READING: FROM MIDNIGHT TO DAWN THURSDAY

Baal HaSulam. Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah, item 171

Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah

1) Rabbi Hanania Ben Akashia says, “The Creator wished to refine Israel; hence, He gave them plentiful Torah and Mitzvot [commandments], as was said, ‘The Lord desires for the sake of His righteousness, to extol and glorify the Torah’” (Makkot 23b). It is known that Zakkut [refinement/cleansing] derives from the [Hebrew] word Hizdakchut [refining]. It is as our sages said, “The commandments were only given to refine Israel with them” (Beresheet Rabbah, beginning of Portion 44). We must understand this refinement that we achieve through Torah and commandments, and what is the coarseness within us, which we must refine using Torah and commandments.

Since we have already discussed it in my book Panim uMasbirot, and in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, I shall briefly reiterate that the thought of creation was to delight the created beings in accord with His abundant generosity. For this reason, a great desire and craving to receive His abundance was imprinted in the souls.

This is so because the will to receive is the vessel for the measure of pleasure in the abundance, since the measure and strength of the will to receive the abundance precisely corresponds to the measure of pleasure and delight in the abundance. And they are so connected that they are indivisible, except in what they relate to: The pleasure is related to the abundance, and the great desire to receive the abundance is related to the receiving created being.

These two necessarily extend from the Creator. However, they should be divided in the above-mentioned manner: The abundance comes from His self, extending existence from existence, and the will to receive included there is the root of the created beings. This means that it is the root of initiation, that is, emergence existence from absence, since there is certainly no form of will to receive in His self.

Hence, it is considered that the above-mentioned will to receive is the whole substance of creation from beginning to end. Thus, all the created beings, all their innumerable instances and conducts that have appeared and will appear, are but measures and various values of the will to receive. All that exists in those created beings, that is, all that is received in the will to receive imprinted in them, extends from His self, existence from existence. It is not at all a new creation, existence from absence, since it is not new at all. Rather, it extends from His Endlessness existence from existence.

2) As we have said, the will to receive is innately included in the thought of creation with all its values, along with the great abundance He had planned to delight them and impart upon them. And know that these are the light and vessel that we discern in the upper worlds. They necessarily come tied together and cascade together degree by degree. And the extent to which the degrees descend from the light of His face and depart from Him is the extent of the materialization of the will to receive contained in the abundance.

We could also state the contrary: To the extent that the will to receive in the abundance materializes, it descends degree by degree, as written below, to the lowest of all places, where the will to receive is fully materialized. This place is called “the world of Assiya,” the will to receive is considered “man’s body,” and the abundance one receives is considered the measure of “vitality in that body.”

It is similar in other creatures in this world. Thus, the only difference between the upper worlds and this world is that as long as the will to receive incorporated in His abundance has not fully materialized, it is regarded as still being in the spiritual worlds, above this world. Once the will to receive has fully materialized, it is regarded as being in this world.

3) The above-mentioned order of cascading, which brings the will to receive to its final form in this world, follows a sequence of four phases that exist in the four-letter-name [HaVaYaH (Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey)]. This is because the four letters, HaVaYaH, in His name contain the whole of reality, without any exception.

In general, they are described in the ten Sefirot, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, Malchut, and their root. They are ten Sefirot because the Sefira [sing. of Sefirot] Tifferet contains six internal Sefirot, called HGT NHY [Hesed–Gevura–Tifferet Netzah–Hod–Yesod], and the root is called Keter. Yet, in essence, they are called HB TM [Hochma-Bina Tifferet-Malchut].

These are four worlds called Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya. The world of Assiya contains this world within it. Thus, there is not a creature in this world that is not initiated in Ein Sof, in the thought of creation to delight His creations. Hence, it is innately comprised of light and vessel, meaning a certain measure of abundance with the will to receive that abundance.

The measure of abundance extends existence from existence from His self, and the will to receive the abundance is initiated existence from absence.

But for that will to receive to acquire its final quality, it must cascade along with the abundance within it through the four worlds—Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya. This completes creation in light and vessel, called “body,” and the “light of life” within it.

4) The reason why the will to receive must cascade by the four above-mentioned discernments in ABYA [Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya] is that there is a great rule concerning the vessels: The expansion of the light and its departure make the vessel fit for its task. This means that as long as the vessel has not been separated from its light, it is included in the light and is annulled within it like a candle before a torch.

This annulment is because they are completely opposite from one another, on opposite ends. This is so because the light extends from His self, existence from existence. From the perspective of the thought of creation in Ein Sof [Infinity], it is all toward bestowal and there is no trace of a will to receive in it. Its opposite is the vessel, the great will to receive that abundance, and is the root of the innovated created being, in which there is no bestowal whatsoever.

Hence, when they are bound together, the will to receive is annulled in the light within it, and can determine its form only once the light has departed from it once. Following the departure of the light from it, it begins to crave it, and this craving properly determines and sets the shape of the will to receive. Subsequently, when the light dresses in it once more, it is regarded as two separate matters: vessel and light, or body and life. Observe closely, for this is most profound.

5) Hence, the four phases in the name HaVaYaH, called Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, Malchut, are required. Phase one, called Hochma, is indeed the whole of the emanated being, light and vessel. In it is the great will to receive with all the light included in it, called “light of Hochma” or “light of Haya,” as it is all the light of Hayim [life] in the emanated being, dressed in its vessel. However, this phase one is regarded as all light, and the vessel in it is barely noticeable as it is mingled with the light and annulled in it as a candle in a torch.

Following it comes phase two, since at its end, the vessel of Hochma intensifies in equivalence of form with the upper light in it. This means that a desire to bestow upon the Emanator awakens in it, according to the nature of the light within it, which is entirely to bestow.

Then, using this desire that has awakened in it, a new light extends to it from the Emanator, called “light of Hassadim.” As a result, it becomes almost entirely separated from the light of Hochma that the Emanator imprinted in it, since the light of Hochma can only be received in its own vessel—a desire to receive that has grown to its fullest measure.

Thus, the light and vessel in phase two are utterly different from those in phase one, since the vessel in it is the desire to bestow. The light within it is considered light of Hassadim, a light that stems from the adhesion of the emanated being in the Emanator, as the desire to bestow causes it equivalence of form with the Emanator, and in spirituality, equivalence of form is adhesion.

Next follows phase three, since once the light in the emanated being has diminished into light of Hassadim without any Hochma, and it is known that light of Hochma is the essence of the emanated being, hence, at the end of phase two, it awakened and drew into it a measure of light of Hochma to shine within its light of Hassadim. This awakening re-extended a certain measure of the will to receive, which forms a new vessel called phase three, or Tifferet. And the light in it is called “light of Hassadim in illumination of Hochma,” since the majority of this light is light of Hassadim, and its lesser part is light of Hochma.

Following it came phase four, since the vessel of phase three, too, awakened at its end to draw the complete light of Hochma, as it was in phase one. Thus, this awakening is considered “craving” in the measure of the will to receive in phase one and exceeds it since now it has already been separated from that light, as the light of Hochma is no longer clothed in it but craves it. Thus, the form of the will to receive has been fully determined, since the vessel is determined following the expansion of the light and its departure from there. Later, when it returns, it will receive the light once more. It turns out that the vessel precedes the light, and this is why this phase four is considered the completion of the vessel, and it is called Malchut [Kingship].

6) These four above discernments are the ten Sefirot discerned in each emanated being and each created being, both in the whole, which are the four worlds, and even in the smallest element in reality. Phase one is called Hochma or “the world of Atzilut.” Phase two is called Bina or “the world of Beria.” Phase three is called Tifferet or “the world of Yetzira,” and phase four is called Malchut or “the world of Assiya.”

Let us explain the four phases applied in each soul. When the soul extends from Ein Sof and comes into the world of Atzilut, it is phase one of the soul. There, it is still not discerned by that name since the name Neshama [soul] implies that there is some difference between it and the Emanator, and that through that difference, it departed Ein Sof and has been revealed as its own authority. But as long as it does not have a form of a vessel, there is nothing to distinguish it from His self, to merit its own name.

You already know that phase one of the vessel is not considered a vessel at all and is entirely annulled in the light. This is the meaning of what is said about the world of Atzilut that it is complete Godliness, as in “He, His life, and His self are one.” Even the souls of all other living beings, while traversing the world of Atzilut, are regarded as still adhered to His self.

7) This above-mentioned phase two rules in the world of Beria—the vessel of the desire to bestow. Hence, when the soul cascades into the world of Beria and achieves the vessel that is there, it is regarded as Neshama. This means that it has already separated from His self and merits its own name—Neshama. Yet, this is a very refined and fine vessel, as it is in equivalence of form with the Emanator. For this reason, it is regarded as complete spirituality.

8) The above-mentioned phase three rules in the world of Yetzira, containing a little bit of the form of the will to receive. Hence, when the soul cascades into the world of Yetzira and achieves that vessel, it emerges from the spirituality of the Neshama and is then called Ruach. This is because here its vessel is already mixed with some coarseness, meaning the little bit of will to receive that is in it. Yet, it is still considered spiritual because this measure of coarseness is insufficient to completely separate it from His self and merit the name “body,” which stands in its own right.

9) Phase four rules in the world of Assiya, which is the complete vessel of the great will to receive. Hence, it obtains a completely separated and distinguished body from His self, which stands in its own right. The light in it is called Nefesh, indicating that the light is motionless in and of itself. You should know that there is not a single element in reality that is not comprised of the whole ABYA.

10) Thus, you find that this Nefesh, the light of life that is dressed in the body, extends from His very self, existence from existence. As it traverses the four worlds ABYA, it becomes increasingly distant from the light of His face until it comes into its designated vessel, called Guf [body]. This is considered that the vessel has completed its desirable form.

And even if the light in it has so diminished that its origin becomes undetectable, through engagement in Torah and Mitzvot in order to bestow contentment upon the Maker, one refines one’s vessel, called Guf, until it becomes worthy of receiving the great abundance in the full measure included in the thought of creation when He created it. This is why Rabbi Hanania Ben Akashia said, “The Creator wished to refine Israel; hence, He gave them plentiful Torah and Mitzvot.”

11) Now you can understand the real difference between spirituality and corporeality: Anything that contains a complete desire to receive, in all its aspects, which is phase four, is considered “corporeal.” This is what exists in all the elements of reality before us in this world. Conversely, anything above this great measure of desire to receive is considered “spirituality.” These are the worlds ABYA, which are above this world, they and the whole reality within them.

Now you can see that the whole issue of ascents and descents described in the upper worlds does not relate to an imaginary place, but only to the four phases in the will to receive. The farther it is from phase four, the higher it is considered to be. And conversely, the closer it is to phase four, the lower it is considered to be.

12) We should understand that the essence of the created being, and of creation as a whole, is only the will to receive. Anything beyond it is not part of creation but extends from His self by way of existence from existence. Thus, why do we discern this will to receive as coarseness and turbidity, and we are commanded to refine it through Torah and Mitzvot, to the point that without it we will not achieve the sublime goal of the thought of creation?

13) The thing is that as corporeal objects are separated from one another by remoteness of location, spiritual matters are separated from each other by the disparity of form between them. This can be found in our world, too. For example, when two people share similar views, they like each other and the remoteness of location does not cause them to draw far from one another.

Conversely, when their views are far, they are hateful of each other and proximity of location will not bring them any closer. Thus, the disparity of form in their views removes them from each other, and the proximity of form in their views brings them closer to each other. If, for example, one’s nature is the complete opposite of the other’s, they are as far from one another as the east from the west.

Similarly, all matters of nearness and remoteness, coupling and unity that unfold in spirituality are but measures of disparity of form. They depart from one another according to their measure of disparity of form and attach to one another according to their measure of equivalence of form.

Yet, you should understand that although the will to receive is a mandatory law in the created being, as it is the essence of the created being and the proper vessel for reception of the goal of the thought of creation, it nonetheless completely separates it from the Emanator, as there is disparity of form to the point of oppositeness between itself and the Emanator. This is because the Emanator is complete bestowal without a shred of reception, and the created being is complete reception without a shred of bestowal. Thus, there is no greater oppositeness of form than this. It therefore follows that this oppositeness of form necessarily separates it from the Emanator.

14) To save the created beings from this titanic separation, the first restriction took place, separating phase four from the rest of the Partzufim [plural of Partzuf] of Kedusha [Holiness] so that that great measure of reception remained an empty space devoid of any light, since all the Partzufim of Kedusha emerged with a screen erected in their vessel of Malchut so they would not receive light in this phase four. Then, when the upper light was extended and expanded to the emanated being, this screen rejected it. This is regarded as a striking between the upper light and the screen, which raises reflected light from below upward, clothing the ten Sefirot of the upper light.

That part of the light that was rejected and pushed back is called reflected light. As it dresses the upper light, it becomes a vessel for reception of the upper light instead of phase four, since afterward the vessel of Malchut expanded by the measure of reflected light—the rejected light—which rose and dressed the upper light from below upward, and expanded from above downward, too. Thus, the lights were clothed in the vessels within that reflected light.

This is the meaning of the Rosh [head] and Guf [body] in each degree. The coupling by striking from the upper light in the screen raises reflected light from below upward and dresses the ten Sefirot of the upper light in the form of the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, meaning the roots of the vessels, since there cannot be actual clothing there.

Subsequently, when Malchut expands with that reflected light from above downward, the reflected light ends and becomes vessels for the upper light. At that time, there is clothing of the lights in the vessels, and this is called the Guf of that degree, that is, complete vessels.

15) Thus, new vessels were made in the Partzufim of Kedusha instead of phase four after the first restriction. They were made of the reflected light of the coupling by striking in the screen.

Indeed, we should understand this reflected light and how it became a vessel of reception, since initially it was but a light that was rejected from reception. Thus, it now serves in an opposite role from its own essence.

I shall explain that with an allegory from life. Man’s nature is to cherish and favor the quality of bestowal, and to despise and loathe reception from one’s friend. Hence, when one comes to one’s friend’s house and he [the host] invites him for a meal, he [the guest] will decline even if he is very hungry, since in his eyes it is humiliating to receive a gift from his friend.

Yet, when his friend sufficiently implores him until it is clear that he would do his friend a big favor by eating, he agrees to eat as he no longer feels that he is receiving a gift and that his friend is the giver. On the contrary, he [the guest] is the giver, doing his friend a favor by receiving this good from him.

Thus, you find that although hunger and appetite are vessels of reception designated for eating, and that person had sufficient hunger and appetite to receive his friend’s meal, he still could not taste a thing due to the shame. Yet, as his friend implored him and he rejected him, new vessels for eating began to form in him, since the power of his friend’s pleading and the power of his own rejection, as they accumulated, finally added up to a sufficient amount that turned the measure of reception into a measure of bestowal.

In the end, he saw that by eating, he would do a big favor and bring great contentment to his friend. In that state, new vessels of reception to receive his friend’s meal were born in him. Now it is considered that his power of rejection has become the essential vessel in which to receive the meal, and not the hunger and appetite, although they are actually the usual vessels of reception.

16) From the above allegory between two friends, we can understand the matter of coupling by striking and the reflected light that rises through it, which then becomes new vessels of reception for the upper light instead of phase four. We can compare the upper light, which strikes the screen and wants to expand into phase four, to the pleading to eat, because as he yearns for his friend to receive his meal, the upper light desires to expand to the receiver. And the screen, which strikes the light and repels it, can be likened to the friend’s rejection and refusal to receive the meal, since he rejects his favor.

Just as you find here that precisely the refusal and rejection have been inverted and become appropriate vessels to receive his friend’s meal, you can imagine that the reflected light that rises by the striking of the screen and its rejection of the upper light became new vessels of reception for the upper light instead of phase four, which served as a vessel of reception prior to the first restriction.

However, this was established only in the Partzufim of Kedusha of ABYA, not in the Partzufim of the shells, and in this world, where phase four itself is considered the vessel of reception. Hence, they are separated from the upper light, since the disparity of form in phase four separates them. For this reason, the shells are considered wicked and dead, as they are separated from the Life of Lives by the will to receive in them, as it is written in Item 13.

Five Phases in the Screen

17) Thus far, we have clarified the three foundations in the wisdom. The first is the light and the vessel, where the light is a direct extension of His self, and the vessel is the will to receive, which is necessarily included in that light, where according to the measure of that desire, it emerged from the Emanator and became an emanated being. Also, this will to receive is considered the Malchut discerned in the upper light. This is why it is called Malchut, by way of “He and His name are One,” as “His name” in Gematria is desire [in Hebrew].

The second matter is the clarification of the ten Sefirot and four worlds ABYA, which are four degrees one below the other. The will to receive must cascade through them until it is completed—vessel and content.

The third matter is the restriction and the screen placed on this vessel of reception, which is phase four, in return for which new vessels of reception were made in the ten Sefirot, called reflected light. Understand and memorize these three foundations and their reasons, as they had been clarified to you, since without them there is no understanding of even a single word in this wisdom.

18) Now we shall explain the five phases in the screen by which the levels change during the coupling by striking performed with the upper light. First, we must thoroughly understand that even though phase four was banned from being a vessel of reception for the ten Sefirot after the restriction, and the reflected light that rises from the screen through the coupling by striking became the vessel of reception in its stead, it must still accompany the reflected light with its power of reception. Had it not been for that, the reflected light would have been unfit to be a vessel of reception.

You should also understand this from the allegory in Item 15. We demonstrated there that the power to reject and decline the meal became the vessel of reception instead of the hunger and appetite. This is because hunger and appetite, the usual vessels of reception, were banned from being vessels of reception in this case due to the shame and disgrace of receiving a gift from one’s friend. Only the powers of rejection and refusal have become vessels of reception in their stead, as through the rejection and refusal, reception has been inverted into bestowal, and through them he achieved vessels of reception suitable to receive one’s friend’s meal.

Yet, it cannot be said that he no longer needs the usual vessels of reception, namely the hunger and the appetite, as it is clear that without appetite for eating, he will not be able to satisfy his friend’s wish and bring him contentment by eating at his place. But the thing is that the hunger and appetite, which were banned in their usual form, have now been transformed by the forces of rejection and refusal into a new form—reception in order to bestow. By this, the disgrace has been inverted into honor.

It turns out that the usual vessels of reception are still as active as ever but have acquired a new form. You will also conclude, concerning our matter, that it is true that phase four has been banned from being a vessel for reception of the ten Sefirot because of its coarseness, meaning the disparity of form from the Giver, which separates from the Giver. Yet, through establishing the screen in phase four, which strikes the upper light and repels it, her previous, faulty form, has been transformed and acquired a new form, called reflected light, like the transformation of the form of reception into a form of bestowal in the above allegory.

The content of its initial form was not changed there. Now, too, it does not eat without appetite. Likewise, here, all the coarseness, which is the force of reception that was in phase four, has come inside the reflected light, hence, the reflected light became suitable for being a vessel of reception.

Therefore, we must always discern two forces in the screen:

The first is hardness, which is the force within it that rejects the upper light.

The second is coarseness, which is the measure of will to receive from phase four included in the screen. By the coupling by striking through the force of the hardness in it, its coarseness has turned into refinement, meaning the inversion of reception into bestowal.

These two forces in the screen operate in five phases: the four phases HB TM and their root, called Keter.

19) We have already explained that the first three phases are still not considered a vessel, but only phase four is considered a vessel, as written in Item 5. Still, because the first three phases are its causes and induce the completion of phase four, once phase four is completed, four measures are recorded in its quality of reception.

Phase one in it is the slightest measure of the quality of reception. Phase two is somewhat coarser than phase one in terms of its quality of reception. Phase three is coarser than phase two in its quality of reception. Finally, phase four, its own quality, is the coarsest of them all, and its quality of reception is complete in every way. We should also discern that the root of the four phases, which is the most refined of them all, is included in it, too.

These are the five phases of reception contained in phase four, which are also called by the names of the ten Sefirot KHB [Keter–Hochma–Bina] TM [Tifferet-Malchut], incorporated in phase four, since the four phases are HB TM, as written in Item 5, and the root is called Keter.

20) The five qualities of reception in phase four are called by the names of the Sefirot KHB TM since prior to the restriction, while phase four was still the vessel of reception for the ten Sefirot incorporated in the upper light by way of “He is one and His name One,” since all the worlds are incorporated there, as it is written in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Part 1. Its clothing of the ten Sefirot is discerned there according to the same five phases. Each phase of the five phases in her clothed its corresponding phase in the ten Sefirot in the upper light. The root phase in phase four clothed the light of Keter in the ten Sefirot, phase one in phase four clothed the light of Hochma in the ten Sefirot, phase two in her clothed the light of Bina, phase three in her clothed the light of Tifferet, and her own phase clothed the light of Malchut.

Hence, even now, after the first restriction, when phase four has been banned from being a vessel of reception, the five phases of coarseness in her are named after the five Sefirot KHB TM.

21) You already know that in general, the substance of the screen is called hardness, which means something very hard, which does not allow anything to push into its boundary. Similarly, the screen does not let any upper light pass through it into Malchut, which is phase four. Thus, it is considered that the screen detains and repels the entire measure of light that should clothe the vessel of Malchut.

It has also been made clear that those five phases of coarseness in phase four are incorporated and come in the screen, and join its measure of hardness. Hence, five kinds of coupling by striking are discerned in the screen, corresponding to the five measures of coarseness in it: A coupling by striking on a complete screen with all the levels of coarseness raises sufficient reflected light to clothe all ten Sefirot, up to the level of Keter. A coupling by striking on a screen that lacks the coarseness of phase four, and contains only the coarseness of phase three, raises sufficient reflected light to clothe the ten Sefirot only up to the level of Hochma, lacking Keter. And if it has only the coarseness of phase two, its reflected light diminishes and suffices only to clothe the ten Sefirot up to the level of Bina, lacking Keter and Hochma. If it contains only the coarseness of phase one, its reflected light diminishes even more and suffices only to clothe up to the level of Tifferet, lacking KHB. And if it lacks the coarseness of phase one, as well, and is left with only the coarseness of the root phase, its striking is very faint and suffices to clothe only up to the level of Malchut, lacking the first nine Sefirot, which are KHB and Tifferet.

