Inner Observation

The Sefirot of Akudim, contains six chapters

Six issues are explained in them: 1. The matter of couplings by striking and clashes. 2. The matter of reflected light. 3. The matter of records. 4. The matter of vessels. 5. The matter of the screen. 6. The matter of direct light.

1. All of the words of the ARI here are fundamental, as all the foundations of the wisdom are built on them. There is not a single matter in all the worlds ABYA that does not have, in the general and in the particular, the results of all the matters that are brought here in the ten Sefirot of Akudim. Moreover, any slight change and tiny innovation here branches in the Partzufim ABYA into numerous profound matters. It is known that all the forces and the new forms in the upper ones must be present in anything that is below them, without missing a single element. This applies throughout the cascading of the Partzufim and the worlds down to the Sof of Assiya. It is even more so here, where we are still concerned with the first line that is extended from Ein Sof to the place of the restriction, which is the first Partzuf of Adam Kadmon.

Hence, every single word here is a precious gem that must be understood in its entire breadth and true definition. It must be memorized and remembered throughout the rest of the wisdom. Thus, here I have come to arrange the headlines of the issues that are brought in this part in an order that is good for remembering, and to distinguish each issue from the primary discernments that the ARI brings here, and define each matter as much as possible, so that the reader will be able to beware of taking an issue out of its true definition, as a slight mistake in these places will completely stop the understanding throughout the rest of the wisdom.

Chapter One

Five kinds of coupling by striking and clashes

2. There are five kinds of coupling by striking and clashes that we find here in the ARI’s words in the first expansion of AK. which are a) The first looking, which is a coupling by striking of the upper light in the screen in the vessel of Malchut for the vessels of the Rosh (Part 3, Chapter 12, Item 4). b) The striking and clash of the inner light and the surrounding light with each other, as they exit the Peh of AK, which the ARI introduces here (Chapter 1, Item 3). c) The second looking, which is a coupling by striking of the upper light in the screen in the vessel of Malchut to make vessels for the Guf (Part 3, Chapter 12, Item 5, Tree of Life, Gate 4, Chapter 3). d) Striking and a clash of the record and the descending reflected light with each other (see here Chapter 3, Item 9). e) The clash of the light of Malchut with the descending reflected light (Chapter 4, Item 3).

The first coupling by striking only makes the roots of the vessels. The second—the vessel and the light are mixed, and the third makes complete vessels.

3. The root of everything is the coupling called the first looking. All the light in the Partzuf is extended from it, and its issue has been thoroughly explained in the ARI’s words (Part 3, Chapter 1, Item 1, and Chapter 12, Items 2, 3). However, it is sufficient only to elicit the roots for the vessels, called “potential clothing,” not “actual,” because here the reflected light clothes from below upward, which means resistance to clothing in the coarseness of the vessel. This is why the ten Sefirot in the Rosh are called Ein Sof, or Keter, as the ARI says (Part 3, Chapter 6, Item 7). Moreover, even afterwards, when the ten Sefirot from Malchut of the Rosh expand down into the Guf through the Tabur, they are still not distinguished as vessels in and of themselves. Rather, it is as though the light and the vessels are mixed together, as the ARI wrote here (Chapter 6, Item 1). The manifestation of the HaVaYot [pl. of HaVaYaH] of the vessels begins primarily in the second looking that is done on the screen in the vessel of Malchut during the refinement, meaning the four levels that emerge in the degrees of its refinement.

The third coupling by striking is performed by the surrounding light and the inner light. The surrounding light refines the screen, and the upper light makes a coupling by striking on the screen in the degrees of its refinement, and elicits four levels HB TM.

4. This matter of refinement is done by the striking of the inner light and the surrounding light on each other, as the ARI wrote here (Chapter 1, Item 3, and see there in Inner Light). It explains there that the surrounding light refines the coarseness in the screen until it becomes as refined as the screen in Malchut of the Rosh. Indeed, this whole refinement is done instantaneously and at once, as the ARI says (here in Chapter 1, Item 9). However, the upper light does not stop shining even for a minute. Thus, the upper light makes a coupling with it in the four degrees to which the screen comes during its refinement. It elicits four levels of ten Sefirot there, which are Hochma, Bina, ZA, and Malchut, as it is written in Inner Light (Chapter 1, Item 7).

The completion of the manifestation of the vessels is only through the second looking.

5. The difference between the three kinds of coupling by striking has been explained: The first looking, although it is the root and the origin of all the lights and the vessels in the Partzuf, still has no manifestation in it. The entire manifestation is only through the second looking, which is done in the degrees of the refinement of the screen. This matter of refinement is done by the striking and the clash of the inner light and surrounding light with each other.

The last two couplings by striking are for the following Partzuf.

6. All these three kinds of striking are the purpose of the Partzuf itself. However, the striking and the clash of the record and the reflected light with each other is for the vessels of the following Partzuf, as it is written in Inner Light (Chapter 2, Item 3). Similarly, the striking of the light of Malchut on the record is for the purpose of the vessel of Malchut of the following Partzuf. Thus, it has been clarified how the first three kinds of striking are for the Partzuf itself, and the two final strikings are for the following Partzuf.

Chapter Two

Twelve kinds of reflected light

The general reflected light rejected from Malchut becomes surrounding light.

7. We find twelve kinds of reflected light in the ARI’s words; here they are: The first is the reflected light that is rejected from phase four during the first looking when the screen detains the upper light and does not let it expand there. The light returns backwards and clothes the ten Sefirot of direct light. There are two kinds of reflected light to discern here: The first is all of the light that was rejected from clothing in the vessel of Malchut. There is a great measure of it, especially in the first Partzuf of AK, with which we are concerned. It contains the entire difference between Ein Sof, which filled all of reality, and Partzuf AK, which is but a thin line of light in relation to the light of Ein Sof. Know that this reflected light contains all the surrounding light in all the worlds.

The reflected light that clothes the direct light is an outcome of the first reflected light, which is rejected from Malchut.

8. The second kind of reflected light included here is the reflected light that ascends from below upward and clothes the ten Sefirot of direct light. There is great depth in that, as there is existence in the reflected light that is rejected from phase four, meaning the actuality of the light that is rejected from there. We must discern the negation in it, which is the force of the striking itself, which generates a great light because of the withdrawal from the light. It is a correlation between the light that is rejected back, and phase four, which is left empty of that light. This reflected light, which is born by the withdrawal from the light, is the second kind of reflected light, which rises and clothes the ten Sefirot of direct light. Hence, it is considered an outcome of the first kind of reflected light, especially from the negation, but through the correlation, as explained above.

There are two kinds of reflected light: inner light and surrounding light. There is a great difference between HB TM of inner light.

9. The above two kinds of reflected light are considered the inner light and surrounding light of the ten Sefirot of the Rosh since that reflected light clothing the ten Sefirot of direct light is a very small part of all the reflected light that is rejected back, as it is but an outcome and correlation of the vessel of Malchut and the rejected light. You already know that there are four phases of direct light one above the other, called HB, ZA, and Malchut, and Keter is their root. The differences between them are indeed great and very vast. Hence, the outcome born from the correlation of the rejected light with the phase of Malchut is not similar to the outcome born from the correlation between the rejected light and the phase of ZA, let alone with the phases above ZA.

NRNHY are born and emerge from the correlation between the rejected reflected light and KHB TM of direct light.

10. Now you can understand the birth of the five lights, called Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, and Yechida. The outcome of the correlation of the reflected light with the phase of Malchut is called the light of Nefesh. The outcome of the correlation between the reflected light and the phase of ZA is called the light of Ruach. The outcome of the correlation between the reflected light and the phase of Bina is called the light of Neshama. The outcome of the reflected light with the phase of Hochma is called the light of Haya, and the outcome of the reflected light and the phase of Keter is called the light of Yechida.

If the clothing reflected light is a result of the correlation between the rejected reflected light and Malchut, it is considered the light of Nefesh.

11. Now the clothing reflected light over the ten Sefirot of direct light was an outcome of the reflected light with the phase of Malchut. Hence, the light that is drawn into these ten Sefirot is called the light of Nefesh. It is discerned as inner light of these ten Sefirot, and the general rejected reflected light is the surrounding light of these ten Sefirot. Thus we have explained two kinds of reflected light.

The third reflected light is that which is clothed in Malchut of the Rosh. It is the origin and the Keter for both the ten Sefirot of reflected light in the Rosh, and the ten Sefirot in the Guf.

12. The third kind of reflected light is reflected light that remains permanently present in Malchut of the Rosh, as the origin and the emanator of all the lights and the vessels in the Guf. You have nothing in the Guf that is not extended from that origin. Since Malchut, with the amount of reflected light that she raises, clothes all the lights of Rosh, she is therefore regarded as the phase of Keter and a root for both the lights of the Rosh, and the lights of the Guf. There is no hold at all of the light without a vessel, and since she engenders the reflected light that clothes the lights, she is also regarded as engendering the lights themselves.

The fourth reflected light expands from the Peh to the Tabur, becoming vessels over the direct light, though incomplete.

13. The fourth kind is the reflected light that expands the vessel of Malchut into ten Sefirot from her and within her from above downward, called from the Peh to the Tabur. Malchut of the Rosh is called Peh, and Malchut of the Guf, which is the tenth Sefira of Malchut of the Rosh, is called Tabur. Indeed, this reflected light becomes actual vessels over the ten Sefirot of direct light that descend inside it from above downward. This is why these ten Sefirot are called the Guf of the Partzuf, although they do not seem as such because of the great importance of the coarseness in it, as it is written in Inner Light (Chapter 6, Item 5).

The fifth reflected light is reflected light in Malchut of the Guf called Tabur.

14. The fifth kind is reflected light in Malchut of the Guf, called female light. This is actually illumination from the direct light, but it is a small illumination that has only the state of reception, without any power of bestowal. This is why it is called reflected light, and remember that.

The sixth reflected light is the one that expands from Tabur downward.

15. The sixth kind of reflected light is all that expands from the Tabur of the Guf downward. It is entirely the phase of Malchut of the Guf alone, as the first nine Sefirot of the ten Sefirot that expand from the Peh to the Guf end at the Tabur. Malchut in them occupies the entire place from Tabur to the end of the Partzuf. Although she is only Malchut, still, for herself, she is regarded as expanding into ten Sefirot. This is from the perspective of the end of each and every Sefira that is discerned in this place.

