Parte 2 · Capítulo 1

O texto do Ari

Ainda não disponível em Português — exibindo: English

Neste capítulo

*1 And this line is like2 a thin pipe,3 a single one, through which the waters of the upper light4 of Ein Sof spread out and extend to the worlds that are in the place of that air and space.
And behold, since the light of Ein Sof was drawn in the aspect of5 a straight line within that aforementioned space, it was not drawn and did not expand6 immediately all the way down. Rather, it expanded little by little, meaning that at first the line of light began to expand, and there, immediately7 at the beginning of its expansion in the secret of the line, it expanded and was drawn and became like8 a single round sphere all around.
And this circle was9 not attached to the light of Ein Sof that surrounds it on all its sides,10 for were it to become attached to it, the matter would revert to how it had been, and it would be nullified within the light of Ein Sof, and its own power would not be seen at all, and everything would be the light of Ein Sof alone, as at first. Therefore this circle is close to the circle of Ein Sof, yet not attached to it.20 And the entire root of the connection and attachment of that emanated circle with Ein Sof the Emanator30 is through that aforementioned line, by way of which light descends and is drawn from Ein Sof and is imparted to that circle.
40 And Ein Sof surrounds and encompasses it on all its sides, for it, too, is in the aspect of a circle50 around it, and distant from it, as above. For it is necessary that the illumination of Ein Sof in the emanated beings come by way of that line alone, for had the light been drawn to them also through all that surrounds them,60 the emanated beings would have been, like the Emanator Himself, without70 limit or measure.
And behold,80 this first circle, the one most attached to Ein Sof, is the one called Keter of Adam Kadmon. Afterward this line expanded90 further and was drawn a little, and again formed a circle,100 and became a second circle within the first circle, and this is called200 the circle of Hochma of Adam Kadmon. It expanded still further downward, and again formed a circle, and became a third circle within the second circle, and is called300 the circle of Bina of Adam Kadmon. And in this manner it continued to expand and form circles, until the tenth circle, called the circle of Malchut400 of Adam Kadmon. Thus the matter of1 the ten Sefirot has been explained, that they were emanated in the secret of ten circles,2 one within the other.
And behold,3 the aspect that connects all the circles together is this thin line that extends from Ein Sof,4 and passes5 and descends6 and is drawn from circle to circle, until7 the very end of all of them. And through this line, the light and the abundance needed by each and every one of them is drawn.
And behold, every world contains ten particular Sefirot, and every particular Sefira within every world8 contains ten Sefirot of particulars of particulars, and all of them are9 like the layers of an onion, one within the other, in the manner of the image of the spheres mentioned in the books of astronomy.
Of every circle of all the worlds, which are within the space,10 whichever is closer to the light of Ein Sof than another is far higher and more excellent than the other, so that it is found that this earthly, material world is the middle, central point within all the circles, within all that aforementioned place of space and empty air. It is also removed from Ein Sof by a complete removal, more than all the worlds altogether. Therefore it is so corporeal and material, utterly corporeal, even while being a middle point within all the circles. Understand this well.

Luz Interior

Ainda não disponível em Português — exibindo: English

Este comentário ainda não foi associado a itens específicos — as notas aparecem na ordem de leitura, e o número ao lado de cada uma conta as próprias notas, não os itens do texto do Ari.

Item 1

That is, the line extended from the light of Ein Sof into the space after the restriction (see Part 1, Chapter 2, item 2).
The vessels of the ten Sefirot of straightness are called “pipeline,” or pipelines, because they limit, with great control and great precision, the paths of the light extended in them, so that it will spread only in the specific paths in those vessels. This is like a pipe that limits, with intense precision, the water passing through it, which is extended and comes out of it in the very shape of the pipe, whether narrow or wide, without any change whatsoever, ever. For this same reason, the lights passing through those pipelines are called the ten Sefirot of straightness, since they are extended according to the laws of these pipelines in straightness and righteousness. That is, in the purer vessel the more important light is clothed, and so on, without any change whatsoever, because of the presence of the strong control of the pipelines over them.
The power of this control found in the said pipelines is because whatever is will in the higher degree becomes a binding force in the lower degree emanated because of it. Hence, that restriction over phase four, found in the vessels of circles from the aspect of free will, becomes, in the vessels of straightness caused by them, a force and control that obligates them to do so. This force is called “screen,” as will be written below.
This is the secret of what is written in the Tikkunim: invert “ratzon” [will/desire] and you will find “tzinor” [pipeline], end quote. This is as we have said, that the “pipeline,” being in the aspect of a screen, meaning a restriction in control—that is, it withholds its will from receiving in phase four the force of the upper one controlling it—is the opposite of the very substance of the vessel itself, namely “the will to receive,” since it restrains itself from carrying out this will of its own. Hence they hinted, invert “ratzon” and find “tzinor,” meaning that the matter of the pipeline is the opposite of the will, since it forces its will and does the opposite of what it wants. Therefore you will find, in all the discourses and writings, that when we wish to designate and emphasize the departure of the light from phase four, we call it “restriction.” And when we wish to emphasize the additional restricting force from the side of the light of the line that did not expand into phase four, we define it as “screen,” which is the restraining force of the light so that it will not expand into phase four. And when we speak of the vessel as a whole, meaning the vessel and the screen together, we define it as “pipeline.” And when we speak of light and vessel and screen together, meaning the light clothed in the manner of the pipeline, we define it as “line.” And when we speak of a vessel that has no screen in it, we define it as “circle.”
What the Rav is precise about in the word “one” is to exclude the correction of the three lines that were made in the world of Atzilut. He is telling us that in the world of Adam Kadmon there is not yet this correction of three lines, but only “one line” alone. The reason for this is that the matter of the correction of the three lines is made afterward, in the world of Atzilut, and it is extended from the joining of the quality of mercy with judgment, as is written in its place. And here we are dealing with the world of Adam Kadmon, where this joining has not yet been made, and therefore there is here only one line.
The coming of the light to the vessel of reception of the emanated being is called “expansion” (see Answers to Topics, Part 1, item 14). It has already been explained above that the vessel of reception in this emanated being is called “pipeline” (see there, the matter is explained with its reason).
There is a certain measure by which one discerns, in the degrees of the birth of a Partzuf, that the four phases in the will are called by the names: light, water, firmament, one hundred blessings, or one hundred gates. This is because of the exchange of the lights not in their place, since because of this exchange the light takes on the form of water, as is written in its place. The Rav tells us that the root of this matter is made here with the coming of the line: the light expanding in the aspect of the line is regarded, in relation to the upper light, as being in the aspect of “water.” Hence he is precise in saying “the water of light of the upper light of Ein Sof,” since with the expansion of the light into the thin pipeline, the light is diminished greatly from its value in Ein Sof, and is regarded as being in the aspect of water in relation to what preceded it.

