Baal HaSulam. Study of the Ten Sefirot. Vol. 2. Part 6, item 1

PART SIX

The Ten Sefirot of the World of Nekudim

1. *AK contains AB SAG MA BON in its self. Each of these four consists of all four and lights stem from it, which are its branches. The AB is in its Mochin, opposite AA and Abba of Atzilut. Above its Galgalta, it contains a model of the phase of Atik of Atzilut, and its SAG is from Ozen down to its Tabur, opposite Bina of Atzilut, and its MA and BON are from its Tabur down, opposite ZON of Atzilut.

Inner Light

1. AK contains. This study that I’ve begun with is the most profound of all the ARI’s lessons regarding the world of Nekudim, and should have been presented at the end of the part. However, in this section the ARI gave us the key by which he explains all the future issues before us in the ten Sefirot of Nekudim. Hence, the reader must know and remember it well before examining the concepts themselves.

First, we must know which of the Partzufim of AK the ARI refers to in this case, as we know that there are five Partzufim in AK. However, the ARI has already notified us that in the first two Partzufim of AK, namely Partzuf Keter of AK and Partzuf AB of AK, we have no permission to speak.

The study begins only in Partzuf SAG, from the phase of Ozen down, meaning its level is only up to Bina, as Bina of the Rosh is called Ozen. That teaches us that the ARI speaks of Partzuf SAG of AK here, and the details and matters elucidated before us revolve only around that Partzuf.

He says that it contains AB SAG MA BON in its self, which are the four levels that emerge over the above four phases. These are phase three, extending the level of Hochma, called HaVaYaH of AB, phase two, extending the level of Bina, called HaVaYaH of SAG, phase one, extending the level of ZA, called HaVaYaH of MA, and the level of Malchut, called BON. Each of them contains all four, as he explains henceforth.

Lights stem from it, which are its branches. They are called the hair of the head and the hair of the beard, emanated from this Rosh of SAG of AK. Indeed, know that everything said here is but roots to the items in the world of Atzilut. Although they are not operative here, they are nonetheless rooted here.

The AB is in its Mochin. Here we must remember everything that’s been explained regarding the emanation of the first three Partzufim of AK, very briefly explained in the ARI’s words in Part Five. He calls the first Partzuf of AK “the first expansion,” Partzuf AB of AK “the second expansion,” and Partzuf SAG of AK “The second phase of the second expansion.” We must generally remember all the words brought by the ARI there, and everything explained there in Inner Light, for I will not repeat anything here, only use the names.

You already know that every lower one clothes its upper one only from the Peh down, meaning from the place it is rooted and where it emerges, which is the Malchut of the Rosh of its upper one. This is where the lower one emerges. Hence, Keter of the Rosh of SAG is called Ozen because the light of Bina, called Ozen, clothes the vessel of Keter. He, in turn, clothes his upper Partzuf, called AB, from the Peh down.

Know, that this Guf of AB, clothed in Rosh of SAG, becomes a Neshama and Mochin to the Rosh of SAG. It is written, “The AB is in its Mochin, opposite AA and Abba of Atzilut,” since the Guf of AB, clothed in the Rosh of SAG, are the phase of Mochin to the Rosh of SAG.

Opposite AA and Abba of Atzilut. AA is AB of MA in Atzilut, and Abba is AB of BON in Atzilut, where the five Partzufim of MA and the five Partzufim of BON join together. It is written that the phase of AB clothed in Rosh of SAG is equivalent to AA and Abba of Atzilut.

Know that this study explains the equivalence of the five Partzufim of SAG of AK with the five Partzufim in Atzilut. This is in order to know how to deduce from one regarding the other, and how the branches connect and cascade from their roots. It is also to study the upper one from the lower one, and this is immeasurably beneficial.

A model of the phase of Atik of Atzilut. Partzuf Keter of Atzilut is called Atik. He says that above Partzuf AB of AK there is another, first Partzuf, meaning Partzuf Keter of AK, corresponding to Partzuf Atik in Atzilut.

Its SAG is from Ozen down to its Tabur. Partzuf SAG of AK, whose level reaches Bina, is called Ozen. Everything spoken here stems from it, and completes and ends on the Tabur. We must thoroughly understand the essence of that Tabur, upon which Partzuf SAG ends. This Tabur is the entire axis upon which all the items in the world of Nekudim revolve.

