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 allthe Partzufim of the worlds AK, Nikudim and Atzilut (the world of Correction).
All the levels, beginning with the World of Infinity (the Olam Ein Sof) and down to our world, are created according to one and the same scheme. The more removed a level is from the World of Infinity, the thinner and weaker the screen becomes. Because of this, Malchut receives less and less light each time its levels descend lower and lower, until gradually Malchut descends from its highest state – the Olam EinSof and reaches its lowest state - our world.
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 existsthespreading 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, thereis just a thin ray of light. Awr-skin (Malchut) limitsthe Partzuf on the outside, preventing the light from “widening” furtherand 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.
Any part of Malchut is called a level if it has filled each of its desires with the light by using a screen. Each level received by Malchut divides the coming light into two parts: the Ohr Pnimi, which enters the Partzuf, and the Ohr Makif.
The screen sees the entire light coming to it with the help of the Ohr Hozer, and then determines how much it can receive with the help of the screen for the sake of the Creator, and how much it must leave outside. The screen always divides the light into two parts.
The Ohr Pnimi (the received part) is only a thin ray of light, which entered Malchut, i.e., the empty space, departed after TA (before TA Malchut was completely filled). We see the strength of egoism, which allowed just a thin ray of light to enter Malchut with the help of the screen. Moreover, it only refers to the first Partzuf of AK - Galgalta. The remaining Partzufim are filled with even less light.
Then, with the help of this ray of light, additional Partzufim are created. In the very center of this dark sphere – Malchut, after TA, there is our world. In the world of Atzilut a very special Partzuf, Adam HaRishon, is born. It consists of two components: the qualities of Bina and Malchut. Then this Partzuf splits into numerous separate Partzufim, called “souls”.
By acquiring the screen, the formed souls can gradually fill the entire sphere with the light. Such a state is called “The Final Correction” of the souls with the help of the screen -“the Gmar Tikkun”. After that, the further widening of Malchut consists in the attainment of the Creator, not inside itself, but above its properties.
This already refers to that part of Kabbalah called “the secrets of the Torah”. The rest of Kabbalah, everything that is below this level and refers to “Ta’amey Torah”, can and must be studied by all. Kabbalists must open “Ta’amey Torah” to everyone but conceal “the secrets of the Torah”.
There are many kinds of the Ohr Makif as well as the Ohr Pnimi. One of them shines upon man when he has no screen yet, no corrected feeling - and man starts longing for the spiritual. It happens owing to the Ohr Makif that shines upon him. Here the light is primary and the desire is secondary.
The Ohr Makif starts shining when man does not yet understand where this luminescence comes from, but spirituality begins to attract him. As he starts learning, he arouses upon himself the luminescence of another kind, which gradually corrects him; with its help, man begins to see his shortcomings, more and more opening the surrounding world. Gradually the light creates the spiritual picture before him, which gets clearer and clearer, as if emerging out of a fog.
We are surrounded by the Creator, Who is behind all objects around us, and wishes to bring us nearer to Him. For this purpose, He uses the objects of nature. In our world, He does it with the help of people - family, boss, acquaintances. He deliberately sends us complicated situations and sufferings, so that by trying to escape from them, we would come closer to Him.
However, man is inclined to see the reason of all his misfortunes in his shrewish wife, angry boss or the people who surround him. However, that is the way it should be, because the Creator is concealed from him. Man has not yet reached the level where he can only see the Creator behind all that happens to him. Moreover, he should react according to his own feelings, not as if it is only the Creator Who exists in the world. While on the material level, it is impossible to see the spiritual forces in the surrounding objects.
We depict the Partzufim very relatively. Though it is said that Galgalta looks like a thin ray of light, we imagine it in the form of a rectangle to show the correlation between the parts of the Partzuf. The Partzuf with its parts is gradually created in man’s sensations. We study how from a point, a Sefira is created in man, then an embryo -Partzuf; next, it grows as man starts receiving the Upper Light into it.
It is said, “his feet will ascend onto the Mount of Olives and will stand on it’. Olive oil symbolizes Ohr Hochma. The entire process of reception and the grading of the Ohr Hochma are extremely complicated. In Hebrew Har (mountain) also means “Hirhurim” - doubts, sufferings and efforts while climbing a mountain. From below, on our part, this ascent continues until the Machsom, where the spiritual world begins. In the Gmar Tikkun, the Ohr Hochma will fill not only the Toch, but also the Sof of Galgalta.
32) Now let us clear up what is the Ohr Makif of the world AK (or rather Galgalta), which isinfinitely 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 Partzufh as turned intothe 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.
As we have already said, the light reflected by the screen dresses onto the Direct Light (the Ohr Yashar) and serves as the Kli for receiving the Ohr Pnimi into the Guf. The Ohr Hozer is Kavanah, thanks to which the light can enter Guf for the sake of the Creator. The screen has enough strength only to dress and receive just a small portion of the light into the Toch as compared to the light that Malchut was filled with in Behina Dalet in the world of Ein Sof. The empty desires form the Sof of the Partzuf; whereas the light that was unable to enter them and was left around the Partzuf, is called “the Ohr Makif”.
In the spiritual world, all processes take place according to the cause-and-effect relation. There is no time, nothing changes or disappears there. All that was continues to be, and everything new merely dresses onto it. The previous continues to exist and is the cause, while all the new becomes its effect.
The screen that pushed away the Ohr Yashar did not prevent it from spreading in Malchut, but just gave the process a new form. Now it happens in the way of a partial receiving with the help of numerous “Zivugey de Haka’a” in the five worlds of AK, Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira and Assiya.
This process goes on until the Final Correction, when the Behina Dalet will be corrected in all its perfection. Then the light of Infinity will spread into it as it had done before TA. In this process, the Masach has not introduced anything that would interfere with achieving perfection.
