Topics examined in this lesson:
-
Sensing the Desire
-
The Screen, the Masach
-
Receiving for the Sake of Giving
-
Five Partzufim of Adam Kadmon
-
Nekudot de SAG
-
Partzuf Galgalta
-
The Second Restriction
-
Place of Atzilut
Having journeyed thus far toward the goal of learning Kabbalah, we urge the student not to fall by the wayside due to difficulties with some of the technical nature of our explanations.
Through an earnest desire for true knowledge of the wisdom of Kabbalah, the student will be assisted from above through an awakening of the Ohr Makif (Surrounding Light).
When the time is right, the student will further his studies under the guidance of a qualified teacher as part of a group.
The important aspect is to bear in mind the level man needs to attain in order to give completely and not to receive anything for himself.
Then the person has reached completion, with a true deveikut (attachment). This is the goal of creation, and man was created just for this.
To return to our narrative: We wrote concerning the Light entering and leaving the Partzuf. Here we are discussing a fulfilled and unfulfilled desire.
When the Light enters the Partzuf this corresponds to the fulfillment of a desire, to a feeling of wholeness and delight.
When the Light leaves the Partzuf there remains a void or frustration. This happens in spite of the fact that there is no such thing as a feeling of void in the spiritual world.
If the Ohr Hochma exits, the Ohr Hassadim remains. Each time the Partzuf pushes the Light away, it knowingly understands where it is heading by refusing a certain amount of pleasure.
In the spiritual context, a selfish enjoyment is willingly refused and replaced by altruistic enjoyment in nature, which is much higher and stronger.
If the Partzuf perceives that it is unable to receive so as to please the Master, it will refuse to receive for itself.
It goes without saying that in order to make such a decision, some help, as well as a force opposing selfishness are required. This decisive role is played by the Screen (Masach).
With a Screen, the Kli (Vessel) begins to perceive the Light instead of darkness. The quantity of Light which is revealed is proportional to the strength of the Screen. Without a Screen, the Light does not allow any altruistic action. It is precisely the absence of Light during the First Restriction, operated by the Kli, which enables it to build a Screen.
By this means, it can allow the Light to enter. A desire can be considered spiritual only when the Screen is duly positioned.
We have previously studied the five Partzufim of the World of Adam Kadmon. As already outlined, the main task for a student of Kabbalah is to attain the Light, that is to say, the filling of the Partzuf, the soul, by the Light.
As soon as the Light enters the Kli, it immediately starts acting upon it and transmits to the Kli its own altruistic attributes, i.e., the ability to give.
Man then realizes what he is in comparison to the Light and begins to feel ashamed of receiving it; this makes him wish to resemble the Light.
The strength of the Divine Light cannot modify the nature of the Kli the Creator Himself has created; it can only change the orientation of its utilization: from self-aimed pleasure into pleasure for the sake of the Creator.
Such a scheme of utilizing the Kli is called “receiving for the sake of giving.” It allows Malchut to completely enjoy receiving the Light, while returning this delight to the Creator. It then continues to enjoy, sharing now the Creator’s delight.
During the first phase (Behina Alef) of the progression of the Straight Light (Ohr Yashar), Malchut only received pleasure from the Light that filled it.
However, because of the path followed by the Light all the way down from the World Without End (Olam Ein Sof) to our world, and conversely all the way back to the World Without End, but this time using a Screen, Malchut again fills up with all the Light, but with an intention turned toward the Creator. This makes it reach an endless delight.
Thanks to this process, all its desires, both the lowest and the highest, lead to never-ending delight. This is also designated by the expression “feeling of completeness and unity.”
The five Partzufim of the World of Adam Kadmon have used all the Reshimot (Records) of the World of Ein Sof, by which it was possible to fill Malchut up to the Tabur.
Of course there still remain very powerful desires below the Tabur of Galgalta.
These desires are not endowed with a Screen and therefore cannot be filled with the Light. If we succeeded in filling up the lower part of Galgalta with the Light, the Gmar Tikkun (the Final Correction) would take place.
In order to complete this task, a new Partzuf, the Nekudot de SAG, which comes out while the Light is exiting the Partzuf of SAG, descends below the Tabur of Galgalta
We know that Galgalta bears the name of Keter, AB the name of Hochma, SAG: Bina, MA: Zeir Anpin, BON: Malchut.
The Partzuf of Bina is a Partzuf which may spread in every place. It has only the desire to give, it does not need any Ohr Hochma; its attribute is to give without restraint, Ohr Hassadim.
SAG was born on the Reshimot of Gimel de Hitlabshut–Bet de Aviut. Neither Galgalta nor AB, which work with selfish desires to receive, can descend below the Tabur, as they know that much stronger desires exist there.
