1) Rabbi Hanania ben Akashia said, “The Creator wished to reward Israel, so He gave them the Torah and the Commandments...” In Hebrew “to award” (“Lizkot”) is similar to the word “to purify” (“Lezakot”). Midrash “Bereshit Rabbah” says, “The Commandments are given only to purify Israel with their help”. Here two questions arise:
    -What is the privilege that the Creator awarded to Israel?
    -What is this “impurity” and “coarseness” that is in us and from which we have to purify ourselves with the help of the Torah and the Commandments?
These matters have been discussed in my books “Panim Meirot uMasbirot” and “The Study of the Ten Sefirot”. Let us review them briefly.

The Creator’s intention was to give pleasure to created beings. For this, He prepared an enormous desire in the souls to receive this pleasure contained in the shefa (the abundance which the Creator wants to bestow upon us). the 'desire to receive' is a vessel for the reception of the delight contained in the shefa.

The greater the 'desire to receive', the more pleasure enters the vessel. These two notions interconnect in such a way that it is impossible to separate them.

It is only possible to point out that the pleasure refers to the shefa (i.e., to the Creator) while the 'desire to receive' refers to the Creation.

Both of these notions come directly from the Creator and are included in the Thought of Creation. While the abundance descends directly from the Creator, the 'desire to receive' it, also included in the shefa, is the root, the source of created beings.

The 'desire to receive' is something essentially new, something that never existed before, because there is no trace of 'desire to receive' in the Creator. It turns out that the 'desire to receive' is the essence of the creation, from beginning to end, the only “material” the creation is made of. All of the various created beings are merely different “portions” of the 'desire to receive'. Moreover, all events that happen to them are the changes that happen to this 'desire to receive'.

Everything that fills the created beings and satisfies their 'desire to receive' comes directly from the Creator. Therefore, everything that exists around us actually comes out of the Creator, either directly as abundance, or indirectly as, for example, the 'desire to receive', that does not exist in the Creator Himself, but was created by Him for delighting His creatures.

2) Therefore, the 'desire to receive' in all its variety was included in the Thought of Creation from the very beginning. It was inseparably linked to the delight that the Creator prepared for us. the 'desire to receive' is a vessel, while the shefa is the light that fills the vessel. These lights and vessels are the only components of the spiritual worlds. They are inseparably connected to one another. Together they descend from above, level by level.

The farther away from the Creator these levels are, the greater and coarser the 'desire to receive' becomes. On the other hand, the greater and coarser the 'desire to receive' becomes, the more remote it is from the Creator. This happens until it comes to the lowest point where the 'desire to receive' reaches its maximum size. This condition is desirable and necessary for the beginning of the ascension toward the correction.

This place is called “the world of Assiya”. In this world the 'desire to receive' is defined as “man’s body”, while the light is called “man’s life”. The difference between the upper worlds and this world (Olam Hazeh) is that in the upper worlds the 'desire to receive' is not yet coarse enough, and is not yet separated completely from the light. In our world, the 'desire to receive' reaches its final development and receives completely separated from the light.

3) The above-mentioned descending order of the development of the 'desire to receive' is divided into four levels (Behinot). This order is encoded in the mystery of the Creator’s Name. The Universe submits to the order of these four letters, HaVaYaH (Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey). These letters correspond to the ten Sefirot: Hochma, Bina, Tifferet (or Zeir Anpin), Malchut and their root. Why are there ten? It is because the Sefira Tifferet includes 6 Sefirot: Hesed, Gvurah, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod and Yesod.

The root of all these Sefirot is called Keter, but often it is not included in the Sefirot count; hence, one says HuB-TuM. These four Behinot correspond to the four worlds: Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya. The world of Assiya also includes this world (“Olam Hazeh”). There is no single created being in this world whose root is not in the world of Infinity, in the plan of the creation. The plan of the creation is the Creator’s desire to please all the created beings.

It includes both the light and the vessel. The light comes directly from the Creator, while the desire to receive pleasure was created by the Creator anew out of nothing. For the 'desire to receive' to reach its final development, it must pass together with the light through the four worlds of Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya (ABYA). Then the development of the creation is completed with the creation in it of the light and the vessel, called “the body” and “the light of Life”.

4) The necessity to develop the 'desire to receive' on four levels (Behinot) through the four worlds of ABYA is caused by the existing rule, according to which only the spreading of the light followed by its subsequent expulsion make the vessel fit for use.

An explanation: when the vessel is filled with the light, they are inseparably connected. The vessel is in fact non-existent; it abolishes itself as the flame of a candle disappears in the flame of a torch.

The desire is satisfied, so it ceases to exist. It can reappear only after the light exits from it, stops filling it. The reason for this self-annihilation of the vessel lies in its total contrast with the light. The light comes directly from the Creator’s essence, from the Thought of Creation. This light is a 'desire to bestow' and has nothing to do with a 'desire to receive'. The vessel is absolutely opposite to it; it is a huge 'desire to receive' the light.

The vessel is a root, a source of something very new, non-existent before the creation. The vessel has no 'desire to give'. Since the light and the vessel are inseparably connected, the 'desire to receive' is annulled by the light. The vessel acquires a certain form only after the expulsion of the light from it. Only then, the vessel starts craving for the light. This passionate desire determines the necessary form of 'his 'desire to receive'. When the light reenters the vessel, they become two separate objects – the vessel and the light, or body and life. Take a good note of it, because these are most profound notions.

5) As stated above, the creation develops according to four phases, Behinot, encoded in the name HaVaYaH and called Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut. Behina Alef (1) is called “Hochma”, which contains both the light and the vessel made of the 'desire to receive'. This vessel contains the entire light called Ohr Hochma (the light of wisdom) Ohr Haya (the light of life), because it is the entire light of life inside the creation.

Nevertheless, Behina Alef is still regarded as the light and the vessel in it has not manifested yet, existing potentially. It is still inseparably connected with the light in the state of self-abolishment. Afterwards, Behina Bet (2) comes into being, because by the end of its development Hochma wished to acquire the equivalence of properties with the light that is inside it. The 'desire to bestow' upon the Creator has awakened in it.

