PART SEVEN

The ten Sefirot of the seven kings that died

1. *Know that the root of those kings is the first name BON that emerged from the illumination of the Einayim of AK, called the world of Nekudim. Every phase of Malchut that exists in all the worlds was made of this name BON. This is so because there is Malchut in Arich, in AVI, and in ZON, and they were all sorted by the name MA that emerged from the Metzach of AK, which is the male. You already know that there is not a Sefira that does not consist of ten Sefirot. Hence, each and every Sefira in all the worlds must have a phase of Malchut, made of the above kings.

Inner Light

1. The root of those kings is the first name BON: This means that in the world of correction, they are the name HaVaYaH filled with Heys, which is BON in Gematria. Although they are the phase of HaVaYaH of SAG in their origin, meaning Nekudot [dots] of SAG, as the ARI writes in Tree of Life, Gate 10, end of Chapter 3, that in the days to come, when all those kings are completely corrected, the name SAG shall be as before, and the name MA shall be canceled. This is the meaning of the return of the world to Tohu veBohu (lit. Unformed and Void). At that time, there will be only two lights, AB and SAG. Yet, in the world of correction, the Nekudot of SAG descended and became the name BON, meaning a Nukva of the name MA and subordinate to him. Everything she has, she receives from the male, which is HaVaYaH of MA. This is why we always call the ZAT of Nekudim BON, although they are Nekudot of SAG.

In truth, the Partzuf that emerged by the coupling in the screen of phase one, called the light of Einayim, is the phase of HaVaYaH of MA, meaning ten Sefirot at the level of ZA. However, it is called HaVaYaH of SAG for two reasons: 1) because there is male light there, which emerged on phase two of clothing, called YESHSUT, as it is written in Part 6, Inner Light, Item 14, and the level of YESHSUT is called HaVaYaH of SAG. The second reason is that the vessels of Nekudim, which are the Nekudot of SAG of AK, meaning the lower nine of SAG that descended below the Tabur of AK. The light departed from them and those vessels moved to the ten Sefirot of the world of Nekudim, as it is written in Part 6, Inner Light, Item 38. For this reason, they are called Nekudot of SAG.

Every phase of Malchut that exists in all the worlds was made of this name BON: Through the ascent of the bottom Hey, which is Malchut, to the place of the Einayim, which is Hochma, Malchut mixed and connected to each and every Sefira of the ten Sefirot. From then on, this Malchut is connected with the first Hey, incorporated in each Sefira and in each Partzuf, as it is written in Part 6 Inner Light, Item 38.

2. When the upper Emanator began to create the world, He emanated, created, made, and did the four worlds ABYA. He began to sort the four above-mentioned kings that died. What was sorted from Him rose in the sanctity of the worlds, and what was not sorted remained a shell and dross. However, the essence of these dross and kings, their root is the first name BON. It is one Partzuf Adam from its Rosh to its Raglaim, containing corresponding shells from its Rosh to its Raglaim.

Inner Light

2. These dross and kings, their root is the first name BON: We must thoroughly understand what these dross are, and how they were rooted and come from the name BON.

The thing is that you already know that the vessels in each Partzuf come to it from its upper one. This is so because once the lights of the ten Sefirot of the Guf of the upper one depart, and the vessels of the ten Sefirot remain empty of light, these vessels move to the lower one and fill up with the lights of the lower one, as it is written in Part 5, Inner Light, Item 35.

Accordingly, you see that the vessels of the lower nine of Partzuf SAG of AK that were emptied of their lights with the restriction of NHY of AK are the very vessels of Nekudim of AK, called BON. It has been explained in Inner Light (Part 6, Item 1) that the lower nine of SAG of AK that expanded to the place of NHY of Partzuf Keter of AK, mixed there with phase four that is in the vessels of NHY of Partzuf Keter of AK (Part 6, Inner Light, Item 38). Phase four was mixed with every single Sefira up to Hochma, and thus there is a mixture of phase four in the vessels of SAG in each and every phase in them. It has also been explained above (Part 6, Item 1) why the lights and vessels of SAG could shine in the place of phase four of AK. This is so because there was no restriction on the light SAG, which is the light of Bina; the restriction was only on the light of Hochma.

Afterwards, these vessels moved to the ZAT of Nekudim, and AVI of Nekudim made a coupling in a coupling of Gadlut face-to-face, and drew the level of Hochma in their place from below upward in the Rosh. After that, they imparted this light of Hochma to ZAT of Nekudim where phase four was mixed in each and every one of their phases. Thus, that light could not clothe in those vessels since phase four is already restricted so as not receive the light of Hochma. Therefore, when the light was extended into the vessel and struck phase four that was included in the vessel, it instantly departed and left all the vessels. Then the vessel, too, was broken and died because of phase four in it, which suckled some of the light before it departed from there, and that suckling caused disparity of form in oppositeness from the Emanator, which is the light of life, which is why it is called “death.”

You find that this mixture of phase four in the vessels of SAG, which are phase two, caused a shattering and death in the vessels. For this reason, this mixture is called dross in the vessels, which are parts in the vessels that cannot receive the upper light, and because of them, the corruption fell into all the vessels, even in the parts that were worthy of receiving the light, namely the vessels of SAG that are from phase two.

He says that when He “began to create the world, etc., He began to sort the kings, and what was sorted from Him rose in the sanctity of the worlds, and what was not sorted remained a shell and dross,” since after the light departed from the vessels, and the vessels died and fell to the separated worlds to BYA, the Emanator sorted once more the broken vessels of the kings. This means that He sorted the vessels that are worthy of clothing of the upper light, which belong to the vessels of SAG, which are the Partzufim of Atzilut in the BON part in them. These dross, which are mixed in phase four that were not sorted, remained in BYA inside the shells. Thus, we learn that the dross are parts of phase four that mixed with the vessels of SAG. That mixture was rooted in the vessels of Nekudim, called BON, as he says, “These dross and kings, their root is the name BON,” meaning in Nekudim.

Containing corresponding shells from its Rosh to its Raglaim: This is because in general, ZAT are considered one whole Partzuf with Rosh and Guf. This is because they received the light of GAR and the Rosh from the coupling of Gadlut of AVI, as it is written in Part 6. Hence, since the entire ZAT broke, anterior and posterior, as it is written below in this part, and because phase four was mixed in every single phase of the vessels of the Nekudim, because of it, it has shells in it from its Rosh to its Raglaim, meaning dross that remained inside the shells.

3. Even though they are seven kings, they are ten, such as when we say that they are seven halls, when they are actually ten. This is because the first hall consists of the first three Sefirot, and is called the hall of the Holy of Holies. The last hall consists of two, Yesod and Malchut, which is Livnat haSapir [sapphire brick]. So it is here, since they are Yod Sefirot, called seven kings.

Inner Light

3. Though they are seven kings, they are ten: This means that not only do ZAT HGT NHYM of the Katnut contain ten Sefirot, as well, meaning ten Sefirot, which each contains HGT NHYM, but they also had a coupling of Gadlut that have actual GAR, meaning HBD, too.

4. A more elaborate matter is this: We have learned that from those kings, the suitable phases were sorted for Atik, AA, and AVI of Atzilut. However, there was some breaking in their posterior. Not actual death, which is the shell, but a diminution of light. Thus, those posterior fell below their place in the holiness itself, and do not have actual dross, which are death. However, in the part of ZON of Atzilut, although all the phases of Malchut in each Sefira were sorted from those kings of the name BON, some sparks which were not sorted remained in them and are mixed inside the shells and the dross. Hence, in these, there is actual death. You find that all the shells grip only ZON, not from Ima and above.

Inner Light

4. There was some breaking in their posterior, etc., do not have actual dross: Interpretation: GAR of Atzilut, too, were not completely sorted, and the posterior that fell from them during the breaking of the vessels did not rise to their place completely until the end of correction. However, that does not give any hold to the shells since these posterior never left the world of Atzilut at all, but descended from a high degree to a low degree. Conversely, ZAT of Nekudim, called ZON, have actual dross, as we have written above. This is why they died and fell to the worlds of separation. Thus, because those vessels were not entirely sorted, but much dross remained inside the shells, they have a hold of ZON, too, to the extent that they take their authority from those vessels of ZAT.

The shells grip only ZON, not from Ima and above: It is written above in the previous item that unsorted parts remained inside the shells only from the vessels of ZA, and this is why they have a hold of it. Conversely, nothing fell to the share of the shells from Ima and above. This is why the shells have no hold at all from Ima upward.

5. You know that the root of ZA is only six Sefirot. However, afterwards, they grew and became ten Sefirot for it. Similarly, the root of Malchut is one dot, which is later made to incorporate ten Sefirot. Thus, in their first root, they are only seven kings, six in ZA and one in Nukva. These cling to the last two letters of the Name, which are Vav-Hey, and these two letters are eleven in Gematria. This is the meaning of the eleven signs of the incense: ten inner Sefirot, and one surrounding. Although the surrounding also consists of ten Sefirot, it is called one.

Inner Light

5. The root of ZA is only six Sefirot: This is so because when it is born, it has no Rosh, which is GAR, called HBD. He has only VAK, which are HGT NHY, and Malchut has only her Malchut, lacking all of the first nine. Hence, the Sitra Achra do not have any suckling from the Rosh of ZA, since during the Katnut it has no Rosh.

There are very interesting things in these matters, but here we shall only explain the reason that ZA emerged without GAR. Indeed, even during the Gadlut, it has no more than six vessels HGT NHY. When the ARI writes that it has ten Sefirot, it does not mean that the first three Sefirot, namely KHB, were added to it, but only that its HGT of Katnut grew to become HBD, and the NHY of Katnut grew to become HGT. All that was added to it are the three lower Sefirot, which are NHY. Thus, even during the Gadlut, it does not attain the first three vessels KHB, and because this is a great principle in the wisdom, we must understand it at its source, each with its own reason.

It is known that the root of ZA emerged at Nekudim, called HaVaYaH of BON. This is Partzuf MA, called YESHSUT, which emerged from the Nikvey Einayim. Also, you find a great innovation in this Partzuf, unlike all the previous Partzufim of AK. The Gufim emerged in them in ten Sefirot and ten vessels, and each Guf begins with the vessel of Keter, as it is written in Matei [expanding] present and not Matei [not expanding]. However, in this Partzuf that emerged from the Einayim, the Guf begins from Daat, and there is no memory of the first three Sefirot Keter Hochma Bina in them. Besides that, there is a great difference in the ten Sefirot of the Rosh itself, for until here, there is only one Rosh for each Partzuf, and in Partzuf Einayim, there are three Roshim [pl. of Rosh] to each Partzuf: The first is YESHSUT, which stands from the Tabur of AK upward to the Chazeh; the second is the Keter of the Nekudim; and the third is AVI of Nekudim.

However, these two changes are interdependent, for it has already been thoroughly clarified in Part 6 that all these three Roshim are only ten Sefirot of one Rosh. The matter of their division in this manner is because of the ascent of the bottom Hey to the Einayim, where the coupling was made on the screen of phase one, called Nikvey Einayim and the first Rosh emerged in two Sefirot, Keter and Hochma, and in the Nukva of Hochma, the coupling was made on the bottom Hey that is incorporated there, and this Rosh is called YESHSUT. For this reason, the three Sefirot Bina, ZA, and Malchut, are considered HGT of Rosh, as they are below the screen and the place of the coupling and by this, they are no longer considered GAR.

Nonetheless, these HGT are also considered Rosh. Moreover, they are the main part of the Rosh of Partzuf Nekudim because the above first Rosh, called YESHSUT, which stands from the Tabur of AK up to the Chazeh, does not join Partzuf Nekudim at all. Rather, it is regarded entirely as Akudim (see Part 6, Inner Light, Item 20), but its AHP that went out to the phase of HGT are considered the Rosh of Nekudim.

However, these AHP are divided into two Roshim, as well. This is so because the phase of Ozen, called the Sefira of Keter of Nekudim, is considered the phase of Keter and Hochma of this Rosh, in the form of the bottom Hey in the Einayim. The Hotem Peh that went out from this Rosh, too, are Yod-Hey-Vav in the AHP. They are considered the third Rosh, called AVI of Nekudim. Know that the second Rosh, too, called Keter of Nekudim, is also not regarded as the Rosh of the Partzuf. This means that its Malchut does not expand from above downward as ten Sefirot of the Guf since it only shines and clothes in the third Rosh, meaning AVI of Nekudim. AVI of Nekudim alone are the Rosh for the Partzuf of Nekudim. This means that their Malchut expands from above downward as the ten Sefirot of the Guf of Nekudim (see above Part 6, Inner Observation, Cause and Consequence, Item 30). Know that even during the Gadlut, when the bottom Hey descends from the Einayim in the Keter to the Peh of the Rosh, and AVI return to the phase of Rosh, the Keter itself still does not join AVI in a way that they will actually become one Rosh. Instead, only the illumination of the NHY of Keter clothes AVI. This is the meaning of AVI becoming HBD, and the second Rosh is in the phase of Keter above their Rosh.

You see how the ten Sefirot of one Rosh were divided and made into three Roshim. The first Rosh took Keter and Hochma; the second Rosh took the Bina in them, called Ozen; and the third Rosh, called AVI, which are regarded as the Rosh of this Partzuf, took the ZAT in them, called Hotem and Peh. However, the first two Roshim do not join the Guf of the Partzuf.

You already know that all the Sefirot of the Guf are extended from the Rosh. The full measure that Malchut of the Rosh clothes in her reflected light from below upward in the Rosh, expands from her and within her in that same amount to the ten Sefirot of the Guf. Yet, understand that Malchut of the third Rosh could expand to the Guf only in the seven bottom Sefirot HGT NHYM, since in the Rosh, too, she has no more than the two Sefirot Hotem Peh, which are ZAT of the Rosh. The GAR of the Rosh are in the two previous Roshim because Keter and Hochma are in the first Rosh, called YESHSUT, and Bina is in the second Rosh, called Keter. Thus we have thoroughly explained that it is impossible for ZON to have more than seven vessels HGT NHYM, since their Rosh, which is AVI, have no more than these ZAT, which are Hotem Peh.

We might ask about that: Since both lack GAR, what then is the greatness of AVI over ZON? The ARI has already explained that to us above (Part 6, Items 21-25). The whole merit of AVI over the ZON is because AVI took a little bit of illumination from the light of Ozen. This is why their vessels did not break, and only ZON, which did not receive any illumination from the light of Ozen, but only from the Hotem and Peh. This is why all their vessels broke. In general, we have already learned there thoroughly, and we shall explain further in this part, that this illumination that AVI received from the light of Ozen corrected them by means of a back-to-back coupling, and because of it they had GAR of Bina, as we shall elaborate on below.

6. The essence of how they were seven and became eleven is that the four posteriors broke from HB and YESHSUT. They were joined above with these seven kings and became eleven. Do not wonder at how shells were made of HB, etc., since this is discerned as what clothes in ZON below to become Mochin for them, and that phase is considered actual ZON.

7. *Let us complete the scrutiny regarding the primary reason and what it was. His intention is to create this world, which contains reward and punishment. This is impossible except through an officer, which is the measure of repaying the evil. Also, the evil is the root of the dross and the yeast of the Gevurot and the judgments, as it is written, “In the place of the sentence, there is the wickedness.”

Inner Light

7. “In the place of the sentence, there is the wickedness”: This refers to the sentence of the Sitra Achra that is turned into harsh and bitter judgments, as it is written, “His sentences, they have not known them.” Now you can understand the words of The Zohar, in the portion Truma, “The Sitra Achra is given an extra count, and is counted as a deficit, such as eleven.” This is the evil attribute to repay the evil, since the Sitra Achra is given more strength to grip than they deserve. In that, “a whirling storm, it shall whirl upon the head of the wicked,” and this is what our sages imply, “A camel that went looking for horns, its ears were cut off.”

8. The dross and the shells can be revealed only through a cascading of worlds. In the end, the dross will be sorted and manifested, and all this was through the death of those kings, who are all strong judgments, called BON, which are Gevurot. This is so because all those are phases of dots, which are females and phases of reflected light, Mayin Nukvin. The shape of the dots is sparks, and they are the strong sparks mentioned in the portion Pekudei, “Come and see, the Rosh of the beginning of the faith inside the thought. It hammered a strong spark and produced sparks.”

Inner Light

8. Phases of dots, which are females and phases of reflected light, Mayin Nukvin: Malchut is called a dot. It is named after the root Malchut over which there was the first restriction, called the middle point. Hence, the Malchuts and females in all the worlds are called dots, since they are the subject of the restriction and the screen over which the coupling by striking with the upper light occurred. He writes, “through the death of those kings, who are all strong judgments,” etc., they are the phases of dots, which are the females and reflected light and MAN. It is so because these three are one thing, meaning the phases of the screen that raises reflected light, and unite and copulate the upper Partzufim when they rise to MAN from the sorting of BYA. The explanation to this matter will be brought below.

9. The thing is that these seven kings are the Gevurot that emerged in the world first, as it is written, “In the beginning God created.” Afterwards, He associated the quality of mercy with it “in the day that the Lord God made,” so that the world could exist and not return to Tohu veBohu [chaos], as it is written, “Now the earth was unformed and void.” After he says, “In the beginning God created,” which are the seven kings, there are seven words corresponding to them in the verse “In the beginning.” The name HaVaYaH is the Hassadim, and is the eighth king, called Hadar, which is the upper Hesed, as mentioned in the Idra, and this is the name MA.

It is known that the name MA is in Hassadim, and the name BON in Gevurot. They are all harsh and strong judgments from whose dross the shells came out through their death and fall as the dust of the upper Earth. That dust that will be in the ground of the tabernacle, the world of Beria, where they were sorted as in a man in the grave. This is because Beria under the tabernacle is Malchut of Atzilut, and these strong sparks are thrown there, as it is written in the portion Pekudei, “Throws sparks in every direction and sorted the waste from within the thought.” Thus, throwing these sparks down to Beria is to sort out the waste and the shells that were in potential in the upper thought, and have now been executed. As the sparks that the craftsman beats with his hammer instantly quench, so those sparks quenched and died and returned to the dust, and then they were sorted.

Inner Light

9. The Gevurot that emerged in the world first, as it is written, “In the beginning God created”: This refers to what our sages have written (Midrash Rabbah, Beresheet, end of Chapter 12), “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 stand, He preceded the quality of mercy and associated it with the quality of judgment.” We have already discussed it at length (Part 4, Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 4), and it explains there that the first three Partzufim of AK had only one vessel from the phase of Malchut, which is the quality of judgment. Hence, they had only one line. In order for the world to exist according to His wish to do good to His creations, which can only be depicted in the form of a conduct of reward and punishment, by way of ten utterances, and the correction of the three lines, Hesed, judgment, and mercy, and this was done by the association of the quality of mercy with judgment, meaning the association of the first Hey, called the quality of mercy, namely Bina, with the bottom Hey, called the quality of judgment, which is Malchut. The beginning of this association was made in the coupling of the Rosh of SAG for the world of Nekudim in the form of the ascent of the bottom Hey to the Einayim and YHV in the AHP. That was sufficient only for the correction of lines in the GAR, but in the ZAT, there was still no correction of lines. For this reason, the vessels of ZAT broke and fell to BYA, as written there at length.

Although the association of the quality of mercy with judgment in the GAR was not enough to correct the ZAT entirely, meaning from the phase of Hassadim, too, nonetheless, the association in GAR of Nekudim did help to correct the ZAT in the phases of Gevurot. Although the vessels of ZAT broke and fell to BYA, still, sparks came down with them to revive the vessels. Know that these sparks mean the correction of the Gevurot to be ready to receive the Hassadim afterwards, when they are sorted and rise from there to Atzilut as MAN. He writes, “These seven kings are the Gevurot that emerged in the world first, as it is written, ‘In the beginning God created.’” This refers to the correction of the Gevurot to be fitting for sorting and to raise them as MAN to receive the Hassadim of the new MA. They are implied in the words, “In the beginning God created,” as the name God indicates Gevurot.

He associated the quality of mercy with it “in the day that the Lord God made”: This refers to the verse, “These are the generations of the heaven and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven” (Genesis 2:4). The name HaVaYaH (lit. Lord) implies Hassadim, which is the king Hadar, called the new MA. They cause an upper coupling there through raising MAN from the sorting of the sparks and the vessels in BYA to Atzilut, and receive the illumination of Hassadim of the new MA. At that time, the desired association of the quality of mercy with judgment is completed, meaning by that the correction of lines is completed in ZAT, too. All this will be elaborated on in its place.

10. It is written in Idrat Nasso, p 131b, “Some were perfumed and some were not perfumed.” This does not mean that there are some kings among them that were perfumed and some that were not perfumed. Rather, it means actually some of them, a part of the kings themselves, from each and every part of each of them, some of it was sorted and perfumed, and a part of them, from each and every one in them, was not perfumed and remained below.

Inner Light

10. “Some were perfumed and some were not perfumed,” etc., and a part of them, from each and every one in them, was not perfumed and remained below: It is a Partzuf of one Adam, having corresponding shells from its Rosh to its Raglaim, meaning opposite all five Partzufim of ZON of Atzilut. These five Partzufim that were sorted and became the world of Atzilut, each of them left parts of it that were still not sorted, but are destined to be sorted by raising MAN from the work of the righteous during the six thousand years of the world of correction.

Know that this residue of the above Partzufim of Atzilut that remained unsorted are the entire good reward awaiting the righteous because the world was created in ten utterances, meaning the ten vessels of Atzilut in the association of the quality of mercy with judgment. It is by that that the conduct of reward and punishment was made in the world, and this is because of the two states of ZON, Katnut and Gadlut. By doing good deeds, they raise MAN to ZON, by which it attains the Gadlut and GAR, and the mercy appears. If they do bad deeds, by that they cause ZON to return to the state of Katnut and a conduct of judgment is manifested in the world. It is also the same for each and every individual, relating to one’s own soul.

However, here you should understand that there is no absence in the spiritual, much less in Atzilut, where He is One and His name One. The matter of Mochin of Gadlut and Katnut that travel back and forth in ZA of Atzilut by the actions of the lower ones, does not mean that when the Mochin of Katnut is absent, the previous Mochin of Gadlut vanish. Rather, there is only an addition here, as the previous Mochin of Gadlut that were extended through the work of the righteous remain forever, unchanged at all by the bad deeds of the wicked. Instead, the wicked caused a new phase of Mochin to be made, in addition to the previous Mochin, though the conduct of the world is always through the Mochin that is added last. Thus, the chain of time we find in this world, in terms of past and present, is extended to us from the upper ones, from the internality and externality. The past is extended from the internality, and the present is extended from the externality. The externality is always apparent to us in this world, and the internality is hidden from us and does not serve us at all, but is destined to appear before us in the future, at the end of correction.