Item 2

Light that expands by the laws of the four phases gradually, that is, from the pure to the coarse, and stops at phase four, is called “a straight line.”
Do not err in interpreting the “immediately” and the “gradually” mentioned here as referring to the order of time, since spirituality is above time, as is known. Rather, “immediately, down to the bottom” means without a change of degrees. And “gradually” means according to the unfolding of the degrees. He means to say: according to the unfolding of the order of the four known phases, as he goes on to explain below.
The meaning of “the root” of the expansion that was renewed, called the line, is that, being a new emanation, a special root is discerned in it, shining to it in the aspect of its renewal, which is called the Sefira of Keter of the line. And from this Keter, the light of Ein Sof expands to the line through the four known phases, where phase one is called Hochma, phase two is called Bina, phase three is called Zeir Anpin, and phase four is called Malchut. According to this order, the Rav says above, “it expanded gradually,” meaning that first Keter expanded, then Hochma, then Bina, then Zeir Anpin, and so on (see Answers to Topics, Part 1, item 8, for the interpretation of the word “then”).
For the meaning of the word “circle,” see Answers to Topics, Part 1, item 41, and see Part 1, Chapter 1, item 100. And when the light of the line is clothed in a circle, it is called a sphere.

Item 3

That is, all the light found in the circles is only from what they receive from the line, whose illumination is a new illumination, having only three phases, as said above. Hence it is different from the light of Ein Sof surrounding in the aspect of a circular light (see Part 1, Chapter 2, item 3). This is what the Rav means that it is “not attached” to the light of Ein Sof, meaning that the form of the circular light of the Keter of the circles is not equal to the light in Ein Sof, since equality of form is the attachment found in spiritual things (see Answers to Topics, Part 1, item 12, and see Ohr Penimi, Part 1, Chapter 2, item 1, beginning with “And from the above”). And “surrounding” means the causer that causes.
That is, had its illumination also been in all four phases like the light of Ein Sof, then its form would have been equal to and attached to Ein Sof, and it would then have been nullified within Ein Sof and completely undiscernible.
The light expanding from Ein Sof to the emanated being is called direct light, and this light is bound to the emanated being through a garment of reflected light rising from the screen upward by the force of the coupling by striking, whose matter will be explained below, and it is called “binding,” since this reflected light rising from the screen of phase four of the straight line holds and grasps the upper light in the circle. In such a way that, where the reflected light does not clothe the upper light, that light is regarded, in relation to the emanated being, as though it were not there, since it does not attain it without this garment called reflected light, as will be further explained below. And this may be compared, to distinguish, to a tallow candle: although the main power of illumination is extended from the quality of the tallow in it, still the light is not bound to the tallow but to the wick, and where the wick is used up, the candle is extinguished, even though a great deal of tallow still remains there.
The reason is that there is no screen in the circles to raise reflected light, and without it there is no binding of the emanated being to the upper light, as above in the adjacent statement (see item 5 above). It has been explained there that the vessel of the line is called “pipeline,” and it is much lower than the vessels of the circles that were revealed with the first restriction before the coming of the line, for the reason stated there. Hence the Rav tells us that although the vessels of the circles are much higher than the line, nevertheless they do not receive any light by themselves, and all the light in them they are compelled to receive through this line, which is much lower than they are, for the reason stated.

Item 4

In every Sefira we discern two kinds of light, which are called: inner light, and surrounding light. For the light that is clothed inside the Sefira, within it, is called: inner light. And the light that cannot be clothed in its interior, because of the limit that exists there, is regarded as remaining in its root, and it receives illumination from it from afar, which is called “surrounding light.” The Rav tells us that although the circles are far from Ein Sof, that is, the disparity of form between them is very great, nevertheless they receive an illumination from Him from afar, called surrounding light, which shines in two aspects: in the aspect of the general and in the aspect of the particular. “Surrounding” indicates the general surrounding light, while “encompassing” indicates the particular surrounding light.
He tells us that this surrounding light, which the circles receive from Ein Sof, shines and surrounds them from all their sides, that is, from all four phases, meaning even in phase four, where the inner light does not shine there, nevertheless she receives an illumination from afar through surrounding light from Ein Sof. And he explains the reason: because Ein Sof “is also in the aspect of a circle,” meaning the light of Ein Sof is called circular light, since it does not distinguish between the phases, and shines and fills even phase four as well (as above, Part 1, Chapter 2, item 3, see there). Hence its illumination reaches even phase four of the circles, but from afar, as explained.
See item 10 above.
The restriction and the screen made over phase four, so that she will not receive light within her, is what makes a “boundary” on the light, since it limits it as to how far it will expand, and it stops at the boundary of phase four. And the total reception of the emanated being, which was diminished because of the restriction, is called “quota.”

