General Preface
To the proficient in The Tree of Life, and to everyone,
as in, "First, learn; then, comprehend."
1) Our sages said, “There is not a blade of grass below that does not have an angel above that strikes it and tells it, ‘Grow!’” This seems very perplexing, for why would the Creator trouble an angel from Above with striking and nursing a tiny, insignificant blade of grass?
Yet, this saying is of one of Creation’s secrets that are too long to interpret. This is so because the heart of the infinitely wise wishes to reveal a portion and conceal two portions with their golden allegories, as they are wary of revealing the Torah to an unworthy disciple. It is for this reason that our sages said that one does not learn from legends, as legends are sealed and blocked before the masses, and are revealed only to a chosen few in a generation.
And we also find in The Book of Zohar, that Rashbi (Rabbi Shimon Bar-Yochai) instructed Rabbi Aba to write the secrets, because he knew how to reveal with intimation. See in the Idra, where it is written that for each secret that Rashbi disclosed in the wisdom, he would cry and say, “Woe if I tell; woe if I do not tell. If I do not tell, my friends will lose that word; and if I tell, the wicked will know how to serve their Master.”
This means that he was in distress from both angles: if he did not reveal the secrets of the Torah, the secrets would be lost from the true sages, who fear God. And if he did reveal the secrets, people of no merit would fail in them, for they would not understand the root of the matters and would eat unripe fruit.
Hence, Rashbi chose Rabbi Aba to write, because of his wisdom in allegories, to arrange things in such a way that it would be sufficiently revealed to those who are worthy of understanding them, and hidden and blocked from those unworthy of understanding them. This is why he said that Rabbi Aba knew how to reveal with intimation. In other words, although he revealed, it still remains a secret to the unworthy.
However, in The Zohar, they promised us that this wisdom is destined to be completely revealed at the end of days, even for little ones. And they also said that with this composition, the children of Israel would be redeemed from exile, meaning that with the appearance of the wisdom of truth, Israel will be rewarded with complete redemption. And we also see that the words of The Zohar and the hidden secrets in the wisdom of truth are being gradually revealed, generation by generation, until we are rewarded with revealing all this wisdom, and at that time we will be rewarded with complete redemption.
To clarify the text with which we began, we shall first explain the verse in the famous Book of Creation, where it is written of the ten Sefirot being ten and not nine, ten and not eleven. Most of the interpreters have already examined it, but we will explain it our own way, so matters will be revealed to all who seek the word of God.
It is known that the ten Sefirot are called Keter, Hochma, Bina, Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod, Malchut. It is written in the Ari’s Gate to Introductions, in the section “HaDaat,” that they are actually five Behinot (discernments): Keter, Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin, and Malchut; but Zeir Anpin comprises six Sefirot HGT NHY. I have written at length about the ten Sefirot within this composition, so here I would briefly say that in this general preface, I wish to give the student a true and general knowledge of the majority of this expansive wisdom, and true orientation in the style of study.
In the book, The Tree of Life, most students fail to understand the matters, since the spiritual concepts are above time and above place, but they are expressed in corporeal terms, pictured and set in times and places. Additionally, in the writings of the Ari, no order for beginners is arranged in this wisdom. The books were composed by the holy words that he would say before his students day-by-day, and the students themselves were proficient in the wisdom of truth.
Hence, there is no text – long or short – in all the books that were written, which does not require true proficiency in the wisdom in general. For this reason, the students grow weary and cannot connect matters altogether.
Thus, I have come out with this preface, to connect the matters and the foundations of the wisdom in a concise manner, so it will be readily available to the student with every text he may wish to study in the writings of the Ari. And for this reason, I do not elaborate or interpret each matter to the fullest, for this will be clarified within my composition. Instead, I summarize sufficiently for my purpose. And our sages said, “First, learn; then, comprehend.”
The Ari wrote that the ten Sefirot KHB, HGT, NHYM are actually five Behinot, KHB, ZA, and Malchut. This is the meaning of the four-letter-name, Yod, Hey, Vav, Hey. The tip of the Yod is Keter; the Yod is Hochma; Hey is Bina, Vav is Zeir Anpin – containing six Sefirot HGTNHY – and the last Hey is Malchut.
You should know that the Otiot (letters) and the Sefirot are one thing. But following the rule that no Light expands without a Kli (vessel), when we speak of both together, that is, when the Light is clothed in the Kli, they are called Sefirot. And when we speak of the Kelim (plural for Kli) alone, they are called Otiot.
It is written about the Light that the white in the book of Torah implies the Light, and the black in the book of Torah, meaning the letters, implies the Kelim. This means, as the Ramban interprets concerning “I form the light, and create darkness,” that the matter of eliciting existence from absence is called “Creator,” since it is an innovation, something that did not exist prior to its creation. And in the Light, and all the delight and pleasure included in the Light, it is not an innovation and elicitation existence from existence, but rather existence from existence, for the Light and all the abundance are already included in His Essence.
For this reason, it is said, “form the light,” for it is not a matter of creation, but of formation, that is, forming the Light in a way that the dwellers below can receive it. But the darkness is an innovation that was generated with Creation, in eliciting existence from absence, meaning it is not included in His Essence. This is why it is said, “and create darkness.” But the darkness is the real opposite from the Light; hence, we should understand how darkness can extend from the Light.
In Panim Masbirot (A Welcoming Face), “Branch One,” I have elaborated on this point, and here I shall only brush through it. It is known that it is written in The Zohar that the purpose of Creation is to delight His creatures, since it is the conduct of The Good to do good. Clearly, every wish in Him is a mandatory law for the creatures. It follows that since the Creator contemplated delighting His creations, a mandatory nature of wanting to receive His pleasure was immediately imprinted in the creatures, that is, the great desire to receive His Abundance. Know that this craving is called a Kli, with respect to its root.
For this reason, Kabbalists have said that there is no Light without a Kli, since the will to receive included in each emanated being and creature is the Kli, and it is also the full measure of the Light. In other words, it receives precisely the measure that it wishes, no more and no less, since there is no coercion in spirituality, and even in the corporeals it is not from the side of Kedusha (holiness).
Clearly, the Kli’s form is different from the Light’s. This is why it is called Kli and not Light. But we need to understand the meaning of this disparity of form. Indeed, the will to receive for oneself is a great disparity of form, since this form does not apply to the Emanator whatsoever, as from whom would He receive? Rather, it has been initiated in the first emanated by its existence-from-absence making. In it, the will to receive is the Cause of Causes (Panim Masbirot, “Branch One”).
This clarifies what is written in the Holy Zohar that the Upper Keter is darkness compared to the Cause of Causes. They are referring to the will to receive included in the first emanation; and they call this disparity of form, “darkness,” since it does not exist in the Emanator. For this reason, it is the root of the darkness, which is the color black, compared to the Light, and opposite from it.
Also, it has been explained in Panim Masbirot that as corporeal things are separated from one another by an axe and a hammer, the spirituals are separated from one another by the disparity of form between them. And when the disparity of form increases to the point of oppositeness, from one extreme to the other, complete separation is created between them.
For this reason, it has been explained there that the form of the will to receive is immediately included in all the Light that expands from Him, but as a hidden, potential force. This force is not revealed to the emanated except when the emanated intensifies the desire to want additional abundance, more than the measure that has expanded in it by the Emanator.
For example, when the food is tasty, one’s desire for more food increases more than one’s eating. Hence, after the emanated increases the desire to extend additional abundance, more than the measure of its expansion, the actual vessels of reception appear. And the thing is that because this disparity of form does not apply in Him, but in the creature, it is completed only by the awakening of the emanated, and understand thoroughly.
2) Hence, the expansion of His Light does not extend the boundary of being an Emanator and becomes an emanated until it goes through the four Behinot, called Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin, and Malchut. This is so because the expansion of His Light is called Hochma, which is the full measure of the essence of the Light of that emanated. And when it intensifies and extends more abundance than the measure of its expansion, it is considered Behina (singular for Behinot) Bet (a second Behina), called Bina.
Also, three discernments should be made in the second Behina:
First discernment: The essence of the Sefira Bina is Hochma.
Second discernment: The intensification of the desire that it manifested, for which the root of the vessel of reception was revealed in her. In that sense, there is disparity of form in her, meaning Aviut (will to receive), compared to the Ohr (Light of) Hochma. This is called Upper Gevura.
Third discernment: This is the essence of the abundance that she has acquired through an awakening of her own desire. This Light is given its own name – Ohr Hassadim, which is much lower than the Ohr Hochma, which expands solely from the Emanator. Ohr Hassadim is associated with the intensification of the emanated, as it was mentioned, that the Gevura, which is a Light that has been made coarser, became the root of the Ohr Hassadim. These three discernments together are called Bina, and the second Behina from Hochma. Thus, the two Behinot, Hochma and Bina, have been clarified, and the Keter is the Ein Sof (Infinity), the root of the emanated.
