Teil 3 · Antworten zu den Themen

Because it has been its way ever since, before the restriction, to fill phase four as well, it wants to fill her now too. Thus it turns out that it “strikes the screen” that detains it on its way. (Page 81, Item 3, and Inner Light, ibid., Item 70)

At the place where the bestowal and the beneficence of the reflected light are evident, without any coarseness at all — that is, in the reflected light that ascends from the screen upward — the phases in it are discerned by the names “window” and “hole.” (Chapter 4, Item 2, and Inner Light there, Item 8)

For through the coupling by striking that is made in the screen of the Malchut of the Rosh of the upper one, which raises reflected light from the screen upward, those same lights sparkle back to the degree beneath it as well. It therefore turns out that “the screen in the Malchut of the upper one is what bestows upon the lower one.” (Chapter 4, Item 9, and Inner Light, Item 300)

Every measure of level that Malchut brings about, by means of the reflected light that ascends from her to be clothed in the Rosh, is regarded as Malchut’s own portion, since she is the root of its existence. Therefore this entire level once more expands within Malchut herself — that is, Malchut herself broadens into ten Sefirot of herself and within herself, and receives that level into the three upper phases in her, down to the Malchut in her, who is unfit to receive because of the restriction. For this reason this Malchut became the concluding point, which is called “Tabur.” (Chapter 2, Item 2, and Inner Light there, Item 3)

The sparkling of the lights of the Rosh from the screen downward, as above in Item 105, is called “an illumination through a screen.” (Chapter 2, Item 2)

That which is bestowed and comes by way of cause and consequence within the four phases of direct light — as, for example, phase two, which is caused and brought about by phase one, and phase three by phase two — is called “the way of passage.” And that which is bestowed and comes by way of a coupling and reflected light is called “the way of clothing.” (Chapter 4, Item 1; and see Inner Light, Item 1)

The clothing of the ten Sefirot of direct light in the ten Sefirot of reflected light is named only after the uppermost Sefira in that level: if it is Keter, all the ten Sefirot are called Keter; and if Hochma, they are called Hochma, and so forth. (Chapter 2, Item 12, and Inner Light, ibid.)

See Inner Light, Chapter 3, Item 1.

The screen between Atzilut and Beria is the conclusion of the legs of Atzilut, which was made by the second restriction, when Malchut, who is phase four, was raised to the Bina of Nekudot of SAG of AK. And this phase four is in the internality, and upon her is a screen of phase three, which is the secret of the Malchut of Malchut of AA — she being the Malchut that concludes the legs of AA — and upon it is a screen of phase two, which is called clothing in Bina, for the sake of the ten Sefirot of Beria. And the two upper ones, Keter and Hochma, are concealed and hidden within the Bina in them. (Chapter 3, Item 2)

It bestows from above downward. (Inner Light, Chapter 3, Item 6)

Because it bestows from above downward, it is regarded as “a blocked screen” — that is, the boundary in it is closed, and the ten Sefirot that are below it cannot suckle from above its boundary. This is not so when the screen bestows from below upward, for then it is regarded as an open screen, since it has no power to bound the lights there, even though it clothes them in its own reflected light, as above in Item 103. (Chapter 4, Item 3)

Because she is a phase of Atzilut, whose root is from a screen of phase three, and a screen of phase two does not govern her. Therefore she “pierces and breaks” it — meaning that with respect to her this screen is regarded not as blocked, as above in Item 112, but as open. And although she descends beneath it, she is not bounded thereby, but is always able to return to Atzilut. (Chapter 7, Item 1, and Inner Light, Item 3)

Because that screen of phase two is their root, and they are below it, as above in Item 112. (Chapter 7, Item 1)

For they are two opposites, from one extreme to the other: this one is wholly to bestow and not to receive at all, and that one is wholly to receive. And it is impossible for two opposites to emerge one from the other except by way of gradation — understand this. Therefore the light does not leave the category of Emanator so as to be called an emanated being until it cascades by way of the four degrees Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut of direct light, as is known.

They are direct light and reflected light. For the light of the look that is received, that is, in the first three phases —

Hochma, Bina and Tifferet — is “the phase of direct light” in it. And the light of the look that is not received, but is rejected backward, that is, the light that is fit for phase four, is “the phase of reflected light” in it. (Chapter 12, Item 3)

In the four phases of direct light too it is discerned that the Malchut of the upper one becomes the Keter for the lower one: for the Malchut of phase one becomes the root and Keter of phase two, and the Malchut of phase two becomes the Keter for phase three. Thus the Bina of direct light is bounded by the coarseness of phase two, which is above her in the Malchut of Hochma; and likewise the coarseness of ZA is above him in the Malchut of Bina. Therefore each one of these four phases is regarded as one to which the coarseness comes from above downward. (And see Part 2, Inner Observation, Sub Header, “And now,” and see the whole continuation there)

The reflected light that ascends from the screen in Malchut upward is what causes the direct light to be grasped in the degree. (Chapter 12, Item 4)

For five records remained in Malchut from her lights in Ein Sof, even after the restriction. For there the light of Ein Sof completely filled phase four, and she received there all the light that was fit for her five phases. And since the screen now detains all that light which is fit to fill these records, it turns out that there are five phases in this reflected light — Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut — which are rejected from the five records in Malchut. And know that these five phases in the reflected light are the ones that ascend and clothe the five phases in the direct light. (Inner Observation, Chapter 2, Item 2)

It is known that every renewal of form is regarded as an addition to the first form. Therefore, if phase four in Malchut was refined into phase three, this is another Malchut that has been added to the first, for there is no absence in spirituality. However, the force of the restriction that is in the Malchut of phase four rides upon the new Malchut of phase three as well, and therefore a coupling by striking applies in her. Even so, she is not regarded as the concluding Malchut, as is the Malchut of phase four in the upper one, before the direct light is clothed in her reflected light — that is, only after she broadens of herself and within herself into ten Sefirot of the Guf, and the reflected light descends to them from above downward together with the whole measure of level that it clothed in the Rosh, down to the Malchut of Malchut, which is called Tabur; for then the Tabur becomes the concluding point. And the reason is that the first restriction was only upon the vessel of Malchut, which had already clothed the lights, as is known. (Inner Observation, Chapter 7, Item 3)

See above, Item 105.

