Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah Reader

The way in which this appears in the prophetic vision is that Eyn Sof, blessed be He, contracts Himself in one place, leaving a place void of Him. This expresses how the work of creation is revealed with the aspect of limitlessness removed.

Part 3:...and adopted a path of limited action. This is called the Tzimztum (contraction) of Eyn Sof, blessed be He. This indicates that the Tzimtzum is not only a matter of the absence of limitlessness. The Tzimtzum itself sustains the realm of boundaries and limitations in being. The Tzimtzum causes the disappearance of limitlessness, maintaining the boundaries and limits in being. In the realm of limits and boundaries thereby revealed lie the roots of Din, Judgment.

One may object: If the Tzimtzum is merely the departure of the aspect of limitlessness – a matter of negation – how can the Tzimtzum positively sustain or maintain anything in being? The answer is that it is the Will that wanted to reveal things in actuality (rather than their remaining as a mere hypothetical possibility) which brings all this about. What He wanted to reveal is His limited power. Accordingly He removed His aspect of limitlessness from it. If so, it is the act of Tzimtzum that actually sustains in being the limited realm revealed through it. This realm is revealed in accordance with His Will, through the removal of His aspect of limitlessness from the place of the Tzimtzum.

The way this appears in the vision is that in the place that remains contracted after the act of Tzimtzum, the root of Judgment is revealed, and this is what is maintained in existence through the Tzimtzum.

The result of the Tzimtzum: the Sefirot became visible.

This Tzimtzum caused some of His light and radiance to become visible, whereas previously – and this applies even now to those levels where the Tzimtzum does not reach – they could not be seen or grasped in any way. And this light that is permitted to be seen is called emanated light, for it seems like a light that was newly generated. But the truth is that it is only a certain aspect of the primordial light, whose power was reduced through the Tzimtzum.

Having introduced the subject of the Tzimtzum, we must now trace its consequences, starting from the very first.

The proposition consists of two parts: Part 1: This Tzimtzum caused.... This informs us that the effect of the Tzimtzum was to enable the Sefirot to be seen. Part 2: And this light... This provides further understanding of this effect.

Part 1: This Tzimtzum caused some of His light and radiance to become visible... For you surely already know and understand that what is beyond boundaries and limits cannot be seen. Initially the path of limitation and boundaries subsumed in Eyn Sof was also invisible, inasmuch as it was subject to His all-encompassing limitlessness, which turns all limits back beyond limits. But when the Tzimtzum removed the aspect of limitlessness from this pathway, the pathway remained there and now became visible. This is what caused...some of His light… to become visible... This is the light of which we spoke earlier, which Eyn Sof wanted to be accessible so that the attributes of the supreme law would appear by way of radiations of light – the Sefirot.

What this means is that it was not only as a result of the Tzimtzum alone that the divine attributes became visible as radiations of light, nor was this simply the inevitable consequence of the Tzimtzum. What the Tzimtzum did was only to remove the aspect of limitlessness from His power to bring a separate creation into being “outside” of Himself, so that from then on the work of creation would be subject to an orderly law within bounds and limits. Combined with this was His desire that this law should be able to be seen, and this is what caused the light to be visible.

Thus we see that the light’s ability to be seen was not merely an effect of the Tzimtzum but resulted from God’s will that it should be visible. Prior to the Tzimtzum, however, it was impossible for the light to be seen because it had no bounds or limits. If so, we may say that the Tzimtzum caused the light to become visible not in the sense that the Tzimtzum was the intrinsic cause of the light’s ability to be seen but because the removal of limitlessness made it possible for it to be seen.

...some of His light and radiance... “Light” and “radiance” are terms that apply to the radiation emitted by a source of light. The radiation surrounds the source on the outside. This implies that the radiance that shines from Him is not something devoid of any intrinsic relationship with Godliness, serving merely to designate Godliness in the way that an agreed sign may be chosen to indicate a given object although the sign has no intrinsic relationship with the object in question. On the contrary, this radiance is integrally related to Godliness, which it signifies directly.

For all that we see of Godliness is the Sefirot. However, the Sefirot are one way in which the Supreme WIll wanted to show His laws. This way is not intrinsic to Him but one that He willfully chose. If so, what we see of Godliness is not intrinsic Godliness in itself but only what He wants us to see.

In that case, it might seem that you could not legitimately call the Sefirot Godliness but that you could only say they point to and indicate Godliness in a way similar to the way a written name designates the bearer of that name. The letters making up the name have no intrinsic connection with the bearer of the name but simply refer to him through an agreed convention. While the letters designate the bearer of the name, they are not in themselves a part of him in such a way that we could say they possess some intrinsic quality belonging to him. Yet we have called the Sefirot Godliness. If so, it must be that this radiation contains something Godly.

