Chapter Five
(The Study of the Ten Sefirot)
Part 4
Explains the inner and surrounding Orot of Akudim. Contains eight issues:
1. Orot de Akudim have Eser inner Sefirot and Eser surrounding Sefirot. They illuminate in Behinat Panim, to the sides and all around AK.
2. The Ohr Pnimi shines at half the thickness of the wall of the Kli from inside, the Ohr Makif from the outside, and the Kli shines and purifies through both of them.
3. Since the Ohr Makif is much greater than the Ohr Pnimi, the Hitzoniut of the Kli where the Ohr Makif clothes should be purer and better than the Pnimiut of the Kli where the Ohr Pnimi is clothed.
4. A second reason: If the Hitzoniut of the Kli had not been pure, the Ohr Makif would not have been able to connect with the Ohr Pnimi.
5. The Pnimiut of the Kli is purer than the Hitzoniut of the Kli, as the Ohr Pnimi is limited in her, and receives complete He’arah. The Ohr Makif, however, shines from afar in the Hitzoniut of the Kli.
6. The lower the Olamot, the more imperfect they are.
7. Until Olam ha Nekudim, there were five inner and five surrounding, and the changes were according to the proximity of the surrounding to the inner.
8. From Nekudim down there are no more the five inner and two surrounding, and there cannot be less than that.
Orot de Akudim have Eser inner Sefirot and Eser surrounding Sefirot. They illuminate in Behinat Panim, to the sides and all around AK
1. Eser inner Sefirot and Eser surrounding Sefirot (1) emerged from Peh de Adam Kadmon. They extend from opposite the Panim through opposite the Tabur of this Adam Kadmon (2). This is the principal Ohr, though some shines through the sides and all around this Adam.
Ohr Pnimi
1. We should not think that this contradicts what we will write (Chap 6, item 18), that from Peh de AK emerged only five Partzufim and two Makifim, as there he speaks of general Makifim, but in the particular, you have no Ohr that does not have Pnimi and Makif.
2. It means that there are two discernments of Orot in a complete Partzuf: the first is called Ohr Hochma, and the second is called Ohr Hassadim. Correspondingly, we discern two illuminations in each Partzuf: “Right” and “Left”, and “Panim” and “Achor”. “Right” and “Left” relate to He’arat Ohr Hassadim, and “Panim” and “Achor” relate to He’arat Ohr Hochma.
It is known that Tzimtzum Aleph was primarily on Ohr Hochma, to prevent it from appearing in Behina Dalet. For that reason the Partzufim were divided into Panim and Achor: the Behinot above Behina Dalet that receive Ohr Hochma are called Panim, and those contained in Behina Dalet, which cannot receive Ohr Hochma, are called Achor.
There is Right and Left in both the Panim and the Achor: the Behinot that receive Ohr Hassadim abundantly are called Right, and the Behinot that do not receive Ohr Hassadim abundantly are called Left. You should also know that the names Panim and Achor relate primarily to the Tabur: from Tabur up it is considered Panim, and from Tabur down it is considered Achor, as Malchut de Guf is called Tabur.
It is written, “They extend from opposite the Panim to opposite the Tabur.” It means that the Hitpashtut of these Eser Sefirot from Peh de AK downward extends and shines primarily in the Behinat Panim of the Partzuf, which is above Behina Dalet, called Tabur. However, from Tabur down it does not shine because of the Tzimtzum on Behina Dalet.
However, he tells us, “This is the principal Ohr, though some shines through the sides and all around this Partzuf,” meaning to its Behinat Achor too, though it shines through the sides, meaning from Behinot Right and Left. It is so because through the Ohr that Behina Dalet brings in the Partzuf, which is Ohr Hassadim, she too receives He’arat Hochma. However, it is regarded as Ohr Nekeva, meaning only reception and not bestowal.
2. You should not wonder at what we have written above, that the Hitzoniut of the Kli was made of the Ohr of the left Awzen that enters in the Peh, and the Pnimiut of the Kli was made of the Nekev of the left Hotem (3). Though the Ohr Makif is greater and better than the Ohr Pnimi, the Pnimiut of the Kli is still greater than the Hitzoniut of the Kli, as is apparent to the eye.
