Introduction to Sulam Commentary Reader

The Ten Sefirot 1. First, one must know the names of the ten sefirot. They are KḤB, ḤGT, NHYM, which are acronyms for Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina; Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet; Netzaḥ, Hod, Yesod, and Malkhut. These constitute the ten coverings of God’s light, which were established so that the lower beings could receive His light.

This can be compared to the light of the sun, which can be viewed only through tinted lenses, which reduce its light and render it suitable for the eyes’ faculty of sight. Likewise, though on a vastly different plane, the lower beings would be unable to apprehend God’s light were it not covered by these ten coverings called the ten sefirot, for the lower the sefira, the more it obscures God’s light.1In this last point, the author of the Sulam is explaining why there are ten sefirot as opposed to only one.

One sefira would not be sufficient to obscure God’s light, so each additional covering provides greater cover, reducing God’s light to a level that is comprehensible to the lower, created beings. Each subsequent sefira in the list is considered “lower” than the preceding sefirot, reflecting a greater distance from the supernal light and an increased obscuring of the light.

2. These ten sefirot are the mystical meaning of the ten holy names in the Torah: The name Eheyeh represents the sefira of Keter; the name Yah is the sefira of Ḥokhma; the Tetragrammaton, the four-letter name of God, with the vowels of the name Elohim, is Bina; the name El is Ḥesed; the name Elohim is Gevura; the Tetragrammaton with the vowels sheva, ḥolam, and kamatz2The Tetragrammaton is a word that is not pronounced as it is lettered. Accordingly, the particular pronunciation of the written Tetragrammaton will depend on the assigned vowels, and this varies depending on the Oral Tradition of the Torah's vowels. is Tiferet; the name Tzeva’ot is Netzaḥ and Hod; the name Shaddai is Yesod; and the name Adonai is Malkhut (as stated in the Zohar, Vayikra 157–163, 166–177).

3. Even though we count ten sefirot, they constitute no more than five levels, which are called Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut. The characteristics of the sefirot are fully explained in Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala (Introduction to the Wisdom of the Kabbala), from the beginning until section 7. It is advisable to see the detailed discussion there. Consequently, there is no need to repeat that lengthy exposition here, even though that work contains the foundation of the wisdom of Kabbala and so is worthy of study.

The reason we count ten sefirot is that the sefira of Tiferet encompasses six sefirot, which are Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod. Accordingly, they amount to ten. The underlying reasoning for this structure is discussed in the Introduction to the Zohar, in the Marot HaSulam commentary (p. 5). These five levels, Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, can be discerned in every emanated being and each creation.

This parallelism applies to the totality of all the worlds, which are five worlds known as Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man), Atzilut (Emanation), Beria (Creation), Yetzira (Formation), and Asiya (Actualization), and which correspond to the five levels of Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut. The parallelism applies equally to the smallest entity in existence, in which we can discern that its head is Keter, from its head to the chest is Ḥokhma, from the chest to the navel is Bina, and from the navel and below is Tiferet and Malkhut.3Here, the author of the Sulam references the notion that every entity in existence has an underlying structure formed of the sefirot.

The sefirot are the foundation for a more complex structure called a partzuf, which is described as having a head and body parts that correspond to different sefirot. The topic of the five worlds is explained in Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala (see sections 6–10).

Why Tiferet Encompasses Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod 4. When the five levels – Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut – emerged into existence, they incorporated one another, such that each of them, individually, was comprised of Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut. However, within the sefira of Tiferet, the structures of the sefirot descended from the level of the first three.4Each of the five sefirot are individually composed of all (the same) five sefirot.

The point here is that the five sefirot that make up the sefira of Tiferet are lower than the sefirot making up the previous sefirot of Keter, Ḥokhma, and Bina (called “the first three”). The reason for this lower state is that the sefira of Tiferet primarily shines the light of giving (ḥassadim), while the previous, higher three levels shine the light of Ḥokhma (wisdom). As a result, the five sefirot that make up Tiferet are given different names, indicating their lower position.

The author expands this point in the following lines. Consequently, within the sefira of Tiferet, the names Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, which are incorporated in each of the five levels, have been changed to Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, and Hod, and the sefira of Tiferet contains an additional sefira called Yesod, which incorporates them all. Therefore, when we say that Tiferet encompasses six sefirot, this is not due to the elevated status of Tiferet over the first three sefirot of Keter, Ḥokhma, and Bina.

Rather, it is due to the deficiency of Tiferet with respect to the light of the first three that the five levels within Tiferet – Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut – received other names, which are Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, and Hod.

Thus, in the sefira of Tiferet, Ḥesed is Keter, Gevura is Ḥokhma, Tiferet is Bina, Netzaḥ is Tiferet, and Hod is Malkhut. They are joined by the sefira of Yesod, which is not another level in addition to the five levels, but rather it is simply an encompassing level, since it incorporates within it all five sefirot of Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, and Hod. These six sefirot are invariably identified by the acronym VAK, which is an acronym for vav ketzavot, or six extremities, which are these six sefirot of Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod.5The six extremities refer to the six directional edges or limits of every physical being: above, below, right, left, front, and back.

