The transcript has been transcribed and edited from English simultaneous interpretation, thus there may be potential semantic inaccuracies within it.

Daily Morning Lesson: December 15, 2025

Part 2: LESSONS OF THE RABASH ON TES 

Reader: We are reading from “The Study of the Ten Sefirot” with Rabash. “The Study of the Ten Sefirot”, Volume 1, Part 4, “Inner Observation,” Chapter 2, Item 21. Before we enter the study together with Rabash, we will hear Rav about our main topic of the lesson.

M. Laitman: (00:29) So, we have a few laws here. First of all, there is no light that comes except from Ein Sof. It cannot be any other way. There is no light in some vessel, or that it comes in some way, except if it passes through all the previous Partzufim. Even though we can say “His glory fills the world,” all the vessels are in the light of Ein Sof, and there is no difference between the light that fills them. That's correct. But we are talking about the order of the relation of the lights in the vessels. And the order is always from the refined to the more coarse. And so we always say that everything comes from the Rosh through Galgalta to all the Partzufim. And even the smallest part — in reality, the light has to pass through all of the branches, let's say, until it reaches that place. That's one. Two - the lights that pass, it's not that one light passes, but the light that passes has no name, but rather the vessels reveal it. And then it passes from one vessel to another, so that there is... it's not that the light of Hochma that now passes from the light of the light of Hochma and above. So how does it pass as the light of Hochma or the light of Hassadim? No, it passes as light. It passes as the light of Ein Sof. This is how we also reach as the lower one, who now receives it as the light of Ein Sof, even though before him, before that lower one, you have thousands of Partzufim. That doesn't matter. With respect to Him, towards Him, it's Ein Sof, because the light is revealed in each and every degree, the way that the degree discovers it, it reveals it towards itself, but not the way that it passes and comes down. Let's say, the light comes from a certain degree, from one degree to a second degree. I want to make sure we don't get confused, even though verbatim, maybe it's difficult to understand. So, the light goes from one degree, and it moves on to another degree. As we study, this is the degree of Hochma, this is the degree of Bina, and here is the light of Keter, meaning Ein Sof. So, it is Ein Sof everywhere, and this is how it passes. However, here it grows weaker. When it reaches from the degree of Hochma to the degree of Bina, it grows weaker, according to the level of coarseness that we have here. It prepares itself for the degree of Bina, but on the degree of Bina, when it receives the light, it receives it as the light of Ein Sof. For her, it is Hochma, Bina, everything there is there, it doesn't matter what, if we break down this degree, we must say that there are ten Sefirot  here, and there is Ein Sof before them. Meaning, even though the light passes through all of the degrees, it is not passed from one degree to the next as a specific, special light. You might ask, wait a minute, but what happens to us when we speak, let's say, about the four phases of direct light? There, the desire in phase one is inverted into the desire in phase two; it's through the light that fills phase one, right? This is why we ended up with phase two. Well, there's a difference between the construction of the degrees, that they are done by special lights, and the corrections of the degrees, they are done by the light of Hochma and the light of Hassadim, and the way it passes through Zivug de Hakaa [coupling by striking]. And coupling by striking, it is passed as light of Ein Sof, but it grows weaker according to the measure of degree. If I stand in a certain degree, then it comes to me, and it's ready for me, but on the measure of Ein Sof. And to prepare me to receive this light of Ein Sof, we get the light of Hochma, the light of Hassadim, the light of AB SAG, those lights prepare me, they correct me. Meaning, for the correction of the lights of the vessels, there are all kinds of lights, but for coupling of striking, the light comes as though I'm standing before Ein Sof. 

Reader: Let's connect together to the lesson.

