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Yehuda Leib HaLevi Ashlag (Baal HaSulam)

Histaklut Pnimit

Inner Reflection
Talmud Eser Sefirot
(The Study of the Ten Sefirot)
Part 2

Igulim and Yosher; containing ten chapters

Chapter One

Explains the Eser Sefirot of Igulim; contains six issues:

1. Igulim are regarded as GAR.
2. In Sefirot of Igulim, the outer is the more important. Conversely, in Sefirot de Yosher, the inner is more important.
3. Two kinds of reception in the Kelim: A. through their Pnimiut, B. through their Hitzoniut.
4. Behina Dalet cannot appear unless the previous three Behinot cause it to appear.
5. The four Behinot are like four layers in the walls of a Kli, one on top of the other. The Shefa is received in the inner layer.
6. The greater the Aviut of the Masach, the higher the level of the Ohr Hozer that it raises. There are five levels.

 

Igulim are regarded as GAR.

1. The Rav spoke very little of the Eser Sefirot of Igulim. Even the words he did say seem to be filled with contradictions. However, it is impossible to elaborate on them because they are regarded as the first three Sefirot, which we are forbidden to delve in.

Nevertheless, the little that the Rav did write should be explained elaborately, enough to accomplish the goal that the Rav had aspired for, meaning as much as it is necessary to understand the interconnections in this wisdom.

 

In Eser de Sefirot of Igulim, the outer is the more important.

2. We shall begin with a general understanding of the matters. The Rav divides reality into two discriminations: Igulim and Yosher. This means that all the Partzufim in the five Olamot, Adam Kadmon, ABYA and Olam ha Zeh, consists of Eser Sefirot of Igulim and Eser Sefirot of Yosher.

We saw that in Sefirot of Igulim, the outer is better, and the inner is worse. The uppermost Igul, the closest to the surrounding Ein Sof that revolves around the entire reality, whose name is Keter, is the best among them.

Inside it there is a second Igul, called Hochma, which is worse than Keter. It follows by the same pattern until the innermost ball, being Olam ha Zeh, which is dark, without any light, filthy, the worst of all the Igulim. Thus, the inner the Igul, the worse it is, and the outer the Igul the better.

 

In Eser Sefirot de Yosher, the inner Kli is more important.

3. It is the opposite with Sefirot deYosher, in which the inner is better. That is because the first and innermost Eser Sefirot de Yosher are the Eser Sefirot of Olam Adam Kadmon. They are called the Kav that expands from Ein Sof and Nimshach almost as low as Olam ha Zeh, but without touching it.

Its Hitzoniut is clothed by the Eser Sefirot of Yosher of the second Olam, called Olam Atzilut, whose merit is lower than that of Olam Adam Kadmon. The Hitzoniut of Olam Atzilut is clothed by the Eser Sefirot of Yosher of Olam Beria, which is worse than Olam Atzilut. It follows in the same manner until the Eser Sefirot of Yosher of Olam Assiya, the worst of all the Olamot, which clothes the Hitzoniut of all the Olamot.

Thus, in Sefirot de Yosher, the outer is worse and the inner is better, the opposite of the Eser Sefirot of Igulim. Indeed, a profound and great concept is presented here in this oppositeness between the Sefirot de Igulim and the Sefirot de Yosher, which should be studied thoroughly.

 

Two kinds of reception in the Kli: A. through the Toch, B. through the Hitzoniut.

4. You already know about the middle point in Ein Sof, where the Tzimtzum took place and the Ohr departed from that point and became an empty Halal (see Part 1, Chap 1, item 50). It explains that it is called “the middle point” to indicate that it does not receive through its Pnimiut and Toch, but only through its Hitzoniut, from its surroundings. It receives the Ohr without any limitation and measurement because the one that receives from the Hitzoniut does not limit the Ohr.

As a result, we have two kinds of reception in the Kelim:

1st. Through the Hitzoniut

2nd. Through the Pnimiut.

We must thoroughly understand which Pnimiut and Hitzoniut we are discussing with here, as this naturally does not refer to a place or an area by which you might imagine Hitzoniut and Pnimiut.

 

The first three Behinot only cause the appearance of Behina Dalet, but they cannot receive; they are like four layers in the wall of the Kli.

5. You already know that the term “spiritual Kli” refers to the Ratzon in the Ne’etzal to receive its Shefa from Ein Sof. Also, you already know that this Ratzon has four Behinot one below the other. In other words, this Kli, being the above will to receive, can perform its task only after it gradually passes through the above four Behinot.

The first Behina is a very frail Ratzon; Behina Bet is greater than Behina Aleph etc. Behina Dalet is the full measure of the Ratzon as it should be for the final completion of the Kli.

The reason for it has already been explained (see Part 1, Chap 1, item 50). Since the form of this will to receive is absolutely opposite to the will to bestow in the Light of Ein Sof, it cannot appear all at once, but only slowly. It starts from the will to bestow in the Shoresh, called Keter, continues to the more Av, which is a little different from it, being Behina Aleph. From there it continues to the more Av, namely Behina Bet, and so on by the same way until Behina Dalet, which is absolutely opposite to the form of the Ohr. She, specifically, is able to serve as a Kli in the Ne’etzal.

However, the will to receive in the previous three Behinot is not uncovered enough to serve as a Kli for reception. Thus only Behina Dalet is regarded as the Kli for reception in the Ne’etzal, and for that reason it is called the Pnimiut and the Toch of the Ne’etzal. Behina Gimel in the Ratzon is considered to be outside Behina Dalet; Behina Bet is outside Behina Gimel, and Behina Aleph is outside Behina Bet. Behinat Keter is the outermost.

Like a corporeal Kli that contains four layers one on top of the other, the Shefa in that Kli is certainly received in the fourth, innermost layer. The three outer layers that surround it are only there as support for the innermost fourth layer. Here too, the Ohr is received only in Behina Dalet, while the three first Behinot are exterior to it, coming only because it is impossible for it to come at once, but only by concatenation, as we’ve explained above.

 

Pnimiut and Aviut are the same; Hitzoniut and Zakut are the same too.

6. Now you have thoroughly learned about the Pnimiut and Hitzoniut that we must distinguish in every Kli. Because there are four Behinot in every Kli, the last of them is called the Toch and the Pnimiut of that Kli; it is the essence of the reception in the Kli. The Behinot that precede it are meant to uncover the last of them, and are therefore regarded as the Hitzoniut of the Kli.

The farther the degree from the last Behina, the outer it is considered to be. You should also know that Behina Aleph is purer than Behina Bet, and Behina Dalet is the most Av. It turns out, that Pnimiut and Aviut are one and the same thing and the reason that Behina Dalet is regarded as the one that receives the Shefa is because she is the most Av.

Similarly, Hitzoniut and Zakut are one and the same, because her Ratzon is frail and Zach, and thus closer to the Maatzil. For that reason it is the outermost, meaning the farthest from reception, which is Pnimiut and Toch.

 

Proximity and remoteness from the Maatzil are evaluated according to the measure of reception in the Ne’etzal.

7. This is what the Rav wrote about the Sefirot de Igulim, that the outer is better and closer to the Maatzil. That is because Behinat Shoresh, called Keter, is the purest and closest in form to Ein Sof, meaning closest to the Maatzil. It designates her as the outermost, meaning farthest from the Toch and the Pnimiut, meaning reception.

After her comes Behina Aleph, which is more internal than the Keter, meaning closer to reception. Behina Bet is more internal than her, meaning closer to Behina Dalet, being Behinat reception. Thus, Behina Dalet is the actual Pnimiut, meaning the Shefa is received in her. For that reason, her form is also the farthest from the Maatzil.

 

In Eser Sefirot of Yosher the degree is measured according to the Ohr Hozer that rises from the Aviut in the Masach, the greater the Aviut, the greater the Ohr Hozer.

8. In Eser Sefirot de Yosher there is the matter of the Ohr Hozer that rises from the Zivug of the Masach with the Ohr Elyon. The amount of Ohr Hozer is measured by the Aviut in the Masach that performs the Zivug with the Ohr Elyon.

The greatest Aviut in the Masach, namely Behina Dalet publicizes a full measure of Eser Sefirot, as high as Keter. If the amount of Aviut in the Masach is less by one Behina, consisting only of Behina Gimel, it publicizes Eser Sefirot that reach only as high as Hochma, and the Keter is missing.

If all it has is Aviut de Behina Bet, it only publicizes Eser Sefirot, where each of which reaches as high as Bina, without the degrees of Keter and Hochma.

If all the Masach has is Aviut de Behina Aleph, it only publicizes Eser Sefirot where each reach only as high as Zeir Anpin. Finally, if the Masach is Zach and hasn’t even Aviut of Behina Aleph, it does not publicize any level, only Behinat Malchut. This will be explained further in part three.

Chapter Two

Explains the five primary distinctions in the five Olamot of AK and ABYA; contains six issues:
1. The five Olamot called AK and ABYA, which are differentiated by the four levels of Aviut in the Masach.
2. The Elyon bestows upon the Tachton only through the most Av, and the lower receives only through the most Zach.
3. The reason for the departure of the Ohr from the three Behinot that preceded Behina Dalet, though only Behina Dalet made the Tzimtzum.
4. Explanation of Zivug de Hakaa.
5. What is Ohr Hozer that rises from below upward by a Zivug de Hakaa?
6. The Ohr Hozer that rises from the Zivug de Hakaa becomes a Kli for reception for Ohr Elyon instead of Behina Dalet.

 

The differentiation between the five Olamot of AK and ABYA is performed primarily according to the Aviut in their Masach. In AK it is Behina Dalet.

9. Know that what distinguishes the five Olamot AK and ABYA de Yosher from one another is the measure of the Aviut in the Masach of their Kelim. The Masach of the Kelim in
Olam Adam Kadmon is very Av, meaning Aviut de Behina Dalet, the greatest Aviut in all the Olamot.

Therefore, its Eser Sefirot are complete, meaning all of them are at the degree of Keter, the closest to Ein Sof, which is the first and most important Olam, connecting the two ends between Ein Sof and Olam ha Zeh.

For that reason it is also considered to be positioned in the Pnimiut of all the Olamot, for you already know that Pnimiut and Aviut are one and the same. Because the Masach in the Kelim de Adam Kadmon is of Behina Dalet, meaning with the greatest Aviut, it is therefore the most interior.

 

Olam Atzilut stems from the Masach of Behina Gimel and is therefore external to AK, which is Behina Dalet.

10. The Masach in the Kelim de Olam Atzilut is not as Av as that of Olam AK because the Aviut in Masach de Atzilut is only of Behina Gimel. Consequently, none of the Eser Sefirot de Yosher de Atzilut reach higher than the degree of Hochma, and they lack Keter.

Hence, they are evaluated as low compared to the Eser Sefirot at the level of Keter in Olam Adam Kadmon. They are also considered exterior compared to the Eser Sefirot in AK. This is because Aviut of Behina Gimel is exterior to Behina Dalet and Zakut and Hitzoniut are one and the same. Consequently Olam Atzilut becomes clothing, meaning Hitzoniut that clothes the interior Olam AK.

 

The Masach of Beria stems from Behina Bet, which makes it external to Atzilut.

11. The Masach in the Kelim de Eser Sefirot of Olam Beria is even more Zach than that of Olam Atzilut, consisting only of Aviut of Behina Bet. Thus, the level of its Eser Sefirot does not reach higher than Bina.

In Light of that, Olam Beria is regarded as being exterior to Atzilut, where there is Aviut of Behina Gimel, making it interior to Olam Beria, which is only Aviut of Behina Bet. Thus, Olam Beria is considered to be Hitzon, clothing the Olam Atzilut.

 

The Masach of Yetzira stems from Behina Aleph, which makes it external to Beria.

12. The Masach of Olam Yetzira consists only of Aviut of Behina Aleph, the most frail. Therefore, the Eser Sefirot of Olam Yetzira reach a low level, only as high as Zeir Anpin, lacking the first three Sefirot, Keter, Hochma and Bina.

That makes Olam Yetzira more Hitzon than Olam Beria, for it has Aviut de Behina Bet, which is interior to the Aviut de Behina Aleph in Olam Yetzira. For that reason, Olam Yetzira is regarded as Hitzon, clothing Olam Beria.

 

The Masach of Assiya comes from Aviut Shoresh, which makes it the most external of all.

13. The Masach in the Eser Sefirot of Yosher in Olam Assiya is completely Zach lacking any Aviut. Consequently, there is no issue of a Zivug in order to raise Ohr Hozer with the Ohr Elyon in it.

Because they do not have Ohr Hozer, they also do not have the Ohr Elyon, because the Ohr Elyon cannot be in a Partzuf where there is no Ohr Hozer. Therefore, these Eser Sefirot have only the degree of Malchut, lacking the first nine Sefirot, Keter, Hochma, Bina, and Zeir Anpin (containing the six Sefirot HGT NHY).

