The Study of the Ten Sefirot

Part Five

The Ten Sefirot of Akudim in the second expansion called “Matei and Not Matei” [expanding and not expanding]

1. *Know that since these ten Sefirot that are called the world of Akudim, are lights and branches that emerged from the Peh of AK, and it is known that within the Peh itself will be the ten Sefirot in her, and in her tenth Sefira, called the Malchut in her, there are ten roots of these ten Sefirot that came out, which are called the world of Akudim. They are also called ten Sefirot from Keter to Malchut, and they are roots to these ten Sefirot of Akudim that came out, for so it is in all the worlds.

Inner Light

1. Malchut in her, there are ten roots: We have already learned the matter of the expansion of each Partzuf. The upper light first expands for a coupling by striking on the screen in the vessel of Malchut, and reflected light rises from the screen upward and clothes the ten Sefirot in the upper light. This clothing is called ten Sefirot of Rosh. Afterwards, Malchut expands through the reflected light that she raised to ten Sefirot from her and within her from above downward, and this clothing is called Guf, and in the Partzufim of AK, they are called Akudim. You find that the Malchut with the ten Sefirot of her reflected light extend and emanate 0the ten Sefirot of the Guf. This is why her ten Sefirot are called roots of the Sefirot of the Guf.

2. It is written above that when the lights departed to the Emanator, the light of Keter remained in permanent adhesion with the Emanator and did not descend again. The thing is that it stood there below the Sefira Malchut in the ten Sefirot, called the roots of Akudim. All those ten are in the Sefira Malchut from the general ten Sefirot of the Peh of Adam Kadmon himself. It follows that the Malchut in the ten above-mentioned roots emanated these ten Sefirot called Akudim, and is called their emanator.

Inner Light

2. Stood there below the Sefira Malchut: It has already been explained that the first expansion of Akudim was on the level of Keter since the coupling by striking was there in the screen in the coarseness of phase four. It is known that that level of Keter did not come down again in the second expansion after it departed from the first expansion of Akudim. Rather, it remained in its origin, in the Emanator, meaning Malchut of the Rosh, which is considered his emanator, as the ARI writes here.

It is said that he stood there below the Sefira Malchut, called roots of Akudim in the ten Sefirot. In other words, this level of Keter that returned to the Emanator, meaning to Malchut of the Rosh, since it is a branch of Malchut, therefore, when he returns to her, he stands below her.

We must know the difference between Malchut of the Rosh, which is the owner of the screen, where there is the coupling by striking and the reflected light, and the light of Keter that rose, which is the same light that had already been clothed in the vessel, but then departed from there and is now considered light without a vessel, and remember this for all the rest.

3. All the aforementioned roots face down to shine in the world of Akudim through that Keter of Akudim that remained there under Malchut of the roots, as mentioned above. Also, the upper Keter of the roots also yearns to bestow in the Keter of Akudim that rose there. This is so because the roots always yearn to shine in the branches, as they are their children. They shine in them enough to satisfy them so that the branches, which are their children, will also copulate and engender offspring.

Inner Light

3. All the aforementioned roots face down to shine in the world of Akudim through that Keter: This means that even after the departure of the Akudim, the vessels of Akudim must receive light from the ten Sefirot of the Rosh in order to sustain them. This is a small illumination, which suffices only to sustain them. They need to receive this illumination through the light of Keter that stands under Malchut of the Rosh since the rule is that all that comes and is bestowed upon the Partzuf, is bestowed by the Sefira Keter of that Partzuf, as it is the upper root of those ten Sefirot. Hence, here too, even though the light of Keter has already departed from the Partzuf, the vessels cannot receive the illumination for sustenance, except through the light of Keter that stands under Malchut of the Rosh.

The upper Keter of the roots also yearns to bestow… …and engender offspring: This means that besides the vitality that the branches receive from their light of Keter that stands under Malchut of the Rosh, the upper roots in the Rosh have a yearning to bestow upon their branches plentiful illumination that suffices for them to be able to copulate and engender offspring. This plentiful illumination is only given to them through the upper Keter of the roots, meaning through the coupling in the screen of Malchut of the Rosh that bestows upon the light of Keter that stands under that Malchut. From there it is bestowed upon the branches, as we shall see ahead.

4. The branch also wishes to receive illumination and suckle from the roots. Hence, both the male and the female in the vessel of Keter of the upper branches rise upward under the Keter, which rose under Malchut of the roots, and there receive their illumination from him. Once they receive all they need, the Keter of the branches, which always stands there, now turns his face from them upward to the roots, and his back facing the above-mentioned male and female.

Inner Light

4. The male and the female in the vessel of Keter of the upper branches: They are the record of Keter with the record of phase three contained in the screen that rose and departed from the first expansion to Malchut of the Rosh (explained in Part 4, Chapter 4, Inner Light, Item 50). Although phase four did not leave a record, where then did the record of the level of Keter come from? Indeed, each phase consists of two kinds of records. There is a record of extension, which belongs to the bottom phase of the degree, and there is the phase of a record of clothing of the light, which belongs to the upper phase in the level of the degree. (In that regard, see Part 4, Inner Observation, Item 41).

These two records are as male and Nukva. The record of clothing is the phase of male in the record, and the record of extension is the phase of female in the record. Know that only the phase of the female in the record of phase four, which belongs to Malchut, disappeared, but the phase of the male of the record that belongs to Keter, remained and is contained in the screen that rose to Malchut of the Rosh.

Rise upward … and there receive their illumination from him: The ascent is done through the refinement of the screen in the Tabur of the first expansion, until it becomes as refined as the Emanator, meaning Malchut of the Rosh, since equivalence of form unites the spirituals into one. Since the screen of the Guf became as refined as the screen of the Rosh, it is considered to have risen and united into one with it, in its place. It is known that there is no departure in the Rosh at all. Rather, the screen there is always in a never-ending coupling with the upper light. Hence, the screen that rose there was also incorporated in its coupling and receives from the upper light together with it. It is written, “[both] rose under Malchut … and there receive their illumination from him.” In other words, by incorporating in the upper coupling there.

Once they receive all that they need: It means until they became suitable to expand to their place to the Guf with this illumination they received.

Now turns his face from them upward: It means that the coupling that belongs to the light of Keter stops. At that time, it stops its illumination from expanding to the ZON below it. This is called that its posterior is opposite ZON because the prevention of illumination is called posterior [back]. The reason for the cessation of his illumination will be explained below. It is because the coupling reached the Nukva that is incorporated in the record, which is coarseness of phase three that draws only from the level of Hochma of the upper roots, and not from Keter of the roots. For this reason, the light of Keter below Malchut does not receive any more light for ZON beneath it. After the above coupling of phase three is done, the male and female immediately expand to the Guf, to the vessel of Keter that is there, and the second expansion of Akudim occurs.

5. The reason they must rise up is that these vessels of Akudim are the first vessels that were emanated. No vessels were emanated above them since the light there is enormous, and the vessels cannot exist there. Hence, if the upper light had been extended downward to their place while they are inside their vessels, the vessels would have been revoked. This is why it was necessary that only the lights of ZON in the vessel of Keter would rise up.

Inner Light

5. These vessels of Akudim are the first vessels: This means the vessels of the first expansion where the male and female of Keter rose from there (see above Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 5).

If the upper light had been extended downward … the vessels would have been revoked: It means that if the level of Keter had expanded back to the vessels as it first was, before the its departure, the vessels that were made during the departure would have been annulled again for the reason the ARI mentioned above (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 3).

It was necessary that only the lights of ZON in the vessel of Keter would rise up: These ZON of Keter that rose above the screen that was refined only have coarseness of phase three. Hence, they extend only the level of Hochma, and light of Hochma clothes the vessel of Keter, the light of Bina in vessel of Hochma, etc. You find that each vessel lacks much of the measure of light intended for it since the vessel of Keter now has only light of Hochma, which is much lower than it. Also, the vessel of Hochma has only light of Bina, etc. Because of this, the coarseness became apparent in the vessels in a way that they could not be annulled.

6. *Now we shall explain the existence of this ascent. It is said that when it is not Matei [expanding] in Keter, since ZON of Keter rise up to the place of this Keter at the end of the upper roots, they cannot be together there because he is greater than them. Hence, they remain in his place and he rises to the place of the root of Malchut. Then the root of Malchut also rises to the root of Yesod where they both remain as Yesod, which is ZON. Then, the root of the upper Keter bestows below, after there is already a preparation for the lower ones to receive. At that time, the Nukva of Keter is incorporated in the male.

Inner Light

6. Not Matei [expanding] in Keter, since ZON of the Keter rise up: The matter of the departure of the level of Keter of the first expansion is called not Matei in Keter. This is the matter of the departure of ZON of the Keter upward, meaning they rise there to be incorporated in the upper coupling in Malchut of the Rosh. This has already been explained elaborately in Part 4, Chapter 4, Inner Light, Item 50, and study it there. I shall only bring an extract of it here, sufficiently to explain the words of the ARI here. It explains there that the whole reason for the departure of lights from the first expansion of Akudim was only because of the ascent of Malchut, meaning the refinement of the screen in the vessel of Malchut. When Malchut rose to ZA, which is phase three, the level of Keter disappeared.

Afterwards, when it also rose from ZA to Bina, the level of Hochma disappeared, as well. After that, when it rose from Bina to Hochma, the level of Bina disappeared, and when it rose from Hochma to Keter, the level of ZA disappeared, as well. Afterwards, when it rose from the vessel of Keter to the Emanator, meaning to Malchut of the Rosh, all the light of that expansion disappeared. Thus, all those lights that departed from there left records after them in their vessels, except for Malchut, meaning phase four, which did not leave any record after her departure.

It is also explained there that Malchut, meaning the screen in her, is incorporated in the records that the lights left behind in those phases, when it is refined and ascends from phase to phase. It is so because when the screen is refined from phase four to phase three, which is the vessel of ZA, it is incorporated with the record that remained there from the light of ZA after its departure. Also, afterwards, when it rose to phase two, which is the vessel of Bina, it was incorporated in the record that remained there from the light of Bina after her departure. Likewise, when it rose to Hochma, it was incorporated in the record of Hochma, and when it rose to Keter, it was incorporated in the record of Keter. Thus, afterwards, when it rose from Keter to the Emanator, the screen is incorporated with all the records that exist in the ten Sefirot of the first expansion, except the record of phase four, since it disappeared even from Malchut of the first expansion itself.

Know that the essence of those records contained in the screen are the very coarseness of phase three that remained from the level of Hochma, and coarseness from phase four from the perspective of clothing, which remaining from the level of Keter. This is because the records from the levels that are lower than them are incorporated in the upper records.

You should know that these two above-mentioned records can still be a single degree although the level of Keter is far higher than the level of Hochma, but with a distinction of male and female. This is because the record of the level of Keter is only half a record. Moreover, it lacks that most important half. It is already presented above that each record is discerned by two: a record of extension and a record of clothing. This means that the measure of the level is measured by the measure of the coarseness in the screen, where the coarsest draws a higher level. However, since the higher level needs a more refined vessel, we come to find two opposite ends in each level, set one atop the other. On the one hand, the greater level must have the coarsest screen and vessel, which are the vessels for extension for the great level, on the other hand, it must have the most refined vessels of reception to fit the clothing of the greatest light. Hence, each of these records that remained from the first expansion is evaluated by the two above halves—the record of extension and the record of clothing. Know that the record of extension is the most important, since the upper coupling is made on it, and the reflected light that connects and clothes the upper light in the Partzuf rises from it.

From the explanation you can thoroughly understand why the record of the level of Keter with the record of the level of Hochma are considered male and Nukva. It seems very puzzling since it is known that male and female should be in equivalence with one another. Otherwise, how will they have contact with each other, and how will they affect and receive from one another? Here, the male will be from the level of Keter, and the female from the level of Hochma, and the merit of Keter is known to be far greater than Hochma. We learned that the record of the level of Keter is only half of that record, and its weaker half, too, since it is unfit to draw the light on its own, while the record of phase three is a complete record, both from the perspective of the extension, and from the perspective of the clothing. Hence, you find that the complete record of phase three equalizes with the half record of the level of Keter. Understand that and remember it well through the rest here.

We will explain below how these male and female connect with the screen in Malchut of the Rosh in one coupling because of their ascent there. By this, they return and draw the expansion of the upper light to the Partzuf once more. This is named the second expansion.

It is written, “when it is not Matei [expanding] in Keter, it is because the male and female of Keter rise up, etc. Then, the root of the upper Keter bestows below.” It is as we have said above, that when it is not Matei in Keter, meaning in the first expansion, which is generally called Keter, the phase of male and female rise from that the level of Keter. The male is discerned as the record of Keter of the level of Keter, and the female is discerned as the record of Hochma of that the level of Keter. They ascend under Malchut of the Rosh, and are renewed there in a new coupling as he explains henceforth.

They remain in his place … the root of Malchut also rises to the root of Yesod: Here you must know this rule, that the ascent of the branches, which means the refinement of the coarseness in them, causes the ascent of their roots. Even though the refinement does not happen in the roots, which are the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, still the ascent of the roots is extended from the refinement in the branches themselves. This is because the branches relate to the roots as the actual to the potential. In fact, they are one entity, and the actual has only what is in the potential. Hence, if there is any manifestation of the branches, which are the Sefirot of the Guf, that manifestation must first appear in the ten Sefirot of the roots. Thus, it is true that this matter of the refinement and departure of lights from their clothing in the vessels cannot occur in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, since the clothing of lights in the vessels is only in potential there. However, the matter of the ascent of the place of the coupling is certainly there, but it occurs because of the ascent of the branches there.

This concept is among the most important in this wisdom. The ARI elaborates on this matter below in all its details, but here he speaks in general. He says that the ascent of ZON of the level of Keter of the Guf to below Malchut of the Rosh causes the incorporation of the light of Keter in the vessel of Malchut of the Rosh. These two incorporates are incorporation of the ZON of Keter of the Guf under Malchut of the Rosh in the place of the light of Keter of the Guf, and the incorporation of the light of Keter of the Guf in the vessel of Malchut herself. They cause the root of Malchut, meaning the screen contained in the vessel of Malchut of the Rosh, to rise to the place of the root of Yesod, meaning the coarseness of phase three.

The root of the upper Keter bestows below: This refers to expansive bestowal by way of a coupling in order to engender offspring, which are the ten Sefirot of the second expansion called Partzuf AB of AK, regarded as a progeny and a son of the first Partzuf of AK.

Preparation for the lower ones to receive: This means the correction of the screen to be suitable and ready to copulate with the upper light.

The Nukva of Keter is incorporated in the male: It means that this coupling is not done on the record of phase three, which is the phase of female. Rather, it is done on the phase of the record of phase four, which is the male of Keter. However, the female is incorporated with it in the illumination of the coupling, as will be explained below.

7. The interpretation of the matter is that there are several rules: 1) When two lights are in two vessels, each on its own, and afterwards, when the two lights enter one vessel, this will be called incorporation when one is contained in the other in one vessel. There is yet another reality: Since these two phases of lights, male and female, are in two vessels, what happens to them is what is said in the portion Truma, that then there is Ahava [love] in them. This means that the illumination of the male is incorporated in the female, and both are in one vessel. Also, the illumination of the Nukva is incorporated in the vessel of the male once more. Thus, they are four lights, two in each vessel, incorporated in each other, and this is the meaning of the four letters of Ahava.

Inner Light

7. Several rules: 1) When two lights are in two vessels, etc. one is contained in the other in one vessel: Interpretation: Any spiritual separation is through disparity of form, and any spiritual connection is through equivalence of form. Hence, if, for example, one light is clothed in phase four, and the other in phase three, they are regarded as two since the disparity of form distinguishes between them. They are considered two separate lights in two vessels in themselves. However, when the vessel of phase four becomes refined and remains in phase three, too, the two vessels are incorporated and become one vessel, since both are in even form. Also, the two lights are incorporated in their illumination, although in terms of their origin from the ten Sefirot of direct light, they are two kinds, such as one being Ruach and the other is Nefesh.

Two lights are in two vessels, etc., then there is Ahava [love]: This refers to the coupling of kisses, and will be explained in its place.

8. There is yet another kind of incorporation. This is the reality we are in, which are two lights without vessels, which are ZON of the Keter that rose up and are not in the vessel. It is because then their incorporation would be in the form of receiving illumination from one another, and this is their incorporation.

Inner Light

8. The reality we are in, which are two lights without vessels: Here the male and the female are considered in ascent because of the refinement of the screen from all the coarseness that was in it, as it completely equalized its form with the Emanator. These male and female of Keter are nothing but silent records that have no coarseness whatsoever. Yet, since they were first in the phase of clothing in the Guf, one on the level of Keter of Guf, and the other on the level of Hochma in the Guf, we therefore we call them male and female. This is what the ARI specifies for us here, “which are two lights without vessels, which are ZON of the Keter that rose up.” This means that these ZON have nothing of the phase of vessels since they are considered an ascent.

9. Now the Nukva is contained in the Dechura [male], since the Nukva is the light of Hochma and the male is the light of Keter that remained in the vessel. Hence, it is the male that now receives from its root, the root of Keter. This is extended to it by refining that Keter that remained above at the end of the roots, and it is greatly refined by the upper illumination of the root of Keter. Then, a great light shines in that male of the Keter, and the female is incorporated in the male and receives illumination from it, until these three phases are even in their illumination. They are the male and female of the vessel of Keter and that Keter that is on them. Once they are even, they will receive their light from the root of the upper Keter.

Inner Light

9. The Nukva is light of Hochma: Meaning, it is the record that the light of the level of Hochma left after its departure.

The male is light of Keter that remained in the vessel: This refers to the record that the light of the level of Keter left after its departure when it remained in the vessel of the level of Keter. Now it rose to the Emanator through the screen that was refined.

This is extended to it by refining that Keter that remained above at the end of the roots: Here the ARI gives us a complete order of coupling and birth of a lower Partzuf by the upper one. Hence, these matters require a very accurate understanding. He wrote that these records that rose from the departure of the first expansion are the record from the light that remains in vessel of Keter, and a record that remains in the vessel of Hochma, rose under Malchut of the Rosh to the place where the general light of the level of Keter of the first expansion was after its departure from there.

It turns out that here in Malchut of the Rosh, we have three kinds of light of the Guf of Partzuf Aleph of AK that emerged from there after the departure, and came to the Rosh of that Partzuf. These are the general level of Keter of the Guf, and the record that that the level of Keter left in the vessel of Keter of the Guf after its departure. Afterwards, it, too, rose to the Rosh by its incorporation in the screen of Malchut of Guf that ascended. That record is called the male of the vessel of Keter.

We must understand that that record is a branch of the general level of Keter mentioned above. Indeed, it is more of a branch, since it is an actual part of His self. The only difference between them is that the general light of the level of Keter was removed from the Guf entirely, immediately after the screen was refined from the coarseness of phase four. The record is that part that it left there in its vessel, and thus you find that they are one self.

There is yet a second record here, namely the light that the light of the level of Hochma of the Guf of AK left inside its vessel after its departure from that Guf. It is called the female of the Keter since she, too, rose from her vessel of Guf to the Rosh by her incorporation in the screen that was refined. (We have already elaborated on that in Part 4, Chapter 4 Inner Light, Item 50.) We must scrutinize thoroughly well there, for all the things from there should have been copied here had I not spared the length. Hence, I am being very brief here.

Remember these three names of the three lights well. They are the male of Keter, the female of Keter, and the light of Keter, according to their above explanation, because it is impossible to explain them every time. Also, remember that all those three lights are branches of Malchut of the Rosh since she brought them out to the Guf by the force of the disparity of form and the coarseness of the Guf that she gave to them, called coarseness from above downward. Now that they have been refined from this coarseness once more, they have returned to her once more and were incorporated in her as in the beginning. This is considered that the three lights rose to the place of Malchut of the Rosh. However, their order of positioning there is considered that each branch stands under its proximate root, since the light of Keter, which is all the light that rose and departed from the Guf is the closest to Malchut. The male of Keter stands behind it since it is a branch of the light of Keter, which is the record that the light of Keter left in its vessel. The female of Keter stands behind it, as she is from the coarseness of phase three, which is a branch of the male of Keter, which is from phase four.

Know that the ascents of the male and female of Keter to the Rosh caused two couplings by this ascent. The screen and the Malchut of the Rosh immediately rose to the Yesod of the Rosh. It means that Malchut left the phase four in her, and acquired the coarseness of phase three of the Rosh. The reason for her ascent is that the departure of the lights of the first expansion of the Guf caused a cessation of the bestowal of Malchut of Rosh, since she no longer had anyone to give to. The whole matter of Malchut of the Rosh stands only for bestowal, as she is not fitting for reception from the restriction onward. Instead, she raises reflected light through the coupling by striking that occurs in her. Through that reflected light that she raises, she gives and extends the upper light into the Guf. Thus, during the departure of the lights of the Guf, she cannot give to the Guf but only a restricted bestowal, sufficient only to sustain the vessels of the Guf so they are not completely revoked.

Hence, when the screen and the records of ZON of Keter in it returned to the place of Malchut, where the coupling did not stop, they immediately because coarser in the phase of coarseness of the Rosh in the entire measure contained in the records. Since phase four did not leave a record, they could not become coarser than the measure of coarseness of phase three. Then, Malchut of the Rosh, out of her great desire to bestow, left her coarseness of phase four, and acquired coarseness of phase three, which is called that she rose to the place of Yesod to make a new coupling by striking there on the screen of phase three. By this, the female of Keter will be receive her bestowal. This is one coupling that ZON of Keter caused by their ascent to the Rosh.

However, there is a record of phase four here, too, though it is from the phase of clothing, meaning the phase of the male of Keter. In itself, that record is unfit for extension of light through it, meaning to make a coupling by striking with the upper light, to raise reflected light, and the reflected light will draw light to it. However, it is suitable for connecting with the female, meaning with coarseness of extension, and understand this well.

Thus, Malchut of the Rosh made a coupling by striking here on the common coarseness from the state of four of clothing and from the state of three of extension. By this, she raised reflected light up to the level of Keter of the Rosh since she was aided by the coarseness of phase four of clothing. Thus we have thoroughly explained the two couplings that the ascents of ZON of Keter caused in Malchut of the Rosh by their ascent and incorporation in her: The first is the coupling on the coarseness of phase four of clothing and phase three of extension. In this coupling, she drew the level of Keter of the Rosh. The second is the coupling on the coarseness of phase three only. In this coupling, she draws only the level of Hochma of the Rosh.

From the explained thus far you will thoroughly understand the ARI’s words here in Item 6. He says, “ZON of Keter rise up to the place of this Keter at the end of the upper roots.” This means that so is their presence in the Rosh measured: each branch under its root—the female under the male, and the male under the light of Keter. It is written, “He rises to the place of the root of Malchut,” and then the root of Malchut also rises in the root of the Yesod where they both remain as Yesod, which is ZON. This means that in order to bestow upon the ZON of Keter that rose, she leaves her phase four, namely the place of Malchut of the Rosh, and receives the coarseness of phase three, which is the place of Yesod of the Rosh.

However, note that the ARI specifies that “they both remain as Yesod, which is ZON.” This indicates the difference here, for in several places where Malchut rises to Yesod, the Yesod rises to the Sefira above it, since Malchut acquired coarseness of phase three, and the coupling that emerges on coarseness of phase three extends only the level of Hochma. At that time, the light of Hochma comes in vessel of Keter, the Bina in vessel of Hochma, ZA in the vessel of Bina, and Malchut in vessel of ZA. Here, however, ZA did not rise to the vessel of Bina, but they both remained as Yesod, as the ARI says.

The reason for it is thoroughly explained with the above words that begin with “However.” Here there was a common coupling from the coarseness of clothing of phase four with the coarseness of extension of phase three that Malchut of the Rosh was incorporated with by the male and the female of Keter that rose in her. Because of this association with phase four of clothing, a coupling by striking was made in her by drawing the level of Keter of the Rosh. Hence, the light of Keter comes in its vessel, and the Sefirot did not change their places. Naturally, Yesod also remained in its vessel, along with the Malchut that rose to it. Thus, now there are two lights together in the vessel of Yesod. They are also the connection of male and female, meaning its own light, which is male, and the light of Malchut, which is female. That is why it is written, “which is ZON.”

It is written, “Then, the root of the upper Keter bestows below, after there is already a preparation for the lower ones to receive.” It means that the level that emerges by that common coupling is the level of Keter of the Rosh. Hence, the root of the upper Keter, meaning Keter of the Rosh, bestows below to the light of Keter, which is incorporated in the vessel of Malchut. From the light of Keter, that light comes to his record, called male of the vessel of Keter. From the male, the light reaches the Nukva of the vessel of Keter since the three of them are incorporated together.

It is written, “At that time, the Nukva of Keter is incorporated in the male.” It means that the unique coupling for her was not done in Malchut of the Rosh, namely the above second coupling on the coarseness of phase three alone. Rather, she is incorporated with the record of clothing of the male, and examine that thoroughly.

It is written here in Item 9, “This is extended to it by refining that Keter that remained above at the end of the roots.” There is a very important concept here: The coupling that was made here now is the upper coupling of the Rosh, which is done by the screen in Malchut of the Rosh. Thus, how will the light of Keter be incorporated in this coupling, which is a light that has already clothed the coarseness of the Guf, which is very far from the phase of the Rosh? This is what the ARI tells us, “This is extended to it by refining that Keter.”

This means that the screen of the Guf rose and was refined from any coarseness in the Guf until it rose to the Rosh. As a result, the entire phase of the Guf incorporated in the light of Keter had been completely sucked out. It became just as refined as the phase of the Rosh, and was therefore incorporated in Malchut in a coupling of the Rosh and received the light of Keter of the Rosh, and bestowed upon ZON of the vessel of Keter.

Then the female is incorporated in the male: As it is written in the previous item, her phase three was incorporated and participated with phase four of clothing of the male. After that, she departed from this participation since Malchut of the Rosh made a special coupling on phase three of the female, as he explains below.

These three phases are even in their illumination. They will receive their light from the root of the upper Keter: The three of them were incorporated in this coupling of Malchut of the Rosh in the common screen from the coarseness of clothing of phase four with the coarseness of extension of phase three. The reflected light that rose from here clothed up to the level of the upper Keter, namely Keter of Rosh. In addition, the matter of the incorporation of these three lights has already been explained above. Each branch is incorporated in its proximate root, meaning the Nukva of Keter in the male of Keter, the male of Keter in the light of Keter, and the light of Keter in Malchut.

10. Then, Nukva of the Keter, too, must receive from her upper root, which is the upper Hochma. Hence, the root of the upper Hochma descends in Bina, Bina in Hesed, etc., until Yesod descends in Malchut. Afterwards, that Keter, which rose to the place of the root of Malchut, descends in its place, for it cannot be there since it has no similarity with the root of Malchut. In addition, it is a branch, and Malchut is a root. Hence, it is worse than her, even though it receives from Keter. However, it descends to its place and can be there together with ZON that were in its place since then the three of them are equal, since they are all equal in their reception from the root of the upper Keter.

