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

Part 3: Daily Morning Lesson: October 27, 2025. Baal HaSulam. Study of the Ten Sefirot. Vol. 1. Part 4. Chapter 2

Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 4. Chapter Two. #1

Reader: We are studying from "Study of the Ten Sefirot", volume 1, part 4, page 288 in Hebrew, item 3, the words of The ARI. Before we join Rabash, we will read a preparation excerpt, and then we will read the source excerpt, and then we will enter the study together.

Reading: (00:38) As you know, I recorded Rabash over the many years that I was with him, and these recordings are in the archive. These are tapes with explanations from The Study of the Ten Sefirot, The Preface, a few other articles, and even in The Book of Zohar. There, he did not add too many explanations, but in TES, he would explain more. I think it's worthwhile for us to listen to his lessons. Let's try. A little bit here, a little bit there, it brings a great deal of sanctity. Let's hope that also, a great deal of impression, you'll also understand him a bit more, you'll feel him a bit more. Nevertheless, this is our teacher.

Reader: Again, preparation excerpt from the words of Rav.

Reading: (01:35) As you know, I used to record Rabash over the years that I spent with him, and these recordings, you can find them in the archive. These are tapes containing explanations on TES, The Preface, a few other articles, even The Book of Zohar. There he did not explain much, but in TES, he would explain more. I think that it's worthwhile for us to hear his lessons. We'll try. A little bit here, a little bit there, a little bit… It brings a great deal of sanctity. Let's hope that also, a great deal of impression, you'll also understand him a bit more, you'll feel him a bit more. Nevertheless, he is our teacher.

Reader: So we will read item 3 from the words of The ARI, in Volume 1, Part 4, Chapter 2, item 3, the words of The ARI.

Reading: (02:49) Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 4. Chapter Two, Item 3 - Twice

Every upper light to its lower one is as the relation of a father to a son.

3. The reason is that the upper lights are to the lower lights as a father to his sons; he always wants to bestow upon them, as is explained regarding honoring the father and the mother. A single spark is extended from the father to the son and never moves from there. Similarly, here in the ten Sefirot, the upper ones leave some illumination in the first place, called a record, so that illumination would be drawn from there to the lower ones (3).

Reader: Again, item 3, the words of The ARI.

Re-reading: (04:55) Baal HaSulam. "Study of the Ten Sefirot" (TES). Vol. 1. Part 4. Chapter Two, Item 3.

Reader: “Inner light”, item 3 explains, the record.

Inner Light

3. This applies to both the light and the vessel, to the general and to the particular. The Rosh, Toch, Sof of the second expansion of AK, called Partzuf AB of AK, were born and emerged from the records that were included in the Tabur of the first expansion of Adam Kadmon that ascended to its Peh (see Table of Topics, item 210).

It is the same in the particular. A record that remains in the vessel of Keter of the first expansion becomes a male in the vessel of Keter of the second expansion. The record that remains in the vessel of Hochma of the first expansion becomes a vessel of a male in the vessel of Hochma of the second expansion. From their coupling emerged the males in the rest of the Sefirot, as The ARI wrote in Tree of Life.

Also, the females of the second expansion are made of the records that remain of the four levels that emerged during the first departure, called sparks, or letters. The incorporation of Malchut in ZA is made of the sparks that fell from the level of phase three, namely ZA, into the vessel of Malchut, namely phase four. Afterwards, in the second expansion, when the light of Malchut clothes the vessel of ZA, it finds there the vessel of Malchut that belongs to it.

Thus, the force of the sparks that fell from the reflected light of the level of phase two, which is Bina, caused the incorporation of ZA in the vessel of Bina. Later on in the second expansion, when the light of ZA came and clothed the vessel of Bina, it found its vessel there, and so on similarly (see Inner Light, Chap 3, item 80).

Thus, all the phases in the lower Partzuf are extended only from the records that its upper Partzuf left. The ARI writes, “The upper lights are to the lower lights as a father to his sons.” It means that a lower Partzuf is extended from an upper Partzuf as a son from a father. In other words, it cascades from the self of the lights in its upper Partzuf by the records that remain in the vessels of the upper Partzuf from its lights.

The ARI writes, “the upper ones leave some illumination in the first place, called a record, so that illumination would be drawn from there to the lower ones.” Remember this in all the places, for this is the key to the cascading of the degrees by cause and effect, from the beginning of the line to the end of Assiya.

Reader: Let's connect to the lesson.