Item 5

We need to understand the distinctions in the names of the ten Sefirot, since at times we call them by the name of four phases, as above, and at times we call them by the name Yechida, Chaya, Neshama, Ruach, Nefesh, and at times we call them by the name Keter, Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin (which includes in itself six Sefirot), Malchut. The matter is that when we speak of the aspect of the vessels specifically, meaning from the aspect of the substance of the emanated being alone, we define the names of the ten Sefirot in them by the name of the four phases of the will to receive, as above. And when we speak specifically of the light clothed in those vessels, we call them by the name: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, Yechida. And when we speak of the vessels alone, but need to emphasize the records of the lights that are in them at the time they are empty of the light attributed to them, then we call them by the name: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin, Malchut.
The source of these ten vessels mentioned, called Keter, Hochma, and so on, is discerned immediately in the world of restriction, before the coming of the line, after the departure of the light of Ein Sof from the ten Sefirot, when those vessels remained empty of light, which are called the ten circles, as above. And it is known that although the light departed from them, nevertheless, in each and every circle there remained an aspect of a record of the light that had been in it, that is, a very small illumination of the whole of all the previous light, remained in every vessel. This illumination causes a yearning in the vessel, that it will not be quiet and will not rest, until it returns and extends all the light that it had before, in its quantity and quality. This illumination is called “record.” And know that the content of the names of the ten Sefirot, Keter, Hochma, and so on, mainly define the records of the light that remained in the ten vessels.
From this you should know that no will can be imagined in the worlds, or even a slight arousal of will, whether in the upper or in the lower ones, and even in the physical still, vegetative, animate, and speaking, that is not rooted in these ten Sefirot of the circles. And along with this, it is likewise understood that it is not at all possible that any will should be aroused in essence, if a sufficient filling for that will had not been revealed once before.
The matter is that it has already been well explained in the first part of the book that the will to receive is not the first cause of the light, or of its filling, as people of the world think, but rather the very opposite: the light and the filling are the cause of the will, since the will to bestow, necessarily included in the upper light, engendered in its nature the will to receive in the emanated being, because what is will in the upper one becomes a force and an obligation in the lower one, as explained there. Thus the upper light became the cause for the revelation of the four phases in the will in the emanated being, which are the roots for all the wills revealed in the worlds. Hence, how could any will appear without a cause, that is, without this upper light that engenders it? This is like saying that there is some creature in the world without a father and mother who bore it. You also already know that in Ein Sof, all the reality and all the creatures fit to come in the worlds are already fixed and existing, with all their breadth and the purpose of their glory and their perfection destined to be revealed in the worlds for their sake (as is well explained in Answers to Topics, Part 1, item 11, see there in full). And this shows you plainly, that already in Ein Sof, all the wills destined to be revealed had already come out and been revealed, and had also been filled to their final completeness and fullness, and it is the completeness and the filling, which is the aspect of the upper light, that engendered and revealed these wills. In such a way that the filling of the will precedes and causes the revelation of that will attributed to that filling, as explained.
Now you will understand well the matter of the records that remained in the ten Sefirot of circles after the restriction and the departure of all the completeness and fillings that were in these four phases, called the ten circles. The meaning of these records is that all the kinds of wills, which had been full in them while they were in Ein Sof and now have been lost from them, were well “recorded” and engraved in them, and therefore they necessarily remained yearning and craving for all those fillings and completeness that they had had. This is what is called “records.”
This is what we said above, that no revelation of will of any essence can be imagined, whether in the upper worlds or in the physical world, that is not rooted in those ten Sefirot of circles. In such a way that there are two roots preceding the reality of all the worlds that come after the restriction: the first is when every will is already found complete in all its glory and fullness, and this is the reality that exists in Ein Sof; and the second is when all the wills stand completely empty of the filling attributed to them before, from Ein Sof, and this is called the world of restriction. And all the vessels and the substance of the creatures are extended from the world of restriction, that is, certainly only empty vessels, and wills that lost their fillings, as above. And all the fillings for those wills are extended from Ein Sof. Remember well these two pieces of knowledge, for they are among the most necessary to remember in the continuation of engaging in this wisdom.
Do not err in interpreting this as extending in a place and an area, heaven forbid; rather, everything that goes and becomes coarser, this movement is called extension, from above downward, since the pure is regarded as being above, and the coarse is regarded as being below. This is measured by the nearness of the form to phase four, since everything closest to phase four is regarded as coarser, and everything farthest from it is regarded as purer. “And it extended a little,” means that it went and became a little coarser. And the word “extended” refers to the light of the line.
The matter of this extension is that within every single Sefira there are ten Sefirot found, and this is discerned both in the Sefira of the ten Sefirot of circles, and in the Sefira of the ten Sefirot of straightness. And when the ten Sefirot of the Sefira of Keter went out, first the line went out in the aspect of its first three Sefirot, called the head of Keter of straightness, and its illumination expanded to the Sefira of Keter of the circles, which likewise includes ten Sefirot, as above. And these ten Sefirot of the Keter of the circles surround only the first three Sefirot of the ten Sefirot of Keter of the line. And after this, that is, after the ten Sefirot of Keter of the circles were completed entirely, then “this line further expanded” “and extended a little,” meaning it brought out its seven lower Sefirot to complete the Keter in the ten Sefirot of straightness, in such a way that these seven lower Sefirot of the Keter of the line extended lower, that is, became coarser than the entire ten Sefirot of Keter of the circles. Hence, over these seven lower Sefirot no aspect of circles surrounds any longer, since the circles are higher than they are, that is, purer than they are. And you already know that being higher than another means being purer than another.
You will understand the reason for this from what is explained above (item 12), that the Sefirot of circles precede and are much more important than the Sefirot in the line, since there is no aspect of screen at all in the circles. Now this screen found in the Sefirot of the line stands in the middle of the Sefira, that is, in the last phase in the head of the Sefira, meaning in the last phase of the first three Sefirot of the ten Sefirot of straightness, which are found in every single Sefira of straightness, as above, which are also called the head of that Sefira. In such a way that what we said, that the screen is included in the Sefirot of the line, this is in the seven lower Sefirot of every Sefira, which are found below the screen, but not so in the first three of the Sefira, called the head, which no longer have any aspect of screen in them, since they are found above the screen. Hence these first three are entirely similar to all the ten Sefirot of the circles, since both these and those no longer have any aspect of screen in them, and therefore they stand in one aspect, and it is discerned that the ten Sefirot of every Sefira of the circles surround the first three of every Sefira of the line. However, the seven lower Sefirot of every Sefira of the line, which are already found below the screen, and the screen is already included in them, are much inferior to the aspect of the circles, and it is known that everything inferior to another is regarded as being below it. Hence they are regarded as being found below the entire ten Sefirot of circles, and no aspect of circles can be found in the place of these seven Sefirot, since the circles are important and superior to them, as explained.
