Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah Reader

This is because the nature of Judgment is not to display brotherly love. Rather, all is dejection and angry faces. For the nature of Kindness is that of the welcoming right arm, and when love reigns, the creations themselves all behave to one another in a brotherly manner, showing each other smiling faces. But the state of stern judgment is one of hatred and rejection. The faces show anger, and everything is heavy with depression.

We have here two things that are bound up with one another – the plane of the roots (the Sefirot) and that of the creations. For Kindness begets love, and through it the soul radiates with joy, showing a smiling face. Judgment, on the other hand, begets hatred and rejection: the soul is dejected and does not radiate, while the face shows anger. Accordingly, on the plane of the roots, when the Sefirot are levels of stern judgment that push the creatures away without allowing them to become attached to them, those very levels themselves stand in a corresponding state of “dejection”, lacking joy and excitement. However, when they are levels of kindness that bring love to the lower creations, there is a corresponding increase of joy and excitement in those very levels. Moreover, as you have already heard, the Sefirot are the measures of all that exists, and the Supreme Mind calculated the state in which the creations should exist in their time of disrepair, when each is separated from the other through hatred and dejection.

The state of disrepair below is thus bound up with the state of disrepair above, because you have already heard how aspects that lie at the root of the creations are actually visible in those creations themselves. Thus the separation and alienation seen in their root aspects (i.e. on the level of the Nekudim) correlate to the separation and alienation actually manifested among the created beings. (Thus when they are separated from one another, it is an indication of division and separation among their roots.)

The principle of stern Judgment is that its intention is to do justice and chasten the wicked. However, to the extent that it is mitigated, it does not carry out evil, and when it is completely sweetened it actually does good. At the same time, He remains the King of Justice, for the innermost heart of Zeir Anpin is to execute stern Judgment, except that the power of mitigation gains sway over this, causing the severity to sink down.

As the stern Judgment subsides, so the dejection passes and brotherly love reigns. The power of stern Judgment does not pass entirely but only subsides on account of the power of mitigation that holds sway over it. However, there is no change in the essential nature of Zeir Anpin. It is only the pain and sorrow that pass, for this is what results when stern Judgment holds sway.

It is for this purpose that Imma enters into Zeir Anpin... i.e. as mentioned above, Imma becomes “bone of his bones...” (through giving him her Netzach-Hod-Yesod)....and makes brotherly love reign among his Sefirot. This is the bond in which Imma binds together the different parts of Zeir Anpin with flashing excitement and joy.

This is done through Malchut... The underlying principle here is that “Whoever remains without a wife remains without joy” (Yevamot 62b). This is also the mystery of Shabbat. The greatness of the Shechinah – the female aspect – lies in bringing completion to the male. The underlying principle is that Imma does not rest upon Zeir Anpin except when the Nukva is with him, as is clear from many passages in the Zohar and Tikkuney Zohar. This is explained by the fact that the Nukva is the root of the recipients, and when the lights wish to shine blessing on their recipients, everything is full of joy and radiant excitement – “God will rejoice in His works” (Psalms 104:31). However, this depends on the deeds of those in the lower realms. When the lower realms are ready, it means that the Nukva, which is their root, is prepared and ready to be filled (becoming a receiving vessel). The lights then flash with great power and joy, and all the gates are opened. Tzaddik, the active influence, is then blessed from Imma above and becomes filled with all good. However, if the lower realms are not prepared, God forbid, it means that their root – the Nukva – is not ready to receive. Of this it is said, “It grieved Him in His heart” (Genesis 6:6). All the lights are then occluded, and this is the mystery of, “The waters are gone from the sea (=Nukva) and the river (=Zeir Anpin) is parched and dried up” (Job 14:11), as explained in various places.

Consider this mystery as we see it here below. When all the souls are able to attach themselves to the Shechinah (Divine Presence), each one then shows love to the other and Israel are called “one nation on earth” (Chronicles I, 17:21 etc.). For they literally become brothers and friends who are all running towards a single goal. However, when this is not the case but instead each is intent only on his own one-sided gain, there can be nothing but hatred. However, such a bond can exist only at a time of great repair, such as at the time of the Giving of the Torah at Sinai, of which it is written, “Israel encamped there facing the mountain” (Exodus 19:2; the singular form of “encamped” indicates their unity at that time, see Rashi ad loc.). And it will be the same in the future.

A connection then develops between them... As already explained, when the Nukva is ready, the connection is aroused as a matter of course....and they all turn to Malchut... Thus the sages commented on the verse, “And I will turn to you” (Leviticus 26:9) – “I turn aside from all my other business” (Sifra). This means that all the supreme thoughts are directed only to Israel, which is the main essence, and therefore all the lights turn to shine to the Shechinah, and they leave everything else aside for this....as the “hind of love” (Proverbs 5:19)... This is a term of affection for the Nukva, indicating that when she is ready, love is aroused towards her.

