Part 12 · Chapter 175

The Ari's Text

And with this you will understand a true reason why the four couplings and the four drawings of the Shema are not equal, and everything depends on what was mentioned: for behold, according to the preparation that ZA has at the time he raises Mayin Nukvin in the word "Echad," so is the power in him to draw an upper or lower drawing. And also in this matter depends the entry of the Mochin of Gadlut into him afterwards — whether they all enter, or some of them. And also in this depends the difference in the excellence of the couplings, that this coupling is greater than that one. And all this is in the aforementioned beginning, for if the beginning is excellent at the time of the raising of Mayin Nukvin, so does he have the power to draw upper drawings from above; and it is found that everything depends on this matter.

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

1The four couplings and the four drawings of the Shema are not equal, and everything depends on what was mentioned: Meaning what was said above, that the intention in the word “Yisrael” of the Shema cannot draw an illumination of more than one degree beyond what he had before, and according to the preparation of drawing the illumination in the word “Yisrael,” the magnitude of the coupling and the raising of MAN [Mayin Nukvin] in the word “Echad” of the Shema depends and is measured. See there. And therefore in the Shema of the sacrifices, where he has beforehand only the inner ones of Ima of Katnut, namely the discernment of the two years of nursing, it follows that in the intention of the word “Yisrael” he can only draw the encircling ones of Ima of Katnut, namely the second Ibur [impregnation], to make her a vessel, which is the discernment of the Gadlut of the five Gevurot of Ima. And therefore he cannot ascend to MAN for the second Ibur of birth, before he has received all the Mochin of Katnut, whose completion is the encircling ones of Aba. And therefore in the word “Echad” of the Shema he draws only VAK of Gadlut of Ima, and nothing more than this. And so it is also in the evening. But in the Shema of the morning, where before the Shema he already has the encircling ones of Ima and the inner ones of Aba, therefore in the word “Yisrael” of the Shema of Yotzer, he draws the encircling ones of Aba of Katnut, and then he has already received all three degrees of the second Ibur — the first one — which come in the seven years and the one day after the two years of nursing. And therefore in the word “Echad” of this Shema, he can ascend to MAN for the second Ibur of the Mochin of birth. In the time of the Shema he receives VAK of them, and in the blessings of the Patriarchs he receives GAR, as above.
And you need to know the difference between a drawing and a coupling. For in truth a drawing too means a coupling, since even the drawing of the Shema upon the bed, which is done in the word “Yisrael” of this Shema, its meaning is the first coming, in order to make her a vessel, as above (page 1173, item 140). So a drawing is also a complete coupling, but he calls all the couplings for the Mochin of Katnut by the name drawing, since they are the discernment of the correction of vessels, as is known. But for the couplings of Gadlut, he calls it a complete coupling, even for the VAK of Gadlut. And the reason for this is that all the Mochin of Katnut are considered only a preparation for the coupling of Gadlut, since he does not ascend to the second Ibur of the Mochin of Gadlut before he has all three degrees of the Katnut, as above, and therefore he calls them by the name drawing.
2And also in this matter depends the entry of the Mochin of Gadlut into him afterwards — whether they all enter, or some of them: As above, in the adjacent item: for in the Shema of Yotzer Or, where he already had the encircling ones of Ima of Katnut, and the inner ones of Aba of Katnut, it follows that in the drawing at the word “Yisrael,” the encircling ones of Aba of Katnut are drawn into him. And since all the Mochin of Katnut have already entered into him, therefore he ascends to MAN [Mayin Nukvin] at the word “Echad” for the Ibur [impregnation] of the Mochin of Gadlut. And although he now receives only VAK of the Mochin of Gadlut, nevertheless afterwards GAR of the Mochin of Gadlut also enter into him, in the blessing of the Patriarchs, as above, which are the completion of the Mochin of Gadlut. This is unlike the other three kinds of Shema, where he has not yet received all the Mochin of Katnut at the word “Yisrael,” therefore he is not fit to receive afterwards anything but some of the Mochin of Gadlut, namely VAK of Gadlut of Ima, and no more.