Now it has been well explained that there is an empty place between every Sefira and Sefira of circles, the measure of the seven Sefirot of the Sefira of straightness found there, since the entire ten Sefirot of circles of the Sefira of Keter surround only the first three Sefirot of Keter of the line, while the seven lower Sefirot of Keter of the line extend below the entire ten Sefirot of Keter of the circles. And after these seven Sefirot of Keter of the line are finished, the first three Sefirot of the Sefira of Hochma of the line begin to go out, over which the entire ten Sefirot of the Sefira of Hochma of the circles surround. Thus, between the last phase of the Keter of the circles and the first phase of the Hochma of the circles, there is an empty place between them, in which place are found the seven lower Sefirot of the Keter of the line, over which no aspect of circles surrounds. And likewise, between Hochma and Bina, and all the Sefirot.
We must be very careful here not to be confused by the imaginary descriptions of area and place in straightness and circle, which fall into the mind from the flow of the language. Remember throughout this entire discussion that straight illumination means that the light comes in vessels that have a screen over phase four, while circular illumination means that the light comes in vessels that have no screen over phase four. However, remember that although there is no screen at all over phase four in the vessels of circles, nevertheless phase four there cannot receive any illumination after the first restriction, for the reason that all the light found in the circles must be received from the illumination of the line, which is a straight illumination (as above, item 12), and the light of the line does not shine at all in phase four, since it is extended by the force of a screen, as explained. In such a way that the lack of light in phase four of the circles is not because of the vessels, since there is no screen at all in them, but because of the first restriction resting upon them. And since the first restriction is not regarded as a lack (see Answers to Topics, Part 1, Chapter 3), hence all four phases of the vessels of circles are equal in their rank, without any difference at all between small and great (as above, Part 1, item 12), and all the darkness that is in phase four is because of the light received from the line, which does not shine there, as explained.
With this you will understand that after the circles received the light through the line, a distinction of degrees of small and great was made in them because of this, also in the ten Sefirot of the circles. For Zeir Anpin is more important and greater than phase four, which is Malchut, since there is no light in Malchut, while in Zeir Anpin there is light, it being phase three. And in the Sefira of Bina of the circles, the light is greater than in Zeir Anpin, since it is farther from phase four than it is, being phase two, and so on. However, all these degrees are not because of the vessels, but because of the light of the line that they receive; remember this.
It has already been explained that the four phases are called by these names: their root, that is, the will to bestow included in the upper light, is called Keter. And the beginning of the expansion to the emanated being, that is, phase one, is called Hochma, phase two is called Bina, phase three is called Zeir Anpin, or the six Sefirot: Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod. And phase four is called Malchut. It has also been explained that only when we speak of their first substance do we call them by the name of the four phases and their root. However, if these four phases are already included in the aspect of their records as they were in the world of restriction, then we call them by the names: Keter, Hochma, and so on, as explained well above.
Now let us explain the reason for calling them by these names. The root is called Keter because it is not clothed within the vessels of the emanated being, but rather surrounds and crowns it from outside its vessels, and Keter is from the language of “surrounding.” And phase one is called Hochma, because from it are extended the wisdom of the Torah, and all the kinds of wisdom found in the world, in their final aspect. Our sages have already well defined this name, saying, “Who is wise? He who foresees the consequence” (Tractate Tamid, page 32). The meaning is, as soon as he looks at something, he foresees the consequence and derives from it, that is, he sees all the consequences destined to emerge from that thing, down to its final consequence. For example, when you say the doctor is a great sage, this means that in every disease he examines, he thoroughly foresees all the possible consequences that may develop and emerge from that disease, down to the final consequence. Likewise, when he examines some remedy, he grasps in its entirety all the results that this remedy is destined to produce in the patient's body, and so on. And likewise the natural scientist, when he examines some phenomenon in nature, thoroughly foresees all the consequences that this phenomenon brings about when it joins the whole of reality. And so with all kinds of wisdom. In such a way that the whole definition of the name “wise” or complete wisdom is only the aspect of “foreseeing the consequence” of every single detail in reality, down to the final consequence.
From this you should also know the true definition of the name “Bina” [understanding], that all “the power of contemplation” to see the consequence of every detail in reality, whether in the holy Torah or in the external, is extended from the Sefira of “Bina,” and is therefore called by the name Bina. And from the Sefira of Malchut is extended the aspect of absolute control by force and coercion, similar to the awe of a kingdom, and is therefore called “Malchut” [kingdom]. The other Sefirot will be explained below in their place.
One should not object to the above that, if so, the Sefira of Bina should have had to precede Hochma, since the yearning and the contemplation to see the consequence precede and cause the final completeness, that is, the seeing of the consequence, which is called Hochma. But I have already explained to you that the order of the emanation of the worlds is the opposite of our understanding; rather, the filling of the will precedes and causes the revelation of the will (see item 17 above, beginning with “The matter is”), and the completeness precedes and causes the revelation of the incompleteness, since this is how the degrees unfold and descend from Ein Sof through one restriction after another, down to this world, which is the most flawed of all.
The first world emanated after the restriction is called the world of Adam Kadmon, and is also called the world of Keter. And the four worlds: Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya, are clothed upon this Adam Kadmon.
And although they are only four degrees, that is, the four known phases, still, there are ten Sefirot within them. This is because phase three, called Zeir Anpin or Tifferet, has six Sefirot within it, called: Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod, and the reason for this will be explained in its place.
You should know here the precision found in the Sefer Yetzira (Chapter 1, Mishna 4), namely, “ten and not nine”: he thereby tells us something very significant, since it has already been explained that all the illuminations of the Sefirot from the upper light, even in the circles, which are of equal rank, do not shine in phase four, called Malchut. And the name “Sefira” indicates only light and vessel together, meaning that the upper light is clothed in the vessel; but a vessel without light is not called by this name, since “Sefira” means brightness and clarity. Accordingly, it might have occurred to one to think that Malchut is not a Sefira, heaven forbid, since the upper light does not shine in her, as explained. Hence the author of the Sefer Yetzira is precise and says, there are ten Sefirot and not nine, heaven forbid, since Malchut too is regarded as a Sefira. And the reason is that the entire binding of the upper light in the ten Sefirot is specifically through the reflected light, which Malchut raises by the force of the screen within her, from below upward (as above, item 20). Hence, on the contrary, she is the most important Sefira among the ten Sefirot, since without her, the light would not bind in the nine upper Sefirot, as explained there. And for this reason she is regarded as though she were entirely light. Understand this, and it will be further explained in its place.
See Part 1, Ohr Penimi, Chapter 1, item 100.