That which emerges in the coupling by striking in the Rosh is discerned only in the Guf. The expansion to Malchut is regarded as being from the Peh to the Tabur, and the rejection from Malchut is regarded as from the Tabur downward.

16. Here you must understand that we have no perception in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh since they are the state of Ein Sof. Everything we discern in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh is only their expansion into the Guf, and the upper one is studied from the lower one. Therefore, when we say that the upper light expanded up to Malchut, and the screen in the vessel of Malchut struck the light and did not let it enter the vessel of Malchut, and pushed it back, and this reflected light clothed the ten Sefirot of direct light, this clothing of the first nine Sefirot, and this rejection from expanding into Malchut are discerned by us because this is how they operate in the Guf on the Tabur. The first nine Sefirot from Tabur and above are received and clothed inside the reflected light, and the light that belongs to the Sefira Malchut is rejected. It is not received in Malchut of the Guf, which is the entire place from Tabur and below.

Since that Malchut clothed all ten Sefirot when she was in the state of Ein Sof, prior to the restriction, for which the light filled all of reality, as it is written at length in Inner Observation (Part 1, Chapter 1, and Chapter 2). For this reason, we also discern ten hollows in the Malchut that has been restricted, meaning in the place from Tabur downward, which have been emptied of the light that they had had while in the state of Ein Sof. Now there is only reflected light inside them. Hence, we discern ten Sefirot in themselves in Malchut of the Guf, as they carry the entire deficiency that appeared because of the restriction. For this reason, the place from the Tabur downward is called posterior, due to the lack of direct light, and the place from Tabur and above is called the anterior of the Partzuf because it is the place of all the light in the Partzuf.

The seventh reflected light is what remains in the Partzuf after the departure of the direct light from it.

17. The seventh kind is the reflected light that remains below in the Guf, after the departure of the direct light from there. It is brought in the ARI’s words (Chapter 2, Item 10). When the direct light ascends back to its root, the reflected light does not ascend with it, as the very essence of the reflected light is a light of departure. It has been explained above in Item 8 that it comes from the withdrawal of phase four, which does not receive the light due to the force of the restriction and the screen that rides over her, regarded by its origin as coarseness and judgment. But when it becomes a vessel that draws and clothes the upper light, the coarseness and judgment are inverted to complete refinement and mercy, until it is no longer recognized as lowly and dark compared to the upper light that is clothed in it, as it is written in Item 14.

However, during the departure, when the upper light expands from it and rises to its root, its importance expires and nothing more than its own essence remains of it, meaning coarseness, restriction, and judgment. It is therefore clear that during the departure, when the direct light returned to its root, the reflected light could not ascend with it. Moreover, now its descent below has been revealed, meaning that the judgment and the coarseness in it became apparent, as it is according to its own essence, and for this reason, it is called coarse light. From now on, the difference is regarded in advance between the vessels that clothed the light, meaning the reflected light, and the light that is clothed in it, which was not at all apparent prior to the departure, as it is written in Item 13. This is why the ARI says there that this coarse light is the vessels of the Partzuf.

The eighth reflected light is the above-mentioned reflected light, after acquiring additional coarseness to its own coarseness.

18. The eighth kind is the above-mentioned reflected light from the perspective of its reception of additional coarseness to its own coarseness, as the ARI says (Chapter 6, Item 2). It is so because besides the coarseness that appeared in it, from what it is according to its own essence, the impression of a new judgment that it acquired by the current departure, which left it in the dark, has been added to it. Because of this, it is in double coarseness.

The ninth reflected light rises from the coupling by striking on the screen in the degrees of its refinement.

19. The ninth kind is reflected light that rises through a coupling by striking performed on the screen in the degrees of its refinement. The levels that emerge in these couplings are generally regarded as reflected light, even the direct light in them. This is so because the couplings emerge during the judgment, meaning during the departure of the lights to the Emanator.

20. We might ask, But there is expansion of direct light from above downward into the Guf in each and every level, and it is known that all that is extended from above downward is mercy. The thing is that, indeed, there is nothing more than a matter of refinement here. Even those couplings made of the upper light are also included in the departure of the lights, as this is the conduct of refinement. It must pass and come through the four phases during its refinement, as the upper light, which does not stop for even a minute, makes a coupling with it on its way.

It is like a person who walks out of the house: Even though he takes, for example, four steps on his way out of the house, we still do not regard them as being four rests in his walk; this is completely unthinkable, for it is impossible for him to exit the house except through steps as that is the conduct of walking.

So is the issue before us: Even though the screen passes four phases during the departure, and the upper light makes a coupling with it on its way, it is still not regarded as expansion of the upper light into the Partzuf, as mercy. Rather, it is considered judgment because the time is a time of departure, which includes the expansions on its way, as well, as this is the usual manner of departure, and remember that.

21. It has been explained that even though there is a complete level of RTS [Rosh, Toch, Sof] in each and every coupling, which emerges during the refinement of the screen, they are still not regarded as direct light, mercy, but as reflected light and judgment. However, all this relates to the Partzuf itself in general, which suffers from the departure of the lights from inside it. Hence, it pays little regard to the levels that emerge during the refinement and the departure of the light.

Conversely, regarding the values of the levels, meaning as the levels are in and of themselves, we have an inverse relation: Every level that emerges by a closer coupling to the Emanator is better (as explained in Items 9, 10). This is because in phase four, only the light of Nefesh emerges, and when it is refined into phase three, the light of Ruach emerges. When it is refined into phase two, the light of Neshama emerges, etc.

22. This above matter of inverse relation must be thoroughly and clearly understood, as it is the whole connection and the whole difference between the light and the vessel. Hence, not knowing it will fail us every step of the way throughout the wisdom before us. The thing is that there are vessels of reception for the upper light on the part of the direct light, which are the five phases KHB ZON, or NRNHY, and there are vessels of reception on the part of the reflected light, which are the levels that are also called KHB, ZA, and Malchut. They are completely opposite from one another because from the same coupling by which the level of Keter of reflected light emerges, meaning the greatest vessel, the phase of Nefesh of direct light emerges, too, which is the smallest light.

23. The origin of these two values has already been explained. The value of the four phases of direct light is extended so from the light of Ein Sof. The first three phases are still not considered vessels of reception, as the distinction of disparity of form is still not apparent in them. The difference between them and the upper light is only in that they cause the cascading of phase four, which is known to be the phase of absolute reception.

Hence, each more refined phase is considered greater because it has greater adhesion with the upper light that is clothed in it. Therefore, Keter, which is the farthest cause from phase four, is the root of the entire expansion, and phase one, which is the nearest cause to phase four, from Keter, is regarded as a smaller light than Keter. Besides being a consequence and an outcome of Keter, there is also a fine difference in it from the light that is clothed in it, in that it is a second cause and closer to phase four.

In phase two, which is a third cause and closer to phase four, the light clothed there is smaller, and so on similarly. Finally, phase four itself has no light at all because of the disparity of form in it, and on which there was the restriction. All this is known from previous parts and there is no need to elaborate.

24. The differences in values of the above phases are called by the names Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, Yechida. There is a great difference between them, which pertains primarily to the proximity and distance from phase four, over which there is the force of restriction.

There is yet another difference between them, that of cause and consequence. Keter is the cause of Hochma; Hochma of Bina, and so on. The merit of the cause over its consequence is indeed great in the spirituals, unlike any cause and consequence in corporeality. It is so because here, they are all eternal, and all the lights attained by the consequence must pass to it through its cause.

Moreover, most of this light that passes remains in the cause, and only a small branch of it is imparted and comes to its resulting lower one, although the light belongs solely to the consequence, and there are many other discernments. Thus, the distance between the cause and its consequence is immeasurably great.

Besides all this, there is a great difference between these four phases according to the kind of light in the essence. Even though the upper light is entirely even, there is a matter of a correlation here between the upper light and the phase of direct light in which it is clothed. Thus, the light of Haya is the self, the light of Neshama is primarily light of Hassadim, and there are other differences that will be explained in their place.

25. Know that all the above-mentioned values in the four phases of direct light are extended so from Ein Sof, since they come to shine from the restriction downward. Also, all the above discernments apply to the ten Sefirot of circles, as well, since they come this way from Ein Sof before they enter into the coupling by striking and the clothing of the reflected light. You already know that the whole difference between the ten Sefirot of circles and the ten Sefirot of straightness is only with regard to the coupling by striking, which does not apply to the circles.

26. Now we shall explain the second term, meaning the five levels of reflected light, which is an entirely different matter. It has already been explained in Part 2, Inner Observation (Chapter 6) that from the restriction down the reflected light became the vessel of reception for the upper light instead of phase four, as it is written there (Chapter 2). It is because that reflected light that was rejected from Malchut, which Malchut does not receive due to the detainment in the screen, became a vessel and a receptacle for the light, as phase four was in Ein Sof. Thus, no light is received in the worlds except by way of the reflected light, as it is written there.

27. Therefore, if the coupling by striking performed on the screen of phase four, which is the primary receptacle in Ein Sof that clothed all the light up to Keter, which is the meaning of the light filling all of reality, now, however, when all that great measure has been rejected from her and has risen up as reflected light, that reflected light also clothes the entire height of the light up to Keter.

However, if it is refined to phase three in her, and the measure of phase four in her disappears from there, then the screen that rejects the upper light from clothing in her rejects only the measure of three phases, since even if the light clothed this vessel of phase three, she would only receive from it up to Hochma. Hence, the level of the rejected reflected light is also short and clothes only up to Hochma, etc., similarly.

28. Just as the difference between Keter and Hochma of direct light is indeed great, precisely so, the difference between the level of Keter and Hochma of reflected light is also immeasurably great. Even though‎ in the reflected light, the coarser is greater, this pertains to the vessels of extension, meaning the screen and the Malchut in which the coupling is carried out. However, they need the more refined vessels for the clothing of light, as it is necessary for the light to have equivalence of form with the vessel. The light is greater in the phases of direct light because it is more refined, as it is written in Item 22. It is therefore obvious that when it comes to be clothed in the vessel of reflected light, that vessel must equalize with it. Consequently, it is necessary that if the level of reflected light reaches Keter, then there is a refined and clear vessel there, fit to clothe that great light of Keter. However, the level of phase three, whose level reaches only up to Hochma, the merit of the vessel that clothes the light of Hochma is immeasurably lower than the vessel of Keter on the level of phase four, etc., similarly.