These six extremities correspond to the six sefirot that represent the body of a partzuf: Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod. Since this descent of the five levels to Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ and Hod occurs only in the partzuf of Ze’er Anpin, we attribute these five changed levels only to Ze’er Anpin.6As the author of the Sulam will explain in the following sections, the sefirot are the foundation for spiritual structures called partzufim.

There are five partzufim types, and each corresponds to one of the five levels discussed here. The level of Tiferet corresponds to the partzuf called Ze’er Anpin, which is the reason the author of the Sulam writes here that the lower forms of the five sefirot making up Tiferet are associated with this partzuf.

Light and Vessel 5. It is impossible for light to exist in all the worlds without a vessel. The concept of a spiritual vessel is explained in Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala, sections 3 and 4. Initially, there was only one vessel in the ten sefirot, which was Malkhut.

When we say that there are five levels, namely, Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, all these are all only parts of Malkhut, which is called the fourth level. In other words, these sefirot are defined according to their position in the process of the completion of the vessel, which is the Malkhut that is called the fourth level (as explained in Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala, section 5). However, after the first constriction (tzimtzum), a partition was placed upon the vessel of Malkhut, blocking the supernal light from being enclothed in it.

Therefore, when the supernal light reaches the partition, the partition collides with the light and rebuffs it. This collision is referred to as the fusion through collision of the supernal light against the partition upon the vessel of Malkhut. The light that is rebuffed backward is called the “ten sefirot of the returning light,” since the light that is rebuffed ascends from below to above and enclothes the ten sefirot that are in the supernal light, known as the “ten sefirot of the direct light.”

New vessels are formed from this returning light to enclothe the supernal light, replacing Malkhut, which was constricted so that it could not receive light. The content of those new vessels, which are called the “ten sefirot of the returning light,” is explained in Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala sections 14–26.

Head, Interior, End; Mouth, Navel, Endpoint of the Legs of the partzuf 6. On account of the new vessels formed from the returning light, we can discern three aspects in each partzuf. These are called head, interior, and end. The end of section 5 above explained that the resistive force of the partition preventing the arrival of the light in the vessel of Malkhut led to a fusion through collision with the light against the partition.

As a result, the ten sefirot of the returning light emerged and enclothed the ten sefirot of the direct light that is the supernal light.7“Direct light” and “supernal light” refer to the same divine light. The discussion here is analogous to a discussion of water, and the molecules of H2O that are “within” the water. Those molecules actually are the water, but sometimes we speak of water in its unity (calling it, simply, “water”), while at other times, we speak of water in terms of its more granular structure.

When the author of the Sulam seeks to emphasize the unity of the divine light, he refers to it as “supernal light.” Yet, there is a structure of sefirot vessels undergirding that supernal light. When describing this more discrete perspective of the divine light, the author of the Sulam uses the term “direct light.” These ten sefirot of the returning light and the direct light are called the “ten sefirot of the head.”

However, these ten sefirot of the returning light, which emerge from the partition and rise upward and which enclothe the ten sefirot of the direct light, are not yet genuine vessels, because the term “vessel” is indicative of opacity, namely, the force of judgment that the partition contains, which prevents the enclothing of the light in Malkhut. There is a principle that the force of judgment is active only from the place where the judgment is located and below it, not from the place where the judgment is located and above it.8The force of judgment in a level derives from the particular amount of will to receive found within that level.

This will to receive cannot operate above its own level. In kabbalistic thought, “lower level“ denotes an increase in limitations and finitude, as the concepts of barriers and containment are increasingly manifested. These concepts are expressive of the force of judgment, as judgment is the dynamic of delineation, selectivity, standards, and evaluations. Accordingly, the “amount” of judgment that exists in a particular level derives from the “amount” of the will to receive that is unique to that level.

As a result, the force of judgment in a level cannot operate above that level, since the will to receive of the level is unique to the level and would be reduced in the higher level above. Since the ten sefirot of the returning light emerged from the partition and rose upward, as stated above, the force of judgment is therefore not discernible in the returning light, and the returning light is not fit to be a genuine vessel.9As the author of the Sulam explains, in order to be a true vessel, opacity is required.

Thus, the returning light cannot serve as a true vessel, since it is “above” the partition. However, the returning light and its vessels serve as roots, theoretical forms of the fully formed vessels that manifest below the partition as the body. As the author of the Sulam elucidates, the theoretical vessel structure above the partition is called the head. Consequently, the ten sefirot of the returning light are called head, which means the root of the vessels but not actual vessels.

In addition, the Malkhut upon which the partition was placed for the fusion through collision is called mouth. This alludes to the fact that just as in a corporeal mouth the letters emerge by means of a fusion through collision of the five kinds of utterances of the mouth, so too there is a fusion through collision in the spiritual mouth through which the ten sefirot of the returning light emerge, which are the aforementioned five levels, Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut.10Here, the author of the Sulam employs an analogy to explain why the Malkhut of the head of the partzuf is called the mouth.

