Baal HaSulam. Gatehouse of Intentions

The Gatehouse of Intentions

Chapter 1

¹1) There is an Emanator and there is an emanated being. The emanated being contains four elements: fire, wind, water, and dust. These are the four letters HaVaYaH [Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey], and they are HB TM, and they are TANTA, and they are ABYA, which are the four phases in man: One is the inner man, which is the spirituality. It is called NRNHY. Two is the body, three is the garments on the body, and four is the house in which man and his body and garment dwell.

Simple Light

1) There is an Emanator and there is an emanated being. The emanated being contains four elements, etc. This teaches us a great rule that contains the entire wisdom, to learn to know how the entire whole, with even its tiniest details, are all similar, since all of reality, upper and lower together, are but five phases: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, and Malchut. These are called by the names of five worlds: Adam Kadmon, Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya. AK [Adam Kadmon] is Keter, meaning the root of everything and the Emanator. The world of Atzilut is Hochma, the world of Beria is Bina, the world of Yetzira is Tifferet, and the world of Assiya is Malchut. These are the four letters in the name HaVaYaH: Yod is Hochma, the first Hey is Bina, Vav is Tifferet, and the bottom Hey is Malchut. They are also called tastes, dots, tags, and letters. It follows that all the worlds are included in one HaVaYaH, meaning Hochma and Bina, Tifferet and Malchut, and the tip of the Yod is regarded as the Emanator, meaning the world of AK. Correspondingly, there is not a tiny element in all of reality that does not contain these five phases KHB TM.

The reason for this is that everything is emanated and created only by the Sefira of Malchut, and Malchut necessarily contains the four phases above it, which precede it, since she is the lowest of the five phases. Hence, the first ten Sefirot that emerged after the first restriction, which are called “the world of AK” or “the line of Ein Sof,” which begins near Ein Sof and ends at the point of this world, emerged by a coupling in the Sefira of Malchut, and therefore necessarily contains the above-mentioned five phases, as well as the four worlds ABYA and all the details in them, which also emerge through a coupling in the Sefira of Malchut. Thus, there are the same five phases in them, as well.

We should know that the ten Sefirot KHB HGT NHYM are but five phases, which are KHB TM. We count ten Sefirot because Tifferet contains six Sefirot HGT NHY within it. The reason Tifferet contains six Sefirot is because of the incorporation of the Sefirot in one another, where each one is incorporated in all of them.

Thus, there are five phases in Keter, five phases in Hochma, five phases in Bina, five phases in ZA, and five phases in Malchut. However, the incorporation of GAR in Tifferet is not complete incorporation because the Sefira Tifferet is light of Hassadim and is regarded as Guf [body], so how can it contain within it the three phases KHB, which are essentially light of Hochma? For this reason, incorporation of KHB is discerned in it, which descended from their degree and became three Hassadim. This is why their name was changed to HGT, and this is why the five phases in it are called HGT NH, indicating that KHB that were included in Tifferet became Hassadim in it, there is no Hochma in them, Netzah is its own phase, and Hod is the inclusion of Malchut in it. For this reason, they are also called “five Hassadim.”

There is also no complete incorporation of KHB in Malchut, and in her, too, they are called HGT, as in ZA, and the five phases HGT NH in her are called “five Gevurot,” since they are all regarded as Gevurot. Also, the Sefira of Yesod is an incorporation of the five Hassadim in Tifferet and is not a new phase in and of herself.

Thus, these ten Sefirot are no more and no less than five phases, where each of them includes all of them. Also, there is a difference in this matter of incorporation, since only GAR incorporate all five phases in full, which is why they are considered to have complete KHB TM in each of them. But in Tifferet, where KHB became Hassadim, although it includes KHB, it still lacks them because they became HGT in it. This is why Tifferet is regarded as having six Sefirot HGT NHY, to emphasize the absence of KHB in it. It follows that each KHB contains ten actual Sefirot, which are the three phases KHB, the six Sefirot of ZA, and Malchut, since this innovation that was done in ZA, whose five phases became five Hassadim, is also included in each of the KHB. However, ZA has only six Sefirot HGT NHY because it does not contain the three phases KHB, but only the three Hassadim called HGT. It follows that these HGT NHY, which are incorporated only in Tifferet, are not because of its merit over GAR, but on the contrary, it indicates the lack of GAR in it.

The reason why the ARI counts only four phases HB TM and not five phases KHB TM is that Keter is regarded as the root of all four phases and is not counted along with them.

2) All of these phases incorporate four phases, and these are they: Phase one of spirituality is Neshama to Neshama and NRN. Phase two, which is the body, is the bones, in which there is the marrow, and the tendons, flesh, and skin, as it is written, “Clothe me with skin and flesh, and knit me with bones and tendons.”

3) The third phase is the garments. It is known that they are mandatory garments for a regular priest [as opposed to the high priest]: a shirt, trousers, a bonnet, and a belt. The same four of the high priest are higher garments than these, as is mentioned in The Zohar. These are the garments of the name ADNI, and these are the garments of the name HaVaYaH. However, essentially, they are only four phases. The fourth phase is the house, and there are house, yard, field, and desert. However, in all those four particular phases there is one phase that incorporates all of them; it is the medium between each two phases and incorporates both.

²4) Once we have clarified that all the emanated beings are one phase that incorporates all four elements, which are the four letters Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey, and which are the four worlds ABYA and have an upper, fifth phase between them and Ein Sof, now we will elaborate on each world in general, and then we will return to explain them all together as one whole.

5) Everything that was created in all the worlds is only four phases, which are HaVaYaH. These are the spiritual, which is called soul, the organs of the body, the garments, and the house.

6) Let us speak of the world of Atzilut, and from there we will understand the rest. The internality of the whole of Atzilut is the spirituality called soul. It is clothed inside the organs of the body, which are called vessels. These are the ten Sefirot called Rosh [head], Zero’ot [arms], and Guf [body].

7) Let us return to the matter of the body, for this phase is ten Sefirot, ten qualities, for there is a boundary and a measure to them. It is written in Pirkey Heichalot, in the measure of the level, that it is 2 billion, 236 million parsas. This body is clothed inside the garments of Atzilut, and as our sages said, the Creator clothed in ten garments, a garment of pride, as was said, “The Lord is King, He wears pride.” This is the meaning of what is mentioned in Pirkey Heichalot, that there the robe of the Creator is called Zahariel, but the soul within has no measure at all. However, compared to Ein Sof, we can call them “measures and Sefirot” to the soul, as well.

8) These garments are inside the houses, which are the seven halls of Atzilut, which are the world itself. These are the heaven and the earth, and the air between them, for all this is regarded as “houses.” They are called “the world of Atzilut,” within which dwells the upper Adam, who is a soul and a body, and royal garments placed in the hall of the upper King, who is the whole of the world of Atzilut.

9) These four phases are regarded as the ten Sefirot that begin from Hochma and contain four phases. There is also the phase of Keter, which is the fifth phase, the root of all of them, and which also contains the root of the four above-mentioned phases. It follows that the light and the soul in Keter are the root of the ten Sefirot of the souls of Atzilut that begin from Hochma, and the body in Keter is the root of the ten Sefirot of bodies in the ten Sefirot of Atzilut that begin from Hochma. Also, the garments in Keter is the root of the ten Sefirot of garments in the ten Sefirot of Atzilut that begin from Hochma, and the hall in Keter is the root of the ten Sefirot of halls in the ten Sefirot of Atzilut that begin from Hochma.

10) Afterward, the world of Beria was created in the exact same manner, where through the screen that is the bottom of the hall of Atzilut, it illuminated downward and imprinted there an imprint of all that was in the world of Atzilut. It is called “the world of Beria” since it is a light of consequence and not the upper light itself. However, since it is the seal of Atzilut, it must contain all the phases that exist in Atzilut.

³11) Indeed, the medium rule that is shorter than all is this: In all ten Sefirot of Atzilut, including Keter, there are root, soul, body, garment, hall. It is likewise in BYA, and likewise in AK, which is the root of all of ABYA.

12) It follows that all that was emanated is one HaVaYaH, which comprises five phases, which are the tip of the Yod in AK, Yod in Atzilut, Hey in Beria, Vav in Yetzira, and Hey in Assiya, and each of these phases comprises all five.

Simple Light

12) All that is emanated is one HaVaYaH that comprises five phases, which are the tip of the Yod in AK, Yod in Atzilut, etc., and each of these phases comprises all five. These five phases are in the upper light itself. From their perspective, there is no change from world to world or from degree to degree. All the changes in the worlds and the degrees are only in the screens in the vessels of Malchut, on which a coupling by striking was made, raising reflected light that clothes the upper light.

There are four phases of coarseness in this screen. The coarsest screen reveals the highest level through its coupling with the upper light, since the coarseness in phase four elicits a complete level of reflected light through Keter; the level of coarseness of phase three is only up to Hochma; the coarseness of phase two is only up to Bina; and that of phase one is only up to ZA. If there is only root of coarseness in the screen, it elicits only the level of Malchut.

These are all the changes between those five worlds AK and ABYA, since the screen of phase four operates in AK; hence, the reflected light there extends the level of Keter. For this reason, it is regarded as the Keter of all the worlds. The screen of phase three operates in the world of Atzilut, and the reflected light there extends the level of Hochma. This is why the world of Atzilut is regarded as the Hochma of the worlds. The screen on phase two operates in the world of Beria, which extends only the level of Bina. For this reason, it is regarded as Bina of the worlds. The screen of phase one operates in the world of Yetzira, which extends only the level of ZA, and is therefore regarded as ZA of the worlds, meaning Tifferet. The faintest screen of all is in the world of Assiya; hence, there is only the level of Malchut there.

Although the four phases of direct light are all equal, even in Assiya, they only have the level of Malchut in Assiya, and in Yetzira there is only the level of ZA in all four phases, and so forth likewise.

We could ask: There are five Partzufim in AK, which are five levels one below the other, and likewise in Atzilut, where they are called AA [Arich Anpin], AVI [Abba veIma], and ZON [Zeir Anpin and Nukva]. Thus, how do ZON of AK differ from ZON of Atzilut and from ZON of the rest of the worlds, which are Yetzira and Assiya? The thing is that each world is discerned primarily according to its uppermost phase. Since Partzuf Galgalta of AK, which is its highest, has the level of Keter, the rest of the Partzufim are regarded as degrees in Keter. It is likewise in the world of Atzilut whose highest Partzuf, called AA, has the level of Hochma. Thus, all the Partzufim are regarded as degrees of Hochma. It is likewise in Beria: Since the highest Partzuf in it has the level of Bina, they are all degrees of Bina. Likewise, in Yetzira, its highest Partzuf has only the level of ZA, so all the degrees in it are only degrees of ZA. And in Assiya they are regarded as degrees of Malchut. The rule is that all the degrees in any world are related to and regarded as branches of the highest Partzuf in it, whose level shines in all its branches.

13) The tip of the Yod in AK contains the first HaVaYaH of five other phases, which are the above-mentioned five phases in AK itself. These are the AK and ABYA in it, which are five phases: root, soul, body, garment, and hall. Also, the Yod of Atzilut contains one HaVaYaH that incorporates all above-mentioned five phases, and likewise in the rest of the letters in BYA. Thus, they are five letters where each one incorporates all of them, making them twenty-five phases.

14) Afterward, in the same manner, there is another incorporation, where each of them incorporates all twenty-five phases. This is so because the Yod of Atzilut contains one HaVaYaH that incorporates all five phases, and each of the five phases incorporates five. These are the ten Sefirot of the root, ten Sefirot of the soul, ten Sefirot of the body, ten Sefirot of the garment, and ten Sefirot of the hall. It is likewise in the tip of the Yod in AK, Yod in Atzilut, in the letter Hey in Beria, in the letter Vav in Yetzira, etc.

15) It follows that in short, AK is the tip of the Yod and contains one HaVaYaH that incorporates five phases: root, soul, body, garment, and hall. Each of these phases incorporates five, which are ten Sefirot of the root, ten Sefirot of the soul, ten Sefirot of the body, ten Sefirot of the garment, and ten Sefirot of the hall. Also, each Sefira of these ten Sefirot is incorporated in the five Partzufim [pl. of Partzuf], which are the root and ABYA.

Chapter 2

16) Now we will discuss the meaning of each of these worlds. Know that the root and the souls and the bodies are one phase and there is no separation between them. However, the garments and halls are two phases that are separate from the three above phases.

Simple Light

16) the root and the souls and the bodies are one phase and there is no separation between them. However, the garments and halls are two phases that are separate, etc. To understand these matters, we must know the meaning of the association of the quality of mercy with judgment that was done during the second restriction of AK, as it is written, “On the day when the Lord God made earth and heaven,” when He associated the quality of mercy with judgment. This is also as our sages said, “In the beginning, He contemplated creating the world with the quality of judgment. He saw that the world did not exist; He put the quality of mercy first and associated it with the quality of judgment.” That is, Malchut is called “the quality of judgment,” and Bina is called “the quality of mercy.” In order to sweeten the quality of judgment in Malchut, He associated and connected Malchut with Bina, as it is written, “And they both went,” connecting the bottom Hey, which is Malchut, with the first Hey, which is Bina, so the bottom Hey was mitigated by the first Hey.

The beginning of this correction took place when Nekudim emerged from the light of Eynaim [eyes], for by the expansion of SAG through the Sium Raglin of the inner Partzuf of AK, called Galgalta, SAG, which is the level of Bina, merged and connected with the Malchut in TNHY of the inner AK, and the two Heys connected to each other on all the degrees until the bottom Hey rose to the place of Nikvey Eynaim. Eynaim is Hochma and Nikvey Eynaim means the Nukva of Hochma. It follows that the Eynaim have the last Hey and the first Hey, as in “I am asleep, and I am second.” It follows that by this, the quality of mercy, which is Bina, was associated with the quality of judgment, which is Malchut.

However, although this association is a very valuable merit for Malchut, it caused a new restriction in the worlds, since the first restriction impacted only the Sefira of Malchut, while all of the first nine Sefirot were clean of any restriction. But now that Malchut rose and connected to Bina, along with it, she elevated the restriction to Bina, which is called Nikvey Eynaim. Thus, now each degree ended at the Sefira of Bina, as it previously ended in the place of Malchut. And since the Sium [ending] of each degree was made in the place of Bina, the two Sefirot ZA and Malchut parted and went outside of each and every degree, leaving only the three Sefirot KHB in the degree.

This is why he said, “Know that the root and the souls and the bodies are one phase and there is no separation between them. However, the garments and halls are two phases that are separate from the three above phases.” The root, soul, and body, which are the three Sefirot Keter, Hochma, Bina remained in each degree after the second restriction, too, which is why they are united in the degree. However, the garments and halls, which are ZA and Malchut, separated from each degree in the second restriction because it ended at the Sefira of Bina. For this reason, they parted and became surrounding of the degree, since anything that the degree cannot receive now, but only some time later, is regarded as having become surrounding. Therefore, ZA and Malchut that parted from each degree are destined to reunite with it in the future, at the end of correction. This is why it is considered that they have become surrounding.

This is the meaning of what the ARI wrote, “However, from the world of Nekudim downward, which is the world of Atzilut, there was one lack that did not appear in them in all their details more than five internal lights and two surrounding lights, which are surrounding for Haya and surrounding for Yechida.” This is so because there were five internal phases KHB ZON in the Partzufim of AK before the world of Nekudim, and opposite them five phases KHB ZON of surrounding lights, since there is no light that does not have inner and surrounding within it, for every inner light has its own surrounding. However, in the world of Nekudim, when the place of the restriction ascended to the Sefira of Bina, a lack was created in the inner ones themselves, as well, since the two internal Sefirot ZON separated from the degree and became surrounding, and only the three vessels KHB remained in the degree, in which three inner lights NRN clothe, while Haya and Yechida do not have corresponding vessels in the Partzuf and they remain outside as surrounding.

