Sources: Tanya Chapter 3, Part 1

Now, it is known to all that the soul of man is compounded of the ten Sefirot: chochmah, binah, da'at— Though they are all of the breath of His blessed mouth [as it is written: "And He blew into his nostrils ..." ], nevertheless, more specifically the ChaBaD in his soul are analogous to the ChaBaD in the ten Sefirot, referred to as abba and imma; and the attributes of love and fear... in his soul are analogous to the midot in the ten Sefirot, referred to as zeyr anpin; and the faculty of speech in his soul is analogous to the Supernal Speech, referred to as malchut, and Snechinah. Hence, when speaking words of Torah one arouses the Supernal Speech to unify the Shechinah. That is why it is established that for the reading of the Shema, the grace after meals, and words of Torah, one has not discharged his duty by meditation without speech.

Now, as regards the totality of the ten Sefirot as they are in the soul of man, it is known to all that the attributes are generally divided into seven midot, and all the detailed traits in man derive from one of these seven attributes.

For they are the root of all the traits, and their generality.

Namely: the attribute of chesed— to diffuse without limit;

The attribute of gevurah— to withhold from diffusing so much, or from diffusing altogether;

The attribute of Rachamim— to pity whoever is in need of compassion... called tiferet. ...

Now, afterwards ... at the time of the actual diffusion, it is necessary to deliberate how to diffuse in such a way that the recipient be able to absorb the effusion. ... This deliberation is referred to as netzach and hod. They are the kidneys that advise, and also ... referred to as "pounders" and "grindstones," ... Just as, by way of example, he who mills [ wheat] with grindstones crumbles the wheat into very fine parts.

... The aspect of netzach also entails to prevail and stand up against anything that withholds - from within and from without.

... The aspect of yesod is, by way of example, the bond by which the father binds his intellect to the intellect of his son while teaching him with love and willingness, for he wishes his son to understand. Without this (bond), even if the son would hear the very same words from the mouth of his father, he would not understand them as well as now when his father ties his intellect unto him and speaks with him face to face— with love and desire, because he desires very much that his son understand.

... The source and root of these internal and external attributes, is of the chabad of his soul, for corresponding to a person's intellect are his traits. This is evident, (as in the case of) a child, the ChaBaD of which are in a state of pettiness (katnut), all its traits, too, are related to insignificant things. With adults, too, "According to his intelligence is a man praised," for corresponding to the quantity of wisdom is the quantity of his love and kindness; and also his other internal and external traits have their source from his ChaBaD.

(2) Ten are the numbers, as are the Sefirot, and twenty-two the letters [of the Hebrew alphabet], these are the Foundation of all things. Of these letters, three are 'mothers', seven are 'double', and twelve are 'simple'.