The light of the World of Infinity will not rest until it fills the entire Malchut. So far it surrounds it from outside as the Ohr Makif, ready to enter it the instant the screen appears. The luminescence of the Ohr Makif is able to correct Malchut and allow it to receive the light inside.
The light hits the screen, because such is its nature; as it wanted to fill the Behina Alef, so later it constantly wishes to fill the vessel of reception - the 'desire to receive'. For example, sometimes man has some kind of a hidden desire; the outside pleasure strikes it and awakens this desire, arouses it Then man begins to feel that this pleasure wants to enter him.
In the spiritual world, each action is new because the creation makes a Zivug de Haka’a on a every new portion of the 'desire to receive' that has not yet been involved in the correction. Each new action is the effect of the preceding one and the cause of the subsequent one. The light emanating from the Creator is one and the same, simple light; but with each new desire, the Kli singles out the various kinds of pleasure in it that correspond to this new desire.
Everything depends on the Kli. According to its inner properties, desires (whether it wants to receive for its own sake or for the sake of the Creator, whether it wants to receive at all) it distinguishes certain kinds of pleasure in the light. The vessel (the Kli) must be created so that it will be able to pick out all those numerous pleasures in the light that were incorporated in it from the beginning.
On the one hand, the light emanating from the Creator creates the Masachim, screens, which assist the gradual filling of different parts of Malchut with the light, and it continues in this way until the Gmar Tikkun. On the other hand, we must say that the light is the cause that arouses the desire of the Kli, whereupon it should work hard to create its own screen.
33) Now, the time has come to learn about the impact between the Ohr Makif andthe 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.
The screen, positioned at the Peh de Rosh divides the simple light descending from above into two contrary, albeit, connected kinds: the Ohr Pnimi, partially received inside by the Partzuf with the help of the Ohr Hozer and the Ohr Makif, which the screen prevents from entering the Guf (Behina Dalet) and leaves it outside.
Thanks to the same intention of man (to receive for the Creator’s sake), one part of the light is received, while the other is left outside. The Partzuf (man) receives exactly as much light as he can receive with the intention, not for his own sake, but for the sake of the Creator.
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 ofthe 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), thenthe impactbetween the Ohr Pnimi andthe Ohr Makif takes place.
The amount of Ohr Makif surrounding the Partzuf is incomparably greater, than the Ohr Pnimi inside it. In an attempt to enter the Partzuf, the Ohr Makif strikes the Masach that gave birth to it. What does it mean that the Ohr Makif strikes the screen? Malchut has a passionate desire to receive pleasure. It feels that the light contains just the pleasure it would so much like to receive. Hence, it begins to attract the light.
This demonstrates that, in order to feel and then receive pleasure, one should have an appropriate vessel, a vessel that has passed through an intricate inner development. Why do we perceive the Ohr Makif as being outside us? Because, in the Sof of each Partzuf, there are unfilled desires that feel the light as pleasures that are so far out of their reach. Or rather, these empty desires feel as though the outer light strikes them, “demanding” to be enjoyed.
Mutual strokes of Surrounding Light (pleasure), with the desire of Malchut to receive pleasure and the strength of the screen resisting these desires, are called the Bitush Pnim u Makif, the impact between the Inner and the Surrounding Lights. Strictly speaking, neither the Ohr Makif nor the Ohr Pnimi collides. Rather, both of them strike into the screen between them. It happens in the Masach positioned in the Tabur of the Partzuf, where the reception of the light clearly ends.
It becomes clear only in the Tabur how much light (pleasure) entered the Partzuf, and how much remained outside of it. In the 10, Sefirot de Rosh, there is no such impact, because the Ohr Hozer is not yet the vessel for receiving the Ohr Yashar, but serves only as an embryo of the Kli. The impact begins only after the Ohr Yashar, dressed in the intention (the Ohr Hozer), spreads into the Toch down to the Tabur.
Spirituality cannot be attained through the mind; the spiritual Kli is a sense that does not understand the Creator, but feels Him. If man can feel the Creator, the spiritual realm, then understanding gradually comes to him.
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”.
The Surrounding light puts great pressure upon the screen in an attempt to enter the Kli that is positioned at the Tabur. However, the Masach cannot bear it. On the one hand, it is unable to receive more light with the intention for the sake of the Creator; on the other hand, it cannot remain under such pressure.
Therefore, the best solution is to return to its previous state in the Peh de Rosh, altogether refusing to receive the light. The Masach begins to rise from the Tabur to the Peh. On its way, it banishes all the light from the Kli and merges with the Masach in Peh de Rosh, i.e., it returns to the previous state where the light was only in the Rosh of the Partzuf, but absent from the Guf of the Partzuf.
The small pleasure that the Kli enjoyed by receiving the light in the Toch has given it an idea of the great pleasure that is waiting outside. Reception of this pleasure only weakened the screen. It is much easier to refuse altogether a certain pleasure than to receive it in small portions, for the pleasure that was received inside weakens the will power, i.e., the intention to receive pleasure for the sake of the Creator.
As Ohr Pnim, and Ohr Makif both press upon the screen with their pleasure, the screen weakens under this double pressure, and is forced completely to stop receiving the light. It gets free from all the Aviut, rises to the Peh de Rosh and fully merges with the Masach, which receives nothing at all, but just pushes the light away.
Further on, the material studied may become more technical, but one should not despair. Studying Kabbalah is a complicated inner process. Sometimes Kabbalah is perceived in sensations (and it is the best way), but sometimes it is not perceived at all. That is natural.
One should continue with persistent learning. At a certain moment, you will feel the material penetrating inside. Meanwhile, even if it is impossible to understand, one should continue to study so as not to lose touch with the general scheme, and at each time add another new element to it.