29. We might ask, If only the coarseness of phase three remains when the coarseness of phase four is refined, it turns out that the phase of Malchut disappeared from there and only the first three phases KHB and ZA remain. In that case, that level should have been cut off from Malchut, as that part of reflected light is missing there. Why then was the reflected light cut off from clothing in Keter, while that phase is not absent from there? The thing is that the matter of the two directions in the ten Sefirot has already been explained in Part 2, Inner Observation (Chapter 9). The ten Sefirot of direct light are regarded as from above downward, and the reflected light is the opposite: regarded as from below upward. Thus, below, in the place of Malchut of direct light, there is the Keter of reflected light, and in the place of ZA of [direct light], there is Hochma of reflected light, etc. Finally, in the place of Keter of direct light, there is Malchut of reflected light.

30. Now you can understand what is written in Sefer Yetzira [Book of Creation]: “Its end is embedded in its beginning, and its beginning in its end,” brought in Tree of Life (Gate 39, Commentary no. 15). Phase four, which is Malchut, is the end of all the Sefirot, and through the striking of upper light on the screen in her, she draws the light of Keter into her, meaning she binds it to shine in the Partzuf. Thus, she is literally embedded in its beginning, meaning in Keter, which is the beginning of all the Sefirot.

Since Keter is drawn to the reflected light of phase four, all ten Sefirot are drawn along with it, since Keter contains all of them. Thus, Malchut is regarded as the Keter of the reflected light, meaning the actual quality of Keter. Phase three, which is called ZA of reflected light, and is second to her, is attributed only to the Sefira of Hochma, as she is second to the place of the coupling on the level of Keter, and is one degree more refined. It continues similarly until the Keter in her, which is the fifth from the place of the coupling, regarded only as Malchut. Thus, the end of the direct light, namely the Sefira of Malchut, is embedded in the beginning of the reflected light, namely Keter of the reflected light.

31. Now you can simply understand the question we raised: If it is refined to phase three, then it lacks only Malchut. Why then was the reflected light so shortened that it cannot clothe up to Keter, but only from Hochma down? Now it is clearly understood, since there is an inverse relation here: Phase four is regarded here as Keter, phase three as Hochma, and so on, the complete opposite of the direct light.

32. However, we must still consider the measure of reception of direct light explained above (Items 22, 24). Although its end is embedded in its beginning, and Malchut draws the light of Keter for herself and becomes the Sefira of Keter, it does not mean that Malchut draws the actual light of Yechida for herself. It is utterly impossible for the light of Yechida to come through the drawing of the vessel of Malchut, but only through the drawing of the vessel of Keter of direct light. Moreover, how can the relation of the phases of direct light with the upper light that are clothed and extended so from Ein Sof change? The difference of above and below in them is immeasurably great, as has been explained above (Items 23, 24). However, they are kept in utter precision, and each phase does not move from the value of her merit even a bit.

33. The matter of its end being embedded in its beginning means that the light of Nefesh of Malchut, attributed to her by the direct light, grows and attains its own phase, which is included in the Keter. It is so because Keter contains all ten Sefirot up to Malchut, and the lights in them are regarded as the five parts of Yechida called NRNHY of Yechida. Hence, the light of Nefesh of Malchut now attains the root that she has in Keter, called Nefesh of Yechida. Indeed, she does not attain anything above her own phase.

34. You see that although there is an inverse relation between the ten Sefirot of reflected light and the ten Sefirot of direct light, they still do not cancel or diminish one another even slightly since one does not touch the other at all, although they emerge simultaneously from a single coupling. The level of ten Sefirot up to the actual Keter emerges from the coupling of phase four, although only up to Nefesh of Yechida. The ten Sefirot on the level of Hochma emerge from the coupling of phase three, although it does not attain the phase of Hochma, called Haya, since phase three is the phase of ZA, which is the light of Ruach of direct light, and the light of Hochma is drawn only through Hochma of direct light. Instead, it attains its own phase, rooted in Hochma, called the phase of Ruach of Haya. It is similar with all of them, as each draws and attains only its own phase in the direct light, but the level of reflected light causes it to take its phase from a high place, according to the measure of the level.

35. Accordingly, we might ask how it is possible that the light of Ruach, whose merit is immeasurably greater than the Nefesh (see Items 23, 24), is found to be clothing a lower level than the light of Nefesh? After all, the light of Nefesh is drawn by phase four and clothes in the level of Keter, and the light of Ruach must be drawn by phase three and is found to be clothed in merely the level of Hochma, which is much lower than Keter.

Indeed, in the world of correction, when the vessels were properly corrected, we always find that even though the light of Ruach is drawn by phase three, it is still clothed only in the level of Keter. This is because then Nefesh descends from the level of Keter and clothes the level of phase three, and the light of Ruach is clothed in the level of Keter.

It is the same with all of them, as it is written in Part 2, Inner Observation. Here, however, before the vessels that emerged only by way of refinement were corrected, when phase three emerged and drew the light of Ruach, the vessel at the level of Keter was no longer in reality, as the screen had already departed from there. Hence, it had to come and clothe in a lower vessel than the vessel of Nefesh, and this is why the Partzuf could not receive from it the entire measure of its illumination.

The tenth reflected light descends from the four levels that emerge during the refinement of the screen into the empty vessel below them.

36. The tenth kind is the reflected light descending from the four levels that emerge in the refinement of the screen from the place of the coupling and below into the vessel below it, which is empty of light. It is brought here in the ARI’s words (Chapter 4, Item 3), that when phase four was refined into phase three, the light departed from phase four, the level of Keter disappeared, the coupling was done on phase three, and the level of Hochma emerged. At that time, the reflected light descends from the illumination of the coupling in phase three, and comes into the vessel of phase four, which is empty of her own light. Also, when the place of the coupling departed from phase three and rose to phase two, and phase three was emptied of her own light, the illumination of the coupling descended from phase two into the empty vessel of phase three, etc. similarly.

There are two flaws in this reflected light: 1. It comes from the refinement of the screen, which is judgment. 2. It is extended below the Tabur.

37. This reflected light has two flaws: 1. It comes from the coupling that is done during the refinement. For this reason, that level is generally regarded as reflected light and judgment, as in the eighth kind of reflected light. The second flaw is its being extended from below the Tabur. When the screen was refined to phase three, Malchut of the Rosh rose to the Hotem, which was then regarded as the Peh of the Rosh. From there, the light descends and expands from above downward into the Guf, reaching phase three of the Guf, which is now regarded as the phase of Malchut of Malchut of the Rosh, called Tabur. Also, when it was refined into phase two, phase two of the Guf is regarded as the phase of Tabur, etc., similarly. Thus, the reflected light descending from the illumination of the coupling of phase three from the Guf to phase four of the Guf is regarded as reaching below the Tabur. It has already been explained that this reflected light is the quality of posterior and judgment, as it is written in Items 15, 16.

The eleventh reflected light is reflected light that is born from the striking of the record and the descending reflected light on each other, called sparks.

38. The eleventh kind is the reflected light that is born by the coupling by striking of the record and, the descending reflected light on one another brought in the words of the ARI here (Chapter 3, Item 9), and is called there “fourth light.” This is because the record and the reflected light naturally disagree and strike one another. As a result, sparks emerged from the above-mentioned descending reflected light and came into the empty vessel below the place of the coupling.

The twelfth reflected light is the above-mentioned reflected light after the cessation of the coupling, at which time it grows dark and is extinguished.

39. The twelfth kind is the same reflected light as the eleventh kind, but after they are extinguished. After the illumination of the coupling stops from phase three, for example, the illumination of the coupling that was extended from there into phase four also stops along with it. Hence, the sparks that fell and came into phase four are extinguished, too, meaning they become darkened from their illumination, as do the rest of the sparks from the rest of the phases.

Chapter Three

Twelve kinds of records

A record of extension and a record of clothing.

40. The first kind is the record that remains of the lights after their departure, which come from the phases of clothing. The second kind is the record that remains of the lights after their departure, which comes from the phase of extension. Explanation: You already know that the greatness of the level is measured by the level of coarseness in the screen, where the coarser draws a greater level. It is also known that we should always discern two ends in this, which stretch from one person to another. It is so because the greater the level, the further are the ends. Just as the greater level requires a coarser screen and the vessel of Malchut, so it requires more refined vessels of reception. For example, phase four, which is the coarsest, draws the level of Keter to itself, but at the same time needs the most refined vessel, fitting to receive the light of Keter inside her, as it is written in Part 2, Inner Observation.

Records of extension remain in the vessels of extension, and of clothing remain in the vessels of reception.

41. Thus, after every departure we discern two kinds of records: The first remains in the vessel of extension of that light, and the second is the record that remains in the vessel of reception of that light. Indeed, if we judge by the record for itself, they are almost one, although in their origin, they are as far from one another as the distance of the east from the west. The record of extension is from the lowest coarseness there is, and the record of reception is from refinement, the highest there is. It is so because one is phase four and the other is the root phase.

The record of clothing is male and the record of coarseness is female.

42. Know that they relate to one another as male and female. It is so because in fact, both have the same level of light, meaning light clothed in a properly suited vessel. However, after the light departed from there and the coarseness in the vessel is regarded as lowliness (as the ARI says here in Item 18), that great distance between these two records appears. Still, since they are initially one, they are regarded as male and female.

There is no record of coarseness left of the last phase after the refinement.

43. Know that that record of the female phase did not remain after the departure of the light from there. Although it is not lost, as there is no absence in the spiritual, it remains silent and completely inactive until the end of correction. This is the meaning of the words of the ARI that the last phase does not leave a record (Chapter 2, Item 6), and only the record of the male phase remains there. The ARI says (in chapter 2, Item 4) that when Keter rises and departs, it leaves one record in its place in its vessel, to shine from it to Hochma below it, after it rises and departs. See Inner Light there.

Records that clothe in their vessels.