Because their Masach is more Zach than in all the previous Olamot they are naturally regarded as exterior to them as well. That is because you already know that Zakut and Hitzoniut are one and the same.

Thus, Olam Yetzira, whose Kelim still have a Masach de Behina Aleph, is regarded as the interior Olam with regards to Olam Assiya. At the same time, Olam Assiya is regarded as Hitzon and clothing Olam Yetzira and all the other Olamot, for it is the most Zach of them all.

 

Opposite value between the influence of the Ohr and the Hitlabshut of the Ohr.

14. It is not surprising, for it is reasonable to think that the more important Ohr should clothe the purer Kelim, because the Tzura of the pure Kli is closer to the Ohr. Thus, why is it said here that the greater the Aviut, the greater the degree?

Indeed, we should know that the issue of the clothing of the Ohr in the Kelim is an issue in and of itself, and the influence of the Ohr Elyon on the Partzuf is a different issue altogether. They are far apart and are indeed of opposite value between them.

The rule is that the Elyon bestows only with its most Av part, while the Tachton receives only with its most Zach part. We must understand that for it is a vital key to understand this wisdom.

 

The Tzimtzum was only on Behina Dalet.

15. In order to understand that we need a thorough understanding of the issue of Tzimtzum and Kav, for you already know that the Tzimtzum was only on Behina Dalet, called Malchut de Ein Sof, or the “middle point.” There is a simple reason for it: Tzimtzum means detainment from wanting to receive. In other words, one stops oneself from receiving the Shefa from Ohr Ein Sof. Thus, the Tzimtzum applies only to the receiving Kli. Since there is no other vessel of reception there but Behina Dalet, hence, the Tzimtzum applies only to Behina Dalet.

It has already been explained above that the three Behinot that preceded Behina Dalet are not regarded as vessels of reception, but only as causes. This means that the consequence of their emanation is the appearance of this Kli for reception, being Behina Dalet. That is why the Tzimtzum does not apply to them but only to the middle point, being Behina Dalet.

 

The Ohr departed entirely because there was no other vessel of reception other than Behina Dalet.

16. Therefore, since she diminished her Ratzon from Behina Dalet, the Ohr departed from the three former Behinot as well. That is because they do not have other vessels of reception with which to hold the Ohr.

Even the Orot that do belong to the three previous Behinot, must be received in Behina Dalet, because they do not have their own vessels of reception. Thus, because Behina Dalet stopped receiving, the entire Ohr instantly vanished.

 

There were only the first three Behinot in Ohr de Kav.

17. After the Ohr leaves by reason of the Tzimtzum, she drew Ohr from Ein Sof once more, in the form of a Kav. It means that only a small amount of Ohr is drawn, containing only the first three Behinot of the will to receive, without Behina Dalet (see Part 1, Chap 2, item 2).

We’ve explained that there are no vessels of reception in the first three Behinot of the Ratzon. We should therefore ask: “How can Ohr be received without vessels of reception? After all, these three Behinot do not contain any form of reception in them. Moreover, Behina Dalet, the only Kli for reception in the Partzuf, is only here as Kav.”

 

Explaining Zivug de Hakaa.

18. Since the Tzimtzum comes only from the Ne’etzal and not at all from the Maatzil, the Ohr Elyon is not at all meticulous about that Tzimtzum that the middle point performed. Because of that, it is considered that the Ohr Elyon descends to Behina Dalet as well, but Behina Dalet detains it from appearing within her, due to the prior Tzimtzum on Behina Dalet, before that Ohr came.

The books call this state Zivug de Hakaa. It is like two objects where one wants to break through and pass over the fence and the Gevul that the other erected. However, the other stands firmly against it and prevents the first from trespassing. In that state each of them is found to be striking the other’s Gevul.

It can also be compared to two solid matters, because the nature of the liquid lets other things permeate and mix with it, and soft matters too let other matters permeate them a little and push their upper shell.

However, with two solid matters, one does not let the other push the other even a little. As a result, when two hard objects meet, they beat each other, and the encounter itself is the cause of this beating.

The same applies to the Hitpashtut of the Ohr Elyon from Ein Sof: its conduct is to fill Behina Dalet too in the same way it is in Ein Sof. For that reason the Ohr does indeed come down to clothe Behina Dalet, but the force of the Tzimtzum of Behina Dalet detains it and does not let it descend to her.

Consequently, this encounter of the Ohr Elyon with the force of the Tzimtzum is called Zivug de Hakaa. This means that each of them interrupts and detains the passage of the other, because the conduct of Ohr Ein Sof is to fulfill Behina Dalet, and Behina Dalet herself has the conduct of rejecting the Ohr Elyon and not receiving it.

 

Explaining Ohr Hozer.

19. A new Ohr was generated by the above encounter and Hakaa. Like sunlight on a mirror, meaning on a glass that is painted on the other side, the lines of the sun cannot pass through the mirror because of the paint on the other side. Consequently, the lines of the sun return backwards and produce a glitter of light.

In much the same way, when the Ohr Elyon meets the force of the Tzimtzum in Behina Dalet, called Masach, this Masach turns it back to its Shoresh. However, in this case there is no issue of concealment. On the contrary, the return of the Ohr Elyon from Behina Dalet upwards is regarded as a new and special Ohr. It mounts the Ohr Elyon, clothes it and holds it within. Because of that, it is regarded as a Kli that receives the Ohr Elyon.

 

How the Ohr Hozer becomes a vessel of reception instead of Behina Dalet.

20. You should know that there are no other vessels of reception in the Rosh other than the above Ohr Hozer. The entire force of reception in this Ohr Hozer comes because it stems from the Hakaa in Behina Dalet. Because it is a result of Behina Dalet, it too becomes a vessel of reception. This matter will be explained full in Part 3, for it belongs there.

 

Ohr Hozer was the vessel of reception in the Kav.

21. Now you can understand what we asked above: “How can the Ohr Elyon expand only in three Behinot, while there are no vessels of reception in these Behinot?” From the preceding explanation you can see that now, the reception of that Ohr also stems only from Behina Dalet. However, it is accepted in the vessel of reception of the Ohr Hozer that rises from the Zivug de Hakaa in Behina Dalet.

This Ohr Hozer is regarded as a Kli for reception in the Kav that extends from Ein Sof into the Halal, being exactly like Behina Dalet herself, namely reception from Ein Sof. Thus, now after the Tzimtzum that was missing in Behina Dalet, the Ohr Hozer that is generated by the Masach in her takes her place.

 

The Kelim de Eser Sefirot de Rosh are but roots for the Kelim.

22. It has already been explained that although there are four Behinot in the will to receive, not all of them are regarded as Kelim for reception, but only Behina Dalet. We have also learned that the Kli for the reception of this Kav, which extends from Ein Sof into the Halal after the Tzimtzum, is actually the Ohr Hozer that ascends from the Masach in Behina Dalet. Because it stems from Behina Dalet, she renders it capable of being a vessel of reception.

It will be explained that this Ohr Hozer does not complete its qualification of becoming a Kli for reception before it expands from its Masach downwards. Consequently, the Masach expands once more into four degrees, up to Behina Dalet, and these are the real Kelim of the above Kav.

However, the first four Behinot that were emanated by the power of Zivug de Hakaa from the Masach upward to the Shoresh, are regarded only as the roots of the Kelim. Because the force of the Masach cannot ascend with that Ohr Hozer from its place upward, hence there is only Ohr there, without any Aviut of Masach. Hence, these are not real Kelim, but only roots for them.

Afterwards, when this Ohr Hozer expands downwards from the place of the Masach, it leads the Aviut of the Masach with it, and becomes the real Kelim.

Chapter Three

Explains the Atzmut and the substance in the Kelim; contains two issues:

1. Three fundamental observations about the Kelim: a. the Atzmut of the substance in them; b. the force of Tzimtzum in them; c. the Masach in them.
2. There are two Behinot in the Kelim: a. Malchut de Elyon became the first substance in the Tachton; b. the Ohr that extends into that first substance is regarded as the Tachton itself.

 

Detailed explanation of the four Behinot of the Ratzon.

23. Now there opens before us a way to understand our previous question about the order of Sefirot de Yosher, in which the more Av is higher and more important. This is opposite to commonsense; commonsense deduces that the purer Kli should clothe the higher and more important Ohr, and the Av Kli should clothe a lesser Ohr.

You can understand it from the aforementioned, but we should first elaborate on the meaning of the four Behinot in the desire. The Behinot are the Kelim of the Eser Sefirot called: Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin (which consists of six Sefirot HGT NHY) , and Malchut, and their Shoresh, called Keter, which need an elaborate explanation.

 

Three observations: the substance of the Kli: the force of Tzimtzum in the Kli; the Masach in it.

24. There are three basic observations in these Kelim:

The 1st. The Atzmut of the substance of the Kli.

The 2nd. The force of Tzimtzum in her, meaning the retirement from the great will to receive, through its own independent choice, and not because of the authority of the Elyon.

The 3rd. The Masach, meaning the retirement from the great will to receive by the authority of the Elyon. This is a compelled retirement, not a mindful one.

We shall explain them one by one.

 

The four degrees of the will to receive are the substance of the Kli.

25. You already know that the substance of every Kli consists of four degrees of the will to receive, one below the other. The Upper one is the reason and the cause of the exit of its Tachton. The Shoresh is the cause for the emergence of the Ratzon in Behina Aleph; Behina Aleph is the cause for the emergence of the Ratzon of Behina Bet; Behina Bet is the cause for the emergence of the Ratzon of Behina Gimel; Behina Gimel is the cause for the emergence of the Ratzon of Behina Dalet.

This compelled sequence of cause and consequence has already been thoroughly clarified in Part One (Ohr Pnimi, Chap 1, item 50, study it there well for I wish to avoid the repetition of that long text unnecessarily. However, you should study it in depth as I rely on them in the continuation of my henceforth explanation).

 

Two discriminations in each Behina: what it has from its superior; what it has from its own Atzmut.

26. We should note that there are two observations in each Behina of these four Behinot:

The 1st. The amount of substance that came to it by its own reason.

The 2nd. The amount of substance in its essence, which is activated by the Ohr that is clothed in it.

It is known that the Ratzon in the degree is called by the name of the Malchut of that degree. Even where there is no discrimination of a Kli, meaning in Ein Sof, we still denominate the Ratzon there by the name Malchut de Ein Sof.

It is known with regards to the verse, Hu ve Shmo Echad (He is One and His Name One), that Shem (Name) designates Malchut, and Shmo equals Ratzon in Gimatria.

 

Malchut de Keter descended and became the substance in the Sefira of Hochma.

27. Now we shall explain the two observations we should make in each Behina from the four Behinot: The Shoresh of the degree, the discernment of the influence of Ohr Ein Sof, is called the Keter of that degree.

It is known that there is only the will to bestow and to do good to another in the Ohr Elyon, meaning to the entire reality that exists in the Olamot that He created. However, there is nothing in Him of the will to receive, as is written in Histaklut Pnimit Part 1. Malchut de Keter is the reason for Behina Aleph. That is because the desire in the superior becomes a compelling must in the inferior.

Thus, the will to bestow and to do good, which is Malchut de Keter, became the “will to receive” in Behina Aleph, called Hochma. It is regarded as though Malchut de Keter herself came down and clothed and became the will to receive of Behina Aleph, meaning her actual substance.

It is so because the Ratzon in Behina Aleph is the substance in that Behina, and the Ohr Elyon, called Haya, is clothed in that substance. Hence it is considered that Malchut de Keter became the substance of the Sefira called Hochma. This is the first discernment that should be made in the substance of Behina Aleph.

 

After the appearance of Ohr Hochma comes the Kli de Hochma itself.

28. The second discernment is that after Ohr Elyon, called Haya, expanded in Malchut de Keter, which is the above substance of Hochma, Malchut de Keter received the real substance of Behina Aleph. It means that although Malchut de Keter, namely the will to bestow that is contained in the Ohr Elyon, became a will to receive and the first substance of Behina Aleph, it was sufficient only to be a Shoresh for Behina Aleph, meaning for this will to receive to draw the Ohr within it.

We can denominate it as the first substance of the Sefira of Hochma, for it is still regarded as Keter and Maatzil. It shifts from being Maatzil and Keter to being Ne’etzal or Hochma, called Behina Aleph, only after the above will to receive extends the Ohr Haya that is related to it. Then it stopped being regarded as a Maatzil and was called Ne’etzal or Hochma. Study it thoroughly and you will not miss the aim.

Now you have learned the two discernments in the Kli of Hochma: the first is Malchut de Elyon, meaning before she drew her Ohr, and the second is called the Kli of Hochma itself, namely Malchut de Hochma. That is because the Kli is always called Malchut.

 

Malchut de Hochma became the first substance in Bina. With the exit of her Ohr, came the Kli de Bina herself.