We might ask: The three great lights—Neshama, Haya, Yechida—should have remained in the Partzuf, and only Ruach and Nefesh should have become surrounding, since the lights of Neshama, Haya, Yechida always clothe the vessels of Keter, Hochma, Bina, and Nefesh Ruach in the vessels of ZA and Malchut. Thus, why does he say that NRN remained in the Partzuf and Yechida Haya have no vessels? We must remember here what the ARI wrote, that the rule is that in the vessels, the higher ones grow first, and it is the opposite in the lights. Upon the entry of the lights into the vessels, the lower lights enter first, since when there is only light of Nefesh there, it dresses in the vessel of Keter. When the light of Ruach comes, the light of Nefesh descends to the vessel of Hochma and the Ruach dresses in the vessel of Keter. When the light of Neshama comes, the light of Nefesh descends to the vessel of Bina, the light of Ruach to the vessel of Hochma, and the light of Neshama dresses in the vessel of Keter. When the light of Haya comes, the Nefesh descends to the vessel of ZA, Ruach to the vessel of Bina, Neshama to the vessel of Hochma, and the light of Haya dresses in the vessel of Keter. When the light of Yechida comes, the Nefesh descends to its place in the vessel of Malchut, and likewise Ruach to the vessel of ZA, Neshama to the vessel of Bina, Haya to the vessel of Hochma, and Yechida to the vessel of Keter.

Thus, as long as not all five lights NRNHY enter the Partzuf, not only are the lights not clothed in their respective vessels, but there is also an inverse relation between them: When Yechida is absent, the four lights NRNH do not clothe HB TM and the vessel of Keter is empty of its light. Rather, it is the complete opposite: the vessel of Malchut is empty of any light because the four lights clothe the vessels KHB and ZA. And when there are only three lights NRN there, they do not clothe in vessels Bina, ZA, and Malchut, and the two vessels Keter and Hochma remain empty of light. Rather, they clothe KHB, and the two bottom vessels remain empty. Thus, there is always an inverse relation between the vessels and the lights. You should always remember this for without this rule there cannot be any understanding of the writings of the ARI.

By this we thoroughly understand that from the world of Nekudim onward, after a new place of restriction was made in the vessel of Bina, and the two vessels ZA and Malchut separated from each degree and became surrounding, only three lights NRN can clothe in each degree: Neshama in the vessel of Keter, Ruach in vessel of Hochma, and Nefesh in vessel of Bina, while the two lights Yechida and Haya have no vessels in which to clothe.

However, in the end of correction, when the two vessels ZA and Malchut reconnect to the degree as they were in the first restriction, Nefesh will descend to vessel of Malchut and Ruach to vessel of ZA, and Neshama will be able to descend to vessel of Bina. At that time there will be room for the two lights Haya Yechida to clothe in the vessels of Keter Hochma. Thus, the absence of the vessels of ZA and Malchut eliminates the lights of Haya Yechida, for they have no place in which to clothe. For this reason, the vessels of ZA and Malchut are considered to have become surrounding for Haya and Yechida. That is, it is impossible for Haya and Yechida to return to the degree if not through them, since by the return of the vessel of ZA, room is made for the light of Haya to clothe in the degree, and by the return of vessel of Malchut, room is made for the light of Yechida, as well.

This is why the ARI says, “From Nekudim onward, the five surrounding disappeared from each Partzuf, and there are only two surrounding now, Haya and Yechida, and they themselves are also not surrounding.” This is so because prior to the second restriction of AK that was in Nekudim, when five inner lights NRNHY dressed in their respective vessels, they also had five respective surrounding lights. Each surrounding was in itself: The inner one of Yechida had a surrounding light of Yechida, and the inner one of Haya had a surrounding light of Haya, etc. However, after the second restriction of Nekudim, when the two lights Haya Yechida disappeared from each degree, now there are no five surrounding opposite the five complete internal, since the internal themselves lack the Haya and Yechida in them. Hence, those Haya and Yechida will now be regarded as surrounding the NRN that remained in the degree. Once they fully enter the inner ones, meaning after the two vessels of ZA and Malchut reconnect to the degree and all five inner ones are properly completed, the five surrounding from before will return, as well.

It follows that now there are two deficiencies: The first deficiency is that the previous five surrounding have disappeared due to the lack that made in the internal ones themselves. The second deficiency is that even the two surrounding Haya and Yechida that remained are not surrounding in and of themselves, since there are no internal Haya and Yechida in the Partzuf, which relate to these surrounding. Rather, the surrounding Haya and Yechida illuminate to NRN that are not of their own phase, since they are actually internal and the only reason they became surrounding is due to the separation of the two vessels ZA and Malchut.

This is why it is written, “The other three inner ones do not have surrounding from the phase of NRN, but only from the phase of Yechida and Haya, which surround everyone, and not from their own phase,” as has been explained.

We could ask why in the Tree of Life, Gate 40, the ARI says that there are three internal and two surrounding, while in the Tree of Life, Gate 6, Chapter 2, he says that there are five internal and two surrounding. The thing is that in truth, there are two vessels of ZA and Malchut in each degree even after the second restriction, as well. However, they are not from their own phase but from the expansion of Bina, since the vessel of Bina itself expanded to ZA and Malchut, too. Since these ZA and Malchut are not original but are from Bina, now, too, we should not count more than three vessels KHB in each degree. However, this expansion of the vessel of Bina to ZA and Malchut made it possible for the two lights Haya and Yechida to clothe in the Partzuf, as well. However, they do not have a designated vessel, and they clothe inside the light of Neshama. For this reason, these lights of Haya and Yechida are not in in this completeness, as when they had five designated vessels for clothing.

Hence, considering the degrees of AK when there were five vessels in the Partzuf, the lights of Haya and Yechida are completely absent after they separated and became surrounding of garment and hall. This is why he says that only three inner lights NRN remained in the Partzuf. However, when considering the degrees of the second restriction themselves, it is possible that they, too, will have five inner [lights] NRNHY through the two new vessels of ZON that expand from Bina, but Haya and Yechida clothe inside the light of Neshama, as is known.

17) Between those two, between the bodies and the garments, is the section of the shells. They truly attach themselves to the posterior of the light of the body. This is so because the three internal phases contain inner light and the worst of the inner light comes out inside the skin, and there it ends. The surrounding light is the opposite, since the more external light is also greater. It follows that surrounding light in the most internal garment that is attached to the body is the smallest surrounding light in all of them.

Simple Light

17) The surrounding light in the garment, etc., is the smallest surrounding light, etc. It has already been explained that the vessel of ZA that was separated because of the second restriction became surrounding of Haya and is called garment. Also, the vessel of Malchut that was separated from the degree became a surrounding of light of Yechida because of the inverse relation between the vessels and the clothing of the lights. Hence, the surrounding of the garment is smaller than the surrounding of the hall, since the surrounding of garment is Haya and the surrounding of hall is Yechida.

18) For this reason, the section of the shells is there in the middle, where there are neither inner light nor surrounding light. It is in the middle between the inner and the surrounding, and it is called “the place of darkness.” That matter applies to each and every world with regard to the shells in that world.

19) However, after we explained the matter in particular, we shall speak in general. It is known that inside AK is the Ein Sof that dresses in the root of the souls of the ten Sefirot in it, and these clothe the souls of all ten Sefirot in him, which clothe the ten Sefirot of the body of AK.

20) The ten Sefirot of the bodies should have clothed the ten Sefirot of garments, but this is not so for the above-said reason. Rather, the three phases Atik of Atzilut surround these three phases of AK. How? The ten Sefirot of the bodies of AK clothe inside the ten Sefirot of roots of the souls of the ten Sefirot of Atik of Atzilut, which clothe the ten Sefirot of the souls of Atik of Atzilut, which clothe the ten Sefirot of the bodies of Atik of Atzilut.

21) Likewise, the roots and bodies and souls of AA clothe the bodies of Atik, and likewise the three phases of Abba clothe AA. Similarly, the three phases of Ima toward Abba, the three phases of ZA toward Ima, and the three phases of Nukva toward ZA. Thus, now all the bodies have been completed through the Nukva of ZA. And here, in the posterior of the bodies of the Nukva, all the shells of Atzilut of ten Sefirot in them are attached.

⁴22) This requires that we notify you the meaning of garments and halls. Know that the garments are the vessels for the surrounding light, and between each two garments there is one surrounding light. These are phases of surrounding lights of straightness over all of Atzilut, as mentioned elsewhere that there are three phases of surrounding vessels and over them surrounding (lights) of NRN.

Simple Light

22) There are three phases of surrounding vessels and over them surrounding (lights) of NRN. There are books where it is written that the lights of NRN surround them. However, the word “lights” is a writer’s mistake, since the surrounding vessels of straightness, which are the garments, are the vessels of ZA, and the surrounding light over these surrounding vessels are the surrounding of Haya and not lights of NRN, as the ARI wrote, that “The other three inner ones do not have surrounding from the phase of NRN, but only from the phase of Yechida and Haya, which surround everyone, and not from their own phase.” Thus, there are no surrounding lights at all from the phase of NRN. However, it is written in other books, “and over them surrounding of NRN,” and the word “lights” is not written there. This is the true version.

This means that as there are three inner vessels—outer, middle, and inner—in which three inner lights of NRN clothe, so there are three phases of surrounding vessels—inner, middle, and outer—in the garments, encircled by the surrounding lights that illuminate to the inner NRN. Although this surrounding light is discerned as surrounding light of Haya, it still illuminates to the inner NRN although this surrounding light is not from their own phase, which is why it is considered surrounding of NRN.

23) Those surrounding vessels are the garments. Also, the halls are the circles, as mentioned everywhere that they encircle the surrounding lights, which are the garments. These are discerned as the encircling firmaments, which are discerned as the halls of that world.

24) For this reason, these circles encircle all the phases because they are as houses in which man lives, and over them is an illumination of very big surrounding, which cannot be placed in a boundary or measure, for they cannot be restricted even inside the houses and halls, which are very, very big vessels, and all the more so in small vessels such as bodies. Therefore, do not be surprised if the surrounding lights are in the circles and garments, for due to their great measure, they do not clothe in a body but rather in a very wide place, and the wider the place, the greater the surrounding light.

Simple Light

24) …as houses in which man lives, and over them is an illumination of very big surrounding. It has already been explained that the halls and the houses are surrounding light of Yechida, as it is written that there is a very big illumination of surrounding over them, since the light of Yechida is the greatest of all the lights.

The wider the place, the greater the surrounding light. This means that the wide expanse in the place indicates the distancing of the surrounding light from the person who sits within it, meaning from his inner vessels. Thus, the surrounding light of garments, which is surrounding light only in the phase of Haya, which is smaller than the light of Yechida, does not have such remoteness and space between the garments and man’s body, since it is close to illuminate to the inner vessels. But the houses and halls, which are surrounding to the light of Yechida, which is very big, the inner vessels are very far from receiving that surrounding light since it is big. Hence, there is a great distance between man and his inner vessels, and the walls of the houses and halls, which are the surrounding vessels.

Chapter 3

⁵25) Let us explain what was the state of the worlds of BYA themselves. Know that there is nothing that does not have internality and externality, even in the vessels. Indeed, from half of Tifferet and NHY of Adam Kadmon through his Sium Raglin, their externality is divided into two phases. Their externality from the side of the anterior is called Beria, and from the posterior, it is called Yetzira.

Simple Light

25) There is nothing that does not have internality and externality, even in the vessels. The vessels that are fit to receive the lights of GAR are called “internality,” and the vessels that are unfit to receive lights of GAR are called “externality.” Therefore, each Partzuf is divided at its Tabur [navel]: From its Tabur up it is fit to receive GAR and is called “internality,” and from its Tabur down, where it is unfit to receive GAR, it is called “externality.”

Also, the vessels from its Tabur down are divided into internality and externality in and of themselves. That is, when Mochin dresses and is made in the lower one, the NHY of the upper one are divided into three thirds—Rosh, Toch, Sof, meaning HBD HGT, NHY—since they expand and become a complete Partzuf of Rosh-Toch-Sof in the lower one. For this reason, the NHY from Tabur down are also divided into internality and externality where HBD-HGT in it through Tabur are called “internality,” and the three bottom thirds of NHY, namely NHY of NHY, are called “externality” in it.

From half of Tifferet and NHY of Adam Kadmon through his Sium Raglin, their externality is divided into two phases, etc. From the side of the anterior is called Beria. Here we must know the state of the Partzufim of AK and Nekudim. This was explained in the book The Study of Ten Sefirot, Part 6, and here we will present it in brief. The first ten Sefirot that emerged after the first restriction are called “inner HaVaYaH of AK,” or “inner AK.” This is the line of Ein Sof that begins near the surrounding of Ein Sof and ends at the point of this world. Partzuf AB of AK clothes it from its Peh of Rosh through the Tabur, and from Peh of Rosh of this AB through the Sium Raglin [Aramaic: legs] of the inner AK clothes Partzuf SAG of AK, which is until the point of this world.

However, this Partzuf SAG of AK is divided in itself into two special Partzufim called tastes and Nekudot [dots]. Its Partzuf of tastes begins at the Peh of the Rosh of AB of AK and ends evenly with the Raglaim [feet/legs] of AB, meaning through Tabur of the inner AK, where it stops. Partzuf Nekudot of SAG of AK begins at the place of Tabur of the inner AK after the Sium of the tastes of SAG and ends evenly with the Raglaim of the inner AK, which is the place of the point of this world.

These TNHY of AK that the ARI brings here is TNHY of the inner AK, which is the inner HaVaYaH that clothes from its Tabur down inside the whole of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG of AK. Hence, it is regarded as a complete Partzuf, Rosh-Toch-Sof, and is therefore divided into four divisions: internality and externality, anterior and posterior. First, it divides into internality and externality, where HBD HGT in it through the Chazeh are called “internality,” and from the Chazeh through its Sium Raglaim in this world, it is called “externality.” Afterward, from the Chazeh down in it, it also divides into two phases—anterior and the posterior—where from the Chazeh through the Sium of Tifferet, it is called anterior, and its NHY is called posterior. The anterior is regarded as Beria, and the posterior is regarded as Yetzira and Assiya.

26) When the Emanator wished to emanate the world of Nekudim, it has already been explained above that Adam Kadmon restricted himself once more and raised the internality of the light from half of Tifferet in him and below. He raised it up, and then that light emerged through the Eynaim [eyes] and expanded outside from half of Tifferet in him and below, and the world of Nekudim was made.

Simple Light

26) Restricted himself once more and raised the internality of the light from half of Tifferet in him and below. He raised it up and then that light emerged through the Eynaim. This matter of the second restriction of AK has already been explained in Item 16, that the first restriction was only on the Sefira of Malchut so she would not receive the upper light into her. It therefore follows that Malchut stopped and ended the upper light. However, the second restriction was done in the place of Bina, since Malchut rose and connected to Bina herself, for which the upper light ended in the place of the Sefira of Bina.

This does not mean that Bina herself was restricted so as not to receive the upper light, but rather that since the restricted Malchut was already incorporated in and connected to Bina, the upper light stopped there because of the Malchut in Bina. For this reason, the upper light stopped at the place of Bina.

There are two phases in this restricted Malchut: The first is Malchut that makes a coupling by striking with the upper light. By this she raises reflected light from-below-upward and dresses the upper light. This clothing makes the ten Sefirot of the Rosh of the Partzuf. Also, through this reflected light that she raised to the ten Sefirot from her and within her, she expands and elicits the ten Sefirot of the Guf of the Partzuf through the Sium Raglin.

The second phase of Malchut is the Malchut that ends the upper light. Once Malchut expanded from-above-downward through the reflected light in her, from her and within her, into ten Sefirot of the Guf, only the upper nine Sefirot in her reflected light are fit to receive the upper light within them, but her Malchut is unfit to receive due to the restriction that was made on her. Because she is unfit to receive, she stops the upper light, and the Guf ends. Thus, any Sium Raglin of a Partzuf is done because of the ending Malchut. These two phases are also called Malchut of the Rosh and Malchut of the Guf, since Malchut of the Rosh is the mating Malchut, and Malchut of the Guf is the ending Malchut.

It has also been explained above (item 1) that only the ten Sefirot of Rosh and GAR are called KHB TM, but the ten Sefirot of VAK and Guf are not called KHB TM, but rather HGT NH. It is known that each Guf is regarded as VAK compared to its Rosh, and you find that HGT is just like KHB, except that in the Guf, KHB is called HGT.