The mouth of the body operates to convey the intangible world of a person’s thoughts into the more tangible form of audible words. Words are compiled out of combinations of letters, which serve as “vessels” to carry our thoughts into the world, where they can be received by others. Letters serve as containers, which are inherently limiting, hence why we often misunderstand each other in verbal communication.

Additionally, the formation of letters with our mouths involves the shaping of the sounds emanating from our throats through the impacting of the different parts of the mouth with each other. This is the meaning of the “fusion through collision” that we have in our mouths, analogous to the fusion through collision in the mouth of the partzuf. The fusion through collision in the mouth of the partzuf gives rise to the fully formed vessels of the body of the partzuf, which can then contain the supernal light.

It is this containment that allows the supernal light to be experienced by finite beings like us, just like the containment power of letters allows our own inner worlds to be experienced by those around us. These emerging sefirot of the returning light are the vessels of the ten sefirot of the direct light, and the vessels are therefore referred to as letters.11The five vessels of the sefirot are analogous to the five parts of the mouth used for verbal articulation.

They are the throat, palate, teeth, tongue, and lips. The flow of sound travels through these five “levels” and collides with them, forming the letters. This is the explanation of the ten sefirot of the head.

7. Therefore,12This point returns to the middle of the previous section, explaining the logic as to why the returning light was only able to serve as complete vessels for the direct light below the partition and not above it. the ten sefirot of the direct light and the ten sefirot of the returning light had to spread from the partition and downward. The reason is that it was at that point that the ten sefirot of the returning light became vessels that receive and enclothe the ten sefirot of the direct light. At this stage, the partition is already positioned above the ten sefirot of the returning light, and therefore its opacity controls the ten sefirot of the returning light, and it is through this positioning that they are formed into vessels.

These ten sefirot, which are formed into actual vessels, are termed “interior” and “body“, meaning that they are the inner part, the inside, and the exterior, the body, of the partzuf. The Malkhut of the interior is termed “navel,” as in the phrase “the navel [tabur] of the earth,”13See Ezekiel 38:12. which means the center, the middle. This indicates that the Malkhut of the interior is the central Malkhut, from which its returning light, the actualized vessels of the body, were made. It can further be stated that the word for navel, tabur, comes from the letters of tov or, “good light,” indicating that the light is “good” up to that point since it is enclothed in the vessels that are suitable for receiving it. This is the explanation of the ten sefirot of the interior until the navel.

8. There are two aspects of the Malkhut of the head:

1. The first is the terminating Malkhut, which refers to the partition preventing the supernal light from being enclothed in the vessel of Malkhut.

2. The second is the fusing Malkhut, for were it not for the fusion of the supernal light with the partition, in the mystical phenomenon of the fusion through collision, which gives rise to the returning light in order to enclothe the supernal light, the supernal light would not have receiving vessels and there would be no light within reality, for there is no light without vessels, as stated above.14See section 5.

In the Malkhut of the head these two aspects are present only in the form of two roots. The terminating Malkhut of the head is the root of the Malkhut of the body that ends the level, while the fusing Malkhut of the head is the root of the enclothing of the light in the vessels.15The partition that rests upon Malkhut has two functions. It prevents the supernal light from entering Malkhut, and also fuses with the supernal light to create the returning light.

These two features are called the terminating Malkhut and the fusing Malkhut, respectively. They appear in the head of the partzuf in a “root” (theoretical) form, but then manifest fully in the body of the partzuf. The fusing Malkhut aspect is expressed in the body as the area from the mouth of the partzuf until the navel, as there, the supernal light is enclothed (an expression of “fusion”) in the partzuf.

From the navel downward, the aspect of the terminating Malkhut is manifest. The terminating Malkhut, another set of ten sefirot, is the conclusion of the partzuf, marking the end of the level of existence represented by the particular partzuf. In this lower area, the supernal light is almost completely blocked out (an expression of “termination”). These two dynamics become manifest and occur in the body of the partzuf: From the mouth to the navel is where the force of the fusing Malkhut is apparent since the supernal light is enclothed in the vessels.

From the navel and downward, the force of the terminating Malkhut is apparent and produces the ten sefirot of the end of the partzuf, in which each sefira emerges only with the illumination of the returning light without the illumination of the supernal light. At the point of the sefira of Malkhut of these ten sefirot of the end, each partzuf is terminated because this Malkhut is the terminating Malkhut that does not receive anything, and therefore the spreading supernal light that is within the partzuf is arrested there from continuing to lower levels.16The sefirot of the bottom part of the partzuf contain the aspect of the terminating Malkhut, and thus block the supernal light from entering the bottom area.