They are certainly the phases from above downward, for the reflected light that goes from below upward does not bound, as above in Item 112. (Inner Light, Chapter 3, Item 5)

For the five records — Keter, Hochma, Bina, ZA and Malchut — that are present in the vessel of Malchut (as above in Item 119) stand from below upward: phase four is Keter, phase three is Hochma, phase two is Bina, phase one is ZA, and the wholly refined one is the Malchut in her. And since the coarseness of phase four is lacking in her, it turns out that even had she received the direct light into herself, she would have had no place from which to draw and receive the light of Keter, because of the absence of phase four in her. Therefore now too, when the screen rejected and returned this light, it rejected it only from Hochma downward, that is, the measure that she was able to receive. Hence this reflected light cannot ascend and clothe Keter, but only from Hochma downward, that is, according to the measure of its own level. And in the same way, if she has no more than the coarseness of phase two, it turns out that two Sefirot, Keter and Hochma, are missing from the level of its own reflected light. Therefore it cannot clothe the Keter and Hochma of direct light, but only from Bina downward, and so on in this manner. (Inner Observation, Chapter 2, Item 2)

Although the light of the AHP is a light of Hassadim, a coupling by striking nevertheless applies in them, since there is illumination of Hochma in them.

For reflected light without direct light has no bestowal in it whatsoever, and it is called a female light, which receives and bestows nothing. Therefore it concludes the Partzuf. (Inner Observation, Chapter 7, Item 2)

Reflected light that descends from above downward is called the vapor that issues outward. (Chapter 11, Item 7, and Inner Light, Item 8)

Because there is no striking in phase one, for her coarseness is very faint. (Chapter 11, Item 5)

The direct light, and the essential existence of the reflected light, are both from the light of the look, that is, the light of Hochma, which expands from Ein Sof, which is called Keter. And see above, Item 116. And the essential existence of the vessels, too, is from the light of the look, for they are made by the reflected light, as is known. (Chapter 11, Item 6)

The phase of coarseness in the vessels, whose place of revelation is from the screen downward (as above in Item 122), is made from the vapors that issue from the AHP. (Chapter 11, Item 7)

For the AHP are only phases of Malchuyot: the Malchut that ascended to phase three of the Rosh is called Hotem, and the Malchut that ascended to phase two of the Rosh is called Ozen. Therefore there is no direct light in them at all, but only the descending reflected light alone, which is called the vapor that issues outward; and from these only the phase of coarseness in the vessels is made. Therefore no reality at all is made from them, as above in Item 129. (Chapter 11, Item 7, and Inner Light, Item 8)

131/a) There is no screen in the world of Atzilut, for a screen means that it rejects the light from being clothed in the vessel, and in every place where there is a screen it stops the illumination of the upper light from shining further. And by this you will understand that there is no actual screen except at the conclusion of the legs of each Partzuf, for it is on this account that the light of the Partzuf stops and its degree is concluded. But the screens that are above the conclusion of the legs of the Partzuf are nothing but operations that arise from the screen of the conclusion of the legs: at the Peh of the Rosh it makes a coupling by striking, and at the Chazeh it stops the clothing of direct light. And likewise the phases of refinement of the screen that are spoken of within a Partzuf — none of these are actual screens at all, for they do not stop the illumination of the degree of the Partzuf in any way, but they are operations that arise by force of the coarseness and the hardness in the screen of the conclusion of the legs. And our calling them screens is only in order to make the matter intelligible.

131/b) The direct light that is clothed in the reflected light that ascends upon them from below upward is the essential light in the degree. And the direct light that is clothed in the reflected light that descends from the screen downward, which are called the ten Sefirot of the Guf, is the phase of “a light of consequence” from the ten Sefirot of the Rosh. (Chapter 8, Item 9) The light that is extended to the lower one because it did good to the upper one is the secret of a light of consequence, and it is called Guf. And likewise the three lines of ZA that are extended to him because “three emerge from one” are also called a light of consequence, and it is called Guf.

Because the small lights are nullified within the upper ones and are not reckoned by name.

