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
Chapter Four
Explains the striking and the clash during the departure of the lights to the Emanator between the descending reflected light and the records, where the vessels, which are the letters, were made from the sparks that emerged by the striking. The tags are from the records. It contains eight issues:
1. Malchut is called a mirror without light because her light did not descend into her vessel once again. 2. A second reason that Malchut is called a mirror without light is that she did not leave a record in her vessel. 3. A coupling by striking between the descending reflected light from Yesod to Malchut, and the first light of the ascending Malchut. 4. The vessel of Yesod was made from the sparks that fell from the striking of light that comes through its posterior in the record, and the tags were made from the record that shines from afar. 5. Three discernments in the ten Sefirot: Keter, the rest of the Sefirot, and Malchut. Keter left a record and not a vessel; the rest of the Sefirot left records and vessels; and Malchut left a vessel and not a record. 6. After all the departure, the lights returned to their place in Partzuf AB of AK, except for the light of Keter. Then there was a clash between the record of Keter and light of Hochma on each other, and two vessels emerged, one for Keter and one for Hochma, which are male and female in the Rosh of AB of AK. 7. The refinement and the departure in Akudim are somewhat similar to the revoking of the Melachim [kings] in the world of Nekudim who died and were revoked. 8. The difference between them is that here, there was corruption in order to correct, and in Nekudim there was actual breaking and death.
Malchut is called a mirror without light because her light did not descend into her vessel once again.
1. *Know that when all nine lights rose back up, they left a record in their place. However, Malchut rose in her entirety, leaving no record in her place. This is the meaning of what is written in The Zohar and the Tikkunim, that Malchut is called “a mirror that has no light of her own” at all. This matter has already been explained above regarding the vessel of Malchut, whose light did not come back down into her vessel (1), but remained in the vessel of Yesod.
Inner Light
1. Whose light did not come back down into her vessel: In the second expansion, when the coupling emerged only on the level of Hochma, by which the lights were swapped, where the light of Hochma came in the vessel of Keter, the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma, etc., the light of Malchut in vessel of Yesod, and the vessel Malchut remained without light (Part 4, Chapter 2, Inner Light, Item 8).
A second reason that Malchut is called a mirror without light is that she did not leave a record in her vessel.
2. There is another reason: When her light rose, it did not leave any record in her. However, the record that remained in the vessel of Yesod for its own need, illuminated from there in the vessel of Malchut, too.
A coupling by striking between the descending reflected light from Yesod to Malchut, and the first light of the ascending Malchut.
3. *When the light of Malchut rose to Yesod, Yesod illuminated in the vessel of Malchut (2) through the posterior of Yesod as reflected light. Then the descending reflected light in the vessel of Malchut encounters the first ascending light itself of Malchut (3), one clashed with the other, and sparks came down from the descending reflected light (4) into the vessel of Malchut (5).
Inner Light
2. The vessel of Malchut: It has already been explained that all the levels that emerge on the path of refinement are regarded as reflected light and judgment, although there is direct light in them, as well. However, because they are extended through the posterior, meaning on the path of the refinement of the coarseness, called anterior, the direct light is also regarded as judgment.
It is said, “Yesod illuminated in the vessel of Malchut through the posterior of Yesod,” where all these ten Sefirot of direct light and reflected light together are discerned as posterior and judgment. However, we must still understand that all the reflected light that descends from Yesod to the vessel of Malchut is only reflected light without any direct light. It is so because since the place of the coupling and the screen is in the vessel of Yesod, meaning in phase three, that screen detains the direct light, so that none of it expands from phase three downward. Thus, all that descends from Yesod to the vessel of Malchut is only reflected light and not direct light, hence the ARI’s precision, “as reflected light.”
3. Encounters the first ascending light itself of Malchut: This light is on the level of Keter. It regards the greater coarseness as anterior, and the descending reflected light lowers the great coarseness of phase four, preferring the more refined phase three, which is in contrast with the ascending light of Malchut. This is why they clash with each other (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 9).
4. Sparks came down from the descending reflected light: They are called sparks because of the similarity to the sparks that emerge from under a hammer, which shine and burn out instantly, as it is written in The Zohar. However, the analogy is not quite the same as the lesson since the sparks that emerge under the hammer shine for a moment and instantly vanish, and their place remains unknown. Conversely, these sparks here, as well as the 288 sparks, although they instantly burn out because of the departure of the coupling to a higher phase, which is phase two, nevertheless, they do not vanish from there, as it is known that there is no absence in the spiritual. Their self and reality remain there, and they later regain their strength when the second expansion reaches there.