Inner Light

10. Nukva of the Keter must also receive from her upper root: Interpretation: This great coupling that was made on the common screen of the male and the Nukva together that drew the great light of the upper Keter remained entirely in the Rosh. It cannot expand to the Guf because the phase of coarseness of extension of phase four is absent there. This matter of the association that was made with the phase of extension of phase three was sufficient for the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, since there is no actual clothing in them. However, it is not enough for actual clothing inside the Guf. Hence, while the phase of coarseness of clothing awakened in the male of the vessel of Keter to clothe this great light in actual clothing, meaning to clothe in the ten Sefirot of the Guf, because of that, the phase of Guf incorporated in the light of Keter that stands at the place of Malchut of the Rosh immediately became apparent.

Along with it, his form became different from Malchut of the Rosh, as by this, it is regarded as having been instantly separated from Malchut and departed from there to his place, since disparity of form separates and distinguishes the spirituals from one another. Since he departed from the place of Malchut, you find that he was immediately separated from the light of the upper Keter, and only the previous restricted illumination remained in him, which is called that the light of Keter returned his face upward and his posterior downward.

He writes, “Nukva of the Keter must also receive from her upper root.” It means that the coupling is not completed by the great coupling of the level of the upper Keter, for its illumination does not expand to the Guf. Thus, there is a need for the coupling made on the phase of the female of Keter, meaning the complete coarseness of phase three, both from the phase of extension and from the phase of clothing.

From her upper root, which is the upper Hochma: It is written above that the record that remained from the level of Hochma of the first expansion after its departure is the phase of coarseness of phase three. It is made here into the phase of Nukva of the Keter, and it is the source of this second expansion.

The root of the upper Hochma descends in Bina, Bina in Hesed, etc.: The coupling made on the phase of the female of Keter, which is phase three, causes the descent of the degrees from Rosh to Sof. Keter descends to the degree of Hochma, Hochma descends to the degree of Bina, Bina descends to the degree of Hesed, etc. Finally, Yesod descends to the degree of Malchut.

The reason for it is that this coupling takes place on coarseness of phase three. It does not raise reflected light, and draws only the level of Hochma. Hence, with regard to this coupling, you find that the light of Hochma descends and clothes the vessel of Keter. It is considered that Keter descended from its degree and came to the degree of Hochma. Similarly, the light of Bina clothes vessel of Hochma, and the Sefira Hochma descends to the degree of Bina, etc., until the light of Malchut clothes the vessel of Yesod, and Yesod descends to the degree of Malchut.

That Keter, etc., since it has no similarity with the root of Malchut: During the ascent of the screen and the Sefirot to the Emanator, meaning that they were completely refined from the phase of coarseness of the Guf, meaning from above downward. By that they have come to equivalence of form with Malchut of the Rosh. Thus, it is considered that the light of the level of Keter that rose from the Guf came to the place of Malchut, since it is then as refined as Malchut, and there is no disparity of form between them whatsoever, as the ARI says (Item 9). He wrote, “This is extended to it by refining that Keter that remained above at the end of the roots” (Inner Light, Item 9).

However, afterwards, this first above-mentioned coupling that was extended, the level of the upper Keter has been completed in the form of from below upward as it is in the Rosh. Then came his time to turn around and expand from above downward, too, for clothing in the Guf, as it is in all the couplings. At that time, the light of Keter in the place of Malchut of the Rosh awakened to expand to the Guf once more, as it was there in the beginning. However, the phase of Nukva of the Rosh was not in her place in phase four, since the phase four of the phase of extension was missing there (Inner Light, Item 10). Hence, she could not expand from above downward in ten Sefirot from her and within her down to the Tabur of the Guf, and all this great light of this coupling remained in the Rosh.

Still, because the light of Keter had awakened to return and expand in the Guf as in the beginning, even though it did not return, this awakening still caused the disclosure of the coarseness of the Guf in it from the time it was there in the beginning. Since the coarseness of the Guf appeared in it, its form has changed from that of Malchut of Rosh, and it longer had any semblance to her since it has grown as far from her as the Guf is far from the Rosh.

He says, “Afterwards, that Keter, which rose to the place of the root of Malchut, descends in its place, for it cannot be there since it has no similarity with the root of Malchut. In addition, it is a branch, and Malchut is a root.” It means that after the coupling is completed, the coarseness of the Guf awakened in him and his form was changed from Malchut until he had no similarity to her. Hence, he necessarily descended from there and returned to his place. It is written, “for this is a root and that is a branch,” since the phase of the Guf is a branch and the phase of the Rosh is a root.

It comes down to its place: It is below the vessel of Malchut of the Rosh, meaning a medium between the Rosh and the Guf. This is because it cannot descend and expand to the Guf since the Nukva of the Rosh does not expand in her ten Sefirot of reflected light to become vessels to clothe him, as written in the previous item. He also cannot be in the Rosh because of the above-mentioned disparity of form. Hence, He is regarded as a medium between them.

They are all equal, having received equally from the root of the upper Keter: Before the second coupling was made on the screen of coarseness from phase three, only on the phase of the female of Keter, the female was still incorporated with phase four of the male, and the male of Keter was incorporated in the light of Keter. Hence, now the three of them are equal in their reception from the upper Keter, meaning what they still receive from the level of Keter of Rosh.

11. At that time, the illumination of the root of Hochma was extended downward, and the male was incorporated in the Nukva. The Nukva receives first, since she equalizes in merit with the male, and both receive from the root of the upper Keter equally. Since they now receive from root of Hochma, the Nukva receives first from all three here, they receive from her and are incorporated in her, as in, “A virtuous woman is her husband’s crown.”

Inner Light

11. At that time, the illumination of the root of Hochma was extended ‎downward: It means that the coupling was made on the screen of phase three of Malchut of the Rosh without the participation of the coarseness of extension of phase four. At that time, the reflected light that ascends from below upward attains no more than the level of the upper Keter, but only up to the level of upper Hochma of the Rosh. It is written about that, “At that time, the illumination of the root of Hochma was extended downward,” meaning Hochma of the Rosh.

The male was incorporated in the Nukva, etc., and both receive from the root of the upper Keter equally: Interpretation: Now that the coupling was made on screen of phase three that draws only the level of Hochma of the Rosh, you find that the light of Hochma of the Rosh clothed the phase of vessel of Keter of the Rosh. Since Keter and Hochma were incorporated in one another in the Rosh, too, it follows that the male, which is a record of the level of Keter, and the female, which is a record of the level of Hochma, were also incorporated in each other, and the male receives the light of the coupling of the female. It is said that since the male and the female received in the first coupling equally from the upper Keter of the Rosh, now, too, after the light of Hochma came to the vessel of Keter of the Rosh, they receive from the vessel of Keter, too, both of them equally.

The Nukva receives first from all three here, they receive from her, etc.: This means that in the beginning, in the first coupling, when the level of Keter of the Rosh was extended, the light of the coupling belonged to the light of Keter that rose from the Guf to Malchut of the Rosh, as well as to the male of the vessel of Keter, who is the record of the level of Keter. However, Nukva did not have any connection to this light of the upper Keter since she is the record of the level of Hochma.

It follows, that Nukva receives from all those three lights because of her incorporation in them. Now, however, when the coupling is made on her phase, namely phase three, the Nukva is the prime receiver of these three lights, since the other two do not belong to the level of Hochma, but receive from it.

12. Yet, the descent of the root of Hochma below, in the place of the root Bina, etc., is for several reasons: The first is that when she is near the root of Keter, she cannot shine, and her light is canceled in the light that is extended from Keter. Also, she must draw nearer down so that the Nukva in Keter may receive from him first. This causes the closeness of the root to her one degree more than the closeness of the male in Keter to his root.

In addition, we have explained that the roots never cease giving below since the lower ones want to receive. Hence, the root of Keter does not stop bestowing downward the whole time ZON are outside of their vessel. This is why Hochma cannot bestow. Hence, when Hochma departs and descends below, to the place of Bina, her place will remain vacant. At that time, while the abundance flows from the root of Keter fills that vacant space, Hochma bestows downward. It follows that then, even if Keter bestows, he does not cancel the illumination of Hochma.

Inner Light

12. She is near the root of Keter, she cannot shine, and her light is canceld in the light that is extended from Keter: It means that if the degrees did not descend, but the light of Keter would be in vessel of Keter and the light of Hochma in the vessel of Hochma, etc., then the light of Hochma would not be able to bestow upon the Guf, since then it is annulled in the light of Keter, as all the lower Sefirot are annulled and become indistinguishable compared to the highest Sefira in the degree.

For this reason, although each degree has ten Sefirot, it is named only after the highest among them. Hence, it is impossible for the light of Hochma to be revealed below unless a coupling is made only on phase three, for then the degrees descend and the light of Hochma comes to the vessel of Keter, and then the light of Hochma is the highest Sefira and its illumination is apparent.

ZON are outside of their vessel. This is why Hochma cannot bestow: This means that as long as they are at the Rosh, they are without a vessel. Hence, as long as the degrees are in their place, and the light of the upper Keter is in its vessel, its illumination always comes to ZON, and they are unwilling to receive another light that is smaller than that. Thus, the descent of the degrees is required, that the light of Keter will not shine in its vessel, but the light of Hochma.

Hence, when Hochma departs and descends below, to the place of Bina, her place will remain vacant: Interpretation: When the degree of Hochma descends to the degree of Bina, the degree of Hochma is vacant, and there is no other place for the light of Hochma to clothe if not in the vessel of Keter, as its own vessel serves the light of Bina.

At that time, the abundance flows from the root of Keter fills that vacant space, Hochma bestows downward: It follows, that while a light that is extended from the vessel of Keter fills that deficient degree of Hochma, meaning that the light of Hochma itself clothes there, the degree of Hochma gives below, and is not annulled in the light of Keter, since now it is the highest Sefira in the Rosh, and no degree is higher than it.

13. However, the descent of Hochma below will not diminish her illumination when the Emanator grows one degree further since the light of the upper Keter fills that place of vacant space. Otherwise, had a vacant space been left there, the light from the Emanator to Hochma would have ceased, and she would even lose the Hochma. It would have been better to leave her in her place. Now, however, when the light of Keter fills the place of that vacant space, there is a passageway for the light of the Emanator to bestow in the root of Hochma, and she does not lose at all.

Inner Light

13. Will not diminish her illumination when the Emanator grows one degree further: This means that after the vessel of Hochma descended to the degree of Bina because the light of Bina clothed it, it did not create any cessation between the Sefirot because of the missing degree of Hochma there. This is so for the above reason that no vacant space remained there inside the degrees, as the vessel of Keter, where light of Hochma has clothed, fills the place of that deficiency. It is written, “Now, however, when the light of Keter fills the place of that vacant space, there is a passageway for the light of the Emanator to bestow in the root Hochma.” This means that the light of Hochma that is bestowed from the Emanator, is bestowed in vessel of Keter, and Keter fills the place of Hochma.

14. After ZON received from the root of Hochma, too, they do not need to suckle any longer. Then ZON descend in their vessel, the root Hochma rises to her place, and the root of Keter gathers a part of the light to it. That Keter at the end of the roots receives only the vitality it needs. Now he is called Matei [expanding] in the Keter to the vessel since the light returned to its vessel. However, the root of the upper Keter is called not Matei below in Akudim. Thus, we have concluded from all this that the light in the first vessel is called Keter, having only light of Hochma since the light of Keter remained above, at the end of the roots. This is the meaning of, “In wisdom You have made them all.”

Inner Light

14. After ZON have received from the root of Hochma, too, they do not need to suckle any longer: After the coupling was made on the complete coarseness of phase three, both from the perspective of the extension, and the perspective of the clothing, therefore, the Nukva of Keter can expand from above downward in ten Sefirot to the Guf with the light that she receives from the Rosh. The male of the vessel of Keter descends and expands along with her to the Guf. This is why it is written that then ZON descend in their vessel, meaning the Guf.

Then ZON descend in their vessel, the root Hochma rises to her place, and the root of Keter gathers a part of the light to it: The matter of the decline of the above-mentioned degrees that is done in the Rosh, was only for the time of the coupling. However, after the coupling, and after ZON descended into their vessel, the degrees returned to their place as in the beginning, the light of the upper Keter returned to vessel of Keter, and the light of Hochma to vessel of Hochma etc. Yet, the upper Keter did not shine to the light of Keter below Malchut until it could expand to the Guf as in the beginning. Rather, “the root of Keter gathers the light to it. That Keter at the end of the roots receives only the vitality it needs,” and not in a way that it can expand to the Guf as in the beginning, for the above-mentioned reason.

Matei in the Keter to the vessel: This is because that light of the coupling that is made in the phase of female of Keter of phase three of the Rosh, which is in the level of Hochma, clothing the vessel of Keter, descends with the above-mentioned male and Nukva into the Guf, and clothes the vessel of Keter of the Guf, too. It is written, “since the light returned to its vessel,” meaning the vessel of Keter that belongs to the light of Hochma, since it is extended so from the phase of the coupling. This is why it is called Matei in Keter of Guf.

The root of the upper Keter is called not Matei below in Akudim: It means that when it is written Matei in Keter of the Guf, it does not mean that the light of Keter of the Rosh shines in the Guf, as this light of Keter is always not Matei inside the Guf. Rather, it means light of Hochma of the Rosh, but clothing in the vessel of Keter.

Thus, we have concluded, etc., having only light of Hochma: He lets us know that in this entire second expansion, when it writes “light of Keter,” it means only light of Hochma, as we have learned here that there is no light of Keter in the Guf at all, but only the light of Hochma. However, because it clothes in the vessel of Keter, we call it “light of Keter.”

15. *Now we will explain the reality of this departure of the upper light. When evaluating this reality of the vessel that contains all the light, it is necessary that when the light departs from it, there will be parts in it that are suitable for looking to that light. When it draws far from them, the face-to-face looking draws as far from them as it has drawn far. The lesson in this is that when the light departs from the tenth part of that vessel, which will later be called Malchut, that tenth part of that vessel, from which that light departed, thus becomes a vessel. At that time, the vessel turns its face downward because it has now been discerned as a vessel. When separated from its light, it is unable to look at it face-to-face, and then, it turns its face after it has become a vessel, and then it looks at the upper light that has drawn far from it only through the posterior.

Inner Light

15. Parts in it that are suitable for looking to that light: The place of bestowal, or the place of reception of the vessel, is called face [anterior]. The bestowal, or the reception itself, is called looking or gazing. It is said that when the light departs from the vessel, there will be parts in it that are suitable for looking at that light, since the departure is done by the refinement of the coarseness in the screen established in the vessel. It is known that there are four phases in the screen. For example, if phase four of the vessel is refined, and the light departs from the vessel because of it, three phases of coarseness still remain in the vessel from which the light has not departed, and they are still suitable for gazing on the light.

The face-to-face looking draws as far from them as it has drawn far: If the coarseness has been refined from phase four, the light draws far from the vessel to the extent of phase four, and not from the three other phases. If it also draws far from phase three, the light will draw far from the measure of coarseness of phase three in the vessel, too, and not from the rest of the vessel, which is from phase two and above.

At that time, the vessel turns its face downward: Here we must remember everything the ARI says regarding the first expansion of Akudim in Part 4 regarding the descending reflected light from the levels that emerge during the refinement, and shines to the empty vessels located under the place of the coupling. The matter of striking that these illuminations made with the records that remain in those vessels (see Part 4, Chapter 9, and Inner Light, Items 50, 90). From there you will understand that after the coarseness has been refined from phase three to phase two, for example, the coupling is made in phase two and phase three remains empty without its light. At that time, the reflected light descends from the illumination of the coupling of phase two into the vessel of the empty phase three. Then there is a striking and a clash between the descending reflected light and the record in the empty vessel. And since the reflected light comes from the illumination of the coupling, it overpowers the record from phase three that remained in the vessel, since the record is from the departure of the coupling. For this reason, the record must exit there and rise above the vessel as Tagin [tags], making room for the reflected light to come down into its vessel. Know that this reflected light that descended into the empty vessel operates in the vessel that will turn its face downward and its posterior upward, as the ARI says here.

You already know that from the perspective of the extension of light in the vessel, the wall of the vessel is divided into two halves called anterior and posterior, or internality and externality, as the ARI says (Part 4, Chapter 5, Item 3). Accordingly, you find that that empty vessel of the above-mentioned phase three is divided into anterior and posterior. The coarser half of the wall is called anterior since it draws the upper light to it through a coupling, and its half of the wall that is not so coarse is called posterior, since it is silent in the vessel, and the light has no contact with it.

All this refers only to a time when the light is present in the degree. However, during the departure of the light from the degree of phase three to phase two, made in the coupling of phase two when the illumination of this coupling descends to the empty vessel of the empty phase three, these two halves of the wall are turned. The anterior half becomes posterior, and the posterior half becomes anterior. This is because the reflected light that descends from phase two into the empty vessel draws far from the coarseness of phase three there since it is light from phase two. It draws nearer to the half of the wall of the vessel that is closest to phase two, and shines there. Thus, the coarsest of that vessel does not receive any illumination from that reflected light, and now becomes he posterior of the vessel, and the most refined of that vessel now becomes the anterior of the vessel since the light shines only in its refined part.

This is the meaning of “at that time, the vessel turns its face downward,” since it cannot receive anything from the illumination of the coupling made in the upper phase, the anterior becomes posterior, and turns its posterior upward since it is now all that receives from the illumination of the reflected light that descended to it, and the posterior becomes anterior. This is called inversion.

It has now been discerned as a vessel: However, afterwards, when the phase above it also becomes a vessel, meaning that the coupling departs from there, too, the illumination of the reflected light stops descending to it. Then the vessel returns its anterior upward as in the beginning, since its posterior has now lost all its merit, as the record now begins to shine to the vessel, and the illumination of the record reaches only the anterior of the vessel. It is like the light prior to its departure, not reaching its posterior. You find that the vessel has been restored as in the beginning.

It looks at the upper light, etc., through the posterior: This means that then you find that the illumination of the coupling that descends to it from the top phase is received only through the posterior of the vessel, which is the more refined part in it. This is considered that the vessel turned its posterior upward.

16. Now the upper light, too, will be called posterior during its departure, and that vessel will be back-to-back with that light. After that light also departs, one more portion, which will later be called the phase of Yesod, departed from all of it. Then, that part will also turn its anterior from the upper light for it will not be able to receive it. In that state, the first vessel, called Malchut, will be able to turn its anterior upward since the light drew far from it. Then Malchut and Yesod will be face-to-face, but Yesod will be back-to-back with the upper light.

Inner Light

16. Now the upper light, too, will be called posterior: The matter of the designations anterior and posterior applies only to the vessels since in the light, they are called expansion and departure. The ARI calling the departure light here by the name posterior is only as an allegory, since he wants to compare the matter of the departure of the light with the matter of the posterior in the vessels, and call them posterior in posterior [back-to-back]. The ARI has already explained the reason that the empty vessels are called posterior and departure in Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 4.

Will be able to turn its anterior upward since the light drew far from it: After the coupling stops at the highest phase, too, and the illumination of the coupling stops descending to the vessel, the record shines in the vessel once more. Then the vessel returns its anterior upward as in the beginning, the anterior shines from the phase of the record, and the posterior of the vessel downward, as in the beginning, since it does not receive any illumination now.

17. Also, when the phase of light of Hod departs, Hod will be back-to-back with the upper light. Then Yesod will turn its anterior to Hod, Hod and Yesod will be face-to-face, and Malchut will be face-to-back, and the anterior of Malchut in the posterior of Yesod. This is so because the lust and the yearning of the Sefira to return its anterior to the light, but the near Sefira to the light still cannot return its anterior to it before it draws the measure of one Sefira far from the light.

Inner Light

17. Before it draws the measure of one Sefira far from the light: As long as there is a coupling in the highest Sefira, the illumination of the coupling comes from there to the empty Sefira below it. At that time, this illumination reaches only the phase of posterior in the vessel, and not at all the anterior. Thus, the anterior of the vessel are turned downward. However, after the light departs from the highest Sefira, as well, although there is still a coupling in the Sefira above the highest, the illumination of the coupling reaches only from the upper one to the lower one, meaning from the cause to the consequence, but not from above its cause. Hence, the illumination of the record turns its anterior upward once more. This is what he specifies: “Before it draws the measure of one Sefira far from the light,” and examine carefully.

18. Also, when the light departs from the phase of Netzah, Netzah will be back-to-back with the upper light and face-to-face with Hod. Yesod will be face-to-back with Hod, and Malchut face-to-back with Yesod, as well. It is likewise similarly until the light departs from all ten parts of the vessel. Then, all the Sefirot will be face-to-back, the anterior of the lower one in the posterior of the upper one. However, Keter will be face-to-face with Hochma since the Keter is back-to-back with the upper light for the above reason, and therefore, Keter and Hochma must be face-to-face.

Inner Light

18. Keter is back-to-back with the upper light: This is because phase four did not leave a record. It is known that phase four draws the light of Keter. Although the light of Keter itself left a record in its vessel, it is still only the phase of a record of clothing, and not a record of extension (see Inner Light, Item 6). This is considered the posterior with regard to the extension. For this reason, it is also considered its posterior being turned upward, and anterior downward.

Keter and Hochma must be face-to-face: Hochma has a complete record from the phase of extension. This record returns its anterior upward. Keter lacks the record of extension; hence, its posterior are turned upward. Hence, they are equalized with one another, which is called face-to-face. This will be clarified below.

19. Thus we have explained the departure, and how the vessels were made by that. Yet, although we have explained the existence of the vessel of Malchut and Yesod, in this vessel, etc., this is not why they are called ten vessels, since it is still not apparent that they are ten Sefirot, as well as that the light departed together. The thing is that it is like one long vessel whose parts are not equal with respect to the distancing of those parts from one end to the other. Thus we have explained the existence of the light, its expansion, and its departure, and they are two phases.

20. Now there is another expansion and departure, as will be explained, and then the four phases will be completed. The thing is that when this phase of the vessel was completed and became a vessel by the departure of the light, when the light expands in it once more, there will remain lights and vessels. However, when the light expands in this vessel for the second time, it does not expand in the first order, but appears and disappears. This is the meaning of what is written in The Zohar, “Matei and not Matei” [expanding and not expanding]. These two phases are called expansion and departure, by which the four phases will be completed.

Inner Light

20. “Matei and not Matei.” These two phases are called expansion and departure, by which the four phases will be completed‎: This refers to the four letters of the name HaVaYaH. This is because these two phases of expansion and departure of the first expansion of Akudim that he introduced above in Item 19, are the two letters Yod-Hey of HaVaYaH. These two phases of expansion and departure in the second expansion of Akudim, called Matei and not Matei, are the two letters Vav-Hey of HaVaYaH.

The light Matei inside the vessel of Keter. Will be explained below.

21. The thing is that in the beginning, the light expands inside the vessel of Keter, and then departs from it. After that, the light expands in the vessel of Hochma, and then departs once more. It does the same in all ten vessels, and this is called Matei and not Matei [expanding and not expanding] that is always mentioned in The Zohar. It is always in the nature of that light to come and shine, and then depart, as it is the nature of a candle’s flame to sway. Also, that light always remains Matei and not Matei in those vessels called Akudim. Because they are in one vessel, that vessel has no power to tolerate the light if it is not Matei and not Matei. Thus we have explained the four phases that are the first expansion and its departure, and the second expansion and its departure. We have also explained that the second expansion and departure are called Matei and not Matei. For this reason, that vessel is called Akudim, since it is one vessel that connects and ties ten lights within it.

Inner Light

21. Because they are in one vessel, that vessel has no power to tolerate the light: Until the world of Nekudim, there is no more than one vessel in the entire ten Sefirot. Even though we refer to the other Sefirot as vessels, it is only as a metaphor, to simplify matters, as the ARI said above, in Part 4, Chapter 1. This is the reason for the refinement and the departure of lights of the first expansion of Akudim, as well as the Matei and not Matei of the second expansion of Akudim, as the ARI wrote above in Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 3. Since the ten inner lights and ten surrounding lights are connected and tied in one vessel, etc., they strike and clash with one another.

Hence, the coarseness in the screen is refined and the lights depart. It is the same manner in all those ten exits and ten entrances that were here in the second expansion. They, too, are for the reason that the surrounding light and inner light that are connected together in their root in Malchut of the Rosh, strike each other as they depart from there to the Guf, since the screen prevents the surrounding light from expanding to its place in the Guf, meaning from Tabur downward. For this reason, it refines the screen, and the screen cannot tolerate and limit the inner light inside the vessels, and the lights depart and return, as is written below, and see Part 4, Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 7.

22. This also explains why the vessel is called one vessel, alone, and the lights are called ten. This is because when the light departs, everything is called one vessel, and not ten vessels. Conversely, the lights within them, when they expand once more in a real expansion, which is the second expansion, it does not expand at once inside the vessel, as it departed, but rather enters and exits ten exits and ten entries. It enters and exits ten times: once in Keter, once in Hochma, and so forth in all of them. This is why they are called ten lights, but the vessel is made at once in one departure, when it departed at once. For this reason, it is called one vessel.

Inner Light

22. They are called ten lights, but the vessel is made at once: Compared to the vessel, all these departures are regarded as one departure since here, there is still only one vessel, which is only the vessel of Malchut. There is no recognition of a vessel in the first nine Sefirot, and all those exits and entries made in it are considered one long vessel whose parts are not equal, as the ARI says above in Item 19. Know that all these are preparations for the correction of the ten vessels in the ten Sefirot.

Matters are done gradually: In the first expansion of AK, there is still no recognition through the departure, even in the discernment in the lights, and it is not evident that they are ten lights. In the second expansion, there is a discernment in the ten Sefirot that they are ten lights, and in the expansion of the ten Sefirot in the world of Nekudim, there is a recognition of the ten vessels in the GAR, and not in the seven lower Sefirot. In the world of Atzilut, the matter is completed, and ten complete vessels are made in all ten Sefirot.

23. These four phases are the actual four letters HaVaYaH. The Yod-Vav are two phases of expansion, and the Hey-Hey are two phases of departure. You already know that the name HaVaYaH begins only from Hochma downward. The reason is that these four phases belong only to Hochma and under, but Keter contains only two phases. And correspondingly, it is called Yod-Hey, Yod-Hey-Vav-Hey. This is the meaning of, “For in Koh [Yod-Hey] is the Lord [HaVaYaH], an everlasting rock.” This is because He first began to picture and create the world in them. This is the meaning of Akudim, which are the Yod-Hey HaVaYaH, since Yod-Hey in Keter, HaVaYaH in all the other Partzufim.

Inner Light

23. The Yod-Vav are two phases of expansion, and the Hey-Hey are two phases of departure: The first expansion is the Yod; the second expansion is the Vav. The first departure is the first Hey, and the second departure is the last Hey.

HaVaYaH begins only from Hochma downward: It is known that Yod means Hochma, Vav means ZA, the First Hey means Bina, and the last Hey means Malchut. Keter, however, is not implied in the four letters, except in the tip of the Yod. This is so for the reason that the ARI explains below.

24. The reason is that below, the nine Sefirot have the four deficiencies of the light. This, in itself, will cause the giving of the name of the upper light, to be able to called these four deficiencies by the name HaVaYaH. They are those: The first is the expansion of the light for the first time. At that time, the light begins to expand in Keter, the first among them, and then, all nine below it lack that light. In this way, when the light appeared in the reality of Keter, all the others were still absent. This is the first deficiency in the first expansion of the nine vessels. This deficiency is absent in Keter.

