Part 5 · Chapter 21

The Ari's Text

The thing is that in the beginning, the light expands inside the vessel of Keter, and then departs from it. After that, the light expands in the vessel of Hochma, and then departs once more. It does the same in all ten vessels, and this is called Matei and not Matei [expanding and not expanding] that is always mentioned in The Zohar. It is always in the nature of that light to come and shine, and then depart, as it is the nature of a candle’s flame to sway. Also, that light always remains Matei and not Matei in those vessels called Akudim. Because they are in one vessel, that vessel has no power to tolerate the light if it is not Matei and not Matei. Thus we have explained the four phases that are the first expansion and its departure, and the second expansion and its departure. We have also explained that the second expansion and departure are called Matei and not Matei. For this reason, that vessel is called Akudim, since it is one vessel that connects and ties ten lights within it.

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

1Because they are in one Kli, that Kli has no power to tolerate the Ohr. Until Olam ha Nekudim there is no more than one Kli in the entire Eser Sefirot. Even though we refer to the other Sefirot as Kelim, it is only in metaphor, to simplify matters, as the Rav has written above (Part 4, Chap 1).This is the reason for the Hizdakchut and the Histalkut Orot de Hitpashtut Aleph de Akudim as well as the Matei ve Lo Matei de Hitpashtut Bet de Akudim, as the Rav wrote above (Part 4, Chap 1 item 3). Since the ten inner Orot and the ten surrounding Orot are connected and tied to a single Kli etc. they beat on each other and strike one another.Hence the Aviut in the Masach is purified and the Orot depart. It is the same manner in all these ten exits and ten entrances that were here in Hitpashtut Bet. They are also for the reason that that the Ohr Makif and Ohr Pnimi that are connected together in their Shoresh in Malchut of the Rosh strike each other as they depart from there to the Guf.This is because the Masach prevents the Ohr Makif from expanding to its place in the Guf, meaning from Tabur down. For that reason it purifies the Masach and the Masach cannot tolerate and limit the Ohr Pnimi inside the Kelim and the Orot leave and return as we have written before (see Part 4, Chap 1, item7 Ohr Pnimi).