5. Into the vessel of Malchut: It is the coarse light that remains below after the departure of the first expansion, which is the essence of the vessels that belong to the first expansion of Akudim. This is where the lights placed their records and this is where the sparks from the reflected light fellas the ARI wrote above (Part 4, Chapter 2, Item 10).
The vessel of Yesod was made from the sparks that fell from the striking of light that comes through its posterior in the record, and the tags were made from the record that shines from afar.
4. When Yesod rose, it left a record in its place. When the light came through its posterior, it struck that record, sparks fell from it, and the vessel of Yesod was made from them (6). At that time, that record shone in that vessel from afar, and did not enter it. This is the meaning of the tags (7).
Inner Light
6. The vessel of Yesod was made from them: For the second expansion, which comes afterwards, called Partzuf AB of AK, although the vessel of Yesod of Akudim here was made of the coarse light that remained below after the departure of the first expansion.
7. This is the meaning of the tags: Study the words of the ARI thoroughly in Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 9 and Inner Light, Item 80. Know that after the coupling in the upper vessel stopped and rose above it, the illumination of the coupling from the lower vessel necessarily stopped, as well. At that time, the sparks that descended there are put out, too, and the record, which was above the vessel, can therefore clothe the vessel once more as in the beginning (see above Chapter 3, Inner Light, Item 80). However, that illumination from afar, called tags, did not stop from the vessel afterwards, as well, for there is no absence in the spiritual, as it says, “The Shechina never moves,” etc.
Three discernments in the ten Sefirot: Keter, the rest of the Sefirot, and Malchut. Keter left a record and not a vessel; the rest of the Sefirot left records and vessels; and Malchut left a vessel and not a record.
5. So did all the Sefirot do except for Keter (8), which left the record for Hochma. However, he did not make a vessel (9), since when the rest of the Sefirot rise up by striking in what is above them (10), and the striking of the record (20) became the vessels (30), but Keter had no one to strike his record as he rose (40). For this reason, his vessel was still not completed. Thus, Keter left a record and not a vessel, while the rest of the Sefirot left a record and a vessel, and Malchut left a vessel and not a record.
Inner Light
8. Except for Keter, which left the record for Hochma: It means that that record became the vessel of the male of the light of Hochma in the Keter of the second expansion, called AB of AK. The ARI writes, “for Keter, which left the record for Hochma. However, he did not make a vessel.” This means that he did not make a vessel for the female of the light of Hochma in the vessel of Keter of the second expansion.
9. However, he did not make a vessel: The ARI has already written (Chapter 2, Item 10) that the essence of the phase of vessels of Akudim was made from the coarse light that remained from the light of departure itself. You can therefore see that this does not refer to the vessel of Keter itself, but to the vessels of the second expansion, which come after the current departure, where there are the state of male and the state of female in the vessel of Keter. It is the same in the vessel of Hochma, Bina, Yesod, and Malchut, as the ARI writes below (Item 6, and in Tree of Life, Gate Mati ve Lo Mati, Chapter 3).
The vessels of the males from there were made from the records that remain in the vessels of Akudim, and the vessels of the females were made from the sparks that fall from the descending reflected light into the vessels of Akudim here.
It is said, “Keter, which left the record for Hochma,” meaning the vessel of the male of the light of Hochma in the vessel of Keter of the second expansion. “But did not make a vessel,” meaning for the female there.
10. Striking in what is above them: Reflected light is extended and descends to the emptied vessel by the coupling by striking in the phase above the vessel that has become emptied of light, meaning after the light departed from the vessel of Malchut. This is so because the screen of phase four has been refined into phase three, which is Yesod, and the coupling was done in the vessel of Yesod. At that time, reflected light descends from this illumination of the coupling to Malchut, which has been emptied of the light. This is the meaning of “through striking of what is above them,” the reflected light was drawn to the vessel.
20. The striking of the record: The record that remained in the emptied vessel strikes the reflected light that descends to its own vessel because it is opposite from the descending reflected light. Sparks were born and spread from the descending reflected light as a result of that striking, fell into the vessel that had been emptied, and the vessels were made from these sparks.
