Part 3
Morning Lesson September 20, 2021, Transcription
Baal HaSulam, Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah, #46
1. R. (00:20) Rav’s drawing. Here we are learning about the entrance of the light into the vessel so we are learning that we have a vessel. We sometimes draw it as Rosh, Toch, Sof, ten Sefirot in Rosh, ten Sefirot the Toch, and ten Sefirot in Sof. Basically we are trying to learn here that there is a direct light that comes to the vessel and here stands the restriction saying that I won't accept, receive from you as usual, like the upper light wants but I will reject it and won't receive it for myself only for the host so our intentions will be equal, the host to me and I to the host and to that extent we have equivalence of form I may receive, I decide that I will receive in Rosh of the Partzuf and as much as I can receive in order to bestow this is the Toch of the Partzuf, from Peh to Tabur and where I can no longer receive it is called the Sof of the Partzuf. Here we have to learn about the 4 degrees of reception of light as it enters from above downwards, is called Taamim. The light that comes out of the Partzuf back out again is called Nekudot, the recollections of the Taamim are called Tagin and the recollection of these are called Taamim, Otiot or vessels. Let's learn these things because this is basically a very important thing, this is how we have a direct interaction with the Creator, we for Him and Him for us and there is direct light here, reflected light and surrounding light, inner light and our work with these lights and ultimately, they clarify to us and what we call TNTA, an acronym of Taamim Nekudot Tagin and Otiot. Let us read what Baal HaSulam writes and we will advance at least a little.
Item 46 (04:16) “Now we have clarified the Bitush of Ohr Makif and Ohr…”
2. S. (05:21) He writes here that there are four types of lights, Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin, and Otiot. Are they lights?
R. Yes, that is all revealed within the Partzuf. We have such phenomena when the light enters and exits. There are phenomena from the light itself as it comes and there are phenomena, a Reshimo, an impression, when the light leaves. We are talking about both the lights and the impressions. Taamim and Nekudot are the lights and Tagin and Otiot are Reshimot, are the impressions. We have such phenomena in each and every Partzuf. If a Partzuf performs the Zivug de Hakaa in the Peh of the Rosh and receives some upper light in order to bestow, then this light spreads in it as an inner light and this is called Taamim, flavors. To the extent that the vessel may receive then it stops and starts to resist the light more, it doesn't want to receive. Then the pressure of the light, we say it happens in the Tabur, in the entrance, of the light stops so the vessel decides that it will reject the light. It comes out of the reception of the light so it won't receive or stay this way. The light exits the vessel, this is called Nekudot, reflected light, and once this light enters and exits you then have this impression from the light that used to be there. This is Tagin, and the light as it leaves is called Otiot. The Otiot, the letters, are called vessels, because they are the last and the strong impression that is left in the vessel and from it, we can reach the next level of what we can do with the vessel.
Item 47 (08:15)” It has been explained that through the Bitush of Ohr ….”
3. S. (13:27) At the moment we read all of this, how can we feel all of this in the 10?
R. We didn't learn this now so your question is out of place, what is written here, is that clear?
4. S. (13:55) What is the difference between coupling of striking and reception of the light and coupling of striking in the coupling of the Partzuf?
R. We're not talking about that as well in the meantime, now we are learning the mechanics of how it happened when the light entered with the desire in the screen, how the light, the desire and the screen between them how they approach each other. I'm asking you not to be confused and not to put in here when we are trying to understand what is going on. We're not talking about emotions, we're not talking about how we should accept them, it is good that you are asking about it but this is not the time for it.
S. What is the difference between two different coupling of striking’s? One says receiving and the other says refining.
R. There is a difference between a screen that is about to receive and one that is about to be purified, there are different calculations, but the screen wants to be in maximum connection with the Creator and so if it has the opportunity it will receive in order to bestow and the light enters as Taamim and when it can no longer receive in order to bestow it will keep on receive as something it cannot be in order to bestowal that to receive so it stops itself and this place is called Tabur of the Kli. As it feels that the upper light or the host is putting pressure on him, he will decide to purify, to go back to a state of not receiving anything. Because then it is the most certain state, confident state because then the reception of the light has weakened him and he cannot cope with the host who is telling him to receive more all the time, it comes to the state in the beginning of not receiving anything. By this he feels himself the safest.
S. Why is the coupling of striking a refinement?
R. Because in this refinement you also see how much he wants to be attached to the host.
5. S. (16:45) The entire process is the Nekudot is the reflected light?
R. What are you trying to say by that?
S. It’s simply written there, this screen is called the Peh of the Rosh and then just Rosh and then the screen of the Guf is never Tabur of Guf,
R. It doesn't matter it is exactly the same, it is just written different, you can't write everything in an exact manner as you will have so many words that will make it more difficult to understand the issue itself.
S. Correctly, the screen of Guf in the process depicted here rejects to light so much that it becomes equalized?
R. Yes, it reaches a state that the screen of the Rosh doesn't receive anything and also the screen of the Guf that received in order to bestow is being purified to reach the same state as the screen of the Rosh.
S. In this we can say on the Nekudot it is reflected light from the screen of the Guf and then it becomes equal to the same reflected light of the screen of the Rosh
6. S. (18:27) why is there the coupling on the coarseness, why after the fourth phase Keter is also refined?
R. What is refined, what is purified is only the screen that used to receive and now it doesn't want to receive. The screen is the intention that previously wanted to receive in order to bestow to the host now I see that behind what I have done or after what I have done, I have attained nothing and I come back to the state that was before the reception.
7. S. (19:26) The first coupling up the beating on the reflected light of the inner light, this is on the first level of the fourth phase?