This is the meaning of “Righteous have no rest, not in this world and not in the next world.” This does not refer to the next world after they die, as it is known that the dead are free. Instead, some righteous are awarded the lights of the next world during their life. Our sages tell us that even those great righteous that were awarded the next world during their life still have no rest. Instead, they must labor in the holy work and always come in the posterior that precede the anterior in order to raise MAN to a new, higher Mochin. This is so because there is sorting in the Partzufim of GAR of ZA, too, above the lights of the next world. This is the meaning of the Partzufim of the souls being destined to clothe up to the level of AK of Assiya. At that time, they will equalize the level of the Hey Partzufim of AK, and this will be explained in its place.

The matter of this clothing that the souls are rewarded with clothing the upper Partzufim means the good reward that is hidden for the righteous in the future. Because of all the Mochin, drawn by raising MAN that they raise by the good deeds that they do, although afterwards, they come in a phase of posterior and cause Katnut in ZON again. We see that the previous Mochin of Gadlut are not absent, but rather come as internality. Hence, they have a way of always drawing new Mochin. The first Mochin come to them in the internality, in a way that they draw a higher Mochin every time. Also, all those Mochin that were drawn to the upper Partzufim through the MAN that they raised, all those belong to their share. Although in the present, they enjoy only the last Mochin that they drew, the previous Mochin remain forever, too, but do not serve them in the present, so they will be able to increase strength and go from strength to strength. In the days to come, they will all acquire all those Mochin that were drawn by them at once.

This is the meaning of what our sages said, “The Creator is destined to impart every righteous with 310 worlds, as it is said, ‘That I may cause those that love Me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries’” (end of Masechet Okatzin). It means that the Mochin that they drew in the upper worlds is their share in their future.

11. The thing is that of those 288 sparks of the kings that died and descended to the world of Beria, when the correction of the eighth king, Hadar, came, he began to sort the sparks and the vessels from them, too. Everything that it sorted of them was only the Nukva parts in all the Partzufim. In the beginning, the selected and the best of them was sorted and rose in Atzilut.

12. There are also degrees in Atzilut itself. First, through the above mentioned upper Ibur, they began to sort the best among them, of which the Nukva of Atik was made. After the light of the sparks of the 288 sparks mixed with the light of the dot of Keter that remained in Atzilut, and the vessels of the kings mixed with the new vessels of the new MA, all that was made into the Nukva of Atik and Atik, and likewise in all of them.

Afterwards, through the coupling of the male of Atik with the female, they raised and sorted from the sparks that fell down, the part that was fitting for the female of Arich, and entered the place of the Ibur as Mayin Nukvin. There they are sweetened and corrected by being there for the time of the Ibur, and become a Partzuf.

13. Likewise, Arich sorted for the Nukva of AVI, and AVI for ZON, the entire phase of Malchut in them. This is why these are called kings, since all the Malchuts were made of them. Similarly, every Yod Sefirot themselves in each and every Partzuf were sorted in the above-mentioned order. What could not be sorted and rise in the world of Atzilut, even for the bottom Nukva of ZA, remained in Beria. Later on, all the parts of Beria were made of them, in its order of degrees. The sparks of Beria cannot be sorted by AVI of Atzilut since they cannot rise above ZON. Instead, they are sorted in the abdomen of the Nukva of ZA through the coupling of ZA with it. However, there, too, only the phase of Atik of Beria is sorted, and there, Arich of Beria is sorted, and AVI of Beria are sorted in Arich, and likewise always. This is so because it is impossible for any part to be sorted above the place of its degree, not in place and not in time. They are all only one after the other in both order of degrees and the order of the time of their correction, and this is clarified sufficiently.

14. See regarding the Ibur ho ZA, how it is impossible to open the grave without blood when it is born. These are the parts called dross in relation to Atzilut. These dross and blood return to be sorted in Beria: That which is dross with respect to Beria returns to be sorted in Yetzira, etc., similarly in each degree. Afterwards, it is likewise with the worse in Yetzira, and after that with the worst of all in Assiya, also according to its degrees. This is so because all the parts of these three worlds BYA are female; there is no male among them at all. Even the males among them are but forces of the Nukva, since they are all soldiers and armies of Malchut, and all were made of the sorting of the seven kings, as we have mentioned.

15. Also, all the created beings and the souls of the righteous are from the sorting of those kings. They are sorted daily by our prayers, and rise up as Mayin Nukvin. Then they are corrected and come to the world. This is the meaning of, “All of Israel are children of kings,” and this is the meaning of, “the Messiah Son of David does not come until all the souls in the Guf perish,” being the Guf that is mixed of good and evil. Also, all the angels and all the created beings in heaven and in earth came from these sorts.

16. After everything that was made to create the four worlds ABYA had been sorted, Adam haRishon was created to complete and to sort through his actions and Mitzvot [commandments]. Through the Mitzvot and the prayers to scrutinize the scrutinies, these kings were joined in the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Bad in their dross. Then he, too, died, and his entire offspring after him, to sort his parts that were mixed with good and evil like the kings. This is the meaning of the incarnation, as it is explained in its place. For this reason, there are angels that die and are renewed each day, as it is written, “creator of His servants,” etc. This is enough for the understanding, for the pen fails to detail everything.

17. After all these scrutinies that were scrutinized during the creation of the worlds ABYA, most of the dross in them had still not been sorted, as the good departs, and the little good remains with the completely evil. Each day, the good is sorted and leaves, and the evil remains. Hence, those parts that were not sorted before the creation of Adam haRishon, and had to be sorted by Mayin Nukvin that Adam would raise through his actions, these were the dross and shells. They were also as it is mentioned in ABYA, since the dross in Atzilut of the shells was made from the better part in them. This, too, is according to the degrees Atik and Arich, etc., and the worst in Beria of the dross, and that, too, according to her degrees etc., and similarly up to Assiya.

18. Indeed, you should know that when these dross were sorted and their four worlds ABYA were made of them, they are complete dross and shells. All the phases of Melachim [kings] that could not be sorted were placed inside them as the Neshama and vitality in them, which sustains them, as mentioned in the portion Yitro p 69, “There is no Sitra Achra that does not have a thin light.” This is the meaning of the pursuit of the evil inclination and the Sitra Achra to make the righteous sin and cling to the holiness, as they have no vitality without it. When the Kedusha [holiness] and goodness increase, their life increases. Now you should not wonder why the evil inclination is in pursuit of Adam to make him sin.

19. Everything that we always scrutinize in our prayers from the day of Adam’s creation to the days of the Messiah, is all from those phases of the kings placed inside the shells. There are phases that are sorted each day, even now, which pertain to Atzilut, there are for each world in BYA, and there are for the souls, and so on in every element. When all the vitality and goodness complete their exit from them, and complete dross are left, it is written, “He will swallow up death forever.” These are Sitra Achra, called death because they are the dross of the dead kings, and keep that. It is as we have written about Son of David, that he does not come before all the souls in the Guf perish.

20. Indeed, you should know that as they are four worlds ABYA in Kedusha, and their root is only ten Sefirot that expand in them sort-by-sort and degree-by-degree, so it is in ABYA of the shells. They are all rooted in the sorting of the kings that could not be sorted, and they are eleven Sefirot. It is written in The Zohar, portion Truma, “The Sitra Achra is given an extra count, and it is counted as a deficit, such as eleven.” It means that when it is given the extra count, it is a demerit, since they are ten in Kedusha and eleven in the shells. This is so because while they are eleven, they are only nine, since those eleven are seven phases, seven kings, and two posterior of AVI, which are only nine. However, in the division of AVI into two phases, they will have four posterior, and then they will all be eleven phases.

Inner Light

20. “The Sitra Achra is given an extra count, and it is counted as a deficit, such as eleven”: He brings evidence to his words above when he says that in general, ABYA of the shells are eleven Sefirot opposite the general ABYA of Kedusha, which are ten Sefirot. He explains that the reason they number eleven is because they are from the residue of the dross that were not sorted. There are eleven phases in this matter, which are seven kings and four posterior—of AVI and YESHSUT—which are eleven, as it is written, “Where are their gods, the rock in whom they trusted.” These are the very eleven days from Horev through Mt. Seir, and the meaning of the eleven signs of the incense. Since they are the entire vitality in the shells, when they are burnt, the vitality of the shells rises upward, the dross and the death are canceled, and the plague stops.

The ARI does not come down to interpret the words of The Zohar here. However, since there is a great secret in their words, the text should be brought in full and be somewhat interpreted. It says, “The Sitra Achra is given an extra count, and it is counted as a deficit, such as eleven. It is as we have stated that in every place where letters are added, such as here, it is a demerit, such as your brothers have said, that they said enough, and on the side of Kedusha, he deducted a letter, and it is an addition,” thus far its words. Interpretation: The whole of the Sitra Achra is from the breaking of the vessels, as the ARI says, that there are eleven phases. It is known that their correction is in the form of the twelve Partzufim of Kedusha, as the entire correction of the breaking of the vessels is in the twelve Partzufim of Atzilut. Through them, the Sitra Achra is gradually annulled until “He will swallow up death forever.”

He says, “The Sitra Achra is given an extra count, and it is counted as a deficit.” This is so because a “count” is a name for Malchut, and Malchut of the Sitra Achra is considered an extra count. (Written aside in the manuscript of the author: “Count” means wisdom; “Extra” means adding, by way of “All who adds, subtracts.”). This is the meaning of Malchut without a crown, which are nine and not ten since they have no suckling from the Keter. A crown is Keter. Hence, they are in impudence, in the form of “Malchut without a crown”. They are the evil eye, in the form of, “Ninety-nine die of evil eye, and one from other ailments.” He says, “such as eleven,” meaning all who adds, subtracts. They add seventy to the eleven (Written aside in the manuscript of the author: And the upper Partzuf of the twelve departs, which is Ein Sof and Keter), and are left only in the eleven. (Written aside in the manuscript of the author: Eleven, because they are canceled and break, and fall to the authority of the shells. This is the meaning of the tree shouting, “Wicked, do not touch me,” for by the touching of the Ayin in the eleven, the light departs and the combination eleven that was made falls to the shells) since they have no suckling in Keter. This is the meaning of, “In the side of Kedusha he deducted a letter and it is an addition, meaning that the Ayin is deducted from the eleven and the combination of Kedusha emerges in the addition since it becomes twelve. Understand that in addition to the ARI’s words and with the rest of the words of The Zohar there.

21. You find that the kings that remain from the sorting are the very vitality of the shells. They are called “multiple authorities” since they are separated and not connected since they have not been corrected. They are eleven days from Horev to Mt. Seir, and they are the kings that ruled in Mt. Seir, which is Edom. They are the ones who said, “Where are their gods, the rock in whom they trusted,” as the number eleven, and they are the eleven signs of the incense that rise upward when they burn. They depart from within the dross, which are called death, and then the dross and the death are canceled and the plague stops.

22. These eleven signs of the incense are but one phase, which is the Noga [radiance] around it, and corresponding to it in Yetzira, Beria, and Atzilut. That shell of Noga is called “Ruach Elokim Merachefet” [lit. the spirit of God hovered], whose letters are Mem-Tav Peh-Reish-Het [Hebrew: died, flew away]. These are the 288 sparks of the kings that died, and this shell is made of the 288 sparks that remained inside the vessels and were not sorted. It hovers over the shells and does not enter them.

Inner Light

22. The Noga around it, and corresponding to it in Yetzira, Beria, and Atzilut: Know that ABYA of the shell are the opposite of ABYA of Kedusha, since because in Kedusha, all that is higher is holier, and anything that is diminished, its Kedusha decreases up to the Sof of Assiya. Conversely, in the shells, the highest shell, opposite Atzilut, is weak and not so bad, and the more it descends, the stronger are the impurity and the shells.

Also, there is a difference regarding the mixture of good and evil in the Noga shell, meaning in the dross that were not sorted. In Assiya, it is mostly bad, where they father every impurity, meaning the impurity of the dead. The shells of Yetzira are mixed good and bad, half and half, and she defiles the weekdays, too, since the world of Yetzira is the pure weekdays. In the shells of Beria, the mixture is mostly good, with a little bit of bad. It defiles only the donation because the world of Beria is the quality of donation. The world of Atzilut is mostly good, and there is a little bit of shell in it. However, even that little bit is not mixed with the Kedusha. The shell of Atzilut has no impurity, but it disqualifies the Kodashim [holies], as Atzilut is the state of Kodashim.

“Ruach Elokim Merachefet,” whose letters are Mem-Tav Peh-Reish-Het: It means that the sparks are phases of records from the lights that went out from the seven kings and died. The records descended with them so they would have the strength to rise for the revival of the dead. Also, the letters Reish-Peh-Het [288] and Peh-Reish-Het [fled] are the same, and understand that.

23. *Know that there are four phases in the world of Atzilut, in how the male and female are situated there, whether they are in phases of dots prior to the correction, or when they are in the phase of a complete Partzuf after the correction. This is their arrangement: The worst is when both are back-to-back. Above it is back-to-face. This means that the male turns his posterior facing the anterior of the female, as now the female can receive the light from the posterior of the male, through her anterior. However, she still does not have the strength to receive from the anterior of the male.

Above it, it is face-to-back. This means that the male turns his anterior facing the posterior of the female and shines in her. There is greater merit in that since the light of the anterior of the male itself shines in the female, although she still does not have the strength to receive it through the anterior. For this reason, she turns her posterior and receives the light in the anterior themselves through there. By so doing, the light becomes a little coarser there, and when the light passes through the posterior and reaches the side of her anterior, she will be able to receive it, since it became a little coarser. This is the meaning of, “A wise will improve her in the back.” When the anterior of the Hochma, which is the male, look in the posterior of the female and shine in her, it will give her merit and shine in her an additional illumination, more than if they were the opposite, which is the posterior in the anterior, which is the second degree.

Inner Light

23. Four phases, etc., the worst is when both are back-to-back: These four degrees apply both in ZON and AVI, but their origin is in AVI. Since they are the first foundations to understand the Mochin of AVI and ZON, it is appropriate to thoroughly elaborate and explain them.

It has been explained (Part 6) that the Rosh of Nekudim, called AVI, are only the phases of Hotem Peh of the Rosh compared to the ten Sefirot of the general Rosh. From the perspective of the second Rosh, they are the AHP that went out from the Rosh because the bottom Hey is in the Einayim of Keter. Thus, AVI are below the screen of the Rosh, because of which they are considered HGT (Part 6, Inner Light, Item 44).

You must know that even though we said that these AVI are the phases of HGT, they are still regarded as GAR and Rosh from the perspective of Bina by the correction of back-to-back in them. This correction is extended from Bina of direct light since Bina of direct light is light of Hassadim, and not Hochma, by way of “because He desires mercy” (as the ARI wrote above, Part 6, Item 41, and Inner Light, Item 40). Hence, it is considered that her posterior reject Hochma, and her anterior is only light of Hassadim. It follows that Hochma and Bina of direct light are in posterior to each other (see above Part 1, Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 50).

It has been explained above in the ARI’s words (Part 6, Item 24) that AVI took some illumination from the light of Ozen, meaning the light Bina of the ten Sefirot of the general Rosh. Hence, the posterior of the light of Bina helped sustain them in the state of GAR. Although they are below the screen of the Rosh in the Nikvey Einayim of Keter, and this screen, which is the bottom Hey, prevents the illumination of Hochma of the Rosh from them, it is still not considered a flaw for them at all, since in any case, they do not want to receive the illumination of Hochma at all, as they specifically crave and want Hassadim. They reject Hochma by the force of the posterior of the light of Ozen that rides on them and imprints that desire in them, in the form of “because he desires mercy.”

Now you can thoroughly understand the ARI’s words there (Part 6, Item 25) that the ZAT that did not receive anything from the illumination of Ozen, and because of that the vessels broke anterior and posterior. However, AVI, which received some illumination from the light of Ozen, only their posterior broke, and their anterior sustained and did not break, although they took the illumination of the light of Ozen in remoteness of location.

Now you can thoroughly understand the matters. It has been explained that through the illumination they received from the posterior of the light of Ozen, they were not blemished at all by the remoteness of location, meaning by their departure from the Rosh by the bottom Hey in the Einayim of Keter that prevents the illumination of Hochma of the Rosh from them. This is so because they do not want the light of Hochma at all, and even if they were at a near location, they would still reject the light of Hochma from them, as they are in posterior with it. For this reason, they still have a complete Rosh from this phase of Bina, which is why the flaw of the breaking did not govern them at all in that state. It means that the anterior vessels were sustained entirely, namely the anterior of Bina, which is light of Hassadim. Only what they later received in their vessels of posterior through the coupling of Yesod AK, by which coupling they turned their posterior vessels and made them into anterior, meaning that they received the illumination of Hochma in them, only those vessels broke (see Part 5, Item 40) since they had already been blemished by the remoteness of location and have become a Guf.

The ARI says above that if AVI were not initially in the state of back-to-back, they would have broken anterior and posterior like the ZAT of the Nekudim. It means that through this correction of back-to-back, which is the illumination of the light of Ozen, they are regarded as Rosh although they are below the screen of the bottom Hey in the Einayim. For this reason, the breaking did not govern them. However, if that correction of back-to-back had not been in them, they would have been regarded as actual Guf, like the ZAT of Nekudim, as both are only the Hotem and Peh (Inner Light, Item 5).

Thus we have thoroughly clarified the matter of the posterior of Ima with respect to Hochma. Yet, Abba, too, is considered to be with his posterior toward Bina because of the bottom Hey in the Nikvey Einayim of Keter. Consequently, Abba cannot bestow upon Bina any Hochma, as he is below the screen. This is why it is regarded as back-to-back, since Abba cannot bestow upon Bina from the illumination of Hochma due to the posterior of the bottom Hey, even if Bina were to return her anterior to the Hochma. Conversely, Bina would not have received the light of Hochma from Abba, even if Abba were to return his anterior to Bina, to give her light of Hochma, “because he desires mercy.” Thus we have thoroughly explained the state of the first degree, called back-to-back.

Above it is back-to-face. This means that the male turns his posterior facing the anterior of the female: You must know that two diminutions occurred in Bina by the ascent of the bottom Hey in the Einayim: 1 – On the part of the screen that was established in the Einayim, because of which Bina came down to the restricted Malchut, in which there was a coupling by striking in the Rosh, and in which the Partzuf ends, meaning in the Sefira of Bina of NHY. The second diminution occurred in her by the force of the Gevurot, meaning the blockage of Hassadim in the vessel of Malchut from the source of her emanation.

The matter of these Gevurot in the vessel of Malchut was explained above in the ARI’s words regarding the light of Malchut in the vessel of Yesod, which is present in Partzuf AB of AK, which is the second expansion of AK. The lights have changed, and the light of Hochma came in the vessel of Keter, the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma, etc., until the light of Malchut in the vessel of Yesod (Part 5, Item 45, and Inner Light there). This is the posterior light that remains of the Sefira Hod that no longer has illumination of Hassadim of the VAK of ZA in it. Hence, it is discerned there as five Gevurot in the vessel of Yesod. It has also been explained there that the root of Malchut is the Sefira Hod, meaning the fifth Hesed of the five Hassadim, although she has two diminutions in Yesod and in Malchut. Hence, Malchut is discerned as having vessels of anterior from the perspective of her incorporation in ZA, that receive illumination of Hochma like the ZA, but with a blockage of Hassadim.

Thus, the anterior and posterior found in the vessels of Malchut have been explained, and they are both Gevurot. In herself, she is corrected with a screen that rejects Hochma. This is her phase of posterior. Also, she has the illumination of GAR from the perspective of her incorporation in ZA, which is the fifth Hesed, Hod, although she is blocked from Hassadim. Bina received these two diminutions from Malchut by the ascent of the bottom Hey in the Einayim.

Now you can understand the necessity for these two states: back-to-back and back-to-face. First, the first diminution is established, which is the hard posterior of the Malchut because of the screen and the restriction that lie on Bina because of the bottom Hey in the Nikvey Einayim. This correction is done by the posterior of Bina. After this is corrected, there still remains the second diminution on her, which is the blockage of Hassadim in the vessel of anterior of Malchut that rests on Bina due to the bottom Hey in the Einayim. This is done by the state of back-to-face, as the male, which is Hochma, shines light of Hassadim in her from his posterior into the vessels of anterior of Bina, which suffer only from this shortage, as they do not lack the illumination of GAR. Now Bina is corrected from the perspective of the vessels, both in her posterior part, and in her anterior part. However, she still receives only light of Hassadim from the posterior of Hochma, and is still unfit to receive the anterior light, which is light of Hochma.

Above it, it is face-to-back: The first two corrections, back-to-back and back-to-face, were extended from the posterior of Bina. The correction of back-to-back is the posterior of Bina, which reject Hochma, “because he desires mercy.” Hence, the matter of the screen does not diminish her at all, since she rejects Hochma anyhow. By this, she is not blemished by the screen at all. After the posterior is corrected, the correction of the anterior vessels begins by itself since their whole deficiency was from the blockage of Hassadim. Now, however, after the correction of back-to-back, they receive abundant Hassadim from the posterior of Hochma. However, that third degree, which is face-to-back, meaning the anterior of the male in the posterior of the female, comes to him by the coupling of AB SAG that lowers the bottom Hey from the Einayim to the Peh. At that time, HB return to the Rosh, and the male, which is Hochma, attains his anterior as in the beginning. However, Bina still remains in the phase of posterior since she still does not have the strength to receive with her anterior vessels.

She still does not have the strength to receive it through the anterior: In fact, she can receive the anterior light of Hochma, as she is already above the screen, as in the previous Partzufim of AK. Bina holds to her posterior due to the two previous corrections, back-to-back and back-to-face, the first being the posterior of Ima that want Hesed and reject Hochma, the second being the Gevurot in her anterior vessels that are thirsty for the light of Hassadim from their root. She does not wish to disclose her anterior vessels to receive light of Hochma from the male, but only posterior light, meaning Hassadim. He says, “she still does not have the strength to receive it through the anterior” due to the great yearning for light of Hassadim that she has.