29. The same is observed in the substance of Behina Bet, called Bina. Her cause is the Ratzon in Behina Aleph, called Hochma, meaning only Malchut de Hochma. The Ratzon in the degree is always called Kli or Malchut of the degree. This Malchut de Hochma clothed and became the first substance of the Sefira of Bina, so as to extend the Ohr that is related to her.

This is the first discernment in the substance of Behina Bet, called Bina. When she then extended the Ohr that is related to her, called Neshama, her substance stopped having the Tzura of Malchut de Hochma, namely Behina Aleph, and received its own Tzura, meaning the actual Behina Bet, called Bina.

 

Malchut de Bina became the first substance in Zeir Anpin. With the exit of his Ohr, came the Kli de Zeir Anpin himself.

30. This is also the conduct in the substance of Behina Gimel, called Zeir Anpin. Malchut de Bina is the reason for him, and she became the first substance of Zeir Anpin, namely Behina Gimel, so as to draw the Ohr that is related to it, called Ruach.

The second discernment is that after he extended and received his Ohr, his substance stopped being regarded as Malchut de Bina, and received the Tzura of Malchut de Zeir Anpin.

 

Malchut de Zeir Anpin became the first substance in Malchut. With the exit of her Ohr, came the Kli de Malchut herself.

31. So are the two discernments in the substance of Behina Dalet: Malchut de Zeir Anpin is her cause, which clothed and became the first substance of Behina Dalet, called Malchut. When she received sufficient Ohr Nefesh that is related to her, Malchut de Zeir Anpin departed from Zeir Anpin to became Behina Dalet, meaning Behinat Malchut de Malchut.

 

The above vessels of reception are only for Hamshacha.

32. We have clarified and ascribed a feature of reception in each and every Behina in and of itself. However, that relates only to the Hamshacha of Ohr that every Behina performs on her respective Ohr. But the true Kli, that merits the name “vessel of reception for the Ne’etzal,” is specifically Behina Dalet, and not the three preceding Behinot.

Chapter Four

Explains the accurate meaning of the four Behinot of Aviut, as our sages wrote about the four Behinot (Pesachim 25):

1. Lo Efshar and Lo ka Mekavein.
2. Efshar and Lo ka Mekavein.
3. Lo Efshar and ka Mekavein.
4. Efshar and ka Mekavein.

 

Explanation of the four Behinot in the Ratzon according to the four Behinot in Efshar and ka Mekavein.

33. In order to provide an accurate and elaborate explanation I will now clarify it through the words of our sages (Pesachim 25): “It is said: Pleasure that comes to a person against his will, Abaie (name of a sage) said – permitted; Raba (name of another sage) said – forbidden, Efshar and ka Mekavein, Lo Efshar and ka Mekavein, the whole world does not dispute that it is forbidden. Lo Efshar and Lo ka Mekavein, the whole world does not dispute that it is permitted. They are disputed that it is Efshar and Lo ka Mekavein, and Rashi interpreted Efshar, meaning can be separated and ka Mekavein. Ka Mekavein to come near in order to enjoy is like a scent of sin.”

 

Behina Aleph is Lo Efshar and Lo ka Mekavein.

34. Four Behinot of receiving pleasure are found in their words: Behina Aleph is Lo Efshar to be separated and Lo ka Mekavein to come near and enjoy. That is because by receiving forbidden pleasure in such a way, the entire world does not dispute that it is permitted. What matters are not the reception and the Ratzon when there isn’t a choice to not receive, and there is also no desire to draw near to the forbidden in order to enjoy it.

 

Behina Bet is Efshar and Lo ka Mekavein.

35. Behina Bet means Efshar to be separated, and Lo ka Mekavein to draw near and enjoy. By receiving forbidden pleasure in this way, Abaie and Raba dispute: Abaie thinks that although it is Efshar, meaning that there is a choice to draw far and refrain from enjoying the forbidden, it is still permitted to draw near and enjoy it because it is Lo ka Mekavein.

In other words, because there is no desire in the heart to draw near the forbidden, it is not regarded as reception, although it does draw near and enjoys the forbidden. Raba said that because he can also refrain from approaching in order to enjoy the forbidden, he is forbidden to come near and enjoy. It is so even if he has no desire to draw near and enjoy.

 

Behina Gimel is Lo Efshar and ka Mekavein.

36. Behina Gimel is Lo Efshar and ka Mekavein. This means that it is impossible to be separated and draw far from the forbidden so as to refrain from enjoying it. Ka Mekavein means that it has a desire to enjoy the forbidden.

There is no argument in the entire world that reception of a forbidden pleasure in such a way is prohibited. It cannot and has no option of separating himself from the forbidden and refrain from enjoying. Still, because it has a desire in his heart to draw near and enjoy, this desire is regarded as reception of pleasure from something that is forbidden to enjoy, and he sins. However, some say that even in that Abaie thought that it was permitted.

 

Behina Dalet is Efshar and ka Mekavein.

37. Behina Dalet is Efshar and ka Mekavein. It means that it can be separated and distanced from the forbidden and refrain from enjoying it. It is also ka Mekavein because he yearns to draw near and enjoy the forbidden.

Here there is no dispute that the entire world agrees that it is forbidden. That is because it is receiving pleasure from the forbidden in the most lewd manner, for he lusts after pleasure; he can separate himself and yet does not do so.

Therefore, it is regarded as the greatest will to receive in it final form. It is forbidden according to everyone. Even those who side with Abaie, who think that it is permitted in Behina Gimel, admit that here it is forbidden.

 

38. Their above words provide us with the precise words to define each and every Behina of the four Behinot of the will to receive, in a way that hits the hammer on the nail, and does not miss the desired aim. They have provided us with four degrees one below the other in the sin of forbidden pleasure that depends on the will to receive of the sinner.

 

In the first three degrees: Lo Efshar and Lo ka Mekavein, Efshar and Lo ka Mekavein, and Lo Efshar and ka Mekavein, the prohibition on reception is not agreed by all; only in Behina Dalet.

39. We see that our sages have put two things together here: the possibility to separate and not receive pleasure and the desire and attraction of the heart to want that pleasure.

The combination of the two creates the four Behinot. Now we will regard these words, and examine them regarding our matter in the Upper Olamot, which are the roots to every kind of desire in reality, namely from the Tachton we shall examine the Elyon.

 

When the will to receive emerged in Malchut de Keter, she left Keter and became Behina Aleph.

40. We should discriminate two discernments in Behina Aleph, which is called both Hochma and Haya (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 27): the first discernment is her first substance. You already know (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 23) that it is her Malchut de Elyon, meaning Malchut de Keter that received the form of the will to receive. In this Hidush Tzura, Malchut de Keter received a new name – Behina Aleph.

You already know that when a spiritual acquires a new Tzura, it is regarded as a new authority in and of itself. So it is with Malchut de Keter, being the will to bestow in the Maatzil.

When the desire to emanate is created in Him, He certainly doesn’t need a practical tool, but His desire is instantly executed. It means that she received the Tzura of the “will to receive” which is the first substance of the Ne’etzal, called Behina Aleph.

 

The exit of Malchut de Keter to Behina Aleph is like lighting one candle from another; the first is not lessened.

41. Here you should remember that there is no absence in the spiritual. What is said about Malchut de Keter receiving the Tzura of Behina Aleph does not mean that Malchut de Keter is now absent from Keter. Rather, Malchut de Keter retained her first virtue, unchanged. It is like lighting one candle from another without the first lessening.

Thus, Malchut de Keter that received Behina Aleph did not diminish Keter in any way, only added a new Behina. In other words, Malchut de Keter remained in her place, as complete and virtuous as before, but a new Behina of Malchut de Keter has been added, namely the Malchut that received Behina Aleph and became the first substance in the Sefira of Hochma. Remember this henceforth and you will not be confused.

 

After the first substance received the Ohr, the Kli of Hochma herself emerged.

42. The second discernment is of the substance of that Kli after it had received its Ohr. The Kli is then completed and is called Hochma. In other words, before she received her Ohr, she was named only after her own Behina, meaning Behina Aleph, and was not a Kli of Hochma yet, but only Malchut de Keter.

It can be likened to a fetus in its mother’s intestine. Before it is born and given its Ohr and sustenance, it does not have a name. So it is with the first substance: it does not bear the name Hochma before it receives its Ohr, but is still included in Malchut de Keter.

Afterwards, when the substance draws its Ohr, called Haya, it then acquires its unique name, meaning Hochma (see item 27). We should distinguish these two discernments in each and every Sefira. They are: the Kli before it receives the Ohr, when it is still named after the Elyon; and the Kli after it receives the Ohr, for it is then regarded as its own authority.

 

From the perspective of the first substance, Hochma is regarded as Lo Efshar. From the perspective of her being filled with Ohr, she is regarded as Lo ka Mekavein.

43. Now you will understand that Behina Aleph, which is Hochma, is regarded as Lo Efshar and Lo ka Mekavein. From the perspective of the first substance, being Malchut de Keter when she received the Hidush Tzura of Behina Aleph when the Sefira of Hochma still did not have its own name, this appearance of the will to receive is certainly regarded as Lo Efshar with regards to the Sefira of Hochma itself.

Also, from the perspective of Malchut de Keter, she is regarded as Lo Efshar, because she cannot emanate the Hochma without the Hochma having a will to receive. Receiving the Shefa without a will to receive it is regarded as coercion and labour, the opposite of the intention of the Emanator, which is to do good and delight.

She is also regarded as Lo ka Mekavein, meaning she has no Hamshacha and yearning to receive the Ohr. You already know that there is no perfection in the Ratzon before the yearning appears to draw the Ohr in it (see Part 1, Chap 1, item 50).

It has also been thoroughly clarified there, that the yearning appears only when there is no Ohr and Shefa in the Kli, because then she can want it. However, that cannot come to be when the Kli is filled with her Ohr.

Thus, because the above Kli de Hochma is filled with his Ohr, it has no more yearning for the Shefa, which makes Hochma be considered as Lo ka Mekavein. It means that she does not have a Hamshacha and a yearning for the Shefa.

 

The increase in the Ratzon in Bina is regarded as Efshar. Because it comes to her from the first substance, it is regarded as Lo ka Mekavein.

44. Behina Bet, which is Bina, is regarded as Efshar and Lo ka Mekavein. Her first substance (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 29) is her Malchut de Elyon meaning Malchut de Hochma that received the Hidush Tzura of Behina Bet inside her, meaning through her strengthening (see Part 1, Chap 1, item 50). From that perspective, the intensification of that Ratzon is regarded as Efshar. This means that it was possible for her to avoid awakening that desire.

She is also regarded as Lo ka Mekavein because she is Malchut de Hochma, and is filled with her Ohr. For that reason the yearning does not appear in her.

You should understand that any appearances of additional Ratzon that appeared in Behina Bet more than in Behina Aleph, is only regarded as Efshar. In other words, it is the intensification of the Ratzon that she made, done by the power of the Ne’etzal himself (see Part 1, Chap 1, item 50).

 

The Ohr Hochma is sufficient and she did not have to strengthen and draw Hassadim.

45. We might ask: “But Malchut de Keter, when she became Behina Aleph in the Sefira of Hochma, also had the same option to not receive that Hidush of the will to receive. Thus, why is Behina Aleph regarded as Lo Efshar?”

Indeed, there is a big difference here: Malchut de Keter could not emanate the Ne’etzal if it did not have the will to receive. However, Malchut de Hochma, which is the Ne’etzal himself, could suffice for her own will to receive, without being awakened in the will to bestow which is Behina Bet and draw Ohr Hassadim. That is because Ohr Haya is quite sufficient for the Ne’etzal, and he does not need any addition.

 

Zeir Anpin is regarded as Lo Efshar because he lacked the Ohr Hochma.

46. Behina Gimel, being Zeir Anpin, is regarded as Lo Efshar and ka Mekavein. It is Lo Efshar because after Behina Bet awakened and drew Ohr Hassadim, it created a detainment on the Ohr Hochma in the Ne’etzal. The will to bestow is opposite of Behina Aleph, which is a will to receive, where there is Ohr Hochma.

That Ohr is given the name Haya because Ohr Hochma is the essential Haiut (sustenance) of the Partzuf. For that reason Malchut de Bina necessarily drew He’arat OhrHochma once again into her Ohr Hassadim. Thus, When Malchut de Bina drew it and created that Hidush Tzura she stopped being Behina Bet and became Behina Gimel, called Zeir Anpin (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 30).

 

Zeir Anpin is regarded as ka Mekavein because it had a desire for Hochma.

47. We should discern two things in this Hamshacha, being Behina Gimel:

The 1st. is Lo Efshar, meaning she has no other choice because the Ohr Haya was absent in the Ne’etzal.

The 2nd. is Ka Mekavein. It is so because here there is a yearning for the He’arat Hochma that she extended, because she extended it when she was empty from it because Behina Bet covered the Ohr Hochma and she had only Ohr Hassadim without Hochma.