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (04:59) The question comes up, if what we say is that there was first the level of Keter of Keter, now Keter moved on, he departed, and he remained in Hochma. Is this how we study or not? Or maybe we say, now a new coupling of striking by striking occurred, and he receives a new light. So he says, no, it's a new light. Where does it come from? From the surrounding light. It turns out that, what are the benefits of that? By purifying, new lights always come. How do they come? The light always shines. However, it depends on the measure of his screen. According to the screen, it is considered that he's able to aim in order to bestow, and this is how much he attains. It turns out that each time that he has another overcoming, he receives another light, a different light. What is the benefit of that? That by this, all of the lights are revealed, are received. All of the abundance is received that he needs to receive. This is why I said once, it was yesterday, that a person has ups and downs during the work. We learned that a Mitzva [a commandment] induces a commandment. Why, after an ascent, there is a descent, I once asked. According to what he teaches, every overcoming is considered that a person takes parts of his own benefit and shifts them to in order to bestow. Well, let's say, he shifted one part. If he'll remain in this ascent, it turns out that he doesn't innovate anything. So, he's given a descent. What for? So there'll be another overcoming, and all of the ascents are registered to his name. Nothing is lost. And so, these descents are for the sake of an ascent. What does it mean for the sake of an ascent? It's so that he'll make another overcoming. Every overcoming is considered that he makes a screen, he overcomes his own benefit, and he brings it to in order to bestow. Bina, Malchut, this is how he does it. This is called ascents and descents. 

21. It has been explained that even though there is a complete level of Rosh, Toch, Sof in each and every coupling, which emerges during the refinement of the screen, they are still not regarded as direct light, as mercy, but as reflected light and judgment. However, all of this relates to the self of the Partzuf in general, suffering 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. Nevertheless, or however, considering 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 coupling which is closer to the Emanator is better. This is very perplexing. Again, that is because in phase four, when they had the Taamim [tastes], only the light of Nefesh emerged. And when it was refined into phase three, the light of Ruach emerged. And when it is refined into phase two, the light of Neshama emerged.

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (09:18) 22 also. 

22. The above matter of the inverse relation must be thoroughly and clearly understood, as it is the whole connection and the entire 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 is a vessel for the reception of the upper light on the part of the direct light, which are the five phases KHB ZON. This is what we call vessels, or NRNHY, which is what we call the lights. And there is a vessel for reception on the part of the reflected light, which give us the level of the degree, which are the levels that are also called KHB, ZA, and Malchut. They are completely opposite from one another. Because the same coupling by which the level of reflected light emerges, meaning the greatest vessel, the phase of Nefesh of direct light emerges too, which is the smallest light. The light of Yechida shines in the vessel of Keter and the light of Nefesh in the vessel of Malchut. Let's see onwards. What does he want? Let's look further.

23. The origin of these two values has already been explained. Because the measure or the value of the four phases of direct light is extended from the light of Ein Sof. The first three phases are still not considered as vessels of reception. As the distinction of the disparity of form is still not apparent in them. The difference between them and the upper light is only in that they, if there is no distinction of disparity of form that is apparent, and they are all the same, why does each one of them has a different name? So you must say that there is something there, some difference, some change there. So he says, 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. 

It causes less or causes more, but they're all just causes, they are not considered, all of them are not yet considered as light without a vessel, because in the light, you have no distinctions, no discernments. Again, he asks and he tells us that there is no distinction of disparity of form until Malchut. Only Malchut was revealed with a new form, a different form. It turns out that they're all a single phase, so why do I give them different names? They should have been called a single phase. But he says that there is a distinction. In what? In which one of them causes phase four to emerge more. But besides that, this is why we say that ZA is close to Malchut more or less, Bina is further away, until Keter, which is the farthest away from Malchut, seemingly it has a higher degree, but in and of themselves, they're all the same. They're not regarded as a vessel but only as a light without a vessel. So there is a rule that there is no attainment in the first nine. We always speak of ten Sefirot. Remember, we learned yesterday that there are ten Sefirot only in the Rosh. What is in the Guf? Only Malchut. Malchut of the Rosh, Malchut of direct light, expanded from it downwards into ten Sefirot. So what expanded? Malchut. So again, the question comes up, and the answer is not so clear. So, below, we have ten Sephirot of vessels, or not? If yes, what is the difference between the ten Sephirot above and the ten Sephirot below? So he says no, it's only in Malchut. So, the answer is that in the Rosh, we also have no more than Malchut. This means, we learn also that there are ten Sephirot in the Rosh, and here they say Malchut of the Rosh. When this Malchut emerged, it attained those who cause it, the way it was born. It was born. It turns out that I'm talking about Malchut according to what? According to the way she attains the first nine. 