And although Behina Bet manifested an intensified desire towards the Operator, she is still unfit to be a complete vessel of reception. The thing is that in spirituality, the Kli with the Light in it are very close, virtually interdependent. When the Light disappears, the Kli is cancelled, and when the Kli disappears, the Light is cancelled. Thus, the importance of the Kli is as the importance of the Light.
Hence, the form of the vessel of reception was not completed in Bina, since her essence is the Ohr Hochma. For this reason, the Ohr Hassadim, which she extended through her own intensification, was annulled before her essence as a candle before a torch. Thus, this Ohr Hassadim expanded further from Bina outwards from herself and gained strength to extend additional abundance, more than the measure of its expansion through Bina. At that time, the vessel of reception was completed.
Hence, we discern two more Behinot, Behina Gimel (third discernment) and Behina Dalet (fourth discernment), which are expansions that extend from Bina, where the vessel of reception is still hidden, in potential, as long as it did not intensify for addition, and this is called Zeir Anpin. And its intensification for more abundance is called “the Kli of Malchut,” which is a vessel of reception that was completed in that emanated, which is now made of Light and Kli. By that, it stops being considered an Emanator and is discerned as emanated.
These are the four Behinot known as HB, ZA, and Malchut, which are the four-letter-name. HB are Yod-Hey, and ZON are Vav-Hey. They are considered ten Sefirot because Zeir Anpin contains six Sefirot, which are Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod.
The thing is that the essence of ZA is the Light of Hesed and Gevura, meaning the two Behinot Ohr Hassadim and Upper Gevura, which expanded from Bina outwardly. And we should note here that in Bina, Gevura is the first and the root of the Ohr Hassadim. But in Tifferet it is to the contrary: Hesed precedes the Light of Gevura, since the main Light that expands is Hesed, and the Gevura is ancillary within it, in Bina.
Now you can understand what was written in The Tree of Life and by Rashbi, that in the world of Nekudim, Gevura de (of) ZA preceded its Hesed, since the ZON de Nekudim are considered ZON de Bina, and not the actual ZON, as in the two bottom Behinot of the four above-mentioned Behinot. This is why Gevura de ZA precedes its Hesed.
Also, the Sefira Tifferet de ZA is the unification of the above Hochma and Gevura to the act of the Kli of Malchut. It is called Tifferet since the Light Mitpaer (boasts) itself on the Behina Aleph (first Behina), which is Hochma, whose desire did not suffice to make a Kli. But Behina Gimel, which is Hassadim and Gevurot (plural for Gevura) that expand from Bina outwardly, sufficed to make the Kli of Malchut. This is the meaning of “according to the beauty (Tifferet) of a man, to dwell in the house.” This explains the three Sefirot HGT de ZA, and they are called “the three patriarchs,” since they are the essence of ZA. Also, Netzah, Hod, and Yesod are called “sons,” since they expand from HGT.
The thing is that because of Tzimtzum Aleph (the first restriction), which is thoroughly explained inside the book, a hard Masach (screen) was made in the Kli of Malchut. This means that Behina Dalet (the fourth Behina) in the Kli Malchut detains the Upper Light from spreading into Behina Dalet, due to the disparity of form there, as it is written there.
Yet, the Light expands and wishes to come to Behina Dalet, too, as the nature of the Upper Light is to expand to the lower ones until it is almost separated from its place, as it is written in Panim Masbirot. Hence, a Zivug de Hakaa (coupling by striking) was made between the Upper Light that spreads into the Kli of Malchut and the detaining Masach in the Kli of Malchut.
This is like sunlight hitting a mirror, with sparks being reflected. Hence, ten new Sefirot emerged from this Zivug de Hakaa, called ten Sefirot de (of) Ohr Hozer (Reflected Light). It turns out that there are two sets of ten Sefirot in each emanated being: ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar (Direct Light) over the four Behinot, and ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer.
Know that this is the Upper Light that re-expanded from HGT de ZA for Zivug de Hakaa in the Masach in Kli Malchut. They are called Netzah, Hod, Yesod.
Now you can understand what is written in Tikkuney Zohar (Corrections of The Zohar), that Malchut is fourth to the fathers and seventh to the sons. This means that when she is first emanated, Malchut is discerned from the act of Tifferet de ZA and follows the HGT, which are called “Fathers.” And from the perspective of the illumination of the Ohr Hozer in her Masach, she follows the NHY that expanded to her for Zivug de Hakaa. And the NHY are called “the sons of HGT”; hence it is seventh to the sons.
Thus we have properly explained the essence of the ten Sefirot KHB, HGT, NHY, and Malchut at their root. This is the first concept in the wisdom of truth, and it must always be before the eyes of the student while delving in this wisdom.
Now we understand the sound warning in The Book of Creation, “ten and not nine.” It means that since a detaining Masach was made in Behina Dalet from the Tzimtzum (restriction) downwards, it is impossible to mistakenly say that Behina Dalet is excluded from the ten Sefirot, and only nine Sefirot remain in Kedusha (holiness). For this reason, it warns, “ten and not nine.”
And it warns further, “ten and not eleven.” This means that you should not mistakenly say that Behina Dalet became a vessel of reception after the Tzimtzum. Thus, there are two Sefirot in one Malchut: one is the Masach that always raises Ohr Hozer, and a vessel of reception to receive the Ohr Yashar, as well. This is why it states, “ten and not eleven.”
3) There are five prominent discernments in the ten above-mentioned Sefirot, which should not move from your eyes and will straighten your ways in studying the wisdom.
The first discernment is the Light of Atzmut (self, essence), which is the comprehensive Light from Ein Sof that exists in that emanated. This is the essence, since the lower one does not participate here whatsoever; and it is called Hochma de Ohr Yashar.
The second discernment is the Ohr Hassadim that extends from Above downwards. This Light is conjoined with the awakening of the Gevura of the emanated of Behina Bet, which is the Light of Bina that she drew.
The third discernment is the Ohr Hassadim that rises from below Upwards through a Zivug de Hakaa. It is called Ohr Hozer that rises and extends only from the emanated, due to the above-mentioned detainment.
The fourth discernment is the Light of Upper Gevura, meaning Behina Bet, which is Aviut de Bina that she acquired by her intensification.
The fifth discernment is the lower Gevura, meaning Behina Dalet, where the intensification of the desire is activated in the Ohr Hassadim that was added by the emanated. This is called “the Kli of Malchut de Ohr Yashar,” and this Gevura is the Kli of ten Sefirot, and remember that.
Know that the Masach in Kli Malchut is the root of darkness, because of the detaining force that exists in the Masach, to stop the Upper Light from spreading in Behina Dalet. This is also the root of the labor in order to receive reward, since labor is an involuntary act, for the worker feels comfortable only when resting. But because the landlord is paying a salary, he cancels his will before the will of the landlord.
Know that here in this world, there is no being or conduct that is not rooted in the Upper Worlds, from which branches expand to the lower worlds, until they are revealed to us in this world. And you see that in general, work and labor are rooted in the Masach in the Kli of Malchut, which detains the Light that she covets, due to the Emanator, Who wishes to bestow delight, and everything that is a Thought in the Emanator is a mandatory law in the emanated. Naturally, He needs no actions, but His Thought completes. Hence, she chooses to not receive the Upper Light, lest it will come to disparity of form (Panim Masbirot, “Branch One”).
It follows that the detaining force in the Masach is equal to the labor. And the reward that the landlord gives to the worker is rooted in the Ohr Hozer emitted by the Zivug de Hakaa, where by the Masach, a root was made for the Ohr Hozer. It turns out that she returns to being Keter to these ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer, as well as to Ohr Yashar. As will be explained below, all this profit came to her because of this act of detaining.
From the above-mentioned, it follows that the ten Sefirot are really one Kli, called Malchut. But to complete its form, it is discerned with three roots: the three Behinot Hochma, Bina, and ZA that extend from one another. You should know that this Malchut is still contained in the Ohr Ein Sof from before the Tzimtzum, called Malchut de Ein Sof, in which was the first restriction.
As it is written in Panim Masbirot, “Branch One,” because of the equivalence of form with the Emanator, her desire rose from wanting to receive in Behina Dalet, and the Light of the Kav (line) extended to her from Ein Sof. The Light of the Kav contains all the Light that extends into the five worlds, called Adam Kadmon, Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya. This Light is generally referred to as Kav, from the word Kav Midah (measurement), as it extends into the worlds by measure and a rationed number in each world, according to the form of the Kli of Malchut in that world, as it is elaborated within.
And the matter of the five above-mentioned worlds are truly the matter of the Keter and the four known Behinot in the ten Sefirot. Thus, the world of AK is the world of Keter; the world of Atzilut is the world of Hochma; the world of Beria is the world of Bina; the world of Yetzira is the world of Zeir Anpin; and the world of Assiya is the world of Malchut. However, in each world, there are ten Sefirot, and each Sefira of the ten Sefirot of that world comprises ten Sefirot, as well, as it is written inside.