Inner Light

24. The four deficiencies of the light. This, in itself, will cause the giving of the name of the upper light, to be able to called these four deficiencies by the name HaVaYaH: Interpretation: The meaning of the letters is vessels that were emanated and made by the sparks that fell from the reflected light of the four levels that emerged during the departure of the light of the first expansion. They came into the empty vessels after the departure of the light from them, as has been explained in the ARI’s words above, Part 4, chapter, Item 12 (see Inner Light there, Item 100). Any “name” implies attainment, since “Anything that we do not attain, we do not call by a name.” It is known that there is no attainment in the light without a vessel.

It has also been explained in the words of the ARI above (Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 9), that the expansion of the light and its subsequent departure caused the making of the vessel. Thus, the lack of light causes the existence of the vessels and the holy names. It is written, “The nine Sefirot have the four deficiencies of the light. This, in itself, will cause the giving of the name of the upper light, to be able to called these four deficiencies by the name HaVaYaH.” In other words, it is so that there will be a possibility to attain Him in that name.

The expansion of the light for the first time, etc. This is the first deficiency in the first expansion of the nine vessels: This means that when the light began to expand in Keter, the light was in direct light, mercy. At that time, all nine below it lacked that complete light. Although they emerged afterwards, during the departure, in four degrees that the screen had made during its refinement, they are considered reflected light and judgment, and are therefore called dots [Nekudot]. Hence, there is a deficiency here in the lower nine of the first expansion. However, there is no deficiency here in Keter whatsoever, which is why Keter is not implied in the letters of the name HaVaYaH, as they imply the lack of the light. Rather, the expansion of the nine Sefirot below Keter, which are the four levels HB ZON that emerged as reflected light and judgment, imply the Yod of HaVaYaH. Also, the departure of the entire the first expansion in general, is the Hey of HaVaYaH, and they are called Yod-Hey of Keter, as the whole of the first expansion is called Keter.

25. In the second expansion, this deficiency will also be in the nine Sefirot once more, and not in the Keter. Hence, there are two deficiencies in the nine Sefirot, and not in Keter. This is so because when no light is emanated, it is not called a deficiency. However, once this light begins to expand, it first expands in Keter. At that time, the nine Sefirot will be regarded as lacking that light, as the light of Keter preceded them. However, the other two deficiencies are found in both Keter and the nine Sefirot, and it is the two phases of departure, since this is called a true deficiency, whether to the nine Sefirot or to the Keter itself.

Inner Light

25. In the second expansion, this deficiency will also be in the nine Sefirot once more, not in the Keter: This is so because in the second expansion, too, only Keter emerged in the phase of Taamim [tastes]. However, the other nine Sefirot emerged during the refinement as Nekudot [dots], and that deficiency appeared in them a second time. Hence, Keter of the second expansion is not implied in the four letters HaVaYaH, even in the second expansion, as there is no deficiency in it, but only from Hochma downward, which are the four levels HB ZON that emerge because of the refinement of the screen, as he writes below, which are called Nekudot. They are implied in the Vav of HaVaYaH and the general departure of this second expansion is the last Hey of HaVaYaH.

The ARI says above, in Item 23, about this second expansion, HaVaYaH in all the other Partzufim. This is because the two deficiencies of the first expansion are present in this second expansion, too, as is written below.

The nine Sefirot will be regarded as lacking that light, as the light of Keter preceded them: This means that the matter of the deficiency in them is only compared to the light of Keter that preceded them in its merit. Compared to it, they are regarded as reflected light and judgment, although in themselves, they are mercy since they, too, are extended from the Emanator from above downward, as the ARI wrote above (Part 4, Chapter 2, Item 1).

It is known that all that is extended from above downward is mercy, but compared to the light of Keter they are considered judgment since they only exit by the departure of its light (see the words of the ARI Part 4, Chapter 6, and Inner Light, Item 9). However, the two phases of the general departure of the first expansion and the second expansion, implied in the two letters Hey-Hey of the name HaVaYaH, are a true deficiency and judgment in themselves, too, as the ARI says below.

We understand from all the above that the Yod in HaVaYaH is the light of Nekudot of the first expansion, meaning the nine Sefirot from Hochma downward that emerged there during the departure of the light of Taamim. The first Hey in the name HaVaYaH is the general departure of this the first expansion, the Vav in the name HaVaYaH implies the light Nekudot of the second expansion, which are the nine Sefirot from Hochma and below that emerged during the departure of the light of Taamim during that second expansion. The last Hey in the name HaVaYaH implies the general departure of this second expansion. Thus, the two expansions of light Nekudot imply the Yod-Vav in the name HaVaYaH, and the two departures imply the Hey-Hey in the name HaVaYaH.

He writes, in Item 23, “Yod-Hey in Keter, HaVaYaH in all the other Partzufim.” It means that the expansion of the nine Sefirot from Hochma downward that emerged during the departure of the light of Keter of the first expansion, and the departure of the light of the first expansion in general, is the meaning of the “Yod-Hey in Keter.” This is so because as a whole, the first expansion is called Keter, as it is known that it is Partzuf Keter of AK. These two deficiencies of the light, meaning the departure in relation to Keter, and not in relation to themselves. The phase of its real departure, in themselves, too, is necessarily received inside the second expansion, since all the forces that appear in the upper one must necessarily be in its lower one, as well. Hence, these Yod-Hey of the first expansion are in the second expansion, too. Added to them are these two deficiencies of the light with respect to itself, which are the phase of departure in relation to the Keter of the second expansion, and not in relation to the lower nine themselves. It is also the real, collective phase of departure of the second expansion, implied in the Vav-Hey. Thus, in the second expansion, there are all four letters of the name HaVaYaH. It is written, “HaVaYaH in all the other Partzufim,” meaning the Partzufim of the second expansion.

26. We shall explain this matter that is written, that these phases are called, “For in Koh [Yod-Hey] is the Lord [HaVaYaH], an everlasting Rock.” This is the meaning of the verse, “Extol Him that rides upon the skies, whose name is in Koh.” We must be meticulous with this verse. He should have said, “His name is Yod-Hey, what is “His name is in Yod-Hey [Koh]”? The thing is that the entire name is contained in the Yod-Hey, and this is the meaning of, “whose name is in Koh.” The Yod-Hey in its fullest is Yod [comprised of the letters Yod-Vav-Dalet] He [comprised of the letters Hey-Aleph], twenty-six in Gematria, which is HaVaYaH. Thus, in Yod-Hey is the actual name HaVaYaH, and the name Yod-Hey in Keter indicates how the name HaVaYaH emerged from it containing all four letters HaVaYaH.

Inner Light

26. Thus, in Yod-Hey is the actual name HaVaYaH, etc., indicates how the name HaVaYaH emerged from it: This is the meaning of the verse, “Extol Him that rides upon the skies [Heb: Aravot]”: Aravot implies Eruv [Heb: mixture] of the quality of mercy with judgment. It begins in the Partzufim of the second expansion, and it says, “whose name is in Koh [in Yod-Hey].” In Yod-Hey implies Keter, where there was still no mixture, and yet, the HaVaYaH of the second expansion was extended from it, and in all the other Partzufim until the world of Atzilut, where the mixture ends, and ten vessels emerge. This is the whole reason to give a good reward to the righteous, as it is written above (Part 4, Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 4). This is the meaning of the verse, “Extol Him that rides upon the skies,” who mixed and associated the quality of mercy with judgment, which emerged from the Yod-Hey is His name, in Keter, which is the meaning of expansion and departure. And in that, “Exult before Him,” for in that was all the good reward prepared and concealed for the righteous.

27. *Know that all those vessels did not gain coarseness and become vessels until after the departure of the light of Malchut. At that time, he turned his anterior from the vessel. It is so because although the upper light of the vessel of Keter departed and rose to the Emanator, because light of Hochma rose in its place, the vessel of Keter does not gain coarseness and materialize. It is the same in all the other lights. You find that since it has been explained above, in the previous study, that the light of Keter of Akudim departs first, and the light of Malchut departs last, it follows that the existence of the vessel begins only from below and above, and the vessel of Malchut is made before all the others, for since the light of Malchut departs last, when it departs from its own vessel, the vessel does not become coarser until its departure from its entire vessel is completed. Then the nine upper vessels still have light although none of them has a part of the light that truly reaches its own part. For this reason, they do not become coarse and materialize.

However, the vessel of Malchut, which has been entirely emptied of her light, and there is also no other light below her to rise inside her, hence, she gains coarseness and becomes a vessel. But she does not become completely coarse until the light departs from her entirely, three degrees, etc. The reason for this will be understood with the above-mentioned, that any less than three is akin to being alone. Thus, after the light moved away three complete degrees, the vessel becomes completely dark and its making is completed.

Inner Light

27. Until the light departs from her entirely, three degrees, etc.: The vessel is made only by the complete departure of the light from it, both inner light and surrounding light. It is known that up to two degrees, the vessel still receives surrounding light. For this reason, it does not become a vessel until the light draws far from it by three degrees. Take the vessel of ZA for example. When the light of ZA departs from the vessel and rises to Bina, it is no longer considered distancing of the degree, since it still receives Yechida of inner light. Only when it departs and rises to Hochma does it depart one degree from the vessel, and receives the first surrounding light. Afterwards, when it departs two degrees and ascends to Keter, it still receives the second surrounding light. Thus, the vessel is not yet entirely dark until it departs from Keter to the Emanator, as well. At that time, the vessel does not obtain any light, and it is completed.

The same applies to the vessel of Malchut. When the light departs one degree from her, meaning when the light of Malchut ascends to ZA, she still receives the first surrounding light. When it departs two degrees, meaning when she ascends to Bina, she still receives the second surrounding light. Only when the light of Malchut ascends to Hochma, which is the third degree, she no long receives any illumination, the vessel of Malchut becomes completely dark, and it is completed.

Hence, the vessels were not completed from Bina and above, since even when the light of Bina ascends to Keter, Bina still receives Yechida of inner light. This is not considered a distancing of degree at all, much less so with Keter and Hochma. Study all that in the ARI’s words above (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 15).

Besides the above, there is yet another condition for the completion of the vessel, namely the completeness of the outer half of the wall of the vessel, mentioned in the ARI’s words above (Part 4, Chapter 4, Item 3). As long as there is not the outer half of the wall of the vessel that belongs to the Surrounding Light, the vessel is not completed. Thus, the vessels of GAR did not attain any surrounding lights during their ascent to the Emanator, as the ARI says there. Consequently, the vessels of GAR lack the outer half of the wall of their outer vessel. For this reason, they were completed only later, in the second expansion, as the ARI says here.

28. You find that after the departure of the light of Malchut, it rose to its root inside the Peh of AK. At that time, the work of the seven lower vessels from Hesed to Malchut ends. Thus, the end of their work was through the departure of the lights, and when they departed, their vessels were made. However, the work of the three upper vessels of Keter, Hochma, Bina, was not over since they have not become distant by three complete degrees from the light of Malchut that rose to the Emanator. Yet, the end of their work was afterwards, when the lights returned to come down a second descent into the above vessels.

Inner Light

28. Yet, the end of their work was afterwards, when the lights returned to come down a second descent: It is so because then the externality of their vessels was completed and the lights were also permanently diminished there, since only the light of Hochma came to the vessel of Keter, and the light of Bina to the vessel of Hochma, etc., and that completes their vessels.

29. We shall add another explanation about the making of those vessels. It has been explained in the previous study that the three kinds of light that emerged from the AHP of AK are considered NRN and clothe each other. However, the light that emerges from the Eynaim of AK is called Neshama to Neshama, which is called Haya. Its place is up there in the Ayin, but it expands below, as we will explain. It is so because it stands in its place as surrounding light to them, and from it, a thin, very small light expands downward, called seeing. It is not a complete Hevel [vapor] like the Havalim [pl. of Hevel] that emerge from the AHP, which are complete, tangible, and sensed Havalim. In addition, since it is a very thin and weak light, the vessels of Akudim that exit from the Peh were made of it, and the lights were not made, since it is a weak light.

However, the light of AHP was not an actual tangible and sensed Hevel. Even the vessels could not be made since they are lower lights than the light of the Eynaim. For this reason, they come out as actual, sensed Hevel, and thus the lights that are called NRN were made.

Inner Light

29. Light that emerged from the‎ AHP of AK are considered NRN: This has already been explained in the ARI’s words above (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 6), and in Inner Light there.

The light that emerges from the Eynaim, etc., Its place is up there in the Ayin, etc., as surrounding light: This refers to the phase of surrounding light of Yechida to ZA. However, as the ARI says (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 17, and see there in Inner Light), it does not reach the Nukva whatsoever, even as surrounding light.

A thin, very small light expands downward, called seeing. It is not a complete Hevel [vapor] like the Havalim [pl. of Hevel] that emerge from the AHP, which are complete Havalim: The reflected light that expands from above downward with the direct light within it into ten Sefirot called Guf is called Hevel. This is because it emerges from the coupling by striking in the coarseness in the screen. If there is great coarseness, the reflected light is greater, and the level is greater. Hence, until phase two, the coarseness in the screen is considered sufficient to raise reflected light to extend the light from below upward in a sufficient measure for it to afterwards expand from above downward into the Guf, as well. For this reason, the reflected light is called “complete Hevel.”

However, the coarseness from phase one, called Eynaim, the coarseness of that phase is very thin and weak, and it is a not a complete Hevel that can expand from above downward, too. For this reason, no light comes from it into the Guf. It is written, “since it is a very thin and weak light, the vessels of Akudim, etc., were made of it‎, and the lights were not made.” This means that we discern only the phase of direct light in the light of the Eynaim, which is the light itself that makes a coupling by striking in the lights of AHP, and generates the vessels for them, as he explains before us. However, in itself, the coupling is insufficient to generate the level of light to the Guf, as the AHP, but only as a weak light.

30. Let us return to the matter of the seeing of the Eynaim, and say that the making of the vessels was through its looking, seeing, and gazing in the light of Akudim, called the above-mentioned Nefesh. This is the meaning of the verse, “And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided,” etc. The Ruach and the Neshama, which are the lights Ozen and Hotem, are called complete light. The Nefesh, which is Akudim that emerge from the Peh, are implied in the excess word “the,” in what the text says, “the light.” He said that since God is the Emanator, He sees and looks at the Nefesh, called “the,” and then “and [God] divided,” etc., which is considered the making of the vessels that separate, limit, and place a ration and measurement in the lights, and their parts are separated from one another.

Inner Light

30. Its looking, seeing, and gazing in the light of Akudim‎, called the above-mentioned Nefesh: The Peh of the Rosh is called Nefesh. The expansion of the light is called looking and gazing. Hence, the expansion of the upper light to the screen in the vessel of Malchut for a coupling by striking is called looking and gazing in the Nefesh, meaning in the screen in Malchut.

The Emanator, He sees and looks at the Nefesh, called "the”: As has been written in the previous item, the screen in the vessel of Malchut is called Nefesh, and is called “the,” as the ARI says, and examine carefully above [Part 3, Chapter 3, Item 3].

31. There is direct light and reflected light in this seeing. In the looking of this seeing as direct light in the light Nefesh, there was sufficient ability to make the vessels of the first three. Yet, the seven lower vessels were not completed until the looking of direct light was extended down to the tenth vessel of Malchut. Afterwards, the two lights returned, which are the light of seeing of the Ayin and the light Nefesh that emerged from the Peh, and both departed upward from below upward. Then, during their departure from below upward, the seven lower vessels were made as reflected light. Yet, the first three vessels were made in direct light from above downward through the looking of direct light of the Eynaim in the light Nefesh.

Inner Light

31. There is direct light and reflected light in this seeing: This is because the expansion of the upper light to the Partzuf is called seeing, and the part of the light that is received in the Partzuf is called direct light, meaning up to the vessel of Malchut. The part of the light that is not received in the Partzuf because of the screen that pushes it back, meaning the part that was suitable for clothing in Malchut, is called reflected light. This is why it is said that there is direct light and reflected light in this seeing.

In the looking of this seeing as direct light in the light Nefesh: This refers to Malchut, called Nefesh. The light Nefesh refers to the reflected light that she raises from her and above, clothing the upper light as ten Sefirot of the Rosh. It is written, “there was sufficient ability to make the vessels of the first three.” It means that the vessels of the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, which are from below upward, are considered the roots of the vessels.

The seven lower vessels were not completed until the looking of direct light was extended down to the tenth vessel of Malchut: She is called Malchut of Malchut, or Nefesh of Malchut. This is because this above-mentioned Malchut of the Rosh, called Nefesh or “the,” expanded in itself into ten Sefirot from her and within her to her own Malchut, meaning Malchut of Malchut. These ten Sefirot are called Guf, or the seven lower Sefirot. In AK, they are called Akudim, which expand form the Peh of AK to its Tabur because Malchut of the Rosh is called Peh, and Malchut of Malchut is called Tabur.

The light of seeing of the Ayin and the light Nefesh that emerged from the Peh: Meaning the direct light and reflected light, because the light of seeing is direct light, and the light Nefesh is reflected light that ascends from the Malchut.

Both departed upward from below upward, etc., during their departure from below upward, the seven lower vessels were made as reflected light: Meaning through the screen, as it is written at length above in Part 4. In the refinement of the screen from phase four to phase three, the coupling from phase four stops. The reflected light with the direct light of the level of Keter within it depart, rise up, and the coupling is made in phase three, which is the phase of ZA of direct light. Then the reflected light of that coupling connects and clothes only the level of Hochma, and the light of Hochma comes in the vessel of Keter, the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma, the light of ZA in vessel of Bina, the light of Malchut in the vessel ZA, and the vessel of Malchut remains without light. Then the vessel of Malchut becomes dark and grows coarser, and becomes a vessel, as the ARI wrote in Item 27.

Afterwards, when the screen of phase three is refined into phase two, which is Bina of direct light, and the reflected light and direct light of the level of Hochma departed, the level of Bina was extended. At that time, the light of Bina clothes the vessel of Keter, the light of ZA in vessel of Hochma, the light of Malchut in vessel of Bina, and the vessel of ZA, too, remains without light. In that state, the vessel of ZA also becomes dark and grows coarser, thus becoming a vessel. When it is refined from phase two to phase one, which is Hochma of direct light, the level of Bina departs and the level of ZA is extended. Then the light of ZA comes in the vessel of Keter, and the vessel of Bina, too, remains without light. Thus, the vessel of Bina, too, becomes dark and grows coarser, etc., similarly. Thus, the vessels of the Guf are made only through the departure of the direct light and reflected light upward, as then they become dark and grow coarser, and become vessels.

However, only the two vessels of ZA and Malchut were entirely completed through this departure in both their inner half for inner light, and in their outer half for surrounding light (Inner Light, Item 27). However, the three vessels Keter-Hochma-Bina were not yet completed here in this departure since they still lack the outer half of their walls. This is so because they did not have any ascents to attain vessels and surrounding lights. Hence, they were only completed afterwards, in the second expansion, as is written below.

Yet, the first three vessels were made in direct light from above downward through the looking of direct light of the Eynaim in the light Nefesh: This means that the vessels of GAR, which are the ten Sefirot of the Rosh, were made through the expansion of direct light from above downward for a coupling by striking in Malchut. Malchut raised reflected light from below upward, and clothed the direct light of the Eynaim, as the ARI wrote at length in the beginning of Part 3.

32. Now we shall explain how was the second return of the lights. Know that their second return is not like their descent for the first time. This is because then, all ten lights came down to their place. However, in this second descent, had they all descended to their place, all the vessels that have already been made by their departure would have been canceled, as in the beginning. They would not have been able to tolerate their lights, as it happened to them before. Therefore, it was necessary for the upper light in all of them, which is Keter, which is great and equal to all nine lights put together, would always remain above, adhered to its root, which emanates it, which is the Toch of the Peh of AK.

33. Only the nine lower lights came out of there again and descended to expand below. They expanded in the following manner: The light of Hochma entered the vessel of Keter; the light of Bina entered the vessel of Hochma, etc., until you find that the light of Malchut entered the vessel of Yesod. Now there are two changes from the way it was at first. The greatest of all lights put together, namely Keter, remained above in its root. Moreover, even though the vessel of Keter does not have the power to tolerate its own great light, it can tolerate the light of Hochma, which is much smaller than Keter. It is similar in all the other Sefirot, and for the above two reasons, now these vessels have the ability and power to tolerate their light, and they are not canceled as in the beginning.

34. We will explain below that all nine lower lights enter the vessel of Keter together. Afterwards, only the light of Hochma remains inside it, while the other eight lights descend and enter the vessel of Bina, and so on similarly with all of them. However, that does not add or subtract. We have a great rule in our hands: The upper one is greater than everything below it. Hence, even when the nine lights enter the vessel of Keter together, all the eight lower ones are of no consequence compared to the light of Hochma that is higher than all of them and emanated them.

It has already been explained that the light of Hochma can tolerate the vessel of Keter since it is a higher phase, much less tolerate the rest of the eight lights below it, and likewise in the rest of the vessels. Because the light that is designated to that vessel does not enter it, but only a small light in its place, they can tolerate the lights and will not be canceled as in the beginning.

35. *We must thoroughly explain the meaning of Matei [expanding] and not Matei. It is said that in the beginning, the light comes in Keter, and all nine lights are contained in it. Afterwards, it returns to being not Matei, when the light that reaches Keter exits it once more, but the nine other lights remain in Keter since Keter has the power to tolerate them. In that state, when the light is not Matei in the Keter, the Keter extends the nine lights to Hochma face-to-face, and places them in Hochma. At that time, Hochma turns her anterior, after receiving the nine lights, and shines to Bina face-to-face. It is only illumination, but she still does not give her the seven lights.

Inner Light

35. In the beginning, the light comes in Keter, and all nine lights are contained in it: In order to understand the ARI’s words here, we must thoroughly remember and clearly understand all his words in the beginning of the part from Item 1 to Item 15, and what we explained there, as it is because it is impossible to repeat all that length from there. Here we shall briefly review the item headlines. First, examine the order of the ascents of the Sefirot to the Emanator after their departure from the first expansion that was explained (Part 4, Chapter 4, Item 6). The gist of all the above is that the coupling by striking that was made in the first Partzuf of AK was on the screen established in the vessel of Malchut that was in the Gadlut [greatness/adulthood] of the coarseness, meaning coarseness of phase four. Hence, that Malchut raised the greatest reflected light, up to the level of Keter. That reflected light rose and clothed the upper light from below upward, and these ten Sefirot are called ten Sefirot of the Rosh. It is the conduct of the Malchut and the reflected light that as it clothes from below upward, to the same extent, it inverts and expands the vessel of Malchut from above downward, from her and within her, down to that Malchut of Malchut. There, it descends and clothes the entire the level of direct light that is clothed in the Rosh. This clothing is called the first expansion of AK. It is also called ten Sefirot of the Guf, the Malchut of the Rosh is called Peh, and Malchut of Malchut, which is Malchut of the Guf, is called Tabur.

Since there is still no apparent limitation in Malchut of the Rosh, the surrounding light and inner light shine there equally. However, when the light expands from there into the ten Sefirot of the Guf down to the Tabur, which is Malchut of the Guf, the screen of Tabur stopped the direct light and did not let it expand below Tabur. That means that that direct light attributed to the first nine Sefirot, which is called inner light, clothed the nine Sefirot of the Guf down to the Tabur. Also, that direct light that attributed to Malchut, could not enter and clothe its place, which is below Tabur, due to the screen that is there, and remained outside the Partzuf as surrounding light.

Hence, there was a striking and a clash between the surrounding light and the inner light on that boundary called the screen of Tabur, since the surrounding light also wanted to come down and clothe in its place as did the inner light, since both of them illuminated equally in the Rosh. For this reason, the surrounding light overpowered and refined the screen from its coarseness so that its force of detainment would disappear from it and the surrounding light would be able to clothe, as well. Understand this well, for this is the explanation of the whole issue of the refinement of the screen in each and every Partzuf. There is no apparent limitation on the surrounding light in any Rosh. Hence, it, too, wishes to clothe in the Guf. Thus, it refines the coarseness in the screen, meaning the detainment in it, since the measure of coarseness in the screen is the measure of its detainment, and they are one matter in it.

Indeed, the surrounding light refined the entire coarseness that is in the screen at once, and brought it to the Emanator, meaning to the Peh of the Rosh, where it is not limited at all. This means that the screen was refined from all the coarseness of the Guf, and all that remained in it was the phase of root in it, which is the screen of Malchut of the Rosh. This is called the ascent to the Peh, as equivalence of form makes the spirituals into one.

However, since there are four degrees in the coarseness, it is necessary that the screen that had the coarseness of phase four and was completely refined, necessarily went through the same four degrees one by one. Also, the upper light never stops shining even for a moment, except that it is not discerned in the worlds unless there is a suitable receiver to receive its light. For this reason, we discern that the upper light copulates with the screen as it passes through the four degrees from phase four to the complete refinement. It generates four levels of light on its way according to the measure of the coarseness that the screen stands in, since as long as there is some measure of coarseness that merits a coupling in it, the upper light still connects and clothes it.

Also, when the level departs, although it certainly departs at once, we still discern four stops along its way. For example: When it is refined from phase four to phase three, when the level of Keter disappears from the Partzuf, since there are five degrees, KHB, ZA, and Malchut in the level of Keter, we discern four stops on its way in the order of its departure. Keter in the level disappears first, and only the lower nine Sefirot remain there. You then find that Hochma rose to the place of Keter, Bina to the place of Hochma, etc., until Malchut in the place of ZA. Afterwards, the Hochma disappears from the level, and then Bina ascends to the place of Keter, ZA to the place of Hochma, and Malchut to the place of Bina. After that, Bina, too, disappears from the level, and ZA rises to the place of Keter, and Malchut to the place of Hochma. After that, ZA, too, disappears from the level, and Malchut rises to the place of Keter. Finally, Malchut, too, disappears from the level, and you find that the entire level of Keter has departed from the Partzuf. Thus, even in one level, we discern that it makes four stops during its departure.

However, we must understand that the matter of the couplings with the screen does not apply during the departure of one level since there is no innovation of form here in the coarseness during the departure, and before the screen comes to the coarseness of phase three, only one phase of the refinement is can be discerned there. That refinement rejects and expels the reflected light, as it is then unfit for coupling, as it is occupied with its refinement from that attribute. It is also known that the screen of Tabur of the above-mentioned first expansion that was refined and reached the Peh, was incorporated in all the records of the ten Sefirot of the Guf, except for phase four, which did not leave its records of bestowal, and all that remained of her was the record of clothing, see Inner Light, Item 9, throughout as all of it is needed here.

It explains there that we regard primarily the highest among them, which is phase three that draws the level of Hochma. However, since there is also the record of phase four of clothing there, called the male of the vessel of Keter, which, on the one hand, it is much higher than phase three, since it is from the level of Keter, but since it does not have the coarseness of extension, it must connect with a female, meaning with the coarseness of extension, which is the record of phase three that has the phase of extension, too.

Now we shall come to the heart of the examination of the ARI’s words. He says, “In the beginning, the light comes in Keter, and all nine lights are contained in it.” There are two things to discern here: A) Why was the order reversed here from what it was in the first expansion? There, the light came into Malchut first, and here it began to expand in Keter first. B) Why, in the first expansion, the lights came each into its designated vessel, and here, they all came together into one vessel of the Keter? Indeed, if we understand where these vessels came here from, these two above questions will be clarified simply. We must know that although the ARI speaks briefly and says that the lights expanded back to the empty vessels after the lights had departed from within them, it means that it does not speak only of the first Partzuf where the departure occurred. Rather this is not so, but there is a matter of a special Partzuf here, completely separated from the first Partzuf. This is because the first Partzuf is called Partzuf Galgalta of AK, and that second expansion is called Partzuf AB of AK. It is considered a child and a progeny of the first Partzuf since this second expansion was born and emerged from this coupling.