The truth is this: The radiation of light is Godly. In what way? Godliness is hidden from the created realms and their inhabitants, but they must nevertheless receive some revelation of it at the time when it is revealed to them. A comparable case is that of the beams of light that radiated from the face of Moses our Teacher, peace be upon him.

Someone who stood before Moses would be ashamed to look directly in his face and would lower his eyes – and then he would see Moses’ radiance. Godliness is revealed to His creatures in the same way, yet they do not see it directly. What they see is only the radiance shining from Him, and this radiance is the Sefirot. This radiance relates to its Owner, being the revelation of the splendor of the glorious essence that remains concealed.

That which is revealed of Him – this radiation of light, the Sefirot – is the radiance of Eyn Sof, blessed be He, namely the revelation of His splendor. If so, the Sefirot are bound up with Eyn Sof, blessed be He, the Owner and Source of this radiation.

It could be objected that we are saying on the one hand that because the radiance relates to its Owner, having emerged from Him, it is therefore intrinsic to Him. On the other hand, we have said that the radiation was willful and not intrinsic, in which case the radiance does not relate to Him directly. If so, how can we call the Sefirot Godliness?

The answer is that it was God’s will that the Sefirot should somehow be able to be apprehended by His creatures. When we say that the Sefirot are a radiation of light, what this means is that they emerged in such a way that they could be grasped by God’s creatures. If so, the radiation was brought about willfully by God and is not intrinsic to His essence. His will was that the Sefirot should emerge by way of a radiation of light, but it could have been in a different way – any way He might have chosen. However, the way He actually instituted was to make it possible for them to be apprehended by His creatures in the same way as a radiation that relates to the source emitting it, enabling us to gain some knowledge of that source without actually seeing its intrinsic essence.

In other words, the Sefirot relate to His intrinsic essence, but the way they appear to us is subject to His will, and accordingly, His intrinsic Godliness is not visible to us. We may say that the Sefirot are Godliness in respect of their own intrinsic essence, but they are not Godliness inasmuch as they are visible to us, and the way they appear is bound up with the nature of the observer. If so, the radiation of the light was a willful act of God, yet at the same time, the radiating light is bound up with its Owner.

It is freely chosen in respect of the form in which it appears, but bound up with Him in its essence, inasmuch as it is a revelation of the Owner of the radiance. This explains the phrase of the sages describing the Tzaddikim in the future world as “enjoying the radiance of the Divine Presence” (Berachot 17a). They do not see the Divine Presence itself but attain a perception of the glory standing over them.

It is called emanated light for the reason written here: …for it seems like a light that was newly generated: There was no need for the essence of the light to be generated as a new creation since it existed already in Eyn Sof. The innovation was that it should exist in the form of visible light. This is because whenever a given subject enters a new state different from its initial state, this may legitimately be called an innovation in its mode of being. In this case, a new state came into being: a state in which the light was visible – which was not its initial state. If so, this is light in a new state of existence. For although in its essence it is the same as it was at first, the state of the light as visible was an innovation, and this is what is meant by emanated light.

But the truth is that it is only a certain level of the primordial light, whose power was reduced through the Tzimtzum. For the way of bounds and limits was originally subsumed within Eyn Sof, blessed be He, only His aspect of limitlessness caused the light to expand beyond all limits. When the aspect of limitlessness was removed from it, it remained with its limited power. If so, the light is from the very essence of Eyn Sof, but the Tzimtzum reduced and limited its power.

In the prophetic vision, the way in which this appears is that a new light – the light of the Reshimu, the “Residue” – was generated from the concealed Source – Eyn Sof.

Details of the Residue that filled the Empty Space.

This emanated light was called a Residue of the Primordial Light, which because of its supreme greatness could not be apprehended. This Residue is called the Place (or Space) of all that exists, because this is what gives them the ability to exist, which the aspect of limitlessness did not give them. This place or space is said to be empty, and it is devoid of the light of Eyn Sof, blessed be He, in the sense that His limitlessness is not found there as at first.

Having explained that as a result of the Tzimtzum, a new light emerged, we must now discuss further details about this light.

It was called the Residue, even though this term does not fit completely. This is because a residue is a trace left over from something that is in the same category, only greater, while the remaining trace is less. However, in the case in hand, the light that disappeared was not visible light, while the light that remained is visible light. Thus they are not in the same category, and the light that remained is not exactly a “residue” of the Infinite Light. We cannot truly say that it is a residue of that Light, only that it is called a residue. As to why it is so called if it is not really a residue, you will see later.

