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Talmud Eser Sefirot
(The Study of the Ten Sefirot)
Part 3

Explains that Levush and Heichal were separated from Shoresh Neshama and Guf, and became Makifim, and also the explanations of AK, ABYA, NRNH and ASMB (AB, SAG, MA, BON). Contains eight issues:

1. Shoresh, Neshama, Gufot, adhesive with each other. Levush and Heichal were separated from them.
2. Shoresh, Neshama, Guf are inner Kelim where the more Hitzon is worse. Levush and Heichal are Kelim Makifim where the more Hitzon is more important. Hence the Klipot are between the Guf and the Levushim, which is the place of the darkness, and the worst.
3. When the Partzufim of AK and ABYA clothe each other, they only clothe three Behinot: the Shoresh, Neshama, and Guf in it are cleaved together, and the Eser Sefirot de Gufot do not clothe the Eser Sefirot de Levushim.
4. Shoresh, Neshama and Guf de AK are clothed inside Shoresh, Neshama and Guf de Atzilut. Shoresh, Neshama, Guf de Atzilut are clothed in Shoresh, Neshama, Guf de AA de Atzilut, and Shoresh, Neshama, Guf de AA are clothed in Abba, and so on similarly.
5. AK and ABYA are intermingled. There are AK and ABYA in AK, AK and ABYA in Atzilut and AK and ABYA in Beria, in Yetzira and in Assiya. AA is the Part of AK that is unattainable. Abba is Atzilut, Ima is Beria, ZA – Yetzira, and Nukva – Assiya. Neshamot extend from Atzilut, Ruchot from Beria, Mala'achim (angels) from Yetzira and Ofanim (wheels) from Assiya.
6. Adam consists of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya from the four Olamot ABYA. Each of their Behinot contains Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya. Neshama de Nefesh is more important than Ohr Nefesh de Ruach.
7. It is possible to merit Nefesh de Atzilut and even higher. The one who merits Ruach de Yesod de Atzilut will be the husband of the Shechina.
8. HaVaYaH with filling of AB is the Yod de HaVaYaH, namely Atzilut. With filling of SAG is the first Hey of HaVaYaH, namely Beria. With filling of MA it is Vav de HaVaYaH, namely Yetzira and with filling of BON it is the lower Hey de HaVaYaH, namely Assiya.

Shoresh, Neshama, Gufot, adhesive with each other. Levush and Heichal departed from them.

1. Now we shall discuss each of these Olamot, and what they are about. Know, that the Shoresh and the Neshamot and the Gufim are one Behina (1). There is no separation between them, but the Levushim and the Heichalot are as two separated Behinot from the above three Behinot. Between these two, meaning between the Gufim and the Levushim, there is Mador ha Klipot, which actually cling to the Achor of the Ohr of the Guf.

Ohr Pnimi

1. There is a profound and notable matter in these words of the Rav. This is the meaning of Tzimtzum Bet that occurred in NHY de AK, brought in the words of the Rav. That Tzimtzum Bet is about the association of Midat ha Rachamim with Midat ha Din that our sages wrote of. You can understand that matter thoroughly in my book (Panim Masbirot), but here we shall be brief.

The thing is that only Behina Dalet of the four above Behinot is called Midat ha Din, because Tzimtzum Aleph was on her alone. I have shown in previous lessons that the there was no Tzimtzum in the first three Behinot, for which they were called Midot ha Rachamim (Midot is plural for Midat).

However, in Tzimtzum Bet de AK there was a connection and association of Behina Dalet with Behina Bet, as it is written, “So they two went,” because Malchut and ZA came up to Bina. Thus, Midat ha Din, which is Behina Dalet, is sweetened in Midat ha Rachamim, being Behina Bet.

In that way, in the first Tzimtzum only Behina Dalet was restricted, and in Tzimtzum Bet, Bina was restricted too, due to her bonding with Malchut. This occurred in NHY de AK from its Tabur downward. Consequently, these Eser Sefirot that emerged by the association with Midat ha Din are called Olam ha Nekudim, after the ascent of Malchut, which is called Nekuda (Point).

For that reason it is considered that in the above Olam Nekudim ZA and Malchut were separated from the four Behinot HB TM. It is so because Behina Dalet rose to the place of Bina and became a Masach there. As a result, the Ohr Elyon stopped at Malchut in Bina and did not expand to ZA, called Levush, and to Malchut, called Heichal, as they are below Bina.