The light becomes a little coarser there, etc., she will be able to receive it, since it became a little coarser: It means that this anterior light, received in the posterior vessels of Bina, greatly improves her posterior, until the posterior themselves rise to complete GAR. Thus, the anterior vessels become subordinate and receive the light GAR from the posterior vessels. It follows that the posterior vessels are more important than the anterior vessels, as they bestow upon them.

The reason for it is that indeed, the posterior vessels receive only a very small illumination from the anterior light of the male since they are vessels that reject Hochma and crave only light of Hassadim. However, that diminished illumination that they receive brings the posterior to be more important than the anterior vessels. This is so because when the anterior vessels received Hochma, meaning the light Malchut in the vessel of Yesod in the previous Partzufim, they were in great blockage of light of Hassadim, which is the five Gevurot in the Yesod. However, these posterior vessels have abundance of light of Hassadim, and some diminished the illumination of Hochma that they receive.

He says, “the light becomes a little coarser,” meaning it is a small illumination because of the force of rejection in the posterior vessels. “The light becomes a little coarser there, and when the light passes through the posterior and reaches the side of her anterior, she will be able to receive it, since it became a little coarser.” In other words, when the anterior vessels received illumination of Hochma, they could not receive the light of Hassadim, but were in the phase of Gevurot. Now, however, that they receive illumination of Hochma through the posterior vessels, they have both Hochma and Hassadim.

“A wise will improve her in the back,” etc., more than if they were the opposite, which is the posterior in the anterior: This is because now the Hochma improves the posterior light and turns it into GAR and anterior light. Before that, when they were in the state of back-to-face, although they received in the anterior vessels, they only received posterior light from Hochma. Now, however, although they receive in the posterior vessels, she receives the light of GAR and anterior.

24. Above all is the fourth degree, which is the male and female face-to-face one opposite the other, for then she receives the light of the anterior of the male, which is a wonderful light. Moreover, there is no need for it to first become coarser in her posterior; she can receive it as she is, refined, through her anterior.

Inner Light

24. The fourth degree, which is the male and female face-to-face: The first two degrees, back-to-back and back-to-face, are extended through the posterior of Ima, and the third degree is extended through the upper coupling of AB SAG that removes the bottom Hey from the Einayim. This correction is beneficial only for the male to acquire his anterior as in the beginning. However, the Nukva is still adhered by the force of her posterior, choosing Hassadim and rejecting Hochma. Hence, Bina needs raising MAN from the lower ones, which are ZON, as only then is she forced to stop her force of posterior and return the anterior to Hochma. She does this only for ZON since she cannot draw to them the illumination of Hochma except by that. For this reason, she returns to being face-to-face with the Hochma, which is the fourth degree.

Know that the matter of raising MAN that returns to HB face-to-face is rooted back in the ten Sefirot of direct light. This is because Bina of direct light is light of Hassadim and not Hochma (Part 1, Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 50). Thus, she, too, is considered to be with her posterior to Hochma. However, when she wishes to emanate the ZA, who is essentially the illumination of Hochma, she must return her anterior to Hochma face-to-face in order to receive the illumination of Hochma from him for ZA of direct light. It follows that as long as she does not emanate the ZA, she is in posterior with the Hochma. After she emanates ZA, she is face-to-face with Hochma, to draw its illumination for it. You find that the original root of the state of HB face-to-face is ZA of direct light.

Now you can thoroughly understand the above words of the ARI (Part 5, Item 51), who says that the light of Hesed placed in Bina, which is the light of ZA, always remains in her as MAN. This means that when Bina wants to draw the Gadlut of the light Hesed in order to emanate it to its place, she must return her anterior to the Hochma. For this reason, this light of Hesed is regarded as MAN to the Bina, meaning that which causes her face-to-face coupling with the Hochma.

Thus, the matter of raising MAN has been thoroughly explained, meaning a stimulating cause for the coupling of HB. Without that cause, Hochma and Bina would not have made a coupling face-to-face because of the posterior of Bina that reject Hochma, “because he desires mercy.” This cause is the ZON, as they are the progeny of Bina and their essence is only illumination of Hochma. This is so because the whole difference between Bina of direct light and ZON of direct light is only in that illumination of Hochma that Bina draws for the ZA. After all, both are light of Hassadim, although Bina is light of Hassadim without any the illumination of Hochma, and ZA is in an illumination of Hochma (Part 1, Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 50). Hence, a coupling of Gadlut cannot be depicted for AVI without an ascent of MAN since as long as the ZON do not rise to MAN to Bina, she is tied in a craving to draw Hassadim, which is the essence of her structure back from the direct light. Remember these words in all the places that bear any mention of raising MAN.

25. Know that in ZON, all four mentioned phases were in the above order, but in AVI there were only three phases in them, which are the first, the third, and the fourth, but the second phase had no need for them.

Inner Light

25. In AVI there were only three phases in them: This is so because the second degree of back-to-face does not apply to AVI. The reason is that the two degrees, back-to-face and face-to-back, are established in them at once, meaning at the lowering of the bottom Hey from the Einayim to the Peh. At that time, Bina returns to her previous state and the diminutions of the bottom Hey do not touch her at all. Conversely, in ZON, the Nukva needs two corrections for her two diminutions, one for the posterior vessels and another for the anterior vessels.

26. *Now we shall explain the matter of the posterior of AVI that fell and broke, as well. First, we must explain the introduction of face-to-face and back-to-back. The thing is that the place of the shells and the external ones are the posterior of the Nukva of ZA, and there they cling. However, there is also some gripping to the posterior of ZA. Before God created man on earth, the shells had the power to suckle abundance from the Kedusha [holiness], as it is written, “And there was not a man to till the ground.” One of the works on the soil is mowing thorns from the vineyard, for which, practical commandments are needed. However, when ZAT were emanated, the lower Adam haRishon had not been created in the world. ZON emerged back-to-back for fear of the suckling of the external ones, since had they stood face-to-face, the shells would have had a place to cling to their gripping place to suckle, which are the posterior. This is because they could not suckle from the anterior, and therefore had to be adhered back-to-back so the external ones would not be able to suckle from there.

Inner Light

26. The place of the shells and the external ones are the posterior of the Nukva of ‎ZA, and there they cling‎: This is so because the shells cling only to a place of lack, meaning in a place that does not shine, called posterior, meaning precisely to the posterior of ZAT, which are ZON. However, they have no hold at all in GAR.

There is also a division in ZON between ZA and Nukva. This is because their hold is primarily in the Nukva of ZA, as she is the ending Sefira of the Partzuf, which stops the light in the Partzuf from expanding further by the force of the restriction and the screen in her. For this reason, her posterior is complete darkness, as it is written, “Her feet go down to death,” which are the shells, called “death”. He writes, “the place of the shells and the external ones are the posterior of the Nukva of ZA, and there they cling.” This means that the shells and the external ones begin from the place of darkness downward, which is from the Sium of the Nukva downward, because after her begins the darkness, as she is the Sium on the light in the Partzuf.

However, there is also some gripping to the posterior of ZA: Meaning in the full amount that does not shine, called posterior, because the rule is that Tzor is built only on the ruin of Jerusalem, since the entire sustenance and construction of the Sitra Achra is on the ruin of the Kedusha. Thus, when the Kedusha is corrected until there is no form of ruin in it, the Sitra Achra will be canceled from the world, as it is written, “He will swallow up death forever.”

Before God created man on earth, the shells had strength to suckle abundance: This means that then ZON could not make a coupling face-to-face because there is no coupling face-to-face without raising MAN by their lower one. It is explained there in AVI, and so it is regarding ZON, as ZON, too, are corrected in back-to-back because of the posterior of Ima, as we shall see below. Thus, Nukva, too, does not cease her posterior before she has a cause that compels her to that. This cause is the souls of the righteous that rise to her for MAN. In order to give them illumination of GAR, she must cease her posterior and return her anterior to ZA, and then she makes a coupling with ZA face-to-face.

Hence, before Adam haRishon was created, there was no one to raise MAN to the Nukva of ZA. For this reason, they lacked GAR, meaning anterior light, which is the primary sustenance of the Partzuf. This is why there was power in the shells to draw abundance from the Kedusha, meaning from the lack of this light of GAR.

ZON emerged back-to-back for fear of the suckling of the external ones: It means that they emerged in the correction of the posterior of Ima since they rose above to AVI, ZA was incorporated in Abba, and Nukva of ZA in Ima. By this, they acquired the posterior of Ima, which is as sufficient for them as illumination of GAR (Inner Light, Item 23). Once they have obtained it, the external ones can no longer suckle from ZON, since it is considered for them as light of GAR. Since there is light of GAR in the Partzuf, there is no place for the external ones to suckle from, as there is grip only in ZAT without GAR.

Had they stood face-to-face, the shells would have had a place to cling to their gripping place: This does not mean if they stand in a face-to-face coupling, for then on the contrary, the shells would have been expelled from ZON entirely. Instead, it means that if they did not have that correction of back-to-back, but the Nukva wanted to receive the anterior light of ZA, their posterior would be revealed. In other words, the lack of GAR in them would be revealed and sensed. Then the shells would have a place to grip, meaning in the lack in them. Now, however, that they are corrected in the posterior of Ima and reject the light of Hochma, meaning anterior light, no deficiency is felt in them where the external ones can grip. This is because now the lack of light of Hochma is not considered a flaw in them, as they do not want Hochma anyway (Inner Light, Item 23).

He writes, “had they stood face-to-face, the shells would have had a place to cling to their gripping place, which are the posterior, to suckle. This is because they cannot suckle from the anterior.” This means that if the anterior vessels of the Nukva were open to receive the anterior light, the lack of anterior light would have been revealed in them, and this lack is posterior, from which the shells grip and suckle. Remember onward that posterior means a place of lack of light of Hochma. In this manner, there is a hold and suckling for the external ones, whose vitality is only from the place of lack in the Kedusha. Conversely, the posterior of Ima is GAR, although there, too, there is necessarily a lack of Hochma, hence the name posterior. However, with respect to Bina, it is not at all considered a lack since she is so from her root in Bina of direct light, choosing Hassadim and rejecting light of Hochma. Because Bina is a core Sefira from the GAR, her light of Hassadim is also considered GAR. After ZON rise and are incorporated in AVI, too, and receive this correction of the posterior of Ima from them, they, too, obtain the illumination of GAR from these posteriors of Ima, because of which, this lack of anterior light is not considered a deficiency, even in the ZON.

27. When Adam haRishon was created and performed practical Mitzvot, he returned them face-to-face. In that state, there was no longer fear of the shells, as he had already dug, hoed, removed the stones, and cut the thorns from the vineyard. When they are back-to-back, ZON have only one wall for both of them. One wall is enough for both of them, and they use one wall: half a wall for ZA and half a wall for Nukva. When Adam returned them face-to-face through Mitzvot and good deeds, one posterior was finished and completed, one complete posterior for one, and one complete posterior for the other, and they can return to face-to-face.

Inner Light

27. Practical Mitzvot, he returned them face-to-face: This means that through the good deeds that he deed, he adhered further to Kedusha and could scrutinize scrutinies in the sparks and vessels that fell to BYA, purifying them from the dross in them, meaning from the mixture of phase four in them (Inner Light, Item 2). In that state, he raised them for MAN to the Nukva. These sparks and vessels that he raised came from the seven kings of Nekudim that already had light of Hochma before they broke. Also, they are parts of the Nukva; hence, the Nukva of ZA feels their lack of light of Hochma, and therefore stops her posterior, brings her anterior back to ZA, and makes a coupling face-to-face.

In that state, there was no longer fear of the shells, as he had already dug, hoed, removed the stones, and cut the thorns from the vineyard: It means that after he sorted the sparks and the vessels from all the dross in them, called cultivating the vineyard, meaning dug, hoed, etc., they are worthy of rising to MAN to Nukva, causing a coupling face-to-face there with ZA. At that time, these vessels are corrected in the GAR and there is no fear anymore that they will break, as had happened to these vessels in the first time in the world of Nekudim, because the thorns have already ended in the vineyard, which are the dross in them, and from here on, they remain forever in Kedusha.

One wall for both of them. One wall is enough for both of them, and they use one wall: A “wall” means posterior, meaning the posterior of Ima, corrected in her in the state of back-to-back, which is sufficient for both of them as illumination of GAR. It completes the lack of Hochma in them, and for this reason, they are protected from the external ones. He writes, “One wall is enough for both of them,” meaning that it is enough for them to cover and conceal the lack of Hochma in their posterior, and the shells cannot suckle from there.

Half a wall for ZA and half a wall for Nukva: It means that both are contained in this posterior in a way that the shells can suckle from neither ZA, nor Nukva.

One complete posterior for one, and one complete posterior for the other, and they can return to face-to-face: This is so because by the Hassadim and the Gevurot that they obtain from the upper coupling of AVI, by the Hassadim, the posterior of ZA is completed in the GAR. Also, the posterior of Nukva is completed in and of themselves in the illumination of GAR through the Gevurot, as written below, and then they are suitable for returning to face-to-face.

28. *The reason that now two complete posteriors were made for them was in this manner: Through Mitzvot and good deeds of the lower Adam, he caused an upper coupling in AVI, and they returned to give them, to ZON, other Mochin, which are the Hassadim and Gevurot of Daat of ZA, and this is the essential drop that AVI give in their coupling. The reason is that the lights of two Mochin of ZA, called HB, do not appear in ZA since they are clothed in the Netzah Hod of Ima, and only a diminished illumination emerges from hem by the striking of revealed lights of Hassadim that strike them and elicit a little bit of illumination from them outward. It is not so in Hassadim and Gevurot that clothe inside Yesod of Ima which ends at the Chazeh of ZA, and from there they appear in complete disclosure, exit into ZA, and shine in it. For this reason, the most important are the Hassadim and Gevurot.

Inner Light

28. Caused an upper coupling in AVI: This is because when Adam raises MAN to ZON, ZON, too, raise MAN to AVI, then AVI above them, and further up above the upper one to the end of all the degrees. At that time, new Mochin come from Ein Sof through the degrees until they reach AVI, and from them to ZON, as there is no new light in the worlds except from Ein Sof alone, and always remember that.

Other Mochin, which are the Hassadim and Gevurot of Daat of ZA: It is written in The Zohar (Mishpatim), that “The Rosh of the king is corrected in Hesed and Gevura.” However, Hesed rose to Hochma, Gevura to Bina, and the upper third of Tifferet from the Chazeh upward became its Daat. This is done by the Hassadim and Gevurot that it receives from the coupling of AVI.

This is the essential drop that AVI give in their coupling: You already know that the whole coupling of AVI face-to-face is because of the ZON that rose to them for MAN (Inner Light, Item 24). Thus, first ZON were back-to-back, meaning without the illumination of Hochma. Instead, they were corrected in posterior of Ima, and then they do not need Hochma at all. This is the meaning of, “their hinder parts were inward.” This is because the phase of NHY of ZON, which are their posterior, are not revealed outwards since the posterior of Ima is extended from Bina of direct light before she emanated ZON outwards. When she emanated ZON, she had already returned to face-to-face in order to draw the illumination of Hochma for it (Inner Light, Item 24). Hence, since ZON were also corrected in that posterior, because of this, you find that NHY of ZON, too, are incorporated in their HGT, in their internality, and only HGT is disclosed outward.

After Adam haRishon raised MAN to ZON, these MAN caused ZON to not suffice for back-to-back, but to need to draw the illumination of Hochma. For this reason, they, too, rise for MAN to Bina. They caused Bina to cease her posterior, as well, and make a coupling with the Hochma face-to-face. In that state the drop departed this coupling of AVI for the ZON. It refers to that the illumination of Hochma that is suitable for the NHY of ZON, rooted in the direct light, and in that, the lack of the NHY of ZON is satisfied.

This drop of AVI clothes Yesod of Ima. This Yesod clothes in Tifferet of ZA up to the Chazeh, and this is the disclosed HG that exit from Yesod of Ima from the Chazeh downward, meaning the new NHY, contained in that drop of the coupling of AVI. There is illumination of Hochma in them, and they can now appear outwards, and there is no fear of the shells, as now they are complete without any deficiency. This is why they are called revealed Hassadim and Gevurot. However, prior to that, when ZON were corrected in back-to-back, these HB were covered and concealed in the screen of the posterior of Ima in the form of, “their hinder parts were inward.”

HB, do not appear in ZA since they are clothed in the form of Netzah Hod of Ima: The Mochin of ZA are clothed in the NHY of Ima and NHY of Ima are clothed in the HGT of ZA. Hesed rises to Hochma, Gevura rises to Bina, and from the Chazeh upward rises to Daat. Hochma and Bina remained in the Rosh of ZA and have no expansion into the Guf. However, Daat of ZA in Yesod of Ima has expansion from the Chazeh downward, which are the new NHY that now appear in ZON.

He writes, “HB, their lights do not appear,” etc. It is not so in Hassadim and Gevurot that clothe inside Yesod of Ima that end at the Chazeh of ZA from which they appear in complete disclosure and come out. In other words, they are the phase of NHY that appear outwards because they received the illumination of Hochma, and their posterior is completed entirely.

29. You find that when Hassadim and Gevurot expand below in the Guf of ZA, the Hassadim are given to ZA and in that complete and finish the construction of its posterior entirely. Also, the Gevurot are given to the Nukva, and thus complete her posterior. Thus, he has complete posterior, and she has complete posterior, and then, they can return to face-to-face since their posterior are complete, and now the external ones cannot grip there. Conversely, in the beginning, when one had half the posterior and the other had half, they could have a grip on them. For this reason, they can now return to face-to-face, as there is no fear of the external ones, as we say in the explanation of the intention in the blessing of the patriarchs of the Amida [prayer] during weekdays, and examine that closely. You find that the benefit from the entry of the Hassadim and the Gevurot in ZA was for two reasons, which are one: They enlarge and complete the posterior of ZON, and in addition, by this, they return to face-to-face.

Inner Light

29. The Hassadim are given to ZA, etc. Also, the Gevurot are given to the Nukva: It has already been explained that the drop of coupling that is extended to ZA is a new disclosed phase of NHY; It is Hassadim and Gevurot that emerge from Yesod of Ima that stops at the place of the Chazeh of ZA. This is because their own phase is Hassadim, and the part of Malchut in them is Gevurot. He writes, “The Hassadim are given to ZA and in that complete and finish the construction of its posterior entirely.” This is because now that it acquired NHY in the illumination of Hochma in the phase of NHY of direct light, the entire Gadlut of its posterior is completed and there is no lack in them anymore. For this reason, they can now appear outwards without any fear of the external ones. “The Gevurot are given to the Nukva, and thus complete her posterior,” since the Gevurot, which are the phase of NHY in illumination of Hochma that incorporated in the drop of coupling of AVI from the perspective of the Gevurot in them, are imparted to the Nukva. Now the NHY of Nukva, too, are completed and finished, and appear outwardly without any fear of the shells. Hence, they are now separated from each other as each has his own posterior.

Then, they can return to face-to-face since their posterior are complete, etc. Conversely, in the beginning, when one had half the posterior and the other had half, they could have a grip on them: It is written above that when they were back-to-back, it means that they were protected in the posterior of Ima that choose the light of Hassadim more, and reject the light of Hochma. It is true that that was enough to keep them from the external ones so they would not be able to grip the place of their lack, meaning the lack of illumination of Hochma, since when they are corrected in this posterior, they do not want Hochma and do not need it. Hence, no lack is apparent in them where the external ones could grip. However, they are still regarded as having no NHY because the place of the lack of Hochma is manifested primarily in their NHY (written aside in the author’s manuscript: What is missing in the NHY of the vessels is missing in the GAR of lights due to the inverse relation between the vessels and the lights, and so it should be said). It is so because with respect to the direct light, they are the core of the ZON of direct light, whose essence is not more than the illumination of Hochma in them, since Bina of direct light is light of Hassadim without any Hochma, as she wants only Hassadim, “because he desires mercy.” Thus, the GAR in her are considered HGT, as it is known that KHB in the phase of Hassadim are regarded as HGT.

Only when she emanated the ZON, because she saw that Hassadim cannot exist without illumination of Hochma, and drew illumination of Hochma into the Hassadim once more, this drawing is regarded as having departed from the Bina of direct light and acquired her own name, which are ZON or NHYM of direct light (see Part 4, Chapter 6, Inner Light, Item 80). Thus you see that the only difference between Bina and NHY of direct light is only in the illumination of Hochma that she drew. The Hassadim without illumination of Hochma is a part of Bina herself in her origin, and the illumination of Hochma in Hassadim is the part of the NHYM, or ZON (see above Part 1, Chapter 1, Inner Light, Item 50).

Now we have thoroughly clarified that the essence of the degree of NHY is only the illumination of Hochma in them. For this reason, as long as there is no illumination of Hochma in them, they carry that lack. Also, this is why the shells and the external ones grip that lack. Because of this, the NHY are called posterior, since posterior means a place of deficiency. This is what the ARI wrote above in Item 26, that the place of the shells and the external ones is the posterior of the Nukva of ZA, and the posterior of ZA.

Because of the fear that the shells would grip this posterior, which are NHY, the posterior were established back-to-back, meaning in the posterior of Ima, called “wall”. Through that wall, the NHYM take caution that the lack of Hochma will not be apparent in them, and this is the meaning of, “their hinder parts were inward.” The NHY are concealed inside the internality, which is inside the wall of Ima that protects them, and their anterior are disclosed outwards, meaning their HGT, which do not need illumination of Hochma in their origin in AVI, which are extended from the phase of Bina before she drew the illumination of Hochma. For this reason, they can be revealed outwards since no deficiency is revealed in them and no place to grip for the outer ones.

He writes, “Then, they can return to face-to-face since their posterior are complete, and the external ones cannot grip there. Conversely, in the beginning, when one had half the posterior and the other had half, they could have a grip on them.” In the beginning, when the two of them were established in one wall, meaning in the posterior of Ima, they were both adhered to this wall, the wall of HGT, and there was no difference between ZA and Nukva since now both are Hassadim without Gevurot, for the whole HGT is now Hassadim because of the posterior of Ima, and this is the meaning of “because he desires mercy.” However, now that they have already obtained the drop of coupling of AVI, which is NHY in illumination of Hochma, their posterior grew and were completed. ZA took the NHY from the side of Hassadim, and its posterior were completed and finished until there was no lack in it, as there is already illumination of Hochma in it. For this reason, his posterior, meaning the NHY, can appear outward without any fear. Similarly, Nukva took these NHY from the side of the Gevurot, and her posterior was completed. Now she could separate from the posterior of ZA, as she had a complete posterior of her own, namely the Gevurot of NHY. Hence, now they make a coupling face-to-face and bestow illumination of Hochma to their MAN, which are the souls of the righteous.