30. Became the vessels: Meaning the vessels, for the purpose of the vessels of the second expansion. However, the vessels of Akudim of the first expansion were made of the coarse light, as the ARI said in Chapter 2, Item 10 (and Chapter 2, Inner Light, Item 100).
40. Keter had no one to strike his record as he rose: When the screen reaches complete refinement, like the state of the Emanator, its power ceases and there is no coupling by striking in it any longer that will bring down reflected light in the vessel of Keter after it has been emptied of light. “For this reason, his vessel was still not completed,” for there are no sparks of the descending reflected light there, as has been explained.
After all the departure, the lights returned to their place in Partzuf AB of AK, except for the light of Keter. Then there was a clash between the record of Keter and light of Hochma on each other, and two vessels emerged, one for Keter and one for Hochma, which are male and female in the Rosh of AB of AK.
6. Indeed, after the reception of these Sefirot from the Emanator, they returned to their place (50), except for Keter (60). The vessel of Keter was made only on the return (70) because when Hochma reentered him, light of Hochma struck the record (80) that Keter left in his place. These were double strikes (90), for since the record of Keter is a higher phase than Hochma, it strikes Hochma and elicits sparks. Likewise, since Hochma now comes from above, she stands on the record and is higher than it. As a result, he now struck the record and elicited other sparks. Hence, two vessels were made now, one for the record of Keter, and one for the Hochma that has now come (100). We have already elaborated on it elsewhere (200) how there are male and female in Keter, which are the two we mentioned here, namely the record and the Hochma.
Inner Light
50. After the reception of these Sefirot from the Emanator, they returned to their place, except for Keter: We must thoroughly understand this matter of reception that the Sefirot received from the Emanator after their ascent to Him. You will understand this matter after you thoroughly know the matter of departure of the ten Sefirot of the Guf and their ascent to the Emanator. Know that all this is drawn from, and connected with the light of Malchut only, meaning the screen and the reflected light in Malchut, since there is no other light in Malchut, for she never receives any direct light. Thus, all the light in her is the reflected light that is drawn by a coupling by striking in her screen. The coarseness of phase four is the vessel of Malchut, and the screen that detains the upper light from expanding to the coarseness of phase four, along with the reflected light that ascends because of it, are regarded as the light of Malchut.
You can therefore see that the essence of the issue of the ascent of the lights to the Emanator is connected only to the ascent of Malchut. Ascending means refining and equalizing its form with the upper one. The equivalence of form with the upper one brings him to, and connects him with the upper one. Thus, the issue of the refinement of the coarseness pertains only to Malchut, where there is coarseness. Conversely, there is no vessel whatsoever in the first nine Sefirot, and they are regarded here only as complete light (Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 11). Thus, how can we refer to a refinement of the coarseness in them? Indeed, the matter of the ascent and the refinement refers only to Malchut. This does not pertain to the vessel of Malchut since the vessels are never refined from their coarseness (Part 2, Questions and Answers on the Meaning of the Words, Item 43). Instead, it pertains to the screen installed in the vessel of Malchut (see above Chapter 2, Inner Light, Item 10).
You already know the issue of the four levels that emerge through a coupling by striking on the screen from the beginning of its refinement until it is refined into the state of the Emanator. Know that these levels that gradually diminish are the very Sefirot of which the ARI says that they rose to the Emanator. Although there are ten Sefirot in each and every level, they are still recognized by the name of the highest Sefira in their level. Although the level of phase three has ten Sefirot that only reach the level of Hochma, she is regarded as only light of Hochma, after the name of the highest Sefira in the level. Similarly, the ten Sefirot of the level of phase two, which reaches Bina, is only called Bina. Phase one is called ZA, and the phase of Keter and root is called Malchut.
You should also know that all these records that the lights of Akudim left in their vessels after their departure remained only in the vessel of Malchut, since she is the designated vessel for all ten Sefirot of Akudim. This is the coarse light that the ARI refers to above in Chapter 2, Item 10, which is the vessels of Akudim themselves. Also, this is where the lights left their records. It is therefore necessary that it is the phase of Malchut alone, as there is no coarseness in the first nine.