The nature of the light is a pure 'desire to give'. As an answer to the awakening of that desire, the Creator sent a new and different light called “Ohr Hassadim” (the light of mercy). Hence, Behina Alef almost completely got rid of Ohr Hochma, given by the Creator. Ohr Hochma may only be present in the proper vessel, i.e., the 'desire to receive'. Both the light and the vessel in Behina Bet are totally different from those in Behina Alef, since the vessel in Behina Bet is the 'desire to bestow' and the light is Ohr Hassadim. Ohr Hassadim is the pleasure of being like the Creator.

The 'desire to bestow' leads to the equivalence of properties with the Creator that, in the spiritual worlds, leads to merging with him. Then Behina Gimel emerges. After the light inside the creation passes to the level of Ohr Hassadim in the almost complete absence of Ohr Hochma ( as we know Ohr Hochma is the principal life force in the creation), Behina Bet felt its deficiency. At the end of its development, it attracted a portion of the Ohr Hochma so that it could start shining inside its Ohr Hassadim.

It turns out that this awakened desire leads to a situation where Behina Dalet feels the passionate desire that Behina Alef had. Moreover, now, after expelling the light once, the creation knows how bad it feels, so it desires this light much more than at the earlier stage of Behina Alef.

Therefore, the emanation of the light and its subsequent expulsion create a vessel. If the vessel now receives the light again, it will precede the light. Therefore, the Behina Dalet is a final phase in the creation of the vessel called Malchut.

6) The four above-mentioned phases correspond to the ten Sefirot of which every created being consists. These four phases correspond to the four worlds of ABYA, which include the entire Universe, and all the details existing in reality. Behina Alef is called Hochma, or the world of Atzilut. Behina Bet is called Bina, or the world of Beria. Behina Gimel is called Tifferet, or the world of Yetzira. Behina Dalet is called Malchut, or the world of Assiya.

Now let us understand the nature of these four Behinot existing in every soul. Each soul (Neshama) originates in the world of Infinity and descends to the world of Atzilut, acquiring the properties of Behina Alef there. In the world of Atzilut, it is not yet called “Neshama”, for this name points to a certain degree of separation from the Creator that leads to a fall from the level of Infinity, from a state of complete unity with the Creator, and acquires some “independence”. However, it is not yet a completely formed vessel, so nothing separates it from the Creator’s Essence thus far.

As we already know, while in Behina Alef, the vessel is not yet such, for at this stage it annuls itself as regards the light. Hence, in the world of Atzilut, everything is said to be still absolutely Divine – “He is one and His Name is one”. Even the souls of other creatures passing through this world merge with the Creator.

7) Behina Bet rules in the world of Beria; i.e., its vessel is the 'desire to bestow'. Consequently, when the soul arrives in the world of Beria, it reaches this stage of the vessel’s development, is already called “Neshama”. This means it separated from the Creator’s Essence and acquired a certain degree of independence. Nevertheless, this vessel is still very “pure”, “transparent”, i.e., very close in its properties to the Creator. Thus, it is regarded as being completely spiritual.

8) Behina Gimel rules in the world of Yetzira; it contains a certain amount of the 'desire to receive'. Therefore, when the soul comes to the world of Yetzira, reaches this stage of the vessel’s development, there exits the state of “Neshama”, and is now called “Ruach”. This vessel already possesses certain Aviut, i.e., some portion of the 'desire to receive'. It is nevertheless still considered as spiritual, since this quantity and quality of the 'desire to receive' is insufficient to be completely separated in its properties from the Creator’s Essence. A complete separation from the Creator’s Essence is a body, which is now fully and clearly “independent”.

9) Behina Dalet rules in the world of Assiya; it is the final stage of the vessel’s development. At this level, the 'desire to receive' reaches the peak of its evolution. The vessel turns into a body totally separated from the Creator’s Essence. The light inside Behina Dalet is called “Nefesh”. This name points to the lack of independent movement in this type of the light. In addition, remember that nothing exists in the Universe that does not consist of its own ABYA (four Behinot).

10) The Nefesh, the light of life installed in the body, comes directly from the Creator’s Essence. Passing through the four worlds of ABYA, it gradually moves away from the Creator until it acquires a vessel, a body assigned to it. Only then is the vessel considered as completely formed. At this stage of the vessel’s development, the light inside it is so small that its source cannot be felt, i.e., the creation (the vessel) stops felling the Creator.

However, with the help of the Torah and the Commandments with the intention to bestow delight upon the Creator, the creation can purify its vessel called the body, and receive all the light prepared for it by the Creator in the Thought of Creation. That is what Rabbi Hanania ben Akashia meant by saying, “The Creator wished to reward Israel, so He gave them the Torah and the Commandments...”

11) Now we can understand the difference between the spiritual and the material. If the 'desire to receive' has reached its final development, i.e., achieved the stage of Behina Dalet, it is called “material” and belongs to our world (Olam Hazeh). If the 'desire to receive' has not yet reached its final development, then such a desire is considered spiritual and corresponds to the four worlds of ABYA, which are above the level of our world.

You should understand that all ascents and descents in the upper worlds are not by any means movements in some imaginary space, but are merely changes in the magnitude of the 'desire to receive'. The object most remote from Behina Dalet is in the highest point. The closer an object is to Behina Dalet, the lower is its level.

12) One should understand that the essence of each vessel and the entire Creation is only the 'desire to receive'. Nothing outside the framework of this desire has anything to do with the creation, but refers to the Creator. Then why do we regard the 'desire to receive' as something coarse, disgusting and requiring correction? We are instructed to “purify” it with the help of the Torah and the Commandments; otherwise, we will not be able to achieve the ultimate purpose of the Creation.

13) As all material objects are separated from one another by distance in space, spiritual objects are also separated from one another due to the difference in their inner properties. Something like this can be seen in our world. For example, two men have similar views, sympathize with one another, and no distance can influence the empathy between them. On the contrary, when their views are very different, they hate one another and no proximity can unite them.

