Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah Reader

There is nothing that does not have a root, and every separate function must have a separate root. As discussed earlier, the garments are the levels in which the various aspects of evil are rooted, but while these garments contain the potential for evil to exist, the evil aspects do not exist in them in actuality. The outcome is in the balance. If the garments rule alone without being subordinate to Atzilut, this shows that the concealment is intensifying, and the concealment may become so intense that they produce actual evil. But as long as they are subordinate to Atzilut, this shows that the unity is still revealed and in control, and then the concealment does not intensify to the point that they produce actual evil.

As mentioned above, the root of the existence of evil in the sense of actual evil lies in the lowest level of Malchut of Asiyah. Thus when the Supreme Mind wanted to produce evil, this was done by hiding Atzilut from the garments. They then ruled independently, and the concealment intensified to the point where that lowly power emerged and evil came forth – actual evil. And when the unity is once again revealed and asserts itself to rectify the damage, the state in which evil actively produces evil has to be negated.

Accordingly, the particular power that produced it in actuality no longer needs to exist, and the concealment that brought it forth disappears. Rather, the garments exist in the same way as they did in the beginning, where evil has the potential to be actual evil, except that it does not come forth because of the unity that has returned and consumed it, and which no longer allows it to exist in the state of actual evil.

This necessarily shows the functioning of the unity. (The unity is revealed only after the emergence of actual evil. Evil has the power to spread, and is prevented only through the revelation of the unity. Thus evil continues to exist in its sunken state in order to show the power of the unity.)

...and there is no longer any need for it to exist in actuality... Evil as such – actual evil – is not seen in the garments as something capable of action. On the contrary, it does not exist because of the unity....for it is sufficient that it once existed and has now been rectified. Initially it had to come out, because we did not yet know what it was and thus did not understand the true power of perfection. But now that it has already existed and has been rectified, it is sufficient that it should be seen to be the same evil that once existed and could still exist were it not for the unity. This shows that it is the unity that brings about the repair and does not permit evil.

This is the meaning of the verse, “He will consume death for ever” (Isaiah 25:8). This is exactly what we are saying, that the evil becomes absorbed in its root. And then Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah turn back into Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah... In other words, with the return of the state of repair in the future, the Nekudim will have to revert to what they were before the breaking of the vessels.

This is obvious, because what happened when the vessels broke is that they fell to Beriyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, which afterwards became Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah. They were thus missing the true Atzilut, this being what existed before the vessels broke. And this is what will be revealed in the future. If so, these worlds must all revert to being Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah in relation to the true Atzilut that will then be revealed.

...and the last part of Malchut of Asiyah becomes integrated with its whole... For this part of Malchut is only one part of the original Malchut, from which this lowly Malchut emerged after the departure of the first Atzilut. In the future, this last part of Malchut will be included in the overall Malchut from which it emerged.

The distinguishing feature of all that happens in the time of the repair is that it comes to rectify everything that was damaged at the time of the breaking of the vessels. The damage caused by the breaking of the vessels was as follows. Firstly, the original Atzilut became concealed. Secondly, the garments fell and descended until Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah turned into Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah. This resulted in the last part of Malchut of Asiyah being left to produce evil in the category of actual evil. Thirdly, all the garments remained flawed because of their role in the production of evil. Even though the upper levels separated themselves from this function, they were not completely dissociated from it as long as their final level was still involved in it.

Correspondingly, in the complete repair, the existence of evil in the sense of actual evil is nullified. (Evil no longer functions as such but remains only in order to reveal the unity.) So too, the part of Malchut that produced actual evil is “consumed” and absorbed by the upper parts. This automatically negates the gradation whereby Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah became Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah, for this was brought about for the sole purpose of producing evil.

Once Malchut is no longer producing evil, Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah revert to being only Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah, while the Atzilut that was concealed is now revealed over them. They then remain as garments that are without flaws. At first they were the root of evil, and the unity was concealed from them to the point that they produced the evil rooted in them as actual evil. Now, however, the powers that previously brought forth evil no longer do so because of the unity that is already revealed, which turns evil back to good, so that evil no longer has any existence in the sense of actual evil.

