Part 13 · Chapter 71

The Ari's Text

*The third correction is the membrane of the air, that was clarified and sealed. For it was clarified so that the light of the air within the skull could pass through this membrane, to shine in the concealed brain; but nevertheless it is sealed, for the light was diminished, and that brain is able to receive it, unlike if it had been open. And within this membrane the Tifferet of Atik clothes, for the covering membrane is similar to the firmament, which is Tifferet.

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 third correction is the membrane of the air, which was refined and sealed; for it was refined so that the light of the air within Galgalta could pass, to shine through this membrane in Mocha Stimaa; but nevertheless it is sealed: This has already been explained well above (page 1307, the passage beginning “Amnam” — study it there well; and page 1310, the passage beginning “Reisha”) — that it is the discernment of the power of the screen of Radla [the unknown head] itself, from the discernment of the Malchut sweetened with the quality of mercy, which is the discernment of the bottom Hey in the Nikvey Einayim, that brings the AHP of every degree outward. And since its rule is discernible only in the Guf [body], for in Radla itself it does not rule, since it is there from below upward, and likewise it does not rule over Galgalta, although Galgalta is already below this screen, because the rule of restriction cannot be revealed upon GAR of Bina, which is the discernment of Galgalta. Therefore it is regarded that the power of this screen settles beneath GAR of Bina and above ZAT of Bina, and on this account Galgalta, which is the vessel of Bina, was divided into upper waters and lower waters; for this screen, called the firmament, was spread beneath GAR of Bina, which do not suffer and are not blocked at all by the power of the screen, since in any case they do not receive Hochma, and therefore they are called upper waters, and the discernment of the upper Yod that is in Aleph. However, this firmament rules over ZAT of Bina, for they need the illumination of Hochma, being the roots of ZA, as is known; and this firmament, which is the screen and the membrane, blocks them from the illumination of Hochma, and shines only the discernment of covered Hassadim in blockage by the power of the screen, and they are found to suffer judgment and restriction by its power; therefore they are regarded as lower waters, and the discernment of the lower Yod of Aleph.
And this is what it says: “It was refined so that the light of the air within Galgalta could pass, to shine through this membrane” — meaning that the discernment of the covered Hassadim in Galgalta are able to pass to Mocha Stimaa through this membrane, for the screen restricts only the light of Hochma alone; and since the covered Hassadim in Galgalta are the discernment of the upper waters, as above, namely the light of Neshama, they refine the membrane very greatly. But nevertheless it blocks the lower waters, meaning that the power of judgment is felt in it, since the Hassadim come from beneath the firmament, because they specifically need the illumination of Hochma, and it holds this back. And you need to remember, in all these matters, that the whole difference between ZA of direct light and Bina of direct light is only in the illumination of Hochma; and when ZA lacks the illumination of Hochma, it is regarded that he has not yet gone out and been emanated from Bina, as explained well above in the previous parts. And this is the secret of the blockage of the screen, which is discernible only in the lower waters, which are ZA and ZAT of Bina, who are the roots of ZON, whose very essence is the illumination of Hochma. Therefore they suffer greatly from this screen of the membrane of the air that blocks this. And by this the continuation of the ARI’s words is also explained.