44. The third kind are records that clothe in the place of the general light that departed, meaning in the reflected light and the vessel of Malchut that expanded from her and within her into ten Sefirot. These clothed the ten Sefirot of direct light, and thus each and every one of the records that remained after their departure clothed according to its phase and share, as well. For example, Keter of direct light was clothed in Nefesh of reflected light during the expansion. Afterwards, when it departed from there, the record clothes in its place, meaning in Nefesh of reflected light, and so is the record of Hochma in Ruach of reflected light, etc. However, they certainly did not need the entire measure of the vessel, as the record is a small part of the departing light, and occupied a certain measure of the vessel, according to its share. This is brought in the ARI’s words here in Item 18.

Records that do not clothe in their vessels but are above their vessels.

45. The fourth kind is the records that do not clothe in their vessels. Instead, each and every one of them is above its designated vessel, as tags over the letters, as the ARI says here (in Chapter 4, Item 4). The reason for their exit from their vessels is that because of the striking of the descending reflected light and the record on each other, since the reflected light comes from the illumination of the coupling, it overpowers the record, regarded as a residue of the departure of the coupling. Since the light of the record is opposite from the reflected light that descends into her vessel, they cannot be together in the same carrier, meaning in one vessel. For this reason, the record was forced to depart from her vessel and exit above her vessel.

Records that returned to their vessels.

46. The fifth kind is the records that returned to their vessels after having left there. As a result of the departure of the coupling from the upper phase, too, the illumination of the descending reflected light departed, too, and the sparks that fell into the vessel below it were extinguished. Then the record returned into its own vessel as before, for now there is no longer resistance from the reflected light inside its vessel, since it, too, is after the departure of its coupling. Hence, the record overpowers the reflected light once more. The reason that the departure of the coupling is called “extinguishing the sparks” is that the illumination of reflected light is called sparks. Hence, the discontinuation of its illumination is called extinguishing, which is a term used for sparks of fire.

A record that consists of refined light and coarse light, a record from the refined light, a record from the coarse light.

47. The sixth kind is a record that contains refined light and coarse light. The seventh kind is called refined light, brought by the ARI here (Chapter 2, Item 10). The eighth kind is called the coarse light of the record, brought in Tree of Life (Gate Mati ve Lo Mati, Chapter 3).

As the refined light was mixed with the coarse light in the lights of the first expansion, so it is in the record that the first expansion left.

48. Explanation of the words: Everything that is found in the light, is also found in the record that remains of that light. Hence, the record is called a record of a seal as it is written in (Part 2, Inner Light, Item 3). For this reason, the records that remain from the lights of the first expansion contain light and vessel, similar to the lights from which they came, as is written in Item 44.

However, as long as the record is clothed in its vessel, there is no distinction between the light and the vessel there, similar to the lights of the first expansion where the lights and the vessels are mixed as is brought here (in the ARI’s words, Chapter 6, Item 2, and Inner Light, Item 6). Thus, in the record that comes from them, there is also no distinction between the light and the vessel. Rather, they are mixed together. This is the above sixth kind, meaning the record that contains the refined light and the coarse light, although the coarse light is not apparent in it but mixed in it.

The coarseness in the vessel manifests after the departure of the record from the vessel.

49. Now you will understand the above seventh and eighth kinds. It has been explained above in Item 45, regarding the fourth kind of the record, that because of the striking of the descending reflected light on the record, the record departed and went out from its vessel, rising above it as tags over the letters. Now, because of the departure of the record from the vessel, the difference between the vessel and the record has become apparent, as now the coarseness in the vessel becomes apparent. It is now regarded as coarse light, like the lights of the first expansion (Chapter 6, Inner Light, Item 7). Also, you already know that everything that applies to the lights, also applies to the records that come from them.

50. It has been explained that after the departure of the record from the vessel, the difference between the light of the record and the vessel of the record has become apparent. Now the vessel is called the coarse light of the record, and you should know that the vessels of the males of the second expansion were made of the coarse light of the record. The light of the record is now called the refined light of the record, from which the lights of the males of the second expansion are made, as the ARI writes (in Gate Mati ve Lo Mati, Chapter 3), and remember that.

The record of clothing that remains in Malchut.

51. The ninth kind is the record of the light of Malchut, brought in the ARI’s words here (Chapter 6, Item 20). Know that this record is of the above-mentioned seventh kind, called refined light. It means that it does not have a vessel. It is written above in Item 43, that the record from the phase of the extension had been lost. It means that the phase of the coarse light of this record, which is the eighth kind of the record, but the refined light in her remained without a vessel, which therefore rose above its own vessel, meaning to Yesod (Chapter 4, Items 2, 3).

The records incorporated in the screen after its refinement.

52. The tenth kind is the records that were incorporated in the screen on its ascent to the Emanator. The light of Malchut, which is the screen and reflected light in her, is refined and rises from phase to phase until it reaches the Emanator, meaning the Peh of the Rosh. As it passes in them, it also becomes incorporated with the records that the lights left there after their departure. Hence, when it reached the Peh, it was incorporated with all three phases of the records over which the new coupling was done, from which the vessels and lights of the second expansion emerged, as elaborated (in Chapter 4, Inner Light, Item 4).

The records that remained of the four levels that emerged during the refinement.

53. The eleventh kind is the records that remain of the four levels that emerged during the refinement from the phase of the first nine Sefirot in them. Here the ARI speaks only of the records that remained from the first nine of the first expansion, before it began to be refined, called the first light, as the ARI says here (Chapter 3, Item 8). However, the four levels that emerged afterwards, during the refinement, also left records in their vessels after they departed, meaning also from the first nine Sefirot in them, as it is known that the last phase does not leave a record.

The records of clothing that remained of the last phases in the four above-mentioned levels.

54. The twelfth kind is the records that remain of the last phases in the above-mentioned four levels that went out during the refinement, meaning only the phase of refined light in those records. The coarse light in those records was lost from the last phases, as was clarified with the last phases of the records that remained from the first light (see above Items 29 and 51).

55. Now we have clarified the twelve kinds of records, which are:

1. The records that emerge from the phase of clothing, explained in Items 40, 41, 42, 43.

2. The records that emerge from the phase of extension, explained in the above-mentioned items, too.

3. The records clothed inside their vessels, explained in Item 44.

4. The records that do not clothe in their vessels, but are as tags over the letters, explained in Item 45.

5. The records that returned to their vessels after having left there, explained in Item 46.

6. The records that include refined light and coarse light, and the coarse light is not apparent in them, explained in Items 47, 48, 49.

7. The refined light of the records from which the lights of the males of the second expansion were made, explained in the above-mentioned items, too.

8. The coarse light of the records, from which the vessels for the males of the second expansion were made, explained there, too, as well as in Item 50.

9. The record of the light of Malchut, which is only from the phase of the refined light in this record, because the last phase does not leave a record, explained in Item 51.

10. The records that were incorporated in the screen along its ascent to the Emanator, where they were renewed in the coupling for the second expansion, explained in Item 52.

11. The records that remained of the first nine Sefirot of the four levels that emerged during the refinement, explained in Item 52.

12. The records of the last phases from those levels, explained in Item 54.

Chapter Four

Ten kinds of vessels

The root of all the vessels is phase four.

56. The first kind is phase four of the four phases of direct light, which is the root of all the vessels in the worlds. This is Malchut of Ein Sof, where the first restriction was performed. Prior to the restriction, she clothed all four phases of direct light, which is the meaning of the upper light having filled all of reality, and there was no other phase of reception but her. Once she was restricted and established with a screen, she makes a coupling with the upper light in a coupling by striking that raises reflected light. This reflected light now became the vessel of reception instead of her, as the ARI says (Part 3, Chapter 1, Items 1, 2, 3, and Chapter 12, Item 4).

After the restriction, phase four was incorporated in the screen, and the reflected light became the vessel instead of her.

57. Know that the above-mentioned phase four is the actual vessel after the restriction, as well, meaning the phase of coarseness in her. However, this coarseness is no longer fit for reception from the restriction onward, unless it is incorporated in the screen. In that state, the reflected light that she raises is actually measured in the coarseness in her, and according to the measure of the coarseness in her, so is the measure of light that she raises. This reflected light became the vessel of reception for the measure of the height of the level of the upper light, as elaborated (in Part 2, Inner Observation).

The expansion of the light and its departure caused the existence of the vessels.

58. Here the ARI sets a great rule for us: “The expansion of the light and its latter departure, caused the making of the vessel” (here, Chapter 1, Item 9). However, we should understand his words, since the first expansion, too, requires a vessel, even before it departed, as there is no light without a vessel. We should explain his words according to what he wrote above (Chapter 6, Item 2), that when the first expansion emerged from the Peh of AK, it all emerged mixed together. In other words, the light and the vessel were mixed in one another, and the vessel was indistinguishable before the departure, although it was necessarily there.

The expansion and the departure are equal factors in the making of the vessel.

59. This explanation is a little far-fetched because the term “caused the making of the vessel” does not sit well, since the words imply that before the departure, the vessel does not exist at all. However, we must delve deeper into his words. Indeed, his words are very prudent, for he did not say that the departure of the light caused the making of the vessel. Rather, he said that the expansion of the light and its departure caused the making of the vessel. This means that both the expansion and the departure are equal factors in the making of the vessel.

The first substance of the vessel is phase four.

60. His words become clear with the above-mentioned explanation (Items 56, 57), that the first substance of the vessel is phase four, over which there was the first restriction, meaning the great will to receive incorporated in the light of Ein Sof, called Malchut of Ein Sof. She was completely indistinguishable in Ein Sof and the beginning of her manifestation was after she was restricted and became a vacant space. In that state, the great will to receive became apparent as oppositeness of form from the upper light, which is all bestowal, and has nothing of the will to receive whatsoever. By this she was separated and descended, and became distant from the upper light from end to end, since disparity of form is the differentiation in the spiritual, and oppositeness of form is complete separation in the spiritual from one end to the other.

Hence, from then on, this great will to receive in the restricted phase four is regarded as the great coarseness in the worlds compared to the upper light, which is regarded as the ultimate refinement in reality. This is only from the perspective of the cleanness from the will to receive, for it is all to bestow. Moreover, we have no attainment in the upper light in and of itself, as we have already discussed at length in Part 1 (Inner Light and Inner Observation), and we need not elaborate further here.

