49. Rabbi Chiya prostrated himself on the ground and kissed it. He wept and said: “Dust, how hard and heartless you are, how many you have consumed, all the pillars of Light and all the great souls were consumed by you. And the greatest of all, Rabbi Shimon, the Light of the entire world, of all the worlds, who illuminates and governs over the descending Light, upon which our world exists, is also consumed by you, and yet you govern the world?” But then he collected himself at once and said: “Do not be proud, dust, for the pillars of the world will not be betrayed to you, and Rabbi Shimon will not be consumed by you!”
Malchut is the sole creation. And this sole creation is nothing but a desire to receive pleasure. It was made this way, and its essence cannot be changed. Yet, what can be changed is the intention – for which or whose sake to receive the pleasure.
As a result of Malchut’s union with Bina with an altruistic will to bestow delight, give pleasure, Malchut acquires Bina’s desire in addition to her own. That is, an additional desire appears in Malchut – to bestow, opposite to her nature.
Only this desire of Bina in Malchut can result in a Zivug and reception of Light. When Malchut receives all the desires that she possibly can from Bina, and fills them with Light, only her own initial egoistic property will remain uncorrected, but even that will be corrected from Above by the Creator Himself. The order of correction and reception of Light in Bina’s properties inside of Malchut is referred to as the reception on the Zivug of Yesod, and it takes place sequentially along 6,000 degrees, called “6,000 years.”
Malchut de Malchut of the world of Atzilut cannot receive any Light during the 6,000 years until all of its parts are completely corrected. All the Zivugim (plural for Zivug) throughout the 6,000 years are made not on Malchut herself, but on the properties she received from Bina. The place of such a Zivug is called Yesod de Malchut or Ateret Yesod. Whereas Malchut herself (egoistic desires) remains closed to the Light, and is therefore called the “closed gates.”
The reception of Light during the 6,000 years, correction of the Partzufim, and the gradual filling of Malchut with the Light, takes place with the help of Bina’s desires in Malchut, which are called “Miftacha” (Yesod de Malchut), for the impure (egoistic) force has no power over this part of Malchut.
Yesod de Malchut means that Malchut only acts with the properties she received from a Higher Sefira – Yesod, which is free from the influence of the impure forces (Klipot). All the properties, except for those of Malchut, are altruistic, since they originate from Bina. However, since we wish to emphasize that a Zivug is made on an altruistic desire, above the egoistic desire of Malchut, we usually say Yesod instead of Bina. And since Yesod is the Sefira immediately above Malchut, we say that a Zivug is made not on the egoistic desires of Malchut, but on Yesod. And since, upon acquiring the properties of Yesod, Malchut can receive the Light, such reception of Light on Yesod de Malchut is called “Miftacha” (from the word Mafte'ach, key) – the key that opens the way for the Upper Light.
However, since Malchut herself, that is, Malchut de Malchut (“closed gates”) remains inaccessible to the Light for 6,000 years, Rabbi Chiya (a particular spiritual degree) could not understand how Rabbi Shimon (the spiritual Partzuf called Rabbi Shimon) could achieve such complete perfection. Indeed, Rabbi Shimon is a Partzuf of such spiritual height that it receives the Light of Yechida. And it is impossible to receive this Light without utilizing a Zivug on Malchut de Malchut itself.
And yet, this part of Malchut remains uncorrected until the completion of the 6,000 years (the end of correction), and thus cannot be used. By defying these desires, it is as though one has already partially corrected it. And all the prohibitory commandments refer to Malchut de Malchut; hence, the ban imposed on its use is called “a restriction.”
Yet, if it is impossible to fill the “stony heart” (Lev HaEven), i.e., Malchut de Malchut (the root of egoism, the basis of creation), with Light, how can even a single soul achieve complete correction? After all, complete correction implies the reception of Light in the entire Malchut. Each soul, each part of Malchut that man is destined to correct contains a part of all the other parts of Malchut, including a part of Malchut de Malchut, which he may not work with until the end of correction.
On the other hand, Rabbi Chiya sees Rabbi Shimon in a state of complete correction. So how could the latter have attained such state? This contradiction roused Rabbi Chiya so greatly that he prostrated himself on the ground and cried out.
It is impossible to constantly “translate” the words of the Torah or The Zohar into a language we can understand, that “ground” signifies egoism and “dust” refers to the impure forces, that “crying out” implies raising MAN, and so forth. All the words and definitions in the text of The Zohar should be perceived sensuously rather than literally, as physical actions of our world. In other words, whatever The Zohar speaks of is related only to inner, spiritual sensations and experiences of one who perceives the spiritual realm.