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (14:11) Also, by the force of the sparks that fell from the reflected light of the level of phase two of phase three, which is Bina, to which level did it fall there? It caused the incorporation of Zeir Anpin in the vessel of Bina. This will also be difficult, because what does he say later on? That later on, in the second expansion, when the light of Zeir Anpin came and clothed in the vessel of Bina, so we need to explain it as follows. When I say the light of Zeir Anpin in the vessel of Bina, it means that he is still thinking about phase three. Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain. If I say the light of Zeir Anpin, it means that the coupling was made. What does he say? The coupling was made first in phase two, which is the phase of Bina. So I should be saying the light of Bina in the vessel of Keter, and the light of Zeir Anpin in the vessel of Hochma, and the light of Malchut in the vessel of Bina. So, where will I place the next light now? The reflected light from the level of phase two, which is Bina, fell to where? Let's say the first level of the Taamim. This caused the incorporation of Zeir Anpin in the vessel of Bina. Later on, in the second expansion, when the light of Zeir Anpin came and clothed in the vessel of Bina, that also seems wrong. Why is it wrong here? If I say the light of Zeir Anpin in the vessel of Bina, these are only two levels. The coarseness of phase three on top of the coarseness of phase four. When he starts to explain here two, three, four, we get confused already. So, Item four. Four above. It turns out that when the Keter ascends and departs, it leaves one record in its place, in its own vessel to shine for the Hochma, which is below it, after it ascends and departs. After it ascended and departed, then an illumination which was in the vessel of Keter is extended to the light of Hochma from that record that the light of Keter left in its vessel. Although afterwards the light of Hochma will also ascend and depart to the Emanator. So why should this illumination remain? Nevertheless, the record that remains in the vessel of Keter does not move from it even after the light of Hochma ascended to the Emanator. From here it follows, that if you say that the record left by the light of Keter in the vessel of Keter was for the sake of Hochma, then when the light of Hochma departed, why is that record of Keter still needed in the vessel of Keter? Nevertheless, we should ask, because from here it follows that we should distinguish between two discernments. One, is the record that remains in the vessel of Keter for the sake of the vessel, and he is certainly not interested in whether the light of Hochma departed or did not depart. The second discernment is that you say that it needs to shine to the light of Hochma. So, when the light of Hochma departed, why is it still needed? He doesn't speak about that. What does he say? Well, let's look inside. Even though later it will, even though the light of Hochma will also ascend and depart to the Emanator, nevertheless, the record that remains in the vessel of Keter does not move from it, from the vessel of Keter, even after the light of Hochma ascended to the Emanator. Let's see, what it means by that. “Inner light,” item 4. What does it say above? That when the Keter ascends and departs, it leaves one record in its place, in its own vessel. So, “Inner Light”, we might ask, in Item 9, he says that the existence of the vessel was made from this record, and here he says that there is a vessel even before the record, before the departure of the light. That it remains, that there is light in the vessel, and the light departs from the vessel, and the record remains in the vessel. We learned, so when the light departs from the vessel, it leaves a record in the vessel, and there we learned how is the vessel made from the record? When is there the record? After the departure of the light. Is the question clear? Again, we might ask, he says in Item 9

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (20:43) that the existence of the vessel was made from the record, and here he says that there is a vessel even before the record, before the departure of the light. So, the vessel remains, in the vessel there is light, and the light departs from the vessel, and the record remains in the vessel. And he says, the thing is that there are two kinds of vessels in each Partzuf, which are the vessels that are drawn or extended from the first look in the Malchut of Rosh, these are called, actually, Taamim of the Rosh. The Malchut expands by the force of the reflected light in her, which she raised from below upwards, and expands from her and within her into ten Sefirot from above downward. They are considered the vessels of reception for the first expansion, called Rosh. Therefore, what are called vessels? The reflected light in the Guf are called vessels, as we always learn. There is another phase of vessels in the Partzuf, which are extended by the second look in Malchut. This is already considered the Zivug of the Nekudot [the dots], which causes the departure and return of that light to the Emanator. The records that remain after that departure become complete vessels. So, what is the difference? There, we learned as follows. When the light was shining inside the vessel, the light and the vessel were mixed with each other. This means that there is a vessel, but there is no distinction between the light and the vessel. Only from the time that it started to be refined, which is called the second look, when there was Zivug on the phase of Nekudot, this refinement causes it to completely depart. When the light departs, what remains is the discernment of the vessel. It follows that by what is this discernment made, the discernment of the vessel? By refining each time, refining and refining, that makes the vessel. It follows that indeed, there was a vessel in the first expansion, in the face of Taamim [the taste] also, but there was no distinction of it. Why? Because of the light. When the light shines in the vessel, it's not considered that the vessel has a lack. He explains, what does it mean that they're mixed? He says that there is the same importance that there is in the light exists also in the vessel. Without the vessel, can it receive anything? Nothing. Therefore, there's no distinction of a vessel. There's no distinction that the vessel is lower than the light. But from the time that the light begins to be refined, when the light begins to depart and then it completely departs, the question comes up, why did the light depart? The light could not remain in the vessel. The vessel becomes lower, inferior. Then it is considered a discernment of the vessel, that the vessel is something that is lower, not like the light. So, the light departs. Is that clear? I explained that the Rav, The ARI, when he speaks about the expansion of the light and its departure caused the existence of the vessel. Here he says that the records that remain after the departure, that departure become the vessel. This means that the records become the vessels. Now, a record, Reshimo, it's light. A record is not a vessel, and a vessel is a vessel, so it seems to be a contradiction. Either it's the records or it's the vessel. So, I can give an allegory for that. When a person gets a descent, certainly there was an ascent before. So, they say, what is this descent? Now it's apparent that he's a vessel. Earlier, he thought he was already light. He was above. But in the descent, then we see that he is a vessel. He's not light, he's not flying up there. I see that there are many people who say: “I have descents.” Nobody feels that he has a descent at the time that a record of the light remains. “Oh, I am good, I'm doing now,” but then he has a descent. But if he didn't have a record left, then he has no descent.