Because they are of the phase of ten Sefirot whose level is equal. (Chapter 7, Item 2)

By a coupling by striking at the ground of Atzilut the ten Sefirot of Beria emerged, and by a coupling by striking at the ground of Beria the ten Sefirot of Yetzira emerged. (Chapter 2, Item 2, and Inner Light, Item 3)

By the clothing of the light of Ein Sof in Hochma, that is, from a coupling upon the screen of phase three. (Chapter 3, Item 4)

Because the reflected light that is rejected from Malchut has no light of Keter in it, but only from Hochma downward, as above in Item 123. Therefore it has nothing with which to clothe the Keter of direct light and receive from it. (Chapter 3, Inner Light, Item 2)

Atzilut receives in a garment, that is, in reflected light, from phase three, which is called Hochma. And Beria, by a garment of phase two, which is called Bina. And Yetzira, by a garment of phase one, which is called ZA or Tifferet. And Assiya receives by way of the Malchut of Yetzira. (Chapter 3, Item 2 and Item 3)

All the phases that the reflected light clothes from the screen upward, upon the lights of the Rosh, it brings once again, at the time of its expansion from the screen downward, to the ten Sefirot of the Guf as well, and not the least thing is lacking. Therefore this reflected light that descends from above downward is entirely like a “seal”: everything that is engraved upon it, it transfers to that which is imprinted from it, which are the ten Sefirot of the Guf. And in this way from every upper one to its lower one, as is known. (Chapter 8, Item 9, and Inner Light, Item 8)

The essential existence of the vessels was made from the light of the look, as above in Item 128. However, their coarseness and their form were made by the reflected light that descends from the Ozen, Hotem and Peh downward, as above in Item 129. (Chapter 11, Item 7)

For when the light of Ein Sof expanded in order to make vessels, four phases of direct light were discerned there, as above; and it is known that the three phases Hochma, Bina and ZA are regarded as lights, and only Malchut is regarded as a vessel. It therefore turns out that the lights precede the vessels. (Chapter 12, Item 5, and Inner Light, Item 2)

By means of the reflected light that is from the screen upward. (Chapter 12, Item 4)

By means of the look at the AHP. For when the Tabur was refined to phase three, the light departed from the place between the Tabur and the Chazeh, since phase three of the Guf is called Chazeh. It turns out that because of this refining the Malchut of the Rosh rose from the Peh to the Hotem, since phase three of the Rosh is called Hotem, and a coupling by striking upon phase three was made there; and the reflected light that descends from the Hotem downward expanded as far as the Chazeh.

And afterwards, when the Malchut of phase three was refined to phase two as well, it turns out that the light departs from the place from the Chazeh to the Shibolet HaZakan too, since phase two of the Guf is discerned there. It turns out that because of this refining the Malchut of the Rosh also rose from the Hotem to the Ozen, which is phase two of the Rosh, and a coupling by striking upon the screen of phase two was made there; and the reflected light that descends from the Ozen downward expands as far as the Shibolet HaZakan.

And afterwards, when the Malchut of phase two of the Guf, which is called Shibolet HaZakan, was refined as well to the coarseness of phase one, it turns out that because of this the light departs from the place from the Shibolet HaZakan until near the Peh too. And because of this the Malchut of the Rosh also rose from the Ozen to the Einayim, that is, to phase one of the Rosh; and there no striking applies (as above in Item 127), and therefore there is no reflected light that descends downward there, and hence no vessel at all is made for the light of Hochma.

And in the same way, when she was refined as far as the root, and the Malchut rose from the Einayim to Galgalta — for the Keter of the Rosh is called Galgalta — there too there was no striking at all, as above; and therefore there is no reflected light that descends there, and hence no vessel of Keter emerges in the Guf.

Thus there are no vessels in the Guf either for Haya, which is the light of Hochma, or for Yechida, which is the light of Keter, for the reason that no striking was made there at the time of the refining of Malchut, as has been explained. And there are here only three vessels alone, namely: Malchut, whose place is from the Chazeh to the Tabur; and ZA, whose place is from the Shibolet downward to the Chazeh; and Bina, whose place is from below the Peh to the Shibolet HaZakan. And you must know here that a coupling by striking does not apply in the Malchut of the Guf, but only in the Malchut of the Rosh, that is, from the Peh upward. (Inner Observation, Chapter 6, Item 5)

Since the Malchut of the Guf cannot receive anything at all of the direct light, but only reflected light alone, and reflected light without direct light has neither expansion nor bestowal, it therefore concludes the Partzuf. (Inner Observation, Chapter 7, Item 5)

Because at the very outset a coupling by striking is required, which reveals the reflected light from below upward, for the phase of ten Sefirot of the Rosh and the roots of the vessels. And afterwards, in order to reveal complete vessels, the reflected light must expand from the screen downward, as above in Item 142. And afterwards the ten Sefirot that conclude the Partzuf are required, which are the ten Sefirot of the Sof. Thus no degree is completed except in the three phases Rosh, Toch and Sof. (Inner Observation, Chapter 5, Item 4)

Ascent means refinement. When the Malchut of the Guf is refined to phase three, it is discerned that Malchut has ascended to ZA. When she is refined to phase two, it is discerned that she has ascended to Bina. When she is refined to phase one, it is discerned that she has ascended to Hochma. And when she is refined to the phase of root, it is discerned that she has ascended to Keter, which is called Emanator. (Inner Observation, Chapter 10, Item 7)

The surrounding light that remained outside the Partzuf and wishes to shine in the internality as well is “what causes the refining.” (Inner Observation, Part 2, Item 74, Sub Header, “And the reason”)

After the second look at the lights of the AHP (as above in Item 142), which causes all the lights to depart from the ten Sefirot of the Guf, a new coupling and a second expansion are then made, which shines once more and fills those ten Sefirot of the Guf mentioned above. And it also brings out a new Partzuf, which clothes it at that place. (And see below, Item 168)

Because the coarseness that is in Malchut cannot ascend even the least bit above the place of its emergence. Hence the reflected light that ascends from her upward is still discerned as a phase of light, and only with respect to the direct light is it regarded as a vessel — such that it suffices only to give a grasp within the degree, and to be a root for the vessels alone.

See above, Item 142.

See above, Item 142.

