Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah Reader

Thus we see how the Supreme Will calculated and planned something intrinsically perfect and logical in all its parts. The goodness which He bestows is in itself complete: it is very great and precious, for His oneness is something most glorious and precious. Further, the mode of bestowal is also perfect, because the recipients will not feel any shame, having worked to earn their reward through service. Moreover, it is the actual bestowal of good itself that creates the possibility of service. For it is the way in which the intended bestowal of goodness comes about that provides a place for man’s service. The purpose of the service is to reveal God’s unity, which is the intended benefit, which comes about through turning evil back to good.

Thus the complete path of government in its perfection involves the initial concealment of His perfection followed by its revelation. This very pathway is what creates the possibility of service. The entire creation and the system through which it is governed are built on this foundation. Thus the system through which the world is governed is a law that will eventually reveal, through all its cycles, the truth of this oneness. And the creation itself is built on the foundation of concealment followed by revelation – in the sense that the created realms and beings themselves contain allusions to the laws of this system of government. This is what was stated in Opening 1: “On this foundation the entire structure is built”.

The Sefirot were an innovation in that they are visible lights, whereas Eyn Sof is not visible.

The Sefirot are lights that were permitted to be seen, which is not so in the case of the simple light of Eyn Sof, blessed be He.

The subject of all the investigations of the Kabbalah is the Sefirot. Therefore this is what must be explained first.

The proposition consists of two parts. Part 1: The Sefirot are lights…This tells us what the Sefirot are. Part 2: …which is not so in the case of the simple light. This tells us in what way the Sefirot are different in their nature from Eyn Sof. For in order to understand the Sefirot, it is necessary to understand in what way they were an innovation introduced for the sake of the creation: this is explained in Part 1. Initially, however, there was only Eyn Sof, blessed be He. If so, in order to know the Sefirot, it is necessary to know in what way they differ from their original state, and from Eyn Sof.

Indeed we cannot call Godliness anything other than a radiation of light. In truth, no word, name or term can adequately be applied to Godliness. But since it is impossible to speak without words, we must call it by some name. However, we choose one that is somewhat less remote from Godliness than others. Light is the finest and most subtle of all physical phenomena, and accordingly it is less remote from Godliness than other phenomena. If so, the term “radiation of light” is the nearest we can choose. Even so, you must understand that we are not talking about a radiation of physical light. We are applying the term “radiation of light” only to give it some name.

…that were permitted to be seen. For the difference between the Sefirot and Eyn Sof, blessed be He, is that it was made possible for the Sefirot to be “seen” (in the sense of being spiritually apprehended). This means two things. Firstly, it means that the Sefirot are capable of being seen, though this does not imply that the Sefirot must necessarily be visible, for indeed there are exalted Sefirot that are not visible even in the higher realms. What is implied is that they are fit and able to be seen. Should it happen that the spectator is prevented from seeing them, this does not detract from their nature of being potentially visible. However, the light of Eyn Sof, blessed be He, cannot be seen at all because of its intrinsic essence, which is unseeable.

Secondly, in saying that the Sefirot were permitted to be seen, we are not saying that they were intrinsically visible. The light of the Sefirot is not a particular kind of light that is visible in its intrinsic nature, as opposed to the light of Eyn Sof, blessed be He, which is not. What changed in the act of creation was that the Sefirot became visible. It became possible for them to be seen because Eyn Sof wanted it so.

If the light of the Sefirot was a particular kind of light that was visible in its intrinsic nature, we would have to say that the Sefirot were not an innovation. For what exists in something as part of its intrinsic nature is found in it throughout its existence. If the ability of the Sefirot to be seen were part of their intrinsic nature, then as long as the light of the Sefirot existed, it would have to be visible.

What we must say is that the light of the Sefirot cannot have been new, but that the revelation of this light – the ability of the Sefirot to be seen – is what was new.

This is because the Sefirot are Godliness. Change from state to state is simply not applicable to Godliness. If so, the light of the Sefirot is not something new. The inference is that the light of the Sefirot was there from before. If the visibility of this light were part of its intrinsic nature, it would always have been visible. In that case, what was new? What was new was that God willed and made it possible for the light of the Sefirot to be seen. He gave this permission at precisely the moment He wished, not before. The change was not in the nature of Godliness. The change was in its being revealed to recipients.

Part 2: …which is not so in the case of the simple light of Eyn Sof, blessed be He. The “simple light” is that which simply cannot be described, defined or categorized in any way. It is impossible to say anything about His light. Since there is no word or name fit to be applied to Eyn Sof, blessed be He, we will refer to Him in the only way that we can, using the expression “simple light”. However, we qualify this by negating any limitation that may appear to be implied in Him on account of the term we have chosen. For in truth, no such limitation is intended. Thus we say that the light of Eyn Sof cannot be seen. This is the difference between Eyn Sof, blessed be He, and the Sefirot.

