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Yehuda Leib HaLevi Ashlag (Baal HaSulam)

Chapter One

Talmud Eser Sefirot
(The Study of the Ten Sefirot)
Part 4

Explains Rosh and Guf de Adam Kadmon down to Tabur. There is no actual Kli in the Eser Sefirot de Rosh, and in the Eser Sefirot de Guf there is actually one Kli, called Keter. The Eser Sefirot in this Kli are estimated according to their distance from Behina Dalet. Since they are in a single Kli, they are called Akudim. Contains eleven issues:

1. We do not have the strength to study prior to Olam Atzilut.
2. Eser Sefirot de Atzilut are Orot and Kelim. In order to connect to their Shoresh above, we must speak of the gradual order from Rosh to Sof.
3. The Orot de Guf de AK from Peh to Tabur are called Akudim.
4. The HaVaYot of the Kelim were born from the mutual Hakaa of Ohr Makif and Ohr Pnimi outside the Peh.
5. There are no Kelim prior to Akudim, meaning in Eser Sefirot de Rosh de AK. A single actual Kli was made into Eser Sefirot in Akudim.
6. Kli de Akudim is Keter. Eser Kelim KHB TM emerged below Akudim.
7. There is force of Eser Sefirot in the Ohr Elyon.
8. It drew Ohr Akudim from Peh to Tabur and left and returned to its origin in the Peh.
9. A Reshimo that was left after the Histalkut of the Ohr became a Behinat Kli.
10. Since the Ohr left all at once there was only one Kli made, called Keter.
11. There are Eser Sefirot found in this Kli, according to their distance from Behina Dalet, meaning according to the Dalet Behinot in the Ohr Elyon.

 

We do not have the strength to study prior to Olam Atzilut

1. You already know that we have no strength to study prior to the emanation of the Eser Sefirot, or imagine any image and shape whatsoever (1). However, to simplify matters we do need to speak allegorically (2). Therefore, even if we speak of a picture that is up there, it is only to simplify matters.

 

Ohr Pnimi

1. Because all these discernments that we make in the Olamot stem and emanated from Olam Atzilut downward, meaning from the Olam where Eser Sefirot and Tikun Kavim already manifest as Hesed, Din and Rachamim.

However, above Olam Atzilut, meaning before the Eser Sefirot appear, we have no grasp that is sufficient to discern any similarity and dissimilarity of form between one Sefira and another. That is because attainment begins from the Hitlabshut of the Eser Sefirot in Eser Kelim, meaning from Olam Atzilut downward.

That is why the Rav writes, “we have no strength to study prior to the emanation of the Eser Sefirot, or imagine any image and shape whatsoever.” It is so because prior to the emanation of the Eser Sefirot that appeared in Olam Atzilut, the Eser Sefirot were regarded as Ohr without a suitable Kli, and it is known that we have no attainment in the Ohr without a Kli.

2. It means that from Olam Atzilut downward we can insinuate the discernments in the Upper roots above by allegory and metaphors taken from the reality of the conducts of this world. All the details of the creations and their modes of conduct in this world concatenate and extend from the Upper Olamot. It is just like the seal and the imprint, where all the details in the seal are copied and transferred to its imprint, none missing.

Our sages wrote, “There is not a single blade of grass below that does not have an appointed angel above that strikes it and tells it, ‘Grow!’” (Bershit Raba, Parasha 10, omissions from Part 1, item 1). It tells us you have not a tiny item in this world that does not have a Shoresh in the Upper World. This Shoresh operates on it in all its forms and inclinations in everything it does here before us in this world.

Thus, the sages have devised a special language to convey their attainment of the Upper Olamot orally and in text from generation to generation: They take the branches in this Olam and explain the reality of the Upper Olamot, which relate to these branches with them.

The above relationship of root and branch begin only from Olam Atzilut downward, meaning from the moment of the completion of the Eser Sefirot, and not at all before that. It is therefore obvious that no such existence of the Upper Olamot can be implied using the corporeal branches, as these branches do not have a direct correlation to them, to qualify them to explain these terms.

