"Who Has Created These" of Eliyahu
11. Rabbi Shimon said, Elazar, my son, reveal the supernal secret, which the dwellers of this world know nothing about. Rabbi Elazar was silent. Rabbi Shimon wept and stood still for a moment, and then said: “Elazar, what is ELEH? If you say that they are like the planets and the signs of the zodiac (destiny), have they not always been seen (unlike the changeable signs of fate)? They were created in MA which is Malchut,” as it is written, “By the word of the Lord were the heavens made” (Tehilim 33:6), meaning that the heavens were made by Malchut called the Creator’s word. And if the word ELEH was said about the hidden things, then there is no need to write ELEH, because the planets and the signs are visible to all (the word ELEH (THESE) means that something is clear).
Rabbi Elazar did not reveal the reception of the Ohr (Light) of the 1st big state (Ohr Neshama), and Rabbi Shimon wished to reveal the way to receive the Light of the 2nd big state (Ohr Haya). Therefore, he asked Rabbi Elazar to speak and to reveal the way to receive the Ohr Neshama, which is concealed from people by the supernal secret. This is because the Ohr Neshama has not yet been revealed in the world, and Rabbi Shimon reveals it here.
The fact is that although there were righteous men who attained Ohr Haya, none of them could explain in detail the path of its attainment or reveal it to the entire world. This is because to understand it, a person has to attain that level; and this depends only on his efforts. Many people in different generations attained the level of ELEH. However, it requires a greater level to reveal it to the world, and the Creator’s special permission is needed for this (See the article “Conditions of Revelation of the Torah secrets”).
Rabbi Shimon asked him what ELEH means, what is new in the words of the Torah, MI BARAH ELEH (WHO CREATED THESE), where the word ELEH designates ZON. If it speaks about the stars and the signs of the zodiac which mean the Light of VAK of the big state, then what is so special in this? Indeed, ZON can receive this Light even on weekdays. There is nothing extraordinary in this to say MI – WHO CREATED THESE about it.
(One might say that this Light is constant because only the Light of VAK is present in ZON, but not GAR. Only as a result of MAN (Mayin Nukvin) can ZON receive the Light of VAK of the big state, the Ohr Neshama. The answer is that this Light can be received at any time, even on weekdays during the morning prayer. However, he does not understand why these were created in MA. This Light refers not to Bina, but to the ZON of the world of Atzilut, which is called MA. It exits ZON, as is written BY THE WORD OF THE LORD, where the Lord is ZA and His word is Malchut).
12. This secret was revealed on another day, when I was on the seashore. The prophet Eliyahu came and asked me: “Rabbi, do you know what MI BARAH ELEH – WHO HAS CREATED THESE means?” I answered: “These” are the heavens and their hosts, the works of the Creator. And man should look at them and bless Him, as is written, “When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers” (Tehilim 8:4) and “Our Master, how glorious is Your name in all the earth!" (Tehilim 8:10).
13. He told me: “Rabbi, the Creator revealed a great secret to the Celestial Assembly. The secret is that when the most concealed One of all desired to reveal Himself, He first made one single Point, which is Malchut, and this point ascended to His Thought, which is Bina. He shaped in her all the created beings and confirmed all the laws.
Atik is the first Partzuf and the Rosh (head) of the world of Atzilut. It is called concealed and the most secret of all the Partzufim and its name Atik (from the word Ne’etak – isolated and unattainable) testifies that. No one can attain this Partzuf in itself or its properties, but we can perceive it the way it appears to us. Atik deliberately diminishes and changes itself in such a way that the lower Partzufim can understand the outer form (not Atik itself, but its properties) in which it appears with regards to them.
In the words of The Zohar, Atik wished to reveal itself to the worlds, but being the Partzuf that acts according to the laws of the 1st restriction, it “put on the garments” (an external Partzuf that acts according to the laws of the 2nd restriction) to enable the lower Partzufim to feel and attain it.