Know, that in fact, SAG stretches down to the Sium Raglaim of the inner AK, called Partzuf Keter. However, after the restriction of NHY, which will be explained later, it rose and ended at the Tabur.

However, only the Raglaim of Partzuf AB ended there. This is because from there down is the place of Malchut of the inner AK, namely phase four. Since Malchut of Partzuf AB had only coarseness of phase three, it could not shine for phase four of Malchut of inner AK, whose place is called Tabur. For this reason, the Raglaim of Partzuf AB ended above Tabur.

However, the level of Partzuf SAG only reaches Bina. It is known that the restriction was only on the light of Hochma, not on the light of Bina. Hence, Partzuf SAG could expand and shine below Tabur, too, though it does not have a screen of phase four.

You already know that Partzuf AB is the second expansion of the inner AK, which expands and fills the vessels that were emptied in the first departure. This is the meaning of the second expansion, as mentioned in previous parts. Thus, the phases of ZON of the inner AK below the Tabur remained without light, since the second expansion, meaning AB, cannot shine for them, as it does not have the screen required for the vessels of phase four. Therefore, the lights of Partzuf SAG came and filled in for the absence of AB. They expanded to the same vessels of ZON below Tabur, which could not be filled by AB.

It turns out that the departure of the lights of the vessels of Partzuf Keter of AK, called “Inner AK,” could not be fulfilled once more, unless through the two Partzufim AB and SAG. AB filled it to the Tabur, and SAG filled it from the Tabur down to its Sium Raglaim.

SAG is divided within itself into tastes and dots, which are Keter of the Guf, and the lower nine Sefirot of the Guf from Hochma down (see Part 5, item 24, and Inner Light there). Only the first expansion of the Partzuf, before it begins to diminish, is the direct light of that Partzuf, called light of mercy.

However, from the moment the screen begins to become refined and diminish its level, they are no longer phases of light of mercy, even though the upper light does not stop coupling with it on the four phases of its refinement as it generates the four levels of Hochma, Bina, ZA and Malchut on its way. This is why they are called Nekudot.

The lights clothed the Sefirot of the first three Partzufim Galgalta-Eynaim-SAG of AK by way of present and not present. In other words, initially, light expanded only to the vessel of Keter, and then it is not present in Keter, meaning its measure of coarseness in the screen has been refined, and then the light is present in Hochma.

Thus, only in the vessel of Keter did the light expand in the phase of Rachamim, called tastes, but the light reached the vessel of Hochma only after the refinement of the screen and the diminution of the level, and likewise in the rest of the Sefirot.

For this reason, all the Sefirot below Keter are called Nekudot, as they are already from phases of reflected light and judgement, as it is written at length in the words of the ARI above (Part 4, Chapter 3).

It has been explained above (Part 5, item 47, Inner Light) that the two lights that came down and clothed the vessel of Keter are called ZON. The male has phase three of clothing and his level reaches Hochma. The female has coarseness of phase two and her level reaches Bina.

Hence, the vessel of Keter, too, was forced to end on the Tabur, even with the Raglaim of AB, for the same reason as that of AB. The male has the level of Hochma there in the vessel of Keter. Hence, the restriction applies to him as to Partzuf AB, and he must end above the Tabur because he cannot shine to the vessels of ZON of phase four.

You find that the what the ARI wrote above, that Partzuf SAG expands to the Raglaim of AK, refers only to phases of Nekudot of SAG, which are the nine lower Sefirot from Hochma down. However, tastes of SAG, being the Keter of the Guf of SAG, stop at the Tabur since it cannot shine from the Tabur down due to the light of Hochma in it.

Only after ZON of Keter are refined from phase three and phase two in them into phase two and phase one, which is given to the vessel of Hochma of SAG, these lights no longer have any level of Hochma there. Then these lights of SAG expand to the vessels of ZON in the inner AK below the Tabur, as do the lights in the other levels, Bina, ZA, and Malchut.

It has been explained in the words of the ARI above that these four levels HB, ZA and Malchut of SAG that expanded below the Tabur, rose once more to the place of the tastes of SAG above the Tabur. They did not expand from the Tabur down any longer.