All the worlds constitute the “environment,” the spiritual sphere, within which the Creator made His only creation – man (Adam). Everything else was created only in order to help man to achieve his spiritual mission of becoming like his Creator.
Just as in our world, the world itself and all its inhabitants, except man, are robots operated by their animal nature, rather than creatures with free will, in the spiritual worlds, all the spiritual beings, except for the soul, are operated by their spiritual nature. Upon being born in our world, man, too, is an animal without freedom to act against his egoistic desire to receive pleasure. He usually stays that way throughout his existence on earth, being not at all different from the still, vegetative, and animate levels of nature, automatically following orders of his inner master, egoism.
Only with the help of Kabbalah can one gradually receive Upper, spiritual strength, and consequently acquire freedom of choice, that is, liberate himself from the influence of the impure, egoistic forces, and become free in his desires, like the Creator. However, such an opportunity is only given to one who can control his automatically-driven, egoistic nature: according to the strength of his screen, man ascends (moves inwardly, in his sensations) from this world to the spiritual.
After creating the spiritual worlds as a home for his future creation, the Creator created the creature (soul, Adam). The soul constitutes the desire to delight in the sensation of the Creator, of His light. The sensation of the Creator is called “Light.” There is nothing else in the entire universe besides the Light and the soul!
Although the soul itself is Malchut de Malchut (the only egoistic creation), the Creator imparted onto it the property of altruism, having created it mixed with the Kelim (desires) of Bina, thereby demonstrating how wonderful it would be to be like Him.
While performing altruistic actions, the soul (Adam) decided to use its natural egoism, Malchut de Malchut itself, to receive the Creator’s Light with altruistic intentions. Yet, when it began to let the tremendous Light of Yechida into Malchut de Malchut, it could not resist and wished to enjoy it egoistically. This change in the soul’s desires is referred to as its fall.
As a result of the fall, Adam’s soul split into myriad parts (600,000), all of which fell into captivity of impure, egoistic forces (acquired egoistic desires). After the fall, Adam corrected some of the souls (obtained an anti-egoistic screen), but only partially. And then, of the total number of souls, some were selected for correction, lowered into this world, and clothed into bodies, generation after generation.
The descent (distancing from the Creator) into our world (egoistic sensations of only one’s own desires) occurs as a result of attaching an additional “makeweight” of egoism to the soul. In the spiritual world, movement (farther from the Creator or closer to Him) and distance (from Him) are determined by the correlation of egoistic and altruistic desires within the soul.
The purpose behind the souls’ descent to our world is to transform one’s egoistic desires with the help of Kabbalah, and to return to the Creator with one’s intentions, by performing altruistic actions. The souls’ descent continues until each of them and all of them together achieve complete correction.
And the most exalted souls that refer to the degrees of Yechida and GAR of Haya depend on the correction of Malchut herself in Malchut of the world of Atzilut (“closed gates”). These will only be corrected at the completion of the 6,000 years, after the correction of all the rest. This is due to the inverse relationship between the souls and the Light that fills them: the more egoistic the soul is, and the lower it is located, the greater the Light that enters the general Partzuf (the common soul) at the time of its correction.
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THE LIGHT OF THE SOUL:
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Yechida
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Chaya
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Neshama
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Ruach
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Nefesh
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MALCHUT:
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Keter
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Hochma
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Bina
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ZA
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Malchut
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This is why these exalted souls are consumed by dust (impure force), i.e., the impure force rules over them with its enormous and insolent power, for it is certain that no one and nothing can save these souls from captivity.
This is why Rabbi Chiya wept: “Dust, how cruel you are!” That the most exalted souls are “consumed by you without any hope of escaping you!” In other words, the actual root of creation, the primordial egoism cannot be corrected.
It turns out that as a result of the exalted souls’ captivity by the rule of the impure forces, all the righteous that bring Light to the entire world cannot achieve perfection themselves. Since all the souls are interconnected, not a single individual soul can arrive at the end of correction until all the souls are corrected. This is why they are susceptible to the ruthless rule of the dust.
At first, Rabbi Chiya wanted to say that Rabbi Shimon himself was also consumed by dust, i.e., did not achieve complete correction. He had heard that Rabbi Yosi also reasons that the closed gates are closed for all. Yet, after some contemplation, he inquired: “If Rabbi Shimon revives all the worlds and governs them, how can it possibly be that he has not reached perfection?”
