The World Was Divided into Forty-Five Colors and Kinds of Light

269) The world, Nukva of ZA, was divided into forty-five colors and kinds of light. Bina is called MI (50 in Gematria), and Nukva is called MA. MI is the end of the heaven above, and MA is the end of the heaven below. Nukva is called MA, indicating that she is missing the five last gates of the fifty gates of Bina, and she has only forty-five gates.

The fifty gates of Bina are five Sefirot KHB TM, each of which consists of ten, which are five complete Partzufim that clothe one another. But the Nukva has only half of her Partzuf Malchut, from the Chazeh and above. She does not have the bottom half of Partzuf Malchut, from the Chazeh and below.

It is considered that she has forty gates from the four Partzufim, KHB and Tifferet, and five gates from Partzuf Malchut from the Chazeh and above. Together, they are only MA [45], since she is lacking the bottom half of Partzuf Malchut.

It is also known that the four Sefirot HB TM are four colors: white, red, green, and black. The world, Nukva, is divided to MA [45] colors and kinds of light, since she is missing the five bottom colors.

It was said, “kinds of light,” since ten Ketarim [pl. of Keter] are also included in those forty-five lights, and the Keter is above any color. It was said about the Ketarim in them, “kinds of light,” because they are not colors at all.

But it was said that there are forty-nine gates in the Nukva, and only one gate, Malchut of Malchut, is missing in her. So why is it said here that she has only forty-five colors and kinds of light, and she is lacking five phases? It is because of the two main phases in Malchut, the upper nine in her and the Malchut in her.

The upper nine are considered the quality of mercy, since they come from the incorporation of the ones above her and are not hers. But the Malchut in her is regarded as the quality of judgment since her own phase, the quality of judgment, is on her since the first restriction.

Also, the Parsa in the Chazeh of each Partzuf is the ascent of Malchut from the Sium [end] of the Partzuf to its Chazeh. Therefore, the entire bottom half of the Partzuf is regarded as its Malchut because the Malchut in the Parsa governs it.

Accordingly, it follows that from the Chazeh and below of Partzuf Malchut in her, it is possible to regard it as the five bottom Sefirot in her, the two thirds Tifferet and NHYM. This is why it was said here that she is lacking five colors of light. They can also be regarded as one Sefira because Malchut of Malchut already dominates in the place of the Parsa in the Chazeh, and all those five Sefirot are as one. This is why it was said there that she is missing only one gate.

This clarifies that there are only forty-five lights in Partzuf Malchut, from the five Partzufim KHB TM in her that clothe one another, since the quality of judgment is missing in her fifth Partzuf, meaning the five Sefirot TNHYM from the Chazeh and below. Instead, there is only its quality of mercy there, from the Chazeh and above.

But Bina has fifty gates because from the Chazeh and below of her fifth Partzuf, it is also regarded as the quality of mercy, since Bina is all mercy. And so is ZA, since the quality of judgment of the first restriction was only in Malchut.

The purpose of the words before us is to clarify the exact place of the sin of Adam HaRishon in the tree of knowledge, and the seduction of the serpent. Therefore, the beginning of the text points out the place of the deficiency of Malchut, the deficiency of the bottom half of the Partzuf of her Malchut, who has only 45 colors and kinds of light.

Afterwards, The Zohar explains that ZA has fifty complete phases of light since he has five Partzufim KHB TM in completeness, and even his Partzuf Malchut has ten Sefirot. He has Malchut of both sides, the side of mercy, from the Chazeh and above, and the side of the judgment, from the Chazeh and below.

Afterwards, it explains the details of the building of the Nukva and the orders of her coupling with ZA. It marks in each element the results that come from the lack of the quality of judgment of her Partzuf Malchut. From that it comes to clarify the place of the sin of the tree of knowledge.

Seven Sefirot are divided into seven abysses. Each struck in its own abyss. ZA is called “seven” or ZAT, HGT NHYM, because even in Gadlut, when he obtains HBD, they are not real GAR but rather his HGT that became HBD. It follows that in Gadlut, when he has ten Sefirot, he still has no more than seven Sefirot HGT NHYM, except that HGT has become HBD, NHY have become HGT, and new NHY came to him, thus they are ten Sefirot.