It is written here that SAG ends on the Tabur, meaning after the ascent of these lights above the Tabur. The ascents of these lights are henceforth called the restriction of NHY.

Understand all the above thoroughly and repeat it until it is seemingly placed in a box, for you will need all the above in every single word in the explanation of the Nekudim and the breaking of the vessels, and it is impossible to always repeat such lengthiness.

And its MA and BON are from its Tabur down, corresponding to ZON of Atzilut, meaning the ten Sefirot of Nekudim, considered MA and BON of this SAG. They correspond to the ZON of Atzilut, which also clothe Partzuf AA from Tabur down, and the reason for these words will be explained henceforth.

2. As in its internality, so in the lights that stem from it, which are its branches. The hair of its Rosh is opposite the branches of AB, and the hair of the beard is from the AHP, opposite the branches of SAG. AVI are included in them, and between the two of them, they took Bina of MA after the correction, which is the name SAG, that contains both of them, and they are incorporated in the Mazla of Dikna (beard) of AA. Study it thoroughly for so it is here, but then SAG still expanded to the Raglaim of AK.

Inner Light

2. The hair of its Rosh is opposite the branches of AB, and the hair of ‎the beard is from the AHP, opposite the branches of SAG.‎ These hair of the head and the beard did not emerge immediately with the emanation of the Partzuf, but after the restriction of NHY and the ascent of the lower Hey to the Eynaim. It will be explained below that the lower Hey, which is the joint screen for phase two and phase four together, rose to Hochma of the Rosh of SAG, called Eynaim, where it made a coupling with the upper light and raised reflected light from Hochma to Keter, meaning from Eynaim to Galgalta, extending only the level of ZA.

At that time, the ten Sefirot of the Rosh of SAG divided into Galgalta and Eynaim and to Ozen, Hotem, Peh. Since the place of the coupling became the Eynaim, and the Eynaim operated within the Peh of the Rosh, the three Sefirot AHP became the phase of Guf, and they receive from this Malchut that stands at the Eynaim and imparts to them from above downward, and only two Sefirot Galgalta and Eynaim remain there in the phase of Rosh, meaning in the phase of from below upward. Thus, the ten Sefirot of the Rosh were divided into two phases, Rosh and Guf, since only their Keter and Hochma remain as the phase of the Rosh, while Bina, ZA and Malchut in them, departed from the phase of Rosh and became Sefirot of Guf.

This coupling, which divides the ten Sefirot of Rosh into two phases, Rosh and Guf, is made in the Hochma of Rosh SAG itself. However, for itself, it remains unchanged, as it is known that there is no absence in spirituality. There is only an addition here, for they are considered ten Sefirot of the branches of Rosh of SAG, called ten Sefirot of hair.

They are the ones that were divided on the two above phases of Rosh and Guf. Keter and Hochma in them, which remained in the phase of Rosh, are considered branches of AB, in the form of the hair of the head. The three Sefirot AHP in them, which became the phase of Guf, are considered the hair of the beard, the branches of SAG.

It is written, “The hair of its Rosh is opposite the branches of AB, and the hair of ‎the beard is from the AHP, opposite the branches of SAG.” This means that that division of the ten Sefirot of the Rosh into two phases of GE and AHP that occurred in Rosh of SAG, this renewal is called hair. Also, phases of Galgalta and Eynaim that remained in the phase of Rosh is considered the branches of AB, and the phases Ozen, Hotem, Peh in them that went out from the Rosh, are considered the branches of SAG. The reason for this will be explained henceforth.

AVI are included in them, and between the two of them, they took ‎Bina of MA after the correction, which is the name SAG, that ‎contains both of them, and they are incorporated in the Mazla of ‎Dikna of AA. He tells us that as AVI of Atzilut were incorporated and emerged from the ten Sefirot of the beard of AA, so the ten Sefirot of Nekudim emerged from the hair of the beard of Rosh SAG. Know, that there are three phases of AVI: Inner AVI, upper AVI, and YESHSUT. All three are contained in the hair of the beard, as there are thirteen corrections of the beard, which are three HaVaYot [pl. of HaVaYaH], meaning three phases of ten Sefirot.