Therefore, he concludes that Rabbi Shimon was not consumed by the dust, that he did achieve complete correction and is probably in a state of absolute perfection. The thing that Rabbi Chiya could not understand, however, is how any individual soul could achieve the end of correction prior to (without) the complete correction of all the others. This, Rabbi Chiya could not explain to himself.
50. Rabbi Chiya stood up and started to walk and weep. Rabbi Yosi joined him. He fasted for forty days so that he might see Rabbi Shimon. He was told he still was not worthy of seeing him. He wept and fasted for another forty days. He was then shown a vision: Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar were discussing him, Rabbi Chiya, the words he said to Rabbi Yosi, and thousands are listening in on their discussion.
Although the fasting that The Zohar speaks of is a spiritual act, in our world such a description is a good example of how strong a desire should be in order to be answered from Above. Other spiritual actions include weeping, tears – the small state (Katnut) of a spiritual Partzuf, in this case referred to as “Rabbi Chiya.” Naturally, Rabbi Shimon and all the other characters of The Zohar are spiritual Partzufim, rather than people of our world.
Truth be told, the spiritual level of a person known by a certain name in our world may coincide with his spiritual root described in the Torah. However, elucidation of this matter exceeds the scope of this particular article. It is nonetheless essential to note that Pharaoh in the corporeal Egypt, naturally, was not a spiritual Pharaoh, the way he is described in The Zohar (the Partzuf that includes all of Malchut), and Laban, portrayed in the Torah as a villain, is in fact the Supernal Spiritual Light of Partzuf AB, the Supernal Light of Hochma. This will be explained later on.
The strong desire to attain the degree of Rabbi Shimon allowed Rabbi Chiya to see him, for he was certain that Rabbi Shimon had not been consumed by the dust. He came to this conclusion precisely because of his conversation with Rabbi Yosi, and hence passionately desired to see Rabbi Shimon.
51. In that same vision, Rabbi Chiya saw several great celestial wings: how Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar mounted them and soared to the Assembly of Heaven, while the wings waited for them. Afterwards, they both returned to their place and shone brighter than ever before, brighter than the light of the sun.
The Heavenly Assembly refers to the Assembly of the angel Matatron. However, his full name is not pronounced, and the name Matat is used instead, for pronouncing a name is equivalent to an action, which is not always desirable. The term Supernal Assembly refers to the Assembly of the Creator Himself, while the Heavenly Assembly refers to the Assembly of Matat.
The wings that were waiting for Rabbi Shimon and his son Elazar are angels (spiritual forces, similar to robots or draft animals in our world), whose task is to help the souls to ascend from one spiritual degree to another. And just as these wings must assist the souls in their ascent, they must assist them to descend to their places. Therefore, it is said that the wings were waiting for Rabbi Shimon and his son Rabbi Elazar to bring them back down.
And when Rabbi Chiya saw them returning from the Heavenly Assembly back to their place (to Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly), he noticed a new light on their faces, and radiance surrounded them that was brighter than the sun.
52. Rabbi Shimon opened and said: “Let Rabbi Chiya enter and see how much the Creator renews the faces of the righteous in the world to come. Happy is he who comes here without shame. Happy is he who stands in the other world as a rigid pillar opposite all.” And Rabbi Chiya saw himself entering, and Rabbi Elazar and all the other pillars of the world that were there stood up before Rabbi Chiya. And he, Rabbi Chiya, was ashamed; he entered, bending, and sat at the feet of Rabbi Shimon.
Rabbi Shimon opened (opened the way for the Light) and said: “Happy is he who enters without shame.” And all that were present there felt no shame. Only Rabbi Chiya was ashamed. This is because they had the strength to withstand the power of the dust, and Rabbi Chiya did not. They were all perfect, whereas Rabbi Chiya had a flaw – the desire to attain. And this is what he was ashamed of.
53. A voice sounded: “Lower your eyes, do not raise your head, and do not look.” He lowered his eyes and saw Light that shone from afar. The voice returned and said: “The Supernal Ones, concealed and enclosed, who have eyes that watch over the entire world, look and see: the lower ones are sleeping, and the Light of their eyes is concealed in their pupils. Wake them!”
After he followed the instruction to lower his eyes and not raise his head (not use his desire to receive Light, but only desires to bestow), he merited hearing (Light of Hassadim) the appeal, with the help of which he attained everything he wished. The voice divides all souls into two groups: the first is a group of Supernal Holy Ones that are concealed, who merited their eyes to be opened to behold the entire world, and the second group of souls have the Light of their eyes concealed in their eye-sockets, which is what blinded them. This is why the voice called upon the souls of the first group to behold, i.e., to use the reception of the Upper Light, to draw the Upper Light together with the second group.