Below the Tabur the Nekudot de SAG fill Galgalta with the Light of Hassadim, i.e. with the pleasures of giving. These pleasures can then be diffused without restraint to any desire in the Partzuf.
Below the Tabur, the Nekudot de SAG form a new Partzuf which contains its own 10 Sefirot: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod and Malchut.
This Partzuf bears the name of “ Nekudot de SAG.” It is of paramount importance in the whole process of correction, as being a part of Bina, which elevates the uncorrected desires to its level, corrects and raises above her.
From the top to the Tabur, Galgalta comprises:
(i) At the Head level: the Sefirot Keter, Hochma and Bina.
(ii) At the Toch level: Hesed, Gevura and Tifferet.
(iii) Below the Tabur, in the Sof: Netzah, Hod, Yesod and Malchut.
When the Nekudot de SAG descend below the Tabur and begin to transmit the Light of Hassadim to the Sof of Galgalta, they are subjected to a strong reaction on the part of the Reshimot remaining in the Sof of Galgalta from the Light that previously filled these Kelim.
These Reshimot are of strength Dalet-Gimel. The strength of the Dalet-Gimel (Hitlabshut of Level 4, Aviut of Level 3) is higher than the strength of the Masach of the Nekudot de SAG (Hitlabshut of Level 2 , Aviut of Level 2). Therefore SAG cannot oppose such a powerful Light-Desire and begins to desire to receive it for itself.
We can now examine the Bina phase in the spreading of the Straight Light from above downward.
This phase is composed of two parts:
(i) In the first it does not want to receive anything, while giving without restraint. This part is called Gar de Bina and is endowed with altruistic attributes.
(ii) The second part already considers receiving the Light, though in order to transmit it further on. Although it is receiving, it does not do it for its own sake. This part of Bina is called Zat de Bina.
Figure 6. Partzuf of Nekudot de SAG
The same thing occurs in the Partzuf of the Nekudot de SAG, which possesses the attributes of Bina:
The first six Sefirot bear the name of Gar de Bina and the last four Sefirot are named Zat de Bina. The powerful Light of Hochma that reaches Gar de Bina does not affect it; it is indifferent to this Light.
However, Zat de Bina, which desires to receive in order to give to the lower levels, may receive only that Light which relates to Aviut Bet.
If the desires reaching Zat de Bina are of a stronger Aviut, the desire to receive for oneself alone appears.
However, after the Tzimtzum Alef (First Restriction), Malchut cannot receive with a self-aimed intention.
Therefore, as soon as such a desire appears in the Zat of the Nekudot de SAG, Malchut rises and positions itself on the border between altruistic and selfish desires that is in the middle of Tifferet.
This act of Malchut is called Tzimtzum Bet, the second restriction. A new border for the spreading of the Light is being formed along this line: the Parsa. This border was located before in the Sium of Galgalta.
While the Light was previously able to spread only up to the Tabur, even though it tried to penetrate under it, with the spreading of the Partzuf of the Nekudot de SAG below the Tabur, the Light of Hassadim did penetrate there, and paved the way so to speak for the spreading of the Light of Hochma to the Parsa.
However, if before the Tzimtzum Bet the Ohr Hassadim could spread below the Tabur, afterward there would remain absolutely no Light below the Parsa.
The Partzuf of the Nekudot de SAG has created the concept of “place” (Makom) below the Tabur. What is a “place”? It is a Sefira inside of which another Sefira, smaller in dimension, can be fitted.
Our world exists in a “place.” If one removes from the universe absolutely everything it contains, then the “place” will remain.
Man’s finite mind cannot perceive it, but it can only be said that this is simply a void that cannot be measured since it is located in other dimensions.
In addition to our world there exist spiritual worlds that are impossible to perceive or feel because they refer to other dimensions.
Afterward, the World of Atzilut appears at the place of Gar de Bina below the Tabur. The World of Beria is formed under the Parsa in the lower section of Tifferet.
The World of Yetzira appears at the place of the Sefirot Netzah, Hod, Yesod. The World of Assiya whose last portion is called our world, is formed at the place of the Sefira Malchut.
How can 10 Sefirot be obtained out of 5: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin and Malchut? Each of these Sefirot, with the exception of Zeir Anpin, is made up of 10 Sefirot.
Zeir Anpin, being a small entity, comprises six Sefirot only: Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod. If instead of Zeir Anpin, one places its six Sefirot, then along with Keter, Hochma, Bina and Malchut, 10 Sefirot will be obtained.
This is the reason why sometimes 5 or 10 Sefirot are mentioned. There is on the other hand, no such thing as a Partzuf with 12 or 9 Sefirot.