Several preliminary remarks
1. The terms that are used in most fields of knowledge and study are
generally not translated into any other language. For example: In
medicine, Latin terms are used; in Music, Italian terms are used.
This is also the case in our texts. It is impossible to translate
many Kabbalistic terms into English due to the actual meaning of the
words, the numeric value of the letters, which comprise the words
(Gematria), their form and elements as well as other factors that are
extremely important.
It would be most desirable to leave the terms in Hebrew, because even
the form of their inscription contains deep meaning. Yet, for different
reasons, we were unable to do so.
Depending on the way terms are used in the text, we use prepositions
that correspond to the English language. For instance: "in
Sefira," and "from Masach,"- Hebrew endings are used
to define the plural tense. For example: In feminine gender the
plural of Sefira becomes Sefirot, or in the masculine
gender the plural of Partzuf becomes– Partzufim.
The Spiritual Worlds are not limited by space, time, or position
(place or movement). The visual form of an object does not exist in
them. For this reason, all the graphical representations are just
portrayal of the correlation between the spiritual objects.
2. Kabbalah uses the language of branches. This means that the words
defining the objects of our world refer to their spiritual
counterparts. It’s necessary to constantly remember
this and to learn to sense what’s being implied by the names of the
spiritual actions and objects.
3. Cognition in Kabbalah as in any other science is gradual and
layered. At first one learns the easiest, the top layer, the initial
data, simplified schemes, and the general picture. Then the second
stage comes – the thorough analysis of every detail. This is followed
by the third stage – the combination of all the details into a
unified picture. Analysis and synthesis is the concluding stage.
This way the material is comprehended more efficiently. Gradually, the
general picture becomes clearer, the details are clarified, and all
the processes are comprehended on a perceptive level, as opposed to a
speculative level. It is said that a specialist in any field is the
person who perceives the material without any devices or sketches, by
using the sixth sense, so to speak.
Kabbalah also requires repetitive comprehension of the text and work
on oneself, until the feelings are equal to the material that’s being
studied, and, as a result, come to the surface. This could be compared
with the fulfillment of the musician reading the score – the notes
give him a complete picture about the work of music. The music sounds
in his head without the aid of musical instruments.
4. Therefore, during the first reading, it’s enough to understand just
the order of the creation of the Spiritual Worlds and our world.
During the second reading – the reasons for their creation. Only
afterwards – the path of a man - from our world, from down – up,
towards the Spiritual Worlds and through them - to the Source. Under
no circumstances does this refer, as some might think, to the desire
to “relocate to the other world”, to die. As it’s been said previously,
our goal is to live in both worlds simultaneously, attaining the
Creator.
5. If by advancing in your studies you find the material to be less
comprehensible, don't worry. This is normal and it indicates the
correct relationship to the material as well as movement forward.
Continue your studies and understanding will come!
Before the Creation appeared there was only the Creator.
0. The Creator emanated Light. The Light constitutes His desire to
create beings and bestow delight upon them. This phase of the Creation
is called Phase 0 or Keter (lit.: a crown).
1. The spreading Light creates a desire to receive pleasure from it.
This desire is called a vessel. The vessel is completely filled with
the Light and enjoys it. This is Phase 1 or Hochma.
2. Enjoying the Light, the vessel begins to feel the Light’s
property – “to bestow”. As a result of this, the vessel transforms
its desire to receive pleasure into a desire to bestow (to give). The
vessel wishes to be similar to the Light, refuses to receive, expels
the Light and wants to bestow. This is Phase 2 or Bina.
3. Phase 2 (the will to bestow) generates an act of giving: the empty
vessel starts feeling that it cannot give unless it receives. Hence it
resumes receiving as in Phase 1, but of its own free will.
As a result of this decision the next phase emerges: a will to receive
as in Phase 1 combined with a will to bestow as in Phase 2. Such a
mixed phase is called Phase 3 or Zeir Anpin.
4. This vessel consists of two opposite states. It discovers that it
is a lot more natural for it to receive than to bestow. An independent
desire to receive (unlike the one given from above as in Phase 1) is
born in the vessel for the first time. The vessel becomes completely
filled with the Light of Hochma. This is Phase 4 or
Malchut.
This infinitely filled vessel is considered the genuine, true
Creation, because its desires come from within it as distinct from the
vessel in Phase 1, which, having no aspirations of its own, was
filled with the Light, because the Light, the Creator so wished.
Only in Phase 4 the Creation freely chooses to receive the Light
emanating from the Creator. This first desire to enjoy the Light
emerges from within the Creation.
Phases Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin and Malchut are called the four phase
of the Straight Light emanating from the Creator in order to create a
desire to receive, Malchut, the true Creation.
Correspondence of the Designations in the Texts and
Pictures
Stage 0 – Behina Shoresh
Stage 1 – Behina Alef
Stage 2 – Behina Bet
Stage 3 – Behina Gimel
Stage 4 – Behina Dalet
Nothing else exists in the world except these two: the Creator’s desire
to bestow delight and the Creation’s will to receive it. Absolutely
everything submits to this rule. Whatever we may say about the Creation
at all stages of its evolution: inanimate, vegetative, animate and
human – all the created beings wish to receive a spark of the Light,
meaning they strive after pleasure. The Creator made the Creation in
such a way that it would enjoy His Light in absolute perfection, in an
endless and unlimited manner.
But if the Light enters the vessel and completely fills it, the vessel
does not want to receive anymore, the Light destroys desire and, for
the lack of it, delight disappears. We all know from experience that
even being very hungry we start eating, and after a while we feel
satisfied and reluctant to continue, no matter what delicacies may be
placed before us.