The last sefira of the set of ten sefirot comprising this area is that of Malkhut. This Malkhut can be thought of as the embodiment of the terminating Malkhut (as explained in Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala, section 50), and therefore, at that point in the structure, the partzuf is “terminated,” and ends. We call this “the Malkhut of the end of the legs,”17This refers to the end of the lower “extremities” of the partzuf, the bottom edge of its conceptual structure. which cuts the light and arrests the partzuf from continuing.

These ten sefirot of the end, which spread from the navel and downward, to the end of the legs, are called “ten sefirot of the end” because they are all parts of the Malkhut of the end and the conclusion. However, when we say that these sefirot contain only returning light, this does not mean that they contain none of the direct light. Rather, it means that they also contain a small illumination from the direct light, but this is considered six extremities without a head.18The concept of the six extremities refers to a level characterized by the lower partzuf of Ze’er Anpin.

As is explained here, this type of level is primarily illuminated with the light of giving (ḥassadim), and only slightly illuminated by the direct light, the light of Ḥokhma. It is thus described as being “six extremities without a head,” like a body that lacks a mind to animate it. The number six refers to the six lower sefirot of the level of Tiferet mentioned in section 4 above. In contrast, the levels characterized by higher partzufim are primarily illuminated by the direct light, the light of Ḥokhma.

These levels are called the “first three,” referring to the first three sefirot of Keter, Ḥokhma and Bina, and the partzufim that are associated with them. See Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala, sections 50–53.

Chest 9. Up to this point, we have discussed the partzufim of Adam Kadmon. However, in the partzufim of the world of Atzilut, a new end point is added to the ten sefirot of the interior: the Malkhut of the interior, which is called “navel,” rises to Bina of the ten sefirot of the interior, where it forms an endpoint for the ten sefirot of the level of the interior.19Here, the author of the Sulam introduces the concept of the second constriction, which applies only from the level of the world of Nekudim and the partzuf of Atzilut which derives from it, and downward.

In this process, the sefira of Malkhut that was positioned at the navel, the bottom of the interior aspect of the partzuf, is repositioned to the chest of the partzuf, the place of the sefira of Bina. This changes the format of the partzuf such that the interior area now ends at the point of the chest (just as Malkhut of the navel marked the end of the interior before the repositioning). Additionally, the area below the chest now becomes part of the lower area of the partzuf that was below the navel.

The chest thus acts as a new separation, a new endpoint, wherein only two sefirot of the interior, Keter and Ḥokhma, and half of the sefira of Bina, remain above the chest, in the interior. The remaining sefirot of the interior “fall” below the separation, into the area of the end of the partzuf, with the six extremities. This second constriction is integral to the purpose of Creation, as the author of the Sulam will explain. This endpoint is called “chest.”

A diaphragm is thus inserted there. In other words, the new end point that was formed on account of the ascension of Malkhut to Bina, in the place called the chest, is called “diaphragm” based on the mystical meaning of the firmament that separates between the upper waters, which are Keter and Ḥokhma, which remained within the level of the interior, and Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, which were ejected from the level of the ten sefirot of the interior and became the level of the ten sefirot of the end.20The author of the Sulam explains here that the Torah alludes to this separating diaphragm in Genesis 1:7.

The repositioning of Malkhut from the navel at the bottom of the interior to the level of Bina at the chest, effectively “partnering” Malkhut with Bina, causes the levels of Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut to be separated from Keter and Ḥokhma. Keter and Ḥokhma are the “waters” that lie above the firmament, and Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut are the “waters” below. Because of this diaphragm, the ten sefirot of the interior were divided into two levels: The area from the mouth to the chest is considered the ten sefirot of the interior, Atzilut, and the first three sefirot of the body; from the chest and downward, to the navel is considered the ten sefirot of the end, the level of Beria, and the six extremities without a head, like the ten sefirot of the end.

With regard to the ascent of Malkhut to Bina, and the new endpoint that occurs in the middle of every level, see sections 15 and 16 below.

The Inverse Relationship between Vessels and Lights 10. There is a consistent inverse relationship between the lights and the vessels. In the case of the vessels, it is the higher vessels that develop first in the partzuf. First Keter enters the partzuf, then Ḥokhma, then Bina, then Tiferet, and then Malkhut. This is why we list the vessels in the order of Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, that is, from highest to lowest, since that is the order of their entrance into the partzuf.

The reverse is the case with regard to the lights since the order of the lights is that the lower ones enter the partzuf first. Initially the light of nefesh enters the partzuf, then the light of ruaḥ, then the light of neshama, then the light of ḥaya, and then the light of yeḥida. Thus, the light of nefesh enters first, which is the light of the vessel of Malkhut, the smallest of all the lights, and at the end, the light of yeḥida enters the partzuf, which is the largest of all the lights. Consequently, we list the lights in the order of nefesh, ruaḥ, neshama, ḥaya, and yeḥida, that is, from lowest to highest, since that is the order of their entrance into the partzuf.

