Even though, as is known, there are people whose Nefesh is from malchut of Asiya, and others who are from yesod of Asiya, still, every person must rectify the entire spectrum of Asiya. Only then can a person receive his Ruach from Yetzira, since Yetzira is greater than all of Asiya.

Not all souls are rooted in the same level. However, in spite of the level of the root of one's soul, a person is still responsible to rectify all strata within the level of that world to which he is connected. This includes those levels within the same world but below his root as well as those above it. No individual can begin to rectify the next level of soul applicable to the next world until he has rectified all the lower levels of the world in which he is rooted. Thus, he can initiate work on Ruach from Yetzira only after his Nefesh from Asiya is completely rectified.

One must be involved with [the study of] Torah and [the performance of] mitzvot that correspond to all of Asiya

Similarly, in order to attain his Neshama from Beriya, a person needs to rectify every part of his Ruach in all of Yetzira, after which he can then receive his Neshama from Beriya.

It is insufficient for him to rectify only the particular place in which his soul-root is grounded.

That is, the level in which his Nefesh is rooted.

Rather, he must rectify [all parts of each level as] we have mentioned, until he is fit [to receive the Nefesh of] all of Asiya, and then he can attain his Ruach of Yetzira. It is this way with all the worlds.

The import of this [above mentioned rectification--tikun] is that one must be involved with [the study of] Torah and [the performance of] mitzvot that correspond to all of Asiya--not just those which correspond to the specific place to which his Nefesh is connected.

The 613 mitzvot correspond to the various limbs and tendons that make up a human being whose shape represents the structure of the sefirot in the spiritual realm, in the sense that partzuf refers to the entire human form, each partzuf consists of 613 limbs and tendons. Thus, the performance of specific mitzvot brings rectification to the corresponding parts of the human body and to the corresponding section of the partzufim and sefirot.

The Talmud has already taught that there are mitzvot that have special significance for specific people. That is to say, one mitzva is important for a particular person, and another mitzva is significant for a second person. Nevertheless, in order to advance spiritually each individual must perform all the mitzvot that he can, and not content himself with the performance of only those mitzvot that are significant to him.

This [above mentioned rectification] is [thus also applicable] in the realm of "upholding Torah and mitzvot."

[Commentary by Shabtai Teicher.]