Partie 4 · Observation intérieure 5

Chapter FiveSeven discernments in the screenWe’ve already discussed the matter of the screen (items 62, 63). It is explained there that the screen is the boundary made after the restriction to receive the light only in the first nine Sefirot and detain the light from expanding into phase four, meaning Malchut, as it says, “You shall come thus far, but no further.”This screen is a consequence caused by the restriction, meaning by the departure of the light. It is so because after the light departed completely from all four phases that are there, although the restriction was only on phase four, because of it, a new form of desire was initiated in Malchut of Ein Sof, to once more draw the light by the force of the boundary, meaning only from phase four and above, and not from phase four and below.This boundary that was initiated is called a screen. Since this boundary primarily applies only to phase four, which is Malchut, it is therefore considered that the screen is present and established inside the vessel of Malchut.

The boundary and the coarseness in the screen come in it as oneThere are seven primary discernments that we should make here in this screen: the first discernment is that the boundary and the coarseness are incorporated and come in it as one, without distinguishing between them whatsoever. Since the boundary in it applies only to the coarseness of phase four, we find that it does not limit and detain the expansion of the light from a degree that doesn’t have this measure of coarseness.Thus, the coarseness and the boundary come as one, and both together are called screen. It is impossible to speak of and distinguish the screen in and of itself, meaning when it is not incorporated with coarseness, for then it does not exist in reality at all, so there is what to discern in it.

There is coarseness without a screen and there is no screen without coarsenessHowever, there is much to discern in the vessel of Malchut in and of herself, meaning when she is not corrected with a screen. First, we should know that Malchut of circles is not corrected with a screen at all, for there is only a screen in the Sefirot of straightness. This has already been explained in Part 2, and there are many other discernments that will be explained in their place. When we speak of Malchut alone, it means that we speak only of the coarseness, without the correction of the screen. Thus, there cannot be a screen without coarseness, but there can be coarseness without a screen.

The force of detainment in the screen of the Rosh is potential, not actualThe second discernment is the discernment of “potential detainment” inside the screen. There is “potential” and “actual” in the detainment of the screen on the upper light, meaning the difference between the Rosh and the Guf.We say that the upper light expands until it hits the screen in the vessel of Malchut, the screen pushes the light back, and this reflected light clothes over the ten Sefirot of the Rosh. However, all this is only in potential, not in actual fact (see above item 16). Hence, you should know that the boundary and the detainment on the light in the screen in Malchut of the Rosh is only potential detainment, not actual.

The potential force of detainment in the screen is called Peh, and the actual is called TaburThe third discernment is the actual detainment in the screen. That clothing and that detainment that are done in “potential” in the Rosh, come and actually manifest in the Guf. It is so because Malchut of the Rosh expands from her and within her to ten Sefirot from above downward, generally called Guf. Malchut of these ten Sefirot is called Tabur, where the entire force of detainment on the upper light in the screen of the Rosh manifests. It does not let the upper light clothe, but only from the Tabur up, and detains it from clothing from the Tabur down.Know that these two names, Peh and Tabur, relate to the above-mentioned two discernments. It is so because the potential detainment of the screen is called Peh, and the actual detainment in the screen is called Tabur.

The incorporation of the screen in the first three phases through its refinementThe fourth discernment is the incorporation of the screen in the coarseness of the first three phases, which comes because of the refinement of the screen (see item 4). It is done by the striking and clash of inner light and surrounding light with each other, as the ARI wrote (Chapter 1, item 3). This is something that should be thoroughly understood as it is the pole on which the entire wisdom hangs.

The incorporation of the screen in the first three phases means the first three phases of phase fourWe have already elaborated on that matter, in Inner Light, and this is not the place to expand on it. However, we must understand in this regard, that this above incorporation in the screen does not mean that the first three phases themselves have now been restricted, as phase four was restricted before. Rather, this entire refinement occurred only in phase four herself.It has already been explained in Inner Observation of Part 2, that phase four herself consists of four phases because she comes from Ein Sof. Hence, the screen established in her also consists of all of these four phases (see item 80), as the entire coarseness in Malchut is included in the screen.Now you can see that when it says that the screen rose to ZA, to phase three, it means that phase four within phase four was refined from the screen, and only the coarseness of phase three within phase four remained in her. It turns out that her form had been equalized with the phase of ZA.You know that equivalence of form is unification in the spiritual, and thus it is considered that she rose and united with ZA, as if she herself was the phase of ZA, for there is nothing to tell them apart. This is called being incorporated with ZA.You can similarly understand the rest of the incorporations that were said about the screen until it rose and was incorporated in the Peh of the Rosh, meaning it equalized its form as the potential screen, and it was not at all apparent in it that it is an actual screen, and understand this well.

If the screen departs from the vessel, the light departs from itThe fifth discernment is the cessation of the operation of the screen from the vessel because of its exit from there. In other words, when the screen was refined from phase four to phase three, discerned as the screen exiting the vessel of Malchut and ascending to the vessel of ZA, Malchut was seemingly liberated from the force of detainment and boundary that was on her, and now she can receive the upper light without delays. However, this is not the case. On the contrary, Malchut remained completely dark because of the exit of the screen from her. It is so because from the first restriction on, Malchut is no longer fit to receive any light, but only through a screen.Thus, the two operations—the reception of the light and the rejection of the light—are both connected with the screen. As it rejects the light from the last phase, so it connects and clothes the lights from her and above.

A screen that acquires the coarseness of the Rosh after its refinementThe sixth discernment is the coarseness of the Rosh, acquired anew in the screen after its refinement, meaning by its ascent and coming into Malchut of the Rosh, where it is incorporated, as written elaborately in Chapter 4, item 50, and in Inner Light.

The screen that acquires the coarseness of the Guf after its refinementThe seventh discernment is the coarseness of the Guf, acquired in the screen anew after its refinement. After the screen of the Rosh received the coarseness from below upward, all the records with which the screen of the Guf was incorporated on its way through the Sefirot of the Guf up to the emanator awakened. These records are from the phase of coarseness from above downward, meaning from the phase of the Guf. It turns out that this coarseness that they receive from the Rosh in the phase of from below upward becomes inverted in the records of the Guf into coarseness from above downward, as it is written above in Inner Light.