How can we make pleasure perfect and unlimited? A special scheme was
devised by the Creator for that purpose. It consists in the fact that
if pleasure is felt not because you receive it for yourself, but
because by this you bestow delight upon another, it becomes infinite,
because it depends on how much you can give. The more people you can
bestow upon, the more pleasure you receive.
Such a state creates eternal existence and perfection and refers to
the Creator’s properties. This is the state the Creator wants all the
created beings to achieve. If the Creation wishes only to receive, it
naturally finds itself in a closed state and can feel only what is
inside it. If it could only sense how delighted the Creator is by the
Creation’s reception, it would enjoy endlessly, like a mother, who is
delighted to give to her child.
One can enjoy infinitely only if the reception is not for one’s own
sake, i.e. one receives delight for the Giver’s sake. Then the Light,
which enters the vessel, does not eliminate a desire to enjoy it. This
is the most optimal model of existence, sheer perfection.
The Light does not simply bring pleasure. This is the delight from
unlimited attainment, infinite existence, self-knowledge and
self-analysis. This is the sensation of eternity, perfection and bliss
on all coordinates.
The ideal model is as follows: the Creator bestows the Light upon the
Creation. The Creation lays down one condition: it agrees to receive
the Creator’s Light provided this reception gives pleasure to Him.
Such a model is called the reflected Light, in contrast to the
Creator’s Straight Light.
First of all, for realizing this model there should be a desire
attracting the Straight Light to the Creation. Then the Creation p
laces a screen in the Light’s way, preventing the egoistic reception
of pleasure, as if saying that it can accept delight if it is e
quivalent to bestowal, i.e. receive for the Creator’s sake.
Then the Creation becomes like the Creator. It turns out be an
exchange of a sort: the Creator bestows delight upon the Creation,
which agrees to accept it only if it brings Him pleasure.
Baal Sulam gives a very simple and comprehensible example of a guest
calling on a host. The host puts various dishes on the table and
invites his guest to have a meal. The guest takes a seat, but is too
embarrassed to eat. First, he does not want to be a receiver; secondly,
he is not quite sure the host is sincere in his attempts to give him
a treat.
The guest feels shame, because he receives, while his host is a giver.
So the guest refuses to eat altogether in order to find out what the
host’s true desire is.
If the host starts asking his guest to taste the food and thus
please him, demonstrating his sincere desire, then after a few
declines, the guest (now 100% sure he will please the host) commences
to eat. At this point he sees himself not as a receiver, but as a
giver of pleasure.
Thus they trade places. In spite of the fact that the host prepared
the meal, arranged the table and wants to give the guest a treat, he
understands that now everything depends on the guest, who controls the
situation.
The Creator purposefully made the Creation in such a way that under
the influence of the Light it feels ashamed of reception. Using its
free will, it independently reaches a state, when it wants to receive
not for itself, but for pleasing the Creator.
In this case the Creation reaches the Creator’s level; Malchut
rises to the level of Keter and acquires the Creator’s properties.
These qualities, properties and sensations are impossible to describe,
and cannot be grasped. Climbing the first step of equivalence with the
Creator already means eternity, absolute delight and attainment,
whereas the highest spiritual level cannot be expressed in the
language of our world.
The wisdom of Kabbalah studies the gradual development of the
Creation. It shows the process of correction, which all the worlds
(including ours) are to go through in order to reach the Creator’s
level, the eternal and perfect state. This entire way must be covered
while we are in this world and in this body.
The Kabbalists reached this perfect state and described it for us.
Absolutely all the souls have to follow their example, each in its own
time. Until the last soul completes its corrections, all the others
will have to continue incarnating in this world. Only here it is
possible to make corrections, enter the spiritual world and ultimately
reach Phase 0 (Keter).
Can it all be achieved within one lifetime? No, it cannot. At birth
man receives a soul, which already descended to this world, made some
corrections and possesses a certain experience.
Hence the people born today are much more intelligent and experienced.
They are more prepared for today’s conditions of technical and cultural
progress and diverse social change.
In this generation the desire to study Kabbalah is steadily growing.
The souls have accumulated so much experience during their previous
lives that already a person of twenty or twenty-five cannot live
without attaining the spiritual knowledge, whereas previously only a f
ew out of millions felt some vague inclination to the spiritual.
A few more years will pass and already within one lifetime (maybe
less) it will be possible to reach the spiritual state. This is the
initially predetermined purpose of the Creation. All of us are parts of
Malchut having a precisely defined property and a goal in
this world.
Transforming its properties under the influence of different factors
of our world and according to the special system of Kabbalah studies,
each such part achieves its correction thus reaching the ultimate
state.
The way of each part is predetermined from above. All of us are born
with a certain soul, with unique properties. None of us chose his
soul. Naturally, everyone’s way is predetermined.
So what is left for us? Where is our free will? Why are we considered
intelligent beings and not just controlled mechanical objects? Where
is this opportunity to show our worth, which the Creator gave us?
Only in one, but the most important aspect: man himself should wish
to choose the way of correction and ascent, moving forward with the
speed corresponding to the power of his desire.
Everyone is obliged to start at the initial point and reach the final
destination. We have no free will in that. We have to cover the entire
way, going through all its stages and sensations, gradually absorbing
all of them.
Freedom consists in our readiness to agree with all that happens on
our way, justify each stage and choose the maximum speed in this
process of correction and merging with the Creator.