It follows that now, in the second restriction, when the restricted Malchut rose to the Sefira of Bina, we should also discern the two above phases of Malchut, where Malchut of the Guf, regarded as the ending Malchut, rose to the place of Bina of the Guf, meaning the Sefira of Tifferet, since Tifferet is the Sefira of Bina of the Guf. The second phase of Malchut, which is Malchut of the Rosh, which makes a coupling, rose to the Sefira of Bina of the Rosh called Nikvey Eynaim, since the ten Sefirot of Rosh are called Galgalta-Eynaim-Ozen [ear]-Hotem [nose]-Peh [mouth]. Eynaim is Hochma of the Rosh, Nikvey Eynaim is Bina, Nukva of Hochma, and you find that now the place of the coupling of Malchut of the Rosh, which makes a coupling by striking with the upper light, is in the place of Nikvey Eynaim since the mating Malchut rose from the place of the Peh to the Nikvey Eynaim, as has been explained.

It was written, “Adam Kadmon restricted himself once more and raised the internality of the light from half of Tifferet in him and below. He raised it up and then that light emerged through the Eynaim.” That is, Malchut of the Guf, which ends the Guf, ascended into Bina of the Guf called Tifferet, so now the Guf ends inside Tifferet. It follows that all the light that expanded from half of Tifferet and below was now forced to depart from there and rise above the half of Tifferet, meaning above the ending Malchut.

Likewise, the Malchut of the Rosh, which makes a coupling, now rose from the place of the Peh to the Nikvey Eynaim where a coupling by striking was done, as he writes, “then that light emerged through the Eynaim,” since through this new restriction, the coupling was done in the Nikvey Eynaim and the level of the coupling expands and emerges downward through the Eynaim. This is the level of the ten Sefirot of Nekudim that expand from Tabur of AK downward, meaning into the vessels of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG that stand from the Tabur of AK downward.

It will be explained below that Partzuf Nekudot of SAG itself, which stands from Tabur and below, also divides because of the second restriction, as the ARI explained with regard to the general SAG of AK in which the coupling was done for the Nekudot. This is so because as soon as the new restriction took place, the ending Malchut rose from the place of Raglaim of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG to the place of Chazeh in it. It follows that all the vessels from the Chazeh and below separated from this Partzuf and fell below the Raglaim of the inner AK, since they were already below the ending Malchut, which now stands at the place of the Chazeh.

27) Indeed, immediately upon the restriction, which is the ascent of the light upward, before it exits the Eynaim, and before the Nekudim were made, the two external phases were promptly darkened, since the inner light departed upward and they could not stand there. Hence, they descended below the Raglaim of straightness of Adam Kadmon, in the place of the surrounding light under the Raglaim of straightness of only Adam Kadmon.

Simple Light

27) Immediately upon the restriction … before it exits the Eynaim …the two external phases were darkened. Interpretation: The ascent of the ending Malchut to half of Tifferet of AK that the ARI explained above did not really leave any impression in AK itself. These ascents of Malchut were in order to make a new coupling for the lower one, which are the Nekudim. However, there was no change at all in AK itself, since any restriction that is emerges anew acts only from the place of its emergence onward, but does not operate on the ones above it whatsoever. For this reason, no new Sium was made inside Partzuf AK itself. Rather, the whole of the new Sium that was initiated by this restriction operated only on the vessels of the Partzuf below AK, called Nekudot of SAG, which begins from Tabur of AK and below, and ends at the point of this world.

A new Sium was made in that Partzuf of Nekudot of SAG of AK, too, through the ascent of Malchut to the place of Bina. Here the restriction caused the separation of the vessels below its Chazeh because of the ending Malchut that arose there. It follows that this entire part from the Chazeh down to the point of this world was separated from the Partzuf and is unfit to receive any light, just like the point of this world below the Raglaim of the inner AK. (The ARI calls this Partzuf “half of Tifferet of AK and below,” and elsewhere, he calls it Nekudot of SAG. This is a complete Partzuf, Rosh and Guf, where by the new restriction, all the light departed from it and rose above Tabur of AK.)

It was said, “Immediately upon the restriction …before it exits the Eynaim…, the two external phases were darkened since the inner light departed upward.” As it is written above, there are four divisions in this Partzuf of Nekudot of SAG. From the Chazeh and above, it is called “internality”; from the Chazeh and below, it is called “externality.” Also, from the Chazeh and below it divides into two phases: anterior and posterior. Those two phases of externality, meaning the anterior and posterior from the Chazeh and below, fell and separated from it due to the ascent of the ending Malchut to the place of the Chazeh. This is why it is written, “the two external phases were darkened since the inner light departed upward.” That is, due to the ascent of the ending Malchut above them, they were emptied of all their inner light.

The words “immediately upon the restriction, before it exits the Eynaim” mean before the coupling was made on Malchut of the Rosh that ascended to the place of the Eynaim, for then this entire Partzuf was really emptied, even the inner vessels in it from the Chazeh and above, since all the lights from Tabur of AK and below departed. However, although the lights departed from the vessels from the Chazeh and above, they nonetheless did not separate from Atzilut because the ending Malchut stands below them now, as well. Hence, after the coupling, they are fit to receive the upper light. Conversely, those two external phases, which are below the ending Malchut, completely separated from Atzilut, and as they are similar to being below the point of this world. Even afterward, when the coupling is made in the Eynaim, they will still not be fit to receive the upper light because they are below the point of Sium.

They descended below the Raglaim of straightness of AK in the place of the surrounding light under the Raglaim of straightness of AK. This means that the two external, above-mentioned phases from the Chazeh and below of Nekudot of SAG have now descended below the Raglaim of AK in the place where the surrounding light of straightness is destined to stand. The Sium Raglaim of AK is at the point of this world, and now they have descended and fell below the point of this world, since with regard to Partzuf Nekudot of SAG, in whom the ending Malchut rose to the place of Bina of Guf, which is the point of Chazeh in Tifferet. Hence, there, at the point of Chazeh, it is already the Sium on the upper light, and the vessels from the Chazeh and below became completely dark, just like this world, which is below the Raglaim of AK. For this reason, it is considered that the two external phases descended below the Raglaim of AK into the place of darkness. Afterward, when the coupling is done in the Nikvey Eynaim, the surrounding light of straightness and the circles of Nekudim is destined to emerge there and they will illuminate there. But now, before the coupling was done in the Nikvey Eynaim, and the surrounding light of straightness has not emerged there below the Raglaim of AK, this place is completely dark.

We should remember what is written above, that the new Sium at the place of Bina of the Guf that was made in the second restriction is completely unknown to Partzuf AK itself, and it always ends at the point of this world, as before the second restriction took place. The whole matter of the new Sium operated only on Partzuf Nekudot of SAG of AK, called Partzuf TNHY of AK. For this reason, the ARI values the fall of the vessels from Chazeh of SAG and below the same as the inner AK that fell below the Raglaim, since the same point that ends the Raglaim of the inner AK rose to the Chazeh of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG and ended the upper light there. Thus, the vessels from Chazeh and below are considered to be below the Raglaim of the inner AK.

28) It did not take the rest of the place of the surrounding light or below it, and the surrounding light of straightness that is below its Raglaim rose to their place above, around the internality of NHY of Adam Kadmon.

Simple Light

28) It did not take the rest of the place of the surrounding light or below it. This indicates that it does not mean that the vessels took all the place of the surrounding of straightness, since this surrounding is destined to emerge and become circular very far from the Raglaim of AK, meaning in the full measure that it encircles above the center of Tabur of AK. This is so because this is the manner of the circle: It encircles its center at an even distance, since in a circle, the center is regarded as its end. It follows that the middle point of this surrounding of straightness is at the point of Chazeh of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG, since the ending Malchut ascended there and the surrounding of straightness encircles around it at an even distance from above as from below.

Also, the uppermost circle, which is the most external, is the Sefira of Keter of surrounding light. Following it is Hochma of the surrounding, until Malchut of the surrounding light is at the very center. Accordingly, there is no division of above and below in the surrounding light because its Keter is far from the center from above just as it is far from the center from below.

It follows that the farther it is from the center, the more important it is, since the circle of Malchut is close to the center from below, as well, and below it is the circle of ZA, below which is the circle of Bina, below it is the circle of Hochma, and the lowest of all is the circle of Keter. Accordingly, even before the emergence of the surrounding light of straightness from the Eynaim, you find that the lower its place, the better it is. Therefore, the fallen vessels from Chazeh of Nekudot of SAG and below did not take all of the place of the surrounding light of straightness, but remained standing nearby, below the Raglaim of AK, which is still regarded as the place of Malchut of the surrounding of straightness and not below there, which is more important since there is the place of the first nine of the surrounding of straightness. This is the meaning of the words “It did not take the rest of the place of the surrounding light or below it,” but only some of the place, meaning that which is close to the Raglaim of AK, and not below it.

The surrounding light of straightness that is below its Raglaim rose to their place above, around the internality of NHY of AK. This does not refer to the actual surrounding light of straightness, since this surrounding light has not emerged yet, for it emerges from the coupling in Nikvey Eynaim, while here it is before the coupling there took place. Rather, this refers to the light that departs from those fallen vessels of the two external phases from the Chazeh and below. This light that departs from them is destined to be included in the two surrounding of garments and halls, as written above in the words of the ARI. With regard to ZON that separated from the degree because of the second restriction, two surrounding were made—garment and hall. The surrounding light of straightness was made from the garments that are the vessels of ZA that were separated, and the surrounding light of circles was made from the halls, which are the vessels of Malchut that were separated.

The ARI tells us that this light that was separated from the vessels of ZA, which is destined to be a surrounding of straightness, departed from the fallen vessels that stand below the Raglaim of AK, and rose to its preliminary place, namely the place of NHY of AK where it clothed prior to the second restriction. The rule is that there is no falling in the lights; therefore, they remained in the place of their vessels as before, without any change, and only the vessels fell below the Raglaim of AK. This is the meaning of the words, “and the surrounding light of straightness that is below its Raglaim rose to their place above,” to the place where they clothed their vessels.

We should know that those two phases of externality of TNHY of AK from the Chazeh of Nekudot of SAG and below, which fell below the Raglaim of AK, are actually only the vessels of ZA and Malchut of that Partzuf, since through the ascent of Malchut to the place of Bina, Bina was divided in two: GAR and ZON. Her GAR remained in the degree, and only her ZON fell below. It follows that there are ZON of Bina here and general ZON. Thus, only the vessels of ZON fell, since ZON of Bina are also regarded as ZA and Malchut. It follows that not all of Bina of the Guf, called Tifferet, fell down, but only its half, meaning this ZON of Tifferet, which is regarded as from the Chazeh down to the Sium of Tifferet.

By this you will thoroughly understand the two external phases that the ARI regards as anterior and posterior. It is so because there are two phases of ZON here: 1) the actual ZON, and 2) ZON of Bina, which is the bottom half of Tifferet. Hence, ZON of Bina are regarded as the anterior, and the real vessels of ZON are regarded as posterior. For this reason, the world of Beria was made from the vessels of the anterior since they are discerned as Bina, and Beria is Bina, and Yetzira and Assiya were made from the vessels of the posterior, since they are real ZON.

29) When Beria and Yetzira descend below his Raglaim, they did not stand in their proper place. Through their descent, the externality of the posterior side was darkened in them more and more because it drew farther from the upper light. At that time, the externality of the externality of the posterior descended to the place called Assiya.

Simple Light

29) When Beria and Yetzira descend below his Raglaim, they did not stand in their proper place. … At that time, the externality of the externality of the posterior descended to the place called Assiya. It has been explained above that there are anterior and posterior in these vessels that fell. The anterior is Beria, and the posterior consists of Yetzira and Assiya. They are also called “internality and externality of the posterior,” where the internality of the posterior is Yetzira, and the externality of the posterior is Assiya. This is the meaning of what the ARI wrote, that the vessels fell below the Raglaim of AK and did not stand in their proper place, for had they stood in their proper place, they would have clothed the inner NHY of AK like today’s corrected BYA, and would end equally with the inner NHY of AK, meaning the Raglaim of AK. This is so because today’s world of Assiya is in the place of Sium Raglaim of AK, but then, before the coupling was made in Nikvey Eynaim, they all fell below the Raglaim of AK, and they all stand below their place, to the point that the world of Assiya, the externality of the posterior, descended below the place called Assiya, and likewise, Beria is below the place which is called Beria today, and so is the world of Yetzira below the place called Yetzira today, since they are all below the point of Sium Raglaim of AK, which is the point of this world. When it says “descended to the place called Assiya‎,” it should say below the place called Assiya since the Raglaim of AK end at the point of this world, which is below the place called Assiya.

30) Afterward, an illumination of upper light emerged through the Eynaim and clothed from half of Tifferet of Adam Kadmon downward, and the world of Nekudim was made, while the main light, which is the root, remained inside. It has already been explained that the circles of Nekudim emerge first, and when they encircle the NHY of Adam Kadmon, they also encircle under his Raglaim of straightness and stop between under his feet and the externality, which are Beria and Yetzira that had descended there, and were expelled from there and did not find a place, and they raised those two phases of externality to their place above, in the posterior of these Nekudim.

Simple Light

30) The circles of Nekudim emerge first … they also encircle under his Raglaim of straightness. So it is in all the Partzufim—the circles precede the straightness. It is so because the circles emerge from the coupling of Malchut of the Rosh from the discernment of from-below-upward, and all their illumination is only an illumination of Rosh. But with regard to the expansion of Malchut from above downward to the ten Sefirot of Guf, called straightness, the circles have no part in them at all, as it is written in Tree of Life. For this reason, the circles always come before the straightness as the Rosh comes before the Guf. This matter is thoroughly explained in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Part 2.

There are two types of circles: circles from the first restriction, and circles from the second restriction. Circles are discerned as surrounding, since after Malchut was restricted from receiving light into her, a deficiency of one vessel was made in the ten Sefirot. This vessel of reception that became deficient in the first restriction was separated from the internal ones and became surrounding in the Partzufim of AK. With respect to the coupling from-below-upward that was done in the Malchut of the Roshim [pl. of Rosh] of AK, the surrounding light went out to these circles, since all of this part that Malchut of the Rosh had to receive, were it not for the restriction on her, emerged from the Rosh and became surrounding on the vessels of circles. Thus, the vessels of circles are from the receiving Malchut that was eliminated from the inner ten Sefirot of the Roshim of AK, and the surrounding light of the circles is the full measure of light that was received in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh had there not been a restriction on Malchut.

However, with regard to the expansion of Malchut into ten Sefirot of Guf, there are still no circles since this expansion from-above-downward is by the reflected light of the restricted Malchut from before, in the coupling by striking of the Rosh, and that same receiving Malchut that will make of her vessels of circles is no longer in her, and no light that belongs to that receiving Malchut expanded whatsoever, which would become surrounding light, since they are already below the screen in Malchut of the Rosh. It follows that after the straightness of AK expanded, meaning the ten Sefirot of Guf from-above-downward, there are no more circles that are fit to emerge from it.

However, during the second restriction of AK, when the restriction was made in the place of Bina and the two vessels of ZON departed and were separated from receiving lights within them, and are unfit for internal vessels, at that time, completely new circles were made with regard to these two vessels. These are also called garments and halls. Circles that are made of vessels of ZA are called garments, and the surrounding light in them is called surrounding of straightness. Circles that are made of vessels of Malchut are called halls or houses, and the surrounding light in them is called surrounding light of circles. Thus, there are two phases of circles from the two phases of restriction.

This is the meaning of “God has made man straight, and they sought many calculations.” After AK came out in its phase of straightness, which are the ten Sefirot of the Guf, it no longer needs circles to emerge from it at all, since all that was separated from the ten Sefirot of AK, which is the receiving Malchut from before the restriction, has already departed in the coupling of the Rosh, and from the screen and below she expanded only in the phase of the first nine expanded in the inner vessels. Thus, there are no more vessels there to be separated and become circles. This is the meaning of “God has made man straight,” meaning that the Guf of Adam was already established and emerged in the form of straightness, “but they sought many calculations.” “They” pertains to the ten Sefirot of Nekudim that were made in the second restriction, where the two Heys conjoined, when the bottom Hey rose and connected to the first Hey. By this, new circles emerged after the straightness of AK, meaning also from vessels of ZA that were also parted from the inner ones and became vessels of circles.