Therefore, the similarity of views draws people together, while the differences separate them. If one person’s nature is absolutely opposite to the nature of the other, these people are as remote from one another as East is from West. The same occurs in the spiritual worlds: moving away, rapprochement, merging – all these processes happen only according to the difference or resemblance between the inner properties of the spiritual objects. The difference in properties separates them, while their similarity brings them closer.

The 'desire to receive' is the principal element of the creation; this is the vessel necessary for the realization of the Purpose included in the Thought of the Creation. This is the desire that separates the creation from the Creator. The Creator is the absolute 'desire to bestow'; He does not have a trace of the 'desire to receive'. It is impossible to imagine a greater contrast than this: between the Creator and the creation, between the 'desire to bestow' and the 'desire to receive'.

14) In order to save the creation from such remoteness from the Creator, the Tzimtzum Alef (the First Restriction) took place and separated Behina Dalet from the spiritual objects. This happened in such a way that the 'desire to receive' turned into a space void of the light. After the Tzimtzum Alef, all the spiritual objects have a screen on their vessel-Malchut in order to avoid receiving the light inside Behina Dalet.

The moment the Upper Light tries to enter the creation, the screen pushes it away. This process is called a Stroke (Haka’a) between the Upper Light and the screen. Because of this blow, the Reflected Light rises and dresses the 10 Sefirot of the Upper Light. The Reflected Light, dressed on the Upper Light, is becoming a vessel instead of Behina Dalet.

After this, Malchut expands in accordance with the height of the Reflected Light, then spreads downwards, thus letting the light get inside. one says that the Upper Light dresses onto the Reflected Light. This is called the “Rosh” (head) and the “Guf” (body) of each level. The Stroke Contact of the Upper Light with the screen causes the lifting of the Reflected Light. The Reflected Light dresses onto the 10 Sefirot of the Upper Light, thus forming the 10 Sefirot de Rosh.

The 10 Sefirot de Rosh are not the real vessels yet; they only pass for their roots. It is only after Malchut, with the Reflected Light, spreads downwards, that the Reflected Light turns into the vessels for the reception of the Upper Light. Then the lights dress into the vessels, called “the body” of this particular level. The real, complete vessels are called “the body”.

15) After the First restriction, new vessels of reception appear in place of Behina Dalet. They are formed because of a Stroke Contact between the light and the screen. However, we still need to understand how this light turned into a vessel of reception after being the light reflected from such a vessel. It turns out that the light becomes a vessel, i.e., starts playing an opposite role.

To explain the above, let us take an example from this world. Man naturally respects a 'desire to give', at the same time, he resents receiving without giving something in return. Let us suppose that a person comes to his friend’s house, and is offered a meal. Naturally, he would refuse to eat no matter how hungry he may be, because he hates to be a receiver who gives nothing in return.

His host, however, starts persuading him, making it clear that by the guest's eating his food, he would please his host immensely. When the guest feels that what the host says is true, he will consent to accept the meal, since he would not feel as a receiver anymore. Moreover, now the guest feels he is giving to the host, delighting him with his readiness to eat. It turns out that in spite of his hunger - a genuine vessel of receiving food - the guest could not even touch the delicacies until his shame was placated by the host’s persuasions.

Now we see how a new vessel for receiving the food comes to life. The gradually growing power of the host’s persuasion and the guest’s resistance finally turn reception into bestowal. The act of receiving remained unchanged; only the intention was transformed. Just the force of resistance and not hunger (the true vessel of reception) turned into the reason for accepting the treat.

16) With the help of the example of the host and the guest we can now understand what a Zivug de Haka’a (Stroke Contact) is, which results in the birth of new vessels of receiving the Upper Light instead of the Behina Dalet. The interaction takes place because the light hits the screen wishing to enter the Behina Dalet. It resembles a host who tries to convince his guest to eat. The force of the guest’s resistance is similar to the screen. As the refusal to eat turns into a new vessel, so does the Reflected Light become a vessel of receiving instead of the Behina Dalet, which played that role before the First Restriction.

However, we should keep in mind that it happens only in the spiritual objects of the worlds of ABYA, whereas in the objects related to the impure forces and to our world, the Behina Dalet continues to be a receiving vessel. Hence neither in the impure forces nor in our world is there any light, because of the difference between the properties of the Behina Dalet and those of the Creator. Therefore, the Klipot (impure forces, a 'desire to receive' the light without the screen) and sinners are called dead, since the desire to receive the light without the screen separates them from the Life of Lives, the Creator’s light.

Five Levels of Masach

17) The three basic definitions are now clear to us:

1) The Ohr is a direct emanation of the Creator’s light, while the Kli is a 'desire to receive' created by the light. The light initially contains an unexpressed 'desire to receive', but as this desire develops, the vessel (Malchut) is separated from it. Malchut is called “His Name” (Shemo) (“He and His Name are one”). The numerical value of the word “Shemo” is identical to the word “Ratzon” (desire).

2) The 10 Sefirot or the 4 worlds of ABYA correspond to the 4 Behinot (phases). They must be present in any created being. The 'desire to receive', or the Kli, “descends” from the Creator’s level through these 4 worlds and achieves its full development in our world.

3) The First Restriction (FR) and the Masach of Behina Dalet bring forth a new vessel instead of Behina Dalet. The vessel is an intention to bestow to the Creator, and is called “Ohr Hozer”. The quantity of the received light depends on the intensity of the desire.

18) We will now clarify the five Behinot of the screen according to which the size of the Kli is changed during the Stroke Contact with the Upper Light.

After the First Restriction, Behina Dalet ceases to be a receiving vessel. The Reflected Light (Ohr Hozer), which rises above the screen because of the Stroke Contact, now plays that role instead. However, Behina Dalet with its powerful 'desire to receive' has to accompany the Ohr Hozer. Without it, the Ohr Hozer is absolutely unable to be a vessel of reception.

