Chapter Seven

Explains how Malchut of Atzilut descended and became the Keter of the world of Beria. It contains ten issues:

1. In the world of Beria, Rosh of AA has only HGT, and KHB is missing. 2. The Rosh of every Partzuf does not clothe the lower one. 3. Two phases descend from the screen in the upper world to the lower world: A) ten Sefirot of direct light and reflected light that extend from the screen by a coupling by striking, B) the light of Malchut of Malchut in the upper world breaches the screen and descends to become Keter in the lower world. 4. In the beginning, Malchut was as great as ZA, but she complained, for she wanted to rule alone. She was told, “Go and diminish yourself, descend to the world of Beria and rule there.” In other words, the point of Malchut became the Keter of the world of Beria. 5. During the diminution, the bottom nine Sefirot departed from Malchut and ascended to their root, to ZA. 6. If the nine Sefirot of Malchut depart due to the blemish in the lower ones, they do not rise to ZA, but rather fall to the shells. 7. Just like the point of Malchut of Atzilut descended and became the Keter to Beria, so it is in each and every world. 8. Because Malchut of the upper one becomes the Keter of the lower one, the worlds connect to one another. Hence, GAR of Beria can ascend to the world of Atzilut on Shabbat. 9. When we count the actual emanated beings, they are only four, meaning HB TM, and when we count the root with them, they are five, namely KHB TM. 10. Similarly, in each and every Partzuf and in each and every Sefira, the upper one is called Emanator, and the lower one emanated being. There is a medium phase between them, which is called Keter. It is all as it is written in the worlds. This is the meaning of “I am the first, and I am the last,” since Keter is the last in the upper one, and the first in the lower one.

Two phases descend from the upper world to the lower world: A) the ten Sefirot of direct light that are clothed in reflected light, which expand by the screen in a coupling by striking, B) the last phase of the upper world, which is Malchut of Malchut, which descends and becomes Atik in the lower world, and does not expand by the reflected light in the screen, but breaches the screen and descends.

1. I have found that Rabbi Gedaliah HaLevi wrote that the first three of the six edges of AA of Beria ₍₁₎, which are HGT, remained bare, without clothing ₍₂₎. These three are a screen. This means this: We have explained that each of these three worlds has one screen. However, when the image of all the lights of Atzilut passed through the screen between Atzilut and Beria, to create the corresponding ten Sefirot of Beria, they did not breach that screen and pass through it ₍₃₎, but only their light passed through that screen, and all ten Sefirot of Beria were engraved. The upper three of AA of Beria, which are HGT, also pass through the screen and do not breach the screen. They are only diminishing light that some of it passes through the screen. However, that point of Malchut of Atzilut that descended to clothe these GAR of AA, is the light of Malchut of Atzilut itself. Hence, she breaks and breaches the screen itself and descends and clothes the GAR of AA (of Beria) ₍₄₎.

Inner Light

1. The first three of the six edges of AA of Beria: All ten Sefirot of Beria are indeed on the level of the light of Bina, even Keter and Hochma (Chapter 4, Item 2). Since the level of Bina of Atzilut clothes HGT of AA, only HGT NHYM of the world of Beria can be extended to it, which are its VAK. Hence, HGT of AA of Beria are regarded as GAR of AA in that place.

2. Remained bare, without clothing: The Rosh of each Partzuf does not clothe in its lower Partzuf because the clothing of the lower one begins from the Peh of the Rosh of the upper one and below. Since HGT of AA are Rosh, they are revealed, without clothing.

3. They did not breach that screen and pass through it: Breaching implies that the light overpowers the boundary in the screen, disregarding the force of detainment in it. It breaks, passes, and shines below the screen, as well. You should remember well what we explained above regarding the striking of the upper light on the screen (Chapter 2, Inner Light, Item 3): The screen stops the expanding upper light from reaching below its boundary, and brings it back to its place, as the ARI says (Part 3, Chapter 1, Item 3). Even so, a part of the upper light broke through and did not return backward. Instead, it descended below the screen and shone there, which is like breaching, breaking, and making a hole in the Guf of the screen, passing through it and below.