...and they themselves join with one another. This is the mystery of the mutual flashing that I have mentioned: the greater the joy, the more the soul radiates with all its powers, and likewise the supreme lights all become merged in a single bond for the sake of the Shechinah.

The more they turn to her, the stronger the bond of brotherly love between them, and this brings great joy. After the first stirrings of arousal, the excitement becomes continually more intense, because the attachment of the receiver becomes ever stronger, as does the attachment of the active influence (Zeir Anpin), while Imma in turn increases her various influences. We already know from our own feelings and experiences that this is the nature of the interaction.

Part 2: This is what was lacking in the Primordial Kings... As we have already stated, initially they were not made in their state of repair. And this is what was lacking, for evil as such did not yet exist but only the initial state of Zeir Anpin in the aspect of strict Judgment. Indeed, the Supreme Mind wanted to measure and display the functioning of strict Judgment in all its intrinsic severity, not as it appears when sweetened.

Only afterwards was it to be revealed how it is mitigated, in order to display the functioning of the power of mitigation. For the entire supreme intention was to conceal the perfection in order to display the deficiencies and then show their repair and how it comes about. It was therefore necessary for each aspect to appear individually. Afterwards, the government of the world follows the same path so as to serve as the root to reveal this knowledge through the creations themselves with their unique form and qualities, and through the order of government to which they are subject.

...and therefore did not escape the sadness and angry faces... Strict Judgment stood in its full force. Here we can see clearly how man’s service brings about repair. Since the only purpose of strict Judgment is to withhold His influence from the lower creations during the time when they are not prepared, there is no other remedy except that the lower creations should be ready, and then He will send blessing. Accordingly, as long as the Nukva is not prepared, sadness reigns and this is what prevents the lights from shining since they do not reveal their goodness at all unless there is a vessel ready to receive them.

We thus see that the first thing rooted in Zeir Anpin is stern Judgment in its sad aspect, as stated above – except that the mitigation comes and removes it. Accordingly, prior to the arrival of the power of mitigation, stern Judgment stands in all its sadness. The effects of this state are what the Supreme Mind wanted to reveal first.

...and Imma still allowed them to remain that way. It is clear from what we have already explained that the intention was to show what develops out of Judgment unless it is mitigated.

Likewise, the flood, which caused literal destruction, also resulted from a re-arousal of the breaking of the vessels, except that there was a certain difference. For in the flood the breakage was not absolute since there was an aspect of Imma that remained – the ark. For this reason, the earth was not completely destroyed but only to the depth of the plow, though I will not elaborate on this now.

It is sufficient for you to understand that the state of breakage causes literal destruction, while the state of immaturity does not cause so much damage but results rather in exile. Of this it says, “I saw the land and behold, formlessness and void” (Jeremiah 4:23). Nevertheless this is not formlessness and void in the literal sense, because the world did not return to actual formlessness and devastation.

However at first they were not given this repair, but each one was a separate matter, as if each one had to send its influence on its own, i.e. not through Malchut. Each one sent forth its own separate influence, and this is something that causes excess in the separate creations – excessive separation and dissension. In this state there is no interrelationship between the different Sefirot except in terms of the developmental sequence whereby Gevurah emerges from Chessed, Tiferet from Gevurah, and so on. However they were not interconnected in a single governmental order in which everything stood together.

It was like one person who has many thoughts but does not go the full way in considering the connection between his various thoughts in order to produce a perfect result. Instead he dwells on one thought all by itself, then on another... but he does not weigh them against each other so as to bring everything together as a single whole.

What emerges is in a state of complete disunity, with no interconnection between the different kinds. By understanding this we can also understand the nature of the Other Side, as it goes on to say. And the truth is that this is not the mode of blessing and sustenance, and accordingly, when they were in this state, they were unable to exert any influence.

...and this was the state from which the Other Side emerged... As I have already explained, at first all the different aspects of the governmental order were calculated individually, until the entire process could be seen before us like a set table – from the concealment of the perfection until its return to be revealed again – so as to understand thereby how evil reverts to good through the mystery of the unity, as stated above.

Afterwards, each individual calculation by itself gave rise to one corresponding offspring among the separate creations. Thus different entities and contingencies emerge in the separate realms as manifestations of different aspects of the overall process. The nature of the different creations depends on the nature of their root, and they function according to that nature to the extent to which they are permitted in accordance with the overall direction of the complete governmental order (since the governmental order is the source of the separate creations).

