Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Inner Observation
Table of Questions for the Meaning of the Words
Table of Questions for Topics
Table of Answers for the Meaning of the Words
Table of Answers for Topics
1. There remained a place of space and vacant, empty air in the very middle of that light of Ein Sof: Do not be misled into thinking that the restriction of the light from the middle point caused any changes in Ein Sof, since there is no absence and change in spirituality, and all the more so in such a sublime place. The above restriction became a new essence, in addition to Ein Sof. Thus, Ein Sof remained in all its simple unity, as it was before the restriction, as He and His name are one. The restriction on the middle point is perceived as a new world that came out, from which the light departed, leaving an empty space as has been explained above. In the place of that space, all the worlds were emanated.
2. Extended one straight line from the light of Ein Sof: We should not perceive this act in its superficial meaning, as a human act, where one does one thing, and then another, while no longer performing the first act. There is no greater materialization than that, because He is not subject to chance and change. It is written: “I the Lord do not change.” We are not discussing His self, but only the light that is expanded from Him. Nevertheless, because there is no change and incident and motion in His self, and He is in complete and utter rest, so must be the light that is expanded from Him, as long as it does not reach the emanated being, meaning as long as it did not become clothed in the vessels. Only then does it exit His self and becomes an innovated emanated being that receives from Him. We have already explained that this innovation pertains primarily to the vessel of the emanated being, meaning the will to receive in the emanated being. Although this desire is spiritual, it is nonetheless a new form and a “incident,” since it is not necessitated in Himself. This is not so in the light that clothed in it, which is not innovated since it is extended from His self by way of “existence from existence.” Nevertheless, the activation of the upper light according to the measure of the vessel, meaning to the extent that the vessel is affected and receives from the upper light, is also regarded as an innovation, which is necessarily an incident.
Know that all these innovations and the cascading of degrees regard only the impact on the vessel and its reception from the upper light, for only it is subject to change and multiplications. However, the light itself is always in complete rest, as it is expanded from His self. Understand that well and remember every single word of it for the rest of the study in this wisdom. According to the above-explained, you can thoroughly understand that the upper light does not stop shining for the created beings even for a moment. It is not subject to chance and innovations, but is in a state of complete rest. The whole matter of the restriction and the departure of the light that are discussed here concern only the impression and reception of the vessel, meaning the middle point.
In other words, although the upper light does not stop shining, the vessel did not receive any of its illumination because it diminished itself, meaning diminished the will to receive in it so as not to receive in phase four, which is the actual middle point, but only in the three preceding phases in it, whose will to receive is weaker, and where the will to bestow dominates (see item 50). Thus, the upper light was not impressed at all by the restriction, and did not change its way. Just as it illuminated in Ein Sof, so it illuminates during the restriction and after the restriction, and in all the worlds, even in the world of Assiya, without any cessation even for a minute. Rather, the vessels themselves make all those changes, for they receive only according to their measure, meaning the measure of their will to receive.
Now you can understand what the ARI meant by the words, “He extended one straight line from the light of Ein Sof.” It means that the place of the space itself, meaning the vessel that had been emptied of the light of Ein Sof, it, itself, caused the extension of the line from Ein Sof, because of the diminution that was innovated in the will to receive in it. The measure of its current reception, after the restriction of its phase four, is called “line,” meaning relating to its previous reception in phase four that filled the entire place. However, now that she does not have that great will to receive, but only the previous three phases of the desire, whose will to receive is weak, it is regarded as that vessel not receiving more of the light of Ein Sof, but only one line of light.
The entire place of the vessel remains empty and vacant from light because that minute light that she receives now is not enough to fill the entire place of the vessel. That happened because of the absence of phase four, which she diminished. We see that the upper light was not at all stopped by the restriction, and did not change at all so as to draw the light as one line. Instead, that whole great change happened because of the vessels of reception that were diminished, and can now receive from the light of Ein Sof only a very small measure, called “line,” according to the measure of her desire. This is because she does not want more than that measure.