The Rav writes here that it is spoken allegorically here only to clarify matters. In other words, it is to give us some grasp so as to show us the Shorashim of Olam Atzilut. Thus, we must first understand the branch as it relates to its Shoresh in Atzilut, and then we can relate the Shoresh to its earlier Shoresh in the Olamot that precede Atzilut.

 

Eser Sefirot de Atzilut are Orot and Kelim. In order to connect to their Shoresh above, we must speak of the gradual order from Rosh to Sof

2. However, you should know that the Eser Sefirotde Atzilut are two matters (3): The first is the Hitpashtut of spirituality, and the second is Kelim and Evarim (organs), where the Atzmut expands. All this must have a Shoresh above, for these two Behinot, and therefore we need to speak of the order of degrees from Rosh to Sof.

 

Ohr Pnimi

3. They are the spiritual Hitpashtut, called NRNHY, and the matter of the Kelim and the Evarim, called KHB, HGT, NHYM, or five Partzufim: AA, AVI, and ZON that the NRNHY clothe. Each of these matters is a separate study in its own, meaning its conducts of concatenation and manifestation differ from the other.

Moreover, they are complete, antipodal opposites: in the Kelim, the Upper Kelim appear first, as first appears Keter, next Hochma and finally Malchut. The Orot are the opposite: in them the Tachtonim appear first, beginning with the appearance of Nefesh, then Ruach and finally Yechida. They are also opposite in all their appearances and Behinot.

Thus, if we do not know the reason for the things well, in their root, we will not be able to escape confusion in this wisdom. The Rav wrote, “therefore we need to speak of the order of degrees from Rosh to Sof.” It means that then we will thoroughly know the reasons for every single matter at its root. We will be able to distinguish the proper conducts and the order in each degree, and the proper conducts and the order in the Orot, and we will not misplace the terms with on another.

 

The Orot de Guf de AK from Peh to Tabur are called Akudim

3. It is written “and saw in a dream, and, behold, the he-goats which leaped upon the flock were Akudim (streaked), Nekudim (speckled), and Brudim (grizzled). (4)” It is also written, “for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee.”

This verse implies all these Behinot that we discuss here. Laban is the Upper Loven that precedes all this Atzilut and makes all these Behinot, namely Akudim, Nekudim and Brudim, for the purpose of Atzilut that will emanate after them.

He is called by the name Yaakov (Jacob) and began with Akudim as they are the Orot that stem from Peh de Adam Kadmon. The manifestation of the HaVaYot of the Kelim commenced in them since the Eser inner and surrounding Orot are tied and connected together in a single Kli. For that reason it is called Akudim, from the words, “and bound Isaac,” meaning tied (Akud).

 

Ohr Pnimi

4. These are names of the first three Olamot that hung down from one another until the Eser Sefirot were emanated properly. It refers to ten Orot, called: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, Yechida, clothed in ten Kelim, called: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod, Malchut.

In the beginning, only one Kli was emanated, called Kli Malchut. All the other ten Orot were clothed and tied to that single Kli. Thus, that first Olam is called Olam ha Akudim, from the words tied, and bound, as we will discuss henceforth.

It is also called “One Kav”, or Olam Adam Kadmon. It is called One Kav because the Ohr is clothed in but a single Kli, and it doesn’t have the conduct of the three Kavim yet, called: Hesed, Din, Rachamim. This Kli is called Midat ha Din, which is Kli Malchut.

However, afterwards there was the association with Midat ha Rachamim. It means that Malchut, called Midat ha Din, was mingled and incorporated with each and every Sefira of its previous nine Sefirot, which are called Midot (pl. for Midat) ha Rachamim.

Through this association, a Kli was made in each and every Sefira, at which time the Eser Sefirot were completed properly. Then the conduct of the three Kavim was made in the Eser Sefirot, called: Hesed, Din, Rachamim.