By this you will understand why the garments that are made of vessels of ZA are called surrounding of straightness although they are regarded as circles like the halls, since they encircle inside the circles of halls (as it is written in Tree of Life). Hence, why are they called surrounding of straightness? It cannot be said that they were called so because they illuminate to the straightness, since the surrounding of circsles also illuminate to the straightness, like they do. Rather, with the above said, you will thoroughly understand that surrounding of circles that are made of the vessel of Malchut, because they were still in the first restriction in the Partzufim of AK and did not have any straightness before them, they are regarded as surrounding light of circles. However, the surrounding of garments that are made of vessels of ZA that were now renewed in the second restriction, where in the Partzufim of AK from the first restriction there were straightness and internal vessels of the Guf there, are therefore called surrounding of straightness, meaning that in their root, in AK, they are actual straightness there and are regarded as internal vessels.

… and were expelled from there and did not find a place, and they raised these two phases of externality to their place above, in the posterior of these Nekudim. This is so because before the coupling was made in Nikvey Eynaim, the surrounding of straightness did not come out at all since it emerges only when the coupling is made in Malchut of the Rosh through an expansion of the upper light into her. When she rejects all the parts of the upper light that want to spread and be received within her through the coupling by striking (as it is written in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Part 2, Inner Observation), those rejected parts emerge outside and become surrounding light. Thus, the surrounding light emerges only after the coupling that is done in Malchut of the Rosh.

For this reason, immediately upon the restriction, before the light emerged through the Eynaim to become surrounding light, meaning at the moment when the ending Malchut rose to Bina of the Guf, which is the place of the Chazeh in Tifferet, those vessels from the Chazeh and below were separated in their anterior and posterior and fell below the point of Sium of the inner AK, meaning below its Raglaim, since the point of Sium of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG is already in the place of the Chazeh above them. This is because they could no longer clothe the inner NHY of AK as before for now their value is completely below those NHY of AK, as they are below the point of Sium, which to AK is regarded as being below its Raglaim, at the point of this world.

However, now that the coupling was done in Nikvey Eynaim and the surrounding light of garments and halls came out and encircled around NHY of AK and below its Raglaim like onionskins, and separated between below its Raglaim and the two external phases that fell there, meaning that that space of those garments and halls that emerged from Nikvey Eynaim was filled with their ten Sefirot of surrounding, and it is known that in the circles, their end is discerned at their center, but the above and below are even in them. Thus, the last Sefira in them, meaning Malchut of these surrounding, surrounds that Malchut that has now risen to the place of Chazeh.

Also, below Malchut of the circles is ZA of the circles, and below ZA there is Bina of the circles, etc. It follows that compared to their current value, this fall of the externality that they fell below the Raglaim of AK is now regarded as an ascent, since there is no above or below in the surrounding light. It follows that the lower place is more important.

This is why the ARI says that the surrounding light of circles that has now emerged reversed the importance of the places, for which they expelled the empty vessels from this space below the Raglaim of AK, for now the first nine of surrounding shine there, as these vessels are not worthy of being received. Hence, this surrounding light rejected them back to their place above, which has now become a worse place as it is closer to the center of the new second restriction. This is why he says that they were expelled from there.

31) Now that Nekudim separated the internality of the vessels of NHY of Adam Kadmon from the externality, they can stand there although they were darkened, and they already have the power to receive the light intended for them, as will be explained regarding the correction of Nekudim below.

Simple Light

31) Now that Nekudim separated the internality of the vessels of NHY of Adam Kadmon from the externality, they can stand there although they were darkened, and they already have the power to receive the light intended for them. Interpretation: the surrounding light of circles, which are the garments that were renewed now in the second restriction, expelled the vessels of externality to their Sof [end], meaning close to their center. By this they returned to the actual place where they stood prior to the fall, meaning in all the place from the point of the second restriction that was done at the point of Chazeh of Nekudot of SAG, to the point of the first restriction below the Raglaim of the inner AK. And the vessels of the anterior of the externality, which are the two thirds of Tifferet, reconnected to the point of Chazeh as in the beginning, and the internality of the posterior, which is the vessels of NHY from the phase of ZA, reconnected to the two thirds of Tifferet. Also, the bottom thirds of those NHY, which are discerned as the vessels of Malchut, reconnected with the vessels of ZA, meaning precisely as they stood prior to the second restriction. By this they were established as three worlds: Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya. The two thirds of Tifferet from the Chazeh down to his Sium became the world of Beria, although they are discerned as ZON. However, they are discerned as ZON of Bina, and therefore became the world of Beria, which is discerned as Bina. The two external phases of the posterior, which are NHY, became Yetzira and Assiya because they are discerned as ZON completely, since NH [Netzah-Hod] of the Guf are ZON of the Guf.

We should not be mistaken that they returned to being Atzilut just like the vessels from the Chazeh of Nekudot of SAG and above, since the Parsa has already been established there, meaning a new screen of the second restriction in the place of that Chazeh. Thus, the upper light cannot expand from there and below. Rather, they receive a lessened light that can pass through the Parsa downward. This is the meaning of the words, “they already have the power to receive the light intended for them,” meaning the light that can pass through the Parsa, which is called a light of consequence, and not a light of Atzilut.

We could say that since the surrounding light of circles expelled the vessels below the Raglaim of AK because in them, the lower place is more important, therefore, these vessels of BYA should have all been inverted: Assiya should have been close to the point of the Chazeh, where it is the end of the circles and the worst place, and below it Yetzira, and below it Beria, according to the order of the circles. The thing is that the illumination of the circles does not work at all in the place of straightness of AK. The rule is that illumination of circles works only in the Rosh. Hence, after they returned to the place of NHY of the inner AK, they received the order of straightness, where each higher one is more important, and the whole matter of the expulsion was only in the space below the Raglaim of AK.

32) Beria returned opposite the anterior, and Yetzira opposite the posterior, as it was in the beginning, and with it, a fourth reason was clarified concerning the Nekudim emerging in a manner of circles, as mentioned above. Now, the place of BYA has returned to being a vacant space as in the beginning.

⁶33) Know that when I heard this fourth reason, I wrote it very succinctly, and I will copy it for you here because in my humble opinion, I seem to have heard that the place of BYA is the posterior of the Nekudim of the circles, which is truly this externality that ascended. However, here it seems the opposite—that the place of BYA is below, in the above-mentioned space, and this requires scrutiny.

Simple Light

33) The place of BYA is the posterior of the Nekudim of the circles, etc. However, here it seems the opposite—that the place of BYA is below, in the space. Rav Chaim Vital was perplexed because it is known from all the teachings of the ARI that the place of BYA is below the whole of the world of Nekudim, while here he heard that the circles of Nekudim encircle the Raglaim of AK. It follows that all three worlds BYA stand in the space below the Raglaim of AK, meaning below the circles of Nekudim that surround the Raglaim of AK.

However, this baffled him before he saw the great tractate of AK, when he thought that the straightness did not emerge in Nekudim at all, but only circles, while straightness emerged only in the new MA. Thus, if we say that BYA stand below the circles of Nekudim, it necessarily means that they are in the space below the Raglaim of AK, and this cannot be for several reasons. This is why he wondered about it here.

However, after he saw the great tractate of AK, he saw that circles and straightness emerged in Nekudim, as well, so it was not perplexing at all because what he had heard, that the worlds BYA stand below the Nekudim, meaning below the straightness of Nekudim, since the straightness of Nekudim begins at the Tabur of AK, like Partzuf Nekudot of SAG, and ends at the point of Chazeh of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG where the Parsa was set up, which is the new point of Sium of the second restriction that was done in the world of Nekudim. Below this Parsa through the Sium Raglaim of AK of straightness to the point of this world, it is the place where the three worlds Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya stand. But the circles of Nekudim, which are the surrounding of Nekudim, truly encircle the space below the Raglaim of AK.

34) These are the words of the copy that I wrote. In the above-mentioned restriction, the externality of the anterior and the posterior descended from Tabur of AK and below, Beria and Yetzira, and descended in a surrounding of straightness below the Raglaim, but not in all of it, and the surrounding ascended instead of it. When the posterior descended, the externality was darkened even more and descended lower, to Assiya. This is the fourth reason that the Nekudim are circles and surrounding, in order to raise them.

35) How? This surrounding descended and entered between the Raglaim, to Beria, and they were expelled and did not find a place, and they ascended behind this surrounding of Nekudim, opposite from their first place. Below, a space remained called “the place of Beria.” The place is bigger than the whole world. Therefore, the vessels of Nekudim are spoiled although they were corrected into vessels of Atzilut.

Chapter 4

⁷36) After we briefly explained the teachings about the circles and straightness in the order of the clothing of all the worlds, now we must explain how far the expansion of the Raglaim of AK of straightness reaches in each world. The straight line must be completely attached to the encircling Ein Sof, and from it, it expands and descends, and dresses in the internality of AK, and extends and expands through the Sium Raglaim of the straight AK, which is truly until half of the circles of Atik Yomin that encircle under his Raglaim. There the Raglaim of straightness of AK end.

37) If it were said that the Raglaim of AK reach and expand down into its own circles until their Sium and end, it follows that it becomes reattached to the circle of Ein Sof in the bottom half under the Raglaim of AK. If this is so, it follows that Ein Sof will shine in it from there and below through the straight line, and there will not be a discernment of above and below, giving and receiving. This is why the Rosh of the line was not extended below.

38) Succinctly, the resulting rule is this: The Raglaim of AK of straightness expand and extend to the bottom half of the circles of Atik Yomin from below, in a manner that the circles of Atik Yomin surround the Raglaim of straightness of AK. However, all the other Raglaim of straightness, such as the Raglaim of Atik and Raglaim of AA, Raglaim of ZA and Raglaim of Nukva, all end evenly, through the bottom half of the circles of AA from below. Thus, the circles of AA surround and encircle below all the Raglaim of all of them.

Simple Light

38) The resulting rule is that the Raglaim of AK of straightness expand and extend to the bottom half of the circles … from below … However, all the other Raglaim … through the bottom half of the circles of AA: The big difference that was made in the world of Nekudim by the new restriction has already been explained above. It elevated the bottom Hey to the Nikvey Eynaim, and the point of Sium of the upper light was made in the place of Bina of the Guf, and only three vessels KHB remained in each degree, in which there are lights of NRN. You find that now there are two points of Sium: The first is the point of Sium of the second restriction, which is at the place of the Chazeh of Nekudot of SAG above the world of Beria, where the Parsa between Atzilut and Beria was set up. The second point of Sium is below the Raglaim of AK. This is the point of this world, as in the verse, “And His feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives.” Thus, the three worlds BYA stand right between these two points of Sium. Accordingly, you find that the distance between the Raglaim of AK and the Raglaim of the Partzufim of the world of Atzilut that emerged through the second restriction is as the distance between these two points of Sium, meaning according to the measure of the three worlds BYA.

It is known that Partzuf Atik Yomin of Atzilut, which is discerned as the first Rosh of Atzilut, is not counted among the five Partzufim of Atzilut, and is still regarded as the first restriction, like AK. It also expands evenly with the Raglaim of AK down to the point of this world, and nurses the fallen Partzufim after they are born into BYA, as in suckling from Dadei Behema [udders of a beast].

Accordingly, there is a big difference between the circles of Atik Yomin and the circles of AA. The center of the circles of Atik Yomin is the point of this world, and their Sium is at their center. But the circles of all five Partzufim of Atzilut, which come from the second restriction, their center is at the point of Sium of Atzilut, where the Parsa is.

It was said, “The Raglaim of AK of straightness expand and extend through the bottom half of the circles of Atik Yomin from below,” meaning until the point of Sium of this world, in a manner that they touch the bottom halves of the circles, since the center point stands in the middle between the bottom halves and the upper halves. Hence, the Raglaim of AK that end at the point of Sium touch the bottom halves of the circles of Atik Yomin, as he says, “However, all the other Raglaim of straightness, such as the Raglaim of Atik and Raglaim of AA, etc., all end evenly, through the bottom half of the circles ‎ of AA.” That is, they end at the point of Sium of the second restriction, the center of the circles of AA, which is truly at the place of the Parsa of Atzilut. Since it necessarily touches the point of Sium of this center, it follows that it also touches the bottom halves of the circles of AA.

The reason he regards the Raglaim of Atik, too, as ending at the point of Sium of the second restriction, meaning at the bottom halves of AA, although in truth, it extends through the point of this world and ends evenly with the Raglaim of AK, is that with regard to its own Partzuf, it extends through the point of this world. However, the Parsa controls it so it does not pass the illumination of Atzilut to the worlds of BYA. For this reason, in this regard, meaning with regard to Atzilut of Atik Yomin, it ends evenly with all the Raglaim of the five Partzufim of Atzilut. And with regard to the illumination of BYA, it extends through the point of this world, evenly with the Raglaim of AK. This is the meaning of the two surplus bottom thirds of Atik that emerge from under the Parsa of Atzilut and are extended to BYA as Dadei Behema.

39) However, there are Partzufim whose level is not high, such as AVI, whose level is only from the Garon [throat] of AA through the Tabur of AA. Likewise, the Partzuf of Leah, which begins from Daat of ZA through its Chazeh. The Raglaim of these Partzufim do not reach down to the Raglaim of AA since they are short, and each will be explained in its place in detail.

40) Another time, I heard from my teacher concerning the correction of AA, how it was born and emerged and suckled from the two bottom joints of the Raglaim of Atik Yomin. There, we explained how the two bottom joints, called Akevim [heels] of Atik Yomin, expand lower than the Raglaim of AA and enter the boundary of the world of Beria. It can be said that this was so only prior to the correction of Atzilut, and after the correction, there was no need for it since Atik lifted up its Raglaim once more, evenly with the Raglaim of AA, and this requires scrutiny.

Simple Light

40) After the correction, there was no need for it since Atik lifted up its Raglaim once more. We already explained this issue above, that from the perspective of Atzilut, it ends in Atzilut, but it always shines in BYA, in its two bottom thirds. However, this is not regarded as illumination of Atzilut because the Parsa covers them. With regard to the circles, we should remember that this does not mean flat circles, but rather spherical circles, like onionskins enveloping one another.

⁸Rosh of Malchut of Assiya met the bottom of the Akev [heel] of AK, and likewise in all the other phases, the eye cannot encompass them for they have been rolled up like the book of heaven. To the extent that this organ in this Partzuf is attached to the organ of the Partzuf opposite from it, sometimes they will meet eye against nose or ear against heel, and so forth indefinitely.

42) This is the meaning of the wisdom of the combinations of the twenty-two letters of the alphabet: One with all and all with one, and likewise the rest of the letters. They cause the change so that no day is like another, no righteous is like another, no created being is like another, and all created beings are for a high purpose, since the suckling is not the same for all of them, nor is the correction of all of them the same, and the Helbona [Galbanum] in the incense will correct what the Levona [frankincense (a.k.a. olibanum)] does not correct. Hence, there was a need for these worlds, the good, bad, and medium, and numerous kinds within each one.

43) This is the meaning of BeHibara’am [when they were created], Be Hey Bera’am [He created them with a Hey], since all the created beings were as five Partzufim, both in Atzilut and in BYA. This is also the meaning of the small Hey, since they all emerged from the small Hey of Malchut of AK after it was diminished at the end of her ZAT, and then she became their Rosh. This is why they were implied in a small Hey.

Simple Light

43) BeHibara’am [when they were created], Be Hey Bera’am [He created them with a Hey], since all the created beings were as five Partzufim, etc. This is also the meaning of the small Hey, since they all emerged from the small Hey of Malchut of AK. Initially, Partzuf Keter emerges in Rosh-Toch-Sof and is called “inner HaVaYaH,” consisting of five phases KHB TM, which are the tip of the Yod and the four letters of this inner HaVaYaH. Afterward, four garments expand from it: AB, SAG, MA, and BON, which clothe the inner HaVaYaH. These four garments, AB, SAG, MA, and BON expand from the four letters of the inner HaVaYaH: HaVaYaH filled with AB from its Yod, filled with SAG from its Hey, filled with MA from its Vav, and filled with BON from its bottom Hey. These five Partzufim pertain to AK, as well as to Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya. This is what he implies by “He created them with a Hey [5 in Gematria],” meaning in five Partzufim.