For that reason, her Malchut, which extended He’arat Hochma, extended it as a yearning, called ka Mekavein. Hence, Behinat Zeir Anpin is called Lo Efshar and ka Mekavein.

 

Malchut is regarded as Efshar because she could settle for the Hochma in Zeir Anpin, and as ka Mekavein because she had a desire.

48. Behina Dalet, being Malchut, is regarded as Efshar and ka Mekavein. It is Efshar because there is already He’arat Hochma in Zeir Anpin, meaning in Behina Gimel. Thus, Malchut de Zeir Anpin does not have to perform this strengthening once more in order to draw a greater Ohr Hochma than in Behina Gimel.

It is regarded as ka Mekavein because this strengthening to draw Ohr Hochma created a yearning. In other words, it is when she does not have Ohr Hochma that the yearning appears.

 

The difference between Ohr Hochma and He’arat Hochma.

49. We might ask: “Since there is He’arat Hochma in Behina Gimel, which is why Behina Dalet is regarded as Efshar, how then does the yearning for Ohr Hochma appears in Behina Dalet?”

You must understand that there is a big difference between He’arat Hochma and Ohr Hochma. He’arat Hochma means that the Atzmut of the degree consists of Ohr Hassadim, but it receives He’arah from Ohr Hochma. Ohr Hochma, however, means that the entire Atzmut of the Ohr is Hochma, and not Hassadim at all.

He’arat Hochma is quite sufficient for the sustenance of the degree, as it is in Behina Gimel, being Zeir Anpin. That is why Malchut de Zeir Anpin that strengthened herself with a desire to draw Ohr Hochma, did not have to have it. It is only that she yearned for the Atzmut of Ohr Hochma, which is much higher than the He’arat Hochma in Behina Gimel.

She is considered to be empty of that Ohr Hochma with regards to the above Ohr. Hence it is possible that a yearning for it will awaken in her.

 

Behina Dalet alone is regarded as a Kli for reception because she is Efshar and ka Mekavein.

50. Thus we find that not all desires are regarded as vessels of reception, but only Behina Dalet. That is because the Ratzon is not regarded as reception, except under the two conditions - Efshar and ka Mekavein.

This means that there should not be a coerced reception, and that a yearning to receive will appear there. However, since there is a yearning to receive in Behina Gimel, meaning ka Mekavein, because the reception is a must, being that it is the must sustenance, it is not regarded as a Kli for reception.

Behina Bet does not have to receive, however, because there is no yearning there, she is not regarded as a Kli for reception.

All the more so with Behina Aleph, who has neither. She must receive her Ohr, for it is her sustenance, and at the same time she has no yearning for it. Thus it is certainly completely frail Ratzon.

Chapter Five

Explains the Tzimtzum and the Masach; contains four issues:

1. The Tzimtzum was even on all sides.
2. The issue of the Masach: because any Hamshacha of Ohr is carried out in Behina Dalet, there needs to be a detaining force that will prevent the Ohr from expanding into Behina Dalet. This force is called the Masach.
3. Two features in Malchut: a. she is restricted so as not to receive Ohr inside her of her own accord. This is the conduct in Igulim; b. she is restricted because of the force of detainment on her, namely the Masach. This is the conduct in Sefirot de Yosher.
4. The Ohr Elyon is in complete rest and does not stop shining even for a minute. When the Ne’etzal yearns, it extends the Ohr to it.

 

The difference between the Tzimtzum and the Masach.

51. Once we learned the four degrees in the will to receive one below the other well, in its accurate measure, we will now explain the matter of the Tzimtzum, the Masach and the difference between them.

The Tzimtzum has already been thoroughly explained in Part One and in Ohr Pnimi, and we need not repeat the words here. The primary issue that we need for our concern is the Hishtavut that took place there (see Ohr Pnimi, Part 1, Chap 1, item 90).

 

The four Behinot received in Tzimtzum, the matter of cause and consequence.

52. It has been explained above that since Ohr Ein Sof is completely even, it had to restrict itself evenly on all sides. This means that all four Behinot that were restricted are of equal level, without a discernment of Zakut and Aviut that locate the four degrees one below the other, down to Behina Dalet, the lowest and most Av of them all. Rather, they are evened out.

All that was added in the Tzimtzum,
that can be discriminated in it more than in Ein Sof, is only the matter of the four Behinot and how they generate each other and hang down from one another by way of cause and consequence.

Behina Aleph is the reason and the cause of the emergence of Behina Bet; Behina Bet is the cause of Behina Gimel; and Behina Gimel is the cause of Behina Dalet. However, in terms of Zakut and virtue, they are completely equal.

 

There weren’t cause and consequence in the four Behinot in Ein Sof.

53. This matter of cause and consequence that still divides them into four Behinot could not emerge in Ein Sof prior to the Tzimtzum. Even the Kli in general is not apparent there; rather it is completely like the Ohr, as it is written in Part 1.

However, after Ohr Ein Sof departed from these Behinot, they became apparent and what we must now discern became disclosed, namely the Ohr Ein Sof itself, meaning what they had before the Tzimtzum. The four Behinot themselves remained empty of Ohr because after the Tzimtzum it became apparent that these Behinot have nothing in common with Ohr Ein Sof as it was prior to the Tzimtzum.

 

It is like a candle that is merged with a torch, it becomes indistinguishable. However, when separated from the torch, it becomes apparent to all.

54. There seems to be a question here: Since the Tzimtzum occurred primarily in Behina Dalet, it became evident that that Behina is unworthy of receiving the Ohr. However, it became evident that the three preceding Behinot that were not restricted are worthy of receiving the Ohr. Thus, we have a distinction of above and below and importance of one over the other. In other words, Behina Dalet is lower than the first three Behinot.

 

The Tzimtzum was not because of the wanting of Behina Dalet, but solely for the purpose of embellishment.

55. The thing is that the Tzimtzum of the Ohr in Behina Dalet did not occur because of her inferiority, for we are still dealing with Malchut de Ein Sof, whose name was Behina Dalet, who is regarded as the Ohr Ein Sof itself. Thus, how can we even think that the Tzimtzum occurred due to the inferiority of Behina Dalet?

Indeed, the Tzimtzum did not occur because of the inferiority of Behina Dalet; rather, it occurred only as an embellishment. It means that this Malchut wanted to reach adhesion with the highest possible, to cleave to the Maatzil completely, being the matter of the Hishtavut Tzura with the Maatzil (see Part 1, Chap 1, item 90). Thus, Behina Dalet did not lose her merit after the Tzimtzum as well.

 

The Hamshacha of the Kav began in Behina Dalet. That is why there had to be a detaining force on Behina Dalet, so that the Ohr would not permeate her.

56. Now we will explain about the Masach that was placed over Behina Dalet, being Malchut, when the OlamTzimtzum, meaning Malchut de Ein Sof was clothed there. It is known that every degree begins with the Malchut de Elyon that becomes her substance (see item 27). When this restricted Malchut drew the Ohr Elyon over the first three Behinot once more, this Hamshacha was necessarily done by the yearning in Behina Dalet in her. That is because the first three Behinot are not vessels of reception and Hamshacha whatsoever.

Thus, it was necessary for her to first draw the Ohr into all four Behinot, even to her Behina Dalet. However, in order to prevent the Ohr from reaching Behina Dalet, she had to add a new force so as to detain the Ohr from reaching Behina Dalet.

 

The detaining force that was placed on Behina Dalet is called Masach.

57. This new force that she added is called Masach. This Masach is the fundamental factor in the Hamshacha of Ohr de Kav over the three Behinot. It is so because the Tzimtzum she performed, meaning the removal of her Ratzon from receiving in Behina Dalet, was enough only to remove the Ohr Elyon from her.

However, afterwards she drew the Ohr once more, and was forced to reawaken her Behina Dalet in order to draw that new Hamshacha. Thus, if she had not made that new force toward the Hitpashtut of Ohr, the Ohr would reach Behina Dalet once again.

Thus, the primary element in the Hamshacha of the Ohr Kav on the three Behinot is the force of the Masach exclusively, which she has made once more with regards to the Ohr. You must understand these two Behinot thoroughly, namely the Tzimtzum and the Masach, for they are the foundations for the rest in this entire wisdom.

 

The Tzimtzum was mindful; the Masach that pushes the Ohr by power of authority was not mindful.

58. You must understand the difference between the Tzimtzum that Malchut de Ein Sof performed, being the departure from the great will to receive due to her desire and choice to equalize with the Maatzil, and the Masach, which is the detaining force and the authority and the compelling force that prevents the Ohr from reaching Behina Dalet.

 

59. The reason for it is that although both the Tzimtzum and the Masach were performed by Malchut de Ein Sof, you already know that when a spiritual entity acquires a new, additional Tzura, it is then regarded as two spiritual entities, and two Behinot that are as far apart from one another as the measure of their Shinui Tzura.

Just as corporeal objects become separated from one another by an ax, and are distanced from each other by space and area, so are the spirituals discriminated from each other by the Hidush Tzura. Their distance from each other is as is the measure disparity between each and every Tzura, whether more or less.

 

The Masach is a result of the restricted Malchut. A Ratzon in the superior is a force in the inferior.

60. Thus, after the above Malchut performed a Hamshacha on the Ohr of the Kav over three Behinot, this Hamshacha is regarded as a new Tzura, added to the form of Tzimtzum. Thus, there are now two Behinot in the above Malchut:

  1. The restricted Malchut, being the first Tzura that was made in Malchut de Ein Sof, which now adopted the new Tzura, called the “restricted Malchut.”

  2. Later, when this Malchut performed a Hamshacha on the Ohr of the three Behinot, a new Tzura was born and emerged. It was called a Masach, preventing the Ohr from appearing in Behina Dalet.

It is known that every desire in the superior becomes an authority in the branch that extends from it. The Masach is a branch, an upshot of the restricted Malchut. Hence, Malchut restricted herself voluntarily and knowingly without any control by her Elyon. However, the consequence that extends from her, namely the Masach, is already completely controlled by the Tzimtzum, since it is a second degree in the Olam Tzimtzum.

 

The difference between Igulim and Yosher is in the Masach that was renewed in the Eser Sefirot de Yosher

61. It follows that there are two Behinot of Malchut: the first is the restricted Malchut, and the second is a Malchut that has a Masach. Know, that this is the entire difference between the Sefirot of Igulim and Sefirot de Yosher, called Kav.

The Malchut in Eser Sefirot de Igulim is the restricted Malchut, where there is no Masach whatsoever, and the Malchut in the Eser Sefirot de Yosher is the corrected with the above Masach.

 

The reason why the Ohr strikes and wants to permeate Behina Dalet is that the Ne’etzal extended it this way.

62. Now you can thoroughly understand the matter of the Ohr Hozer that ascends by the Zivug de Hakaa of the encounter of the Ohr Elyon with the Masach on Behina Dalet that we have begun to explain above (see item 18). You should understand what we said above, that the Ohr Elyon is not meticulous about the Tzimtzum that the Ne’etzal performed, and it comes down to expand in Behina Dalet as well.

The reason for it is that the Ne’etzal himself necessarily extends it to begin with. It has already been explained (see Part 1, Chap 1, item 2) that the Ohr Elyon is always in a state of complete rest and does not stop shining to the lower ones even for a minute. That is because it does not come under the definition of an incident and innovation. Instead, all the issues of the Hitpashtut of Ohr Elyon that were discussed, refer to the Hamshacha that came from the Ne’etzal who receives from the Ohr Elyon as much as the will to receive is prepared, meaning the yearning in it (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 50).

 

We refer to the Hamshacha of the Ne’etzal as Hitpashtut of Ohr Elyon.

63. At the very moment when the Ne’etzal yearns to receive from the Ohr Elyon, he immediately sucks the Ohr Elyon. It is like one who Lights a candle from another and the first is not lessened by it. By the same manner, when the Ne’etzal extends the Ohr Elyon to itself, the Ohr Elyon is not lessened in any way because of that part that the Ne’etzal extended.

Also, it is not affected or impressed in any way by the Hamshacha of the Ne’etzal. However, in order to simplify matters, we refer to the Hamshacha of the Ne’etzal as Hitpashtut Ohr Elyon.

Remember this in every place, for we always speak of Hitpashtut of the Ohr Elyon, and mean the Hamshacha of the Ne’etzal by his Hishtokekut (yearning) alone.

 

The part of the Ohr that had to permeate Behina Dalet and was pushed away from her became the Ohr Hozer.

64. Therefore, after the Tzimtzum, when Malchut de Ein Sof extended the Ohr once more, because she extended it through the yearning in her Behina Dalet, the Ohr Elyon was also drawn to Behina Dalet. However, by the power of the Masach that she had erected to detain the Ohr from spreading to Behina Dalet, that part of the Ohr returned backwards.

By that she maintained her first wish that the Ohr would come only as far as three Behinot. However, that part of the Ohr that the Masach pushed back to its Shoresh, meaning that part that was meant for Behina Dalet, did not vanish from her.