However, it is nothing like making a corporeal, physical and tangible hole; it is only about trespassing. It is so because the screen limits the light. Some of the upper light, which the screen did not limit and detain, is considered to have breached the screen, meaning its boundary and detainment, and passed from the screen downward, too. That part, which breached the boundary of the screen and went below, is called Malchut of Malchut of the upper degree, or the point of Malchut of the upper one. Hence, we should make two discernments in the coupling by striking before us: The first is that the screen overpowered the light and pushed it back to its place. By this, the reflected light became a clothing over the four phases in the upper light from below upward. In that manner, Malchut expanded into ten Sefirot from her and within her from the screen downward, so that all ten Sefirot that emerged from the screen upward sparkled with their illumination from the screen downward, too, and imprinted their semblance there from above downward (Chapter 2, Inner Light, Item 3). This is the first discernment in the coupling by striking.

The second discernment is that the part of the upper light that breached and broke the screen, and went below the screen without the help of reflected light, but as its actual self. This part is called “the point of Malchut of the upper one,” or “Malchut of Malchut of the upper one,” which canceled the boundary and did not notice whatsoever the detaining force in the screen. You should thoroughly understand that with respect to that point, the screen is regarded as nonexistent. This is why the ARI made the precision of saying that she “breaks and breaches the screen.” You will understand the rest of the ARI’s words according to the above two discernments.

4. Descends and clothes the GAR of AA (of Beria)‎: Meaning in HGT of AA, which are His GAR, since this AA of Beria has only VAK, HGT NHY alone, and his HGT are his GAR. You should understand here that that point of Malchut of Atzilut that breached and passed from the screen downward as in the second discernment is Ein Sof, which is called above by the name Tohu. It has Ein Sof, but not a single phase of the four phases HB TM. Instead, the four phases are incorporated in it in potential, and not in practice. These GAR of AA that the point of the upper one clothed in, come from the first discernment, called Bohu, and contain four roots of the four phases HB TM in actual fact, meaning by clothing reflected light, which are actual vessels, and remember that.

In the beginning, Malchut was as great as ZA, and she complained, meaning she wanted to rule alone. She was then told to diminish herself of the nine Sefirot of Atzilut and descend to Beria and rule there. These nine Sefirot that departed from her connected to ZA in their root, and then she descended and became Atik in Beria.

2. The meaning of this point is that it is known how the two lights were emanated on an equal level ₍₅₎. When the moon complained and was diminished ₍₆₎, it means that after she was a complete Partzuf, she was diminished and stood as a small dot comprised of ten Sefirot. The other nine dots departed from her ₍₇₎, as it is known that to begin with, her root is but one dot, and nine other dots were added by ZA later on. That is why it is called a mirror that has nothing of its own ₍₈₎, therefore, ZA took them once more and she remained as a small dot. Then, she could not stand in him because of her Katnut [smallness/infancy], and she descended to the Rosh of Beria instead.

Inner Light

5. The two lights were emanated on an equal level: ZA and Malchut are called two lights since they bestow upon the lower worlds. It is so because the lower ones cannot receive from GAR, Keter, Hochma, and Bina. Consequently, only ZA and Malchut shine upon the lower ones, and are therefore called “lights.” When they were emanated, they were on an equal level, which means that Malchut received her abundance from Bina, and not from ZA. Thus, they were both equal: Just as ZA was emanated from Bina and received his abundance from Bina, Nukva received her abundance from Bina. Conversely, when Malchut is unfit to receive from Bina, but through ZA, she is regarded as being below ZA, for the receiver is naturally below his giver. The reason for this will be explained in its place.

6. When the moon complained and was diminished: It has already been explained that the moon, which is Malchut, was equal to ZA, which is the sun. At that time, they were both at the level of VAK, HGT NHY. Both lacked the Rosh, lacking the first three, and suckled from Bina, who is called Keter. Our sages said (Hulin, 60b), that she said, “No two kings use a single crown,” meaning Ima. Rather, Malchut wanted to rule alone, and was then told, “Go diminish yourself,” meaning exit from Atzilut to Beria, and rule there. And Malchut, who was a complete Partzuf of ten Sefirot in Atzilut, was diminished by her descent to Beria, and stood there as a small dot, consisting of “potential” ten Sefirot, not actual. This will be explained below.

