Part 15 · Chapter 40

The Ari's Text

It is found that ZA has a first Hod and a last Hod, and the first Hod was afterward made in him into Gevurot. And it is known that Bina in ZA expands until his Hod. And indeed, before the First Temple, Bina was in him until the first Hod, which was afterward the aspect of Gevura. It is found that the expansion of Bina within ZA was only in the five [Sefirot], which are KHB and HG. And Keter is not counted, because Keter and Daat are all one, as is known.

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

1A first Hod and a last Hod, and the first Hod was afterward made into Gevurot in him etc.; before the First Temple, Bina was in him until the first Hod. And even though in the Mochin of YESHSUT, which are called the illumination of the first five to the Chazeh [chest] and below, there was necessarily there the matter of the ascent of HGT to HBD and of NHY to HGT, and Bina expanded in him and brought out new NHY for him — for otherwise there is not even the matter there of the bending of the Rosh [head] of ZA down to the place of NHY, since HGT are not reckoned a Rosh unless they become HBD, as is known — if so, how does the ARI say that before the First Temple Bina was in him only until the first Hod, when there too she brought out new NHY for him? And the matter is that these Mochin of YESHSUT are not reckoned as Mochin at all for the sake of ZA himself, but only for the sake of Jacob and Rachel alone, as above at length; and with respect to ZA they are reckoned only as the discernment of VAK of Gadlut. And it was explained above (page 1202, item 197) that these Mochin clothe only in the HBD HGT of ZA, that is, in the HGT that became HBD and in the NHY that became HGT, but the new NHY that came through these Mochin remained entirely empty of light. And so he wrote in Shaar HaKavanot, in the evening service of Shabbat. See there. Thus these Mochin of YESHSUT that illuminated before the First Temple did not reach the last Hod, namely the Hod of the new NHY, but ended in the first Hod, which has now become Gevura for the sake of Jacob, who is the one that receives these Mochin. And it therefore turns out that Bina expands in ZA only five Sefirot, which are HBD HG, with respect to Jacob, and NHY remained empty of light. And indeed they are reckoned only HGT NH with respect to ZA himself, for with respect to ZA they are only the discernment of VAK of Gadlut, which are HGT NHY of Gadlut. And understand this well. And as for why he does not count six Sefirot — for they also expanded into the upper third of Tifferet, and if so there are six Sefirot, HBD HGT, up to the Chazeh — this will be explained below, in what immediately follows. And remember, and do not become confused in this, for sometimes he calls them HBD HGT and sometimes he calls them HGT NHY, since the one is with respect to Jacob and the other with respect to ZA, as above.