After the restriction, phase four is incorporated in the screen and the reflected light that rises; through both of them, it becomes a vessel of reception.

61. Despite all the separation and the distance in phase four from the upper light, there is no other vessel of reception but her, but she needs the correction of a screen. Then, as she received prior to the restriction according to the measure of the drawing, to the same extent she now receives according to the measure of rejection, meaning she receives according to the measure of the light she could receive if she were not limited in the restriction and the screen. (Here you must thoroughly understand the meaning of the words restriction and screen, and see Part 2, Questions and Answers on the Meaning of the Words, Item 43).

The departure of the light from phase four was the reason for the emergence of the screen.

62. It has already been explained in Part 2 that Malchut of the circles, over which there was the restriction, is the root and the reason for Malchut of straightness and the screen in her. It is so because after the light from Malchut of the circles departed from all four phases in her, she drew the light once more to the three phases in her, over which there was no restriction. This desire is the correction of the screen so that the light would not expand to phase four in her, but only to the three phases, and not more. This happened to her because of the departure of the light from all four phases in her, and her remaining completely empty of light. You therefore find that the departure of the light was the reason for the creation of the screen.

Phase four is a consequence of the expansion of the upper light. Thus, the expansion and the departure caused together the making of the vessel that phase four and the screen emerged from them.

63. Phase four, in and of herself, is a consequence of the expansion of the light, as she is phase four of the direct light, which is the meaning of Malchut of Ein Sof. However, afterwards, the light departed from her because of the above restriction. Thus, phase four is actually a consequence of the expansion of the light, and the screen is a consequence of the departure of the light. It is explained in Item 61 that from the restriction onward, both of them, meaning phase four and the screen, join into the state of vessels of reception. Beside them there are no vessels of reception whatsoever in the worlds.

Therefore, you see how right were the words of the ARI when he said, “The expansion of the light and its latter departure caused the making of the vessel.” It is so because phase four herself, meaning the coarseness in her, is extended from the expansion of the light, and the screen that is established in her, without which she is unfit for reception whatsoever, is extended from the departure of the light.

The beginning of the forming of the vessel comes from expansion and departure. Hence, each vessel must first have these two forces.

64. It is known that all the forces in the upper ones must be present in the ones below them. Hence, since the beginning of the forming of the vessel in Malchut of straightness, which is the Peh of the Rosh of AK, comes because of the expansion of the light and its departure, from then on, each vessel must first have these two causes, meaning the expansion of the light and its departure. No vessel can be formed in the worlds without them.

The substance of the vessel is the coarseness, and the form is the screen.

65. Now we have thoroughly explained the fundamental substance and the form of the vessel, which are the coarseness of phase four—the substance—and the screen established in her is the form. From these two, all the kinds of vessels in general and in particular cascaded in all four worlds ABYA.

The second kind is the reflected light that rises from the Peh and above and clothes the ten Sefirot of direct light.

66. The second kind of vessels is reflected light that rises from below upward through a coupling by striking of the upper light with the screen established in the vessel of Malchut, called the first looking. It is written above in Item 61 that from the restriction onward, the measure of the upper light that the degree receives is dependent on, and allotted by the measure of reflected light that rises because of the coupling by striking in the screen. It is so because this reflected light connects and clothes the ten Sefirot of direct light.

The reflected light of the Rosh is not an actual vessel, but a root for the vessels.

67. You must remember all that is explained here in Inner Light regarding this matter of the clothing of reflected light on the ten Sefirot of the Rosh. Especially, that this is not considered actual clothing, as it ascends from below upward, meaning as resistance to clothing in the coarseness of the vessels. Nevertheless, this reflected light expands the vessel of Malchut of the Rosh into ten Sefirot from her and within her, and they became actual vessels of reception, as we have elaborated on it (in Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 30).

The third kind is reflected light that is inverted from the Peh downward, and clothes the ten Sefirot of the Guf down to the Tabur.

68. The third kind of vessels is the one brought above (Item 65), that the reflected light of the Rosh, which is the above-mentioned second kind, although it is not at all clothing in itself, it is nonetheless inverted and becomes an actual vessel of reception. This third kind is always called the Guf of the Partzuf, and the above-mentioned second kind is always called the Rosh of the Partzuf.

The fourth kind is the vessels from the Tabur downward.

69. The fourth kind is the vessels below the Tabur, regarded as ten Sefirot of reflected light that have no direct light. The issue of the above-mentioned third kind applies only through the Tabur, the place of the first nine Sefirot of the Guf. However, from the Tabur and below, which is the place of Malchut of the Guf, they are not regarded as vessels of reception.

The rejection and the clothing that the screen caused in the Rosh in potential, manifested in the Guf in practice; the clothing from the Peh to the Tabur, and the rejection from the Tabur downward.

70. The reason is that the Rosh and the Guf are regarded as the relation of the “potential” to the “actual,” where everything that is included in the Rosh in potential manifests in practice in the Guf. Hence, these two operations that the screen causes in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, namely the detainment of the upper light so it does not expand into phase four, which is Malchut, and the clothing it performed by the force of the ascending reflected light, where both only in “potential” in the Rosh. However, the place of the manifestation of these two operations is in the Guf. The potential clothing that was in the Rosh manifests in practice above the Tabur of the Guf, and the detainment into Malchut manifests in actuality below the Tabur of the Guf.

The fifth kind is the vessels of the first expansion, called coarse light.

71. The fifth kind is vessels that were emptied of the upper light, called coarse light. After the ten Sefirot of the Guf expanded from the Peh of AK to the Tabur as the third kind (see Item 68), the upper light departed from within them once again, and the vessels remained empty of light.

There is a big distinction here: Although in the above first expansion they are discerned as actual vessels of reception (Item 68), they are nevertheless not regarded as real vessels yet because of the great importance that the vessels have there, as is written here in Inner Light (Chapter 6, Item 5). This is why the ARI says there that the vessels and the light within them are mixed. However, after the light departs from there, their coarseness becomes apparent, and a difference is made between the light and the vessel. That is why these vessels are called coarse light.

The sixth kind is vessels that were emptied of their lights, and the records that remained sustain them.

72. The sixth kind is vessels that were emptied after the departure, and records from the lights that departed remained in them. The records sustain and revive the vessels to make them suitable to acquire their lights as in the beginning. Also, they shine to the Partzuf after them, as the ARI says here (Chapter 2, Items 1 and 8, and Chapter 4, Item 2).

The seventh kind is vessels that were emptied and no records remained in them.

73. The seventh kind is vessels that were emptied after the departure and no records of the lights that departed remained in them. They are the last phases of every Partzuf and expansion, because the last phase does not leave a record, as the ARI says (Chapter 2, Item 6). This is the same as has been explained above (Item 43).

The eighth kind is vessels that were qualified for the purpose of the next Partzuf, which follows it.

74. The eighth kind is vessels that were prepared and qualified in the Partzuf for the purpose of the next Partzuf, which follows it, brought in the ARI’s words (Chapter 4, Item 6). Even the vessel of Keter, which the ARI says there that it was not made in the first Partzuf, but only in the following Partzuf, the phase of the vessel of Keter from the male phase was nevertheless prepared from the first Partzuf, as is explained in the Inner Light.

The above kind of vessels is the male vessels in the next Partzuf.

75. This above-mentioned eighth kind is the male vessels for the purpose of the next Partzuf. They come from the records that the lights had left in the vessels after their departure. The male vessels were made from the coarse light contained in those records, as it is written in Inner Light (Chapter 2, Item 3), and as explained by the ARI in Gate Mati ve Lo Mati, Chapter 3.

The ninth kind is vessels that were prepared in the Partzuf for the female vessels for the following Partzuf.

76. The ninth kind is the vessels for the females that were prepared in the first Partzuf for the purpose of the following Partzuf. They were made from the sparks that fall into the empty vessels after the light departed from them, which come from the illumination of the coupling in the top phase of the empty vessel, as the ARI says (Chapter 4, Item 3). In the next Partzuf, the lights change, and the light of Hochma comes in the vessel of Keter, the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma, and the light of ZA in the vessel of Bina, etc. Hence, they needed vessels there that will be equal to their own phase. For this reason, these sparks had been prepared, where the sparks that fell from the level of Bina into the empty vessel of the level of Hochma became the vessel for the light of Bina, which comes in the vessel of Hochma. Similarly, the sparks that fell from the level of ZA into the vessel of the level of Bina, became a vessel for the light of ZA, which comes in the vessel of Bina, and so on similarly.

The tenth kind is the external vessels for the surrounding light.

77. The tenth kind is the external vessels for surrounding light. No surrounding light is received in a degree unless it is received from the phase above its corresponding phase in the Rosh. Hence, it needs a vessel suitable for this light, meaning the vessel should also be from the phase above its corresponding phase in the Rosh. If the degree is from phase four, it needs a vessel that will be from phase three; if it is from phase three, it needs a vessel that will be from phase two, etc. Therefore, the vessels of surrounding light were called “external vessels” because from the perspective of the vessels, it is always considered that the more refined is more external, as elaborated in Chapter 5, Inner Light, Item 15.

The above vessels come into the degree during the refinement.

78. These external vessels are attained in the degree only by rising to the degree above it. This is done during the ascent of the lights to the Emanator, as the ARI says here (Chapter 6, Item 15), see there in Inner Light.

Chapter Five

Seven discernments in the screen

79. We have already discussed the matter of the screen (Items 62, 63). It is explained there that the screen is the boundary made after the restriction, to receive the light only in the first nine Sefirot, and detain the light from expanding into phase four, meaning to Malchut, as it is written, “You shall come thus far, but no further.” This screen is a consequence caused by the restriction, meaning by the departure of the light. It is so because after the light completely departed from all four phases that are there, although the restriction was only on phase four, because of it, a new form of desire was initiated in Malchut of Ein Sof, to draw once more the light by the force of the boundary, meaning only from phase four and above, and not from phase four and below. This boundary that was initiated is called a screen. Since this boundary primarily applies only to phase four, which is Malchut, it is considered that the screen is present and established inside the vessel of Malchut.

The boundary and the coarseness in the screen come in it as one.