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (14:46) Now, the first nine in and of themselves, what form do they have? We don't know. What do we know? The way she attained that it is so. Meaning, everything is according to her qualities, what she attained. So that it truly is, it is so and so, in and of themselves, who knows? Because he gives us a law that we only speak from Malchut, whatever Malchut attained, that it is so and so, and they in and of themselves, we don't know, meaning, we know how they shine in Malchut. What are they in and of themselves, with respect to themselves, we don't know. So it turns out from one side, where do we finally have ten Sephirot? In the Rosh. When we speak of the Guf, it's the expansion of Malchut. How does it expand? Of the form of the ten Sephirot that she attained, but we cannot engage in it in and of itself, there's no attainment. But at the Guf, in the Guf, it's only the expansion of the Malchut. I no longer speak of the first nine according to the differences between them. The differences are only with respect to the cascading. The text, each more refined phase is therefore considered greater because it has greater adhesion with the upper light clothed in it. Hence, the Keter, which is the farthest cause from phase four, is the root of the entire expansion. That's the Keter. And phase one, which is the nearest cause to phase four from Keter is therefore regarded as a smaller light than Keter. Besides being a consequence and an outcome of the 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 the 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. So, what is difficult here? Nevertheless, we understand that the light of Yechida is without the vessel of Keter, it's far away from Malchut. The light of Chaya is in the vessel of Hochma, the light of Bina in the vessel of Bina, the light of Ruach in the vessel of ZA, and the light of Nefesh in the vessel of Malchut. But when he tells us that it was refined from phase four to phase three, and a greater level emerged, that's what he says, this is very perplexing. Why is it very perplexing? We learned that when there was a coupling on phase four, in the light of Keter, the light of Yechida emerged. Whereas in the Nekudot, the light of Yechida is no longer in the degree. It's only in Hochma, down below. But The ARI says that in every coupling, all the Partzufim became one level. It turns out that all of them have Yechida of Nefesh, the light of Yechida. And we said that it isn't so in the Partzuf in the level of the Nekudot, when three emerged, none of them has the light of Yechida; only in Hochma, down below. And so I see that in general, there is a smaller degree here. Earlier, there was the light of Yechida. It's true that Malchut had Nefesh. Now, in Nekudot, we learned that ZA received the Yechida of Ruach, and the light of Yechida that was in the vessel of Keter, departed completely. This is a bit difficult. And furthermore, what's difficult is that we learned that earlier, there was a greater degree, and then a smaller degree. Taamim is higher than Nekudot. Here, what does he tell us? The coupling that was done on phase four is a more important degree than the Taamim. How is that? That's impossible. 

Student: Why? 

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (19:40) Let's start with 24, OK? 

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

What does it say here? He already gave us a difference. What is closer to phase four is lower and worse. What is farther away from phase four is higher in importance. So, what does he add here? Here he adds and gives us two reasons why the higher degree, Keter or Hochma, is higher than ZA and Malchut. One, from the side of the lower one, from the side of Malchut, the one who is closer to Malchut is worse. Why? Since there was a restriction over Malchut. And in that respect, I need to say that it's worse, because it is closer to Malchut. On the other side, it's the opposite. The differences come from the side of the upper one. What is the cause is more important than the consequence. For example, we say, I want to give you an example of how we could speak. If I say that the calculation is according to the importance of the cause and consequence, it turns out that in the world of Ein Sof, there, Malchut was not lower in importance. I cannot say that what is closer to Malchut is worse. Malchut is also as good as possible. Why? Because the light that fills all of reality is revealed specifically in Malchut. So if I speak about cause and consequence, there too, I can say, we don't talk like that, but we could talk. Whereas the second reason, which is through the restriction, it became lower in importance, this applies specifically after the restriction. This is why he gives us two concepts with which to understand why Bina is more important than Malchut, and Hochma is more important than Bina. One reason is from below, and the other reason is from above. He says, below, 

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 the resulting lower one, although the light belongs solely to the consequence. Through it, it remained in it, and so it's more, it's higher quality. And there are many other discernments too, mostly that the distance between the cause and its consequence is immeasurably great. Besides all this, there's a great difference between these four phases according to the kind of light and the essence, even though the upper light is entirely even. How do I say? According to the kind of light and the essence. There are no discernments in it, only in the vessels. There is a matter of a correlation here between the upper light and the phase of direct light in which it is clothed. 