It is also known that the manner of elicitation of each degree is that the upper light, which includes nine Sefirot, strikes the screen in Malchut and raises reflected light that clothes the upper light from below upward. These are regarded as the ten Sefirot of the Rosh of the degree. Subsequently, the screen in Malchut overturns and the ten Sefirot of direct light and reflected light in the Rosh spread from above downward to the Guf.

The seven Sefirot HGT NHYM of ZA are divided into seven abysses because they are included with one another, eliciting seven Partzufim HGT NHYM, in each of which are seven Sefirot HGT NHYM. It follows that in each Partzuf there is Malchut, called “abyss.”

But what are the seven Malchuts called “seven abysses”? Each of them strikes its abyss, Malchut, raising ten Sefirot of reflected light, and clothing the ten Sefirot of straightness. These are called “ten Sefirot of Rosh.”

Afterwards, the stones, the screens in the seven Malchuts, overturn inside Malchut, meaning they turn upside down to illuminate from above downward, and the light enters those stones, screens, and punctures them. Then the water comes out through the holes. The inversion of the light to illuminate from above downward is regarded as the light puncturing the screen. This stops it from spreading below, and the water comes down and sinks each on its own abyss.

The abyss, Malchut of each one, expands from it and inside of it into ten Sefirot from above downward. And the water, which is the light, descends and sinks in them until they come to their Malchut, where the light ends. The screen covers both sides of the abyss, Malchut—the side of Hesed of Malchut, from her Chazeh and above, and the side of the quality of judgment of Malchut, from her Chazeh and below.

This is why ZA has fifty kinds of light, but the Nukva is deficient on the part of her quality of judgment, having only one side, Hesed, from the Chazeh and above. For this reason, she has only forty-five lights. This clarifies the order of emanation of ZA, who is in both sides of the Malchut.

270) Now The Zohar introduces the order of the emanation of the Nukva, which is on one side. The water comes out through the holes in the stones of ZA, through which the lights shine from above downward, and the upper light from Ein Sof enters them and strikes the four phases in the abyss, which is the general abyss. That is, it strikes the four phases HB TM in the general Malchut, Nukva of ZA, and through the striking, the ten Sefirot HB TM of the Nukva are emanated.

Each light from the four phases is included in the other during the striking, and four Partzufim were made in her, in each of which are HB TM that clothe one another. They meet on one side of Malchut, only in Malchut of the quality of mercy, which suffices for half a Partzuf from the Chazeh and above.

Therefore, the water, which are the lights given to her from ZA, are divided in her and she receives only the part from Chazeh and above of each Partzuf. It is so since because she is missing the side of Malchut of the quality of judgment, she cannot receive from ZA the part from the Chazeh and below, for it shines only on Malchut of the quality of judgment.

The reason why there are seven phases HGT NHYM in the emanation of ZA, and only four phases in the Nukva, is that there are two descents in the four phases HB TM. Real HB TM are only in GAR, but in ZA the HB descended and became HG, meaning Hassadim, and the four phases in him are regarded as HG TM.

In the Nukva they descend another descent, since HG of ZA became NH in her, and Tifferet of ZA became Yesod. For this reason, the four phases in her are regarded as NHYM, in a way that in GAR they are HB TM, in ZA they are HG TM, and in Nukva they are NHYM.

There is a big difference between them because HB are actual Hochma and Bina. But in ZA, where they became HG, Hochma and Bina descended and became Hassadim and Gevurot, since his vessels no longer receive Hochma, but have abundant Hassadim. This is why HGT are called “wide vessels,” since the measure of width implies Hassadim, and the measure of length implies Hochma.

When they descended to the Nukva and became NH, the vessels already grew shorter. They were restricted from the abundance of Hassadim, but they are regarded as long vessels, worthy of receiving illumination of Hochma, called “long.” Thus, in GAR, which are HB TM, there is actual light of Hochma, Hochma of direct light, but in HG TM of ZA, there are only Hassadim. And in the Nukva there is only illumination of Hochma that is extended from Bina that returned to being Hochma through her ascent to AA, and she is not actual Hochma, as in GAR.

It is known that the upper one includes within it all the ones below it, since they passed through it and are given to the lower ones. And since they pass through it, they remain in it because there is no absence in the spiritual. For this reason, the roots of each lower one are in the one above it.

Therefore, each GAR is considered to have ten complete Sefirot, KHB HGT NHYM. They have KHB of their own because their four phases are HB TM. They have HGT from the four phases HG TM of ZA, and NHYM from the four phases HB TM of the Nukva.