7. The other nine dots departed from her: Meaning they remained in ZA in Atzilut, and only the phase of Malchut of Malchut descended to Beria.

8. A mirror that has nothing of its own: A mirror means light, because Malchut is called “light.” He says that she has nothing of her own because her root is merely a dot, as the ARI says earlier. The nine Sefirot that she had while being in Atzilut, are not her own phase, meaning the phase of direct light of Malchut. It is only the reflected light that she raised by the screen, from her and above, to ZA. That reflected light returns from ZA to Malchut from above downward, and builds Malchut with ten Sefirot (Chapter 2, Inner Light, Item 3). This is what the ARI means when he says that nine other Sefirot came as an addition by ZA. Thus, when Malchut was diminished and descended to Beria, only the self of Malchut descended, while all nine upper Sefirot, which are the reflected light, remained in Atzilut, in ZA, their root. This is why the ARI says, “Therefore, ZA took them once more,” and this is why she is called “a mirror that has nothing of her own.”

Even after the diminution of Malchut was established, Malchut remained as Atik in Beria.

3. Indeed, that was during the diminution of the moon during the creation of the world. However, after she had been established and returned to her place back-to-back, and He created Adam HaRishon, who had brought her back to face-to-face as in the beginning ₍₉₎. Afterwards, through the sin of the lower ones, she was diminished once more and descended, for this is the entire meaning of our prayer, to correct her when we pray. Then she returns as in the beginning for we have no strength for more than that. Thus, every holy thing leaves an impression in its place, even when it departs from it ₍₁₀₎, and this dot always remains in the Rosh of Beria.

Inner Light

9. Who had brought her back to face-to-face as in the beginning: This is a long issue, and this is not the place to elaborate on it.

10. Every holy thing leaves an impression in its place, even when it departs ‎from it: This is so because there is no absence in spirituality, and any change or diminution and so on, does not mean that the first phase became absent, and another one replaced it. It means only that the first phase remains as it was, and the change that we distinguish in it is an additional phase to the first. Thus, wherever it is said that some phase has changed, it means that a new phase has been added to the first phase. We should remember this, for it is impossible to always remind of it.

This is the meaning of the ARI’s words, “Every holy thing leaves an impression in its place, even when it departs ‎from it, and this dot always remains in the Rosh of Beria‎.” That is, as has been explained, the matter of the ascent of the dot her return to her place in Atzilut does not cause any absence in the dot that descended to Beria, as there is no absence in spirituality. Therefore, we should understand the return of the dot to Atzilut as a new, additional matter, like lighting one candle from another without the first being lessened. Thus, the dot remains at the Rosh of Beria, and also rises to Atzilut, and now there are two dots.

When the departure of the nine Sefirot of Malchut is due to the sin of the lower ones, her nine Sefirot do not rise to ZA, but fall to the shells.

4. During her diminution, due to the flaw of the lower ones, the other nine dots that depart from her do not return to ZA, to the origin, the place from which they came. Rather, due to our sins, they descend to the shell, as Shechina [Divinity] in exile, and we should not elaborate on this.

Just as the dot of Malchut of Atzilut descended and became Atik in the Keter of Beria, so it was in each and every world, where Malchut of the upper world clothed the Keter of the world below it.

5. Let us return to the issue that this dot was first a tail of the lions at the end of Atzilut ₍₂₀₎. This is because Eve was the tail of Adam ₍₃₀₎, and then descended and diminished herself into her dot, and became the head of the foxes, an actual Rosh to Beria. So it was in each and every world, for the dot of Malchut of Yetzira descended in the Rosh of Assiya, and also Beria in the Rosh of Yetzira. It was the same in the Rosh of Atzilut, as in, “You have made them all in wisdom [Hochma].” It is so because the light of Ein Sof clothed the upper Hochma above Atzilut and that Hochma herself descended ₍₄₀₎, broke the screen on Atzilut, and she herself descended and clothed in Atzilut, and through her, Atzilut receives the light of Ein Sof. This is the meaning of “You have made them all in wisdom,” mentioned in the world of Atzilut.