Our sages wrote: “In the beginning it came upon the thought to create the world in Midat ha Din; He saw that the world does not exist, preceded Midat ha Rachamim and associated it with Midat ha Din” (Bershit Raba). This verse seems unbecoming; are His thoughts like the thought of flesh and blood, who first want to do thus, but regret for some reason and does otherwise?

Indeed, we have already explained (see Part 1, Table of Questions, explanation of “Before” and “After”), that “Before and After” in spirituality mean cause and consequence. The cause appears first, and consequence that extends from it is called “After”.

Our sages tell us that the first reason for the emanation of the Olamot, called the “first Olam”, emanated and emerged as only Kli Malchut, called Midat ha Din. However, “He saw that the world does not exist,” meaning it does not have that same perfection that is required of the creation of the world, and so He “associated it with Midat ha Rachamim.”

In other words, it therefore became the element that causes the association of Midat ha Rachamim with the Din, for which emerged and emanated Eser Sefirot Orot and Kelim in the three Kavim, Hesed, Din, Rachamim. Our sages also implied that same matter in another place in different words (Avot 285): “The world was created in ten sayings. Couldn’t it have been created with one saying? But to repay the evil, who destroy the world in ten sayings, and give a good reward to the righteous, who keep the world that was created in ten sayings.”

Ten sayings refer to Eser Sefirot. They ask: “Since the first Olam had been created in a single saying, meaning with a single Kli, the Kli of Malchut, why then did Eser Sefirot hang down and emerge from it?” They answered: “To repay the evil etc. and to give a good reward for the righteous etc.”

In other words, the thought of creation to delight His creatures does not exist in another way, but by a conduct of reward and punishment, meaning Eser Sefirot, which is the conduct in three Kavim, Hesed, Din, Rachamim. Thus, the first Olam, where there was only Kli Malchut, had to have concatenated from state to state until the Eser Sefirot were emanated, being the association of Midat ha Rachamim with the Din. That, in turn, manifests the conduct of reward and punishment that brings to the benefit incorporated in the thought of creation.

The beginning of the above participation occurred in Olam Akudim itself by the Hizdakchut of the Aviut in the Masach. As a result, three Partzufim came out and hung down, Galgalta, AB, SAG. Even though they are all still regarded as Akudim, still the association gradually occurs in them.

After that, Partzuf BON de AK came out, called Olam ha Nekudim, where the three Kavim Hesed, Din, Rachamim were emanated in the Eser Sefirot of the first three, KHB, called Rosh. However, in ZAT, the Eser Sefirot still came out in one Kav, and it is in that Olam that the breaking of the vessels occurred.

This breaking of the vessels became a reason for the matter of the association of Midat ha Rachamim with Din ending in Behinat three Kavim Hesed, Din, Rachamim and ten complete Kelim in the seven lower Sefirot HGT NHYM as well, in the next Olam, called Olam ha Brudim and Olamha Tikun. It is so because the correction of the Olam to match the thought of creation begins specifically in that Olam, and not before.

Now we have learned the difference between three Olamot, mentioned in the Rav’s words: Olam Akudim means that ten Orot were Akudim and tied in a single Kli. However, Olam ha Nekudim is regarded as its Upper three, KHB, where there was already the association of Midat ha Rachamim with Din.

Only in Olam Brudim, called Olam Atzilut, was the association of Midat ha Rachamim with Din corrected completely, in the seven lower Sefirot as well. Thus, we have here a Hitlabshut of Eser Orot inside Eser Kelim, and from that Olam begins the differentiation of the actual Eser Sefirot.

 

The HaVaYot of the Kelim were born from the mutual Hakaa of Ohr Makif and Ohr Pnimi outside the Peh

4. In the bonding of the inner Orot with the Orot Makifim, they are connected inside the Peh (5). Consequently, when they emerge together outside the Peh, bound together (6), they strike and beat on each other (7), and the HaVaYot of their Kelim are born from the beating.

 

Ohr Pnimi

5. You already know that the Peh is the Malchut of Rosh de AK where the Masach of Behina Dalet had been erected. It detains the Ohr Elyon from expanding and clothing the fourth Behina, as the Ohr Elyon has the conduct of expanding in Behina Dalet also, and fulfill the entire reality as before the Tzimtzum. However, the Masach that is erected in the Peh detains it and does not receive it. This is called Zivug de Hakaa.