Remember the situation between the host and his guest. The guest’s force of refusal to eat has become a receiving vessel taking on the role of hunger, which lost that function because of shame. During that refusal, receiving actually turns into an act of giving. However, we cannot say that the guest has no need for the usual vessels of receiving. Without them, he will not be able to please the host by eating his delicacies.

By way of refusal, hunger (the 'desire to receive') acquires a new form – a 'desire to receive' for the sake of bestowing to the host, the Creator. Shame has now become a merit. It turns out that the usual vessels of reception keep functioning as before, but acquire a new intention, i.e., to receive for the Creator’s sake. The coarseness of Behina Dalet, the state of being opposite to the Creator, prevents it now from being a receiving vessel.

However, thanks to the screen set in Behina Dalet, which hits and reflects the light, it takes a new form called the Ohr Hozer – the Reflected Light – while receiving turns into giving, as in the example with the host and the guest. Nevertheless, the essence of the form remains the same, because the guest would not eat without an appetite. Yet all the power of Behina Dalet’s desire to receive pleasure is included in the Ohr Hozer, making it a proper vessel.

There are two forces always present in the screen. The first is Kashiut, the force of resistance to receiving light; the second is Aviut, the force of Behina Dalet’s 'desire to receive'. Because of a Stroke Contact of Kashiut with the light, Aviut totally changes its properties, turning reception into bestowal. The two forces function in all five parts of the screen: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, and Malchut.

19) As stated, the three first Behinot are not considered vessels yet. Only Behina Dalet is a true vessel. Since these three first Behinot are the reasons, phases preceding the creation of Behina Dalet, it adopted their properties upon completion of its development. They were somewhat imprinted in it, creating inside of Behina Dalet its own four levels of the 'desire to receive'. Everything begins with the Behina Alef, the “purest”, “weakest” 'desire to receive'. Then follows the Behina Bet, which is a bit “coarser” and has a bigger Aviut than the Behina Alef, i.e., it is a higher level of the 'desire to receive'.

Behina Gimel has an Aviut even greater than that of the Behina Bet. Finally comes the turn of the Behina Dalet, which has the largest Aviut, i.e., the greatest 'desire to receive'. Its desire reached the highest, most perfect and ultimate level. It should be pointed out that the root (Shoresh) of these four Behinot is Keter (known as the highest of all and the closest to the Creator), which also left its imprint in Behina Dalet. Thus we mentioned all five levels of the 'desire to receive' included in Behina Dalet, which are otherwise called Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut.

20) The five levels of the 'desire to receive' included in Behina Dalet are called by the names of the 10 Sefirot of the Upper Light because Behina Dalet was a vessel receiving this light before TA (“He and His Name are One”). All the worlds, the entire Universe, was included in Behina Dalet of the Direct Light (Malchut of the world of Infinity).

Each Behina contained in Malchut adopted the properties of the corresponding Behina in the 10 Sefirot of the Upper Light. Behina Shoresh of the Behina Dalet adopted the properties of Keter, “dressed in it”, one of the 10 Sefirot of the Upper Light. Behina Alef of the Behina Dalet “dressed” into the light of Hochma of the 10 Sefirot, and so on. Even after TA, when Behina Dalet ceased to be a vessel of reception, its five levels of the 'desire to receive' still bear the names of the five Sefirot: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, and Malchut.

21) We have already learned that the screen’s material is called kashiut. It is similar to a solid body that does not allow anything to enter it. Likewise, the screen prevents the Upper Light from entering Malchut, i.e., Behina Dalet. The screen stops and reflects all the light that was destined to fill Malchut. The five Behinot of Aviut in Behina Dalet are included in the screen according to its kashiut. Hence, the screen performs five Stroke Contacts (Zivugey de Haka’a) with the light according to its five Behinot of Aviut.

The light reflected by the screen, consisting of all the five Behinot of Aviut, rises back, envelops the coming light and reaches its source, the Behina Shoresh. However, if only 4 out of 5 parts of the Aviut are present in the screen, then its Reflected Light will “see” only four portions of pleasure.

In the absence of Behinot Alef and Gimel, the 5-th and the 4-th parts of rigidity in the screen, it can reflect the Ohr Hozer only up to the level of Bina. If there is only the Behina Alef in the screen, then its Ohr Hozer is very small and can envelop the Direct Light only up to the level of Tifferet in the absence of Keter, Hochma, and Bina. If there is only the Behina Shoresh of Kashiut in the screen, then its resisting power is quite weak and the Ohr Hozer can envelop Malchut’s coming light, while the nine first Sefirot are absent.

22) The five levels (Behinot) of the 10 Sefirot of the Reflected Light emerge because of five kinds of Zivugey de Haka’a (Stroke Contact) of the Upper Light with the five levels of the screen’s Aviut. This light is not perceived or attained by anyone if there is no vessel to receive it.

These five phases emerge from five Behinot of Aviut of Behina Dalet, which were five receiving vessels of Behina Dalet before TA; they enveloped the 10 Sefirot: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, and Malchut. After TA, these same five Behinot merge with the five Behinot of the screen, and with the help of the Reflected Light again become receiving vessels instead of the five Behinot of Behina Dalet, which played that role before TA.

Now we can understand that if the screen has all these five Behinot of Aviut, then it possesses five vessels for enveloping the 10 Sefirot, i.e., for receiving the Upper Light. If the Aviut of the Behina Dalet is absent in the screen, it has only four vessels and can receive only the four lights corresponding to Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut but cannot receive the light of Keter.

If the Aviut of Behina Gimel is absent in the screen, it has only three vessels and can receive only the three lights corresponding to Bina, Tifferet and Malchut. The lights corresponding to Keter and Hochma as well as the vessels corresponding to Behinot Gimel and Dalet are absent in it.

If the screen has only two levels of Aviut, Shoresh, and Behina Alef, it possesses only the two vessels corresponding to the lights of Tifferet and Malchut. It turns out that such a Partzuf lacks the three lights of Keter, Hochma and Bina, as well as the three vessels corresponding to Behinot Bet, Gimel, and Dalet. If the screen has only Aviut Shoresh, then it has only one vessel with only the light of Malchut (Nefesh).