11. Accordingly, when there is only one vessel in the partzuf, which is necessarily the highest vessel, Keter, which is the vessel that develops first, then the largest light, the one that is linked to Keter, the light of yeḥida, will not enter the partzuf. Rather, the smallest light, which is the light of nefesh, will enter the partzuf and will be enclothed in the vessel of Keter.

When two vessels have developed in the partzuf, which are the two largest ones, that is, Keter and Ḥokhma, the light of ruaḥ also enters the partzuf and the light of nefesh then descends from the vessel of Keter to the vessel of Ḥokhma, and the light of ruaḥ is enclothed in the vessel of Keter.

In this manner, when a third vessel has developed in the partzuf, which is the vessel of Bina, the light of neshama enters the partzuf, and then the light of nefesh descends from the vessel of Ḥokhma to the vessel of Bina, the light of ruaḥ leaves the vessel of Keter and enters the vessel of Ḥokhma, and the light of neshama is then enclothed in the vessel of Keter.

When a fourth vessel has developed in the partzuf, which is the vessel of Tiferet, the light of ḥaya enters the partzuf, and then the light of nefesh descends from the vessel of Bina to the vessel of Tiferet, the light of ruaḥ descends to the vessel of Bina, the light of neshama descends to the vessel of Ḥokhma, and the light of ḥaya is enclothed in the vessel of Keter.

When a fifth vessel has developed in the partzuf, which is the vessel of Malkhut, all the lights enter the vessels to which they are related. The light of yeḥida is drawn into the partzuf, and the light of nefesh descends from the vessel of Tiferet to the vessel of Malkhut, the light of ruaḥ descends from the vessel of Bina and enters the vessel of Tiferet, the light of neshama descends from the vessel of Ḥokhma and enters the vessel of Bina, the light of ḥaya descends from the vessel of Keter and enters the vessel of Ḥokhma, and the light of yeḥida enters and is enclothed in the vessel of Keter.

12. You thus find that as long as all five vessels – Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut – have not developed in the partzuf, the lights are not in their appropriate places. What is more, they maintain an inverse relationship, for if the vessel of Malkhut, the smallest vessel, is absent in the partzuf, the largest light, yeḥida, is missing. If the two lowest vessels, Tiferet and Malkhut, are absent, the two highest lights, yeḥida and ḥaya, will be missing.

If the three lowest vessels, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, are absent, the three highest lights, yeḥida, ḥaya, and neshama, will be missing, and so on in this manner. As long as all five vessels – Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut – have not developed in the partzuf, there will be an inverse relationship between the vessels and the lights: If one light and one vessel are lacking, then with regard to the lights, the largest light, which is the light of yeḥida, will be missing, while the reverse is the case for the vessels. The smallest vessel will be missing, which is the vessel of Malkhut, in the manner described above.

13. With this in mind, you will understand what we are saying: that through the ascent of Malkhut to Bina, the level ends under Ḥokhma, and for this reason only two sefirot remain in the level, Keter and Ḥokhma, while Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut are negated and descend from the level (as will be explained below in section 17).21Every level is built out the five sefirot of Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut.

After the second constriction, the Malkhut, which is the end of a given level, moved up and connected to Bina, moving the “end” of that level upward under Ḥokhma, inside the Bina. This movement essentially ejects the lower vessels Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of a given level from that level, “negating” them from their previous placement. Because of this change, from the moment of the second constriction, every level is left with two vessels of Keter and Ḥokhma, and two lights of nefesh and ruaḥ.

Now this applies only from the perspective of the vessels, but from the perspective of the lights the reverse is the case. The lights of nefesh and ruaḥ remain in the level, while the lights of neshama, ḥaya, and yeḥida are negated from the level.

14. With this in mind, you will understand how the Zohar will sometimes state that with the ascent of Malkhut to Bina the five letters of the name Elohim (alef-lamed-heh-yod-mem) were divided in such a manner that the two letters mem and yod remained in the level, while the three letters alef, lamed, and heh left and were negated from the level (as explained in the Introduction to the Zohar, p. 20, in the Sulam, s.v. “tziyer”).22The “ascent of Malkhut to Bina“ refers to the second constriction mentioned previously, in which Malkhut ascends from the end of a given level up to the level of Bina, connecting with Bina and creating a new endpoint in the level.

On other occasions, the Zohar will say the converse, that with the ascent of Malkhut to Bina the five letters of the name Elohim were divided in such a manner that the two letters alef and lamed remained in the level, while the three letters heh, mem, and yod were negated and descended from the level (as explained in the Zohar, Bereshit 1:59).

The idea that the Zohar is conveying is that the five letters of Elohim represent the mystical meaning of the five vessels, Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, and the five lights, nefesh, ruaḥ, neshama, ḥaya, and yeḥida. With the ascent of Malkhut to Bina, from the perspective of the vessels Keter and Ḥokhma remained in the level, which correspond to the two letters alef and lamed, while the three letters heh, yod, and mem descended from the level. Conversely, from the perspective of the lights, the two final letters, mem and yod, which allude to the two lowest lights, nefesh and ruaḥ, are the ones that remained in the level, whereas the three initial letters, alef, lamed, and heh, which allude to yeḥida, ḥaya, and neshama, are the ones that left and were negated from the level.