...a Residue of the Primordial Light... This indicates that the light that remained was not new and different from the light that disappeared, but rather that it was like a small part of it. Prior to the act of Tzimtzum, it was not recognizable as something separate in itself, but after the Tzimtzum it could be recognized as such.

We will be able to gain a deeper understanding of this entire matter by considering the relationship between Malchut and the other Sefirot as found in the lower realms from Atzilut downwards. In other words, the relationship between Malchut and the other Sefirot, as found in the worlds of Atzilut and below, will provide an analogy through which we may understand the relationship between the Residue and the departed Primordial Light of Eyn Sof. This is because the Residue is called Malchut of Eyn Sof.

Let us first consider the analogous case. Malchut is the root of the created worlds and their inhabitants. And what is Malchut? Malchut is the last part of the Sefirot of Zeir Anpin (i.e. the last part of all the Sefirot making up the Partzuf of Zeir Anpin – Chessed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod – representing all the upper Sefirot; each of the upper Sefirot includes all ten Sefirot and therefore has its own individual Malchut). For the root of the lower realms and beings is the last part – the last power – found in each individual Sefirah.

Now we may object: If so, this would imply that the lower realms have ten roots – these being the ten last parts of all ten Sefirot – not just one root in the overall Malchut. The answer is that the law that the lower creatures should exist is called Malchut (the overall Malchut). This is a bond of all the powers contained in the ten Sefirot to bring forth the lower realms. For each Sefirah contains a power that relates to bringing forth the lower realms and beings, and this is its individual Malchut (such as Malchut of Chessed, Malchut of Gevurah, etc.). The overall Malchut is the law that the lower realms should exist. And from what is this law or light constructed? It consists of the totality of the powers existing in each of the individual Sefirot to bring forth the lower realms.

In other words, the overall Malchut is a bond of all the individual Malchuyot of each of the ten Sefirot. Even so, these separate powers would be hanging in suspense but for one general, overall law which they need: namely that the lower realms should exist. This general law or power (the overall Malchut) includes all of these specific powers (the individual Malchuyot of each of the ten Sefirot). This is what makes the potential actual. The bond of all these powers contained in each of the individual Sefirot to bring forth the lower realms is the law called Malchut.

Having understood the analogous case, the relationship between Malchut and the higher Sefirot as manifested in the realms below, let us now apply this understanding to the subject of our present discussion, the upper level – the relationship between the Residue and the departed Light of Eyn Sof. For all that remains revealed after the Tzimtzum is referred to as Malchut of Eyn Sof. In other words, all that departed – leaving only the specific power to create independent worlds and beings – may be considered parallel to the nine upper Sefirot as found in the lower realms.

On the other hand, what remains after the Tzimtzum – created worlds and beings existing within bounds and limits – may be considered parallel to the Malchuyot of these nine Sefirot. And what is Malchut? The overall Malchut is the bond of all the powers found in the individual Sefirot to bring forth the lower worlds. Malchut is the general law that all the Sefirot should bring forth the lower realms and beings according to what is rooted within them.

We therefore call this light that is revealed in the Residue after the Tzimtzum “Malchut”, and we say that it is like the last part of all that departed, which we have compared to the nine higher Sefirot. Accordingly we call it a Residue of all that departed.

We must distinguish between two different aspects here. The bond of these parts, namely the law that the lower realms should exist – this being the overall Malchut in its proper place – we will term the Place or Space of the lower realms. This is the power that gives a place for their existence. But inasmuch as the overall Malchut is built of the residue of all that departed and includes the power contained in each Sefirah to bring forth the lower realms, we can term this the actual root of the lower realms.

These two aspects are also found in Malchut below. For Malchut is a “place” or “space” in the sense of providing the possibility for lower realms to exist. In addition to this, Malchut itself is also the individual root of each one of them, because the overall Malchut includes all the individual Malchuyot of all the other Sefirot.

...which because of its supreme greatness could not be apprehended. Here is the reason why we may call this a Residue even though it is not strictly in the same category as the light of Eyn Sof, which cannot be seen, while the light of the Residue has an end and a limit and can be seen. The reason is because there is a way in which they can be considered to come under one category. Since we have called Eyn Sof, blessed be He, “Simple Light”, and the light of the Residue is also light, they both come under the category of light, even though the one cannot be seen, while the other is visible light. For we may consider the ability to be seen a contingent occurrence in the Residue that could not apply to the first light.