The remaining lights, Keter, Hochma, Tifferet and Malchut, are absent in it. Therefore, the size of each Partzuf depends only on the screen’s Aviut (thickness). The screen with the Aviut of Behina Dalet creates a Partzuf consisting of five levels including Keter. The screen with Aviut of Behina Gimel creates a Partzuf consisting of four levels up to Hochma, and so on.

23) We need to understand why, in the absence of the vessel of Malchut, the light of Keter is missing, and why light of Hochma is missing when the vessel of Tifferet is also absent. On the face of it, everything should be the other way around. If the Aviut of the Behina Dalet is absent in the screen, then the light of Malchut (Nefesh) should be missing. If two vessels are absent –Behina Gimel and Behina Dalet- the lights of Tifferet and Malchut should also be missing.

24) The fact is that there is an inverse relationship between the lights and the vessels. First, the higher vessels emerge and start growing in the Partzuf, from Keter and down to Hochma and so on until Malchut.

Hence we call the vessels according to the order of their growth: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut (KaHaB-TuM), from up downwards. The lights enter the Partzuf in an opposite order, first the lower ones: the lowest light – Nefesh (its place is inside Malchut), then Ruach (Zeir Anpin’s light) and so on until Yechida.

Hence we name the lights in the following order: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya and Yechida (NaRaNHaY), from down upwards, according to the order of their coming into the Partzuf. When the Partzuf has only one vessel (this can be only Keter), the first light to enter it is not Yechida, which must be inside it, but Nefesh, the lowest light.

When two higher vessels ,Keter and Hochma, emerge in the Partzuf, then the light Ruach also enters it. The light Nefesh exits the vessel Keter and descends to the vessel Hochma, whereas the light Ruach enters the vessel Keter. When the third vessel Bina emerges in the Partzuf, the light Nefesh exits the vessel Hochma and descends to the vessel Bina, while the light Ruach descends to the vessel Hochma and the light Neshama enters the vessel Keter.

When the fourth vessel Tifferet emerges in the Partzuf, the light Haya enters it; the light Nefesh exits the vessel Bina and descends to the vessel Tifferet. While the light Ruach descends to the vessel Bina, the light Neshama enters the vessel Hochma and the light Haya enters the vessel Keter.

When the fifth vessel Malchut emerges in the Partzuf, the light Yechida enters it. All the lights are now in their places, since the light Nefesh exits the vessel Tifferet, and descends to the vessel Malchut, while the light Ruach descends to the vessel Tifferet, the light Neshama enters the vessel Bina, the light Haya enters the vessel Hochma, and the light Yechida enters the vessel Keter.

25) Until the formation of all the five Kelim in the Partzuf has been completed, their five lights are not in their places; moreover, they are arranged in an inverse order. In the absence of the Kli Malchut, the light Yechida is missing in the Partzuf. In the absence of the two vessels Malchut and Tifferet, there are no lights Yechida and Haya On the one hand, the pure vessels are born, from Keter to Malchut; on the other hand, the weaker lights (starting from Nefesh) are the first to enter them.

Since any reception of the light occurs in the purest vessels, each new light must enter the Kli Keter. As the new light enters the Kli Keter, the light that was there descends to the Kli Hochma. When there is a Masach for the vessel Hochma, Ohr Ruach enters the Kli Keter and the Ohr Nefesh descends to Hochma.

As the screen grows stronger, the following vessels are formed: Bina, Tifferet and Malchut, and the lights Neshama, Haya, and Yechida are able, one by one, to pass through Keter and fill all the vessels. All the lights enter their rightful places: Nefesh in Malchut, Ruach in Tifferet, Neshama in Bina, Haya in Hochma and Yechida in Keter.

Remember this rule about the inverse relationship between the lights and vessels, and you will always be able to distinguish whether the lights or the vessels are meant in a certain context without getting confused. We have learned about the five Behinot (levels) of the screen and how the levels of the Kli emerge one under the other in correspondence with them.

The Five Partzufim of the world Adam Kadmon

26) We clearly understand the notion of the Masach (screen), placed over the Kli Malchut (Behina Dalet) after TA, and also the five kinds of Zivugey de Haka’a that occur on this screen to create five levels of 10 Sefirot, one beneath the other. Now we shall learn about the five Partzufim of the world of Adam Kadmon (AK) that precedes the four worlds of ABYA.

We know that the Ohr Hozer that rises as a result of the Zivug de Haka’a dresses the 10 Sefirot of the Upper Light; this is sufficient only to create “the roots” of the future Kelim defined as the 10 Sefirot de Rosh.

Malchut spreads from up downwards, according to the height of the level of the 10 Sefirot de Rosh. It results in the creation of the Kelim called “Guf” (body) of the Partzuf (see p.14). Therefore, there are always two kinds of the 10 Sefirot in the Partzuf: the Rosh and the Guf.

27) As soon as the first Partzuf of the world of Adam Kadmon is born, after TA, Behina Dalet immediately stopped being a Kli for receiving the Upper Light, being thus corrected by way of the screen. The Upper Light descended to be dressed in the Kli Malchut according to its nature.

However, the screen, which positioned itself before Malchut, reflected and returned it to the Source. Because of this Stroke Contact, the Ohr Hozer ascended to the level of Keter de Ohr Elion. This Ohr Hozer has become the embryo of the vessels (“the Shorshey Kelim”) for the 10 Sefirot de Rosh of the first Partzuf of Adam Kadmon.

Afterwards, by using the power of the 10 Sefirot de Rosh, Malchut de Rosh together with Ohr Hozer expanded and spread from up downwards, thus creating inside itself 10 new Sefirot, which are true and complete Kelim. All that potentially existed in the Rosh has finally manifested and taken form in the Guf. Thus, the creation of the Rosh and the Guf of the first Partzuf of the world Adam Kadmon was completed.