They are divided into the five above-mentioned worlds because the Kli of Malchut should first be integrated in each Sefira, through Keter. This occurs in Hitpashtut Aleph (first expansion) of AHP de AK, where she was integrated in ZON. In Hitpashtut Bet (second expansion) de AHP, she was integrated in Bina. And in the world of Nekudim, she was integrated in Hochma, and in the world of Atzilut she was integrated in Keter.
And since Malchut has been integrated in each Sefira, the world of Tikkun (correction) begins: Its Rosh (head) is the above-mentioned world of Atzilut, where the Light of Ein Sof dresses in Behina Aleph. Then the Light of Ein Sof dresses in Behina Bet, creating the world of Beria. Following, it dresses in Behina Gimel, creating the world of Yetzira, and then it dresses in Behina Dalet, creating the world of Assiya. It will be elaborated inside how they all stem from one another by a mandatory manner of cause and consequence, and how they are tied to one another.
4) First, we need to understand the quality of each of the worlds AK and ABYA, which I will explain one at a time. Let us begin with the world of Keter, which is the world of Adam Kadmon. Its first Kli is the world of Akudim (tied). In The Gate of Akudim, Chapter Three, the Ari wrote that all ten Sefirot emerged, but not all of them emerged together. In the beginning, only Malchut came out in the world of Akudim. And this Malchut came out in the form of Nefesh. Following it, the rest of the parts emerged, through Keter.
And when Keter came, Malchut was completed with all five Inner Lights – Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, and Yechida. Yet, they were still missing all the above Sefirot, which emerged incomplete. Hence, they had to climb back to the Emanator to be completed. But now, on the return, Keter returned first.
And when Keter rose, the Light of Hochma rose to the place of Keter, Bina to the place of Hochma, ZA to the place of Bina, and Malchut to the place of ZA. Subsequently, Hochma rose to the Emanator, too. Then Bina rose to Keter, following Hochma, ZA to Hochma, and Malchut to Bina. Then Bina rose, too, and ZA rose to Keter, Malchut to Hochma. Finally, ZA rose and Malchut rose to Keter, until Malchut, too, rose to the Emanator.
After that, the Light returned from the Emanator and expanded in them, though not in their initial order. Instead, the Light of Keter did not return but departed and remained missing. Hence, the Light of Hochma came out in the Kli of Keter, the Light of Bina in the Kli of Hochma, the Light of ZA in the Kli of Bina, and the Light of Malchut in the Kli of ZA. The Kli of Malchut remained without Light at all, thus far his words in brief. Additionally, the ten Sefirot de Akudim emerged from below Upwards. Malchut emerged first, then ZA, then Bina, then Hochma, and finally Keter, thus far his words.
We should thoroughly understand the matter of the elicitation of the ten Sefirot from Above downwards and from below Upwards, mentioned in the Ari’s words. Certainly, this is not about measures of Above, below, before, and after in time and place. Rather, it is in terms of reason and result, cause and consequence. Hence, how can Malchut emerge first, followed by ZA, followed by Bina, until Keter – the root of them all – emerges last? This seems perplexing. And who and what gave and inverted the Upper to be lower and the lower to be Above?
The thing is that the order of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar has already been explained above, being five degrees one below the other, by the measure of Hizdakchut (purification) of each of them from the coarse Light whose form has changed, that is, the Behina Dalet.Behina Aleph, since it is considered a hidden potential, is the most important in the degree. And Behina Bet has already moved from potential to actual by intensifying with a worse desire than in Behina Aleph. Behina Gimel is worse than Behina Bet, and Behina Dalet,Malchut is the worst, since the Aviut in her is greater than in the rest.
Also, it is known that once the Kli of Malchut emerged, it experienced the Tzimtzum Aleph of not receiving in Behina Dalet. This detaining force is called Masach (screen), and when the Ohr Yashar that descends from Ein Sof strikes the Masach in Malchut, there is a Zivug de Hakaa, and thus ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer emerge, as it is written inside (Branch Three).
Within these ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer, the degrees are inverted compared to the value of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar. In the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar, the purer is Higher in merit and better. But in the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer, the coarser is Higher and better. This is so because Malchut is the Keter and the root of these ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer, since her coarse Masach detains the Light from descending into her Behina Dalet. Thus, Malchut returns to being Keter by way of its end is in its beginning, as it is written in Panim Masbirot, Branch Three.
It turns out that ZA receives the Light from Keter de Ohr Hozer; hence, ZA is considered a degree of Hochma, and Bina is considered a degree of Bina because she receives from ZA, who returns to being Hochma. Also, Hochma de Ohr Yashar is considered ZA, in the Ohr Hozer, since it receives the Ohr Hozer from Bina. And Keter de Ohr Yashar is considered Malchut in the Ohr Hozer, since it receives from ZA. Thus, you find that the purer in the degree will be lower in praise and merit, and understand that thoroughly.
Yet, the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer join and integrate in the ten Kelim. When they join as one, all the degrees are of equal merit, since Malchut’s level is equal to that of Keter from the perspective of the Ohr Hozer, where Malchut returns to being Keter. Also, ZA is equal to Hochma, since ZA is considered Hochma de Ohr Hozer. And the level of Hochma is equal to that of Keter, since Keter receives the Ohr Hozer from her, as Hochma receives the Ohr Yashar from Keter.
And since the level of ZA is equal to Hochma, and Hochma to Keter, it follows that the level of ZA is equal to that of Keter, too. It follows that by the elicitation of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer from Behina Dalet, all the degrees in the ten Sefirot have been equalized, having the same level through Keter.
5) But the ten Sefirot of the world of Akudim disappeared once more. And we need to understand the reason for their departure. The Ari says that the reason is that when they emerged, they emerged incomplete and hence departed once more to receive their completion.
However, we need to understand the deficiency and the Tikkun (correction) that came to them through this departure. Here the Ari wrote that the deficiency was because Keter emerged only in Behinat Nefesh. And in another place, he wrote that the deficiency was because the Ohr Pnimi (Inner Light) and the Ohr Makif (Surrounding Light) came from the same foramen, and were beating on each other, as he writes in Heichal AK, Shaar Vav, Shaar Akudim, Chapter One.
Following, the lower Taamim came, below the Otiot (letters), which are Lights that emerge through the Peh of AK, and from there outwards. And here the Lights have been completely joined, since they come out through a single channel. And since the Surrounding Lights and Inner Lights have conjoined, here begins the making of the Kelim.
For this reason, the five Inner Lights and the Surrounding Lights emerged tied together. This is why they are called Akudim, from the verse, “and bound Isaac.” Thus, when they emerge together outside of the Peh (mouth), tied together, they beat and strike each other, and their beatings beget the existence of the Kelim.
This means that the Lights of Awzen and Hotem where the Ohr Pnimi expands through the left foramens of the Awzen and the Hotem, and Ohr Makif expanded through the right foramens of Awzen and Hotem. Hence, they persisted and did not leave, since there is a special Kli for the Ohr Pnimi and a special Kli for the Ohr Makif.
But in the Light of the Peh, where there is only one foramen, the Ohr Pnimi and the Ohr Makif were in the same Kli. Hence, they were beating on each other, as a result of which the Light departed and the Kelim fell down. In other words, they fell from their degree, and further Aviut was added to the previous Aviut, and this created the Kelim, since the departure of the Light completes the Kelim.
To thoroughly understand the issue of the two foramens of Awzen and Hotem de AK, the issue of the single foramen in the Peh de AK, and the meaning of the five internal and five surrounding, the Bitush and the Kelim and the Ibuy (adding Aviut), I need to elaborate, since the Ari’s words on these matters are quite succinct.
It is even more so concerning the surrounding, where he seemingly contradicts himself in each and every section. Once he says that they had Inner Lights KHB ZON and the five Surrounding Lights KHB ZON from the Hotem upwards, but from the Peh down, the Surroundings of Bina and ZON ceased and only two surrounding, Keter and Hochma remained, and the five Partzufim KHB ZON. And another time, he said that from the world of Nekudim downwards, the lower surrounding have stopped, but there are still five Surrounding Lights and five Inner Lights in the Lights of the Peh. And another time, he says that there are five Inner and five Surrounding in the whole of ABYA, and other such contradictions.
6) I will elaborate inside the book, and here I will be brief so as to not stray from the issue. It is explained in Branch One and in Branch Four in the order of the ten Sefirot, concerning the four Behinot of ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar and Ohr Hozer, that in every ten Sefirot, there are two discernments of Hitpashtut (expansion) and two discernments of Hitaabut (increasing the Aviut), which expand from the root, which is the Keter of these ten Sefirot.