This is supported by the point made earlier (Opening 5) that even in the case of the Sefirot, the ability to be seen is not intrinsic to their nature but was willfully instituted. Eyn Sof wanted the minimal power that constitutes the realm of limits and boundaries to be visible, while that which is beyond limits He did not want to be visible. Accordingly we apply the word Residue to the limited power subsumed within His limitless power. The Supreme Will wanted this limited power to be capable of being seen.

One could object: Firstly, how can we say that what departed was nine Sefirot? Surely the Sefirot are limited, whereas what departed is without limits and if so, cannot be considered in the category of nine Sefirot? Further, the nine Sefirot are nine separate functions, whereas in the case of the Unlimited, it is impossible to speak of separate parts. If so, what departed was not nine Sefirot, for you cannot ascribe parts to the Unlimited. Clearly, there is no difference between one part and another except by virtue of the boundary that divides between them, whereas on the level of the Unlimited, the concept of boundary is not applicable in any way, and if so, it is impossible to speak of parts.

These objections may be answered as follows: It is true that the Sefirot are limited, while that which departed is without limits, and from this point of view we should not have compared what departed to the Sefirot. It is impossible to compare what departed, which is without limits, to these parts that remained, which fall within the category of limitation. Nevertheless, the nine Sefirot, although limited, do still give an indication of the Unlimited, while Malchut is actually on the boundary.

For the root of the matter is that the limited functions necessary for the entire existence of created realms and beings are in truth nine parts, which constitute the structure of Malchut itself. This is the pathway of limitation and boundaries that had been subsumed within Eyn Sof, as discussed earlier (Opening 24). However, the Unlimited overwhelmed each of these nine, bringing them back beyond limits. Thus we find here ten Sefirot: nine levels of limited action (e.g. the Malchut of each individual Sefirah: Malchut of Chessed, Malchut of Gevurah, etc.) all having one objective and all considered as constituting one Sefirah – the overall Malchut.

The sway which the Unlimited holds over each of them is considered as the other nine Sefirot (e.g. Chessed of Chessed, Gevurah of Chessed, etc. and so too in the case of every Sefirah, with the exception of the Malchut of each one). From their point of view they are not divided, for the Unlimited holds sway over every part of the pathway of limitation and boundaries, bringing it back beyond limitation.

Inasmuch as the Unlimited holds sway over these nine Sefirot, bringing them back beyond limitation, they are spoken of as the nine Sefirot of Eyn Sof, but not on account of what they are in themselves. However, the Sefirot after the Tzimtzum are all parts of Malchut: after the Tzimtzum, we refer to the nine Sefirot only from the aspect of their Malchut, and accordingly they are all limited. The Malchut of each of the individual Sefirot is the pathway of limitation and boundaries that was subsumed in Eyn Sof as a hypothetical possibility prior to the Tzimtzum, while the upper nine Sefirot of each individual Sefirah indicate the Unlimited, Who holds sway over the pathway of limitation.

They are not the Unlimited in Himself, but give enough indication of Him as is necessary for the sake of the government, as will be explained in the appropriate place.

Part 2: This Residue... The existence of this Residue depends upon the bond of all the individual Malchuyot of the nine higher Sefirot, this being the law that the lower realms should exist – Malchut, the tenth law of the Ten Laws constituted by the Ten Sefirot. Accordingly, the bond of the last, bottommost powers contained in the Unlimited, which joined together to make the Residue in this way, is the overall Malchut. This is the “place” of the created realms and beings, for this is the law that gives them existence. The Residue itself is made up of these powers that were joined together, these being the root of the lower realms, as below.

... is called the Place (or Space) of all that exists, because this is what gives them the ability to exist, which the aspect of limitlessness did not give them. It is called a “place” or “space” inasmuch as it fulfills the function of a place or space, which contains that which stands within it. However, it is not a place in the physical sense of being an actual place containing whatever stands within it. For the concept of physical space is not applicable to the Sefirot, since they are Godliness, and Godliness has no physical dimensions.

Indeed, as long as the Unlimited held sway, everything was completely perfect. As soon as the Unlimited departed, Malchut was revealed as a “container”, but initially it was not revealed as being filled with all its worlds, but rather as an empty space. Nevertheless, it was not completely hollow, for the root of the worlds that were destined to emerge was present in the form of the Residue, except that the Residue was like air, in the sense that the worlds were not discernible.