The entire measure of the Ohr Elyon that is suitable for clothing Behina Dalet, which (as we’ve said) she does not receive, this Ohr Elyon returns backwards to its origin and becomes a Malbush over the first nine Sefirot of Ohr Yashar (see above Part 3, Chap 12, and in Ohr Pnimi there). It turns out that all the Orot that are destined to come in the Olamot after their correction, called Orot Makifim, they are contained in that Ohr Hozer that clothes the first nine Sefirot de Ohr Yashar of Rosh de AK.

It is so because this is the Ohr Elyon that is not accepted in Behina Dalet. Hence, it does not fulfill the entire reality as it was prior to the Tzimtzum. However, Behina Dalet becomes corrected through all the Zivugim and the Ohr Hozer that are destined to appear in the Olamot by raising MAN through the acts of the righteous. Eventually, she becomes fit to receive the Ohr as it was in Ein Sof before the Tzimtzum. It is written in the Zohar: “Ein Sof is not inspired with His Ichud (unification), before His spouse is given to Him,” which is the correction of Behina Dalet.

Now we have clarified that all the Orot Makifim are contained in the Masach and Ohr Hozer in Peh de Rosh AK, along with the inner Orot, which are the nine Sefirot de Ohr Yashar that are connected with it. The Rav writes, “the bonding of the inner Orot with the surrounding Orot, they are connected inside the Peh,” meaning Malchut, by the power of the Masach de Behina Dalet that is corrected there.

6. Both the Ohr Pnimi and the Ohr Makif are connected in Behina Dalet. The Upper nine Sefirot de Ohr Yashar are connected and clothed in her Ohr Hozer, called Ohr Pnimi, but the Orot that are destined to come until the end of the correction, called Orot Makifim, are also contained in that Ohr. It is so because they are the essence or the Ohr Hozer, thus destined to manifest bit-by-bit over six thousand years and after that until the end of correction.

7. Because when the two Orot come down and expand from the Peh down into Guf de AK, the Ohr Makif cannot clothe inside the Guf because of the force of the Masach that detains that Ohr (see Part 2, Table of Questions, item 4). Because they are connected and incorporated there, they too want to expand in the Pnimiut of the Partzuf. Hence, they purify the Aviut in the Masach, meaning that force of detainment that does not let them clothe there.

However, by the force of that Bitush in the Aviut of the Masach, for which the Masach purifies, it causes the Histalkut of the inner Orot from the Guf. It is so because as it purifies to Aviut de Behina Gimel, the Ohr Hozer is shortened, clothes only the level of Hochma, and Ohr Keter disappears from the Guf.

When Behina Gimel is also purified into Aviut de Behina Bet, the Ohr Hozer is shortened to the level of Bina, and the Ohr Hochma also disappears until all the Aviut is purified and there is no more Zivug de Hakaa there. Then, the entire Ohr Pnimi disappears from the Partzuf. The Rav writes, “they strike and beat on each other.” It means that one rejects the other because the size of the Ohr Pnimi is measured by the Aviut in the Masach.

Hence, in a greater Aviut it grows stronger, and vise-versa, the detainment of the Orot Makifim that cannot clothe is only because of the Aviut and the Gevul in the Masach. For that reason it purifies the Aviut, and for that reason they beat on each other until they both depart.

 

There are no Kelim prior to Akudim, meaning in Eser Sefirot de Rosh de AK. A single actual Kli was made into Eser Sefirot in Akudim

5. Prior to the existence of Akudim (8), the Ohr Elyon could not clothe any Kli. That is because the Kelim could not tolerate it (9), and the Ohr did not clothe the Kli until the expansion of that great Ohr came to Behinat Akudim (10). Then, a reality of a single Kli for that great Ohr has been made, and there began a certain limitation of the Ohr in Atzilut (20), which could not have been done thus far (30).