For the essential phase of the vessel is the coarseness, that is, the will to receive in the emanated being, and this is not revealed in a sufficient measure except in phase four alone. The first three phases have no sufficient measure of it, but are regarded only as causes for phase four to be revealed. Therefore the first three phases are regarded as light, and phase four alone is regarded as a vessel. (Chapter 12, Item 2)

See above, Item 151.

From the phase of the reflected light that ascends from the screen upward.

From the phase of the reflected light that descends from the screen downward.

By the refining of the Malchut of the Guf (as above in Item 142).

The coarseness of phase one of direct light is called “reception by way of Keter.” The coarseness of phase two is called distancing. The coarseness of phase three is called a window and a narrow hole. The coarseness of phase four is called a window and a narrow hole together with distancing. (Chapter 1, Item 4)

The drawing is in the coarseness of phase four, and the reception is in that which is wholly refined, as the phase of root.

For the light of Haya, the drawing is in phase three and the reception is in phase one. For the light of Neshama, the drawing is in phase two and the reception too is in phase two. For the light of Ruach, the drawing is in phase one and the reception is in phase three. For the light of Nefesh, the drawing is by way of ZA and the reception is in phase four.

Because in direct light the more refined is the more important and the higher, and in reflected light it is the reverse, for the coarser is the more important. Therefore, when they clothe one another, the level of them all turns out to be equal, for the lowest in direct light is the highest in reflected light, and likewise the reverse.

See above, Item 119.

See above, Item 121 and Item 120.

As far as the Malchut of Malchut, which is called Tabur.

See above, Item 142.

Shibolet is the Malchut of Bina of the Guf. Chazeh is the Malchut of ZA of the Guf. Tabur is the Malchut of Malchut of the Guf. (See above, Item 142)

In the second expansion. See above, Item 147.

For every bestower bestows by means of the coarser thing, and every receiver must receive by means of the more refined thing. As written in Inner Observation, Part 2, Item 86, Sub Header, “And here” — see the whole continuation there.

Because the light of Haya is received only in phase one, which is the light of the Einayim, for the reason stated above in Item 166.

Every Partzuf must have two phases of roots in the one above it, which are the Keter of the Malchut of the upper one, which is called Peh, and the Malchut of Malchut of the upper one, which is called Tabur. For by the ascent of the Tabur of the Partzuf of Keter to its Peh — which means that the Malchut of the Guf was refined of all her coarseness and remained refined as the phase of a vessel of Keter — it is thereby discerned that she came to the place of the Peh of the Rosh, since she is refined like the Peh; for from the aspect of above downward there is no coarseness at all in the Peh, as is known.

And since this Peh stands and serves there in the phase of the Malchut of the Rosh, which raises reflected light from below upward — and in the aspect of below upward there is in it the coarseness of phase four — it turns out that the Tabur that ascended there is included, it too, in this coupling of the Peh in the aspect of below upward, which means that it is included in this coarseness that is found there. However, the Tabur cannot receive into itself the coarseness of phase four as it is in the Peh, because of the concealment of the last phase from it by force of the refining, as is written of this in its place. Therefore the Tabur receives there only the coarseness of phase three alone.

And know that this thickening which the Tabur obtained from the Peh is called a descent to the place of the Chazeh of the Partzuf of Keter. For after the Tabur — which is the phase of Malchut of the Guf, from above downward — was thickened and received the coarseness of phase three, it thereby became once more the phase of Malchut of the Guf that is called Chazeh. Thus, by obtaining the said coarseness, the Tabur departed from the phase of the Peh and descended once more near the Tabur, that is, to the place where it was at first, before it was refined, that is, to the place of the Chazeh. And it did not descend to the Tabur itself, since it was thickened not in phase four but in phase three, as above; and the Chazeh is the place of the Malchut of phase three of the Guf of the Partzuf of Keter.

And behold, the form of the Tabur was changed because of its refining and its ascent to the Peh. For before the ascent it had the coarseness of phase four, and after it ascended and returned to its place it turns out that it received only the coarseness of phase three. Therefore that Tabur is now regarded as the phase of a new vessel of Malchut, and it is discerned on this account that it went entirely outside the Partzuf, that is, outside the upper Partzuf, which is the Partzuf of Keter.

And on that account it became fit for a coupling by striking and for the clothing of ten Sefirot of the Rosh, even though it stands at the place of the Chazeh of the Partzuf of Keter, and even though the Chazeh, which is the Malchut of the Guf, is not fit for striking, as above (in Item 142, Sub Header, “Thus”), since it is of the phase of Malchut after the light has been clothed in her from above downward, as above in Item 120. Even so, that clothing has no bearing whatsoever upon the said Tabur that ascended and descended there, for that Tabur is a phase of new Malchut, as above, in whom the upper light has never yet been clothed. Therefore it is fit for a coupling by striking, as above in Item 120, and see below, Item 210.

Therefore the light of Ein Sof expanded to this phase of new Malchut of phase three, which stands at the place of the Chazeh of the upper one; and by the striking upon the screen in her, the ten Sefirot of reflected light emerged and clothed the upper light up to the level of Hochma, as above in Item 119, that the reflected light which ascends from the Malchut of phase three cannot clothe Keter.

Thus the ten Sefirot of this new Rosh clothe the Partzuf of Keter from the place where the Malchut of the Rosh stands, that is, at the Chazeh of the Partzuf of Keter, up to the place of its Peh, for there is the place of its upper root, as above, since they cannot ascend above their root. And it turns out that the Rosh of the Partzuf of Keter therefore remains uncovered.