Accordingly, in the Zohar’s introduction, the Zohar is speaking of the five lights, nefesh, ruaḥ, neshama, ḥaya, and yeḥida, which are hinted at by the five letters of Elohim. It therefore states that mem and yod remained and alef, lamed, and heh left the level. On the other hand, in Bereshit, volume 1, the Zohar is discussing the five vessels, Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, which are also alluded to by the five letters of Elohim. Consequently, it states the converse, that alef and lamed remained in the level, while the three letters heh, yod, and mem left the level. These observations must be kept in mind, and one must consider on each occasion whether the reference is to the lights or the vessels, and this will resolve many apparent contradictions.

The Ascent of Malkhut to Bina 15. It is important to fully understand the concept of the tempering of Malkhut in Bina, which is the root of the whole wisdom of Kabbala.23The wisdom of the Kabbala describes the formation and governing of the higher and lower worlds. The ascent of Malkhut to Bina is a fundamental conceptual component of this process. This ascent acts as the driver of these formations, the myriad structures that comprise the worlds of Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira and Asiya and their contents.

Malkhut is the mystical meaning of the attribute of judgment through which the world cannot exist.24After the first constriction, Malkhut, which is the will to receive, was unable to directly receive the supernal light. As a result, Malkhut operates as a force that limits the light and imposes darkness upon the vessels. This limiting dynamic is the “attribute of judgement” discussed here. In contrast, Bina represents the “will to bestow,” which is not affected by the first constriction and is not a force that limits the supernal light.

The limiting force of Malkhut is described in Kabbala as a harsh force, blocking out the supernal light. As a result, the ascent of Malkhut to Bina is meant to temper that harshness by mixing together the limiting force of Malkhut with the bestowing dynamic of Bina. Therefore, the Creator raised Malkhut to the sefira of Bina, which is the attribute of mercy. The Sages alluded to this idea: “Initially it was God’s intent to create the world through the attribute of judgment,” that is, through Malkhut alone, which is the attribute of judgment.

“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” (Bereshit Rabba, end of 12). Through the ascent of Malkhut to Bina, Malkhut receives the form of Bina, which is the attribute of mercy, and then Malkhut directs the world through the attribute of mercy.

This ascent of Malkhut to Bina occurs in each and every level, from the beginning of the world of Atzilut until the end of the world of Asiya. There is no level that does not contain ten sefirot: Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, Yesod, and Malkhut. The Malkhut that is in every level ascended to Bina in that level and was tempered there.

The Division of Each Level into Two Halves 16. It is known that Malkhut arrests the light of each sefira and every level. In other words, Malkhut arrests the light in the level from spreading into Malkhut itself. This arresting force derives from the force of the constriction that was placed on Malkhut, so that it cannot receive the supernal light. Therefore, the light of the level is drawn forth only up until Malkhut. When the light reaches the partition that is upon Malkhut it is arrested, at which point a fusion through collision occurs with the light on the partition that is on Malkhut (as explained in Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala, section 14).

Consequently, since the Malkhut of the level ascended to the Bina in that same level, the Malkhut arrested the light in the place to which it ascended, that is, in the middle of Bina.25This ascent of Malkhut to Bina is referred to as the second constriction, and is referred to in Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala, sections 57 – 58. The half of Bina, and Tiferet and Malkhut, which are situated under the terminating Malkhut, which is now situated in Bina, left their original level and became a separate, second level under Malkhut.

Thus, on account of the ascent of Malkhut to Bina, each level has been divided in half, so that Keter, Ḥokhma, and half of Bina, which are above Malkhut, remained in the level, while half of Bina, Tiferet (which contains Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod), and Malkhut left the level and became the level below it. This blockage performed by Malkhut in the middle of Bina is called a diaphragm. Keep this in mind.

17. Each level is meant to contain five lights, which are called yeḥida, ḥaya, neshama, ruaḥ, and nefesh. These are enclothed in five vessels called Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet (which contains Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod), and Malkhut. Since, on account of the ascent of the Malkhut to Bina, only two whole vessels are left in the level, Keter and Ḥokhma, while three vessels, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, are missing from it, only two of the lights remain, nefesh and ruaḥ, which are enclothed in the two vessels of Keter and Ḥokhma, while the three lights of neshama, ḥaya, and yeḥida are missing from it, since they have no vessels in which they may be enclothed.

It turns out that the level is lacking the lights of the first three sefirot, since on account of the ascent of Malkhut to Bina the level is cleaved into two halves: Half of it remains in the level, namely the vessels Keter and Ḥokhma and the lights ruaḥ and nefesh, while half of it left the level, specifically the vessels Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut and the lights neshama, ḥaya, and yeḥida.

