Part 2:

Baal HaSulam. General Preface. #4

Reading item #4 (00:12) “First, we need to understand the quality of each of the worlds AK and ABYA..”

1. S. (10:07) It is not clear why restriction and screen are phase four. How could there be ten Sefirot of reflected light? Why not only Keter?

R. What does it mean that the screen on phase four?

S. That is also a question, are all the other phases also restricted in some way?

R. That is the question. this is why you’re asking. If the screen is on phase four, meaning we have work on all the previous phases as well.

S. Are they also restricted in some measure?

R. They have to otherwise how will phase four be restricted?

S. What is the right way to look at it? Where does the coupling take place? Does it happen in Malchut or in each and every Sefira?

R. The coupling happens in the Malchut of each Sefira.

2. S. (11:26) He says at the end of the item that there's equality between lights and vessels. How can Keter, with reflected light of Malchut, equal Malchut with the reflected light of Keter and what are they equal?

R. Well, if we don't get more into the Sefirot, to the extent that you have refinement in the vessel, to that extent you have to work with it as opposed to the coarseness in the vessel, that is it.

S. He says the ten Sefirot of the reflected light equalize in ten vessels and when they connect as one all of the degrees are equal.

R. Yes, because as much as there is coarseness in the vessel accordingly there is restriction and reflected light, so it turns out that all of them are working in an individual relative level but each one connects to everyone with its force, each degree in its Sefira they all operate seemingly as one. It does not matter if one lifts a thousand tons and the other lifts one gram but each one does his operation with everything he has.

S. Meaning the maximum effort to adhere?

R. Yes, and according to this they receive. You do not weigh according by how much one did but by how much you want it, how much you want it. Whatever one receives from above if it’s equal or not equal it's not up to them.

3. S. (13:42) This General Preface we are reading now is that for the “Panim Meirot uMasbirot” that’s the preface?

R. Yes.

S. This General Preface, is what he wrote before he wrote the “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah” or did it come after because he wrote, as we know, is in addition to what?

R. I do not know. Sometimes he would write but publish much later than when he wrote, so to say exactly that he wrote it before the “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah” and the Introduction to the Preface of the Wisdom of Kabbalah” or to “The Tree of Life” I cannot say.

S. Because he reads from the beginning of the book to those who know the “Tree of Life” so I guess he’s describing this “The Tree of Life”.

R. By “Tree of Life” maybe he did not mean the “Tree of Life” but “Tree of Life” of The Ari.

S. Yes.

R. The “Tree of Life” existed 500 years before him.

S. We don't know exactly.

R. No, I cannot say, so that afterwards they will say in my name it's like this like that, I don’t know.

S. “The Study of the Ten Sefirot,” the six chapters he wrote, that after that we know?

R. “The Study of the Ten Sefirot” he wrote almost at the end of his life

4. S. (15:40) In the middle of the last paragraph he writes, Hochma is equal to the degree of Keter because Keter receives the reflected from it, just as Hochma receives direct light from Keter, so Hochma receiving direct light from Keter, that is something we learned and it’s clear, but how can he write that Hochma equalizes to the degree of Keter because the Keter is receiving reflected light from her?

R. From whom would Keter receive reflected light if not from Hochma?

S. He’s speaking about the way the Partzuf refines itself?

R. The equalizing of the Partzufim through the reflected light and direct light, all the Partizufim connect and become equal.

5. S. (16:35) In the beginning of number four he wrote that they were still lacking all of the Sefirot that came out with no light, that is why they had to return to the Emanator to get their rewards

.R. Yes.

S. What process is he talking about here?

R. He’s speaking about reflected light.

S. Already here?

R. Yes.

S. What does it mean that they need to get their reward, what does it add?

R. That through reflected light he gets additional light than what he had and attains the essence of the degree.

S. The expanding without reflected light, he says that it’s not the end.

R. The light fills all of reality, but all of reality becomes clarified specifically through the reflected light that the lower ones raise.

6. S. (17:41) What he wants to explain that Hochma equalize with Keter?

R. Yes. 

S. And Zeir Anpin equalizes to Hochma?

R. Yes, yes.

S. He says that's why Zeir Anpin is also equal to Keter.

R. Yes. It means that with the reflected light you will reach the level of Keter.

S. Why does he mention Zeir Anpin equalizing to Keter? It's like a complete correction.

R. Because all that Zeir Anpin needs is to reach the light of Keter.

S. By that equivalence is created?

R. Yes.

Reading item #5 (18:31) “But the ten Sefirot of the world of Akudim disappeared once more..”

7. R. (23:51) In other words there are all kinds of things that we cannot really scrutinize and clarify according to the book “The Tree of Life” in a way that is clear to us. I don't think there’s what to ask here about because he writes it for himself and he leaves it like that, without an answer.

8. S. (24:13) What is the world of Akudim, what is that formulation? 

R. Akudim, Nekudim Brudim, Akudim is the world of AK.

S. What is he explaining about there?

R. Everything is Akud, tied in one Malchut.

S. Does that belong to the first restriction?

R. It works according to the first restriction, yes. Akudim, Nekudim, Brudim. Akudim, we learn it in the first restriction and it exists. Nekudim, we already know that it exists below the Tabur; the world of Nekudim is formed and Brudim comes afterwards. We will learn it.

Reading number 6 (25:10) “I will elaborate inside the book…”

9. S. (31:12) What's the difference between broad expanding or expanding through a window?

R. That's the difference by which the Sefira or the quality of light spreads.

S. What does he mean broad expansion?

R. We will learn it, expansion, window, there are many discernments.

10. S. (31:43) When Bina wants to be a giver like Keter it's called becoming coarser when she wants to have qualities of the giver. Why is it considered Rav, how can she be a giver?

R. Because there's already a will to receive in her and she has to activate it in order to be like the giver.

S. The fact that she lacks something does that make her with more will to receive?

R. Of course she has more well to receive, yes.

S. Even though a person wants to be similar to Keter, to the Emanator, it means the more will to receive operates in it?

R. Of course, to be like Keter it has to be very coarse and turn this coarseness into refinement, of course. Anyone who is better than his friend, his inclination is greater than him, gradually it will fall into place. Now we are beginning to talk about the degrees of correction from where, why.

11. S. (33:13) What actions are regarded as reflected light?

R. All the acts of bestowal can be added into actions of the reflected light.