Instead, it became a great Ohr, clothing the three Behinot of the Ohr Elyon, from the place of the Masach up to the Shoresh. This Ohr Hozer became a Kli for reception of the three Behinot of Ohr Elyon instead of Behina Dalet (see Histaklut Pnimit, item 21).

Chapter Six

Explains why Masach de Behina Dalet raises Ohr Hozer up to Keter, and Behina Gimel up to Hochma etc. The reason is that the measure of the Ohr Hozer is as the measure of Ohr that could clothe Behina Dalet, had the Masach not pushed it back.

It also explains that the Eser Sefirot of Ohr Yashar expand from above downward, meaning the Zach among them is better, and the Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer expand from below upward, meaning that the Av among them is better.

 

The Ohr Hozer is divided into Sefirot according to its clothing of the Sefirot de Ohr Yashar.

65. From the aforementioned you can thoroughly understand the measure and size of that Ohr Hozer. It is no more and no less than the measure of the Ohr that the Masach pushes backwards. In other words, it is that part that was worthy of expanding in Behina Dalet had it not pushed it backwards and rose up to clothe the Behinot of the Ohr Elyon, meaning Behina Gimel, called Zeir Anpin, Behina Bet, called Bina, Behina Aleph, called Hochma and Behina Shoresh, called Keter.

For that reason, Behina Dalet is considered to have been divided in itself into those four degrees that her Ohr Hozer clothed, which became four degrees one above the other in the Kli of Behina Dalet herself. That is because the Ohr that had belonged to her ascended and clothed these four degrees. It is for that reason that Behina Dalet is regarded as their Shoresh, called Keter of this Ohr Hozer.

 

The Eser Sefirot de Ohr Yashar expand from above downward and the Eser Sefirot de Ohr Hozer from below upward.

66. Now there are two kinds of Eser Sefirot in the Ne’etzal: Eser Sefirot from above downward and Eser Sefirot from below upward. It is so because there are Eser Sefirot in the Ohr Elyon, called Keter de Ohr Elyon.

Also, four Behinot expand from the Keter: Behina Aleph is called Hochma; Behina Bet is called Bina; Behina Gimel [containing six Sefirot HGT NHY] is called Zeir Anpin; and Behina Dalet is Malchut. Their order is from above downward, meaning from Zach to Av. It means that the more Zach is also more important, and the purest of all, namely the Shoresh, is called Keter.

After Keter, meaning with a little more Aviut than Keter, comes Hochma. It continues by the same manner to the most Av, which is Malchut, the most wanting of all.

 

From below upward means that the more Av is more important.

67. There are ten more Sefirot in the Ne’etzal. They are of opposite value to the Eser Sefirot of the above Ohr Elyon, namely the Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer that rises from the Masach in Behina Dalet.

They clothe the Eser Sefirot of Ohr Elyon in order from below upward, meaning from Av to Zach. The most Av is the first in virtue, and the greater the Zakut, the lower it is. This is an opposite order to that of the Eser Sefirot de Ohr Elyon.

 

Malchut de Ohr Yashar is Keter de Ohr Hozer.

68. The most Av of all, namely Behina Dalet, becomes the most important. That is because she is the Shoresh of all these Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer. It is so because this Ohr Hozer is no more than a part of the Ohr that belongs to her, which the Masach pushed backwards. Therefore, Behina Dalet is regarded as the Keter, meaning the Shoresh.

 

Malchut de Ohr Hozer is in Keter de Ohr Yashar.

69. Behina Gimel, which consists of less Aviut than Behina Dalet, is regarded as the Sefira of Hochma of Ohr Hozer, meaning second to Keter in degree. Behina Bet, which is purer than Behina Gimel, is regarded as the third degree from Keter, meaning Bina. Behina Aleph, who is even purer than Behina Bet, is regarded as the fourth degree from the virtue of Keter, meaning the Sefira of Zeir Anpin, consisting of six Sefirot HGT NHY.

The Keter of Ohr Yashar, the purest of all, is only regarded as Malchut, compared to the Ohr Hozer, meaning of the least merit. That is because the greater the Aviut, the greater the importance, and the greater the Zakut, the lower the degree, since the degrees expand from Av to Zach. Remember that well.

 

Malchut consists of all Eser Sefirot de Ohr Hozer.

70. Behina Dalet herself is also divided into Eser Sefirot, meaning four Behinot and Keter, by the power of her Ohr Hozer that expands to Eser Sefirot. It is so because Behina Dalet herself is the Keter de Ohr Hozer, namely the Shoresh, and the nine Sefirot of Ohr Hozer that expand and rise from her are her branches.

It is known that all the branches exist in the Shoresh. Thus, Behina Dalet herself is regarded as five Behinot, which are Keter and the four Behinot, expanding from below upward.

 

The Hizdakchut of the Masach divides the Behina Dalet into five Behinot.

71. Now you can understand what we have said above (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 8). The measure of the Ohr Hozer is measured by the amount of Aviut in the Masach. The greatest Aviut in the Masach, namely the Masach of Behina Dalet, manifests the complete degree, meaning reaching up to Keter. Masach de Behina Gimel reaches only up to Hochma; Masach de Behina Bet up to Bina; and Masach de Behina Aleph only as high as Zeir Anpin.

A Masach that hasn’t even got Aviut de Behina Aleph, who is like the Shoresh, manifests no level of Ohr, but only Malchut. With the above explanation you will understand the matter of the Hizdakchut spoken of in the Masach, regarding the above five Behinot. It is the matter of the division of Behina Dalet herself into the five aforementioned Behinot. The conduct of the Masach is to ascend and purify in the parts of the Aviut that exist in Behina Dalet, for a reason that we will learn henceforth.

Chapter Seven

Explains the matter of the Hizdakchut of the Masach, and the emergence of the five levels KHB, ZA and Malchut, one below the other, because of the Hizdakchut of the Masach.

 

The detaining force in the Masach and the measure of the Aviut in Malchut are equal.

72. In order to understand the issue of the Hizdakchut of the above Masach, we must first present two forewords: the first is the detaining force, being the force of the detainment in the Masach. It is measured by the level of the Aviut, which is the Hishtokekut in Behina Dalet, like the two sides of the scales.

There is a simple reason for it: if there is a great Hishtokekut to receive, it necessitates great efforts to refrain from receiving; and if there is a small Hishtokekut, it does not take a great effort to refrain from receiving. Thus the detaining force in the Masach is equal to the measure of the Aviut in Behina Dalet, whether more or less.

 

The Ohr Makif purifies the Masach.

73. The second foreword is that that Ohr Makif, which is not clothed in the Ne’etzal, has the nature of purifying the Aviut in Behina Dalet. It does that slowly, by order of the four Behinot, until it purifies its entire Aviut. It begins with purifying it from Behina Dalet to Behina Gimel, then to Behina Bet, Behina Aleph, and finally making it completely purified, without any Aviut.

 

Because it wants to permeate, but the Masach detains it.

74. The reason for it is that Ohr Makif is the Ohr Elyon that cannot permeate the Ne’etzal because of the Masach that stops it from expanding further than its own level, remains outside the Partzuf and surrounds it. In other words, it shines on it from afar.

Because the Ohr Makif wants to shine in the Pnimiut of the Partzuf as it did in Ein Sof, when it shone in Behina Dalet as well, it strikes the Masach and purifies it. In other words, it revokes the Aviut and the Kashiut in it so that it can permeate.

 

First the Masach becomes strong, then the Ohr.

75. In the beginning, the Masach becomes strong and pushes it backwards. Afterwards, the Ohr increases and purifies the Masach. However, it only cancels the level of Aviut over which there was the Zivug de Hakaa.

If the Zivug de Hakaa was on Behina Dalet, it nullifies the Aviut of Behina Dalet that stops it from clothing in the Partzuf, leaving the Aviut de Behina Gimel, which it had no dealings with. If the Zivug de Hakaa was on Aviut of Behina Gimel, it cancels only Aviut of Behina Gimel and leaves Aviut of Behina Bet, etc. (see Talmud Eser Sefirot, Part 4, Ohr Pnimi, Chap 1).

 

Behina Dalet does not become absent although it has been purified into Behina Gimel.

76. You already know that in any Hidush Tzura in spirituality, the previous form does not become absent as a consequence. That is because there is no absence in spirituality, but only an additional Tzura.

From that you may conclude that this Behina Dalet that has now become purified into its Behina Gimel, is considered to have departed from that Ne’etzal and became a new Ne’etzal that is added to the first.

The Behina Dalet in it is not the Behina Dalet in Behina Dalet, but Behina Gimel in Behina Dalet. However, that Hizdakchut did not cause any changes in the first Ne’etzal as a result of that.

 

Immediately at the Hizdakchut of Behina Gimel, the Ohr Elyon made a Zivug with her, because it never stops shining.

77. It has been explained earlier that the Ohr Elyon does not stop shining in the lower ones even for a minute. The Hitpashtut to the Ne’etzal depends solely on the preparation of the Kli, meaning according to the measure of the will to receive in the Ne’etzal. Any time the Ne’etzal awakens and yearns for the Ohr Elyon, it immediately receives it, to the extent of its Ratzon (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 63).

Behina Dalet had been purified into Behina Gimel, became a new Ne’etzal in and of herself, and extended the Ohr Elyon to herself. Afterward, new Eser Sefirot of Ohr Elyon had emerged in her from above downward, as well as new Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer from below upward, just as the first Ne’etzal expanded.

However, there is a significant difference between their levels. That is because the new Ne’etzal lacks the degree of Keter and reaches only as high as Hochma.

 

The reason why Behina Gimel is absent in Keter.

78. The reason for the absence of the degree of Keter in the second Ne’etzal is that it does not have Aviut of Behina Dalet of Behina Dalet, which with respect to the Ohr Hozer, is the Keter of Behina Dalet. For that reason the Masach did not push the Ohr Elyon but only from Hochma downward, meaning that measure that was meant to permeate Behina Gimel of Behina Dalet.

However, there would not be Hitpashtut in Keter of Behina Dalet even if the Masach had not stopped it. That is because the Kli that extended the Ohr Elyon did not extend more than Hochma downward to begin with. For that reason the Masach did not push the Ohr Keter back, but only from Ohr Hochma downward, and thus Ohr Keter from this Ohr Hozer is absent.

Because Ohr Keter from the Ohr Hozer is absent there, the Ohr Keter of the Ohr Elyon is absent there as well. That is because there is no Ohr that can permeate the Ne’etzal with the Ohr Hozer to clothe it, being that this is its Kli for reception (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 21). That is why it can only reach as high as Hochma.

 

Any Hamshacha is done by Behina Dalet, and thus needs a Masach to prevent the Ohr from expanding into Behina Dalet.

79. The rule is that any Hamshacha of Ohr must only be in Behina Dalet in the Ne’etzal, even though there is no intention to draw Ohr into there. The reason is that the Aviut it raises from Behina Dalet is unfit for Hamshacha (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 56). Even Behina Aleph in Behina Dalet is better suited for Hamshacha than the real Behina Gimel, which is above, meaning more Zach than the entire Behina Dalet.

Therefore, if all the Aviut disappears from Behina Dalet, there will be no one to draw Ohr from Ein Sof and the Ohr will stop entirely. The Hamshacha must be done with Behina Dalet, while at the same time she has to guard herself so that the Ohr will not permeate her because of the Tzimtzum on Behina Dalet. For that reason, she erected the Masach that guards precisely that.

Thus, when the Ohr expands and reaches Behina Dalet, the Masach awakens and pushes that part of the Ohr back to its Shoresh. That part that is pushed back does not disappear, but is turned into the Ohr Hozer. It is that which constitutes the vessel of reception for the Ohr Elyon.

 

With respect to the Hamshacha of Ohr, Behina Dalet and the Masach are as one.

80. Regarding the Hamshacha of Ohr from Ein Sof, Behina Dalet and the Masach that is placed on her are regarded as one. That is because the Kashiut of the Masach is seated on top of the Aviut of Behina Dalet.

For that reason, in most cases, only the Masach is mentioned. Regarding the Hamshacha of Ohr, it necessarily refers to both. To keep our words brief, we too will name the extension of the Ohr from Ein Sof only after the Masach.

Regarding the emergence of the degrees from one another, we will also refer to it with the name Hizdakchut of the Aviut, although it really refers to the Kashiut in the Masach. Remember that it really refers to the levels of the Aviut in Behina Dalet, which created four levels of Kashiut in the Masach.

 

The emergence of the degree of Hochma from Behina Gimel.

81. The emergence of the degree of Hochma from the degree of Keter has already been explained in detail above. The first Eser Sefirot emerged after the Tzimtzum by the encounter with the Ohr Elyon in the Masach that consists of the complete Aviut of Behina Dalet (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 64). For that reason it raised the full amount of Ohr Hozer up to the Shoresh, called Keter.