For two reasons, which are one: They enlarge and complete the posterior of ZA, and in addition, by this, they return to face-to-face: This is because the complete posterior that they have acquired, meaning the new, revealed NHY, raise the HGT to HBD and Mochin, and they make a coupling face-to-face. The Mochin and the coupling are extended from the revealed coupling, and for this reason, they are regarded as one phase.

30. It turns out that as mentioned in the introductions, on the one hand, this illumination that now comes from these Hassadim and Gevurot that now came anew will be more, better, and greater than the first illumination that ZON already had. This is because he emanated the first only in the state of back-to-back, and this new illumination returned them to face-to-face. Hence, this new illumination will be called a state of face-to-face. However, from another perspective, this new illumination will be worse than the first illumination since the first illumination made and emanated all their Partzufim, and this new illumination only increased half of their posterior. Their return to face-to-face came anyway, which is why this new illumination will be called a state of back-to-back, since its benefit was only to increase half of the posterior.

Inner Light

30. He emanated the first only in the state of back-to-back, etc., made and emanated all their Partzufim, etc.: The first illumination is the concealed HGT and NHY, and the second illumination is the disclosed NHY. He says that we can call the first illumination both by the name anterior, and by the name posterior. The second one can also be called anterior and posterior, since from the perspective of the first illumination, which is the actual emanation of the entire Partzuf, it can be called anterior, while the HGT are the anterior vessels that become HBD in Gadlut. It can also be called posterior because of the state of back-to-back in them. Similarly, the new illumination can be called anterior, although it is only the phase of NHY, because since these NHY are disclosed, they draw the face-to-face of the ZON, and they can be called posterior since they are a completion and an increase of the posterior, meaning the NHY.

31. Regarding this introduction, it will be clarified to you, and you shall understand and learn what will be explained regarding the fall of the posterior of the vessels of AVI from here on. Know that the thing is that these phases of Hassadim and Gevurot that increase the posterior of ZON and return them to face-to-face, is a matter of the posterior phases of AVI that fell. Hence, do not be surprised if at one time, we call this phase anterior, and another time it is called posterior. It is about those Hassadim and Gevurot with the phases they had increased in the posterior, all fell down. These are the phases of Hassadim and Gevurot that AVI take from AA so they return to face-to-face, since in AVI, too, their position was back-to-back, as will be explained.

Inner Light

31. These phases of Hassadim and Gevurot that increase the posterior of ZON and return them to face-to-face, is the matter of the posterior of AVI that fell: He explains below that the state of AVI of Nekudim was first back-to-back, too, like the ZON. For this reason, they, too, were in the state of “their posteriors were inward.” It means that their NHY were concealed and covered in the posterior of Ima, which is the original HGT prior to the exit of the NHY from them, meaning the Bina of direct light before she emanated the NHY of direct light. However, afterwards, through the coupling of AB-SAG, the bottom Hey descended from the Einayim of Keter, and HB in it returned to the Rosh. Then Yesod of AK gave them its drop, which is the Vav and a dot that became MAN in them, and then NHY of Keter clothed in them in the form of the illumination of disclosed NHY, and AVI made a coupling face-to-face on their MAN.

You find that the coupling of Gadlut face-to-face of AVI on the MAN of Yesod of AK was also through attaining the new disclosed NHY that they acquired from the Keter because that is where their face-to-face coupling is extended from. Afterwards, the Guf of that coupling is imparted to the ZAT and they break. Consequently, the Gadlut of AVI descended to HGT and VAK. This Gadlut is not more and not less than the new disclosed NHY that had the illumination of Hochma and GAR, and that have now fallen into VAK. It means that the illumination of GAR departed from them and they have become incomplete posterior.

32. It is known that the drop that raises and shapes the fetus is the phase of Hassadim and Gevurot, as we have mentioned above. This is the meaning of the letters from which the fetus is created. Also, the letters are always vessels. These become vessels to AVI in the posterior. They are also the ones that descended and fell below with the residue of Hassadim that descend to depict the vessels of the fetus, which are the general seven kings that died, which are incorporated in ZON.

33. All these are the twenty-two letters of the Torah. The seven letters are vessels to ZON, which are seven kings, and fifteen letters are vessels to AVI, because the posterior of AVI are greater than any ZON. The sign of the number of letters, vessels of AVI, is fifteen, like the number YH [fifteen]. Also, it is known that AVI are the first two letters YH of HaVaYaH. The letters of ZON are SATNZ GTz [Shin-Ayin-Tet-Nun-Zayin Gimel-Tzadik], and the other fifteen letters of the alphabet are in AVI. Six letters of them are BDK HYH [Bet-Dalet-Kof Het-Yod-Hey], mentioned in the The Book of Zohar of his manuscript, which are the posterior of AVI, and the rest of the letters are anterior to AVI.

Inner Light

33. The letters of ZON are SATNZ GTz: This points to phase four that mixed in their vessels. This mixture is called SATNZ, which are the dross (Inner Light, Item 2). GTz implies the sparks that descended to revive the vessels.

34. Now you will thoroughly understand why there are tags over these thirteen letters, more than the other nine, why on seven of them that are SATNZ GTz, there are three tags on each and every letter of them, and on the other six, which are BDK HYH, there are no tags on them, but only one tag on each of their letters. The thing is that the SATNZ GTz are the seven kings of ZON, from whose dross the shells called STN AZ were made, hence the name SATNZ. It is a connection of STN AZ, as mentioned in The Zohar, indicating that through the fierce and strong judgment came out the SaTaN, which is the shells. It is also called GTz [a spark], to indicate what they said in The Book of Zohar, portion Pekudei, that these kings are the 320 sparks that were thrown, like that craftsman that hammered the iron and produced sparks. It is also as our sages said, “A spark that comes from under the hammer is SATNZ GTz.”

Inner Light

34. BDK HYH, etc., which are the posterior of AVI: This implies the revealed NHY, which are the posterior of AVI. BDK means correction, from the words Badak (lit. Checked) the house. HYH means light of Hochma, since it is known that light of Hochma is called Haya. The entire merit of these NHY is the illumination of Hochma in them, which is why they are implied in the name BDK HYH, meaning the correction of Hochma in Hassadim.

There is another reason why they are implied in the letters BDK HYH. It is that these posterior of AVI fell in the place of ZON. Afterwards, at the time of the correction, ZA makes sorts from these posterior and raises them for MAN to AVI. AVI make a coupling face-to-face through these MAN, and bestow Mochin to ZA. Thus, all the Mochin of ZA are through the MAN that rise from these posteriors. For this reason, they are called BDK HYH, after the correction of the Mochin of GAR of ZA that comes through them. It is so because BDK means correction, and HYH is the light of Hochma and Mochin.

35. It has already been explained above that these seven kings took their illuminations because of the looking of the light of the Einayim of AK in the lights of Akudim in their expansion below in the place of the Guf of AK. This is why they broke, since they lacked the illumination of GAR in it, which are AHP in their place above; hence, they broke anterior and posterior. Also, for this reason, they were tagged with three tags on each of their letters, indicating the shortage and absence of the three above-mentioned kinds of lights, which are the letters. The light remained above the Gufim [pl. of Guf], which are the letters, and not inside them, as will be explained below regarding the tags.

Inner Light

35. These seven kings took their illuminations, etc., in their expansion below in the place of the Guf: There are four divisions in the light of the Einayim: three Roshim, and Guf. This is because the ten Sefirot of the Rosh are divided into three. The first Rosh is Galgalta and Einayim; the second Rosh is Ozen; and the third Rosh is Hotem Peh. After that the Guf, which is ZON. The first Rosh is YESHSUT from the Tabur of AK upward. It does not join Partzuf Nekudim at all. The second Rosh is Keter of Nekudim, and the third Rosh is AVI of Nekudim. The Guf is the ZAT of Nekudim, and it is known that each Partzuf is emanated by the Rosh in the upper Partzuf. Also, Partzuf Nekudim that emerged from the Einayim was emanated in its upper one, which is the Rosh of Partzuf SAG of AK.

This coupling that was in the Rosh of SAG for the purpose of the Nekudim, where these four divisions emerged, is called Se’arot Dikna of SAG. The first three corrections of Dikna that depend on the Rosh of SAG itself, are the first Rosh, which does not join the Partzuf. They are called lights of AHP in the place where they emerged, meaning the root of Partzuf AHP, which are the Nekudim. Shibolet haZakan is the second Rosh, and the third Rosh, called “lights of AHP not in the place where they emerged,” receive from the first Rosh. The KHB of Nekudim receive from these AHP in Shibolet HaZakan; Keter receives from the phase of Ozen in Shibolet HaZakan; HB receive from the phase of Hotem Peh in Shibolet haZakan, meaning each phase from its corresponding phase in the Rosh of SAG. Keter, which is the second Rosh, receives from the Ozen in the Shibolet, which is the second Rosh of Dikna. HB of Nekudim, which are the third Rosh, receive from HP in the Shibolet, which are the third Rosh of Dikna, and the ZAT of Nekudim, which is the Guf of the Nekudim, receive from the Dikna below the Shibolet. These are also the phases of Guf of the Dikna (and we have already elaborated on that in Part 6, Inner Light, Item 23).

He says, “The seven kings took their illuminations because of the looking of the light of the Einayim of AK in the lights of Akudim in their expansion below in the place of the Guf of AK.” It means that the seven kings, which are the Guf of Partzuf Nekudim, receive from the Guf of the Dikna from below the Shibolet, which is their corresponding phase in the Rosh of SAG. They are called Akudim of AK since they are above the Tabur of AK, and the Nekudim begin only below Tabur. He says, “This is why they broke, since they lacked the illumination of GAR in it, which are AHP in their place above.” It means that they do not have a root in the Rosh, which are GAR, from the beginning of their emanation, and their whole illumination is only from the Gadlut of AVI of Nekudim. When they could no longer tolerate the light of Gadlut, they broke anterior and posterior.

36. Yet, the letters BDK HYH, which are posterior vessels of AVI, of which it has been explained that AVI took two lights, Hotem and Peh, and only the light of Ozen is absent in them. For this reason, only the posteriors descended from them. To indicate that one light of the Ozen that is missing from them, we place one tag only on each letter of them, for it alone departed. It stands hanging above the letter, which is a vessel.

Inner Light

36. He writes, “AVI, of which it has been explained that they took two lights Hotem and Peh, and only the light of Ozen is lacking in them, for this reason, only the posterior phases descended from them.” Because they are essentially the phase of Rosh, and also had some illumination from the light of Ozen (Part 6, Item 24), there is the phase of GAR in them from the beginning of their emanation, though in the state of back-to-back. For this reason, this whole phase that they have from their very emanation is called anterior. They persisted and were not canceled, but only the phase of coupling of Gadlut and face-to-face that they attained afterwards as additions, called posterior; this alone descended and was canceled from them.

37. We have already explained that what descended from AVI is called by two names, which are posterior or anterior. This is because as it lacks the light of Ozen, which is the highest one there is in all three lights, the deficiency extended to them through its departure is very great, and this is the state that makes them return to face-to-face.

38. These Mochin, which are the above-mentioned Hassadim, are extended to AVI with the vessels of NHY of AVI like the Mochin of ZA that are extended clothed inside the NHY of AVI. These NHY of AA, too, descended below with the posterior of AVI. In the sense that they come from AA, you find that this matter, too, shall be called a deficiency for the upper dot called Keter. We have already explained that this, too, is discerned as a deficiency in Keter, and it caused it, as it takes the light of Ozen only at its Sof, not at its Rosh. However, with regard to these NHY having already expanded as vessels of Mochin inside AVI, this lack is named after AVI, and not after the Keter.

Inner Light

38. He writes that the vessels NHY of Keter that clothe in AVI in the garments for Mochin were also canceled. However, they are not considered Keter since they have already clothed in AVI. This is because this second Rosh, which is Keter of Nekudim, did not take anything from the coupling of Gadlut of Nekudim, as it is the phase of Bina of the Rosh and GAR from its very emanation. Only its phase of NHY that clothe in AVI and became garments for Mochin for them, which came at the time of Gadlut of Nekudim, only they were canceled.

39. *Let us return to the intention and say that AVI were initially face-to-face since the Mochin was made for them from the Keter. However, their MAN, which causes them to establish and sustain the state of face-to-face, was the existence of those seven kings that were in the Me’i Bina [intestines of Bina], and these were its MAN. This is how it always is. The sons are the MAN of Ima. While those seven kings that were inside the Bina, they were raising MAN and causing a coupling to AVI. The Mochin were extended to them, AVI were returned to face-to-face and made a coupling together in order to elicit these seven kings. When these kings emerged, had they not died but persisted, they would have positioned AVI face-to-face, even though they emerged below, and they would have been beneficial for their MAN. However, because they broke and died, the posterior of AVI, too, which position them face-to-face, descended, and then returned to back-to-back since there was no one to raise MAN for them anymore, and sustain their return to face-to-face.

Inner Light

39. AVI were initially face-to-face since the Mochin was made for them from the Keter: We have written above (Inner Light, Item 31) that the coupling of Gadlut of AVI was by obtaining the disclosed NHY from the Keter of Nekudim.

Their MAN, which causes them to establish and sustain the state of face-to-face, was the existence of those seven kings: It has already been explained above that AVI do not return to face-to-face unless ZON raising MAN (Inner Light, Item 24) because Bina is in the form of “because he desires mercy” at her root, and rejects Hochma. However, when ZON rise to her for MAN, her root of direct light awakens in her since ZON of direct light are her sons, which she emanated in illumination of Hochma. Hence, after ZON rise to her for MAN, and Bina awakens to impart to them illumination of Hochma, she ceases her posterior and returns her anterior to Hochma, she makes a coupling with him face-to-face, and renews the illumination of Hochma to ZON. Once ZON obtain illumination of Hochma, they come to their place below. From there on, Bina is in a coupling face-to-face with Hochma in order to sustain the illumination of Hochma in ZON.

Here (Written aside in the manuscript of the author: “Needs scrutiny. After all, ZON were previously emanated from the Hotem Peh of Dikna. They only received the Gadlut from the Vav and a dot, as it is written in Part 6, Inner Observation, Item 19, that lowering the bottom Hey to the Peh, which is the Vav, makes the Shuruk) the ZON were not yet emanated to be able to raise MAN to AVI. This is why this raising of MAN was done by the inner NHY of AK, and Yesod of AK shone the Shuruk for AVI, the Vav and a dot. It is written in the ARI’s words (Part 6, Item 31) that the Vav is the phase of ZA, and the dot is the phase of Nukva, and they became MAN in Ima. At that time, Ima was awakened to bestow in them illumination of Hochma, ceased her posterior, and returned to face-to-face with Abba. AVI raise MAN higher up, meaning to Keter, and Keter, too, above it, etc., up to Ein Sof. Then, a new light comes down from Ein Sof and cascades through the degrees until the drop of coupling of AVI that descends on the Vav and a dot inside them, which are ZON. They acquire illumination of Hochma, and then expand to their place below, meaning to the bottom seven of Nekudim. In order to maintain the illumination of Hochma in ZON, Ima must draw the face-to-face with Abba.

Now you can understand the ARI’s words that ZON not only cause the returning of AVI face-to-face when they are up in Ima in the form of MAN, but even after they expand downward to their place, they are still considered the causes of the sustenance of the coupling of AVI face-to-face. Because of them Ima must be face-to-face with Abba, in order to sustain their illumination in ZON. He writes, “their MAN, which causes them to establish and sustain the state of face-to-face, was the existence of those seven kings that were in the Me’i Bina [intestines of Bina], and these were her MAN.” It means that in the beginning, the seven kings were as MAN in the Me’i of Bina since they are the Vav and a dot that Yesod of AK bestowed upon them, which caused them to return to face-to-face with Abba when they came to Me’i Ima. Afterwards, when the seven kings expanded and descended to their place, they also cause AVI to establish and sustain the state of face-to-face, for because of them, Bina must draw her coupling face-to-face with Abba, in order to bestow and keep the illumination of Hochma in them.

Because they broke and died, the posterior of AVI, too, which position them face-to-face, descended: The whole matter of the extension of the coupling face-to-face of AVI is only in order to keep the illumination of Gadlut in the sons, who are ZON. Hence, when the sons died, Bina no longer needs to continue the face-to-face with Abba. For this reason, they return to back-to-back and all the lights of Gadlut that were in them descend from their degree and fall to the state of Guf and ZAT, meaning they were rejected from the Rosh of AVI.

The reason that they descend from the Rosh of AVI is that Bina returned to her original degree, when she appreciates Hassadim more than the light of Hochma. You find, that after the sons died and she no longer has a need to draw illumination of Hochma for them, she immediately returns to back-to-back, meaning to her first state, to draw Hassadim and reject Hochma. By this she rejected and dropped the Mochin of Hochma outside the Rosh into the ZAT, as it is written, “my princes all of them kings” (Isaiah 10:8). This is because these posterior that descended from their degree and became ministers, were kings before, meaning when they were up in the Rosh of AVI in a state of Mochin of Gadlut. Now that they have descended into the state of ZAT, they have become ministers, meaning subordinate and enslaved to the kings.

40. It is simple: The posterior of AVI did not stop descending until the end of the breaking of the seven vessels. Each breaking of one king caused a descent of some of the posterior of AVI, and this is the explanation of the matter. When we appreciate the existence of these seven kings in the four Partzufim of HB, Israel Saba veTvuna, we find that until a third of the Sefira Tifferet, which is the fourth king, the posterior of upper AVI completed their descent. When all seven kings broke, the posterior of Israel Saba veTvuna came down, as well.

Inner Light

40. These seven kings in the four Partzufim of HB, YESHSUT, etc.: We must understand the matter of the assessment of the seven kings in the four Partzufim AVI and YESHSUT. This is the key to understanding the reign and the death of the seven kings of Nekudim, as well as all the phases of ZON in ABYA that these seven kings are their root.

We shall explain them here briefly in general. We shall explain them in detail below, in the interpretation of the ARI’s words below. Know that five Partzufim emerged here in the world of Nekudim: four Partzufim that are Hochma, Bina, Israel Saba veTvuna, emerged in Rosh and Guf, and the fifth Partzuf, which is Partzuf Daat, emerged in Rosh without a Guf. You should also know that the order of the breaking of the vessels was in the order of the refinement of the screen according to the degree, like the order of the departure of the lights from the vessels of the Guf of the previous Partzufim of AK. You should also know that the vessels of Nekudim preceded the lights since the vessels of Nekudot of SAG that expanded below, from Tabur of AK, and whose lights departed during the restriction of NHY of AK and remained empty of their lights, moved and became the vessels of Nekudim since the vessels that were emptied by the departure of lights in the Guf of the upper one, always became vessels in the lower Partzuf.

In addition, know that all that this speaks of is only the lights of Gadlut that came to AVI as additions. However, here the ARI does not deal with the lights of Katnut, meaning from the state of back-to-back of AVI. It is so because there was no breaking and annulment in the state of Katnut that emerged in the beginning of its emanation. The entire cancelation, breaking, and flaw, was only in the lights of Gadlut that came as additions, meaning in the coupling face-to-face of AVI, and remember that.

Initially, all the lights of Gadlut emerged incorporated in the vessel of Keter, meaning in the NHY of Keter. This is because Keter itself, which is the second Rosh, did not take any part in these Mochin of Gadlut for itself. Rather, only because all the innovated lights necessarily come from Ein Sof, this new light must cascade from Ein Sof through all the causes that precede this Partzuf that receives and draws the new light. For this reason, it is regarded as descending from Ein Sof, and cascading degree-by-degree until it comes to the receiver, which is the consequence of all its preceding degrees. Hence, it is considered that AVI, too, raised MAN to Keter, which is the phase of Galgalta and Einayim of AVI, meaning their Rosh, and Keter to its own Rosh, as well, and so on up to Ein Sof. At that time, the new light was extended from Ein Sof through the degrees until it came to the drop of the coupling of Galgalta and Einayim in the Keter, which are HB in Keter. The drop clothes in the new NHY of Keter, meaning complete NHY that can be shown outwards (Inner Light, Item 29) and these NHY of Keter with the light of the drop of coupling that is extended from Ein Sof descend and clothe in the Mochin of AVI.

Hence, this above light, called a drop of the coupling of HB in Keter clothed in NHY of Keter that descended to Mochin of AVI, is considered the entirety of the light that expands in all five Partzufim of Nekudim, since all the degrees of Nekudim are but a diminution of this general light, for it gradually wanes from degree to degree until it disappears and departs to its root. However, since the upper light does not stop, it generates new levels one below the other as it wanes, until it disappears and rises to the Emanator as has been explained in the departure of the lights of the previous Partzufim. Thus, that same light clothed in NHY of Keter is the entirety of the light of all the Partzufim of Nekudim.

Yet, after NHY of Keter clothed to Mochin in AVI, they have already completely departed from the phase of Keter, and were considered vessels of AVI and light of AVI. Know that this level that emerged first is considered the level of Keter of AVI. Here, in the ARI’s words, it is called the looking of the Einayim of AVI at each other. Through the NHY of Keter that clothed in them for Mochin and made a coupling face-to-face, their Einayim were opened and they looked at each other, meaning a coupling of Gadlut on the level of Keter of AVI. The first expansion of the level of Keter from above downward is in the king of Daat, and from here on began the refinement of the screen of Partzuf AVI, since after the king of Daat broke, the screen was refined from phase four to phase three, and the level of Hochma of AVI emerged from below upward. The ten Sefirot of the Guf expanded from above downward, clothing in the king of Hesed. When the king of Hesed broke, the screen was refined from phase three to phase two, and the level of Bina of AVI emerged from below upward. The ten Sefirot of the Guf expanded from above downward in the king of Gevura, and when the king of Gevura broke, the screen was refined from phase two to phase one. At that time, the phase of Daat of AVI emerged, meaning the level of ZA, which is also called the phase of Yesodot of AVI that emerged from below upward, and its Guf expanded in the upper third of the king of Tifferet. After the upper third of the king of Tifferet broke, the entire screen was refined and rose to its root, to the Peh of Nekudim. It was incorporated there in the coupling of the Rosh, and a new level of phase two emerged on it, since the last phase is always lost during the refinement, and this level is called YESHSUT.