Hochma, considered broad Hitpashtut, emerges first. This means that this Hitpashtut contains all the Light that extends from Ein Sof to that emanated. And the Kli, called Ohr ha Av (the thick Light), meaning the will to receive contained in the Hitpashtut of the Light, for which it acquires disparity of form from the Emanator, in whom there is no form of reception, and for which it becomes darker than the Light, is still not revealed in this broad Hitpashtut. This is so as long as its desire does not intensify, craving additional abundance more than the measure of its Hitpashtut. Instead, it is included in the above-mentioned coarse Light from the perspective of the Emanator, who wishes to bestow upon it.
For this reason, it must reveal its vessels of reception and realize it from potential to actual. Hence it grows thicker as it spreads, meaning its desire to extend more abundance than its measure of Hitpashtut increases. And the Hitaabut that was made in this Hitpashtut is given its own name, due to its intensification. It is called Bina because it is darker than the Ohr Hochma, in which the will to receive was revealed in actual fact.
This Bina is still unfit to be an actual Kli, since its essence is from Hochma; but it is the root of the Kli, for the Kli can only be completed from the Hitaabut (thickening) made in the second Hitpashtut. It is called “Hitpashtut through a window,” meaning that the additional abundance that Bina drew through her intensification spreads from her outwards. This is called Ohr Hassadim, the opposite of the broad Hitpashtut Aleph (first Hitpashtut), called Ohr Atzmut (Light of Self/Essence).
The Hitpashtut through a window that spreads from Bina is called ZA, and it thickens as it spreads, like the first Hitpashtut. This means that it, too, intensifies to extend additional abundance, more than the measure of its Hitpashtut from Bina. By that, it actualizes the vessels of reception contained in it. This second Hitaabut is given its own name, since through this intensification, it grew darker than the Light of Hitpashtut, and it is called Malchut.
Behina Dalet, which is the Hitaabut created at the Hitpashtut through the window, called Malchut, is the complete vessel of reception, and not the three Behinot preceding it, which cascaded only to reveal this fourth Behina. It is her that undergoes the first restriction, preventing herself from receiving abundance in this Behina Dalet, due to the disparity of form revealed in her. This detaining force is called Masach (screen) or Pargod (curtain), which means that it detains the abundance from shining and spreading within it.
Also, this is the whole difference between the first Hitaabut made in the broad Hitpashtut, and the Hitaabut that was done in a Hitpashtut through a window. This is because so in the first Hitaabut, the Tzimtzum does not govern; hence it is fit for reception of Light. This is why she is called “a window,” meaning receiving, as the house receives the daylight through the window in it. But in the second Hitaabut, the force of Tzimtzum governs her and she prevents herself from receiving the abundance in her Aviut. Hence, he is called a Masach, detaining the Light.
And after Behina Dalet appeared with her Masach, the Light spreads to her again, and the Masach detains it, as mentioned above. Consequently, a Zivug de Hakaa is made on it, and ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer emerge, as it is written in Branch Three. The arrangement of these ten Sefirot is opposite from the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar, which emerge from below Upwards, since the Masach that elicited that great Light, and which is its root, has become Keter.
This is the meaning of “their end is imbedded in their beginning. Just as Keter is the beginning and the Rosh (head) of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar, the end, which is Malchut, has become the beginning and the Rosh of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer.
Thus, Malchut has returned to being a Keter to these ten Sefirot, and ZA of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar has now become Hochma, since the first receiver from the root is called Hochma. It is similarly with the rest, through Keter de Ohr Yashar, which becomes Malchut in the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer, since it receives from ZA de Ohr Hozer, which is Hochma de Ohr Yashar.
It turns out that in the ten Sefirot KHB ZON de Ohr Yashar, the degrees are measured according to the purity from the coarse Light, where the purer is Higher and more important. But in the ten Sefirot KHB ZON de Ohr Hozer, the degrees are measured by the Aviut, where the greater the Aviut in the degree, the Higher it is and more important. This makes the Higher ones in the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar lower in the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer, and the lower ones in the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar Higher in the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer.
The first ten Sefirot that spread from Ein Sof are called Adam Kadmon. These are the roots of the KelimdeRosh, hence the ten Sefirot are named after the Kli de Rosh: Galgalta (skull), Eynaim (eyes), Awznaim (ears) are the KHB of the ten Sefirot de AK, and Hotem (nose) and Peh (mouth) are ZA and Malchut of the ten Sefirot de AK. Also, it is known that the ten Sefirot are integrated in one another, as it is written inside. Hence, each of the above-mentioned Galgalta, Eynaim, and AHP, expanded into ten Sefirot.
It is forbidden to speak of the ten Sefirot that expanded in Galgalta ve (and) Eynaim, which are Keter and Hochma of the ten Sefirot de AK, and we have no dealings with them. We begin to speak from the AHP down, from Bina and ZON de AK.
Also, it is known that the ten Sefirot are Keter and the four Behinot HB ZON, and there are Ohr Pnimi and Ohr Makif in them. This means that what has already been clothed in the Kli is called Ohr Pnimi, and what has not yet been clothed in the Kli is called Ohr Makif. Thus, in each of the ten Sefirot de AHP de AK are five internals, KHB ZON, and five surrounding KHB ZON.
7) Now we shall explain the inherent quality of the Ohr Pnimi and Ohr Makif of the ten Sefirot de AK. The matter of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar and ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer that exist in each ten Sefirot has already been explained. In these ten Sefirot de AK, too, there are ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar from Keter to Malchut, and likewise, ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer from Malchut to Keter, and the Ohr Yashar extends and arrives in completeness to that emanated. Yet, the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer are not fully and immediately extended to that emanated. Instead, it is extended through all the Partzufim emanated after Adam Kadmon. The thing is that everything that extends from the Emanator extends complete and full. These are the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar.
But the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer that extend from the emanated, from the detaining force in Behina Dalet, called Masach, does not immediately emerge in full. Instead, each emanated being has a part of it, and is multiplied according to the multiplication of the emanated, as it is written inside. Now you can see that the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar and a part of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer are the Ohr Pnimi, while the whole of the Ohr Hozer is the Ohr Makif.
Also, it has already been explained above that there are two Nukvaot (plural for Nukva) in the ten Sefirot: Hitaabut in the broad Hitpashtut, and Hitaabut in the Hitpashtut through a window, called Bina and Malchut. You should know that Bina is discerned as an inner Kli, in which all the Ohr Pnimi is clothed, and Malchut is the outer Kli, in which all the Ohr Makif is clothed. This means that the Ohr Makif is tied to her, since she has a Masach that is unfit for reception, due to the detaining force in it. Instead, it is the root of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer.
Thus, the content of the Ohr Pnimi and Ohr Makif has been thoroughly explained, as well as the content of the inner Kli and the outer Kli. Now we can understand the Ari’s words, brought above in Item 5 concerning the five internals and five externals that emerged tied to one another through the Peh de AK. This concerns what he had explained in Shaar TANTA, Chapter One, that the Ohr Pnimi and Ohr Makif of the ten Sefirot de Awznaim, and the Ohr Pnimi and Ohr Makif of the ten Sefirot de Hotem emerged in two Kelim: an inner Kli for Ohr Pnimi and an outer Kli for Ohr Makif.
Also, they are remote from one another, since the five surrounding KHB ZON emerge from the foramen of the right Awzen, and the five internal KHB ZON emerge from the foramen of the left Awzen, and similarly in the Hotem. Hence, he tells us here, in the ten Sefirot de Peh de AK, that there are no two distinct Kelim here, but both, the five internal and the five surrounding, emerged tied to a single Kli – the Peh, called Malchut de AK, meaning Behina Dalet. Yet, the inner Kli, which is Behina Bet and Behinat Bina, does not exist here.
We could ask about it: How is it possible for the Ohr Pnimi, which is the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar, to clothe in the Kli de Peh, which is Behina Dalet that was erected with a Masach, and is unfit for reception? The thing is that Malchut herself is discerned with four distinct Behinot, called Atzamot (bones), Gidin (tendons), Bassar (flesh), and Or (skin). The Atzamot of Malchut indicate the Etzem (bone, but also core) of her structure. This is the actual Behinat ZA, meaning the Hitpashtut through a window, except it has gained Aviut along its Hitpashtut due to the intensification of the desire to extend more abundance than in its Hitpashtut from Bina.
For this reason, it is defined by a name according to itself. Thus, two Behinot are discerned in her: Behina Aleph is the Atzamot in her, the part of ZA, and Behina Bet is the Aviut added to her by her intensification. This is called Gidin. And what she takes from the force of Tzimtzum – the detaining force so as to not receive abundance in this coarse Light – called a Masach, the one with the Zivug of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer, is Behina Dalet in Malchut, called Or. And the Ohr Hozer that rises from the Masach by the force of the Zivug is called Bassar, and this is the Behina Gimel of Malchut.