...and the supreme Atzilut of the generality of the Nekudim is revealed... For now that only the worlds of Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah are left, Atzilut comes to complete them, for this itself is the repair: the reason why they were subsumed to become Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah is precisely in order to accept this Atzilut over them.

The garments will then remain as the root of the evil that once existed but was rectified and brought back to good. For their initial purpose was to produce evil through the concealment of the unity. Now, however, they serve as powers that could produce evil were it not for the unity, but which can no longer produce it in actuality precisely because of the unity. This way they truly reveal the unity, for the entire process is seen there just as it is: evil existed when the powers inherent in the garments spread, but now it no longer exists because of the unity that is revealed over them.

It was already known in the beginning that God’s unity is the underlying truth (for “before the creation of the world, He was one and His name was one” – Zohar Chadash, Bereishit 10, Pirkey d’Rabbi Eliezer ch. 3). However, the Eyn Sof wanted to reveal this unity with total clarity in order to demonstrate the greatness of His perfection. To do so, He had to produce a great work – the concealment of this very perfection to the point that deficiencies would come into being, until in the very end it would again be revealed.

This way, what existed from the very beginning is finally visible. It can then be said that He will be at rest from this work, having completed what He thought to do, and this primordial unity will then be revealed. From then on there will be eternal delight – this is the delight of the souls in the demonstration of the truth. This is the true delight, as explained earlier (Opening 4). The revelation of His unity will raise man to ever greater heights, as planned in His hidden thought.

As you can see, there is a difference between the six thousand years and what comes afterwards. The entire six thousand years are one continuous cycle that revolves until it reaches the point from which it departed, namely the unity, for it was from there that the cycle traveled and that is where it will return, and then it will rest. This is the rest of the life eternal. What will be from then on is something different and follows a path quite unlike the present path (whereby the revelation of the unity comes about through man’s service).

The coming of Mashiach is the beginning of the revelation of the unity. This is the mystery contained in the verse, “Make us glad according to the days wherein You have afflicted us” (Psalms 90:15). For the days of Mashiach are parallel to all the deficiencies which existed in the past (not in terms of the duration of the concealment, but in the sense that the revelation of the unity will be in proportion to the intensity of the previous concealment).

In that time until the end of the sixth millennium, the unity must reveal its power on every side, and all the deficiencies will thereby be rectified. At the end of the sixth millennium, after the great Day of Judgment, when everything that was done will be seen clearly in its true light, the unity will be said to have been revealed again. This work will then be complete and the cycle will come to rest.

From then on, deeper interior aspects will become visible, these being the very roots of this process. These are things that are revealed after the unity has come to be known. They are the deepest roots of the order of government, which are presently completely beyond our grasp.

In the seventh millennium itself the very root of what existed in this world throughout the period of the cycle will be revealed. The six millennia thus constitute the mystery of the world of Nekudim, while their complete rectification in the seventh millennium constitutes the mystery of the world of Akudim. The latter also contains a vessel, except that it is entirely subject to the soul, as explained in its appropriate place.

As you have already heard, what was done in Akudim is the root of what was to happen afterwards in the world of Nekudim. However, in Akudim the unity was revealed in everything so that there was no place for any breaking of vessels or anything else of what was to occur afterwards (after the creation of evil as a consequence of the breaking of the vessels). Accordingly, after the unity is revealed, it will be known what was prepared in the supreme order of government, even with the revelation of the unity, to lead to this matter.

For the vessel was already revealed there, as stated above, and preparations were laid down there for what is to be later.

Afterwards the world will be renewed in a different way, unrelated to these aspects bound up with Akudim (which is the world of the Mouth). From then on (above the Mouth, from the eighth millennium onwards) the levels of attainment will be entirely different, bringing amazing delight to the souls that gain such a revelation of the supreme perfection – and this must suffice for now. (“In the seventh millennium, the bodies will rise to the level of the Akudim, where the body is subject to the soul... but the body is still discernible.

However, in the eighth millennium, the body will be merged with the soul as at first, as in the lights of the Nose. In the ninth millennium, it will be merged with the soul as in the lights of the Ear, yet the body is still somewhat discernible. In the tenth, it will return to the level of the World to Come, which cannot be understood in any way” – Ramchal, Pitchey Chochmah VaDaat p. 48.)