54. Who among you turns darkness into Light and savors bitter as sweet even before he came here, that is, while still living in the other world? Who among you hopes and waits each day for the Light that shines when the Lord distances, when His greatness grows and He is called the King of all kings of the world? For he who does not wait for this each day while living in this world, has no place in the other world either.
The Creator’s goal is for man to fully attain Him while still living in this world, to feel Him as he did prior to descending into this world, prior to incarnating in a physical body. From this the division of people of our world into two groups is clearly evident, and the voice appeals to them.
The voice emphasizes to each group their main advantage. To the souls of the first group, it says that they turned darkness into Light. These are the souls of the world of Atzilut, for the Creator created two opposite systems in the worlds BYA: the system of darkness and bitterness opposite the system of Light and sweetness. Therefore, in the Torah of the worlds BYA there is a division into suitable and unsuitable, pure and impure, permitted and forbidden, holy and unholy, whereas the Torah of the world of Atzilut, which consists wholly of the Creator’s names, contains nothing impure whatsoever.
And the sinner Laban is regarded as a holy name in the world of Atzilut, as well as the Pharaoh. And all the names that represent impure forces in the worlds BYA become corrected in the world of Atzilut, exalted and pure spiritual objects and forces with corresponding holy names. Therefore, the souls that have attained the Light of the world of Atzilut transform all darkness into Light and all bitterness into sweetness. In other words, the whole difference between the holy, pure, and good, and their opposites lies in the correction of the desire and in acquiring an anti-egoistic screen over the will to receive.
And to the second group the voice said that they’re waiting for the Creator’s help, and He will rise (Shechina, His manifestation to the lower ones) from the dust (in their sensations). But those who do not wait for Him, being preoccupied with other aspirations, will not rise from the dust, and the sensation of the Creator will remain concealed from them.
55. In his vision, Rabbi Chiya saw many of his friends gathering around the standing pillars. And he saw them being elevated to the Heavenly Assembly, some are elevated, while others are lowered. And above them all, he saw Matat, the owner of wings, approaching.
As the voice was calling, Rabbi Chiya saw several souls of the righteous, belonging to the two groups, standing around the two pillars that were already present in Rabbi Shimon’s assembly, and whom he had already seen ascending to the Heavenly Assembly. Some were ascending, and some were descending; moreover, this motion ensued in mutually opposite directions.
This way the two groups help one another according to the calling voice, which instructs the first group to descend and the second to ascend. Rabbi Chiya saw also that due to the excitement of all these souls over their aspirations, i.e., the power of the two groups, Matat descended from the Heavenly Assembly to the assembly of Rabbi Shimon and swore an oath.
56. The angel Matat swore that he heard from behind the curtain how each day the Creator remembers and grieves over Malchut, cast into the dust. And when He remembers her, He strikes 390 firmaments, and they all tremble with terrible fear before Him. And the Creator sheds tears for the Shechina (Divinity), Malchut that has fallen to the dust. And those tears simmer like fire, and fall into the Great Sea. And by the power of these tears, the Ruler of the Sea, called Rachav, is revived, blesses the Creator’s holy name, and vows to swallow up everything, from the first days of creation, and to absorb all within himself, when all the nations gather against the holy nation, and the waters will dry, and Israel will walk through dry land.
This vow signifies that the Creator never forgets, but remembers each day that the Shechina lies in the dust. However, this does not refer to the entire Holy Shechina: this, the Creator need not vow, for it is revealed and seen by all who dwell in the Upper Worlds that everything He does is for the Shechina (Malchut) alone.
But this refers only to Malchut de Malchut. She is the one Rabbi Chiya thinks about being held captive by the impure forces, completely abandoned. Hence, he wept: “Oh dust that consumes all!” And here, the angel Matat, who has come to the Assembly of Rabbi Shimon, revealed to Rabbi Chiya a great secret – that the Creator’s rule is absolute, and He remembers Malchut de Malchut each day.
A Zivug (union of the Masach-screen and the Light-pleasure) is defined as a stroke of Light onto the screen, a result of the desire to enter and cross the screen’s barrier, while the screen restricts and repels it. This act of repelling is called the Returning (reversed) Light, as it rises from the screen from below upwards and clothes the coming Light.
This may be compared to the example of the host (Creator) offering delicious food (Light) to his guest (Kli), who wishes to enjoy the delicacies. However, as a result of the shame from being the receiver, the guest refuses to receive, and the screen repels the food (Light). It is as though the guest (Kli) says to the host (Creator) that he refuses to receive the pleasure (Light) for himself, for his own enjoyment. This repelling of the food (Light) forms the Returning Light, for it stems not just from not wanting to feel shame, as it is in our world, but from the spiritual Kli’s desire to be like the Creator.