Thus, you find that Malchut is contained of the Hitpashtut of Bina, too. Moreover, it is in fact the essence of its structure. Now you will understand that the Atzamot in Malchut become the inner Kli to the internal five in the Lights of the Peh, and the Behinat Or in her becomes an outer Kli for the surrounding five in the Lights of the Peh. Now it has been thoroughly clarified how the five internal KHB ZON and five surrounding KHB ZON emerged in a single Kli – Malchut – in which there are two Kelim, as well, internal and external, though connected to each other, since all four Behinot are but one Kli: Malchut.
8) And now we shall explain the issue of the striking and the Bitush that occurred between the Ohr Makif and the Ohr Pnimi due to their being tied in one Kli. See in The Tree of Life, Heichal AK, Shaar 2, p 3, as well as in Shaar Akudim, Chapter Two, that the nature of the Ohr Pnimi is to purify the Kli that is clothed in her. Hence, since in the ten Sefirot de Peh de AK the Ohr Pnimi and Ohr Makif were tied in a single Kli in Malchut, the Ohr Pnimi was purifying the Kli Malchut degree-by-degree. This is the reason for the departure of the ten Sefirot de Peh, called “the world of Akudim.”
The thing is that it has already been explained in Item 6 and Item 4, that the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer are of opposite value to the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar. This is so because in the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar, the degrees rise one above the other according to their purity, up to their root, which is the purest among them. But in the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer, the degrees rise one above the other according to their Aviut, up to the root, which is the coarsest among them. This is the Behina Dalet, and Malchut that became Keter again. Also, Behina Gimel is Hochma, Behina Bet is Bina, Behina Aleph is ZA, and Keter is considered Malchut.
In the beginning, the Masach was purified by one degree. This means that the coarse form of Light of Behina Dalet was purified, and reacquired the form of Aviut de Behina Gimel. This is considered that the Light of Malchut departed its place and rose to Kli de ZA, since then, too, the Ohr Yashar expanded from Ein Sof on the Masach, and the detaining force controlled the Masach until a Zivug de Hakaa was made and the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer emerged from the Masach de Behina Gimel.
However, they are no longer at the level of Keter, as they were initially, but are at the level of Hochma. This is because the Aviut of Behinat ZA and Behina Gimel de Ohr Yashar has the value of Hochma in the Ohr Hozer. It turns out that the Masach did not return to being Keter due to the Ohr Hozer, but returned to being Hochma.
Afterwards it purified further, and received the purification of Behina Bet, which is Bina. There, too, the Ohr Yashar expanded to it up to the Zivug de Hakaa and the raising of Ohr Hozer, though at the level of Bina. And as the Aviut de Behina Gimel and Behina Dalet were lost, she lost the first two Sefirot de Ohr Hozer.
Subsequently, it purified further, and received the purification of Behina Aleph, the Ohr Yashar from Ein Sof mated in it, and the Ohr Hozer rose, though at the level of ZA, lacking Behinat Bina, too. After that it purified even more, up to the form of Shoresh (root), which rose to the level of Keter.
At that time, there was no Aviut left in the Masach at all; hence there was no more Zivug de Hakaa on the Ohr Yashar in it. For this reason, the Ohr Hozer completely disappeared from the ten Sefirot de Akudim, and see inside in Branch Three and Branch Four, where it is all explained elaborately.
Thus, it has been clarified that since the Ohr Pnimi is clothed in the Kli of Malchut, it purifies it degree-by-degree, and along with its purification, the ten Sefirot KHB ZON de Ohr Hozer vanish, too. This is so because during her ascension to Behinat Keter, the Masach loses all its power to raise Ohr Hozer. Thus, the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar depart it, too, since the Ohr Yashar and Ohr Hozer are interdependent and tied to one another.
9) To explain that, I shall first explain the state of the Sefirot with a picture of the Taam (singular for Taamim – punctuation marks) Segolta, like this:, that is, the Keter is on top, below it on the right is Hochma, and at its left – Bina. We need to understand that, for God forbid that we should understand it as a depiction of places that the tangible eye perceives. Also, the matter of Panim be Panim (face-to-face) and Achor be Achor (back-to-back) that apply in the ten Sefirot, God forbid that there should back and front here.
The thing is that it has already been explained in the four Behinot of Ohr Yashar that expand from Ein Sof, which is Keter, that the expansion of the Keter is called Hochma. Also, it thickens as it expands, meaning the intensification of the desire to bestow abundance more than the measure of its expansion. Hence, it is regarded as two discernments: Behina Aleph is the whole of the Light that expands from Ein Sof to that emanated, called Hochma, and Behina Bet is the Hitaabut, given to it by the intensification of the desire to extend new abundance, called Bina.
For this reason, there are three discernments in the Sefira Bina: the first discernment is her own structure, which is a part of Hochma itself. The second discernment is the Light that had thickened in her through her intensification to extend new abundance from Keter. The third discernment is the essence of the abundance that she draws from Keter, called Ohr de Hassadim, which is much lower than the Ohr Hochma that extends directly from the Emanator. But the Light of Bina that she extends from Keter is associated by her initial intensification, which was thickened for it.
And when Bina draws the Light of Hassadim from Keter, she does not draw the Light of Hochma from the Sefira of Hochma. Hence, she is considered to be Achor be Achor (back to back) with Hochma. It turns out that the Ohr Hochma, which is the Light of Atzmut of the general ten Sefirot in that emanated, ceases from it, for Bina has turned her Panim to draw Ohr Hassadim from Keter.
Yet, when Behina Dalet appears, and the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer that extend from her, considered even more Ohr Hassadim than the Ohr Hassadim in Bina, Bina no longer needs to draw the Ohr Hassadim from Keter, since she receives abundantly from the Ohr Hozer de Malchut. For this reason, she turns her Panim back to Hochma and draws Ohr Hochma once more. At that time, the Ohr Hochma, too, is drawn abundantly in the general ten Sefirot in that emanated. This is called Panim be Panim of HB, which they gained through the Ohr Hozer that rises from the Malchut.
However, prior to the exile of the Kli of Malchut, Bina turned her Panim to Keter, which is the state of the Taam Segolta, where Bina is below Keter, like Hochma, but Hochma draws the Light of Atzmut from Keter, and Bina draws Light of Hassadim from Keter. And since the Light of Atzmut is the collective Light in the emanated, Hochma is considered “right,” and the Light of Hassadim is considered “left,” as it is associated with Gevura.
Thus we have explained that the Light of Atzmut cannot spread in the whole of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar, since Bina is Achor be Achor with it, except during a Zivug de Hakaa in the Masach in Kli Malchut. At that time, Bina no longer needs the Ohr Hassadim and returns to being PBP (Panim be Panim) with Hochma.
It turns out that when the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer depart from the world of Akudim, the Light of Atzmut of the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar depart along with it. This is because the Ohr Hochma and the Ohr Hozer are interdependent, and only Achoraim de Bina remains there in the world of Akudim, meaning Light of Hassadim and her Gevura.
Now you will understand the Ari’s words we brought above, that the nature of the Ohr Pnimi is to purify the Kli it is clothed in, since it revolves around the Ohr Hochma that clothes in the internality of the emanated through the Bina that returns to being PBP with it. Thus, the Achoraim de Bina are purified, and since the Achoraim de Bina, which is Behina Bet, is the root of Behina Dalet, since the root is purified, the branch, Behina Dalet, is purified along with it.
10) Now we shall explain the issue of the Bitush of the Inner Lights with the Surrounding Lights, since they are tied to one another, which I introduced above in Item 5. I shall also bring the Ari’s words in Shaar Akudim, Chapter Five, where he himself explains the issue of the Bitush at length. This is what he wrote, in brief: It follows that there are three kinds of Light [in the Hitpashtut of Light in the world of Akudim and its departure back to the Emanator]. The first Light is the Lights of Akudim, called Taamim. The second is the Reshimo of that Light, which remains after its departure, and it is called Tagin. The third is the Light that comes to it through the ascension of the Sefirot, at which time it is through the Achoraim, which is Din. This is called Nekudot.
And when the third Light, called Nekudot, comes and strikes the second Light, called Reshimo, which is Rachamim, they strike and beat on each other. This is because they are opposites: one is Ohr Yashar, which is Rachamim, and the other is Ohr Hozer, which is Din. And then Nitzotzin (sparks) fall from the descending Ohr Hozer, which is Din, and these Nitzotzin are another, fourth Light, called Otiot. These are the four discernments – Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin, Otiot – all of which are included here in the Akudim. Also, these Nitzotzin that fell from the descending Ohr Hozer are like the 248 Nitzotzin of the breaking of the vessels in the world of Nekudim.