The ARI has already thoroughly explained to us the order of that coupling in Items 9-15, and they have been thoroughly clarified in Inner Light there, and we need not repeat the matters. We must understand that the whole matter of the departure of the lights and the empty vessels that remained, spoken of in the first Partzuf, all that already belongs to the second Partzuf. This is so because there is no absence in the spiritual, and any disparity of form discerned in the spiritual means additional form, and not an absence or replacement. Hence, all those empty vessels mentioned in the first Partzuf are the vessels of that second expansion, where the lights return and expand a second time.

Thus, after the couplings that were made on the screen that incorporates the two records mentioned in the ARI’s words above, which are the record of phase four, called male, and the record of phase three, called female, these two levels expanded into the vessel of Keter that remained empty since the time of the first expansion. And this second expansion was included in those two levels. All the levels were included in the level of Keter in the first expansion, and all four levels HB ZON emerged through the refinement screen of the coarseness of phase four, which is the level of Keter. Similarly, here, all nine Sefirot are included in the first level of male and female that emerged inside the vessel of Keter. This is so because afterwards, that screen of phase four and phase three was refined, and the male and female emerged in the vessel of Hochma, etc., similarly, just as it was in the order of the first expansion.

Now you can easily understand that it was not possible for the level of phase three and phase four, which are close to the degree of Keter (see Item 9) to clothe vessel of Hochma, which is much smaller than them. Also, they have no interest in clothing the levels HB ZON, since each and every Sefira from those ten Sefirot of male and female of Keter are of the same level. In other words, each of them is close to the level of Keter, and how can any of them clothe the other levels HB, ZA, and Malchut, which are low?

Not Matei, when the light that reaches Keter exits there once more: It is because the screen of phase four of the male was refined to phase three, and the screen of phase three of the female to phase two. Hence, the two levels of male and female of Keter departed, and this is the meaning of his words, “the light that reaches Keter exits there once more.” This matter of the refinement that happened in the male and female of Keter, is also because of the clash and the striking of surrounding light and inner light as in the first expansion.

The nine other lights remain in Keter: It means that the above coarseness of phase two remains in it, where the coupling that emerges on this coarseness draws the level of Bina, and Bina contains within it the level of ZA and Malchut, which are eight lights. The phase three of the male of Keter also remained. Thus, there are nine lights in the vessel of Keter that remain after the refinement of her own phase.

Not Matei in the Keter, the Keter extends the nine lights to Hochma face-to-face: You already know that these vessels of the second expansion are the same empty vessels that remained after the first expansion. Also, the order of the making of these vessels has been explained in the ARI’s words above, Item 26. First, Malchut was made, since she was the first to be emptied of her light. Afterwards, when the vessel of ZA was emptied from its light, the vessel of ZA was made. Then, when the vessel of Bina was emptied, the vessel of Bina was made, etc.

The reason for this is that the vessels were made of the coarse light that remains below, which did not rise and depart with the direct light, as the ARI said above (Part 4, Chapter 2, Item 7). Hence, each and every vessel was made with the departure light from within it, since then the coarse light remained below and became a vessel. You find that the vessels were arranged from the time they were made one above the other: Malchut first, ZA atop her, Bina atop him, up to the vessel Keter above all of them. By this you know that here, too, in the second expansion, even before the lights expanded, the vessels are already arranged and stand from above downward, Keter on top, and Malchut at the bottom, meaning as they emerged in the first expansion.

Thus, when the lights expanded and emerged from the coupling of the level of the above-mentioned Keter and Hochma, where all those ten Sefirot were on an equal level, close to Keter, they have found the vessel of Keter suited for them standing ready for them. While not Matei in Keter, meaning when phase four of the male of Keter was refined, as well as phase three of the Nukva of Keter, the level of Keter of the male, and the level of Hochma of the Nukva departed. It follows that all those ten Sefirot of male and female lost the level of Keter in them, and the ten Sefirot of the male were diminished into the level of Hochma, and the ten Sefirot of female were diminished into the level of Bina. That level is no longer attributed to Keter at all, but to the vessel of Hochma. Therefore, the Keter bestows them to the vessel of Hochma, as the ARI says.

Yet, we must understand how the lights are extended from the vessel of Keter to the vessel of Hochma. After all, there is a great distance between these vessels. The vessel of Keter is in coarseness of phase four, and the vessel of Hochma is in coarseness of phase three, and it is known that disparity of form separates and distances the spirituals. Thus, how do they touch one another so as to be able to bestow upon each other? We must not be mistaken to say that the vessel of Keter was refined to phase three and thus became equal to the vessel of Hochma, since it is known that no refinement is done in the vessels whatsoever, and the whole issue of the above-said refinement relates only to the screen in the vessels, and not to the vessels themselves.

However, we must remember what the ARI explained above, in Item 15 and in Inner Light, that it has been explained there that when the light departs from the vessel, the vessel turns its anterior downward and its posterior upward, the anterior of the vessel becomes the posterior, and the posterior becomes the anterior, and examine it there.

Here, however, the light that belongs to vessel of Keter departed because the phase four of the male and phase three of female have departed, and a coupling was made on phase three of the male and phase two of the female. At that time, the vessel of Keter turns its anterior downward, which is the great coarseness that is in it. Its entire anterior and importance have now become very bad, and the posterior, meaning the refined side of it, has become the most important. Now you can see that after the vessel of Keter turned its posterior upward, it equalized with the vessel of Hochma, since the whole disparity of form that was in vessel of Keter is the great coarseness of phase four and phase three in it, for this is all the merit over the vessel of Hochma. Now all that coarseness has been revoked from it because of the turning of its anterior downward, and thus it is now considered equalized in form with Hochma.

It is written, “Keter extends the nine lights to Hochma face-to-face.” It implies by this that because of the departure of the light of Keter, the vessel of Keter turned its anterior downward. Therefore, it stands face-to-face with the vessel of Hochma, since now, the anterior of Keter, too, is phase two and phase three, meaning that refined side that was previously the posterior of Keter, which is completely equal to the anterior of Hochma. Hence, it can bestow the light to Hochma, as they are in equivalence of form with one another. This is the reason that the ARI wrote for us above that any giving of lights is always in the state of face-to-face.

The matter of these nine lights that Hochma received from Keter has already been explained above. They are the remains of the coarseness that was left of the male of Keter after its refinement, which is phase three, and is the record of Hochma of the first expansion that was incorporated in the male of Keter (see Inner Light, Item 6), and this is one light. Also, she received the rest of the coarseness of the female of Keter, which is phase two and the level of Bina, where the two levels are incorporated: of ZA and of Malchut. Together, they are eight lights, and with phase three of the male, they are nine lights.

Hochma turns her anterior, after receiving the nine lights, and shines to Bina: This refers to the turning of the anterior only of the male of Hochma, and not the phase of the female of Hochma. This is so because the turning of the anterior means refinement of the coarseness and the departure of the light from there since then the vessel turns its anterior downward, as the ARI says in Item 15. Hence, after Hochma received her nine lights from Keter, which are the male and female of the vessel of Hochma, the screen of the coarseness of phase three of the male was refined into the coarseness of phase two, and you find that the vessel of the male turns its anterior downward and its posterior upward. This means that its importance of the state of Gadlut of the coarseness is canceled (see Inner Light, Item 15). At that time, that residue of the male of Hochma is bestowed upon the vessel of Bina, as was said, that Hochma turned her anterior after receiving the nine lights, and shines to Bina, meaning the phase of male of the vessel of Bina.

However, the ARI did not explain any refinement in the male of the vessel of Keter. Rather, he wrote it along with the female of Keter in one refinement. This is so because the male of Keter does not have any phase of coarseness of extension, but only from the phase of clothing, and there is no refinement in its own phase of clothing since there is no coarseness in it whatsoever. Rather, it is incorporated and connects with the coarseness of the female as above-mentioned (Inner Light, Item 9). Thus, the matter of its refinement comes along with the refinement of the screen of the female, which is why the ARI write them as one refinement. However, the male of the vessel of Hochma, which is the record of the light of Hochma that remains in the first expansion, as in the previous item, also has the phase of coarseness of extension. For this reason, it is necessary for it to be refined before the female is refined, since its measure of coarseness is greater, as it is phase three, and the female is phase two.

It is only illumination, but she still does not give her the seven lights: It means that it gives only one light of the male of the vessel of Bina since its time has now come to be refined, and it gives its residue to Bina. However, the time of the female to be refined has not come yet, and therefore, she still does not give the seven lights attributed to the female of Bina, as has been explained in the previous item.

36. Afterwards, the light of Keter returned to being Matei in Keter, and the light of Hochma was concealed once more in Keter because of her desire to connect with Keter. At that time, the vessel of Hochma turned its anterior to Keter, and gave it its light. Yet, the light of Bina that was in Hochma does not rise with it to Keter because of the craving of the sons, of which she is the mother. We have already explained that there is return of anterior and posterior only in the phase of vessels. However, in the lights themselves, there is no anterior and posterior, only expansion and departure.

Inner Light

36. Matei in Keter and the light of Hochma was concealed once more in Keter: Interpretation: When Hochma was refined and her light of male and female departed and rose to the Keter, the Nukva of Keter grew coarser again in her coarseness of phase three, an upper coupling on the light of phase three was done again, and light of Hochma was drawn once more to the vessel of Keter. Thus, the light was once more Matei in Keter. The reason for it is the male of Hochma who rose to the vessel of Keter, which is a record that remained of the first expansion from the coarseness of phase three that was there. Hence, since he rose and was incorporated in the female of Keter that was also in the coarseness of phase three before she was refined, now, due to the ascent of the male of Hochma, her previous coarseness has now returned to her, and the upper coupling returned on her.

Hochma turned its anterior to Keter, and gave it its light: This means that the Hochma returned her anterior upward, opposite Keter. Afterwards, she and was refined once more from her phase two, as well, and the level of Bina disappeared from her and came to the Keter. It is so because prior to that, he says that Hochma turned her anterior down toward Bina because of the refinement the male of Hochma. He tells us that after Bina received the remains of the male of Hochma, the vessel of Hochma turned her anterior toward Keter once more, since there was still the level of the light of Bina in the coarseness of phase two, from which she has not been refined. Rather, after she turned her anterior back to Keter, her time to be refined from phase two arrived, and the level of the light of Bina disappeared, as well, which she gave to the Keter.

The light of Bina that was in Hochma does not rise with it to Keter: This refers to the light of ZA that is attributed to the vessel of Bina. However, the light of Bina does not belong to Bina in the second expansion, but to Hochma. It is written that the vessel of Hochma gave her light to Keter, meaning her light of Bina. This is so because she was refined from phase two, and all that was left in her is the coarseness of phase one, which is the light of the level of ZA, which belongs to the vessel of Bina. He says about that light that it remained in the vessel of Hochma and did not rise to Keter. But because it is attributed to the vessel of Bina, the ARI calls it the light of Bina.

37. Yet, after the vessel of Hochma turned his anterior opposite Keter, and his light rose there, he then turned his anterior down opposite Bina, and gave her the seven lights. Know that any giving of lights is always regarded as face-to-face.

Inner Light

37. His anterior down opposite Bina, and gave her the seven lights: The matter of the departure of the light from the vessel of Hochma causes the turning of his anterior downward. This is considered equivalence with the anterior of Bina since he canceled his prior anterior, meaning his phase two, and turned his posterior, namely phase one, into the phase of anterior. It follows that now he is face-to-face with Bina, and can therefore give her the level of phase one which is the level of ZA. Now she is named after his highest Sefira, which is the light of Hesed, which contains all seven lower Sefirot HGT NHYM.

It is written, “turned his anterior down opposite Bina, and gave her the seven lights.” Now there are eight lights in Bina, which are the remains of the male light that she received from Hochma, which is phase two, in addition to the seven lower ones incorporated in phase one, which she now received from the female of Hochma, thus eight lights.

Any giving of lights is always regarded as face-to-face: It has been explained above that the giver and the receiver should equalize their form with one another. Hence, as long as his anterior are upward, he is much higher than the receiver, and they do not touch each other. For this reason, he does not give unless he cancels his anterior and places his posterior forward. In that state, the anterior of the giver and the receiver are equal. This is called face-to-face. Examine the interpretation of the matter carefully in Inner Light, Item 15.

38. However, Bina did not turn her anterior to shine in Hesed below, since there was no strength in Hesed and VAK to receive such a great light face-to-face, but only back-to-back. This is so because there is light of VAK here, and the light of Bina, which is greater than all of them together. Yet, in the beginning, when there were still no lights in Bina except what she gave to Hochma, she turned her anterior and illuminated to Bina only illumination face-to-face. This is not so in Hesed, since Bina has the strength to receive those lights, as the seven lower lights were annulled with respect to her light, and she can certainly receive her light. The light of Hochma, although his light is greater than her light, you already know that Aba and Ima “stay as one and come out as one,” and she can receive the light of Hochma. It is not so in Hesed, since there is a big difference between that, and the light of Bina, and he cannot receive it face-to-face.

Inner Light

38. Bina did not turn her anterior to shine in Hesed below, since there was no strength: You should know that there are three lights here in Bina: The first is the male light that she received from the refinement of the male of Hochma, which is phase two. The second is the record of the vessel of Bina herself, as there is in each and every vessel from the time of the first expansion. This is considered the female of Bina. The third is the light of Hesed, meaning the level of ZA that she now received from the remains of the refinement of phase two of the vessel of Hochma. This is considered a progeny of Bina, and not at all from the phase of the light of Bina. That third light is called VAK, whose quality is that it lacks illumination of GAR, meaning the light of Hochma, and it has only the phase of Hassadim.

It is written, “Bina did not turn her anterior to shine in Hesed below, since there was no strength in Hesed and VAK to receive such a great light face-to-face.” It means that now that the light of Hesed is in Katnut [smallness/infancy], meaning only light of Hassadim without any illumination of GAR, since it comes out from the coupling on the screen of phase one, in which there is no illumination of Hochma, for this reason, it does not have the strength to receive anything from Bina, and come down and clothe the vessels of VAK. Consequently, it still remains in the vessel of Bina and does not expand to the vessel of Hesed.

The seven lower lights were annulled with respect to her light: It means that although Bina received the light of Hesed within her, which is the light of the seven lower Sefirot that lack GAR, she still did not lose the light of her own GAR because of that. This is because the light of ZAT is canceled in her compared to her own great light, which are her male and Nukva, which are from phase two.

The light of Hochma, although his light is greater than her light: This revolves around the male of the vessel of Bina that she received through the refinement of the male of the vessel of Hochma (see item 35). It is called light of Hochma because the above-mentioned matter of the refinement regarding the male of Hochma is the phase of coupling between the male and Nukva of Hochma, from whose coupling, the male light of Bina was born. The Nukva of the vessel of Hochma has the level of phase two, and the male of Hochma has the level of phase three. Thus, when the male was refined from phase three to phase two, you find that it equalized its level to its Nukva. At that time, they were both incorporated together in a common screen of phase two, and a coupling by striking was made on it, and a new level of phase two emerged, made of the male and female together. This new level is what descended and became the male of the vessel of Bina. You find that the level of that male of the vessel of Bina is equal to the female of the vessel of Hochma; this is why it is called light of Hochma. This is the meaning of, “and she can receive the light of Hochma,” meaning her male phase, whose level is equal to the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma.

Aba ve Ima “stay as one and come out as one”: This is because even Bina of direct light is considered the Hochma of direct light itself, much less here, when Hochma, too, has only the level of Bina.

39. Let us return to the matter that when it returns to being not Matei in Keter, it is then Matei in Hochma, and light of Hochma descends in it. Then the seven sons in Bina are grown and do not need their mother. At that time, Bina ascends to Hochma due to her desire to adhere to her. This is called “not Matei in the light of Bina.” After that, the vessel of Bina turns her anterior downward, the seven lights in her descend, and all are given to Hesed face-to-face.

Inner Light

39. Not Matei in Keter, it is then Matei in Hochma, and light of Hochma descends in it: This is because the coarseness of phase three of the Nukva of Keter was refined once more. At that time, the vessel of Keter turns its anterior downward, and gives its residue once more, meaning phase two, to Hochma, as before. It follows, that the light of Hochma descends once more as in the beginning.

The seven sons in Bina are grown and do not need their mother. At that time, Bina ascends to Hochma: After the light of Hochma descended to the vessel of Hochma, this illumination reaches the vessel of Bina, too, for the above reason that Aba ve Ima come out as one. In other words, they emerge on a single phase of coarseness; hence, “stay as one,” meaning their level is the same. Since the illumination reached Bina, it receives light Hesed for this illumination of Hochma, as well. At that time, it attains his phase of Gadlut [greatness/adulthood], meaning the phase of GAR of VAK.

He writes, “Then the seven sons in Bina are grown and do not need their mother.” This is because once they have attained illumination of Hochma, they have become grown since they have acquired the phase of Rosh. This is why they do not need their mother. Prior to that, the VAK were the phase of light of Hassadim without any illumination of Hochma. Hence, they had to receive their sustenance from the vessel of Bina, which is the phase of GAR and of Atzmut. They could not separate the vessel of Bina from the vessels of VAK because of the lack of sustenance, as there is no sustenance and Atzmut [selfness] except in the phase of Hochma. However, now that they have attained illumination of Hochma, they have become grown and have a standing and the power to expand in the vessels.

At that time, Bina ascends to Hochma: This is because then, it is impossible for the upper one to bestow upon the lower one, except by turning the anterior, meaning to be in equivalence with the lower one, which is regarded as close to it, and giving it its residue.

Thus, Bina ascends to Hochma, meaning the male and the Nukva of Bina become refined from their phase two to phase one, and now, phase one has become the anterior. By this, the vessel of Bina is found face-to-face with the vessel of Hesed, as they are now both from the coarseness of phase one, which is called face-to-face.

At that time, the male and the female of the vessel of Bina depart and rise to the vessel of Hochma. Hochma and Bina are then found in one vessel of the phase of Hochma, and now there is the control of the vessel of Hochma in the Partzuf.

There is yet another precision here: In fact, the phase of Bina is from the root of the direct light, the phase of posterior to the Hochma. This is the meaning of the Yod and Nun of the Tzadik being opposite to one another [in their position] as it is written in The Zohar, Beresheet. It is also as the ARI implies here in the meaning of “because He desires mercy,” that Bina craves Hassadim more than Hochma, and therefore had to rise to the vessel of Hochma so as not to stop at the light of Hesed with her posterior, and then the light Hesed can receive a greater illumination from the Hochma.

40. Afterwards, the light returns to being Matei in Keter, and then both HB ascend there because of the desire they have. Then you find that there is a great distance between the sons and the light of GAR, for there are two distances between them, Bina and Hochma, in which there is no light. Hence, at that time, the light of Hesed rises to Bina and is called not Matei in Hesed. In that state, the vessel of Hesed turns its anterior and gives the six lights below in Gevura.

Inner Light

40. The light returns to being Matei in Keter, and then both HB ascend there: This is because Hochma was refined once more from the coarseness of phase two in the screen in her, and the lights departed from there and rose to Keter. This caused the awakening of the coarseness in the Nukva of Keter by the force of the record of the male of Hochma that rose inside her, which is phase three. For this reason, she received the coarseness of phase three in her once more, the level of Hochma expanded to her once more, and the light of Hochma expands in the vessel of Keter. Know that the ARI calls the refinement of the coarseness by the name “craving to rise to the upper one,” since refinement and ascent are one and the same.

Two distances between them, Bina and Hochma, in which there is no light: In order explain the matter of these two distances that were made because of the ascent of HB to Keter, and in order to make it possible to continue to explain the ARI’s words, I must elaborate here. It is in order to comprehensively clarify in a thorough understanding, the quality of these ten vessels that remained from the first expansion of AK after the departure of their lights from within them, and their setting here in the Partzuf of the second expansion of AK. Most importantly, we must thoroughly understand the matter of anterior and posterior of those vessels, for until now we have explained only from the perspective of the coarseness in the screen that makes a coupling with the upper light, that the greatest coarseness in the degree is its anterior, and its least measure of coarseness is in the posterior of the degree.

Now we shall explain the anterior and posterior in the quality of the vessels themselves, according to how they were affected by the expansion and departure of the first expansion. The primary disclosure of the forces in the ways of the lights comes mostly through the quality of the vessels themselves. This is why the vessels are called hoses, since they are like the nature of the water, which adopts its form through the hoses by which they come, whether abundantly or scantily, whether to the east, or to the west. Also, the lights are activated in the properties of the vessels they are clothed in. Therefore, we must understand them thoroughly.

You find that the light of Keter in the first expansion did not descend back to the second expansion, but remained standing in the Rosh, under Malchut of the Rosh. When ZON of the vessel of Keter of the second expansion must rise and receive their abundance, he turns his anterior to them, meaning gives them all that they need. However, it is only while they are with him in Malchut of the Rosh. After they are filled with their abundance and descend to the Guf, he immediately turns his posterior to them, meaning he denies them of the abundance that they need.

We must understand that thing. If he denies the abundance from them once more, how has the ascent to the Rosh helped? The thing is that indeed, they received all they needed during the ascent, meaning according to the screens in them, which are phase four of male and phase three of female. The level of that coupling is close to the level of Keter, and they descended to Keter of the Guf with all this great abundance.

However, we must therefore understand what was the benefit in that root Keter turning its posterior to the ZON of Keter that descended to the Guf. Indeed, much is done by that: Because of it, the vessel of Keter of the Guf must be in the phase of posterior toward Hochma, as well, because this vessel is indeed the vessel of that root Keter from the time of the first expansion. After all, it is from her that he departed and rose to the Rosh.

By so doing, he operates on her when he is in the Rosh, too, as she equalizes with him as he stands at the Rosh. For this reason, the vessel, too, must be in a state of posterior to all the nine Sefirot below her. This means that she does not give them from that abundance that she received in the Rosh, except through the posterior, meaning by denying them the illumination of Hochma. This is because Hochma is always called anterior light, or the light of GAR, and remember that in all the places. Thus, the nine lower Sefirot cannot receive from Keter but only the phase of VAK, meaning lacking illumination of Hochma, and examine thoroughly.

The meaning of anterior and posterior of the vessels is simple: The place of bestowal in it is called anterior, and that phase through which it does not bestow is called posterior. It is like a person who negotiates with his friend; he stands opposite him, at his fore side, and not behind him. Yet, you should understand that even though Keter bestows through its posterior, you can once call it anterior, even though it has no illumination of Hochma, meaning the side that is the place of bestowal. Hence, we must understand it only according to the relevant matter.

Therefore, when the screen of Keter was refined from the coarseness of phase four and phase three in it, to phase three and phase two, fitting for the light of Hochma, at that time, the vessel of Keter must turn its anterior downward, and its posterior upward. This is because its posterior delay the illumination of Hochma completely because of the root Keter of the Rosh that stands under Malchut of Rosh.

However, the cause of the above turning of the anterior is the matter of the refinement of the screen of the male of Keter, which is the record that the root Keter left in this vessel of Keter after its departure from it. Since that record departed from there because it was refined and came to the coarseness of phase three, the control of the root Keter on its vessel stopped, and then the vessel turns its anterior downward, and everything that is attributed to the illumination of the root Keter, ascends once more to it, to the Rosh. Its residue, meaning the record of phase three of the first expansion, which is the male of Hochma, and the illumination of the new coupling that emerged on the coarseness of phase three that the Nukva of Keter left after her refinement, became the female of the vessel of Hochma.

Now we shall explain the anterior and posterior of the vessel of Hochma. Hochma’s conduct is to bestow only Hochma. Hence, the place of bestowal in Hochma is her anterior, and the place of bestowal of light of Hassadim is her posterior. In other words, it is the complete opposite from Keter. The anterior of Keter is to bestow VAK, and illumination of GAR is in her posterior. At the same time, the anterior of Hochma is illumination of GAR from the phase of light of Hochma, and her posterior is illumination of VAK.

The anterior and the posterior of the vessel of Bina is also opposite from the vessel of Hochma but not completely opposite since the root of Bina is a core of Hochma. However, her nature is to always yearn for light of Hassadim, as the ARI has written regarding “because He desires mercy.” Bina is called “He,” and she craves and wants Hassadim. Hence, when she has Hassadim in the Partzuf, she becomes essentially Hochma once more, as the ARI wrote above regarding “Aba ve Ima stay as one and come out as one.” However, vessel of Bina is primarily distinguished by her craving for Hassadim; hence, her anterior is illumination of Hassadim, and her posterior is illumination of Hochma, the opposite of the vessel of Hochma.

Now we shall briefly explain the vessels of the seven lower Sefirot HGT NHYM. You must remember the ARI’s words above (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 8) that ZA has only five edges, which are five Hassadim from Hesed to Hod, but Yesod does not take a private Hesed for itself, but rather all five edges are incorporated in it. In essence, there are two general lights in all the degrees, which are light of Hochma and light of Hassadim. There are also five phases of coarseness in the screen according to the five phases of direct light called KHB Tifferet and Malchut. These five phases are called KHB TM only when the GAR are the phase of light of Hochma. However, in a place where all those five phases contain only light of Hassadim, they are called HGT NH. The names of the first three phases KHB have been changed to HGT, and the names of the last two phases, Tifferet and Malchut, have been changed to Netzah and Hod.

He writes, “they are five Hassadim from Hesed to Hod.” This means that even the first three phases are also only light of Hassadim, and not at all light of Hochma, and understand and remember that. Yesod and Malchut are only two containers of the above five edges. One container is from the perspective of their being five Hassadim that are sweetened in the quality of mercy, and one container is from the perspective of their being in the quality of judgment. At that time, they are called five Gevurot, or that the five Hassadim and five Gevurot are incorporated together.

However, in order to understand the qualities of these five edges we need the ARI’s words here regarding Matei and not Matei, for they were not explained anywhere else in all of the writings of the ARI. Hence, these words of his need close attention. Let us clarify once more the birth of the first Hesed of these five Hassadim, brought in the ARI’s words, Item 37. ZON of Hochma departed to Keter since the coarseness of phase two was refined to phase one, and its coupling raises only the light of VAK that are now incorporated in the first Hesed. At that time, the vessel of Hochma turned its anterior downward since it canceled its phase of anterior and turned its posterior upward. This means that its previous posterior, meaning illumination of Hassadim, has now become a place of bestowal. By this, it equalized itself with the anterior of Bina, as it is written, “because He desires mercy.” In that state, he gave her the seven lights that are now incorporated in the first light of Hesed. Thus, the light Hesed is found in vessel of Bina.

You must remember that besides this light of Hesed, there are two other lights that precede it in that vessel of Bina. They are the male, born from the coupling of ZON of the vessel of Hochma, which is truly phase two, the level of Bina, like the female of Hochma herself. However, since he is born through the turning of the anterior of the vessel of Hochma, as it is written in the ARI’s words in Item 35, and in Inner Light there, it is thus considered the phase of VAK of Hochma. You should also know that he is the root of Israel Saba in all the Partzufim.

