Hayom Yom 18 Nissan - The soul is given to a person on loan

בְּמִנְחָה אֵין אוֹמְרִים הוֹדוּ, אַבָל אוֹמְרִים פָּתַח אֵלִיָּהוּThe psalm beginning Hodu is not recited before the Afternoon Service, but the passage beginning Pasach Eliyahu is recited.שְׁנַת תּר"ח אָמַר הַצֶּמַח צֶדֶק מַאֲמָר עַל פָּסוּק אִם כֶּסֶף תַּלְוֶה גוIn the year 5608 (1848), the Tzemach Tzedek delivered the maamar entitled Im Kesef Talveh — “When you will lend money (lit., ‘silver’)….” כֶּסֶף הוּא הַנְּשָׁמָהThere he explained that kesef (“silver”) alludes to the soul,עַל שֵׁם שֶׁהִיא תָּמִיד בְּכוֹסֶף וּתְשׁוּקָה לַעֲלוֹת לְמַעְלָהfor it constantly yearns to ascend,וּכְדִכְתִיב רוּחַ הָאָדָם הִיא הָעוֹלָה לְמַעְלָהas it is written, “The spirit of man ascends upward.”דְּאָדָם הֵם נִשְׁמוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל, אַתֶּם קְרוּיִם אָדָםThe word adam (“man”) refers to the Jewish people, of whom it is said, “You are called man.”וְהַנְּשָׁמָה נְתוּנָה בְּהַלְוָאָה לְהָאָדָםNow, the soul is given to a person on loan, וּכְתִיב יָמִים יוּצָּרוּ גוas it is written, “Days are created.”דְּיֵשׁ מִסְפָּר קָבוּעַ כו[Every individual is allotted] a fixed number of days,וְחָסֵר יוֹמָא חָדָא חָסֵר לְבוּשָׁא חָדָאand if one day is lacking [in the mitzvos with which it should have been filled], a garment is lacking [for the soul in Gan Eden].Text and Translation courtesy of Sichos in EnglishFor questions and follow-up: [email protected]