28) After the above, there was one more Stroke Contact with the screen of the Kli Malchut. However, this time the Behina Dalet was absent in it. The screen now has only four vessels: Keter, Hochma, Bina, and Tifferet. Therefore, the next Partzuf of the world of Adam Kadmon, which emerged one level below the Partzuf Galgalta, on the level of Hochma, is called AB. In this case, the Ohr Hozer dresses onto the four lights of the NaRaNH while the fifth part, the Ohr Yechida, is absent.

The Behinot Dalet and Gimel are absent in the screen of the third Partzuf. Hence, it emerged one level lower than the Partzuf AB, i.e., on the level of Bina, and the lights Yechida and Haya are absent in it. It is two steps lower than the first Partzuf and only one step lower than the second. It is called Bina or SAG.

Then a Zivug de Haka’a occurred on the Masach with the Aviut Alef; thus, the Rosh and the Guf emerged on the level of Tifferet with the lights Nefesh and Ruach, whereas the lights Neshama, Haya, and Yechida are absent. There are no Kelim Dalet, Gimel, and Bet; therefore, the corresponding lights are also missing. This Partzuf is called Tifferet or MA.

The final fifth Partzuf emerged on the Aviut Shoresh with the light Nefesh. It is called Malchut or BON.

29) So we have investigated the formation of the five Partzufim of the world of Adam Kadmon called Galgalta, AB, SAG, MA and BON, where each subsequent Partzuf is one step lower than the preceding one. For example, there is no light of Yechida in the Partzuf AB, and no light of Haya in SAG (it was in AB). The light of Neshama is absent in the Partzuf MA. The level of each Partzuf depends on the thickness of the screen on which a Zivug de Haka’a is made (see p.18). However, we have not yet clarified the reason for the lessening of the screen’s thickness at the formation of a new Partzuf.

The Weakening of the Masach for the Creation of the Partzuf

30) In order to understand the development of the spiritual levels, expressed by the five degressive Partzufim of the world AK, and all levels of the five Partzufim of each of the four worlds of ABYA, down to Malchut of the world of Assiya, we have to learn properly what the thinning of Masach de Guf is. This occurs in all the Partzufim of the worlds AK, Nikudim and Atzilut (the world of Correction).

31) The fact is that any Partzuf, or even any spiritual level, has two kinds of the light: the Ohr Makif (the Surrounding Light) and the Ohr Pnimi (the Inner Light). As was made clear, in the first Partzuf of the world AK Galgalta the Surrounding Light is the light of the World of Infinity, which fills the entire Universe. After TA and emerging of Masach, the Stroke Contact (the Zivug de Haka’a) between the entire light of the World of Infinity with this Masach takes place.

The Ohr Hozer that emerged as a result of this Zivug allowed a part of the Upper Light to enter the world of Restriction (the Olam HaTzimtzum) and thus created the ten Sefirot de Rosh and the ten Sefirot de Guf, as was said in § 25.

However, the entire light did not enter the Partzuf Galgalta. Now the light of the World of Infinity does not fill the entire Universe, as was the case before TA. Now there are Rosh and Sof, i.e., while the ten Sefirot spread downwards, the light stops at the point of “this world”, in “limiting” Malchut, as said: “his feet are standing on the Mount of Olives”…

Furthermore, now there is a notion “from inside out”. Similarly to the downward spreading of the ten Sefirot Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, Malchut (KaHaB-TuM) and limiting Malchut. There also exists the spreading of the ten Sefirot KaHaB-TuM from inside out.

Here the Sefirot are called: Mocha-brain (Keter), Atzamot-bones (Hochma), Gidin-tendons (Bina), Basar-flesh (Tifferet), and Awr-skin (Malchut; “Awr” with the letter “Ayn”, not with “Alef”, i.e., “the light”). Concerning the World of Infinity, where the entire Universe was filled with the light of the Partzuf Galgalta, there is just a thin ray of light. Awr-skin (Malchut) limits the Partzuf on the outside, preventing the light from “widening” further and filling the empty space.

The amount of light (its thin ray) received in Galgalta is called “the Ohr Pnimi” (the Inner Light). The enormous amount of light of the World of Infinity, which did not enter Galgalta, remained outside. Now this light is called the Ohr Makif (the Surrounding Light). It cannot enter the Partzuf but rather surrounds it on all sides.

32) Now let us clear up what is the Ohr Makif of the world AK (or rather Galgalta), which is infinitely great and inexhaustible. It is not a question of the light of the World of Infinity being the Ohr Makif. It means that, when the Stroke Contact took place, the enormous light of the World of Infinity hit the screen of the Malchut de Rosh Galgalta. Although it wished to enter Behina Dalet, as if no TA had ever happened, the screen stopped and reflected it, preventing it from getting inside Behina Dalet (see § 14).

This Ohr Hozer has virtually become the vessel of reception of the Upper Light. However, there is a tremendous difference between the reception by Behina Dalet before TA and the reception with the help of the Masach and the Ohr Hozer after it. As we have already said, the light that entered Galgalta is just a thin ray compared to what it was before TA.

The part of the Upper Light that could not enter the Partzuf has turned into the Ohr Makif of Galgalta. There is a rule: nothing ever disappears in the spiritual world, hence the light of the World of Infinity that was meant for Behina Dalet has not vanished; it is bound to fulfill its predestination and enter Malchut, so now it starts filling the worlds AK and ABYA, albeit according to a totally different principle. Now the creation gets only that part of the light that it can receive, not for its own sake, but for the sake of the Creator.

It happens due to a large number of Stroke Contacts between the light and the Masachim of the worlds and the Partzufim, until Behina Dalet corrects itself with their help and reaches the state of absolute perfection, conceived by the Creator at the beginning of the creation.

Then the entire light of the World of Infinity will enter it; but now the creation will be the Creator’s partner in creating itself, “earning” the reception of the light. Therefore, the Stroke Contact between the light and the Masach does not lead to a disappearance or a transformation of the light.

But for the time being, before the Final Correction (the Gmar Tikkun) the light of Infinity turns into the Ohr Makif (the Surrounding Light), which means that it will have to enter this Partzuf in the future. However, for the present moment it surrounds the Partzuf and shines upon it as if from “outside”.