There is yet another, second light there, which is the record of the vessel of Bina, which is there from the time of the first expansion. (Besides the screen being incorporated with all the records in those vessels as it travels to the Emanator, it is certain that the majority of the records remained in their place in their own vessels, and did not ascend with the screen to the Emanator.) That record is the phase of the female that exists in the vessel of Bina. Know that she is the root of all the phases of Tvuna in all the Partzufim. However, this light Hesed that Hochma now bestowed upon Bina is considered the son of Bina, and not as her actual self.

Keep in mind the relationship between the ZON in the vessel of Hochma with the ZON in the vessel of Bina, since in truth, they are a light of the same level—of Bina. However, ZON of Bina relate to ZON of Hochma as Israel Saba ve Tvuna relate to upper AVI. The YESHSUT are only the VAK of AVI themselves, although both are discerned as one level of coarseness of phase two. From this you understand that the primary division of AVI and YESHSUT into two Partzufim GAR and VAK, is only to engender the Katnut of the seven lower Sefirot. This is because it is impossible for the vessel of Hochma to bestow the light of Hesed, which is the phase of VAK without GAR, if not through the posterior of Hochma.

Hence, it turns the anterior backwards, and this inversion divides the vessel of Hochma into two Partzufim: Partzuf GAR, where the anterior remains in its place, and Partzuf VAK of Hochma, which turned its anterior backward, giving light of VAK without GAR. YESHSUT is also called VAK after the inversion of the anterior of the vessel of Hochma. However, in order to engender the Gadlut of ZA, meaning the GAR that belong to those five Hassadim, the vessel of Hochma must return its anterior upward once more as in the beginning. Then it is considered that ZON of Bina and ZON of Hochma, which were divided into GAR and VAK due to the inversion of the anterior of Hochma, now that Hochma revoked that inversion of the anterior once again, there is no longer bestowal of GAR and bestowal of VAK in the vessel of Hochma. You find that ZON of Bina rise once more to ZON of Hochma, and become one Partzuf once more.

Know that this matter is implemented in the Partzufim of Atzilut, as well. When AVI want to bestow Mochin of GAR to ZA, AVI and YESHSUT become one Partzuf once more. This, too, is for the above reason that the illumination of VAK was canceled from the Hochma, and the anterior returned to its place as in the beginning.

From all that was explained you can thoroughly understand the order of the birth of the first light of Hesed in its phase of Gadlut brought in the ARI’s words in Item 39. To summarize his words, it returned to being not Matei in Keter, and then it is Matei in Hochma, when light of Hochma that was in Keter descended to Hochma. At that time, the seven sons in Bina are grown, and then Bina rises to Hochma because of the craving in her to adhere to her, the seven lights descend, and are given to Hesed face-to-face.

Interpretation: The ZON of Keter was refined once more, and departed to the root Keter that stands under Malchut of Rosh. At that time, the vessel of Keter turned its anterior downward and gave its residue, which is ZON of Hochma, to the vessel of Hochma. The phase of anterior of ZON of Hochma returned to its place as in the beginning, and then “Bina ascends to Hochma,” meaning that Bina and Hochma have become one vessel, similar to AVI and YESHSUT that became one Partzuf.

Consequently, that Hesed in the vessel of Bina receives the illumination of the light of Hochma, since the vessel is united with the light of Hochma. You find that Hesed returned to the phase of GAR, which is called that it has become great. He writes, “Then the seven sons in Bina are grown and do not need their mother.” This means that they have acquired the phase of illumination of Hochma and GAR, and in that, the ZAT are regarded as grown.

It has already been explained above that before the light of Hesed acquires the Gadlut, it cannot expand downward since it cannot separate from the vessel of Bina, which is its entire sustenance and self in the state of GAR. Hence, it is considered that it needs its mother, although now that it has already obtained the light of Hochma itself, it no longer needs the suckling of the vessel of Bina, which is why it is written, “and do not need their mother.”

At that time, the vessel of Bina turned her anterior downward, and the seven lights in her descend, and all of them are given to Hesed face-to-face. You must remember that the phase of anterior of the vessel of Bina is for illumination of Hassadim, and her posterior is for illumination of Hochma. When she is in that state, she cannot bestow illumination of the light of Hesed with illumination of Hochma. However, it has been explained that the returning of the anterior of the vessel of Hochma caused the unification of the two vessels Bina and Hochma into one because the vessel of Hochma has already canceled her illumination of VAK. Hence, you find that the vessel of Bina has inverted her anterior backwards by the force of this unification and the previous posterior has now become anterior. It means that that posterior which prevented the bestowal of illumination of Hochma, has now become the giver of illumination of Hochma, since her vessel received that quality of anterior and posterior that there is in Hochma. For this reason, Bina has now bestowed the ZAT in illumination of Hochma to the vessel of Hesed face-to-face.

Now you can thoroughly understand the quality of the Sefira Hesed of ZA to its fullest. The vessel of Hesed itself is discerned as the Keter of VAK, as it has already been explained that HGT of ZA are a change of the name of KHB. Yet, KHB of the light of Hassadim, meaning KHB of the level of phase one, are called HGT. Thus, the vessel of Hesed is the vessel of the Keter of ZA. However, it is still not regarded as Keter, but only as Hochma of ZA, because of the light in it, since it has no light of Keter whatsoever, but only illumination of Hochma that it received when it was in the vessel of Bina when it united with the vessel of Hochma into one. This is why it is called Hochma. There are other reasons, too, but there is room to elaborate here.

Now we shall explain the order of the emanation of the vessel of Gevura, brought in the ARI’s words here in Item 40. He writes, “Afterwards, the light returns to being Matei in Keter, and then both HB ascend there because of the desire they have. Then you find that there is a great distance between the sons and the light of GAR, for there are two distances between them, Bina and Hochma, in which there is no light. hence, at that time, the light of Hesed rises to Bina and is called not Matei in Hesed. In that state, the vessel of Hesed turns its anterior and gives the six lights below in Gevura.” Thus far his words.

You must remember the two issues there are in the matter of the inversion of the anterior downwards. We have learned above that they are 1) from the perspective of the vessel, meaning her place of bestowal, whether the phase of Hochma or the phase of Hassadim and not Hochma. The second matter is from the perspective of the coupling. According to the coarseness of the screen, where the coarsest phase in the degree is regarded as the anterior, and the coarseness that is less than that is the posterior in that degree. Accordingly, you always find that the posterior of the upper degree is the anterior of the lower degree. Hence, the upper one always wants to bestow upon the lower one, and must turn its anterior downward. This means that he is refined from the measure of the coarseness in him, which is his anterior, and remains in a lesser coarseness, equal to the degree of the coarseness of the lower degree. This is so because then it is considered close to him and can bestow upon him.

By this you can understand that wherever the matter of the bestowal of Bina to the vessel of Hesed is brought here, Bina was refined from phase two to phase one, since then she is face-to-face with the vessel of Hesed from the perspective of the screen in her. It turns out that when Bina bestowed the light of Hesed to the vessel of Hesed, Bina was refined to phase one. There was a whole order of gradual refinement here: First, Keter was refined from phase three to phase two, at which time the light of Keter disappeared to the root, and gave phase two to the vessel of Hochma. Then the vessel of Bina united with it into one, and then phase two was also refined, to phase one. At that time, the lights of the vessels of Hochma and Bina disappear to Keter, and phase one is bestowed upon the vessel of Hesed in illumination of Hochma.

It has already been explained above that when the four lights male and female of Hochma, and the male and female of Bina rise to Keter, they awaken the phase of coarseness of phase three in Keter once again, and the ten Sefirot on the level of Hochma emerge there by the power of the upper coupling as in the beginning, and the light of Hochma returns to the vessel of Keter. This is called Matei in the Keter. You find that the coming of Hesed to its vessel causes the existence of Matei in the Keter. This is because then phase two in HB are refined to phase one, and their four lights rise to the vessel of Keter, causing a new coupling there on the level of phase three. The light of Hochma is once more Matei in the vessel of Keter as in the beginning.

It is written, “Afterwards, the light returns to being Matei in Keter and then both HB ascend there.” It means that because of the ascent of the four lights of HB, the light is Matei in the vessel of Keter. “Then you find that there is a great distance between the sons and the light of GAR, for there are two distances between them.” Interpretation: It has been explained that the anterior of Keter is for illumination of VAK without GAR as it is written above, and we cannot elaborate on the matter. You also know that the anterior of the vessel of Bina is also for illumination of VAK without GAR, as it is written, “because He desires mercy,” as it is written in Inner Light, Item 40.

These are the two distances that now rest on the light of Hesed and deny it the illumination of GAR which it previously received from Hochma. It is written, “Then you find that there is a great distance between the sons and the light of GAR.” It means that these two posteriors of Bina and Keter move the GAR very far from the sons, which are ZAT that are incorporated in the light of Hesed. It is written, “for there are two distances between them, Bina and Hochma, in which there is no light.”

In other words, had the light been in Hochma, it would have been possible for the light of Hesed to receive from Hochma, and the posterior of Bina would not have denied it since it did not deny it in the beginning. However, now that there is no light even in Hochma due to the posterior of Keter, hence, that illumination that Hesed previously received is also denied of Hochma.

He writes, “Hence, at that time, light Hesed ascends to Bina.” After the GAR disappears from the light of Hesed and returns to its Katnut, it needs its Ima Bina once more, to suckle illumination of GAR of the vessel from there, as in the beginning. He writes, “In that state, the vessel of Hesed turns its anterior and gives the six lights below in Gevura.” This is because the anterior of the vessel of Hesed is for illumination of Hochma after it received illumination of Hochma, and its posterior is for illumination of Hassadim, since wherever there are Hochma and Hassadim in the degree, Hochma is regarded as the anterior, and Hassadim as the posterior. For this reason, the posterior of Hesed is regarded as illumination of Hassadim. However, now that the illumination of Hochma has disappeared from it, and its light disappeared to the vessel of Bina, it turns out that he turned his anterior downward and gave the remains of the light in it to the vessel of Gevura, and then Matei in Gevura.

Now you can thoroughly understand the quality of the Sefira Gevura of ZA to the fullest. The vessel of Gevura itself is the phase of Hochma of the VAK, as has been explained above that the HGT are the phase of KHB of VAK. Thus, the vessel of Gevura is Hochma, although it is regarded as Bina, since its light is the phase of VAK of illumination of Hochma in Hesed, such as ZON of the upper Bina, which are the phase of six edges of the upper Hochma. Thus, the light of Gevura is the phase of Bina of VAK. Accordingly, the two Sefirot of ZA, Hesed and Gevura, have been explained. They are the phase of Hochma and Bina of ZA although their vessels have the value of Keter and Hochma.

41. Afterwards, it returned to being not Matei in Keter, and then it is Matei in Hochma. At that time, Bina was supposed to remain there in Hochma as in the beginning, but because of the light of Hesed in her place, she descends to be there with him. It is so “because He desires mercy,” and you already know that Bina is called “He” When Bina descends in her place, Hesed does not need her, and he descends to his place, and is called Matei in Hesed. Then, the light Gevura ascends in Hesed, and this is called not Matei in Gevura. At that time, the vessel of Gevura turns her anterior downward and gives the five lights below, in Tifferet. This is called Matei in Tifferet.

Inner Light

41. Not Matei in Keter: This is so because the coarseness of phase three of the female and phase four of the male in the vessel of Keter was refined once more. At that time, ZON of Keter departed to its root, and then turned its anterior downward. In other words, it canceled its anterior, and the posterior became the anterior. After that, it gave the residue in it, which is the coarseness of phase three of the male, and phase two of the female, to the vessel of Hochma, and then it is Matei in Hochma.

At that time, Bina was supposed to remain there in Hochma as in the beginning: After the anterior returned to its place in the Hochma, the HB immediately return to one degree. At that time, Bina is in the vessel of Hochma. However, it does not remain so here since Hochma turned her anterior downward and her posterior upward, and returned the ZON of Bina to the vessel of Bina, and they were divided into two Partzufim once more, and examine it carefully.

First, when the vessel of Hochma received her lights of ZON, and the anterior of Hochma returned to its place as in the beginning, Bina and Hochma certainly joined and became one vessel. It is so for the same reason mentioned above regarding the birth of the Gadlut of Hesed, since here, too, when the Hesed is in the vessel of Bina, which connected to the vessel of Hochma, he receives illumination of Hochma once more, as in the beginning. Thus, you find that Hesed has grown once more, and does not need its Ima. Yet, he still cannot descend from himself to his vessel, except through the bestowal of Bina. Hence, Hochma had to return the ZON of Bina to the vessel of Bina, as then, Bina, too, returns her anterior downward and returns the light of Hesed to its place, to its vessel.

But because of the light of Hesed in her place, she descends to be there with him: In other words, had Bina remained connected to the vessel of Hochma, Hesed would have remained in her place, and would not have descended to his vessel of Hesed.

“Because He desires mercy”: This is the whole quality of Bina: She craves Hassadim more than the light of Hochma. This is the cause of the refinement of the coarseness of phase three of the male of Hochma to phase two, and afterwards phase two of Bina to phase one, whose light is light of Hassadim. At that time, she is face-to-face with the vessel of Hesed and then gives the light of Hesed back to the vessel of Hesed. It is written, “When Bina descends in her place, Hesed does not need her, and he descends to his place.” This is so because after he had already received illumination of Hochma from the time the vessel of Bina and the vessel of Hochma were connected, he no longer needs the suckling of the vessel of Bina; hence, he descends to his place.

Not Matei in Gevura. At that time, the vessel of Gevura turns her anterior downward: The whole division of Gevura from Hesed was because of the two distances, meaning because of the return of the ZON of Keter to their place, when their posterior detained the light of Hochma from the vessel of Hochma. At that time, the illumination of Hochma stopped from Hesed; hence, he turned his anterior downward, and gave the phase of VAK to the Gevura. Thus, now that Hesed attained his GAR once more, it is natural that the phase of the light Gevura that departed from the GAR returned to the vessel of Hesed once more, as in the beginning, before they separated.

See and understand that it is completely similar to the conduct of the vessels of Hochma and Bina. The division of the lights of ZON of Hochma and ZON of Bina was made because of the inversion of the posterior of the vessel of Hochma. This means that Hochma left the bestowal of her GAR, and bestowed only VAK, which are the phase of ZON of the vessel of Bina. Similarly, the lights of Hesed and Gevura were divided by the inversion of the anterior of the vessel of Hesed. After the illumination of GAR was denied of him because of the two distances, he turned his anterior and bestowed VAK without GAR, which is the light of Gevura.

After it is not Matei in Keter, and his force of posterior was canceled, and he returned the light of Hochma to the vessel of Hochma, the anterior of Hochma returned to its place as in the beginning. Thus, the lights of ZON of Hochma and ZON of Bina reunited into a single Partzuf. Similarly, here, after Hesed acquired illumination of Hochma when he was in the vessel of Bina at the time he was connected with Hochma, he returned with the Gadlut to his place. At that time, his anterior returned, as in the beginning, and thus the lights of Hesed and Gevura unite into one light. All this is because the light is only divided into GAR and VAK because some element compels it to. Consequently, as soon as that element is canceled, they return to a single light as in the beginning.

He writes, “not Matei in Gevura.” At that time, the vessel of Gevura turns her anterior downward and gives the five lights below, in Tifferet.” This is because when the light Gevura joins the light of Hesed into one, that connection also operates on their vessels. Since the vessel of Gevura joined with the vessel of Hesed, by that, she returned her anterior downward, since she canceled her anterior that detained the bestowal of GAR, and returned her anterior upward. In other words, she turned to bestow illumination of GAR like the vessel of Hesed.

At that time, she bestowed her residue, attributed to Tifferet, to the vessel of Tifferet, and Tifferet receives illumination of GAR, as well. This is the meaning of Tifferet being called Vav [ו] with a Rosh. It is the same illumination of GAR that it receives through the bestowal of the light Gevura when Gevura is connected into one with the light of Hesed.

Now you can understand what is brought in several places, that Tifferet is merged from Hesed and Gevura together. It means that it receives the residue of the light Gevura from the time it is connected into one with the light of Hesed.

Now we understand the Sefira Tifferet of ZA from its origin. Its vessel is of Bina of VAK because HGT are the KHB of the VAK. However, it is regarded as merely the Sefira Daat of VAK. This is so because of its light, which is Daat. However, first we must know what is the light Daat. After all, we only have ten Sefirot KHB HGT NHYM. It is known that it is written in Book of Creation, “Ten and not eleven.” Thus, what is that light Daat?

Know that the origin of that light is the in interchanging of the lights here in the second expansion. Here, the light of Hochma comes to the vessel of Keter, the light of Bina to the vessel of Hochma, the light of Hesed to the vessel of Bina, and the light of Malchut to the vessel of ZA, and the vessel of Malchut remains without light, as we learn from the ARI’s words. Note, that this light of Hesed that comes to the vessel of Bina is the origin of the light of Daat; this is why the ARI calls it “the son of Bina.” Its phase of AVI are the male and female in the vessel of Bina, so that the male is the phase of Hochma of the vessel of Bina, and the female is the phase of Bina of the vessel of Bina. the light Hesed is the phase of Daat between this HB, which is always called “the son of HB.” More precisely, the ZON of the vessel of Hochma are both considered the phase of Hochma and the phase of Aba, and the ZON in the vessel of Bina are both considered the phase of Bina and the phase of Ima, and the light Hesed in the vessel of Bina is considered the phase of Daat and the phase of a son of these AVI.

This clarifies that the light of Hesed was originally emanated from the residue of the light of ZON of Hochma after they were refined into phase one. It came to the vessel of Bina, which is its mother, and lingered there in the intestine of the vessel of Bina until it acquired illumination of Hochma, meaning until it grew. At that time, it came out to the place of the vessels of VAK, called “the air of the world,” and there is room to elaborate here.

Now we have explained the light Daat from its root, that it is a son and a progeny that was renewed because of the interchanging of the lights in the second expansion. For this reason, it comes and clothes the vessel of Bina although it is only the light of ZA and the phase of VAK, having no equivalence with the phase of GAR. This is so because the difference between GAR and VAK is so far, as between a light and its vessel. Yet, because of the interchanging of the lights, this light of VAK came and clothed the vessel of GAR. This is a very wonderful matter. Examine this, for there is no room to elaborate here in what is not necessary for our matter.

From all that has been explained thus far you will understand that these three Sefirot HGT of ZA are not considered the essence of ZA, but the phase of GAR KHB or HBD of ZA, as has been written above. The five edges HGT NH are the very five phases KHB, ZA, and Malchut. Yet, when they are the phase of the light of Hassadim and the light of VAK, their names change to HGT NH. Thus, the actual phase of ZA begins at the fourth end in the five Hassadim, called Netzah, since it corresponds to the fourth phase, called ZA. Tifferet, however, corresponds to the third phase, called Bina, and remember that.

Therefore, the lights of HGT are also the phase of GAR, but begin from Hochma for the above reason. The light of Hesed is considered light of Hochma of the VAK, the light of Tifferet is considered that same light Hesed with respect to its clothing in the vessel of Bina, meaning the phase of the light of Daat and the son of HB. This is the actual light of VAK. The lights of Hesed and Gevura, however, are considered the phase of illuminations of Hochma and Bina that reached that light Hesed, although they are not the light of Hesed with respect to its own essence. The reason for this is the attitude of the vessels. Hesed and Gevura are originally in the phase of vessels of Keter and Hochma. Since this light Hesed never clothed in these vessels, it also does not clothe the vessels of Hesed and Gevura. However, since it clothed the vessel of Bina, it takes its place in the vessels of VAK in the vessel of Tifferet, which is in the place of Bina. Hence, Tifferet is considered the main part of Partzuf ZA, the Guf of the tree. The above light of Hesed itself, which is within it, is considered the Shokaim [shins] of the tree, and all the other Sefirot of the ZAT are considered its branches, which hang on it in the Tifferet.

42. After that, it is Matei in Keter once more, and then not Matei in Hochma and Bina, since the two rise to Keter together. In that state, it is not Matei in Hesed, as he rises to the place of Bina, as in the beginning, because of the two distances between them. At that time, it is Matei in Gevura, and then it is not Matei in Tifferet, as the light Tifferet ascends in Gevura because of the yearning. At that time, the vessel of Tifferet turns his anterior and gives the four lights in Netzah, and this is called Matei in Netzah.

Inner Light

42. It is Matei in Keter once more, and then not Matei in Hochma and Bina, etc.: You already know that the coming of Hesed to its vessel makes it Matei in Keter, as it is written in Inner Light, Item 40. This is so because there is no giving of lights except face-to-face, as the ARI says above. Hence, Bina must be refined from phase two to phase one, and then the lights of HB depart to Keter and cause an upper coupling there on coarseness of phase three. At that time, the light Matei to the Keter in the level of Hochma as in the beginning.

Then, not Matei in HB because the posterior of the vessel of Keter stop and delay the illumination of GAR. Because of that, not Matei in Hesed, too, since there are two vacant distances without light, which are HB. Since the light is not Matei in Hochma, you find that even the illumination of Hochma in Hesed stops from it, and Hesed returns to its Katnut. In that state, it needs its mother Bina once more to suckle illumination of GAR from her. Thus, Hesed ascends to the Bina, his vessel turns its anterior downward, and the light of Gevura descends once more to the vessel of Gevura and is Matei in Gevura. At that time, it is not Matei in Tifferet since the posterior of Gevura stop and delay the illumination of GAR of the light of Tifferet. For this reason, the light Tifferet rises to the vessel of Gevura, as it descended from the Gevura only by the force of the illumination of GAR of the control of Hesed over Gevura. Now that the control of Gevura has come once more, the Gevura raises his light to her, as in the beginning. At that time, the vessel of Tifferet turns its anterior downward, for it must revoke the influence of its GAR, which was its anterior previously, and make its posterior an anterior of bestowal. After that, it lowers the residue of the light in it to Netzah, and this is called Matei in Netzah.

Now we can understand the Sefira Netzah of ZA thoroughly. The vessel of Netzah is the phase of ZA itself, since the fourth Hesed of the five Hassadim corresponds to phase three of Keter, and the phases of direct light. It is so because HGT are considered KHB of Hassadim, and Netzah and Hod are regarded as ZA and Malchut of Hassadim. You find that from the perspective of the light, the Sefira Tifferet is the main part of the light of ZA, where the actual light of Daat clothes the vessel of Tifferet, and this is because of the interchanging of the lights, where because the light of Hochma clothed in Keter, and the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma, you find that the light of ZA clothes in the vessel of Tifferet. Therefore, you find that in the five Hassadim, the light of ZA clothes the vessel of Tifferet, which is the phase of Bina of the five Hassadim.

However, from the perspective of the vessels, Netzah is considered the self of ZA, and the light of Netzah is the phase of VAK that remains in the vessel of Tifferet after its departure from there to Gevura. The difference between it and the Sefira Gevura is that the light of Gevura is evaluated as VAK of Hochma although it is also discerned as VAK. This is so because it is the residue of Hesed with respect to the illumination of Hochma in it, and is evaluated like the light of ZON of the vessel of Bina. However, the light of Netzah is the phase of VAK of the light of ZA since we learned that the light of Tifferet is actually the phase of the light of ZA.

And mainly, we must discern here that the lights and the vessels of HGT here relate to the lights and vessels of NHYM is the same as how the GAR relates to VAK. This is because HGT correspond to GAR of the five phases, and NHYM correspond to ZA and Malchut of the five phases.

43. After that it returns to being not Matei in Keter and then it is Matei in Hochma. It is also Matei in Bina because of the Hesed there “because He desires mercy.” At that time, it is also Matei in Hesed, for then Hesed descends to his place, and then it is not Matei in Gevura because Gevura ascends with Hesed. At that time, it is Matei in Tifferet and light descends in Tifferet. Then it is not Matei in Netzah, since the light of Netzah ascends with Tifferet. At that time, it is Matei in Hod, since then the vessel of Netzah turns its anterior and gives the three lights to Hod, at which time Hod turns its anterior to Yesod and shines in it.

Inner Light

43. Not Matei in Keter and then it is Matei in Hochma: This is because the male and female of the light of Keter were refined to phase two. Then their posterior was canceled, and they bestowed the light of Bina to the vessel of Hochma, and they are Matei in Hochma, and the anterior of Hochma returned to its place as in the beginning.

It is also Matei in Bina because of the Hesed there: This means that Hochma turned her anterior downward, gave the male and female of Bina to the vessel of Bina, and is Matei in Bina, too. He explains the reason: “because of the Hesed there,” so he may correct the Hesed, and lower it to his vessel, see in Inner Light, Item 41.

Matei in Hesed, for then Hesed descends to his place: Through the refinement of phase two in Bina to phase one. This is the phase of light of the five Hassadim that belong to the VAK. At that time, the light of Hesed descends to its vessel, is Matei in the Hesed, and its anterior returns to its place.

Not Matei in Gevura because Gevura ascends with Hesed: The whole light of Gevura is the posterior and the VAK of the light of Hesed. Since the anterior of Hesed returned to its place, the posterior that was in Gevura was canceled, and was incorporated once more in the anterior of the light of Hesed. In that state, the vessel of Gevura turns its anterior downward once more, and gives the light of Tifferet in illumination of GAR to the Tifferet, see in Inner Light, Item 41.

Not Matei in Netzah, since the light Netzah ascends with Tifferet: This, too, is for the above reason that the light of Netzah is only the phase of posterior and VAK of the light of Tifferet. Thus, when the anterior of Tifferet returned to its place, it pulls its VAK to it as Hesed pulled the light of Gevura, and as Hochma pulled to herself the ZON of Bina.

Matei in Hod, since then the vessel of Netzah turns its anterior: After the light of Netzah rose to the anterior of the vessel of Tifferet, it thus turns the anterior of its vessel to its posterior. This is because the previous bestowal of GAR that was detained in it in the phase of posterior, has been inverted now and become the place of bestowal as the anterior of the vessel of Hesed that now controls it. At that time, it gives its residue in bestowing GAR to the Hod.

Now we have found the way to understand the Sefira of Hod of ZA from its origin. Know that this Sefira is the axis that all the corrections depend on and revolve around. Its vessel is the last fifth phase of the five phases KHB, ZA, and Malchut, meaning the original vessel of Malchut. This is because the four previous Hassadim correspond to KHB ZA, and Hesed is the fifth, meaning the Hod which is opposite Malchut.

You already know that all those vessels of the second expansion are the vessels of the first expansion that have been emptied of their lights. It turns out that the vessel of Hod is phase four of the first expansion that has been emptied of her light and did not leave any record after her as it is written in the ARI’s words in Part 4 (Chapter 2, Item 6). However, the light of Hod is not the light of Malchut, but the light of ZA, meaning what reached her from the residue of Netzah when he was connected with the light of illumination of the GAR of Tifferet. Moreover, it is the most important light among the Sefirot of NHYM. From the perspective of the lights, it is the phase of GAR of ZA, not ZA himself. Thus, he is more important than Netzah, as Netzah is from the posterior and VAK of the light Tifferet, but Hod is from the illumination of the anterior of Tifferet, for he has illumination of GAR from Tifferet. This is why Hod is called the “fifth Hesed,” since he is the illumination of GAR that there is in NHYM. Although it is phase four from the perspective of the vessel, which is the greater judgment in the ten Sefirot, its core is the light in it reforms him, of course, and its light is now very sweetened, meaning from the illumination of GAR in Tifferet, and examine carefully.