Item 6

The meaning is: you already know that in the ten Sefirot of circles there is a gap and an empty place between one Sefira and the next, that is, the measure of the seven Sefirot of straight illumination that is in that Sefira (as above, item 90, beginning with “Now”). However, in the ten Sefirot of the line, there is no gap at all between them, since they begin from the light of Ein Sof and expand until the middle point, which is phase four, called Malchut, below which there is no phase at all, as explained. Thus, the first ten Sefirot that expanded from Ein Sof by way of a straight line, also called the ten Sefirot of Adam Kadmon, have no gap at all between them. Hence the Rav says that the Sefirot of the line also connect the ten Sefirot of circles, since the seven lower Sefirot in every Sefira of straightness connect the ten Sefirot of the upper Sefira of circles with the ten Sefirot of the lower Sefira of circles. This is because the illumination of the ten Sefirot of Hochma of circles, which receive from the first three of the Sefira of Hochma of straightness, must necessarily pass through the seven lower Sefirot of the Sefira of Keter of straightness, since the first three of Hochma of straightness must receive from the seven Sefirot of Keter of straightness and impart to the ten Sefirot of Hochma of circles. Thus it turns out that the seven lower Sefirot of Keter of straightness connect the ten Sefirot of Keter of circles with the ten Sefirot of Hochma of circles. And likewise, from Hochma to Bina, and so on.
The meaning is: the line, which is a straight illumination, is like one who breaks through the roofs of the circles and passes through the circles, going down and extending until the end, that is, the middle point. However, certainly, this is not speaking of place and area; and to understand this you need to know that there is no revelation of light in the worlds, whether in the upper or in the lower ones, that is not extended from Ein Sof, which is above restriction, and it must necessarily unfold and pass through all those degrees and worlds found between that world in which the recipient of the said revelation of light is found and Ein Sof, which is above restriction.
And you already know that there is no absence in the spiritual, and accordingly it is not at all possible to say that this revelation, that is, the renewed light unfolding through the degrees, is absent from the first degree at the time of its coming to the second, and absent from the second at the time of its coming to the third, in the manner of a physical object passing from place to place, since this is not at all conceivable in the spiritual, for absence does not apply to it. Rather, it necessarily remains in every single degree in its way of passing through the degree, and the matter of its coming to the second degree is like one who lights a candle from a candle, where the first is not diminished at all. In such a way that the revelation of light, coming to some degree in the world of Assiya, was already merited by all the degrees beforehand, in the worlds between Ein Sof, which is above restriction, and the recipient found in the world of Assiya.
Accordingly, it follows that the illumination of the straight line must pass through the vessels of the circles, since the aspect of the vessels of circles preceded the line, the vessels of circles having come out immediately with the restriction, while the vessels of straightness came out afterward with the line. Hence this illumination, passing between them, never departs from there, as it says, that there is no absence in the spiritual.
You further need to know that regarding the matter of the unfolding of the light from place to place mentioned, there are two aspects of remaining in the places of transmission: one aspect is “permanent remaining,” meaning that it mixes and joins with the light already found in the degree and they become united as one, as though they had always been one thing. And there is a second aspect, which is only “transient remaining,” meaning that it does not mix and unite with the aspect of the light of the place into one thing, but rather remains there distinguished as an aspect unto itself. This is what the Rav tells us: that this light of the line, passing through the degrees of the circles, is not of the aspect of “permanent remaining,” but only of the aspect of “transient remaining,” to teach that it does not mix with the light of the circles into one aspect, but rather remains there distinguished in its own aspect. This is what the Rav is precise about in the word “passes,” understand this.
And the reason for this is that the light in the line precedes the light in the circles, since the circles receive their lights only from the light of the line, and hence the light of the line is far more important than the light of the circles, and therefore it does not mix with the light of the circles, as above. And the light of the line is called the light of Ruach, and the light of the circles is called the light of Nefesh.
Every expansion of the upper light to the emanated being is called descent, meaning that as it expands, it becomes coarser. And you already know that the purest is called above, and the coarsest is called below, and since the light becomes coarser in the way of its expansion, it therefore goes and descends from above downward.
The reason for this coarsening, which the light receives because of its expansion, is that it expands in the order of the four phases, beginning from phase one until it comes to and meets the screen found in phase four, and thus it goes and becomes coarser, since phase one is the purest of all, and after it phase two, and so on until phase four, the coarsest of all (see Part 1, Chapter 1, item 50, beginning with “And the reason”).
Straight illumination is expressed by the language “extended,” and the illumination of circles by the language “circled” (item 90 above).
That is, phase four of the circles, called the middle point. It is what is called the material sphere of this world. And the aspect of the Atzilut of the world of Adam Kadmon at first extended down to this world; but after the second restriction was made, called the world of Nekudim, then the end of the Atzilut of Adam Kadmon rose to the aspect of the point of the World to Come, whose place is regarded as above the world of Beria, as will be explained in its place, God willing.