Inner Light

20. This dot was first a tail of the lions at the end of Atzilut: Meaning the end of all the Sefirot of Atzilut, which, with respect to the Sefirot of Beria, are presented in the parable as lions toward foxes. Then, Malchut descended from the Sium of the Sefirot of Atzilut, and became the Rosh of the Sefirot of Beria.

30. Eve was the tail of Adam‎: ZA and Malchut are called Adam and Eve. Malchut is the Sium of all the Sefirot of ZA. This is why our sages said about Adam HaRishon, prior to the creation of Eve, that Eve was the tail of Adam, meaning his Sium.

40. That Hochma herself descended (40), broke the screen on Atzilut: This means that Malchut of AK, in which the screen of phase three is established, which is the level of Hochma, that Malchut descended and became Atik in Atzilut.

Because Malchut of the upper one became Keter to the lower one, the worlds connect with one another to receive illumination from each other.

6. Indeed, this phase that was in all the worlds was beneficial to the worlds, in order to connect one with the other so as to receive illumination from one another. It is done by the Sium of Atzilut being the Rosh of Beria, and it is also so in the rest of the worlds.

Because Malchut of Atzilut is clothed in Keter of Beria in the hall of the Holy of Holies, that hall can ascend to Atzilut on the day of Shabbat [Sabbath].

7. This is the meaning of the day of Shabbat. On that day, Kedusha is added in the worlds, and the upper hall, the Holy of Holies ₍₅₀₎ of Beria ascends once more to Atzilut and becomes complete Atzilut, for the above reason. It is the same in all the other worlds, as well.

Inner Light

50. The upper hall, the Holy of Holies of Beria: The Rosh of Beria, where the dot of Malchut of Atzilut is clothed, is called the hall of the Holy of Holies. This entire hall rises with the dot to Atzilut on the day of Shabbat, by the power of the dot of Atzilut that is clothed there.

The emanated being has no more than four degrees HB TM, and a middle phase between the Emanator and the emanated being, which is Keter, in which there is a phase of Emanator and a phase of emanated being.

8. The resulting rule is that the emanated being has only four degrees, which are the four letters HaVaYaH. They are Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya, and they are Hochma, Bina, Tifferet, and Malchut. This is why the Torah begins with Beresheet [lit. in the beginning], and there is no beginning but Hochma. Our sages presented it in the form of negation, so as to exclude the Keter ₍₆₀₎. However, there is a middle phase that consists of two phases: Emanator and emanated being. It is called Keter, and this Keter incorporates everything that is above it. Although it is smaller than all of them, it suckles from all of them, and it has the root of all the ten Sefirot that were emanated, and it bestows in all of them.

Inner Light

60. Our sages presented it in the form of negation, so as to exclude the Keter: They should have said that Hochma is the beginning, so why did they say that there is no beginning but Hochma, which means “and not something else,” meaning to exclude the Keter? This teaches you that Keter is not the beginning of the world, but rather Hochma is the beginning of the world. It is so because the world in general has four phases HB TM. Hochma is the first phase in them, but Keter is not included in the world, but is regarded as a medium, and contains its own four phases.

When counting four, it is the actual number of the emanated beings. When counting five, we include the Keter with them, where there are Emanator and emanated being.

9. Do not be surprised that we sometimes say that the ten Sefirot are divided into four letters HaVaYaH ₍₇₀₎, and sometimes we say that they are divided to five Partzufim. When we say that it is four, it is the actual number of the emanated beings, and when we count five Partzufim, we include the root of the Emanator along with the emanated beings themselves.

Inner Light

70. Ten Sefirot are divided into four letters HaVaYaH: Indeed, the ten Sefirot are not divided into ten Partzufim. The reason for this is that the six Sefirot HGT NHY do not create six Partzufim as they are all regarded as one phase in the coarseness of the screen and the level, meaning phase three. Hence, they all emerge from a single coupling by striking, and are therefore regarded as one Partzuf. The differentiation among the six Sefirot HGT NHY will be explained in the following lessons.