First emerged the tastes in it, which are the Rosh and Guf of the first expansion. The Rosh is called the looking of the Einayim of YESHSUT at each other, and you already know that the last phase of clothing remains in the screen, but it only expands in the vessel of Keter, called tastes. Know that this is what is called the looking of the Einayim both in AVI and YESHSUT. In AVI, it is always considered phase four of clothing, and in YESHSUT it is considered phase three of clothing. The expansion from above downward in the phase of tastes of AVI is called the king of Daat, and the expansion from above downward of the phase of tastes of YESHSUT is called the two lower thirds of Tifferet.

After the king of Tifferet broke, the screen was refined from phase three to phase two, and the phase of YESHSUT emerged from below upward. Their Guf expanded from above downward to the kings of NH. When the kings of NH broke, the screen was refined from phase two to phase one and the Daat of YESHSUT, called Yesodot of YESHSUT, emerged from below upward. Its Guf expanded and descended to the king of Yesod. When the king of Yesod died, the screen was refined from phase one to the phase of Keter. At that time, the level of Malchut emerged from below upward and her Guf expanded to the Malchut of Nekudim. When the vessel of Malchut of Nekudim broke, the screen was refined entirely and rose to its root in the Peh where it was incorporated once more in the coupling of Rosh. However, only the coarseness of phase one remained in it since the last phase, which is phase two, was lost during the refinement. The level of ZA, which is the phase of Daat, whose matter will explained below, emerged on it, and this level of Daat has no expansion from above downward, as we shall explain below.

Thus we have briefly explained all the degrees that emerged in Nekudim: The first degree is AVI on the screen of phase four and phase three together. The tastes in the first level expanded in the king of Daat, and the dots in her are the three levels that expanded one below the other in the three kings Hesed, Gevura, and the upper third of Tifferet. Then the second degree, called YESHSUT, emerged. Its tastes, which emerged on the two records of phase three and phase two, expanded in the two lower thirds of Tifferet. Also, the dots in it are the three levels that expanded one below the other in the three kings NH, Yesod, and Malchut. Afterwards, the third degree, called Daat, emerged, which has only the phase of from below upward. You should know that these three degrees Hochma, Bina, Daat, are the Neshama, Ruach, Nefesh.

41. Daat is the first king to come out, and all seven were incorporated in him. You already know that the principal raising of MAN are the vessels that were already born in the world; hence, thus far, raising MAN was primarily through Daat that emerged in the world first. We have already explained that in the beginning, there was no need for MAN to AVI, only the ascension of the desire. When it is written that these seven kings were MAN, it does not mean that they drew Hassadim and Gevurot, since they have already been extended in the beginning. The evidence of this is that they returned AVI to face-to-face, and afterwards Hochma placed those seven kings in Bina. Thus, we cannot say that they were MAN to Bina. rather, it means that they placed them face-to-face to AVI through their raising of MAN, once they were already in Bina. Then they drew the Hassadim and Gevurot further as in the beginning.

We shall return to the matter that after the light of Daat emerged and entered its vessel, it raised MAN and drew Hassadim and Gevurot in AVI. This is because Daat consists of Hassadim and Gevurot, and because the seven kings were incorporated in it at that time, it had the strength to lower Hassadim and Gevurot. However, since the rest of the kings do not raise MAN, since the emergence was still not to them, but to Daat, it is possible to lower complete Mochin only through ZON together. Therefore, what Daat lowered was the phases of Hassadim and Gevurot in the Rosh and upper AVI in the place of their Daat, resembling him, like him.

Inner Light

41. After the light of Daat emerged and entered its vessel, it raised MAN and drew Hassadim and Gevurot in AVI: It has already been explained in the previous item that this Daat does not imply one Sefira of Daat. Rather, it is the first expansion of the coupling of Gadlut of AVI of Nekudim, which is a whole level of ten Sefirot that emerged on the screen of phase four of clothing and the coarseness of phase three. Its phase of from-below-upward is called the looking of Einayim of AVI at each other and there are ten Sefirot in the level of Keter there. The phase of tastes, meaning the expansion from above downward called Guf, is called the king of Daat that the ARI speaks of here.

Although there is only a screen of phase one here in AVI of Nekudim, it has been explained elaborately in Part 6 that the bottom Hey descended from the Einayim through a coupling of AB SAG, and came to its place in the Peh, meaning in Malchut of the Rosh since in AB, the bottom Hey is in its place. Hence, when the illumination of AB was drawn there, it lowered the bottom Hey in Nekudim to the place of the Peh, as well, and AVI returned to the Rosh. Know that when the bottom Hey, which is phase four, came to its lace, it was erected there with a screen, as it is in Partzuf AB, which is phase four of clothing and phase three of coarseness. It is because that the illumination of AB that lowered her to the Peh corrected her with his screen, too, hence, the ten Sefirot emerged on it in the level of Keter.

However, the ARI wrote that Daat drew in the Mochin of AVI only Hassadim and Gevurot. However, according to the above, it should have drawn ten Sefirot in the level of Keter and Hochma, as it drew in Partzuf AB. To understand that, we must thoroughly know the matter of coupling face-to-face of AVI. Three degrees in Abba and Ima have been explained in my words above, up to the coupling face-to-face: The first is back-to-back, meaning the state of AVI of Nekudim in the beginning. The second is face-to-back, and the third is face-to-face. You find that before AVI return to face-to-face, they must first be in a state of face-to-back. We have already explained there that that state of face-to-back came by lowering the bottom Hey from the Einayim to the Peh, at which time AVI return to the Rosh, and Abba acquires its state of anterior. But Ima is still in her posterior, meaning in extension of light of Hassadim, since she chooses Hassadim more than Hochma, by way of “because he desires mercy” (Inner Light, Item 23). However, afterwards, when the MAN of the phase of ZON comes to her, her root from direct light awakens to impart illumination of Hochma to these ZON that rose to her. At that time, she must stop her posterior and make a coupling face-to-face with Abba, imparting illumination of Hochma to the ZON (Inner Light, Item 24).

Now you can understand why the Daat draws only Hassadim and Gevurot. It is because these MAN that AVI received from Yesod of AK are the phase of Daat that makes a coupling with AVI. The Vav is Hassadim and the dot is Gevurot, which are the phases of ZON. Because they are ZON and must have illumination of Hochma, they make a coupling with AVI. Hence, this is the meaning of the Daat of AVI. Since the whole matter of the necessity that Bina must draw illumination of Hochma to these MAN is extended only from the original connection of AVI, where Bina of direct light draws illumination of Hochma in Hassadim during her emanation of ZON of direct light. Hence, now, too, she does not receive from Abba from his GAR, but from his ZON, which are actual illumination of Hochma in Hassadim, like the ZON of direct light, which is the measure that these MAN awakened her to draw from Abba. Thus, the whole drop of the coupling of AVI face-to-face is not more than the phase of Hassadim and Gevurot which are ZON in Gadlut, meaning Hassadim in illumination of Hochma, but not at all from the self of the light of Hochma and Bina. Understand and remember that, for it is the key to all the Mochin of the ZON.

Now you can see that the five levels that emerged here in AVI through the refinement of the screen are the NRNHY of Haya of ZON of Nekudim. They are all not more than the phase of Hassadim and Gevurot, even the Yechida of Haya.

It has been explained that the matter of the coupling of AVI face-to-face came in two degrees, which are face-to-back and face-to-face. In the beginning, Abba is corrected in GAR by lowering the bottom Hey from the Einayim to the Peh. Thus, AVI return to the Rosh, and this correction is still insufficient for Ima to turn her anterior back to Abba. Because her posterior is in the form of “because he desires mercy,” she desires Hassadim more than Hochma. Hence, at that time, AVI stand face-to-back, the anterior of Abba in the posterior of Ima. Only afterwards, when MAN of Yesod obtains MAN, she returns her anterior to Abba for the purpose of correcting the MAN in illumination of Hochma. You already know that even now when she makes a coupling face-to-face with Abba, she still does not receive from him more than these MAN need. You also know that the coupling by striking made on the bottom Hey that descended to the Peh, elicited ten Sefirot at the level of Keter, which is the light of Yechida of Hochma. Hence, it is considered that the drop of coupling that came to the MAN through this coupling face-to-face, is the measure of ZON of Yechida since the ten Sefirot of Abba are on the level of Keter, which is the light of Yechida. Since Ima receives from Abba only as much as ZON need, which are her MAN, this illumination that she receives is ZON of Yechida of Abba. Know that with respect to ZON itself, she is complete Yechida for him, and this is the completion of the growth of ZON.

That level that emerged on a coupling of AVI face-to-face on the screen of phase four in the Peh, which is the level of ZON of Yechida, is considered Daat of AVI since she is the principal element that copulates them. It is not more than Hassadim and Gevurot: ZA in it are five Hassadim, and the Nukva in it five Gevurot. All this is the phase of Rosh, meaning the ten Sefirot that emerge from below upward. Afterwards, they descend and clothe the Guf from above downward, meaning in the full amount that they clothed in the Rosh, and these ten Sefirot that clothed in the Guf are called the king of Daat. This is the first expansion of the Nekudim, and it is the state of tastes of Nekudim.

After the king of Daat broke, phase four in the Rosh was refined to phase three. It means that the bottom Hey rose from the place of the Peh to the place of the Hotem, and the coupling on the screen of phase three emerged, drew the level of ten Sefirot up to Hochma, and the level of Keter disappeared from Abba. For this reason, it is now called the Guf of Abba. Thus, you now find that when Bina makes a coupling with Abba, she draws only ZON of Hochma, since the five Hassadim and five Gevurot do not receive the light Yechida from Abba now, since the light of Keter has disappeared from Abba. Instead, they receive the level of Haya, which is the measure of ZON of Hochma. For this is reason, it is discerned that five Hassadim and five Gevurot, which are the MAN, and ZON, descended now from the Rosh of Abba, which is Yechida, to the Guf of Abba, which is Haya. Also, their expansion from above downward into the phase of Guf is called the king of Hesed, which is ZON of Gadlut in the light Haya.

When the king of Hesed broke, phase three in the Rosh was refined into phase two, Malchut of Rosh rose to the Ozen, and ten Sefirot on the level of Bina emerged. The level of Hochma disappeared, and it is discerned that the five Hassadim and five Gevurot descended to the Guf of Ima, which is the level of Bina. Now they receive only the measure of ZON of Bina, and the expansion of the ten Sefirot from above downward from this level is called the king of Gevura, which is ZON of Gadlut in illumination of Neshama. Similarly, after the king of Gevura broke, the screen was refined from phase two to phase one, and ten Sefirot on the level of ZA emerged from below upward. This is considered that the five Hassadim and five Gevurot emerged to the phase of Yesodot of AVI. It expanded into a state of Guf in the upper third of the king of Tifferet from above downward, and it is the phase of Ruach Nefesh of ZA.

Now we have thoroughly explained how all five phases of NRNHY of Nekudim are only Hassadim and Gevurot, even the Neshama, Haya and Yechida in them. Even Daat of AVI is only Hassadim and Gevurot, but the illumination it receives from Keter of AVI is Yechida, the illumination that it receives from Hochma of AVI is Haya, and the illumination that it receives from Bina of AVI is Neshama.

He says, “After the light of Daat emerged and entered its vessel, it raised MAN and drew Hassadim and Gevurot in AVI. This is because Daat consists of Hassadim and Gevurot.” It means that as Daat in the Rosh, meaning the MAN that AVI received from Yesod of AK, has only Hassadim and Gevurot because Ima drew for it only illumination from Abba, similar to the illumination that there is in ZON of Abba itself from the light of Keter of Abba, the expansion of this level of Abba also to the Guf, called King of Daat, does not have more than Hassadim and Gevurot in the illumination of Keter of Abba, as the Guf has only what expands to it from the Rosh. It has also been explained that that king of Daat is the first expansion of the world of Nekudim, called Taamim [tastes], where all the levels below it are contained in it, and are only a diminution from its level. He says, “Because the seven kings were incorporated in it, at that time, it had the strength to lower Hassadim and Gevurot.” This is because the overall Hassadim and Gevurot were extended primarily by the MAN of Yesod AK, and because of it AVI returned to a Coupling face-to-face. Hence, even after it expanded from above downward to its place to the Guf, to the king of Daat, it is still considered the cause for AVI to draw the coupling face-to-face. It is so because Ima cannot return to her state of posterior so that the illumination of Hochma in it will not be canceled. Hence, the king of Daat, too, is regarded as MAN and the cause of the sustenance and positioning of AVI face-to-face.

Yet, when the king of Daat broke and phase four was refined, the entire coupling of AVI face-to-face was not revoked instantaneously, because the coarseness of phase three still remained in the screen. It is known that the upper light makes a coupling with the screen also during its refinement by the order of degrees. By this, it elicits the rest of the levels to the three kings Hesed, Gevura, and the upper third of Tifferet. Hence, the entire state of face-to-face was not lost from AVI, but only their level of Keter, called the looking of the Einayim of AVI. However, the state of face-to-face of the level of Hochma, which emerges on phase three of the screen, and does not belong to the level of Daat, still remained in it. He writes, “since the rest of the kings do not raise MAN, since the emergence was still not to them, but to Daat, etc., therefore, what Daat lowered was the phases of Hassadim and Gevurot in the Rosh and upper AVI in the place of their Daat, resembling him, like him.” It means that the state of face-to-face was not canceled entirely, only the level that is attributed to the Daat, resembling him like him, but the face-to-face attributed to the rest of the kings still remained in AVI, since they have not come out yet.

42. When the vessel of this king called Daat broke, Daat of upper AVI, too, descended in the place of the Guf of AVI, but this vessel of the king called Daat descended to the world of Beria after it broke. The other six lights that were with it entered the vessel of the king called Hesed, and at that time, upper AVI were still face-to-face, since they do not return to back-to-back until everything completes the descent, as they are adhered face-to-face. This adhesion must be removed entirely, and then they will return to back-to-back. But as long as some adhesion is left in them, they do not return to back-to-back. We shall explain below the matter of the complete adhesion of AVI when they are face-to-face, and what means. When five Hassadim and five Gevurot descended from the Rosh of upper AVI down to the Guf, it necessarily caused the lack of light, although they did not return completely back-to-back. The meaning of this deficiency is the deficiency of the looking of the Einayim of AVI at each other.

Inner Light

42. He writes, “When the vessel of this king called Daat broke, Daat of upper AVI, too, descended in the place of the Guf of AVI, for the concealment of the light of Keter is considered for Abba like the concealment of its phase of Rosh. Therefore, it is considered that the MAN that stands at the Rosh of AVI, which descended to their phase of Guf, meaning to the level of Hochma without Keter, is because the screen was refined to phase three, which elicits merely the level of Hochma. And what it says, that the vessel fell to Beria, will be explained below.

The six lights that were with it entered the vessel of the king called Hesed: ‎It means that it was done by the coupling on the screen that was refined to the phase of Hochma, and the drop of the coupling of AVI face-to-face of this level that descended on the MAN in them is regarded as the measure of the illumination of ZON of Hochma of Abba. With respect to the Partzuf of ZON itself, it is considered its phase of Haya, and it expanded in the king of Hesed.

It has already been explained that the screen is refined and diminishes degree-by-degree until it elicits six other kings besides Hesed, which are two levels while still in upper AVI: phase two and phase one. These are the kings of Gevura, the upper third of Tifferet, and the four levels in YESHSUT, which are phase three, phase two, phase one, and the root phase, which are the two thirds of Tifferet, NH, Yesod, and Malchut. All those levels were incorporated in phase three over which the level of Hochma of Abba and the king of Hesed emerged, since they gradually diminish from him onward. This is why he says, “The other six lights that were with it entered in the vessel of the king called Hesed,” as they are all incorporated in it, as we have explained.

The looking of the Einayim of AVI at each other: It has already been explained that this is what the level of the Keter of Abba is called. This is the one that disappears due to the breaking of the king of Daat and the resulting refinement of phase four. It is because the screen appears primarily in the Guf, as in the Rosh, it is only in potential and not in practice, Thus, when the vessel broke, the screen was revoked from that coarseness that the vessel is from.

43. When the second king reigned, which is Hesed, he drew the five Hassadim to expand in the Guf of Abba. When he died, he descended to Beria, and the five lights descended in Gevura in the third king. At that time, the posterior of Abba, made by the expansion of the above five Hassadim, fell, and now all of them have fallen, and the Hassadim descended in the Yesod of Abba, Abba returned his posterior to the anterior of Bina, and this state is called back-to-face, as the anterior of Bina is now facing the posterior of Hochma.

Inner Light

43. Hesed, he drew the five Hassadim to expand in the Guf of Abba. When he died, he descended to Beria, and the five lights descended in Gevura in the third king. At that time, the posterior of Abba fell: This is so because when the king of Hesed broke, phase three was refined to phase two, the level of Hochma disappeared, and ten Sefirot at the level of Bina came out. It is therefore considered that Hochma turned her anterior into posterior since the phase of Bina is considered the posterior of Hochma although it is the anterior of Bina. This is the meaning of, “Abba returned his posterior to the anterior of Bina.”

Abba returned his posterior to the anterior of Bina, and this state is called back-to-face, as the anterior of Bina is now facing the posterior of Hochma: This is because the anterior of Ima are five Gevurot, as the ARI wrote above, and they are sweetened by the light of Hassadim of Abba. The matter of the degree of back-to-face is written above (Inner Light, Item 23), and we should not ask about the ARI’s words there (Item 25) that the degree of back-to-face does not apply to AVI. This is so because there, it concerns the correction of AVI in the world of Atzilut, and at that time, they do not need it, and here it concerns the diminution of the lights and their gradual ascent to the Emanator. It is not at all important here if they need it or not, and this is simple.

44. If you say that Partzuf Abba does not complete its descent until the third of the Tifferet, we must understand that that third of Tifferet is like Yesod compared to Abba. It is like ZA with its Mochin from the perspective of Bina, and you need to understand this whole study in the same manner as that study, all in one picture, and then you will understand it. The entire Yesod is the phase of anterior, and it has no posterior that descended from it. Conversely, in the rest of the body, where there is the phase of posterior that returns opposite the anterior of the female, but his posterior is not adhered with her. Hence, the end of the posterior of Abba stops descending before there is a blemish and a flaw in Yesod of Abba. Afterwards, the third king reigned, which is Gevura, and drew the expansion of the five Gevurot in upper Ima. When he died, he descended to Beria, and the four lights descended in the fourth vessel, which is Tifferet, the expansion of Gevurot fell in Yesod of Ima, and her posterior fell below, as well. At that time, Ima returned her posterior, and the posterior of Ima was in the posterior of Abba.

Inner Light

44. The entire Yesod is the phase of anterior, and it has no posterior that descended from it: It means that it has been explained above that only the posterior vessels were canceled from AVI, which is everything that reached them as additions to their essential emanation. This refers to the coupling of Gadlut that emerged because of the descent of the bottom Hey from the Einayim and the MAN of Yesod of AK. However, what they had from their very emanation, meaning the state of back-to-back of AVI that they had in the beginning, this is called anterior vessels. These were not canceled and did not descend (Item 31).

It has also been explained that after the screen was refined from phase two to phase one, HG fell to the Yesodot of AVI, as then the level of ten Sefirot of ZA emerged. This level of phase one that emerged in AVI is entirely anterior. In other words, it was incorporated in the state of back-to-back of AVI that they had in the beginning, “and it has no posterior that descended from it,” since it has no coupling of Gadlut whatsoever, meaning from the letters BDK HYH, which are the posterior of AVI.

The posterior that returns opposite the anterior of the female, but his posterior is not adhered with her: It means that all that did not depart from the phase of back-to-back that they had in the beginning, is regarded as posterior that return opposite the anterior of the female. This is because their posteriors are not adhered to each other as in the beginning, when their posterior were adhered back-to-back. For this reason, they are regarded as Gadlut and additions from the phases of the letters BDK HYH that descend from the Rosh of AVI. This includes all three degrees above the back-to-back, which are back-to-face, face-to-back and face-to-face. Only the first degree of back-to-back, whose posterior are attached to each other, since both use the same wall, this alone is considered anterior vessels that remained in AVI and were not revoked. From this we hear that phase two, which is the level of Bina, from which the king of Gevura was extended, this level, too, is considered posterior, and it, too, was revoked, although in this state, AVI are back-to-face. However, Yesodot of AVI, which are phase one, are considered back-to-back, and are not counted in the calculation of the annulment of the posterior of AVI, since AVI were back-to-back even before the fourth king reigned, as the ARI says above.

Gevura, and drew the expansion of the five Gevurot in upper Ima: This is because the anterior of phase two is five Gevurot, as Ima is all Gevurot compared to Abba. For this reason, they now stand back-to-face, whose meaning has already been explained above at length (Inner Light, Item 23) and study it there.

45. After that the fourth king reigned, which is Tifferet. When the light reached its upper third up to the Chazeh, it drew five general Hassadim in Yesod of Abba, and five Gevurot in Yesod of Ima. It is for this reason that Yesod is called “Everything,” as it contains five Hassadim and five Gevurot, and we have already explained that picture, that Daat contains the Rosh of AVI, Hesed is the Guf of Abba, Gevura is the Guf of Ima, and the upper third of Tifferet is the Yesod of AVI. When the light reached the two bottom thirds of Tifferet, all the posteriors of upper AVI ended their descent, and extended the Hassadim and Gevurot in the Rosh of Israel Saba and Tvuna because this is the place of their Rosh together. When he died, three kings descended in the fifth vessel, which is Netzah. Then, the Hassadim descended from the Rosh of Israel Saba, and Gevurot from the Rosh of Tvuna down to its Guf. In addition, the looking of the Einayim at each other was deducted from YESHSUT, as it was in upper AVI.

Inner Light

45. When the light reached its upper third up to the Chazeh, it drew five general Hassadim in Yesod of Abba, and five Gevurot in Yesod of Ima: It is written above that when the screen of phase two was refined after the breaking of the vessel of the king of Gevura into phase one, which is the level of ZA, the five general Hassadim and five Gevurot were revealed in Yesodot of AVI. Also, the light reached the fourth king, which is the upper third of Tifferet down to the Chazeh.

