Part 1 · Chapter 1

The Ari's Text

In this chapter

Before restriction: the simple light

Before anything was emanated or created, a single simple light filled all of existence with no empty place at all — called the light without end (Or Ein Sof).

The restriction and the central point

When the desire to create arose, the light restricted itself toward a single central point and withdrew to the sides around it — the first act of tzimtzum.

Know that before the emanated beings were emanated and the created beings created1, an upper, simple light2 had filled all of reality3. There was no vacant place4, such as empty air5 and space6, but everything was filled with that simple light of Ein Sof [infinity]7. It did not have a quality of Rosh, or Sof8, but rather everything was one, simple light9, completely even10, and it is called the “light of Ein Sof20.”
When it arose in His simple will30 to create the worlds and emanate the emanated beings to bring the perfection of His deeds, His names, and appellations to light, which was the reason for the creation of the worlds.
Then Ein Sof restricted Himself40 in the middle point in Him50, in the very middle, restricted that light, and moved away60 to the sides around the middle point70.
Then there remained a vacant place80, air, and an empty space, from the very middle point. And that restriction was even around that middle, empty point90, in a way that the place of that space was round on all its sides, completely even100. It was not in a shape of a square, with a perpendicular angle, for Ein Sof, too, had restricted Himself like a circle, even on all sides.
The reason was that since the light of Ein Sof was completely even, it had to restrict itself evenly on all sides, and not restrict itself on one side more than on the others. It is known in the wisdom of geometry that there is none so even an image as the image of the circle200. However, this is not the case with the image of the square300, with the bulging perpendicular angle, the image of the triangle400, and likewise all the other images. For this reason, the restriction of Ein Sof had to be in the form of a circle.

Inner Light

Seif 1

Before the emanated beings were emanated and the created beings created: The matter of spiritual time is thoroughly explained in Inner Observation Chapter 9, item 33.
Upper, simple light‎: It refers to the light that expands from the Creator Himself. Know that all the names and appellations that appear in the wisdom of Kabbalah, are not at all in the Creator Himself, but only in the light that expands from His self. However, we cannot utter even a single word regarding His self, for the rule is that anything that we do not attain, we do not know by name. Remember that and you will not fail.
Filled all of reality:‎ This is seemingly perplexing, for it speaks of the time before the worlds were created. Thus, what reality is there here, that the upper light should fill? The thing is that all the worlds and all the souls that exist and that are destined to be created, with all that will befall them until the end of their correction, are all included in Ein Sof in their glory and their full measure, in a way that we should discern two rudiments in the reality before us: The first rudiment: They are fixed and exist in Ein Sof in their full completeness and glory. The second rudiment: How they are arranged and cascade, and are innovated before us after the first restriction in the five worlds called Adam Kadmon, Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya, as will be written below. The ARI writes that the upper light that is extended from His self “had filled all of reality,” meaning the entire reality in the first rudiment, relating to their existence in Ein Sof before the restriction. He tells us that the upper light had filled them entirely, until they had no vacant place left where completeness and correction could be added to them whatsoever.
No vacant place: It means that before the worlds were created, when there was only Ein Sof, there was no “vacant place,” meaning a place of deficiency that would be suitable to undergo corrections since the upper light had filled that place, leaving no room for the lower ones to distinguish themselves and to add anything to His completeness. Rather, because of the restriction that was made, as it is written below, a new deficiency emerged, and a vacant place for corrections was made. However, do not be mistaken to think that the book speaks of a corporeal place.
Empty air and space: This does not refer to corporeal air whatsoever. Rather, there is a spiritual light that is called so. There are two phases of light in each complete Partzuf, which are called “light of Hochma,” and “light of Hassadim.” The light of Hochma is the self of the Partzuf, meaning the vitality in it. The light of Hassadim is only a light that clothes over the light of Hochma in the Partzuf, since the light of Hochma cannot clothe in the Partzuf if it is not first clothed in light of Hassadim. However, sometimes, when the Partzufim [pl. of Partzuf] are in Katnut [smallness/infancy], they do not have more than light of Hassadim. You should know, that that light of Hassadim is called “air” or “wind” [as well as “spirit”]. In itself, without the light of Hochma, it is called “empty air,” meaning devoid of light of Hochma. Then it waits for the light of Hochma to clothe within it and fill it. The ARI tells us that before the worlds were created, meaning in Ein Sof, there was no such empty air in reality at all, since there was no deficiency there at all.
Space: To understand that word, you must first know the essence of a spiritual vessel. Since the emanated being receives its vitality from the Emanator, it necessarily implies that it has a desire and yearning to receive its abundance from Him. Know that the measure of that desire and yearning is all the substance that is in the emanated being. Thus, everything that is in the emanated being except for that substance, is no longer attributed to his substance, but to his abundance, which he receives from the Emanator. Furthermore, that substance determines the Gadlut [greatness/adulthood] and the level of each emanated being, each Partzuf, and each Sefira, since the expansion of the upper light from the Emanator is certainly immeasurable, but it is only the emanated being that limits the abundance by itself, for it receives no less and no more than his measure of desire to receive. This is the criterion in spirituality, since there is no coercion there, and everything depends on the desire. For this reason, we call this will to receive, the “vessel of reception” of the emanated being. It is regarded as its substance, and the reason that it emerged from being the Emanator, to be called by the name “emanated being,” since it is defined by a substance that does not exist in the Emanator whatsoever, for there is absolutely no will to receive in the Emanator, as from whom would He receive? Now we will explain that there are four degrees in this substance, from Katnut to the Gadlut of reception. The fourth degree, being the Gadlut of reception, is complete only in Ein Sof, before the worlds were created. It is the only one on which the restriction was carried out, and we will clarify henceforth that it was emptied from all the abundance that she had from Ein Sof, and remained in a phase of “vacant space.” This is what the ARI means when he says that before the world was created, meaning in Ein Sof, there was no such phase of vacant space there.
Filled with that simple light of Ein Sof: This means that there is nothing to add to it through the work of the lower ones.
It did not have a quality of Rosh, or Sof: The terms Rosh and Sof will be explained below.
One, simple light: Without degrees of small and great, but rather everything is even, as is written below.
Completely even: Where there is no refinement and coarseness by which the degrees are set and discerned, since these discernments were established in the worlds, only with the innovation of the restriction, as will be explained below.
Light of Ein Sof: We should ask: Since we have no attainment in Ein Sof, how then do we know Him by name? After all, every name indicates attainment that we attain in Him, according to the definition and meaning of that name. We cannot excuse ourselves by saying that the name Ein Sof merely points to the negation of attainment, for then we should have called Him by the name “Unattainable.” The thing is that that name indicates the whole difference between Ein Sof and all the worlds below it. This is because the restriction that was done after Ein Sof, in every place where this force awakens, it restricts the light there, and by that, that illumination reaches its end. Hence, any end and conclusion in any illumination in any Partzuf come solely from the force of the restriction. Moreover, all the beings and their various fillings that exist in the worlds come about and are innovated because of that end and conclusion. Because the restriction does not apply to Ein Sof, there is no matter of end and conclusion there. This is why it is called Ein Sof, indicating that there is no end and conclusion there whatsoever. With that we can understand that this light is simple and completely even, for one depends on the other.