Interpreting his words: According to what has been explained above concerning the order of the expansion of the Light in the world of Akudim, first the Light expands from Ein Sof to the Zivug de Hakaa in the Masach in the Kli of Malchut. Following, ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer emerge from it, from below Upwards, as written in Item 6. They have an inverse ratio, where the Upper Ones in Ohr Yashar are below in the Ohr Hozer, since in the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer the degrees diminish according to the purity.
Thus, ZA, which is purer than Malchut, is of a lower degree than Malchut. But this is so only with respect to the Hochma in the ten Sefirot de Ohr Hozer. And Bina, which is purer than ZA, was diminished in the degree, and she possesses only the value of Bina. Hochma, which is purer than Bina, is diminished in her degree and has only the value of ZA. And Keter has the value of Malchut, as it is written there and inside, in Branch Three.
But once the Ohr Yashar and Ohr Hozer unite and join together, it creates an equal value, where the level of each of the ten Sefirot reaches the level of Keter, as written in Item 4. And the whole of the world of Akudim, the expansion and return of the Light of Ein Sof from Keter to Malchut and from Malchut to Keter, and the Ohr Hozer that conjoins with the Ohr Yashar at an equal level through Keter, is called Taamim or Hitpashtut Aleph de Akudim.
It has been explained above (Item 8) that because the Ohr Pnimi dresses in the Kli of Malchut, whose nature is to purify the Kli, it causes the purification of the Masach degree by degree. In the beginning, it receives the purification as in Behina Gimel. This is considered that the Masach rose to ZA. At that time, the Ohr Ein Sof expands once more from Keter to the Masach in Kli ZA, and from ZA to Keter. This diminishes the value of the Ohr Hozer that rises from the Masach to the degree of Hochma, similar to the value of ZA de Ohr Hozer. Similarly, the degrees descend in the Hizdakchut of the Masach through the Hizdakchut of Behinat Keter de Ohr Yashar, at which time the Masach is cancelled and the Zivug de Hakaa ceases.
Thus, all this Ohr Hozer, which descends degree by degree until it completely disappears, is called “the Light of Nekudot.” This is so because the Masach extends from the point of Tzimtzum, and hence detains the Ohr Yashar, too, from approaching and expanding in it. It is like the middle point of Tzimtzum Aleph that decorated itself and departed the Light in it, and assertively chose the Hizdakchut from its Aviut, in order to equalize her form with the Emanator, as has been explained in detail in Panim Masbirot, Branch One. Hence, this force, the desire to be purified, is imprinted in the Masach.
Now we shall explain the meaning of the Reshimo – the Light of Tagin. It is known that even though the Light departs, it still leaves a Reshimo behind it. Hence, the first Hitpashtut in the world of Akudim, which expanded and returned from Keter to Malchut and from Malchut to Keter, eliciting ten Sefirot whose level equals Keter in Ohr Pnimi, and similarly, ten Sefirot de Ohr Makif, as written in Item 7 [note that here there was no distinct Kli for Ohr Pnimi and a distinct Kli for Ohr Makif]. That Kli, as a whole, is called Kli de Keter. This is so because all ten Sefirot were at the level of Keter. Hence, even though this Hitpashtut departed once more, a Reshimo of it remained nevertheless, which keeps and sustains the previous form there, so it would not be altogether revoked due to the departure of the Light.
Accordingly, you can see how the Light of Reshimo, which remained from Hitpashtut Aleph, and the descending Ohr Hozer, which is the Light of Nekudot, are two opposites, striking and beating each other. This is so because the Light of Reshimo is strengthened by Hitpashtut Aleph, where the Ohr Yashar expanded through the Masach de Behina Dalet, and wished very much for the Masach to remain specifically in Aviut of Behina Dalet, since only through the power in the excessive Aviut in Behina Dalet does it have the value of the level of Keter. However, the Light of Nekudot, the Masach itself, intensifies with all its might only to be purified from its coarse Light, discerned as Din, and wishes to be utterly purified and equalize its form with the Emanator, since the first beginning of the point of Tzimtzum has been imprinted in it, and this is its root.
11) Now we can understand the fourth Light, which fell through the Bitush of the Light of Reshimo with the Light of Nekudot, called Otiot. They are like the 248 Nitzotzin in the breaking of the vessels in the world of Nekudim.
You should know that in every place in The Zohar, the Tikkunim (corrections of The Zohar), and in the writings of the Ari, the word Nitzotzin or Natzatzin or Hitnotzetzut indicates Ohr Hozer. This is because the illumination of Ohr Yashar is defined by the names Orot or Nehorin, and the illumination of Ohr Hozer is defined by the name Nitzotzin or Zikin or Hitnotzetzut. Thus, you see that the issue of the Nitzotzin that fell through the Bitush of the Reshimo in the descending Ohr Hozer is also considered Reshimo, though it is a Reshimo de Ohr Hozer, and hence defined by the name Nitzotzin.
The order of the descent of the Ohr Hozer has been explained above (Item 8). In the beginning, it received for the purification of ZA and was detached from Behina Dalet, which is the actual Kli of Malchut. And when the Ohr Ein Sof expands to the Masach in Kli ZA once again, this Light of Malchut will be at the level of Hochma, lacking the Behinat Keter from the general Light of Akudim, since the Malchut in ZA does not return to being Keter, but Hochma. [It has been explained that the essential giver of the level in the ten Sefirot of the emanated is the Light of Malchut, as above-mentioned (Panim Masbirot, Branch Four).]
It follows that the real Kli of Malchut is without Light, and two Reshimot should have stayed in it. The first Reshimo is from the Light of Taamim, which keeps and sustains the Aviut of Behina Dalet as much as it can. The second Reshimo is from the Light of Nekudot, meaning the Light ascribed to the Masach and which craves the Hizdakchut.
However, both cannot remain together, since they are opposites. This is because the place of the Reshimo de Taamim is called Kli de Keter, since its ten Sefirot are at the level of Keter. And the place of the Reshimo of the descending Ohr Hozer is called Kli de Hochma or “below Keter.” Hence, her own Reshimo has departed Malchut, too, and rose to the Kli of ZA. And the Reshimo of the descending Ohr Hozer remained in its place. Thus, here the Reshimo for the Nitzotzin de Ohr Hozer were rejected. However, from here onwards the Nitzotzin de Ohr Hozer are rejected, for the Light of Reshimo.
Afterwards, in the ascension of the Masach to the place of Bina, when it received the purification of Behina Bet, and the Ohr Ein Sof expands once more from Keter to Bina and from Bina to Keter, Behinat Hochma is withdrawn, too. Then the Kli of ZA remains without Light, and two Reshimot are left there, too, from the Light of Taamim and from the Ohr Hozer, which are opposites. And here the Reshimo overpowers the Nitzotzin de Ohr Hozer, since the Reshimo de Taamim remained in Kli ZA; hence, it remained in the form of Kli de Keter.
Yet, the Reshimo de Ohr Hozer, which are the Nitzotzin de Kli Hochma, are rejected below Tabur, below the Kli de Keter, since the Hitpashtut of the world of Akudim is through Tabur, as Malchut de Akudim is called Tabur. Also, it is already known that Nitzotzin de Keter of the descending Ohr Hozer, whose value is considered Keter de Hochma, remain there since the Reshimo de Malchut de Taamim, which are verily Behinat Keter, rose to ZA. And the Nitzotzin that fell from Kli ZA, which are the Nitzotzin de Hochma in Hochma, fell below Tabur, where there is Keter de Hochma.
Similarly, in the ascent of the Masach to Hochma, when it purified into Behina Aleph, the Ohr Ein Sof was still expanding from Keter to Hochma and from Hochma to Keter, and this Light is at the level of ZA. Hence, the level of Bina has been withdrawn, as well, and the Kli of Bina remained empty, without Light. This left two Reshimot, as written above: Reshimo de Taamim that remained in their place, and Reshimo of the descending Ohr Hozer that were rejected and fell below the Nitzotzin de Hochma below Tabur.
Subsequently, it was purified up to Behinat Keter, the Shoresh (root), and hence lost all the Behinot Aviut in it. Thus, the Zivug de Hakaa was naturally cancelled, having no more Ohr Hozer. It turns out that no Nitzotzin fell from Behinat Keter at all, and only the Reshimo de Taamim remained there.
Thus we have thoroughly explained the oppositeness between the Reshimo and the descending Ohr Hozer, for which the package was broken, and the Reshimo of the ten Sefirot de Taamim that remain in their places. These are considered Kelim KHB ZON de Keter, through Tabur de AK. And the Nitzotzin, which are Reshimo of the descending Ohr Hozer, fell outside the degree they were in. They are regarded as being below Tabur, meaning below Malchut de Akudim, which are considered Kelim KHB ZON de Hochma, as we have said above, that they are called Otiot.