We must still understand the matter of these five general Hassadim and five Gevurot in Yesod of Abba and Ima, and what they mean. You will understand the matter in what is written in The Zohar, “Ima expands up to Hod, but has no Yesod.” The thing is that the ARI has already written in Part 5 (Item 33) regarding “Matei [expanding] and not Matei,” that in the second expansion, the light of Hochma comes in the vessel of Keter, and the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma, until the light of Malchut is in the vessel of Yesod, and Malchut remains without light. You find that the screen of phase one that elicited the level of light of Hassadim expanded only up to Hod, where it was refined into the root phase, and the level of Malchut emerged on it. This light of Malchut clothed in the vessel of Yesod, as it is written at length in Inner Light there (Part 5, Inner Light, Item 45), and study it there for it is impossible to bring this length here. You find that the light of Yesod is the Hochma without Hassadim because all the VAK went out there by Ima in illumination of Hochma in Hassadim. After the screen of phase one was refined, only illumination of Hochma remained, without any Hassadim, and this is the meaning of “Ima expanded up to Hod,” since the entire phase of Ima is only light of Hassadim. Once the Hassadim have disappeared, she no longer has any expansion to shine in the vessel of Yesod, but Abba, which is light of Hochma, still shines in Yesod. This is the meaning of Abba being long and narrow, because he expanded more than Ima, as the entire illumination of Ima had already stopped in Hod, but Abba still shines for Yesod, which is the light Malchut.

This illumination of Abba in the vessel of Yesod is regarded as five Gevurot, as it is written there in Inner Light, because of the lack of Hassadim there. Yesod Abba is narrow because of the Gevurot from the blockage of Hassadim. Thus, you will understand that after the screen was refined from phase two to phase one, meaning that the bottom Hey rose to the Einayim once more, which are phase one of the Rosh, Bina was incorporated in Malchut once more. Hence, the five Gevurot of the light of Malchut in the vessel of Yesod were incorporated in her once again (Inner Light, Item 23). This is the meaning of, “It drew five general Hassadim in Yesod Abba, and five Gevurot in Yesod Ima,” meaning because of the ascent of the bottom Hey in the Einayim, where they returned to back-to-back. Hassadim of Abba have no GAR because of the bottom Hey in the Einayim, and this is the meaning of the five general Hassadim in Yesod of Abba. In addition, Ima was incorporated with the light Malchut in the vessel of Yesod, which is illumination of Hochma without Hassadim.

The reason they are called the general five Hassadim and five Gevurot, and not simply five Hassadim and five Gevurot, is that it is known that the root of everything is the five known phases KHB ZON. However, they are evaluated by three fundamental modes, evaluated as Rosh, Toch, Sof. The five phases from the perspective of the light of Hochma are called KHB ZON, and the five phases from the perspective of light of Hassadim in illumination of Hochma are called HGT, Netzah, and Hod. The light of illumination of Hochma without Hassadim is simply called five Gevurot. The phases of Hassadim without GAR, or the phases of Gevurot that are protected in the posterior of Ima but are in fact without GAR, as here when the bottom Hey is in the Einayim, above Bina, are also considered five general Hassadim or the five general Gevurot, and remember that.

We have yet to understand the matter of the division of the vessel of Tifferet into two halves, which we did not find in any Sefira. The thing is that it is known that the three vessels Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, are the phase of GAR: Keter, Hochma, Bina. However, they are called HGT since they are phases of light of Hassadim. It follows that the vessel of Tifferet is the phase of Bina, and the Sefira Bina is regarded as two phases: The first is called upper Bina, and the second is called Tvuna. The reason it is divided is, as has been explained above (Inner Light, Item 29, sub header), that Bina of direct light is light of Hassadim without any Hochma. Moreover, it rejects Hochma since it wants Hassadim more, by way of “because he desires mercy.” However, when she emanated to ZON of direct light, she returned to face-to-face with Hochma in order to draw illumination of Hochma to ZON of direct light. Thus, the Bina of direct light has two states: The first is before she emanated to ZON, when she is in light of Hassadim and her posterior toward Hochma. The second is after she emanated to ZON. At that time, she is already in a state of face-to-face with Hochma in order to draw illumination of Hochma to her children, which are ZON. Thus, these two states divide Bina of direct light into two separate phases: The first is called Bina, or upper Ima, and the second is called Tvuna.

Now you will thoroughly understand the matter of the division of Tifferet into two halves on the Chazeh. This is the actual matter of the division of Bina: From the Chazeh and above, it is the phase of upper Ima, whose posterior is toward Hochma, as she chooses Hassadim in the form of “because he desires mercy.” From the Chazeh and below, it is in the phase of Tvuna, whose anterior is toward Hochma and she has illumination of Hochma.

He says, “When the light reached its upper third up to the Chazeh.” After AVI returned to back-to-back, and the coupling was made on the screen that rose to the light of the Einayim, and elicited the level of phase one, which is protected in the posterior of Ima that reject Hochma, the light of this level that expanded from above downward to the Guf, to the vessel of Tifferet, could not expand further there, but only up to the upper third of Tifferet, meaning up to the Chazeh, where it is the part of Tifferet that is extended from upper Ima as light of Hassadim, and in the posterior on the Hochma. Yet, in the part of Tifferet from the Chazeh downward, there is the phase of Tvuna that draws illumination of Hochma for ZON. Hence, the posterior light of upper Ima cannot come and clothe there, since it has already stopped at the Chazeh.

When the light reached the two bottom thirds of Tifferet, all the posteriors of upper AVI ended their decent: It means that the entire illumination of the Partzuf of upper AVI stopped, and they cannot even shine their lights back-to-back from the Chazeh downward, since they stop at the Chazeh.

It has been explained that the entire light of the Sefira Hesed is the phase of the Guf of Abba, the light of the Sefira Gevura is the phase of the Guf of Ima, and the light of the upper third of Tifferet is the phase of Yesodot of AVI. Know that the matter of the extension of the two Gufim of AVI to the place of these three Sefirot, is in complete accuracy, since that is their place with respect to the vessels, for you already know that the three vessels Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, are the phases of KHB of Hassadim. You also know that the whole level of Gadlut of Nekudim is extended through a coupling of AB SAG, and is considered the level of AB (Inner Light, Item 41). It is known that in AB, the light of Hochma clothes in the vessel of Keter, the light of Bina in the vessel of Hochma, and the light of ZA in the vessel of Bina. Hence, the Guf of Abba, which is the light of Bina in the vessel of Hesed, which is the phase of Keter of Hassadim, clothed here, too. The Guf of Ima, which is the light of Bina in the vessel of Gevura, which is the phase of Hochma of Hassadim, and the Guf of Yesodot of AVI, which is the level of ZA, clothed in the upper third of Tifferet, which is the phase of upper Ima of Hassadim. It could not expand to the two bottom thirds of Tifferet because it is the phase of Tvuna of Hassadim there; hence, it stops at the Chazeh. Thus, each light comes precisely suitable to its vessel in the five phases of the light of Hassadim. He writes, “We have already explained that picture; Daat contains Rosh of AVI, Hesed is the Guf of Abba, Gevura is the Guf of Ima, and the upper third of Tifferet is Yesod of AVI.” In other words, it is as has been explained, that the three vessels HGT are the phase of GAR of the five phases in the Hassadim. For this reason, they, too, receive from upper AVI, and only the upper third of the vessel of Tifferet belongs to GAR since from the Chazeh and below it is already the phase of Tvuna.

And extended the Hassadim and Gevurot in the Rosh of YESHSUT because this is the place of their Rosh together: This is because the screen was refined from phase one to the root phase, too, and to the screen of the Rosh, and was then incorporated there in the coupling of the Rosh, as has been explained in the previous Partzufim (Part 6, Inner Observation, Item 15). The coarseness on the screen returned, except for the last phase in it, which is phase three, of which nothing was left but the state of clothing (there Item 14). Hence, only phase two with phase three of clothing remained in it, which are male and female, and two levels emerged on them, the level of Hochma of the male, and the level of Bina of the female. The principal part of the level is the attribute of the female, which is phase two. This is because the phase of Hochma does not have the coarseness with which to be able to expand from above downward. This level is called YESHSUT, and it is a son and a lower one to upper AVI.

He writes, “and extended the Hassadim and Gevurot in the Rosh of YESHSUT.” This is because the level of phase two emerged there on the screen from below upward, in the Peh of the Rosh of AVI. When the coarseness of the Guf in the screen became apparent, it is considered that it descended to the place of the Guf of AVI, meaning the place of the Chazeh of the Guf. It elicited ten Sefirot of the Rosh from the Chazeh and above up to the Peh of AVI, and the ten Sefirot of their Guf emerged from the Chazeh and below, meaning in the place of the two lower thirds of Tifferet. He writes, “because this is the place of their Rosh together,” meaning the place of their Rosh is from the place of the Chazeh to the Peh, as has been clarified in the previous Partzufim (Part 6, Inner Observation, Item 11 concerning all the fourteen operations in the birth of a Partzuf, as it is impossible to bring here the entire length from there).

Remember what we explained above regarding the difference between AVI and YESHSUT, which stems from the Bina of direct light. It is divided into two phases: 1 – Before she emanated the ZON of direct light, at which time it is only Hassadim without Hochma, and 2 – after she emanated the ZON of direct light, at which time she is face-to-face with Hochma, because she must draw illumination of Hochma for ZON. Hence, the ten Sefirot of Bina are discerned as dividing into GAR and ZAT. Her KHB are the upper half of Bina, from phases of Hassadim without Hochma, and her ZON are considered the lower half of Bina, which is in illumination of Hochma. Thus, YESHSUT, which are the lower half of Bina, is considered the ZAT of Bina, meaning her ZON. They cannot be without light of Hochma since their essence is illumination of Hochma, as with ZON (Inner Light, Item 39).

For this reason, only YESHSUT are considered the Rosh of ZON because since Bina drew illumination of Hochma for ZON, she is considered the phase of Tvuna, and not as upper Ima, since upper Ima is discerned only before she emanated to ZON. Remember well that difference between Bina and Tvuna in their origin for you will need it in all the places.

We might argue that here upper AVI were the Rosh to the ZON, because their Guf clothed in HGT of ZA. The thing is that in fact, AVI with YESHSUT are considered one Partzuf, GAR and ZAT. The issue of their division comes only through the ascent of the bottom Hey to the Einayim. Hence, since the bottom Hey descended from the Einayim through the coupling face-to-back, they were both joined into one Partzuf through the MAN that AVI received from the Yesod of AK in it face-to-face. For this reason, upper Ima, too, received illumination of Hochma into her ZAT, which is now considered upper Ima, too. However, now that the screen was refined into phase one once more, and the bottom Hey returned to the Einayim, AVI and YESHSUT were divided into two Partzufim once more. Now upper Ima is considered Hassadim without Hochma once more, meaning only the state of back-to-back. The matter of illumination of Hochma does not pertain to her, but to the ZAT that have now become a separate Partzuf, which is YESHSUT. From here on, only YESHSUT are considered the Rosh of ZON, and not upper AVI. Regard and see that even when they were in a single Partzuf, before the bottom Hey rose to the Einayim, when upper AVI were still the Rosh of ZON, they still bestowed only to HGT of ZA, which are as KHB of Hassadim from the perspective of the vessels, and not the core of ZON. This is because the core of ZON are Netzah and Hod from the perspective of the Hassadim: Netzah is ZA, and Hod is Malchut. Hence, they could only receive from the Rosh of YESHSUT in a way that the GAR of AVI, meaning upper AVI in addition with the ZAT in a single Partzuf, bestowed to the GAR of Hassadim. After ZAT of AVI were divided from them and became a separate Partzuf named YESHSUT, they bestowed to ZAT of Hassadim, which are NH, which are ZON of Hassadim.

The Hassadim descended from the Rosh of Israel Saba, and Gevurot from the Rosh of Tvuna down to its Guf: After the vessel of Tifferet from the Chazeh and below died, the screen of phase three that is incorporated in the female was refined. At that time, the level of Hochma in them disappeared, and five Hassadim and five Gevurot descended from the Rosh of YESHSUT into the Guf of YESHSUT. This means that a coupling was made on the residue of coarseness that remained in the screen, which is phase two that elicits the level of Bina, regarded as Guf with respect to the level of Hochma. However, this does not refer to the actual Guf, which is from above downward, since the entire YESHSUT is a Rosh, meaning the phase of from below upward, and their Guf is TNHYM of the Nekudim, as the ARI writes here.

The looking of the Einayim at each other was deducted from them [YESHSUT]: It has already been explained above that the level of incorporation of the female in the male, which is the level of phase three of clothing here, is called the looking of the Einayim at each other, referring to the incorporation in one another. This level of Hochma expanded only in the vessel of Tifferet from its Chazeh and below since the vessel of Tifferet is the phase of Bina of Hassadim, and is still considered GAR from the perspective of the vessels of Hassadim. Hence, this great light of YESHSUT clothed only in it, and not in the vessels of NH, which, even from the perspective of Hassadim, are discerned as ZAT, which are ZON of Hassadim. You already know that the light that is extended to the Partzuf always clothes the more refined vessel, which is most similar to it in equivalence of form.

46. Afterwards, Netzah reigned and drew five Hassadim in the Guf of Israel Saba. When he died, the rest of the kings descended in Hod, and the posterior of Israel Saba descended and returned the posterior facing the anterior of Tvuna. After that Hod reigned. He drew the five Gevurot in the Guf of Tvuna, and when he died, two kings descended in Yesod. At that time, the vessels of NH descended to Beria because both are only one king, “as both are only parts of the Guf.” Even though they reigned one after the other, they are still regarded as only one king. Then the posterior of Tvuna descended, too, and Israel Saba and Tvuna returned to back-to-back.

Inner Light

46. Netzah reigned and drew five Hassadim in the Guf of Israel Saba: It is written above regarding AVI, that the MAN of ZON draw only Hassadim and Gevurot. It is the same here, since the same MAN that were in upper AVI, later descended into a coupling of YESHSUT. It has already been explained that the ten Sefirot of the Guf that expand from the Guf of Israel Saba come in the king of Netzah.

Both are only one king: This is so because both emerged from the Guf of YESHSUT, meaning the screen of phase two, hence they are one level and one king.

The posterior of Tvuna descended, too, and Israel Saba and Tvuna returned to back-to-back: This is because when the kings of NH died, the screen was refined from phase two to phase one, and the bottom Hey returned in the Einayim. Then they returned to back-to-back meaning to the posterior phases of upper Ima in order to protect the lack of GAR in them.

47. After that reigned the sixth king, which is Yesod. He drew the general five Gevurot in the Yesod of Tvuna and the general five Hassadim in the Yesod of Israel Saba. When he died, these phases descended, too. After that reigned the seventh king, which is the Malchut, only in her own vessel. She drew five general Hassadim in Malchut of Israel Saba, and five general Gevurot in the Malchut of Tvuna, since Malchut, too, has a generality, as in Yesod, for he, too, is called Kala [Hebrew: Bride], as the Yesod is called Kol [Everything]. When she died, all five Hassadim and five Gevurot descended from Malchut of Israel Saba and from Malchut of Tvuna, and the vessel of Malchut descended to Beria. Now all the posteriors of the four Partzufim AVI of Israel Saba and Tvuna completed their descent entirely.

Inner Light

47. Yesod. He drew the general five Gevurot, etc. After that reigned the seventh king, which is the Malchut: When the coupling was made in phase one, they expanded in the vessel of Yesod, and drew the general five Hassadim and five Gevurot in Yesodot [pl. of Yesod] of YESHSUT, as has been explained above in AVI. After the king of Yesod died, the screen was refined into the root phase, the level of Malchut came out in YESHSUT, and the light descended into the vessel of Malchut from above downward, which is the seventh king.

48. If you say, “Why were the general Hassadim and Gevurot not in the general account of the upper AVI as they were counted in Malchut of Israel Saba and Tvuna?” We must understand that it is known that the phase of crown is in the upper third of Tifferet, which is the phase of Malchut, and she is incorporated in Yesod. Here, however, she, Malchut of Tvuna, is more revealed than Malchut of Bina, since Malchut of Tvuna is actually Malchut with respect to the general Bina and Tvuna together in one Partzuf, but Malchut of the upper Bina is the Guf of the generality. It is the place of the Chazeh of Tifferet of the generality of Partzuf Bina and Tvuna together, and it is not the actual Malchut.

Inner Light

48. Malchut of Tvuna is actually Malchut with respect to the general Bina and Tvuna together, etc., but Malchut of the Bina is the Guf of the generality: Interpretation: Upper Ima and Tvuna are indeed ten Sefirot with respect to Bina of direct light. Upper Ima is GAR, and Tvuna is ZAT. However, they were divided because of the ascent of the bottom Hey in the Einayim. Hence, Malchut of Tvuna is Malchut of both Ima and Tvuna together. Yet, Malchut of upper AVI “is the Guf of the generality. It is the place of the Chazeh of Tifferet of the generality of Partzuf Bina and Tvuna together, and it is not the actual Malchut.” This means that afterwards, in Atzilut, Tvuna clothes from Chazeh of upper Ima downward, and the place of the Chazeh is the phase of Guf of the generality of both, and she is not Bina.

According to the above, you will understand the matter thoroughly. It has been explained that upper Ima expands through Hod. However, she does not have Yesod (Inner Light, Item 45). This is because the Hassadim stop there, and there is only illumination of Hochma there without Hassadim, which is not at all the phase of Ima, as she is the opposite, the phase of Hassadim without Hochma. Hence, upper AVI were extended only through the coupling of the screen of phase one where there is still light of Hassadim there anyhow. Yet, after the screen of phase one was refined, their illumination stopped entirely because she has no expansion without Hassadim, and the level of Malchut could not come out in upper AVI. Only in YESHSUT, after it was distinguished as a distinct Partzuf, the level of Malchut could emerge without illumination of Hassadim.

49. *When the third of Tifferet still did not die, the descent and fall of the posterior of Abba and Ima was not completed. When those kings entered their vessel, they were revealed in a great light. But after the upper third of Tifferet died, the posterior of AVI fell there. When the rest of the remaining lights came out there in order to enter in their vessel, they were clothed in these posteriors that fell and remained in Atzilut, and the last kings came out clothed in the posterior of AVI. This remained for them always until all the scrutinies could emerge in the days to come. This is the meaning of the raising of MAN that ZON raise to Abba and Ima, and it is from these posteriors of AVI that descended there below in Atzilut itself that they took.

Inner Light

49. When the rest of the remaining lights came out there in order to enter in their vessel, they were clothed in these posteriors that fell: The matter of these posterior of AVI has already been explained. They are all the phases of Gadlut that were in AVI with respect to face-to-back and with respect to face-to-face. All this descended from the phase of Rosh and they were made into the phase of HGT without a Rosh. This is so because their phase of from above downward, which is the Guf, which are the four kings Daat HGT through the upper third of Tifferet, broke and fell to BYA. As a result, the MAN that operated in the Rosh were blemished, too, fell with their lights, and lost the illumination of Hochma in them, obtaining the phases of HGT without a Rosh. However, they did not descend outside of Atzilut because of that, like the vessels of ZAT, because the posterior of AVI that still remain above the state of back-to-back, meaning from what they had prior to the Gadlut, all this remains in its full completeness. Hence the states of Gadlut of AVI that fell to HGT were also protected in those posteriors from the back-to-back of the Rosh. Yet, there is a big difference between AVI back-to-back that remained in the Rosh because those that remained in the Rosh were never restricted because of the bottom Hey in the Einayim. Rather, th0se states of Gadlut already drew illumination of Hochma which departed from them once more due to the ascent of the bottom Hey in the Einayim, though they received the correction of the posterior of the Rosh after they suffered the corruption. For this reason, they are regarded as receiving from the Rosh and are considered Guf.

In spite of that, these posteriors that fell to HGT and became new vessels, corrected in a correction of lines, are considered to be like AVI of the Rosh, since they receive from the Rosh. This is because the posterior of Ima corrects them in a correction of lines and connects them into one connection. It means that the middle line that is extended from upper Bina in light of Hassadim unites the right and the left, and subdues them in her illumination of GAR, as well. All three lines are united by the influence of the light of Hassadim because the upper ones, too, receive their completion through them. Here you must remember that the upper ones are Hesed and Gevura, which are of the value of Hochma and Bina. Tifferet is considered the lower one that receives the light of Hassadim from upper Bina, in whose clothing of her posterior there is the phase of GAR. By this, Hesed and Gevura that require illumination of GAR are completed, too.

It has been explained above that the Rosh of YESHSUT clothes from the Chazeh of Nekudim to the Peh of AVI of Nekudim. Thus, the Rosh of YESHSUT clothes these posterior of AVI, which is similar to AVI of Atzilut that clothe HGT of AA of Atzilut, and these HGT bestow all their wholeness to AVI of Atzilut. Similarly, here, the posterior of AVI that fell to HGT became the internality to the Rosh of YESHSUT, from which it suckles its wholeness.

He writes, “When the rest of the remaining lights came out there in order to enter in their vessel, they were clothed in these posteriors that fell and remained in Atzilut, and the last kings came out clothed in the posterior of AVI.” This is because the lights of the Rosh of YESHSUT themselves were clothed in these posteriors, as they clothe them in their internality. Hence, their Gufim, too, which are the four kings TNHYM clothe these posteriors of AVI, too.

You must know that there is a big difference between the posterior of AVI that fell and the Rosh of YESHSUT. This is because these posteriors come from the phase of Rosh of AVI, but because of the blemish of the breaking of the vessels, they descended to HGT. Although the lights came out on the screen of NHY of AK, which are the phases of ZON, the MAN do not operate at all in the Rosh, since they are there in the state of from below upward. Hence, these lights of Gadlut that came out on the MAN are regarded as AVI, and are not incorporated with the bottom Hey itself. However, because the Rosh of YESHSUT came from the screen of the Guf of Nekudim, meaning from the screen of the Chazeh, which are the vessels and lights that expanded from the MAN of NHY of AK from above downward, the bottom Hey is actually mixed in them, and for this reason, these YESHSUT clothed the HGT of Nekudim themselves, and they did not break. Therefore, now these YESHSUT gain much since they clothe the posterior of Ima and they are truly a higher degree than them. Yet, because of their fall, it became possible for YESHSUT to clothe them.

This remained for them always until all the scrutinies could emerge in the days to come: It means that these posteriors always become garments of Mochin for the lights of ZON. Through them, ZA can obtain all its degrees and is protected in them. Were it not for these garments, ZA would not be able to obtain any Mochin. Therefore, it needs them until “the latter days,” meaning until it obtains all its degrees, which is at the end of correction.