80. There are seven primary discernments that we should make here in this screen: The first discernment is that the boundary and the coarseness are incorporated and come in it as one, without distinguishing between them whatsoever. Since the boundary in it applies only to the coarseness of phase four, we find that it does not limit and does not detain the expansion of the light from a degree that does not have this measure of coarseness. Thus, the coarseness and the boundary come as one, and both together are called screen. It is impossible to speak of, and distinguish the screen in and of itself, when it is not incorporated with coarseness, for then it does not exist in reality at all, so there is what to discern in it.

There is coarseness without a screen and there is no screen without coarseness.

81. However, there is much to discern in the vessel of Malchut in and of herself, meaning when she is not corrected with a screen. First, we should know that Malchut of the circles is not corrected with a screen at all, for there is a screen only in the Sefirot of straightness. This has already been explained in Part 2, and there are many other discernments that will be explained in their place. When we speak of Malchut alone, it means that we speak only of the coarseness, without the correction of the screen. Thus, there cannot be a screen without coarseness, but there can be coarseness without a screen.

The force of detainment in the screen of the Rosh is in potential, and not in practice.

82. The second discernment is the discernment of “potential detainment” inside the screen. There are “potential” and “actual” in the detainment of the screen on the upper light, meaning the difference between the Rosh and the Guf. Although we say that the upper light expands until it hits the screen in the vessel of Malchut, the screen pushes the light back, and this reflected light clothes over the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, all this is only in potential, and not in actual fact, as it is written above in Item 16. Hence, know that the boundary and the detainment on the light in the screen in Malchut of the Rosh, is only detainment in potential, and not in practice.

The potential force of detainment in the screen is called Peh, and the actual is called Tabur.

83. The third discernment is the actual detainment in the screen. That clothing and that detainment that are done in potential in the Rosh, come and manifest in the Guf in practice. It is so because Malchut of the Rosh expands from her and within her into ten Sefirot from above downward, which are generally called Guf. Malchut of these ten Sefirot is called Tabur, where the entire force of detainment on the upper light in the screen of the Rosh manifests. It does not let the upper light clothe, but only from the Tabur upward, and detains it from clothing from the Tabur downward. Know that these two names, Peh and Tabur, relate to the above-mentioned two discernments since the potential detainment of the screen is called Peh, and the actual detainment in the screen is called Tabur.

The incorporation of the screen in the first three phases through its refinement.

84. The fourth discernment is the incorporation of the screen in the coarseness of the first three phases, which comes because of the refinement of the screen presented above (Item 4). It is done by the striking and the clash of inner light and surrounding light with each other, as the ARI said (Chapter 1, Item 3). This is something that should be thoroughly understood, as it is the pole on which the entire wisdom hangs.

The incorporation of the screen in the first three phases means the first three phases of phase four.

85. We have already elaborated on that matter in Inner Light, and there is no room to elaborate on it here. However, we must understand in this regard, that this above-said incorporation in the screen does not mean that the first three phases themselves have now been restricted, as phase four was restricted before. Rather, this entire refinement occurred only in phase four herself. It has already been explained in Inner Observation of Part 2, that phase four herself consists of four phases because she comes from Ein Sof. Hence, the screen established in her also consists of all of these four phases (see Item 80), as the entire coarseness in Malchut is included in the screen.

Now you can understand that when it says that the screen rose to ZA, to phase three, it means that phase four within phase four was refined from the screen, and only the coarseness of phase three within phase four remained in her. It therefore follows that her form had been equalized with the phase of ZA.

You know that equivalence of form is unification in the spiritual. Therefore, it is considered that she rose and united with ZA, as if she herself was the phase of ZA, for there is nothing to tell them apart. This is called being incorporated with ZA. You can similarly understand the rest of the incorporations that were said about the screen until it rose and was incorporated in the Peh of the Rosh, meaning equalized its form as the potential screen, and it was not at all apparent in it that it is an actual screen, and understand this very well.

If the screen departs from the vessel, the light departs from it.

86. The fifth discernment is the cessation of the operation of the screen from the vessel because of its exit from there. In other words, when the screen was refined from phase four to phase three, discerned as the screen exiting the vessel of Malchut and ascending to the vessel of ZA, Malchut was seemingly liberated from the force of detainment and boundary that was on her, and now she can receive the upper light without delays. However, this is not so. On the contrary, she remained completely dark because of the exit of the screen from her. It is so because from the first restriction onward, Malchut is no longer fit to receive any light, but only through a screen. Thus, the two operations—the reception of the light and the rejection of the light—are both connected to the screen. As it rejects the light from the last phase, so it connects and clothes the lights from her and above.

A screen that acquires the coarseness of the Rosh after its refinement.

87. The sixth discernment is the coarseness of the Rosh, acquired anew in the screen after its refinement, meaning by its ascent and coming into Malchut of the Rosh, where it is incorporated, as written elaborately (in Chapter 4, Item 50, and in Inner Light).

The screen that acquires the coarseness of the Guf after its refinement.

88. The seventh discernment is the coarseness of the Guf, acquired in the screen anew after its refinement. After the screen of the Rosh received the coarseness that is from below upward, all the records with which the screen of the Guf was incorporated with on its way through the Sefirot of the Guf up to the Emanator awakened. These records are from the phase of coarseness from above downward, meaning from the phase of the Guf. It turns out that this coarseness that they receive from the Rosh in the phase of from below upward becomes inverted in the records of the Guf into coarseness from above downward, as it is written above in Inner Light.

Chapter Six

Six discernments in the direct light

The upper light is completely even, and all the above changes relate to the receivers.

89. First and foremost, we must know and remember that the upper light is completely even, and the multitude of changes we find in the worlds, are all done by the receivers. Moreover, they come by a necessary order of cause and consequence from the first receiver, which is Malchut of Ein Sof, as it is written elaborately (Part 1, Inner Light, and Inner Observation). After all that, no change occurs in the upper light, and it does not undergo changes even with respect to the receivers. This means that its simple light will ultimately appear to the receivers as it was apparent in the first receiver, meaning in Malchut of Ein Sof before the restriction, without any change, as it written, “I the Lord do not change,” as it is written there in Inner Observation.

Knowing the wisdom depends primarily on knowing the order of the cascading of the Sefirot and the Partzufim and the worlds in an order of cause and consequence.

90. Know that knowing this wisdom depends primarily on knowing the order of the cascading of the Sefirot, Partzufim, and worlds from one another by an absolutely necessary cause and consequence. The sages of The Zohar explained this in the manner of Sod [secret], but no one understood their words until the ARI came and revealed the matters.

Know that the whole innovation in the Kabbalah of the ARI, with respect to previous interpreters, is primarily in the manners of disclosure of the ten Sefirot of reflected light. Although the ten Sefirot of reflected light in general were revealed to all the prior Kabbalists, their primary attainment and understanding was only according to the conducts in the ten Sefirot of direct light. When the ARI came and explained to us the knowledge in the ways of the reflected light in their every detail, he thus opened before us the hidden treasures, locked in The Book of Zohar.

All the discernments in the reflected light are extended from the direct light.

91. However, we must know that all those many discernments observed in the reflected light are extended from the ten Sefirot of direct light. Thus, you haven’t even a tiny innovation in the reflected light that is not extended from the direct light. For this reason, they are also called by the same names as those of the direct light. Not only are they extended from them, but their attributes are the same, as well. The only difference is in the inverse relation between them, as one is a light, and one is a vessel.

The ARI spoke very little about the ten Sefirot of direct light.

92. Indeed, the ARI spoke very little of the ten Sefirot of direct light, and very concisely, since he relied in that on the prior Kabbalists, whose words were only from the direct light. Hence, he found no reason to elaborate on them, and we must admit that we very much need his clear knowledge of the ten Sefirot of direct light; it is an immeasurable absence.

93. There are six discernments here in the ten Sefirot of direct light that we must always remember during the engagement in the wisdom, and here they are: The first discernment is that the upper light is completely even, while the phases discerned in the ten Sefirot of direct light are the garments on the upper light, but they become apparent only by clothing in reflected light.

The number ten Sefirot is only in direct light, but in reflected light, they are five phases.

94. The second discernment is that the number ten Sefirot is primarily in the direct light, but in the reflected light, there are but five phases, as the ARI says here (Item 63).

The ten Sefirot of direct light are considered a single illumination. They are separated from one another only when they clothe in the reflected light.

95. The third discernment is that the ten Sefirot of direct light in and of themselves are not separated degrees from one another as when they are clothed in reflected light. Rather, they are all regarded as a single illumination. However, when they clothe inside the ten Sefirot of reflected light, great and enormous distinctions appear between them.

There are distances in the ten Sefirot of direct light in and of themselves, although they are as one illumination.

96. The fourth discernment is the distances in the ten Sefirot of direct light from the perspective of each and every Sefira itself, as it is written (Part 1, Inner Light, Item 50), and Inner Observation there.

Everything that exists in the consequence, it receives from its cause. The illumination remains primarily in its cause, and only a branch of it is imparted to the consequence.

97. The fifth discernment is the measure of the distance between the cause and the consequence, and that all that exists in the consequence, it receives from its cause. It cannot receive anything from any degree above its cause, if not through its cause. As much as the cause imparts to the consequence, most of the illumination remains in the cause, and only a small branch of it is imparted and reaches the consequence, although the illumination comes primarily for the consequence (see Item 24).

All that is closer to phase four is regarded as coarser.

98. The sixth discernment is the discernment of the proximity to phase four. The closer it is to phase four, the lower and coarser it is considered, as it is written in Item 23. This discernment begins in the ten Sefirot of direct light only from the restriction downward, when phase four became a vacant space and was established with a screen. Hence, this discernment does not apply to the circles, since there is no screen there.

99. All these above discernments, except for the last, apply to the ten Sefirot of direct light even before the restriction. Even though we have no attainment whatsoever prior to the restriction, nevertheless, the upper one is studied from the lower one. Remember these discernments well, and do not spurn them when you engage in the study of the wisdom.