And afterwards the reflected light descends and expands from the Malchut of the Rosh downward as well, to the ten Sefirot of the Toch, as above in Item 142, and to the ten Sefirot of the Sof, as above in Item 143. And behold, this Rosh, Toch and Sof is called the Partzuf “AB, which is born and emerges by means of its upper Partzuf,” which is called the Partzuf of Keter, or the Partzuf Galgalta. (And study carefully the whole continuation in Inner Observation here, Chapter 10)

It has already been explained above that the principal cause of the birth of a Partzuf is the law of refining that always operates in the ten Sefirot of the Guf, because of the clothing of the upper light within them, as written in Inner Observation here, Chapter 10, Item 1. Therefore, after the upper light was clothed in the ten Sefirot of the Guf of the Partzuf AB, it caused here too the refining of the coarseness in the Malchut of its Guf, which is called the Tabur of AB. And it was refined in the order of the degrees from below upward, until it became refined like the root — which is discerned as the ascent of the Tabur of AB to its Peh — and it obtained there a new coarseness of phase two, because the last phase is always concealed at the time of the refining, as above in the previous item, Sub Header, “And since.” And here in AB, whose coarseness is of phase three, phase three is regarded as the last phase, which is concealed by force of the refining. Therefore the Tabur obtained, out of its incorporation in the Peh, only the coarseness of phase two alone.

And the thickening of the Tabur to phase two is called a departure from the Peh and a descent to the place of the Chazeh of AB, where the place of phase two of the Guf is, since the Tabur is regarded in it as phase three and the Chazeh as phase two. And for the reasons that were well explained in the previous item, the coupling by striking is made anew in this new Malchut, that is, in the Tabur of AB that ascended and descended to the Chazeh. Therefore the place of the Chazeh became the Malchut of the Rosh: from the Chazeh upward, as far as the Peh of AB, the ten Sefirot of the Rosh expanded at the level of Bina; and from the Chazeh downward, the ten Sefirot of the Toch and the ten Sefirot of the Sof expanded, in the manner explained in the previous item. And behold, the Rosh, Toch and Sof of this Partzuf, whose level reaches only as far as Bina, is called the Partzuf SAG.

The clothing of the self in the vessels always causes the refining of the coarseness in Malchut. (Chapter 10, the whole continuation)

Because the last phase is always concealed by force of the refining and the ascent to the Peh. Therefore the Tabur, which ascends there and receives a new coarseness, always loses the last phase that it had before its refining, which is its previous Malchut, that is always found from the Tabur to the Chazeh of every Partzuf. Therefore, when it departs from the Peh and descends to its place as at first, it turns out that it descends only to the place of the Chazeh alone; and there the new coupling is made, for the Partzuf that is second to it, the lower one, as above in Item 168, Sub Header, “And know.” And we thus have the rule that the Chazeh of the upper one is the Malchut of the Rosh for the lower one, which is called the Peh of the lower one.

See below, Item 210.

See above, Item 168.

Because the upper root of every lower one is the Peh of the upper Rosh, as above in Item 169; and therefore it cannot rise above its root.

They are appellations for these very Keter, Hochma, Bina, ZA and Malchut, of which the ZA and Malchut separated and became surrounding vessels; and they indicate the absence of Haya and Yechida there.

Because of the association of the quality of mercy with judgement, which means the ascent of Malchut, and of the force of restriction in her, into Bina, and the two of them became incorporated together.

And on this account the former ZA and Malchut went out to below the point of restriction, and they cannot receive any light. Therefore they became surrounding ones, which receive the light only from afar. (Chapter 10, Item 2)

They indicate in particular the ZA and Malchut of phase four, which separated and became surrounding ones. And because of this, from the world of Nekudim onward, the inner Haya and Yechida were lacking in all the Partzufim.

Because the light is always received in the more refined vessels.

Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya and Yechida. (Chapter 5, Item 2)

Marrow, bones, sinews, flesh and skin. (ibid.)

Tunic, breeches, mitre and sash. (ibid.)

House, courtyard, field and desert. (ibid.)

For the reason of the refining of the screen, which operates in every degree among them.

The ZA and Malchut of Bina. (Inner Light, Chapter 10, Item 1, Sub Header, “And by what has been said”)

The root, Neshama and Guf of Atik clothe the root, Neshama and Guf of AK, because the garment and hall of BON of AK separated from the inner ones of AK and are not there, but became surrounding ones; and likewise in all the Partzufim from there onward. (Chapter 10, Item 3)

From the Partzuf BON of AK onward, for there the beginning of the association of the quality of mercy with judgement was made.

The Partzuf BON of AK. This is not so with the preceding Partzufim, which are of the true phase four; they are unique to themselves alone, in that there is in them no association of the quality of mercy with judgement, as there is in all the general ten Sefirot.

For in truth they are only four phases; but when we count together with them the root, which is called Keter, they are reckoned as five phases. (Chapter 7, Item 9)

Because Keter itself, too, has in it nothing but the roots of the four phases Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut, and it too begins from Hochma. (Chapter 8, Item 9)

BON of AK, Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya. (Chapter 9, Item 1)

They are all included in the five Partzufim of AK, for AK is reckoned as the first ten Sefirot that emerged at the head of the line after the restriction. (Etz Chaim, Gate 3, Chapter 1)

The particular Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya and Yechida, which are clothed in the Sefirot Keter, Hochma, Bina and ZON of every Partzuf, emerge by means of couplings by striking in the way of the refining of Malchut; and therefore they stand one above the other. However, the four Partzufim AB, SAG, MA and BON emerge by means of the ascent of the Tabur to the Peh, where it acquired a new coarseness and descended to its place, as above in Item 168. Therefore the Chazeh of the upper one becomes the Peh of the lower one, and they are found standing one below the other. (Inner Observation, Chapter 13, Item 1)

The worlds differ from one another in many changes, as is written in the coming parts, which do not exist at all between the Partzufim. And this is not the place to elaborate.