But ZA is already lacking the KHB because his four phases are HG TM, called HGT. And because he includes the Nukva, he also has NHYM of Nukva, so it is regarded as seven Sefirot HGT NHYM.

But the Nukva is already lacking the abundant Hassadim in HGT, since HG of ZA have diminished in her into NH, hence she only has NHYM, for which it is called Dalet [4], indicating that there are only four Sefirot NHYM in her, and that she lacks the upper six Sefirot KHB HGT. For this reason, ZA has the number seven, and Nukva has the number four.

271) All seven Sefirot of ZA grip to their seven Malchuts because each consists of seven. Hence, in each of them there is the Sefira Malchut. These seven Malchuts are regarded as the left line of ZA.

In the dark they are mining the abyss, which is the Nukva of ZA. That is, they extend to her illumination of the left from the point of Shuruk in Ima, who is darkness. By that, the Nukva is engraved in the darkness of Ima, as it is written, “A well, which the ministers dug, which the nobles of the people mined.” The initials of these words are the letters of “in the dark” [in Hebrew].

Ministers dug the well, HGT of ZA, Nukva. They are called “ministers” and are considered seven Sefirot. The extension of the darkness of Ima is the digging and engraving of ZA, and these darks mingled in all the Sefirot of Nukva.

The water rises from below upward, meaning the light of Hassadim, called “water,” right line, illuminating first from below upward, at the point of Holam, then the Hassadim descend to the left line and connect there with the lights of the left, with light of Hochma at the point of Shuruk.

And although that light is darkness there, it is because the Hochma cannot illuminate without clothing of Hassadim. It follows that when the Hassadim descend to the left line, the illumination of Hochma reawakens there, and they incarnate in one another.

Then lights, darks, and water mix together, and the unseen lights are made of them, for they are dark. That is, Partzuf Nukva of Gadlut is built from that incorporation of lights and darknesses and water with one another. This is why she is regarded as lights that are not seen and dark, and she is called by the name “a lamp that does not illuminate.”

272) Each of the seven abysses of ZA struck its corresponding phase in the abyss of Nukva. They are divided to seventy-five pipelines of the abyss, in which the water, which are the lights, are drawn. The level that emerges from that coupling is divided at the Chazeh: from the Chazeh and above it is ZA, hence they are seventy-five pipelines, and from the Chazeh and below it is the Nukva, hence they are 365 tendons.

Each additional coupling multiplies by ten, hence they are divided into the seventy-five pipelines of the abyss, since the seven abysses, which are the seven Malchuts of ZA, become seventy. Also, each of his Sefirot was multiplied, so they are seven hundred.

But the abyss of Nukva did not become ten, but five, for lack of half the Malchut of the quality of judgment. For this reason, she is lacking the five pipelines of the abyss that belong to the half of Malchut of the quality of judgment.

The water, lights, are drawn through them because from the seventy pipelines of the abyss of ZA, it is imparted to the five pipelines of the abyss of Nukva. And from the five pipelines of the abyss of Nukva, it is imparted to the whole of reality.

They are called “pipelines” because each degree imparts only in its own abyss in Malchut. This is why the abysses are called “pipelines,” drawing the abundance from the upper to the lower. And the reason for the number 365 will be explained below.

Each pipeline rises in its voice, and the abysses of the receiver are shaken. The Nukva has only five abysses because every pipeline of the seventy pipelines of ZA rises in order to bestow with its unique voice. The giver, ZA, is called “voice,” and the Nukva, the receiver, is called “speech.”

There are two kinds of bestowal in ZA. They are called “two voices.” 1) The voice of the quality of mercy, Bina, which gives at half the Malchut of the quality of mercy, called “speech.” 2) The voice of the quality of judgment, Malchut of the quality of judgment that is included in it, whose influence is at half the Malchut of the quality of judgment.

There are two Malchuts in ZA, hence there are two pipelines in ZA, whose voice is from the quality of mercy and contains pipelines, meaning that their voice is from the quality of judgment. Each pipeline rises in its voice, some with a voice of the quality of mercy, and some with a voice of the quality of judgment.

Therefore, the abysses of Nukva are shaken because they lack the half of Malchut of the quality of judgment because they have no place in which to receive those voices of the quality of judgment. And when the voice of the quality of judgment is heard, each abyss calls upon the other and says, “Split your water and I will enter you.”