This outside luminescence spreads through all the worlds in the form of corrections, capable of leading Malchut to being completely filled with the light of the World of Infinity.

33) Now, the time has come to learn about the impact between the Ohr Makif and the Ohr Pnimi, which leads to a thinning of the screen and the subsequent loss of its highest level of Aviut. These two kinds of light have quite opposite properties, although the screen, positioned in Malchut's Peh de Rosh of the Partzuf, inseparably connects them.

They are in constant contradiction, leading to concussion between them. The same Zivug de Haka’a that happened on this screen, on the one hand, called forth a filling of the Partzuf with the Inner Light (the Ohr Pnimi); on the other hand, the same Zivug de Haka’a produced the Surrounding Light (the Ohr Makif). In this way, it prevented the light of Infinity from entering Behina Dalet.

34) The Ohr Pnimi and the Ohr Makif are concerned with the Masach, even though their actions are contrary to one another. According to the ability of the Masach to let a part of the Ohr Yashar that has dressed on the Ohr Hozer inside the Partzuf, it prevents the Ohr Makif from entering it. The amount of the Surrounding Light left outside the Partzuf exceeds by far the Ohr Pnimi.

The screen, with its Aviut and Kashiut, does not allow the Ohr Makif to enter the Partzuf as much as it resists the Ohr Yashar. The concussion between the Ohr Makif and the screen’s Aviut is called Bitush – the impact between the Ohr Makif and the Ohr Pnimi. This impact happens only in the Guf of the Partzuf, since that is where the reception of the light in the vessels took place; however, a considerable part of the light was left outside. In the 10 Sefirot de Rosh, this impact does not occur, for the Ohr Hozer is not yet regarded as a true vessel of reception. It only forms the Shorshey Kelim (roots, sources of the vessels).

Therefore, the light that is in them is not yet genuine Ohr Pnimi. Due to the same reason, the Ohr Makif cannot be distinguished there either. Since there is still no difference between them, there cannot be any impact in the Rosh of the Partzuf. Only after the light spreads downwards from the Peh by way of the 10 Sefirot de Guf (where the lights dress into the vessels, i.e., the 10 Sefirot of the Reflected Light), then the impact between the Ohr Pnimi and the Ohr Makif takes place.

35) This impact continues until the Ohr Makif liquidates the Aviut of Masach de Guf in the Tabur. As a result of this, the Masach de Guf starts ascending towards the screen, positioned at the Peh de Rosh, which is the root, the cause of the screen de Guf. After merging with the screen in the Peh de Rosh, the Masach of Tabur also gets involved in the Zivug de Haka’a, which is constantly taking place between the Masach in Peh de Rosh and the light. This Zivug results in the formation of a new Partzuf and the emergence of 10 new Sefirot called AB de AK or the Partzuf Hochma of the world of Adam Kadmon. In relation to the first Partzuf Galgalta-Keter, this new Partzuf is considered its result, its “son”.

36) After the Partzuf AB de AK was born and completed its development by forming the Rosh and the Guf, the process of the Bitush Ohr Pnimi be Ohr Makif resumed in it, as in the first Partzuf of AK. Its Masach de Guf (the screen of its spiritual body) gradually lost all its Aviut and merged its properties with the Masach de Rosh.

Now this Masach happens to be involved in a Zivug between the Upper Light and the screen that is positioned in the Peh de Rosh. In it the Zivug de Haka’a was renewed and gave birth to a new Partzuf at the level of Bina, which is called SAG de AK. It is considered to be the consequence of the Partzuf AB de AK, since it emerges because of a Zivug on the Masach positioned at the Peh de Rosh. The Partzufim, starting from SAG and further down, emerge according to the same principle.

37) Thus, we have made clear the consecutive emerging of the Partzufim (one under another), which happened due to the impact between the Inner and the Surrounding Lights, the (Bitush Ohr Pnimi u Makif). This impact weakens the Masach so that it loses its strength and returns to the Peh de Rosh (coincides with it in its qualities), thus getting involved in the Zivug de Haka’a constantly occurring at the Masach de Rosh.

Owing to this Zivug, a new Partzuf emerges as an offspring of the previous one. So AB is a result of the Partzuf Keter, SAG is an offshoot of AB, MA – of SAG and so on in all subsequent levels of the worlds of Nikudim and ABYA. However, we also have to understand why the Partzuf AB can only reach the level of Behina Gimel and not Dalet. SAG reaches only Behina Bet. I.e., each following Partzuf is one level lower than the previous. Why are they not all equal?

38) First, we have to understand why the Partzuf AB is regarded as the offspring of Partzuf Keter. After its birth because of the Zivug at Peh de Rosh of the Partzuf Galgalta, its height corresponds precisely to the 10 Sefirot de Guf of the Partzuf. So why is it unable to continue as part of the Partzuf Galgalta and not as an individual Partzuf, the result of the first one?

Here you should realize what an enormous difference there is between the Masach de Guf and the Masach de Rosh. There are two kinds of Malchut in the Partzuf. The first is Malchut Mizdaveget, i.e., Malchut that interacts with the Upper Light owing to its corrected intentions (Masach); the second is Malchut Mesayemet, which with the help of its screen prevents the spreading of the Upper Light into the 10 Sefirot de Guf of the Partzuf.

The distinction between them is as great as between the Creator and the creation. It is because Malchut de Rosh ,in the Stroke Contact with the Upper Light, is considered to be the Creator as regards the Guf of Partzuf. Its screen does not push away the light when it strikes. Rather, following the dressing of Ohr Hozer onto Ohr Yashar, the 10 Sefirot de Rosh emerge, allowing the light to spread downwards, until the 10 Sefirot of the Upper Light dress in the Kli de Ohr Hozer, called the Guf (body of the Partzuf).