The first ten Sefirot are considered the first four corrections, ending at the chin puff. The Inner AVI emerged from this Shibbolet HaZakan [chin puff], being GAR of Nekudim. The upper AVI emerged from the middle four corrections, ending on the upper Mazal, called Notzer Hesed. Israel, the ends of the words of Atzilut, emerged from the last ten Sefirot, being the five lower corrections, ending at the bottom Mazal, called and Nakeh.

It is written, “they are incorporated in the Mazla of ‎Dikna of AA.” The above-mentioned AVI are called Abba together, and the above-mentioned YESHSUT are called Ima together. Abba is incorporated in the upper Mazal, and Ima is incorporated in the lower Mazal, and both are incorporated in Mazla.

However, the four upper corrections, which end on Shibbolet HaZakan, belong to the Inner AVI. Only GAR of Nekudim emerged from them, which are the phase of inner AVI. Remember these words for you will need them in every single word that follows.

Then SAG still expanded to the Raglaim of AK. This has already been clarified above (Inner Light item one, in the paragraph beginning with “Its SAG”).

3. In the beginning, AK was thus: Its first three are AB, Keter, SAG—Hochma and Bina. From its half and below, which are the Nekudot in it, this SAG was clothed from its Tabur of AK and below within MA and BON of AK, and all this is the internality of AK: self, lights, and vessels.

Inner Light

‎3.‎ In the beginning, AK was thus: Its first three are AB, Keter. The words here are about the same issue presented above, only in different wording. I copied them only because there are some small novelties here. Here, too, it revolves around Partzuf SAG of AK and connects it with Partzuf AB of AK that is clothed in it. You already know that Partzuf SAG clothes from the Peh of the Rosh of AB downward, meaning to the phase of the three Sefirot HGT of the Guf of AB. It is written, “Its first three are AB, Keter,‎” since HGT of AB become GAR of Partzuf SAG, where Rosh of SAG clothes them from the outside. The Peh, being Malchut of the Rosh of AB, is the phase of Keter of the Rosh SAG above it, and HGT of AB are the inner Mochin in it.

SAG – Hochma and Bina. This means that there are Hochma and Bina in Partzuf SAG itself. Even though the entire level of SAG is only the level of Bina, it still contains male and female. This means that the screen that rose to Malchut of Rosh AB for the coupling for Partzuf SAG consists of two upper records: a record of only phase three of clothing, without extension, and a complete record of phase two. For this reason, two couplings were made on them: the first in the level of Hochma, and the second in the level of Bina, and they are called ZON. The record of phase three of clothing, on which the level of Hochma emerged, is called male, and the record of phase two, which is complete with the phase of drawing, too, is called female. The principal light of Partzuf SAG, which is the level of Bina, emerged over her.

These ZON were clothed only in vessel of Keter of the Guf of SAG and do not extend from them to the lower nine Sefirot of SAG, though ZON of the vessel of Keter were refined into phase two and phase one (see Part 5, Inner Light, item 47).

It is written, “SAG – Hochma and Bina,” since the Partzuf is always named after its upper Sefirot. Since the above-mentioned Sefirot of ZON have the level of Hochma and Bina in them, SAG is called Hochma and Bina.

He tells us that so as to understand the following text, that this SAG later became the phase of AB, though it is known that the level of AB is up to Hochma. How then could SAG become AB? This is why he mentions here that there are Hochma and Bina in this SAG, for the male is phase three of clothing, the phase of AB, which is why it later turned into the phase of AB, and remember that.

From its half and below, which are the Nekudot in it, this SAG was ‎clothed from its Tabur of AK and below within MA and BON of ‎AK. You must remember the meaning of tastes and dots, presented above in the words of the ARI (Part 4, Chapter 3, item 11). The first expansion to the Partzuf, before the screen begins to become refined, is called tastes. This is direct light and Rachamim.

However, when the screen begins to be refined, upper light extends from the emanator and makes a coupling with the screen during the degrees of its refinement. The four levels emerging at that time, which are Hochma, Bina, ZA and Malchut, are called Nekudot, as they are the phase of reflected light and judgement.

Yet, understand that only the lights in the vessel of Keter of the Guf of SAG are called tastes, but all of the nine lower Sefirot below Keter of the Guf of SAG are called Nekudot. You should also know that the vessel of Keter of the Guf of SAG expands through the Tabur, meaning to the Sium Raglaim of the Guf of AB, and that place of Sium is called Tabur.