Once that degree was completed with Rosh, Toch, Sof, a part of the Aviut in the Masach purified from Behina Dalet to Behina Gimel (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 74). Because the Masach had acquired Shinui Tzura, it was regarded to have left the degree of Keter.

Then, by the encounter of the Ohr Ein Sof with the Masach that was purified to Behina Gimel, there came about second Eser Sefirot. Their level reached only as high as Hochma, lacking Keter (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, 78).

 

The emergence of the degree of Bina from Behina Bet.

82. Once that degree of Hochma was complete with Rosh, Toch, Sof, the Ohr Makif returned and purified another part of the Aviut in the Masach, meaning from Behina Gimel in Behina Dalet, to Behina Bet in Behina Dalet. This new Masach of Behina Bet in Behina Dalet is considered to have left the degree of Hochma for the same reason mentioned concerning the degree of Keter (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 76). New Eser Sefirot emerged from the encounter of that Ohr Elyon with that new Masach of Behina Bet, which reached only as high as Bina, lacking Keter and Hochma.

 

The reason for the absence of Hochma in Masach de Behina Bet.

83. The reason for the absence of Hochma from this new degree is the same reason that is mentioned above (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 75) regarding the absence of Keter. Because this Behina Dalet does not have more than Aviut of Behina Bet, which is regarded as Bina of Behina Dalet, this Hamshacha that it performed did not occur in the beginning, but only from Bina downward.

Therefore, even if the Masach had not detained the Ohr Elyon, it would still not expand to Behina Dalet herself, but only from Bina downward. Thus, now the Masach did not push the Keter and the Hochma meant for Behina Dalet
back. Consequently there aren’t any Keter and Hochma in this Ohr Hozer. Because this Ohr Hozer is not there, the Ohr Elyon of Keter and Hochma is not there as well, for the lack of the vessels to receive them.

 

The emergence of the degree of Zeir Anpin from Masach de Behina Aleph.

84. After this new degree of Bina was completed with Rosh, Toch, Sof, the Ohr Makif returned and purified yet one more part of the Aviut in the Masach, meaning from Behina Bet to Behina Aleph. Consequently, it too is considered to have left the degree of Bina.

The encounter of the Ohr Elyon with the Masach de Behina Aleph of Behina Dalet, produced Eser new Sefirot in the degree of Zeir Anpin. The first three Sefirot Keter, Hochma, Bina are missing here for the reason mentioned above.

 

The emergence of the degree of Malchut.

85. Once the degree of Zeir Anpin had been completed with Rosh, Toch, Sof, the last part in Aviut de Behina Dalet was also purified. This Masach is also considered to have been completely purified and left the degree of Zeir Anpin. It is called “the degree of Malchut.” There isn’t any new Ohr here, but it receives He’arah from Zeir Anpin, for it no longer merits Hamshacha. For that reason, all it has is OhrNefesh. The rest about this matter will be explained in Part 3.

Chapter Eight

Explains:

1. Why during Hamshacha of Orot, the greater the Aviut, the better, and when they are clothed in Kelim, the greater the Zakut, the better.
2. The reason for the opposite value between Kelim and Orot: with Kelim, the Elyonim grow first; with Orot, the Tachtonim enter first.
3. Why are Igulim regarded as Ohr Nefesh?

 

The measure of the Ohr that is Nimshach depends on the Aviut of the Masach.

86. A. It has been thoroughly clarified how the entire measure of the influence of the Ohr Elyon in the Ne’etzal depends on the measure of the Aviut of the Masach. The greatest Aviut, namely Behina Dalet is poured in the level of Keter, and one degree less is poured only in Hochma etc. Finally, in the purest Masach, the Ohr Elyon does not pour anything because of the absence of Aviut.

 

The measure of the clothed Ohr depends on the Zakut of the Kli.

B. However, all this refers to the influence and Hitpashtut of the Ohr Elyon to the Ne’etzal, because the giver always gives in the most Av. It is so because the greater the Aviut of the Masach, the higher the Ohr that expands (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 62).

However, it is not so with regards to the conduct of the reception of Ohr Elyon by the Ne’etzal. There, the superior Ohr is received in the purer Kli, and the inferior is received in the Av Kli.

 

The Elyonim come first in the Kelim, and the Tachtonim come first in the Orot.

87. A. We have said above (see Chap 2, item 14) that the giver gives in the most Av, but the receiver receives in the most Zach. In order to explain these words, I will clarify for you the order of the entrance of the Orot into the Ne’etzal after the Tikun, at which time, the Orot are taken in slowly, gradually. Ohr Nefesh is received first, then comes Ohr Ruach, etc. up to Ohr Yechida. It is the opposite in the Kelim; Keter is acquired first, then Hochma etc.

When acquiring Ohr Nefesh, it is clothed in Kli de Keter.

B. This is the order: First, the Ne’etzal is emanated with ten KelimKeter, Hochma, Bina, ZA (that consists of HGT NHY) and Malchut. In other words, in the Kelim, the higher come in first. Then, when Nefesh is given, it is considered that that Nefesh dresses in the Kli of Keter, the purest Kli.

The reason that it still doesn’t have Ohr Ruach is that the Masach in the Keter still does not have any Aviut, not even that of Behina Aleph, and Ohr Ruach is only poured by the encounter of the Ohr Elyon with Masach de Behina Aleph. Because the Masach is in Kli de Keter, meaning it is Zach, without any Aviut, it does not have more than the Ohr Nefesh, ascribed to Malchut.

 

When acquiring the Ohr Ruach, Ohr Nefesh descends to Hochma and the Ruach is dressed in Kli de Keter.

88. When it acquires Aviut of Behina Aleph, Ohr Ruach is poured to it through the encounter of the Ohr Elyon with this Masach de Behina Aleph. However, although the Masach in Kli de Hochma is the one that extended the Ohr Ruach to the Partzuf, still, Ohr Ruach clothes the Kli de Keter and the Ohr Nefesh that it previously had in Keter descends to Hochma.

The reason for it is that the order of the reception of the Orot is such, that the more important Orot clothe the purer Kelim, and the lower clothes the more Av. In other words, it is the opposite of the order of the pouring. Hence, the Ruach, which is more important than the Nefesh, ascends and clothes the Keter, and Nefesh descends and clothes Hochma.

 

When acquiring Neshama, it is clothed in Kli de Keter, Ruach comes down to Hochma, and Nefesh to Bina.

89. Afterwards, when its Masach acquires the Aviut of Behina Bet, it is regarded that the Masach is in Kli de Bina. By the encounter of the Ohr Elyon with this Masach, Ohr Neshama is poured to it, which is more important than the Orot of Ruach and Nefesh.

Here too, it receives Ohr Neshama in the purest thing, meaning in Kli de Keter. That is because Ohr Nefesh,
the lowest of them all, comes down to Kli de Bina, where there is a Masach of Behina Bet, which is now the most Av Kli. Ohr Ruach descends from Keter to Kli de Hochma, and Ohr Neshama, the most important of them, clothes Kli de Keter, the purest of them.

 

When acquiring Ohr Haya, it clothes the Keter; Neshama descends to Hochma, Ruach to Bina and Nefesh to ZA.

90. When the Masach acquires the Aviut of Behina Gimel, it is regarded that the Masach is now in Kli de ZA, being Behina Gimel. Then, by the encounter of the Ohr Elyon with this Masach de Behina Gimel, Ohr Haya is poured, which is more important than Ohr Neshama. For that reason, it must be received in the purer Kli.

Consequently, Ohr Nefesh, the lowest of all, comes down from Kli de Bina, to the Kli that is now the most Av, being Kli de ZA, where there is Masach of Behina Gimel. Ohr Ruach, which is in Hochma, now comes down to Bina, and the Ohr Neshama that is in Keter, descends to Hochma. Ohr Haya, the most important, clothes the Kli de Keter.

 

When Yechida is acquired, it is clothed in Keter. Then Haya descends to Hochma, Neshama to Bina, Ruach to ZA and Nefesh to Malchut.

91. When the Masach acquires Aviut of Behina Dalet, it is considered that now the Masach is in Kli de Malchut, which is Behina Dalet. At that point, through the encounter of the Ohr Elyon with this Masach of Behina Dalet, Ohr Yechida, the most important Ohr, is poured to it.

For that reason, it is received in the purest thing, meaning the Kli of Keter. Consequently, Ohr Nefesh, the lowest Ohr, comes down from ZA to the Kli of Malchut, with a Masach of Behina Dalet, the most Av.

Ohr Ruach descends from Bina to the Kli of ZA, Ohr Neshama descends from Hochma to the Kli of Bina, and Ohr Haya descends from Keter to the Kli of Hochma. Then the newly arrived Ohr Hochma clothes Keter. Now the entire Ohr from NRNHY reached its appropriate Kli, the one that is ascribed to it.

 

The difference between the influence of the Ohr and the Hitlabshut of the Ohr.

92. Now you see the great difference between the order of the pouring of the Ohr Elyon in the Partzuf and the order of the Hitlabshut of Ohr in the Kelim. The giver needs the most Av Behina because Ohr Yechida can come to the Partzuf only when it has a Masach on Kli of Behina Dalet.

Prior to that, when such an Aviut was not present there, but a thinner Aviut, meaning that of Behina Gimel, it was impossible for this important Ohr, called Yechida to be poured in the Partzuf. However, when this important Ohr is drawn to the Partzuf, it is not clothed in the Kli of Behina Dalet, but in the purest of all, namely Kli of Keter.

 

All the Orot that come to the Partzuf are received only in Kli de Keter.

93. By the same manner, Ohr Haya, which is only poured in a Masach of Kli ZA, meaning Behina Gimel, when clothing the Ne’etzal, it does not clothe the Kli of ZA, but the purest Kli, namely Kli de Keter. It is the same in Ohr Neshama, which is only poured when there is a Masach of Aviut Bet in Kli de Bina. Yet when it is clothed, it clothes only Kli de Keter. Likewise, Ohr Ruach, which is only poured in a Masach of Behina Aleph on Kli de Hochma, when it does clothe it, it does not clothe the Kli of Hochma, but the purest Kli, namely Kli de Keter.

Thus, each and every Ohr that comes to the Partzuf comes first in Kli de Keter, as we have said, that the receiver receives only in the purest Kli. It is so although the pouring came through the most Av Kli.

 

Igulim do not receive the Ohr Elyon because they do not have Aviut.

94. From the aforesaid you can deduce why the Igulim do not receive any pouring of Ohr Elyon, but must receive all their Orot from the Ohr de Kav. It is so although Kelim de Igulim precede Kelim de Yosher of the Kav.

It is a simple matter: they do not have any Aviut because all their four Behinot are equal (see Part 1, Chap 1, item 100). Thus, only Kelim de Yosher in the Kav, which do have Masach Aviut, are poured upon by the Ohr Elyon, and the Igulim receive from them.

 

Any degree that receives from another and does not have any form of bestowal in and of itself, is regarded as Nefesh.

95. For that reason the Ohr de Igulim is regarded as Ohr Nefesh. The rule is that any degree that is not poured upon by the Ohr Elyon, but receives its He’arah from another degree, that Ohr is called Ohr Nefesh, or Ohr Nekeva.

Because the Igulim do not receive from the Ohr Elyon, but receive their He’arah from the Kav, they are considered as Ohr Nekeva, or Ohr Nefesh. It has also been explained about Kelim de Yosher (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 85) that if the entire Aviut in the Masach had been purified, then the influence of the Ohr Elyon is no longer there. In that state all that it has is the He’arah from the previous degree, which is therefore called Ohr Nefesh.

Chapter Nine

Explains why each and every Sefira consists of Eser inner Sefirot, which in turn consist of Eser inner Sefirot within the Eser inner Sefirot. They continue to expand by that manner indefinitely and incessantly.

 

Each and every Sefira in each and every Olam consist of Eser inner Sefirot within Eserinner Sefirot indefinitely and incessantly:

 

The issue of the division of the Sefirot to inner Sefirot and inner inner Sefirot and so on and so forth indefinitely.

96. It is a wonderful law in the Upper Worlds that in every Sefira that we choose to examine, we will find ten inner Sefirot. If we take a single Sefira from those Eser inner Sefirot, we find another ten inner Sefirot inside the first Sefira. Also, if we take one Sefira of the inner inner Sefirot, we once more find Eser Sefirot in it, which are inside the previous inner inner, and so on and so forth incessantly.

 

Any Ohr that passes through the degrees leaves its Shoresh in each degree it passes.

97. You will understand the reason for it according to the rule that there is no absence in spirituality (see Ohr Pnimi, Part 2, Chap 1, item 4). It explains that it is impossible that there will be any kind of Ohr in the Tachton that will not exist in all the Elyonim above it up to Ein Sof.

