Part 12 · Chapter 139

The Ari's Text

*Know that the beginning of every coupling — whether of Aba with Ima, or of ZA with his Nukva — requires that first there be made in them the aspect of a vessel in the first intercourse, in the secret of what is said: "A woman does not make a covenant except with the one who made her a vessel." And afterwards they couple a second time, to conceive and to procreate. And behold, the coupling that is done at night is not for the sake of conception and procreation, but only to make her a vessel. And by day, it is for actual conception and procreation.

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

1 A vessel in the first intercourse, in the secret of what is said: “A woman does not make a covenant except with the one who made her a vessel,” and afterwards they couple: This vessel is the matter of the return of the missing AHP to the Nukva, which reaches her through the illumination of the coupling of AVI, which brings the bottom Hey down from the Einayim to the Peh [mouth], so that AHP return and are joined in the Partzuf, as explained well above in Part 10. However, the Nukva receives nothing except through ZA her husband; therefore ZA receives the illumination first, and he gives it by way of coupling to the Nukva, as explained above (page 787, the passage beginning “Dalet”). Therefore the giving of this illumination, which completes the ten Sefirot of the Nukva, is always called by the name first intercourse, since it is the first completion of the Nukva, for before this she is not fit for any coupling or MAN, being lacking in her posterior vessels, which are AHP, as above. See there. And therefore, this first intercourse is not reckoned as a coupling at all, but only as a preparation for the coupling. And this is what he says: “and afterwards they couple.”