The general scheme looks like this: the light, gradually growing thicker and thicker, creates the Kli out of itself and for itself.The Kli passes through four phases of its development, turning into Malchut, i.e., the only creation.
Then the aim becomes complete separation of it from the Creator; the creation should feel neither the Ohr Pnimi nor the Ohr Makif, i.e., neither inner, nor outer pleasures, which could dictate their conditions to it.
It needs to acquire absolute freedom of will and the possibility of its own desires and actions, directed at the correction of its egoistic desires and spiritual advancement towards the Creator.
The first independent desire of Malchut was to become like the Creator in its properties. That is why it makes the First Restriction on its 'desire to receive', on Behina Dalet, and leaves it without the light. Then it creates the system of descending worlds. The spiritual worlds are nothing but the phases of restriction; they are curtains, screens. In all, there are five of them: the worlds of AK and ABYA (Adam Kadmon, Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira and Assiya).
Upon creating the worlds from above down to the lowest point, the creation finds itself in absolute emptiness and darkness; it does not feel the Creator at all. Humankind is in such state.
When, as a result of studying, man begins to vaguely feel that the Ohr Makif shines on him, that the omnipotent Creator is hiding somewhere behind it all, that each phenomenon has its own cause and effect, it means that he is already on a certain spiritual level called the Olam Hazeh.
Now we are studying the descending structure of all the screens and the worlds that conceal the Creator from Malchut. Then, if Malchut, by the power of its own desire, creates the screen, protecting it from the light-pleasure, it becomes, as it were, equal to this screen, this level, and the screen serves as revelation of the Creator.
If man independently desires to observe all 620 laws of the Creator’s revelation, they stop being restrictive for him, and then the corresponding screen is neutralized on each level. Man acquires the properties of the screen, and there is no sense in concealing the Creator on this phase, since there is no danger that he will receive the light for his own sake.
While spiritually ascending, Kabbalists internally perceive all these processes, having previously studied the descent of the worlds. On the one hand, it is necessary to study Kabbalah to acquire knowledge; on the other hand, man should feel everything he studies.
36) After the Partzuf AB de AK was born and completed its development by formingthe Rosh and the Guf, the process ofthe Bitush Ohr Pnimi be Ohr Makif resumed in it, as in thefirst 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.
As it was stated, the second Partzuf AB of the world AK was formed after Galgalta; it felt Bitush Pnim u Makif, expelled the light, then brought the screen de Guf and the screen at Peh de Rosh together.
Then AB felt the pressure of those two lights and behaved exactly as Galgalta did, i.e., it began to get rid of its Aviut Gimel. It raised the Masach de Guf to the Peh de Rosh, where Zivugim constantly take place, and became equal to it in its properties.
This means that it stops receiving pleasure for the sake of the Creator. Then a new Zivug de Haka’a takes place on this screen, but on a new portion of egoism, one that corresponds to the level of Bina. This is how the third Partzuf SAG de AK was formed.
When Malchut of the World of Infinity performed TA and established the screen, four Behinot lay between it and the Creator. The light cannot reach it through these four Behinot, and Malchut understands that it is absolutely remote from the Creator. This is a most terrible state, where it is ready completely to rid itself of the infinite delight, whose absence turns into suffering, pain and bitterness.
Now, thanks to the screen, it begins to see the light of the four Behinot and understands that the Creator wants it to receive pleasure. It makes a calculation and receives a small part of the light, from the Peh down to the Tabur. As soon as Malchut receives this small portion of the light, it starts feeling the pressure from the Ohr Makif in the Tabur, which wants to enter it, paying no attention to TA.
Malchut finds itself at an impasse, for it cannot receive the light just yet; so it should somehow get out of this situation. The way out consists in returning to the initial state. However, by making the first screen, it has already placed a curtain between itself and the Creator, thus creating the first Partzuf and receiving 20 per cent of the light. What is it supposed to do when the remaining 80 per cent of the light comes to it? The way out is to try working with a smaller amount of egoism for the sake of the Creator and make the screen for it.
For example, Ruben asks Simon to wake him up at 2 a.m. that he might be able to come to the lesson on time. On the next day, he turns to Simon: “It is so hard for me to get up at 2 a.m., please wake me up at 3 a.m.”. The next day, regretting it all, he asks to wake him up at four in the morning, then at five. Seeing that even this is difficult for him, he altogether stops coming to the lessons…
If earlier Malchut could liken itself to the Creator in 20 per cent, it tries now to do it to a lesser degree; by making the screen for 15 per cent of the light, (the number serves strictly as an example). Thus, Malchut is separated from the Creator by two screens. It then becomes even more remote from Him.
By creating these Partzufim, Malchut tries to liken itself to Behina Shoresh, Alef, Bet, and Gimel of the Direct Light, to the Creator’s properties. However, the egoistic core made the Tzimtzum. Becoming like the Creator in these Behinot, it isolated itself from Him, as it were, by these Partzufim creating an empty space. Now being spiritually empty, it can independently look for the way to become like the Creator.
Although we endow these Partzufim with the properties of living beings, we should nevertheless understand that they are not actually alive. They are the weakening screens that shield the spiritual delight from the egoistic desire to receive pleasure.
Only man’s soul, which we will discuss later, feels the Creator; therefore, only the soul is a living being. All the rest of the objects are no more than robots, programmed by the Creator to fulfill this or that function, which is somehow connected with man’s correction.
All newly created Partzufim, levels and their previous states, exist at the same time. An example can be given by analogy with a movie. The scrolled film disappears from our field of sight, but it exists as if in a still state. Similarly, each previous Partzuf is like a sequence in this film.
The entire picture, from the first moment and until the last one, is very diverse. A great number of actions take place in it, but all together, because of merging of the present, past and future states, form one sphere, a closed system. Lower Partzufim can influence the higher ones, because through them they receive the light from the World of Infinity.