This and only this depends on man and this is the manifestation of the
essence of Creation – to independently wish to get out of the state it
was in at the moment of Creation, be corrected and merge with the
Creator in the final point.
Wishing to bestow His delight upon the created beings in an absolute
way, the Creator obliged man to complement and correct his own nature’s
shortcomings.
A human being can be called “man” only to the extent of the
manifestation of this desire in him; otherwise he is just a faceless
creature. Kabbalah is the only science, which develops man by turning
him into an independent, free personality.
The World of
Infinity and the First Restriction
The four phases of formation of Kli are distinguished by the
intensity of their desire to receive pleasure (by its coarseness and
hardness). Phase 0 and Phase 1 have no such desire. The more remote
the Creation becomes from the Creator, the bigger the desire to enjoy
it feels, the more egoistic, coarse its will to receive becomes.
Phase 4, Malchut is absolutely egoistic and this desire
originates from its decision.
Each of the four consecutive phases is one inside another:
Keter is inside Hochma, both of them are inside
Bina, all the three are inside Zeir Anpin, and
Malchut includes all the four phases. Each preceding phase
supports the next one and provides its existence. (Drawing Nr. 6 in
the Album of Drawings)
Phase 4 received the Light, which completely filled it. It was stated
above that when the Light fills the vessel with pleasure (especially
because the vessel desires it and simply draws it in); it gradually
assumes its property of bestowal (Drawing Nr. 7 in the Album of
Drawings)
Then Malchut begins to feel that its property is
totally opposite to that of the Light. It feels its own egoism in
comparison with the giver, and this generates in it such powerful
shame that it stops receiving the Light and remains empty.
The expulsion of the Light from Malchut is called the First
Restriction (Tzimtzum Alef). Being empty, Malchut
reaches a sort of equilibrium with the giver: neither of them receives
nor bestows anything, giving no pleasure to one another (Drawing Nr.
8 in the Album of Drawings). So how can Malchut for all that
be made equal to the Creator?
Exactly as it was in the example about the host and the guest,
Malchut pushes the coming Light away, because it does not
wish to be a receiver and then lays down a condition that it will
accept a portion of the Light not for its own enjoyment, but to please t
he Creator, knowing He wants Malchut to receive delight.
Hence this kind of reception is already equivalent to bestowal and
Malchut turns from a receiver into a giver.
We see that a genuine desire appears after the Light passes through
the four phases. Each of our desires goes through the same process.
It passes through all four phases of the Light development before
manifesting in us, when we finally may feel it. There cannot be a
desire without the Light. The Light is primary, a desire is secondary.
The Screen and the Reflected Light
Let us examine the structure of the Creation created during Phase 4.
The Light emanating from the Creator is called Straight Light (Ohr
Yashar). The Light Malchut repels is called Reflected
Light (Ohr Hozer). The Light entering partially into the
vessel is called Inner Light (Ohr Pnimi). Most of the Light
left outside is called Surrounding Light (Ohr Makif)
(Drawing Nr. 31 in the Album of Drawings).
When the guest faces the host and the table full of delicacies at
first he refuses everything, then decides to eat a bit in order to
please the host even though he would like to gulp everything down in
one go. This means that we must use our selfish desires, but in an
altruistic way. As the guest starts to consider things, he understands
that he cannot accept the whole dinner for the sake of the host; he
only may accept a small portion of it.
Rosh –Toch – Sof – Partzuf
This is why the created being, after having performed a restriction,
can accept with altruism a small portion of the Light, let us say 20%,
but it pushes away the remaining 80%. The part of the created being
that makes a decision on how much Light it may accept inside for the
sake of the Creator is called Rosh (Head). The part of the
Screen located above Malchut which lets the Light enter
inside is called Mouth (Peh) (Drawing Nr. 31 in the Album of D
rawings).
The part accepting the Light is called Toch (Inner part) and
the last part, which remains empty, is called Sof (End). This is the
place where the created being performs a restriction and no longer
accepts the Light. Toch and Sof together form Body
(Guf).
The line exerting a restriction, inside the Guf, is called
Navel (Tabur). The lowest part, which is devoid of Light, is
called Conclusion (Sium). This object as a whole constitutes the
Creation, the soul, Partzuf.
The Language of Branches and Roots
As we see, different terms are attributed to the various parts of
creation using analogies with the human body. There are no terms,
labels and numbers in the spiritual worlds. It is nevertheless easier
and more convenient to use words.
Kabbalists have chosen to express themselves in a very simple
language: given the fact that everything in our world results from
the spiritual worlds, in accordance with the direct connections
descending from Above downward, from every spiritual object to every
object in our world. Then for everything that has a name in our world,
we may take the name of an object of our world and use it to designate
the spiritual object that begets it.
Let us take the example of a stone in our world. There is a force
Above which generates this stone: it will therefore be named “stone.”
The only difference is that the “spiritual stone” is a spiritual root
endowed with specific attributes, which in turn matches a branch in
our world, labeled “stone,” a material object.
This is how the language of branches was created. By means of names,
denominations and actions of our world we can refer back to elements
and actions in the spiritual worlds. Naturally, such a language can be
worked out only by someone, who is able to see the root and the branch,
the cause and the effect at the same time, i.e. a person simultaneously
living in both worlds.
Bitush
How does the spreading of the Light (twenty percent in this case)
inside the Guf take place? The Screen, which was initially positioned
on the level of Peh de Rosh (the Mouth of the Head), is
brought down by the Light’s pressure by twenty percent below the
Peh into the Guf, until it reaches the line of the
Tabur.