22) Thus you see how the five levels of ten Sefirot emerge through five kinds of coupling by striking of the screen, applied to its five phases of coarseness. Now I shall tell you the reason, for it is known that light is not attained without a vessel.

Also, you know that these five phases of coarseness come from the five phases of coarseness in phase four. Prior to the restriction, there were five vessels in phase four, clothing the ten Sefirot KHB TM, as written in Item 18. After the first restriction, they were incorporated in the five phases of the screen, which, along with the reflected light it elevates, return to being five vessels with respect to the reflected light on the ten Sefirot KHB TM instead of the five vessels in phase four itself, prior to the restriction.

Accordingly, it is clear that if a screen contains all these five levels of coarseness, it contains the five vessels to clothe the ten Sefirot. But when it does not contain all five phases, since the coarseness of phase four is absent in it, it contains only four vessels. Hence, it can only clothe four lights, HB TM, and lacks one light—the light of Keter—just as it lacks one vessel—the coarseness of phase four.

Similarly, when it lacks phase three, too, and the screen contains only three phases of coarseness, meaning only up to phase two, it contains only three vessels. Thus, it can only clothe three lights: Bina, Tifferet, and Malchut. In that state, the level lacks the two lights Keter and Hochma, just as it lacks the two vessels, phase three and phase four.

And when the screen contains only two phases of coarseness, that is the root phase and phase one, it contains only two vessels. Hence, it clothes only two lights: the light of Tifferet and the light of Malchut. Thus, the level lacks the three lights KHB, just as it lacks the three vessels, phase two, phase three, and phase four.

When the screen has but one phase of coarseness, which is only the root phase of the coarseness, it has only one vessel; hence, it can clothe only one light: the light of Malchut. This level lacks the four lights KHB and Tifferet, as it lacks the four vessels, the coarseness of phase four, phase three, phase two, and phase one.

Thus, the level of each Partzuf depends precisely on the measure of coarseness in the screen. The screen of phase four elicits the level of Keter, phase three elicits the level of Hochma, phase two elicits the level of Bina, phase one elicits the level of Tifferet, and the root phase elicits the level of Malchut.

23) Yet, we must still find out why it is that when the vessel of Malchut—phase four—is absent from the screen, it lacks the light of Keter, and when the vessel of Tifferet is absent, it lacks the light of Hochma, etc. It seems as though it should have been the opposite, that when the vessel of Malchut, phase four, is absent from the screen, only the light of Malchut would be missing in the level, and it would have the four lights KHB and Tifferet. Also, in the absence of two vessels, phase three and phase four, it would lack the lights of Tifferet and Malchut, and the level would have the three lights KHB, etc. (see Item 20).

24) The answer is that there is always an inverse relation between lights and vessels. In the vessels, the higher ones grow first in the Partzuf: first Keter, then the vessel of Hochma, etc., and the vessel of Malchut grows last. This is why we name the vessels by the order KHB TM, from above downward, as this is the nature of their growth.

It is to the contrary with the lights. In the lights, the lower lights are the first to enter the Partzuf. First enters Nefesh, which is the light of Malchut, then Ruach, which is the light of ZA, etc., and the light of Yechida is the last to enter. This is why we name the lights by the order NRNHY [Nefesh-Ruach-Neshama-Haya-Yechida] from below upward, as this is the order by which they enter—from below upward.

Thus, when only one vessel has grown in the Partzuf, which is necessarily the highest vessel—Keter—the light of Yechida, related to that vessel, does not enter the Partzuf, but only the lowest light—the light of Nefesh. Thus, the light of Nefesh clothes the vessel of Keter.

When two vessels grow in the Partzuf, which are the highest two—Keter and Hochma—the light of Ruach enters it, as well. At that time, the light of Nefesh descends from the vessel of Keter to the vessel of Hochma, and the light of Ruach clothes the vessel of Keter.

Similarly, when a third vessel grows in the Partzuf—the vessel of Bina—the light of Neshama enters it. At that time, the light of Nefesh descends from the vessel of Hochma to the vessel of Bina, the light of Ruach to the vessel of Hochma, and the light of Neshama clothes the vessel of Keter.

When a fourth vessel grows in the Partzuf—the vessel of Tifferet—the light of Haya enters the Partzuf. Then the light of Nefesh descends from the vessel of Bina to the vessel of Tifferet, the light of Ruach to the vessel of Bina, the light of Neshama to the vessel of Hochma, and the light of Haya to the vessel of Keter.

And when a fifth vessel grows in the Partzuf, the vessel of Malchut, the light of Yechida enters it. At that time, all the lights enter their designated vessels. The light of Nefesh descends from the vessel of Tifferet to the vessel of Malchut, the light of Ruach to the vessel of Tifferet, the light of Neshama to the vessel of Bina, the light of Haya to the vessel of Hochma, and the light of Yechida to the vessel of Keter.

25) Thus, as long as not all five vessels KHB TM have grown in a Partzuf, the lights are not in their designated places. Moreover, they are in inverse relation: In the absence of the vessel of Malchut, the light of Yechida is absent, and when the two vessels, TM, are absent, Yechida and Haya are absent there, etc. This is so because in the vessels, the higher ones grow first, and in the lights, the last ones are the first to enter.

You will also find that each light that comes anew dresses only in the vessel of Keter. This is so because the receiver must receive in its most refined vessel, the vessel of Keter.

For this reason, upon reception of each new light, the lights that are already dressed in the Partzuf must descend one degree from their place. For example, when the light of Ruach enters, the light of Nefesh must descend from the vessel of Keter to the vessel of Hochma to make room in the vessel of Keter to receive the new light, Ruach. Similarly, if the new light is Neshama, then Ruach, too, must descend from the vessel of Keter to the vessel of Hochma to vacate its place in Keter for the new light, Neshama. As a result, Nefesh, which was in the vessel of Hochma, must descend to the vessel of Bina, etc. All this is done to make room in the vessel of Keter for the new light.

Keep this rule in mind and you will always be able to discern in each issue if it is referring to the vessels or to the lights. Then you will not be confused, because there is always an inverse relation between them. Thus, we have thoroughly clarified the matter of the five phases in the screen, and how through them the levels change one below the other.

The Five Partzufim of AK

26) We have thoroughly clarified the issue of the screen that has been placed in the vessel of Malchut—phase four after having been restricted—and the issue of the five kinds of coupling by striking within it, which produce five levels of ten Sefirot one below the other. Now we shall explain the five Partzufim of AK that precede the four worlds ABYA.

You already know that this reflected light, which rises through the coupling by striking from below upward and dresses the ten Sefirot of the upper light, suffices only for the roots of the vessels, called “the ten Sefirot of the Rosh of the Partzuf.” To complete the vessels, Malchut of the Rosh expands from those ten Sefirot of reflected light that clothed the ten Sefirot of the Rosh and expands from it and within it from above downward to the same extent as in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh. This expansion completes the vessels, called “the Guf of the Partzuf,” as written in Item 14. Hence, we should always distinguish two phases of ten Sefirot in each Partzuf: Rosh and Guf.

27) In the beginning, the first Partzuf of AK emerged. This is because immediately following the first restriction, when phase four was banned from being a vessel of reception for the upper light, and was erected with a screen, the upper light was drawn to clothe in the vessel of Malchut, as before. Yet, the screen in the vessel of Malchut detained it and repelled the light. Through this striking in the screen of phase four, it raised reflected light up to the level of Keter in the upper light, and this reflected light became a clothing and the roots of the vessels for the ten Sefirot in the upper light, called “ten Sefirot of the Rosh” of “the first Partzuf of AK.”

Subsequently, Malchut with the reflected light expanded and extended from her and within her by the force of the ten Sefirot of the Rosh into ten new Sefirot from above downward. This completed the vessels of the Guf. Then, the entire level that emerged in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh clothed in the ten Sefirot of the Guf, as well. This completed the first Partzuf of AK, Rosh and Guf.

28) Subsequently, that same coupling by striking repeated itself on the screen erected in the vessel of Malchut, which has only the coarseness of phase three. And then, only the level of Hochma, Rosh and Guf, emerged on it, since the absence of the screen in the coarseness of phase four caused it to have only four vessels, KHB Tifferet. Hence, the reflected light has room to clothe only four lights, HNRN [Haya, Neshama, Ruach, Nefesh], lacking the light of Yechida. This is called AB of AK.

Afterwards, that same coupling by striking repeated itself on the screen in the vessel of Malchut that contains only the coarseness of phase two. Then, ten Sefirot, Rosh and Guf, at the level of Bina emerged on it. This is called Partzuf SAG of AK. It lacks the two vessels, ZA and Malchut, and the two lights, Haya and Yechida.

Afterward, the coupling by striking emerged on a screen that has only the coarseness of phase one. Then ten Sefirot, Rosh and Guf, emerged at the level of Tifferet, lacking the three vessels, Bina, ZA, and Malchut, and the three lights, Neshama, Haya, and Yechida. It has only the lights Ruach and Nefesh, dressed in the vessels Keter and Hochma. This is called Partzuf MA and BON of AK. Remember the inverse relation between the vessels and the lights, as mentioned in Item 24.

29) Thus we have explained the emergence of the five Partzufim of AK, called Galgalta, AB, SAG, MA, and BON, one below the other. Each lower one lacks the higher phase of its upper one. Partzuf AB lacks the light of Yechida. Partzuf SAG lacks the light of Haya, as well, which its upper one, AB, has. Partzuf MA and BON lacks the light of Neshama, which its upper one, SAG, has.

This is so because it depends on the measure of coarseness in the screen on which the coupling by striking occurs, as explained in Item 18. Yet, we must understand who and what caused the screen to gradually diminish its coarseness, phase by phase, until it divided into the five levels that exist in these five kinds of coupling.

The Refinement of the Screen to the Emanation of the Partzuf

30) To understand the matter of the cascading of the degrees through five levels one below the other, explained above concerning the five Partzufim of AK, as well as in all the degrees appearing in the five Partzufim in each world of the four worlds ABYA, through Malchut of Assiya, we must thoroughly understand the matter of the refinement of the screen of the Guf that is implemented in each of the Partzufim of AK, the world of Nekudim, and the world of correction [Tikkun].

31) The thing is that there is no Partzuf, or any degree at all, that does not contain two lights, called “surrounding light” and “inner light,” and we shall explain them in AK. The surrounding light of the first Partzuf of AK is the light of Ein Sof, which fills the whole of reality. Following the first restriction and the screen that was erected in Malchut, there was a coupling by striking from the light of Ein Sof on that screen. And through the reflected light that the screen raised, it drew the upper light to the restricted world once more, in the form of ten Sefirot of the Rosh and ten Sefirot of the Guf, as written in Item 25.

Yet, this extension from Ein Sof in Partzuf AK does not fill the whole of reality as prior to the restriction. Rather, it is discerned with a Rosh and a Sof [end]: From above downward, its light stops at the point of this world, which is the concluding Malchut, as in the verse, “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.” And also from within outward, since as there are ten Sefirot KHB TM from above downward, and Malchut concludes the AK from below, so there are ten Sefirot KHB TM from within outward, called marrow, bones, tendons, flesh, and skin [Mocha, Atzamot, Gidin, Bassar, and Or]. The skin is Malchut, which ends the Partzuf from the outside. In that respect, Partzuf AK is considered a mere thin line compared to Ein Sof, which fills the whole of reality. This is so because the Partzuf of skin ends it and limits it from all sides, from the outside, and it cannot expand and fill the entire restricted space. Thus, only a thin line remains standing in the middle of the space.

The measure of the light received in AK, the thin line, is called inner light. The difference between the inner light in AK and the light of Ein Sof prior to the restriction is called surrounding light, since it remains as surrounding light around Partzuf AK as it could not clothe within the Partzuf.

32) This thoroughly clarifies the meaning of the surrounding light of AK, whose immensity is immeasurable. Yet, this does not mean that Ein Sof, which fills the whole of reality, is in itself considered the surrounding light of AK. Rather, it means that a coupling by striking was made on Malchut of the Rosh of AK, where Ein Sof struck the screen that is placed there. In other words, it wished to dress in phase four of AK, as prior to the restriction, but the screen in Malchut of the Rosh of AK struck it. This means that it detained it from spreading into phase four and repelled it, as written in Item 14. Indeed, this reflected light that emerged from the pushing of the light back became vessels for clothing the upper light.

However, there is a very big difference between the reception in phase four prior to the restriction and the reception of the reflected light after the restriction, as now it clothed only a thin line in Rosh and Sof. This is what the screen did through its striking on the upper light. And the measure that was rejected from AK by the screen, the full measure of upper light from Ein Sof that wanted to clothe in phase four—had it not been for the screen that detained it—became the surrounding light surrounding AK.

The reason is that there is no change or absence in the spiritual. And since the light of Ein Sof is drawn to AK, to clothe in phase four, it must therefore be so. Hence, even though the screen has now detained it and repelled it, it does not contradict the extension of Ein Sof. On the contrary, it sustains it but in a different way: through proliferation of couplings in the five worlds AK and ABYA, until the end of correction, when phase four is completely corrected through them. At that time, Ein Sof will clothe in her as in the beginning.

Thus, no change or absence has occurred by the striking of the screen in the upper light. This is the meaning of what is written in The Zohar, “Ein Sof does not bring down His unification on her until He is given his mate.” Meanwhile, that is, until that time, it is considered that this light of Ein Sof has become surrounding light, meaning it will clothe in it in the future. For now, it circles it and shines upon it from the outside with a certain illumination. This illumination accustoms it to expand by those laws that are fit to bring it to receive this surrounding light in the measure that Ein Sof was initially drawn to it.

33) Now we shall clarify the matter of the clashing of inner light and surrounding light on one another, which causes the refinement of the screen and the loss of the last phase of coarseness. As these two lights are opposite yet connected through the screen in Malchut of the Rosh of AK, they beat and strike one another.

Interpretation: The coupling by striking in the Peh [mouth] of the Rosh of AK, in the screen in Malchut of the Rosh, called Peh, which was the reason for clothing the inner light of AK by the reflected light it raised (see Item 14), is also the reason for the exit of the surrounding light of AK. Because it detained the light of Ein Sof from clothing phase four, the light came out in the form of surrounding light.

In other words, that whole part of the light that the reflected light cannot clothe, like phase four herself, emerged and became surrounding light. Thus, the screen in the Peh is the reason for the surrounding light, as it is the reason for the inner light.

34) We have learned that both the inner light and surrounding light are connected to the screen, but in opposite actions. And to the extent that the screen draws a part of the upper light into the Partzuf through the reflected light that clothes it, so it drives the surrounding light away from clothing in the Partzuf.

And since the part of the light that remains outside as surrounding light is very large, due to the screen that detains it from clothing in AK, as written in Item 32, it is considered that it strikes the screen that removes it, since it wants to clothe within the Partzuf. In contrast, it is considered that the force of coarseness and hardness in the screen strikes the surrounding light, which wants to clothe within it, and detains it, as it strikes the upper light during the coupling. These beatings that the surrounding light and the coarseness in the screen beat on each other are called the clash of surrounding light and inner light.

Yet, this clash between them occurred only in the Guf of the Partzuf, since the clothing of the light in the vessels, which leaves the surrounding light outside the vessel, is apparent there. However, this clash does not apply to the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, since the reflected light is not considered vessels there whatsoever, but as mere thin roots. For this reason, the light in them is not regarded as limited inner light, to the point of discerning the light that remains outside as surrounding light. And since this distinction between them does not exist, there is no beating of inner light and surrounding light in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh.

Only once the lights extend from the Peh down to the ten Sefirot of the Guf—where the lights clothe in vessels, which are the ten Sefirot of reflected light from the Peh down—is there beating there between the inner light inside the vessels and the surrounding light that remained outside.

35) This clash continued until the surrounding light refined the screen from all its coarseness and elevated it to its upper root in the Peh of the Rosh. This means that it refined all the coarseness from above downward, called “screen and coarseness of the Guf,” leaving it with only the root of the Guf, the screen of Malchut of the Rosh, called Peh. In other words, it had been refined of its entire coarseness from above downward, which divides between the inner light and the surrounding light, leaving only the coarseness from below upward, where the distinction between the inner light and surrounding light has not occurred yet.

It is known that equivalence of form unites the spirituals into one. Hence, once the screen of the Guf has been refined of all the coarseness of the Guf, leaving in it only the coarseness that is equal to the screen of the Peh of the Rosh, its form was equalized with the screen of the Rosh. Thus, it was incorporated and became literally one with it, since there was nothing to divide them into two. This is considered that the screen of the Guf rose to the Peh of the Rosh.

Since the screen of the Guf was incorporated in the screen of the Rosh, it was incorporated once again in the coupling by striking in the screen of the Peh of the Rosh and a new coupling by striking was made on it. Consequently, ten new Sefirot emerged in it at a new level called AB of AK or Partzuf Hochma of AK. This is considered “a son” and a consequence of the first Partzuf of AK.

36) After Partzuf AB of AK emerged, complete with Rosh and Guf, the clash of surrounding light and inner light repeated itself there, too, as it was explained above concerning the first Partzuf of AK. Its screen of the Guf was refined from all its coarseness of the Guf, as well, until it equalized its form with its screen of the Rosh and was then incorporated in the coupling in its Peh of the Rosh.

Subsequently, a new coupling by striking was made on it, producing a new level of ten Sefirot at the level of Bina, called SAG of AK. This is considered a son and a consequence of Partzuf AB of AK, since it emerged from its coupling in the Peh of the Rosh. And the Partzufim from SAG of AK downward emerged in a similar manner.

37) Thus we have explained the emergence of the Partzufim one below the other by the clash of surrounding light and inner light, which refines the screen of the Guf until it brings it back to the state of the screen of the Peh of the Rosh. At that time, it is incorporated there in a coupling by striking, which takes place in the Peh of the Rosh, and through this coupling, it elicits a new level of ten Sefirot. This new level is considered the son of the previous Partzuf.

In this manner, AB emerged from Partzuf Keter, SAG from Partzuf AB, MA from Partzuf SAG, and so on with the remaining degrees in Nekudim and ABYA. Yet, we should still understand why the ten Sefirot of AB emerged only on phase three, and not on phase four, and why SAG was only on phase two, etc., meaning that each lower one is inferior to its upper one by one degree. Why did they not all emerge from one another on the same level?

38) First, we must understand why the ten Sefirot of AB are considered a consequence of the first Partzuf of AK, since it emerged from the coupling in the Peh of the Rosh of the first Partzuf, like the ten Sefirot of the Guf of the Partzuf itself. Thus, in what way did it emerge from the first Partzuf, to be considered a second Partzuf and its offshoot?

Here you must understand the big difference between the screen of the Rosh and the screen of the Guf. There are two kinds of Malchut in the Partzuf: The first is the mating Malchut—with the upper light—by the force of the screen erected in her. The second is the ending Malchut—the upper light in the ten Sefirot of the Guf—by the force of the screen erected in her.

The difference between them is as the distance between the Emanator and the emanated being. Malchut of the Rosh, which mates in a coupling by striking with the upper light, is considered “the Emanator of the Guf,” since the screen erected in her did not reject the upper light as it struck it. On the contrary, through the reflected light that it raised, it clothed and drew the upper light in the form of ten Sefirot of the Rosh. Thus, it expands from above downward until the ten Sefirot of the upper light clothed in the vessel of reflected light, called Guf.

For this reason, the screen and the Malchut of the Rosh are considered the Emanator of the ten Sefirot of the Guf, and no limitation and rejection are apparent in that screen and Malchut. Yet, the screen and Malchut of the Guf, that is, after the ten Sefirot expanded from the Peh of the Rosh from above downward, they expand only down to the Malchut in those ten Sefirot. This is because the upper light cannot expand into Malchut of the Guf because of the screen erected there, which detains it from expanding into Malchut. Hence, the Partzuf stops there and a Sof [end] and Sium [conclusion] of the Partzuf are made.

Thus, the whole power of the restriction and limitation appears only in this screen and Malchut of the Guf. For this reason, the whole clash of surrounding light and inner light is only done in the screen of the Guf, as this is what limits and pushes the surrounding light away from shining in the internality of the Partzuf, and not in the screen of the Rosh, since the screen of the Rosh only extends and clothes the lights, and the power of the limitation is not yet revealed in it at all.

39) It follows that by the clash of surrounding light and inner light, the screen of the ending Malchut became the screen and Malchut of the mating Malchut once more (Item 35). This is because the clash of surrounding light refined the ending screen from all its coarseness of the Guf, leaving in it only fine records [Reshimot] of that coarseness, equal to the coarseness of the screen of the Rosh.

Also, it is known that equivalence of form attaches and unites the spirituals to one another. Hence, once the screen of the Guf equalized the form of its coarseness to the screen of the Rosh, it was immediately incorporated in it and they became seemingly one screen. In that state, it received the strength for coupling by striking like the screen of the Rosh, and ten Sefirot of the new level emerged on it.

Yet, along with this coupling, the records of the coarseness of the Guf, which were in it from the beginning, were renewed in its screen of the Guf. In that state, the disparity of form between it and the screen of the Rosh incorporated in it appeared in it once more to some extent. The recognition of this difference separates and removes it from the Peh of the Rosh of the upper one, since after its first origin from the Peh of the upper one downward has become apparent once more, it could not continue to stand above the Peh of the upper one, as the disparity of form separates the spirituals from one another. It follows that it was compelled to descend from there to the place from the Peh of the upper one downward.

Hence, it is necessarily considered a second Guf with respect to the upper one, as even the Rosh of the new level is considered as merely the Guf of the new level with respect to the upper one, since it extends from its screen of the Guf. Thus, this disparity of form distinguishes them into two separate Gufim [bodies]. And since the new level is entirely a consequence of the screen of the Guf of the previous Partzuf, it is considered its child, like a branch extending from it.

40) And there is another difference between the lower one and the upper one: Each lower one emerges with a different level in the five phases in the screen, as written in Items 22 and 24. Also, each lower one lacks the highest phase of the lights of the upper one and the lowest phase of the vessels of the upper one. The reason is that it is the nature of the clash of the surrounding light in the screen to eliminate from the screen its last phase of coarseness.