The Returning Light is that altruistic intention, desire. This is also the spiritual Kli, and only within it can the Light be received; only in this intention can one feel the Creator.
After the Kli was able to repel all the pleasure coming to it, and demonstrated that it could meet the condition of the first restriction (to refrain from egoistic reception), it began to calculate how much Light it could receive for the Creator’s sake. The Kli receives only the amount of pleasure that it is certain it can receive for the Creator’s sake.
The delight that was received inside the Kli is referred to as the Inner Light. The amount of Light received inside the vessel determines the degree of similarity to the Creator; the Kli acts like the Creator: just as He desires to bestow pleasure upon the Kli, so the Kli wishes to bestow upon Him, to the extent of the Inner Light received. Therefore, the size of the Kli, (from Peh to Tabur, where it receives the Light) determines the degree of merging with the Creator. In this place, the Kli is merged with Him in properties and intentions.
If the Kli’s powers of resistance are not sufficient to receive for the Creator’s sake, and it can only refrain from reception, the Kli is considered to be in the “small” state, Katnut. The Kli that was created by the Creator is the strongest. However, afterwards, as it begins to descend, its screen gradually weakens until the Kli can no longer receive for the Creator’s sake. It is left with just enough strength to not receive for itself. This is why from this state onward there is a ban on reception of Light into the Kli’s desires “to receive.” The Kli may only use its GE, but not its AHP. And the boundary beyond which the Light cannot spread is called Parsa, the firmament. This barrier is built from Above; thus, even if the Kli suddenly wishes to receive the Light for itself, it will not be able to do so.
The screen divides the firmament and consists of four parts: Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, and Malchut (HBTM), the four letters of HaVaYaH. Because Malchut joined with Bina and thereby corrected her egoistic properties into altruistic ones, the screen is located not in Malchut, but in Bina. Bina is counted as hundreds; therefore, the four parts HBTM equal 400. However, there is no Zivug (reception of Light) on Malchut de Malchut itself (after all, it is called the “closed gates”). This means that Malchut contains ninety Sefirot, and not 100: 9 Sefirot, each consisting of ten.
Therefore, the screen that is called “the firmament” and that makes a Zivug with the Upper Light by reflecting it consists of 390 parts, for the part of Malchut de Malchut is lacking. The firmament is therefore said to consist of 390 firmaments, and on it a daily Zivug with the Shechina is made, whereas a Zivug on the dust, which signifies the ten parts of Malchut de Malchut, is forbidden. The impact between the screen and the incoming Light resembles shuddering from fear to receive the Light inside of oneself, beyond the limits of one’s restrictions.
There are five Sefirot in the Rosh (head) of a Partzuf:
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Keter
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Galgalta (or Metzah)
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forehead
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Hochma
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-
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Eynaim
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-
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eyes
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Bina
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-
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Ozen
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-
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ear
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ZA
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-
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Hotem
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-
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nose
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Malchut
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Peh
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-
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mouth
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Just as the secretion from one’s physiological eyes is called tears, the secretion of the Light of Hochma from the part of the spiritual Kli called “eyes” is referred to as “tears.” Tears constitute the part of the Light that is rejected by the Partzuf due to the absence of a screen on Malchut de Malchut. All the Light that comes to a Partzuf wishes to enter and fill it with its pleasure, even the part of the Partzuf that has no screen to receive with altruistic intentions. Therefore, the screen immediately repels this portion of the Light.
But between the strike of the Light from Above and the resistance of the screen from below, tiny drops of Light seep through the screen, which, due to its hurry, is unable to repel them. These drops have nothing to do with the level of Hochma of the Partzuf, as they lack the clothing of the Returning Light. They exit the Partzuf Hochma and receive the name “tears.” But it is nonetheless Light!
This is similar to a state where we are filled with tears of compassion for another person. Indeed, all that exists in our world exists because it derives from its spiritual prototype, and all that transpires in this world, transpires only because it stems from its Upper, spiritual root.
After all, the fact that the Upper Light strikes the screen, trying to break through its restriction, stems from its origin in the Highest Place, the Creator Himself, and is unrelated to the creature’s desire to receive this Light within the bounds of its altruistic capabilities. The Light stems from the world of Infinity, from the Creator Himself, long before the Kli appeared and wished to restrict itself.