 

Ohr Pnimi

8. Akudim are regarded as Eser Sefirot of the Toch of the first Partzuf in the reality after the first Tzimtzum, called Adam Kadmon. Prior to that there weren’t any Rosh, Toch, Sof in the Ohr Elyon, but the Ohr Elyon filled the entire reality (study closely in Part 1).

The Rav writes, “Prior to the existence of Akudim,” meaning in the Eser Sefirot in Rosh de Adam Kadmon that precede the Eser Sefirot de Toch de Adam Kadmon, called Akudim, “the Ohr Elyon could not clothe any Kli.” It is thoroughly explained in Part 3, that there is no Behinat Kli in the Eser Sefirot de Rosh, only Shorashim for the Kelim.

9. Because the Ohr Hozer that ascends from Malchut upward is not regarded as a Kli for reception of the Ohr Elyon, but only as a Shoresh for a vessel of reception. Thus, as much as Malchut de Rosh expands and broadens to Eser Sefirot from her and within her by the Ohr Hozer that overturns and descends from above downward, there are still no Kelim there at all (see Part 3, Chap 2, Ohr Pnimi, item 3).

It is so because the Ohr Hozer rises there from below upward, and any clothing from below upward indicates departure from reception. The reason we call it Halbasha (clothing) is that the Eser Sefirot connect there and become a Shoresh for the Halbasha. This is why the Rav writes, “the Kelim could not tolerate it.”

10. Until Malchut and the Ohr Hozer with her extend Eser Sefirot of Rosh to the Toch from above downward. Then a single Kli came out, meaning Kli Malchut. It expanded, broadened and received the entire amount of Ohr inside it, whose Ohr Hozer clothed the Eser Sefirot of the Rosh (see Part 3, Chap 2, Ohr Pnimi, item 3). These Eser Sefirot that descend from the Rosh downward and clothe Kli Malchut that had expanded are the ones called Eser Sefirot de Akudim, or Olam ha Akudim.

20. Because Malchut in the Sof of that Kli, which is regarded as Malchut de Kli Malchut, limits the Ohr Elyon on its path from expanding from her downward. The force of that limitation is called Tabur, or Chazeh.

30. Meaning although Malchut de Rosh also limits the Ohr Elyon, for therefore a Zivug de Hakaa occurred there, and a raising of Ohr Hozer (see Part 3, Chap1, Ohr Pnimi, item 70). However, this limitation and this Ohr Hozer of Malchut de Rosh are not regarded as an actual limitation, only as potential limitation. Keter is like a primeval substance, the Shoresh of all four elements, but in potential, not in fact. It is therefore possible to call Him Ein Sof and Maatzil, referring to the Eser Sefirot de Rosh, called Keter.

These words of the Rav are indeed profound and we must understand them, for they pertain to the very root of the wisdom and its beginning. We must determine the difference between “potential” and “actual” that the Rav speaks of. He divides between the Eser Sefirot de Rosh that clothe the Ohr Hozer from below upward, and the Eser Sefirot de Guf that clothe the Ohr Hozer from above downward. It is for the reason that the Eser Sefirot de Rosh are sometimes called Ein Sof and Maatzil to the Eser Sefirot de Guf.

There is a great difference and distance between the Ohr Hozer that ascends from the Masach in Malchut upward, clothing the Eser Sefirot de Rosh, and the descending Ohr Hozer with the Ohr Yashar from Eser Sefirot de Rosh down to the Guf. It appears that they are opposite from one another because the Ohr Hozer that ascends from below upward is not only regarded as a vessel of reception for the clothing Ohr Yashar, but it even contains resistance to reception.

It is so because any “from below upward” means that the Ohr turns to the Maatzil and not to the receivers. However, the ascending Ohr Hozer still becomes a Malbush for the Ohr Elyon. In other words, it becomes a Shoresh for the tying of the Ohr Elyon with the Ne’etzal. That is because Kli Malchut de Rosh, which raised that Ohr Hozer, expands and extends by it from her and within her, and becomes a vessel of reception called the Guf of the Partzuf (see Part 3, Chap 2, Ohr Pnimi, item 3). It is so because Eser Sefirot de Rosh descend from above downward and expand and extend within her.