For example the Partzuf AB, which receives the light from Galgalta, forces it to change too, for the light passing through it is already similar to the properties of AB, which also transforms Galgalta. From this follows the diversity, interconnection, and interdependency of all the spiritual processes.
The very last desire of Malchut, which realized that it is absolutely contrary to the Creator in its properties, that wants to receive only for the sake of itself without giving anything in return, is called the true “creation”, or “the soul”. Although we are not there yet, this very part of Malchut is the “material” of which a human soul will be created later on.
The rest is not the creation, but only an auxiliary tool for the merging of the creation with the Creator. These forces assist the Creator in governing creation. There are only two exiting entities: the Creator and the creation. Everything else is the system of their communication, with whose help they find one another.
The Partzufim does not make the actions. Being on a certain level and performing actions corresponding to this or that Partzuf, Kabbalists see the light that they can push away and consequently receive it inside. All Kabbalistic books appeared in the following way: a Kabbalist, ascending the spiritual levels, describes his spiritual sensations on paper.
The entire world of AK is similar to Malchut of Ein Sof, on the level of Shoresh; Atzilut is similar to Malchut on the level of Behina Alef; Beria corresponds to Behina Bet of Malchut; Yetzira - to Behina Gimel, and the world of Assiya is similar to Behina Dalet of Malchut. The light in Galgalta is Ohr Nefesh.
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.
As we have already said, there are two screens in each Partzuf. The first is at Peh de Rosh, which says that it will not receive pleasure for its own sake; hence, it pushes away all the light. The second is the Masach de Guf, which appears together with the intention to receive the light for the sake of the Creator, i.e., to dress it into the Ohr Hozer.
This Masach descends with the light and ascends when the light exits the Guf. The first screen is always in action and is in the spiritual world. The second one determines the position of the Kli on the straight line from zero level until the Gmar Tikkun. These two screens do not contradict one another.
39) As stated above, the impacts between the Ohr Pnimi and the Ohr Makif haveturned 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 enabledthe Masachde Guf to make the same Zivug de Haka’a asthe 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.
The Reshimot are the Ohr Makif, which was inside the Partzuf and exited it. That is why it retains a special connection with the Kli.
The screen has already made a Zivug de Haka’a on its previous desires, received the light and made sure that it has reached only the Tabur. It knows that this way is wrong and cannot lead to the Gmar Tikkun. Now, when its desires to receive the light for the sake of the Creator reactivate, they emerge one level lower This means that the new Partzuf will receive the light on a lesser level.
The first and second portions of the light are added together to equal the total quantity of the light that entered Malchut of the World of Infinity. Now Malchut has to receive all the light that was inside it before TA, with the new intention to receive, not for its own sake, but to please the Creator, i.e., with the help of the Masach and the Ohr Hozer.
The second Partzuf differs in its properties from the first; hence, it emerges not from the Peh, as the previous one did, but lower than the Peh, i.e., it is as if it is a head shorter than the previous Partzuf. Even its head is considered the Guf of the previous Partzuf, because it emerges from the Masach de Guf of the previous Partzuf. The second Partzuf is a complete outcome of the first one and branches off it as a frond out of the trunk.
When the first Masach at the Peh de Rosh pushes away the light, it puts itself into an independent position as regards the giver. The second Masach in the Guf says that it can receive even for the sake of the host. It has five desires; the Partzuf fills each of them by 20 per cent. The rest of the desires remain unfilled, because the Masach is not strong enough.
By receiving the light inside, the second screen descends. The Ohr Makif continues to interact with the Partzuf; it presses and tries to fill the remaining desires. The Masach de Guf cannot withstand it, and ascends to the level of the Masach de Rosh, and the light leaves the Partzuf. The united Masach makes a new Zivug, and as a result, a new Partzuf appears one level below the previous one and it differs in the quality of the light.
The peculiarity is that the Partzuf AB is not born from the Masach de Rosh of Galgalta, but from the Masach de Guf. It is strange, because a Zivug on the Behina Gimel took place in the Rosh of Galgalta. It is explained in “The Study of the Ten Sefirot”, part three, answer 310. While the Masach de Guf, i.e., the Masach de Behina Dalet, ascends to the Peh de Rosh, it unites with the Aviut de Rosh, which is “an ascending Aviut”. However, it is an Aviut of Behina Gimel, and not Dalet, because the Aviut of Behina Dalet is the Masach de Guf, which has never used the Aviut Gimel.
Here we can determine two major notions:
1) The Essence. This is the Masach de Guf and it rises to the Rosh, demanding to be filled. That is why the Masach de Rosh of Galgalta makes a Zivug on the Behina Gimel. When the essence of the elevated Masach becomes clear, it descends into the Guf again, not to the Tabur (Behina Dalet), but to the Chazeh (Behina Gimel). This Behina is not called “the son or offspring”, but the “Partzuf AB Pnimi”, i.e., the Partzuf AB, which spreads into the empty inner Kelim of Galgalta and is considered the Guf de Galgalta, because it emerged from a Zivug in the Rosh of Galgalta.
2) The Inclusion. After the Masach de Guf descends to the Chazeh, the Reshimot of the “descending” Aviut are activated during their presence in the Malchut de Rosh.
It turns out that, as regards the AB Pnimi, this is the Masach HaMesayem (limiting the spreading of the light), born from a Zivug on the Aviut Gimel at the Peh de Rosh of Galgalta. However, regarding the property of “the inclusion”, it is Masach HaMizdaveg (interacting with the light).
Then it attracts the light again, making a Zivug de Haka’a on the Behina Gimel, so that the Rosh AB emerges from the Chazeh up to the Peh de Galgalta. The Peh de AB is at the level of the Chazeh de Galgalta, while the Guf de AB spreads downward to the Tabur of Galgalta. It turns out that the AB Pnimi spreads into the Kelim de Galgalta and the AB Hitzon (outside) dresses onto it so that even its Rosh is in the place of the Guf of Galgalta.