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (26:32) Back to the text. All of these records of the second look, of the dots that start from phase three, and we need to remember that too, Taamim [taste] is considered the level of the Keter of the degree. And the Nekudot, it's from Hochma and below. However, we always speak with respect to the highest phase. This is why he calls it Hochma, but usually we need to remember that Nekudot, they are the lower, the bottom nine. This is what he calls it. All these records of the second look are drawn to all the phases, meaning to its lower Partzuf. It says below, and I explain, and this is what he says. What did we speak about there? There he said, that we have two kinds of records that are left. From the Taamim, we have the record of the clothing, or what we call the male light. From the Nekudot, we have left the coarseness, the female light. And we learned, what is the difference between clothing and coarseness? In clothing, there's no expansion in the Guf. There, it's called vessels, but with the coarseness, we do have expansion in the Guf, which is called vessels, or letters. This is what he says here. All these records of the second look, called the Nekudot [the dots] that start from Hochma and below, that from these remains the record of the coarseness, are drawn to all the phases of its lower Partzuf. It says, all the upper lights are with respect to the lower lights, as a father to his sons. It means that the lower Partzuf is extended from the upper Partzuf like a son from a father, meaning by the records that remain inside the vessels of the upper Partzuf from its lights. What's difficult for me is that here he says that all of these records of the second look. This means that, this implies that the first look of Taamim, these are not passed on. But in the end, he says, by the records that remain, this implies that everything is passed on. So therefore, we can explain that the second look, either it means also in the second look, or as I explained before, that what he means is that he wants to speak about the record of the coarseness. And this comes specifically from the second look, meaning from the first look, what remains is only the record of the clothing. And from there, there is no expansion in the vessels. You can say it this way, you can say it both ways, but both of them are true. The ARI writes, the upper ones leave some illumination in the first place called a record. So, that illumination will be drawn from there to the lower ones. Remember this well, where it is the key for the cascading of the degrees by cause and consequence from the beginning of the line to the end of the Assiya, where each lower one is caused by the records of its upper Partzuf. What does he want to emphasize here? When he says that the upper ones leave in the first place some illumination called a record. That we understand. So, that illumination would be drawn from there to the lower ones.

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (31:03) So, he explains there what does it mean, illumination for the lower ones, that every lower one is built from those records that are left. He explains this is what it means, that illumination for the lower ones. What does it say about? Then the illumination is extended to the light of Hochma, item five, “Inner Light.” Afterwards, Malchut rose to phase three, meaning when Malchut was refined of phase four, now there is a coupling over phase three, which is called Nekudot. Since the point of restriction over four was made already, where ten Sefirot emerge from there on the level of Hochma, it is impossible for this light to begin in the Sefira of Hochma. It is so because any expansion of light must begin from the Keter. He therefore requires an illumination of the record of Keter by which the light becomes attached to and tied to its root. Here, he's already telling us something new. This means there's another explanation here. There is another issue here. He said once that in spirituality there are a thousand tastes, not just one taste or two or three. So, what does he tell us here? Later on, when the light of Hochma shines, this means the level of Hochma or the level of Bina, everything has to begin from the Keter, from the root. Therefore, this record completes for him the Keter. Meaning, let's say with Bina. We need to say that in Bina, there are two records: a record from Hochma and a record from the Keter. And by this he completes Bina, so it can have ten Sefirot of Bina. In one place, it says the following, and this is a bit confusing. What is a record that completes? So, he says the following: “Don't think that when we say that the light departs, it remains in its place.” It says explicitly that it goes, rises higher, and higher, and higher, and we have many examples of that. The light does not depart. This is not corporeality. However, we cannot see it. If we see even a very small part of this light, this light that we see is called a record. As an example, a record of the light. So, a record, it's not that a record is one thing and a light is something else, but rather a very small part of that we see of this light is called a record. Indeed, it's the light itself. There is no departure of the light. However, departure means that we cannot see it. This is called a departure. This is a great rule, and we have to understand all of the things through that. Next.