It is not so with Behinat Orot, for the great Ohr that the Kli cannot extend and receive within, shines on the outside as Ohr Makif, and the scant Ohr remains within, unlike the Kelim. Thus, how will Behinat Awzen, being the superior be the Hitzoniut of the Kli, and the Hotem, which is lower, be the Pnimiut of the Kli (4)?
Ohr Pnimi
3. Know, that there are necessarily two Behinot in every Kli. These are Behinat Hamshacha and Behinat Kabbalah (reception) (see Part 3, Table of Topics, items 157, 158). It is so because the more Av Behina is better for the Hamshacha of Ohr, and vise-versa regarding the Kabbalah and Hitlabshut of Ohr. That is because in that, the purer is better, as it is obligated to equalize in form with the Ohr that is received in it.
These two Behinot are sometimes called Elyon and Tachton and sometimes called Pnimiut and Hitzoniut, and you must know the difference between them. The thing is that when we speak of a complete degree, which has Behinat Hamshacha and Behinat Hitlabshut, they are regarded as Elyon and Tachton. It is so because the more Av its Pnimiut, meaning the Kli Hamshacha, the higher level it extends.
For example, if its Pnimiut is Behina Dalet, it clothes up to the level of Keter. It turns out that from the perspective of the Hamshacha it is lower, meaning more Av. However, because Ohr Keter must have a purer Kli to clothe in, it is thus more Elyon from the perspective of the Hitlabshut, meaning more Zach. In other words, it has a purer Kli, like none other, fitting for clothing Ohr Keter. Thus, when speaking of a complete level, these four Behinot are regarded as one above the other, meaning the more Zach is more Elyon.
However, when we only speak from the perspective of the Kli Hamshacha, these four Behinot are regarded as the walls of a Kli, having four Klipot one atop the other. The Shefa in it is received and measured only in its inner Klipa, and does not touch the three exterior Klipot at all. These serve merely as support of the interior Klipa in the wall.
Likewise, we discern four Behinot in the Kli de Hamshacha, clothing one atop the other. The more Av is more internal, and Behina Dalet, the principal extender of the Ohr Elyon through Zivug de Hakaa, is regarded as the Pnimiut Kli, and the Ohr Elyon is measured exactly according to the level of the Ohr Hozer that she raises.
The other three Behinot are regarded as the Hitzoniut of the Kli, meaning they do not touch the Ohr at all, and do not serve it. Rather, they are the reasons that cause Behina Dalet, as she cannot manifest without them.
It is written, “the Hitzoniut of the Kli was made of the Ohr of the left Awzen,” which is Behina Bet, “and the Pnimiut of the Kli was made of the Nekev of the left Hotem,” which is Behina Gimel. It means that the move Av is more Pnimi, as has been explained.
4. He poses two questions:
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Since the Ohr Makif is greater than the Ohr Pnimi, the Hitzoniut of the Kli should have been more important than the Pnimiut of the Kli, as it serves a greater Ohr. However, in reality we see the opposite: the Pnimiut of the Kli is the entire importance in the degree; its entire degree and sustenance depends on it, and the Hitzoniut of the Kli is not so important.
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The second question is: if the Pnimiut of the Kli is indeed far more important than the Hitzoniut of the Kli, it should have extended from a more important Shoresh, meaning from Behina Bet of the Rosh, called Awzen. Also, the Hitzoniut of the Kli from a lower Shoresh, meaning Behina Gimel. Why then is it the opposite?
The Ohr Pnimi shines at half the thickness of the wall of the Kli from inside, the Ohr Makif from the outside, and the Kli shines and purifies through both of them
3. The answer is in this: Know, that the Ohr is in single, complete equality (5). When it wanted to enter and be limited inside the Kli (6), then that Ohr that cannot permeate the Kli remained without as Makif (7). The Ohr Pnimi shines from within the Kli and the Ohr passes through half the thickness of the walls of the Kli from within (8).
The Ohr Makif shines from outside the Kli and passes through half the thickness of the walls of the Kli from without. The Kli shines and purifies through these two Orot.