Therefore, this ascent of Malkhut to Bina is alluded to through the mystical meaning of the yod that enters the or, light (spelled alef-vav-resh) of the level, so that or becomes avir, air (spelled alef-vav-yod-resh). Due to the ascent of the Malkhut to Bina, the level lost the light of its first three sefirot and remained at the height of ruaḥ and nefesh, which is called air (as explained in Zohar, Bereshit 1:32, and in the Sulam there, s.v. “beka”).

This concept is also hinted at in the five letters of the name Elohim (alef-lamed-heh-yod-mem), which can be divided into two halves: mi eleh (mem-yod, and alef-lamed-heh), so that the two letters of mem and yod allude to the two lights of ruaḥ and nefesh, which are enclothed in the two vessels, Keter and Ḥokhma, that remained in the level, while the three letters of alef, lamed, and heh allude to the three vessels that left the level, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, as stated in section 14 above.

The Descent of Malkhut from Bina to Its Place 18. However, through the ascent of the feminine waters, which stem from the Torah and prayer of the lower creations, a supernal illumination is drawn forth from Ḥokhma and Bina of Adam Kadmon, which removes Malkhut from Bina in each level and lowers it to its place (as explained in Zohar, Vayak’hel 41, s.v. “vehe’arah“). The three vessels, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, had previously left the level due to the entry of the yod (which is Malkhut) into the or (light) of the level, which arrested the level under Ḥokhma, and the or, light, became avir, air; Now, once Malkhut has descended from there and the yod (Malkhut) has left avir, the vessels return to their levels, and once again there are five vessels in the level: Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut. Since there are five vessels, all five lights – yeḥida, ḥaya, neshama, ruaḥ, and nefesh – are enclothed in them once more, and the avir reverts to being or, as the height of the first three lights has returned to the level, and they are called or.

A Phase of Immaturity and a Phase of Maturity 19. It has thus been explained that due to the ascent of Malkhut to Bina, two phases take place in each level: a phase of immaturity and a phase of maturity. With the ascent of Malkhut to Bina, Malkhut arrests the level there under Ḥokhma, and the Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of the level leave the level and enter the level below. Therefore, only the vessels of Keter and Ḥokhma and the lights of ruaḥ and nefesh remain in the level, and the level is consequently lacking the first three lights. This is the phase of immaturity (as stated above in section 17).

After the lower creations raise the feminine waters and draw forth the illumination from Ḥokhma and Bina of Adam Kadmon, which removes Malkhut from Bina, the three vessels of Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, which fell to the level below, return and ascend from there to their level as before. Since the five vessels, Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, are in their level, the five lights, yeḥida, ḥaya, neshama, ruaḥ, and nefesh, become enclothed in them once more (as stated above in section 18). This is the phase of maturity of the level. (It would be informative to refer to the Introduction to the Zohar, page 20, in the Sulam, s.v. “tziyer” where this idea is explained).

It has thus been explained that due to the falling of Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut from their level to the level below, the level is in a state of immaturity, that is, lacking in the lights of the first three, and through the return of Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut to the level, the level is in a state of maturity, that is, with the filling of the first three vessels with their respective lights.

How the Lower Level Ascends to Its Upper Level 20. By means of this ascent of Malkhut to Bina, the connection and the possibility for the ascent of each lower level to the level above it has been prepared.26This section describes how a lower level can ascend to a higher level. In order for this ascent to take place, there must be an equating of form between the two levels (recall that in spiritual matters, an equating of form means connection and unification). Through the process of feminine waters which will be explained more extensively, the Malkhut leaves its position within Bina. This removal of Malkhut allows the displaced sefirot of Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut of the higher level (the ones displaced by the ascent of Malkhut to Bina) to return to their higher place (the state of maturity). The important point added in this section is that while these displaced sefirot were in the lower state, they united with the sefirot of that lower level. When they subsequently return to their higher state, they remain united with those sefirot of the lower level, and they pull those isefirot up with them. Thus, the ascent of feminine waters allows lower levels of existence to be elevated to higher levels. This elevated state further allows those lower levels to access amounts of supernal light and brains that would otherwise have been restricted to them in their lower state. For there is a rule that an upper level which descends to the lower level below becomes like it, and likewise a lower level that ascends to the upper level above becomes like it. Therefore, when the level is in a state of immaturity – that is, when the terminating Malkhut ascends to Bina, expelling Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut from that level to the level below it – those sefirot of Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut become one level with the level below it since the upper level that descends to the level below becomes like the lower level.

Consequently, when the level is in a state of maturity – that is, when Malkhut returns and leaves Bina and comes back to its place – and the Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut that fell from Bina return to their level – they also take with them the lower level where they were residing at the time of their fall. Since they became a single level with the lower level at the time of their fall, and they became attached to it as one, they therefore also take it with them upon their return to the higher level, raising the lower level to the higher level. In accordance with the rule that a lower level that ascends to an upper level becomes like it, it follows that the lower level receives all the lights and brains that exist in the higher level.