The reason is that even a very small He’arah that emerges in the lowest degree in the Olamot must spring from Ein Sof and travel through all the Olamot and degrees before that low degree, until it comes there. Because this He’arah comes down through the degrees, it cannot be absent from the first when passing to the second and absent from the second when passing to the third etc. until it comes to the last degree, which receives it.

Corporeal objects move from place to place. Yet, that is not at all possible in the spirituals, where there is no absence and replacement. Instead, when a He’arah travels through a certain degree, even if only in passing, it acquires its place there.

 

An Ohr that appears once in a degree remains there for all eternity.

98. The entrance and transference to the next degree does not decrease the Ohr that has acquired its place there in any way. Rather, it is like lighting one candle from another without diminishing the first.

Here too, when the Ohr leaves the first degree and descends to the next, the Ohr remains complete in both the first and the second. Likewise, when it enters the third, the Ohr does not move from the second at all; the Ohr is complete in both the second and the third.

It passes by the same manner through all the degrees that precede the last degree, being the actual receiver for which the Ohr came down from Ein Sof, becoming fixed in all of them. The reason for this is that there is no absence in the spiritual. Any Ohr that shone in a spiritual Behina once will not move from that Behina forever, not even a bit.

 

When Ohr Hochma passes to its place through Keter it leaves its Shoresh in Keter.

99. From the aforesaid you can thoroughly understand the matter of the Hitkalelut of the Eser Sefirot one within the other and one within the other incessantly. For example, when the first two Sefirot emerge, namely Keter and Hochma, Ohr Hochma must spring from Ein Sof and thus must also travel through Keter before it comes to the Sefira of Hochma.

Because Ohr Hochma shone in Keter once, namely as it passed through, it is therefore impossible for it to ever be absent from there. Consequently, it necessarily implies that even after Ohr Hochma has reached the Sefira of Hochma, the Ohr Hochma still remains complete in Keter. Thus, the Sefira of Keter now has two Orot, being Ohr Keter and Ohr Hochma.

 

When Ohr Bina passes through Keter and Hochma it leaves its Shoresh in them, and so on by the same manner.

100. It is the same with Ohr Bina. Because it must travel through the two preceding Sefirot before it comes to Bina, it necessarily acquires its place in Keter and Hochma as well. Thus there are now three Orot in Keter: Ohr Keter, OhrHochma and Ohr Bina. Likewise, there are two Orot in Hochma: Ohr Hochma and Ohr Bina, and one Ohr in Bina, namely her own Ohr.

It continues by the same manner until Ohr Malchut emerges. At that time Keter has all the Eser Sefirot because the lower nine Orot have necessarily traveled through Keter, thus acquiring their place there. There are also nine Sefirot in Hochma, because all the eight lower Sefirot below her traveled through her and remained there.

Likewise there are eight Sefirot in Bina, seven in Hesed, six in Gevura etc. through Malchut, who has but her own Ohr because there aren’t any more Sefirot that would travel through her.

 

There is no Ohr Yashar in Kli de Malchut, but only Ohr Hozer.

101. Regarding the above-mentioned Ohr of Malchut, both the Ohr inside her and the Ohr that is incorporated from her in the first nine Sefirot, is only Ohr Hozer. You already know that since the Tzimtzum onwards, a Masach was erected on the Sefira of Malchut and Ohr Ein Sof is not received there.

Instead, the encounter of the Ohr Ein Sof with that Masach creates a Zivug, at which time a new Ohr comes from the Masach of Malchut, called Ohr Hozer that shines up to the Sefira of Keter. It thus clothes all the Eser Sefirot from below upward, which is the only way by which it is contained in each Sefira of the upper nine Sefirot (see Histaklut Pnimit, Part 2, item 19).

 

Malchut is regarded as the Keter of the Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer.

102. The Sefira of Malchut is the source of the new Ohr, and every source is regarded as Keter. Hence, Malchut is regarded as the Sefira of Keter of that new Ohr. The Sefira before her, namely Yesod, is regarded as the Hochma of the new Ohr, and the one before her, meaning Hod, is regarded as Bina, until the upper Keter is now regarded as Malchut, meaning the one that receives from this new Ohr.

 

Eser Sefirot of Ohr Yashar expand from above downward.

102. We have learned that in each degree of Eser Sefirot, we should distinguish two courses of Eser Sefirot that extend from Ein Sof. The first is of Eser Sefirot that extend from Ein Sof from above downward from Keter to Malchut. These are called Eser Sefirot of Ohr Yashar, for they descend in Yosher from above downward by a gradual order from the Zach Kli to the more Av, and from there to the more Av still, through Malchut,
the most Av of all.

 

Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer expand from below upward.

103. We have another course of Eser Sefirot there. These extend from the Sefira of Malchut from below upward, meaning from Malchut to Keter. In that case, Malchut becomes the origin of the new Ohr, called Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer.

They are called by that name for they pour and come in an opposite order of degree, namely they do not extend from the Zach to the Av, where the last receiver is the most Av. Quite the contrary, it extends from the most Av to the one that is not so Av, until the last receiver is the purest. For that reason it is considered to be shining from below upward.

 

All the Sefirot of Ohr Hozer that come in Sefirot of Ohr Yashar travel through Malchut.

104. We have explained above about the Hitkalelut of the Sefirot in the order of the Eser Sefirot of Ohr Yashar. Because there is no absence in spirituality, any He’arah that passes anywhere remains there in completeness even after it moves to a different location.

With regards to the Eser Sefirot de Ohr Yashar, all the Eser Sefirot are present in Keter, nine in Hochma, eight in Bina etc. (see item 99). For that reason it also appears by the same way in the Eser Sefirot dehr Hozer. That is because here the Sefira of Malchut becomes the origin of that Ohr Hozer.

Thus, it is considered that every Behina of Ohr Hozer that reaches its upper Sefirot, must travel through Malchut, for the reason that Malchut emanates that Ohr by the power of her Masach which mates with the Ohr Ein Sof that meets that Masach.

 

When Ohr Hozer de Yesod travels through Malchut, it leaves its Shoresh in Malchut and so on by the same manner.

105. Therefore, when the Sefira of Yesod receives her Ohr from Malchut, it necessarily means that Malchut received that Ohr first. It comes to the Sefira of Yesod via the Zivug with the Ohr Ein Sof and the passing through Malchut. It turns out that Ohr Yesod is present both in Malchut and in Yesod.

It is the same with the Ohr Hozer that Hod receives, which by necessity acquired its place in passing through Malchut and Yesod. In that state we find that there are three Orot in Malchut, two and Yesod and one in Hod.

Similarly, when Keter receives the last Ohr Hozer, there are already ten Orot of the Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer in Malchut, nine in Yesod, eight in Hod etc. as was explained regarding the Eser Sefirot de Ohr Yashar.

 

By Hitkalelut of Ohr Hozer in passing, Eser Sefirot become fixed in each and every Sefira. Keter has nine Sefirot of Ohr Yashar and one of Ohr Hozer.

106. turns out that we have Eser Sefirot in each and every Sefira of the above Eser Sefirot, meaning together with the Ohr Hozer. In other words, Ohr of Malchut that is received in each and every Sefira completes to Eser Sefirot. In Keter there are nine Sefirot of Ohr YasharKHB HGT NHY – and one of Ohr Hozer, namely Malchut, for she receives last from the Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer. Consequently, he has only one Ohr of the Ohr Hozer.

 

Hochma has eight of Ohr Yashar and two of Ohr Hozer; Bina has seven of Ohr Yashar and three of Ohr Hozer.

107. Hochma has eight Sefirot of Ohr YasharHochma, Bina and HGT NHY – and two of Ohr Hozer. The ones of Ohr Hozer are: her own part, which she received from the Ohr Hozer of Malchut, being Yesod de Ohr Hozer, and the part of Keter that traveled through her, and remained there so as never to move again, being Malchut de Ohr Hozer.

Bina has seven Orot of Ohr Yashar, which are: Bina, HGT NHY, and three of Ohr HozerHod, Yesod, Malchut. She has Hod from her own; Yesod from the part of Hochma that traveled through her, and Malchut from the part of Keter that traveled through her, meaning from Bina upwards.

 

Hesed has six of Ohr Yashar and four of Ohr Hozer; Gevura has five of Ohr Yashar and five of Ohr Hozer; Tifferet has four of Ohr Yashar and six of Ohr Hozer.

108. Hesed has six Sefirot of Ohr Yashar, which are: HGT NHY, and four Sefirot of Ohr Hozer, which extend from Hesed upwards. In other words, she has her own part, namely Netzah, and the parts of Bina, Hochma and Keter, which are Hod, Yesod and Malchut that traveled through her and became fixed there.

The same applies to Gevura, who’s got five Sefirot of Ohr Yashar: Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod and Yesod. She also has five Sefirot of Ohr Hozer from Gevura upwards, meaning the four parts of Keter, Hochma, Bina, Hesed, being Netzah, Hod, Yesod, Malchut, which passed through her, and her own part, which is Tifferet de Ohr Hozer.

Tifferet has four Sefirot of Ohr Yashar from Tifferet downwards, and six of Ohr Hozer from Tifferet upwards. In other words, it has five parts KHB HG, which are TNHYM that passed through him, and his own part, being Gevura de Ohr Hozer.

 

Netzah has three of Ohr Yashar and seven of Ohr Hozer; Hod has two of Ohr Yashar and eight of Ohr Hozer; Yesod has nine of Ohr Hozer and one of Ohr Yashar, and Malchut has Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer.

109. Netzah has three Sefirot of Ohr Yashar from Netzah downwards, which are – Netzah, Hod and Yesod de Ohr Yashar. It also has seven Sefirot of Ohr Hozer from Netzah upwards, which are the six parts KHB HGT that passed through her. Those are GTNHYM and her own part, which is Hesed of Ohr Hozer.

Hod has two Sefirot of Ohr YasharHod and Yesod, and eight Sefirot of Ohr Hozer from Hod upwards. Those are the seven parts, KHB HGT and Netzah that passed through him, which are HGT NHYM of Ohr Hozer, and his own part, which is Binade Ohr Hozer.

Yesod has one Sefira of Ohr Yashar and nine Sefirot of Ohr Hozer, from Yesod upwards. Those are the eight parts KHB HGT Netzah and Hod that passed through him, which are Bina, HGT NHYM of Ohr Hozer, and his own part, being Hochma de Ohr Hozer.

 

With her Ohr Hozer, Malchut completes every single Sefira to ten Sefirot.

110. It has been thoroughly explained that every manifestation of Eser Sefirot, wherever they might be, must be mingled with one another. However, when the Eser Sefirot de Ohr Yashar first emerge, they do not have Eser Sefirot in each of them just yet, not before the Ohr of Malchut is incorporated in them too, namely the Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer. Malchut has no other Ohr, and that Ohr of Malchut completes what is missing from this number - Eser Sefirot – for each and every one of the Eser Sefirot. Thus there are Eser Sefirot in each and every one of them.

 

It is the same in every inner item too. When regarding Keter of the Eser Sefirot of the Keter, it too necessarily consists of nine Sefirot of Ohr Yashar and one of Ohr Hozer.

111. When you take the general Sefira of Keter made of the general Eser Sefirot as an example, you find that in and of itself, it consists of Eser inner Sefirot. In other words, after Ohr Malchut appears there, we can immediately see that in the first Sefira of that general Keter, now called Keter of Keter, meaning the inner Keter, there are necessarily nine Sefirot of Ohr Yashar. They are located
below him, being Hochma and Bina, and HGT NHY of Ohr Yashar in Keter.

 

Keter de Keter is its own Behina, and the nine lower Sefirot are passing Orot.

112. Although it is only the Keter in them that is considered its own Behina, the other nine Sefirot are but passing Orot there. In other words, they are lower Orot that have acquired their place there in passing from Ein Sof, through Keter to the lower Sefirot.

Still, since they are in Keter, the highest Sefira, namely their inner Keter must in and of itself contain the nine inner Sefirot below it too. Because these nine Sefirot are below it, they must have passed through it. Because they passed through it, they must have acquired their place in it, for there is no absence in spirituality, just as we have said about the general Eser Sefirot.

It turns out that now this specific Keter alone also has Eser inner Sefirot that consist of nine Sefirot of Ohr Yashar KHB HGT NHY, and one of Ohr Hozer, being the Ohr of Malchut in the Keter of the general Eser Sefirot.

 

Hochma in Keter too necessarily consists of eight Sefirot of Ohr Yashar and two of Ohr Hozer.

113. Likewise, when you examine the particular Sefira of Hochma from the Eser particular Sefirot of the general Keter, called Hochma deKeter. By necessity, it has Eser inner Sefirot by the same manner we mentioned in the inner Keter. That is because all the eight Sefirot of the general Keter of Ohr Yashar below her must have passed through that inner Hochma from above downward.

Having passed through her, they’ve necessarily acquired their place in her in addition to the two Sefirot of Ohr Hozer, meaning from the Ohr of the inner Malchut, which also passed through that inner Hochma from below upward. These parts are: her own part of the Ohr Hozer and the part of the Ohr Hozer that relates to the inner Keter.