Seif 2

Arose in His simple will: We need not wonder how there is a desire in Ein Sof, who is higher than any notion, to the point of saying, “arose in His simple will.” You should understand this with what has been said above, that in every emanated being, there is necessarily a will to receive its abundance from the Emanator. However, in Ein Sof, it is a “simple will,” as in, “He and His name are one,” as is written in Pirkei de Rabbi Eliezer, Chapter One, as well as in the words of the ARI below, since the light in Ein Sof is called “He,” and the will to receive in Ein Sof is called “His name,” and the two of them are simple unity without any separation between them whatsoever. However, we should not liken the separation and unity discussed here to separation and unity in corporeal matters, which are distinguished by motion, by distance and nearness, since the spiritual essence does not take up any space. Yet, you should know that separation in spirituality occurs only by means of disparity of form. Thus, if one spiritual thing acquires an additional form that is unlike its present form, it stops being one and becomes two separate entities, whose distance from each other is according to the oppositeness that exists between those two forms. Just as corporeal entities separate and connect to one another through remoteness and proximity, so spiritual entities connect and separate according to their difference and equivalence of form. The disparity of form separates them from one another, and the equivalence of form attaches them together. Remember this, for it is the first key element in this wisdom. Now you will understand the meaning of the aforementioned words “He and His name are one,” and the simple unity we are so meticulous about in Ein Sof. Indeed, this unity is of the wonders of His almightiness. It was explained above, in “Inner Light” (Item 6), the difference between the Emanator and the emanated being that was caused by the form of the will to receive that exists in the emanated being and not in the Emanator. Because of that disparity of form, the emanated being became separated from the Emanator, and acquired its own separate name, meaning “emanated being,” and not “Emanator.” According to the above explanation, it is possible to be mistaken and think that light of Ein Sof, which is called “He,” is not entirely adhered to Ein Sof, which is called “His Name,” meaning the will to receive the light and the abundance, called “He.” This is because the upper light that is extended from His self, called “He,” His only attribute is to bestow, and He has none of the form of the will to receive. Conversely, Ein Sof, which is called “His Name,” which has a will to receive, is therefore different from the upper light, which has no will to receive whatsoever, as has been explained, and we know that disparity of form causes separation. Pirkei de Rabbi Eliezer and the ARI tell us that it is not so. Instead, He and His name are one, in simple unity, means that there is no difference between them whatsoever. Although there is necessarily a difference of form between “He” and “His Name,” it nevertheless does not operate there at all. Although we do not understand it, it is undoubtedly so. It is said about that, that there is no perception or thought in Ein Sof whatsoever, since this matter is above our mind (will be discussed further in the next item).