For example, in the first Partzuf of AK, whose screen contains all five levels of coarseness, down to phase four, the clash of surrounding light in the screen of the Guf completely refines the coarseness of phase four, not leaving even a record [Reshimo] of that coarseness. Only the records from the coarseness of phase three and above remain in the screen.

Hence, when that screen is incorporated in the Rosh and receives a coupling by striking on the coarseness that remained in its records from the Guf, the coupling emerges only on phase three of coarseness in the screen. This is because the record of coarseness of phase four is eliminated from there. Therefore, the level that emerges on that screen is only at the level of Hochma, called HaVaYaH of AB of AK, or Partzuf AB of AK.

We have already learned in Item 22 that the level Hochma that emerges on the screen of phase three lacks the Malchut of the vessels and the light of Yechida from the lights, which is the light of Keter. Thus, Partzuf AB lacks the last phase of the vessels of the upper one and the highest phase of the lights of the upper one. Because of this great disparity of form, the lower one is considered a separate Partzuf from the upper one.

41) Similarly, once Partzuf AB expanded in Rosh and Guf and there was the clash of surrounding light on the screen of the Guf of AB, which is a screen of phase three, this clash cancels and eliminates the record of coarseness of the last phase in the screen, which is phase three. It turns out that during the ascent of the screen to the Peh of the Rosh and its incorporation [Hitkalelut] in it in a coupling by striking, the striking was done only on the coarseness of phase two that remained in that screen, since phase three has been eliminated from it. Hence, it elicits only ten Sefirot at the level of Bina, called HaVaYaH of SAG of AK, or Partzuf SAG, lacking ZA and Malchut in vessels, and Haya and Yechida in lights.

Similarly, when this Partzuf SAG expanded in Rosh and Guf, there was the clash of surrounding light in its screen of Guf, which is a screen of phase two. This clash cancels and eliminates the last phase of coarseness in the screen, which is phase two, leaving only the records of coarseness from phase one and above in the screen.

Hence, during the ascent of the screen to the Peh of the Rosh, and the incorporation in the coupling by striking there, the striking occurred only on the screen of phase one that remained in the screen, since phase two had already been eliminated from it. For this reason, it elicits only ten Sefirot at the level of Tifferet, called “the level of ZA,” lacking Bina, ZA, and Malchut in the vessels, and Neshama, Haya, and Yechida in the lights, etc., similarly.

42) This thoroughly clarifies the reason for the decline of the levels one below the other during the cascading of the Partzufim from one another. It is because the clash of surrounding light and inner light, applied in each Partzuf, always eliminates the last phase of the record of coarseness that is there. Yet, we should know that there are two discernments in the records that remain in the screen after its refinement. The first is called the record of coarseness, and the second is called the record of clothing [Hitlabshut].

For instance, once the screen of the Guf of the first Partzuf in AK has been refined, we said that the last phase of the records of coarseness, the record of phase four, was lost, and all that remained in the screen was the record of coarseness of phase three. However, the record of phase four contains two phases, as we have said—clothing and coarseness. Only the record of coarseness of phase four was eliminated from the screen by that refinement. But the record of clothing of phase four remained in that screen and was not eliminated from it.

A record of clothing refers to a very subtle phase from the record of phase four, which does not contain sufficient coarseness for a coupling by striking with the upper light. This record remains from the last phase in each Partzuf during its refinement. And our saying that the last phase is eliminated from each Partzuf during its refinement refers only to the record of coarseness in it.

43) The remainder of the records of clothing from the last phase that remained in each screen prompted the emergence of two levels—male and female—in the Roshim [heads] of all the Partzufim: beginning in AB of AK, SAG of AK, MA and BON of AK, and in all the Partzufim of Atzilut. This is so because in Partzuf AB of AK, where there is only a record of coarseness of phase three in the screen, which elicits ten Sefirot at the level of Hochma, the record of clothing from phase four, which remained there in the screen, is unfit for coupling with the upper light, due to its refinement. Yet, it is incorporated with the coarseness of phase three and becomes one record. At that time, the record of clothing acquires the strength for coupling with the upper light. For this reason, the coupling by striking with the upper light emerged on her, eliciting ten Sefirot at nearly the level of Keter.

This is so because she had a clothing of phase four. This incorporation is called the incorporation of the female in the male, since the record of coarseness from phase three is called “female,” as it carries the coarseness. And the record of clothing of phase four is called “male,” as it comes from a higher place, and because it is refined from coarseness. Thus, although the record of the male is insufficient for a coupling by striking in itself, it becomes fit for a coupling by striking through the incorporation of the female in it.

44) Subsequently, there is incorporation of the male in the female, too. This means that the record of clothing is incorporated with the record of coarseness. This produces a coupling by striking only at the level of the female, the level of phase three, which is the level of Hochma, called HaVaYaH of AB. The upper coupling, when the female is incorporated in the male, is considered the level of the male, which is nearly the level of Keter. And the lower coupling, when the male is incorporated in the female, is considered the female level, which is only the level of Hochma.

Yet, the coarseness in the male level does not come from himself, but by means of incorporation with the female. And although it suffices to elicit the level of ten Sefirot from below upward, called Rosh, this level still cannot expand from above downward in the form of a Guf, which would mean clothing of lights in the vessels. This is so because a coupling by striking on coarseness that comes from the incorporation is insufficient to expand into vessels.

Hence, the male level contains only a phase of Rosh, without a Guf. The Guf of the Partzuf extends only from the female level, which has her own coarseness. For this reason, we name the Partzuf only after the female level, meaning Partzuf AB. This is so because the core of the Partzuf is its Guf—the clothing of the lights in the vessels. And it emerges only from the female level, as we have explained. This is why the Partzuf is named after her.

45) As we have explained concerning the two levels—male and female—in the Rosh of Partzuf AB, these two emerge in precisely the same manner in the Rosh of SAG. But there, the male level is nearly at the level of Hochma, as it is from the record of clothing of phase three incorporated with the coarseness of phase two. And the female level is at the level of Bina, from the coarseness of phase two. Here, too, the Partzuf is named solely after the female level, since the male is a Rosh without a Guf.

Similarly, in Partzuf MA of AK, the male level is nearly at the level of Bina, called “the level of YESHSUT,” as it is from the record of phase two of clothing, incorporated with the coarseness from phase one, while the female level is only the level of ZA, as it is only phase one of coarseness. Here, too, the Partzuf is named solely after the female, meaning Partzuf MA or Partzuf VAK, since the male is a Rosh without a Guf. You will find it likewise in all the Partzufim.

Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin, Otiot [Flavors, Dots, Tags, Letters (TNTO, pronounced Tanta)]

46) Now we have clarified the clash of surrounding light and inner light, occurring after the expansion of the Partzuf into a Guf. This causes the screen of the Guf to be refined, all the lights of the Guf depart, and the screen with the records that remain in it rise to the Peh of the Rosh, where they are renewed with a new coupling by striking, and produce a new level in the measure of coarseness in the records. Now we shall explain the four types of lights, Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin, Otiot, occurring with the clash of surrounding light and the ascents of the screen to the Peh of the Rosh.

47) It has been explained that through the clash of the surrounding light in the screen of the Guf, it refines the screen of all the coarseness of the Guf until it is refined and equalizes with the screen of the Peh of the Rosh. The equivalence of form with the Peh of the Rosh unites them as one, and it is incorporated in the coupling by striking in it.

However, the screen is not refined at once, but gradually: first from phase four to phase three, then from phase three to phase two, then from phase two to phase one, and then from phase one to the root phase. Finally, it is refined from all its coarseness and becomes as refined as the screen of the Peh of the Rosh.

The upper light does not stop shining for even a moment. It couples with the screen at each and every state of its refinement, since once it has been refined of phase four and the entire level of Keter has departed, and the screen has reached the coarseness of phase three, the upper light couples with the screen on the remaining coarseness of phase three and produces ten Sefirot at the level of Hochma.

Afterward, when the screen departs from phase three, too, and the level of Hochma departs, as well, leaving only phase two in the screen, the upper light couples with it on phase two and produces ten Sefirot at the level of Bina. Then, when it has been refined of phase two, too, and this level has departed, leaving only the coarseness of phase one in it, the upper light couples with the screen on the remaining coarseness of phase one and produces ten Sefirot at the level of ZA. And when it has been refined of the coarseness of phase one, too, and the level of ZA has departed, and it remains with only the root of the coarseness, the upper light makes a coupling on the coarseness of the root that remains in the screen and produces ten Sefirot at the level of Malchut.

And when the screen is refined of the coarseness of the root, as well, the level of Malchut departs thence, too, since no coarseness of the Guf remains there. In that state, it is considered that the screen and its records rose and united with the screen of the Rosh, became incorporated there in a coupling by striking and produced a new ten Sefirot over it, called a “son” and a “consequence” of the first Partzuf.

Thus we have explained that the clash of surrounding light and inner light that refines the screen of the Guf of the first Partzuf of AK and elevates it to its Peh of the Rosh, by which the second Partzuf, AB of AK, emerges, is not done at once. Rather, it occurs gradually, as the upper light couples with it at each state in the four degrees it traverses during its refinement, until it equalizes with the Peh of the Rosh.

As has been explained regarding the emergence of the four levels during the refinement of the Guf of the first Partzuf for the purpose of AB, three levels emerge during the time of the refinement of the screen of the Guf of Partzuf AB, as it emanates Partzuf SAG, and similarly in all the degrees. The rule is this: A screen does not become refined at once, but gradually. And the upper light, which does not stop expanding to the lower one, couples with it at each and every degree along its refinement.

48) Yet, these levels, which emerge on the screen during its gradual refinement, are not considered an expansion of real degrees, like the first level that emerged before the beginning of the refinement. Rather, they are considered Nekudot, and they are called reflected light and judgment [Din], since the power of judgment of the departure of the lights is already mingled in them. This is so because in the first Partzuf, as soon as the clash began to occur and it refined the screen of the Guf from phase four, it is considered as having been completely refined, since there is no “some (part)” in the spiritual.

Once it begins to be refined, it has to be refined completely. Yet, since the screen is refined gradually, there is time for the upper light to copulate with it at each degree of coarseness that the screen assumes during its refinement, until it is completely refined. Hence, the force of departure is mingled with the levels that emerge during its departure, and they are considered as only Nekudot and reflected light and judgment.

Therefore, we discern two types of levels in each Partzuf: Taamim and Nekudot. This is so because the first ten Sefirot of the Guf that emerge in each Partzuf are called Taamim, and the levels that emerge in the Partzuf as it refines, after the screen had already begun to be refined until it reaches the Peh of the Rosh, are called Nekudot.

49) The records that remain below, in the Guf, after the departure of the lights of Taamim, are called Tagin, and the records that remain from the levels of the Nekudot are called Otiot, which are vessels. Also, the Tagin, which are the records from the lights of Taamim, hover over the Otiot and the vessels and sustain them.

Thus we have clarified the four types of light, called Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin, Otiot. The first level to emerge in each Partzuf of the five Partzufim called Galgalta, AB, SAG, MA, and BON is called Taamim. The levels that emerge in each Partzuf once it has started to be refined, until it is completely refined, are called Nekudot. The records that remain of the lights of Taamim in each level, after their departure, are called Tagin, and the records that remain from the lights of the levels of Nekudot after their departure are called Otiot or vessels. Remember this in all five Partzufim called Galgalta, AB, SAG, MA, and BON, for in all of them there is refinement and they all have these four types of lights.

The Rosh, Toch, Sof in Each Partzuf and the Order of Clothing of the Partzufim in One Another

50) You already know the difference between the two Malchuts in each Partzuf—the coupling Malchut and the ending Malchut. From the screen in the coupling Malchut, ten Sefirot of reflected light emerge from her and above, clothing the ten Sefirot of upper light, called “ten Sefirot of the Rosh,” meaning only roots. From there down, the ten Sefirot of the Guf of the Partzuf expand in the form of clothing of lights in complete vessels.

These ten Sefirot of the Guf divide into two phases of ten Sefirot: ten Sefirot of Toch [inside], and ten Sefirot of Sof [end]. The ten Sefirot of Toch are positioned from the Peh [mouth] to the Tabur [navel], the place of the clothing of the lights in the vessels. The ten Sefirot of the Sium and Sof [both words mean “end”] of the Partzuf are positioned from the Tabur down to the Sium Raglin [end of the legs/feet].

This means that Malchut ends each Sefira until it reaches its own quality, which is unfit to receive any light, hence the Partzuf ends there. This cessation is called “the end of the Etzbaot Raglin [toes] of the Partzuf,” and from there down it is a vacant and empty space without light.

Know that these two kinds of ten Sefirot extend from the root ten Sefirot, called Rosh, since both are incorporated in the coupling Malchut. This is so because there is the clothing power there—the reflected light that rises and clothes the upper light. There is also the screen’s detaining force over Malchut, so it would not receive the light. By this, the coupling by striking that raises reflected light occurs. At the Rosh, these two forces are only roots.

Yet, when they expand from above downward, the first force, which is a clothing force, is actualized in the ten Sefirot of Toch from the Peh down to the Tabur. The second force, which detains Malchut from receiving light, is actualized in the ten Sefirot of Sof and Sium, from Tabur down to the end of the Etzbaot Raglin.

These two kinds of ten Sefirot are always called HGT NHYM. All ten Sefirot of Toch, from Peh to Tabur, are called HGT, and all ten Sefirot of Sof from Tabur down are called NHYM.

51) We should also know that the restriction was only on the light of Hochma, whose vessel is the will to receive that ends at phase four, where the restriction and the screen occurred. Yet, there was no restriction at all on the light of Hassadim there, since its vessel is the will to bestow, in which there is no coarseness or disparity of form from the Emanator, and it does not need any corrections.

Hence, in the ten Sefirot of the upper light, these two lights, Hochma and Hassadim, are bound together without any difference between them, since they are one light that expands according to its quality. For this reason, when they come to clothe in the vessels after the restriction, the light of Hassadim stops at Malchut, too, even though it was not restricted. This is so because had the light of Hassadim expanded in a place where the light of Hochma could not expand even a bit, meaning the ending Malchut, there would be a shattering in the upper light, as the light of Hassadim would have to be completely separated from the light of Hochma. Hence, the ending Malchut became a completely vacant and empty space, devoid of even the light of Hassadim.

52) Now we can understand the content of the ten Sefirot of Sof of the Partzuf from Tabur down. It cannot be said that they are only considered light of Hassadim, without any Hochma, since the light of Hassadim is never completely separated from the light of Hochma. Rather, there is necessarily a small illumination of the light of Hochma in them, as well. You should know that we always call this small illumination “VAK without a Rosh.” Thus, the three phases of ten Sefirot in the Partzuf, called Rosh, Toch, Sof, have been explained.

53) And now we shall explain the order of the clothing of the Partzufim Galgalta, AB, and SAG of AK on each other. Know that each lower one emerges from the screen of the Guf of the upper one, once it has been refined and has equalized its form with the Malchut and the screen at the Rosh. This is so because then it is incorporated in the screen at the Rosh, in the coupling by striking in it.

And once it undergoes the coupling by striking in the two records—coarseness and clothing—that remain in the screen of the Guf, its coarseness is recognized as coarseness of the Guf. Through this recognition, it is discerned that the level emerges from the Rosh of the first Partzuf of AK, descends, and clothes its Guf, meaning at her root, since she is from the screen of the Guf.

Indeed, the screen with the coupling Malchut of the new Partzuf had to descend to the place of Tabur of the first Partzuf, since the screen of the Guf with the ending Malchut of the first Partzuf begins there. Also, the root of the new Partzuf and its grip are there. Yet, the last phase of coarseness has been eliminated from the screen by the clash of inner light and surrounding light (see Item 40), and only the coarseness of phase three remained in the screen. This phase three of coarseness is called Chazeh [chest]. Hence, the screen and the coupling Malchut of the new Partzuf have no grip and root in the Tabur of the upper one, but only in its Chazeh, where it is attached like a branch to its root.

54) Hence, the screen of the new Partzuf descends to the place of the Chazeh of the first Partzuf, where it elicits ten Sefirot of the Rosh from it and above it through a coupling by striking with the upper light, up to the Peh of the upper one, which is the Malchut of the Rosh of the first Partzuf. But the lower one cannot clothe the ten Sefirot of the Rosh of the upper Partzuf at all, since it is considered merely the screen of the Guf of the upper one. Subsequently, it elicits ten Sefirot from above downward, called “the ten Sefirot of the Guf” at the Toch and the Sof of the lower one.

Their place is only from the Chazeh of the upper Partzuf down to its Tabur, since from the Tabur down is the place of the ten Sefirot of the Sium of the upper one, which is phase four. The lower one has no grip of the last phase of the upper one since it loses it during its refinement (see Item 40). For this reason, that lower Partzuf, called Partzuf Hochma of AK, or Partzuf AB of AK, must end above the Tabur of the first Partzuf of AK.

Thus, it has been thoroughly clarified that any Rosh, Toch, Sof of Partzuf AB of AK, which is the lower one of the first Partzuf of AK, stand from the place below the Peh of the first Partzuf down to its Tabur. Thus, the Chazeh of the first Partzuf is the place of the Peh of the Rosh of Partzuf AB, meaning the coupling Malchut, and the Tabur of the first Partzuf is the place of the Sium Raglin of Partzuf AB, that is, the ending Malchut.

55) As has already been explained regarding the order of the emergence of Partzuf AB from the first Partzuf of AK, it is the same in all the Partzufim through the end of the world of Assiya. Each lower one emerges from the screen of the Guf of its upper one after it has been refined and incorporated in the screen of Malchut of the Rosh of the upper one in the coupling by striking there.

Afterward, it descends from there to its gripping point in the Guf of the upper one and elicits the ten Sefirot of the Rosh from below upward in its place through a coupling by striking with the upper light. Also, it expands from above downward into ten Sefirot of the Guf in Toch and Sof, as has been explained in Partzuf AB of AK. Yet, there are differences concerning the Sium of the Partzuf, as it is written elsewhere.

The Second Restriction [Tzimtzum Bet], Called the Restriction of NHY of AK

56) We have thoroughly explained the first restriction [Tzimtzum Aleph], carried out on the vessel of Malchut, which is phase four, so it would not receive the upper light within it. We have also explained the matter of the screen and its coupling by striking with the upper light, which raises reflected light. This reflected light became new vessels of reception instead of phase four.

Also explained was the refinement of the screen of the Guf, made in the Gufim [plural of Guf] of each Partzuf by the clash of surrounding light and inner light, which produces the four discernments Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin, Otiot of the Guf of each Partzuf and raises the screen of the Guf to be considered the screen of the Rosh. It qualifies it for a coupling by striking with the upper light, on which another Partzuf is born, one degree lower than the previous Partzuf. Finally, we have explained the emergence of the first three Partzufim of AK, called Galgalta, AB, SAG, and the order of their clothing on one another.

57) Know that in these three Partzufim, Galgalta, AB, and SAG of AK, there is not even a root for the four worlds ABYA, since there is not even a place for the three worlds BYA here. This is because the inner Partzuf of AK extended down to the point of this world, and the root of the desirable correction, which was the cause for the restriction, has not been revealed. This is so because the purpose of the restriction that occurred in phase four was to correct it, so there would be no disparity of form in it as it receives the upper light (see Item 10).

In other words, to create Adam’s Guf from that phase four, and with his engagement in Torah and Mitzvot in order to bestow contentment upon his Maker, he will turn the force of reception in phase four to work in order to bestow. By this he will equalize the form of reception with complete bestowal, and that would be the end of correction, since this would bring phase four back to being a vessel of reception for the upper light, while also being in complete adhesion with the light, without any disparity of form.

Yet, thus far, the root of this correction has not been revealed, as this requires Adam to be incorporated also with the higher phases, above phase four, so as to be able to perform good deeds of bestowal. Had Adam emerged from the state of the Partzufim of AK, he would have been completely in the state of vacant space since then all of phase four, which should be the root of Adam’s Guf, would have been below the Raglaim [feet] of AK, in the form of a vacant and empty space, devoid of light, as it would be of opposite form from the upper light. Thus, it would be considered separated and dead.

Had Adam been created from it, he would not have been able to correct his actions whatsoever, since there would be no sparks of bestowal in him at all. He would be deemed a beast that has none of the form of bestowal, and whose lives are only for themselves, like the wicked who are immersed in the lust of self-reception, and “even the grace that they do, they do for themselves.” It is said about them, “The wicked in their lives are called ‘dead,’” since they are in oppositeness of form from the Life of Lives.

58) This is the meaning of our sages’ words (Beresheet Rabbah, end of Portion 12): “In the beginning, He contemplated creating the world with the quality of judgment [Din]. He saw that the world could not exist and brought forward the quality of mercy [Rachamim] and associated it with the quality of judgment.”

Explanation: Every “first” and “next” in spirituality refers to cause and consequence. This is why it is written that the first cause for the worlds, meaning the Partzufim of AK that were emanated before all the worlds, were emanated in the quality of judgment, that is, in Malchut alone, called the quality of judgment. This refers to phase four, which has been restricted and departed as a vacant and empty space and the Sium of the Raglaim of AK. This is the point of this world, below the Sium Raglaim of AK’s, in the form of a vacant and empty space, devoid of any light.

“He saw that the world does not exist” means that in this way, it was impossible for Adam, who should be created from this phase four, to acquire acts of bestowal, so that through him the world would exist in the desired measure of correction. This is why he “associated the quality of mercy with the quality of judgment.”

Explanation: The Sefira of Bina is called the quality of mercy, and the Sefira Malchut is called the quality of judgment, since the restriction was made on her. The Emanator raised the quality of judgment, which is the force of Sium made in the Sefira of Malchut, and raised it to Bina— the quality of mercy. He associated them with one another, and through this association, phase four— the quality of judgment —was incorporated with the sparks of bestowal in the vessel of Bina (see Item 5).

This qualified Adam’s Guf, which emerged from phase four, to be incorporated with the quality of bestowal, too. Thus, he will be able to perform good deeds in order to bestow contentment upon his Maker until he inverts the quality of reception in him to work entirely in order to bestow. Thus, the world will achieve the desired correction for which the world was created.