The Sefirot are what Eyn Sof wanted to reveal of His attributes.

Each Sefirah is one of the attributes of Eyn Sof, blessed be He, with which He created the worlds and with which He governs them. Since He wanted that they should be known, He made each attribute appear as an individual light, through seeing which one may understand that attribute. When one sees the movements of that light, one understands the influence of the corresponding attribute on the government of the worlds at that time.

Having learned that the Sefirot are lights or radiations, we must now understand what these radiations are.

For a given cause cannot give rise to any and every effect, but only to the particular effect that can arise from it. The reason is that the cause in question has only the particular power that it possesses, and can give only what it has. When a person carries out a variety of activities, we necessarily differentiate between the various powers that he possesses, which enable him to carry out these different activities. But God is all-powerful, and we therefore cannot ascribe to Him any specific, limited power. This is because God’s power is general and all-encompassing. God can do everything. For this reason we cannot divide God’s powers into a multiplicity of specific powers as the causes of His various works.

Nevertheless, in His revealed way of acting through the Sefirot, Eyn Sof chose to act in a way similar to the way in which a person acts, using a variety of different powers and abilities. This is what is meant by the statement of the rabbis that “The world was created with ten sayings... yet surely, it could have been created with only one!?!” (Avot 5:1). Accordingly, we differentiate a specific, separate cause corresponding to every manifest work or action.

…of the attributes of Eyn Sof, blessed be He… This indicates that the Sefirah is not a mere derivative that is caused by, outside of and secondary to Eyn Sof. For His Will is a single unity. In its intrinsic limitlessness, His will is invisible, and this is what we call Eyn Sof. Those aspects of this Will that are revealed we call the Sefirot, but the Will itself is Eyn Sof – limitless and indefinable. This is why we say that the Sefirot are the attributes of Eyn Sof.

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.

…with which He created the worlds... In other words, why should these attributes have been revealed and not others? Because these revealed powers relate to the lower realms, since it was through these powers that He created them...and rules them... For even though the work of creation is complete, the supervision of the lights over their branches has not ceased, and the Sefirot continue to function as at first.

Part 2: Since He wanted that they should be known… This too was contingent upon His Will. For although these powers existed within Him, it was not intrinsically necessary that they should be able to be perceived and apprehended, except that He wanted it so.

He made each attribute appear as an individual light. This means that a specific likeness was instituted for each attribute (such as the likeness of a lion for Chessed, Kindness) in order to make it possible to gain an understanding of the governmental power expressed in this attribute through the corresponding image or likeness, as will be discussed later.

...through seeing which one may understand that attribute... This is as stated by Rambam (Maimonides): “At the very time when the prophet sees the prophetic vision, its meaning is inscribed in his heart” (Yesodey HaTorah 7:3).This additional point is very necessary. If the Sefirot shone each in its own particular way because of its intrinsic essence, the prophets should certainly have been able to understand the meaning of what they saw. However, since each Sefirah shines in its unique way only because God willed it so, something else was necessary in order for the prophet to be able to understand what was symbolized in the prophetic image – namely, that its meaning should be inscribed in his heart when he saw it. Accordingly, together with his vision of the Sefirot, the prophet is provided with the key to the interpretation of the vision and can thus understand the meaning of these lights in all their detailed aspects.

In this way – Seeing the movements of that light enables one to understand the influence of the corresponding attribute on the government of the worlds at that time. For just as the government of the worlds shifts from kindness to justice or mercy according to the time, so movements are visible in the Sefirot according to the time, and when the prophet sees them, he understands what they mean. All of the various powers involved in the government of the worlds change according to the time.

Not only may the overall government shift between kindness and judgment. There are also changes in each of the individual attributes according to the time, and these are expressed in the movements of the lights. This is visible because of the desire of the Supreme Will to reveal to His creatures how He governs the world.

The Forms in which the Sefirot appear (Openings 7-13)

How the Sefirot appear in the prophetic vision. The images seen by the prophets and what they represent.

The Sefirot can shine with an abundant radiation of light or with diminished radiation. They can appear in numerous different forms and likenesses, although in truth they possess no form or appearance. It is just that they appear in some form or likeness, but one who examines them will see that in truth, the form and likeness are purely contingent upon the observer, as stated in the verse, “And in the hand of the prophets I have used likenesses” (Hosea 12:11). In their essence, however, the Sefirot are only an extended array of powers organized in their necessary order, interdependent in their various laws and influenced by one another, as required according to the perfection of the entire ordered plan.

Having explained that the powers (Sefirot) with which God created and governs the worlds appear by way of radiation, we will now explain the principles governing how this radiation appears.

The proposition consists of three parts. Part 1: The Sefirot: This refers to the amount of radiation emitted by the Sefirot. Part 2: They can appear... This refers to the images or likenesses through which they appear. Part 3: But in themselves... This is a general comment on all the images and likenesses through which they appear.