...and He alone will be exalted in His unity. This is the mystery of the verse, “And God will be exalted alone on that day” (Isaiah 2:11). This implies that until then He does not wish to act as the unitary Master but rather like a mighty hero who possesses great power, as explained above (Opening 30). This gave a place for the Other Side to presume to challenge and fight against this power. Afterwards things go differently when the Eyn Sof, blessed be He, acts in the unity of His power like the unitary Master, literally and actually. Then things like the accusations of the Other Side and the destruction caused by evil have no further relevance. God alone acts with His power and will. This is complete good, and everything is thus in its proper state of repair, wholeness and perfection.

The entry of the light into the vessels and its exit are the root of the governmental order of this world in a state of damage and repair.

Nothing is in vain. Therefore the initial entry of the light and its subsequent turnabout and departure – when all this gradation could have been brought about from the outset without this – also has an essential function and consequence. And this is the individual root needed to give existence to the governmental order of this world in its various states of damage and repair, reward and punishment, according to the complete measure of what is required for this, neither less nor more.

Having provided an overall conspectus of the subject of the Primordial Kings, it is now necessary to go back and explain the initial stages accordingly.

The proposition consists of two parts. Part 1: Nothing is in vain. This explains how the lights entered into the vessels and afterwards turned back and went out. Part 2: And this is the individual root... This explains the reason for this phenomenon.

Part 1: Nothing is in vain. This is obvious from two sides. Firstly, that anything could be for no purpose is quite inconceivable in the Supreme Mind, for something that is without a purpose is quite unfitting and it is impossible that anything unfitting could exist in the Supreme Mind. Secondly, as we have already said, the Sefirot are the measures of all the creations in all their different parts and aspects as laid down in the Supreme Mind, and the Sefirot are nothing except this. If so, the Sefirot contain nothing that does not exist in the creations, and accordingly nothing is in vain.

Therefore the initial entry of the light and its subsequent turnabout and departure... Even when we do not know what results from a given phenomenon, on the strength of the above unshakeable premise we certainly know that it has some consequence, except that we have not understood it. Moreover, on the basis of that premise we can legitimately infer that the phenomenon in question is also necessary in order to produce a result of precisely the required nature.

To apply this to the subject under discussion: Since we see that the lights entered into the vessels and then turned back and went out, we infer that this must have happened for a reason. However, the reason cannot have been simply to produce the gradation (of the Partzufim) since that could have been brought about without this. We must therefore say that it was for some other reason. But since we see that this phenomenon comes to produce the gradation – for it is through this that it came about – we can therefore immediately infer that although the gradation could have been produced without this phenomenon, it must have required some condition that would not have been fulfilled had it not been produced in this way, as it goes on to say.

...when all this gradation could have been brought about from the outset without this... For the light did not do anything – it did not act. It simply did not join with the vessel, because the vessel was not complete, and the light waited until the gradation on which the repair of the vessel depended was brought about. If so, the light itself did not do anything in producing the gradation, it just waited until the gradation was brought about. If so, why did it enter initially?

…also has an essential function... For certainly the entry of the light into the vessels produces some effect in those vessels....and consequence. Everything that was done above has a conseqence in the governmental order of the worlds.

Part 2: And this is the individual root... i.e. the root of the specific nature of the creations lies in the combination of the lights above. Where the lights above shine in a revealed way, this puts greater power into the creations. Lights shining above in a revealed way put greater power into the creations. Concealment causes weakness.

The number of lights above correspond to all the different aspects required in what exists. Where some aspect of existence needs to be weak, the light that is its root has to be closed up or occluded. What has to be strong requires that its light should be open. There is thus a combination of just so many revelations and just so many occlusions in those places, i.e. those individual lights which are responsible for producing the particular design and character of what exists below in all its aspects.

...needed to give existence to the governmental order of this world... For this is the result that derives from this root through this particular combination.

...in its various states of damage and repair... What we see here are the roots of damage and repair, with things sometimes going in one direction, sometimes in another. This is because in our world damage and repair have been combined to exist in various different ways, and all these corresponding roots can therefore be discerned above....reward and punishment... For this is the main thing that comes out of this.