However, it is written BeHibara’am with a small Hey, implying that there is a diminution here in these five Partzufim. This is so because the text speaks of worlds that emerged after the second restriction of AK, when a diminution and Katnut [smallness/infancy] took place in these five Partzufim, where the two Sefirot ZA and Malchut were separated from each Partzuf and only three vessels KHB remained in each Partzuf, with three lights NRN within them, while Haya and Yechida became only surrounding. Thus, the five Partzufim were greatly diminished by the second restriction, and this is what the word BeHibara’am, with a small Hey, implies.

He said, “since they all emerged from the small Hey of Malchut of AK after it was diminished at the end of her ZAT,” meaning that all four worlds ABYA emerged from the second restriction when the bottom Hey rose to the first Hey and the vessels were diminished from the two Sefirot ZA and Malchut, and the lights were diminished from Haya and Yechida. It is known that Malchut of AK from the Tabur down connected with the first Hey of Nekudot of SAG, and through the two of them the second restriction emerged. This is why it is written that they all emerged from Malchut of AK, and through her force, the heaven and earth of Atzilut were created.

44) Since the ten Sefirot of Atzilut clothe Malchut of AK, the dross started in them and they were implied in those kings mentioned in the beginning of the Idra Rabah, for they are all children of kings. “In the beginning God created,” which is Malchut of AK, who is called Elokim [God], and by her force were the heaven and earth of Atzilut created.

45) In the beginning, they were not established until Haddar, the eighth king, the name HaVaYaH, came out. He is the consequence of Yesod of AK, the circumcision that was given on the eighth, and it is “Hadarta [honor] the face of an old man.” He begot the drop of whiteness called Hassadim, and cast it in the MAN in Malchut in him, which is a drop of Odem [redness], the land of Edom [red], and then the worlds were established. These are the seven kings that include the ten Sefirot of Atzilut, since the first includes GAR. At that time, the worlds were perfumed by the coupling of Yesod and Malchut of AK, and this is “On the day the Lord God made heaven and earth,” associating mercy with judgment, and then Atzilut was established. Malchut of AK herself, which is the beginning of Atzilut and is Atik Yomin, her drop of redness was established, and it was said about her in the Idra Rabah, p 135a [in Hebrew], “Any leader of a nation who is not corrected first, the nation is not corrected.”

Simple Light

45) Haddar, the eighth king, the name HaVaYaH, came out. He is the consequence of Yesod of AK, etc., He begot the drop of whiteness, etc., and cast it in the MAN in Malchut in him. All the worlds emerged from TNHY of AK, from the association of the quality of mercy with judgment that was done there, as the ARI said above, that they emerged from the small Hey of AK. However, in the first ten Sefirot of Atzilut that emerged in the world of Nekudim, this association of the quality of mercy sufficed only for the GAR of TNHY of AK, meaning for the GAR of Nekudim that clothe the GAR of TNHY of AK. Hence, only the GAR emerged in the correction of lines, but this association was not enough for the ZAT of Nekudim, and they emerged one below the other without a correction of lines. As a result, the ZAT of Nekudim were broken and only the GAR persisted.

However, afterward, through raising MAN once more from TNHY of AK to SAG of AK, this association of the quality of mercy took place in ZAT of TNHY of AK, as well, and a new, deciding line emerged in the middle thirds of NHY of AK, called Yesod, the eighth king. Thus, in Nekudim, only the two upper thirds of NHY of AK were established with a correction of lines, which corrected the Yesod of Nukva [female], the small Hey, since the Yesod of Nukva is in the upper thirds of TNHY. But there was still no correction in Yesod of the male, since he is regarded as the middle thirds of TNHY. Therefore, the ZAT of Nekudim that emerged through Yesod of AK, which gave Vav and Nekuda [dot] to GAR of Nekudim, regarded as Yesod of Nukva, could not persist because there was still no correction of lines in Yesod of AK, which comes through the association of the quality of mercy with judgment. This is why these ZAT were broken.

This is what the ARI implies (item 44), “In the beginning God created,” namely Malchut of AK, who is called “God.” In other words, before Yesod of AK in Nekudim was corrected through the association, only the name Elokim [God] governed there, which is judgment. But afterward, when there was raising of MAN and a new coupling for the purpose of Atzilut took place, and the ZAT of Atzilut were also corrected with a correction of lines, namely in the middle thirds of TNHY of AK, Haddar emerged, which is Yesod of AK, and which is the name HaVaYaH, which is the quality of mercy.

Elokim indicates the quality of judgment, and HaVaYaH indicates the quality of mercy. It was explained that only Yesod of Nukva was established in Nekudim, but in the world of Atzilut, the Yesod of the male was corrected, too. This is a profound matter, which is elaborated in the book The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Part 10, from answer 88 to answer 93.

And this is “On the day the Lord God made heaven and earth,” associating mercy with judgment. In the first association, which was done in the world of Nekudim, the heaven and earth, which are ZAT, did not persist there because they only emerged from the name Elokim, lacking a correction of lines in the middle thirds of NHY. Also, ZAT emerged without an association of the quality of mercy with judgment because in them Malchut was not associated with Bina, but only in the GAR of Nekudim. This is why the ZAT broke. This is the meaning of “In the beginning, He contemplated creating the world with the quality of judgment,” meaning Malchut in her place, without associating her with Bina. “He saw that the world could not exist” because ZAT were broken and the heaven and earth did not persist. Hence, a new coupling was made, which established the association of the quality of mercy in the ZAT, as well, and this is Yesod of AK. At that time, the name HaVaYaH Elokim was revealed over creation, as it is written, “On the day when the Lord God made earth and heaven,” and then they persisted. This is the meaning of “Then the worlds were perfumed.”

Malchut of AK herself, which is the beginning of Atzilut and is Atik Yomin, her drop of redness was established. By this he implies the real Malchut of AK before she was diminished, which is in the form of big Hey and not the small Hey of BeHibara’am [when they were created]. She herself was clothed and established in the GAR of Atik Yomin, called RADLA, and she was established there in concealment so as not to be revealed in Atzilut unless in the form of the small Hey called “a drop of redness.” This is the meaning of her drop of redness being established, since Malchut that is incorporated in Bina is called “the land of Edom [red].” From the correction of RADLA onward, no coupling was done on Malchut of phase four that is not associated with the quality of mercy. In the future , too, [at the end of correction], she will be revealed only from the place of RADLA herself, as in “The stone that the builders loathed shall become the corner stone.” This is the meaning of the correction of the leaders of the nation that the ARI speaks of here, and there is nothing to add. This has already been explained in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Part 13.

46) This does not refer to herself, but only to the illumination of ZAT in her, which clothe in the ten Sefirot of Atzilut. But the actual ZAT themselves in her remained above in its place, and only the sparks of their light descend to clothe in Atzilut, and they are called “the leaders of the nation.” This is why it is called Ani [I] and Ain [none/nothing], and this is Malchut of AK and Keter of Atzilut.

47) This is the meaning of what is written in Idra Zuta (Tractate 88), “Because of it, Atika Kadisha [Aramaic: holy Atik] is called Ain,” for Ain depends on him because that concealed Hochma is called Ain. They depend on it, for in it, three times are explained, etc., which is Hochma of AK that clothes in Atik, which is Keter of Atzilut, and then it is called Ain.

48) Should the reader delve deeper in our words, he should look, since Ein Sof is inside all the worlds and surrounds all the worlds, and the Raglaim of the level of AK that clothes Ein Sof extend through the Sium of all the worlds ABYA. Atzilut is a clothing for ZAT of Malchut in it, all of Beria is a clothing for ZAT of Malchut of Atzilut, all of Yetzira is a clothing for ZAT of Malchut of Beria, and all of Assiya is a clothing for ZAT of Malchut of Yetzira.

Simple Light

48) The Raglaim of the level of AK that clothes Ein Sof extend through the Sium of all the worlds ABYA, meaning only the inner AK, called “inner HaVaYaH.” However, Partzuf AB of AK does not extend down to this world because it ends at the Tabur of the inner AK. Also, although Partzuf SAG of AK initially expanded evenly with the Raglaim of the inner AK, in the second restriction of AK, it ascended above the Tabur of AK once more. Thus, only the inner AK expands through the Sium of all the worlds ABYA. This is why the ARI makes the precision of saying “AK that clothes Ein Sof,” as it is only the inner AK within which is the line of Ein Sof.

49) The Akevim [heels] of AK clothe the ten Sefirot of Assiya, and each one consists of 100. Thus, there are 1,000 weekdays, since there, there are all the shells. When the light from the world of Assiya—which is Yesod of Jacob [Ya’akov], Yod Akev—is completely refined and sorted, since they are ten sparks of light that are placed in the Akev, which is the world of Assiya, then, at the time of the Messiah, which is AK, insolence will soar.

Simple Light

49) The Akevim of AK clothe the ten Sefirot of Assiya. It has already been explained above that although in the second restriction, a new Sium was made in TNHY of AK, on the Chazeh of this Partzuf, this restriction still concerns only the ten Sefirot of Nekudim and the world of Atzilut, for only they became limited by the second restriction. All the Raglaim of the five Partzufim of Atzilut had to end on the Parsa, while AK himself did not change at all and ends at the point of this world as prior to the second restriction. This is why he said, “The Akevim [heels] of AK clothe in the ten Sefirot of Assiya.” However, we must not be mistaken that they shine there with their own phase, since AK shines only to Atzilut, and this Parsa that had been spread between Atzilut and Beria, and covers the lights of Atzilut from passing onto Beria, also covers the Akevim of AK in BYA, and BYA can receive of their lights, only a light of consequence, which the Parsa does not detain.

Ten sparks of light that are placed in the Akev, which is the world of Assiya. This is so because of Malchut that was concealed in RADLA and Arich Anpin emerged with only nine Sefirot lacking Malchut, meaning Malchut of the first restriction that was concealed in RADLA, as in “The stone that the builders loathed became the corner stone.” This is the meaning of the three Roshim that The Zohar speaks of, where RADLA was established as one above the other, and AA was established as one within the other. Because the true Malchut of AK does not operate at all in Atzilut and was concealed in RADLA, he therefore drew far from illuminating in Atzilut because he was separated from them as in one above the other, since he departed into himself above, and does not shine at all in Atzilut. This is why AA emerged without Malchut.

Also, it is known that there is an inverse relation between vessels and lights, since the absence of Malchut means that the light of Keter, which is Yechida, is missing, for then Hochma ascends in vessel of Keter and Bina in vessel of Hochma, etc., until the light of Malchut is in the vessel of Yesod, as the ARI explained concerning AB of AK. This is the meaning of AA being established one within the other, meaning light of Hochma in a vessel of Keter, which is the two Roshim—Kitra [Aramaic: Keter] and Mocha Stimaa [concealed Mocha/brain]—which are one within the other.

It is also known that the seven kings of Nekudim expanded down to this world, meaning to the Sium of all of BYA, since through the illumination of AB SAG, the bottom Hey descended from the Nikvey Eynaim once again to the place of the Peh of GAR of Nekudim. Then they broke and revoked the Parsa that was made from the new Sium since they worked with Malchut of AK from the first restriction. Hence, they were broken and fell to the shells.

In the world of correction, when the vessels were sorted out from the shells of BYA once again, they were sorted only from the first nine, meaning from the nine Sefirot of AA. They could not be sorted from Malchut of the seven kings because there is no coupling at all on this Malchut since she was concealed in RADLA, as one above the other. It therefore follows that throughout the six thousand years before the coupling on Malchut of RADLA is revealed, as in “The stone that the builders loathed became the corner stone,” the vessels of the phase of Malchut of the seven kings remain inside the shells of the world of Assiya. This is the meaning of the words, “ten sparks of light that are placed in the Akev, which is the world of Assiya,” meaning ten sparks of Malchuts of the seven kings that are stuck inside the shells and cannot be sorted prior to the end of correction.

This is the meaning of “When the light from the world of Assiya is completely refined and sorted, etc., his legs will stand on Mount Olives, etc., and his level will be completed.” That is, at the end of correction, when all the phases of the 248 sparks are completely sorted, those sparks of light that are placed in the Akev will also be sorted, for then Malchut of AK, which is the big Hey, will be revealed, meaning Malchut of the first restriction, and the coupling of RADLA will be done on her. This level of coupling will sort out and raise the ten sparks of light placed in the Akev, since the second restriction will be revoked along with the Parsa between Atzilut and Beria. At that time, the Raglaim will extend through all the Partzufim of Atzilut down to the point of this world evenly with the Raglaim of AK. This is the meaning of touching legs with legs, since the Raglaim of the Partzufim of Atzilut will touch the Raglaim of AK and then the Messiah will come and will strike the statue on his legs.

50) Afterward, his legs will stand on Mount Olives, as it is written, “And his legs shall stand,” etc., and his level will be completed. It was said about him, “Behold, My servant will succeed, he will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.” He will succeed more than Assiya, as in “And the tree was good,” to succeed [over] the tree of knowledge. “Will be high” above Yetzira “and lifted” above Atzilut. Meod [very] has the letters of Adam [in Hebrew], which is AK. At that time, the Messiah will come and will strike the statue on his legs. These are the shells opposite the three worlds BYA.

Simple Light

50) His legs will stand on Mount Olives etc., and his level will be completed. “His legs will stand” means that his Raglaim [legs] will be revealed on Mount Olives. Now, although he is standing there, he is not revealed because the Parsa that covers BYA above, below Atzilut, also covers the Raglaim of AK. But at the end of correction, when the second restriction is revoked and the worlds are fit to receive from Malchut of the first restriction, the Parsa between Atzilut and BYA will be revoked and the Raglaim of the five Partzufim of Atzilut will extend through the point of this world on Mount Olives, evenly with the Raglaim of AK. Then BYA will return to being Atzilut, BON, which was made by the second restriction, will return to being SAG of AK, and the new MA that was made by the second restriction, will return to being AB of AK. Then the Raglaim of AK will be revealed and shine, as in the verse, “And his legs shall stand on Mount Olives.”

It is written, “His level will be completed.” The thing is that all the worlds came only to complete TNHY of AK, since when the Rosh and Guf of the inner AK emerged, called the “inner HaVaYaH,” there was a departure of lights in his Guf—from the Peh of Rosh through the Sium of the Raglaim. At that time, a second expansion emerged, called Partzuf AB of AK, and refilled the Guf of the inner AK through the Tabur. However, in this second expansion, the lights departed also from his Guf, and Partzuf SAG of AK emerged and refilled the vessels of the Guf of AB of AK that were emptied of their previous lights.

Initially, the Raglaim of this SAG expanded evenly with the Raglaim of AK. But during the second restriction, he, too, rose to the Tabur of AK. Thus, those two fillings—AB and SAG—filled the Guf of the inner AK only through the Tabur. From the Tabur down, the Guf of the inner AK remained as in the beginning, in the first departure. For this reason, the four worlds ABYA emerged in this place from the Tabur down, to fill the absence of light in that place. Thus, before the ten sparks of light in the Akev of Assiya are completed, the level of the inner AK is not complete, since the filling from the Tabur down depends on the completeness of ABYA. This is the meaning of “Afterward, his legs will stand on Mount Olives and his level will be completed,” for his level is completed only after BYA return to being Atzilut and fill the Tabur and below of the inner AK with lights of Atzilut. This is the meaning of “It was said about him, ‘Behold, My servant will succeed,’ etc., He will succeed more than Assiya,” etc., “above Yetzira,” etc., “at that time, the Messiah will come,” after BYA ascend to being Atzilut. At that time, Atzilut will return to being as AK, meaning the first restriction. Then the inner AK will be completed with the lights of ABYA, and this is the meaning of “Meod [very] has the letters of Adam [man], which is AK.” He will succeed and [be] high and lifted up and higher than ABYA, as explained, that they will fill his Tabur and below. At that time, the light of Yechida will be revealed in the worlds, which is the Messiah.

51) It was said about Atzilut, “I am the Lord, this is My name, and I will not give My glory to another. Beria is the Rosh of gold, for it is regarded as gold, “From the north, gold shall come.” This is Bina, the covered world that dresses and nests in Beria. The shell of Yetzira is silver and copper, and the shell of Assiya is iron and clay. This is the last stone of Malchut in all the world, the Akev [heel] of AK, “And you shall bruise him on the heel.” With that stone, he will smash the serpent’s brain and will strike the statue on his legs in Assiya.