R. It is not a coupling it is Bitush, beating, the coupling of the surrounding light and the Inner Light purifies it entirely.
S. So there is the root Partzuf and then it becomes the same state as the coupling of striking before it enters the vessel?
R. Yes, but the impression is left, the impression of everything that you went through.
8. S. (20:19) Why is TNTA only Tagin is in the singular are there no discernments there?
R. There are discernment and everything it is the light that enters the vessel we call Taamim and as it exits and what it leaves, from what came from above downwards, it leaves an impression we could Tagin, the Reshimot are called Tagin, the light that enters the vessel is removed entirely, nothing is left there except for these impressions. So instead of the Taamim that spread in practice there is only the impression of it this is Tagin.
S. The Taamim are at once and Nekudot have all the questions of the screen as if everything comes spread out as the light departs?
R. Yes, the main thing is Otiot and Taamim and Tagin even in writing there is no true impression of them, the main thing Nekudot and Otiot.
S. So just like in Nekudot everything comes apart as in the records of the letters there is also the action of the vessel?
R. Yes.
9. S. (22:24) Is the goal to become purer on each level, like going through a filter?
R. Correct, we want to be coarse by our desire along with the purer, according to coming nearer to the light, two opposite things that will be in us at the end of correction will be revealed the entire large desire to receive that will be entirely with the intention to bestow and then it will be similar to the light. That is actually the process that will all be in a very great coarseness and along with-it great refinement as well and in this together we will be similar to the Creator as a created being in great coarseness and similar to the Creator in refinement in the screen and reflected light similar to the Creator.
10. S. (23:47) Why are we talking about two screens here?
R. The truth is the screen is one, but to differentiate the actions we divide it into parts. Let's say you are also a dad, a grandfather, and male and you are also working a job, a profession and you're also a husband, you have many roles but you are just one in some total it is the same thing here.
11. S. (24:34) This process is a measurement of the coarseness of the vessel?
R. Yes.
12. S. (24:51) You said that we have two parts. On the one hand we want the greatest coarseness and on the other hand the smallest clothing, the screen is diminished so how can we correct our greatest desires that are coarser?
R. With it soon we will see, after the screen in the Tabur refines and comes to the Peh in the Rosh and incorporated in the light of infinity in the Rosh, once again wants to receive an intention in order to bestow it will get a second portion called AB.
13. S. (25:41) You say Taamim and Tagin are not so important as Otiot and Nekudot because Taamim and Tagin are from the previous calculation in the Rosh, and the Otiot and Nekudot are results that enable us to make the next calculations?
R. Correct very good.
14. S. (26:22) To continue the question if the screen is the same then it purifies in the Guf there is work all the time in Rosh are there couplings there?
R. All the time in every small change that the vessel wants to make there are decisions every time I made in the Rosh and couplings in the Rosh and afterwards actions in the body. There's nothing in the Guf that first wasn't decided in the Rosh.
15. S. (27:07) The striking causes the purification from the Bechina Dalet to Bechina Gimel, what causes it to rise from the second to third degree?
R. Within the Partzuf the light illuminates and presses all the time, the vessel has an opportunity to do actions when it refines Tabur to Peh and goes through the 4 3 2 1 root, it must entirely refine.
S. It is at the feeling of the beating stays with it, it doesn't stay Tabur to be refined?
R. Certainly so and even what we will learn after in every place that there is a refinement then we also have Rosh Toch Sof, to receive the coupling of striking, part is received and part is bestowed in every place. The Nekudot and Otiot, the letters of refinement these are also very many Partzufim, that I sit before the host and receive all the five portions and now in each and every portion I must know what I did, what did I come out from and what am I getting rid of and what will I have without this. I make calculations and then I leave one portion, a second and then a third until I entirely exit. This is in accordance with the agreement of the host, that I tell him why I am doing this, that I am incapable of remaining with all of his nice attitude to me. That I can't receive because not because of shame, but because my bestowing is revealed to him as a very small and limited bestowing and it stops me in the middle of the way.
It doesn't matter here that the vessel understands what is bestowing, what is giving, what does it mean to return to the host, to give back, this is what happens from this whole process. Then from each time he has this impression of how much the Creator wants to give and how much he wants to be similar to the Creator even though he's capable or not capable. All of this is from the same vessel that was just a raw desire to receive like a piece of rubber or something and then from there it turns to be more sensitive, more suitable to the Creator that they will truly be at the end of corrections. That the vessel is made absolutely worthy of receiving all of the light of Infinity within and the whole complete sensation that this is also how it behaves and returns to the Creator. Here by the TNTA, this is with what the vessel formats itself to resemble the Creator more and more.
S. The Taamim and Nekudot feels like it happens within Toch.
R. That is not so important, the most important is the letters.
S. Where do the letters remain because I understand it's only realized in the next Partzuf so where does it stay until this next realization?
R. The Nekudot are the lights that emerge from the vessel and Otiot are the desire to receive that received an impression from the process and that remains in the vessel. In it also rises to the Rosh and enters the next coupling of striking, Partzuf and there is the next one built not from Taamim and Tagin in the first Partzuf, rather from the next Partzuf the main thing is Otiot.
S. What is the impression?
Reflected light is the impression that includes already the agreement to remain in the previous state in Otiot you have a concentration of the entire process that ultimately you are at the meal, you tasted it and you felt the attitude of the host that worked in you with your desire to receive with the pressure of the host you made a decision and the entire process ultimately happens in Otiot.
S. That is the reflected light?
R. No, the letters, Otiot are records from all of the process that we went through. We will learn more about this. Today we have another topic that we must scrutinize which is on Sukkot.
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