59) This association of Malchut in Bina occurred in Partzuf SAG of AK, and prompted a second restriction in the worlds from it downward. This is because a new Sium on the upper light was made on it in the place of Bina. It follows that the ending Malchut, which stood at the Sium Raglaim of SAG of AK, above the point of this world, ascended and ended the upper light at the place of half of Bina of the Guf of SAG of AK, called Tifferet, since KHB of the Guf is called HGT. Thus, Tifferet is Bina of the Guf.

Also, the coupling Malchut, which stood at the Peh of the Rosh of SAG of AK, ascended to the place of Nikvey Eynaim [pupils] of AK, which is half of Bina of the Rosh. Then, a coupling for the MA of AK, called “the world of Nekudim” was made there, at the Nikvey Eynaim

60) This is also called the restriction of NHY of AK, since SAG of AK, which ended equally with Partzuf Galgalta of AK, above the point of this world, ends above the Tabur of the inner AK through the association and the ascent of Malchut to the place of Bina, at half the Tifferet, which is half the Bina of the Guf of the inner AK. This is so because the ending Malchut ascended to that place and detained the upper light from expanding from it downward.

For this reason, a vacant and empty space was made there, devoid of light. Thus, the TNHY [Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod] of SAG became restricted and devoid of the upper light. This is why the second restriction is called “restriction of NHY of AK,” since through the new Sium at the place of Tabur, NHY of SAG of AK were emptied of their lights.

It is also considered that the AHP of the Rosh of SAG departed from the degree of the Rosh of SAG and became its Guf, since the coupling Malchut ascended to Nikvey Eynaim and the ten Sefirot of the Rosh emerged from the screen at Nikvey Eynaim and above. Also, from Nikvey Eynaim down it is considered the Guf of the Partzuf, since it can only receive illumination from Nikvey Eynaim and below, which is considered Guf.

The level of these ten Sefirot that emerged at the Nikvey Eynaim of SAG of AK are the ten Sefirot called “the world of Nekudim.” They came down from the Nikvey Eynaim of SAG to their place below the Tabur of the inner AK, where they expanded with Rosh and Guf. Know that this new Sium, made at the place of Bina of the Guf, is called Parsa. Also, there is internality and externality here, and only the external ten Sefirot are called “the world of Nekudim,” while the ten inner Sefirot are called MA and BON of AK itself.

61) Yet, we should understand that since the ten Sefirot of Nekudim and the MA of AK were emanated and emerged from the Nikvey Eynaim of the Rosh of SAG, they should have clothed the SAG from its Peh of the Rosh and below, as with the other Partzufim, where each lower one clothes its upper one from the Peh of the Rosh downward. Why was it not so? Why did they descend and clothe the place below Tabur of AK? To understand this, we must thoroughly understand how this association came about, when Bina and Malchut connected into one.

62) The thing is that during the emergence of Partzuf SAG, it ended entirely above the Tabur of the inner AK, as has been explained concerning Partzuf AB of AK. They could not expand from the Tabur down, since the governance of phase four of the inner AK begins there, in its ten Sefirot of Sium, and there is nothing of phase four whatsoever in the Partzufim AB and SAG (see Item 54).

Yet, when the Nekudot of SAG of AK began to emerge, after the screen of SAG, which is phase two of coarseness, has been refined through the clash of surrounding light in it, and came to phase two of clothing and phase one of coarseness, the Taamim of SAG departed. Then, the level of Nekudot emerged on the coarseness that remained in the screen, in VAK without a Rosh.

This is so because the ten Sefirot that emerge on phase one of coarseness are the level of ZA, lacking GAR. Also, there is no phase of Bina at the male level, which is phase two of clothing, but only nearly that, which is considered VAK of Bina.

Hence, this level of Nekudot of SAG has equalized its form with the ten Sefirot of Sium below the Tabur of AK, considered VAK without a Rosh, too (see Item 52). It is known that equivalence of form unites the spirituals into one. Hence, this level descended below the Tabur of AK and mingled there with ZON of AK, where they were as one, since they are of equal level.

63) We might wonder at the fact that there is still a great distance between them with respect to their coarseness, since Nekudot of SAG come from the coarseness of phase two and have nothing of phase four. And although they are the level of ZA, it is not like the level of ZA below the Tabur of AK, which is ZA of phase four. Thus, there is a big difference between them.

The answer is that the coarseness is not apparent in the Partzuf during the clothing of the light, but only after the departure of the light. Hence, when Partzuf Nekudot of SAG appeared at the level of ZA, descended, and clothed at the level of ZON from Tabur of AK downward, phase two and phase four were mingled together and caused the second restriction. This created a new Sium at the place of Bina of the Guf of that Partzuf, and also caused a change in the place of the coupling, making it the Peh of the Rosh instead of the Nikvey Eynaim.

64) Thus, you find that the origin of the association of Malchut in Bina, called the second restriction, occurred only below Tabur of AK, by the expansion of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG there. Hence, this level of ten Sefirot of Nekudim, which comes from the second restriction, could not expand above Tabur of AK, since no force or ruling can appear above its origin. And since the place of the forming of the second restriction began from Tabur and below, the level of Nekudim had to expand there, as well.

The Place for the Four Worlds ABYA, and the Parsa between Atzilut and BYA

65) Thus we have learned that the second restriction occurred only in Partzuf Nekudot of SAG, positioned from Tabur of AK downward through its Sium Raglin, that is, above the point of this world. Know that all the changes that followed that second restriction came only in that Partzuf Nekudot of SAG, and not above it.

When we said that above, through Malchut’s ascent to half of Tifferet of AK she ended the Partzuf, and the lower half of Tifferet and NHYM of AK came out in the form of empty space, this did not occur in TNHY of AK itself, but only in TNHY of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG of AK. Yet, in AK itself, these changes are considered a mere raising of MAN. In other words, it clothed in these changes to emanate the ten Sefirot of Nekudim themselves, though no change took place in AK itself.

66) As soon as the restriction occurred, during the ascent of Malchut to Bina, even before the raising of MAN and the coupling that was made at the Nikvey Eynaim of AK, it caused Partzuf Nekudot of SAG of AK to divide into four divisions:

1. KHB HGT up to its Chazeh are considered the place of Atzilut.

2. The two lower thirds of Tifferet, from the Chazeh down to the Sium of Tifferet, became the place of the world of Beria.

3. Its three Sefirot NHY became the place of the world of Yetzira.

4. The Malchut in it became the place of the world of Assiya.

67) The reason for it is that the place of the world of Atzilut means the place worthy of the expansion of the upper light. And because of the ascent of the ending Malchut to the place of Bina of the Guf, called Tifferet, the Partzuf ends there and the light cannot pass from there down. Thus, the place of Atzilut ends there at half the Tifferet on the Chazeh.

You already know that this new Sium that was made here is called “the Parsa below the world of Atzilut.” There are three divisions in the Sefirot below the Parsa, since indeed, only two Sefirot, ZON of the Guf, called NHYM, needed to emerge below the Atzilut. This is so because the Sium was made at the Bina of the Guf, which is Tifferet; hence, only the ZON below Tifferet are below the Sium, and not Tifferet, although the lower half of Tifferet emerged below the Sium, as well.

The reason is that Bina of the Guf is incorporated with the ten Sefirot KHB ZON, as well. Since these ZON of Bina are the roots of the general ZON of the Guf, which were incorporated in Bina, they are considered like them. Hence, ZON of Bina emerged below the Parsa of Atzilut, as well, along with the general ZON. For this reason, the Sefira Tifferet was fissured across at the place of the Chazeh, since Malchut that ascended to Bina stands there and brings out the ZON of Bina, that is, the two thirds of Tifferet from the Chazeh down to its Sium.

Yet, there is still a difference between the two thirds of Tifferet and the NHYM. The two thirds of Tifferet truly belong to the Bina of the Guf and did not emerge below the Sium of Atzilut of their own accord, but only because they are the roots of ZON. Hence, their flaw is not so great since their emergence is not because of themselves. Thus, they have become separated from the NHYM and became a world in and of themselves, called “the world of Beria.”

68) ZON of the Guf, called NHYM, also divided into two phases: Since Malchut is considered Nukva [female], her flaw is greater, and she becomes the place of the world of Assiya. ZA, who is NHY, became the world of Yetzira, above the world of Assiya.

Thus we have explained how Partzuf Nekudot of SAG was divided by the second restriction and became the place of four worlds: Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya. KHB HGT, down to its Chazeh, became the place of the world of Atzilut; the lower half of Tifferet, from the Chazeh to the Sium of Tifferet, became the place of the world of Beria; the NHY in it—the world of Yetzira; and its Malchut—the world of Assiya. Their place begins from the point of Tabur of AK and ends above the point of this world, that is, through the Sium Raglin of AK, which is the end of the clothing of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG over Partzuf Galgalta of AK.

The Katnut and Gadlut Initiated in the World of Nekudim

69) Now that you know about the second restriction that occurred in Partzuf Nekudot of SAG for the purpose of emanating the ten Sefirot of the world of Nekudim, the fourth Partzuf of AK, we shall go back and explain the emergence of the ten Sefirot of Nekudim in particular. The emergence of one Partzuf from another has already been explained. Each lower Partzuf is born and emerges from the screen of the Guf of the upper one, after its refinement and ascent for renewing the coupling in the Peh of the upper one. The cause of this refinement is the clash of surrounding light with the screen of the upper Partzuf, which refines the screen from its coarseness of the Guf, and equalizes it with the coarseness of the Rosh (see Item 35).

In this manner, Partzuf AB of AK emerged from Partzuf Keter of AK, Partzuf SAG of AK from Partzuf AB of AK, and the fourth Partzuf of AK, called “the ten Sefirot of the world of Nekudim,” was born and emerged from its upper one, being SAG of AK, in the same way.

70) Yet, there is another issue here. In the previous Partzufim, the screen was made only of the records of coarseness of the Guf of the upper one, during the refinement of the screen to the Peh of the Rosh of the upper one. But here, in the refinement of the screen of SAG of AK for Nekudim, this screen contained two kinds of records. Besides containing its own records of coarseness, with respect to the Sefirot of the Guf of SAG of AK, it also contains the records of coarseness of ZON of AK below the Tabur, due to their mixture together below Tabur of AK, as it is written in Item 61, that Nekudot of SAG descended below Tabur of AK and mixed with ZON of AK there.

71) Thus, the matter of Katnut [smallness/infancy] and Gadlut [greatness/adulthood] has been initiated here in Partzuf Nekudim. With respect to the records of coarseness in the screen, ten Sefirot of Katnut of Nekudim emerged over them. With respect to the records of ZON of AK below Tabur, which connected and mingled with the records of the screen, the ten Sefirot of Gadlut of Nekudim emerged over them.

72) You should also know that the ten Sefirot of Katnut of Nekudim that emerged on the screen are considered the core of Partzuf Nekudim, since they emerged by order of degrees, that is, from the actual screen of the Guf of the upper one, in the same way the three previous Partzufim of AK emerged. But the ten Sefirot of Gadlut of Nekudim are regarded as a mere addition to Partzuf Nekudim because they emerged only from the coupling on the records of ZON of AK below Tabur, which did not appear by order of degrees but were connected and added to the screen due to the decline of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG below the Tabur of AK, see Item 70.

73) First we shall clarify the ten Sefirot of Katnut of Nekudim. You already know that following the expansion of SAG of AK, it underwent the clash of surrounding light and inner light on its screen, which gradually refined it. The levels that emerged as it refined are called Nekudot of SAG, and they descended below Tabur of AK and mingled with phase four there (see Item 62). After it completed its refinement of all the coarseness of the Guf in the screen and remained with only coarseness of the Rosh, it is considered to have ascended to the Rosh of SAG, where it received a new coupling on the measure of coarseness that remained in the records in the screen, as has been explained above in Item 35.

74) Here, too, it is considered that the last phase of coarseness, the coarseness of phase two that was in the screen, was completely eliminated, leaving only the record of clothing. Thus, nothing was left of the coarseness but phase one. Hence, the screen received two kinds of coupling in the Rosh of SAG (see Item 43). The incorporation of phase one of coarseness in phase two of clothing, called “the incorporation of the record of the female in the record of the male,” elicited a level at nearly the degree of Bina, which is the degree of VAK of Bina. This level is called “the Sefira Keter of Nekudim.” The incorporation of the male with the record of the female, the record of phase two of clothing in phase one of coarseness, elicited the level of ZA, considered VAK without a Rosh, called “Aba and Ima of Nekudim back-to-back.”

These two levels are called GAR of Nekudim; that is, they are considered ten Sefirot of the Rosh of Nekudim, since each Rosh is called GAR or KHB. But there is a difference between them: Keter of Nekudim, which is at the male level, does not expand into the Guf and shines only at the Rosh. Only AVI [Aba ve (and) Ima] of Nekudim, which are the female level, called “the lower seven Sefirot of Nekudim” or “HGT NHY of Nekudim” expand to the Guf.

75) Thus, there are three degrees here one below the other. The first is Keter of Nekudim, with the level of VAK of Bina. The second is the level of AVI of Nekudim, which has the level of ZA. These are both considered Rosh. The third is ZAT of Nekudim, HGT NHYM, considered Guf of Nekudim.

76) Know, that by Malchut’s ascent to Bina, these two degrees of Nekudim split into two halves upon their emergence, called anterior [Panim] and posterior [Achoraim]. This is so because since the coupling was made at the Nikvey Eynaim, there are only two and a half Sefirot at the Rosh—Galgalta, Eynaim [eyes] and Nikvey Eynaim, that is, Keter, Hochma, and the upper half of Bina. These are called the anterior vessels.

The vessels of AHP, which are the lower half of Bina, ZA, and Nukva, emerged from the ten Sefirot of the Rosh and were considered the degree below the Rosh. Hence, the vessels of the Rosh, which departed from the Rosh, are considered posterior vessels. Each degree was split in this manner.

77) It follows that there is not a single degree that does not have anterior and posterior. This is because the AHP of the male level, the Keter of Nekudim, emerged from the degree of Keter and descended to the degree of AVI of Nekudim, the female level. And AHP of the female level—AVI of Nekudim—descended and fell to their degree of Guf, the degree of the seven Sefirot HGT NHY of Nekudim.

It turns out that AVI comprise two phases, anterior and posterior since within them is the posterior of the degree of Keter, that is, the AHP of Keter, and atop them clothe the anterior vessels of AVI themselves, that is, their own Galgalta, Eynaim, and Nikvey Eynaim. Also, ZAT of Nekudim comprise anterior and posterior: The posterior vessels of AVI, which are their AHP, are within the ZAT, and the anterior vessels of ZAT clothe them from the outside.

78) This issue of the division of degrees into two halves made the degrees of Nekudim unable to have more than Nefesh Ruach, meaning VAK without GAR. This is so because each degree lacks the three vessels, Bina and ZON; hence, the lights of GAR, being Neshama, Haya, Yechida, are absent there (see Item 24). Thus we have thoroughly explained the ten Sefirot of Katnut of Nekudim, which are the three degrees called Keter, AVI, and ZAT. Each degree has only Keter Hochma in vessels, and Nefesh Ruach in lights, since the Bina and ZON in each degree fell to the degree below it.

Raising MAN and the Emergence of Gadlut of Nekudim

79) Now we shall explain the ten Sefirot of Gadlut of Nekudim, which emerged on the MAN of the records of ZON of AK below its Tabur (see Item 71). First, we must understand the matter of raising MAN. Thus far, we have only discussed the ascent of the screen of the Guf to the Peh of the Rosh of the upper one, once it has refined. There was a coupling by striking on the records incorporated in it, which elicits the level of ten Sefirot for the purpose of the lower one. Now, however, the issue of raising Mayin Nukvin [MAN/female water] has been initiated, for these lights, which rose from below Tabur of AK to the Rosh of SAG, which are the records of ZON of the Guf of AK, are called “raising MAN.”

80) Know, that the origin of raising MAN is from ZA and Bina of the ten Sefirot of direct light [Ohr Yashar] that were explained above in Item 5. It is explained there that Bina, which is the phase of light of Hassadim, reunited with Hochma when she emanated the Sefira of Tifferet, called phase three, and extended from it illumination of Hochma for Tifferet, which is ZA. ZA emerged primarily from the light of Hassadim of Bina, and secondarily with the illumination of Hochma.

This is where the connection between ZA and Bina was made, as each time the records of ZA rise to Bina, Bina connects with Hochma and extends illumination of Hochma from it for ZA. This ascent of ZA to Bina, which connects it to Hochma, is always called “raising MAN.” Without the ascent of ZA to Bina, Bina is not considered Nukva to Hochma, since she herself is only light of Hassadim and does not need light of Hochma.

She is always considered to be back-to-back with Hochma, which means that she does not want to receive from Hochma. Only when ZA ascends to her does she become Nukva for Hochma once more, in order to receive illumination of Hochma from it for ZA. Thus, the ascent of ZA makes her a Nukva, and this is why its ascent is called Mayin Nukvin, as the ascent of ZA brings her face-to-face with Hochma once more. This means that she receives from him as a female from a male. Thus we have thoroughly clarified the raising of MAN.

81) You already know that Partzuf AB of AK is Partzuf Hochma, and Partzuf SAG of AK is Partzuf Bina. This means that they are discerned according to the highest phase of their level. AB, whose highest phase is Hochma, is considered all Hochma. SAG, whose highest phase is Bina, is considered all Bina.

Thus, when the records of ZON of the Guf below Tabur of AK ascended to the Rosh of SAG, they became MAN to the SAG there, for which SAG, which is Bina, coupled with Partzuf AB, which is Hochma. Subsequently, AB imparted to SAG a new light for the purpose of the ZON below the Tabur that ascended there.

Once ZON of AK received this new light, they descended back to their place below the Tabur of AK where there are the ten Sefirot of Nekudim, and they shone the new light inside the ten Sefirot of Nekudim. This is the Mochin [light] of Gadlut of the ten Sefirot of Nekudim. Thus we have explained the ten Sefirot of Gadlut that emerged on the second type of records, which are the records of ZON below the Tabur of AK (see Item 71). Indeed, it is this Mochin of Gadlut that caused the breaking of the vessels, as will be written below.

82) It has been explained above, in Item 74, that there are two degrees in the Rosh of Nekudim, called Keter and AVI. Hence, when ZON of AK shone the new light of AB SAG to the ten Sefirot of Nekudim, it first shone to the Keter of Nekudim through Tabur of AK, where Keter clothes, and completed it with GAR in lights and Bina and ZON in vessels. Subsequently, it shone to AVI of Nekudim through the Yesod of AK, where AVI clothe, and completed them with GAR in lights and Bina and ZON in vessels.

83) First, let us explain the matter of the Gadlut which this new light caused in the ten Sefirot of Nekudim. The thing is that we may ask about what is written above (in Item 74), that the level of Keter and AVI of Nekudim were considered VAK because they emerged on coarseness of phase one. But we have said that through the descent of Nekudot of SAG below Tabur of AK, phase four connected to the screen of Nekudot of SAG, which is Bina. Thus, this screen has a record of phase four of coarseness, as well. In that case, during the incorporation of the screen in the Rosh of SAG, ten Sefirot should have emerged at the level of Keter and the light of Yechida, and not at the level of VAK of Bina in the Sefira of Keter, and the level of VAK without a Rosh in AVI.

The answer is that the place is the cause. Since phase four is incorporated in Bina, which is Nikvey Eynaim, the coarseness of phase four disappeared there inside Bina, as though it is not there at all. Hence, the coupling was made only on the records of phase two of clothing and phase one of coarseness, which are from the core of the screen of Bina alone, as written in Item 74, and only two levels emerged there: VAK of Bina and complete VAK.

84) Therefore, now ZON of AK below Tabur extended the new light through their MAN from AB SAG of AK and shone it to the Rosh of Nekudim (see Item 81). And since Partzuf AB of AK has no contact with this second restriction, which elevated phase four to the place of Nikvey Eynaim, when its light was drawn to the Rosh of Nekudim, it canceled the second restriction within it once again, which elevated the place of the coupling to Nikvey Eynaim and lowered phase four back to its place at the Peh, as it was at the time of the first restriction, that is, in the place of Peh of the Rosh.

Thus, the three vessels—Ozen [ear], Hotem [nose], and Peh [mouth]—that fell from the degree because of the second restriction (see Item 76), now returned to their place—their degree—as before. At that time, the place of the coupling descended once more from Nikvey Eynaim to phase four at the place of the Peh of the Rosh. Since phase four is already at her place, ten Sefirot emerged there at the degree of Keter.

Thus it has been explained that through the new light that ZON of AK extended to the Rosh of Nekudim, it gained the three lights Neshama, Haya, Yechida, and the three vessels AHP, which are Bina and ZON, that it lacked when it first emerged.

85) Now we have thoroughly clarified the Katnut and Gadlut of Nekudim. The second restriction, which raised the bottom Hey—phase four—to the place of Nikvey Eynaim, where it was concealed, caused the level of Katnut of Nekudim—the level of VAK or ZA in lights of Nefesh Ruach. There they were lacking Bina and ZON in vessels and Neshama, Haya, and Yechida in lights. And through the arrival of a new light of AB SAG of AK to the Nekudim, the first restriction returned to its place.

Bina and ZON of the vessels returned to the Rosh, since the bottom Hey descended from the Nikvey Eynaim and returned to her place—Malchut, called Peh. Then a coupling was made on phase four, which returned to her place, and ten Sefirot at the level of Keter and Yechida emerged. This completed the NRNHY of lights and the KHB ZON of vessels.

For short, we will henceforth refer to the second restriction and the Katnut by the name “ascent of the bottom Hey to Nikvey Eynaim and the descent of AHP below.” Also, we will refer to the Gadlut by the name “the arrival of the light of AB SAG, which lowers the bottom Hey from the Nikvey Eynaim and brings the AHP back to their place.” Remember this above explanation.

You should also remember that GE [Galgalta-Eynaim] and AHP [Ozen, Hotem, Peh, pronounced Ahap] are names of the ten Sefirot KHB ZON of the Rosh, and the ten Sefirot of the Guf are called HGT NHYM. They, too, divide into GE and AHP, since Hesed and Gevura and the upper third of Tifferet through the Chazeh are Galgalta and Eynaim and Nikvey Eynaim, and the two thirds of Tifferet and NHYM are AHP, as has been written above.