It is written, “From its half and below, which are the Nekudot in it, this SAG was ‎clothed from its Tabur of AK and below within MA and BON of ‎AK.” This refers to its lower nine Sefirot, since all of the lower nine Sefirot are called Nekudot here, for they all descended below the Tabur and clothed the inner MA and BON of AK.

And all this is the internality of AK, meaning that all this is the phase of Partzuf SAG in its own structure, and the branches that emerge outward from it are not included, and he explains them later.

4. Afterward, it elicited the exterior phases to clothe it. First it elicited lights from the general, inner AB, which is the hair of the Keter, surrounding its Rosh from the outside up to the Metzach and to the Oznaim. Afterward, it elicited the hair of the beard that is extended from the general SAG called Nekudim, from which the general three Mochin in it were made.

Inner Light

The hair of the Keter, surrounding its Rosh from the outside up to the ‎Metzach and to the Oznaim. It has already been explained that the hair is divided into two phases: Rosh and Guf. Up to the Oznaim, which is Bina, it is considered Rosh, since the place of the coupling was in Nikvey Eynaim, being Hochma of Rosh. For this reason, the lights expanded from there down to the Ozen Hotem Peh, to the phase of clothing, called Guf.

You already know that there is a big difference between the Rosh and the Guf. It is written that the hair is extended until the Oznaim because until there, it is considered Rosh, but from the Oznaim downward, it is already considered Guf.

The hair of the beard that is extended from the general SAG called Nekudim. You should know that these AHP that emerged from the phase of Rosh to the phase of the Guf are always called “the general SAG.” The reason is, as the ARI writes below, that this entire SAG of AK that we are studying is regarded as all AB, except for the Nekudot in it, which are its bottom half, which is called below YESHSUT, and this alone is considered SAG. It alone emerged through the Nikvey Eynaim into the phase of AHP of the Guf, and this YESHSUT is called the “general SAG” in every place, and it is the Rosh of the ten Sefirot of Nekudim.

It has been explained above that the beginning of the coupling in Nikvey Eynaim, which brought out the AHP into the state of Guf, was made in Rosh of SAG itself, but as hair, since the hair of the head up to the Oznaim is discerned as from below upward, which is Rosh. Hence, it is still considered AB, as no change is apparent in it yet because of the ascent of the lower Hey to the Nikvey Eynaim.

However, from Nikvey Eynaim and below, which are the hair of the beard, they are already considered AHP that departed from the Rosh and became the phase of the Guf. Hence, only the AHP of the hair, called the hair of the beard, are regarded as the General SAG, which is the phase of Nekudim. This will be elaborated on below.

It is said, “Afterward, it elicited the hair of the beard that is extended from the ‎general SAG called Nekudim.” This means that from the phase of Oznaim downward, the hair of the beard was extended in the phase of the general SAG, called Nekudim. However, this hair that is extended from the Nikvey Eynaim, meaning from Malchut in Hochma from below upward, is still considered AB; they are not branches of the general SAG. Thus, the hair of the head is branches that is extended from AB, and the hair of the beard is branches extended from the general SAG, and remember that.

The general three Mochin in it. This means that the first three Sefirot KHB of Nekudim are made of this hair of the beard, though not from itself, but from the general in them, grouped in the fourth correction of the hair of the beard, called Shibbolet HaZakan, as it is written elaborately below, as it is written, “from which the general three Mochin in it were made‎.”

5. First, the tastes of SAG were extended, which is AHP through its Tabur. Afterwards, it did not elicit the rest of the phases, for they are clothed inside MA and BON as the lights of the collective AB, of which only the hair that is extended from the AB of the general AB became revealed. The rest of them are concealed inside the general SAG.

Inner Light

‎5. First, the tastes of SAG were extended, which is AHP through its ‎Tabur. This means that initially, before the branches of the general SAG came out, meaning the hair of the head and the beard, the tastes of SAG emerged, which are the level of AHP through its Tabur, which are discerned as direct light and Rachamim (see Inner Light, item 1). There is also the phase of male there, whose level is up to Hochma. Nevertheless, he calls the Partzuf AHP, since primarily, the light and the level are regarded as the phase of female, since the whole expansion into the Guf is only from the phase of female, which has phases of coarseness of extension. The female has only the level of AHP, namely the level of Bina, and the reason it ends on the Tabur has already been explained there elaborately.