...according to the complete measure of what is required for this, neither less nor more. The Supreme Mind knew how to calculate what had to exist in order to bring all this about to perfection, and decreed accordingly how many roots of damage should exist and how many roots of repair and in which order and manner they should be subject to one another.

States of the First Three Sefirot of Nekudim (Openings 51-53)

The root of the creations is in the seven lower Sefirot, while the first three only direct them. When the vessels broke, the first three Sefirot did not break, but were flawed through their connection with the lower seven.

The root of the created worlds and beings lies only in the seven lower Sefirot, which are the Seven Days of Creation, while the first three Sefirot are only crowns over the lower seven, to direct and repair them. Accordingly damage is not applicable to the three first Sefirot in their intrinsic essence, since they are above the level affected by men’s deeds. Thus sins do not damage them, but rather, they drive them away. Accordingly, the first three Sefirot endured. Nevertheless, even in their case, what exists in them to serve the needs of the lower seven was not repaired, for if it had been repaired, all of the seven lower Sefirot would also have been rectified. Accordingly even in the first three Sefirot, those aspects that relate to the seven lower Sefirot became flawed. This prevented the proper spread of their power to repair the seven lower Sefirot. For if it were constantly spreading, there would be no damage in the world.

...which are the Seven Days of Creation... This is clear proof – for everything that was created is surely included in these seven days alone. Even according to the self-evident, simple meaning of the Bible, if everything came about in these seven days, it means that these seven days are sufficient to serve as the root. All the more so when we already know that kabbalistically, the seven days constitute the actual rule of the seven Sefirot, in that each one functions according to its power on that day. (See Ramban, Commentary on the Torah, Genesis 1:3.) Since everything came forth in the Seven Days of Creation, it must certainly be the case that everything came out of these Sefirot.

...while the first three Sefirot are only crowns over the lower seven... Everything that stands outside a thing’s essential being – in the sense that the thing’s essential being is complete without it – can only be an extra crown adorning it but not an integral part of it. So it is in the case of the first three Sefirot, which are not the actual root of what goes on in this world but rather, they are crowns over that root.

This is properly so, because everything that happens in the world must certainly have a root of its own just to keep it in existence. It is not the basic existence of things in this world but rather their status that has to change depending on men’s deeds. Accordingly, two roots are needed here: a root for the unchanging existence of things and a root for their changing status.

This is the reason for the institution of the seven lower and three upper Sefirot. The seven lower Sefirot are the root of the created realms and beings in their essential existence, which is unchanging. And it is the seven lower Sefirot that produce the different aspects of the creation. From Chessed there is a constant flow of water and from Gevurah fire, while Yesod is always the source of the structure.

From Chessed comes wisdom, from Gevurah wealth, from Tiferet life, and so on. However, any increase or decrease in degree or status in all these aspects depends upon the three first Sefirot. When they shine strongly in the seven lower Sefirot, the latter will bring forth superior offspring in a state of greater repair. But if they shine in only a limited way, the offspring of the seven lower Sefirot will be lowly and lacking in repair.

Thus the seven lower Sefirot are the root of the created realms and beings while the three first Sefirot are crowns over them.

...to direct them... I have explained elsewhere how the seven lower Sefirot are governed in all aspects through the first three Sefirot (see Klaley Kin’at HaShem Tzeva’ot #11, Daat Tevunot p. 332ff). If so, the first three also contain Kindness, Judgment and Mercy in order to complete the governmental order and allow each part to rule as needed (and thus the upper three Sefirot correspond to Kindness, Judgment and Mercy).

...and repair them. For when they shine over the seven lower Sefirot, this immediately brings them to a greater state of repair and gives them greater status purely by virtue of the fact that they come under their influence. However, if the three upper Sefirot leave, the many flaws rooted in the intrinsic nature of the lower seven function by default. (But when they are under the influence of the upper three, their intrinsic flaws become inoperative.)

Accordingly damage is not applicable to the three first Sefirot in their intrinsic essence... For man’s deeds have no influence for better or for worse except on those levels in which he is rooted: any flaw reaches only the seven lower Sefirot.

...since they are above the level affected by men’s deeds. For men’s deeds affect only the various aspects of the world made to serve his needs and all their roots.