Also, remember that Galgalta, Eynaim, and Nikvey Eynaim, or HGT through the Chazeh, are called anterior vessels, and AHP, or the two lower thirds of Tifferet and NHYM from the Chazeh down are called posterior vessels, as written in Item 76. You should also remember the matter of the fissuring of the degree that occurred with the second restriction, which left only anterior vessels in each degree, and each lower one has within it the posterior vessels of the upper one, as written in Item 77.

Explaining the Three Nekudot Holam, Shuruk, Hirik

86) Know that the Nekudot [dots] are divided into three phases—Rosh, Toch, and Sof. These are the upper Nekudot, above the Otiot [letters], incorporated in the name Holam, the middle Nekudot inside the Otiot, included in the name Shuruk or Melafom, meaning Vav and a dot within it, and the lower Nekudot below the Otiot that are incorporated in the name Hirik.

87) This is their explanation: Otiot [letters] are vessels, meaning the Sefirot of the Guf. This is because the ten Sefirot of the Rosh are but roots to the vessels, not actual vessels. Nekudot means lights, which sustain the vessels and move them, meaning light of Hochma, called light of Haya. This is considered a new light, which ZON of AK received from AB SAG and shone to the vessels of Nekudim, lowering the bottom Hey back to the Peh of each degree, and bringing the AHP of vessels and GAR of lights back to the degree.

Thus, this light moves the vessels of AHP and elevates them from the lower degree, connecting them to the upper one, as in the beginning. This is the meaning of the Nekudot that move the Otiot. Since this light extends from AB of AK, which is light of Haya, it revives those vessels of AHP by clothing within them.

88) You already know that ZON of AK shone this new light to the ten Sefirot of Nekudim through two places: It shone to the Keter of Nekudim through the Tabur and shone to AVI of Nekudim through the Yesod.

Know that this illumination through the Tabur is called Holam, which shines to the Otiot above them because the illumination of Tabur reaches only the Keter of Nekudim, the male level of the Rosh of Nekudim, as written in Item 74. And the male level does not expand into the ZAT of Nekudim, which are the vessels of the Guf, called Otiot; hence, it is considered to be shining on them only from its place above, without expanding in the Otiot themselves.

The illumination through the Yesod is called Shuruk, meaning a Vav with a dot that stands inside the line of the Otiot. The reason is that this illumination comes to AVI of Nekudim, which are the female level of the Rosh of Nekudim, whose lights expand to the Guf, as well, which are the ZAT of Nekudim, called Otiot. This is why you will find the dot of Shuruk inside the line of the Otiot.

89) Thus, the Holam and Shuruk have been thoroughly explained. The illumination of a new light through the Tabur, which lowers the bottom Hey from the Nikvey Eynaim of Keter to the Peh, and elevates the AHP of Keter once more, is the dot of Holam above the Otiot. The illumination of a new light through the Yesod, which lowers the bottom Hey from the Nikvey Eynaim of AVI to their Peh and returns their AHP to them, is the dot of Shuruk inside the Otiot. This is because these Mochin also come in the ZAT of Nekudim, called Otiot.

90) Hirik is considered the new light that the ZAT themselves receive from AVI, to lower the ending bottom Hey, which stands at their Chazeh, to the place of Sium Raglin of AK. Thus, their AHP, namely the vessels from the Chazeh downward, which became the place of BYA, return to them. At that time, BYA once again became as Atzilut.

But ZAT of Nekudim could not lower the bottom Hey from the Chazeh and completely revoke the second restriction, the Parsa, and the place of BYA. Rather, when they extended the light into BYA, all the vessels of ZAT immediately broke, since the force of the ending bottom Hey, which stands at the Parsa, was mingled with these vessels.

Thus, the light had to instantaneously depart from there, and the vessels broke, died, and fell into BYA. Their anterior vessels, which stand above the Parsa, meaning vessels above the Chazeh, also broke, since all the light departed from them, too. Thus, they broke, died, and fell into BYA, due to their joining with the posterior vessels into one Guf.

91) Thus, you see that the Nekuda [singular of Nekudot] of Hirik could not emerge and rule in the world of Nekudim. Moreover, it caused the breaking of the vessels. This was because it wanted to clothe inside the Otiot, in the TNHYM below Parsa of Atzilut, which became BYA.

However, later, in the world of correction, the dot of Hirik received its correction, since it was corrected into shining below the Otiot. This means that when ZAT of Atzilut receive the light of Gadlut from AVI, which should lower the ending bottom Hey from the place of the Chazeh to Sium Raglin of AK, and connect the vessels of TNHYM to Atzilut, and the lights will expand down to Sium Raglin of AK. Yet, they do not do so, but rather raise these TNHY from the place of BYA to the place of Atzilut, above the Parsa, and receive the lights while they are above the Parsa of Atzilut, so that no breaking of vessels would occur in them again, as in the world of Nekudim.

This is considered that the dot of Hirik, which raises the vessels of TNHY of ZAT of Atzilut, stands below these vessels of TNHYM that it raised; that is, it stands in the place of the Parsa of Atzilut. Thus, the dot of Hirik serves below the Otiot. This explains the three Nekudot, Holam, Shuruk, Hirik, in general.

The Matter of Raising MAN of ZAT of Nekudim to AVI and the Explanation of the Sefira Daat

92) It has already been explained that due to the ascent of the bottom Hey to Nikvey Eynaim, which occurred in the second restriction, when the Katnut of the ten Sefirot of Nekudim emerged, each degree divided into two halves: Galgalta and Eynaim remained in the degree, for which they are called anterior vessels, and Ozen, Hotem, Peh, which fell from the degree to the one below it, are therefore called posterior vessels, as it is written in Item 76.

Thus, each degree is now twofold, made of internality and externality, since the posterior vessels of the upper degree fell to the internality of its own anterior vessels. The fallen AHP of Keter of Nekudim are clothed inside Galgalta and Eynaim of AVI, and the fallen AHP of AVI are clothed inside Galgalta and Eynaim of ZAT of Nekudim.

93) In consequence, when the new light of AB SAG of AK comes to the degree and lowers the bottom Hey back to her place at the Peh, during the Gadlut of Nekudim, the degree returns her AHP to her, and its ten Sefirot of vessels and ten Sefirot of lights are completed. It is then considered that the lower degree, too, which was attached to the AHP of the upper one, rises along with them to the upper one.

This is so because the rule is that “there is no absence in the spiritual.” As the lower one was attached to the AHP of the upper one during the Katnut, they are not separated from each other during the Gadlut, as well, when the AHP of the upper one return to their degree. It follows that the lower degree has now actually become a higher degree, since the lower one that rises to the upper one becomes like it.

94) It turns out that when AVI received the new light of AB SAG, lowered the bottom Hey from the Nikvey Eynaim back to their Peh, and raised their AHP to them, the ZAT, too, which clothe these AHP during the Katnut, now rose along with them to AVI. Thus, the ZAT became a single degree with AVI. This ascent of the ZAT to AVI is called “raising MAN.” And when they are at the same degree as AVI, they receive the lights of AVI, as well.

95) It is called MAN since, as explained in Item 80, the ascent of ZA to Bina brings her back to being face-to-face with the Hochma. It is known that every ZAT are ZON; hence, when the ZAT ascended with the AHP of AVI to the degree of AVI, they became MAN to the Bina of the ten Sefirot of AVI. Then she returns to being face-to-face with the Hochma of AVI and imparts ZON, which are the ZAT of Nekudim that ascended to them, with illumination of Hochma.

96) Despite the above-mentioned ascent of ZAT to AVI, it does not mean that they became altogether absent from their place and ascended to AVI, since there is no absence in the spiritual. Also, any “change of place” in spirituality does not mean that it has left its former place and moved to a new place, as one relocates in corporeality. Rather, there is merely an addition here: They came to the new place while remaining in their previous place. Thus, although the ZAT ascended to AVI for MAN, they nevertheless remained in their place, at their lower degree, as before.

97) Similarly, you can understand that even though we say that once ZON ascended for MAN to AVI and received their lights there, they left there and returned to their place below, here, too, it does not mean that they left their place above and moved to the place below. Had ZON been absent from their place above in AVI, the coupling of AVI face-to-face would stop instantaneously, and they would return to being back-to-back as before. This would stop their abundance, and ZON, below, would lose their Mochin, too.

It has already been explained above that Bina naturally craves only light of Hassadim, as in “for he desires mercy.” She has no interest whatsoever in receiving light of Hochma; hence, she is back-to-back with Hochma. Only when ZON ascend to them for MAN does Bina return in a coupling of face-to-face with Hochma, to bestow illumination of Hochma to ZA, as it is written in Item 80.

Hence, it is necessary that the ZON will always remain there to give subsistence and establishing to the coupling of AVI face-to-face. For this reason, it cannot be said that ZON left the place of AVI when they come to their place below. Rather, as we have said, any change of place is but an addition. Thus, although ZON descended to their place below, they nevertheless remained above, as well.

98) Now you can understand the Sefira of Daat, which was initiated in the world of Nekudim. In all the Partzufim of AK, through Nekudim, there are only ten Sefirot KHB ZON. But from the world of Nekudim onward, there is also the Sefira of Daat, which we regard as KHBD ZON.

The thing is that it has already been explained in Item 79 that there was no ascent of MAN in the Partzufim of AK, but only the ascent of the screen to the Peh of the Rosh. But you should know that the Sefira of Daat is drawn from the ascent of MAN of ZON to AVI, as it has been clarified that ZON, which ascended there for MAN to Hochma and Bina, remain there even after they depart from there to their place below, to provide subsistence and establishing to the coupling of AVI face-to-face. These ZON, which remain in AVI, are called “the Sefira of Daat.” Hence, now HB have the Sefira of Daat, which sustains and positions them in a coupling of face-to-face. These are the ZON that ascended for MAN there and remained there even after the departure of ZON to their place.

Hence, from here on we call the ten Sefirot by the names KHBD ZON. But in the Partzufim of AK, prior to the world of Nekudim, before the raising of MAN, there was no Sefira of Daat there. You should also know that the Sefira of Daat is always called “five Hassadim and five Gevurot,” since the ZA that remains there is considered five Hassadim, and the Nukva that remained there is considered five Gevurot.

Item 99 is absent in the original Hebrew.

100) We might ask about what is written in The Book of Creation, that the ten Sefirot are “ten and not nine, ten and not eleven.” It was said that the Sefira of Daat was initiated in the world of Nekudim; thus, there are eleven Sefirot: KHBD ZON.

The answer is that this is not at all an addition to the ten Sefirot, since we have learned that the Sefira of Daat is ZON that ascended for MAN and remained there. Hence, there is no addition here, but rather two discernments in ZON. The first is the ZON in their place below, which are considered Guf. The second is the ZON that remained in the Rosh of AVI, since they were already there during the raising of the MAN, and there is no absence in the spiritual.

Thus, there is no addition to the ten Sefirot here, whatsoever, for ultimately there are only ten Sefirot KHB ZON here. And if ZON also remain in the Rosh in AVI, it does not add anything to the ten Sefirot.

The Breaking of the Vessels and Their Fall to BYA

101) Now we have thoroughly explained the raising of MAN and the Sefira of Daat, which are considered the anterior vessels of ZAT of Nekudim that were extended and rose to AVI. This is because AVI received the new light of AB SAG of AK from ZON of AK in the form of the dot of Shuruk. They lowered the bottom Hey from their Nikvey Eynaim to the Peh, and raised their posterior vessels, which were fallen in the ZAT of Nekudim. As a result, the anterior vessels of ZAT, which were attached to the posterior vessels of AVI (see Items 89 and 94), ascended, too, and the ZAT of Nekudim became MAN there and returned AVI to being face-to-face.

Since the bottom Hey, which is phase four, had already returned to her place at the Peh, the coupling by striking that was done on that screen of phase four elicited ten complete Sefirot at the level of Keter in the light of Yechida (see Item 84). Thus, ZAT, which are included there as MAN, received those great lights of AVI, too. Yet, all this is only regarded as being from below upward, since AVI are considered the Rosh of Nekudim, where the coupling that elicits ten Sefirot from below upward occurs.

Subsequently, they also expand into a Guf, meaning from above downward (see Item 50). At that time, the ZAT were extended with all the lights they had received in AVI to their place below, and the Rosh and Guf of Partzuf Gadlut of Nekudim is completed. This expansion is considered the Taamim of Partzuf Gadlut of Nekudim, see Item 26.

102) The four phases—Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin, Otiot—are discerned in Partzuf Nekudim, too (see Item 47), since all the forces that exist in the upper ones must exist in the lower ones, as well. But in the lower one, there are additional matters to the upper one. It has been explained that the primary expansion of each Partzuf is called Taamim. After it expands, the clash of surrounding light and inner light occurs in it, and through this clash, the screen is gradually refined until it equalizes with the Peh of the Rosh.

And since the upper light does not stop, the upper light couples with the screen in each state of coarseness along its refinement. This means that when it refines from phase four to phase three, the level of Hochma emerges on it. And when it reaches phase two, the level of Bina emerges on it. When it comes to phase one, the level of ZA emerges on it, and when it comes to the root phase, the level of Malchut emerges on it. All those levels that emerge on the screen through its refinement are called Nekudot.

The records that remain of the lights after they have departed are called Tagin. The vessels that remain after the departure of the lights from them are called Otiot. Once the screen has been completely refined of its coarseness of the Guf, it is incorporated in the screen of the Peh of the Rosh in the coupling there, and a second Partzuf emerges on it.

103) And here in Partzuf Nekudim, it was done in precisely the same manner. Here, too, two Partzufim emerge—AB and SAG—one below the other. And in each of them there are Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin, and Otiot.

The only difference is that the refinement of the screen was not done here because of the clash of surrounding light and inner light, but due to the force of judgment of the ending Malchut, incorporated in those vessels, as written in Item 90. For this reason, the empty vessels did not remain in the Partzuf after the departure of the lights, as in the three Partzufim Galgalta, AB, SAG of AK, but broke and died and fell to BYA.

104) Regarding the Partzuf of Taamim that emerged in the world of Nekudim, which is the first Partzuf in Nekudim, which emerged on the level of Keter, it has already been explained (Item 101) that it emerged with Rosh and Guf. The Rosh emerged in AVI, and the Guf is the expansion of ZAT from the Peh of AVI down. This expansion from the Peh of AVI downward is called Melech ha Daat [King of Daat].

And this is indeed the whole of the ZAT of Nekudim that expanded once again to their place after the raising of MAN. But since their root remained in AVI for subsistence and establishing to the face-to-face of AVI (see Item 98), called there Moach ha Daat, which makes AVI copulate, their expansion from above downward into a Guf is also called by that name—Melech ha Daat. This is the first Melech [king] of Nekudim.

105) It is known that all the quantity and quality in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh appear in the expansion from above downward to the Guf, as well. Hence, as in the lights of the Rosh, the coupling Malchut returned and descended from the place of Nikvey Eynaim to the Peh. Then, GE [Galgalta Eynaim] and Nikvey Eynaim, which are the anterior vessels, reunited with their posterior vessels, their AHP, and the lights expanded in them. Similarly, as they expanded from above downward to the Guf, the lights were drawn to their posterior vessels, too, which are the TNHYM in BYA, below the Parsa of Atzilut.

Malchut in the Parsa of Atzilut is mixed in those vessels; as soon as the lights of Melech ha Daat met this force, they all departed the vessels and ascended to their root. All the vessels of Melech ha Daat broke face and back, died, and fell to BYA, since the departure of the lights from the vessels is like the departure of vitality from the corporeal body, called “death.” At that time, the screen was refined from the coarseness of phase four, since these vessels have already broken and died, and only coarseness of phase three remained in it.

106) And as the coarseness of phase four was revoked from the screen of the Guf by the breaking, that coarseness was revoked in the coupling Malchut of the Rosh in AVI, too. This is so because coarseness of the Rosh and coarseness of the Guf are the same thing, except one is in potential and the other is in practice (see Item 50). Hence, the coupling at the level of Keter stopped at the Rosh in AVI, too, and the posterior vessels, the AHP that completed the level of Keter, fell once more to the degree below it, meaning to the ZAT. This is called “revoking the posterior of the level of Keter from AVI.” It turns out that the whole level of Taamim of Nekudim, Rosh and Guf, has departed.

107) And since the upper light does not stop shining, it coupled once more on the coarseness of phase three that remained in the screen of the Rosh in AVI, and ten Sefirot emerged at the level of Hochma. The Guf from above downward expanded to the Sefira of Hesed and is the second Melech of Nekudim. It, too, extended to BYA, broke, and died, at which time the coarseness of phase three was revoked from the screen of the Guf and of the Rosh, as well. Also, the posterior vessels, the AHP that completed this level of Hochma of AVI, were revoked once more, and fell to the degree below it, to ZAT, as it happened at the level of Keter.

Afterwards, a coupling was made on coarseness of phase two that remained in the screen, and ten Sefirot emerged at the level of Bina. The Guf, from above downward, expanded in the Sefira of Gevura, and this is the third Melech of Nekudim.

It, too, extended into BYA, broke, and died, revoking the coarseness of phase two in Rosh and Guf, too, ending the coupling at the level of Bina in the Rosh, too. The posterior of the level of Bina of the Rosh fell to the degree below her in the ZAT, and then the coupling was made on the coarseness of phase one that remained in the screen, and ten Sefirot emerged on it at the level of ZA. Also, its Guf, from above downward, expanded in the upper third of Tifferet. Yet, it, too, did not last and its light departed it. Thus, the coarseness of phase one has also been refined with Guf and Rosh, and the posterior of the level of ZA fell to the degree below it, to ZAT.

108) This completed the descent of all the posteriors of AVI, which are the AHP, since with the breaking of the Melech of Daat, only the AHP that belong to the level of Keter were revoked in AVI. With the breaking of the Melech of Hesed, only the AHP that belong to the level of Hochma were revoked in AVI; with the breaking of the Melech of Gevura, the AHP that belong to the level of Bina were revoked; and with the departure of the upper third of Tifferet, the AHP of the level of ZA were revoked.

It follows that all the Gadlut of AVI was revoked and only GE of Katnut remained in them, and only the coarseness of the root remained in the screen. Afterward, the screen of the Guf was refined from all its coarseness and equalized with the screen of the Rosh. At that time, it was included in the coupling by striking of the Rosh, and the records in it were renewed, except for the last phase (see Item 41). By this renewal, a new level emerged on it, called YESHSUT.

109) Since the last phase was lost, only phase three was left in it, on which ten Sefirot at the level of Hochma emerged. And when its coarseness of the Guf was recognized, it departed from the Rosh of AVI, descended, and clothed the place of Chazeh of the Guf of Nekudim (see Item 55), and elicited the ten Sefirot of the Rosh from the Chazeh upward. This Rosh is called YESHSUT, and it produced its Guf from the Chazeh down in the two thirds of Tifferet through the end of Tifferet. This is the fourth Melech of Nekudim, and it, too, extended to BYA, broke, and died. Thus, the coarseness of phase three has been refined in Rosh and Guf. Its posterior vessels of the Rosh fell to the degree below it, in the place of their Guf.

Subsequently, the coupling was made on the coarseness of phase two, which remained in it, and the level of Bina emerged on it. Its Guf, from above downward, expanded in the two vessels Netzah and Hod, which are both one Melech—the fifth Melech of Nekudim. And they, too, extended to BYA, broke, and died. Thus, the coarseness of phase two has been refined in Rosh and Guf, and the posterior vessels of the level fell to the degree below it: the Guf.

Then the coupling was made on the coarseness of phase one that remained in it and the level of ZA emerged on it. Its Guf, from above downward, expanded in the vessel of Yesod, and this is the sixth Melech of Nekudim. It, too, extended into BYA, broke, and died. Thus, the coarseness of phase one has been refined in Rosh and Guf, as well, and the posterior vessels in the Rosh fell to the degree below them, to the Guf.

Then there was the coupling on the coarseness of the root phase that remained in the screen, and the level of Malchut emerged on it. Its from above downward extended into the vessel of Malchut, and this is the seventh Melech of Nekudim. It, too, extended into BYA, broke, and died. Thus, the coarseness of the root was refined in Rosh and Guf, as well, and the posterior of the Rosh fell to the degree below it, in the Guf. Now all the posterior vessels of YESHSUT have been canceled, as well as the breaking of the vessels of all the ZAT of Nekudim, called “the seven Melachim [kings].”

110) Thus we have explained the Taamim and Nekudot that emerged in the two Partzufim AVI and YESHSUT of Nekudim, called AB SAG. In AVI, four levels emerged one below the other. These are the level of Keter, called “looking of the Eynaim of AVI,” the level of Hochma, called the Guf of Aba, and the level of Bina, called the Guf of Ima, and the level of ZA is called Yesodot [plural of Yesod] of AVI. Four bodies expanded from it: Melech [king] of Daat; Melech of Hesed; Melech of Gevura; and the Melech of the upper third of Tifferet, through the Chazeh.

These four Gufim [plural of Guf] broke in both anterior and posterior. But with respect to their Roshim [plural of Rosh], that is, the four levels in AVI, all their anterior vessels remained in the levels, that is, the GE and Nikvey Eynaim of each level, which were in them since the Katnut of Nekudim. Only the posterior vessels in each degree, which joined them during the Gadlut, were revoked once more by the breaking, fell to the degree below them, and remained as they were prior to the emergence of Gadlut of Nekudim, as written in Items 76-77.

111) The emergence of the four levels, one below the other, in Partzuf YESHSUT was in precisely the same manner. The first level is the level of Hochma, called “looking of the Eynaim of YESHSUT at one another,” as well as the level of Bina, the level of ZA, and the level of Malchut, from which four Gufim expanded, which are the Melech of the two lower thirds of Tifferet, the Melech of Netzah and Hod, the Melech of Yesod, and Malchut.