The seventy abysses of ZA are included in one another, and in each there are two kinds of voices. Likewise, the ten abysses of the Nukva are included in one another; therefore, each abyss of the seventy pipelines of the abyss of ZA calls upon its corresponding abyss in the Nukva to share the abundance it will give it, to receive only in the half of the abyss from the Chazeh and above, where the half of Malchut of the quality of mercy governs, and not receive the abundance that belongs to the half of the abyss from the Chazeh and below, where Malchut is not corrected because she is lacking the correction of half the Malchut of the quality of judgment, which belongs to the place from the Chazeh and below. Therefore, this part in her is deficient.

It is written, “Abyss calls to abyss at the sound of Your pipelines.” The abyss of ZA calls upon its corresponding abyss in Nukva when the voice of the pipelines of the quality of judgment is heard. It calls it and says, “Split your water and I will enter you.”

It follows that the ten abysses of the Nukva were divided so that five from the Chazeh and above of Nukva received their abundance because she has corrected vessels of reception there, and five from the Chazeh and below will not be able to receive their abundance because there are no corrected vessels of reception there. This is the reason why the pipelines number seventy-five, seventy for ZA and only five for the Nukva, only the five from her Chazeh and above.

273) Below these seventy-five pipelines emerge 365 tendons: white, black, and red. They mingled with one another and became one color, since from the Chazeh and below of the level of the coupling it is all from the Nukva, except that it has incorporation from ZA.

And before the coupling, there were four Partzufim in her, from the four kinds of abyss, where in each there were ten Sefirot. However, in the fourth Partzuf there were five Sefirot from the Chazeh and above, so now that each Sefira multiplied into ten in the coupling, they became 350.

The incorporation in it with ZA from the Chazeh and above—where the Yod-Hey of the level shines, which is 15 in Gematria—is added to the number 350, making them 365. And the three colors—white, red, and black—indicate that the green of ZA is missing because his place is not here but from the Chazeh and above.

These 365 tendons were meshed in seventeen nets, each of which is called “a net of tendons.” They were meshed in one another and descend at the end of the abyss. That is, they became the Yesod, ending the level. Below these seventeen nets stand four more nets, two with the appearance of iron, and two with the appearance of copper.

There are two Yesodot [foundations] in the Nukva: 1) from the incorporation of the Yesod of the male in her Yesod, which is called Joseph; 2) her own phase, called Benjamin. The illumination of the 365 tendons divided into these two Yesodot: 1) seventeen nets for the phases of Joseph in him, as it is written, “Joseph, being seventeen years old,” which is Tet-Vav-Bet [Tov (good)] (17) in Gematria, indicating that his good is concealed within him; 2) four nets for the phase of Benjamin, who is the females in Yesod. He is divided into four, corresponding to the female, in which there are four Sefirot TNHY from the male.

Also, there is internality and externality in him. The two inner ones have the appearance of copper, a color that is sweetened in mercy. The two outer ones have the appearance of iron, unmitigated in mercy.

274) Two thrones stand over these phases, one throne from the right, and one throne from the left. All those nets connect as one, and the water, which are the lights, descend from the pipelines and enter the nets. The pipelines, nets, and their lights mingle inside the two thrones—one throne of the black firmament, and one throne of the firmament that is the color of Tahash.

The unification is for the four directions, above and below. The four directions mean HB TM, and above and below are NH. The illumination of Netzah illuminates the four spirits HB TM, from below upward, hence Netzah is regarded as above. The illumination of Hod illuminates the four spirits HB TM from above downward, hence Hod is regarded as below.

These two kinds of illumination apply to each degree, hence there are two kinds of illumination at the level of coupling, which are two thrones. The illumination of Netzah is the right throne, revealing the illumination of the level only from below upward, and the illumination of Hod is the left throne, revealing the illumination of the level from above downward.

These thrones stand at the place of the Chazeh of ZON, since there is no coupling below the Chazeh. At the place of Chazeh, there are two Parsas, firmaments. One firmament is attributed to GAR, where there is the face of a man, which is the lock, black color, and one firmament is attributed to VAK. This is the key, the color of Tahash. Here the face of a man is missing.

Also, the throne of the right stands on the black firmament, which is GAR, and the throne of the left on the firmament that is like Tahash, VAK.

