I heard this Jewish traditional myth about the Hidden Light on Kristen Tippet’s NPR show On Being. So I went looking for it on da’ net as it was such a wonderful concept and a 
wonderful way of looking at other souls.
On the website Tikkum I found the following article How the Ari Created a Myth and Transformed Judaism
An excerpt:
“How is it that a concept rooted in medieval Jewish mysticism has so endeared itself to contemporary Jews? In order to understand this unlikely development, let us first consider the myth itself, known as “The Shattering of the Vessels” (shevirat ha-kelim).
At the beginning of time, God’s presence filled the universe. When God decided to bring this world into being, to make room for creation, He first drew in His breath, contracting Himself. From that contraction darkness was created. And when God said, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3), the light that came into being filled the darkness, and ten holy vessels came forth, each filled with primordial light. Continue reading “The Myth of the Shattering of the Vessels”