The AB Pnimi spreads from the Rosh of Galgalta (Behina Dalet) into the empty Kelim of the Behina Dalet, but the AB Hitzon has absolutely no connection with the Behina Dalet.
Two united objects are completely similar in their desires. As much as the Masach can withstand egoism, the Kli becomes similar to the Creator in its properties, receiving the light inside with the intention for the Creator’s sake. A comparison of the properties is a comparison of the intentions, but it does not mean that both of them become one and the same object. They remain two objects, but their properties are so close that, at this moment, from our point of view, there is no difference.
The more the Partzuf receives, the more it becomes similar to the Creator in its intention, and the less in its action. To become equal with the Creator, one should develop one’s egoism, to receive more for His sake, but that will lead to an even bigger difference between the creation and the Creator in action. When the Masach at the Peh de Rosh pushes away all the light, it becomes, as it were, similar in action to the Creator (it does not receive either), but it is isolated from Him in its intention.
The method of self-restraint is wrong. There is no need to fast and give up pleasures; on the contrary, the Creator increases man’s egoism to the extent that he can apply the screen and work with it. So out of the two above-mentioned screens, the screen of the Guf can lead out into the spiritual.
However, if the screen is only at the Peh de Rosh, then man is as if a stone that does not need anything, has no inner movement. It has always been unclear how egoism can lead to the spiritual, when the purpose of the Creation implies reception of delight.
The Kli does not see what is outside it. All our names: the “Ohr Makif”, “presses from outside”, “hasn’t entered yet” – are notions belonging to the language of our world that we need to imagine somehow a spiritual action. Nevertheless, there is in fact no light pressing from outside, and there is no delight in it. Man’s internal Kli will feel pleasure, if this light is inside it.
Hence, in order to have an appetite sufficient for the pleasure, I must somehow imagine and sense this pleasure. The light is an inner reaction of the Kli for some kind of influence emanated by the Creator, i.e., the light corresponds to our “resistance”. Everything depends on how the Kli will react to this influence. Only the Ohr Pnimi that enters the Kli is the measure of similarity to the Creator.
All of the Partzufim, from the World of Infinity down to our world, were born according to the same principle: the lower Partzuf was born from the higher one.
Man should never think about what will happen to him at the next moment. One should always use the present moment, constantly trying to penetrate into its depth. The next moment will be born out of this one; but one should neither wait for it to come nor think about what it will be like. The entrance into the spiritual world depends on inner penetration into the present.
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 vesselsis 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 off-spring.
If I can accept 20 per cent of five portions, it means that I receive the Ohr Yechida and the Behina Dalet. The next time a Partzuf is born with the smaller light of Haya and the Kli Gimel, then the Ohr Neshama and the Kli Bet, then with the Ohr Ruach and the Kli Alef, and the last one with the Ohr Nefesh and the Kli Shoresh. Then the desires recommence, and for 20 per cent of the remaining desires, the five Partzufim of the world of Atzilut are born, and so on, until all the desires of Malchut of the World of Infinity are used.
All the Partzufim of the five worlds have received as much light as there was in Malchut of the World of Infinity, only gradually and with the help of the screen. No matter what portion we take as an example, it will always consist of five parts, albeit very small. The Kli is created out of the five desires, and it is necessary to make a Zivug de Haka’a on each of them.
If man has not yet corrected his Kelim, then the less egoism he has, the closer he is to the Creator. When he acquires the screen, then the bigger his egoism is, the better, for the closer he is to the Creator. Everything depends on the presence of the screen.
To make a Kli suitable for use, the light needs to enter it first, and then disappear, so that the Kli becomes completely remote from the Creator; with further correction, it will be able to make a choice and merge with the Creator again.
The exit into the spiritual world is possible only if there is a screen for all of your desires. However, if there are no desires, a Masach is not necessary either. Hence, without having desires, man cannot enter the spiritual world, since he has nothing to correct.
The ascent to the spiritual levels goes in three lines: left, right and middle. By receiving new portions of egoism, man applies a stronger screen to them. A Zivug de Haka’a takes place between the screen and the light; as a result, man receives a new portion of the light and ascends to the next level.
If man has big desires, while the strength of his resistance to them (the screen) is small, then he receives the light according to his screen and generates a small Partzuf. Then, when he is able to withstand a new portion of egoism, his Partzuf will expand on and on, until he receives a screen for absolutely all of his desires.
This is called “Gmar Tikkun”. The “bigger” man is, the more desires he has, the stronger the screen he acquires; such a man has great attainments because he was able to rule over his coarsest desires. The desires are given to man from Above when he can ask for their correction.
The scanty desires of our world, the Ner Dakik, turn our heads, occupy our thoughts and have such command over us, that we do not know what to do with them, how to get rid of them. All our life is concerned with looking for an opportunity to fill these animal desires. Egoism itself must not be destroyed; one should only put two kinds of screen on it: first – to stop receiving for one’s own sake, then to start receiving for the sake of the Creator.
A Zivug de Haka’a takes place in the Rosh, i.e., I calculate how much I can receive with the intention for the sake of the Creator. The calculation is followed by the reception of the light into the Guf, from the Peh down to the Tabur. The Tabur is the borderline of the reception with the intention for the Creator’s sake. The light that the Kli was unable to receive, the Ohr Makif, offers it to receive more; otherwise it does not fulfill the Purpose of creation. But the Kli knows that it cannot receive more for the sake of the Creator; provided it receives even a little bit more, this will already be for its own sake.
There is no way out except to overcome this deadlocked state, i.e., expel all the received light. The Kli understands that, even if it can receive in the future, it will not be the same amount as it has now, but smaller and with a weaker Masach.