Item 7

You will understand the reason for this matter of the inclusion of the Sefirot mentioned, according to the known rule, that there is no absence in the spiritual, and every light passing from place to place acquires its place eternally, in all those aspects through which it passed, as written above, item 4, beginning with “The meaning,” see there. And since every lower Sefira is emanated from an upper Sefira by way of cause and consequence, the lower one is therefore regarded as passing through the upper one.
Hence it is necessary that all the Sefirot be included one within another, since, for example, when the first two Sefirot, Keter and Hochma, go out, the light of Hochma must go out from Ein Sof, from which everything is extended, and afterward the light of Hochma must pass through the Sefira of Keter before its coming to the Sefira of Hochma, since the Sefira of Keter caused its going out. And since the Sefira of Hochma passed there, it acquired its place there, and now there are two Sefirot in Keter, which are Keter and Hochma. And likewise, after all ten Sefirot of the upper light went out from above downward until Malchut, all nine Sefirot below Keter had to pass through Keter, since it was the first cause for the going out of them all, and thus they all acquired their place there, since there is no absence in the spiritual, as above, and thus all nine lower Sefirot necessarily exist also in Keter itself, since they passed through there, as explained.
And in this way, there are necessarily nine Sefirot in Hochma, since the eight Sefirot below it had to pass through it, as above regarding Keter. And likewise eight Sefirot in Bina, for the reason stated. And likewise seven Sefirot in Hesed, and so on, and one in Malchut, it being the lowest.
And it is known that Malchut raises ten Sefirot of reflected light from her upward, which clothe the ten Sefirot of the upper light, called the ten Sefirot of direct light. And this reflected light is called the light of Malchut, since she has no other light. And this reflected light is called, in all places, the ten Sefirot that ascend from below upward (see Answers to Topics, Part 2, Chapter 6, item 66), and it is explained there that Malchut is called Keter for those ten Sefirot, since she is the cause of their going out. And the one adjacent to her is called Hochma, and the third degree from her is called Bina, and so on. And it turns out here that the purer something is, the smaller it is, until the true Keter receives from this reflected light only the aspect of Malchut, see there.
Hence you will understand that these ten Sefirot that go from below upward are all found in Malchut, since they all pass through Malchut, Malchut being their root, and hence they all acquired their place in Malchut, and it thus follows that Malchut too is composed of ten Sefirot. And through Yesod pass the nine Sefirot of reflected light, hence there are ten Sefirot in Yesod: one Sefira of the upper light, which is from above downward, and nine Sefirot of reflected light, which are from below upward, that must pass through its place. And likewise, ten Sefirot in Hod: two Sefirot from above downward, namely the light of Hod and the light of Yesod passing through it, and eight Sefirot from below upward. And likewise, ten Sefirot in Netzah: three from above downward, and seven from below upward, and so on in this way. In such a way that, after the going out of the ten Sefirot of the upper light and the ten Sefirot of reflected light, each and every one necessarily became composed of ten complete Sefirot. And likewise in the details of details, without end, so that this whole way of inclusion mentioned is necessarily found. And we shall not elaborate further here; see in Inner Observation, where we have expanded on this with a broad explanation.
That is, every upper one surrounds the one below it from all its sides equally, without distinction of degrees (see item 14 above).

Item 8

You already know regarding the matter of “near” that there is no meaning here of place, heaven forbid, but rather the meaning is a nearness of form. You also know that from Ein Sof to the middle point there are four phases of a change of form, which are the ten Sefirot of the circles, where the middle point is phase four, the coarsest of all. And the first circle, called Keter, is the aspect of the resting of the root of these four phases, as above. And it is understood of itself that the circle of Keter, being the purest of all the circles, has a form that is closer to Ein Sof than all of them. And phase one, a little coarser than it, is farther from Ein Sof than Keter. And phase two, coarser still, is farther from Ein Sof than phase one, until the middle point, the coarsest of all, is regarded as being farther from Ein Sof than all of them.
And one should not object to this from what is written above (Part 1, Chapter 1, item 100), that there is no aspect of above and below in the circles. Because the intention here is that after the circles received into themselves the illumination of the line, then the aspect of above and below, and all the qualities prevailing in the line, were made in them.