Their four Gufim broke in both anterior and posterior. But in the Roshim, that is, in the four levels of YESHSUT, the anterior vessels in them remained, and only their posterior was revoked by the breaking, and fell to the degree below them. After the revoking of the two Partzufim AVI and YESHSUT, the level of MA of Nekudim emerged. And since only corrections of vessels expanded from her to the Guf, I will not elaborate on it, and it has already been explained in The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Part 7, Item 70.

The World of Correction and the New MA that Emerged from the Metzach of AK

112) From the beginning of the preface [“Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah”] to this point, we have thoroughly explained the first four Partzufim of AK.

The first Partzuf of AK is called Partzuf Galgalta, whose coupling by striking is performed on phase four and its ten Sefirot are at the level of Keter.

The second Partzuf of AK is called AB of AK. The coupling by striking in it is done on coarseness of phase three, and its ten Sefirot are at the level of Hochma. It clothes from the Peh of Partzuf Galgalta downward.

The third Partzuf of AK is called SAG of AK. The coupling by striking in it is done on coarseness of phase two, and its ten Sefirot are at the level of Bina. It clothes from the Peh of Partzuf AB of AK downward.

The fourth Partzuf of AK is called MA of AK. The coupling by striking in it is done on coarseness of phase one, and its ten Sefirot are on the level of ZA. This Partzuf clothes from the Tabur of SAG of AK downward and is divided into internality and externality. The internality is called MA and BON of AK, and the externality is called “the world of Nekudim.” This is where the association of Malchut in Bina, called the second restriction, takes place, as well as the Katnut, Gadlut, the raising of MAN, and the Daat, which determines and copulates the HB face-to-face, and the issue of the breaking of the vessels, since all these were initiated in the fourth Partzuf of AK, called MA or “the world of Nekudim.”

113) These five phases of coarseness in the screen are named after the Sefirot in the Rosh, that is, Galgalta Eynaim and AHP. The coarseness of phase four is called Peh, on which the first Partzuf of AK emerges. The coarseness of phase three is called Hotem, on which Partzuf AB of AK emerges. The coarseness of phase two is called Ozen, on which Partzuf SAG of AK emerges. The coarseness of phase one is called Nikvey Eynaim, on which Partzuf MA of AK and the world of Nekudim emerge.

The coarseness of the root phase is called Galgalta or Metzach, on which the world of correction emerges. It is called “the new MA” since the fourth Partzuf of AK is the core of Partzuf MA of AK, as it emerged from the Nikvey Eynaim at the level of ZA, called HaVaYaH of MA.

But the fifth Partzuf of AK, which emerged from the Metzach, that is, the phase of Galgalta, considered as the coarseness of the root, actually has only the level of Malchut, called BON. Yet, because the first phase of clothing remained there, too, namely the phase of ZA, it is called MA, as well, though by the name of MA that emerged from the Metzach of AK, meaning from the incorporation of the coarseness of the root, called Metzach. It is also called “the new MA,” to distinguish it from the MA that emerged from Nikvey Eynaim of AK. This new Partzuf of MA is called “the world of correction” or “the world of Atzilut.”

114) We should still understand why the first three levels of AK, called Galgalta, AB, SAG, are not considered three worlds but three Partzufim, and why the fourth Partzuf of AK changed into being called “world.” It is likewise with the fifth Partzuf of AK, since the fourth Partzuf is called “the world of Nekudim,” and the fifth Partzuf is called “the world of Atzilut” or “the world of correction.”

115) We should know the difference between a Partzuf and a world. Any level of ten Sefirot that emerges on a screen of the Guf of an upper one after it has been refined and incorporated in the Peh of the Rosh of the upper one (see Item 50) is called Partzuf. After its departure from the Rosh of the upper one, it expands into its own Rosh, Toch, Sof, and it contains five levels one below the other, called Taamim and Nekudot (see Item 47). Yet, it is named only after the level of Taamim in it. The first three Partzufim of AK—Galgalta, AB, SAG (see Item 47)—emerged in that manner. However, a world means that it contains everything that exists in the world above it, like a seal and an imprint, where everything that exists in the seal is transferred to its imprint.

116) Thus you see that the first three Partzufim, Galgalta, AB, and SAG of AK are considered as only one world, the world of AK, which emerged in the first restriction. But the fourth Partzuf of AK, where the second restriction occurred, became a world in and of itself, due to the doubling that occurred in the screen of Nekudot of SAG in its descent from the Tabur of AK. This is because it was doubled by the coarseness of phase four in the form of the bottom Hey in the Eynaim (see Item 63).

During the Gadlut, phase four returned to its place at the Peh and elicited the level of Keter (see Item 84), and this level was equal to the first Partzuf of AK. After it expanded into Rosh, Toch, Sof in Taamim and Nekudot, a second Partzuf emerged on it, at the level of Hochma, called YESHSUT, which is similar to the second Partzuf of AK, called AB of AK. Following its expansion into Taamim and Nekudot, a third Partzuf emerged, called MA of Nekudim (see Item 111), which is similar to the third Partzuf of AK.

Thus, everything that existed in the world of AK emerged here in the world of Nekudim, that is, three Partzufim one below the other. Each of which contains Taamim and Nekudot and all their instances, like the three Partzufim Galgalta, AB, SAG of AK in the world of AK. For this reason, the world of Nekudim is regarded as an imprint of the world of AK, and because of it, it is considered a complete world in and of itself. (The reason why the three Partzufim of Nekudim are not called Galgalta, AB, SAG, but rather AB, SAG, MA, is that the coarseness of phase four that connected to the screen of SAG is incomplete due to the refinement that occurred in the first Partzuf of AK. This is why they descended into being AB, SAG, and MA.)

117) Thus we have learned how the world of Nekudim was imprinted from the world of AK. Similarly, the fifth Partzuf of AK, that is, the new MA, was entirely imprinted from the world of Nekudim. Thus, although all the discernments that served in Nekudim were broken and canceled there, they were renewed in the new MA. This is why it is considered a separate world.

Also, it is called “the world of Atzilut” because it ends completely above the Parsa that was erected in the second restriction. It is also called “the world of correction” because the world of Nekudim could not persist because of the revoking and breaking that occurred in it. Only afterward, in the new MA, when all those phases that were in the world of Nekudim returned and came in the new MA, they were established and persisted there.

This is why it is called “the world of correction,” for indeed, it is actually the world of Nekudim, but here, in the new MA, it receives its full correction. This is because through the new MA, all the posterior that fell from AVI and YESHSUT to the Guf, as well as the anterior and posterior of all the ZAT that fell to BYA and died, reunite with the GAR and rise through it to Atzilut.

118) The reason for it is that each lower Partzuf returns and fills the vessels of the upper one after the departure of their lights during the refinement of the screen. This is because after the departure of the lights of the Guf of the first Partzuf of AK, because of the refinement of the screen, the screen received a new coupling at the level of AB, which refilled the empty vessels of the Guf of the upper one, that is, the first Partzuf.

Also, following the departure of the lights of the Guf of AB because of the refinement of the screen, the screen received a new coupling at the level of SAG, which refilled the empty vessels of the upper one, which is AB. Also, after the departure of the lights of SAG, due to the refinement of the screen, the screen received a new coupling at the level of MA, which emerged from Nikvey Eynaim, being the Nekudim, which refilled the empty vessels of the upper one, which is Nekudot of SAG.

And exactly in the same way, following the departure of the lights of Nekudim because of the revoking of the posteriors and the breaking of the vessels, the screen received a new coupling at the level of MA, which emerged from the Metzach of Partzuf SAG of AK. This fills the empty vessels of the Guf of the upper one, which are the vessels of Nekudim that were revoked and broken.

119) Yet, there is an essential difference here in the new MA: It became a male, and an upper one to the vessels of Nekudim which it corrects. Conversely, in the previous Partzufim, the lower one does not become a male and an upper one to the vessels of the Guf of the upper one, even though it fills them through its level.

That change is because in the previous Partzufim there was no flaw in the departure of the lights, because only the refinement of the screen caused their departure. But here, in the world of Nekudim, there was a flaw in the vessels, since the force of the ending Malchut was mixed with the posterior vessels of ZAT, making them unfit to receive the lights. This is why they broke and died and fell into BYA.

Hence, they are completely dependent on the new MA to revive them, sort them, and raise them to Atzilut. As a result, the new MA is regarded as male and giver. And these vessels of Nekudim, which were sorted by it, became Nukva [female] to the MA. Thus, their name has been changed to BON, meaning they have become a lower one to the MA. Even though they are the upper one to the new MA, since they are vessels from the world of Nekudim and are considered MA and Nikvey Eynaim, whose highest phase is VAK of SAG of AK (see Item 74), they now became a lower one to the new MA, for which reason they are called BON.

The Five Partzufim of Atzilut and the MA and BON in Each Partzuf

120) It has been explained that the level of the new MA expanded into a whole world in and of itself, as well, like the world of Nekudim. The reason is, as it has been explained regarding the level of Nekudim, the doubling of the screen from phase four, too (see Item 116). This is because the illumination of the ZON of AK that shone through the Tabur and Yesod to GAR of Nekudim brought the first restriction back to its place, and the bottom Hey descended from Nikvey Eynaim to the Peh, which caused all these levels of Gadlut of Nekudim to emerge (see Item 101). Yet, all these levels were revoked and broken once more, and all the lights departed them. Consequently, the second restriction returned to its place and phase four was reunited with the screen.

121) Hence, in the new MA that emerged from the Metzach, there are two phases of Katnut and Gadlut, too, as in the world of Nekudim. The Katnut emerges first, according to the coarseness disclosed in the screen, which is the level of ZA of clothing, called HGT, and the level of Malchut of coarseness, called NHY, due to the three lines made on the level of Malchut. The right line is called Netzah, the left line is called Hod, and the middle line is called Yesod.

Yet, since there is only clothing in phase one, without coarseness, it has no vessels. Thus, the level of HGT is devoid of vessels, and it clothes the vessels of NHY. This level is called embryo [Ubar], which means that there is only coarseness of the root there, which remained in the screen after its refinement, during its ascent for coupling at the Metzach of the upper one. The level that emerges there is only the level of Malchut.

Yet, within there is a concealed bottom Hey, regarded as “the bottom Hey at the Metzach.” Once the embryo receives the coupling in the upper one, it descends from there to its place (see Item 54), and receives the Mochin of suckling [Yenika] from the upper one, which are coarseness of phase one, considered “the bottom Hey in Nikvey Eynaim.” Thus, it acquires vessels for HGT, too, HGT expand from NHY and it has the level of ZA.

122) Afterwards, it rises for MAN to the upper one once again. This is called the second impregnation [Ibur Bet]. It receives there Mochin from AB SAG of AK, and phase four descends from Nikvey Eynaim to her place at the Peh (see Item 101). At that time, a coupling is made on phase four at her place, ten Sefirot emerge at the level of Keter, the vessels of AHP ascend back to their place at the Rosh, and the Partzuf is completed with ten Sefirot of lights and vessels. These Mochin are called “Mochin of Gadlut of the Partzuf,” and this is the level of the first Partzuf of Atzilut, called Partzuf Keter or Partzuf Atik of Atzilut.

123) You already know that after the breaking of the vessels, all the AHP fell from their degrees, each to the degree below it (see Items 77, 106). Thus, the AHP of the level of Keter of Nekudim are in GE of the level of Hochma, and the AHP of the level of Hochma are in the GE of the level of Bina, etc. Therefore, during the second impregnation of Gadlut of the first Partzuf of Atzilut, called Atik, which elevated its AHP once more, GE of the level of Hochma ascended along with them. They were corrected along with the AHP of the level of Atik and received the first impregnation there.

124) Once GE of Hochma received their level of impregnation and suckling (see Item 121), they ascended once again to the Rosh of Atik, where they received their second impregnation for Mochin of Gadlut. Phase three descended to her place at the Peh, and ten Sefirot emerged on her, at the level of Hochma, and their vessels of AHP ascended back to their place at the Rosh. Thus, Partzuf Hochma was completed with ten Sefirot of lights and vessels. This Partzuf is called Arich Anpin of Atzilut.

125) The GE of the level of Bina ascended along with these AHP of AA, and received there their first impregnation and suckling. Afterward, they ascended to the Rosh of AA for a second impregnation, raised their AHP, and received the Mochin of Gadlut. Thus, Partzuf Bina was completed with ten Sefirot of lights and vessels. This Partzuf is called AVI and YESHSUT, since the GAR are called AVI, and the ZAT are called YESHSUT.

126) And GE of ZON ascended along with these AHP of AVI, and received there their first impregnation and suckling. This completes the ZON in the state of VAK to ZA and Nekuda [dot] to the Nukva. Thus we have explained the five Partzufim of the new MA that emerged in the world of Atzilut in permanence, called Atik, AA, AVI, and ZON. Atik emerged at the level of Keter, AA at the level of Hochma, AVI at the level of Bina, and ZON in VAK and Nekuda, which is the level of ZA.

Also, there can never be any diminution in these five levels, since the actions of the lower ones never reach the GAR in a way that they can blemish them. The actions of the lower ones do reach ZA and Nukva, that is, their posterior vessels, which they obtain during the Gadlut. But the actions of the lower ones cannot reach the anterior vessels, which are GE in lights of VAK and Nekuda. Hence, these five levels are considered permanent Mochin in Atzilut.

127) The order of their clothing of each other and on Partzuf AK is that Partzuf Atik of Atzilut, although it emerged from the Rosh of SAG of AK (see Item 118), it still cannot clothe from the Peh of SAG of AK downward, but only below the Tabur since above the Tabur of AK it is considered the first restriction and it is called Akudim.

Since Partzuf Atik is the first Rosh of Atzilut, the second restriction does not control it, so it should have been worthy of clothing above the Tabur of AK. But since the second restriction had already been established in its Peh of Rosh, for the rest of the Partzufim of Atzilut, from it downward, it can only clothe from the Tabur of AK downward.

Thus, the level of Atik begins at the Tabur of AK and ends equally with the Raglaim of AK, that is, above the point of this world. This is so because of its own Partzuf. Yet, because of its connection to the rest of the Partzufim of Atzilut, from whose perspective it is regarded as consisting of the second restriction, too, in that respect, it is considered that its Raglaim end above the Parsa of Atzilut, since the Parsa is the new Sium of the second restriction, as written in Item 68.

128) The second Partzuf in the new MA, called AA, which was emanated and emerged from the Peh of Rosh of Atik, its level begins from the place of its emergence, meaning from the Peh of Rosh of Atik, and clothes the ZAT of Atik, which end above the Parsa of Atzilut. The third Partzuf, called AVI, which were emanated from the Peh of Rosh of AA, they begin from the Peh of Rosh of AA and end above the Tabur of AA. The ZON begin at the Tabur of AA and end equally with the Sium of AA, meaning above Parsa of Atzilut.

129) You should know that when each level of these five Partzufim of the new MA emerged, it sorted and connected to itself a part of the vessels of Nekudim, which became its Nukva. Thus, when Partzuf Atik emerged, it took and connected to itself all the GAR of Nekudim that remained complete during the breaking of the vessels. This refers to the GE in them, which emerged during their Katnut, called the anterior vessels (see Item 76). In the Katnut of Nekudim, only the upper half of each degree came with them, that is, GE and Nikvey Eynaim. The bottom half of each one, which is called AHP, descended to the lower degree.

Hence, it is considered that Partzuf Atik of the new MA took the upper half of Keter from the vessels of Nekudim, as well as the upper half of HB, and the seven roots of ZAT, incorporated in the GAR of Nekudim. These became a Partzuf Nukva to Atik of the new MA, and joined with one another. They are called MA and BON of Atik of Atzilut, since the male of Atik is called MA, and the vessels of Nekudim that joined it are called BON (for the reason explained in Item 119, see there). They are positioned face and back: Atik of MA at the anterior, and Atik of BON in its posterior.

130) Partzuf AA of the new MA, which emerged at the level of Hochma, sorted and connected to itself the lower half of Keter of Nekudim—AHP of Keter—which, during the Katnut, were at the degree below Keter, that is, in Hochma and Bina of Nekudim (see Item 77). It became a Nukva to the AA of the new MA, and they joined with one another. They are positioned right and left: AA of MA, which is the male, stands on the right, and AA of BON, which is the Nukva, stands on the left.

The reason why Partzuf Atik of MA did not take the lower half of Keter of Nekudim is that since Atik is the first Rosh of Atzilut, whose merit is very high, it connected to itself only the anterior vessels of the GAR of Nekudim, in whom no flaw occurred during the breaking. This is not so at the bottom half of Keter, the AHP that were fallen in HB during the Katnut. Afterward, during the Gadlut, they rose from HB and joined the Keter of Nekudim (see Item 84). Afterwards, at the time of the breaking of the vessels, they fell from the Keter of Nekudim once more and were revoked. Thus, they were flawed by their fall and revocation, and are therefore unworthy of Atik. This is why AA of MA took them.

131) The new Partzuf of AVI, which are at the level of Bina, sorted and connected to themselves the lower half of HB of Nekudim, which are the AHP of HB that fell in the ZAT of Nekudim during the Katnut. But afterward, during the Gadlut of Nekudim, they ascended and joined HB of Nekudim (see Item 94). During the breaking of the vessels, they fell once more to the ZAT of Nekudim and were revoked (see Item 107), and AVI of MA sorted them into being their Nukva.

They are called the ZAT [Zayin Tachtonot (bottom seven)] of Hochma and the VAT [Vav Tachtonot (bottom six)] of Bina of BON, since Hesed of Bina remained with the GAR of HB of BON in Partzuf Atik, and only the VAT from Gevura downward remained at the bottom half of Bina. It follows that the male of AVI is the level of Bina of MA, and the Nukva of AVI is the ZAT of HB of BON. They are positioned on the right and on the left: AVI of MA on the right, and AVI of BON on the left. And YESHSUT of MA, which are the ZAT of AVI, took the Malchuts of HB of BON.

132) Partzuf ZON of the new MA, at the level of VAK and Nekuda, sorted and connected to themselves the anterior vessels of ZAT of Nekudim, out of their shattering in BYA, that is, the GE of ZAT of Nekudim (see Item 78). They became the Nukva to the ZON of MA and stand on the right and on the left: ZON of MA on the right, and ZON of BON on the left.

133) Thus we have explained the MA and BON in the five Partzufim of Atzilut. The five levels of the new MA that emerged in the world of Atzilut sorted the old vessels that worked at the time of Nekudim, and made them into a Nukva, called BON. BON of Atik were made and established from the upper half of the GAR of Nekudim. BON of AA and AVI were sorted and established from the bottom half of the GAR of Nekudim, which served them during the Gadlut of Nekudim and were revoked once again. BON of ZON were sorted and established from the anterior vessels that emerged during the Katnut of Nekudim, which, during the Gadlut, broke and fell along with their posterior vessels.

A Great Rule Concerning the Permanent Mochin and the Ascents of the Partzufim and the Worlds during the Six Thousand Years

134) It has already been explained (from Item 86 and below) that the emergence of the Gadlut of the GAR and ZAT of Nekudim came in three sequences, by way of the three dots Holam, Shuruk, Hirik. From this you can understand that there are two kinds of completion of ten Sefirot for reception of Mochin of Gadlut.

The first is through its ascent and incorporation in the upper one, that is, when ZON of AK shone the new light through the Tabur to Keter of Nekudim and lowered the bottom Hey from Nikvey Eynaim of Keter to its Peh. Thus, the fallen AHP of Keter that were in AVI ascended and returned to their degree in Keter, completing its ten Sefirot.

It is discerned that in that state, GE of AVI, which were attached to the AHP of Keter, ascended along with them. Hence, AVI, too, are incorporated in the complete ten Sefirot of Keter (see Item 93), since the lower one that ascends to the upper one becomes like it. It is therefore considered that AVI, too, obtained the AHP they lacked to complete their ten Sefirot, by their incorporation in the Keter. This is the first kind of Mochin of Gadlut.

135) The second kind is a degree that was completed into ten Sefirot by itself when ZON of AK shone the new light through Yesod of AK, called “the dot of Shuruk,” to AVI, and lowered the bottom Hey from Nikvey Eynaim of AVI themselves to their Peh. By this, they elevated the vessels of AHP of AVI from the place to which they fell in the ZAT to the Rosh of AVI and completed their ten Sefirot. Thus, now AVI are completed by themselves since now they have obtained the actual vessels of AHP that they lacked.

Conversely, in the first kind, when they received their completion from the Keter through adhesion with its AHP, they were actually still deficient of the AHP. But due to their incorporation in the Keter, they received through it an illumination from their AHP, which sufficed only to complete them in ten Sefirot while they were still in the place of the Keter, and not at all when they departed from there to their own place.

136) Similarly, these two kinds of completion are found in the ZAT as well. The first is during the illumination of Shuruk and the ascent of the AHP of AVI. At that time, the GE of ZAT that are attached to them ascended along with them to AVI, too, where they received the discernment of AHP to complete their ten Sefirot. These AHP are not yet their actual AHP, but only an illumination of AHP, sufficient to complete the ten Sefirot while they are in AVI, but not at all when they descend to their own place.

The ZAT obtained the second kind of completion of the ten Sefirot during the expansion of Mochin from AVI to the ZAT. By this they, too, lowered their ending bottom Hey from their Chazeh to the Sium Raglin of AK, elevated their TNHY from BYA, and connected them to their degree, to Atzilut. Then, had they not been broken and died, they would have been completed with ten complete Sefirot by themselves, since now they have obtained the actual AHP that they lacked.

137) In the four Partzufim that emerged from AVI into vessels of HGT, as well as in the four Partzufim that emerged from YESHSUT to the vessels of TNHYM (Items 107, 109), there are these two kinds of completion of ten Sefirot, too. This is because first, each of them was completed by their adhesion with the AHP of AVI and YESHSUT while they were still at the Rosh. This is the first kind of completion of the ten Sefirot. Afterward, when they expanded to BYA, they wanted to be completed by completing the second kind of ten Sefirot. This applies to the Sefirot within Sefirot, as well.

138) You should know that these five Partzufim of Atzilut, Atik, AA, AVI, and ZON were established in permanence, and no diminution applies to them (see Item 126). Atik emerged at the level of Keter, AA at the level of Hochma, AVI at the level of Bina, and ZON at the level of ZA, VAK without a Rosh.