Seif 3

Ein Sof restricted Himself: You already know the meaning of He and His name are one, that although there is disparity of form with respect to the will to receive incorporated in Ein Sof, that still does not create any difference between it and the upper light. Rather, they are in simple unity. Still, that disparity of form has become the reason and the cause for the creation of the worlds, “to bring the perfection of His deeds, names and appellations to light,” as the ARI says here. The creation of the worlds and their cascading down to this world, created and innovated the possibility to give room for work in Torah and Mitzvot [commandments] not in order to receive, but only to bestow contentment upon the Maker. Then, the souls are able to invert the form of the will to receive in them, which separates them from the Emanator, into the form of the will to bestow, meaning to receive from the Emanator in order to bestow contentment upon Him, as this is what He wants, as I have written below in Item 90. This is the equivalence of form with the Emanator, called adhesion and unification. It is so because then they have already been stripped of the form of the will to receive, and acquired the form of the will to bestow, which is the form of the Emanator Himself. You already know that equivalence of form makes the spirituals into one. For this reason, at that time, the worlds return to their previous state. This is the meaning of the ARI’s words, “When it rose upon His simple will to create, etc.” “Rose” means that He ascended in refinement and adhesion by diminishing and restricting the measure of the will to receive imprinted in him in order to equalize his form with the upper light. The will to receive in Ein Sof, called Malchut of Ein Sof, or “His Name,” did not have any deficiency for adhesion with the upper light because of its disparity of form. However, it embellished itself in order to equalize its form with the upper light and depart from that great will to receive called “phase four” in it, so as to adhere more strongly to the upper light. This is because proximity of form makes adhesion, which is expressed in the word “rose,” meaning that Malchut of Ein Sof, being the simple will, rose and adhered to the upper light, meaning diminished her will to receive. This is the meaning of the words of the ARI, “Then Ein Sof restricted Himself.” It has already been explained (Item 6 above) that the entire measure of abundance and light, and the level of the emanated being are measured by the amount of the will to receive in it. Thus, after the above Malchut of Ein Sof restricted herself and diminished her will to receive, the light and the abundance departed due to the diminution of the desire. This is the meaning of the restriction, where the ascent of the desire caused the departure of the light and abundance from there.
In the middle point in Him, in the very middle‎: It is perplexing, for since there is neither Rosh nor Sof there, how is there a middle? Moreover, are we dealing with a corporeal matter here, which takes up space? The thing is that it has already been explained that there is necessarily a will to receive in Ein Sof, too. However, it is a simple desire, without a discernment of degrees of small and great, since the will to receive there is not regarded as disparity of form that makes any separation. Consequently, it is in no way inferior to the upper light. You should know that the upper light must expand through four degrees before it reveals that will to receive in the emanated being in its fullest and permanent measure. The reason for the necessity of the four degrees is that that will to receive is immediately incorporated in the expansion of light from the root, and by that it is discerned that the light has departed from the Emanator and acquired its own name, meaning expansion from the Emanator. As long as this disparity of form of the will to receive was not incorporated in it, it was still regarded as the Emanator and not as expansion that departed and went out from the Emanator, since a difference in spirituality is depicted only through disparity of form (see Item 6 and Inner Observation). However, as much as this desire became disclosed by the force of the emanated being, it still was not permanent in the emanated being, meaning that the emanated being must yearn to receive the abundance before it is considered that the will to receive was revealed by the force of the emanated being itself. This yearning can be only when it does not have the abundance, for only then is it possible to yearn for it, in a way that the will to receive will be revealed in it through its own strength. It is then that the vessels of reception are completed permanently. You should also know that any expansion of light from the Emanator must consist of a will to bestow, just as it consists of a will to receive. Otherwise, the Emanator and the emanated being would have been in oppositeness of form, which is complete separation, since the oppositeness of form would depart them from one another as the east is far from the west. Thus, each light that expands from the Emanator must consist of a will to bestow, as well, so that the emanated being will have closeness of form between the Emanator and the emanated being. When the will to bestow is revealed in the emanated being, a great light is extended to him from the Emanator, related to the awakening of that desire. This light is referred to as light of Hassadim in every place. However, the first expansion from the Emanator, in which the will to receive is incorporated, is always referred to as “light of Hochma,” or “light of the self.” You should remember these two kinds of lights very well. Know that the second light, which is light of Hassadim, is much lower than the first light, which is light of Hochma, since it is extended by the intensification and the awakening of the emanated being by his own force, it he wants to equalize its form with the Emanator, for which reason, it grows stronger and awakens toward the will to bestow. Conversely, the first expansion, which is light of Hochma, is extended directly from the Emanator, and the emanated being has no part in its extension. For this reason, it is much higher than it. For this reason, the light of Hochma is regarded as the emanated being’s self and vitality. The light of Hassadim is only regarded as light for corrections, for the completion of the emanated being. Now you will understand the four phases and degrees that must be in every emanated being. First, the light expands from the Emanator as light of Hochma, containing only the “will to receive.” This is phase one. Then, the will to bestow intensifies in that light, and it draws light of Hassadim. This intensification is regarded as phase two. Then this light of Hassadim makes a great expansion, whose meaning will be explained below, and this is phase three. After the above three phases fully emerge, the force of the will to receive incorporated in the first expansion reawakens and draws light of Hochma once more. This completes the permanent will to receive in the Partzuf, which is revealed as yearning, meaning when there was no light of Hochma in the Partzuf, but light of Hassadim, after phase three, when the emanated being could yearn for light of Hochma. It is this yearning that determines the will to receive in him, and completes his vessels of reception, which was not so in the first expansion. For this reason, the vessels of reception are completed only in this phase four, also called the “second intensification.” Once phase four was completed in Ein Sof, the restriction occurred in her, meaning the departure of the will to receive from phase four, causing the departure of the light of Ein Sof from there. Thus, the four phases that must exist in every emanated being have been explained, where phase one, called “first expansion,” or Hochma; phase two is called “first intensification,” or Bina; phase three is called “second expansion,” or Zeir Anpin; phase four is called “second intensification,” or Malchut. The two expansions are regarded as males, for they are abundance that is extended from the Emanator. The first expansion is abundance of light of Hochma, and the second expansion is abundance of light of Hassadim. The two intensifications are regarded as two females, for they are an awakening of the emanated being and the intensification of the desire by his own strength. The first intensification is the awakening in the emanated being for the will to bestow, which becomes the root for the light of Hassadim. The second intensification is the awakening of the emanated being for the will to receive, which becomes the vessel of reception in the Partzuf in all the desirable completeness. It is always referred to as phase four. That phase four is called the “middle point” in Ein Sof. It is that which the ARI refers to when he says, “restricted Himself in the middle point in Him.” It is called so since it is a vessel of reception for the light of Ein Sof, which is completely immeasurable and boundless. For this reason, its existence is like a point in the interior and the middle of that light, while the light surrounds it and adheres to it from all around immeasurably. Only thus can it sustain the upper light immeasurably and boundlessly. Conversely, in the vessels of reception after the restriction and below, meaning in the lower emanated beings, there are vessels of reception that hold their light within them, in their internality. It means that the walls of the vessels, which are the four phases in them, place a boundary and a measure on the light inside them due to the coarseness in the vessels. However, in Ein Sof, where light and vessel are in simple unity, meaning He and His name are one (see item 30), the vessel does not limit the light that it holds. Hence, the light in it is regarded as Ein Sof. Now we have thoroughly explained the matter of the middle point in Ein Sof, that it does not refer to a corporeal, tangible place and area, but rather phase four, which is incorporated in Ein Sof, is called so, to indicate its simple unity with the upper light. Also, the restriction in that middle point has already been explained above (see item 40).
Moved away: The term “spiritual distance” was explained in item 30, see there. It was also explained that in Ein Sof, there was no distance whatsoever between the middle point, which is the vessels, and the light. However, after it restricted the light from the middle point, by this, the disparity of form from the light was revealed, since the upper light has nothing of the will to receive, but the point is in a state of will to receive, which is different from the light. Because their form is different, they are as far from each other according to the measure of that difference. This is what the ARI meant by “moved away.”
The sides around the middle point: The above-mentioned four phases are also called “four sides.” The ARI tells us that although the restriction was only in the middle point, which is phase four, the light nonetheless departed from all four phases, since there is no matter of “only some” in spirituality. For this reason, it departed from the three phases, too.