...which is why its nature and function are only to cause separation. This is its whole purpose – to withhold the influence of the active source of influence from the recipients, to thwart the supernal lights both in general and in particular in order to close off their light. This is the way it was during the time when the judgment was unmitigated, and this restricted the flow of influence, as explained above. For it cannot be said that there is a flow of influence in a state of separation, for this is impossible, but rather, if there is a state of separation, the influence is withheld.

All that was damaged at the time of the breakage had to be progressively repaired little by little. This includes both the descent of the hind parts of Abba and Imma and the breaking of the other Sefirot, because everything that was lacking during that time started to be replenished during the time of the repair. And everything will eventually be fully complete in the perfect repair that will come about in time to come.

Having explained the main details of the breaking of the vessels, we must now explain how the course of the repair was influenced accordingly.

This proposition is made up of two parts: Part 1: All that was damaged... This introduces the subject of the repair of the breaking of the vessels. Part 2: This includes… This explains the course of the repair.

Part 1: All that was damaged at the time of the breakage... For the whole intention was to show what happens when strict Judgment is unmitigated, in order to show afterwards how its sweetening rectifies everything. Since the total damage caused by the breakage constitutes everything that can happen when strict judgment is not mitigated, the power of mitigation – the repair – had accordingly to be displayed through the repair of all this damage.

...had to be progressively repaired little by little. Here again we have the principle of gradation. For the Supreme Will did not want complete perfection to be revealed all at once, but rather, little by little. This is what provides a place for men to acquire merit.

Part 2: This includes both the descent of the hind parts of Abba and Imma and the breaking of the other Sefirot... For the breaking of the seven lower Sefirot is a deficiency in the roots of the separate creations, while the descent of the hind parts of Abba and Imma is a deficiency in that which repairs those roots. Together they make up the totality of all the damage, and both must be rectified. Both were repaired together, for the repair comes at one and the same time: as one was repaired, so was the other. For if the three first Sefirot continually repair the seven lower ones, it follows as a matter of course that the latter are constantly reaching better states of repair. Conversely, if the seven lower Sefirot are constantly reaching better states of repair, this signifies that there is no deficiency in the radiation of the first three Sefirot, which bring about their repair.

...because everything that was lacking during that time... All the individual repairs that had to be brought about were lacking owing to the damage caused by the breaking of the vessels, and they include many particulars....started to be replenished during the time of the repair. As explained earlier, the Supreme Mind brought about a certain degree of repair through the power of God, and afterwards left the rest to be done little by little by man. And everything will eventually be fully complete in the perfect repair that will come about in time to come.

What happened to the vessels when they were broken. The difference between the breaking and the repair.

During the time when the vessels were broken, the power of government was taken from them. They also did not stand arranged in a complete form. Rather, they were various kinds of incomplete powers that were unfitted to carry out any function. And their source maintained them in this state until a new radiation came that was to complete them and give them form and function.

Having explained what happened when the vessels broke, we must now explain what happened thereafter.

The proposition consists of two parts. Part 1: During the time when the vessels were broken... This explains in general terms what happened to the vessels during the time when they were broken. Part 2: And their source... This explains the difference between the breaking and the repair.

Part 1: During the time when the vessels were broken, the power of government was taken from them. The concept of being broken applies to things that are unfit to carry out their function. This has two meanings that are both really one. For as you have already heard, the Sefirot are the underlying measures of all that exists (i.e. of the separate realms and beings) and the Sefirot themselves are also the laws of government. In other words, it is the separate creations that are subject to the governmental order, while the Sefirot are the laws of the governmental order itself. Thus when one part holds sway over the creations, it results in one type of government, and when a different part holds sway, the result is a different type of government.

Thus when the Supreme Mind made the calculation of how the creations would exist in an unrectified state, when strict Judgment is unmitigated, the consequence was quite evident: only defects could exist in these creations – the creations themselves were damaged. The creations then appeared as if they had lost their ability to carry out their good function, and only their bad parts ruled over them, causing damage to their intrinsic form.

Corresponding to this state of destruction on the level of the creations, what we see above (on the level of the Sefirot in their broken state) is faulty laws of government that are unable to accomplish anything. This is the destruction and ruin explained earlier (see Opening 37, Part 1), which did not allow the good laws to operate, with corresponding effects on the creations.

...until a new radiation came... For this was only one state, as discussed earlier (see Opening 36 Part 2) in connection with the mystery of the scattered sparks (which kept the broken vessels in existence). Afterwards, the Supreme Will wanted to complete and perfect the Form of Man in all its aspects. It was then that a new radiation came to complete them, this being the name of MaH, as will be discussed later.

...that was to complete them... through giving them proper existence. This is the mystery of the selection and purification, whereby the name MaH sifted out and gathered to itself parts of BaN, as will be discussed later....and give them form and function. This is their state of existence as the Partzufim, which were made afterwards through the mystery of rectification, as will be discussed below.