They are ten Sefirot whose level is equal, and they are called skin, flesh, sinews, bones and marrow.

They are called Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya and Yechida, or Keter, Hochma, Bina and ZON — that is, after the uppermost Sefira in the level.

This will be explained in the coming parts, God willing.

Because there are vessels only for Bina and ZON, which are called Shibolet, Chazeh and Tabur. It turns out that from the Shibolet downward, where the Guf begins, there is nothing there but the vessel of ZA and the vessel of Malchut, which are seven Sefirot; for ZA includes HGT and NHY, and together with Malchut they are the seven Sefirot HGT NHYM.

There is no distinction at all among the degrees with respect to the four phases of direct light, since they are always phases of expansion from Ein Sof; for there is no renewal of light in the worlds that is not extended from Ein Sof, as is known.

For the four letters of HaVaYaH indicate Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut; and the uppermost Sefirot in the four worlds ABYA are likewise Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut. Therefore every world is named after the uppermost Sefira in it. (Chapter 8, Item 1)

When we wish to set the worlds that are associated in the quality of mercy opposite the Partzufim of AK, in which there is no such association of the quality of mercy, we call the Sefirot Keter, Hochma, Bina, Tifferet and Malchut by the names root, Neshama, Guf, garment and hall. And all the phases of AK are then reckoned in it as root, and all of Atzilut as Neshama, and all of Beria as bodies. But when we reckon the worlds by their own relations, we call them by the name Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya and Yechida: Yechida is found in AK; and Haya, which is the light of Hochma, in Atzilut; and Neshama, in Beria; and Ruach, in Yetzira; and Nefesh, in Assiya. And you already know that in the relation of root, Neshama, Guf, garment and hall, the worlds ABYA are lacking Yechida and Haya, as above in Item 177; and therefore there is nothing in Atzilut but Neshama. Therefore it is called here by the name Neshama, as above. (Chapter 8, Item 1)

The phase of the screen and of Malchut, before the coupling by striking has been made, is called a “point.” And after the coupling by striking has been made, and the clothing of the ten Sefirot of reflected light upon the ten Sefirot of direct light, they are then together called a “Sefira.” (Chapter 5, Item 1, and Chapter 7, Item 2)

See above, Item 192.

Ten Sefirot of the Rosh and ten Sefirot of the Toch, as written above in Item 141 and Item 142; and ten Sefirot of the Sof, in Item 143.

Because the Malchut of the Rosh, which is called Keter, does not conclude and does not make an end upon the light; on the contrary, she becomes the beginning and root for all the lights in the Partzuf. (Chapter 1, Item 4)

Because there is in it the force of an emanator and the force of an emanated being, as below in Item 210.

Because the Malchut of the Rosh does not make a conclusion upon the light; on the contrary, she makes a beginning for the light by means of the reflected light that ascends from her (as above in Item 204).

When the ten Sefirot of direct light are clothed in the reflected light that ascends from a coupling by striking upon a screen of phase four, which clothes the direct light up to Keter, this is called “the clothing of Ein Sof in Keter.” And if the level of the reflected light is from phase three, it is called “the clothing of Ein Sof in Hochma.” And if it is from phase two, it is called “the clothing of Ein Sof in Bina.” And from phase one, it is called “the clothing of Ein Sof in ZA, or in Tifferet.” And although in every clothing there are ten Sefirot of direct light and of reflected light, nevertheless every clothing is named only after the uppermost Sefira in the level. (Chapter 3, Item 4)

Because they are as far from one another as heaven is from earth, and it is impossible for them to emerge one from the other except by means of an intermediary that joins them. (Chapter 6, Item 4)

For in respect of the spark of the Creator that is in it, it has nothing of the phase that is in the lower one, as below in the item that follows this one.

This is the rule: when the lower one ascends to the place of the upper one, it is entirely like the upper one itself, and the two of them become literally one body. For all spiritual difference and separation is only on account of the disparity of form between them, since a disparity of form that comes about in the spiritual divides it in two. And when you say “lower one” and “upper one,” the meaning is a refined degree and a coarse degree — as in the case of the Tabur and the Peh: because of the disparity of form of the coarseness in the Tabur, it being of the aspect of above downward, it is regarded as separated on its own from the refined degree that is called Peh, and as lower than it, and it is called lower than it.

Therefore, when you say that the Tabur ascended to the Peh, the meaning is that it was refined entirely like the Peh; and if so, they return to being literally one, for there is nothing between them that would make them into two phases. However, because of this incorporation and this union, it turns out that the Tabur is likewise included in the coarseness that operates in the Peh, that is, the coarseness from below upward that is there, as above in Item 168, since they are one body.

And then the records that had remained in it, in the Tabur, from before the refining were awakened; for these records are of the aspects of above downward, and they now became associated and joined with the coarseness from below upward that is in the Peh itself. And from this a new form was again born in the Tabur, different from the form of the Peh and far lower than it. For the coarseness from below upward that operates in the Peh is discerned as the phase of Ein Sof, as above in Item 206, since phase four has not yet entered into a relation of clothing upon the direct light, as above in Item 120. However, as for coarseness from above downward — which means that phase four has already entered into a relation of clothing — the force of restriction rides upon it in full force (as above in Item 120).