Questions and Answers on the Meaning of the Words

1. What is descending reflected light

During the refinement of the screen from phase to phase, for example from phase four to phase three, when there is a coupling by striking in phase three, the illumination of the coupling from phase three descends into phase four, which is empty of light. This illumination is called “Descending reflected light.” (Part 4, Chapter 4, Item 32)

2. What is surrounding light

All the light rejected from Tabur down of each Partzuf because of the coupling by striking in the screen on the Malchut of the Rosh of the Partzuf is called surrounding light.

3. What is a light that comes on the way back

The four levels, Hochma, Bina, ZA, and Malchut that emerge by the coupling during the refinement is called “light that comes on the way back.” This is because then the lights gradually depart, and the couplings are performed only because the upper light does not stop shining even for a minute. Hence, it is found to be copulating with the screen in the degrees it reaches on the path of its refinement. For this reason, they are not regarded as lights of mercy, which is called direct light, but as judgment, which is called reflected light. (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 2)

4. What is the light of Malchut

The force of the screen and the reflected light in it, which exist in the vessel of Malchut, is called the light of Malchut. The refined light of the record of Malchut is also called light of Malchut. ‎(Part 4, Chapter 4, Item 32)‎

5. What is coarse and crude light

After the departure of the ten Sefirot of direct light from the ten Sefirot of reflected light that clothed them, the reflected light remained below, as “coarse and crude light,” as they are empty of light. Then their coarseness appears and they become distinguished as a vessel. However, before the direct light expanded from the reflected light, they are seemingly mixed with one another. ‎(Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 2)‎

6. What is the light of Akudim‎

The first expansion from Malchut of the Rosh of AK from above downward to Malchut of the Guf of AK is called Akudim. This is because all the ten Sefirot are Akudim [lit. bound] there in a single vessel of Malchut, as the other nine Sefirot still did not have vessels. It is regarded as direct light and mercy, called “The first light.” ‎(Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 9)

7. What is the light of the record‎

After their departure, the lights of Akudim left records behind them in the places they were, which are direct light, as is their light in general. ‎(Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 2)

8. What are letters

See Item Falling Sparks. ‎(Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 11)‎

9. What are posteriors

The part of the vessel that is not intended for reception or bestowal is called posterior. See Item “Through the posteriors.” ‎(Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 6)‎

10. What is the posterior of Keter‎

When the screen of phase four has been refined, and the level of Keter has departed from there, it left phase four in the dark, without light. That force of judgment is called posterior, and it remains engraved there in a vessel of phase four until it receives its correction. The same is true for all the levels. ‎(Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 6)

11. What is a mirror that does not shine

Malchut is called a mirror that does not shine for two reasons: 1. Since the light of Malchut did not leave a record after its departure, as did the other lights. The second is because the lights were switched in the second expansion. The light of Hochma came in the vessel of Keter, the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma, etc. Finally, the light of Malchut came in the vessel of ZA, and the vessel Malchut remained without light. (Part 4, Chapter 4, Item 30)

12. What is revocation

After the light departs from the vessel, and before it receives its correction, to become fitting for clothing the light once more, it is regarded as “Revocation” of the vessel, like a vessel whose usage has been revoked. ‎(Part 4, Chapter 4, Item 7)‎

13. What is a Guf‎

The clothing of the lights in the vessels should first be in “potential,” and then in “actuality.” The clothing of ten Sefirot in potential is called Rosh, and the actual clothing of the ten Sefirot is called Guf. ‎(Part 4, Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 30)

14. What causes the vessel

The expansion of the light and its consequent departure cause the existence of the vessel. (Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 9)

15. What is a wall

The light is limited and measured only by the measure of the coarseness in the screen. The greater the coarseness, the greater the level of the light. Thus, the coarseness is regarded as the vessel and the receptacle for the light. Because of this, the coarseness is regarded as the wall of the vessel, as the entire vessel is but its walls. The four phases in the coarseness are as four layers in the thickness of the wall, clothing one another. They are regarded as internality and externality. The greatest coarseness in the wall of the vessel that draws and measures the abundance is regarded as the internality of the vessel, and the other, more refined phases, are regarded as the externality of the vessel. If there is coarseness of phase four there, then it is the internality of the vessel, phase three is external to it, and phase two is external to phase three, and phase one is external to phase two. All of them together are called “wall.” ‎(Part 4, Chapter 5, Item 3)‎

16. What is through the posterior‎

The outer phases in the wall of the vessel (see “Wall”) are also called “The posterior of the vessel.” It is so because only the inner side of the vessel is considered shining, since the light is limited and tied to it. However, the externality, which does not operate in the drawing of the light, is regarded as not shining and is called posterior. Hence, the levels that emerge over the screen during its refinement are regarded as emerging “Through the posterior” because these emerge on three phases that are more refined than phase four, external to her; they emerge through the externality and the posterior of phase four. ‎(Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 6)

17. What is through the sides

There are two sides to the light of Hassadim: right and left. Plentitude of Hassadim is called “right hand side,” and meagerness of Hassadim is called “left hand side.” They are called “sides” to indicate that they are both of equal merit, like two sides of the same level. As there are important corrections in the multiplicity of Hassadim, so there are important corrections in the meagerness of Hassadim. The place where the abundance manifests in the joining of the two sides together is called “through the sides.” ‎(Part 4, Chapter 5, Item 1)‎

18. What are five Hassadim

The five phases KHB, ZA and Malchut are sometimes regarded as “five Hassadim.” It means that in a place where there is no light of Hochma in GAR KHB, but merely light of Hassadim, the five phases are then called five Hassadim: HGT, Netzah, and Hod. (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 8)

19. What are five edges

The above Five Hassadim, in Item 18, called HGT NH, are in fact the five phases KHB, ZA, and Malchut. However, because the first three phases do not have light of Hochma, but only light of Hassadim, they are called HGT NH, designating that the three phases KHB of ZA are only in light of Hassadim. His own phase is called Netzah, and the incorporation of Malchut in ZA is called Hod. Hence, they are called “five edges,” to show that each edge indicates a unique phase in the five phases KHB ZON of direct light, contained in ZA. However, Yesod of ZA is not a unique edge, for there are no more than five phases of direct light. Instead, Yesod of ZA is an incorporation of all five edges together, in a way that there are twice these five phases in ZA: The first is in particular, where each phase is separated in and of itself, regarded as a unique edge, called HGT NH. The second is general, where they are all incorporated together and are mixed in one another. This is called Yesod ZA. (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 8)

20. What is limitation of the light

All the measures and amounts and multiplication of forms in the light come from the coarseness in the screen and its refinement. In that state, it generates different levels and forms; this is why it is called “limitation of the light.” (Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 5)

21. What is potential limitation

The detaining force in the screen of Malchut of the Rosh, which detains the upper light from spreading in Malchut, that detainment is only “in potential,” not “in actuality.” Even the clothing of the first nine Sefirot there is only “potential” clothing. Both the clothing and the rejection of the light manifest in actuality only in the Guf. (Part 3, Chapter 12, Item 3)

22. What is actual limitation

The limitation of the screen in Malchut of the Rosh is only in “potential.” It does not appear in actuality except in the screen in Malchut of the Guf, called Tabur, see Item 26. (Part 3, Chapter 12, Item 3)

23. What is the first looking

See Part 3, Questions and Answers on the Meaning of the Words, Item 36.

24. What is the second looking

See Part 3, Questions and Answers on the Meaning of the Words, Item 37.

25. What is clothing in potential

See “potential limitation.”

26. What is actual clothing

Everything that is done in a coupling by striking of the upper light in the screen of Malchut of the Rosh, meaning in rejection of the light from Malchut and below, and the clothing of the light to the nine Sefirot from Malchut and above, does not actually appear there, except in the screen of Malchut of Guf, called Tabur. The light is rejected from the Tabur down, and clothes in the nine Sefirot from Tabur up. (Part 4, Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 30)

27. What is yearning for its origin

When the light yearns for equivalence of form, to be as refined as the Emanator, and hence wants to depart from the clothing in the vessels, this departure is called “yearning for its origin.” This is extended by the striking of inner light and surrounding light on each other. You must understand that this does not refer to the upper light itself, but to the ten Sefirot of direct light, which already have a reciprocal relation between the light and its clothing, which is why they are called Sefirot. Indeed, we have no uttering and speech in the upper light itself, for there is no attainment in the light without a garment or a vessel. (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 10)

28. What is return to the Emanator

The departure of the consequential light from the refinement of the screen is called “return to the Emanator,” to Malchut of the Rosh, the Emanator of the ten Sefirot called Guf. They are renewed and expand a second time by their ascent there, by way of the second expansion. Similarly, any new expansion that emerges solely by the return of the lights to the Emanator, in a way that any return of lights to the Emanator is in order to generate a new Partzuf. (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 1)

29. What is a particular Hesed

See “five Hassadim” and five edges where HGT NH of ZA are five phases KHB ZON of direct light, which are merely five Hassadim due to the lack of light of Hochma in the GAR of ZA. However, Yesod of ZA is not counted among the five Hassadim because there are no more than five phases. Rather, Yesod is an incorporation of the five phases together and their mixture in one another. It is not a particular edge that could be regarded as a particular Hesed from the five Hassadim. (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 8)

30. What is half the thickness of the wall

See “wall.” The externality and internality in the wall of the vessel are regarded as two halves in the walls of the vessel, meaning that the coarser half of the “thickness of the wall” is called the internality of the vessel, and it operates with the inner light. The half of the thickness of the wall that is not that coarse is called the externality of the vessel, and it operates with the surrounding light. (Part 4, Chapter 5, Item 3)

31. What is Tabur

Malchut of the Guf, where the limitation and the actual rejection of the light begins, is called Tabur. (Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 8)

32. What are tastes

The expansion of light from above downward, meaning from the Peh of AK to the Tabur, is called tastes, after the verse, “and the palate tastes its food.” (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 11)

33. What are right and left

See Item 17 “through the sides.”