Having received twenty percent of the Light in Toch,
the Partzuf begins to feel the pressure exerted by the S
urrounding Light, Ohr Makif, which essentially promotes how
pleasant it is to receive a part of the light, and tempts us to accept
the delight left outside. We all know that it is preferable not to
receive pleasure at all, than receive only a little. That is why it
begins pressing both from inside and outside, making it very hard to
resist (Drawings Nr. 31, 31 in the Album of Drawings).
The pressure exerted simultaneously by the Ohr Pnimi and the
Ohr Makif on the Tabur is termed “Bitush Pnim uMakif”
While it was not accepting any Light at all, the Partzuf
could remain in that state for a long time, but now the Light exerts
pressure both from inside and outside. . If the Partzuf
accepts some more Light, this means acting for its own delight,
because the strength of its resistance to selfishness equals only
twenty percent. The Partzuf declines to do so. It did perform
the First Restriction, not to act later on in such a way. This would
be totally inappropriate. There is only a single solution, which
consists in rejecting the Light in order to revert to the initial
state, the way it was before accepting the Light. And this is exactly
what the Partzuf does.
Reshimo
When the Light is expelled from the Guf, the Screen rises
progressively from the Tabur to the Peh de Rosh,
pushing the Light away. Before the spreading of the Light inside the
Guf, the Partzuf had all information available in the
Rosh. It knew what kind of Light it is, what kind of delight
it brings, it knew what its own desire is, and how strong its force is
opposed to the delight for its own sake.
According to all this information, as well as the information
remaining from the state when the Partzuf was filled with
Light, and from the state following the restriction of the Light, the
Partzuf keeps a memory of the past - an imprint, which is
called Reshimo.
What exists in the spiritual? Nothing but the desire to delight and
the delights satisfying this desire. The information about the desire
per se in the Partzuf is called Aviut, and the i
nformation corresponding to the Light, which would clothe itself with
a Kli (Vessel), is called Hitlabshut. One can justly say that there
is only the Creator and Creation.
From the previous state there always remain a Reshimo of
Hitlabshut and a Reshimo of Aviut. These
two parameters are sufficient to define the previous state of the
Partzuf. After having rejected the Light, a Partzuf
knows precisely what it felt when the Light resided in its
Guf. With this experience it knows how to act and what sort
of calculations it has to carry out.
A Set of Partzufim – the World
The Partzuf now understands that it is no longer possible to
retain twenty percent of the Light. The decision is made to taste
fifteen percent of it for the sake of the Creator. For this to
happen, the Partzuf needs to move down a bit so that its
Rosh and Peh will be positioned below the level of the
previous Partzuf. The Light hitting the Screen is pushed
away, and only perhaps fifteen percent gets in.
How are the Hitlabshut and the Aviut determined?
The calculation
begins in the World of Ein Sof (the World of Infinity), where
Malchut (Aviut Dalet, Desire of Level 4) is totally filled
with the corresponding Light (Hitlabshut Dalet, Light of
Level 4). This state of Malchut is shortly characterized by
“Dalet-Dalet,” and is denoted by (4,4).
The next Partzuf retains the data that now it is capable to
fill itself up with Light, which corresponds only to Aviut
Gimel, Desire of Level 3, and so on. Each of the following
Partzufim lowers its capacity to fill its Guf with
Light for the sake of the Creator more and more.
Altogether there are 5 Partzufim, which emerge from above
to below. Together they form a set of Partzufim called the
World of Adam Kadmon, AK (Drawings Nr. 28, 29, 30 in the
Album of Drawings).
Five Worlds
After the World of Adam Kadmon emerges, Reshimo is
renewed and, as a result, 5 worlds come into being. We shall discuss
in detail below.
When the turn of the last Partzuf arrives, its lower part
crosses the separating line, the Barrier (Machsom) between
the spiritual world and our world, and begins to shine in our world.
Our world is a state of Malchut characterized by the absence
of a Screen (Drawings Nr. 9, 9a in the Album of Drawings).
Descent of the Worlds
In general we study two stages: (i) the descent of the created being
from above, while it develops from the very idea, as conceived by the
Creator, up to the level of our world and (ii) the ascent of man from
our world all the way to the highest degree. We do not mean any
actual physical movement, because our body remains on this material
plane, but in a spiritual way, as a result of our efforts and
development
In the Partzuf shown above there are two conditions: (i)
when it receives Light and enjoys, this Kli (Vessel) is
called Hochma. (ii) when the Kli wants to give and
also enjoys, then it is called Bina. These two vessels are
opposite.
In fact there also exists a third condition, the mixed one. This is
where the vessel receives a portion for the Creator’s sake but still
remains partially empty. Such a condition is called Zeir
Anpin. Here we have 10% of the Light of Hochma and 90%
of the Light of Hassadim. If there is Light of
Hochma in the vessel, such a condition is called
Panim (Face). It is small or big, depending on the quantity
of the Light of Hochma.
The final stage, Malchut, is the genuine desire to receive -
the created being - because it is eager to receive the Light of
Hochma. The Light therefore completely fills
Malchut. This condition of Malchut is called
Ein Sof, the World of Infinity, i.e., unlimited receiving.
Afterwards, Malchut, still willing to receive the Light,
decides not to use this will. It understands that a desire to receive
for its own sake moves it away from the Creator. Therefore it makes
its First Restriction and pushes the Light away and remains empty.
By giving the Light away, Malchut likens its attributes to
the Creator’s. The delight of giving away is felt as absolute and
complete. The delight does not disappear because the giver endlessly
feels the receiver while giving to him and thus sending him pleasure.