Thus, the vessels of AHP that were sorted for them at the time of Gadlut were considered the completion of the first kind of ten Sefirot, by way of the dot of Holam that shone in Keter of Nekudim. At that time, AVI, too, were completed by the Keter and obtained illumination of the vessels of AHP (see Item 134). Hence, although Atik, AA, and AVI all had ten complete Sefirot at the Rosh, no GAR from it reached their Gufim. Even Partzuf Atik had only VAK, without a Rosh, at the Guf, and so did AA and AVI.

The reason for this is that the more refined is sorted first. Hence, only the completion of the first kind of ten Sefirot was sorted in them, from the perspective of its ascent to the upper one, that is, the illumination of the vessels of AHP, which suffices to complete the ten Sefirot in the Rosh. But there is still no expansion from the Rosh to the Guf, since when AVI were incorporated in Keter of Nekudim, the illumination of AHP through the Keter sufficed for them, and not at all upon their expansion to their own place, from the Peh of Keter of Nekudim downward (see Item 135). And since the Gufim of Atik and AA and AVI were in VAK without a Rosh, it is all the more so with the ZON themselves, considered the general Guf of Atzilut—they emerged in VAK without a Rosh.

139) Yet, this was not so in AK. Rather, the entire quantity that emerged in the Roshim of the Partzufim of AK expanded to their Gufim, as well. Hence, all five Partzufim of Atzilut are regarded as merely VAK of the Partzufim of AK. This is why they are called “the new MA” or “MA of the five Partzufim of AK,” meaning the level of ZA, which is MA without GAR. GAR are Galgalta, AB, SAG, since the core of the degree is discerned according to its expansion to the Guf, from the Peh down. Since the first three Partzufim do not expand into the Guf, but only VAK without a Rosh, they are considered MA, which is the level of VAK without a Rosh, with respect to the five Partzufim of AK.

140) Thus, Atik of Atzilut, who has the level of Keter at the Rosh, is considered VAK to the Partzuf of Keter of AK, and lacks Neshama, Haya, Yechida of Keter of AK. AA of Atzilut, having the level of Hochma at the Rosh, is considered VAK to Partzuf AB of AK, which is Hochma, lacking Neshama, Haya, Yechida of AB of AK.

AVI of Atzilut, with the level of Bina at the Rosh, are considered VAK of Partzuf SAG of AK, and lack Neshama, Haya, Yechida of SAG of AK. ZON of Atzilut are considered VAK of Partzuf MA and BON of AK, and lack Neshama, Haya, Yechida of MA and BON of AK. And YESHSUT and ZON are always on the same degree—one being the Rosh and the other being the Guf.

141) The completion of the AHP of the ten Sefirot of the second kind are sorted through raising MAN from good deeds of the lower ones. This means that they complete AVI, with respect to themselves, as in the dot of Shuruk. At that time, AVI themselves lower the bottom Hey from their Nikvey Eynaim and raise their AHP to them. Then they have the strength to bestow to the ZAT, as well, which are ZON, that is, to the Gufim from above downward. This is because the GE of ZON, attached to the AHP of AVI, are drawn along with them to AVI, and receive the completion of their ten Sefirot from them (see Item 94).

At that time, the full amount of Mochin in AVI are imparted also to the ZON that ascended along with them to their AHP. Hence, when the five Partzufim of Atzilut receive this completion of the second kind, there is GAR to the Gufim of the first three Partzufim—Atik, AA, and AVI of Atzilut—as well as to the ZON of Atzilut, which are the general Guf of Atzilut.

At that time, the five Partzufim of Atzilut ascend and clothe the five Partzufim of AK, since during the expansion of GAR to the Gufim of the five Partzufim of Atzilut, as well, they equalize with the five Partzufim of AK. Atik of Atzilut ascends and clothes Partzuf Keter of AK, AA clothes AB of AK, AVI—SAG of AK, and ZON clothes MA and BON of AK. Then each of them receives Neshama, Haya, and Yechida from its corresponding phase in AK.

142) Yet, with respect to ZON of Atzilut, these Mochin are regarded as merely the first kind of completion of ten Sefirot, since these AHP are not complete AHP, but merely illumination of AHP, which they receive through AVI while they are at the place of AVI. But in their expansion to their own place, they still lack their own AHP (see Item 136).

For this reason, all the Mochin that the ZON obtains during the 6,000 years are considered “Mochin of ascent,” since they can obtain Mochin of GAR only when they rise to the place of GAR, as then they are completed by them. But if they do not rise to the place of GAR, they cannot have Mochin, since the ZON still have to sort the second kind of Mochin, and this will happen only at the end of correction.

143) Thus we have explained that the Mochin of the five permanent Partzufim in Atzilut are from the first kind of sorting of vessels of AVI. In the world of Nekudim, this illumination is called “illumination of Tabur” or “the dot of Holam.” Even AVI have only the first kind of completion; hence, no illumination of GAR reaches from the Roshim of Atik, AA, and AVI to their own Gufim and to ZON, since ZAT of Nekudim, too, received none of that illumination of the Holam (see Item 88).

The Mochin of the 6,000 years, through the end of correction, which come through the raising of MAN of the lower ones, are considered sorting of vessels to complete the second kind of ten Sefirot of AVI. In the world of Nekudim, this illumination is called “illumination of Yesod” or “the dot of Shuruk,” since then AVI raise their own AHP, to which the GE of ZAT are attached, as well. Hence, ZAT, too, receive Mochin of GAR in the place of AVI. Thus, these Mochin reach the Gufim of the five Partzufim of Atzilut and the general ZON, as well. However, they must be above, in the place of GAR, and clothe them.

In the future, at the end of correction, ZON will receive the completion of the second kind of ten Sefirot, and will lower the ending bottom Hey from their Chazeh, which is the Parsa of Atzilut, to the place of Sium Raglin of AK (see Item 136). At that time, TNHY of ZON in BYA will connect to the degree of ZON of Atzilut, and Sium Raglin of Atzilut will equalize with Sium Raglin of AK. Then the Messiah King will appear, as it is written, “His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives.” Thus, it has been thoroughly clarified that there is no correction to the worlds during the 6,000 years, except through ascent.

Explaining the Three Worlds Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya

144) There are seven basic principles to discern in the three worlds BYA:

‎1. From where was the place for these three worlds made?‎

‎2. The levels of the Partzufim BYA and the initial position of the worlds when they ‎were emanated and emerged from the Nukva of Atzilut.‎

‎3. All the levels from the added Mochin and their position, which they had obtained ‎prior to the sin of Adam ha Rishon.‎

‎4. The Mochin that remained in the Partzufim BYA and the place to which the ‎worlds fell after they were blemished by the sin of Adam ha Rishon.‎

‎5. The Mochin of Ima that the Partzufim BYA received after their fall below Parsa ‎of Atzilut.‎

‎6. The posterior Partzufim of the five Partzufim of Atzilut, which descended and ‎clothed the Partzufim BYA and became the phase of Neshama to Neshama for them.‎

‎7. The phase of Malchut of Atzilut that descended and became Atik to the Partzufim ‎of BYA.‎

145) The first discernment has already been explained (above, from Item 66 onward): Because of the ascent of the ending Malchut, which was below the Sium Raglin of AK, to the place of the Chazeh of ZAT of Nekudot of SAG, which occurred during the second restriction, the two lower thirds of Tifferet and NHYM fell below the new point of Sium at the Chazeh of Nekudot. Thus, they are no longer worthy of receiving the upper light, and the place of the three worlds BYA was made of them. The place of the world of Beria was made of the two lower thirds of Tifferet, the place of the world of Yetzira was made of the three Sefirot NHY, and the place of the world of Assiya was made of Malchut.

146) The second discernment is the levels of the Partzufim BYA and their position upon their exit and birth from the Nukva of Atzilut. Know that at that time, ZA had already obtained the phase of Haya from Aba, and the Nukva had already obtained the phase of Neshama from Ima.

You already know that the ZON receive the Mochin from AVI only by ascent and clothing (see Item 142). Hence, ZA clothes Aba of Atzilut, called upper AVI, and the Nukva clothes Ima of Atzilut, called YESHSUT. Then the Nukva of Atzilut sorted and emanated the world of Beria with its five Partzufim.

147) Since the Nukva stands at the place of Ima, she is regarded as the degree of Ima, since the lower one that ascends to the upper one becomes like it. Hence, the world of Beria, which was sorted by her, is regarded as the degree of ZA, since it is a lower degree than the Nukva, regarded as Ima, and the one below Ima is ZA. Thus, the world of Beria stands at the place of ZA of Atzilut below the Nukva of Atzilut, which was then regarded as Ima of Atzilut.

148) Thus, it is considered that the world of Yetzira, which was sorted and emanated by the world of Beria, is then at the degree of Nukva of Atzilut. This is because it is the degree below the world of Beria, which was then the phase of ZA of Atzilut. And the one below ZA is the phase of Nukva.

However, not all ten Sefirot of the world of Yetzira are considered Nukva of Atzilut, but only the first four of Yetzira. The reason is that there are two states to the Nukva: face-to-face and back-to-back. When she is face-to-face with ZA, her level is equal to that of ZA. When she is back-to-back, she occupies only the four Sefirot TNHY of ZA.

And since at that time the state of all the worlds was only back-to-back, there were only four Sefirot in the Nukva. Hence, the world of Yetzira, too, has only its first four Sefirot at the place of Nukva of Atzilut, and the remaining bottom six of Yetzira were at the first six Sefirot of the current world of Beria, according to the qualities of the place of BYA in the first discernment (Item 145), where the worlds BYA fell after the sin of Adam ha Rishon, which is now their permanent place.

149) The world of Assiya, which was sorted by the world of Yetzira, is considered the current degree of Beria. Since the world of Yetzira was previously at the degree of Nukva of Atzilut, the degree below it—the world of Assiya—is regarded as the current world of Beria. But since only the first four of Yetzira were in the phase of Nukva of Atzilut, and its lower six were in the world of Beria, therefore, only the first four of the world of Assiya below it are regarded as the bottom four Sefirot of the world of Beria. And the bottom six of the world of Assiya were in the place of the first six of the current world of Yetzira.

At that time, the fourteen Sefirot—NHYM of the current Yetzira and all ten Sefirot of the current world of Assiya—were devoid of any Kedusha [holiness] and became the shell section [Mador ha Klipot]. This is so because there were only shells [Klipot] in the place of these fourteen Sefirot, since the worlds of Kedusha ended at the place of the Chazeh of the current world of Yetzira. Thus we have clarified the levels of the Partzufim BYA and their position when they were initially emanated.

150) Now we shall explain the third discernment—the levels of the Partzufim BYA and the position they had from the added Mochin prior to the sin of Adam ha Rishon. This is because through the illumination of the addition of Shabbat [Sabbath], they had two ascents.

The first was on the fifth hour on the eve of Shabbat when Adam ha Rishon was born. At that time, the illumination of the addition of Shabbat begins to shine in the form of the Hey of the sixth day. At that time, ZA obtained the phase of Yechida and rose and clothed AA of Atzilut, Nukva the phase of Haya, and it rose and clothed AVI of Atzilut. Beria rose to YESHSUT, the whole of Yetzira rose to ZA, the first four Sefirot of Assiya rose to the place of Nukva of Atzilut, and the bottom six of Assiya rose to the place of the first six of Beria.

The second ascent was on the eve of Shabbat at dusk. Through the addition of Shabbat, the bottom six of Assiya rose to the place of Nukva of Atzilut, as well, and the worlds of Yetzira and Assiya stood in the world of Atzilut, in the place of ZON of Atzilut, in a manner of face-to-face.

151) Now we shall explain the fourth discernment—the level of Mochin that remained in BYA, and the place to which they fell after the sin. Because of the flaw of the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, all the added Mochin they had obtained through the two ascents departed from the worlds, and ZON returned to being VAK and Nekuda. And the three worlds BYA were left with only the Mochin with which they initially emerged. The world of Beria was at the degree of ZA, which means VAK, and Yetzira and Assiya in the above-mentioned measure, too (Item 148).

Additionally, the phase of Atzilut had completely left them and they fell below Parsa of Atzilut, to the quality of the place of BYA, prepared by the second restriction (see Item 145). Thus, the bottom four of Yetzira and the ten Sefirot of the world of Assiya fell and stood at the place of the fourteen Sefirot of the shells (see Item 149), called the “shell section.”

152) The fifth discernment is the Mochin of Ima that BYA received at the place to which they fell. After BYA departed from Atzilut and fell below Parsa of Atzilut, they had only VAK (see Item 151). Then YESHSUT clothed ZON of Atzilut, and YESHSUT coupled from the clothing in ZON, and imparted Mochin of Neshama to the Partzufim BYA in their place: The world of Beria received from them ten complete Sefirot at the level of Bina, the world of Yetzira received from them VAK, and the world of Assiya, only the state of back-to-back.

153) The sixth discernment is the Neshama to Neshama, which the Partzufim BYA obtained from the posterior Partzufim of the five Partzufim of Atzilut. This is because during the diminution of the moon, the posterior Partzuf of Nukva of Atzilut fell and clothed in the Partzufim BYA. It contains three Partzufim, called impregnation, suckling, Mochin: The state of Mochin fell into Beria, the state of suckling fell into Yetzira, and the state of impregnation fell into Assiya. They became the state of Neshama to Neshama to all the Partzufim BYA, which is the state of Haya with respect to them.

154) The seventh discernment is Nukva of Atzilut, which became the RADLA [Reisha de Lo Etyada – The Rosh that is unknown] and the illumination of Yechida in BYA. This is because it has been explained that during the diminution of the moon, the three states—impregnation, suckling, Mochin—of the posterior Partzuf Nukva of Atzilut fell and clothed in BYA. They are at the state of the posterior of the bottom nine of Nukva, which are impregnation, suckling, and Mochin: NHY is called impregnation, HGT is called suckling, and HBD is called Mochin.

However, the posterior of the phase of Keter of Nukva became Atik to the Partzufim BYA in a way that the lights of the current Partzufim BYA are primarily from the remnants left in them after the sin of Adam ha Rishon, which is the VAK of each of them (see Item 151).

They received the phase of Neshama from Mochin of Ima (see Item 152), and they received the phase of Neshama to Neshama, which is the phase of Haya, from the bottom nine of the posterior Partzuf of Nukva, and they received the phase of Yechida from the phase of posterior of Keter of Nukva of Atzilut.

Explaining the Ascents of the Worlds

155) The main difference between the Partzufim of AK and the Partzufim of the world of Atzilut is that the Partzufim of AK are from the first restriction where each degree contains ten complete Sefirot. Also, there is only one vessel in the ten Sefirot—the vessel of Malchut, but the first nine Sefirot are only considered lights.

Conversely, the Partzufim of Atzilut are from the second restriction, as it is written, “In the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven,” when He associated mercy with judgment (see Item 59). The quality of judgment, which is Malchut, ascended and connected to Bina, which is the quality of mercy, and they were conjoined. Thus, a new Sium was placed over the upper light in the place of Bina. The Malchut that ends the Guf ascended to Bina of the Guf, which is Tifferet, at the place of the Chazeh, and the coupling Malchut at the Peh of the Rosh ascended to Bina of the Rosh, called Nikvey Eynaim (see Item 61).

Thus, the level of the Partzufim diminished into GE, which are Keter Hochma in vessels, at the level of VAK without a Rosh, which is Nefesh Ruach in lights (see Item 74). Hence, they are deficient of AHP of the vessels, which are Bina and ZON, and the lights Neshama, Haya, Yechida.

156) It has been explained above, in Item 124, that by raising MAN for the second impregnation, the Partzufim of Atzilut obtained the illumination of Mochin from AB SAG of AK, which lowers the bottom Hey from Nikvey Eynaim back to her place at the Peh, as in the first restriction. Thus, they regain the AHP of the vessels and Neshama, Haya, Yechida of lights. Yet, this helped only to the ten Sefirot of the Rosh of the Partzufim, but not to their Gufim [bodies], since these Mochin did not spread from the Peh down to their Gufim (see Item 138).

Therefore, even after the Mochin of Gadlut, the Gufim remained in the second restriction, as during the Katnut. Hence, all five Partzufim of Atzilut are considered to have only the level of the ten Sefirot that emerge on the coarseness of phase one, the level of ZA, VAK without a Rosh, called “the level of MA.” They clothe the level of MA of the five Partzufim of AK, meaning from Tabur of the five Partzufim of AK downward.

157) Thus, Partzuf Atik of Atzilut clothes Partzuf Keter of AK from its Tabur down and receives its abundance from the level of MA of Partzuf Keter of AK there. Partzuf AA of Atzilut clothes Partzuf AB of AK from Tabur down and receives its abundance from the level of MA of AB of AK there. AVI of Atzilut clothe Partzuf SAG of AK from the Tabur down and receive their abundance from the level of MA of SAG there. ZON of Atzilut clothe Partzuf MA and BON of AK from Tabur down and receive their abundance from the level of MA of Partzuf MA and BON of AK.

Thus, each of the five Partzufim of Atzilut receives from its corresponding Partzuf in AK, only VAK without a Rosh, called “the level of MA.” And even though there is GAR in the Roshim of the five Partzufim of Atzilut, only the Mochin that expand from the Peh down into their Gufim, which are merely VAK without a Rosh, are taken into consideration (see Item 139).

158) This does not mean that each of the five Partzufim of Atzilut clothes its corresponding phase in AK. This is impossible, since the five Partzufim of AK clothe one atop the other, and so do the five Partzufim of Atzilut. Rather, this means that the level of each Partzuf of the Partzufim of Atzilut aims to its corresponding phase in the five Partzufim of AK, from which it receives its abundance (see the book Ha’Ilan, Image no. 3).

159) For the Mochin to flow from the Peh down to the Gufim of the five Partzufim of Atzilut, it has been explained in Item 141 that raising MAN from the lower ones is required, when the completion of the ten Sefirot of the second kind are given to them, which suffices for the Gufim, as well.

There are three discernments in these MAN that the lower ones raise. When they raise MAN from the coarseness of phase two, ten Sefirot at the level of Bina emerge, called “the level of SAG.” These are Mochin of light of Neshama. When they raise MAN from the coarseness of phase three, ten Sefirot at the level of Hochma emerge, called “the level of AB.” These are Mochin of the light of Haya. When they raise MAN from the coarseness of phase four, ten Sefirot at the level of Keter emerge, called “the level of Galgalta.” These are Mochin of the light of Yechida (see Item 29).

160) Know that the lower ones that are suitable for raising MAN are only considered NRN [Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama] of the righteous, which are already incorporated in BYA and can raise MAN to ZON of Atzilut, considered their upper one. At that time, the ZON raise MAN to their upper one, which are AVI, and AVI higher still, until they reach the Partzufim of AK. Then the upper light descends from Ein Sof to the Partzufim of AK on the MAN that ascended there, and the level of ten Sefirot emerges, according to the measure of coarseness of the MAN that they raised. If it is from phase two, it is at the level of Neshama; if it is from phase three, it is the level of Haya.

From there the Mochin descend degree by degree through the Partzufim of AK until they arrive at the Partzufim of Atzilut. And they also travel degree by degree through all the Partzufim of Atzilut until they arrive at the Partzufim ZON of Atzilut, which impart these Mochin upon the NRN of the righteous that raised these MAN from BYA. The rule is that any initiation of Mochin comes only from Ein Sof, and no degree can raise MAN or receive abundance except from its adjacent upper one.

161) This tells you that it is impossible for the lower ones to receive anything from ZON of Atzilut before all the higher Partzufim in the world of Atzilut and the world of AK are brought into Gadlut by them. This is because it has been explained that there is no initiation of Mochin except from Ein Sof.

Yet, the NRN of the righteous can only receive them from their adjacent upper one, which are ZON of Atzilut. Hence, the Mochin must cascade through the upper worlds and Partzufim until they reach the ZON, which then give to the NRN of the righteous.

You already know that there is no absence in the spiritual, and that transference from place to place does not mean becoming absent from the first place and arriving at the next place, as in corporeality. Rather, they remain in the first place even after they have moved and arrived at the next place, as though lighting one candle from another, without the first being deficient.

Moreover, the rule is that the essence and the root of the light remains in the first place, and only a branch of it extends to the next place. Now you can see that the abundance that traverses the upper ones until it reaches the NRN of the righteous remains in each degree it had traversed. Thus, all the degrees grow because of the abundance that they pass onto the NRN of the righteous.

162) Now you can understand how the actions of the lower ones cause ascents and descents in the upper Partzufim and worlds. This is because when they improve their actions and raise MAN and extend abundance, all the worlds and degrees through which the abundance passed grow and ascend because of the abundance that they pass. When they corrupt their actions once more, the MAN is spoiled and the Mochin depart the higher degrees, too, since the transference of abundance from them to the lower ones stops and they descend once more to their permanent state as in the beginning.

163) Now we shall explain the order of the ascents of the five Partzufim of Atzilut to the five Partzufim of AK, and the three worlds BYA to YESHSUT and ZON of Atzilut, beginning with their constant state up to the level that can be reached during the 6,000 years before the end of correction.

Overall, they are only three ascents, but they divide into many details. The constant state of the worlds AK and ABYA has already been explained above: The first Partzuf that was emanated after the first restriction is Partzuf Galgalta of AK, clothed by the four Partzufim of AK—AB, SAG, MA, and BON. And the Sium Raglin of AK is above the point of this world (see Items 27, 31). It is circled by the surroundings of AK from Ein Sof, whose magnitude is infinite and immeasurable (see Item 32). Just as Ein Sof surrounds it, it clothes within it, and it is called “the line of Ein Sof.”

164) Within MA and BON of AK lies Partzuf TNHYM of AK, called Nekudot of SAG of AK (Item 63, 66). During the second restriction, the ending Malchut, which stood above the point of this world, ascended and determined its place at the Chazeh of this Partzuf, below its upper third of Tifferet, where it created a new Sium on the upper light, so it would not spread from there down. This new Sium is called “Parsa below Atzilut” (see Item 68).