Accordingly, even though its container was full (i.e. of air) it is called “hollow” in relation to Eyn Sof, blessed be He. For initially, prior to the Tzimtzum, there was no need for any further perfection, and even after the Tzimtzum, the encompassing Eyn Sof lacks no perfection whatever. That which is still in need of perfection is called “hollow” – i.e. lacking in perfection in relation to the perfection of Eyn Sof.

We therefore say that afterwards, when the Line came down and made the Residue into Sefirot, it “filled” this “hollow”. This is why the Kabbalistic sages said that the Line “filled” the hollow, and that the entire hollow space was filled with the ten Sefirot of Adam Kadmon (Etz Chayim 1:4).

It could be objected: What need is there to say that it is called “hollow” in relation to Eyn Sof? Should we not say it is called “hollow” because it is still in need of perfection? The answer is that inasmuch as the container was at that time filled with the Residue, it should not have been called hollow. However, in relation to the encompassing Eyn Sof, blessed be He, Who is perfect in every way and to Whom the concept of further perfection is not applicable, it is called hollow. It is also called hollow relative to what it was when it was filled with the Unlimited, which departed from it.

...and it is devoid of the light of Eyn Sof, blessed be He, in the sense that His limitlessness is not found there as at first. This explains why the worlds can exist on this level in the hollow of which we are speaking, because the Unlimited – which would otherwise not permit the existence of separate levels – is not found there after the Tzimtzum.

The way this appears in the prophetic vision is as a hollow, vacated space, filled with a fine light that we call the Residue. This is the “place” in which all the created worlds will stand, as I have explained.

Rooted in this Residue was everything that is destined to exist, and what was not rooted there cannot come into being afterwards. Even so, all that is rooted there could not have come into being without the Unlimited Himself governing it. Nevertheless, the Unlimited acts only in accordance with what is rooted in the Residue. This is like the soul, which governs the body solely according to the nature of the body.

The action of the Unlimited within the Residue is called one Line from Eyn Sof, blessed be He, that enters into the hollow cavity. For what He actually brings about within the Residue is in accordance with the nature of the created realms and beings. Yet in bringing it about, He Himself acts on His own level of intrinsic perfection. As far as the created realms and beings are concerned, it is the Residue.

But through the Line, He acts on His own intrinsic level of perfection. Further, while what was produced is, as far as the creatures are concerned, the Residue, the way in which Eyn Sof operates it is through the Line, which is on His plane of limitlessness, just as He is without limits.

Having explained what the emanated light is, it is now necessary to explain what it produced.

The proposition has four parts. Part 1: Rooted in this Residue... This explains the distinctive quality of this Residue. Part 2: Even so, all that is rooted there... This explains that the Residue requires the Unlimited. Part 3: Nevertheless, the Unlimited acts only… This explains that the Unlimited governs the Residue as the soul governs the body. Part 4: The action of the Unlimited within the Residue is called one Line… This explains the Line in relation to the Residue and how the Unlimited looks down providentially upon the level of the Residue via the Channel or Pipe.

Part 1: Rooted in this Residue is everything that was destined to exist... This is obvious, because, as has already been explained, the Residue consists of what remained of the Primordial Light that departed through the Tzimtzum. For the Residue consists of all that was originally included in the Primordial Light as the root of the lower realms and beings. This remained in the Residue after the departure of all the other powers that were not part of the root of the lower realms and beings. Now, everything that was destined to exist in the lower realms was certainly originally included in the Primordial Light in the category of the root of the lower realms. If so, the Residue is the root of everything destined to exist in the lower realms.

It can be clearly proved that everything destined to exist was originally included in the Light that departed. For what departed was Eyn Sof, blessed be He. Now Eyn Sof includes everything. If so, everything was originally included in what departed.

…and what was not rooted there cannot come into being afterwards. It would not be enough for the Residue to be merely the root of the general categories found in the lower realms, which afterwards divide into their particulars down below. All the lower worlds and beings must necessarily be rooted in the Residue: every single detail must be rooted there. The proof of this is that no detail that is not included in the All-Powerful could possibly exist. The Residue is the revelation of everything that was included in the All-Powerful as the root of the lower realms and creatures. If so, it must be that all the details were also included in the Residue.

Part 2: Even so, all that is rooted there could not have come into being without the Unlimited Himself governing it. For there are entities whose movements are self-generated, and others whose movements depend upon another. For example, the movements of the body depend upon another, while the movements of the soul are self-generated. All this must have a root above. If so, among the lights there must be some whose movements are self-generated, and they are the root of those entities having this property, while different lights, whose movements depend upon other lights, are the root of those entities that have that property.