It is known that the sefira of Ze’er Anpin, from its source in the ten sefirot of the direct light, is primarily the light of giving, only that the light of Ḥokhma illuminates its light of giving (as explained in Talmud Eser HaSefirot vol. 1, 1:50). Therefore, it is impossible, in all the seven lower sefirot, for Ḥokhma to illuminate without the light of giving, as the seven lower sefirot would then lack their main core and the necessary element for bearing the illumination of Ḥokhma, that is, the light of giving.
The light of giving is the main core of Ze’er Anpin of the ten sefirot of the direct light, which is the root of all seven lower sefirot that are incorporated in all the levels.55The structures of partzufim under discussion involve the dynamics of returning light interacting with direct supernal light. All forms of light are contained in sets of sefirot, the five sefirot (also referred to as “ten”) mentioned here.
The structures of the sefirot containing the direct light serve as templates for all structures of sefirot at every level of existence. Hence, the level of Ze'er Anpin, synonymous with the sefira of Tiferet, always must have the light of giving as its core, with an illumination of the light of Ḥokhma. From here the rule that Ḥokhma can illuminate only the light of the first three sefirot without the light of giving can be derived.
By contrast, in the seven lower sefirot, which are considered Ze’er Anpin in any of their contexts, Ḥokhma cannot illuminate without the light of giving, since the light of giving is the core of their essence. Consequently, if Ḥokhma lacks the light of giving in the seven lower sefirot, it is darkness and not light.