The Masach loses strength, rises to the Peh de Rosh together with the Reshimot it received from the four lights in the four Kelim. The Aviut Dalet was lost in the Tabur after the Bitush of the Ohr Makif in the Masach; therefore, the Kli will not be able to receive the Ohr Yechida henceforth. However, it has not yet made the restriction on the remaining levels of the Aviut; hence, it just does not know what it will or will not be able to receive.
Now, when the Masach is at the Peh de Rosh, the Kli feels it can receive some more light. Then all its Reshimot awake, and it tries to receive on the Behina Gimel. The Masach descends to the Chazeh, makes a Zivug de Haka’a there, and then a new Partzuf AB is born. However, all the Reshimot of AB come from the Guf of Galgalta.
What is the difference between the two notions: the screen and the Restriction, the Masach and the Tzimtzum? A restriction means complete refusal to receive. The screen means reception of one part and pushing away the rest. Rabbi Baruch Ashlag gives the following example: each time a drunkard attended a wedding, he would drink himself to oblivion, fall down, and lay on the ground; even his wife would not let him into the house. Ashamed of his disgrace, the man decided to stop attending weddings altogether, because he could not control himself. And so he commenced.
After awhile, he decided he could be present at the festivities and allow himself to drink half a glass of wine, an amount that would not harm him. So he did. Conclusion: a restriction means to abstain from attending celebrations, while the screen means that one attends, but decides to receive a small amount.
There are two kinds of Reshimot. The first is the Reshimo de Itlabshut, i.e., the memories of the pleasures I was filled with. The second kind is the Reshimo de Aviut. It is a recollection of the desires with the help of which I did that, and how strong and hard the screen I used was.
The 'desire to receive' in the Kli is created by the Creator. The Kli received the 'desire to give' from Him. How can it use these absolutely opposite desires right now? First, the Kli measures the size of its 'desire to give', i.e., opposes its genuine, natural 'desire to receive'.
Let us assume that I have 20 per cent of the 'desire to give'. It is called the hardness of the screen. I can resist my desire to receive pleasure by 20 per cent. It means that in these 20 per cent I can receive the light, for in them I receive, not for my own sake, but for the sake of the Creator. It is similar to a mother who receives pleasure when her baby is delighted. The Creator enjoys when I receive pleasure. The remaining desires, not included in these 20 per cent, remain empty; I do not work with them.
What is Kabbalah? First, we take our inner desires, break them into small cells or vectors and build various graphs. This is the inner psychology of man; not as a creature of this world, but of some entity brought forth by the Creator with all the forces that the Creator gave to him.
Then we study how, with the help of those forces, man attains the Creator. This is a brief explanation of what Kabbalah is. One should not see it as some mystical teaching about secret, supernatural forces that exist outside the Universe. The main idea of Kabbalah suggests that, in the process of accumulating anti-egoistic forces, one can take a certain portion of egoism and work with it in a different direction.
First, the screen that was at the Peh de Rosh did not want to receive anything, then it calculated how much it could receive for the sake of the Creator. It is a bigger effort than not receiving anything at all for one’s sake. As a result, the screen that is at the Peh de Rosh is divided into two screens. The first says that I do not want to receive anything for myself. It is a complete reflection of the light, its rejection, its observance of TA. The second screen, which is inactive so far, also stays there. After meeting the conditions of TA, I begin to try to receive a little bit of light for the sake of the Creator.
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.
When the Partzuf SAG spreads into the Rosh and the Guf, it leads to a Bitush Ohr Makif on its Masach de Guf and the loss of the last Behina de Aviut of the Masach, the Behina Bet takes place. The Masach with the Reshimot de Aviut from the Behina Alef and higher rises to the Peh de Rosh and makes a Zivug on the Behina Alef there, which forms the 10 Sefirot on the level of Tifferet (or ZA). The Kelim Bina, ZA and Malchut and the lights Yechida, Haya and Neshama are absent in this Partzuf.
Does the Behina Dalet in SAG have desires, or does it restrict them and the desires of the Behina Gimel? Are there any desires in Behina Dalet in AB, or does it restrict them too?
Everyone has these desires; we speak only about the 'desire to receive', without which there is no creation. However, there was a danger that the souls might “steal”, receive for their own sake; hence, the correction took place, making them unable to see anything.
Now let us understand the saying, “All the earth is full of His Glory”, i.e., everyone has to feel His existence. Yet why can we not actually feel it? It is because, from the direction of the Creator, “All the earth is full of His Glory”; but to prevent the creation from receiving for its own sake, the Restriction took place. Seeing no delight in it, man does not aspire after spirituality.
The Introduction to “The Study of the Ten Sefirot” says that if punishment and reward were revealed so that the one who eats something forbidden would instantly choke with it, who would dare to eat the forbidden food? On the contrary, if man felt great pleasure while putting on the Tzitzit, he would never take them off. Therefore, if we felt the spiritual delight, we would immediately wish it for our own sake.
There is only one law inherent in egoism: “To work less and to receive more”, it knows nothing else. So what can one do if one can neither see nor receive anything? The Creator tells us: “I give everything freely and you should give freely”.
We must reach the same level where we can give without expecting any reward. Hence, there was the Tikkun (correction) - we can neither see nor “steal”. It is written in the Gemara (Treatise “Sanhedrin”): “Adam HaRishon was a thief” (he stole from the Creator).
In the beginning there was the Creator’s domain, i.e., all that Adam HaRishon did was for the sake of bestowal; nothing for his own benefit. However, upon seeing the enormous light, he could not receive it with the intention for the sake of giving and got it for himself. This is called, that he takes the light from the Creator’s domain to his own; hence, he is called “a thief”.
To prevent this from ever happening again, the correction took place in the souls; that is why they cannot see anything. Man should not ask for attainment and spiritual heights, only for the Kelim to be able to see.