Não associado a um item

32The Keter in a world or in a Sefira is regarded by the name “roof” of that world or that Sefira, and the Malchut in every world and Sefira is regarded by the name “ground” in that world or that Sefira. And behold, the upper circle is the Sefira of Keter, and the roof of this Keter is the Keter in the ten Sefirot of this Keter.
33The garments of the Mochin are called by the name Tzelem [image], from the word Tzel [shadow]. And the illumination of straightness that is included of the first three Sefirot is called by the name “Adam,” because it receives GAR in the garments of Tzelem. This is a lengthy matter, and this is not its place.
34The Rosh [head] of every Sefira and Partzuf is the first three Sefirot: Keter, Hochma, Bina. And the seven lower Sefirot — Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod, Malchut — that are in every Sefira and Partzuf are regarded as the aspect of the Guf [body] of that Sefira and Partzuf. And when they are in order, that is, the lights of GAR in the vessels of GAR and the lights of ZAT in the vessels of ZAT, then the Partzuf is regarded as “possessing an upright stature.” But if the lights of the Guf are found in the vessels of GAR, and not the lights that belong to them, then that Partzuf is regarded as having no upright stature, since the aspect of the Rosh is not more important than the aspect of the Guf, seeing that even in the Rosh only the aspects of the lights of the Guf serve. And this is called the bowing of the head, for the Rosh is with the Guf in one degree.
35This means that there are 248 discernments of Hesed in the upper Partzuf, from which the 248 organs in the lower ones are drawn, as detailed (in the Mishnah, Ohalot). This is not the place to elaborate, and it will be explained in its place.
36There is no essence in all the worlds, neither in the upper worlds nor in this world, in which the above ten Sefirot are not discerned, which are the four known phases and their root. And this is what he says, that in the lower man of this world, too, there are likewise five phases, etc.
37The vessels in the ten Sefirot are called Keter, Hochma, Bina, ZA, Malchut. And the lights in them are called Yechida, Haya, Neshama, Ruach, Nefesh (as written in Devarim Rabbah, Chapter 2, 26), for the light of Yechida clothes in the vessel of Keter, the light of Haya clothes in the vessel of Hochma, the light of Neshama in the vessel of Bina, the light of Ruach in the vessel of Zeir Anpin, and the light of Nefesh in the vessel of Malchut.
38You already know that the discernment of the degrees is according to the refinement and the coarseness in them, and that every “higher” means the measure that is more refined than its counterpart.
39The lights are Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, Yechida, and the vessels are KHB ZON, as above.
40The matter of division in spirituality is by reason of the disparity of form that was renewed there (as above, Part 1, Chapter 1, item 30, the passage beginning “However”). And every one that is above its counterpart means that it is more refined than its counterpart, and every one that is below its counterpart means that it is more coarse than its counterpart. For through this disparity of form of coarseness it parted and emerged from its counterpart and became lower than it. And it is known that the lights are bestowed from every upper one to the one below it, and for this reason the lower one is compelled to receive the abundance in the highest and most refined phase in it, while the upper one gives it the abundance only from the lowest and most coarse phase that is in it. In this way the form of the light that comes from the upper one equalizes with the form of the vessel that is in the lower one, for the most coarse and gross phase in the upper one has equivalence with the finer and more refined phase in the lower one. It follows that the lower one cannot receive all the light that belongs to it to receive, but only a very small part, that is, only as much as the most refined vessel in it can receive; and the rest of the phases in it, which are not so refined, must remain without the light that belongs to them, because of their disparity of form toward the upper one that bestows upon them.
Therefore it is discerned here that the light belonging to the lower one divides into two phases. The first is the small measure of the light that it receives from the upper one inside the highest vessel in it, as above, and this light that it receives is called the “inner light” of the lower one. The second is the entire measure of light belonging to the phases that remained in the lower one and could not receive from the upper one because of their disparity of form, as above; and this whole measure is regarded as having remained in the upper one and not descended to the lower one, and it is called “surrounding light.” It is called so because it surrounds the lower one, that is to say, it shines upon it from afar, even though it is not clothed in it, but is a distant and scant illumination. And this matter of a distant illumination is capable of refining the aspects of coarseness in the lower one, until the forms of all the phases in the lower one equalize with the form of the upper one, and then it will be able to receive all the light that belongs to it. And this is called the entrance of the surrounding lights, that is, that the surrounding lights entered and clothed in the vessels of the lower one, which had been refined and all became the aspect of inner light.
41That is to say, since the lights divided into inner light and surrounding light, as above, there are consequently two kinds of reception in the vessel, which are reception inside the vessel and reception from the externality of the vessel (see the Table of Answers, Part 1, item 102). The inner light is received within the innermost part of the vessel, and the surrounding light, which refines it of its coarseness (as above in the adjacent passage), is regarded as being received through the externality of the vessel, that is, without any clothing in the vessel.
And the matter of the division into externality and internality that is said of the vessel is according to the discernment of the refinement and the coarseness in the vessel, for only the coarseness in it is fit for the reception of the inner light, since the principal vessel of reception of the emanated being is phase four. However, the first three phases are not fit for reception; rather, they are what cause phase four to be revealed. And therefore every vessel is regarded in itself as four phases in the vessel, in which the light is received principally in phase four in it, and it is therefore called the internality of the vessel and its innermost part, where the abundance dwells.
And the three phases, which only cause the revelation of phase four in the vessel and are themselves not capable of reception, are considered as surrounding phase four from its externality. This is similar to the thickness of the wall of a corporeal vessel, which holds four shells surrounding one another, where everything received in the vessel is in the internality in it, that is, in the inner shell, and the other three shells in the thickness of the wall only strengthen the inner shell, so that it will have the strength to bear what fills it. And in this same way one should understand here in spirituality, that the principal phase that holds the abundance within it is phase four in the vessel, and the first three phases are the causes that reveal phase four in all its strength, until it becomes fit to hold the abundance; but they themselves are not capable of receiving the inner light.
Therefore they are called the externality of the vessel, being outside the aspect of the reception of the inner light: phase three is externality to phase four, and phase two is externality to phase three, and phase one is externality to them all and surrounds them all. And above them all there is an external phase without any coarseness whatsoever, which is the aspect of the root of all four phases in the vessel. And know that this completely refined phase is the vessel of reception for the surrounding light, for by reason of the wondrous refinement in it, it can receive the illumination of the surrounding light, even though it is from afar.
And thus the matter of the division of the vessel has been explained, that the internality in it means the more coarse phase in the vessel, that is, phase four in the vessel, and it is what receives the inner light; and the externality in it means the more refined phase in the vessel, that is, the aspect of the root of the vessel, as above, and it is what receives the surrounding light from afar. And one should not object that phase four is not fit for reception by force of the restriction and the screen, for we are dealing here only with the aspect of the reflected light that rises from within phase four (and see the Inner Observation).