Ohr Pnimi
5. Meaning there is no discernment of the Ohr in and of itself, but only from the perspective of the Kli.
6. It means that the measure of the He’arah is limited and depends on the measurements of the Kli, not more and not less. It is so because Aviut de Behina Dalet extends the level of Keter de Behina Gimel only Hochma and de Behina Bet only Bina etc.
7. This is the rule: everything received in the Partzuf is called Ohr Pnimi. Everything that is not received yet, but is destined to come into the Partzuf is called Ohr Makif. Ein Sof is the first Ohr Makif, surrounding only AK. It is so because the Zivug de Hakaa on the Masach de Behina Dalet de Peh de AK and the great Ohr Hozer that rose there and clothed the Eser Sefirot of Rosh AK up to Keter that is proximate and adhesive with Ein Sof. That Ohr Hozer contains the Ohr Makif de Ein Sof.
The meaning of Ohr Hozer is the entire amount of the Ohr rejected from Malchut by the power of the Masach. The measure of that rejected Ohr is the whole difference between Ein Sof that filled the entire reality and AK, regarded as one thin Kav compared to Ein Sof. Thus, all this great Ohr Ein Sof is regarded as Ohr Makif of AK.
Also, every Rosh is regarded as Ohr Makif to the Eser Sefirot of its Guf, as the Zivug de Hakaa in the Masach at the Peh of the Rosh of that Partzuf detains the Ohr Elyon from expanding into the Malchut of that Partzuf. Thus, the entire Ohr that does not enter Kli Malchut becomes the Ohr Hozer clothing Eser Sefirot of the Rosh of the Partzuf. Consequently, that Ohr Hozer that stands at the Rosh consists of all that Ohr that cannot permeate the Partzuf, called Ohr Makif.
8. It has already been explained above that the four Behinot in Peh de Rosh, which are Behinat Kli Hamshacha, are distinguished in Pnimiut and Hitzoniut there. It is like the wall of a Kli that has four Klipot one atop the other, where only the interior Klipa touches and receives the Shefa inside.
Likewise, in Malchut de Rosh, called Peh, the more Av Behina there is regarded as the Pnimiut, meaning as extending the Ohr Elyon. The purer ones are regarded as exterior, meaning without direct connection to that Ohr that is received there. Instead, they only serve as Ohr Makif.
It turns out that Ohr Pnimi is connected and shines only from the perspective of the Pnimiut of the Kli, and does not touch the Hitzoniut of the Kli, and Ohr Makif appears gradually only by the Hitzoniut of the Kli. It has no contact with the Pnimiut of the Kli.
Moreover, the Pnimiut of the Kli is what prevents the Ohr Makif from entering the Kli, since it is the Aviut that the Masach detains. The Hitzoniut of the Kli is Behinat Achoraim to the Ohr Pnimi, as it lessens its level.
Since the Ohr Makif is much greater than the Ohr Pnimi, the Hitzoniut of the Kli where the Ohr Makif clothes should be purer and better than the Pnimiut of the Kli where the Ohr Pnimi is clothed
4. We need the half Kli from without to shine because of the Ohr Makif. The Ohr Makif is indeed great and its He’arah would not pass and be absorbed and shine within the walls of the Kli (9), for there is a great difference and distance and separation between them.
Hence, the Pnimiut of the poor Kli needed to equalize with the poor Ohr Pnimi, and one could shine in the other (10). Likewise, the superb Ohr Makif will shine in the Hitzoniut of the superb Kli, otherwise the Hitzoniut of the Kli would remain without He’arah (20).
Ohr Pnimi
9. Because the Ohr does not clothe the Kli, unless they are in Hishtavut Tzura. As long as there is a Tzura apparent in the Kli, compared to the Ohr, that Shinui Tzura rejects and separates the Ohr, and does not let it travel through and be permeated in the Kli. It is written, “for there is a great difference and distance and separation between them,” meaning the Shinui Tzura is what separates and distances the spirituals.
10. Because all the merit and greatness of the Ohr Pnimi is in the worse and greater Aviut. It therefore turns out, that the Pnimiut of the Kli is worse and more Av, and completely equalizes with the size of the poor Ohr Pnimi, which is worse than the Ohr Makif.