AV is Arich Anpin, the root of AV, SaG, MaH and BaN – Abba and Imma, Zeir and Nukva.

When two or more names reach the same numerical total through different pathways, it is understood that this is a single essential root with which each one must be joined. Each follows its own pathway, but at the end of its winding and turning, that is where it reaches. And this is the mystery of the name of AV (72), which is contained in the four names of AV, SaG, MaH and BaN. For while each one has its own individual pathway, they all arrive at this.

This shows that it is one essential root which all of them must reach, each one in its own way. And the truth is that this comes from Arich Anpin, from which Abba and Imma, Zeir and Nukva emerge. Thus Arich is one single AV whose four Yuds bring forth AV, SaG, MaH and BaN. And each one of them must arrive at the meaning indicated by its root, which is the name of AV, and this is the strongest power they contain.

We have explained that the vessels continued to exist during the time when they were not functioning, and later (Opening 57) we will discuss how this came about through the order of the 288 sparks. We must now explain some general matters that need to be understood first. (For an explanation of the four main expansions of HaVaYaH, see the note at the beginning of Opening 22.)

The proposition consists of two parts. Part 1: When two or more... This sets forth the general principle involved here. Part 2: And the truth... This explains how that principle applies in the matter under consideration.

Part 1: When two or more names reach the same numerical total through different pathways... For each name can only expand in accordance with its constituent letters and the particular way in which they become “filled”, and if so, they must necessarily follow different pathways in order to reach the same total. For we are not now talking about cases where the sums of the numerical values of the constituent letters of various names are simply equal, because this has a different significance: it is then clear that the names in question are related to one another in terms of their number, and both are involved in a total number of functions identical to the simple numerical value of the names.

Here, however, we are dealing with a phenomenon that signifies something different, inasmuch as we see a single total which the various names can reach only by expanding in different ways. (The numerical values of the various expansions are not simply equal, but different numerical operations must be performed in order for them to reach the same total, as explained in greater detail below.)

...it is understood that this is a single essential root with which each one must be joined. For as you have already heard, number is not merely arbitrary and without reason. Quite the contrary, it is of great significance since it shows the number of powers that join together in the function in question. The reason for any given number of powers is bound up with the type of control exercised by the different levels that rule in the function in question, as already discussed in connection with the subject of the “trees” (see Opening 31).

For the rule of one level gives rise to one array of powers as signified by the particular expansion associated with it, while the rule of another level gives rise to a different array and expansion. According to the expansion, so are the functions that emerge in the same numbers on those different levels. Thus when two names are seen to arrive at the same total, it is understood immediately that this number is one essential order which the other levels have to reach. (Since this number is an essential root, it is also essential in the other names.

Thus not only the expansion of AV but also all the other expansions eventually reach the total of 72=CHeSSeD, showing that the root of all the different governmental orders is Kindness.)

Each follows its own pathway, but at the end of its winding and turning, that is where it reaches. Two things are involved here. (1) Each expansion follows its own individual pathway according to the different aspects that emerge from it, because each one gives rise to numerous effects and has great ramifications in the governmental order. (2) Nevertheless, all the different effects and ramifications lead eventually to the same goal, which is determined by one power that holds overall sway over all those different expanded names in all their ramifications.

For while each one has its own individual pathway, they all arrive at this. As we have just said, in order to reach this total, different calculations are necessary in each case.

This shows that it is one essential root which all of them must reach, each one in its own way. This means that it was necessary overall (and not only in connection with our present subject of the fall of the 288 sparks) that these names should exhibit this phenomenon. At the same time, it has a particular significance in the present connection, notwithstanding all the other reasons for the numerical values of each of the different expansions, as explained in the writings of Rabbi Chaim Vital. For how could it be pure chance and for no reason that each of the different expansions has a way of reaching the total of 72? This must certainly have significance, for we see that it has to be this way. On the contrary, we find so many reasons for it to work out this way that there must necessarily be some underlying internal cause.

Part 2: And the truth is that this comes from Arich Anpin, from which Abba and Imma, Zeir and Nukva emerge. This is bound up with the underlying mystery contained in the teaching in the Idra Zuta (p. 288a) that “only the Torch is found by itself”. It is impossible to compare the relationship that Abba, Imma, Zeir and Nukva have with Arich Anpin to the relationship that Zeir and Nukva have with Abba and Imma.

Abba and Imma, Zeir and Nukva are all levels that clothe Arich Anpin, for Abba and Imma clothe Arich from the throat to the navel, just as Zeir and Nukva clothe Arich from the navel and below. However, Arich Anpin cannot be said to clothe a particular level, since it is one Partzuf that encompasses the entire universe from the top all the way to the bottom, while Abba and Imma, Zeir and Nukva are all branches of it and clothe it.