There is an enormous difference between the properties of the senses that perceive the sensations of the 1st and the 2nd restrictions. Just as a person in our world is born without sense organs that can feel the spiritual worlds, so is the Partzuf, corrected for the conditions of work at the level of the 2nd restriction, unable to accept (feel) the Light that descends according to the laws of the 1st restriction. A similar distinction exists between the Partzuf Atik and the other Partzufim of the world of Atzilut and the worlds BYA.
To be connected to the lower Partzufim, Atik raised Malchut of the Rosh (head) of AA inside the Rosh of the subordinate AA to the Sefira Hochma. As a result of this, the Sefirot Bina and ZON of the Rosh of AA fell to the Guf (body) of AA: Malchut rose from the Peh (mouth) to the Eynaim (eyes) and stands in the Rosh instead of Bina; whereas Bina and ZON left the Rosh. The Guf (body) starts below Malchut of the Rosh (after the decision on how to act), wherever it may be.
Here is how one should understand this: the Sefirot of the Rosh are the thoughts and desires with regards to which the Partzuf or man’s inner properties (i.e., man himself) makes his decisions as to how they can be used to get as close as possible to the purpose of creation. The fact that the Sefirot Bina and ZON exited the Rosh of AA means that the Partzuf AA cannot make any decisions on them for lack of a screen. That is why they moved from the Rosh to the Guf.
Their role is only to receive the Light in the same way as all the Sefirot of the Guf receive it, i.e., from the Rosh. In other words, they receive the Light which is accepted by the screen of the Sefirot Keter and Hochma that remained in the Rosh. A person willfully restricts the use of his desires and uses only those of them with which he can work for the sake of the Creator.
Therefore, when Malchut rose and stood under the Sefira Hochma, Hochma became a male, the bestowing, fulfilling part, and Malchut turned into a female, the receiving part of the Rosh. Since Malchut took the place of Bina (called “thought”), now Malchut assumes the name “thought” because it makes a Zivug and receives Ohr Hochma.
That which receives from Hochma is defined as Bina, not Malchut. So, although Malchut itself is merely a black point (egoistical creation), as a result of its ascent, it turns into Bina, i.e., Malchut acquires Bina’s properties. Hence, Malchut is now called Bina, or thought.
The Zohar calls a thought Hochma or Bina. The difference is that a thought is something that is received from Hochma. Hence, Bina is called a “thought” only if the Rosh and receives the Light from Hochma. In the 1st restriction, Bina always receives from Hochma and is called “thought.” However, in the 2nd restriction, Malchut rose to Bina and started receiving from Hochma. That is why now Malchut is called “thought,” not Bina.
All the Partzufim of the worlds ABYA are created by this ascent of Malchut to Bina. Therefore, it is written: “HE SHAPED IN HER ALL THE CREATED BEINGS AND CONFIRMED ALL THE LAWS.” The Sefirot Keter and Hochma remained in the Rosh of each Partzuf, and a Zivug is made on these two Sefirot. Hence, the Light that is received in the Guf of the Partzuf consists of only two Lights, Nefesh and Ruach. Previously, Malchut stood in the Peh de Rosh and the Rosh (the part in which the Partzuf calculated how much Light it can receive for the Creator’s sake) ended there. After that, the Partzuf was receiving that Light from the Rosh to the Guf, from the Peh (mouth) to the Tabur (navel).
Now Malchut rose to the Eynaim (eyes) of the Rosh and stands under them. This is known as the ascent of Malchut to NE (Nikvey Eynaim - pupils of the eyes), because Nukva Eynaim means Malchut of the Eynaim. Prior to Malchut’s rising to the Eynaim, there were no pupils (NE). It is worth noting that only in Malchut (desire) can we feel what surrounds us (the Creator and the Light). Hence, all of our sense organs are designed as apertures: Nekev (orifice), Nukva or Malchut in the Eynaim, Awznayim (ears), Hotem (nose), and Peh.
Only a person who by his own strength can create desires that work according to the principle of the 2nd restriction and put Malchut after Keter-Hochma (i.e., think of bestowal), can start feeling with this corrected spiritual sense. The sense organ where a screen may be located, can perceive the Upper Light.