That is why the Rav writes, “Know, that the Shoresh and the Neshamot and the Gufim are one Behina. There is no separation between them, but the Levushim and the Heichalot are as two separated Behinot from the above three Behinot.” It means that because of the Masach that was erected at the margins of Bina the Ohr stopped there.

From there onward the Ohr Elyon does not reach Pnimiut ZA and the Malchuiot in all the Olamot. As a result, they all came out to become surrounding Kelim, meaning receiving the Ohr from afar, as Ohr Elyon cannot clothe inside them anymore. The Levush is the Kli for Ohr Makif de Haya and the Heichal is the Kli for the Ohr Makif de Yechida.

Now you may see that these ZA and Malchut in the four Behinot in all the Olamot from Olam Nekudim downward are regarded as ZA and Malchut of the inner Bina. Ohr Elyon clothes their Pnimiut as well, though the general ZA and Malchut below Bina, were separated from the inner Kelim, where the Neshama, Ruach, Nefesh de Ohr Pnimi clothe, and became Kelim Makifim de Haya and Yechida.

Shoresh, Neshama, Guf are inner Kelim where the more Hitzon is worse. Levush and Heichal are Kelim Makifim where the more Hitzon is more important. Hence the Klipot are between the Guf and the Levushim, which is the place of the darkness, the worst.

2. The reason for it is that the three inner Behinot have Ohr Pnimi inside them. The worst of the Ohr Pnimi comes out inside the Or and ends there. The Ohr Makif is the opposite: it is known that the outer Ohr is greater (2).

It turns out that the Ohr that surrounds in the inner Levush, which clings to the Guf, is the smaller Ohr Makif among all of them. Hence the Klipot dwell there in the middle, in a place where there is neither Ohr Pnimi nor Ohr Makif. It is the middle between the Pnimi and the Makif, and it is called the place of darkness. That thing in each and every Olam is the Behina of Klipa in that Olam.

Ohr Pnimi

2. This has been explained in detail in Histaklut Pnimit (Part 2, Chap 1, item 7), with which you can understand the rest of the Rav’s words by yourself, and there is no reason to elaborate.

When the Partzufim of AK and ABYA clothe each other, they only clothe three Behinot: the Shoresh, Neshama, and Guf in it are cleaved together, and the Eser Sefirot de Gufot do not clothe the Eser Sefirot de Levushim.

3. Indeed, once we have clarified the matter in detail, we shall speak in general: It is known that the Pnimiut AK is the Ein Sof. It clothes the Shoresh of the Neshamot of Eser Sefirot in it, while these clothe the Behina of the Neshamot of the entire Eser Sefirot in it, which then clothe the Eser Sefirot of the Behinat Guf of AK.

It would have been appropriate for the Eser Sefirot of the Gufim to clothe the Eser Sefirot de Levushim. However, it is not so for the above reason, though the three Behinot Atik de Atzilut surround these three Behinot de AK.

Shoresh, Neshama and Guf de AK are clothed inside Shoresh, Neshama and Guf de Atik de Atzilut. Shoresh, Neshama, Guf de Atzilut are clothed in Shoresh, Neshama, Guf de AA de Atzilut, and Shoresh, Neshama, Guf de AA are clothed in Abba etc. similarly.

4. How so? The Eser Sefirot de Gufot de AK clothe inside the Eser Sefirot, the Shorashim of the Neshamot Eser Sefirot de Atik de Atzilut. These, in turn, clothe the Eser Sefirot of the Behinot of the Neshamot de Atik de Atzilut, and these clothe the Eser Sefirot de Gufot de Atik de Atzilut.

Similarly, the Behinot of the Shorashim and Neshamot and Gufim de AA clothe the Gufot de Atik. Similarly, the three Behinot de Abba clothe AA and the three Behinot de Ima to Abba. The three Behinot de ZA to Ima and the three Behinot of Nukva to ZA. This completes all the Behinot of the Gufot until Nukva de ZA.

AK and ABYA are intermingled. There are AK and ABYA in AK, AK and ABYA in Atzilut and AK and ABYA in Beria, in Yetzira and in Assiya. AA is the part of AK that is unattainable. Abba is Atzilut, Ima is Beria, ZA – Yetzira, and Nukva – Assiya. Neshamot extend from Atzilut, Ruchot from Beria, Mala'achim (angels) from Yetzira and Ofanim (wheels) from Assiya.