They are clothed inside MA and BON. The matter of this clothing has already been explained (Inner Light, item 1). The AB did not return to fill the vessels that were emptied from Tabur and below in the inner AK, since the AB does not have a screen of phase four, and therefore cannot shine from the Tabur down, which is the place of phase four. Thus, the vessels of ZON in the inner AK from the Tabur down remained without light. Afterwards, when Partzuf SAG expanded, its nine lower Sefirot, having only the level of the light of Bina, which is a light on which there was no restriction, descended below Tabur of AK and filled the ZON that are there with light.

It is written that it did not elicit the rest of the phases below the tastes of SAG, which are the lower nine Sefirot of SAG, since they are clothed in MA and BON. This means that the lower nine Sefirot of SAG that clothe in ZON below Tabur of the inner AK are called MA and BON. Remember these words for this matter of clothing of the lower nine Sefirot of SAG in the inner MA and BON is fundamental for everything that happens in the world of Nekudim.

6. Then it wanted to bring the externality of the inner MA and BON in it outwards. In that state, all the inner phases of SAG, concealed in the inner MA and BON, rose and the inner MA and BON rose along with them. Thus, these MA and BON are their MAN, to the tastes of SAG themselves, which are not clothed inside MA and BON.

They are in the role of AVI to YESHSUT, since as upper AVI make a coupling for ZON, and YESHSUT are incorporated with them, so it is here, the tastes of SAG make a coupling with all of AB.

Moreover, the Nekudot, tags, and letters of SAG connect with them and become subordinate to them. Consequently, they do not bear a name, like the above-mentioned YESHSUT. Then they engender the phase of BON of externality and their garment outwardly. Thus, the female was now born first.

Inner Light

All the inner phases of SAG, concealed in the inner MA and BON, rose. The matter of this ascent is as the ascent of the lights in the first departure in the inner AK, and as the ascent of the lights of the second departure in Partzuf AB. It implies a complete refinement of the screen from all its coarseness until it equalized with the phase of screen of Rosh. This equivalence means that the screen and all the records included in it rose to Malchut of Rosh and were incorporated in her in the coupling of the Rosh.

The same occurred in this Partzuf SAG, for after it is present in Malchut of SAG, meaning when the screen had been refined into the level of Malchut, it, too, came from there and was completely refined from its coarseness. It equalized entirely with Malchut of Rosh, the coupling stopped from the Partzuf, and all the lights left to the emanator, as has been explained above (Part 4, Chapter 4, Inner Light, item 50).

It’s been explained there that the lights leave records after their departure. It has also been explained that the as the screen passes from Sefira to Sefira during the refinement, until it is completely refined and comes to the Rosh, it becomes incorporated in those records. It follows that the lights of SAG that clothed in the inner ZON, these lights that have already been mixed with the coarseness of phase four in the vessels below Tabur, although they have departed, they left behind them records. These records of phase four were incorporated in the screen that rose to Malchut of Rosh, so when the screen rose to Malchut of Rosh, it brought with it those records of the inner ZON, called inner MA and BON.

It is written, “In that state, all the inner phases of SAG, concealed in the inner ‎MA and BON, rose,” meaning the records of the lower nine Sefirot of SAG itself, clothed and concealed inside the records of the inner MA and BON from the coarseness of phase four. Since the records of lights of SAG are contained and mixed in records of MA and BON, they rose and were incorporated together with the screen of SAG to the Malchut of Rosh, and were incorporated there in the upper coupling, as he explains henceforth.

We might ask: It has been explained that Partzuf SAG remained in the phase of permanent present and not present. How then, does he say here that in SAG there is also the departure of all the lights to the Rosh? Indeed, you already know that there is no absence in the spiritual, and all the changes we discern in the spirituals are but additional forms, without the former form ever being canceled. It is the same here, for although there is a matter of departure of lights here, too, after the lights of SAG mixed with the inner MA and BON, the perpetual form of present and not present still remains intact.

The inner MA and BON rose along with them. It has already been explained above that the records of SAG incorporated with the records of MA and BON, and they were all incorporated in the screen and rose along with it to the Rosh.