Seif 4

A vacant place, air, and an empty space‎: Has already been explained in Items 4 and 5.
That restriction was even: Meaning without discernment of degrees of great and small. We could ask, that since the disparity of form in the middle point had already been revealed by the departure of the light from it, consequently, the smaller measures were necessarily recognized, as well, one smaller than the other. To the extent of the disparity of form within the prior three degrees, where phase three, for example, is more refined than the middle point because the measure of her will to receive is less than in phase four. Similarly, phase two is more refined than phase three because her measure of desire is smaller than phase three, and phase one is the most refined of all, for she has the least will to receive, which is why her disparity of form is not as evident as in them. Thus, there is a differentiation of great and small in the degrees. Hence, why does the ARI say that the restriction was even around that point? The answer is that the restriction did not make the middle point into a Sof [end/conclusion]. In other words, if the light had departed from the point because of the disparity of form in it, it would certainly become a Sof because of it, meaning the lowest degree, of which there is none that are lower. Then we would also regard the three preceding phases as more important than the middle point, as one above the other. However, it was not so, for the restriction did not occur due to the disparity of form in the point. This cannot be, for we are still dealing with Malchut of Ein Sof, in which there is no disparity of form between it and the light, as they are both in simple unity, meaning He and His name are one. Rather, the restriction occurred only because His simple desire was to create the worlds, etc. (see item 40). This means that He yearned for that equivalence of form which is destined to be revealed by the creation of the worlds, meaning the form of reception in order to bestow contentment to the Maker. There is a great virtue in that: On the one hand, it is complete bestowal, because the desire is only to bestow contentment upon the Maker and not at all for one’s own needs. That makes the form completely equal to the upper light of the Emanator, and in complete adhesion with Him. On the other hand, it is possible to deepen and increase his vessels of reception indefinitely and eternally, since now the form of reception does not create any disparity of form, as it comes from the desire to bestow. Our sages have said that with an important person, if she gives the matrimony capital, and he says, “With this I thee sanctify,” then she is sanctified. It is written in the Torah “and gives it in her hand,” meaning it is the husband who must give the matrimony capital. Nevertheless, because he is an important person, the pleasure she receives from him is exactly the same as giving. Thus, reception in order to bestow is giving and not receiving. For this reason, an important person who receives money from her is similar to giving her money, and it is written in the Torah “and gives it in her hand,” because he receives only in order to bestow contentment to the woman, so she will become honored by his reception. We learn from the above that the primary reason for the restriction was the desire for the new form of reception in order to bestow that is destined to be revealed by the creation of the worlds (see item 40). However, it was not at all because of the coarseness that he felt in the middle point, for there were no coarseness and difference there at all. Hence, the middle point did not become a Sof because of the restriction. Thus, it is impossible to discern a small matter or a great matter. That is why the ARI writes that the restriction was “completely even.”
Round on all its sides, completely even: It means that there was some image that had to have been made because of the restriction, though the restriction was even (as thoroughly explained above), and not because of any disparity of form. However, after the restriction and departure of the light from that middle point, it became revealed that the upper light is unfit to adhere to it because of the form of Gadlut [greatness/adulthood] of reception in her. Because that was revealed, she fell from the degree she had had in Ein Sof, and is now regarded as Sof, meaning the lowest possible coarseness, for only that middle point remained a vacant space, unfit to clothe the light (see Item 6), and the three former phases in virtue and refinement were still fit to clothe the light, even after the restriction. And yet, we have explained above (previous item) that she did not become a Sof for the above reason. This is the meaning of the precision of the ARI when he says, “the place of that space was round on all its sides, completely even.” He wishes to say that it is not an actual Sof, but is like the Sof in a circular picture, whose Sof is in the middle. You can compare these four phases to four circles one within the other, like onionskins. The central circle is phase four, surrounded by phase three, surrounded by phase two, surrounded by phase one. In this way, no up or down, right or left are discerned among them. For example, phase one is above all of them in its one half, and below all of them in its other half, and so it is in all the phases. Thus, there is no up or down here, and likewise right or left. One has no merit whatsoever more than the other, and they are all completely even. It has already been explained (above item) that the reason for the restriction was not disparity of form. This is the meaning of the precision of the ARI, “round on all its sides, completely even.”

Seif 5

The image of the circle: Has already been explained in the previous item.
The image of the square, with the bulging perpendicular angle: If there had been a differentiation of up and down, right and left there, it would appear in the image of a square, which contains these four sides, being the four names of these four phases. However, it was not so, but rather in the form of a circle, which does not have these discernments.
The image of the triangle: Indicating a degree that has but three phases, lacking phase four, meaning three sides—up, right, and left—without the bottom side. This is called the “image of the triangle.”