While doing so the Kli is able to endlessly feel the delight
with regards to both quantity and quality. It is understood that when
the Creator created Vessels, He organized them in such a way that
they progressively absorbed the Light’s attribute of giving
relentlessly and thereby became similar to the Light.
One may pose the question, how can Malchut be similar to the
Light and still receive delight? We stated previously that
Malchut puts an anti-egoistic screen on all its desires.
One hundred percent of Light-Delight is placed in front of it,
according to Malchut’s desire to receive, e.g. 100 kg.
Using a Screen of 100 kg (the force that counteracts its wish to
receive Delight), Malchut pushes away all the Delight and
decides to receive as much Light as necessary to please the Creator.
Such receiving of Light is equal to giving.
The Light which comes to Malchut is called Ohr
Yashar (Straight Light). All the Light which is reflected is
called Ohr Hozer (Returning Light). The twenty percent of
the Light which enters inside is called Ohr Pnimi (Inner
Light). The greatest part of the Light left outside is called
Ohr Makif (Surrounding Light). In the lower part of
Malchut, where Ohr Hochma has not entered, there is
Ohr Hassadim (Drawing Nr. 31 in the Album of Drawings)
From the condition of Malchut in the World of Ein S
of, there remains a Reshimo. This Reshimo is
composed of: (i) Dalet de Hitlabshut(information about the
quality and quantity of Light) and (ii) Dalet de Aviut
(information about the force of desire).
In order to feel the spiritual shame resulting from receiving,
without giving in return, it is necessary first of all to perceive
the Creator, His properties, to feel Him as the Giver, to see His
glory. Then the comparison between His properties and one’s egoistic
nature will bring about the feeling of shame.
But in order to arrive at this perception, one has a lot to learn.
As the glory of the Creator gradually unfolds, a desire to do
something for Him appears. To give to the Superior is like receiving.
We may also observe this in our world. If someone has the opportunity
to do a favor to a great person, he will do it with pleasure and
enjoyment.
The aim of all our work is the revelation of the Creator: His Glory
and Might. Once this level is reached, what we witness will serve as
our source of energy for doing something for the Creator’s benefit.
This revelation of the Creator, it should be emphasized, will occur
only when we have already acquired a definite desire to use it only
for altruistic purpose, i.e., for attaining the altruistic attributes.
The first Partzuf that received a portion of the Light is
called Galgalta. After Bitush Pnim uMakif i.e.,
being struck by both Lights, Ohr Pnimi and Ohr
Makif, on the Screen at the Tabur (Navel), the
Partzuf realizes that it will not be able to resist the
delights of the Light that presses from outside. The Partzuf
decides to push the Light away. In the current state this decision
does not pose any problem because none of the delights are felt by
the Partzuf.
After the forcing out of the Light, the Screen rises, weakens and
joins the Peh (Mouth) of Rosh (Head). This action
is called Hizdakchut(Refinement). When, on the contrary,
under the effect of the Light the Screen goes down, its
Aviut (coarseness) increases (Drawings Nr. 29, 30 of the
Album of Drawings).
After the forcing out of the Light from the first Partzuf,
there remained Reshimot: Dalet de Hitlabshut (information
about the quality and quantity of Light) and Gimel de Aviut
(information about the force of desire). One measure of Aviut
disappeared, because the Partzuf realized that it is
impossible to work with the former degree of Dalet. According to
Aviut Gimel, the Screen descends from Peh de Rosh
to the level lower than that of Aviut Dalet. If the level of
Dalet is Peh of the Partzuf of
Galgalta, then the level of Gimel is its
Hazeh.
Once again the Light presses the Screen from above, the Screen
pushes it back, but afterwards, under the influence of the
Reshimot (plural of Reshimo) it decides to accept
the Light up to the Tabur of Galgalta but not
beneath. However, not even the Partzuf of Galgalta
was able to receive the Light under its Tabur. The second
Partzuf, which is now spreading out, is called AB.
Again the action of Bitush Pnim uMakif occurs, i.e. the
forcing out of the Light, and new information, Reshimo, now
fills the Partzuf. This is Gimel de Hitlabshut (Light of the
third level, not the fourth, as in AB) and Bet de
Aviut (again the loss of one level of Aviut owing to
Bitush Pnim uMakif).
That is why the Screen, which ascended initially up to the
Peh of AB when the Light was pushed away, now
descends to the level of Hazeh of AB. At this point a new
Partzuf is formed by a Zivug (Coupling) on the
Reshimot of Gimel-Bet (3,2). The new
Partzuf is called SAG.
Further on, a new Bitush Pnim uMakif makes the Screen rise
up to the Peh de Rosh of SAG with the
Reshimot of Bet-Alef (2,1). Then, according to the
Reshimot, the Screen descends to the Hazeh of
SAG, from where the fourth Partzuf, MA, comes out.
Next, the fifth Partzuf, BON is formed on the
Reshimot of Alef-Shoresh.
Each Partzuf consists of five parts: Shoresh (Root),
Alef (1), Bet (2), Gimel (3) and Dalet (4).
No desire may appear without them. This formation is a rigid system
which never changes.
The last stage, Dalet, feels all the four previous desires,
with whose help it was created by the Creator. Dalet gives a
name to each desire, and it is those names which describe how
Dalet sees the Creator at each moment. This is why
Dalet itself is called by the name of the Creator:
“Yood-Hay-Vav-Hay” – Y-H-V-H. These letters will be studied
comprehensively further on. It is like the skeleton of a man, it
may be big or small, standing or sitting, but it always remains the
same.
