nefesh. But the neshama of the righteous man, in whom the wise supernal neshama predominated over ruach and nefesh, is bound up in the bond of life under the Throne of Glory. The fool, who hearkened to ruach and nefesh -- his neshama is cut off; and the wise man, who hearkened to the supernal neshamah inspired in him from the Throne of Glory -- his neshamah merits the abundance of the secreted good.