But so long as the records in the Tabur are at rest, that is, at the time when they were entirely cleansed of all their coarseness, they are regarded there as though they were not in existence at all. Now, however, that the Tabur has been included in the Peh and has been thickened from it — even though it is only coarseness of the aspect of below upward — the resting and quiet records in the Tabur came to life on this account; and on this account the aspect of above downward was again recognised in the Tabur in a certain measure, and a disparity of form was again made between the Peh and the Tabur, for its lowliness is evident. And this is called a departure and a descent from the Peh downward, to the place of phase three of the Guf, as above in Item 168 — and understand this.

Therefore, even after the descent of the Tabur from the Peh downward to its place in the Guf of the upper one, two realities are necessarily found in it, namely, the coarseness in it and the records in it. And behold, the reality of the coarseness in it is entirely from the Peh of the upper one, that is, the coarseness from below upward, which the Tabur obtained and took from it by its incorporation with it into one body, as above. The reality of the records in it, however — this is the portion of the Tabur itself, that is, of the lower one itself.

And know that these two realities are called a spark of the Creator and a spark of the created being. For the reality of the coarseness in it is called a spark of the Creator, since it is entirely from the Peh of the upper one, and the upper one, with respect to the lower one, is always called an emanator or a creator. And the reality of the records in it is called a spark of the created being, for the lower one is called an emanated being or a created being with respect to the upper one, as is known.

And the said spark of the Creator is discerned as a root for the lower one in potential and not in actuality. For it is certainly the whole essential root of the lower one, since had that coarseness not been in the Tabur, there would then have been no coupling by striking upon it, after it had already been refined entirely, as above; but since it received the coarseness from the Peh, as above, it became fit and qualified for striking, and to bring out ten Sefirot in a new level for a lower Partzuf, as above in Item 168. Thus the said spark of the Creator, although it is the whole root for the lower one, is nevertheless still not discerned as a root in actuality; for the essence of the lower one is from the reality of the Tabur that ascended to the Peh and descended again from there outward, as above in Item 168. Therefore only the spark of the created being in it, that is, the records of the Tabur that were awakened and thickened because of the coarseness in the Peh — only they alone are reckoned as the root of the four phases in actuality itself, since they are the very reality of the lower one, as has been explained. (Chapter 5, Item 6, and Chapter 6, Item 4)

It is well explained above in the previous item.

The ground of Atzilut is the phase of the Peh of the Rosh of the upper one in relation to Beria (as written in Etz Chaim, Gate 47, end of Chapter 2). And there too there is the phase of the ascent of the Tabur to the Peh, which was thickened in that Peh and descended again to its place, and became the Malchut of the Rosh of Beria — that is, a coupling by striking was made upon it, and a clothing of the ten Sefirot of reflected light upon the ten Sefirot of direct light, as above in Item 141. Therefore here too the two realities are found, as above in Item 210, which are a spark of the Creator and a spark of the created being. The spark of the Creator, which is the coarseness from below upward from the Peh of the upper one (as above in Item 210, Sub Header, “And know”), is discerned as the Malchut of Malchut of Atzilut, which descended and became Atik for Beria, “as the phase of root in potential.” And the spark of the created being, which is the records, as above, is discerned as having become the Arich Anpin of Beria, which is the phase of “the root of the four phases in actuality” itself.

In respect of the spark of the Creator it is called “I am last.” (Chapter 7, Item 10)

In respect of the spark of the created being it is called “I am first.” (ibid.)

Although the Malchut of the upper one is the one that bestows all the ten Sefirot of the lower one, it is nevertheless discerned that every phase takes precisely from what corresponds to it in the upper one: for the Keter of the lower one is extended from the Keter of the upper one, and the Hochma of the lower one from the Hochma of the upper one, and the Bina in the lower one from the Bina of the upper one, and so forth. It is only that the Malchut of the upper one transfers them and brings them to the lower one, by means of its reflected light. (Chapter 8, Item 10)

Because it has in it the coarseness of phase four, so that the level of its reflected light ascends and clothes as far as the Keter of direct light. (Chapter 9, Item 6 and Item 8)

This will be explained in the coming lessons, God willing; and this is not the place to elaborate.

Because it is the phase of Keter and Rosh, and its Guf is concealed and clothed in the four Partzufim AB, SAG, MA and BON. (Chapter 10, Item 5)

Because the restriction was made upon her, and she does not receive anything at all of the direct light. And it is known that the ten Sefirot of direct light are the self and the essential lights. Therefore it is discerned that she has no illumination there from her root and her self, that is, from the side of her being the Malchut of direct light; rather, it is only by a coupling by striking that she becomes the Keter of reflected light. Therefore she is called a mirror that has nothing at all of her own. “Of her own” means from her self, that is, from the side of her being the Malchut of direct light: she has no illumination from there, as has been explained. (Chapter 7, Item 2)

The phase of the spark of the Creator that descends to become Atik in the lower one (as is well written above in Item 210) is the secret of the point that descends from the upper one to be the phase of Rosh for the lower one. (Chapter 7, Item 2)

This will be explained in the coming parts, God willing.

See above, Item 210.

Because she is the phase of the Malchut of the upper one, that is, the Peh, which raises reflected light and clothes all the ten Sefirot of direct light and gives them a grasp within the Partzuf. And it is a law in the upper ones that every degree that causes an addition of light to the upper ones — that whole addition of light returns and is bestowed upon the degree that caused it. Therefore, since Malchut, by the virtue of the reflected light in her, gives the ten Sefirot of direct light a grasp within the Partzuf, all those ten Sefirot therefore return and are bestowed upon that Malchut. It turns out that Malchut, although she is the lowest of the ten Sefirot, nevertheless receives and suckles from all the ten Sefirot together. And see Inner Observation, Chapter 9, Item 2. (Chapter 6, Item 6)

Because you have no phase of renewal of illumination in the worlds that is not extended from Ein Sof.