Raising of MAN, etc., from these posteriors of AVI that descended there, etc.: The matter of raising MAN when AVI do not make a coupling face-to-face but through raising MAN has already been explained above (Inner Light, Item 24). Since upper Ima is in the posterior to Abba in the form of “because he desires mercy,” she does not stop her posterior except by raising the MAN of ZON that awaken her to bestow upon them illumination of Hochma. For them she stops her posterior and returns face-to-face with Abba. There was already illumination of Hochma of ZON in the posterior that fell from AVI, which were already the phases of Yechida, Haya, Neshama for ZON (Inner Light, item 41). Hence, when ZON rises to MAN, it makes sorts once more from the Neshama, Haya, Yechida, that are in these posteriors, and raises them to MAN for him to AVI, since when it raises the scrutinies of Neshama to MAN, meaning from that part of the posterior that had already served there in AVI in the form of the level of Bina, it causes AVI a coupling of Neshama face-to-face. When it raises from the sorting of Haya, meaning from that part of the posterior that had already operated there in AVI on the level of Hochma, it causes the return of face-to-face to AVI in the phase of Haya. Also, it raises sorts of Yechida from them for the purpose of Yechida, and understand that.

50. You find that these lights from the Chazeh and below come covered, and you already know that the concealment of the light and its covering is its correction. This is because by so doing, there is power in the vessel to tolerate the light, as it comes clothed. Hence, the breaking of the vessels from the Chazeh and below, which are the two bottom thirds of Tifferet and NHY and Malchut, is not like the breaking of the vessels of Daat and HG, and the upper third of Tifferet. This is because the breaking of the upper ones would certainly be greater than the breaking of the lower ones. Thus, when the correction of ZA came, during the correction of its Partzuf, it came the opposite. This is because its lights and the Hassadim were disclosed from the two thirds of Tifferet downward, since they have the ability to receive them not through the screen of Bina, since their breaking was not great. But the upper ones, which are from the Rosh of ZA to the Chazeh, came in a correction, and are now concealed and clothed inside the screen of Bina, which is her Yesod. This is because in the beginning, they were revealed and their breaking was great, and although NH are covered and concealed, it has been explained that the disclosed Hassadim strike them and their light comes out.

Inner Light

50. These lights from the Chazeh and below come covered: This means that the phase of GAR in them is covered in the posterior of Ima. Here you must know that the complete correction of ZON is that their GAR will be covered in the posterior of Ima, and their ZAT will be disclosed. This is because then their ten Sefirot are corrected like the ten Sefirot of Bina of direct light, as Bina of direct light consists of ten Sefirot, as well, from Keter and Hochma above her, and from ZAT below her, which are her phases of ZON, which are called Tvuna (Inner Light, item 45). It explains there that from the time Bina began to draw illumination of Hochma for ZON, it is already regarded as her Tvuna and ZAT, meaning the roots that remained in Bina which ZAT left in her after they departed to their place. Yet, Bina herself is considered as she is in the beginning of her emanation, meaning in light of Hassadim and her posterior to Hochma. Thus, the GAR of Bina are covered with her posterior, and only her ZAT were revealed in illumination of Hochma. Hence, when ZA is also corrected like her and his ZAT are disclosed in illumination of Hochma, it is then in complete correction.

He writes, “These lights from the Chazeh and below come covered … [since] the concealment of the light and its covering is its correction.” It means that because the Rosh of Tvuna already clothes the posterior of upper Abba and Ima, which are corrected in a correction of lines (Inner Light, Item 49), each of the lights of TNHYM that expanded from them has ten Sefirot. Also, their GAR were covered in the posterior of Ima and there was only illumination of Hochma in their ZAT, which is like the ten Sefirot of ZA during its correction. He writes, “the concealment of the light and its covering is its correction,” as thus the correction rises in ZA of Atzilut, too. Conversely, the lights of HGT, which did not have any correction from the posterior of Ima, but their entire ten Sefirot were revealed, and even the GAR in each of them, for this reason, their breaking was harder than NHY.

During the correction of its Partzuf, it came the opposite: This is so because in the correction, you find that its HGT are corrected in the posterior of Ima, which is the screen of Yesod of Ima, clothed in its Tifferet up to the Chazeh. From the Chazeh and below, illumination of Hochma in Hassadim is revealed in it, meaning that its GAR, which are HGT, are covered with a screen and NHY, which are ZAT of ZA. In addition, the Hassadim are disclosed, which is the opposite of ZA of Nekudim, whose HGT were completely disclosed, and whose NHY were covered. This correction began in NHY of Nekudim that emerged clothed in the posterior of Ima, and ended in the world of Atzilut.

The disclosed Hassadim strike them and their light comes out: This is because the Hassadim are revealed only in the middle line of ZA, which is through the Yesodot of AVI that are clothed there, but the posterior of Ima controls the edges. However, the reflected light rises from below upward, strikes the two lines right and left, and elicits their lights outward. Know that these lights that emerge because of the striking are the lights of NHY of each and every Sefira that were there in each of them in the form of “and all their hinder parts were inward.” It means that they were incorporated in the HGT of each one (Inner Light, Item 28). Now, through the striking of disclosed Hassadim from the middle line in the Sefirot of the edges, the NHY of each one can come out of the incorporation of HGT and appear outward in the posterior that are completed in illumination of Hochma, and no longer have any fear from the suckling of the outer ones. You already know that striking means diminution, for when two opposite lights meet each other, they diminish one another, and as a result, new illumination is born. So it is here, because since the disclosed Hassadim in illumination of Hochma are opposite from the Sefirot in the two edges, where because of the posterior of Ima in them, they reject Hochma, they strike one another. As a result of their striking, new NHY in illumination of Hochma are born and appear, and the rest of the matter will be explained in its place.

51. In the death of ZA, the posterior of AVI descended to its upper third of Tifferet, but the posterior of Israel Saba veTvuna were not completed until the death of the Nukva of ZA. Hence, ZA takes the posterior of AVI, Malchut takes the posterior of Israel Saba veTvuna, and their lights clothe in them like the Mochin of ZA.

52. Now you will understand what is written, that when ZON are equal together face-to-face, Netzah-Hod-Yesod of AVI are Mochin to ZA, and the NHY of Israel Saba veTvuna are Mochin, and enter the Rosh of the Nukva.

Inner Light

52. NHY of AVI are Mochin to ZA, and the NHY of YESHSUT are Mochin, and enter the Rosh of the Nukva: This does not mean that the NHY of upper AVI of Atzilut become Mochin for ZA. This is utterly impossible since a Partzuf receives Mochin only from its upper one, not from the upper one of its upper one. The upper one of ZA are YESHSUT and not AVI, which are the upper one of its upper one. Rather, it means that AVI with YESHSUT become one Partzuf, as it was here in AVI of Nekudim. At that time, the NHY of YESHSUT that are clothed in it for Mochin are discerned as NHY of AVI. This is because then YESHSUT became the actual Guf of AVI. Hence, his HGT are regarded as receiving from their Gufim [bodies], such as the reception of the Gufim of AVI by HGT of Nekudim. This is through what ZA clothes in the posterior of AVI that fell to their place, as the ARI says. However, the Nukva of ZA cannot receive as he does since Nukva has no root in HGT, and her entire self begins from the Chazeh of ZA downward, meaning only NHY.

This, too, came to her through her incorporation in ZA, since in her root, she is merely the phase of Hod. Yet, the completion of her Gadlut [[greatness/adulthood] is to receive like the reception of NHY of Nekudim of the Gufim of YESHSUT, which is the final level of Partzuf NHY. At that time, they are the two great lights that do not need each other since the Nukva receives Partzuf NHY from the Guf of YESHSUT, similar to NHY of Nekudim, and ZA receives his Partzuf HGT from the Guf of upper AVI that are connected with YESHSUT like HGT of Nekudim. As HGT of Nekudim and NHY of Nekudim did not need each other, ZA and Nukva will also not need each other. Hence, ZA will no longer control the Nukva, and will not be considered greater than her, since she does not need him.

53. You will also understand what is written, that when they were face-to-face, two phases of Yaakov come out, one in ZA and one in the Nukva. It is so because the one that is from the Mochin of ZA is from AVI, and the other, which is from the Mochin of the Nukva, is from Israel Saba veTvuna. At that time, they are the two great Lights, she is not greater than him, and he is not greater than her, and they do not need each other at all. Nevertheless, the posterior of Abba is on the right side, in Hesed of ZA, and the posterior of Ima are on the left side, in Gevura of ZA, and this study will be addressed in its place.

54. Here in this place is the place of the descent and the fall of the posterior of AVI, that we said above that they descended in Atzilut itself. Even though the vessels of ZA broke, the lights of ZA remained clothed in this posterior of upper AVI, the entire line of Hesed of ZA in the posterior of Abba, and the entire line of Gevura clothed in the posterior of Ima, and study this introduction thoroughly.

Inner Light

54. The lights of ZA remained clothed in this posterior of upper AVI: This is because after the breaking of the vessels through the upper third of Tifferet, when all the posterior of upper AVI had descended, they expanded in the place of the vessels of HGT and were corrected in three lines right, left, and middle. At that time, the lights of HGT rose and clothed those vessels: the light of Hesed in the right line, the light of Gevura in the left line, and the light of the upper third of Tifferet in the middle line.

55. *Now we shall explain how during the death of these kings, their vessels descended to the world of Beria, which is not so in the four posterior of AVI. Now we have explained the division that was between AVI and the seven kings, which are ZON. We have said that the seven kings that are ZON, actually died descended to the world of Beria, and their vessels and the posterior of AVI were canceled and did not die. Instead, they descended below in the world of Atzilut itself. We have explained the reason for it there, and said that it became the reason that the seven kings did not receive the lights of AHP of AK, but only from its Guf onward.

56. For this reason, itself, there was also another difference between GAR, which are KHB, and the seven bottom kings. It is so because at first, the GAR came out with a little bit of correction, since when they first came out, they expanded in an order of three lines. It is not so with the ZAT that came out one below the other, and this is the meaning of what is written in the Idra Raba, “How long will we sit in the keeping of one pillar?” He wishes to say that the correction, which is through lines, was made, but prior to that, when they were one atop the other, there existed the one line. We have already explained that since the correction of Atzilut is made of VAK, it is made in the form of three lines connected to one another, in the form of the third that decides between them, and then it is called “single authority.” Yet, when they are atop the other and they are separated from one another, and then it is called “multiple authorities.” For this reason, the posterior of the GAR were revoked and did not die, and the seven kings died anterior and posterior, since they emerged without any correction whatsoever.

Inner Light

56. When they first came out, they expanded in an order of three lines: It has already been explained above that the matter of correction of lines begins by the force of the illumination of the posterior of Ima (Inner Light, Item 49). It is known that AVI of Nekudim first emerged in the state of back-to-back. It means that they were established in the posterior light of upper Bina, and hence, they were not blemished by the bottom Hey that rose to the Einayim, and remained in the GAR of Bina (Inner Light, Item 23). This correction is called the correction of three lines, where each three—right, left, and middle—come up as one, which is illumination of GAR by the force of the posterior of Bina. For this reason, they are considered connected to one another in one connection.

We must also thoroughly understand the matter of their division into two edges and the sentencing between them, since there is a great interest in that. The thing is that through the ascent of the bottom Hey to the Einayim, which are Hochma, Malchut was incorporated in each and every Sefira of the ten Sefirot. For this reason, a phase of Nukva and a vessel was made in each and every Sefira. Because of this, it is considered that there are right and left in each Sefira, meaning Hesed [mercy] and judgment. This is because the Sefira itself is the phase of Hesed, and the force of Malchut that was mixed in it through the ascent of the bottom Hey to the Einayim is the state of judgment in the Sefira. Hence, AVI of Nekudim, too, are considered right and left, meaning the line of Hesed, which is Hochma and Abba, and the line of judgment, which is Bina and Ima. AVI were devoid of GAR with respect to these two lines. Hence, the posterior light of upper Bina was drawn to them as the deciding line in their middle. This posterior light is regarded as the middle, and the deciding, since the left, which is the line of judgment, diminishes the light of Hochma that is suitable for the right line, meaning the GAR of Hochma, which cannot come to receive because of the mixture of the bottom Hey inside it. Therefore, they are two edges that deny one another. However, this line that is extended from Bina, rejects Hochma in any case, meaning even if there were no state of judgment there. Thus you find that it is in equivalence with the two edges together, and in that the right line complements the GAR that it lacks, which is Hochma. In addition, it sweetens the left and connects it with the right in complete unification since it no longer contradicts it. Thus, the two lines, right and left, are connected and corrected by the posterior of Ima, which is the middle line (Inner Light, Item 49).

He writes, “At first, the GAR came out with a little bit of correction, since when they first came out, they expanded in an order of three lines.” It means that in the beginning, they emerged in a correction of back-to-back, and this correction means a correction of lines.

ZAT that came out one below the other: It is because ZAT did not emerge from AVI with respect to their being in the state of back-to-back, but they emerged from a coupling face-to-face of AVI. Hence, there was no connection between them whatsoever, but each Sefira was a Guf in itself. Hesed was the Guf of Abba, and Gevura was the Guf of Ima, etc., since they lacked the correction of the posterior of Ima, which is the bond that connects all the ends together.

VAK, it is made in the form of three lines connected to one another, in the form of the third that decides between them: As has been explained in the previous item, the beginning of the correction was made in HGT, in the form of NHY of Ima. At that time, the NHY, too, are integrated in them in the form of, “their hinder parts were inward.” Hence, even afterwards, when the posterior are completed from the perspective of the illumination of Hochma, too, still, the first correction of the posterior of Ima remains in them since they come from the essence of the beginning of its emanation and does not undergo change, as everything that comes from the beginning of its emanation never changes, as is known in the ARI’s words.

57. Let us explain the order of the emanation of the seven kings. We shall begin with the first, which is the Daat, which emerged first. When the vessel could not endure, the vessel broke and descended in the world of Beria, meaning in the place that was to be the world of Beria afterwards, since the world of Beria has not been created yet. Also, this vessel fell in the place of Daat of Beria, as it relates to it like it. However, the light of Daat descended, too, but remained in Atzilut itself, in the place of the vessel of Malchut of Atzilut.

Inner Light

57. This vessel fell in the place of Daat of Beria, as it relates to it like it: The reason for the breaking has already been thoroughly clarified above, and for this reason, they were separated from the Kedusha [holiness].

In the matter of their fall to the three worlds BYA that the ARI mentioned, although they were still not these three worlds at all, nevertheless, their record was already evident. This is because they are the three Sefirot Bina, ZA, and Malchut of NHY of the Sium that went outside Atzilut of AK during the second restriction, as written at length (in Part 6, Inner Light, Item 7). Since each of these kings consisted of ten Sefirot, which are Rosh, Toch, Sof, the Rosh fell to Beria, their Toch fell to Yetzira, and their Sof fell to Assiya. The ARI writes that the vessel of Daat fell to Daat of Beria, meaning its Rosh, which is KHBD of Daat, but its HGT fell to Yetzira, and its NHYM fell to Assiya. You will understand the matter of the fall of all seven kings similarly.

As it relates to it like it: This is because there are ten Sefirot in each world of the three worlds BYA; hence, the vessel of the king of Daat fell to Daat of Beria, meaning to its corresponding phase.

The light of Daat descended, too, but remained in Atzilut, etc., in order to shine from afar in its vessel that stands in Beria: Know that this light that the ARI speaks of means the record that remained of the light of Daat after its departure from the vessel, since every light leaves a record after its departure, and thus shines to the vessel so it will not be canceled and die, as the ARI said (Part 4, Chapter 2, items 2, 8). The ARI tells us that the record of Daat did not actually remain in the vessel, as it did in the previous Partzufim, but remained in Atzilut. He writes, “the breaking was in the vessels and not in the lights, etc., and it is discerned as tags on the letters.” This is because for some reason, the light of the record cannot clothe inside the vessel, and shines to the vessel from afar. This is called tags, as the ARI says above (Part 4, Chapter 3, item 11).

58. However, it did not come down there because of a flaw in it, as it has been explained above that the breaking was in the vessels and not in the lights. If its descent was there due to a flaw, it would be right to attribute the cancelation to the lights, as we similarly attributed the cancelation to the posterior vessels of AVI that fell in Atzilut itself. However, their descent was in order to shine from afar in its vessel that stands in Beria, so it would not die entirely and remain without hope. For this reason, it shines in it from afar while it stands in Atzilut, and is regarded as tags over the letters.

59. Afterwards, Hesed came out, the vessel broke and descended in Bina of Beria, and the light descended in the place of the vessel of Yesod of Atzilut, since the light of Daat preceded to take the place of Malchut. After that Gevura came out and broke, the vessel descended in Hochma of Beria, and the light descended in the vessel of Netzah Hod of Atzilut, which are two parts of the Guf. After that Tifferet came out and broke, the vessel descended in Keter of Beria, and the light remained in its place, which is in Tifferet of Atzilut.

Inner Light

59. Hesed came out, the vessel broke and descended in Bina of Beria, and the light descended in the place of the vessel of Yesod of Atzilut, since the light of Daat preceded to take the place of Malchut: It means that when the lights are clothed in the vessels, it is considered that the one that is coarser than the other is greater than the other. This is because it is known that the one whose screen is coarser brings out a greater level. Yet, when the vessels are empty of lights, their coarseness is considered a demerit; hence, it is considered the opposite—that the purer is more important.

He writes, “and the vessel of Hesed fell to Bina of Beria,” since the vessel of Daat is extended from a coupling on the screen of phase four in connecting phase three (Inner Light, Item 41), and the vessel of Hesed is extended from the coupling only on phase three. You find that the vessel of Hesed is more refined than the vessel of Daat. Therefore, the vessel of Hesed is regarded as above the vessel of Daat, meaning it is more important than it, as it is more refined. He writes, “and the light descended in the place of the vessel of Yesod,” for according to the value of the vessels, so is the value of the records that clothe them. Hence, the records are also discerned according to the importance of the vessels.

Gevura came out and broke, the vessel descended in Hochma of Beria: This means that the one that is more refined than the other is more important than the other. It is so because after the departure of the light from the vessels, the coarseness is regarded as lowness. Similarly, the vessel of Tifferet, too, is more important than the vessel Gevura, which is why it fell to Keter of Beria. Thus, the four vessels-Daat-Hesed-Gevura-Tifferet, fell to KHBD of Beria, which are GAR of Beria like the vessels HGT that were the GAR of ZON. However, they fell in oppositeness of degree. This means that Daat is below them all, as it is the coarsest; hence, its breaking is the hardest. The vessel of Hesed is less than that, as it is only from phase three of coarseness, and the vessel Gevura, which is only from phase two of coarseness, is less than that. The breaking of the vessel of Tifferet is the least of all, since it is only from phase one of coarseness. All the records of the vessels fell similarly: The record of Daat in Malchut of Atzilut, meaning below everyone at the Sium of the Atzilut. Atop it is the Hesed, in Yesod of Atzilut, and atop that is the Gevura in Netzah Hod of Atzilut. Above all is Tifferet, which remained in its place, meaning in Tifferet of Atzilut, meaning according to the relation of the vessels.

Of Netzah Hod of Atzilut, which are two parts of the Guf: Only while they are still in the state of posterior, lacking illumination of Hochma. However, when they are in the state of anterior, meaning when there is illumination of Hochma in them, they are considered two separate Sefirot from one another.

You will find the reason for it in the ARI’s words (Part 5, Items 42, 43). He says there that the Sefira Netzah is extended from the VAK of Keter, at which time it is not expanding in Hochma. Hence, the Netzah is regarded as not having illumination of GAR of Hochma in it, and the Sefira Hod is extended from the state of expanding in Hochma. For this reason, Hod is considered to be shining illumination of Hochma in it. Thus, the whole difference between Netzah and Hod is in the illumination of Hochma, which is absent in Netzah, and present in Hod. This difference is therefore possible when there is illumination of Hochma in the Partzuf in general. Yet, when there is only illumination of the posterior of Ima in the illumination of the Partzuf in general, there is no longer any difference between Netzah and Hod, since there is no illumination of Hochma in Hod, too, just like in Netzah. Hence, at that time, they are considered one Sefira, and for this reason, the Sefirot Netzah and Hod of Nekudim that have only from phase two of YESHSUT, and are also clothed in the posterior that fell form upper AVI, do not have illumination of Hochma, and are therefore considered one Sefira.

We might say that accordingly, the Sefirot Hesed and Gevura, too, should have been regarded as one vessel since it has been clarified that the only difference between Hesed and Gevura is in the illumination of Hochma, too, existing in Hesed and missing in Gevura, since the disparity between Hesed and Gevura and Netzah and Hod is great. This is so because the force of the posterior of Bina begins primarily from Bina downward in all the Partzufim, since each phase suckles from its corresponding phase in the ten Sefirot of direct light. These posteriors are not incorporated in the two Sefirot Keter and Hochma at all, but only in Bina. Hence, Hesed and Gevura, too, which are the phase of Keter and Hochma of Hassadim, the force of the posterior does not operate on their own phase with respect to themselves. The force of the posterior operates in its fullest measure only from Tifferet downward, which is known to relate to Bina. Thus, Hesed is always considered containing GAR, even during the Katnut of the Partzuf, which is not so with Gevura. Also, there is a big difference between Hesed and Gevura, since Hesed still contains GAR with respect to itself, which is not so with the Gevura, which is in posterior to GAR from its root.

60. Now there is no distance among any of the above lights and their vessels that is more than three degrees. This is because more than three degrees are a complete distance and it cannot shine in it. However, the rest of the lights descended from their place, as well, except for Tifferet, which remained in its place and did not descend. You find, that undoubtedly, though we have clarified that the descent of the other lights from their place was for the needs of the vessels, to shine for them, still, being below their place, their force was slightly weakened. For this reason, they do not have the strength to rise up. But the light Tifferet, which stood in its place and its taste did not change, and its power is strong. Hence, when it sees itself without a vessel, it can rise to the place that it came from because it has no wish to stay bare, disclosed without a garment, and will return to Bina, to the place where it first stood. If it does that, it will be very distant from its vessel and will die completely.