Eser Sefirot de Rosh depart from coming into the vessel of reception, by their own property, as that is the meaning of Ohr Hozer that ascends from below upward, to the Maatzil and not to the Ne’etzalim. Still, the entire Ohr that is received in the Guf in actual fact, is not from the Eser Sefirot de Rosh that expand in it from above downward, as explained in item 30.

For that reason the Eser Sefirot of the Rosh are considered to have Eser potential Sefirot, but not actual. It means that the actual clothing of the Ohr in the Kelim is not at all in the Rosh, but only the potential and the Shoresh that is to be extended from it. That is why the Rosh is called Ein Sof, or Keter.

The Rav wrote, “Then,” meaning after the Ohr expanded in the Guf of the Partzuf, called Akudim, “a reality of a single Kli for that great Ohr has been made, and there began a certain limitation of the Ohr in it, which could not have been done thus far.”

It means that before the Akudim, meaning Malchut de Rosh, there could not be any reality of limitation. That is because the limitation that Malchut limits and the Ohr Hozer that she raises in Eser Sefirot de Rosh, this limitation is genuine bestowal. After all, the greater the limitation, the greater amount of bestowal it is. The limitation of Behina Dalet extends the level of Keter, and a smaller limitation, meaning only on Behina Gimel, extends only the level of Hochma. Thus, there is no discernment of limitation whatsoever in the Rosh.

 

Kli de Akudim is Keter. Eser Kelim KHB TM emerged below Akudim

6. However, first the entire Ohr was of the parts that reach Atzilut, all concealed in a single Kli. That Kli had Behinat Kli of the Upper Keter, and then the Ohr expanded further down from that Behina, called Akudim. Then Eser Sefirot Kelim were made.

 

There is force of Eser Sefirot in the Ohr Elyon

7. Let us begin to clarify the existence of Akudim, what it is about. Know, that the Ohr Elyon is the part that is fitting to clothe Atzilut. It has the force of the Eser Sefirot although they are as yet not apparent as Eser Orot, but only after the completion of Akudim (40). However, certainly, the force of these Eser Orot was there to begin with (50), but since it was not bound in a Kli (60), it was not yet apparent that they are ten (70).

 

Ohr Pnimi

40. Meaning only after the two Partzufim AB and SAG de AK manifest. In that state the Ohr entered and departed the Kli ten times, and these entrances and exits created and distinguished the ten separate Orot.

50. Before they expanded to Akudim, meaning in the Eser Sefirot de Rosh, where the Eser Sefirot are only in potential, not in actual (see this chapter, item 30).

60. This limitation begins to manifest only by the Zivug de Hakaa and the ascents of Ohr Hozer from below upward in the second Histaklut that comes after the Hitlabshut of the Ohr in the Ne’etzal, meaning after Akudim. However, the Ohr is not confined by the first Histaklut in Malchut de Rosh, and remember that.

70. Even in the Hitpashtut from the Rosh downward it was still not apparent that they are ten Orot, because the ten Orot are regarded as a single Ohr. It is so because all the differentiations in the Orot are in the Kelim that they clothe. Since here there is only one Kli, the Eser Orot are also regarded as a single Ohr.

 

It drew Ohr Akudim from Peh to Tabur and left and returned to its origin in the Peh

8. What did do the Upper Maatzil do When He wished to generate the Behina of that Kli called Akudim? He extended His Ohr downward until a sufficient measure for the creation of Behinat Akudim had existed, being from Peh to Tabur (80). After He extended it (90), the Ohr departed and returned upward to its origin in the Peh (100).

 

Ohr Pnimi

80. Malchut de Rosh is called Peh, and Malchut de Guf is called Tabur. The Upper nine Sefirot de Guf begin to expand from the Peh, meaning from Malchut de Rosh, and end at the Tabur, being Malchut de Guf.

