One could object: Surely we are saying that Eyn Sof is the root, while the Sefirot derive from and are caused by Him, in which case they are secondary to Him. If so, how can we say here that the Sefirot are not derivative and secondary? To answer this, it is necessary to understand in what sense the Sefirot are derivative and in what sense they are not. The Sefirot are not derivative in the sense of being a new, separate phenomenon caused by Eyn Sof which did not exist in Him from the outset and does not exist in Him now, like separate bodies. For if that were the case, the Sefirot would indeed be truly merely secondary. But in fact, the Sefirot are parts of His totality – the parts that He reveals.