52) At that time, it was said about the heaven of Assiya and earth of Assiya, “For the heaven will vanish like smoke, and the earth will wear out like a garment.” When the Raglaim of AK appear on Mount Olives, within which Ein Sof clothes, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of the first seven days, ZAT of Malchut of AK, called Atik Yomin of Atzilut.

Simple Light

52) The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of the first seven days, ZAT of Malchut of AK, called Atik Yomin of Atzilut. This means that the sun and the moon will return to being the two great lights on an equal level through Keter, face to face. This is the seventh degree that the ARI wrote about, when Nukva of ZA ascends with ZA to the level of GAR of AA and to incorporation with the coupling in GAR of Atik. At that time, ZA will dress the full level of ZAT of Atik which extend equally with the Raglaim of AK through the point of this world, since the Parsa of the second restriction will be completely revoked.

Chapter 5

⁹53) It has been clarified how all the worlds in general are one Partzuf of Adam in the self, vessels, and garments. Indeed, each particular world in and of itself has all these phases, which are the self, vessels, and garments. Likewise, each and every one of their elements is divided in the above-mentioned manner. Remember this and you will not need to mention it each and every time. This is implied in the portion Toldot, 134.

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53) One Partzuf of Adam in the self, vessels, and garments. Indeed, each particular world in and of itself has all these phases. This is so because AK is regarded as root, Atzilut is the self, Beria is Guf and vessels, Yetzira is garments, and Assiya is hall. In this manner, AK and ABYA are one Adam in whom there are these five phases: root, soul, body, garment, hall. It is also called marrow, bones, tendons, flesh, and skin. They are also KHB TM, and they are the four letters HaVaYaH and the tip of the Yod. Also, they are called five lights: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, Yechida.

54) Now we will explain from the world of Atzilut downward, that in Atzilut there are NRNHY and organs of the Guf which are called vessels. Because the Yechida and Haya are surrounding, the vessels were also only three phases, corresponding to the inner NRN.

55) You already know that the Moach [brain] is a vessel for the Neshama, the Lev [heart] for the Ruach, and the Kavved [liver] for the Nefesh. The Neshama spreads throughout the Guf [body] from the Moach to the Raglaim [feet], and this is called Gadlut of ZA, which are Mochin. Afterward, the Ruach spreads through the Lev and from there down throughout the Guf. This is the middle vessel called Yenika, since the Lev stands in the VAK, which is Yenika, clothes the Neshama and the Moach, and covers it. For this reason, the Neshama is apparent only in the Moach, since it was concealed in the Guf. Afterward, the Nefesh spreads inside the Kavved, and from there downward it clothes over the Ruach and the heart. Hence, the Ruach is apparent only in the heart.

Simple Light

55) The Neshama spreads throughout the Guf from the Moach to the Raglaim, etc. Afterward, the Ruach spreads through the Lev and from there down throughout the Guf. This means that these three vessels, Moach, Lev, and Kavved, the garments of NRN, are three complete Partzufim called Ibur, Yenika, Mochin. The Kavved is Partzuf Ibur in ten complete Sefirot in which the light of Nefesh clothes. The Moach is Partzuf Yenika in the ten Sefirot in which the light of Ruach clothes, and the Moach is Partzuf Mochin in ten Sefirot in which the light of Neshama clothes. These three Partzufim clothe one another from the Chazeh [chest] and below, where from his Chazeh and below, Partzuf Mochin is clothed with Partzuf Yenika, and Partzuf Yenika is clothed from his Chazeh and below with Partzuf Ibur. Thus, the Raglaim of all three Partzufim end evenly. This is as was said, “The Neshama spreads throughout the Guf from the Moach to the Raglaim.” Also, the Ruach begins at the Garon and spreads throughout the Guf through the Raglaim, and the Nefesh begins at the Kavved and spreads through the Raglaim.

The Lev stands in the VAK … and clothes the Neshama and the Moach, and covers it. The Lev is Partzuf Yenika that clothes the light of Ruach. It clothes from the Chazeh and below of Partzuf Mochin. Likewise, the Kavved, which is Partzuf Ibur, clothes from the Chazeh and below of Partzuf of Yenika so that HBD HGT of each Partzuf are revealed, and from the Chazeh down they are covered and concealed, each one in its lower one. When they are clothed one inside the other, they are regarded as one body where HBD HGT of the revealed Partzuf Mochin is discerned as the Rosh through the Garon [throat]. From there down, it is covered and clothed in Partzuf Yenika that begins at the Garon. This is regarded as VAK. HBD HGT of the revealed Partzuf Yenika are from the Garon to the Chazeh with the Yadayim [hands], and from there down it is covered and concealed in the Partzuf Ibur that begins at the place of the Chazeh.

This is the meaning of “The Lev stands in the VAK, which is Yenika, and clothes the Neshama and the Moach and covers it. For this reason, the Neshama is apparent only in the Moach,” since VAK, which is Partzuf Yenika, clothes Partzuf Mochin from its Chazeh down, meaning from the place of the Garon of the whole Partzuf, and only the Rosh of the whole Partzuf is revealed. For this reason, the Neshama is no longer apparent below the Rosh, as it is covered and concealed from the Garon down inside the Partzuf Yenika. Also, the Ruach is apparent only from the Garon to the Chazeh, which is where the Lev is, as it is covered and concealed from the Chazeh down inside the Partzuf Yenika.

You find how three complete Partzufim clothed in one another from the Chazeh down are discerned in one Partzuf, so that HBD HGT of each one are revealed, and NHY of each one are covered and clothed in its lower one. The Rosh is the GAR of Neshama, the Guf is HBD HGT of Ruach, and from the Chazeh to the Sof it includes HBD HGT NHY of Nefesh. However, in a general overview, they are all only one Partzuf whose Rosh is regarded as merely its HBD, and from the Garon to the Chazeh it is only its HGT, and from the Chazeh to the Sof it is only its NHY.

56) This is by the order of their roots, that you know what all of Atzilut is like, that Bina, who is Neshama, is half revealed and half concealed in ZA, who is Ruach. ZA, too, is half revealed and half covered by the Nukva, who is Nefesh.

57) It follows that the expansion of the vessels of the marrow throughout the Guf are the tendons that are not hollow inside, and the marrow. On top of them are the veins, which are called arteries that beat without blood, but only the Ruach of the Lev is inside of them. These clothe the above-mentioned tendons that are extended from the Moach, as well as the marrow. Afterward are the arteries that are full of blood and are extended from the Kavved. They clothe the arteries without blood, as is known from surgeons, since the beating arteries are under the arteries of the blood.

58) Thus we have explained how they are three vessels one inside the other, and are regarded as Ibur, Yenika, Mochin. They are also vessels for NRN, since there are no vessels opposite Yechida and Haya because they are not internal. The flesh surrounds them and covers them, and it is called Bisra Sumka [Aramaic: red flesh]. This is also the HASHMAL [also means electricity] that surrounds all the vessels, and it is like the HASHMAL out of the fire, a red fire, and it is the red flesh. Afterward is the skin, which is the tree of knowledge of good in Atzilut.

Simple Light

58) Three vessels one inside the other, and they are regarded as Ibur, Yenika, Mochin. …The flesh surrounds them and covers them, and it is called Bisra Sumka. It has already been explained above that from Nekudim onward, the two vessels of ZA and Malchut of each degree have been separated and become surrounding vessels of Haya and Yechida, leaving only three vessels in the degree—Keter, Hochma, Bina—in which three lights Nefesh-Ruach-Neshama clothe. It has also been explained above that these five vessels KHB ZON are sometimes called marrow, bones, tendons, flesh, and skin, where marrow, bones, tendons are KHB, and flesh and skin are ZON. According to these appellations, it follows that the three vessels found in each degree are marrow, bones, and tendons, and the two bottom vessels of flesh and skin were separated from the degree and became surrounding of Haya and Yechida, which are called garments and halls.

It follows that had the two bottom vessels not been separated from the degree, there would have been five complete Partzufim in each general Partzuf: marrow, bones, tendons, flesh, and skin. Now that the two Partzufim, flesh and skin, have become absent in each general Partzuf, there is a grip for the outer ones opposite them, since wherever there is a deficiency in Kedusha [holiness], the outer ones grip there. Hence, there is a grip for the outer ones at the Sium [end] of each Partzuf. This requires a special correction called “circumcision,” since they have a strong grip on the skin, which is Malchut. For this reason, at the Sium of the Partzuf, a shell is made, whose only correction is to cut it and throw it away, hence the foreskin that is thrown to the dust. But they do not have that much of a grip on the flesh at the Sium, and it is corrected by [the act of] exposing.

There are no vessels opposite Yechida and Haya because they are not internal. The flesh surrounds them, etc., and afterward is the skin. Yechida and Haya are not internal, since ZA and Malchut were separated from each degree due to the second restriction. Hence, the flesh and skin were not regarded as vessels of the Guf. Rather, there are only three vessels of KHB in the Guf, which are called marrow-bones-tendons, in which the Neshama is clothed. The Neshama does not clothe in the two vessels of flesh and skin at all, and they are interchangeable in man, meaning they are replaced and renewed each day in the human body. It is so because the real vessels of ZA and Malchut are not at all in the Partzuf, since they were separated and became garments and halls, while the two vessels of ZON that are in the Partzuf are only an expansion from Bina. This is the meaning of what the ARI wrote, that at their end, the tendons of the blood dissolve and become flesh, implying that the vessel of flesh, which is the vessel of ZA, is actually from the expansion of the vessel of Bina called tendons.

The HASHMAL that surrounds all the vessels, and it is like the HASHMAL out of the fire, etc., and afterward is the skin, which is the tree of knowledge of good that is in Atzilut. The flesh in the Partzuf is regarded as HASHMAL, and the skin is regarded as the Noga shell. This is only after it obtains the phase of Haya, since as long as there is only the phase of Neshama in the Partzuf, the vessel of flesh is still not apparent and it is regarded as merely skin, though it incorporates both skins together. That is, the two vessels ZA and Malchut are not regarded as flesh and skin but as two skins attached to one another back-to-back. This is so because as long as there are only three lights NRN in ZA, they are clothed in the three vessels of marrow-bones-tendons, and no light reaches from the tendons down, meaning in the flesh and skin. Because it is known that the lights sort out the vessels, they are regarded as unsorted whatsoever. Therefore, both are regarded as skins, since everything that is not sorted is called skin.

However, when ZA obtains the phase of the light of Haya, the Haya dresses in the marrow, the Neshama that was in marrow descends to the vessel of bones, the Ruach that was in the vessel of bones descends to the vessel of tendons, and the Nefesh that was in the vessel of tendons descends to the vessel of flesh. It follows that now the vessel of ZA is also sorted by obtaining of the light of Haya. Hence, now it has four vessels: marrow, bones, tendons, and flesh. The skin surrounds them, and only the skin remains unsorted.

Nevertheless, the flesh is not regarded as a completed vessel because it is from the expansion of Bina. This is why it is called HASHMAL, meaning a garment, clothing the three vessels. It is called garment because the light of Haya that sorts for it the vessel of flesh is extended from the surrounding of garments. Hence, the vessel of flesh is also regarded as garment.

There is another reason: The light of Haya it receives through sorting the vessel of flesh is only VAK of Haya, since it cannot receive GAR of Haya prior to the end of correction, when the second restriction is revoked and the surrounding of garments, namely the vessel of ZA that was separated by the second restriction, reconnects to the Partzuf like the three vessels KHB. It has been explained above that prior to the end of correction, the vessel of ZA is only from the expansion of Bina, and it receives only the VAK of the light of Haya. Hence, it is considered a vessel of flesh that is still not connected to the Guf, since Neshama of Haya does not illuminate in the Guf. Since it is still separated from the Guf, it is called garment or HASHMAL, indicating that it is not connected to the Guf like the three vessels marrow-bones-tendons.

It has been explained that when ZA has only NRN, it does not have a vessel for flesh at all, and it is still regarded as skin. When it obtains the light of Haya, the vessel of flesh is sorted out for it, yet it is not an actual vessel, connected to the Guf, due to the absence of GAR of Haya throughout the six thousand years. For this reason, the vessel of flesh does not have a complete light that belongs to it, but only VAK from the light that belongs to it. It is known that in all the phases, the VAK are always regarded as merely a vessel, and only the GAR are regarded as complete lights. It follows that there is only an illumination of vessels in flesh, meaning VAK and not GAR.

The skin, which is the tree of knowledge of good that is in Atzilut.

59) The flesh is the surrounding name Elokim and is called Kursaya of Shvivin [Aramaic: a throne (or chair) of sparks]. It is so because Elokim filled with Yods is 300 in Gematria, and in square Gematria it is 200, and the two incorporators are Bassar [flesh] in Gematria. We have explained that the Or [skin] is Ra [bad] and the letter Vav is the good within it, as mentioned in the Tikkunim 69, p. 150 [in Hebrew], that it is the tree of knowledge of good and bad. However, in Atzilut, the bad was separated outward, as it is written in Tree of Life.

Simple Light

59) The flesh is the surrounding name Elokim, etc. Elokim filled with Yods is 300 in Gematria, and in square Gematria it is 200, and the two incorporators are Bassar in Gematria. Mochin of GAR are called HaVaYaH, and Mochin of VAK are called Elokim. Since there is only Mochin of VAK in the vessel of flesh, it is called Elokim. It is known that there are three phases of Ibur-Yenika-Mochin in VAK, and all are the names of Elokim. However, the Mochin of Ibur are Aleph-Lamed-Mem of Elokim, indicating that it lacks the Yod-Hey of Elokim. The Mochin of Yenika are called “simple Elokim” without a filling, since any filling implies a coupling of Mochin. Because there is only VAK of VAK in Yenika, meaning Nefesh-Ruach of Ruach, and there is not even GAR of Ruach there, called Mochin of VAK, they are regarded as simple Elokim without a filling. The Mochin of VAK, meaning the GAR of Ruach, are regarded as Elokim with a filling, and it is known that there are three Mochin HBD, which have three fillings: Moach Hochma is Elokim filled with Yods, Moach Bina is Elokim filled with Heys, and Moach Daat is Elokim filled with Alephs.

It was said, “Elokim filled with Yods is 300 in Gematria.” This indicates that there is Moach of Hochma of VAK in the vessel of flesh there, since Elokim filled with Yods is Hochma. However, with regard to the Moach Bina of VAK, it only has the posterior because it does not have Elokim filled with Heys, but the posterior of Elokim, which is 200 in Gematria, like this: Aleph, Aleph-Lamed, Aleph-Lamed-Hey, Aleph-Lamed-Hey-Yod, Aleph-Lamed-Hey-Yod-Mem. This indicates that it does not have the Hassadim that are imparted from the Moach of Bina, which is Elokim filled with Heys, and this Moach is regarded as posterior to it. Hence, with regard to Daat, it has only two inclusions—an inclusion of Hassadim and an inclusion of Gevurot. These are the letters Bet-Shin-Reish [the letters of Bassar (flesh)]: Shin is Hochma, Reish is Bina, and Bet is Daat, and this is why it is called “a throne of sparks,” implying judgments, due to the lack of Hassadim [mercies] there, for as long as it is devoid of Hassadim, the Hochma will also not be able to clothe in it in full.

60) Afterward there are the worlds BYA, and they are the garments of Atzilut. It is in this manner because when Malchut descends to be the Rosh to the foxes, the upper bodies clothe below.

Simple Light

60) When Malchut descends to be the Rosh to the foxes, the upper bodies clothe below. This was done during the diminution of the moon on the fourth day of the days of creation. First, the ZON were in the form of the two great lights, on an equal level back-to-back. At that time, the Nukva was a complete Partzuf in ten Sefirot of the posterior. That is, she was complete in Ibur-Yenika-Mochin of the posterior, which is all the completeness of Partzuf VAK. When the moon complained and said, “Two kings cannot use the same Keter [crown],” she was told, “Go and diminish yourself.” At that time, she returned to being a dot under the Yesod as before, and all ten Sefirot of her Partzuf of posterior descended to Beria as Rosh to the foxes, since she became the phase of Atik and a revealed Rosh in Beria.