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (34:49) What did we agree on? In order for ten Sefirot to exist in each one, the record completes it so that it would have ten Sefirot. Moving on. Likewise, when Malchut rose to Bina, it was refined, and it has a screen of phase two, so it's no longer extended that I'm more than level of Bina. Ten Sefirot, what remains there? Where? In the level of Bina. Necessarily, an illumination of Hochma so that it would be ten Sefirot. And it is likewise above-mentioned reason, that any expansion of light must begin from the Keter. Remember this in every place, for it is impossible for any degree to lack the upper Sefirot altogether. Rather, when the upper Sefirot are regarded as mere illumination of a record, then we say that they are absent there. Why? For they do not shine there, as they should be shining. Rather, there is only a small part. We are not talking about the light at all. Why? Why do we know what is in the light? We, what are we talking about? The vessel itself, or we speak of the light, meaning how the vessel is impressed by the light. Sometimes we speak of the vessel itself, how do we make a vessel, and later, the vessel receives the light, how it's impressed by the light. Therefore, we say, every vessel that receives light must begin from Keter. That is why when we learn in the world of Atzilut, in the world of correction, that we need to correct the shattering of the vessels that took place in the seven kings. He asks, why the world of Atzilut has to come out, Keter, Hochma, Bina? Would have been enough to have ZA come out by itself. He wants to explain the words of The ARI. The ARI says that there, in the world of Nekudim, there were seven kings, or ZA of Nekudim, and later The ARI says that the eighth king came out, called Daat, which is ZA. So, he asks why The ARI skips Keter, Hochma, Bina of Atzilut, which are Atik, Arich Anpin, and Abba Ve Ima of Atzilut, but he thinks only the seven kings of the shattering. And he brings evidence from the verse that the king of Daat is the eighth king, which is the world of correction, which is ZA. There, in inner light, he explains, The ARI wants to let us know that you don't need to correct more than ZA, which was the shattering. In that case, why did Atik, AA, and Abba ve Ima call here the degree of Keter, Keter of MA, and Hochma of MA, which is AA, and Bina of MA, which is Abba ve Ima? Since nothing starts from halfway, it starts in the Keter. However, in the world of AK, Keter, Hochma, Bina came out by themselves. So, their own quality will be there. Whereas in the world of Atzilut, when Atik, AA, and Abba ve Ima came out, which are the degree of Keter, Hochma, Bina of MA, not for their own sake, rather, as far as it's concerned, it's called like, it's considered like above Tabur of AK, of AK. There is Hochma of direct light. They have been the first restriction there. And when we speak of the second restriction in the Partzufim of GAR of Atzilut, there we also learn about the second restriction and the illumination of Hochma. They come to bestow to ZON. And there, we speak of how they bestow to ZON, not about their own value themselves. But there is a rule that nothing begins in the middle. Everything comes from Keter, whether it's the lights, whether it's the vessels, the lights we don't speak of. I'm talking about how the vessel is impressed by the light. It comes from the roots, from the Keter. Now we have to start Item five.