12) The reason for the Hizdakchut has already been explained above, at the end of Item 9: The Ohr Pnimi is connected to the Kli of Malchut, which is actually only an external Kli for the Ohr Makif, as it is written in Item 7. Hence, when the Ohr Hozer rises and brings HB back to PBP, as written in Item 9, Aviut de Bina leaves it, for it returns to being one with the Hochma, as they initially were. And when the Aviut in the root is cancelled, the Aviut in the branch is cancelled, too. Thus, when Bina becomes one object with Hochma, she purifies the Masach along with her, and it, too, rises degree by degree, through her and because of her, until it disappears.
At the beginning of the entrance of the Ohr Hozer to Bina, she begins to turn her Panim back to Hochma. Thus, the Masach rises from Behina Dalet and Behina Gimel. And when she draws the Ohr Hochma from Panim de Hochma, the Masach rises to Behina Bet. And when she becomes one object with the Hochma, the Masach rises to Behina Aleph, until it rises to Behinat Shoresh. This is the meaning of what is mentioned in the Idra Raba, “the spark was sucked.”
It follows that the Ohr Hochma, which is the primary Light of Atzmut in the first emanated, meaning the world of Akudim, and the Ohr Hozer that rises from the Kli of Malchut, are tied to one another and chase one another. This is because without the Ohr Hozer, the Ohr Hochma would not able to expand in the emanated, since the Bina turns her face to suck Ohr Hassadim from Keter, and her back to Hochma. This means she will not suck the Ohr Atzmut from it.
However, when the Ohr Hozer comes out, Bina turns her face back to Hochma, and only then can the Light of Atzmut expand in the emanated. Thus, the Light of Atzmut depends on the Ohr Hozer. But when HB return to being PBP, and her nursing off Keter ceases, her Aviut is cancelled, which naturally cancels the Aviut in the branch, which is the Masach. Thus, the Ohr Hozer disappears, as well. Thus, the Ohr Hozer is repelled and chased because of the Light of Atzmut.
This will thoroughly explain the Ari’s words, which I presented above, Item 5, that the Ohr Pnimi and Ohr Makif beat on each other, and their beating begets the Kelim. This is because the Ohr Pnimi is the Ohr Hochma that expands in the emanated due to the Ohr Hozer. And the Ohr Makif is the Masach, which is the outer Kli, which is tied to all the Ohr Makif that is destined to come out in the worlds by way of Ohr Hozer, as written in Item 7.
And although they are interdependent, the Ohr Pnimi that spreads through returning HB PBP beats on the Ohr Makif. This purifies the Masach and causes the departure of the Light from the world of Akudim. Thus, the Reshimot de Taamim and de Ohr Hozer are separated from each other, the Reshimo de Ohr Hozer is rejected outside her presence, meaning below Tabur, called Otiot, and these are the Kelim.
13) Thus, we have thoroughly clarified the reason for the departure, due to the gradual Hizdakchut of the Masach until all the Ohr Hozer disappeared, and along with it, the Light of Atzmut of Keter and Hochma de Ohr Yashar. Yet, it did not remain so: following the disappearance of the Light of Atzmut, Bina turned its Panim back to Keter, for abundance of Ohr Hassadim, and hence, the previous Achoraim and Aviut returned to her; hence, her Aviut returned to the Masach, as well, which are her branch.
Also, it is known that the Ohr Yashar from the Emanator does not stop flowing to the emanated for even a moment. Hence, after the Masach regained its Aviut, the Ohr Yashar de Ein Sof was renewed on the four above-mentioned Behinot, up to the Zivug de Ohr Hozer. And once again, the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar and Ohr Hozer expanded in the world of Akudim. This is called Hitpashtut Bet of the world of Akudim.
Yet, since HB returned to being PBP through the above-mentioned Ohr Hozer, the Aviut and Achoraim de Bina purified once more, and with it, the Aviut de Masach, which is her branch. And once again, the Zivug de Hakaa and the Ohr Hozer were cancelled, and Bina returns to drawing Ohr Hassadim from Keter. Thus, the Light of Atzmut left as before.
Similarly, once the Achoraim and Aviut returned to Bina, the Aviut was drawn on the Masach, as well, and naturally, the Ohr Yashar was renewed on the Masach. Through it, the Light of Atzmut expanded, too.
This is repeated similarly: when the Ohr Hozer comes, the Light of Atzmut spreads once more. And when the Light of Atzmut comes, the Ohr Hozer leaves. And when the Ohr Hozer leaves, the Masach regains its Aviut, and the Ohr Hozer is renewed, and the Light of Atzmut spreads once more, and so on. It turns out that this second Hitpashtut is like a constant flame moving to and fro. This is why the Ari says that Ohr Pnimi and Ohr Makif that are tied in one Kli strike and beat on each other.
This clarifies the big difference between Hitpashtut Aleph de Akudim that was at the level of Keter, since the Ohr Yashar mated with the Masach de Behina Dalet, and the current Hitpashtut, which is only at the level of Hochma. It is because the whole Aviut of the Masach is only a Hitpashtut from the Aviut of Bina, as in the Aviut de ZA, which extends only the level of Ohr Hochma, as written in Item 8. But this Light, too, is not constant. Rather, it is like a flame that moves to and fro. This thoroughly explains that the matter of Hitpashtut Bet de Akudim is continued from the departure of Hitpashtut Aleph itself.
14) Now we understand the Ari’s words in Shaar Akudim, Chapters One and Two, that AK restricted itself and raised all the Lights from below Tabur to Tabur and Above, and they rose as MAN to AB de Galgalta. There, it placed a boundary (curtain) in its internals and the Light that rose from NHY departed through the Eynaim, extended below Tabur, and spread into the ten Sefirot of the world of Nekudim.
And from the Light that was renewed by raising MAN, it spread and fissured the Parsa, and descended below Tabur, extending through the Nekavim (holes) of Tabur and Yesod, into the ten Sefirot of the world of Nekudim. These two Lights comprise the ten Sefirot of Nekudim. These two Lights and this new Tzimtzum require great detail, which will be done in its time. Here I shall explain as needed in this place.
It has already been explained that the Lights below Tabur de AK are the Otiot and Nitzotzin that fell through the Bitush of the Reshimo de Keter and the Taamim in the Reshimo de Hochma and Nekudot. They departed below the whole Reshimo de Keter, and this exit place is called NHY and “below Tabur.”
Now, after Hitpashtut Bet – which is only Ohr Hochma in Kli de Keter – returned to the world of Akudim, the equivalence between the Reshimot de Taamim and the Reshimot de Nekudot was made once more. This is because they are both considered Hochma, and hence all the KHB ZON de Reshimot de Nekudot below Tabur were drawn, rose, and reconnected with the Reshimot Above Tabur. This is why the Ari says that AK raised the Light from below its Tabur to Above its Tabur.
However, we need to understand why it is called Tzimtzum. The thing is that there are two discernments in these Nitzotzin that rose. The first is a Nitzotzin of Keter of the descending Ohr Hozer that remained in Tabur itself, which is Malchut de Akudim and Behina Dalet. The Light of Hitpashtut Bet does not reach it, since it is from Behina Gimel, and has Aviut from the Hitpashtut of Achoraim de Bina. The second discernment is Nitzotzin de HB and ZON from Behina Gimel, as it is written in Items 11 and 12.
Hence, once HB ZON de Nitzotzin rose, the Lights increased there more than before, due to the Aviut that was added to them by their fall below Tabur. Hence, the Nitzotzin de Keter in the Tabur, which are Behina Dalet, extended in there, too. And naturally, the Light of the Ohr Yashar de Ein Sof, which never stops, was renewed upon them. Thus, the Zivug de Ohr Hozer was made in Behina Dalet, and as a result, ten new Sefirot emerged at the level of Keter, as in Hitpashtut Aleph.
Thus, you see how two Behinot of ten Sefirot were made of the Nitzotzin that rose: ten Sefirot at the level of Hochma were made from the HBZON de Nitzotzin that were corrected only in their ascent, since they are from Behina Gimel, like Hitpashtut Bet, and ten new Sefirot at the level of Keter were made of the Nitzotzin de Keter.
These two Partzufim are the roots of the Partzufim AVI and YESHSUT de Atzilut. The new Partzuf at the level of Keter is AVI, and is called Hochma and Aba de Atzilut. And the Partzuf of the old Light, at the level of Hochma, is YESHSUT, and is called Bina and Ima de Atzilut.
With these roots you will understand what is written in the Idra Zuta, that Aba brought Ima out because of her son, and Aba himself was built as a kind of male and female. This is so because the Upper Partzuf, which is at the level of Keter, called Aba, was built as a kind of male and female, since he raised Behina Dalet – Nukva and Malchut – to him. And Bina, the lower Partzuf, whose level is below Keter, departed Aba because of the Nukva, which is Behina Dalet, which ends and detains the Upper Light from expanding below her. This is why this Behina Dalet is called Parsa, without the Nekev (hole) that exists in Behina Bet. And because of this Parsa, YESHSUT does not clothe the Light of Keter.