34. What are potential ten Sefirot

The Sefirot do not manifest in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, but are merely as ten Sefirot in potential, meaning a root. It is like a seed which is the root of the tree while the tree is not apparent in it, see Part 2, Questions and Answers on the Meaning of the Words, Item 55. (Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 5)

35. What is a vessel for surrounding light

Half the thickness of the outer wall in the vessel operates for the surrounding light, see Item 30, “half the thickness of the wall.” (Part 4, Chapter 5, Item 3)

36. What is the vessel of Malchut

Phase four of direct light, which is the coarseness over which there was the restriction not to receive in her great measure, is called the vessel of Malchut. (Part 3, Chapter 1, Item 2)

37. What are the general five edges

In Yesod of ZA, there are the general five edges HGT NH of ZA, see Item 19 “five edges.” (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 8)

38. What is sustaining the vessel

A small illumination that is not enough for expansion, but only to keep the shape of the vessel intact, this illumination is called “sustaining the vessel.” (Part 4, Chapter 2, Item 8)

39. What is upper whiteness

Before the light clothes the vessels, it is called “upper whiteness.” It means that there are no shades in it at all, for all the shades come only from the vessels. (Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 3)

40. What is the Emanator

Malchut of the Rosh is regarded as the Emanator with respect to the ten Sefirot called Guf. Also, every upper degree is regarded as the Emanator of the degree below it. (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 4)

41. What is confined

When the light is captured and dependent on the measure of the coarseness in the vessel, and cannot expand there more or less than the measure of coarseness in it, it is regarded as being “confined‎” inside the vessel, see Item 20, “limitation of the light.” (Part 4, Chapter 5, Item 3)

42. What is striking and clashing

When lights of opposite nature from each other, and come to clothe a single carrier, such as surrounding light and inner light, the same measure of coarseness in the screen that draws and increases the inner light, rejects and detains the surrounding light from clothing in the Partzuf. Since both come to clothe in the Partzuf, they strike and clash with each other until the surrounding light overpowers and refines the detaining coarseness in the screen, the inner light departs from there, and the surrounding light acquires external vessels in the Partzuf, and shines within them. (Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 3)

43. What is mixed

When lights adhere to one another because of their equivalence of form with one another, it is called “connecting the lights.” However, if there is disparity of form between them, and they connect because of some connection between them that equalizes them, it is called “mixed” together. It is so because the disparity of form between them does not let them adhere together truly into one, but there necessarily remains a difference between them. However, equalizing the merit they have acquired mixes them together in each other until it is impossible to tell poor from rich.

Such is the direct light clothed in reflected light: Since the direct light cannot shine at all, but only according to the measure of reflected light, they are regarded as being mixed together, since the coarseness in the reflected light has the same merit and importance as the refinement in the direct light. Thus, the coarseness and refinement are mixed in one another and the disparity of form between them is indistinguishable. (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 2)

44. What are receivers

The ten Sefirot of the Guf are always called “receivers” since the light comes to them from above downward. (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 3)

45. What is origin of the lights

Malchut of the Rosh is considered the “origin of the lights” because of the reflected light that she raises and clothes the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, and brings them into the Guf. (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 15)

46. What are sparks

Illuminations that tend to be extinguished and might be reawakened and ignited and shine once more as in the beginning are called sparks, since they resemble the sparks that remain after a fire, or those that emerge from under the hammer in the hands of a craftsman. Although they seem to be extinguishing, they might still ignite into a great and terrible flame. Such illuminations occur only in reflected light. (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 10)

47. What are falling sparks

During the refinement of the screen, the illumination of the coupling descends from the upper phase to the lower phase, which is empty of her light. Such was when the screen was refined from phase three to phase two, and phase three was emptied of her light. Then the illumination of the coupling descended from phase two into the empty phase three. Because the record that remains in phase three is opposite from the descending illumination, they strike and clash with each other. However, the descending reflected light overpowers the record, whose coupling had stopped, and the reflected light descends into the vessel. The record that cannot be together with it in one carrier departs from there.

Thus, the illumination of the coupling that descends into the empty vessel is called “falling sparks” because soon, the coupling from phase two stops, too, and rises to phase one, the illuminations quench, and the record descends once more into her vessel, for now there is no merit to the descending reflected light over the record since both are after the departure of their coupling. Since the light of the record is far more valuable than the descending reflected light, the record overcomes them now and revokes the illumination of the sparks that fall into her vessel so she can clothe there. This matter is called striking and clashing, for at one time, the descending reflected light overpowers, and another time, the record. (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 11)

48. What are dots

The four levels that come out through a coupling by striking during the refinement of the screen are called dots. They are also called reflected light, and they are judgment. (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 11)

49. What is around

Each Partzuf is divided into two: From Malchut of the Guf and above, where all the lights stand, it is called anterior, and a second part, from Malchut of the Guf and below, where the direct light is rejected and does not shine, and is therefore called posterior. However, there is an illumination that passes from the anterior side of the Partzuf and shines to the posterior side of the Partzuf. This manner of illumination is called “from around,” because the part of the Partzuf from the Tabur downward cannot receive the light in straightness, but only from “around,” which is a special correction that will be explained in its place. (Part 4, Chapter 5, Item 1)

50. What is tolerating

“Tolerating” means a place where the vessel is fitting to clothe the light, but does not clothe it because of its own choice. This is a very subtle matter, said only about the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, where there is no actual clothing (see “potential clothing”). It is unthinkable that the vessels of the Guf are more worthy of clothing the lights than the vessels of the Rosh, and yet, there is no clothing in the Rosh, but only in the Guf. This is because the reflected light of the Rosh does not tolerate the state of clothing since it stands from below upward. This standing designates resistance to clothing, for it does not tolerate the clothing. (Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 5)

51. What is end of the ascent

When the screen begins to be refined from phase to phase, such as from phase four to phase three, we can discern there the continuation of the refinement, meaning before it reaches the point of coarseness in phase three. In that state, the Partzuf is without any light, as the coupling in phase four has already stopped but has not yet reached the coupling of phase three. We should distinguish the state of the “end of the ascent,” meaning after the refinement of the entire coarseness of phase four is completed, and reached the coarseness of phase three. In that state, the upper light, which does not stop shining even for a minute, makes a coupling with her and elicits a new level of Hochma. Now the light returns to expand in the Partzuf as before, but on the level of Hochma, which is lower than the previous level. (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 21)

52. What is the thickness of the wall

The entire substance of the receptacle of the vessel is the coarseness in it. Hence, the four phases of coarseness are regarded as surrounding each other, and together, they make the wall of the vessel. The coarser than the other is more internal (see Item 30, “Half the thickness of the Wall”). (Part 4, Chapter 5, Item 3)

53. What is ascent of the lights

See Item 28, “return of the lights to the Emanator.” (Part 4, Chapter 2, Item 4)

54. What is the ascent of Keter to the Emanator

Meaning through the refinement of the screen from phase four to phase three.‎ (Ibid.)‎

55. What is the ascent of Hochma to the Emanator

Meaning by the refinement of the screen from phase three to phase two. ‎(Ibid.)‎

56. What is the ascent of Bina to the Emanator

Meaning by the refinement of the screen from phase two to phase one. ‎(Ibid.)‎

57. What is the ascent of ZA to the Emanator

Meaning by the refinement of the screen from phase one to the phase of Keter. ‎(Ibid.)‎

58. What is the ascent of Malchut to the Emanator

Meaning through the refinement from the phase of Keter to the phase of Malchut of the Rosh, where there is none of the coarseness of from above downward. Then, her form is equalized with that of Malchut of the Rosh and she is incorporated there. (Ibid.)‎

59. What is Peh

Malchut of Rosh, where the coarseness of the screen operates from below upward, is called Peh. (Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 3)

60. What is their anterior were turned downward

When the light is imparted to grip and clothe according to the measure of the coarseness in the screen, it is called “Their anterior were turned downward.” It is so because the tendency of the lights is to come and clothe the coarseness, which is called “downward.” (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 3)

61. What is their anterior were turned upward

During the refinement of the screen, when the couplings are made each time on the most refined phase, until the coupling stops altogether, it is called “Their anterior were turned upward.” It means that they depart and turn themselves from coarseness to refinement, since from above downward means from refinement to coarseness, and from below upward means from coarseness to refinement. (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 3)

62. What are anterior and posterior

The clothing and rejection that occur in the coupling by striking in Malchut of the Rosh appear there only in Malchut of the Guf, called Tabur. The clothing is done from the Tabur and above, and the rejection of the light is done from the Tabur and below. Hence, the place of the clothing in the Guf is called anterior, and the place from which the light is rejected is called posterior. (Part 4, Chapter 5, Item 1)

63. What is corruption in order to correct

“Corruption in order to correct” means that toward he who does not know the great correction that is done here, he regards it as corruption. If he knew the operation that is done by this, he would see that this corruption is only correction, that there was never any corruption here. This is like a fool who sees a tailor taking a nice piece of cloth and cutting it in pieces. Because he doesn’t know and understand the operation being done here, he thinks for himself that the tailor is spoiling such a beautiful piece of cloth. If he knew the work, he certainly would not think that there is even a trace of corruption here, but that from start to finish, there is only correction here. (Part 4, Chapter 4, Item 8)

64. What is the impression of the seal

Several phases were made in the light by clothing of the light in the vessel, out of the correlation between the light and the vessel. If the light departs from there, there still remain all the forms and the discernments that were there prior to the departure, none missing. What remains is called “the impression of the seal,” for the nature of the seal is that if put on wax, it leaves its entire form there, with all its details and letters, without anything missing. (Part 4, Chapter 2, Item 2)

65. What is a record

See Item 64, “the impression of the seal.” Know, that this record that the lights leave of themselves after their departure is the nucleus and the root of the birth of the second Partzuf from it. Every consequence is born and emerges by its cause. All the illuminations in the worlds are extended to the lower ones in this manner, and they themselves pass from the cause to the consequence that is born from them like the spark of the soul that passes from father to son and remains fixed in the son’s soul, and never moves from him. This has been explained in Part 4, Chapter 2, Inner Light, Item 3. Study it there well, and remember it, for it is the key to understand the cause that obligates the consequence to cascade from its cause in all the cascading of the Partzufim and the worlds from one another, from Rosh to Sof. (Part 4, Chapter 2, Item 2)

66. What are tags

See Item 47, “falling sparks.” It explains there that the reflected light that descends into the empty vessel comes from the illumination of the coupling performed in the upper phase, and the record in that vessel is from after the departure of the coupling. Hence, the reflected light overpowers the record, descends into the vessel, and the record must rise from there above the vessel. Thus, this illumination that the record shines to the vessel while being above the vessel, is called tags. (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 11)