In every degree in the worlds, the upper one is regarded as the Emanator, and the lower one as the emanated being, in which there are four phases. There is a medium phase between them, called Keter, in which there is an Emanator and an emanated being. Because Keter is Malchut of the upper one, it is called Ani [I], and because it is the Keter of the lower one, it is called Ein [absence]. This is the meaning of “I am the first, and I am the last.”

10. Know that it is the same in every ten Sefirot in each and every world, as well as within each and every Partzuf, since in each and every phase, the upper one is always regarded as the Emanator, and the lower one is regarded as the emanated being. The emanated being is not less than four letters HaVaYaH ₍₈₀₎, even in the inner ten Sefirot, ­and the inner of inner. Also, there is a medium phase between them, called Keter. Understand that thoroughly, for by that all the issues we will explain will become clear.

This is the meaning of “I am the first, and I am the last.” Keter is the first and is the last. He is Ein and He is Ani ₍₉₀₎, since in the phase of Malchut of the Emanator, in Him, He is last, and is called Ani, which is Malchut. And in the phase of the root of the emanated beings in Him, which is the phase of Keter, He is the first, and is called Ein, which is the letters of Ani.

Inner Light

80. The emanated being is not less than four letters HaVaYaH, even in the inner ten Sefirot, and the inner of inner: The four letters HaVaYaH are HB TM. Tifferet alone contains six Sefirot and the medium between the Emanator and the emanated being is called Keter. Together, they are ten Sefirot, and each inner Sefira of those ten Sefirot must be incorporated with ten Sefirot, as well, and likewise in the inner of the inner, as has been explained in detail Part 2, Inner Observation (Item 96).

90. He is Ein and He is Ani: There is a most significant hint here: The word Ein implies absence of attainment, while its opposite, the word Ani, refers to the absolute and complete attainment. Even though there are no two opposite matters that deny one another more than these two words, “Ein, Ani,” still their letters are the same [in Hebrew] and alike. This is indeed surprising. It is written: “I am the first and I am the last.” This means that in fact, they are not two matters, but are one and the same, as the ARI says, “In the phase of Malchut of the Emanator, in Him, He is last, and is called Ani, which is Malchut. And in the phase of the root of the emanated beings in Him, which is the phase of Keter, He is the first, and is called Ein, which is the letters of Ani.” These words are deeper than deep and higher than high, and this is why the ARI says, “Understand that thoroughly, for by that all the issues we will explain will ‎become clear‎.”

We must thoroughly understand the meaning of the two opposites here, which are not even two unique phases, but must be perceived as one phase. From the perspective of it being Malchut of the upper one and the self of the upper one, which breached and broke the screen, the operation of the boundary in the screen does not influence the dot of Malchut of the upper one at all. For this reason, Keter is called “I am the last,” meaning utter wholeness. This is because Malchut of the upper one receives from all ten Sefirot in the upper one, and these ten Sefirot necessarily contain all the degrees and the Partzufim that are worthy of expanding in the worlds below them. It therefore follows that that point is incorporated in the final wholeness, and this is “I am the last.” This is the meaning of Keter, which is called Atik, and is also called Tohu, and is called the spark of the Creator, and Ein Sof.

However, from its perspective of it being a root to the emanated beings in it, it is the phase of Keter to the emanated lower one. This is the meaning of “I am the first,” called Ein, with the letters of Ani. This means that with respect to the emanated beings, these letters of Ani themselves form the combination of Ein. It has the opposite meaning of the combination Ani, for it is Malchut of the upper one, as well, but as “light that diminishes and passes through the screen,” as it is written above, for which it contains the four phases HB TM in actual fact. This is why it is called the Rosh of the emanated being, as all that there is in the Guf is extended from the Rosh.

It is called Ein because all the degrees and the worlds below it reveal what is in the Rosh. Until they finish what is upon them, the Rosh is regarded as Ein, as it is written, “I am the first,” meaning only the beginning and the root of the disclosure. It is called Arich Anpin, and Bohu, and a spark of the created being, and it is called Keter. Study these words and perhaps you will be rewarded and find an inlet to the wisdom. However, when it says that the phase of Atik is called, “I am the last,” it pertains only to His ascent to Atzilut on the day of Shabbat, where it becomes Malchut of the upper one once more, as the ARI says.