3. From His circular light: We have already explained the meaning of the image of the circle (Chap 1, item 100). He tells us that even after the restriction, the upper light remained in the form of a circle, meaning without discrimination of degrees. Its four phases are of equal merit (there), and the reason is (in the above item) that the upper light is not subject to innovation and change. These above kinds of innovations are only with respect to the vessels.
4. From above downward, and it cascades and descends into that space: Do not forget that we are not discussing corporeal terms whatsoever. Instead, the more refined is called “higher,” and the coarser is called “lower.” Anything that can be perceived as expansion of light from the Emanator and its coming into the state of an emanated being is regarded primarily as innovation of the disparity of form that exists in the emanated being. In other words, it refers to the will to receive that does not exist in the Emanator and was innovated in him. Because of this, the emanated being is regarded as far, coarse, low, and inferior to the Emanator, since the disparity of form from the Emanator does all that and moves him from the phase of the Emanator to the phase of the emanated being. You should also know that that disparity of form, namely the will to receive, is not revealed at once, but forms gradually, over four phases. Its form is completed only in phase four.
It therefore turns out that the more the form of its will to receive is weak, meaning the first phase of the four phases, the closer it is to the Emanator, and it is more important, more refined, and higher, since the disparity of form in her is not as great as in the three subsequent phases. Phase two, whose desire is greater than in phase one, is regarded as farther from the Emanator, coarser, lower, and inferior to the first phase. Finally, phase four is the farthest from the Emanator, lower, coarser, and inferior to all of them.
That is why the ARI writes that the line is extended from above downward, meaning from the first phase to the fourth phase (and not all the way), which is the lowest. The matter of above and below was innovated with the emergence of the line. Before the line shone, meaning during the restriction, there was no discernment of up or down there (see Chap 1, item 100). However, after she received the light merely as a line, meaning she did not receive it in all four phases, but only in her first three phases, phase four remained dark, without light. Only now was phase four revealed as low, coarse, and inferior, and that the three preceding phases are set up on it according to their refinement and proximity to the Emanator. However, during the restriction, when the light left all four phases at once, that discernment among the degrees had not yet occurred.
5. The upper beginning of the line is extended from Ein Sof Himself: Meaning the first phase of the four phases (see above item).
6. And touches it: Phase one, being the upper Rosh, is the closest to Ein Sof, meaning to the Emanator. For this reason, it is regarded as touching Him, since the disparity of form in phase one is not apparent enough to separate it from the Emanator.
7. Down at its end, does not touch the light of Ein Sof: “Down at its end” implies phase four, the farthest and lowest of them all (Chap 2, item 4). Now she does not receive the upper light and is therefore regarded as not touching the light of Ein Sof, but is separated from it.
8. He emanated and created and made and formed all the worlds: This implies the four worlds called Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya, which contain all the particular, innumerable worlds. These four worlds are extended from the four above phases: Atzilut from phase one, Beria from phase two, Yetzira from phase three, and Assiya from phase four.
9. Prior to these four worlds, Ein Sof was: Called Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya (see above item), which contain all the worlds. Before all that, meaning before the restriction, these four phases were not regarded as being one above the other (see Chap 2, Item 4), but as simple unity (Chap 1, item 30), without any difference between the degrees, and between light and vessel, but rather He is one and His name is One.
10. He is one and His name is One, in wondrous and concealed unity: “He” implies the upper light. “His Name” implies the will to receive that is necessarily there (see Chap 1, item 30). His Name is desire in Gematria, implying the will to receive.
20. Not even the angels that are close to Him have the might and the attainment of Ein Sof, for there is not a mind of a created being that can attain Him: This means that now, after the worlds have been created, even the angels, which are spiritually the closest created beings, do not have attainment in Ein Sof.
30. He has no place, no boundary, and no name: Since there, in Ein Sof, it is He and His name are one, and no place and vessel are distinguished there at all, therefore, no mind of a created being can attain Him, for there is no attainment in the light without a vessel.