5. Know that Olam Atzilut consists of four Olamot ABYA; Beria consists of the entire ABYA, and so do Yetzira and Assiya. Thus Abba Atzilut and Ima Beria, ZA Yetzira and Nukva Assiya. Behinat AA is not apparent in any Olam since it is very concealed. Thus, from Olam Atzilut – Neshamot, from Beria – holy Ruchin, from Yetzira – Malaachim, and from Assiya – Ofanim (3).

Ohr Pnimi

3. Neshamot are Behinat Olam Beria; Ruchinare Behinat Olam Yetzira; Nefashot (pl. for Nefesh) are Behinat Olam Assiya. That is the meaning of the Rav’s words, “from Olam Atzilut –Neshamot,” meaning Neshamot in Beria are poured from Olam Atzilut to Beria. “From Beria – holy Ruchin,” meaning the Ruchin, in Yetzira, are poured there from Olam Beria.

It is so because the Neshamot are poured to the righteous that stand in Beria from Zivug ZON de Atzilut. From Zivug ZON de Beria, the Ruchin are poured to the standing in Yetzira.

Adam consists of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya from the four Olamot ABYA. Each of their Behinot contains Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya. Neshama de Nefesh is more important than Ohr Nefesh de Ruach

6. Adam consists of four Olamot. If he has but Nefesh de Assiya, and then sins, flaws it and puts it into the Klipot, he is told, “The gnat comes before you,” because the gnat did not do anything to enter the Klipa.

If he did not sin, he is considered to be in Ofanim. Sometimes, he will have only Behinat Nefesh, and he is more important than he who has Ruach (4), such as he who has Neshama in the Nefesh. It is known that each and every Olam contains all four.

This is Adam, because when he began to illuminate, and correct bit-by-bit, Behinat Neshama in Ruach de Yetzira shines in him immediately, though it has still not clothed him entirely. It is so because it is impossible to clothe in him entirely before he completely corrects his Nefesh. Indeed, this man, who has Ruach inside, who is Behinat Nefesh in Ruach de Yetzira, is certainly worse than this above Behina.

Ohr Pnimi

4. This is the rule: the Nefesh of the degree is regarded as Ruach of its lower degree. Likewise, Ruach of the Upper degree is regarded as Neshama of its lower degree, and Neshama of the Upper degree is Haya to the lower, and Haya of the Upper is regarded as Yechida to its lower.

You can therefore understand that Nefesh de Ruach is regarded as Ruach of the degree of Nefesh. Similarly, Ruach de Ruach is regarded as Neshama to the degree of Nefesh etc. The Rav writes, “Sometimes it will have no more than Behinat Nefesh. However, he would be more important than he who has Ruach.” He wishes to say that he who has Neshama de Nefesh is more important than he who has Nefesh de Ruach. It is so because Neshama de Nefesh is equal to Ruach de Ruach, but more important than Nefesh de Ruach.

It is possible to merit Nefesh de Atzilut and even higher. The one who merits Ruach de Yesod de Atzilut will be the husband of the Shechina.

7. A man may also have Nefesh de Atzilut and also higher. If he has Ruach from Behinat Yesod de Atzilut he will be the husband of the Matronita (Mistress) and he will be called “A Man of God”.

HaVaYaH with filling of AB is the Yod de HaVaYaH, namely Atzilut. With filling of SAG is the first Hey of HaVaYaH, namely Beria. With filling of MA it is Vav de HaVaYaH, namely Yetzira and with filling of BON it is the lower Hey de HaVaYaH, namely Assiya.

8. Four Otiot HaVaYaH in the four Olamot Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya: Yod in Atzilut, the Name AB de Yodim, for “In wisdom hast Thou made them all” (5). Hey in Beria, the Name SAG, for Ima nests in Kursaya. Vav in Yetzira, the Name MA, for six Sefirot nest in Yetzira; lower Hey in Assiya, the Name BON, for Malchut nests in the Ofan.

Ohr Pnimi

5. There are four fillings in Yod, Hey, Vav, Hey:

1. Filling of Yodin: Yod Hey Viv Hey, in Gimatria AB (72).

2. Filling of Yodin and Aleph: Yod Hey Vav Hey, in Gimatria SAG (63).

3. Filling of Alephin: Yod He Vav He, in Gimatria MA (45).

4. Filling of Heyin, in Gimatria BON (52).

Filling of AB implies Hochma, which is Yod of HaVaYaH; filling of SAG implies Bina, which is Hey de HaVaYaH; filling of MA implies ZA, which is Vav de HaVaYaH, and filling of BON implies Malchut, which is the lower Hey de HaVaYaH.