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (24:17) For example. Thus, the light of Haya is the self. The light of Neshama is primarily the light of Hassadim. He gives us other introductions and discernments to know what we have in the four phases of direct light. Even though we do not discern the light, he makes a discernment only in the vessels, but there's a relationship here. What does it mean, a relationship here? As much as the vessel is impressed by the light, here the vessel of Hochma is impressed because it's receiving Hochma from it. And here, the vessel is impressed when it receives Hassadim, meaning that the discernment is not in the light, the discernment is in the vessel. So from what? If the vessel is impressed, that is the difference. So, from this point of view, the light of Hochma is more important than Hassadim. Hassadim is less important than Hochma. And he explains this to us in “The Preface” that the Hochma is the light of the purpose of creation, whereas the light of Hassadim is only the light of adhesion, the light of correction of creation. Certainly, the goal is more important than the means. That's why he makes a few ramifications about the difference between the four phases of direct light. 

Student: Why is it called upper light, and this one is called direct light? 

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (25:37) He says, even though the upper light is entirely even, there's a matter of a correlation here between the upper light that acquires some change. When I say about the phase of direct light in which it is clothed inside the reason, the cause, the upper light is abstract. I'm not talking about a relationship with the vessel. When I'm saying direct light, I mean it's clothed in the reflected light. It's clothed in the vessel. In that case, when I say direct light, it means the expansion of the Ein Sof. It's called a direct light to make vessels. I already have a calculation how the Sefira is impressed by the upper light. This is called a direct light. The upper light itself is called abstract, no vessels, nothing. Without vessels, it's one light. Direct light already means that it's clothed in the Sefira. There's an impression, a relationship between the light and the vessel. The vessel is impressed by the light; therefore every Rosh is called an Ein Sof. Why? Because there's no one to restrict it, no one to attain it. In that case, there's the light in and of itself. The light in and of itself is without discernments. So, we finished here, 

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (26:50) We have to start item 25. 

Know that all the above-mentioned values in the four phases of direct light, meaning anyone who's farther from Malchut is more refined, it's better. Whereas if it's closer to Malchut, it's less important. What is farther from Malchut is more important. This is one thing. We learned, additionally, we learned that there's a matter of cause and consequence. Since Hochma is the consequence of Keter, Keter is more important than Hochma. ZA is a consequence of Bina. Bina is more important than Hochma. That we say, 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 down. 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 [lines] is only with regard to the coupling by striking, which does not apply to the circles. What does it say here, and why is it so difficult, perplexing? He says, there are many, many values in Ein Sof. And necessarily, after the restriction, certainly the changes that you have there. Do we discern anything? Here, you discern the changes. Where? After the restriction. Both in the lines and in the circles. And all the difference between straightness and circles is that in the circles, there's no coupling and striking. And in the straightness, there is coupling and striking. Meaning, which circles? Anything that was before the restriction remains down below, meaning the light departed. But the vessels that were there will remain. You find, since the coupling of striking did not take place, you cannot say that you have coupling of striking left over in the circles. It wasn't there as well. How is it perplexing? We explained there that the circles are called circles, which are lower in importance. Malchut is not considered lower in importance because there, it's called Ein Sof. The Malchut does not make the Ein Sof. It doesn't make an ending. In that case, with respect to the cause and consequence, it's something realistic, where the consequence is more. The reason, the cause, is more important than the consequence, especially in spirituality, he says. So, it could be circles, it could be lower in importance, if there's change anywhere in every cause and consequence. But what's closer to Malchut is less important. Above Malchut, not so important. Why? If Malchut itself is called Hissaron [deficiency]. 

