There are two aspects to Arich Anpin. One is the way it governs with complete Kindness through its own intrinsic essence. The other is the way it governs through its branches in the mode of Judgment, until in the very end everything will return to the essential nature of Arich Anpin.
Having introduced the subject of Arich Anpin, let us now enter into the details.
There are two aspects to Arich Anpin. Having said that Arich Anpin functions through its branches, we must infer that Arich has two aspects, because the functioning of the branches is also bound up with Arich itself. Arich thus has its own independent function without having need of its branches for this (as in exercising the Attributes of the Beard, תיקוני דיקנא, tikkuney dikna, lit. the repairs or adornments of the beard). For Arich Anpin in itself is the source of influence and many repairs (which derive from the concealed governmental order of unity). In addition Arich Anpin also functions through its branches, for the functions that we see being carried out are all functions of Arich Anpin. Since everything has a root, the functioning of the branches rooted in Arich must have a specific individual root in Arich Anpin itself, as will be discussed below (Opening 95).