The Upper Light wishes to fill the desire to enjoy that it created, as it is said, “the Creator wishes to dwell in His creatures below.” The Light and the Creator are one and the same; after all, man defines the sensation of the Creator as spiritual Light. And this Upper Light strives to force its way through the screen and enter man’s desires, but the screen hurls it back. Thus, this repelled Upper Light becomes Returning Light, which designates man’s altruistic intentions to bestow delight upon the Creator.
As a result of the collision with the screen, portions of the Light fall outside, for these tears originate from the Creator’s love and compassion for His creation. In our world, this spiritual action results in an emission of tears in an individual overwhelmed with suffering and love. However, spiritual tears do not disappear.
This is described in Song of Songs (8:6): “For love is as strong as death, jealousy is as cruel as hell; the flashes thereof are flashes of fire, the very flame of the Lord!” This is because these tears stem from the Upper One's love and compassion for the lower one. And just as flaming tears shed by someone in our world burn, so do the boiling and burning Upper tears burn like fire, like the very flame of the Lord!
Being related to the property of Hochma, Malchut is called the “sea.” It is therefore said that the tears (Light of Hochma without first being clothed in Light of Hassadim) fall into the sea, into Malchut. And it is written that the many sea waters will not extinguish the Creator’s love for His creatures, expressed in these tears.
It was said during the creation of the world: “Let the waters be gathered together unto one place” (Beresheet, 1:9). But the angel that governed the sea did not wish to swallow these waters, and was hence killed (was emptied of Light). Now, as the tears fall, he is revived.
The reason for this is that during the creation of the world, Malchut de Malchut itself had not undergone any kind of correction, as the Creator created the worlds ABYA in a special correction, called MAN de Bina or Ateret Yesod, and not MAN de Malchut or Malchut de Malchut. In other words, correction is possible only if man corrects not Malchut de Malchut itself (his essence), but, while completely refraining from its use (use of egoism), he acquires higher, altruistic desires from Bina and receives the Creator’s Light in them (in Sefirot KHB-ZA de Malchut, in 390 Sefirot).
These higher, altruistic desires are referred to as desires of Bina or as MAN de Bina, and the reception of Light in them (Zivug) is made not on egoism (Malchut herself), but on the will to bestow, called Ateret Yesod. This Zivug is therefore sufficient to fill only the first nine Sefirot in Malchut, but does not fill Malchut herself.
Prophet Yeshayahu (Isaiah) writes in this regard: “Who are you with, partners? I started the worlds, and you are to complete them!” The correction of Malchut de Malchut is incumbent solely upon the creatures. Hence, when the sea ruler was told: “Let the waters be gathered together unto one place,” he objected and did not wish to swallow up the created waters, for due to the uncorrected state of Malchut de Malchut, the impure forces prevailed and ruled over him. And that is why he was killed.
However, these tears correct Malchut de Malchut, and thus revive the sea ruler so that he would rise from the dead, sanctify the name of the Lord, fulfill the Creator’s will, and swallow up the primeval waters. For then, all the impure forces, all the evil in the world will disappear and all (desires) will gather in one place (property), whose name is Atzilut. This is because the world of Atzilut will spread from the end of the world of AK down to our world, and there will come the end of correction, for the worlds of BYA will return in their properties to the world of Atzilut.
In the future, at the end of correction, after the correction of the first nine Sefirot of Malchut, when only Malchut de Malchut, the last, tenth Sefira, remains to be corrected, when all the nations of the world (Malchut de Malchut) unite to destroy Israel (the first nine Sefirot of Malchut, the desire to correct all the ten Sefirot of Malchut), the act of the sea ruler will be revealed in that he will swallow up all the primeval, evil waters, and the waters (severe restrictions) will dry up, and the sons of Israel (those who aspire for the Creator) will walk through dry land.
The prophet Micha (Micah) says of this: “As we fled the land of Egypt, we saw wonders.” However, this was only the beginning, for it was only in the End Sea (the Red Sea; the Hebrew name signifies the end of Malchut, or Malchut de Malchut), and only for a limited time. But, at the end of correction, death will disappear forever.
This is how Matat explained his oath: “the Creator never forgets Malchut, which is cast in the dust. For even though a daily Zivug with the Shechina is made on only 390 firmaments, on the nine Sefirot of Malchut and not on Malchutde Malchut itself, which remains lying in the dust, and, as it seems to us, completely forgotten by the Creator, nothing could be further from the truth. In truth, He corrects it with each Zivug, because with each Zivug, as a result of the 390 firmaments being struck, the tears fall outside. And these tears are not lost, but fall into the Great Sea (Malchut de Malchut), which receives from them slow, yet gradual corrections, even if it is the Light of Hochma without the clothing of the Light of Hassadim. As it becomes more and more corrected, the sea ruler is revived until the tears accumulate to the necessary amount for the correction of the entire Malchut, so that all of her intentions would be for the Creator’s sake.