After rising, Malchut stood under Hochma, made a Zivug on its screen, i.e., on the Sefirot Keter-Hochma (GE). The Sefirot Bina-ZA-Malchut (AHP) are under the Rosh, in the Guf of the Partzuf and they receive the Light passively. This leads to a division of the 10 Sefirot of the Guf K-H-B-ZA-M in the same way as the 10 Sefirot of the Rosh were divided: the Sefirot K-H of the Guf continue receiving from K-H of the Rosh and the Sefirot B-ZA-M of the Guf, being unable to receive from the Rosh, receive from K-H of the Guf, as do the Sefirot under the Tabur (navel) of the Partzuf.
As is well-known, every Partzuf consists of the Rosh, the Guf and the extremities. The Rosh decides how much Light the Guf can receive for the sake of the Creator in accordance with the magnitude of the screen that reflects the Light (pleasure). The decision to accept this Light descends under the screen, from the Rosh to the Guf, and fills the Guf from the Peh down to the Tabur. Each Sefira of the Rosh fills the corresponding Sefira of the Guf.
If there are only 2 Sefirot K-H in the Rosh, then only 2 Sefirot K-H remain in the Guf. This is because only they can receive from the corresponding Sefirot of the Rosh. The Sefirot B-ZA-M of the Rosh receive the same Light as the Sefirot K-H of the Guf. This means that they are under the screen (Malchut that rose and stands under Hochma of the Rosh). Thus, the Guf has K-H that accordingly receive Light Ruach-Nefesh and AHP of the Rosh that also receive the 2 Lights Ruach-Nefesh.
B-ZA-M (AHP) of the Guf cannot receive the Light from the Rosh because the corresponding Sefirot B-ZA-M of the Rosh do not participate in Zivug. This is because their screen lacks power to reflect the egoistical desires of the AHP de Rosh, so as to receive for the sake of the Creator. In other words, since there are no AHP in the Rosh, accordingly, there are no AHP in the Guf. Since the AHP of the Guf receive no Light from the AHP of the Rosh, they are similar to the extremities, i.e., to the end of the Partzuf under its Tabur. Hence, at the end of the Partzuf, under the Tabur, there are the GE of the Raglayim (legs) and the AHP of the Guf that fell there. Being at a lower level, the AHP of the Raglayim are not parts of the Partzuf.
The Light that cannot be received by the Partzuf remains outside, around it, and waits until the Partzuf acquires enough power to accept it. It is called the surrounding Light and corresponds to the desires that do not take part in Zivug. These desires are still uncorrected and lack the screen.
If previously, before the 2nd restriction, Malchut (the last Sefira of the Guf) was in the Tabur, now, when only 2 Sefirot K-H remain in the Guf, Malchut of the Guf also rises to Bina de Guf called Chazeh (chest). Therefore, when Malchut rises to Bina de Guf, the entire Partzuf “diminishes”: the Rosh only reaches up to the Eynaim, the Guf only to the Chazeh, and the Raglayim (legs) only to the Tabur. Such a state of the Partzuf is called small state.
However, if the Partzuf receives new powers from above, acquires a Masach (screen) where it will be able to decide to accept the Light for the sake of the Creator in its AHP, then the AHP de Rosh will rise from the Guf to the Rosh. They will supplement the Rosh to 10 Sefirot. The Sefirot of AHP de Guf will rise from the Raglayim to their place in order to receive additional Light. The Rosh, Guf, and Raglayim will all have 10 Sefirot. Such a state of the Partzuf is called big state.
In the language of The Zohar, the restriction of a Partzuf, its transition from the big state to the small state, is described as a division of each part of the Partzuf (the Rosh, the Guf, and the Raglayim) into GE (ELEH) and AHP (MI). All 10 Sefirot are called by the Creator’s name Elokim, which consists of the letters ELEH-IM. These letters are divided into MI – GE – K-H and ELEH – B-ZA-M. Only the Sefirot ELEH remain in the small state at their level. The Sefirot IM fall to the lower level. The word Elokim is read from down to up, the way a person attains it.
