This is the meaning of the continuation of the statement of the Sages: “When He saw that the world could not exist with the attribute of judgment alone, He preceded it with the attribute of mercy, partnering it with the attribute of judgment.” This means that He raised up Malkhut which is the attribute of judgment, of every level, to Bina which is the attribute of mercy, of the level. The Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna ascended to the Bina of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, as a result of which Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, fell to the level below Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, which is Ze’er Anpin and Nukba, and became attached to them.
As a consequence, when the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna reached a state of maturity, where the Malkhut reverted and descended from Bina of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna to its place, and the three vessels Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, returned to their place, to Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, as before, they also took with them the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba that was attached to them.
They raised them to the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, and the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba became like the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, meaning they became fit to receive the supernal light like Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna (as stated in section 21 above). Accordingly, Ze’er Anpin and Nukba receive the supernal light of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna and give to this world, and only now this world can exist.
However, without the combination of the attribute of judgment with the attribute of mercy – that is, if the Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna had not ascended to the Bina of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna – then the Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna would not have fallen to Ze’er Anpin and Nukba, and there would have been no possibility of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba ascending to Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna.
In that case, they would not have been able to receive the supernal light on behalf of the world, and the world could not exist. The ascent of Malkhut to Bina has now been explained.