275) When the lights of the level of coupling rise, meaning illuminate from above downward, these two thrones ascend in the throne of the black firmament, the throne of Netzah, which illuminates from below upward. When they descend, they descend in the throne of the firmament that is like a Tahash, the throne of Hod, which illuminates from above downward.

276) These two thrones are from the right and from the left. The throne that stands on the black firmament is from the right, and the throne that stands on the firmament that is like a Tahash is from the left. When the lights rise in the throne of the black firmament, the throne of the left firmament descends opposite it, and the lights descend in it.

That is, those two illuminations of thrones are not consecutive but simultaneous. The right throne imparts upon the left throne, so at the same time when the right throne raises the lights from below upward and the lights ascend in it, the throne of the left descends opposite it, and draws the lights from above downward, and the lights descend in it.

277) The thrones are included in one another and grip within them all those nets, admitting them at the end of the bottom abyss. The nets are part of from-the-Chazeh-and-below of the level of the coupling. Hence, when the thrones are included in one another, the nets receive the illumination of both until they are lowered down and illuminate and complement through the end of the bottom abyss.

At that time, a single throne stands and rises above all those abysses, and the second throne stands below all the abysses. Once they lowered the illumination of the nets through the end of the bottom abyss, where the lights descend only in the left throne, the throne itself necessarily remains standing below the bottom abyss. But the right throne remained above and did not descend. It therefore follows that the right throne is above all the abysses, and the left is below all the abysses.

All those thrones incarnate and are completed between those two abysses, and all those pipelines are pinned between those two thrones. The illumination of Hod is through incarnation. This is why it was said about the completion of the abysses that comes from above downward that they incarnate from the throne of Hod. And about the pipelines from the Chazeh and above, it was said that they were pinned, that they suck their illumination from the two thrones together.

278) There are seventy-five pipelines, but seven—the seven abysses of ZA—are higher than all, and all the others grip them. In the coupling, the seven abysses of ZA multiplied and became seventy. Thus, the seven of ZA are superior and are the roots of all seventy-five pipelines. All seventy-five pipelines are pinned to the wheels of the throne on the right side and on the left side.

From the Chazeh and above of each throne, it is called “wheels.” From the Chazeh and below, they are called “foundations.” The pipelines are pinned from the Chazeh and above of the thrones, called “wheels.” The pipelines are from the Chazeh and above of the level of the coupling, and the 365 tendons are from the Chazeh and below of the level.

279) The waters, which are the lights, ascend and descend in those seven abysses of ZA, which are higher than all.

Once The Zohar has explained all the expansion of the level of coupling from the Chazeh and above, it comes to fully clarify the matters in order to explain the seduction of the serpent and the sin of the tree of knowledge. It says “seven,” which are the seven abysses of ZA, the highest of all, and include the entire expansion.

It explains the coupling that was done in those seven abysses, which are seven Malchuts of the seven Sefirot HGT NHYM of ZA. It says, “The water, which is the lights, ascend and descend in those seven abysses of ZA, which are higher than all.” That is, reflected light ascends and direct light descends in those Malchuts because there is no degree that does not emerge from a coupling by striking of direct light in the screen of Malchut that raises reflected light.

The upper light, which descends from above to the screens in the Malchuts, digs in the abysses, in Malchuts, meaning it strikes and wants to clothe in them, and they breach them. That is, the screens that detain the appearance of the light are now regarded as breached and as raising reflected light that ascends and clothes the upper light.

These ascending lights, meaning the reflected light, enter those holes that were made in the stones, which are the screens. They rise and clothe the upper light from below upward, and by that they fill up the seven Sefirot HGT NHYM, which are called “seven seas.”

The upper light, which is drawn to the seven abysses and strikes them, is regarded as seven Sefirot HGT NHYM, and by that coupling by striking, seven levels emerge, in each of which are HGT NHYM.

280) Seven other lights are divided into seven seas, and one sea contains them—the upper sea—in which all seven seas are included.

Once the coupling from the Chazeh and above is done and the seven upper seas from the Chazeh and above emerged there, the Malchut in them, meaning the bottom sea among them, expanded into seven other seas below the Chazeh. This is why the bottom sea above the Chazeh became the upper sea below the Chazeh, since they all expanded from her. And for this reason, she contains them.

