the chain of Oral Torah transmission from Moses, until it became written down in the Mishna. Once the Oral Torah was written down in the Talmud and its commentaries, the principle still applies for a second reason. While Halachah adapts itself to new technological innovations, the principles behind it are held to be foundational. Latter authorities are less qualified to define the fundamental parameters of Halachah. Lower levels of souls in latter generations This belief in Descent of the Generations is believed in the world view of Orthodox Judaism, which traditionally based itself around Talmudic scholarship. However, the ascending levels from generation to generation in Jewish mysticism described above, an opposite pattern to the Descent of Generations, are not so well known in contemporary Orthodoxy. This is because Jewish mysticism is less understood by regular Orthodox Jews, especially outside of the mystical Hasidic Movement. Within Hasidism as well, scholarly understanding of the meaning of Hasidic philosophy in relationship to historical Kabbalah, is more restricted to certain Hasidic groups over others. The three ascending stages in Kabbalistic paradigm, listed above, do not contradict the wider belief of Descent of the Generations. Kabbalah gives its own metaphysical reason for the generational descent. In Kabbalistic theology, latter generations possess lower souls than former generations. The level of a soul in Kabbalah only refers to its revealed form, while all the souls are rooted in the same sources. A lower soul means that its spiritual power became greatly constricted as it descended the Chain of Worlds to reach this World. Accordingly, the possessor of the soul has much more limited spiritual capabilities. In the last generations before the Messiah, the souls come from the lowest levels, even though they are gilgulim of higher souls from earlier generations. This gives the Kabbalistic interpretation of the last generations when the "Heels (footsteps) of the Messiah" are perceptible. This Talmudic phrase becomes in Kabbalah, the generations of souls that correspond in the Man-metaphor of the Sephirot to the lowest level of the "heels" of the feet. This need however not be considered a disadvantage, as in Hasidic thought, which sought inner nullification to God in dveikus, lower souls worship God with more self-sacrifice and innermost sincerity, because they act without great knowledge and fulfilment of ego. Their Divine service is able to bring the Messiah because of their devoted essential soulfulness. Ascending mystical revelations of select Tzadikim