20. Because it is completely devoid of the Aviut of the Kli that is needed for the Hamshacha of Ohr. This is not the conduct with the Ohr Makif and therefore relates only to the purer Behina in the Kli, so as to have Hishtavut Tzura with it, meaning that is needed for the Hitlabshut of the Ohr.
A second reason: If the Hitzoniut of the Kli had not been pure, the Ohr Makif would not have been able to connect with the Ohr Pnimi
5. There is yet another reason, very close to the first reason: the Ohr Makif wants and yearns to bond with the Ohr Pnimi (30). Thus, if the outer part of the wall of the Kli had not been purer, the Ohr Makif would not have passed through it (40). Consequently, the Ohr Pnimi would have been lacking the reception of the Ohr Makif inside it.
However, since half the Kli of the outer wall is Zach, the Ohr Makif can travel through half the inner thickness of the wall. In that state they shine in one another, and though the inner half of the wall will not be Zach, it is not a cause for concern, since the Ohr Pnimi shines and passes through half its inner thickness, though it is not more Zach.
Ohr Pnimi
30. Meaning it wants to clothe in the Pnimiut of the Kli and shine along with the Ohr Pnimi, as much as it can. It is so because it will ultimately be entirely clothed in the Kli, and Ohr Makif means destined to clothe the Kli afterwards, meaning in time, until the end of correction.
40. He adds it as a precision, for if it did not have the purer Hitzoniut, which is better adapted to the Ohr Makif, the Makifim would never have been able to clothe the Partzuf even a bit, for “if the outer part of the wall of the Kli had not been purer, the Ohr Makif would not have passed through it. Consequently, the Ohr Pnimi would have been lacking the reception of the Ohr Makif inside it.”
The reason for it is that the Ohr Pnimi always extends from above downward to the Guf from the corresponding Behina in the Rosh. For example, the Ohr Pnimi de Malchut de Guf extends from Malchut de Rosh, which, like her, is Behina Dalet. The Ohr Pnimi de Kli de ZA de Guf extends from Behinat Hotem of the Rosh, which is Behina Gimel, like him. Also the Ohr Pnimi de Kli de Bina de Guf extends from the Awzen de Rosh, which is Behina Bet, like her, etc. likewise.
However, the Ohr Pnimi always extends from the Sefira above the corresponding Behina, as the Ohr Makif de Malchut de Guf extends from the Hotem, which is Behina Gimel. The Ohr Makif de ZA extends from the Awzen, which is Behina Bet and so on likewise.
This is in Hitpashtut Aleph de Akudim, where the Masach in Malchut is Behina Dalet. In Hitpashtut Bet, where the Masach in Malchut is Behina Gimel, the Ohr Pnimi extends to that Malchut from the Hotem, which is also Behina Gimel, like her. The Ohr Makif to that Malchut extends from above, from the corresponding Behina, meaning from the Awzen, which is Behina Bet, etc. likewise.
Now we thoroughly understand that Malchut cannot receive the Ohr Makif unless she has the Behinat Kli from above, from the corresponding Behina in the Rosh as well, which she acquired by her ascent to ZA. It is written, “of the Ohr of the left Awzen.” It means that in Partzuf AB, whose Malchut is Behina Gimel, the Peh, which is Behina Gimel, is more internal than the Hotem, and the Hitzoniut Peh, meaning Behina Bet, which is the Awzen, is above her Behina.
The Pnimiut of the Kli is purer than the Hitzoniut of the Kli, as the Ohr Pnimi is limited in her, and receives complete He’arah. The Ohr Makif, however, shines from afar in the Hitzoniut of the Kli
6. Should you say that we can still ask: “We see that without our sense of sight the Pnimiut of the Kli is more Zach than its Hitzoniut” (50), the answer is as follows: Though the Ohr Pnimi is smaller than the Ohr Makif, yet because it is limited inside the Kli (60), the Kli receives complete He’arah from it.
However, though the Ohr Makif is a great Ohr, still, because it is not cleaved and restricted within the Kli, it does not shine that much in the Hitzoniut of the Kli, as does the Ohr Pnimi in the Pnimiut of the Kli (70). That will place everything in its proper place.