These Sefirot from the Chazeh down of Partzuf Nekudot of SAG of AK that remained below the Parsa became a place for the three worlds BYA: The two thirds of Tifferet through the Chazeh became the place of the world of Beria; NHY became the place of the world of Yetzira; and Malchut, the place of the world of Assiya (see Item 67). It turns out that the place of the three worlds BYA begins below the Parsa and ends above the point of this world.

165) Thus, the four worlds, Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya begin from the place below Tabur of AK and end above the point of this world. This is because the five Partzufim of the world of Atzilut begin from the place below Tabur of AK and end above the Parsa. And from the Parsa down to this world stand the three worlds BYA. This is the permanent state of the worlds AK and ABYA, and there will never be any diminution in them.

It has already been explained (Item 138) that in that state there is only state VAK without a Rosh in all the Partzufim and the worlds. This is so because even in the first three Partzufim of Atzilut, in whose Roshim there is GAR, they are still not imparted from their Peh down, and all the Gufim are VAK without a Rosh, all the more so in the Partzufim BYA. Even the Partzufim of AK, with respect to their surroundings, are regarded as lacking GAR (see Item 32).

166) Hence, overall, there are three ascents to complete the worlds in the three levels, Neshama, Haya, Yechida, which they lack. These ascents depend on the lower ones’ raising of MAN. The first ascent is when the lower ones raise MAN from coarseness of phase two. At that time, the AHP of the level of Bina and Neshama, with respect to the ten Sefirot of the second kind, are sorted, from the illumination of the dot of Shuruk (see Item 135). These Mochin shine to the ZAT and the Gufim, as well, like in the Partzufim of AK, when the full quantity that exists in the ten Sefirot in the Roshim of the Partzufim of AK traverses and spreads to the Gufim, as well.

167) It turns out that when these Mochin traverse the Partzufim of Atzilut, each of the five Partzufim of Atzilut receives Mochin of Bina and Neshama, called Mochin of SAG, which illuminate GAR to their Partzufim, as well, as in AK. Hence, it is then considered that they grow and rise and clothe the Partzufim of AK, to the extent of the Mochin that they achieved.

168) Thus, when Partzuf Atik of Atzilut obtained these Mochin of Bina, it rises and clothes Partzuf Bina of AK, opposite the level of SAG of Partzuf Galgalta of AK, from which it receives its state of Neshama of Yechida of AK, which shines for his ZAT, too.

When the Mochin come to Partzuf AA of Atzilut, it ascends and clothes the Rosh of Atik of the constant state, opposite the level of SAG of Partzuf AB of AK, from which it receives the state of Neshama of Haya of AK, which shines for its ZAT. When the Mochin come to Partzuf AVI of Atzilut, it ascends and clothes the constant GAR of AA, opposite the level of Bina of SAG of AK, from which it receives the state of Neshama of Neshama of AK, which shines to their ZAT, too. And when these Mochin come to YESHSUT and ZON of Atzilut, they ascend and clothe the constant AVI, opposite the level of Bina of Partzuf MA and BON of AK, from which they receive the state of Neshama of Nefesh Ruach of AK. Then the NRN of the righteous receive the Mochin of Neshama of Atzilut.

When the Mochin come to the Partzufim of the world of Beria, the world of Beria ascends and clothes Nukva of Atzilut, from which it receives the state of Nefesh of Atzilut. And when the Mochin come to the world of Yetzira, it ascends and clothes the constant world of Beria, from which it receives the state of Neshama and GAR of Beria. When the Mochin come to the world of Assiya, it ascends and clothes the world of Yetzira, from which it receives the state of Mochin of VAK in Yetzira. Thus we have explained the first ascent that each Partzuf in ABYA obtained by the MAN of phase two, which the lower ones raised (see the book Ha’Ilan, Image no. 7).

169) The second ascent occurs when the lower ones raise MAN from coarseness of phase three. At that time, the AHP of the level of Hochma and Haya are sorted with respect to the completion of the second kind of ten Sefirot. These Mochin shine for the ZAT and the Gufim, too, as in the Partzufim of AK. And when the Mochin pass through the Partzufim ABYA, each Partzuf rises and grows through them, according to the Mochin it had attained.

170) Thus, when the Mochin came to Partzuf Atik of Atzilut, it ascended and clothed the GAR of Partzuf Hochma of AK, called AB of AK, opposite the level of AB of Galgalta of AK, from which it receives the light of Haya of Yechida. When the Mochin reach Partzuf AA of Atzilut, it rises and clothes GAR of SAG of AK, opposite the level of AB of Partzuf AB of AK, from which it receives the light of Haya of Haya of AK. When the Mochin reach the Partzufim AVI of Atzilut, they rise and clothe the constant GAR of Atik, opposite the level of AB of Partzuf SAG of AK, from which they receive the light of Haya of Neshama of AK, which shines for the ZAT and the Gufim, as well. When the Mochin reach YESHSUT of Atzilut, they rise and clothe the constant GAR of AA, opposite the level of AB of MA of AK, from which they receive the light of Haya of MA of AK. When the Mochin reach ZON of Atzilut, they rise to GAR of AVI, opposite the level of AB of BON of AK, from which they receive the light of Haya of BON of AK. Also, they receive the souls of the righteous from ZON.

When the Mochin reach the world of Beria, it rises and clothes ZA of Atzilut, from which it receives the state of Ruach of Atzilut. When the Mochin reach the world of Yetzira, Yetzira ascends and clothes Nukva of Atzilut and receives from it the light of Nefesh of Atzilut. When the Mochin reach the world of Assiya, it rises and clothes the world of Beria and receives from it the state of GAR and Neshama of Beria. At that time, the world of Assiya is completed with the full NRN of BYA. Thus we have explained the second ascent of each Partzuf of the Partzufim ABYA that ascended and grew by the MAN of phase three, which the NRN of the righteous raised (see the book Ha’Ilan, Image no. 8).

171) The third ascent is when the lower ones raise MAN from coarseness of phase four. At that time the AHP of the level of Keter of Yechida are sorted with respect to the completion of the second kind of ten Sefirot. These Mochin shine to the ZAT and their Gufim, too, as in the Partzufim of AK. When these Mochin traverse the Partzufim ABYA, each Partzuf rises, grows, and clothes its upper one according to the measure of that Mochin.

172) Thus, when the Mochin reach Partzuf Atik of Atzilut, it rises and clothes the GAR of Partzuf Galgalta of AK and receives its light of Yechida of Yechida from there. When the Mochin reach Partzuf AA of Atzilut, it rises and clothes GAR of Partzuf AB of AK and receives the light of Yechida of Haya of AK from there. When the Mochin reach Partzuf AVI of Atzilut, they rise and clothe GAR of SAG of AK and receive the light of Yechida of Neshama of AK from there. When the Mochin reach Partzuf YESHSUT, they rise and clothe the GAR of MA of AK and receive the light of Yechida of MA of AK from there. When the Mochin reach ZON of Atzilut, they rise and clothe GAR of BON of AK and receive the light of Yechida of BON of AK from there. Then the NRN of the righteous receive the light of Yechida from ZON of Atzilut.

When the Mochin reach the world of Beria, it rises and clothes Partzuf YESHSUT of Atzilut and receives from there Neshama of Atzilut. When the Mochin reach the world of Yetzira, it rises and clothes Partzuf ZA of Atzilut and receives from it the state of Ruach of Atzilut. When the Mochin reach the world of Assiya, it rises and clothes Nukva of Atzilut and receives the state of light of Nefesh of Atzilut from her (see the book Ha’Ilan, Image no. 9).

173) It turns out that now, during the third ascent, the five Partzufim of Atzilut have each been completed with three levels, Neshama, Haya, Yechida from AK, which they lacked in the constant state. It is therefore considered that the five Partzufim of Atzilut ascended and clothed the five Partzufim of AK, each in its corresponding phase in the Partzufim of AK.

Also, the NRN of the righteous received the GAR they lacked, and the three worlds BYA that were under Parsa of Atzilut had only NRN of light of Hassadim in the constant state, departed from Hochma by the force of the Parsa atop them. Now, however, they have risen above the Parsa and clothed YESHSUT and ZON of Atzilut, and have NRN of Atzilut, where the light of Hochma shines in their Hassadim.

174) We should know that the NRN of the righteous permanently clothe only the Partzufim BYA below the Parsa: Nefesh clothes the ten Sefirot of Assiya; Ruach—the ten Sefirot of Yetzira; and Neshama—the ten Sefirot of Beria.

It turns out that although they receive from ZON of Atzilut, it still reaches them only through the Partzufim BYA, which clothe over them. Thus, the NRN of the righteous, too, rise along with the ascents of the three worlds BYA. It turns out that the worlds BYA, too, grow only according to the measure of reception of abundance by the NRN of the righteous according to the MAN sorted by them.

175) Thus, it has been made clear that in the constant state, there is only VAK without a Rosh in all the worlds and Partzufim, each according to its phase. Even the NRN of the righteous are only considered VAK. Although they have GAR of Neshama from the world of Beria, these GAR are regarded as VAK compared to the world of Atzilut, since they are considered light of Hassadim, separated from Hochma.

Also, although there is GAR in the Roshim of the Partzufim of Atzilut, they are merely regarded as VAK, since they do not shine to the Gufim. And all the Mochin that reach the worlds, which are more than the VAK, come only through the MAN that the righteous raise.

Yet, these Mochin can only be received in the Partzufim through the ascent of the lower one to the place of the upper one. This is so because although they are considered completion of the second kind of ten Sefirot, with respect to the Gufim and the ZAT themselves, they are still regarded as sorting of AHP of the first kind, which are not completed in their own place, but only when they are at the place of the upper one (see Item 142). Hence, the five Partzufim of Atzilut cannot receive Neshama, Haya, and Yechida of AK, except when they rise and clothe them.

Likewise, NRN and the three worlds BYA cannot receive NRN of Atzilut except when they ascend and clothe YESHSUT and ZON of Atzilut, since these AHP of the second kind, which belong to ZAT, and expand from above downward to the place of ZAT, will only be sorted at the end of correction. Hence, when the three worlds BYA rise and clothe YESHSUT and ZON of Atzilut, their constant place, from Parsa downward, remains utterly vacant of any light of Kedusha.

And there is a difference there between from the Chazeh and above of the world of Yetzira, and from its Chazeh and below. This is because it has been explained above that from the Chazeh of the world of Yetzira and below it is the permanent place of the shells (see Item 149). But because of the flaw of the sin of Adam HaRishon, the bottom four of Yetzira of Kedusha and the ten Sefirot of Assiya of Kedusha descended and clothed there (see Item 156). Hence, during the ascents of BYA to Atzilut, there is neither Kedusha nor shells from the Chazeh of Yetzira upward. But from the Chazeh of Yetzira downward, there are shells, as this is their section.

176) Since the additional Mochin from the levels of VAK come only through MAN of the lower ones, they are not constantly present in the Partzufim, as they are dependent on the actions of the lower ones. When they corrupt their actions, the Mochin leave (see Item 162). However, the constant Mochin in the Partzufim, which were established by the force of the Emanator Himself, will never suffer any change, since they do not grow by the lower ones and are hence not flawed by them.

177) Do not wonder about AA of BON being considered Keter of Atzilut, and AVI as AB (see Item 130). This is because AA is the bottom half of Keter of BON, and AVI are the bottom half of HB of Nekudim. Hence, its corresponding phase of AA in AK should have been Partzuf Keter of AK, and the phase corresponding AVI in AK should have been AB of AK.

The answer is that the Partzufim of BON are females, having no reception of their own, except what the males—the Partzufim of MA—impart upon them. Hence, all these discernments in the ascents, which mean obtaining Mochin from the upper one, are discerned only in the males, which are the Partzufim of MA. Since AA of MA has nothing of the state of Keter, but only the level of Hochma, and AVI of MA have nothing of the state of Hochma, but only the level of Bina (see Item 126), it is considered that their corresponding phase in AK is AB of AK to AA, and SAG of AK to AVI, and Partzuf Keter of AK relates only to Atik, which took the whole of the level of Keter of MA.

178) You should also discern in the above said, that the ladder of degrees as they are in the permanent Mochin never changes because of all these ascents. After all, it has been explained (Item 161) that the reason for all these ascents was that the NRN of the righteous, which stand at BYA, cannot receive anything before all the higher Partzufim transfer it to them from Ein Sof. To that extent, the upper ones themselves, through Ein Sof, grow and ascend, as well, each to their own upper one.

It turns out that to the extent that one degree rises, all the degrees through Ein Sof must rise, as well. For example, when ZON rise from their constant state, below Tabur of AA, clothing Chazeh of AA downward, then AA, too, ascended one degree above his constant state from Peh of Atik downward, clothing GAR of Atik. Following him, all his internal degrees rose, too: His HGT ascended to the place of the constant GAR, and his from the Chazeh to Tabur ascended to the place of the constant HGT, and his from Tabur down ascended to the place from the Chazeh through Tabur.

Accordingly, ZON, which ascended to the place from the Chazeh through Tabur of the constant AA, is still below Tabur of AA. This is because at that time, the below Tabur of AA had already ascended to the place from the Chazeh to Tabur (see the book Ha’Ilan, Image no. 4, where you will see the ascents of ZON in the constant state of the five Partzufim of Atzilut, which rise and clothe during the obtainment of Neshama to GAR of YESHSUT that stand from Peh of AVI downward, which stand from Chazeh of AA downward).

However, all the Partzufim of Atzilut rise at that time (see the book Ha’Ilan, Image no. 7). For this reason, you will find that there the ZON still clothes YESHSUT from the Peh down, atop from Chazeh of AVI downward, atop from Tabur of AA downward. Thus, the ladder of degrees has not changed at all by the ascent. And it is likewise in all the ascents (see the book Ha’Ilan, Image no. 3 through the end of the book).

179) We should also know that even after the ascent of the Partzufim, they leave their entire degree in the constant place or in the place where they were in the beginning, since there is no absence in the spiritual (see Item 96). Thus, when GAR of AVI rise to GAR of AA, GAR of AVI still remain in the permanent place from Peh of AA down. And YESHSUT rise atop the HGT of the raised AVI and receive from the actual GAR of AVI, which were there prior to the ascent.

Moreover, it is considered that there are three degrees together there. The raised GAR of AVI stand at the place of the constant GAR of AA, and bestow upon their constant place from Peh of AA downward, where YESHSUT are now present. Thus, GAR of AA and AVI and YESHSUT illuminate at the same time in the same place.

This is also the manner with all the Partzufim of AK and ABYA during the ascents. For this reason, when a Partzuf ascends, we should always note the meaning of the ascent with respect to the upper ones in their constant state, and its value toward the upper ones, who also ascended by one degree. (Examine all that in the book Ha’Ilan. In Image no. 3, you will find the state of the Partzufim in their constant state. And in Images 4-6 you will find the three ascents of ZA by the value of the five constant Partzufim of Atzilut. In Images 7-9 you will find the three ascents of all five Partzufim of Atzilut by the value of the five permanent Partzufim of AK. And in Images 10-12 you will find the three ascents of all five Partzufim of AK in relation to the line of the permanent Ein Sof.)

The Division of each Partzuf to Keter and ABYA

180) We should know that the general and the particular are equal, and all that is discerned in the general is also present in its details, and even in the smallest detail that can be. Also, reality as a whole is discerned as the five worlds AK and ABYA, where the world of AK is considered the Keter of the worlds, and the four worlds ABYA are regarded as HB and ZON (see Item 3). Similarly, there is not a single element in all four worlds ABYA that does not comprise these five: The Rosh of each Partzuf is considered its Keter, corresponding to the world of AK; and the Guf, from the Peh to the Chazeh is considered its Atzilut. From the place of the Chazeh through the Tabur, it is considered its Beria, and from the Tabur down to its Sium Raglin, it is considered its Yetzira and Assiya.

181) You should know that there are many appellations to the ten Sefirot KHB, HGT, NHYM. Sometimes they are called GE and AHP, or KHB and ZON, or NRNHY, or the tip of the Yod and the four letters Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey, or simple HaVaYaH and AB, SAG, MA, and BON, being the four kinds of fillings in HaVaYaH. The filling of AB is Yod, Hey, Viv, Hey [Yod replaces the Aleph in the Vav]; the filling of SAG is Yod, Hey, Vav, Hey; the filling of MA is Yod, He, Vav, He [Aleph replaces the Yod in the Heys]; the filling of BON is Yod, Heh, Vv, Heh [Hey replaces the Yod in the Heys, and the Aleph is removed in the Vav].

They are also called AA, AVI, and ZON. AA is Keter, Aba is Hochma, Ima is Bina, ZA is HGT NHY, and the Nukva of ZA is Malchut.

They are also called AK and ABYA, or Keter and ABYA. Malchut of Keter is called Peh, Malchut of Atzilut is called Chazeh, Malchut of Beria is called Tabur, Malchut of Yetzira is called Ateret Yesod, and the general Malchut is called Sium Raglin.

182) Know that you should always distinguish two instructions in these different names of the ten Sefirot: The first is its equality to the Sefira to which it relates. The second is how it differs from that Sefira to which it relates, and for which its name changed in the specific appellation.

For example, Keter of the ten Sefirot of direct light is Ein Sof, and each Rosh of a Partzuf is also called Keter. Similarly, all five Partzufim of AK are called Keter, too. Partzuf Atik is also called Keter, and AA is also called Keter. Hence, we should consider this: If they are all Keter, why do their names change to be called by these appellations? Also, if they all relate to Keter, should they not be equal to Keter?

In one sense, they are all equal to Keter, as they are considered Ein Sof, for the rule is that as long as the upper light has not clothed in a vessel, it is considered Ein Sof. Hence, all five Partzufim of AK are regarded as light without a vessel with respect to the world of correction, since we have no perception in the vessels of the first restriction. Thus, for us, its lights are considered Ein Sof.

Also, Atik and AA de Atzilut are both considered Keter of Nekudim. Yet in a different sense they are far from one another, since Keter of direct light is one Sefira, but in AK it contains five complete Partzufim, each of which with Rosh, Toch, Sof (see Item 142). Also, Partzuf Atik is only from the upper half of Keter of Nekudim, and Partzuf AA is from the bottom half of Keter of Nekudim (see Item 129). Similarly, these two instructions should be discerned in all the appellations of the Sefirot.

183) Know that the specific instruction concerning these appellations of the ten Sefirot named Keter and ABYA is to show that it refers to the division of the ten Sefirot into anterior vessels and posterior vessels, made because of the second restriction. It has been explained above (Item 60), that at that time, the ending Malchut ascended to the place of Bina of Guf, called “Tifferet at the place of the Chazeh,” ended the degree there, and created a new Sium called “the Parsa below the Atzilut” (see Item 68).

And the vessels from the Chazeh down went outside of Atzilut, and they are called BYA. The two thirds of Tifferet from Chazeh to Sium are called Beria, NHY are called Yetzira, and Malchut is called Assiya. It has also been explained that for this reason, each degree divided into anterior vessels and posterior vessels: From the Chazeh up it is called anterior vessels, and from the Chazeh down it is called posterior vessels.

184) Hence, this discernment of the Parsa at the place of the Chazeh splits the degree into four special phases, called ABYA: Atzilut—through the Chazeh, and BYA—from the Chazeh down. The beginning of the distinction is in AK itself. But there, the Parsa descended to its Tabur (see Item 68); hence its phase of Atzilut is the AB SAG that end above its Tabur.

From its Tabur down is its BYA, where there are the two Partzufim MA and BON in it. This is how the five Partzufim of AK divide into ABYA by the force of the Sium of the second restriction, called Parsa: Galgalta is the Rosh, AB SAG through its Tabur are Atzilut, and the MA and BON from its Tabur down is BYA.

185) Similarly, all five Partzufim of the world of Atzilut divide into their own Keter and ABYA: AA is the Rosh of the whole of Atzilut. Upper AVI, which are AB, clothing from the Peh of AA down to the Chazeh, are Atzilut. There, at the point of Chazeh, stands the Parsa, which ends the phase of Atzilut of the world of Atzilut. YESHSUT, which are SAG, clothing from the Chazeh of AA to its Tabur, are Beria of Atzilut. ZON, which are MA and BON that clothe from the Tabur of AA to the Sium of Atzilut, are Yetzira and Assiya of Atzilut.

Thus, the world of Atzilut, too, in its five Partzufim, divided into Rosh and ABYA, as do the five Partzufim of AK. But here the Parsa stands at its place in the Chazeh of AA, which is its true place (see Item 127).

186) However, in the worlds in general, all three Partzufim Galgalta, AB, SAG of AK are regarded as the general Rosh. And the five Partzufim of the world of Atzilut, clothing from the Tabur of AK down to the general Parsa, being the Parsa that was made at the Chazeh of Nekudot of SAG (see Item 66), are the general Atzilut. And from the Parsa down stand the three general worlds BYA (Items 67-68).

187) In this very way, each particular degree in each of the worlds ABYA is divided into Rosh and ABYA, even the phase of Malchut of Malchut of Assiya, because Rosh and Guf are discerned in it. The Guf is divided into Chazeh, Tabur, and Sium Raglin; the Parsa below the Atzilut of that degree stands at its Chazeh and ends the Atzilut. From the Chazeh to the Tabur, it is considered the Beria of the degree, which the point of the Tabur concludes. From the Tabur down to its Sium Raglin, it is considered Yetzira and Assiya of the degree. With respect to the Sefirot, HGT through the Chazeh are considered Atzilut, the two bottom thirds of Tifferet from the Chazeh to the Tabur are considered Beria, NHY is Yetzira, and Malchut is Assiya.

188) For this reason, the Rosh of each degree is attributed to the phase of Keter or Yechida or Partzuf Galgalta. The Atzilut in it, from the Peh to the Chazeh, is attributed to Hochma, to the light of Haya, or to Partzuf AB. The Beria in it, from the Chazeh to the Tabur, is attributed to Bina, to the light of Neshama, or to Partzuf SAG. The Yetzira and Assiya in it, from the Tabur down, are attributed to ZON, to the lights Ruach Nefesh, or to Partzuf MA and BON. Examine the book Ha’Ilan, from Image no. 3 onward, and you will see how each Partzuf is divided by these phases.