Part 5 · Chapter 12

The Ari's Text

Yet, the descent of the root of Hochma below, in the place of the root Bina, etc., is for several reasons: The first is that when she is near the root of Keter, she cannot shine, and her light is canceled in the light that is extended from Keter. Also, she must draw nearer down so that the Nukva in Keter may receive from him first. This causes the closeness of the root to her one degree more than the closeness of the male in Keter to his root. In addition, we have explained that the roots never cease giving below since the lower ones want to receive. Hence, the root of Keter does not stop bestowing downward the whole time ZON are outside of their vessel. This is why Hochma cannot bestow. Hence, when Hochma departs and descends below, to the place of Bina, her place will remain vacant. At that time, while the abundance flows from the root of Keter fills that vacant space, Hochma bestows downward. It follows that then, even if Keter bestows, he does not cancel the illumination of Hochma.

Inner Light

This commentary hasn't been matched to individual seifim yet — items are shown in reading order, and the number beside each one counts the notes themselves, not the seifim of the Ari's text.

Not matched to a seif

1She is near the Shoresh Keter she cannot shine below and her Ohr is annulled in the Ohr that extends from Keter. It means that if the degrees had not descended but the Ohr Keter would be in Kli de Keter and the Ohr Hochma in Kli Hochma etc. then the Ohr Hochma would not have been able to pour to the Guf. This is so because it is then annulled in the Ohr Keter, as all the lower Sefirot are annulled and become indistinguishable compared to the highest Sefira in the degree.For that reason, though each degree contains Eser Sefirot, it is named only after the highest among them. Hence, it is impossible for the Zivug to be made only on Behina Gimel for then the degrees come down and the Ohr Hochma comes to Kli de Keter. In that state the Ohr Hochma will be the highest Sefira and its He’arah will be distinguishable.
2ZON are outside their Kli. It follows, that reason Hochma cannot bestow. This means that as long as they are the Rosh, they are there without a Kli. Hence, as long as the degrees are in their place and the Ohr Keter Elyon is in its own Kli, its He’arah always reaches the ZON and they cannot receive from another Ohr that is smaller than that. Thus, the descent of the degrees is required, that Ohr Keter will not shine in its Kli, but Ohr Hochma.
3Thus, when Hochma departs and descends below to the place of Bina, her place will remain vacant. Interpretation: When the degree of Hochma descends to the degree of Bina, the degree of Hochma is found to be vacant and there is no other place for Ohr Hochma to clothe if not Kli de Keter, as its own Kli serves the Ohr Bina.
4While the Shefa pours from the Shoresh of Keter fills that vacant Halal, Hochma pours below. It follows, that while an Ohr that extends from the Kli fulfills it from the missing degree of Hochma, meaning that Ohr Hochma itself clothes there, the degree of Hochma gives below and is not annulled in the Ohr Keter. This is because now it is the highest Sefira in the Rosh and no degree is higher.