Part 15 · Chapter 2

The Ari's Text

And indeed, the growth of Malchut is only through the medium of ZA himself. For the upper Ima, when she grew him, gave him further a power of growth for Malchut. And afterwards this aspect of the growth of Malchut went out to the outside, through the medium of Tifferet; and then Malchut also grows to the limit of her growth, which is until she too is completed to her complete ten Sefirot.

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 growth of Malchut is only through the medium of ZA himself, for the upper Ima, when she grew him, gave in him further a power of growth for Malchut. One must recall here all that was explained above in Part 9, in the matter of the growing of the Nukva, and the first and second MAN [Mayin Nukvin], and the matter of the firstborn son who takes a double portion; for that whole part would have needed to be gone over and copied out at every single line here, were it possible. And behold, it was explained there (page 772, item 60) in the words of the ARI, that the beginning of the building of the Nukva begins after ZA has become entirely grown. See there. And as is written there in the Inner Light, that at the time when ZA raises his AHP through his inclusion in the coupling of AVI, which is called the second Ibur [impregnation], then the GE of the Nukva, who is attached to these AHP of ZA, also ascends — which is called the MAN of the Nukva — and they receive there a coupling together with the MAN of ZA, and there go out upon them, in the chamber of AVI, two levels of ten Sefirot: one, the level of the ten Sefirot that is upon the MAN of ZA, and two, the level of the ten Sefirot that is upon the MAN of the Nukva. However, the Nukva is not fit to receive her level from there, and she is obliged to receive from ZA after he is born and comes to his place; and therefore the MAN of the Nukva are not imprinted there in the discernment of Ibur for the need of the Nukva, and they are therefore called the first MAN. And this is for the reason that that coupling was for the sake of ZA alone, as is written there.
And therefore it is reckoned that the level of the Nukva which went out in the chamber of AVI at the time of the second Ibur of ZA comes to ZA in deposit; for afterwards, in his descent to his place, he bestows upon her, by way of the degree, all that level which went out upon her MAN while they were still in AVI. And this is the secret of “the firstborn takes a double portion”: for ZA and the Nukva, while they are there in the inclusion of the coupling of AVI, are reckoned as brothers, since they nurse from one root; but since the Nukva is not fit to receive her level, as above, ZA takes a double portion, namely his own level and the level of the Nukva.
And this is what he says, “the upper Ima, when she grew him, gave in him a power of growth for Malchut, and afterwards this discernment of the growth of Malchut went out to the outside through the medium of ZA, and then Malchut grows until she too is completed to ten Sefirot.” That is, as explained, that at the time of his second Ibur the MAN of Malchut too is attached to his AHP, and therefore he receives from Ima the two levels, his own level and the level of the Nukva, as above. Thus at the time when the upper Ima grew ZA, she gave in him the power of the growth of Malchut as well. And afterwards, when he goes out from the discernment of the Ibur and comes to his place, the discernment of the growth of the level of Malchut goes out to her through ZA her husband. And see above, page 825, answers 13 and 15; and page 832, answer 40.