Part 2: They can appear in numerous different forms and likenesses: Many of the terms used in discussing the Sefirot have connotations of form and material substance. However, we certainly cannot say that the Sefirot themselves actually possess any kind of form or substance, for this would be heresy, and the Torah states explicitly: “For you did not see any form” (Deuteronomy 4:15).

As discussed earlier, the Sefirot are the powers of the Supreme Thought, and are “seen” (with spiritual vision) by the prophets or souls in a way comparable to the way a person “sees” the thoughts passing through his mind. Nevertheless, there is a great difference. For a person’s mind and thoughts are within him and are not Godly. Accordingly there is nothing to prevent us applying concepts of “form”, “likeness” and “appearance” of some subtle kind to the thoughts in a person’s mind, except that the form would be spiritual rather than physical. This is not so in the case of the Sefirot, which are the powers of the Thought (or “Mind”) of the Supreme Will, blessed be He. It is impossible to say that they possess any form at all, since we know that in all His aspects, the Emanator, blessed be His Name, completely transcends all the incidents and events that occur to those He created.

Nevertheless, we do speak in terms of “smallness” and “greatness”, “ascent” and “descent”, “clothing”, “position” and so on in relation to the Sefirot. We certainly cannot say that any of these phenomena exist as such in the Sefirot. Yet it is impossible to say that all such concepts are purely metaphorical, hinting at exalted matters involved in the government of the worlds and its laws. For if it were so, most of the investigations of the Kabbalah would be pointless since they would be like trying to base what we know (the metaphors) on what we don’t know (the Sefirot).

This is not what is indicated by the teachings of the ARI, the earlier and later Kabbalistic sages, and, above all, those of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. All these teachings indicate that these phenomena actually do exist in the Sefirot. Here is the place to clarify the truth, for if this foundation is laid properly, everything will be understood properly, clearly and simply. But if this foundation is not laid properly, all the structures will remain flying in the air and it will be impossible to attain any understanding whatever of the investigations of the Kabbalah.

The truth is that all the Sefirot are powers of the Supreme Mind. They all operate to bring about what is necessary in the world, all leading to one goal: the final, ultimate perfection, as explained above. These powers contain everything necessary for the government of the entire world at all times. For example, the power of Chessed, Kindness, includes all the ways in which it must act in the worlds, sometimes holding sway, sometimes yielding its dominion, sometimes dominating strongly, at others, more gently.

At times the power of Chessed operates in conjunction with Gevurah, Strength, in various different ways, whether in a revealed or hidden manner. Likewise, the powers of Din, Judgment, and Rachamim, Mercy, also contain everything necessary for the government of the entire world at all times.

All of the three root powers of Kindness, Judgment and Mercy contain everything necessary for reward and punishment (Judgment), the existence of the world (Mercy) and the eternal reward (perfect Kindness). The Supreme Mind calculated in advance everything necessary for the government of all His creatures until the end of the entire cycle. Everything is a single weave of these three powers including all the different kinds of controls, laws and pathways necessary and sufficient to bring about everything that must come into being in the world.

Thus it says explicitly: “And through the hand of the prophets I have used likenesses”. This means that God conceals the profundity of His thoughts within these prophetic images and metaphors. But the truth is that this is only how the prophets see them, and even this “seeing” is not like physical seeing, as will be discussed below. What the prophets see are spiritual phenomena that take the form of “clothing”, “ascent”, “descent” and the like.

However, this “seeing” is nothing but a prophetic vision made up of likenesses and images conveying the depth and breadth of the plan in the divine mind. We may conclude that Kabbalisitic teachings are not merely metaphorical. The phenomena we have mentioned, such as “ascent”, “descent”, “clothing” and the like, truly exist in the prophetic vision. However, the prophetic vision itself is only a likeness. The prophets have the special power of being able to see the vision and understand its meaning.

The subject of the prophetic vision is God’s deep plan. When He wanted to reveal it, He showed it in the form of the “Chariot”. The various parts of this Chariot have all been given their own individual names: these are the names of the Sefirot and the Partzufim, and the prophetic visions show all their different states and properties.

In an actual prophetic vision, the Sefirot and Partzufim may appear in many different forms and interrelationships, as we find in Kabbalistic writings about the various worlds and Partzufim etc.

...although in truth they have no form or appearance. This is clear in the light of what we have explained above. It is just that they appear in some form or likeness. What this means is that prophetic likenesses and images are not mere metaphors and allusions: this is the way the prophet actually sees what he sees. What we say about the Partzufim is actually the way they are seen in the Chariot.