It has thus been explained how the ascent of Malkhut to Bina brought about a connection between the levels, so that each level can ascend to the level above it. Furthermore, even the lowest degree can ascend to the loftiest level through this connection that has been achieved through the falling of Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut from each level to the level below it (as explained in Sulam on Zohar, Vayak’hel 41, s.v. “vezeh amru”).

The Immature and Mature States of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna and Ze’er Anpin and Nukba 21. After explaining the ascent of Malkhut to Bina in broad outlines, how it occurs in each and every level of the four worlds of Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Asiya, these matters will now be explained in detail. Let us take, as an example, the two levels called Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna and Ze’er Anpin and Nukba that are in the world of Atzilut. Due to the ascent of the Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna to the Bina of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, in the state of immaturity, the three sefirot of Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna left and fell to the level below Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, which is Ze’er Anpin and Nukba, and these sefirot of Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut became attached to the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba at the time of their fall. Therefore, when the time of maturity arrived, when the Malkhut reverted and left the Bina of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna and came back to its place, so that Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna returned from their fall and came back to the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, they also raised the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba along with them, since they were attached to it at the time when they were in the state of immaturity, when they fell. It thus follows that the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba also ascended and became one with the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, likewise receiving the same lights and brains that are fit for the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna.

If not for the Ascent of Malkhut to Bina, Ze’er Anpin and Nukba Would Not Be Fit for brains 22. At this stage, it should be understood that on their own, Ze’er Anpin and Nukba are unfit to receive the brains at all, because the source of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba is from below the navel of Adam Kadmon (see section 8 above). It is there that the Malkhut of the attribute of judgment is dominant, and the force of the first constriction rests upon that region, and it is thus unfit to receive the supernal light.27As will be explained in the next sections and the accompanying footnotes, the area below the navel of Adam Kadmon referred to here represents an area of Adam Kadmon that has no access to the supernal light.

At the point of the navel and below, the power of Malkhut is dominant. Malkhut cannot serve as a vessel for the supernal light because it is only will to receive, and has no capacity for giving, making it too different from the supernal light that is wholly giving. Therefore, any vessel that is within this area is restricted from receiving the supernal light. Now, however, when Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna have raised up the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba to the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba have become like the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, and they are able to receive the supernal light like Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna.

23. Now the statement of the Sages cited above can be properly understood:28See section 15. “Initially, it was God’s intent to create the world through the attribute of judgment” – that is, through the Malkhut of the first constriction, which is the attribute of judgment.29fter the placement of the partition resulting from the first constriction, Malkhut was unable to directly receive the supernal light.

As a result, Malkhut operates as a force that limits the light and imposes darkness upon the vessels. This limiting dynamic is the “attribute of judgement” discussed here. The term “world” should be explained as referring to the Ze’er Anpin and Nukba of Atzilut, which are called “world.” It can also be interpreted as referring to this world, which receives supernal light from the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba of Atzilut, for everything that is received in the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba of Atzilut can be received by human beings in this world, whereas anything that is not received in the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba of Atzilut cannot be received by human beings in this world, as we cannot receive from any level above the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba in Atzilut.30This level of Atzilut can be thought of as a sort of divine root of our world.

There are many levels that are higher than this level of Atzilut, but since they are beyond the root of our world, and similarly, beyond the root of our very selves, we have no way of accessing them. If we think of the different levels and layers as coverings or filters for the supernal light, then the intensity or radiance of the supernal light above this level of Atzilut is beyond our capacity. Only after it is filtered through this layer does it begin to reach states that are accessible to us.

The root of our souls derives from Ze'er Anpin and Nukba, the root of this world. Therefore, since the root of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba is below the navel of Adam Kadmon, where the Malkhut of the attribute of judgment is dominant, Ze’er Anpin and Nukbacannot receive the supernal light and continue to exist, on account of the constriction of Malkhut which controls them. All the more so, this world cannot exist.31At this point in the discussion, the author of the Sulam is addressing the state of things if there would not have been a second constriction, which is the ascent of Malkhut to Bina.

He does so in order to substantiate the explanation of the words of the Sages regarding the partnering of judgment with mercy to create the world. The issue here is that the root in Adam Kadmon of the lower part of the world of Atzilut, which is Ze’er Anpin and Nukba, is positioned below the navel of Adam Kadmon. This area of the partzuf of Adam Kadmon is the end of that higher partzuf, the area where the supernal light cannot enter.

This means that the supernal light has no way of reaching Ze’er Anpin and Nukba, which is the partzuf and level of Atzilut that is the root of our world. Accordingly, in this state, our world cannot exist, as it would have no access to the supernal light that provides lifeforce for existence. As the author of the Sulam goes on to explain, the ascent of Malkhut to Bina allows for Ze’er Anpin and Nukba to ascend to the higher level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, the roots of which are above the navel of Adam Kadmon.

It is this elevation that allows for our world to exist, as it allows Ze’er Anpin and Nukba to receive supernal light, and in turn, to transmit that light to the lower levels.