Only six seas expanded from the Chazeh and below, only according to the six Sefirot HGT NHY, since Malchut is absent there. It was said “seven” in conjunction with the upper sea, which belongs to the seven seas above the Chazeh, since it is their bottom sea.

281) These seven lights, the upper light that includes HGT NHYM, enter the sea, the Malchut above the Chazeh, and strike the sea with a coupling by striking of the upper light with the sea, Malchut. Thus the sea becomes seven sides, expanding from the Chazeh and below into seven Sefirot HGT NHYM.

It is so because the coupling by striking raised reflected light from the Malchut, which clothed the upper light, and each of the seven sides was divided into seven streams, as it is written, “and will strike it into seven streams.” Each stream was divided into seven rivers, each river was divided into seven paths, each path was divided into seven trails, and all the water of the sea enter them.

It is so because each complete degree comes out in five levels KHB TM one below the other. These are sides, streams, rivers, paths, and trails. They come out as the five levels in AK came out: Galgalta, AB, SAG, MA, and BON, since all the forces that exist in the upper one are mandated in the lower one. They emerge in four couplings where in each coupling, the Sefirot of the upper one are multiplied by ten, since every lower one emerges only from the Malchut of the upper one.

Thus, the ten Sefirot of the lower one are only ten Malchuts of the ten Sefirot of the upper one. The Keter of the lower one is only the Malchut of the Keter of the upper one, and Hochma of the lower one is only Malchut of the Hochma of the upper one.

When the upper one emanates to the lower one, the upper one must multiply each of his Sefirot into ten Sefirot in order to give the lower one her Malchut, since once he multiplies his Keter into ten Sefirot KHB TM, he can impart the Malchut of Keter to the lower one. Likewise, once he multiplies his Sefira Hochma into ten Sefirot KHB TM, he can give the Malchut of Hochma to the lower one. Thus, in each coupling to elicit a lower degree, the upper one must multiply his ten Sefirot ten times.

Here The Zohar speaks of the coupling of ZON in which the ten Sefirot became seven Sefirot HGT NHYM. It follows that in each coupling, the upper multiples its seven Sefirot seven times.

This is why it said, “seven lights,” meaning the upper light that contains HGT NHYM enters the sea and strikes it, and the sea becomes seven sides. This is the first coupling for expansion from the Chazeh and above. It is the level of Keter attributed to this expansion.

When seven sides make a coupling in order to elicit the level of Hochma, which is seven streams, it necessarily follows that the upper level is multiplied into seven times seven Sefirot, to emanate the bottom level of the Malchut in each one. Then Hesed of the seven sides is divided into seven Sefirot HGT NHYM, and Malchut of Hesed gives to the bottom level, which becomes Hesed of the lower one.

Likewise, the Sefira Gevura of the seven sides is divided into seven Sefirot HGT NHYM, giving the Malchut of those seven Sefirot to the bottom level, which became Gevura in her, and so forth similarly.

Each of the seven sides is divided into seven streams in order to give the last stream in that side to the level of seven streams. It is similar at the level of Hochma, which is called “seven streams.” When it comes to elicit the level below it, the level of Bina, called “seven rivers,” it, too, multiplies into seven times seven, and each stream is divided into seven rivers.

It is so because the Hesed of the streams is divided into seven rivers HGT NHYM in order to give the last river to the level of Bina, called “seven rivers,” to become Hesed of that level. Likewise, Gevura of the streams is divided into seven rivers in order to give the last river to the level of Bina, and likewise with the Tifferet of the streams.

Also, each river is divided into seven paths in order to give the last path of each Sefira to the level of ZA, called “seven paths.” And also, each path into seven trails in order to give the last trail of each Sefira to the level of Malchut, called “seven trails.”

The rule is that the ten Sefirot of Malchut are units, those of ZA are tens, those of Bina are hundreds, those of Hochma are thousands, and those of Keter are tens of thousands. This is so because the lower one does not have anything that it does not receive from the one above it, and from the one above the upper one up to Ein Sof.

It therefore follows that when the upper one emanates the lower one, the upper one must multiply to one hundred, ten times more than what it is, in order to give ten Malchuts from them to the one below it. At the same time, it necessarily follows that the upper one is multiplied at that time into ten times what it is, meaning to one thousand Sefirot, so it can give one hundred Malchuts from them to its lower one, so its lower one can give ten of them to the one below the lower one.