To give a name to the Partzuf there is no need to say that a Zivug on some Behina takes place; it is enough to give its numeric value, the Gematria, to know what it is like qualitatively. Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey is the basis of any Kli. Malchut of the world of Infinity and the entire Universe consist of this one and only structure.
The amount of matter on this structure, i.e., the use of a desire with the right intention is equal to the light received by the Partzuf. The numerical value speaks about the quantity and the quality of this light in the Partzuf.
The Partzuf Galgalta corresponds to the entire Malchut of the World of Infinity and has the biggest screen in the Universe. If it received the maximum of what it could for the sake of the Creator, how can there be a place for another Partzuf? What can AB add to what Galgalta has not yet received?
It turns out that AB also corresponds to Malchut of the World of Infinity, and it can receive the light that Galgalta could not. The screen in the next Partzuf is weaker; it interacts with the light of a different quality, much less powerful than that of Galgalta; hence, AB can receive an additional portion of the light.
Each subsequent Partzuf receives the light of lower quality. Each new Partzuf is an absolutely new state. AB draws its desires from the Sof of Galgalta, i.e., it works with the desires that the previous Partzuf could not deal with. Galgalta wanted to receive the Ohr Yechida, whereas AB – only the Ohr Haya.
When Malchut in the World of Infinity pushes away all the light, it is called Dalet de Aviut and Dalet de Hitlabshut. It shows that the Reshimot of the entire World of Infinity are in it. Galgalta starts working with these Reshimot, makes a Zivug de Haka’a on Dalet / Dalet and receives the corresponding light. When the Bitush Pnim u Makif takes place, the Dalet de Hitlabshut and the Gimel de Aviut remain. Dalet de Aviut disappears because the Partzuf decides not to work with it anymore, and annuls it.
There is an inverse relation between the Kli and the light. The smaller the Kli, the closer it is in its properties to the light. Let us assume that I have five egoistic desires, from the purest to the coarsest. My purest desire is the nearest to the Creator, the coarsest one is the most remote. Malchut has five desires: Shoresh, Alef, Bet, Gimel and Dalet.
To put it more precisely, these are the five phases of development of one and the same 'desire to receive'. The Shoresh is the purest, most elevated desire; therefore, it is the closest to the Creator.
When Malchut puts the screen over its egoistic desire, the law that states that the purest desire is the closest to the Creator remains unchanged. Besides, the intention for the sake of the Creator is put on it, and exactly this intention allows it to receive more light than such a small desire was supposed to. Malchut with the Masach “attracts” the light, but Keter receives it and not Malchut, i.e., the purest, loftiest part of the Kli receives it .
The main elements of the Universe are:
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the light emanating directly from the Creator;
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the egoistic 'desire to receive' delight that was created by Him;
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the screen that emerged as a reaction to the received light.
Kabbalah studies these elements in their various states. Harmonious correspondence between the screen, the light, and the desire constitutes the soul, which dictates its laws to the angels, the Levushim and material objects.
Each Partzuf fills Malchut of the World of Infinity; thus the Partzufim cover its innermost point from the light. We are the central point. Therefore, as regards us, all the worlds, all the Partzufim are the restraining screens.
On the one hand, we say that all the worlds were created in descending order, i.e., the existence of man. The Worlds are the measures of concealment of the Creator. Galgalta conceals the Creator from the lower Partzuf by 20 per cent. AB only sees 80% of the Creator. Nevertheless, these 80 % are the Creator for it, so they are in fact 100 % for AB.
Thus, it goes until the five worlds that consist of the five Partzufim, where each Partzuf in turn consists of five Sefirot, completely conceal the Creator’s light from us behind 125 screens. The light does not reach our world at all. We are behind the screen and can neither see nor feel the Creator.
On the other hand, as man ascends and reaches the level of some Partzuf, he puts up the screen equal to this Partzuf and by doing so eliminates the concealment of the Creator on this level. Rising to the next level, man neutralizes its concealment with the help of his screen, attains the Creator on this level et cetera. When he annuls all the filters, he will completely grasp all the levels that separate him from the Creator.
The worlds are created to teach us how to act in each situation. Therefore, the Creator’s concealment is descending, while the revelation happens in the opposite direction. The steps, which the soul climbs, as it were, disappear thereupon.
The lower Partzuf knows the previous one and understands that it cannot receive as much light as the one before it does. However, to provide the lower Partzuf with the light, each higher one should send its request for the light (called MAN) to the Partzuf above it.
Since each new Partzuf is an absolutely new desire, which after TA has never been filled with the light, each new Partzuf leads to a new attainment, exceeding the previous one both qualitatively and quantitatively.
The light received by each subsequent Partzuf arrives to it via the previous one. All the Partzufim it passes through, receive their part of the light, and this portion of light is immeasurably bigger than the amount of the light that will be received by the previous one in this chain. Only Galgalta receives the light directly from the World of Infinity.
All our actions are based on our desires. The mind plays only an auxiliary role at that. The mind consciously perceives only what enters the senses; it calculates and analyses them. The wider and deeper the sensations are, the bigger the mind necessary for their processing.
If we take a person who studies Kabbalah and indulges in some kind of inner work, then the more subtle this work is, the more flexible and precise his mind should be to differentiate and analyze his senses and make adequate conclusions. However, the mind always remains only an auxiliary tool of the desire. The mind is needed only for gaining the desired object. All of us want pleasure, and the mind assists us in achieving it. If man wants to enjoy scientific research, his mind helps him there. Man thinks that he lives only by his mind; therefore, he stands above all other creatures.
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 ofthe Behina Gimel remained, whilethe Reshimo de Hitlabshut of the Behina Dalet did not change.