If a Partzuf is filled with the Light of Hochma,
it is called AB, but if it is filled with the Light of
Hassadim, we call it SAG. All the names of the
Partzufimare based on the combination of these two Lights.
All that is described in the Torah is nothing more than
spiritual Partzufim, filled with either the Light of
Hochma or the Light of Hassadim in different
proportions. After the birth of the five Partzufim: Galgalta,
AB, SAG, MA and BON, all the Reshimot
disappear. All the desires that could be filled with the Light, for
the benefit of the Creator, have been exhausted.
We see that after the First Restriction, Malchut can
consequently receive five portions of the Light. The birth of the
five Partzufim is called the World of Adam Kadmon.
Malchut has completed its five Reshimot.
We see that Malchut of the World of Ein Sof is
completely filled with Light. After the First Restriction, with the
help of the Partzufim, it will only fill partially up to the
level of the Tabur. The task for Malchut is now
filling its last part for the sake of the Creator as well. This part
is called Sof (End) and spreads from the Tabur to
Sium Raglin (Conclusion of Legs).
The Creator wants to fill Malchut with unlimited delight.
All that is needed to achieve this is to create the conditions so
that Malchut will have the desire and the power to fill the
remaining part or in other words: to send the delight back to the
Creator. In the next chapter we shall see how this process takes
place.
Entry and Withdrawal of the Light
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 is 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.
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 Creator.
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.
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.”
Brief Review
The Creation is brought forth by the Light emanating from the
Creator. This Light is the desire to give delight, and is called
Behina Shoresh (Root Phase). It builds for itself the desire
to receive delight, Behina Alef, which after being filled
with the Light, adopts the attribute of the Light; that is the desire
to give, to relentlessly bring delight. This corresponds to Behina
Bet.
But there is nothing it has to give. It realizes that it can bring
Him delight only if it accepts a portion of the Light for His sake.
So the third stage: Zeir Anpin is created. It already has
two properties: to give and to receive.
After perceiving these two kinds of delight, Zeir Anpin
feels that receiving is better and nicer than giving. This is its
initial character in stage Alef. Therefore it decides to
receive all the Light and is completely filled with the Light, but
now upon its own wish. Its delight is infinite.
This has become the fourth phase, called Malchut of the
World of Ein Sof, the one and only true Creation. It combines
the two conditions: it knows in advance what it wishes, and out of
the two states it chooses receiving.
The first three phases do not bear the name of “Creation” because
they do not possess a desire of their own, but only the Creator’s or
a consequence of it.
The fourth stage, after being filled with Light just as during the
first phase, starts adopting the attributes of the Creator, and
senses itself as a receiver. A feeling of shame arises leading to the
decision to become like the Creator, i.e. not to allow any Light in
and the Tzimtzum Alef (First Restriction) takes place.
How is it that the Tzimtzum did not take place in the end of
Phase 1? The answer is that during the first phase, the desire of the
Kli was not its own, but was the wish of the Creator. Here
the creation restricts its own desire to receive, and does not use it.
Tzimtzum is made not on the desire to receive delight, but
on the aspiration to receive for itself. It refers only to intention.
In the first case the Kli simply ceased to receive. Now, if the
Kli made a decision to receive, but not for its own sake, it
could fill itself with a certain portion of the Light, depending on
the strength of its intention to counteract the force of egoism. This
reception of Light for the benefit of another is equal to bestowal.
An action in the spiritual world is defined by its intention, not by
the action itself.
The First Restriction means that the Kli will never use
delight for its own sake. Tzimtzum Alef will never be
violated. That is why the primary task of a created being is the
necessity to neutralize the wish to receive delight for its own
sake.
The first created being, Behina Dalet, shows how to receive
pleasure from all the Light of the Creator, although the First
Restriction means that all that Malchut is filled up with
will never be received as delight for its own sake. We shall see how
this principle can be further implemented. Initially,
Malchut places a Screen above its egoism, which pushes
away all the incoming Light. (Drawings Nr. 2 in the Album of Drawings).
This is a kind of test to check whether Malchut is able to
resist all the enormous delight which presses against the Screen and
which corresponds to an equally enormous desire to receive it. Yes,
it does succeed in pushing away all the delight, and does not
luxuriate in it. But in this case theKli is separated from
the Light. How to achieve a situation, when the delight is not simply
pushed away, but some portion of it is received for the sake of the
Creator?
For this to take place, the Light reflected by the Screen (Ohr
Hozer) must somehow clothe the Straight Light (Ohr
Yashar), and together they will enter the Kli, that is,
the desire to receive. Thus Ohr Hozerserves as the
anti-egoistic condition, accepting and allowing in the Ohr
Yashar, the delight. Here Ohr Hozer acts as an
altruistic intention. Before taking in these two kinds of Lights, a
calculation is carried out in the Rosh. How much Light may
be received for the Creator’s sake? This quantity passes in the
Toch.
The first Partzuf may receive, for example, twenty percent
of the Light, according to the power of its Screen. This Light is
called Inner Light – Ohr Pnimi. The portion of Light which
did not enter the Kli, remains outside and is therefore
called the Surrounding Light, Ohr Makif.
The initial receiving of twenty percent of the Light is called
Partzuf Galgalta. Following the pressure of the two Lights,
Ohr Makif and Ohr Pnimi on the Screen in the
Tabur, the Partzuf expels all the Light. The Screen
then moves gradually up from Tabur to Peh, losing
its anti-egoistic power and reaching the level of the Screen in the
Peh de Rosh (Drawing Nr. 3 in the Album of Drawings).