Thus, when the level of ZA is multiplied to one hundred, to emanate the level of Malchut in ten of them, the level of Bina multiplies into 1,000 Sefirot so it can give 100 Malchuts from them to ZA, the level of Hochma multiplies into 10,000 Sefirot so it can give 1,000 Malchuts of them to Bina, and the level of Keter multiplies into 100,000 so it can give 10,000 Malchuts of them to Hochma.

Thus, the ten Sefirot at the level of Keter are as AVI that consist of 10,000, meaning 100,000 Sefirot. Likewise, the ten Sefirot at the level of Hochma are as AVI that consist of 1,000, the ten Sefirot at the level of Bina are as AVI that consist of one hundred. Likewise, the ten Sefirot at the level of ZA are as AVI that consist of ten, and the ten Sefirot at the level of Malchut are as AVI that is only units.

282) Seven lights ascend and descend to seven sides, to expansion from the Chazeh and below, whose level of Keter is called “seven sides.” It is so because the seven upper lights enter the coupling by striking inside the bottom sea of the seven upper seas, to Malchut from the Chazeh and above.

And yet, they are six and not seven. They emerge from the upper one, from the bottom sea of above the Chazeh, regarded as the upper one of the six that expand below the Chazeh, and with which they are regarded as seven.

That is, those seven lights that struck the upper sea, which are HGT NHYM, did not expand below the Chazeh. Rather, only six of them expanded, HGT NHY. But Malchut is absent in that expansion from the Chazeh and below. However, they are regarded as seven because the upper sea, which is Malchut from the Chazeh and above, from which they emerged, joins these HGT NHY, and they are seven with her.

That conclusion, of the absence of Malchut below the Chazeh, is the essence of all the text before us and is necessary for understanding the sin of the tree of knowledge. As the sea receives, so it dispenses its water to all those seas and all those phases.

Thus, the upper sea above the Chazeh receives all those four couplings of the expansion of below the Chazeh. And as it receives there, so it dispenses them to the place below the Chazeh, and no coupling is made of them below the Chazeh.

283) One serpent, below on the left side, swims in all those rivers that extend from the Chazeh and below. It comes to the left side so it cannot suck from all the phases of the rivers, but only from the left side in them.

Its scales are as strong as iron, meaning that the judgments in it are very harsh, since the grip of the shells is in the place of the absence of Kedusha, as from the Chazeh and below they are only six and not seven—HGT NHY with the Malchut missing. For this reason, the serpent grips to Malchut at that place.

The serpent grips below, where Malchut is missing, in the left side there, since the shells grip only to the left side. It swims in all seven rivers that extend from the Chazeh and below, and comes to the left side of the rivers. It arrives through the sins of the lower ones to draw abundance from the place of Malchut that is missing there.

At that time, all the lights in the rivers darken before it because the coupling stops as soon as the serpent touches the place of Malchut because its mouth and tongue are blazing fire, its tongue is as sharp as a hard sword, meaning that the judgments in it are very harsh, and there is no saving from it.

284) When the serpent comes to enter the Temple in the sea, the Temple, Malchut, is defiled, the lights darken, and the upper lights of GAR depart from the sea. At that time, the water of the sea is divided and comes from the left side, the sea freezes, and its water does not flow.

The Malchut that makes a coupling with ZA that is above the Chazeh—where she is associated with Bina—is called “Temple” and “sea.” In itself, Malchut is unfit for coupling and reception of Mochin because the first restriction was on her so she would not receive direct light within her. Her qualification for coupling and for Mochin is only because of her association with the quality of mercy, Bina.

The serpent has gripped to the place of Malchut—who is missing from the Chazeh and below—and draws her place, the place of Malchut herself without her association with Bina because she is missing there and only her place is found. By that the quality of judgment in Malchut appears, meaning that she is unfit for coupling and for Mochin.

It follows that by the grip of the serpent at the place of Malchut of the quality of judgment below, the association of Malchut in Bina—which is called “sea” in the upper Malchut—has disintegrated. This is the meaning of the upper Malchut being defiled, that she is no longer fit for a coupling. It is regarded as an impure woman, forbidden to her husband. This is so because once her essence is revealed, she was forbidden to ZA, her husband, and she is unfit for coupling and for Mochin.