But one who examines them will see that in truth, the form and likeness are purely contingent upon the observer. This principle is expressed in the verse, “To whom then will you liken Me that I should be equal? says the Holy One” (Isaiah 40:25). What this means is that the prophets are not left with the illusion that this is the way it actually is, God forbid. As I have already said, the prophet sees the vision, likeness or image and understands the hidden level. When he attains his prophecy, he sees clearly that the picture in his vision is a likeness contingent upon the observer and not an integral aspect of the essence of that which is observed. The prophet himself understands this at the very time of the prophetic vision, as it says: “To whom, then, will you liken God and what likeness will you compare to Him?” (Isaiah 40:18).

Thus Moses warned Israel: “And guard your souls very much, for you did not see any form on the day that HaShem your God spoke to you at Horeb from out of the fire” (Deuteronomy 4:15). They were warned not to allow what they saw to cause them to err. They were to know that the entire vision was only prophetic, as they understood at the very time they saw it. Similarly, the rabbis said: “Since He was revealed to them at the sea as mighty (= Zeir Anpin), whereas at the Giving of the Torah He appeared in His attribute of kindness (= Arich Anpin), the verse states, ‘I am HaShem your God’, so as not to leave room to say there are two domains…” (Mechilta, Exodus 20:2).

This was so that they should not fall into error because of what they saw in the vision but that they should understand the underlying truth of what they saw in the proper way.

…as stated in the verse, “ And in the hand of the prophets I have used likenesses” (Hosea 12:11): The meaning of the phrase, “In the hand of the prophets” is that the image (the “likeness”) is formed in the mind of the prophets but is not integral to the Sefirot themselves. Each sees on his own level of perception and attainment, and the image is formed in his mind accordingly. Thus the Kabbalists said that “the hand of the prophets” refers to the attribute of Malchut (kingship, rule and control), which includes the power to form images.

Part 3: In their essence, however, the Sefirot are only an extended array of powers… As explained earlier, everything is one deep plan, a composite weave of just so many powers ordered in such a way that each holds sway only at its own designated time and in its own specific manner. This is called “an extended array of powers”. This array of powers “extends” and “spreads” in the sense that they are revealed in a variety of different ways according to specific, fixed rules.

They are …organized in their necessary order... This indicates that the order does not consist of scattered, separate, unrelated parts, but that a single, general, all-encompassing order underlies the revelation of each of the different powers, for everything was calculated in such a way as to lead to the ultimate goal.

They are …interdependent in their various laws... This indicates that the reason why we see states in which one power is clothed and garbed in another is because these powers are truly interdependent in the way they rule and function, in the sense that the functioning of one of them results from the functioning of others. In this way the Supreme Mind created a weave from which emerge all the different phenomena we see revealed in the world.

...and influenced by one another... In other words, the various chains of cause and effect and states of expanded consciousness discussed in the Kabbalah are bound up with the mutual influence of the various powers and laws on each other …as required according to the perfection of the entire ordered plan. For as we have explained, all these pathways were calculated in accordance with the overall goal of bringing the entire creation to perfection.

The Sefirot may appear in opposite likenesses even simultaneously. Both are true representations.

The Sefirot can appear in likenesses that may even be mutually contradictory, in exactly the same way as images in a dream may change in a single moment. Each likeness seen in the prophetic vision provides knowledge about one power and one attribute. The attributes and powers become known according to the true, proper order in which they are arranged and function, while the likenesses are in accordance with the soul’s ability to receive.

Having explained how the Sefirot appear as likenesses or images, we will now explain how these images may change from one to another.

The proposition consists of three parts. Part 1: The Sefirot can appear... This explains how the images change. Part 2: Each likeness seen... This explains the utility of these changes. Part 3: The attributes and powers... This explains the difference between the images and what they represent.

Part 1: The Sefirot can appear in likenesses that may even be mutually contradictory... If the likenesses through which the Sefirot appear were intrinsic to the Sefirot themselves, it would obviously be impossible to attribute two contradictory likenesses to one and the same subject. However, since these likenesses are not intrinsic to the Sefirot but were chosen by God, there is no difficulty in the fact that they may appear in different and contradictory likenesses, one after the other, or even simultaneously. For at one moment the Supreme Will wants them to appear in one way, and the next in a different way.

This enables us to resolve a problem arising out of various passages in the writings of the ARI that appear to contradict one another. Particularly difficult is the use of apparently contradictory terms to describe the state of the worlds. One of the hardest problems is the apparent contradiction between the depiction of the worlds in the form of a series of concentric circles (igulim) and their depiction in a straight, upright form (yosher).

In the circular likeness, the world of Asiyah is in the middle, and accordingly, the line (Kav) should pass through the center of Asiyah and continue downwards. But for various reasons, this is impossible (as discussed by all the Kabbalistic masters). These problems can be resolved if we understand that these are simply the likenesses and images of prophetic vision. It is perfectly possible for the prophetic vision to contain contradictory images. The best way to understand this is by considering the parallel case of dreams.