It turns out that Behina Bet, which is Bina, on which the Tzimtzum Aleph did not apply at all, has now become deficient, since she was restricted, too, as she is below Behina Dalet. This is why the Ari said that AK restricted himself by raising Light from below Tabur, concerning Behina Bet that has now been restricted due to the ascension of MAN.
15) You should know the big difference between Rosh and Guf. The Rosh is called GAR, and the Guf is called VAK, ZAT, or ZON. The Guf itself is divided into GAR and ZON, too.
The root of this division is that up to the Peh – Malchut – the structure is made essentially of Ohr Yashar. And the Ohr Hozer that rises and joins it is but clothing over it. The opposite of that is the Guf, which is a Hitpashtut of the Masach itself, to the extent that it clothes the Sefirot de Rosh. Hence, it is made primarily of Ohr Hozer, and the ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar are like its branches.
Although it is called ZON, it is essentially only Malchut. This is so because there is no Light of Malchut in reality at all, except with NHY de ZA that unite with it in a Zivug de Hakaa. Hence, they are regarded as one that expands through the Ohr Hozer. And it has already been explained above that the detaining Masach and the Ohr Hozer that emerges as a result of it are not ascribed to the Emanator, but only to the emanated. For this reason, the Rosh is regarded as the Atzmut of the Light of the Emanator, and the Guf is regarded only as the act of the emanated itself.
Now you understand the five inclusive Partzufim of AK, called Galgalta, AB, SAG, MA, and BON, and the order of their creation and clothing of one another, how they are interconnected and emerge from one another by way of cause and consequence. This is so because of His one, unique, and unified Thought – thoroughly explained in Panim Masbirot, Branch One – which is to delight His creations. This Thought is the root of the Kli, and of Tzimtzum Aleph that occurred in Behina Dalet, though indirectly, as it is written there in Item 7, as in the allegory about the rich man. See in Item 8, that this single Thought encompasses the whole of reality, all the worlds, and all the many forms and conducts through the end of correction, when they all reunite with the Light of Ein Sof from before the Tzimtzum, in simple unity, in the one form that stands Above us – “to delight His creatures.”
And immediately following the Tzimtzum in Behina Dalet, which is the Gadlut (maturity, ripeness) of the desire in Malchut de Ein Sof, four forms of gradations appeared in the Reshimo that has been emptied of the Light – in the Kli. They are called HB, ZA, and Malchut, and they contain Ohr Pnimi and Ohr Makif, thus twelve forms.
Afterwards, the Light extended on the above-mentioned Reshimo, down to the point of Tzimtzum, since His Light does not stop at all, and remember that. Then the thin line extended into the Reshimo, and it is called “thin” because the Light of Atzmut extends to the emanated only in the Ohr Hozer that rises in a Zivug from the Masach. And by the power of the Ohr Hozer, the Tzelem of AK was revealed in the form of Partzuf Galgalta, which is called, in the example, “the beginning of the line.”
It expands over the twenty-five Behinot, since there are KHBZON at the length and there are KHBZON in thickness. As we have said, because Malchut returned to being Keter, each of the KHBZON expands into ten Sefirot through Keter, and it is called in the example, Galgalta, Eynaim, AHP, or Galgalta, AB, SAG, MA, and BON. The level of each of them reaches Galgalta, and its Lights emerge from the internality of this emanated, as it has been explained in Panim Masbirot, Branch Three, Item 2, p 32, concerning the order of elicitation of Lights due to the Hizdakchut of the Masach.
16) And thus begins AB’s elicitation. Elicitation concerns deficiency. Due to the Hizdakchut of Behina Dalet of the Inner AK, called Peh, she received Aviut de Behina Gimel. And after the Light of Ein Sof was drawn over this Masach, new ten Sefirot emerge at the level of Hochma, called AB. It turns out that the AB that comes out is subtracted from the AB that remains within AK, at the level of Keter.
Thus, Keter of the external AB clothes Hochma de Galgalta, and spreads through Tabur of the Inner AK. And it, too, contains twenty-five Behinot of its ten Sefirot de Ohr Yashar, which are its Galgalta, Eynaim, Awzen, Hotem, Peh, each of which spreads by the power of the Ohr Hozer over the five Behinot, through Keter de AB.
Yet, the general Keter of the Inner AK remains revealed, and it is discerned with Rosh and Guf. From the Peh down, it is called Guf, since it is only Hitpashtut of the Masach. Hence, the Ohr Pnimi and Ohr Makif are tied there only in the Behina Dalet. This is why they had to depart once more, and this is called “the world of Nekudim,” being ZON and Guf of the Outer AB.
Also, it has already been explained that the Aviut returned to the Masach after the Histaklut of its Guf, and a second Hitpashtut occurred there, as it is written in Items 13 and 14. It extends the Lights from below Tabur to Above Tabur, and by this ascension, the Upper AVI are corrected. A Parsa is spread beneath them, and YESHSUT is from the Parsa to the Tabur. All this ascension is called “the Outer Partzuf SAG,” meaning it had departed its previous degree, which, in the outer AB was Bina at the level of Keter Hochma, which is the Light of Awzen through Shibolet ha Zakan.
However, at this Partzuf, which was made of the Nitzotzin that fell from the Lights of Peh of the Outer AB, Bina of this Partzuf is below the whole ten Sefirot of the Upper AVI, hence it is deficient of the Keter. Thus, its place is from Peh down, meaning from Shibolet ha Zakan, which is its Galgalta.
And as the Outer AB clothes only Malchut of the general Keter and the Upper Nine remain revealed, the Outer SAG, too, clothes only Malchut de Keter de AB, from Peh down, while its Upper Nine – the whole of the Rosh – remain revealed. And as the AB elicited its branches through the Se’arot (hair) Rosh, this SAG elicited its branches through the Se’arot AHP, which will be explained in their place. This is the meaning of the Light that is withdrawn from them due to their exit, compared to the Upper One that remains there in the Se’arot as surrounding, as in returning surrounding.
And this SAG clothes the AK from Shibolet ha Zakan through its end. This means that its Behinat Rosh, which are GAR, extend through Tabur, which are at the value of Galgalta, Eynaim, Awzen, and Hotem. Its Peh expands into ten Sefirot de Guf in itself, as in the Peh of the Outer AB. And the case of the Lights of the Peh of the outer SAG, as in the case of the Lights de Peh of the Outer AB, due to their being tied in a single Kli, there was gradual Hizdakchut in them, as well, until it purified into Behinat Keter, and the whole Hitpashtut disappeared.
This is the meaning of the breaking of the vessels and the fall of the 248 Nitzotzin. Yet, this happened only in their ZON, and not in their GAR, due to the correction of the Parsa, as will be explained in its place. Afterwards, the Nitzotzin that fell from Peh of the Outer SAG extended and rose in the form of MAN, the new MA came out, and the ten Sefirot de Atzilut were established in the form of twelve Partzufim.
Thus, all the previous Behinot are included in the world of Atzilut, as it is written in The Tree of Life, And the world of Beria was imprinted from the world of Atzilut, in a way that all that exists in Atzilut is imprinted in Beria. Yetzira is imprinted from Beria, Assiya is imprinted from Yetzira, and hence there is no conduct or being in the lower ones that is not directly related to the Upper Ones from which it stems and extends through its inferior essence.
This is why our sages said, “There is not a blade of grass below that does not have an angel Above that strikes it and tells it, ‘Grow!’” This is so because all that extends from a Higher world to a lower one, extends through Zivugim (plural for Zivug). But the worlds are divided into internality and externality. The internality of the worlds, from Atzilut down, does not extend through a Zivug de Hakaa in the Masach, but through Zivug de Yesodot (plural for Yesod). But the externality, which extends from world to world, extends through a Zivug de Hakaa.
This is the meaning of the striking, and this is why our sages meticulously stated that the angel in the world of Yetzira, which is the root of the blade of grass in the world of Assiya, bestows upon it and nurtures it in the form of Zivug de Hakaa. In other words, it strikes it and tells it, “Grow!” since saying means bestowing.
Thus, the matter of cause and consequence in Galgalta, AB, SAG de AK has been thoroughly explained, and the quality of their clothing over one another. Each lower one has the value of ZON of the Upper One, which extends only from the Nitzotzin of the Lights of the Peh of the Upper One.
And it has been clarified that in the emergence of AB, the Masach was included in Behina Gimel. And in the emergence of SAG, the Masach was included in Behina Bet, to Nukva de Aba. And in the emergence of MA from inside out, the Masach was included in Behina Aleph. This will be explained in its place.
Also, Malchut de Behina Gimel is called Tabur, of Behina Bet is called Parsa, and of Behina Aleph is called Kruma (crust). There is nothing more to add here; I only tied the matters at their roots in an easy and brief manner. This is my intention in this place; but inside the book, the matters are explained elaborately.