“HE SHAPED IN HER ALL THE CREATED BEINGS AND CONFIRMED ALL THE LAWS.” This sentence alludes to the division of each level into two parts and their new form. It implies a separation into ELEH and MI, i.e., into the Kelim (desires) of bestowal and reception, where due to the lack of power to oppose one’s nature (egoism), part of the Sefirot (desires) remain unused, outside of its level. Accordingly, their Light remains outside as Ohr Makif (the surrounding Light). It waits until the Partzuf will receive additional power to grow big and receive all the Light.
During 6000 years, all our correction takes place only according to the Laws of the Tzimtzum Bet (2nd restriction).As soon as the Partzuf acquires new powers (the Masach) to receive the Light selflessly in the Sefirot/Kelim B-ZA-M (ELEH), it will immediately attach them to itself and receive the Light Neshama-Haya-Yechida. It will grow to become a big Partzuf consisting of 5 Kelim (10 Sefirot) with the 5 Lights of NaRaNHaY.
14. He engraved inside the sacred and hidden candlelight (which is Malchut that merged with Bina), a concealed image, the holy of holies, a very profound structure that emerges from the depth of the thought, the GAR that is called MI, which is the inception of this edifice. It is erected and not erected; it is great and hidden deep inside the name Elokim (ELEH and IM). It is called MI from the name Elokim. This means that it lacks the letters ELEH of the name Elokim. He desired to reveal Himself and to be called by the complete name Elokim, so He dressed Himself up in a precious shining garment, which is the Light of Hassadim, and created ELEH. The letters ELEH of the name Elokim ascended and combined with the letters MI and formed the complete name Elokim. As long as He did not create ELEH, He did not rise up to form the name Elokim. Hence, those who sinned in worshipping the Golden Calf used this secret by saying, “ELEH (these are) your deities, Israel” (The Torah. Shemot 32:4).
“ELEH (these are) your deities, Israel!” These egoistical desires (ELEH) are your deities, which you are obliged to worship until you correct yourself. The use of ELEH is the reason of all transgressions and ravages: the breaking of the vessels and Adam’s sin, the splitting of his soul into 600,000 parts and worshipping the Golden Calf, the breaking of the Tablets by Moses and the destruction of the 1st and 2nd Temples, etc.
As a result of raising MAN by the lower Partzufim, meaning their request for power to make a Zivug and receive the Light (for the Creator’s sake), Ohr Hochma comes from above. This Light called MAD (Mayin Dechurin) is a force that enables the Kli to create a Masach (screen) capable of reflecting the Light and to oppose its egoistical nature. This force comes as the Light or the sensation of the Creator’s greatness. It is referred to as the Light AB-SAG because it descends from the Partzufim Hochma-AB and Bina-SAG of the world AK (Adam Kadmon). If a person has risen from the level of “our world” to the worlds BYA, then wherever he may be in those worlds, his request for spiritual correction rises through all the worlds and levels up to the Partzuf SAG. SAG turns to AB, receives from it the Ohr Hochma and passes it down all the Partzufim through which MAN had reached him.
Since the entire world of AK exists in the 1st restriction (Tzimtzum Aleph) and above the 2nd restriction (Tzimtzum Bet), the Light that comes from it provides the Kli that receives this Light with power to pass from the small state to the big one. In other words, Ohr AB-SAG enables the Kli to create a Masach, to reflect Ohr Hochma and then to receive it for the Creator’s sake. The big state is called “the holy of holies” because being filled with the Light of GAR (“the holy of holies”) is utterly perfect.
Ohr AB-SAG descends to the Rosh of the Partzuf AA and lowers the point of Malchut from the thought (Bina) to its place in the Peh, where it was before Tzimtzum Bet. As a result of this, 3 Sefirot B-ZA-M rejoin 2 Sefirot K-H and become 5 Sefirot in the Rosh. AHP (ELEH) rise and join GE (MI) and the Creator’s name, Elokim, becomes complete.
However, this does not mean that the Partzuf can be filled with the 5 Lights of NaRaNHaY. It just acquired a Masach, a force to receive the Light in all of its 10 Sefirot. Since only Ohr Hochma shines in AA, this Light cannot fill the elevated Kelim of ELEH. They can receive Ohr Hochma only if Ohr Hassadim dresses it. Only the GAR of the Partzuf (K-H-B) can have pure Ohr Hochma, whereas the ZAT of the Partzuf (the Sefirot ZA-M) can receive only diminished Ohr Hochma half-mixed with Ohr Hassadim. This is called the reception of Ohr Hochma in the middle line (consisting of half Hochma and half Hassadim).
