Kelipat Nogah is the first among the shells (kelipot), serving as an intermediary level between the realms of holiness and the three impure shells. In a person's divine service, they have the ability to elevate Kelipat Nogah and include it in holiness, or conversely, to lower it into the three impure shells.

Its Nature

In Ezekiel's vision of the Divine Chariot, it states: "And I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came from the north, a great cloud, and a flashing fire, and a brightness around it." Chassidic teachings explain that all levels of the Divine Chariot represent levels of holiness, with the human-like figure on the throne, the Ofanim, and the holy Chayot all indicating the Chariot as the embodiment of Malchut of Atzilut descending into the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. However, "stormy wind, great cloud, flashing fire, and brightness around it" represent the shells. The "stormy wind," "great cloud," and "flashing fire" represent the three impure shells, while "brightness around it" represents Kelipat Nogah.

It is explained that Kelipat Nogah serves as an intermediary between the levels of holiness and the three impure shells. Through Kelipat Nogah, the three impure shells receive their life force.

The Difference Between Kelipat Nogah ans shalosh klipos hatmaeos

The fundamental difference between Kelipat Nogah and the three impure shells lies in the ability to release the good within them. While the three impure shells also contain good, it is practically impossible to extract it from there. In contrast, in Kelipat Nogah, the mixture between good and evil is more apparent and can be clarified and separated, like separating chaff from grain. This distinction applies to kosher and non-kosher animals and birds, as the kosher animals and birds of Israel come from the good aspect of Kelipat Nogah, while the non-kosher animals and birds of the nations come from the three impure shells. Blessed is the portion of Israel, whom the Holy One separated from the nations in all matters.

In the Human Soul

The animal soul of a Jew comes from Kelipat Nogah and is not like the souls of idolaters which come from the three impure shells. While the animal soul is naturally drawn to worldly pleasures, which belong to the realm of shells, through divine service and the dominion of the divine soul over the animal soul, one can elevate it to holiness so that it desires godliness. Moreover, through this service from the animal soul's perspective, one achieves the level of baalei teshuvah (returnees) whose service is with greater strength.

In Divine Service

Kelipat Nogah is such that while it does not belong to holiness, it is not completely trapped in the opposite side of holiness, and what belongs to Kelipat Nogah can be elevated to holiness through divine service. This cannot be done with things belonging to the three impure shells.

For example: Foods that are permitted according to Jewish law belong to Kelipat Nogah. When a Jew makes a blessing before eating them and serves God with the strength gained from that eating, they extract the sparks of holiness from their association with Kelipat Nogah and elevate them to holiness.

In the Spiritual Worlds

Kelipat Nogah exists in the three worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah, though in each world it is refined according to that world's level and divine revelation. It is explained that Kelipat Nogah exists even in the world of Atzilut. In the world of Beriah, Kelipat Nogah is mostly good with a minority of evil, therefore the Nogah garment clothing the souls of Beriah is not so coarse since it is mostly good. In the world of Yetzirah, Kelipat Nogah is half good and half evil. In the world of Asiyah, Kelipat Nogah is mostly evil with a minority of good, therefore when the soul descends through evolution until birth in this world, its evil inclination is great as Nogah of Asiyah crouches at the door of sin.

For Further Study

Chapters 6 and 7 in the Tanya