Hod turns its anterior to Yesod and shines in it: You already know that all this light that is extended in Matei and not Matei from Bina to Hod is light of Hassadim. In other words, it is the level that emerged on the coarseness of phase one that remained after the refinement of Bina. The whole matter of the difference of Matei and not Matei is primarily through the changes of illumination of GAR in Hassadim, or Hassadim without illumination of GAR. However, there was no difference between them in the height of the level since they are all at the level of phase one.

Here, the Sefira Hod turned its anterior backward although it had not completed the refinement of phase one, but only canceled the phase of illumination of GAR in it, which is the anterior, and turned the posterior into the phase of anterior. However, here we must know what the ARI writes, that ZON in the vessel of Bina made a coupling and engendered one Hey. The Vav [ו] inside the Hey [ה] was given to the vessel of Yesod, and the Dalet [ד] on the Vav was given to the vessel of Malchut.

Interpretation: Bina turned her anterior for the first time and was refined from her coarseness of phase two into phase one that equalized her anterior to the anterior of the vessel of Hesed. At that time, she gave the light of Hesed to the vessel of Hesed. She also lowered one light that was born by the coupling of the male and female in herself. This light is the Nukva, and is therefore called Hey. Thus, the phase of male and female descended to the vessels of VAK, as well, as they descended to the GAR of the second expansion. The male is the above-mentioned light Daat, and the female is the light born by the coupling of ZON of Bina, which is called Hey.

All these lights that come and are born through a coupling, the ARI names them illuminations, as it is written in Item 35. He says there that Hochma turned her anterior and shines for Bina. He also says that Hod turned its anterior to Yesod and shines in it. Also, he says below that so it was in all the VAK, that they turn their anterior and shine downward. All these are extensions of the lights that come by the coupling, for which he names them illuminations.

It is written, “Hod turns its anterior to Yesod and shines in it.” It means that there was not a complete refinement yet, only what is sufficient to illuminate the Hey of Bina to Yesod. Afterwards, when there was a complete refinement, the light that belongs to Yesod descended to Yesod. Yet, that Hey, which was born from ZON of Bina, is the beginning of the association of the quality of mercy with judgment. Hence, it is worthwhile to expand the understanding of it. We have already discussed this innovation that was made in the second expansion, that the light of ZA was emanated and emerged through Hochma and not through Bina, as it would be in the ten Sefirot of direct light, and as it was in the first expansion. This novelty came here by the inversion of the lights. Besides that, there is yet another great innovation here: The light of Malchut was emanated by Bina and not by ZA, as in the ten Sefirot of direct light, and as it was in the first expansion. The light of Daat, which is the light Zeir Anpin, was emanated from the refinement of the male and female of the vessel of Hochma. Similarly, the light of Malchut emerged by the refinement of the male and female of the vessel of Bina, namely the Hey, which belongs to Malchut, as she is female light.

Now you will thoroughly understand the difference between the light of Daat, which is the light of ZA, and the light of the above Hey, which is the light of Malchut, meaning according to their emanation. In truth, when they were emanated, both emerged on the level of phase one, since phase two of ZON of the vessel of Hochma was refined to phase one, which is light Hesed, as it is written in Item 37, called the light of Daat, or the light of ZA. Similarly, the phase two of the male and female of Bina were refined into phase one, which is the above-mentioned light of the Hey, which is the light of Malchut. Therefore, you find that the light of Hesed, which is the light of ZA, and the light of the Hey, which is the light of Malchut, are of equal level. This is so because both are the same phase, as both came from the refinement of phase two.

Yet, the difference between them is as great as the measure of the difference between the ZON of Hochma and the ZON of Bina. It has been clarified above that the ZON of Bina are considered the posterior and the phase of VAK of the ZON of Hochma. It is therefore clear that the offspring that were emanated from them are also as far as the GAR from the VAK. The light Hesed, which was emanated by the ZON of Hochma, is considered the phase of anterior and GAR with respect to the light of the Hey, which is considered the posterior and VAK with respect to the light of Hesed, which is the light of ZA, similar to the value in the progenitors, and examine well.

Now we can thoroughly understand what the ARI stresses above in Item 38, “However, Bina did not turn her anterior to shine in Hesed below, since there was no strength in Hesed and VAK to receive such a great light face-to-face, but only back-to-back.” In that, he refers to the above light of the Hey, which he calls illumination since it emerged through a coupling, and not in the regular order of refinement and emanation of the lights from one another. In that regard, he stresses that the light of that Hey did not come to the VAK before the seven lights that come in the regular order of the refinement, similar to the male of Bina, which is born from the coupling ZON of Hochma, which comes to the vessel of Bina before the light of Hesed came through the regular refinement, as the ARI has written before in Item 35.

The reason is that if the light of the Hey had come before the refinement to phase one, meaning before the time of the descent of Hesed, like the male of Bina, there would have been the level of the Hey that was in phase two, since the coarseness of Bina had not yet been refined to phase one, but only when Hesed was given to the vessel of Hesed. This is what the ARI emphasizes, “since there was no strength in Hesed and VAK to receive such a great light,” for how is it possible that the light of the level of phase two would come and clothe the vessels of VAK, which are phase one? For this reason, Bina was compelled first to be refined from phase two to phase one, at which time the light of Hey was refined to the measure of phase one. Then, both emerged, meaning the light of Hesed and the light of Hey, and came to the vessel of Hesed. That Hey then moved from vessel to vessel until it came to the vessel of Yesod which is its place, as he says above.

Now you can also understand what the ARI answers there and says that the Hochma could have shone to the Bina before it was refined to phase one, since Aba ve Ima remain as one and come out as one. He wishes to say that Hochma emanated and gave the male of Bina to the vessel of Bina, before she was refined to phase one. This is because the vessel of Bina is indeed a vessel of phase two, like the level of the light of Hochma. Hence, it does not need to be refined and diminish its level to phase one. This is not so with Bina to the vessels of Hesed and the rest of the VAK, which are vessels of phase one, as how can they receive the light of the Hey while it has level of phase two? It is written, “at which time Hod turns its anterior to Yesod and shines in it.” It has been explained that this Hey is considered the posterior light and VAK. Thus, since the anterior of Hod is from the phase of illumination of GAR, it cannot bestow the light of the Hey, which is posterior light, unless through turning the anterior downward and the posterior upward. In other words, her posterior, which bestows VAK and prevents GAR, will now become the giver, and will then bestow the above light of Hey to Yesod.

44. It is the same matter in all the VAK since when the lights are given in them, they turn their anterior and shine downward, since it is precisely Bina who did not turn her anterior to Hesed since there is no strength in Hesed to receive the light of Bina. But VAK, however, for themselves, have the ability to receive light from one another since all the VAK are equal.

Inner Light

44. It is the same matter in all the VAK since when the lights are given in them, they turn their anterior and shine downward: As it has been written above, this Hey emerged by the coupling from the male and female of the vessel of Bina, when Bina was refined from phase two to phase one, to give the light of Hesed in the vessel of Hesed. At that time, the light of this Hey emerged with it, too, Hesed gave to Gevura, etc., until she reached the vessel of Hod, and Hod gave to Yesod. It is written, “It is the same matter in all the VAK since when the lights are given in them, they turn their anterior and shine downward.” In other words, that same light of the Hey that came out by a coupling, whose bestowal is always referred to by the ARI as illumination.

45. After that, it returned to being Matei in Keter, and then not Matei in Hochma and Bina since they both rise there. It is also not Matei in Hesed because it rose to Bina and it is Matei in Gevura. At that time, it is not Matei in Tifferet, and then it is Matei in Netzah, and not Matei in Hod. Then the Hod turned its anterior and gives the two lights to Yesod, and then it is Matei in Yesod. Then Yesod turns its anterior and shines to Malchut, etc., in all the VAK.

Inner Light

45. Returned to being Matei in Keter, etc., and not Matei in Hod: It has already been repeatedly explained above that the bestowal of Bina to the vessel of VAK causes Matei in Keter. In that state, the posterior of the vessel of Keter dominate, preventing any illumination of GAR in the Partzuf, even in the vessel of Hochma, much less in the vessels below, which receive from the vessel of Hochma. Hence, the illumination of GAR departs from the vessel of Hod, and the vessel turns its anterior downward, and gives the residue to Yesod. However, regarding the turning of the anterior of the vessel of Hod, there is also a matter of the refinement of the coarseness of phase one to the phase of Keter. The light that comes out has only the level of Malchut, as the ARI wrote above, that the level of Malchut clothed the vessel of Yesod. In this manner, there were two phases regarding the turning of the anterior of Hod, both the matter of the bestowal of the posterior instead of the anterior as before, and the matter of the refinement of the coarseness of phase one, which dominated all five edges from Hesed to Hod, and now Hod has been refined from its phase one, and gave only the level of Malchut to the vessel of Yesod. The reason for it is that there is no more than five edges in the level of phase one.

Now the Sefira Yesod of ZA has been clarified to us. Its vessel is from the phase of Malchut since the vessel of Hod of ZA is also a vessel of Malchut, and all the more so the Yesod that follows it. Thus, all of these three vessels Hod, Yesod, and Malchut, are only the expansion of the vessel of Malchut. They expand primarily because of that above-mentioned Hey that descended from the coupling of ZON of Bina, but also because of the posterior light that remained from the vessel of Hod after she turned her anterior because of the domination of the posterior of Keter. It is so because these two lights are specific to the vessel of Yesod.

Thus, the vessel of Yesod is discerned as the vessel of Malchut, and the light in it is combined of judgment and mercy. This is because the light of the posterior that remains of the Sefira Hod after she had turned her anterior is the hardest judgment in all five edges of ZA, since it is the vessel of phase four from the time of the first expansion. However, when the illumination of GAR of Tifferet reached it, it was to the contrary, it was regarded as Hesed because the illumination of GAR turns everything to Hesed. Yet, when the illumination of GAR disappears from it, only the quality of judgment remains in it, and that quality of judgment descended to the vessel of Yesod.

You should know that that was a novelty in the Partzuf, for until now, none of the quality of judgment appeared in the Partzuf in all five edges. On the contrary, the light of Hassadim of the level of phase one dominated the entire Partzuf, though once in illumination of GAR, and once without illumination of GAR. Now, however, the level of the light of Hassadim has already been refined from the Sefira Hod, and there is only the level of Malchut there. Since the illumination of GAR disappeared from the Partzuf, as well, there appeared the entire force of judgment in the vessel of Hod, and that residue descended to the vessel of Yesod. Thus you find that this force of judgment is a novelty that has now appeared in the vessel of Yesod. Thus, now all five edges are considered five Gevurot because of the innovation of the form that they have acquired in the vessel of Yesod. Hence, now there are two phases: five Hassadim in the five edges from Hesed to Hod, and the second is since they are five Gevurot, meaning in the vessel of Yesod.

However, there is yet another light of the five in the vessel of Yesod, meaning what reached it from the coupling of ZON of Bina. It is a very great light since from the root of its emanation, she is phase two, since it comes from the coupling of ZON of phase two. Afterwards, when she descended along with the light of Hesed to the vessels of VAK, her level was lessened to phase one. And now that she reached the Yesod, she was lessened to the level of Malchut once again. However, since she is from the coupling of phase two, she is regarded as the light Hesed, but on a low level.

Thus, from her perspective, the five edges are regarded as five Hassadim once more, sweetening the above five Gevurot that descended to the vessel of Yesod from the residue of the light of Hod. Thus, we have thoroughly learned that the light Yesod is a combined light of Hesed and judgment, called five Hassadim and five Gevurot. The five Gevurot are from the residue of the light of VAK, and the five Hassadim are from the residue of the male and female of the vessel of Bina. They mix and join together in the vessel of Yesod. Bear in mind that all this is done here during, and because of the control of the posterior of the vessel of Keter.

46. Afterwards, it returned to being not Matei in Keter, and then it is Matei in HB and Hesed, and then it is not Matei in Gevura, Matei in Tifferet, and not Matei in Netzah, Matei in Hod, and not Matei in Yesod, as it ascended in Hod. At that time, it turns its anterior and gives light to Malchut below in her place, and then it is Matei in Malchut. Now the first phases are complete, which is the reality of the expansion. Thus, all ten lights have reached Malchut.

Inner Light

46. Not Matei in Keter, etc., Matei in Hod, and not Matei in Yesod, as it ascended in Hod. At that time, it turns its anterior and gives light to Malchut below in her place, and then it is Matei in Malchut: The matter of not Matei in Keter has already been explained, which is because of the regular refinement through the clash of surrounding light and inner light, at which time phase three in the vessel was refined into phase two. The light that emerges in that coupling is the level of Bina, and Keter gave that residue to the vessel of Hochma. Since the illumination of GAR returned to the Partzuf, all the anterior phases of Hochma, Bina, Hesed, Tifferet and Hod, returned to their original place. Then the light of Yesod rises and joins the illumination of the anterior of GAR of the Hod for the above reason. At that time, the vessel of Yesod turns its anterior downward, meaning it bestows the illumination of GAR because of the control of the vessel of Hod on it. However, it is not from phase one, but only from the level of the light of Malchut, as the light that remains in the vessel of Yesod is only the level of Malchut, and then it is Matei in Malchut.

However, here we must know what is the light of Yesod that rose to Hod, and what is its residue, which it gave to the vessel of Malchut. We need to thoroughly know the origin of the above Hey that descended to the vessel of Yesod. You already know that this Hey is an offspring of the coupling of ZON in the vessel of Bina. We must also discern a shape of Dalet [ד] over Vav [ו] in this shape of the Hey [ה]. This Vav is in the internality of the Hey, and has no Rosh. There is an important intimation here, since this Hey consists of the male and female in Bina. Hence, the phase of female in the Hey is the Dalet, and the phase of male in the Hey is the Vav without the Rosh inside it.

The meaning of the words is that the matter of the cessation of the left leg in the Hey implies the cessation of the GAR from the VAK that had been prepared and made inside the vessel of Bina. There is a great novelty to discern: The female is more important than her male since the male is a result that comes from the coupling of the male and female of the vessel of Hochma when the male is in a state of bowing of the Rosh [head], as it is written in the words of the ARI (Item 35). Hochma turned her anterior and shines to Bina face-to-face, only illumination. It means that the male in the vessel of Hochma, which is phase three, turned its anterior, and was refined into phase two like the Nukva of the vessel of Hochma. You find that the male lowered his Rosh since the GAR of Hochma is called Rosh. Now, after he departed from the coarseness of phase three, all the light of Hochma disappeared from him, and he equalizes with the level of Bina of his female. At that time, they copulated and engendered the above male of the above-mentioned vessel of Bina.

It is known that any offspring and consequence is regarded as VAK of its emanator. Thus, the degree of the male is only the VAK of the level of Bina, since his emanator, meaning the male and female of Hochma that gave birth to it, when they engendered it, they both had only the level of Bina. Hence, their offspring is only the VAK of that level.

However, the female of the vessel of Bina is discerned as the record of Bina that remained in that vessel from the time of the first expansion that the light of Bina of the first expansion left there when it departed from there. That light of Bina had the level of Keter there since all ten Sefirot of the first expansion had the level of Keter. Thus, you see the great importance of this record that remained in the vessel of Bina. Nevertheless, it became a Nukva to the male of the vessel of Bina, which is absent even from the GAR of Bina. This was because the light of that record is very small since all her light has already departed. She is but a record, meaning a very small light that must remain after each light when it departs from its place. Hence, since the record has no light, she became a female to the above male light, which is much lower than her, so as to receive light from it, and examine that.

Now you will thoroughly understand the meaning of this above Hey that was emanated from those male and female. The truncated Vav without the Rosh that stands inside that Hey is the male in that consequence, since she is the phase of VAK of the level of Bina, without the phase of Rosh of the level of Bina. For this reason, the Vav that is extended from her is also truncated, without a Rosh. The Dalet that surrounds that truncated Vav in the Hey is the phase of female in this consequence. She is regarded as the Rosh over the truncated Vav since she is completely the phase of GAR. Yet, she lacks the light, which the truncated Vav has, whose entire light is only what she receives from that truncated Vav. Hence, she is called Dalet, indicating that she is poor and devoid of abundance from her own phase and must receive from her male.

That cessation that was made in the left leg of the Hey indicates that she was divided into two degrees separate from one another. This was done now by the ascent of the light of Yesod to the Sefira Hod. You know the two kinds of light in the vessel of Yesod: The first is the judgments that remained in the Hod after the illumination of GAR disappeared from there, and the second is the light of the Hey that was drawn to it from ZON in Bina.

After the light is Matei in Hod, which is the phase of illumination of GAR that departed from the light of Yesod when that light was in Hod, it causes its residue to descend to Yesod. Now you find that when the light descended to Hod once more, the residue that descended to Yesod has certainly returned to its root, to Hod, since now it has illumination of GAR there once more. That light that rose took the truncated Vav inside the Hey in the Yesod along with it and raised it to Hod. Thus, two lights rose from that first Yesod. The first is the above light of Malchut, meaning the residue that it took from Hod first, and the second is the truncated Vav inside the Hey.

The reason for it is that although that Vav is not at all from the phase of Hod, it still rose there. This is so because it was first connected to the light of Malchut in order to sweeten it. The light of Malchut is discerned as the five Gevurot, and the Hey is the phase of five Hassadim, and they were sweetened in one another. That sweetening comes only from the Vav inside the Hey since it is the entire light inside the Hey, although it certainly took the illumination of GAR in her from the Dalet, meaning only when it is not Matei in Hod, and it was in the Yesod without illumination of GAR. Now, however, that illumination of GAR in Hod is Matei once more, it no longer needs the illumination of GAR in the fourth phase. Therefore, it only took the phase of Vav when it rose there, not the phase of Dalet that surrounds it. Know that that phase of Dalet [ד] that surrounds it came down and clothed the vessel of Malchut.

Now we thoroughly understand the Sefira Malchut, since the vessel in her is the vessel of Malchut, that was extended from the vessel of Hod, and the light in her is the phase of Dalet that surrounds the Vav from the phase of Hey that is extended from ZON of Bina. However, the light of Malchut herself is what clothed here in the vessel of Yesod. This is why Malchut is called a mirror that does not shine, as the ARI says above, in Part 4.

You find that there are four males and four females in this second expansion. The first two couples are ZON of Keter and ZON of Hochma. The males in them are more important than the females since the male of Keter is from phase four of clothing, but the female of Keter is only from phase three. The male of the vessel of Hochma is from phase three, but the female of the vessel of Hochma is from phase two. Thus, the males are greater than the females. However, in both, the males and females are in one vessel, since they are close to each other because the males are from the records that remained after the departure of the first expansion; hence, they are devoid of light. The females, however, are from the new, second expansion, and are filled with light.

However, in the male and female of vessel of Bina, the female is greater than the male. This is because the male is the phase of VAK of Bina, and the female is the phase of GAR of Bina. Nevertheless, they are both in one vessel, as the female is from the record and lacks light, and the male comes from the coupling of ZON of Hochma, which is why it is filled with light.

Also, although the male in the vessel of Keter is a record, considered devoid of light, that absence concerns only its GAR. From the perspective of VAK, however, it is full of light.

Yet, there are many discernments in the male and female of the VAK. The male, which is the light of ZA, is emanated by the Hochma, which is the light of Hesed in the vessel of Bina. Afterwards, it expanded into the vessel of ZA. The female, however, is a consequence of Bina, meaning a Hey that was emanated by the ZON of Bina.

We must still discern another phase of male and female there, namely the male and female in Yesod and Malchut. There, the male is smaller than the female since the male is the phase of Vav without a Rosh inside the Hey, which is extended from the male of Bina, which is the phase of VAK. Nevertheless, they are not in the same vessel, but rather, the male is in the upper vessel, which is Yesod, and the female is in the lower vessel, which is Malchut.

These two above phases of ZON inside the seven lower Sefirot are sometimes regarded as one, and sometimes as two. This is because in Gadlut, the female has all the above Hey, and all the VAK are then considered the male of that Hey. However, in Katnut, only Yesod is considered the phase of male, and then Malchut has only the Dalet in the Hey, since the truncated Vav takes the Yesod. There are many changes in that, too, and there is no place to elaborate here.

We must also understand here that there are three divisions in the lower seven, which are the phase of Rosh [head/top], Toch [interior], Sof [end]. The first are Hesed and Gevura, which are the phase of Rosh of the VAK. The second are Tifferet and Netzah, which are the phase of Toch of the VAK. The third are Hod, Yesod, Malchut, and they are the phase of Sof of the VAK. The matter of Matei and not Matei depends only on Keter and Hochma, since the posterior of Keter denies illumination of GAR from the entire Partzuf, which is why there cannot be illumination of GAR in the Partzuf except when Keter’s dominion is canceled, meaning by refining the coarseness in the screen in him, which belongs to his level. At that time, the light departs from Keter and its residue is Matei in Hochma, from which appears illumination of GAR in the Partzuf.

Hence, if it is Matei in Keter, illumination of GAR is denied even from the Hochma. Therefore, at that time, the phase of VAK of the seven lower Sefirot control, namely the VAK of Rosh in them, which is the Sefira Gevura, and the VAK of Toch in them, which is Netzah, and the VAK of Sof in them, which is Yesod.

If it is not Matei in Keter, at which time it is Matei in Hochma, then comes the control of the illumination of GAR in the RTS [Rosh-Toch-Sof] of the seven lower Sefirot, meaning their phase of illumination of GAR of Rosh, which is Hesed, and their phase of illumination of GAR of their Toch, which is Tifferet, their phase of illumination of GAR of the Sof, which is Hod, from which comes the phase of GAR without the VAK to the Malchut, called Dalet over the Vav in the depiction of the letter Hey.

This Dalet means cessation of light from the Partzuf. Because all the coarseness in the screen was refined and the coupling stopped, there is no reflected light to clothe the direct light there any longer, and the direct light stops, as well, and all the Sefirot return to the Emanator through an incorporation of all the records in them inside the screen, as only the screen rises to the Emanator.

Now the first phases are complete, which is the reality of the expansion: This refers to the second expansion, called Partzuf AB of AK.

Thus, all ten lights have reached the Malchut: It means that the refinement reached the level of Malchut. At that time, the screen is clean from any coarseness from the phase of the Guf until its form is equal to the phase of the screen of Malchut of the Rosh. It is considered to have risen there and become incorporated in a never-ending coupling in Malchut of the Rosh. In that state, the records of the Sefirot of the Guf contained in it in the full measure of their coarseness reawaken, and it thickens once more in the coarseness from the phase of the Guf. By this, its form has been differentiated from Malchut in the Rosh once more, and it is therefore considered to have departed from there and become separated. At that time, an upper coupling emerges on it and draws a new level of the ten Sefirot to the Guf.

It has been explained there that the last phase does not leave a record. Since here, the last phase was phase three, you find that phase three did not leave a record; hence, it is not contained in the screen, and the greatest record in it is phase two. Hence, when the screen regained the coarseness through its incorporation in the coupling of the Rosh, it could not coarser than phase two. You find that the level that emerged there reached only the level of Bina. This is the second phase of the expansion of the light after its second departure.

47. The second phase is simple, since now it returned to being Matei in Keter. At that time, it is not Matei in Hochma, Bina, and Hesed, and Matei in Gevura, not Matei in Tifferet, and Matei in Netzah, not Matei in Hod, and Matei in Yesod, and not Matei in Malchut, and then it repeats as in the beginning.

Inner Light

47. The second phase is simple, since now it returned to being Matei in Keter: As has been explained in the previous item, after the second departure that was made, the screen with the records contained in it returned to the screen in Malchut of the Rosh where a new coupling emerged on that screen. Since all it had was coarseness of phase two, it drew only the level of Bina. That the level of Bina expanded once more into the Guf, to the vessel of Keter, and this is Matei in Keter, meaning the light of Bina in the vessel of Keter. Here, too, the vessels preceded the lights since all those vessels that remained empty after the second departure of Partzuf AB, passed to that new Partzuf, as it is written above regarding AB, that all the empty vessels that remained after the first departure passed to the second expansion, called AB, and so it is here. Also, all four phases of male and female that were in Partzuf AB apply here, too, but in a different level since there is only a small level here in the Partzuf in general.

Let us explain the four pairs of male and female in this Partzuf. That level of the light of Bina that descended to Keter is the phase of female of the vessel of Keter. The record of phase four of clothing was made into the phase of the male of the vessel of Keter of AB in Partzuf AB (see Inner Light, Item 6, and all the ARI’s words there apply here, too). Similarly, here, the record of phase three from the phase of clothing that remained in the vessel of Keter of Partzuf AB was made here into the male of Keter of the Partzuf of the level of Bina, which receives from the light of Hochma that rose under Malchut of the Rosh of AB during the second departure, and did not return to the Guf of Partzuf Bina. In other words, it is exactly like the male of the Keter of Partzuf AB. Hence, Keter of Partzuf Bina, too, denies the illumination of GAR from the Partzuf since the posterior of the light of Hochma under Malchut of the Rosh is downward, meaning it does not expand to the Guf. It controls the vessel of Keter, which also turns its posterior downward, illuminates only illumination of VAK, and denies illumination of GAR from the Partzuf.

It is written, “Matei in Keter. At that time, it is not Matei in Hochma, Bina, and Hesed.” This is because the posterior of the vessel of Keter denies any illumination of GAR from the Partzuf, even from the vessel of Hochma, much less for illumination of GAR of the Rosh-Toch-Sof of the seven lower Sefirot.

It is written, “Matei in Gevura, not Matei in Tifferet, and Matei in Netzah, not Matei in Hod, and Matei in Yesod, and not Matei in Malchut.” It means that then the light reaches the vessels of VAK of the Rosh-Toch-Sof of the seven lower Sefirot, which are the Sefira Gevura, the Sefira Netzah, and the Sefira Yesod. The light is not Matei in the vessels of GAR of the seven lower Sefirot, which are Hesed, Tifferet, and Hod, since the posterior of Keter denies them illumination of GAR, as we have explained.

Repeats as in the beginning: When it is not Matei in Keter because phase three and phase two in it have been refined, and the light of Keter returns to its place, Keter’s power of control has ceased. At that time, its residue descends to Hochma, and the vessels of illumination of GAR in the RTS of the seven lower Sefirot, which are Hesed, Tifferet, and Hod, attain their control, and Malchut receives her phase of Dalet.

Now we shall explain the male and female of the vessel of Hochma. The male and female in the vessel of Keter make a coupling and engender a male and a female like them. The male is extended from the form of the male, meaning the phase of VAK without GAR, since the posterior of the light of Hochma that stand under Malchut of the Rosh is turned down toward the emanated beings in the Guf. Hence, the male of Keter has only VAK without GAR, and for this reason, the male that is born from him has only VAK without GAR. The female of Keter also gives her form to the female that was born from her, which is the phase of the light of Bina. After that, the vessel of Keter is refined and turns its anterior downward, meaning it is refined to phase one, and gives these three lights to the vessel of Hochma. These are the male, which is VAK of Hochma, and a female, which is the light of Bina, and the level of phase one, which is the light of Hesed that contains the seven lower Sefirot. In other words, it is just as we have explained in the emanation of ZON of the vessel of Bina in the above-mentioned Partzuf AB.