Therefore, says The Zohar, THIS STRUCTURE IS ERECTED AND NOT ERECTED. Although all the Sefirot are present in the Rosh, they are to be filled with the Light, meaning the Sefirot ELEH are not yet revealed in the name Elokim. Only the letters MI have been revealed (i.e., filled with the Light) so far.
Hence, first of all, the Partzuf makes a Zivug on its small state and receives Ohr Hassadim. After that, it puts this PRECIOUS GARMENT (Ohr Hassadim) on Ohr Hochma. Only afterwards, can the mixed Light of Hassadim and Hochma fill the Sefirot ZAT (ELEH) and all 5 Sefirot will shine in sheer perfection.
However, before MI gives Ohr Hassadim to ELEH to enable them to receive Ohr Hochma, ELEH cannot receive Ohr Hochma, and only the Light of MI shines in the name Elokim. The Zohar continues by saying that all sins are caused by neglect of Ohr Hassadim (the intention for the sake of the Creator). Because they sinned, i.e., neglected Ohr Hassadim and did not wish to receive with the intention “for the Creator’s sake” but only desired Ohr Hochma, MI were separated from ELEH. Hence, it is written, ELEH – THESE (the desires of reception and not MI, the desires of bestowal) ARE YOUR DEITIES, ISRAEL; and the Light instantly passed to the impure forces.
The Torah tells us not about the history of an ancient nation, but about the structure of the spiritual levels that we have to attain. To let us know the properties of these levels (to reach them means to acquire their properties), Kabbalah explains how they were originally created by gradual descent from the Creator’s level and spiritual coarsening.
To give us an opportunity to correct our egoism, the Creator mixed it with altruism while creating the spiritual levels. This mixing of the opposite properties is possible only by means of “explosion.” There were several such fusions that occurred as a result of exploding, breaking of properties.
One of them is mentioned in the Torah (Shemot 32:4). It describes the worshiping of the Golden Calf, when the children of Israel (the altruistic desires of bestowal) suddenly wished to receive the Light for themselves. Consequently, the Sefirot (Kelim) of GE and AHP got mixed and the properties (desires) of GE penetrated into AHP. Through these altruistic properties that are secretly concealed within a small, egoistical human being, it is possible to awaken and inspire him to ascend spiritually and disregard this world.
Therefore, one should perceive everything that is written in the Torah not as history, but as an instruction. All the actions described in that book are positive: all devastations, including the destruction of the 1st and the 2nd Temples, wars, adultery, and murder. We only need to realize what the Torah tells us. One can understand it correctly only if one stops perceiving it as a mere collection of injunctions referring to the mechanical performance of its Commandments.
15. Just as MI join ELEH and form one name Elokim when Hochma dresses itself in Hassadim, so is the name combined by this precious shining garment. And the existence of the world is based on this secret, as is written, “The world shall be established upon mercy.” (Tehilim 89:3). Eliyahu then flew away, and I could not see him anymore. Yet, it is from him that I grasped this hidden secret. Rabbi Elazar approached with all the others and bowed down before him. They wept and then said, “If we had not come into this world but only to hear this secret, it would have been enough for us!”
Rabbi Shimon went on explaining: There is only one law of reception of Ohr Hochma. This Light can be received only if Ohr Hassadim dresses it. Just as this occurs in the Partzuf Bina called “the Superior World,” so does it occur in the Partzuf Malchut (MA, Nukva of ZA) called “the inferior world.” Malchut is usually called BON, but when it joins ZA and receives the Light from it, it acquires its name MA.
The Superior World, Bina of the world of Atzilut, desires only Hassadim, but the inferior world, Malchut of Atzilut, wants Hochma. However, Eliyahu (Elijah) the prophet spoke only about the order of Light and the structure of the name Elokim in AVI (Bina de Atzilut); whereas Rabbi Shimon continues his explanation in the next article and expounds the structure and reception of the Light in the name Elokim.