It is known that everything that was as a Guf for ZA in the state of Ibur and Yenika became skin in the state of Gadlut. This means that the state of Ibur-Yenika is lights of VAK, which are Ruach -Nefesh. It is also known that when he has only two lights, Ruach-Nefesh, he has two vessels of Keter-Hochma, which are called marrow and bones. The light of Ruach dresses in the vessel of Keter, which is marrow, and the light of Nefesh in vessel of Hochma, which is bones. Obtaining Neshama sorts out for him the vessel of Bina, which is tendons, and then the Neshama dresses in the vessel of marrow, the light of Ruach that was there descends to the vessel of bones, and the light of Nefesh that was in the vessel of bones descends to the vessel of tendons. Obtaining Haya sorts for it the vessel of flesh, and then the light of Haya dresses in the vessel of marrow, the light of Neshama that was there descends to the vessel of bones, the Ruach that was in the vessel of bones descends to the vessel of tendons, while the Nefesh that was in the vessel of tendons now descends to the vessel of flesh that has been sorted anew. Obtaining the light of Yechida sorts out for him the vessel of skin, the Yechida dresses in the marrow, and so forth likewise, and the light of Nefesh that was in vessel of flesh now descends to the vessel of skin that is sorted through the light of Yechida.

You find that when ZA had only Ibur-Yenika, which are Nefesh-Ruach, they clothe in the complete vessels of the Guf of ZA, meaning in the vessels of marrow and bones. However, at the time of Gadlut [greatness/adulthood], when he obtains Haya and Yechida, the Haya and Yechida take those vessels of marrow and bones, and the Neshama takes the vessel of tendons. Thus, now Ruach-Nefesh clothe in vessels that are outside the Guf, called flesh and skin. This is the meaning of what the ARI says, that everything that was regarded as Guf for ZA in Ibur and Yenika has become skin in the state of Gadlut. It is explained that lights of VAK were clothed in the Guf in the days of Ibur and Yenika, meaning in the marrow and bones, and now they are clothed in the flesh and skin, which together are called skin. This indicates that they are incomplete vessels because as long as the second restriction rules, it is impossible to fully sort these vessels of ZA and Malchut called flesh and skin. Hence, they are called skin, where the vessel of skin is called parchment and the vessel of flesh is called Duchsustus.

It was said “When Malchut descends to be the Rosh to the foxes, the upper bodies clothe below,” since any clothing of Malchut in BYA is only in her Partzuf of posterior that fell to BYA during the diminution of the moon since she is the Rosh [head] of the foxes. This is only VAK, which is Ruach-Nefesh, so even the lights in her are regarded as body and vessels, as it is known that the light of VAK is called “illumination of vessels” and lights are only GAR, which are Neshama-Haya-Yechida.

This is why he says that only the bodies of Atzilut were clothed through Malchut in BYA, since there are three phases in this posterior Partzuf that fell to BYA. These are Ibur, Yenika, Mochin, and they are only three phases of body, meaning lights of VAK. A phase of body of Mochin clothed in Beria and became Neshama, and a phase of the body of Yenika clothed in Yetzira and became a Neshama there. The phase of the body of Ibur clothed in Assiya and became Neshama there, and he said precisely “Behina of bodies,” indicating that these VAK that clothe in Beria are not flesh and skin as in Atzilut during Gadlut. Rather, they are actual vessels of body, which are marrow and bones, since the Partzuf of the posterior of Nukva is Katnut.

61) The inner vessel of the marrow for Neshama descends in Beria where it becomes Neshama. Although she is discerned as a vessel, a Neshama for the world below it is still made there. However, in the world itself, it is never made from a vessel of Neshama since the Haya and Yechida never clothe.

Simple Light

61) However, in the world itself, it is never made from a vessel of Neshama since the Haya and Yechida never clothe. In BYA there are these lights of VAK that are Ruach-Nefesh of Malchut of Atzilut that became Neshama there. But this will never happen in the world of Atzilut itself, since it has been explained above that even in Mochin of Gadlut, the lights of VAK descend to flesh and skin, which are incomplete vessels and can never receive the phase of Neshama that belongs to them. Rather, throughout the six thousand years, they remain as light of VAK from the light that belongs to their share. It is so because sorting these vessels depends on the Mochin of Haya and Yechida, and as long as the second restriction rules, the vessels of ZA and Malchut are separated into garments and halls by the ascent of the ending Malchut to the vessel of Bina. Hence, the vessels of flesh and skin are lacking the GAR of Haya of their share since they are merely an expansion of Bina.

This is why he says that these lights of Ruach-Nefesh that are regarded as a vessel become Neshama in BYA, since BYA receive from the Ibur-Yenika of the Katnut of Malchut, which is Ibur-Yenika-Mochin of the posterior, and in Katnut the Nefesh-Ruach are clothed in complete vessels of body, meaning the bones and marrow. For this reason, they can become a phase of Neshama there in BYA. But in Atzilut, the Nukva cannot stand in these Mochin of the posterior. Instead, she returns to being a dot under Yesod. That is, she comes in Ibur for Mochin of face to face and receives Mochin of Gadlut from NHY of ZA. At that time, the lights of VAK descend to the vessels of skin, meaning to flesh and skin, which never become Neshama and are always lacking the GAR that belongs to their share, which is called a vessel. Thus, the illumination of vessels will never rise to become Neshama in Atzilut.

62) The middle vessel is the Lev [heart], a vessel for Ruach. It descends in Yetzira where it becomes Neshama. At that time, Yetzira covers and clothes some of Beria like the Lev that covers the Moach in Atzilut, and like ZA toward Bina, while the outer vessel of the Kavved of Nefesh of Atzilut, it itself becomes a Neshama to Assiya.

63) Indeed, the Neshama in Yetzira is Neshama in relation to Yetzira itself, but in fact, it is only Ruach in relation to the three general worlds BYA. Likewise, the Neshama of Assiya is only Nefesh in relation to the general state because in Atzilut NRN had only three vessels.

64) You should know that the internality and externality of the vessels, although each one has three phases of Ibur-Yenika-Mochin, all three phases of externality are nevertheless called body, and all the internality is called Mochin in relation to it, as mentioned in the Tikkunim 121. Hence, for the most part, we call the internal ones Mochin, and it is known that Mochin is not Neshama, but only the inner body.

Simple Light

64) All three phases of externality are called body, and all the internality is called Mochin in relation to it. This concerns what is written above, that the Partzuf of the posterior of the Nukva that descended to BYA is regarded as clothing of the bodies of Atzilut. He says that all three phases of externality, meaning Ibur-Yenika-Mochin of the posterior, where Ibur-Yenika are VAK of VAK, and Mochin are GAR of VAK, all of these lights are called body and not lights, since even the Mochin of VAK are regarded as body. Hence, this Partzuf of Ibur-Yenika-Mochin of the posterior that fell and clothed in BYA is called “the bodies of Atzilut,” since only the three phases Ibur-Yenika-Mochin of the anterior, which are NRNHY of the three lights of Neshama Haya Yechida, only they are called “lights” and Mochin.

65) It follows that the Mochin of externality has become a receptacle for the Mochin of internality and is called “its air,” like the Mochin of Katnut, which became “crusts” of the Mochin of Gadlut. This is why it is written in the Tikkunim, p. 121, that the name SAG is the marrow inside, the three Yods are as three Mochin, and that the name MA is outside, three Alephs, three airs that clothe in those three Mochin.

Chapter 6

¹⁰66) Now we will explain the chariot of Ezekiel, which is in Yetzira, and from it you will deduce about the rest. Know that it has been explained that in all the worlds there are inner lights and surrounding lights, and the vessels of all the worlds stop in the middle between the surrounding lights and the inner lights.

67) The inner lights and their vessels are the higher ones inside and the lower ones outside, since the inner Atik and its vessel are inside everything and on top of it are the inner light and vessel of AA, and likewise through Assiya, whose inner light and vessel clothe all the worlds. The surrounding lights are the opposite because the lower ones are more internal since the surrounding of Assiya is on top of the vessels of Assiya, and on top of it the surrounding of Yetzira, etc.

68) It therefore follows that the vessels of Assiya are the middle point of the whole of Assiya, and all the worlds are in the middle of the inner and surrounding lights, and this earth of ours is the middle point of Assiya and all the worlds.

Simple Light

68) The vessels of Assiya are the middle point of the whole of Assiya, and all the worlds are in the middle of the inner and surrounding lights. This means that the Sium of the world of Assiya of straightness is at the ending point of the Raglaim of AK, which is the point of this world. Likewise, the Sium of the vessels of circles of AK is also at the ending point of straightness, which is the point of this world, since in the circles, their end is at their center, for there is no above or below in the circles.

Thus, that same point of Sium that ends the straightness is the central point of the circles of AK, which are from the first restriction. However, remember that the point of Sium of the second restriction of the straightness is in the Parsa below Atzilut, where all the Raglaim of Atzilut end, and it is also the central point of the circles of the second restriction. However, here it refers to the worlds BYA, which clothe NHY of AK of the first restriction through the point of this world. This is why here he points to the central point of the circles of the first restriction.

69) Once we know this, let us return to our matter, that the shells of Assiya are more at the center than all of Assiya and all the worlds except for this earth. However, with respect to the inner light alone, the shells clothe them and surround them and are outside of all of them.

70) Let us begin with Atzilut. First, there are the shells, which are stormy wind, etc. They are called skin, since skin is the shell, which is why it is called shell. They are also the three shells, cloud, stormy wind, and fire, corresponding to the three foreskins, circumcision, exposing, and sucking of blood, and within them is the flesh, the crown of the tendon, which is the HASHMAL.

Simple Light

70) There are the shells, which are stormy wind, etc. They are called skin, since skin is the shell, which is why it is called shell. They are also the three shells, etc. We should know that although the root of all the judgments in the worlds are still in the first restriction, in the screen that was made there in the vessel of Malchut, nevertheless, the shells were made only by the breaking of the vessels that took place in ZAT of the world of Nekudim. Until there, although there was already a lack of Kedusha [holiness] due to the first restriction, since the receiving Malchut, which was diminished from receiving due to the first restriction, was separated from the internal ones and became vessels of the circles of AK. Nevertheless, by this, no corruption occurred in the worlds.

However, after the second restriction was done in the world of Nekudim, the ending Malchut ascended to the place of the vessel of Bina of the Guf of Partzuf TNHY of AK, which is in the place of the Chazeh of this Partzuf, and the Parsa was placed there as the point of Sium, and the vessels of half of Tifferet and NHY that became the three worlds BYA can no longer receive any of the light of Atzilut due to the point of Sium above them. Hence, after ZAT of Nekudim drew the light of Atzilut to BYA once again, since they revoked the new boundary of the Parsa and expanded to BYA, the breaking occurred in them anterior and posterior, and they fell to the shells in BYA. This was because now a big corruption occurred, where even the anterior vessels of ZAT that stand above the Parsa, and are fit to receive the light of Atzilut, also broke, died, and fell to the shells.

We should thoroughly understand the meaning of the anterior and posterior of ZAT of Nekudim. The thing is that first, the vessels of Nekudim emerged, which are the vessels of Nekudot of SAG of AK that were diminished by the second restriction, where a Parsa and Sium were made at the place of their Chazeh, and TNHY in them fell to BYA together with the Chazeh and below of Partzuf TNHY of AK. It follows that now, after the restriction that took place, there are only six vessels HBD HGT through the Chazeh, and the point of Chazeh is the point of Malchut in them, which ends those vessels. From there down they are unfit to receive lights of Atzilut. Hence, those seven vessels HBD HGT and the point of Chazeh are regarded as vessels of Atzilut and are called anterior vessels, while those vessels of TNHYM below the Parsa that are unfit to receive the light of Atzilut are called posterior vessels.

First, the light of Katnut emerged in the world of Nekudim and clothed in those seven vessels HBD HGT through the Chazeh. The lights of Ruach-Nefesh clothed in them: Ruach in vessels of HBD, and Nefesh in vessels of HGT. This is why they are called HGT NHYM, since lights of Ruach are called HGT, and lights of Nefesh are called NHYM. These lights ended at the point of Chazeh at the Sium of the Parsa, and this clothing is in utter completeness since nothing descended from them to the posterior vessels. Rather, it caused the separation of the two vessels of ZA and Malchut that became the surrounding of garment and hall.

However, afterward, through the coupling of Yesod of AK in the GAR of Nekudim, when the lights were extended from the coupling of AB SAG of AK, since the light of AB precedes the second restriction, this light caused the revoking of the Parsa of the second restriction. After these Mochin reached the ZAT of Nekudim, they, too, were extended through the Sium Raglaim of AK into their posterior vessels in BYA, and reconnected those two vessels that became garments and halls, into inner vessels. However, the force of the boundary of the Parsa overpowered them and the lights of Atzilut that they drew promptly departed from all the ZAT, even from the anterior vessels above the Parsa, and they all broke and died. This happened because the anterior vessels had already connected with the posterior vessels into one Partzuf. Therefore, the anterior vessels were blemished, too, because of the reception of the lights of the posterior vessels. Thus, all the vessels were spoiled since the anterior vessels were merged in a single form with the posterior vessels.

We should discern four phases in those ZAT of Nekudim that fell to the shells: The first is the anterior vessels, meaning the vessels from the Chazeh and above. These are vessels of Atzilut that did not break because of themselves but due to their mixing with the posterior vessels. There are three additional phases in the posterior vessels: In general, they are ZA and Malchut, but there are also ZON of Bina in them. Thus, they are three phases: 1) ZON of Bina, 2) ZA, 3) Malchut. These four phases completely mingled with one another in a way that you have not a spark or a tiny item in those ZAT that fell to BYA where these four phases are not mixed together.

When the ZAT were sorted out from the breaking in the world of Atzilut and were established there as Partzuf ZON of Atzilut, initially, only the anterior vessels were sorted from among them, meaning from the Chazeh and above. These are the vessels of HBD HGT through the point of Chazeh in which the lights of Ruach-Nefesh clothe, Ruach in the vessels of HBD and Nefesh in the vessels of HGT. For this reason, they are called HGT NHYM. They are present in ZA permanently, and no further diminution will occur in them since their breaking was only due to the mixing with the posterior vessels. Once they were sorted out from the mixture, they will never again be blemished.

However, in the three posterior phases that remained in the shells, the anterior vessels still remained mixed with them, for there is no item in the broken vessels that does not have within them all four phases together. They are sorted out by raising MAN since the vessels of the new NHY for the level of Neshama are sorted out from ZON of Bina in the posterior vessels, and the new NHY for the level of Haya are sorted out from ZA of posterior vessels, and the new NHY for the level of Yechida are sorted out from Malchut of the posterior vessels. However, these three levels—Neshama-Haya-Yechida—are not permanent in ZA because the vessels were sorted out from the posterior vessels, whose breaking was because of themselves. Hence, there is power in the work of the lower ones to raise them through MAN or to corrupt them again by committing iniquities.

There is another distinction in this sorting of the posterior vessels for Neshama-Haya-Yechida. Only the vessels for the level of Neshama that come from phase one of the posterior vessels are sorted in full and connect to the body of ZON, since they are regarded as ZON of Bina. But the vessels that are sorted for the level of Haya, which come from phase two of posterior vessels, which are vessels of ZA, cannot be fully sorted because the vessels of ZA have already been separated into garments, which are surrounding vessels. Hence, phase two of the posterior vessels that operated in Nekudim broke, and actual shells were made of them, since they drew surrounding vessels and used them as inner vessels. This is why those vessels were spoiled and became shells, and Partzuf ZA of the shell was made of them.

However, there is also a mixture of anterior vessels in these shells, as well as phase one of the posterior vessels, which are fit for sorting into Kedusha, as was said, that there is not an item that does not contain all four phases mixed together. For this reason, those two above-mentioned phases are fit to be sorted out of the shells. But phase two of the posterior, which is the actual vessel of ZA, is unfit for sorting and is called shell.

In the same manner, the vessels that are sorted out from phase three of the posterior, which is the vessel of Malchut, are not from the vessel of Malchut herself, since she was corrupted by using the inner vessels in Nekudim, and thereby became a shell from which the Nukva of the shells was made. However, because she, too, necessarily incorporates all four phases, only the first two phases that are mixed within her can be sorted, from which they are sorted for the level of Yechida.