Ohr Pnimi
50. He asks: In the end, we find the Hitzoniut of the Kelim to be less important than the Pnimiut of the Kelim, and they do not shine like they do. However, if they receive the Hitzoniut of the Kelim from the Ohr Makif, which is a greater Ohr than the Ohr Pnimi, it should have been the opposite.
60. In other words, since the degree of Ohr is measured and limited in the greater Aviut of the Kli, in a way that if its Aviut had been less, its measure of Ohr would have decreased. Therefore, the Aviut in the Kli is found to be receiving complete He’arah, as the Aviut does not darken the Ohr whatsoever. On the contrary, it increases it. For that reason the Pnimiut of the Kli is very Zach even though the Ohr is small.
70. Meaning, there is no Kli de Hamshacha there to extend this Ohr as Zivug de Hakaa, for the Ohr cannot clothe its Pnimiut. Thus, that Ohr does not cleave to the Kli, as the small Aviut, which is necessarily present in the Hitzoniut of the Kli as well, has a Shinui Tzura compared to the Ohr, which is completely Zach.
Thus, the measure of Aviut in the Hitzoniut of the Kli diminishes the Ohr. Had it been more Zach, it would have received a greater Ohr Makif. Hence, any HitzonKli is not so Zach, for its Aviut is distinguished as a great demerit separated from the Ohr and not connected with it. Thus, although her Ohr is great, the Hitzoniut of the Kli does not shine as the Ohr Pnimi in the Pnimiut of the Kli.
The lower the Olamot, the more imperfect they are. Until Olam ha Nekudim, there were five inner and five surrounding, and the changes were according to the proximity of the surrounding to the inner
7. Know, that in the Upper Olamot, the lower they are in degree compared to each other, the greater is their incompleteness from one another (80). Thus, until Olam ha Nekudim you find that there were five Behinot inner Orot and five visible Makifim (90). However, the difference between them is that in some the Makifim were closer to the inner, and in others they were farther.
Ohr Pnimi
80. They gradually diminish because of the Hizdakchut of the Masach. It is so because in the second Partzuf of AK, where there was only Aviut de Behina Gimel in the Masach, the Ohr Keter diminished and its level reached only that of Hochma. The third Partzuf, where there was only Aviut de Behina Bet, had also been lessened of Ohr Hochma and its level reached only that of Bina, etc. similarly. It is likewise in the Olamot as well (see Part 3 above).
90. Meaning precisely in the Roshim (pl. for Rosh) of the Partzufim from Malchut de Rosh upward. However, from Malchut de Rosh downward, even in the first Partzuf of AK, there were no more than five interior and two surrounding, as the Rav says in chapter 6, item 18.
From Nekudim down there are no more the five inner and two surrounding, and there cannot be less than that
8. However, from Olam ha Nekudim down, which is Olam Atzilut, there is one drawback (100): they did not manifest in all the details more than five inner Orot and two Orot Makifim, being Makif for Yechida and Makif for Haya.
However, the other inner three do not have Behinat Makifim from Behinat NRN, but only from Behinat Yechida and Haya (200), which surround all the others and not their own Behina. They do have other disparities and drawbacks according to the order of the Partzufim and the Olamot, but the rule in them is that there cannot be less than five inner and two Upper Makifim.
Ohr Pnimi
100. Meaning even in the Roshim (pl. for Rosh) of the Partzufim after Olam ha Nekudim, we do not find more than five interior and two surrounding. It is so because of the ascent of the lower Hey to the Eynaim, meaning the association of Midat ha Rachamim with Din performed there.
Because the place of the Zivug was done in Hochma de Rosh, which is the Eynaim, Bina, ZA and Malchut de Rosh exit the Rosh, meaning to Behinat from above downward, which is Behinat Guf. Thus, all that remains in Behinat Rosh is only Keter and Hochma.
200. Meaning the two Makifim, Yechida and Haya, surround the three lower Orot NRN as well, though not from Behinot NRN but from Behinot Yechida and Haya. Know, that all this refers to the general Makifim, though there are always five internal and five surrounding in the particular Makifim, for there is no Ohr that does not have a Pnimi and Makif.