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (40:55) Afterwards, when Hochma rises to the Emanator, she leaves a record in his vessel to shine from Him to Bina after He Himself departs. Even after Bina rises to the Emanator, the record of Hochma does not leave the vessel of Hochma. If we say that Hochma needs to leave a record for Bina, but when Bina also departs, why then do I need the record of Hochma everywhere? He says, everywhere, he says, it doesn't depart. Likewise, all of them until the Yesod. We learned in item five, he explained to us below, what I'm saying is that the records remain to illuminate what is below it, since I need ten Sefirot to be there. When Bina illuminates or when Hesed illuminates or shines, then something is already lacking from that point above it. When I say that the lights leave records and the records shine, then the records complete ten Sefirot. You find that when the Hesed shines, Hochma needs to leave its records. Not for Bina now, but for Yesod, for Hesed, later for Hod up to Yesod, down to Yesod. Whereas Malchut does not leave a record. Why? It says, item six, “Inner Light:” However, when the light of Malchut departs, she does not leave a record in her vessel. Why? For there is no Sefira beneath her to receive from her to complete it into ten Sefirot. And although there will be other worlds beneath her, below the Malchut, in that case, let's say, that these records will be complete. It will also be complete in the previous degree, no. It is not their kind, and she has no adhesion with them as there is adhesion with the ten Sefirot of each and every world in and of itself. Below, we explain that we need, when the Partzuf of Galgalta comes out, that there need to be their ten Sefirot. Here, he wants to say that I don't have to say that in the Partzuf of ABYA, the Partzuf of Galgalta will also shine completely. That's the explanation that he gives. Let's see item six, “Inner Light.” But the light of Malchut, when it departs, he says he doesn't leave a record in her vessel. Why? Because it is female. Malchut is called female light, receiving for herself and not bestowing. Because of it, her ten Sefirot end the degree. What is the meaning? And down to here, why don't we say that Malchut does not receive? How can it continue? This is the meaning of reflected light. Therefore, she does not leave a record. Why? There's no Reshimo, there's no record, only the remains of the expansion of direct light that remains there. As The ARI says, there is no cessation in the upper light here. The lower one is completely dependent on the upper one. But the upper one does not need the lower one. So, what does he want? What is the meaning of she receives for herself and does not bestow? She receives for herself. Why does she receive for herself? Why doesn't she bestow? I'm asking. So, it's good to learn it simply. She receives what she's given, and she doesn't bestow. She herself does not extend. She says, I don't want to receive. And by not wanting to receive, she has a certain illumination, but not direct light. And what we say direct light; we mean actual light. In that case, we say that the record has to complete the light, but cannot complete anything. It's not light, it's only a force of rejection. That's what he says here. He explains that she, Malchut, is a female light, that receives for herself what she's given, and she does not bestow, meaning she does not extend for herself. Why? There was a restriction on its own quality. We have to remember that all the qualities of the Sefirot speak of the four phases of direct light.

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (48:01) Malchut is called receiving in order to receive. And after the restriction, what does she say? I do not want to receive. No, we're going to put an end to this, create an ending, because what is the force of Malchut? What is in Malchut? It's only a reflected light, as we know. She creates a screen, and a reflected light comes out, and therefore, she does not leave a record. All the records are to complete the light. Since there is no record, rather the remains from the expansion of the direct light there, in order to complete ten Sefirot, the ten lights, as The ARI says above. That's clear, I think. And also there is no cessation in the upper light. If Malchut doesn't receive, let's say, it lacks one Sefira, because the lower one is completely dependent on the upper one to complete it, but the upper one does not need the lower one, to have anything from it. What we speak of now, the records, I need the light, the direct light, to complete ten lights. Therefore, the record that completes the light is like the light itself. Malchut does not leave a record, he says. She never had a direct light to have a record from. So, I'm asking a question, why are you saying that Malchut never had this light, therefore she doesn't leave? We learned that the last phase loses. What does it mean, loses? Meaning, she had it. Lost, it means she had it, but she didn't have it, it's lost. What is lost? How can you lose something you never had? Here you say she has, here you say she doesn't have. So, you say, she's lost. If we speak about the power of overcoming of the screen, she lost that power. Whereas if she never had it, I make four discernments. One, Malchut of direct light, where each time is called Malchut is receiving in order to receive. Two, we speak of Malchut that has a screen, so I'm speaking about her screen. Three, I have to speak of the kind of light Malchut has. If she doesn't receive, she gives reflected light, she gives the screen reflected light by itself, no more. Also, we have the degree of Malchut that's already a different thing, completely. In the degree of Malchut, it says that Yesod leaves Reshimo for Malchut, meaning Malchut will also have ten Sefirot. Here, I have to say it speaks of the degree of Malchut. And when I'm saying the degree of Malchut, there is direct light and reflected light. I have to say how we will see it later. Or I say that this individual Malchut of direct light that has all, each and every degree. What is seven? He's asking,

RABASH (Source Text/Commentary): (52:00) because even though she will have additional worlds beneath Malchut, it's not of the same kind of her, and she doesn't have adhesion with Him, as there is adhesion of the ten Sefirot, because they come, number seven, because they come in a renewed form of coarseness. This is the coarseness of phase four, and in phase four we learn there are ten Sefirot, even though there is additional other coarseness, coarseness of level three. There is no connection there. Therefore, he says she has no adhesion with Him. What does that mean? It means that adhesion means equivalence of form, while separation and difference means disparity of form. Level three and four are not in adhesion. This is what The ARI explains here.

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