This explains how all the shells came only due to the breaking of the vessels, and they are from those two vessels of ZA and Malchut that were used in ZAT of Nekudim as internal after they were separated into surrounding vessels and were therefore corrupted and became ZA and Malchut of the shell. They are called shells to indicate that they are unfit for sorting throughout the six thousand years, for as long as the first two phases have not been fully sorted from within them, which are the anterior vessels and phase one of the posterior, which are ZON of Bina, the Parsa of the second restriction is fixed and sustained, and the vessels of ZA and Malchut remain as surrounding, and what has been put together from them during the reign of ZAT of Nekudim has become ZON of the shells.

Indeed, there are three degrees in these ZON of the shells. They are called “stormy wind,” “big cloud,” and “flaming fire.” They correspond to Bina, ZA, and Malchut, as in “God has made one opposite the other.” For this reason, there is ZON in the stormy wind, ZON in the big cloud, and ZON in the flaming fire.

Skin is the shell … corresponding to the three foreskins, circumcision, exposing, and sucking of blood. This means that while ZA has only NRN, they sort for it only three vessels of marrow-bones-tendons, which are vessels of KHB. The two vessels of flesh and skin are still unsorted. At that time, the vessel of flesh is also called skin since any unsorted phase is called skin, which means good and bad mixed with one another. At that time, the three shells are mixed in these two vessels of flesh and skin which are complete evil. This is why the ARI wrote, “Skin is the shell,” etc., meaning that as long as it does not have Mochin of Haya, the flesh and skin of ZA are called only skin since the three shells are still included in his flesh and skin. This is why they are all together, meaning that the flesh, the skin, and the three shells are regarded as one, and they are all shells.

However, when he obtains the Mochin of Haya, the correction of the circumcision is done in him. This is the sorting of the vessel of flesh and the separation of the three shells, since the skin that is cut off and thrown away is the separation of the shell of stormy wind, which is the root and the essence of all three shells. The exposing is done in him corresponding to the separation of the shell of big cloud, and the sucking of blood is done in him corresponding to the shell of flaming fire. At that time, the sorting of the vessel of flesh appears in him in the Ateret [crown] of Yesod, called HASHMAL, for the above-mentioned reason. The vessel of skin on the flesh is now called “the Noga shell” since it is still unsorted, since the Mochin of Haya sort only the vessel of flesh, and any unsorted phase is called skin, or “the Noga shell.” This is the meaning of “Noga surrounds this HASHMAL,” as is explained that the HASHMAL is the flesh and the skin is Noga.

We should know that the matter of the above-said sorting of the vessels occurs in each and every Sefira of the ten Sefirot of ZA since they are incorporated in one another. In each Sefira five vessels must be sorted: marrow, bones, tendons, flesh, skin. It follows that the correction of the circumcision actually occurs in all the Sefirot, but the shells grip mainly only to the Sium of the Partzuf, meaning the Sefira of Yesod. For this reason, the corrections were done only in Yesod, and it helps and corrects all the phases of flesh and skin in each Sefira.

71) Noga, the fourth shell, a sound of faint silence in secret, surrounds that HASHMAL. This is the meaning of the HASH of HASHMAL, and in it is the MAL, which is the self of the HASHMAL and is the flesh. This HASHMAL is speaking animals of fire, a filling of Elokim of Yods, the Gematria of [the letter] Shin of Bassar [flesh].

Simple Light

71) Noga, the fourth shell, a sound of faint silence in secret. This is the meaning of the HASH of HASHMAL, and in it is the MAL, which is the self of the HASHMAL, etc., a filling of Elokim of Yods, the Gematria of [the letter] Shin of Bassar. Interpretation: It has already been explained that prior to the end of correction there is no complete sorting of the vessel of flesh since the Mochin of Haya are also only VAK of Haya. Hence, they do not connect to the actual body of the Partzuf, but rather as a garment, clothing over the three vessels marrow-bones-tendons. Know that these remnants from the vessel of flesh that cannot be sorted before the end of correction since they require GAR of Haya in order to be sorted out are called “The Noga shell,” since she is unsorted.

It has been explained that the sorting of the vessels occurs in all the Sefirot of the level of ZA. It follows that there is a complete Partzuf of flesh, as well as a complete Partzuf of the Noga shell, since the vessel of flesh in each Sefira of ZA from its Rosh-Toch-Sof connects into a complete Partzuf. Also, the unsorted remnants that remain in the vessel of flesh, called Noga, connect from all the Sefirot of its Rosh-Toch-Sof and become Partzuf Noga.

You therefore find that HASHMAL and Noga are two Partzufim one atop the other although their root is one: the vessel of flesh in each of the ten Sefirot of Rosh-Toch-Sof of ZA. The sorted part is called HASHMAL, and the unsorted part is called Noga. In that sense, they are only one Partzuf where VAK of the Mochin of Haya, of which only the vessels from the Chazeh and above, which are called HBD HGT, can be sorted, and Nefesh-Ruach of Haya clothe in them, Ruach in the vessels of HBD, for which it is called HGT, Nefesh is in the vessels of HGT, for which it is called NHYM, as is known in the inverse relation between vessels and lights, and those six sorted vessels of HBD HGT are called HASHMAL. The remnants from this Partzuf, meaning the TNHY from the Chazeh down, whose sorting is only in the GAR of Mochin of Haya, which does not occur prior to the end of correction, are called Partzuf Noga. Thus, at their root, they are one Partzuf which is called HASHMAL from the Chazeh and above, and it is called Noga from the Chazeh and below. However, since this sorting occurs in each and every Sefira of the ten Sefirot of the Rosh-Toch-Sof of ZA, they necessarily become two complete Partzufim with Rosh-Toch-Sof for each of them, and they clothe over one another.

For this reason, in relation to HASHMAL and Noga being one Partzuf, the name HASHMAL is divided between them, where the six vessels from the Chazeh and above are called MAL of HASHMAL, which means speaking animals of fire, indicating that the Mochin of Haya [animal] clothe there. In them is the speech, for there is speech only in Mochin of Haya. This is why they are implied by MAL, from the words “speaking animals.” However, the vessels of TNHY from the Chazeh and below of this Partzuf, which cannot be sorted prior to the end of correction, and which are called Noga, are HASH of HASHMAL, indicating that they are Hashot [silent] and there is no speech in them. This is why the ARI writes that HASHMAL is MAL and Noga is HASH.

However, with regard to their being two Partzufim with Rosh-Toch-Sof that clothe over one another, you find that in Partzuf HASHMAL, for itself, there are all ten Sefirot in Rosh-Toch-Sof, and in Partzuf Noga, for itself, there are also ten Sefirot in Rosh-Toch-Sof. It follows there are vessels from the Chazeh and above in Partzuf HASHMAL, as well as vessels from the Chazeh and below. This is why the full name HASHMAL exists only in Partzuf HASHMAL, since from its Chazeh and above, it is MAL from HASHMAL, speaking animals of fire where the light of Haya is clothed, in whom there is speech, and from its Chazeh and below, it is also in HASH from HASHMAL, for the light of Haya does not fully shine in it before it obtains GAR of Haya. Hence, there is no speech there and they are silent. Thus, the matter of HASH and MAL occurs only in Partzuf HASHMAL.

Likewise, in Partzuf Noga, for itself, there are ten Sefirot Rosh-Toch-Sof, where from the Chazeh and above it can receive illumination from Partzuf HASHMAL since usually, VAK of Haya correct the vessels from the Chazeh and above, so it is regarded as being all good there without any bad at all. However, in the vessels from the Chazeh and below of Partzuf Noga, the light of Haya does not shine at all even in Partzuf HASHMAL. Hence, in Noga, they are regarded as good and bad mixed together, and remember these words for the rest of the explanations of the ARI.

We could ask about this from what has been explained by the ARI in several places, that any revealing of Hochma in the Partzuf is only from the Chazeh and below, but from the Chazeh and above, the Hassadim are covered inside the Yesod of Ima and no revealing of Hochma can be seen in them. This seems opposite to what is explained here. Indeed, the thing is that all that is spoken of here is the two vessels of flesh and skin, which are the vessels of ZA and Malchut that were separated from the Partzuf by the second restriction, since Malchut rose to Bina of the body, called Tifferet, and ended the Partzuf there, and from the Chazeh and below they were separated from the Partzuf and became surrounding, which are this ZON of Tifferet, meaning from the Chazeh down to the Sium of Tifferet and the true ZON of the Guf, which are Netzah and Hod.

Thus, those vessels of flesh and skin are regarded as from the Chazeh and below of each Partzuf in general, as well as from the Chazeh and below of each particular Sefira of the ten Sefirot of Rosh-Toch-Sof, since all that applies to the whole applies also to all the parts of that whole. Thus, the whole of the Partzuf HASHMAL that is spoken of here is only from the Chazeh and below, where the ARI says in several places that it is the place of revealing of Hochma, but only in particular, when each of the ten Sefirot of ZA is divided into Rosh-Toch-Sof, Rosh and Toch from the Chazeh and above, and Sof from the Chazeh and below. Hence, they join and become a complete Partzuf in the HASHMAL, with Rosh-Toch-Sof, since the vessels of flesh in the Sefirot from the Chazeh and above of Partzuf ZA are from the Chazeh and above of Partzuf HASHMAL, and the vessels of flesh that comes from the Sefirot from the Chazeh and below of ZA are from the Chazeh and below of HASHMAL.

There is another reason: All the revealing of Hochma in TNHY of ZA itself, from the Chazeh and below of the general ZA, is from below upward. This is the nature of the lights of VAK of Haya: They are not revealed from above downward. For this reason, it is considered that they themselves are divided into from-the-Chazeh-and-above of this Partzuf TNHY, and from-the-Chazeh-and-below of this Partzuf TNHY. From below upward, the Mochin of Haya shine, and from above downward, they do not shine, and understand all this well.

speaking animals of fire, a filling of Elokim of Yods, the Gematria of [the letter] Shin of Bassar. It has already been explained above that the marrow of Hochma of GAR of VAK is Elokim filled with Yods. Hence, they are called “speaking animals of fire” because the light of Hochma is called Haya [animal], which is the meaning of “animals.” Also, the speech is in them because any speech is from an illumination of Mochin of Haya, which explains the “speaking.” They are regarded as “animals of fire” because they are VAK of Haya and not GAR of Haya, and in every VAK there is a grip to the judgments, which require extra care. This is why they are called by the names of Elokim, and this is why they are “animals of fire.”

72) This is the tree of knowledge of good in Atzilut, as mentioned in the Tikkunim [corrections of The Zohar]. This is why it is the name YAHDONHY, for it is the name of HASHMAL, as mentioned in many places. But in BYA, it is the tree of knowledge of good and bad and not HASHMAL itself, but rather the Noga shell that surrounds it and separates the HASHMAL from the shells. This shell of good and bad is in BYA, but in Atzilut itself it is good without bad.

Simple Light

72) The tree of knowledge of good in Atzilut, etc. The tree of knowledge of good and bad, etc., and this shell of good and bad is in BYA, but in Atzilut itself, good without bad. In the beginning, before the Mochin of Haya was extended into ZA of Atzilut, the HASHMAL, which is the flesh with the Noga and the three shells, were included in Atzilut under the name skin, since they are good and bad. Thus, before they extend Mochin of Haya, Atzilut is also regarded as good and bad. However, after the Mochin of Haya are extended, the HASHMAL and Noga are sorted to Kedusha and are good without bad, since the bad in them, which is the three shells of the stormy wind, etc., have been rejected from there by the circumcision, exposing, and sucking of blood. However, in BYA, where the Mochin of Haya cannot spread from Parsa of Atzilut and below, the three foreskins are no longer separated from the Noga shell, and it is still mixed with them there. For this reason, she is regarded as the tree of knowledge of good and bad.

There is another reason: In Atzilut, the HASHMAL of Ima separates the skin, which is the inner Noga, from the Noga that is a shell. For this reason, the inner Noga is all good.

73) For this reason, you find that HASHMAL has the Gematria of MALBUSH [garment], and it is the flesh that covers the three vessels called body, since the flesh is not included in them. This Noga shell is skin that separates the three shells from the HASHMAL since it is a very fine and thin skin that it is not apparent. It is over the flesh, where the crude skins are the three other shells. In Atzilut, this is called “the tree of knowledge of good,” and in BYA, “the tree of knowledge of good and bad.”

Simple Light

73) This Noga shell is skin that separates the three shells from the HASHMAL, etc. In Atzilut, this is called “the tree of knowledge of good,” and in BYA, “the tree of knowledge of good and bad.” Before the Mochin of Haya shine, they are all incorporated in the skin. At that time, even the HASHMAL is called skin. However, they are two skins attached to one another. Then the outer skin, which is Noga, is one with the three shells. Therefore, in BYA, where the light of Haya does not reach, because of the Parsa, Noga is mixed with the three shells, which is why it is good and bad.

74) You should know that there is no phase in the world that does not consist of self and vessels. It follows that since this Noga is the shell of the skin, it is not because of this that it does not consist of a body and Neshama.

75) This Noga is Batia, daughter of Pharaoh. Pharaoh sent the mixed multitude that came from the Noga shells who is called Lilit, obstinate, dressed as Eve, Adam’s wife. But there is a more external Lilit, and she is the wife of Sam’el. Also, in this Noga, there are other Sam’el and Lilit, internal, of which our sages said that he was an angel who was expelled from heaven. It is called “the blaze of the swirling sword,” at times an angel and at times a demon, and it is called Lilit. Because the Nukva governs at night (and the demons govern at night), it is called Lilit, as mentioned in the Tikkunim, p. 124 [in Hebrew].

76) It is said in the Tikkunim, p. 44, that Sam’el emerged from his Kedusha because the three other shells have Sam’el and Lilit there—true, bad, and sinful in every shell in them. This is implied in The Zohar, portion Beresheet, 29: There is SAM and there is SAM, and they are not all the same. This explains several writings about SAM and Lilit.

77) It turns out that SAM and Lilit, who seduced Adam and Eve, are three external shells where there are also other SAM and Lilit. However, the seduction was done by the Noga shell, which includes other SAM and Lilit. This Noga mingled with Adam and Eve and then man became good and bad, see portions VaYechi 221 and VaYakhel 203. This is the meaning of “With this Noga, the Sitra Achra [other side] seduces the woman to take the light,” etc.

Simple Light

77) SAM and Lilit, who seduced Adam and Eve, are three external shells, etc. However, the seduction was done by the Noga shell. It has already been explained that these remnants of the seven kings who died, who are unfit to be sorted during the six thousand years, meaning the vessels of ZA and Malchut that were separated due to the restriction into garment and hall, and the seven kings returned and extended them into the inner vessels, these are the three shells, in each of which there are ZA and Malchut as the ARI wrote here. Since the seven kings used the lights of Atzilut, they court the souls to seduce them so they will draw to them the lights of Atzilut once more. Hence, they seduced Adam and Eve to reconnect them to the inner vessels of Atzilut as they were at the time of the breaking of the vessels. However, Noga is not a shell because she has been corrected not to receive the illumination of Haya into her, as she is discerned as from-the-Chazeh and below of Partzuf HASHMAL, and the HASHMAL has been established as at times speaking, from the Chazeh and above, and at times silent, from the Chazeh and below. Hence, she has no interest in seducing the man to draw the light of Haya. This is why the ARI writes that the seduction was done by the three shells that have a great craving to draw the light of Haya. However, they did this through the Noga shell because they themselves have no contact with the Kedusha of Atzilut, but only with the Noga shell.

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1. ^* Tree of Life, Part 2, Gate 42, Chapter 1↩
2. ^* Tree of Life, Part 2, Gate 42, Chapter 2↩
3. ^* Tree of Life, Part 2, Gate 42, end of Chapter 2↩
4. ^* Tree of Life, Gate 42, Chapter 3↩
5. ^* Shaar HaHakdamot [Gate to Introductions]↩
6. ^* Mavo She’arim, Gate 2, Part 1, Chapter 3.↩
7. ^* Tree of Life, Gate 1, Branch 4.↩
8. ^* Tree of Life, Gate 3, Chapter 2.↩
9. ^* Tree of Life, Part 2, Gate 49, Chapter 1.↩
10. ^* Tree of Life, Part 2, Gate 49, Chapter 2.↩