Part 16 · Chapter 147

The Ari's Text

However, the third coupling, which is face to face up to the chest, is made through our prayers and our deeds, from time to time, as is known. And it is not from the aspect of the coupling that existed at the creation of the world, and it does not enter into the count with the two other couplings.

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

1However, the third coupling, which is face to face up to the Chazeh etc. And it is not in the discernment of a coupling that existed at the creation of the world. For this coupling applies at the time when ZA lacks the Mochin of Haya, and has only the Mochin of Neshama alone, which, in relation to himself, do not suffice for him for GAR [first three] and for face to face, since he needs the illumination of Hochma, as above; and therefore discernments of couplings were corrected for him through the Partzufim [pl. of Partzuf] of Jacob and Leah, which are the discernment of the posteriors of AVI that fell to the place of ZON, for these Mochin of Neshama suffice for them to have Mochin of face to face; and they are regarded as being of short level, since there is a coupling face to face of Jacob and Leah from the Chazeh [chest] upward, and likewise there is a coupling face to face of Jacob and Rachel from the Chazeh downward, that is, only in the measure of half a Partzuf, as is known.
However, these couplings were corrected after the fall of the worlds through the sin of Adam HaRishon; but before the sin, that is, at the time of the creation of the worlds, there was no need at all for these couplings that come from the Mochin of Neshama of ZON. For although the worlds BYA and the soul of Adam HaRishon came out from the discernment of ZON back to back, indeed this was back to back of the Mochin of Haya. For ZA stood in the place of the upper Aba, which is Haya, and the Nukva clothed him there from the Chazeh downward, in the manner of YESHSUT who clothe the upper AVI, as above. Thus the matter of back to back of ZON was from the Mochin of Haya. And therefore when Adam HaRishon was born, he had only to draw face to face of the Mochin of Haya.
That is, to raise the Nukva too to the place of Aba, so that she would be at an equal level face to face with ZA. Thus he never had any time at which he would have a reason to draw the small couplings of Jacob and Leah that are from the Chazeh downward of ZON, or of Jacob and Rachel, for they are the discernment of Mochin of Neshama, whereas immediately at the time of his birth he was higher than they. And this is what he says, that at the time of the creation of the worlds there applied only the two high couplings, which are: either back to back of the Mochin of Haya, which was with the creation of the worlds and of Adam HaRishon, or the coupling face to face of Haya and Yechida, which Adam HaRishon afterward drew through his prayer, which is in the second discernment and in the third discernment. But these small couplings were not needed then.