This will occur when all the nations of the world unite to attack Israel. Then, the sea ruler will rise back to life and swallow up all the primeval waters, for Malchut de Malchut will receive the lacking correction, for each day the Creator cares for her until she, His only creation, reaches her final correction.
And here Rabbi Chiya’s delusion was revealed to him: he understood that nothing disappears in the dust, but, on the contrary, each day Malchut undergoes corrections, just as Matat swore.
57. Through all this, he heard a voice: “Clear this place, clear this place! The Mashiach (Messiah), the King-Redeemer is coming to the assembly of Rabbi Shimon,” for all the righteous gathered there are the heads of groups and assemblies, whereas all of the assembly members ascend from this assembly to the Assembly of Heaven. And the Mashiach visits all these assemblies and seals the Torah that stems from the mouths of the righteous. And at that moment, the Mashiach comes to the assembly of Rabbi Shimon, surrounded by the heads of all the Supernal assemblies.
As a result of the great revelation – the end of correction – concealed in the oath of Matat, all of the righteous present at Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly were elevated, especially the two groups of the righteous that caused Matat to appear and take his oath. As a result, all of them attained Upper Degrees and reached the levels of “heads of assemblies,” for each assembly has members and a head, and the difference between them is similar to the difference between VAK, GE of the degree or Partzuf, from GAR, the complete Partzuf.
Hence, it is written that the place should be cleared for the Mashiach. After all, when Matat revealed the secret of the end (of correction), and specifically how creation will be delivered from egoism, a voice appeared and commanded to prepare a place for the Mashiach, the King-Redeemer, for the end of correction is connected to the King- Mashiach.
However, only the righteous of Rabbi Shimon’s assembly, who are above all the heads of assemblies, merit his coming, for only those who are on the same spiritual level as the King- Mashiach (all those who have already corrected all of their other properties – the first nine Sefirot in their part of desires- Malchut – all of the properties except for the original egoism, Malchut de Malchut) can merit the revelation of his face.
The level of the Mashiach is the Light of Yechida. And if all the members had not reached the level of the heads of the assemblies, the GAR of the degrees, i.e., corrected all that they could, they would not have merited the revelation of the Mashiach’s face. But the heads of the Assemblies are not GAR of the low degrees. Rather, they represent a level so high that all the members have merited reaching the Heavenly Assembly of Matat.
And now all the members merited becoming the heads of the Assemblies, wherefrom they merited an ascent to the Heavenly Assembly. Moreover, thanks to their corrections, they merited the Mashiach himself coming to all these assemblies to be adorned with their deeds in the Torah. And now all the members have merited reaching the level of the assemblies’ heads. This is why the Mashiach is adorned with the Torah of the assemblies’ heads. Thus, thanks to them, the Mashiach himself ascends to a Higher Degree.
58. At that time, all the members stood up. Rabbi Shimon stood up, too, and his Light rose to the firmament. The Mashiach said unto him: “Happy are you, Rabbi, for your Torah has risen in 370 beams of Light, and each beam divides into 613 beams (properties) that ascend and bathe in the rivers of the holy Apharsemon (persimmon). And the Creator confirms and signs the Torah of your assembly, of the assembly of Chizkiyah (Hezekiah), the King of Judah, and the assembly of Achiyah ha Shiloni (Ahijah the Shilonite).”
When the Mashiach revealed himself to them and came to Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly, all the members stood up (ascended from the level of VAK to GAR), and Rabbi Shimon stood on the same degree as the Mashiach. And the Light rose to the height of the firmament. This indicates that Rabbi Shimon has attained the Light of the ten firmaments, the previously missing tenth firmament on account of the closed gates of Malchut de Malchut, and has attained the Light of Yechida, which he now was able to receive, as he could make a Zivug on Malchut de Malchut. And the Light of Yechida that shines from this Zivug is called Mashiach. The “sitting” level is 390, or VAK; the “standing” level is 400, or GAR.
The Mashiach said to Rabbi Shimon that his Torah gave rise to the Light of Yechida in Partzuf Atik, because:
Units (0 – 9) are in Malchut;
Tens (10 – 90) are in ZA;
Hundreds (100 – 900) are in Ima;
Thousands (1,000 – 9,000) are in Aba;
Tens of thousands (10,000 – 90,000) are in Arich Anpin;
And hundreds of thousands (100,000 – 900,000) are in Atik.