It has been clarified there in Inner Light, that that coarse light is the reflected light in Malchut that expanded with it from her and within her to clothe the ten Sefirot of direct light from above downward, which is called Guf. Thus, it is clear that all the records that remained from the first expansion after her departure, necessarily remained only in Malchut. It has been clarified that Malchut includes all the records that remained of the first expansion. Hence, after the screen rose to Malchut of the Rosh, when the screen had been refined from all its coarseness and came into equivalence of form with Malchut of the Rosh, it is discerned that the screen that rose also includes all the records that remained in Malchut, except for the record of phase four, as the last phase does not leave a record (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 1). Now you can understand the ARI’s words here, who says, “After the reception of these Sefirot from the Emanator, they returned to their place, except for Keter.”
In other words, after the ascent of the screen of Malchut of the Guf rose to Malchut of the Rosh, who is called the emanator of the Guf, which occurred because of the equivalence of form with it, you therefore find that it was connected and incorporated with the screen in Malchut of the Rosh as a single phase. Since the screen in Malchut of the Rosh is in a perpetual coupling by striking there, as there is no refinement in the Rosh, the screen of the Guf that rose and was incorporated with it works along with it for a coupling by striking and for raising reflected light from below upward that is done in the Rosh, since it was incorporated in the same coarseness that exists in the screen in Malchut of the Rosh.
You already know that these records that remained in Malchut of the Guf are included in the screen that rose to the Rosh, which are only up to the coarseness of phase three, since no record was left of the coarseness of phase four. Thus, once the screen of the Guf was incorporated and came into the coupling on the screen of the Rosh, and received from it the coarseness from below upward that is included in it, the records included in it from Malchut of the Guf reawakened and regained their initial coarseness, meaning coarseness from above downward as it is in the Guf. Accordingly, initially, the screen was incorporated in Malchut of the Rosh, and gained the coarseness from below upward that is in the Rosh. Subsequently, the records incorporated in the screen also awakened and gained coarseness, and the coarseness in them was inverted and became the state of from above downward.
You should know the great difference between coarseness from below upward and coarseness from above downward. From below upward implies resistance to clothing, and at any rate, there is no clothing there at all. For this reason, she is the phase of Rosh, called Keter or Ein Sof. Its opposite is the coarseness from above downward, meaning complete clothing on the direct light. For this reason, it is called Guf, or emanated being, and is never called Ein Sof, or Emanator. This distinction applies both in the Rosh and the Guf in all the Partzufim in the worlds.
Hence, when the screen had been completely refined from its coarseness and equalized its form with the phase of Malchut of the Rosh, which is completely clean from the coarseness from above downward, naturally, the records included in it were completely silent, and were regarded as nonexistent. Then the screen of the Guf became incorporated in the screen of the Rosh with the coarseness from below upward. However, since the screen gained coarseness, although it is only coarseness from below upward, still, those silent and resting records incorporated in the screen awakened and were revived because of this, meaning they, too, gained coarseness. However, since those records came from the Guf, where they had already been clothed, that coarseness was naturally inverted in them into the state of from above downward, into the state of Guf. Consequently, the screen acquired a disparity of form that is very far from the Rosh, as the measure of the difference between the Rosh and the Guf.
It follows that the moment the coarseness from above downward appeared in the screen, which is the state of Guf, it is discerned that the screen returned, departed from the Rosh, and descended to the Guf. However, not to phase four of the Guf, called Tabur, but only to phase three of the Guf, called Chazeh. This is so because the screen could gain coarseness only up to phase three, as phase four did not leave a record in the screen.
You therefore find that the screen that rose to the Emanator, acquired two phases of coarseness there: coarseness from below upward, by the power of its initial incorporation in Malchut of the Rosh, and coarseness from above downward that reawakened and returned to the records incorporated in it. Thus, when the screen departed from Malchut of the Rosh to the place of the Chazeh in the Guf, it first elicited a coupling by striking on the ten Sefirot of the Rosh from the Chazeh and above, by the force of the coarseness from below upward included in it, meaning only on the level of Hochma, as it has only the coarseness of phase three. Afterwards, it expanded from the Chazeh downward, to the ten Sefirot of the Guf, because of the coarseness from above downward included in it. This is called the second expansion.