Because in all the degrees, in whatever place they may be, they are extended equally from Ein Sof. (Chapter 2, Item 3)

Because she is the phase of Malchut from above downward, who is already in the phase of clothing upon the lights. Therefore the force of restriction rides upon her, and she therefore cannot receive anything at all of the direct light. (As written above in Item 120)

Because it is emanated and caused by it. For thus do all the degrees cascade, from the head of the line to the end of Assiya, by way of cause and consequence, each one being born by means of the one above it. Therefore every upper one is called an emanator or a creator with respect to the one lower than it, and likewise the lower one is called emanated or created from the one above it. (Chapter 7, Item 10)

For besides the Malchut of the upper one being the root for all the phases in the lower one, nevertheless every phase in the lower one is extended precisely only from the phase that corresponds to it in the upper one — the Keter of the lower one from the Keter of the upper one, Hochma from the Hochma of the upper one, as above (Item 215). Thus every phase in the lower one has two roots: one root in the phase that corresponds to it in the upper one, and a second root in Malchut, who is the general root for the lower one.

They are called skin, flesh, sinews, bones and marrow. (Chapter 5, Item 2)

Because that is the place of darkness, as above in Item 65. (Chapter 10, Item 2)

Because the skin does not receive into itself anything of the direct light that is in the Partzuf, on account of the restriction upon it (as above in Item 65).

Because there is no absence in spirituality; and once holiness has been revealed at some time in some phase, it never departs from there again. (Chapter 7, Item 3)

A person can attain even above the Nefesh of Atzilut. (Chapter 10, Item 7)

For every upper one is necessarily one degree higher than the lower one. And behold, if the lower one has a Nefesh, and an illumination from the Nefesh of the upper one was added to it, it turns out that this illumination is one degree higher than it; and the degree that is higher than the Nefesh is called Ruach, and so forth in this manner. (Chapter 10, Item 6, and Inner Light, Item 4)

All the lights of Malchut are called Nefesh, even the Yechida in her.

See above, Item 193, Item 201 and Item 202.

The ten Sefirot of direct light are the four phases of the expansion of the light of Ein Sof. The ten Sefirot of reflected light are the lights that are returned and rejected from Malchut, as above in Item 119. And the ten Sefirot whose level is equal are the ten Sefirot of direct light that are clothed in ten Sefirot of reflected light out of a single coupling by striking, as above in Item 194. And the ten Sefirot that stand one above the other are those that emerge from four couplings by striking that are made in Malchut in the way of her refining, that is, at the time of her ascent from the Tabur to the Peh, as above in Item 142. And the ten Sefirot that stand one below the other emerge from five couplings by striking, after Malchut comes each time to the Peh and receives a new coarseness there, as above in Item 168. And the ten Sefirot of the Rosh are from Malchut upward, before she comes into a state of clothing, as above in Item 141. And the ten Sefirot of the Toch are from Malchut downward, as above in Item 142. And the ten Sefirot of the Sof are reflected light without direct light, since they are from Malchut downward after she has come into the clothing of the lights; and they are therefore the ones that conclude the Partzuf, as above in Item 143. And the five phases in the vessel of Malchut are from the records from Ein Sof that remained in Malchut after the restriction, as above in Item 119. And the four phases of roots of vessels in potential are of the phases of the spark of the Creator, as above in Item 210. And the four phases of roots of vessels in actuality are of the phases of the spark of the created being, as above in Item 210.

And know that in the matter of the ten Sefirot that stand one above the other, which are the particular ten Sefirot in every Partzuf, there are no vessels there for Haya and Yechida, because these ten Sefirot emerge by means of a coupling by striking in the way of the refining of Malchut, as above (in Item 95 and Item 142). And since the coarseness of phase one is very faint, a coupling by striking does not operate in her to such a degree, for she does not raise reflected light in a measure sufficient for the clothing of the direct light to the measure that its above-downward aspect should become a vessel. And it goes without saying that no coupling by striking operates at the time when she has been refined entirely, as in the phase of Keter. Therefore there are only three vessels there, which are from phase two, phase three and phase four; but from the phase of Keter and from phase one there are no vessels there, and the lights Haya and Yechida must be clothed in the internality of the Neshama, that is, in the light of Bina (as above in Item 163).

And you must remember here to discern between the phase of drawing and the phase of reception that are present in every Sefira (as above in Item 157 and Item 158). And it turns out accordingly that what we said here, that there are no vessels for the light of Yechida and the light of Haya, refers only to a vessel of reception; but a vessel of drawing she does have, for the vessel of drawing of the light of Haya is phase three, and the vessel of drawing of the light of Yechida is phase four — and these phases are present in completeness in the Partzufim of AK. Therefore we said here that the lights Haya and Yechida do exist, only that they are clothed in the Neshama.

However, from the time of the association of the quality of mercy with judgement onward, that is, from BON of AK onward (as above in Item 176) — when phase three and phase four were lacking from the Partzufim and became surrounding ones, which are called garment and hall — the vessels of drawing for Haya and Yechida in all the Partzufim were found to be lacking as well. It turns out that the lights of Haya and Yechida too are not in the Partzuf, for there is no phase four here to draw the light of Yechida, and there is no phase three here to draw the light of Haya. And remember this. And know that this matter of the absence of ZON that has been mentioned is only in relation to AK; but in relation to themselves, they certainly have complete ten Sefirot, as is written in their place.