MA and BON are their MAN. The screen ascends to the Malchut of Rosh to be incorporated there in the coupling of the Rosh, to be renewed and expand from there to a new Partzuf as it was in the previous two Partzufim, AB and SAG. Thus, this screen has now acquired a new name, which is MAN, an acronym for Mayin Nukvin (Aramaic – Female Waters). This is so for the reason explained above that two kinds of records were incorporated here in one another: the records of lights of SAG, discerned as coarseness of phase two, with the records of the lights that clothed the inner MA and BON, discerned as the coarseness of phase four.

It is known that phase two is the first Hey of HaVaYaH, and the coarseness of phase four is the last Hey of the name HaVaYaH, which are two females. When the screen rises to be incorporated in the coupling of the Rosh, it is incorporated with these two females together. For this reason, it is now called Mayin Nukvin, in plural form, since it is incorporated both females.

Know, that this connection caused the making of ten vessels in the ten Sefirot, and the correction of two lines. This is the meaning of the association of the quality of mercy with judgement, since the first Hey is the quality of mercy, and the last Hey is the quality of judgement. Now they came together in the screen, in a single coupling.

It is said, “these MA and BON are their MAN.” This means that they induced the matter of the MAN that was renewed from here on in the worlds, since they are the ZON of the inner AK, whose level is up to Keter because of the phase four in it.

They were included and came in the record of phase two, which are from the lights of SAG, and were doubled together in the coarseness in the screen, and then they were called MAN.

Know that from the moment they became connected, they never parted. The only difference between them is in the internality and externality, that at times, phase four is concealed inside and phase two or phase one are outside, and at times, phase two is concealed within and phase four is revealed outside, as was here the first time they connected, as the ARI writes here, “the inner phases of SAG, concealed in the inner MA and BON.” Thus, phase two is concealed inside, while phase four is revealed outwards. This will be explained further in its place.

Their MAN, to the tastes of SAG themselves, which are not clothed inside MA and BON. As has been explained above, the tastes of SAG, which are the lights in vessel of Keter of Guf of Partzuf SAG, must end evenly with the Sium Raglaim of AB, meaning above Tabur. This is because the male clothed in vessel of Keter has the level of Hochma, like AB, and the female in the vessel of Keter is incorporated along with it. Hence, they cannot shine below Tabur, since they do not have a screen of phase four.

It follows, that the lights of tastes of SAG are not clothed in MA and BON below Tabur. This is why it says that they became MAN to the tastes of SAG themselves, which are not clothed in MA and BON, namely the ZON in vessel Keter of the Guf of SAG that end above the Tabur. The matter that took place here and the light that was drawn because of it will be explained below in its proper place.

AVI to YESHSUT. This deduction must be thoroughly understood, as there are two very different halves of SAG here: the upper half of SAG, which is vessel of Keter of Guf of SAG, called tastes, which ends above Tabur and does not descend and does not mix with the inner MA and BON, and remains in its coarseness of phase two, and phase three of clothing. The lower half of SAG, meaning the lower nine Sefirot from Hochma and below, is called Nekudot of SAG. It descended and was mixed with the inner MA and BON, and two kinds of coarseness were doubled in it: that of phase two and that of phase four together.

He says that its upper half, which did not mix with phase four, is called upper AVI, and its lower half, which was mixed with phase four as MAN, is called Israel Saba and Tvuna. Remember these names well for the ARI uses them throughout the rest.

Know, that this is the root of the division of AVI into two Partzufim, called AVI and YESHSUT. Both emerge as AHP that came out, meaning the hair of the beard, and these AHP already receive from the lower half of SAG, which is corrected with MAN. However, because they are ten complete Sefirot of Rosh, where AVI are from the phase of Nikvey Eynaim and above, they are still not discerned as included in the MAN, since the screen of MAN is placed below them, meaning in Nikvey Eynaim, and the coarseness does not operate at all from below upward. However, since YESHSUT is considered the AHP of the Partzuf, extending from the Nikvey Eynaim downward, the screen of MAN already operates on them. Hence, YESHSUT are attributed to the lower Partzuf of SAG, that is already mixed with phase four.