The only difference is that here, the all the degrees descended, and all the phases light in the vessel of Bina of AB are here in the vessel of Hochma, and the vessel of Bina is incorporated here with the vessel of Hochma. However, records of ZON from the time it was in Partzuf AB before the second departure remain in the Bina, but do not merit a name since they are equal with the ZON in the vessel of Hochma. Likewise, that same coupling in ZON of the vessel of Bina in Partzuf AB that engendered one Hey that came down with the light of the seven lower Sefirot until it reached Yesod and Malchut, the Vav in her took the Yesod, and the Dalet in her took the Malchut. In just that manner, the ZON in the vessel of Hochma copulated here in Partzuf Bina, and engendered one Hey, too, which descended with the ZAT from vessel to vessel until she reached the vessels of Yesod and Malchut. Yesod took the Vav in her, and Malchut took the Dalet in her.

Thus we have explained the four males and four females in the vessels of the ten Sefirot of the new Partzuf here from the level of Bina. This is because the male of the vessel of Keter is VAK of Hochma, and the female of Keter is the level of Bina. The male and female in the vessel of Hochma are also VAK of Hochma to the male, and the level of Bina to the female. In every place, the offspring are regarded as VAK with respect to their progenitors, here, however, the male of Keter has a great, immense light, and it is called VAK of Hochma because of the posterior of the light of Hochma in the Rosh that control it so as to give only VAK. Hence, its progeny is regarded as VAK, too, like him, since he comes in a vessel of Hochma that has no posterior. Also, the female is regarded as the level of Bina, like the Nukva of Keter that engendered her since in the vessel of Hochma, she also has a record of the level of Bina that remained there since the time of the expansion of AB. It connects with this Nukva, and thus she, too, attains the level of Bina. And we learn that the phases of ZON of the vessel of Hochma is VAK of Hochma to the male, and the level of Bina to the female, like the ZON of Keter.

We have already learned that the ZON of the vessel of Bina are the records that remained from the time of the previous expansion of AB. They are incorporated with the male and female of the vessel of Hochma since their phases are close to one another. The male in the ZON of ZAT is the light of Hesed that was emanated by the ZON of the vessel of Keter after their refinement to phase one. The female in the ZAT is the above Hey that was emanated by the ZON in the vessel of Hochma. This Hey was also divided into ZON, meaning to Vav and Dalet. The Vav clothed in the vessel of Yesod, the Dalet in the vessel of Malchut, and they are the phases of small ZON in the ZAT.

You find that all the conducts of emanation present in the second expansion, called AB of AK, were also present in Partzuf Bina of AK, except one degree lower. The phase of ZON of Hochma of AB rose in Partzuf Bina to ZON of Keter. The phase of ZON of Bina of AB rose here to ZON of Hochma. Also, the light of ZA that was emanated in Partzuf AB from the vessel of Hochma is emanated here from the vessel of Keter. In addition, the Hey that was emanated from the vessel of Bina in Partzuf AB, is emanated here from the vessel of Hochma, etc., similarly. All this stems from the general decline that was here where Hochma remained in the Rosh and only the light of Bina came and clothed in the Guf. You find that the light of Bina clothed in the vessel of Keter, and the light of ZA came to the vessel of Hochma, meaning after the ZON of Keter were refined to phase one, and the light of Malchut is in the vessel of Bina since that Hey that was emanated from Hochma came to the vessel of Bina and from there expanded to the ZAT.

Now we shall explain the order of Matei and not Matei that is applied in Partzuf Bina of AK, also called Partzuf SAG of AK, and the matter of Matei and not Matei that is permanent in that Partzuf. We have already explained the order of the first expansion of this Partzuf (Inner Light, Item 47). We learned there that when the level of Bina expanded to the Partzuf, and the light of Bina is Matei the in vessel of Keter, the light reaches all the vessels of the control of VAK in the Partzuf, according to their impressions during the second expansion before its departure. This is so because these are the very vessels that came into that Partzuf Bina. Hence, the light reached the three vessels of the posterior phase in the Rosh-Toch-Sof in ZAT, which are Gevura, Netzah, Yesod. Their illumination continues until the ZON of the vessel of Keter were refined to phase one, and these ZON rose to their root. At that time, it is Matei in HB, meaning in the ZON in Hochma and Bina, which are the phase of VAK of Hochma to the male, and the phase of the level of Bina to the female. Then, illumination of GAR reached the Partzuf and is Matei in all the anterior vessels in the RTS in the ZAT, which are Hesed, Tifferet, Hod, and the fourth light to Malchut.

We could say that since it is not Matei in Hochma before the vessel of Keter was refined to phase one, at which time it turned its anterior and gave the light of Hesed to the vessel of Hochma, thus, ZON of Hochma should have been diminished to phase one, as well. The thing is that the vessel of Keter bestowed the ZON to the vessel of Hochma from the phase of illumination before it was refined to phase one (as the ARI wrote regarding the male of the vessel of Bina that was emanated from the vessel of Hochma during the second expansion, in Item 38, and Inner Light there). Only after ZON descended to the vessel of Hochma was the vessel of Keter refined and lowered phase one, meaning the light of Hesed, to the vessel of Hochma. Now there are three lights in this vessel, which are male, in VAK of Hochma, Nukva, in the level of Bina, and the light Hesed, which is the light of ZA.

You also know that ZON of Hochma copulated and engendered a Hey, which is the phase of female to the light of Hesed that came to the vessel of Bina. At that time, the ZON of HB were refined from phase two to phase one, and turned their anterior downward, as with the second expansion, giving the light of Hesed with the above Hey to the vessel of Hesed.

After that, Gevura rose to the vessel of Hesed and the vessel of Gevura turned its anterior downward, giving her residue in illumination of GAR to Tifferet. Then, not Matei in Netzah since it rose to Tifferet and turned its anterior downward, and gave its residue to Hod in illumination of GAR. Then, it is not Matei in Yesod since it rose to Hod, at which time Yesod turned its anterior and gave its residue to Malchut, which is the Dalet of the above-mentioned Hey.

You should also remember what the ARI wrote above, that the vessels illuminated for each other before they turned their anterior to give the lights. This is because they are all on an even level. This means that they gave the Hey that was born from the above coupling of ZON to each other before they turned their anterior. Only Bina could not give the above Hey to Hesed before she turned her anterior because there is a difference of level between Bina and the vessel of Hesed: One is GAR and the other is VAK.

This is not so between the vessels of ZAT themselves, whose level is even (see Item 38 in the words of the ARI). Therefore, after the above reached the vessel of Hesed, the vessel of Hesed gave it to the vessel of Gevura before she turned her anterior downward. Hence, afterwards, when she turned her anterior downward, she gave the above, along with her residue, to the vessel of Tifferet. The vessel of Tifferet gave the above to the vessel of Netzah before it turned its anterior downward. Afterwards, when the vessel of Netzah turned its anterior downward, it gave the above to the vessel of Hod, along with its residue. Similarly, vessel of Hod gave the to the vessel of Yesod before it turned its anterior downward. After it turned its anterior downward, it gave the Dalet of that to the vessel of Malchut.

You already know the two matters regarding the turning of the anterior downward (see Inner Light, Item 40, paragraph, “You must remember”). The first is from the phase of the vessel. It turns the place of her bestowal from illumination of VAK to illumination of GAR, or vise versa. The second is from the phase of the screen, where its greater coarseness is the anterior, and the lesser coarseness is the inverting of the anterior.

In all the vessels of ZA, whose level is even from phase one, the turning of the anterior in them is only from the phase of the vessels, but the screen was not refined during the turning of the anterior, except in the turning of the anterior in Yesod. In that state, the screen of phase one was also refined to the level of Malchut. Thus, after the light of the Dalet reached Malchut, as well, Malchut, too, was refined, and all the coarseness ceased in the screen. At that time, the coupling had been canceled, and all the light departed from the Partzuf. Then, all the lights rise as MAN to the vessel of Keter, to the ZON of Keter there, and then their screen grows coarser to phase two once more. It makes a coupling with the upper light once more, and once again draws the level of Bina, as in the beginning. The light of Bina is then Matei in the vessel of Keter, and is also Matei in Gevura, Netzah, and Yesod, and not Matei in Hochma, Bina, and Hesed, Tifferet, Hod, and Malchut.

After that, the screen of the phase of ZON of Keter is refined once more, and then it is Matei in HB, in Hesed, om Tifferet, in Hod, and in Malchut, and not Matei in Keter, Gevura, Netzah, and Yesod.

Since it is Matei to Malchut, the coupling stops, and the lights depart and rise to the vessel of Keter as MAN to the ZON there. The level of Bina is extended to Keter once more, and it is once more Matei in Keter, Gevura, Netzah, Yesod, and not Matei in Hochma, Bina, Hesed, Tifferet, Hod, and Malchut, and so on and so forth. This is so because thus the lights always turn in this Partzuf, once in Keter-Gevura-Netzah-Yesod, and once in Hochma-Bina-Hesed-Tifferet-Hod-Malchut, like candlelight, swaying here and there.

The reason for it is that the screen of phase two is a faint screen, as it is the phase of posterior of Bina to the Hochma. It draws its power from there, and you already know that the posterior phase of Bina on the Hochma is rooted back in Bina of direct light, who turns posterior to Hochma, and draws Hassadim from Keter in the form of Yod [י] and Nun [נ] of the Tzadik [צ], which are opposite from one another. For this reason, the craving for Hassadim was imprinted in Bina, to prefer the light of Hassadim to the light of Hochma, as it is written, “because He desires mercy,” as the ARI says above (Item 43).

Hence, after the coupling is made on the screen of phase two, and the light expands to the Partzuf, and Bina already has light of Hassadim abundantly, then the screen grows weaker and becomes refined because the posterior of Ima on the Hochma are canceled, too. Although she prefers the light of Hassadim to the light of Hochma, it is only when there is a need for light of Hassadim. However, after there is light of Hassadim in abundance, she turns herself back to the light of Hochma, and cancels her posterior.

Naturally, the screen that is supported by these posterior is refined, as well, by an order of degrees, until it is refined into the phase of Keter. At that time, the coupling stops, the lights depart from the Partzuf, and their records rise to the vessel of Keter, incorporated in the screen that was refined. Then, Bina feels the lack of light of Hassadim once more, and her posterior return to Hochma, to its place. In that state, the screen of phase two there grows coarser once more by the force of the posterior of Bina, and the coupling returns once more, and draws the level of phase two. The abundant light of Hassadim returns to the Partzuf and Bina cancels her posterior over Hochma once more. After that, the screen is refined once more, until it is refined completely. The light of Hassadim ceases once more, and the bustling records rise once more for MAN to the vessel of Keter, and once again she feels the lack of Hassadim, and returns her posterior to Hochma. At that time, the screen grows coarser once again, to phase two, and makes a coupling with the upper light, and so on and so forth like a swaying candlelight.

It has now been explained how the Matei and not Matei in this Partzuf is fixed and ever existing. When the level of phase two is Matei to the vessel of Keter, it is also Matei in Gevura, Netzah, Yesod, which are the phase of light of Hassadim without illumination of GAR, but it is in great abundance since they are extended from the vessel of Keter. For this reason, Bina cancels her posterior and the screen is refined. At that time, it is Matei in Hochma and Bina, and illumination of GAR reaches the Partzuf, and it is Matei in the anterior vessels of ZAT, as well, which are Hesed, Tifferet, Hod, until is Matei in Malchut, when the coarseness of the screen ceases and the coupling stops, and the screen with the records of the lights rises to the vessel of Keter because of the equivalence of form.

At that time, Bina feels the lack of Hassadim, returns her posterior to Hochma as in the beginning, and the screen grows coarser to phase two once more, and makes a coupling with the upper light. The light of Bina is Matei to the vessel of Keter once more; it is again Matei in Keter, Gevura, Netzah, and Yesod, and not Matei in Hochma, Bina, Hesed, Tifferet, Hod, and Malchut, and so on and so forth.

48. Now there are several phases: The first is the unending craving of the lower light to adhere to the upper one. When there is Matei in Yesod, it is not Matei in Malchut, since then the light of Malchut ascends there in Yesod because of the craving.

It is similar in all the other Sefirot except for Hesed with the Bina, since when there is not Matei in Bina, there is not Matei in Hesed due to the two distances. When it is Matei in Bina, it is also Matei in Hesed, as light of Hesed is not equal to the entire light of Bina.

However, that one moment when Bina descends to her place, she finds Hesed in her place, and Hesed instantly descends to his place. This is the meaning of the VAK being a degree in and of themselves, and cannot adhere to Bina, who is from GAR.

The matter of Matei and not Matei in GAR is also a different matter. This is because when it is Matei in Keter, both HB rise in Keter. For this reason, the GAR are regarded as one. When it is not Matei in Keter, it is Matei in Hochma, and Bina should remain there and be not Matei in Bina. However, “because He desires mercy,” it is Matei in Bina, too.

49. You should also know that the measure of time that the light is not Matei in the Sefira is only one moment. This is the meaning of, “For His anger is but for a moment.” It is so because the departure of the light when it is not Matei was because of wrath, and also because the lower ones do not have the strength. However, the continuation of the phase of Matei, which is the return of the light downward to revive the worlds, has no measure since it will be according to the act of the lower ones.

This is the meaning of, “life in His will,” according to the desire that will then be, meaning according to the actions of humans, so will the length of those lives be. Indeed, we have explained above that the first departure of the lights was in order to make a vessel. Now that the lights returned a second time in the second expansion, the vessels were annulled as in the beginning. Hence, the first light, which is light of Keter, had to have remained above in all of them, and not permeate those vessels. Thus, only nine lights came in this order: The light of Hochma in the vessel of Keter, the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma, etc. similarly. Finally, the light of Malchut permeates the vessel of Yesod.

Now the first light did not return to the vessel that concerns it, which first departed from it. Instead, a different, smaller light came in its place. Hence, the vessels remained as vessels; they did not return to being lights, as before. When the lights began to enter the vessels, the nine lights entered the Keter, and this is called Matei in Keter. After that, the light that reaches the Keter departed, which is the light of Hochma, and this is called, and this is called not Matei. We should not elaborate in that since we have already elaborated sufficiently on the matter of Matei and not Matei.

Yet, the reason that all nine lights entered the vessel of Keter together, unlike the first expansion, when they entered one to one, where the light of Malchut entered the vessel of Keter. Afterwards, that light was pushed down to the place of Hochma, and then the light of Yesod entered Keter, etc., similarly, until all ten lights entered, according to the number, ten vessels. The reason is understood with the abovesaid, that in the beginning, when the light of Keter was with them and they all illuminated from its side, none of those vessels had the strength to receive within it, but only one light.

Now, however, that light of Keter does not enter the vessel, but remains above and turned its posterior downward, as it is written in Tree of Life, because of it, now there is strength to install all the lights together in one vessel, since all nine lights that now enter the Keter, are smaller than the first light of Keter, and there is the strength to receive them. Also, when all eight lights entered the vessel of Hochma, it has the power to receive them, as they are all smaller than the light of Hochma, etc., similarly in all of them.

Inner Light

49. The measure of time of not Matei in the Sefira is only one moment: This means that the length of time of the departure of the light from the entire Partzuf is a moment, meaning the time for the ascents of the lights to MAN to the vessel of Keter, to the ZON there. It is so because then there is no coupling in the Partzuf since the screen was refined from all its coarseness. For this reason, it is considered a time of wrath. He thus tells us that the matter of Matei [expanding] and not Matei in the Partzuf rolls here and there incessantly since at the moment when it is not Matei in Malchut, the lights promptly rise to the ZON of Keter, the posterior of Bina promptly return to their place, and the coarseness of phase two returns, and the light of the level of Bina promptly Matei to Keter. Thus, this whole matter is like candlelight, swaying here and there since the darkness that is made in the Partzuf during the ascent of the lights to MAN, before the coupling is made, is a very short time.

Because of wrath, and also because the lower ones do not have the strength, etc., in order to make a vessel: All those three reasons are one thing. This is the meaning of what our sages said, “In the beginning, it came up in the thought to create the world in the quality of judgment; He saw that the world does not exist, He brought the quality of mercy and associated it with the quality of judgment (Part 4, Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 4). This means that the root of the quality of judgment is phase four. This is what emerged first, in the first expansion, when there was only one vessel of Malchut there from the phase of coarseness of phase four. This is the meaning of, “came up in the thought to create the world in the quality of judgment.” However, he saw that the world does not exist, that there is no strength in the lower ones to receive the light from such a hard quality. Hence, He associated the quality of mercy with it, which is the Bina, called the quality of mercy in all the places.

This is implied in The Zohar, Ruth, relating to the verse, “So they two went,” which are the two Heys of the name HaVaYaH that were incorporated as one. It explains that the first Hey in the name HaVaYaH is the phase of Bina, and the last Hey of the name HaVaYaH is the phase of Malchut. They were associated together for the purpose of correcting the world, meaning the quality of mercy with the quality of judgment.

This association did not occur at once, but bit-by-bit, in the order of the cascading of the Partzufim and the degrees. This work was done entirely by the departure of the lights, since during the first departure, the screen of phase four had already began to incorporate in the first nine Sefirot by its ascent from degree to degree until it reached the Emanator. Also, most of the force of judgment disappeared from the screen there since phase four did not leave a record for the extension of the lights. That became the root of the division of the degree to male and female since only half a record of phase four returned for the second expansion, meaning the record of clothing. It became the male phase of the vessel of Keter of the second expansion, but it is actually considered half a thing since it lacks the phase of extension of lights. For this reason, the degree of phase three became necessary for it, to complete it in the phase of extension. Note, that the rule that a male without a female is half a body [Guf] is drawn from here. And those ZON of the vessel of Keter are the beginning of the association of the quality of mercy with judgment, since phase three is regarded as the quality of mercy with respect to phase four. This matter continues there in all four pairs of male and female in that second expansion.

Afterwards, in the second departure, the record of extension of phase three disappeared, as well, and only phase two remained, although the male of phase three from the phase of clothing participated with her in the vessel of Keter. This association continued here, too, in all four pairs of male and female in this Partzuf Bina. However, it still could not be finished before the exit of Bina outside the GAR, and the coming to the phase of VAK. This matter was prepared by the Matei and not Matei that sways in this Partzuf Bina, as it is written in its place. At that time, the world of Nekudim emerged, where the Bina emerged from the phase of GAR to the phase of VAK. Yet, there, it was the breaking of the vessels, and the matter was ended in the world of correction, the world of Atzilut, where the complete association of the quality of mercy with the quality of judgment emerged.

Thus you see how the Matei and not Matei in this Partzuf is the origin of the association of the quality of mercy with judgment. He says that the matter of the departure of the light that always sways because of the Matei and not Matei, is “because of the wrath,” meaning due to the power of judgment in phase four, and the world does not exist in it. This is so because the lower ones do not have the strength, which is also the same, meaning that the world cannot exist in it. It is “in order to make a vessel,” meaning so the Atzmut can clothe in it in a way that there will not be refinement and departure lights any more. This was made only at the completion of the association of the quality of mercy and the quality of judgment together, and not before. This is so because until then, the lights were gradually departing in each Partzuf, and the vessels were unfit for their task. He writes, “in order to make a vessel.” Thus, all these three reasons that the ARI mentions are one thing.

The actions of humans, so will the length of those lives be: Note that this does not refer to the order of the emanation of the Partzufim from above downward, since there are still no people here who can corrupt or correct. Instead, this refers to the time after the four worlds are proper. At that time, the actions of the lower ones can prolong the upper life in this Partzuf, or shorten it. The good deeds draw increased abundance. Also, it is known that any innovation of bestowal must be drawn from Ein Sof. Thus, if one causes a new bestowal through one’s actions, it is extended from Ein Sof, passes through the world of restriction, and from there to the first Partzuf of AK, from there to the second Partzuf of AK, from there to this third Partzuf, where the matter of Matei and not Matei is set, and from here on to the rest of the degrees in the four worlds ABYA, reaching this world to be received by Man. Hence, if the act is complete, you find that when the abundance passes through this Partzuf Bina, and sways there in a way of Matei and not Matei, when the time of Matei and not Matei reaches that degree to which the abundance is attributed, it does not move from there quickly, but stretches the time. By this the abundance extends the time of reception when it reaches a person in this world, too. This is called that one’s life grows longer. If, however, the act is flawed, the abundance is there in a very short incarnation because when the abundance is Matei in its designated degree, it does not prolong the time. Instead, it immediately comes to a state of not Matei. Thus, when the abundance reaches a person in this world, he can keep it only for a very short time. This is the meaning of the wicked being “of few days, and full of anger.” However, here we must remember the meaning of time in spirituality, as it has been explained at the end of Inner Observation, Part 1.

50. *When the lights reenter, the light of Hochma enters Keter. At that time, the light of Keter in it, which remained during the departure, since the vessel is not completed before the light moves three degrees away from it, and this does not apply to GAR, then the light of Keter that remained there inside the light of Hochma now enters and clothes inside it. It becomes a Neshama to it since it is the light of Keter, and becomes a Dechura [male], while the Hochma around it becomes a Nukva. Then, the better light clothes inside the Hochma, and was slightly darkened due to the distance of the lights from there, to remain as vessel for two reasons: A) because of the moving of the light from there, which caused it darkness. Moreover, even the best of it departs and clothes inside the light of Hochma that enters there. At that time, the first light that remained from Keter is deducted and becomes a vessel for Keter since the light of Hochma stops between them. Thus, on the contrary, the coming of the lights in their current expansion is the cause of the making of the vessel in these GAR. The vessels were not made during their departure.

There is yet another reason: The light of the phase of Keter remained above since it never again entered these vessels, but only remained at the end of the ten roots of the lights above, and turned its posterior downward. Hence, the lights are now fewer than in the beginning, even during the departure.

It is similar in the second vessel of Hochma that the light of Bina entered. At that time, the light of Hochma clothes within it, and the light that remains becomes dark and becomes a vessel because of its distancing, although it is not complete remoteness. Now there are male and female in the Keter together, and male and female in Hochma. You find that Keter and Hochma are never canceled from existence, making females from males, since their lights themselves remain in their place, even though they are not as complete as in the beginning. Moreover, the rest of the lights that have now come, are added to them and become females to them.

Inner Light

50. Three degrees away from it, and this does not apply to GAR: It has already been explained above in Inner Light regarding the ARI’s words (Item 27) that there are two necessary conditions to complete the vessel. The first is completing the outer half of the wall. This is discerned as the place to receive the surrounding light. Since there is no light that does not have inner and surrounding, there is also no vessel that does not have an inner vessel and an outer vessel, so it will be qualified to receive the two phases in the light. Hence, the ARI calls them two halves of the wall (see Part 4, Chapter 5, Item 5), since it is a necessary condition in the wall of the vessel, meaning as a qualification of the vessel to receive any light within it. This is the first condition.

The second condition is that at one time, it will be empty of any light, even of surrounding light, as it is the departure of the light that makes it a vessel. For this reason, the vessels that were made in the first expansion were only for the ZAT, which are ZON, since Malchut attained the inner NRNHY in completeness during the expansion. Hence, when she rose to ZA, she attained the first surrounding light, and when she rose to Bina, she attained the second surrounding light, and when she rose to Hochma, she no longer received any light, as the ARI says (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 15). Hence, when she came to Hochma, when she moved three degrees away from her vessel, which are Hochma, Bina, and ZA, the two above conditions were completed, as she had already attained the outer half of the wall to receive the two surrounding. After that, she does not receive any light; hence, her vessel is completed. However, ZA is not finished before it comes to the Emanator because when ZA rises to Keter, he receives there the second surrounding light. For this reason, there is no longer complete departure of the light from his vessel. Rather, afterwards, when he departs from Keter, too, and comes to the Emanator, his vessel becomes dark, and is completed.

However, the GAR, which are KHB, did not receive any surrounding there in the first expansion. Also, the light did not entirely stop from them since even when the Bina comes to Keter, she still receives her inner Yechida. For this reason, they lack the two conditions, which is why they were not made into vessels to the GAR in that the first expansion.

The better light clothes inside the Hochma, and was slightly darkened due to the distance of the lights from there, to remain as vessel: This means that the record consists of light and vessel like all the light from which it remained. You already know from the ARI’s words above (Part 4, Chapter 6, Item 2) that before it departed in the first expansion, the lights were mixed with the vessels, and there is no recognition of a vessel there. Hence, the records that remain of those lights, too, were also mixed of light and vessel together (see Part 4, Inner Observation, Item 48). It is all the more so in the vessels of GAR, as even the vessels themselves are still not considered vessels.

Hence, now the lights returned in the second expansion, and came male and female in the vessel of Keter, where the male is from the record of the light of Keter of the first expansion, the record is divided into two phases: the light and the vessel in it. The best in it, meaning the light, becomes the light of the male of the vessel of Keter, and the worst in it, the vessel that was mixed in it, departs from it because of the light of Hochma that clothed that vessel of Keter, too. Since the light of Hochma clothed in the vessel of the record, Hochma separates between the light of the record and its vessel. Then, the vessel becomes dark, and the vessel is completed in it, as the ARI says.

Their current expansion is the cause of the making of the vessel in these GAR: This is so because the light of Hochma that clothed the vessel of Keter, divided between the light and the vessel of the record, which weakens the record of the first expansion, too. As long as the record is complete, the vessel is strengthened by the record in it, even after the light moves three degrees away from it. However, now the record, too, has weakened after the vessel has been deducted from it. By this, it also attains the outer half of the wall, since the vessel consists of the phase three, too, because of her clothing the light of Hochma, which is phase three, which is the externality to phase four. Similarly, the vessel of Hochma of the first expansion that the light of Bina clothes, attains half of its outer wall, since the light of Bina is phase two, which is externality to the vessel of Hochma, who is phase three. Similarly, the vessel of Bina of the first expansion, in which the light of ZA clothed, she attains through it half of her outer wall since the light of ZA is phase one, which is externality to phase two. Thus, the vessels of GAR were made by the current expansion, and the expansion itself causes them to be made into vessels.

The Rav gives three reasons here regarding the completion of the vessels of GAR: The first is due to the exit and distancing of the best light of the record from the worst, coarsest light in it. Hence, the coarse light of the record became a complete vessel. The second is the coming of a new light of Hochma, clothing that coarse light of the record that comes between, and separates the best light of the record from the coarsest light of the record. This makes the coarse light a complete vessel. The third is because of the posterior of the light of Keter that remained standing in the Rosh, and did not expand to the Guf once more in this second expansion. These posterior diminish the light of GAR even more than it was during the departure itself. Thus, it darkens the vessels more than a distance of three degrees, and therefore, they have now become vessels, during the making of the posterior of the Keter under Malchut of the Rosh.

There are male and female in the Keter together, and male and female ‎in Hochma: The record of Keter of the first expansion has become the male of Keter, and the record of Hochma of the first expansion has become the male of Hochma. Also, light of Hochma of the second expansion that comes anew has become the female of Keter, and the light of Bina of the second expansion has become the female of the vessel of Hochma.

51. It is the same matter in Bina, too, except there is a difference in her, which is that some light of Bina remained in her during the departure, and now light Hesed has entered her. It is known that Hesed is the son of Bina, and it cannot be the male while the light of Bina itself a female to it. If we say that the light of Bina will be a male, and the light of Hesed will be a female, that, too, is impossible. This is why that turning face-to-face that we described above is needed. When the eight lights are given to her, Hochma turns her anterior downward, and the male and female of Hochma make a coupling there in their place, and elicit one light through their coupling, called Yod, which is then given below by turning their anterior to Bina. At that time, that Yod clothes inside the light of Bina as did the others, the Yod becomes a male, and the Bina, Nukva. Afterwards, when the seven lights are placed in the vessel of Bina, the light of Hesed is placed in her, and the light of Hesed remains in her permanently, in the state of MAN.