Inner Light

60. The light of Tifferet, which stood in its place and its taste did not change, etc.: By that he explains the expansion of the vessel of Keter up to the Chazeh. Also, he gave below the reason for the expansion of the vessel of Bina up to Gevura in order to give room for the reigning of Netzah and Hod. It is also the reason for the expansion of the vessel of Hesed in order to give a place for the reigning of Yesod. Thus, all those reasons are completely unnecessary according to the ARI’s words in several places (Tree of Life, Gate 9, Chapter 84), and in Mavo She’arim, Gate 2, Part 2, Chapter 6. He writes there, “When Tifferet died, and the light began to die and depart from the first third through the Chazeh, the general five Hassadim and Gevurot descended from the two Yesodot [pl. of Yesod] of the two Malchuts of upper AVI. Their posterior completed their fall, and the posterior of upper AVI were found sitting here below in this manner, since the posterior of Abba sits on the right line, in the place that was Hesed of ZA, which is the second king. The posterior of Ima is in the place where the third king, which is Gevura of ZA, was, since AVI were as lines. Because they were the posterior that fell thus far, this is the new vessel that AVI—which expanded thus far—made, and then Hesed and Gevura rose there. That expansion is itself this phase of posterior, which fell down to there, etc., and the lights of Hesed and Gevura clothed in these two posteriors, as well as the lights of Netzah and Hod. However, it is all above, in the place of Hesed and Gevura, and understand that well.” Similarly, the vessel of Keter was made of the posterior of NHY of Keter that were blemished and fell below.

Accordingly, the matter of the expansion of the vessels of KHB to HGT is one with the fall of the posterior of AVI and NHY of Keter, as the ARI says there. Hence, there is no longer a question why the three lines of KHB expanded, and there is no matter and place for these reasons.

Moreover, these reasons contradict the ARI’s words above. This is because according to the reasons he wrote here about the expansion of the lines, in order to give room for the kings of NHYM, you find that the line of Bina expanded first to the line of Hochma because Netzah and Hod reigned before the Yesod. Hence, he says here that first the line of Bina expanded and then Hochma, but in fact, they are the posterior that fell from AVI and Keter. Thus, the line of Hochma expanded prior to the line of Bina, since the posterior of Hochma fell in the death of the vessel of Hesed, and the posterior of Ima fell in the death of the vessel of Gevura. It follows that first, the line of Hochma expanded to Hesed, and then the line of Bina to Gevura. This is the opposite of what he wrote here, and perhaps both rumors are from the ARI. It is truer to say that these reasons are from Rav Chaim Vital himself and are not at all the ARI’s words.

Besides the abovesaid, what also stems from the above reasons is that the vessels of the kings of Netzah and Hod, fell between the vessels of HGT, as he will say below. This is hard to hear since NHY compared to HGT is like VAK compared to GAR, and how would the vessel of VAK fall and dwell in the middle of the vessels of GAR, between Hesed and Gevura?

It has been thoroughly clarified in the ARI’s words in Mavo She’arim, that at the very death of the upper third of Tifferet and the completion of the fall of all the posterior of AVI, they became three new vessels Hesed, Gevura, and Tifferet. The four lights from the four kings Daat, Hesed, Gevura, and Tifferet promptly rose there together, and the records of Daat and Tifferet clothed in the new vessel of Tifferet, the record of Hesed in the new vessel of Hesed, and the record of Gevura in the vessel of Gevura.

61. For this reason, the upper Emanator wanted and extended and expanded the vessel of Keter, which did not break, and was extended through the middle line, since the GAR were formed as three lines to begin with, and it was extended through the middle line up to the place of Tifferet, only to its middle, which is up to the Tabur. At that time, the light Tifferet ascended and was concealed inside that vessel of Keter that expanded up to its place. You find that only the bottom half of the light of Tifferet ascended since the upper half stands in its place, for the vessel of Keter has already expanded through it. Then the light of Daat that descended below, in Malchut of Atzilut, seeing that there was already a new vessel in its place, since its place is also in the middle line between Keter and Tifferet, then it, too, rose and ascended to its place. Then, since the light had drawn far from its vessel, it descended down in Malchut of Beria. However, the vessel of Tifferet remained in its place, which is in Keter of Beria, since only half of its light ascended, not all of it, and its upper half remained in its place.

Inner Light

61. Only the bottom half of the light of Tifferet ascended since the upper half stands in its place: It means that after the screen of the Chazeh was refined and rose to its root to AVI, the Rosh of YESHSUT came out on it through its incorporation in the coupling of the Rosh from there. Their Guf expanded from above downward in the two thirds of Tifferet from the Chazeh downward from their looking of the Einayim. Also, after the vessel of Tifferet broke and descended to the Keter of Beria, this light that was in the two bottom thirds of Tifferet rose and ascended to the new vessel of Tifferet that was made of the posterior of Keter.

The upper half stands in its place: It means that it did not descend from its degree because of the breaking of its vessel, and this is because of what the ARI wrote above (Item 44), that the posterior of Abba and the posterior of Ima descended before there was a blemish and deficit in the Yesodot of AVI, since after the posterior of AVI have already descended and returned to back-to-back, the fourth king began to reign, which is the upper third of Tifferet. He wrote the reason there, which is because the Yesod is all anterior and has no posterior that descended from it. It explains there, in Inner Light, that this entire light that descended through the coupling of Yesodot of AVI is in the state of back-to-back. This is because they made a coupling after they returned to back-to-back, and the illumination of back-to-back is considered the anterior of Abba and Ima, meaning from what they have from the beginning of their emanation, which are not at all harmed by the matter of the breaking of the vessels. Thus, the light of the upper third of Tifferet up to the Chazeh that is extended from the coupling of Yesodot of AVI has no flaw because of the breaking of the vessels, since it is extended from a coupling back-to-back. He writes here, “but the light of the upper half of Tifferet that stood in its place, its taste did not change, and its power is strong.”

We might therefore ask, why the vessel of the upper third of Tifferet broke, since it only had the state of back-to-back, which is entirely the state of anterior. The ARI already wrote that the state of anterior remained only in AVI, but in the vessels of ZAT, the state of anterior broke in them, as well. However, indeed, his breaking was not great, but he rather descended from the Rosh of Tifferet to the VAK of Tifferet, meaning from the Chazeh downward. What the ARI wrote above, that it fell to the Keter of Beria, it is after the Guf of the looking of Einayim of YESHSUT expanded in it, and it broke, and the light ascended to the upper half of the new vessel of Tifferet. At that time, it fell to the Keter of Beria, meaning to its corresponding phase there, since the Guf of YESHSUT that it expanded in is the phase of Keter of YESHSUT, as well, and this is why it fell to the Keter of Beria. From this you can see that its breaking is not great since all the vessels of the kings descended to the ZAT of Beria, and only Tifferet fell to the Keter of Beria, which is close to Atzilut.

The light of Daat that descended, etc., it, too, rose and ascended to its place: It has already been explained above (Inner Light, Item 61), that right after the expansion of the three lines KHB to new vessels HGT, all the lights of the four kings Daat and HGT rose to their place together, each in his own line.

The reason for their ascent back to the vessels of the new HGT that emerged in their place is because of the new coupling which is the Rosh of YESHSUT that came out there in their place, which is the phase of the second expansion that returns and fills the vessels and records that remained after the departure of the upper Partzuf, as it was in the previous Partzufim of AK. This is because the records and the empty vessels of the upper Partzuf always pass on to its lower Partzuf. So it is here, with YESHSUT, which fills the vessels and records of the Guf of upper AVI. However, the vessels have already been broken and fell, and it fills only the records, which are the lights DHGT that previously fell to NHYM of Atzilut. Hence, now they returned to their place and are filled with the light of YESHSUT.

Now you can also understand the reason for the double decline that happened to the vessels of the kings, those Daat and HGT. It is that the primary sustenance of those vessels that fell to KHBD of Beria, is their records. Since those records were from the GAR of ZAT, which are the lights of the Gufim of upper AVI, they also fell to their corresponding phase, to the GAR of Beria, meaning in KHBD of Beria. Therefore, now, after their records rose to the place of the new vessels and were renewed in the illumination of the Rosh of YESHSUT, one the one hand, they gained much, since they have obtained a new light under the first light of upper AVI that departed from them. On the other hand, they lost a lot since by becoming receivers of the light of YESHSUT, by this they descended from the state of GAR to the state of ZAT since with respect to AVI, YESHSUT are only the phases of ZAT. Because of this, their vessels, which are in Beria, also descended from the GAR of Beria to the ZAT of Beria, and therefore fell an even greater fall from the place of KHBD of Beria to the place of NHYM of Beria.

We might say that according to this, they should have fallen to HGT of Beria, and not to NHYM. It has already been explained that the coarseness is considered lowness in the empty vessels, and the more refined in them is more important. Hence, when HGT NHYM fall to ZAT, they are inverted: the HGT fall to NHYM, and the more refined NHYM fall to HGT of Beria, and this is simple.

Know that this light of Daat that rose to its place is only the records of Hassadim of the Daat, but the record of Gevurot still remained there in Malchut, and rose only after the breaking of the vessels of the kings of NHYM.

62. You might say that we have said above that there must be a distance of only three Sefirot between the vessels and its light. Thus, how did the vessel of Daat descend to Malchut of Beria? The answer is that certainly, where it is possible, it is possible. In the beginning, one enjoyed and the other was not deficient, since initially, the vessel enjoyed its light since Daat was below, and the light was also not deficient, for even if it rises to its place in the Daat of Atzilut, it has no vessel there. Hence, it wished to shine in its vessel, and since it descended, it will not rise again. Yet, when it saw that there is a vessel in its place, it is close to its own pleasure and benefit more than to benefit its vessel. This is because now when it rises in its place, it has a vessel where it can receive the light for itself from above, from the Emanator, and from the Keter in great proximity, and this is why it rose. This reason will suffice for the benefit of the light for itself. However, to the deficiency of its vessel, when it descends in Malchut of Beria, it is not such a great loss, since when we say that there must not be a distance between the light and its vessel, but only of three Sefirot, it is the measure of three Sefirot of Atzilut, whose measure is great. Yet, in Beria, the measure of the entire ten Sefirot of Beria is not even as one Sefira of Atzilut. Thus, it is as if she stands at the Rosh of Beria because all ten Sefirot of Beria are regarded as one Sefira.

Inner Light

62. From the Emanator, and from the Keter in great proximity: It is because there it receives from the new Rosh of YESHSUT, which is Keter, because every Rosh is the phase of Keter. Also, afterwards, when his records of Gevurot ascend in him, a new coupling is made on himself, and he receives light from the Emanator. He writes, “where it can receive the light from the emanator, and from the Keter in great proximity,” and this is why he ascended.

63. You might say, but there is a difference of seven Sefirot of Atzilut between the vessel of Daat and her light, since he stands up in Daat of Atzilut? We must say that even in the Sefirot of Atzilut themselves there is not such a great loss, except when there is a measure of three Sefirot between the light and the vessel without any light at all, not it, and not any other. Yet, here, although her own light rose up, there are still other lights standing at the end of Atzilut, close to Beria, and she can receive illumination from them. She can also receive illumination from her own light through these lights that are close to her. Remember this rule in all the other Sefirot since there are never more than three empty Sefirot of Atzilut between the vessel and the light, and we will never have to return and say this matter in each of them.

64. When the light of Daat ascended to its place above, it expanded the vessel of Keter and was extended through opposite the place of the Sium of all of Tifferet. At that time, the bottom half of the light Tifferet that rose up now returned in its real place as in the beginning. The reason for the magnification of the vessel of Keter was because of the light of Daat that clothed in it and magnified it. It is also because the Daat contains the entire VAK, and it is Neshama to them. Hence, because it rose, it gave force in its vessel and magnified it in order to benefit the light Tifferet to descend and be in its proper place.

Inner Light

64. It expanded the vessel of Keter and was extended through opposite the place of the Sium of all of Tifferet: It means that afterwards, when it rose to it with the records of Gevurot of the Daat, as the ARI says below, a coupling was made anew on the Hassadim and Gevurot of the Daat, and then the vessels from the Chazeh and below grew.

65. After that, Netzah Hod reigned. They had to come and reign in their place, in their appropriate vessel, but they did not find their place vacant since the light of Gevura descended there. For this reason, Bina had to expand through her line, which is the left side, to the place that is fitting to later be the real place of Gevura, after the correction, since now they were all one atop the other. Then, when the light of Gevura saw that there was already a vessel in her place, she ascended in her place and when her vessel departed from it, he, too, departed and descended to Yesod of Beria. At that time, Netzah Hod descended in their real place and reigned there in their vessel, and broke. Then their light rises up to Gevura, because Hod rose there, since it, too, is left line, and then Netzah rose with him there, since Netzah Hod are two parts of the body, and their vessel descended in Netzah Hod of Beria.

Inner Light

65. Netzah and Hod reigned. They had to come and reign, etc., descended in Netzah and Hod of Beria: It has already been explained above (Inner Light, Item 60) that according to the reasoning here about the matter of the expansion of the three lines of KHB to HGT, that it is because the kings of NHYM could not come out of their place since they were not vacant, since the lights of DHGT were there. Thus, you find that at the time of the emergence of the kings of Netzah and Hod, the line of Bina expanded so that the light of Gevura would ascend there in the place of the Sefirot Netzah and Hod. Since the light Gevura rose and drew far from the vessel, the vessel of Gevura fell to Yesod of Beria. After that, Netzah and Hod reigned, and when they broke, NH descended to NH of Beria. At the time of the emergence of the king of Yesod, which did not find its place vacant, the line of Hochma had to expand. The light Hesed rose there from the place of the Sefira Yesod to the vessel of Hesed that was made of the expansion of Hochma. Also, the vessel of Hesed fell to the place of Tifferet of Beria through the distancing of the light of Hesed from the vessel, and now you find that the vessel of Daat is in Malchut of Beria, and the vessel of Gevura atop it. The vessel of Netzah and Hod atop it, and atop it, the vessel of Hesed.

Yet, it is very puzzling that the vessel of NH, which is from the last kings whose breaking is not so great, would fall below the vessel of Hesed, which is from the first kings, whose breaking is great indeed, which were disclosed, without any clothing from the posterior of Ima, as the ARI says above. We have already elaborated about that above (Inner Light, Item 60), and from the ARI’s words it has been explained there that in most places, the expansion of the three lines KHB is the matter of the fall of the posterior of AVI itself. Also, this whole expansion ended along with the end of the fall of the posterior of AVI, meaning in the upper third of Tifferet. After YESHSUT emerged and clothed the posterior of AVI, all the lights of HGT to the new vessels of expansion of KHB immediately rose there. At that time, all three vessels Daat, Hesed, Gevura came down together to the place of NHYM of Beria: Daat in Malchut, Hesed in Yesod, and Gevura in NH. In other words, the coarser it is, the lower it is. All this was before the emergence of the last kings to the vessels of NHYM of Atzilut. Thus, when the kings of NHYM came to reign, their place was already vacant. Hence, they, too, fell to Beria according to the order that the coarser one is, the lower it falls. For this reason, NH fell in Tifferet of Beria, the vessel of Yesod in Gevura of Beria, and the vessel Malchut in Hesed of Beria.

Now you find the seven kings in ZAT of Beria according to the right order that the more refined is above since its breaking is not so great, and the coarser is below because its breaking is greater. Thus, the vessel Malchut is in Hesed of Beria, the vessel Yesod is in Gevura of Beria, vessel of NH is in Tifferet of Beria, the vessel of Gevura is in Netzah and Hod of Beria, the vessel of Hesed is in the Yesod of Beria, and the vessel Daat is in Malchut of Beria. The exception is the vessel of Tifferet, which did not descend to ZAT of Beria, but only to Keter of Beria for the reason explained above (Inner Light, Item 61).

66. Afterwards the light Yesod came out. Yet, the light of Hesed was in its place, so the vessel of Hochma had to expand through the right line up to the fitting place to be the real Hesed after the correction. Then the light of Hesed ascended there and was incorporated in the general Hochma, and the vessel of Hesed descended to Tifferet of Beria. At that time, the Yesod came out and entered its vessel, reigned in its place and broke. The light ascended through the middle line and rose up to the place of the upper Daat, and its vessel descended in Gevura of Beria. Afterwards we will explain why the light of Yesod rose above Tifferet, up to Daat.

67. Afterwards, the light of Malchut came out to reign in her vessel. She reigned there and broke, and then her light ascended in Daat through the middle line, too, and her vessel descended in Hesed of Beria. Now the vessel Tifferet is in the place of Keter of Beria, and the vessel Malchut is in the place of Hesed of Beria. It follows that the place between a vessel and a vessel of Beria is only three degrees, which are HBD. In Atzilut, however, there is no vacant place, but only two degrees, which are the place of Yesod and Malchut.

68. Now we should provide the reason that both the light of Yesod and Malchut rose up to Daat, above Tifferet. The reason is, etc., that since the conduct of Yesod is to rise to the Daat, hence, now the light of Yesod ascended to Daat, above Tifferet, as well as in order to connect all the VAK together and bring them illumination from there.

69. Now we shall explain the reason for Malchut, why she, too, rose up to Daat above Tifferet. The thing is that Malchut is called “her husband’s crown.” She rises above Tifferet, and especially now that she had a record from the Daat. This is because when the light of Daat descended to the place of Malchut of Atzilut, when its vessel broke, it left its record there. When Malchut reigned in her place, she took this record and rose up to the place of Daat itself. There is yet another reason: She connects all the VAK from below upward by her ascent there, and by this the connection is corrected more. Since both Netzah and Hod were on the left line in the place of Gevura, and now the Netzah has separated from the Hod, it went and rose with the Hesed in the right line in it.

70. Now we shall explain this matter in greater detail: This record that Daat left in Malchut’s place is certainly the phase of Malchut in Daat, on the part of Gevurot, and understand that well. Malchut rose up to Daat and the above record rose along with her, which is the phase of Gevura. This record, which is the Malchut of Gevurot in Daat, connected the crown of the Gevura of Nukva with the Hassadim in Daat, the crown of the male. At that time, the Daat expanded through this connection and shone in VAK. The record, which is in Gevura, shone in the left line, and left the Hod there in its place. Also, that Daat itself, the crown of Hesed, shone in the right line and drew the Netzah there, and by this, Atzilut was corrected.

Inner Light

70. Malchut rose up to Daat and the above record rose along with her: The matter of the ascent of Malchut and the record in a coupling of five Hassadim and five Gevurot in the Daat requires elaborate explanation, and will be interpreted in its place. Here I will present it briefly. You know that the whole matter of those four kings that expanded from both AVI and from YESHSUT are a matter of the refinement of the screen and the departure of the lights, as has been explained in the previous Partzufim of AK. When the screen of AVI was refined until it equalized with the root, which is the Peh of AVI, the screen and the records in it returned in the form of incorporation of the coupling of AVI. Also, the screen retuned and became coarser in coarseness of phase two, since the last phase was lost, and the level of YESHSUT came out on it.

Thus, the screen of YESHSUT, too, was refined from degree to degree until it reached the level of Malchut, and then the seventh king emerged, which is Malchut. After that king broke, the screen is considered to have been refined from the coarseness of Malchut, too, and then it is equalized with its root phase, which is the Peh of YESHSUT. At that time, it made a new coupling there in the coarseness of phase one, since the last phase is lost, and for this reason, the level of Daat, which is the level of ZA, emerged on it. Not an entire Partzuf Rosh and Guf expanded from this coupling, since it emerged only in five Hassadim and five Gevurot, two crowns. Therefore, it came out only in the state of from below upward, in the state of back-to-back, and therefore tied the VAK together, meaning the Gufim that came out in YESHSUT, which are from the Chazeh and below since there is the expansion of YESHSUT from the Peh downward. He writes, “The Daat expanded through this connection and shone in VAK,” meaning it expanded from the Chazeh and below, which is the place of the Peh of YESHSUT, meaning in the place of NHY, as there is its place, meaning below the Rosh of YESHSUT. Since it came out in the state of back-to-back, there was a correction of lines in it.

He writes, “The record, which is in Gevura, shone in the left line, and left the Hod there in its place, etc., and drew the Netzah there.” This is because the Rosh of the lower one clothes and fills the vessels and records of the upper one, and thus shone in the records of the kings of Netzah and Hod, and bestowed in them a correction of lines. By that, the correction of lines expanded from the Chazeh downward, too, and enhanced the vessels up to the place of Netzah and Hod. Thus, the correction of lines was completed in all the ZAT from the perspective of the records in them, since HGT were corrected in the Rosh of YESHSUT, and NH were corrected in the Rosh of Daat, meaning in his state of from below upward.

71. *Now see and understand how Atzilut was not corrected at one time, but their correction came slowly, one-by-one, and each time, a bit more correction was added in it. This is so because in the beginning, a vessel was not made at all, and it is known that any correction is only the light clothing in the vessel so the lower ones will be able to receive the upper light.

72. The making of the vessel began only in the world of Akudim, though only one vessel was made for all of its ten Sefirot. Afterwards, in the world of Nekudim, before they broke, some correction was added in them, and this is because ten vessels were added to the ten Sefirot in it. There is also a second correction: The GAR came out and were corrected through lines, which is not so in ZAT, which emerged one atop the other and did not connect. Afterwards, when the Nekudim broke, another correction was added in them, which is that the lights of ZAT, too, clothed through the lines of KHB.

73. Afterwards, when the Emanator wanted to correct them, He raised the vessels in Atzilut, too, in an order of three lines. Then, when they were made in the state of lines, came the first Ibur [impregnation] of ZON, and a second correction was added, as the lights came inside the vessels. However, it was still only in the state of three lines, which we call three contained in three. Then they expanded in the form of VAK during the Yenika, and after that, at the time of the Mochin, all ten vessels were completed. There was another change: In the beginning, before there was any Ibur, when there was not even the first Ibur of ZON, but only a restricted light in the vessel, afterwards, the vessel expanded in the form of a complete Partzuf in order to diminish the light, as this is the primary intention of the correction.

Inner Light

73. There was another change: Here he tells us that two principal corrections were necessary to complete the vessels in a manner that the lower ones can receive the upper light. The first is the correction of the three lines; the second is the enlargement of the vessels in the form of a Partzuf. Now, in the Gufim of Galgalta-AB-SAG of AK, called Akudim, there was only one vessel and one line. Afterwards, when MA and BON of AK, called Akudim, or BON of AK, came out, ten vessels emerged, as well as a correction of lines in GAR of Nekudim. After HGT broke, and the Rosh of YESHSUT came out, there was a correction of lines in the lights of HGT.

After Netzah Hod Yesod Malchut broke, and the coupling of five Hassadim and five Gevurot in Daat came out, there was a correction of lines in the lights of NHY of Nekudim, as well, and the matter of Ibur-Yenika-Mochin will be clarified in its place.

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