42All the Sefirot that are able only to receive lights and have no ability to bestow upon others — the light in them is called by the name light of Nefesh. And it has already been explained that all the light in the circles must be received from the light of the line (as above, Part 2, Chapter 1, item 30). The reason is that it is impossible for the upper light to connect with the vessels except by means of a coupling with the screen that raises reflected light, for this reflected light connects the light with the vessels, as above (Part 2, Chapter 2, item 20). Therefore, in the vessels in which there is no such screen, the upper light does not connect with them, such that they might bestow upon others from above downward, and they are fit only to receive light from the preceding degree, from below upward, for the need of their own vitality alone; and this light is called the light of Nefesh, as above. And therefore, since there is no screen in the vessels of the circles, as above, the upper light does not connect with them themselves, but they must receive the light from the line, and this too only in the measure of their own vitality, and not in order to bestow, as explained. And therefore the light in the circles is called the light of Nefesh, as explained.
43The ten Sefirot of Ruach are aspects of bestowal, and therefore the light of Ruach is called by the name male light, that is to say, that it bestows. But the ten Sefirot of Nefesh are called by the name female light, that is to say, that it receives and cannot bestow. And therefore the ten Sefirot of the light of the line are called by the name ten Sefirot of Ruach, to indicate that they are the aspect of male and bestowing light. And the reason has already been explained above, in the adjacent passage; see there. And therefore Ruach is higher than the degree of Nefesh, since it is what bestows upon Nefesh.
44That is to say, that the five degrees KHB ZON are not drawn in straightness, the meaning of which is one below the other, that is, from the refined to the coarse (Part 2, Chapter 1, item 5), but rather the five degrees are equal to one another, and not one of them is below its counterpart, that is, coarser than its counterpart. Yet certainly there is between them, at the very least, the discernment of cause and consequence, for they emerge one from the other and are drawn one from the other: Hochma emerged from Keter, and Bina from Hochma, and ZA from Bina, and Malchut from Zeir Anpin (as above in the Inner Light, Part 1, Chapter 1, item 50, the passage beginning “Now”). However, this discernment of cause and consequence that is spoken of is defined by the aspect of their being found this inside that, in which every cause brings about its consequence, for Hochma is brought about by Keter, and Bina is brought about by Hochma, and so forth — in such a way that “this inside that” means that this is brought about by that, as explained. But there is no discernment of higher and lower between them at all (as above, Part 1, Chapter 1, item 100).
45For the light is impressed by the vessel clothed in it, such that even when it leaves there for another vessel, it does not change the ways that it had in the previous vessel. And therefore, since while the light was in the line of straightness it was drawn and descended, this one below that one, that is, that it went on thickening in the order of the degrees by reason of the screen found there, as above (Part 2, Chapter 1, item 6) — therefore, even after it left there and came to the ten Sefirot of the circles, in which there is no screen, and necessarily becomes circular in them, even so it does not change its ways in its expansion from degree to degree. This means, for example, that when the light of the line comes to the Sefira of Keter, it becomes circular there, that is to say, it receives the form of that vessel, in which there is no discernment of higher and lower. However, when the light expands from the circle of Keter to the circle of Hochma, it does not become circular (see the Table of Answers, Part 1, item 3), but is drawn in straightness, that is, with a discernment of higher and lower. And it follows from this that the Sefira of the circle of Hochma is below the circle of Keter and coarser than Keter, for their form is not equal. And in this same way, when the light comes from Hochma to Bina, it is drawn to it in straightness, and Bina is discerned as below Hochma, that is, coarser than Hochma; and so with all the Sefirot. In such a way that although the ten Sefirot of the circles are equal in form, without a discernment of higher and lower on the part of the vessels, as above, nevertheless there is in them a discernment of higher and lower on the part of “their having in them all the aspects of the reception of the abundance that are in the ten Sefirot in the line of straightness.”
46This means that after the four worlds ABYA were corrected, every Sefira became a complete Partzuf, with Rosh [head], Toch and Sof [end]. And because of this they received other names. The Partzuf that was made from Keter is called by the name Arich Anpin; the Partzuf that was made from Hochma is called by the name Abba; the Partzuf that was made from Bina is called by the name Ima; the Partzuf that was made from the six Sefirot HGT NHY is called by the name Zeir Anpin; and the Partzuf that was made from Malchut is called by the name Nukva. And the meaning of these names will be explained in their place.
47This means, for you already know that by reason of the light of the ten Sefirot of the line that is received in the circles, all the aspects of straightness are necessarily impressed in the circles as well (as above, item 50, the passage beginning “There is”). And behold, this aspect that is in the line, which is called a screen, whose reflected light is found to connect the upper light with the vessels (as above, Part 2, Chapter 1, item 20) — behold, this screen too is impressed in the circles, but without the coarseness in it. For coarseness cannot rise from a lower degree to one higher than it, not in the least; for it is called higher precisely because it does not have coarseness as the lower one does; and understand this. Rather, only the aspect of the opening that this screen reveals in the lower one, that is, in the ten Sefirot of straightness — that alone is what rises from the screen of the line of straightness and is impressed in the circles. And this opening from the screen is called by the name “window,” after the manner of the window fitted in a room in order to bring the light into that room; so this screen, by its property, reveals the reflected light so as to connect the light to the emanated being. In such a way that if the screen were to vanish from there, the light would depart from the emanated being and it would remain in darkness, after the manner of the blocking up of the window in a room. Therefore, when we come to name only the opening from the screen, and to exclude its coarseness, we define this by the name “window or aperture.”
48That is, that it was impressed likewise in the values of right and left that served in the ten Sefirot of straightness (see the Table of Answers, Part 1, 23).
49That is to say, that by reason of the aforementioned window there came to be there the discernment of the drawing and the descent of the light, that is, that it goes on thickening in the order of the degrees, in which the lower degree is coarser than the one preceding it. And this is what he says, “and from there Arich descends to the circle of Abba,” that is to say, that by reason of the window the light received an aspect of coarseness and an aspect of below at Abba of the circles, that is, Hochma, which was lowered in degree and is now not equal to the Keter of the circles as it was before they received the light of straightness through the window. And likewise Bina is below Hochma.
50He informs us that the matter of this window came about in the Sefirot together with the descent of the light to it from the upper circle. That is to say, that this light then impresses in it the matter of the screen that is included in it, as above, and it is therefore regarded as though the light pierces it and makes a window in it.
51This matter has already been explained well above (Part 2, Chapter 1, item 4, the passage beginning “This means”).
52That is to say, that the light descends from circle to circle by way of drawing in straightness, in straight lines; but this is not considered an actual aspect of the correction of lines, which descend “from the screen” and in which there is male light, such that they could bestow upon others. Rather, these lines of the circles have no power of bestowal, because they descend in the aspect of “windows,” which suffice only for the reception of light for their own need alone, and not to bestow upon others. And this is the rule: whatever has no aspect of a screen in it has no male light in it, but female light, which is the light of Nefesh.
53One should not wonder at the name Adam that is used here, for it is as it is brought (in Midrash Rabbah, Bereshit 27): Rabbi Yudan said, Great is the power of the prophets, who liken the form to its Maker, as it is said, “And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai,” etc., and “upon the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man upon it from above”; end of quote. And the reason for this will be explained in its place.

Ainda não disponível em Português — exibindo: English