Note that nothing disappears in the spiritual world, each consecutive
action encompasses the previous one. Thus, the twenty percent of
Light received from Peh to Tabur remains in the
previous state of the Partzuf. Afterwards, the
Partzuf, seeing that it is not able to manage the 20% of
Light, makes a decision to take the Light in again, this time not
twenty percent, but fifteen percent. For this purpose, it has to
lower its Screen from the level of Peh to the level of
Hazeh of the Partzuf Galgalta, that is, to move
down to a lower spiritual level.
If at the beginning its level was defined by the Reshimot:
Hitlabshut of Level 4 and Aviut of Level 4, now it is
only 4 and 3 respectively. The Light enters the same way and forms a
new Partzuf: AB. The destiny of the new Partzuf is
the same; it also pushes the Light away. Following on this occurrence,
the third Partzuf, SAG, spreads out, and after it,
MA and BON. All five Partzufim fill
Galgalta from its Peh to Tabur. The world
which they form is called Adam Kadmon.
Galgalta is similar to the Behina Shoresh, since
while receiving from the Creator it gives whatever it can. AB
receives a smaller portion for the sake of the Creator, and is called
Hochma, as Behina Alef. SAG works only for
bestowal and is called Bina, as Behina Bet. MA is
similar to Zeir Anpin, as Behina Gimel, and
BON corresponds to Malchut, Behina Dalet.
SAG, having the properties of Bina, is able to
spread under the Tabur and fill the lower part of
Galgalta with the Light. Below the Tabur, with the
exception of empty desires, remain the delights induced by similarity
with the Creator. All this because the NHY (Sefirot: Netzah Hod
Yesod) of Galgalta below the Tabur refused to
take in the Light of Hochma. They enjoy the Light of
Hassadim, the delight of similarity with the Creator. This
delight is also on the level Dalet de Aviut.
Nekudot de SAG
Rosh –Toch – Sof – Partzuf
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
(Drawing Nr. 4 in the Album of Drawings).
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, Tiferet, 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
Tiferet.
(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 (See Figure 4). This phase is
composed of two parts:
(i) In the first part 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.
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 are in the
middle of Tiferet.
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.
Place of the Worlds ABYA
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 “space.” If we remove absolutely everything
in the universe then the “space” is the only thing that will be left.
Since our finite minds cannot perceive this, all that can be said is
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 Tiferet. The World of Yetzira appears at
the place of the Sefirot Netzah, Hod and Yesod. The
World of Assiya whose last portion is called our world, is
formed at the place of the Sefira Malchut (Drawing Nr. 5 in
the Album of Drawings).
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, Tiferet,
Netzah, Hod and 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 o
n the other hand, no such thing as a Partzuf with 12 or 9
Sefirot.
We would like to point out that it is not necessary to translate
Hebrew terms used in Kabbalah into another language, since each one o
f them designates a spiritual entity (Partzuf) or one of its
parts. We have provided some parallel translation to assist the
English-speaking student. However, it should be emphasized that
translations may lead to the association with images of our world.
This is strictly forbidden because one should not attempt to lower
the spiritual to the level of our world. Terms such as Head
(Rosh), Mouth (Peh), Coupling (Zivug),
etc., could induce associations that have nothing to do with Kabbalah.
Therefore, it is recommended to stick to the Hebrew denominations.
Tzimtzum Bet
The Nekudot de SAG have Aviut Bet, and may enjoy
from bestowal of the Light on this level only. Hence they can no
longer resist the delight of the level Dalet, otherwise
they will begin to receive the Light for their own sake. The above
should normally occur, but Malchut standing in the
Sium of Galgalta rises to the middle of
Tifferet of Partzuf Nekudot de SAG and forms a new
Sium (Conclusion). This is the restriction of the Light, called
Parsa, below which the Light cannot go. With this action
Malchut makes the second restriction on the spreading of the L
ight, called Tzimtzum Bet by analogy with the first one.
To take an example from our everyday life: imagine a man with
pleasant manners and a good upbringing who would never steal up to
the sum of $1000. However, if $10,000 were laid before him, his
education might not “work” because in this case, the temptation, the
prospective delight, is too powerful to be resisted.
Tzimtzum Bet is the continuation of Tzimtzum Alef,
but on the vessels of receiving, the Kelim de Kabbalah. It
is interesting to note that in the Nekudot de SAG, the
Partzuf, which is altruistic by nature, has disclosed its
selfish properties; immediately Malchut, ascending upward,
covers it and forms a line, called Parsa, to limit the
downward spreading of the Light.
GE and AHP!
The Rosh of the Partzuf SAG, as every Head,
consists of five Sefirot: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin and
Malchut. These in turn, are divided into the Kelim de
Ashpa’a (Keter, Hochma and half of Bina) and
Kelim de Kabbalah (from the middle of Bina to
Malchut). Kelim de Ashpa’a (vessels of bestowal)
are also called Galgalta ve Eynaim.
The restriction of Tzimtzum Bet means that from this point
on a Partzuf must not activate any of the vessels of
receiving. It is prohibited to use AHP; so decided
Malchut, when it rose to the middle of Tiferet.
The Rosh of the Partzuf, the properties of
Keter, Hochma, and Bina, emanate from the Creator.
The body, the desires to receive of the Partzuf, start from
the property of Hesed. The first three properties of the
Partzuf also leave their imprint in the body of the
Partzuf. But in the body they are denoted as Hesed,
Gevura, and Tifferet. They represent the quality of the
Creator in the body. Hence, Tifferet is Bina in the
body of the Partzuf.