Inner Light

51. That the light of Bina will be a male, and the light of Hesed will be a female, that, too, is impossible: This is so because the ten Sefirot are discerned as two males, which are Hochma and ZA, and as two females, which are Bina and Malchut. A male means expansion of light, and a female means reception of light. Your sign is that the male faces downward, to bestowal upon the lower ones, and the female faces upward, to receive. This relationship was rooted back in the ten Sefirot of direct light, since Keter of direct light is the root, and the first expansion from the root is the light of Hochma. The second expansion is the light of Hassadim, meaning ZA, and they are both males. Bina is the female of Hochma, and Malchut is the female of ZA. He writes that it cannot be said that the light of Bina will be a male, and the light Hesed will be a female, since the nature of the lights is opposite at their root: The light Hesed is male, meaning the light of ZA, and the light of Bina is female, as we have explained.

Hochma turns her anterior downward, etc.: This matter has already been explained above (Inner Light, Item 35,) and study it there.

Make a coupling, etc., one light through their coupling, called Yod: Regarding this coupling, see Inner Light, Item 35. Although this male, who comes from the coupling of HB, is considered their VAK, for each offspring is regarded as VAK of its progenitors, however, since it is VAK of Hochma, which is Yod [י], its own value is also regarded as Yod. However, a true phase of VAK is always named in Vav [ו].

That Yod clothes inside the light of Bina: This means the records that remain in the vessel of Bina from the time of the first expansion, after the light of Bina departed from there. It is so because all the lights left records there in their vessels during their departure from them, as the ARI says above (Part 4, Chapter 2, Item 2), and that record in the vessel of Bina became the phase of the female to the Yod.

52. That light of Bina is among the first lights that remained there, and this Yod that it came into from the coupling of ZON inside Hochma is renewed. Hence, how will Bina, who is the root, become a female to this renewed light, which is from Hochma? The answer is that we have already explained that that light of Bina is not a great light, since there are three distances between it and the light, although they are not three complete distances, which is not so in the Hochma above. In addition, that light of Bina remained here during the departure, when his intention was not to shine, but the upper Nukva in Hochma intended to shine at the time of the expansion. Hence, the son that emerges from the two of them can be more interior than this Bina, much less form the Hesed that came now, although it, too, is from the phase of expansion. Nevertheless, it is three degrees below Hochma.

Inner Light

52. That light of Bina is among the first lights that remained there: It means that this is what remains of the lights of the first expansion of AK, as mentioned in the previous item.

53. Generally speaking, there is YH in the upper Keter, which is ZON, Keter and Hochma. In Hochma, there is ZON, and this is another name YH, and it is HB. In Bina, there is another name YH, which is ZON, and it is the Hochma that is innovated from the upper coupling in ZON in Hochma, which is Yod. Bina is a female to him, and is the letter Hey. Thus, there is the name YH here, as well. There is also light Hesed in her, which is the phase of son. Also, each of these GAR is called the letter Yod in a filling, since Keter contains ZON, YH, and the vessel itself is the Dalet of the Yod. Hochma, too, contains Yod, which is YH, ZON, and the Dalet is the vessel.

However, Bina is called Yod in the phase of three lights in her, whose order is Yod-Dalet-Vav, and they are Hochma, Bina, Hesed. Yet, the vessel is not mentioned here. There is yet another reason why the drop of Yod from the coupling of Hochma is the husband of this lower Bina: When ZON in Hochma make a coupling, they do not elicit that drop from her self, but only from above, meaning from the Keter. This is why his power is greater than the light of the lower Bina.

Inner Light

53. Bina is called Yod in the phase of three lights in her, ordered as Yod-Dalet-Vav: The male is called Yod after the Hochma, since he is her offspring. The female, which is Bina, with the light of Hesed in her, is the Hey. The light Hesed is regarded as the Vav in the Hey, and the Bina is regarded as the Dalet that surrounds the Vav because she is the phase of GAR of that Vav.

54. However, there was no existence of ZON in the rest of the Sefirot, as they are all males, and they are also complete vessels. Only that light that has reentered is present in them. Thus, the light of Gevura entered in Hesed, etc., similarly until you find that the light of Malchut is in the vessel of Yesod. Here there is also a first question: How will a male become a female? Know that this is why ZON in Bina had to make a coupling and elicit one Hey like her, and it was divided into two, which are Dalet-Vav. The letter Vav entered the vessel of Yesod, as a male of Malchut there, since that letter Vav is several degrees higher than the light of Malchut in Yesod. This is why they are ZON. Afterwards, the letter Dalet descended in Malchut and was completed there in her place. Thus, there are ZON in the four phases, which are KHB Yesod. This is the reason for the above question about these four, which is no so in the others.

Inner Light

54. The light of Malchut is in the vessel of Yesod: After phase one of the light of Hod was refined into the phase of Keter, meaning extending only the level of the light of Malchut, the light was given to the vessel of Yesod. This is why he writes, “The light of Malchut is in vessel of Yesod” (see above Inner Light, Item 45).

Vav entered the vessel of Yesod, as a male of Malchut there, since that letter ‎Vav is several degrees higher‎: That Vav is from the level of phase one. After Bina was refined into the level of phase one, she gave the above Hey to the vessels of VAK along with the light of Hesed. Hod, too, gave the above Hey to the Yesod as mere illumination, and not through the refinement of phase one, as it is written in the words of the ARI (Item 43). After Hod illuminated the Hey in it, it was refined into the level of Malchut, and gave this residue to the Yesod. Thus, the Vav from the Hey that took the Yesod has level of phase one, like ZA. Hence, it is the male of the vessel of Yesod to the light of the level of Malchut in it, which is the female in it. He writes, “That letter Vav is several degrees higher than the light of Malchut in Yesod.” The first is that it is the level of phase one, and the second is that it comes from the coupling of ZON of Bina.

55. *We have already explained that there are five lights in two vessels. This is because there is ZON in the vessels of Hochma and there is ZON in the vessel of Bina, and a son, which is the above Hesed. These ascents depend on the actions of the lower ones. Sometimes, all five lights ascend, and sometimes, only four ascend, and the light of Hesed, which is a son, remains below in the vessel of Bina. We have explained above that there is ZON in each of these GAR. They are called YH, Yod in the male, and Hey in the Nukva. Know that when all those five lights rise in Keter, they are sometimes incorporated in the Nukva [female], and sometimes in the Dechura [male]. Sometimes, some of them are in the Nukva, and some of them in the Dechura. Know that when only four lights ascend, they always incorporate only in the Nukva.

Inner Light

55. There is ZON in the vessel of Bina, and a son, which is the above Hesed: The male is the Yod that was born by the ZON of the vessel of Hochma, and the female is the record that remained in the vessel of Bina from the time of the first expansion. The son there is the light of Hesed that bestowed Hochma to the vessel of Bina after ZON of Hochma were refined to phase one (see Item 51).

These ascents depend on the actions of the lower ones: When it is not Matei in Hochma and Bina because they were refined to phase one, and the level of HB disappeared from the Partzuf, HB rise to the Keter. Through their ascent to the ZON of Keter, they cause the return of the coarseness of phase three to the screen of ZON of Keter. At that time, they make a coupling with the upper light once more, and draw once more the level of Hochma as in the beginning (see Inner Light, Item 36).

Similarly, in the second phase of the expansion, meaning Partzuf Bina of AK, when it is not Matei in Hochma, Bina, and Hesed, Tifferet, Hod, and Malchut (see Inner Light, Item 47), all the lights rise to Keter, to the ZON there. This causes the return of the coarseness of phase two to the screen there. Then the level of Bina emerges there once again as in the beginning on these two kinds of ascents, namely the ascents of the second expansion, called Partzuf Hochma of AK, and the ascents of the phase two of the perpetual expansion in Matei and not Matei, called Partzuf Bina of AK, as it is written in the words of the ARI, Item 47. All the words of the ARI before us revolve around that. Regarding his statement that they are dependent on the actions of the lower ones, it has been explained above (Inner Light, Item 49).

Sometimes, all five lights ascend, and sometimes, only four ascend, and the light of Hesed, which is a son, remains below in the vessel of Bina: It is so because only four lights rise in Partzuf Hochma, which are ZON of the vessel of Hochma, and ZON of the vessel of Bina. But the light of Hesed, which contains all the ZAT, does not ascend throughout the rest of the second expansion of phase one until the completion of that expansion, as it is written in Item 46, and in Inner Light, Item 47. In this manner, only the four lights in HB rose to Keter throughout all the exits and entrances in the lights of the vessels of the second expansion. It is so because only phase two was refined and her level disappeared to the root in Keter. Yet, phase one was refined only at the end of the expansion, which is only at the coming of the lights to Yesod and Malchut. At that time, they rise to Malchut of the Rosh, and that expansion is completed, and the perpetual expansion of Matei and not Matei, called Partzuf Bina, begins.

Five lights ascend in this Partzuf, since here the light of Hesed that contains the whole ZAT rises to Keter, too, since here the Matei and not Matei applies perpetually, because every time it is Matei to Malchut, it is after the refinement of phase one. When Malchut, too, is refined, all the lights rise to Keter. Thus, each time it is not Matei in Malchut, the five lights, which are ZON of HB, and the Hesed that contains ZAT, rise to the Keter. He writes that sometimes, four lights rise, meaning in Partzuf Hochma, and sometimes, five lights ascend, meaning in Partzuf Bina.

Only four lights ascend, they always incorporate only in the Nukva: You know that there are male and female in the vessel of Keter. There are two vessels in Partzuf Hochma of AK, which is the second expansion, one for the male and one for the female. Hence, when the lights rise to Keter, they all come, meaning the four lights, to the vessel of the female, since she receives them for MAN within her, and not the male, since all the ascents for MAN are only to the female. However, when five lights rise, which is depicted only in Partzuf Bina, where there is perpetual Matei and not Matei, each time it is not Matei in Malchut, all the lights rise for MAN to the Keter, meaning the Hesed, too. Since there is not more than one male vessel in Partzuf Bina, and the Nukva, too, clothes the vessel of male, hence, the lights must ascend to the male vessel, since the Nukva is there, as well.

56. Now we shall explain this division, and say that before these lights rise above to be incorporated in Keter, the name Yod-Hey in Keter is simple, without filling. Yet, there will be filling in them when these lights ascend upward. There are three fillings: in Yods, in Heys, or in Alephs. When only four lights ascend, they are all incorporated in the Nukva, which is the Hey of the name YH in Keter. At that time, the filling of that Hey is in Yod, like this: Hey [comprised of Hey and Yod].

Inner Light

56. The name Yod-Hey in Keter is simple, without filling: When the ZON of Keter were refined from the phase three in them, the coupling stopped, the levels of the ZON departed to their root, and only the records of ZON remained in vessel of Keter, at that time, they are regarded as a simple name YH, without the filling in them, meaning the measure of coarseness that draws the measure of their level and fills them with their light.

In Yods, in Heys, or in Alephs: The coarseness of phase three that draws the level of Hochma is called “a filling of Yods.” A coarseness of phase two that draws the level of Bina is also called “a filling of Yods,” except for the Aleph that there is in her Vav, like this, Yod, Hey, Vav [spelled with an added Aleph], Hey. The phase of ZA is HaVaYaH with a filling of Alephs, and the phase of Malchut is HaVaYaH with a filling of Heys.

When only four lights ascend, they are all incorporated in the Nukva, which is the Hey of the name YH: It means that the vessel of Nukva is the Hey of YH, because only the vessels are called letters, and not the lights themselves, and remember that, as it is written in the words of the ARI (Part 4, Chapter 3, Item 12).

The filling of that Hey is in the Yod, like this: Hey-Yod: It is so because the coarseness of phase three is called Yod. It has been explained above in Inner Light, Item 40, that because of the ascent of the male of Hochma from the coarseness of phase three, the Nukva of Keter returns and receives this coarseness of phase three in her screen. It follows that the Hey, which is the Nukva of Keter, is filled with Yod.

57. The thing is that when the four lights ascend in the Nukva, the lower three are canceled in the first, since the light of Hochma always cancels the others, and then all three are annulled in the letter Yod, which is the Hochma. This is why the filling of this Hey is with Yod.

Inner Light

57. Hochma always cancels the others, and then all three are annulled in the letter Yod: It means that the level of Hochma contains within it all other lower levels, as the ARI says above (Item 37): “We have a great rule in our hands: The upper one is greater than everything below it.” Thus, each level is named only after its highest Sefira.

58. However, know that when ZON in the Keter rise above in their roots, which is the meaning of not Matei, the nine Sefirot in each of them rise, and two Malchuts remain below in their place: the male Malchut and the female Malchut, in two vessels which are called Yod-Hey, since they are simple, without filling.

Inner Light

58. Two Malchuts remain below in their place: the male Malchut and the female Malchut, in two vessels which are called Yod-Hey, since they are simple, without filling: This means that the records that remained from the lights of ZON after their departure are the phases of Malchut of the ZON. This is because a record is considered the Malchut of the light that departed, and they are simple, without filling, since a filling means the measure of coarseness in the screen that draws the measure of the level. Since their measure of coarseness has been refined, the lights departed, and this is why they are simple.

You already know that the vessels are called letters. It has also been explained above that in Partzuf Hochma, there is a designated vessel for the male, and a designated vessel for the female. This is the meaning of his words that the two Malchuts are in two vessels called Yod-Hey when they are simple, without filling.

59. Yet, know that then the two Melachim are equal. Although the male is greater than the Nukva, still, now they are equal since the male light is in the form of departure, as mentioned above. When these lights wanted to depart in order to make a vessel, these lights remained in Keter Hochma Bina, as we have said above, I wish to say the records. It turns out, that the male light of the Keter is in the form of departure, and the light of the Nukva in the Keter is in the form of anterior. Hence, the male light and the female light are equal this time. Also, since the male left itself outside, under the roots, the male has a great craving to ascend once more, which is not so in the Nukva.

Hence, almost all the male light rises upwards, and only very little light remains. Yet, because the Nukva does not have a root above like the male in the Keter, she does not have such a craving and desire to rise, and most of the light remains in her vessel. For this reason, at that time, the two Malchuts can be equal, the two Malchuts together, male and female. But when they return, the male comes with all his light, and also takes a great light from the root of Keter above him. Then, when they return, the Nukva cannot receive the entire light of the male, but only the VAK.

60. In order to understand that, there is one thing you must know first, and this is it: There is a difference between the first time during the emanation, and the time that follows. The first time in all of them is when the male light of Keter remains during the first departure. Afterwards, in the second expansion, when the Hochma enters the vessel of Keter, it does not enter the vessel of the male, but only enters the vessel of the Nukva herself, which is the Hey of the Yod-Hey. Thus, ZON are in two vessels. However, in the second departure, when ZON rose up, the two of them, and equalized together, they all received illumination from the upper Keter together. Hence, when they come and return in their vessels, both enter the vessel of the male, and the Malchut of the Nukva remains in her vessel of Hey.

Inner Light

60. There is a difference between the first time during the emanation, and the time that follows‎: It has been explained above in the words of the ARI that first, the light expanded in Matei and not Matei in ten exits and ten entries of all ten lights until it came to the Malchut. After that, it became Matei and not Matei a second time, perpetual, meaning that each time the expansion reaches Malchut, it returns. It was explained there that the first phase, meaning the Matei and not Matei that reached the Malchut once, is called Partzuf Hochma of AK, or AB of AK. The perpetual Matei and not Matei that goes back and forth is another phase, called Partzuf Bina of AK, or SAG of AK. He writes, “There is a difference between the first time during the emanation,” meaning the first Matei and not Matei until it reached Malchut. “The time that follows” means the Matei and not Matei after it reached the Malchut in the first time, which is the perpetual Matei and not Matei.

The first time in all of them, etc., are in two vessels, etc.: It is so because these two vessels of male and female emerged right at the time of the coming of the light back to the Partzuf by the double striking of the record that remained in Keter to the light that comes to the Partzuf anew. The ARI explained above (Part 4, Chapter 4, Item 6) that although a small light does not strike a bigger light, still, because there is merit in the light of Hochma that comes anew from above, unlike the record, whose coupling and her light have already departed, the Hochma can strike the record and elicit from her sparks. Yet, this reason is sufficient only for the light of Hochma, where because of its coming anew from the coupling above, it thus equalizes with the record whose coupling has already departed. However, this is not enough for Partzuf Bina of AK since although the light of Bina came anew, its power is still not enough to strike the record and elicit sparks for the vessel. For this reason, a vessel for the female was not made here, but she is rather clothed in the vessel of the male who remained of the previous the second expansion.

Furthermore, the ARI has already written (Part 4, Chapter 3, item 10) that the whole reason for the striking of the lights on each other is only between two opposite and contradictory lights in their nature. Indeed, the above-mentioned Keter and Hochma are divided by nature, since the record of Keter prevents illumination of GAR because of the posterior of the light of Keter that stands at the Rosh as it is written, in Inner Light, Item 40. Also, the whole illumination of the light of Hochma is only the phase of GAR, as is written there. Since they are divided in their nature, they strike each other. However, in Partzuf Bina, whose record remained from the light of Hochma of the second expansion, and the light that comes anew is the light of Bina, and it is known that Hochma and Bina are not in disparity of nature, but on the contrary, Aba ve Ima stay as one, as the ARI says in Item 39. Hence, there is no striking between the record and the light of Bina, there are no sparks for new vessels for the female. For this reason, the female clothes in the vessel of the male.

This does not contradict what the ARI wrote above, in Item 50, that the light of Hochma clothed in the inferior light of the record of Keter, and the light of the record of Keter inside the Hochma. Thus, the light of Hochma and the record have only one vessel, while here he says that they have two vessels. The thing is that they clothe each other like the particular degrees in the Partzufim of Atzilut. This means that the vessel of Hochma clothes in the vessel of Keter, and the coarse light of the record clothes inside the vessel of Hochma. The light of Hochma clothes inside the coarse light of the record, and the select light of the record clothes inside the light of Hochma.

In the second departure, when ZON rose up, the two of them‎, etc., both enter the vessel of the male: The departure of the Matei and not Matei of the first time is called the second departure. This is because Partzuf Keter of AK is the first expansion, and the departure of Partzuf Keter is called the first departure. Partzuf Hochma of AK is the second expansion, and the departure of Partzuf Hochma is called the second departure.

As in the first departure, the ARI explained above, Item 6, that prior to the second expansion, the ZON of Keter rose up, which are the record of phase four of clothing and the record of phase three. There, both received illumination from the upper Keter. Similarly, in the second departure, prior to the expansion of Partzuf Bina, the two records rose. These are the record of phase three of clothing, and the record of phase two, which are the phase of ZON of Keter of Partzuf Bina. Both rose to Malchut of the Rosh, and there they received together illumination from the upper Keter. Through this illumination, the female acquired equivalence with the male, and for this reason, the female could clothe the vessel of the male.

61. This is always so after the first time, since the ZON always remain in the male vessel and make a coupling there together. It follows that the Yod, which is the vessel of the male, were both ZON. When they make a coupling, the Nukva does not tolerate the light of the male, except from his VAK. From the coupling of these ZON that were incorporated in the simple letter Yod, two sons ZON emerge, following their example, and they are the Vav-Dalet filling of Yod.

Inner Light

61. The Nukva does not tolerate the light of the male, except from his VAK: This is because the light of Hochma that remains in the Rosh under the Malchut because his posterior is below, and prevents illumination of GAR from the Keter of the Guf (Inner Light, Item 40). There, it explains it regarding Partzuf Hochma, and the same applies to Partzuf Bina. This is because there is one reason for both: Since the light that remains in the Rosh cannot expand to the Guf by itself, although its record shines in the Guf, such an illumination is still regarded as being through the posterior, preventing illumination of GAR. This is why he says, “The Nukva does not tolerate the light of the male, except from his VAK.”

From the coupling of these ZON that were incorporated in the simple letter Yod, two sons ZON emerge, following their example, and they are the Vav-Dalet filling of Yod: It means that as the ZON of Keter in Partzuf Hochma of AK emanated the ZON to the vessel of Hochma of that Partzuf, here, ZON of Keter in Partzuf Bina elicited the ZON to the vessel of Hochma here, through their coupling together. The difference is in the measure of the level, since in Partzuf Hochma, the ZON of the vessel of Hochma are regarded as Yod-Hey, as it is written in the words of the ARI (Item 53). Here, however, when even in the ZON of Keter, there is only the phase of the light of Bina, hence, the ZON of Hochma, which were emanated by their coupling, the ZON no longer have the phase of GAR, but the phase of VAK of GAR, since it is similar to the ZON of the vessel of Bina that were emanated from the ZON of Hochma in Partzuf Hochma of AK. It is so because the level of ZON of Keter of Partzuf Bina is equal to the level of ZON of Hochma in Partzuf Hochma of AK (see Inner Light, Item 47). For this reason, the male in the vessel of Hochma here is not called Yod, but Vav, since the VAK is always called Vav. He writes that they are the Vav-Dalet in a filling of Yod, similar to the ZON in Bina of Partzuf Hochma.

62. The thing is that since the male does not make a coupling in the Nukva, except in the form of his VAK, his son is in the shape of a Vav, as well. But the Nukva is in the shape of the Dalet since she has all ten vessels, except her light of VAK is annulled in her first four. This is why she is called Dalet [the letter, but also the number four]. Thus, the filling of Yod, which is Vav-Dalet, and all this, is called Yod, which are ZON. Afterwards, she is the letter Hey of the y0d-Hey, which is the vessel of the Nukva, and Malchut of the Nukva remains there. When the four lower lights rise in this letter Hey, it is filled with the letter Yod, and becomes Hey, although the shape of this Hey is like this: Vav-Dalet [ה]; hence, it is ten [Vav (6) + Dalet (4)].

Inner Light

62. The male does not make a coupling in the Nukva, except in the form of his VAK, ‎etc., is in the shape of a Vav, etc., the Nukva is in the shape of the Dalet: This is so because the male is extended from a male which is the phase of the light of Hochma. However, since he does not make a coupling for these ZON, but from the phase of the VAK in him, the male has only VAK of Hochma, which is why it is called Vav. The female is extended from the Nukva of the vessel of Keter, which is the level of Bina. She is called Dalet because although she has GAR, her VAK are contained in the GAR.

Thus, the filling of Yod, which is Vav-Dalet: This explains the matter of the ascents of the lights of Partzuf Bina. It states that if five lights ascend, they all ascend to the male. It has been explained that the reason is that the ZON in this Partzuf have only one vessel, which is a male vessel, called Yod. It has also been explained that all those five lights that rose to the vessel of Keter are incorporated in the upper lights, which are the ZON of Hochma, called Vav-Dalet. We also learned that this is the meaning of the Vav-Dalet with a filling of Yod, since when they rise to the male vessel, called Yod, and the ascending lights are called Vav-Dalet, the coupling returns to the Partzuf. This is the conclusion that he wanted to teach to us in this study. Below, he will also bring the ascents of Partzuf Hochma to the vessel of Nukva of the Keter.

When the four lower lights rise in this letter Hey, it is filled with the letter Yod: This refers to the conclusion from the second division, when four lights ascend, meaning in Partzuf Hochma, when they rise to the Nukva of the vessel of Keter. It has been explained that the vessel of Nukva of the Keter is called Hey, and the lights that ascend to her are her filling, since they return to her the upper coupling.

This explains why these four lights are called Yod, named after the highest Sefira in these lights, which is the male of the vessel of Hochma (which is phase three, and light of Hochma that is extended through an illumination from the ZON of Keter to the ZON of Hochma, to the vessel of Nukva of the Keter). It is called Yod, and all the ascending lights are incorporated in it. Hence, that Hey is filled with the letter Yod and becomes Hey-Yod.

The ARI speaks above (Item 55) of three divisions regarding the ascents of the lights and their incorporation in the ZON of Keter: The first is when they rise and incorporate in Nukva of the Keter. The second is when they are incorporated in the Dechura of the Keter. The third is when some incorporate in the Nukva, and some in the Dechura. Only the first two divisions have been explained here, and he did not explain to us the third division whatsoever.

However, he has already explained that third division to us (Item 7), as there he began to speak about these three kinds of incorporation. He mentions three general kinds there: The first is when ZON are incorporated in one another in one vessel. The second is when their illuminations incorporate in one another when they are in two vessels. The third is when they incorporate in one another when they are two lights without vessels.

The meaning of the words is, as written above, that the first incorporation is that the ZON are incorporated in one vessel, meaning in Partzuf Bina of AK, where there is no striking of the record and the light of Bina on each other. For this reason, the vessel for the female of Keter did not emerge. Thus, the female clothes in the vessel of the male. The second incorporation is when the ZON have two vessels. It is in Partzuf Hochma of AK where there is a striking of the record and the light of Hochma on each other, and two vessels emerge: one for the male and one for the female. The third incorporation is when it is not Matei in Keter, and the ZON themselves rise to Malchut of the Rosh. At that time, they expand and exit their vessels of the Guf, and they are two lights without vessels.

The ARI did not explain the first two incorporations at all because he relied on what has been elaborately explained here, because these are the first two incorporations that have been thoroughly explained before us. The third division is what he did not explain here, which is the third incorporation there, which the ARI explained extensively above. He explains there that the ZON that rose to the Rosh have two couplings there: The first coupling is when the female is incorporated in the male. That coupling emerges on the coarseness of phase four, as the measure of the male. At that time, they draw the light at the level of the upper Keter. The second coupling is when the male is incorporated in the female, and the coupling emerges on the measure of coarseness of the female, meaning in phase three. Then the light is extended only at the level of Hochma, and see in Inner Light, Item 9.

It has been explained there, in Inner Light, Item 6, that in this ascent of the ZON to the Rosh, all the Sefirot below Keter are also included. However, they are all annulled in the ZON of Keter, hence, they do not merit a name. Here, all five lights in the Partzuf ascended, and the light of Hesed which contains the ZAT, was included in these ZON. At that time, all five lights are somewhat incorporated in the vessel of the female, and some are incorporated in the vessel of the male. In other words, when the female incorporates in the male, and the coupling is made in the phase of the male, the five lights are incorporated in the male. In the second coupling, when the male is incorporated in the female and the coupling is made in the phase of the female, the five lights are also incorporated in the female in a way that some of the five lights are incorporated in the male, by the first coupling, and some in the female, by the second coupling.

The shape of this Hey is like this: Vav-Dalet [ה]; hence, it is ten: This is because there is a Hey whose shape is Vav-Dalet [ה], and there is a Hey whose shape is Yod-Dalet [ה]. He says that that Hey, which implies the female of Keter, has a shape of Vav-Dalet, which is ten in Gematria, indicating that that Hey has ten vessels. This means that all ten Sefirot of the level are contained in the Hey, as he has written above that the entire new level that emerged in the second expansion, which is the level of Hochma, is the phase of female light of Keter.

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Nuova Vita 1134 - Anarchismo naturale

Nuova Vita 1134 - Anarchismo naturale

Nuova Vita 1134 - Anarchismo naturale

Kabbalah MediaCopyright © 2003-2026 Bnei Baruch – Kabbalah L’Am Association, Tutti i diritti riservati

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Copyright © 2003-2026 Bnei Baruch – Kabbalah L’Am Association, Tutti i diritti riservati