Hence, the Masach and Malchut de Rosh are regarded as the Creator for the 10 Sefirot de Guf. However, so far there is absolutely no resisting power in this Malchut and in its Masach. It will happen thanks to Malchut and the Masach of Guf de Partzuf. Let us explain: after the 10 Sefirot spread from the Peh de Rosh downwards, they could only reach the Malchut of these 10 Sefirot, for the Upper Light cannot spread into Malchut de Guf. The Masach positioned there prevents the light from filling it; therefore, the Partzuf ends and the Behina Sof (End of Partzuf) appears there.

Since all the power of the Restriction manifests in this Masach of Malchut de Guf, the impact between the Inner and the Surrounding Lights occurs only in the Masach de Guf (the screen of the body) of the Partzuf. It restrains and repels the Ohr Makif, preventing it from shining inside the Partzuf. The Masach de Rosh does not do it, since it only attracts and dresses the light, but the resisting power is not yet apparent in it.

39) As stated above, the impacts between the Ohr Pnimi and the Ohr Makif have turned the Masach of Malchut Mesayemet into the Masach of Malchut, which makes a Zivug at Peh de Rosh. The Bitush of the Ohr Makif so weakened the restraining power of the Masach that, out of all the Aviut de Guf of Masach de Rosh, only a thin Reshimot (equal to Aviut of Masach de Rosh) remained, which led to the merging of the Masach de Guf with the Masach de Rosh. As a result, it enabled the Masach de Guf to make the same Zivug de Haka’a as the Masach de Rosh.

Out of this Zivug emerged a new Partzuf that has its own 10 Sefirot, whose level is one-step lower than the preceding. At the same time, the Reshimot de Aviut that had originally been in the Masach de Guf was renewed there; therefore, the difference between the properties of both screens reappears. This difference separates the Masach de Guf from the Masach de Rosh.

When its true nature manifests, it cannot remain in the Peh of the higher Partzuf, since in the spiritual world the changing of properties separates one object from another. Therefore, it is forced to descend and become an individual Partzuf. Even the Rosh of the new Partzuf is at the level of the Guf of the higher one, because it was born out of its Masach de Guf.

This distinction between them divides them into two different Partzufim, and since the new Partzuf emerged out of the Masach de Guf of the previous one, it relates to its superior as a branch relates to its root.

40) The difference between the lower and the higher Partzufim consists in the fact that each lower Partzuf appears at a different level, lower than the preceding one. As was mentioned, this level is determined by the Aviut of Masach, consisting of the five Behinot.

The highest level of the light and the lowest Behina of the Kelim of the previous Partzuf are absent in each subsequent one. The smaller the desire I use with the screen, the lower the quality of the light I receive in my Partzuf.

The Impact between the Ohr Makif, and the Ohr Pnimi in the screen that separates them, contributes to the loss of the last Behina of the Aviut of this Masach. Therefore, Behina Dalet disappears in the Partzuf Galgalta, so that no Reshimot are left from it.

After the Masach de Guf rises and merges with the Masach de Peh making a Zivug de Haka’a on the Aviut left in the Reshimot of Masach, the Partzuf of one level lower emerges, i.e., the Partzuf Hochma. The Behina Dalet of the vessels is absent in it as well as the light of Yechida. Because of the transformation of properties, a new Partzuf AB separates from the Partzuf Galgalta and becomes independent, but is considered its offspring.

41) After the formation of the Partzuf AB, the impact between the Ohr Makif and the Ohr Pnimi on the Masach de Guf of AB (with Aviut Gimel) takes place. This impact makes for the loss of the last Behina of the Reshimo de Masach. The Masach rises to the Peh de Rosh and makes a Zivug de Haka’a there only on the Aviut de Behina Bet. This Zivug forms the 10 Sefirot on the level of Bina, i.e., the Partzuf SAG of the world of Adam Kadmon, which has neither the Kelim of ZA and Malchut, nor the lights of Yechida and Haya.

42) Now we will understand the meaning of the consecutive descent of the levels during the development of the Partzufim one after another because of the Bitush Ohr Makif and Ohr Pnimi, which governs in each Partzuf and contributes to the loss of its last Behina of the Reshimo de Aviut.

The Reshimot left after the thinning of the screen are of two kinds: the Reshimo de Aviut and the Reshimo de Hitlabshut. Therefore, after the weakening of the Masach of the Partzuf Galgalta, the Reshimo de Aviut of the Behina Gimel remained, while the Reshimo de Hitlabshut of the Behina Dalet did not change.

43) The disappearance of the Reshimo de Hitlabshut in each last level left in the Masach leads to the formation of two stages: Zachar and Nekeva (“male” and “female” essence) in the Rosh of each Partzuf, starting from AB de AK, but also in SAG, MA, BON and in all the Partzufim of the world of Atzilut.

There is the Reshimo de Aviut of the Behina Gimel in the screen of the Partzuf AB. It elevates the 10 Sefirot of the Reflected Light only up to the level of Hochma, but the Reshimo de Hitlabshut of the Behina Dalet that is left there is unfit for Zivug with the Upper Light, due to its Zakut (the absence of the 'desire to receive', but wishing to be like the Creator). By absorbing the Reshimo de Aviut and forming one common Reshimo with it, it now receives enough strength for a Zivug de Haka’a with the Upper Light.

Then a Zivug de Haka’a with the Ohr Elion takes place, and as a result, the Partzuf of the level close to that of Keter emerges, as the Reshimo de Hitlabshut of the Behina Dalet is present in it. This merging is called the inclusion of Nekeva in Zachar; since the Reshimo de Aviut of the Behina Gimel is called “Nekeva”. This is because it is determined by the property of Aviut (the sensation of the 'desire to receive'). However, the Reshimo de Hitlabshut of the Behina Dalet is called Zachar, because it corresponds to a higher state and does not have Aviut.

The Reshimo de Zachar cannot make a Zivug by itself. A Zivug de Nekeva determines the level of the emerging Partzuf, the quality and the quantity of the light that will really enter the Partzuf.

44) There is also the inclusion of Zachar in Nekeva. This means that the Reshimo de Hitlabshut unites with the Reshimo de Aviut. In this case a