At that time, the Temple—Malchut—is defiled and the lights darken. Also, the upper lights depart from the sea because the coupling has stopped in Malchut, who is called “Temple” and “sea.” Then the upper lights of GAR, which are direct light, depart from them—meaning the upper Malchut—since the quality of judgment in her from the first restriction that has been disclosed so as not to receive direct light inside her has appeared.

There are two points in Malchut, the two Malchuts here. Malchut above the Chazeh is sweetened in Bina, and Malchut below the Chazeh is unmitigated and is missing. She has been concealed and is unknown.

For this reason, Malchut above the Chazeh is fit to receive Mochin from the Bina in her because the force of judgment and restriction in her has been concealed and is gone. But when the serpent comes to draw abundance through the sins of the lower ones, and it draws her place, revealing the quality of judgment in her, the power of judgment appears in Malchut from the Chazeh and above, as well.

If he is rewarded, it is good; if he is not rewarded, it is bad. When the lower ones are rewarded, the serpent cannot grip to the place of Malchut below and disclose the quality of judgment in her. Hence, it is good; she is in a coupling with ZA and she gives abundance to the lower ones. But if the lower ones corrupt their works, the serpent acquires power to grip to the place of Malchut below, disclosing the quality of judgment in her, and she is defiled. Then the upper lights depart from the sea, and this is, “If he is not rewarded, it is bad.” That was the meaning of the sin of the tree of knowledge.

At that time, the water of the sea is divided and comes from the left, the sea freezes, and its water does not flow. The water of the sea, which is the lights in Malchut, divided because the GAR departed from there and the VAK that remained came to the left side and froze. Thus, even the lights that remained do not extend from it to the lower ones and have seemingly frozen in it.

285) It is written, “And the serpent was more cunning.” The wicked serpent descends from above downward, and its conduct is to extend illumination of the left from above downward. It swims over bitter water—the quality of judgment in her—and therefore comes to the left side and wishes to extend illumination of the left from the upper sea above the Chazeh to the place of Malchut below the Chazeh. By that it discloses the quality of judgment in her. If he is not rewarded, it is bad.

This is the meaning of the tree of knowledge, and this is why he came down to seduce Eve into eating from the tree of knowledge, so she would draw for him illumination of the left from above downward. By that one falls into its net, and it acquires the power to rise up and disclose the quality of judgment in her.

That serpent is the death in the world. He incited Eve with the tree of knowledge and brought death to the world. He enters the hidden intestine of a man, called “the blind intestine” [“caecum” or “blind gut”] on the left, who sucks only from the illumination of the left line. The blind gut is among the excessive organs that entered man’s body after eating from the tree of knowledge, for which the body must die.

This is the death in the world, and it enters man’s blind gut because it entered and clothed there and in the rest of the excessive organs. From there it brings death to the human body.

There is also another serpent, of life, on the right side. This is the good inclination, which brings life to a man. Both walk with the man—the evil inclination and the good inclination.

286) It is written, “The serpent was more cunning than any animal of the field.” It is so because in other animals of the field, which are all the shells, there is none as wise in harming as he is, since he is the waste of gold. The illumination of the left is called “north,” “gold.” The serpent is the waste from the illumination of the left; hence, he is considered the waste of gold.

The left is the root of the illumination of Hochma, from which all the judgments come. This is why he is wise in harming more than any animal of the field. His power in harming is greater than any animal of the field, who are the rest of the shells. Woe to one who takes after Adam HaRishon, who caused death to himself and to all his successors.

287) Adam HaRishon took after the serpent below and descended in order to know all that is below. He descended in order to draw illumination of the left from above to everything that is below, up to the place of the missing Malchut, like the serpent. By that he was following the serpent.

As he came down to draw from above downward, his desires and ways took after the shells because the extending illumination of the coupling from above downward is the prohibition of the tree of knowledge. And because he came to extend from above downward, he was immediately attached to the shells, although he did not actively draw yet, until they came to that serpent and saw the passion of the world.

Malchut is called “world.” Her own phase is missing in the expansion below the Chazeh. That lack can never be filled before the end of correction. Hence, Malchut’s entire craving is this complementation. They saw the passion of the world because they saw the place of the lack of Malchut, who is called “world,” that her craving for complementation is great.

In this place, Malchut, his ways strayed and became vile, and this is the eating from the tree of knowledge. At that time, the serpent arose and was drawn after the man and his wife, and clung to them with its filth, causing them death, and to all the generations following him. Until Israel stood at Mount Sinai, his filth continued in the world.