It is said, “after the reception of these Sefirot from the Emanator,” meaning after the screen of the Guf had been refined entirely, regarded as having risen to the Emanator, which is Malchut of the Rosh, it once again received there the power to expand once more for clothing the ten Sefirot, as in the beginning. In other words, the coarseness reawakened in the records in it, up to phase three, at which time it returned to its place in Malchut of the Guf as in the beginning. In that state the second expansion occurred in it in the ten Sefirot of Rosh and Guf as in the beginning, as it is said, “returned to their place,” meaning the place of Malchut of the Guf.
60. They all returned to their place, except for Keter: It is so because the screen did not become coarser than phase three by its incorporation in Malchut of the Rosh, as phase four did not leave a record. The expansion on the screen of phase three is only up to the level of Hochma, lacking the light of Keter. It is said, “They all returned to their place, except for Keter.” It turns out that the light of Hochma clothes in the vessel of Keter, the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma, the light of ZA in the vessel of Bina, and the light of Malchut in the vessel of ZA. Thus, Malchut remained without light.
70. The vessel of Keter was made only on the return: Meaning the vessel of Nukva of the Keter, which is light of Hochma clothed in the vessel of Keter, which is missing here for the above reason (this chapter, Item 4, and Inner Light there).
80. Light of Hochma struck the record: The light in the level of Hochma that comes to clothe the vessel of Keter resembles the nature of the above-mentioned descending reflected light in the words of the ARI (Chapter 3, Item 9, and Inner Light there). It is in contrast with the light of the record and they strike each other.
90. These were double strikes: Since the record that remains from the first expansion is higher than Hochma, as her level is up to Keter, it is in contrast with the light of Hochma that comes now, whose level is only up to Hochma, as written in Inner Light above (Chapter 3, Inner Light, Item 60). Also, there is merit to the light of Hochma for it now comes from above downward to clothe in the vessels. However, the record is imprinted with the desire to depart from clothing although she does not actually ascend as mentioned in the words of the ARI (Chapter 3, Item 9, and Inner Light there, Item 70).
100. One for the record of Keter, and one for the Hochma that has now come: It means that the coarse light that fell from the record by the striking of the light of Hochma in it, became a vessel for the light of the record, which is the male of the vessel of Keter. The vessel for the light of Hochma in the vessel of Keter, discerned as the female of the vessel of Keter, was made of the sparks that fell from the light of Hochma by the striking of the light of the record in it. Although there is already a vessel for the male of the vessel of Keter, nevertheless, by the striking of the light of Hochma, it is ended and renewed, as will be elaborated on in part 5.
200. We have already elaborated on it elsewhere: See Tree of Life, Gate “Present and Not Present,” Chapter 3.
The refinement and the departure in Akudim are somewhat similar to the revoking of the Melachim [kings] in the world of Nekudim who died and were revoked.
7. Now you can understand how in the world of Akudim there is also revoking of the kings [Melachim], similar to those kings who reigned in the land of Edom, died and were revoked, as mentioned in the study of the world of Nekudim. After all, the matter of the concealment of the lights of Akudim and their ascent to their Emanator (300) is also the revoking of the kings here.
Inner Light
300. The matter of the concealment of the lights of Akudim and their ascent to their Emanator: Both were through the ascents of the lights to the Emanator, meaning the refinement of the screen, and so their ways are equal, too. This is elaborated in my book Panim Meirot uMasbirot about Tree of Life, regarding the breaking of the vessels.
The difference between them is that here, there was corruption in order to correct, and in Nekudim there was actual breaking and death.
8. However, the difference between them is that here in Akudim, the corruption was in order to correct (400), and ruins in order to build, as the prime intention was to rise in order to make vessels. However, in Nekudim, there was actual revoking and death. Yet, because from Akudim, the vessels began to be revealed a little, therefore, here, too, there was some revoking.
Inner Light
400. Here in Akudim, the corruption was in order to correct: The levels in the screen gradually diminished by the refinement in the screen, and sparks fell from each higher phase to the phase below it. This is the beginning of the association of the quality of mercy with judgment, because the sparks of the upper phase are as the quality of mercy from the perspective of the lower one. It is known that the association of the quality of mercy with judgment is the foundation for the existence of the world (Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 4). It is said, “in Akudim, the corruption was in order to correct, and ruins in order to build.” This is similar to the breaking of the vessels, where the sparks fell in order to revive them with the quality of mercy, and the only difference between them is that here there is only corruption, and there was “actual revoking and death.”