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While studying, it is recommend to examine the drawings at the end of the essay, HaIlan

86) Know, that the Nekudot (dots) are divided into three Behinot—Rosh, Toch, and Sof, which are

• Upper Nekudot, above the Otiot (letters), included in the name, Holam;

• Middle Nekudot, inside the Otiot, included in the name, Shuruk or Melafom, meaning Vav and a point within it;

• Lower Nekudot, below the Otiot, included in the name, Hirik.

87) This is their explanation: Otiot are Kelim, that is, Sefirot of the Guf. This is because the ten Sefirot de Rosh are but roots to the Kelim, not actual Kelim. Nekudot mean Lights, which sustain the Kelim and move them, meaning Ohr Hochma, called Ohr Haya [1]. This is considered a new Light, which ZON de AK received from AB SAG and illuminated the Kelim de Nekudim, bringing down the lower Hey back to the Peh of each degree, and returning the AHP de Kelim and GAR of Lights to each degree.

Thus, this Light moves the Kelim de AHP and elevates them from the lower degree, connecting them to the Upper One, as in the beginning. This is the meaning of the Nekudot that move the Otiot. And since this Light extends from AB de AK, which is Ohr Haya, it revives those Kelim de AHP through clothing in them.

88) You already know that ZON de AK shone this new Light to the ten Sefirot de Nekudim through two places: It illuminated the Keter de Nekudim through the Tabur, and illuminated the AVI de Nekudim through the Yesod.

Know that this illumination through the Tabur is called Holam, which shines for the Otiot above them. It is so because the illumination of Tabur reaches only Keter de Nekudim, the male level of Rosh de Nekudim (Item 74). And the male level does not expand into the lower seven of the Nekudim, which are the Kelim de Guf, called Otiot, hence it is considered to be shining on them only from its place above, without expanding in the Otiot themselves.

This illumination through the Yesod is called Shuruk, that is, Vav with a point that stands inside the line of the Otiot. The reason is that this illumination comes to AVI de Nekudim, which are the female level of Rosh de Nekudim, whose Lights expand into the Guf, as well, which are the ZAT de Nekudim, called Otiot. This is why you will find the point of Shuruk inside the line of Otiot.

89) Thus, the Holam and Shuruk have been thoroughly explained. The illumination of a new Light through the Tabur, which lowers the lower Hey from Nikvey Eynaim de Keter to the Peh, and elevates the AHP de Keter once more, is the point of Holam above the Otiot. The illumination of a new Light through the Yesod, which lowers the lower Hey from Nikvey Eynaim de AVI to their Peh and returns their AHP, is the point of Shuruk inside the Otiot. This is because these Mochin also come in ZAT de Nekudim, called Otiot.

90) Hirik is considered the new Light that the ZAT themselves receive from AVI, to bring down the ending lower Hey, which stands at their Chazeh, to the place of Sium Raglin de AK. Thus, their AHP, namely the Kelim from the Chazeh downwards, which became the place of BYA, return to them. At that time, BYA will once again be as Atzilut.

But ZAT de Nekudim could not bring the lower Hey down from the Chazeh and completely revoke Tzimtzum Bet, the Parsa, and the place of BYA. Rather, when they extended the Light into BYA, all the Kelim de ZAT immediately broke, since the force of the ending lower Hey, which stands at the Parsa, was mingled with these Kelim.

Thus, the Light had to instantaneously depart there and the Kelim broke, died, and fell into BYA. Also, their Kelim de Panim, above the Parsa, the Kelim above the Chazeh, broke as well, since all the Light departed thence, too. Thus, they broke and fell into BYA, due to their joining into one Guf with the Kelim de Achoraim.

91) Thus you see that the point of Hirik could not emerge and control in the world of Nekudim, since, moreover, it caused the breaking of the vessels. This was because she wanted to clothe inside the Otiot, in the TNHYM below Parsa de Atzilut, which became BYA.

However, later, in the world of Tikkun, the point of Hirik received its correction, since she was corrected into shining below the Otiot. This means that when ZAT de Atzilut receive the Light of Gadlut from AVI, which should lower the ending lower Hey from the place of the Chazeh to Sium Raglin de AK, and connect the Kelim de TNHYM to Atzilut, the Lights will spread down to Sium Raglin de AK. Yet, they do not do so, but raise these TNHY from the place of BYA to the place of Atzilut, above the Parsa, and receive the Lights while they are above Parsa de Atzilut, so that no breaking of vessels would occur in them again, as in the world of Nekudim.

This is considered that the point of Hirik, which raises the Kelim de TNHY de ZAT de Atzilut, stands below the Kelim de TNHYM that she raised, that is, she stands in the place of Parsa de Atzilut. Thus, the point of Hirik serves under the Otiot. This explains the three points, Holam, Shuruk, Hirik, in general.

[1] Translator’s note: Haya comes from the word Hayim (life).