The Reshimo de Hitlabshut is a very thin part of the Reshimo that does not have sufficient Aviut for a Zivugde Haka’a with the light. Like Galgalta, any Partzuf with the weakening of its Masach loses only the last Reshimo de Aviut, but not the Reshimo de Hitlabshut.
We have studied that there is an inverse relation between the light and the vessel, and there are two rules here:
1) “Lefum tza’ara – agra”, i.e., the reward is given according to the merit (suffering); in other words, the amount of the light revealed to man depends on the amount of efforts he made.
2) The light wants to enter the clearest Kli. The Kli is considered clear if it refuses to receive anything the coarse Kli wants to receive.
For example, it is easier to work with the intention for the sake of bestowal during prayer, when man is covered with a Tallit, and crowned with a Tefillin; he does not want to receive anything, only to fulfill the commandment. But while studying, it is more difficult to have the intention for the sake of bestowal, much more difficult to have it during the family meal, and still more difficult to apply during one’s work.
However, according to the first rule, the bigger hindrances one can overcome, the more powerful light one can receive. That is why if man can do business with the intention for the sake of the Creator, without doubt he is worthy of a high level. We say about such person that “His knowledge is deep and his prayer is strong!”
The second rule springs from the first one: the highest level corresponds to the lightest Kelim, although there it is easier to intend for the sake of the Creator. On the other hand, the height of the level is determined by its most corrected property, and the light goes through it and descends to the lower level.
Therefore, the Reshimo de Aviut is a deficiency, the 'desire to receive'. But one should not forget that, in spirituality, the 'desire to receive' always means the desire with a Masach. Therefore the Reshimo de Aviut means that there is a memory in it of how much it can receive for the sake of giving, i.e., the previous strength of resistance disappeared in it. Its lightest Kli, the Kli de Keter, cannot disappear under the influence of the surrounding light, because it has no Aviut. Hence, Reshimo of the light that was there once is left in it, which is called the Reshimo de Hitlabshut.
There is always some Reshimo left from the presence of the light. Two notions should be cleared up:
1) The light comes from the giver’s direction.
2) The Aviut and the Masach come from the receiver’s direction.
Whatever comes from the giver leaves a memory, and whatever comes from the receiver – meets with resistance and disappears.
Rabbi Baruch Ashlag gives the following example: “Once I found myself in a place where old people were resting. I looked around and saw that all of them were dozing, paying no attention to anything. It is said about it: “the day is devoid of passion”. I came up to one of them and began talking to him. First I asked him where he was from, then how he made his living, so I got him talking, and he began telling me about his past businesses.
Little by little, he was getting more and more excited and enthusiastic, recalling his achievements and the various events he went through, i.e., in the language of Kabbalah the Reshimot of the past delights awoke in him. At the end, I asked him, “Would you like to relive it all over again, traveling from town to town making deals and striking bargains the way you did before? That very instant his eyes grew dim, for he recalled the present and the bygone strength, which he had no more”.
Thus, we see that the Reshimo of a man’s delight remains in him, while the strength is all gone. We may conclude that he has no more Aviut in him, i.e., he cannot receive for the sake of giving, but the Reshimo de Hitlabshut – the reminiscence of the pleasure dressed in the Kli-desire remained, but, having no screen, he is unable to return to the bygone delights.
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.
Owing to the memory of its previous state, i.e., the previous Partzuf, Zivug de Zachar gives to the emerging Partzuf a kind of additional, auxiliary luminescence.
Such interaction of Zachar and Nekeva starts from the Partzuf AB. Therefore beginning with it, all the Partzufim have two heads (Rashim) and two Zivugim.
There is a rule: regarding the lower level, the upper one is called perfection (Shlemut). Zachar is called perfection because it is the Reshimo of the light and there is no deficiency in it.
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 Zivug occurs only on the level of Nekeva, i.e., on Behina Gimel (Hochma), which is called HaVaYaH (Yud-Hey-Vav-Hey, the unutterable Name of the Creator) de AB.
There are the so-called “upper” and “lower” Zivugim. The upper Zivug corresponds to the inclusionof Nekeva in Zachar. Because of this Zivug, the Partzuf whose level is close to Keter emerges. The lower Zivug corresponds to the inclusion of Zachar in Nekeva. This Zivug leads to the creation of a Partzuf whose level is only Hochma. Aviut, which corresponds to the level of Zachar, does not belong to it, as was mentioned above; it was acquired because of the “inclusion”, the interaction with Nekeva.
Therefore this Aviut is sufficient only for creating the 10 Sefirot bottom-up (called Rosh), but not for spreading top-down, which forms the Guf – the true vessels. The Guf of the Partzuf is formed with the help of the level of Nekeva, which has its own Aviut. Hence, we call the Partzuf according to the level of Nekeva, in this particular case AB. The main part of the Partzuf is the Guf; it is where the reception of the light in the vessels takes place.
45) Similar to the formation of the two levels of Zachar and Nekeva in the Rosh of the Partzuf AB, the same levels emerge in the Partzuf SAG. The only difference is that, in the former case, the level of Zachar is approximately Hochma, since it emerges as a result of a Zivug on the inclusion of Aviut Bet (Bina) in the Reshimo Gimel de Hitlabshut (Hochma). The level of Nekeva in SAG is a pure Bina with Aviut Bet.
In the case of SAG, the Partzuf is also called according to the level of Nekeva (Bina), since the level of Zachar has only the Rosh without the Guf. Zachar of the Partzuf MA of the world AK is at the level close to Bina and is called YESHSUT, since it results from the interaction between the Reshimo Bet de Hitlabshut and the Reshimo Alef de Aviut. Nekeva of this Partzuf is at the level of ZA, since it has only Alef de Aviut. The rest of the Partzufim of the world AK are constructed similarly.
VAK de Bina is called YESHSUT, and Gar de Bina is called the upper Aba ve Ima.