Thus sins do not damage them... This is entirely consistent with their purpose. We have already explained that they are crowns over the governmental order, which send their influence over the seven lower Sefirot and bring about their repair. Thus they contain aspects to which men’s deeds are relevant and aspects to which they are not. Men’s deeds have no bearing on their intrinsic existence, whereas the spread of their influence is subject to men’s deeds inasmuch as this reaches the seven lower Sefirot and affects their repair. Thus sins cannot damage them or cause darkness in them in the same way as they can in the case of the lower seven, where they cause deficiencies when the influence of the upper three is lacking, leaving darkness in its place.

...but rather, they drive them away. This is a flaw in the lower seven, and this is the darkness mentioned above, which develops in the seven lower Sefirot when the flow of blessing is lacking.

Accordingly, the three first Sefirot endured. For since destruction is not applicable in their case, it was therefore unnecessary for any breakage to occur in them, for the only purpose of the breaking of the vessels was to make a place for destruction, and here destruction is of no relevance.

Part 2: Nevertheless, even in their case, what exists in them to serve the needs of the lower seven was not repaired... For each thing has its own repairs and arrangements to ensure that they function properly. Thus the spread of influence from the upper three Sefirot to the lower seven requires arrangements to enable it to emerge in the proper way, neither less nor more than necessary. This is the aspect that was not repaired in the upper three Sefirot.

...for if it had been repaired, all of the seven lower Sefirot would also have been rectified. We are discussing the aspect whereby the three upper Sefirot rectify the lower seven. This is what we say was lacking in them. Obviously, if it had been present – i.e. if they had been able to repair the lower seven – the latter would have been repaired, whereas it was necessary that the seven lower Sefirot should not be repaired by the first three (since the breaking of the vessels was a necessity). If so, it must be that the repair of the seven lower Sefirot depends on the first three – i.e. among their various aspects is the aspect whereby they repair them, and it is this aspect of being able to rectify the seven lower Sefirot that was lacking from the first three.

This prevented the proper spread... We have already said that the breaking of the vessels was the root of all the damage. And since it was necessary for the Sefirot to be made in such a way that they could be flawed – i.e. darkened – they were made to fragment, which was the preparation for this flaw. Likewise the break-up of the “back parts” of Abba and Imma was a preparation for the state of damage. However, there can be no damage in Abba and Imma themselves. Rather, the damage is in the same aspect in which the breaking of the vessels took place, i.e. that which relates to the seven lower Sefirot. Accordingly, the damage is in what relates to the seven lower Sefirot – i.e. that the power of Abba and Imma does not continually spread into the seven lower Sefirot in order to repair them.

The intrinsic essence of Zeir Anpin (of the Primordial Kings) is stern judgment – divisiveness and limitation – out of which comes the Other Side. Zeir Anpin is rectified and sweetened by Imma through the arousal of the Nukva.

The root of Zeir Anpin’s essential nature lies in Imma’s stern judgments – her five mighty powers. In accordance with this essential nature, each light stands by itself and does not join with any other. This is because the nature of Judgment is not to display brotherly love. Rather, all is dejection and angry faces.

However, Imma overcomes this with her sweetening power. As the stern Judgment subsides, so the dejection passes and brotherly love reigns. It is for this purpose that Imma enters into Zeir Anpin and makes brotherly love reign among his Sefirot. This is done through Malchut, for Malchut was instituted as the container vessel for all of them, so that instead of each light shining separately, they are all directed to one single place.

A connection then develops between them, and they all turn to Malchut as the “hind of love” (Proverbs 5:19), and they themselves join with one another. The more they turn to her, the stronger the bond of brotherly love between them, and this brings great joy.

...her five mighty powers. The powers revealed in Yesod of Imma are already recognizable as having the aspect of severity, and accordingly it is from there that Zeir Anpin receives its root.

In accordance with this essential nature, each light stands by itself and does not join with any other. For the nature of Zeir Anpin can be compared to a dejected soul whose inner powers stand quiescent without arousal or excitement, making the face show only dejection. However, when these soul-powers are aroused and excited, the face shows laughter and happiness. These innate soul-powers exist in the soul all the time, but when each power stands separately without flashing in excited interaction with the others, this is the state of dejection.