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (30:43) What it says in item 23 above, he says. So, what does it say here? Each more refined phase is therefore considered greater because it has greater adhesion with the upper light clothed in it. Hence 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. You can say this, when I say that Malchut is called a vessel with a changed form. So, we have discernments, but when we speak about the world of Ein Sof, that Malchut doesn't make an ending, it was not the matter of equivalence of form that we learned. There were no Rosh and no Sof. In that case, how can we say that what's closer to Malchut is lower in importance compared to what's farther from the Malchut, more distant from it? You can only say that what was there, the order of the upper first nine, they are considered the cause of the vessel, and that was there as well. And since after the restriction, the vessel is considered lower in importance, then after the restriction, we should make these discernments, but not as prior to the restriction. Cause and consequence existed also before the restriction. You have to say that the four phases of direct light, one is the cause of the other. Therefore, I will learn that everything that he says is a result of that, but not that they are the same discernments. The discernment that's closer to Malchut is considered lower than that distant from Malchut. But the order that was there from the point of view of the making of the vessel, and the vessel is considered now after the restriction, as lower in importance. So I'm saying these changes are extended from there from the time of the making of the vessel, even though that there was one discernment. There was no Rosh, no Sof, but now, after the restriction, we feel it inside the disparity of form, one from the other. So I'll learn about it, meaning after the restriction. What does it say? 

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 down. Then you can make out all the discernments. Also, all the above discernments apply to the ten Sefirot of circles, as well as they come this way from Ein Sof before they enter into the coupling by striking, and the clothing of the reflected light. I can say that if still there is no lower in importance, we cannot say that there is change. By what? By being closer to Malchut and more distant from Malchut. The first part of the cause and consequence, I can talk about it in the circles, but here it says that in the circles, what does it say? How can you say it? Circles, meaning there's no lower in importance. How can you say closer to Malchut or more distant from the Malchut? You asked me about this point as one who tries to measure it. There's a measurement where this point has no measurement of equivalence of disparity of form. It's a little difficult. Let's see what's next. 

RABASH: (34:18) So, let's summarize. What does it say? That two discernments are in the straightness and in the circles. The difference between the circles and straightness is that in circles, there's no coupling and striking. Three, means it's called only what's left from the world of restriction, and the world of restriction, meaning there was no coupling and striking. What is coupling and striking? Desire to receive, makes a screen, calculates how much it can receive in order to bestow and how much it cannot. This whole thing was not there yet. Later, when we stand after the restriction, we have the vessels of the light departed from them because of the restriction, and the Reshimot [records] remain in the vessels. So he teaches that Malchut of circles that did not want to receive as a choice, not because of prohibition, she went and drew the light back into it in order to receive it in order to bestow. They say, what's the desire in the upper one becomes a law, a necessary law in the lower one. Therefore, once it extended, it drew it, she couldn't have received it. It's forbidden. There's already, this is called lower in importance. This is called above and below. So there's a difference. Malchut is called lower in importance since that which is closer to Malchut is called below, and that which is more distant from Malchut is called above. It turns out that after the restriction, there's no light but the light of the line. What is the light of the line? The light where you cannot receive it in a vessel of reception. We only learn that the light is extended inside a thin line. What does it mean, a thin line? Until it comes to Malchut. Malchut is called coarse, and the line is called thin. So he says, what is this corporeal allegory, a thin line? We have no idea about the line. There can be nothing in the middle, the thickness in the middle, a millimeter. If there is a line, I see it, and there's the weight or the thickness of the line as well. So if it's thin, I don't see any coarseness. I cannot see up, down. There's no coarseness, there's no thickness or width. This is the corporeal depiction. That's why he says he drew the light. There's already lower importance, but you can’t attain the thin line. You don't see it. There's no coarseness. Why is there no coarseness? The coarseness is in Malchut. Malchut is a prohibition to receive it. Who attains it? But later, when Malchut makes a screen and raises the reflected light, what is the screen? It thinks, makes a calculation how much it can use the vessel of reception called coarseness. So, there's already coarseness there. So, the line acquired some... This is how we attain the line. We need a line that comes from the discernment of above, from above down by the screen and is used with the coarseness. Then you can attain it and see it. It turns out the difference between the circles and the lines after the restriction, the line gives her a coupling and striking, and this is a new thing. The circles are called what's left before the restriction. Before the restriction, there was no screen, no reflected light. And that's why he says this is only the difference between circles, and lines, and strictness.