Upper AVI make a coupling for ZON, and YESHSUT are incorporated with ‎them‎. The matter of AVI and YESHSUT of Atzilut has already been explained. They are considered a single Rosh of ten Sefirot GE and AHP. They were divided into two halves of the Rosh through the ascent of the lower Hey to Nikvey Eynaim. The upper part, Galgalta and Eynaim, is not regarded as no longer connected with phase four in the lower Hey, since she is below the Eynaim. It is called AVI. The other half of the ten Sefirot of Rosh, which are the AHP below the lower Hey in the Nikvey Eynaim, is considered connected with phase four in the lower Hey. Hence, they are regarded as Guf, which receives from the Nikvey Eynaim of the Rosh from above downward.

These two halves of the Rosh join together into a single Partzuf to beget ZON, since that lower Hey in Nikvey Eynaim descends once more to the place of the Peh, to Malchut of the Rosh. Then the AHP return to the Rosh, as well, and unite with AVI into a single phase of ten Sefirot of Rosh, and beget Mochin for ZON of Atzilut.

It is written, “As upper AVI make a coupling for ZON, and YESHSUT are incorporated ‎with them, so it is here, the tastes of SAG make a coupling with all of AB.‎ Moreover, the Nekudot, tags, and letters of SAG connect with them and ‎become subordinate to them.” Explanation: The matter of the birth of Mochin of ZA has been explained above. AVI connect with YESHSUT into a single Rosh, and the coupling is done on screen of phase two in the general Peh of this Rosh. The ten Sefirot that emerge on this screen have the level of GAR of Bina, which become Mochin and GAR for ZA.

However, it is not so for the purpose of the Ibur of ZA, meaning the Katnut of ZA. Although this coupling should be made in AVI, too, which are always discerned as Rosh, here YESHSUT are mixed with AVI because the drop of ZA contained in NHY of AA ascends and is incorporated in the screen of YESHSUT. YESHSUT, in turn, are incorporated in AVI, and the coupling takes place in the screen of YESHSUT, incorporated as MAN in screen of AVI. The level emerging on this coupling is close to phase one, lacking GAR, and then ZA comes out without Mochin, but only as Guf, without a Rosh.

In the beginning, only the phase of Katnut of Nekudim emerged, like the above ZA of Atzilut. Hence, Nekudot of SAG, mixed with phase four, rose and incorporated within the tastes of SAG. Those, in turn, did not mix with phase four and are regarded as upper AVI. The tastes of SAG rose to Rosh of SAG with the MAN of the Nekudot, and the coupling was made on the MAN of Nekudot, incorporated in the tastes, not on the phase of screen of the tastes. Then the MAN rose to the Eynaim, which are phase one, since the reflected light ascending from Hochma to Keter extends only the level of ZA, and it is this level that descended from Tabur down once more to the ten Sefirot of Nekudim.

It is written, “the Nekudot, tags, and letters of SAG connect with them and become subordinate to them.” This is so because the lower nine of SAG, which are Hochma, Bina, ZA and Malchut, are called dots, tags, letters. Dots are HB, tags are MA, meaning ZA, and letters are BON, which is Malchut. They became MAN and rose to the tastes of SAG, where they joined with them and were incorporated in those tastes. Hence the coupling took place there in the Eynaim of Rosh of the tastes.

BON of externality and their garment outwardly. Do not misinterpret that the level of Malchut, which is always called BON, was born here, because the coupling performed in Nikvey Eynaim is from the coarseness of phase one, which is the level of ZA. Moreover, there is phase two from the phase of clothing here, which is close to the level of SAG.

Indeed, you shall see that the ARI calls it by the name BON of externality, and not merely BON, as it is actually the phase of SAG. This level is actually called YESHSUT, which is SAG, but since the external AHP of this YESHSUT descended to the phase of Nekudim below Tabur, where the root female of all the worlds was built, whose value is actually SAG, not BON, since the inner BON, phase four, remained entirely in the inner AK and not a single phase of female in it appeared in all the worlds, therefore, Malchut of YESHSUT that emerged through Nikvey Eynaim is called BON, as she inherited the place of the inner BON. This is why it was said, “Then they engender the phase of BON of externality.”

Thus, the female was now born first. As it says above, Malchut of YESHSUT that emerged through the Eynaim, from which the ten Sefirot of Nekudim were emanated, is the root female in all the worlds.