Thus there are Eser inner Sefirot in the inner Hochma in the inner Eser Sefirot of the general Keter as well. It is the same in the general Hochma of the general Eser Sefirot.

 

Bina in Keter also has seven Sefirot of Ohr Yashar and three Sefirot of Ohr Hozer.

114. Also, when discerning the particular Bina in the Eser particular Sefirot of the general Keter, called Bina de Keter, you will also find that it necessarily contains Eser particular inner Sefirot as we have seen in the inner Hochma. That is because all six particular Sefirot HGT NHY of Ohr Yashar of the general Keter below her necessarily passed from above downward through that inner Bina and acquired their place in her.

Together with Bina herself, they now become seven Sefirot of Ohr Yashar. Also, the three particular Sefirot of Ohr Hozer passed through that general Bina from the inner Malchut of the general Keter from below upward, meaning her own part of the Ohr Hozer, the Ohr Hozer part of the particular Hochma, and the Ohr Hozer part of the particular Keter. It follows that there are Eser particular Sefirot in the inner Bina in the Eser Sefirot of the general Keter, as it is written with regards to the general Bina in the general Eser Sefirot.

 

Hesed in Keter also has six Sefirot of Ohr Yashar and four of Ohr Hozer, and so on by the same manner.

115. By the exact same manner you will find Eser inner Sefirot in the inner Hesed in the Eser inner Sefirot in the general Keter. These are six of Ohr Yashar, HGT NHY from above downward, and four of Ohr Hozer from Hesed upwards to Keter. By the exact same manner you will find Eser inner Sefirot in Gevura, and so on through the inner Malchut in those Eser Sefirot, called Malchut de Keter.

 

116. You might ask: But there is no Ohr Hozer in the Eser inner Sefirot of the general Keter that rose from the general Malchut, but only Nefesh, meaning the smallest part of the entire Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer (see item 112). So how can we say that that small portion of Ohr Hozer has now expanded by itself into new Eser Sefirot of Ohr Hozer that complete each individual Sefira with all the inner Sefirot they need in order to complete their number to Eser Sefirot?

 

Nefesh de Ohr Hozer in the general Keter is necessarily divided into clothing of Eser inner Sefirot in Keter.

117. Indeed, the answer is that it is ultimately a must for that part of Nefesh de inner Ohr Hozer that rose from Malchut to the general Keter to have clothed all nine inner Sefirot in the general Keter. Otherwise, these nine Sefirot of Ohr Yashar would not have been captured in the Partzuf and shone there, for it is known that Ohr Yashar cannot connect with a Partzuf except through the vessels of reception of the Ohr Hozer.

This Ohr Nefesh clothed the nine inner Sefirot of Keter. Thus, we necessarily find that in passing from below upward, it completes the number in each and every one of those inner Sefirot to the Eser inner Sefirot that they lack. It gives Hochma the two Orot that she is missing: one for her own clothing, and another, in passing, to clothe Keter. It gives a third to Bina and a fourth to Hesed, as demonstrated above.

 

It is so also in the Eser Sefirot inside the Eser inner Sefirot in the general Hochma. Keter of the Eser Sefirot inside the Eser inner Sefirot of Hochma contains nine Sefirot of Ohr Yashar and one of Ohr Hozer.

118. Just as we have explained the Eser particular Sefirot within the Eser inner Sefirot in the Eser particular Sefirot in the general Keter, so we will explain the Eser particular inner Sefirot in each and every one of the Eser particular Sefirot of the general Sefira of Hochma. In Keter of the Eser inner Sefirot of the general Hochma, called Keter de Hochma, you necessarily find Eser inner Sefirot. These are her own Ohr, and the inner eight Sefirot Bina, HGT NHY that went from above downward, thus nine.

There is one Ohr Hozer that rose from the inner Malchut of the general Hochma. Thus you have Eser inner Sefirot in the Keter of the general Hochma.

 

In the inner Hochma in Hochma there are eight Sefirot of Ohr Yashar and two of Ohr Hozer.

119. The inner Hochma in the Eser inner Sefirot of the general Hochma, called Hochma de Hochma, works by the same manner. It consists of eight of Ohr Yashar from above downward, and two of Ohr Hozer from below upward. Similarly, the inner Bina in the Eser inner Sefirot of the general Hochma has seven of Ohr Yashar from above downward and three of Ohr Hozer from below upward.

So it is in Hesed, in Gevura, and so on through the inner Malchut in these Eser Sefirot of the general Hochma, called Malchut de Hochma. She too has Eser inner Sefirot of Ohr Hozer, meaning because she necessarily clothes all the Eser inner Sefirot of the general Hochma, and sends them her He’arah. Thus, it necessarily follows that they all travel through her and acquire their place inside her.

 

120. The Eser inner Sefirot of the inner Bina operate in the exact same manner; so do the inner Hesed, inner Gevura, and down to the inner Malchut, and no further explanation is needed here.

Instead, we will explain one more Sefira from the inner Sefirot so as to demonstrate how she too, in and of herself, necessarily consists of Eser inner Sefirot, which are now Eser inner Sefirot within Eser inner Sefirot.

 

121. Let us examine the inner Bina of the inner Sefirot, which is, for instance, one of the Eser inner Sefirot in the inner Hochma in the Eser Sefirot in the general Hochma, called Bina in Hochma de Hochma. Here too we find that she has Eser Sefirot of her own, according to the same principle, meaning seven of Ohr Yashar that traveled through her from above downward. She also has three of Ohr Hozer that traveled through her from below upward.

 

122. We can make such infinite discernments, for whenever you take any Sefira, even after it has been divided a thousand times, that Sefira still comes from an arrangement of Eser Sefirot. Thus, a part of those Eser Sefirot have necessarily gone through that Sefira from above downward and some of them traveled from below upward. Thus, these Eser Sefirot have necessarily acquired their place in that Sefira for all eternity, as we’ve explained above. Thus, in that Sefira you necessarily have all Eser Sefirot.

 

123. However, you should know that even when you divide the ten into inner ten and then another inner ten and so on, you should not think that all the Sefirot remain equal. They do change significantly as they divide, and one is not like the other.

It is so because the Orot of Ohr Yashar never come in their designated place as the Sefirot divide, except in Keter. That is because in Hochma there are only eight of Ohr Yashar, meaning from Hochma downwards, and two of Ohr Hozer, Yesod and Malchut.

Therefore, the eight Orot of Ohr Yashar come in the purer Kelim, meaning from Keter to Hod, and the two of Ohr Hozer in Yesod and Malchut. It turns out, that OhrHochma clothes Kli de Keter, and Ohr Bina in Kli de Hochma etc. until Ohr Yesod clothes Kli de Hod.

It follows that all the Orot de Ohr Yashar do not come in their right place, and only the Ohr Hozer always comes in its right place; Ohr Hozer de Yesod comes in Kli de Yesod and the Ohr Hozer de Malchut in Kli of Malchut de Malchut.

 

124. Similarly, Bina has no more than seven Orot of Ohr Yashar, which clothe the purer Kelim. It adheres to the rule that the receiver receives in the purer thing, meaning from Keter to Netzah. It follows that Ohr Bina permeates Kli de Keter, Ohr Hesed the Hochma, and finally Ohr Yesod in Kli de Netzah. Only the three Orot of Ohr Hozer settle in their place: Orot Hod, Yesod, Malchut in the Kelim of Hod, Yesod, Malchut.

 

125. We can learn from the above that there is a big difference between the inner Bina de Keter, the inner Bina de Hochma and the inner Bina de Bina etc. Only in Bina de Keter is the Ohr of Bina in her own Kli.

However, in Bina de Hochma there is only the Ohr of Hesed in the Kli of Bina, and in Bina de Bina there is only Ohr of Gevura in Kli de Bina. That is the case with all of them, for one is not like the other.

 

126. Changes can be traced even in the division of the Orot of Ohr Hozer that do not change their place. Despite that, we can discern changes in the way they divide, since wherever there is Ohr Hozer, it receives He’arah from Ohr Yashar.

For example, in Yesod de Hochma there is He’arah from Ohr Yashar de Hod de Hochma. However, in Yesod de Bina there is He’arah from Netzah de Bina because there is no Ohr Yashar in Hod de Bina.

 

127. It would be an exception to the rule if you were to divide only the general Sefira. I wish to say: Take the general Sefira of Bina as an example, and divide it into ten and then into another ten. For instance, if you separate the inner of inner Bina from the Eser Sefirot of the inner Bina of the Eser Sefirot of the general Bina, called Bina of Bina de Bina, then they will all be equal, without any difference. It is so because you will find in all of them the seven of Ohr Yashar in the seven upper Kelim KHB HGT Netzah, and three of Ohr Hozer in the tree lower Kelim, Hod, Yesod, Malchut. It follows similarly even after a thousand divisions, and in all the other Sefirot.

Chapter Ten

Explains the topic of Zivug de Hakaa, which consists of two forces: a pulling force, and a repelling force. They operate simultaneously, one in the Aviut, and the other in the Kashiut of the Masach.

 

Detailed explanation about the meaning of the words Zivug de Hakaa

128. The topic of Zivug de Hakaa requires an elaborate explanation. There is an apparent positive and negative here, for Zivug de Hakaa means rejection and separation and great hatred. Thus, how can you utter Zivug of Hakaa, for it implies love of hatred, or adhesion of separation, or Hamshacha of rejection? It is indeed perplexing.

 

129. It is indeed that: they are two opposites under one rule. However, this rule consists of two unique carriers, meaning two forces: one that attracts and another that repels. The attracting force is in the Aviut of the Kli, and the repelling force in the Masach of the Kli. They have been put together and both rule simultaneously, at one time in two places.

 

130. I will elaborate in order to examine it thoroughly and make it acceptable to the mind without arousing any confusion and bafflement. Let me present an example from the corporeal reality that is imagined and appears to our eyes: When you look upon a rock, or a person, who falls off a high place to the ground, you see that that person is being pulled from above downward with great force and speed. Still, when that person hits the ground, the ground hits him and pushes him a bit upward.

 

131. There are two conjectures here: one is that the earth has a great pulling force on everything that is placed in the air, if there is nothing solid to protect it. Thus, when one falls off the roof of the house into the air, that pulling force of the earth immediately operates on him. That explains the issue of the speedy fall to the ground.

However, there is a thought here, by which the earth should have lovingly embraced that person, not letting him move even a bit. Still, we see the opposite: the minute that person touches the ground, it pushes him back quickly and he returns slightly upwards.

 

132. There is yet another supposition, that there is another force, which repels from above, from the air. This rejecting force operates on anything airborne and pushes it to the ground.

At the same time, our earth has only the repelling force, and none of the attracting force. Thus, when that person becomes detached from the roof of the house and becomes airborne, the repelling force from above instantly operates on him and brings him to the ground. Hence, when he touches the ground, it pushes him up once more.

 

133. If we deduce from the branch about its Shoresh in the Upper Worlds, for things are mostly very similar, we will find that both postulates are incorrect. We might also say, that each and every ball has a pulling force and repelling force that are intermingled. In other words, there is a force of Aviut, being the attracting force that wants to draw everything outside inwardly, and opposite that there is a force of Kashiut, which repels any external body from entering.

Thus, any Hamshacha must certainly come from the central point in its Pnimiut, for that is where the force of Hamshacha stays. It is so because the central point is more Av than the entire planet, thus attracting anything within that peripheral space under its influence and the force of its operation.

 

134. However, it does not pull it to the point of swallowing it, as it should have, judging only by her power of Hamshacha. Instead, at the very moment when the attracted object touches the outer crust, the repelling force in the crust, being the Kashiut, immediately awakens and pushes it upwards once again.

 

135. It turns out that what it pulled has been received, but not by way of Hamshacha, but in another way, because it was halted halfway by the force of the Kashiut that pushed it and stopped it midway.

Thus, there are both Zivug and Hakaa operating together here. The Zivug pulls, and the Kashiut repels. Thus, it receives it on top, and does not swallow it alive into the bowels of the earth.

We can therefore say, that the vessel for reception is primarily the repelling force in it. That is because it receives and sustains him, as it should be. Were it not for the repelling force, the person would be swallowed alive in it.

 

136. You can also see that the attracting and the rejecting are as even as two drops in a pond in the measure of their strength. If the pulling force had been a little stronger than the pushing force, it would become impossible to move on earth. Anything moving would be glued to it like iron to magnet.

Alternately, if the repelling force had been somewhat stronger, the entire universe would be dancing on it, unable to touch it. Thus, they are evidently even.

 

137. Thus you can thoroughly understand the issue of Zivug de Hakaa in the Elyonim. Even though the Zivug and the Hakaa are two opposites, still they take part in one dominion, at one time and at one instance, but in two places, being the Aviut and the Kashiut. Remember this in the continuation of this wisdom.