Since each Sefira of Atik equals 100,000, the four Sefirot of HaVaYaH(HBTM of Atik) total 400,000.
However, in this case, he should have said that the Torah performed the deed in 400,000; yet, he said that the Light emanated by Ima is not used on 400, but only on 370, for although the Torah had reached the zenith of the firmament, it still could not reach GAR of the last, Supernal Hundred. Hence, there are only 370, while the Upper Thirty are absent in Ima.
The same applies with regard to thousands – the Light of Aba does not use GAR of each thousand, but only VAK, i.e., 600 instead of 1,000. Instead of the GAR of each thousand, it uses thirteen (Hochma of the “thirty-two Netivot (paths of) Hochma”). The number thirteen signifies Hochma of the “thirty-two Netivot Hochma,” the weak Light of Hochma, called the holy Apharsemon.
It is therefore said that the Torah attained 370 lights, and each of them divides into 613 beams; thus, in the 400 of Ima, thirty of the Upper Light of Hochma are absent, which leaves it with only 370. And each thousand lacks the Upper 400 (GAR of Hochma). Instead of using the thirteen paths of the holy Apharsemon, each thousand contains no more than 613, for all the supernal secrets are concealed in Rabbi Shimon’s assembly. And the Creator Himself sealed them, for He ascends and becomes adorned with the achievements of all the righteous in the Torah.
We know from the Talmud (Sanhedrin, 99:1) that everything the prophets ever said refers only to the days of the Mashiach’s coming, but in the future (Yeshayahu, 64), everyone will behold the Creator themselves. For all the degrees and levels that refer to the days of the Mashiach will then be corrected, and all the secrets of the Torah will be revealed, everyone will attain complete revelation of the Light, of the Creator, as it is said, everyone will see with their own eyes (sight implies GAR de Hochma).
From the aforesaid, it becomes clear that there exists an opportunity to correct one’s individual Malchut de Malchut even before all the souls achieve it in the future. In such a case, man reaches his individual level of attainment of 400, although his general level cannot be higher than 370, as in the case of everybody else. This is the degree that Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Chizkiyah, and Achiyah ha Shiloni had reached.
59. The Mashiach said: “I have come here not to confirm the Torah of your assembly, but only because the “owner of wings” is on his way here. For I know that he shall not enter any other assembly, but only yours.” Meanwhile, Rabbi Shimon told him of the oath taken by the “owner of wings.” Right then the Mashiach trembled in awe and raised his voice, and the Heavens shook, and the Great Sea boiled, and the Leviathan stirred, and the entire world threatened to overturn.
At that moment, he saw Rabbi Chiya in Rabbi Shimon’s adornments. He asked, “Who gave man in this world the adornments, garment of the other world?” (garment of the other world onto the body of this world). Rabbi Shimon answered, “This is Rabbi Chiya, the cresset of the Torah!” He said to him, “Gather him and his sons (those who have left this world), and they shall join your Assembly.” Rabbi Shimon said, “Time was granted to him, he was granted time” (Rabbi Chiya’s time has not yet come).
The Mashiach said to Rabbi Shimon that he came not for the sake of the Torah, but because the “owner of wings” has come to the assembly, wishing to know what Matat had said. For Matat had revealed that the end of correction would be preceded by terrible suffering for Israel – the Heavens and the Great Sea would tremble, and the world would be on the verge of collapse, as predicted in the Talmud (Sanhedrin, 97): “All is broken.” Hence, he raised his voice, wishing to mitigate all this upheaval.
The Mashiach was surprised to see Rabbi Chiya’s garment (that Rabbi Chiya exists in a physical body of our world, in the property of this world), for if he had merited the appearance of Matat and his oath, he had attained the degree of complete correction of all his evil. And since he merited seeing the Mashiach’s face, to receive the Light of Yechida, he had obviously completed his work in this world, and there is nothing left for him to do here. Hence, he should leave it and enter Rabbi Shimon’s assembly in the Garden of Eden.
But Rabbi Shimon persuaded Rabbi Chiya that he needs to continue performing new, additional corrections in this world. And both the Mashiach and Rabbi Shimon explained to Rabbi Chiya what else specifically he still needed to do in this world.
60. Rabbi Chiya trembled in awe when the Mashiach left, and his eyes fulfilled with tears. For the Mashiach left Rabbi Shimon’s Assembly weeping from the great desire for the final correction and redemption. And Rabbi Chiya was also anguished from the fervent desire to reach the end of correction. Rabbi Chiya cried and said: “Happy is the lot of the righteous in the other world, and happy is the lot of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who has merited all of this.”