Nefesh HaChayim, An Introduction by the Author's Son

And I also intended to assemble his responsa and to organize them, and to entitle them soul-Nishmaht Chayyim, for with his words he would provide soul-Neshama and deep understanding78Heb.: t’voona to those capable of understanding, as per the verse (Ee-yove 26:4): “Whose breath issued from you?” (And I entitled these essays Neffesh Ha-chayyim, as my father (OBM) signed his responsa and all his letters.) But there was no space left unoccupied79Paraphrasing Tikkoonei Zohar 70 due to the many responsibilities and tasks that were incumbent upon me (may God expand them). And for those reasons I was delayed until now. And if I erred, may God atone. (And two great geniuses who are in the holy congregation of Volozhin—may God-Elohi”m shield them—offered me their opinions that they agreed with me that I shouldn’t delay what my respected father—the genius (may he rest in Eden)—wanted done first until after assembling the responsa that were scattered around the world.)