The entire place from Tabur downward to the Sium of the Guf is regarded only as Sefirat Malchut. Even though there are Eser Sefirot from Tabur down, they are regarded as Ohr Hozer, Ohr Nekeva, and as receivers that cannot bestow. Thus, Hitpashtut Ohr Yashar from the Peh downward is considered to extend only through Malchut and stop there because of the Masach in Tabur.

90. Meaning as Histaklut Bet, as the Rav wrote (Part 3, Chap 12) that it comes after the Ohr is drawn to the Kli and not before (see Ohr Pnimi, Chap 7, item 60).

100. It is Malchut de Rosh, called Peh. It is regarded as the origin of the entire Ohr that expands in the Guf of the degree because she extended it through the first Histaklut that is made in her (Part 3, Chap 12).

 

A Reshimo that was left after the Histalkut of the Ohr became a Behinat Kli

9. It is known that when the Ohr Elyon expands and disappears once more, it necessarily leaves a Roshem Hotam below. That Ohr is the Reshimo that remains below. When the Ohr Elyon departs and becomes concealed in its origin, that Ohr Reshimo remains below, without that Ohr Elyon. Then, a Behinat Kli is formed by the distancing [of the] remaining Ohr. The Hitpashtut of the Ohr and its Histalkut is the reason for the later eventuating of the existence of a Kli (200).

 

Ohr Pnimi

200. The Kli is primarily done by the Reshimo that is left after the departure of the Ohr, as explained here in the Rav’s words, hence, both are equal in the making of the Kli. Therefore, there are two Zivugim needed here, called: Histaklut Aleph and Histaklut Bet. Histaklut Aleph is for the Hitpashtut of the Ohr, while Histaklut Bet is for the Histalkut of the Ohr.

It is by these two Behinot of Zivugim that the vessels of reception of the degree are completed, as it is written, “as the LORD rejoiced over you to do you good… …so the LORD will rejoice etc.” Rejoicing means Zivug. There is Zivug Elyon to destroy, meaning the Histalkut Ohr, as there is Zivug Elyon to do good, meaning Hitpashtut Ohr. For that reason they are both called rejoicing.

 

Since the Ohr left all at once there was only one Kli made, called Keter

10. Since when the first Ohr returned and departed at one time and at a single moment (300), hence any existence of remaining Ohr became existence of a single Kli. It is called Behinat Kli that is called Keter, since the Ohr Elyon had not yet been distinguished in Eser Sefirot for their being Eser Sefirot had not yet become apparent. The reason it is called Keter and not some other Sefira is that Keter is always closer to the Maatzil.

 

Ohr Pnimi

300. Though there are Zivugim de Hakaa there along the Histalkut of the Ohr, and because of that four levels of Eser Sefirot emerged one above the other, it is still regarded as a single Histalkut at a single moment. It is so because the Ohr Elyon mates with the Masach as it purifies and conceals and is therefore not regarded as Hitpashtut.

 

There are Eser Sefirot found in this Kli, according to their distance from Behina Dalet, meaning according to the Dalet Behinot in the Ohr Elyon

11. However, although we have explained above that there are Kli Malchut and Yesod etc. in this Kli, it will still not be called Eser Kelim, since they are still not recognized as Eser Sefirot. Also, the Ohr departed together. The thing is that it is like a single long Kli, whose parts are not equal, as the distance of these parts from end to end (400).

 

Ohr Pnimi

400. You will understand that from what is written in Part 1 (Ohr Pnimi, item 50). There are four Behinot in the Ohr Elyon itself: HB TM, even before it expands for Zivug de Hakaa. Hence, the single Kli was also made of the same four Behinot HB TM in the Ohr. Thus, these Eser Sefirot are also found in that single Kli, according to the distance of these four Behinot from end to end.

However, since there is but a single Kli here, being Malchut, the Ohr is therefore regarded as a single Ohr as well, without the discernment of Eser Sefirot. It is so because we have no perception in the Ohr, if not through the evaluation of its clothing in the Kelim, and since the Kli is one, we also have a single Ohr.

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