The Smallness of Nikudim
After Tzimtzum Bet all the Reshimot move up to the
Rosh of SAG, there requesting to form a
Partzuf of the level of Galgalta ve Eynaim
exclusively. This allows the Partzuf to receive some Light
from contact with the Creator.
This now means that the Screen must be located not in Peh de
Rosh, but in Nikvey Eynaim, which corresponds to the
line of Parsa (Drawing Nr 6 in the Album of Drawings) in the
middle of Tiferet in Guf. After a Zivug in
Rosh of SAG, a Partzuf will emerge from
this point and will spread below the Tabur and down to the
Parsa. The new Partzuf, which spreads below the
Tabur to Parsa, clothes the previous Partzuf
Nekudot de SAG, but on its upper part only, meaning on
altruistic Kelim.
The name of the new Partzuf is Katnut of Olam
Nikudim (Smallness of the World of Nikudim). This
Partzuf appears on the level of the restricted
Reshimot of Bet-Alef. In fact, of the five worlds
previously mentioned (Adam Kadmon, Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira
and Assiya) there does not exist such a world, because as
soon as it was born, it broke apart immediately.
During the brief existence of this world, the Sefirot of
Keter, Hochma, Bina, Hesed, Gevura and the one third of
Tiferet are divided into ten and have the usual names. In
addition, there are special names for the Sefirot of
Hochma and Bina: Abba ve Ima (Father and Mother)
and also, the Sefirot of Zeir Anpin and Malchut:
ZON, Zeir Anpin and Nukva (Female).
The Greatness of Nikudim
Following the Zivug de Aka’a in the Nikvey Eynaim in
Rosh of SAG, upon the request of the
Reshimot of the lower Partzuf, SAG performs a
second Zivug on the Reshimot of Gadlut
(Greatness) in the Peh de Rosh. As this action takes place,
a great Light begins to spread out from SAG and tries to
descend below the Parsa (Drawing Nr. 7 in the Album of
Drawings).
Partzuf Nikudim is absolutely certain that it will be able
to receive the Light for the sake of the Creator, and that it has
enough power for this, notwithstanding the Tzimtzum Bet.
The Shattering of the Vessels
However, at the moment the Light touches the Parsa, the
Shevirat haKelim (shattering of the vessels) occurs, because
it becomes clear that the Partzuf wants to receive delight
for itself only. Light immediately exits the Partzuf and all
the Kelim, even those which were above the Parsa,
are shattered.
So from the desire of the Partzuf to use the Kelim de
Kabbalah for the Creator’s sake; to form the World of
Nikudim in Gadlut, using all ten Kelim, a
shattering of all its screen-intentions occurred.
288 + 32 = 320 Parts of Malchut
SIn the Guf of the Partzuf Nikudim, i.e.
in ZON above the Parsa (Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet)
and below the Parsa (Netzah, Hod, Yesod and Malchut)
enters the light of Hochma. It descends under the
Parsa, and the Kelim of ZON break, i.e.
lose the screen. The breaking takes place gradually. At the
beginning, the first Partzuf de Gadlut emerges from
Zivug in Rosh de Aba ve Ima on Reshimo
4/3. It gradually breaks: Partzuf Ta'amim and 3
Partzufim of Nekudot (all in all 4
Partzufim - 4 Melachim). Afterwards, the second
Partzuf de Gadlut emerges from Zivug in
Rosh on Reshimo 3/2 and also breaks.
There are eight Partzufim, each of them consists of four
phases (apart from phase zero). These, in turn, bear ten
Sefirot, yielding a total of 320 Kelim
(4 x 8 x 10), which have been broken.
Of the 320 broken Kelim, only Malchut cannot be
corrected and this represents 32 parts (4 x 8). The remaining 288
parts (320 - 32) can be corrected. The 32 parts are called Lev
haEven (lit. Heart of Stone). These will only be corrected by
the Creator Himself at the time of Gmar Tikkun (Final
Correction).
The altruistic and selfish desires have simultaneously broken apart
and intermingled. As a result, every element of the broken
Kelim consists of 288 parts that are fit for correction
and 32 which are not.
Atzilut – the World of Correction
Now the achievement of the goal of Creation only depends on the
correction of the broken World of Nikudim. If we succeed in
our required task, the Behina Dalet will be filled with the
Light.
Olam haTikkun ( World of Correction ) is created to build a
coherent system which will then correct the Kelim of the World of Nikudim (Drawing Nr. 8 in the Album of Drawings).
A Special Partzuf – Adam
There are five worlds between the Creator and our world. Each of
them consists of five Partzufim and each Partzuf of
five Sefirot. In total there are 125 levels between us and
the Creator.
Malchut, moving through all these levels, reaches the last
one, and in this way, Behina Dalet, the only creation,
merges with the four previous phases. Malchut fully absorbs
the properties of the four phases and thus becomes equal to the
Creator. This is the Goal of Creation.
In order to mix Malchut with the remaining nine
Sefirot, a special Partzuf is created. This
consists of Malchut and the nine Sefirot from
Keter to Yesod. Its name is Adam.
In the beginning, the nine Sefirot and the tenth,
Malchut, are not connected to each other in any way. That is
why it was said that in the beginning Adam was forbidden to eat the
fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Drawing Nr. 12 of
the Album of Drawings).
TWith the fall of Adam and the shattering of his Kelim, the
four upper phases, or the nine first Sefirot, fall into
Malchut. Here the fourth stage can choose to remain the same
old Malchut or to prefer spiritual devel
