Introduction to Sulam Commentary turns to Adam and the First Humans of Bina.
The core concept revolves around the interplay between the higher and lower realms, and how actions below can actually influence the divine above. Think of it like this: imagine a cosmic dance, a constant give-and-take between different levels of existence.
The "lower creations" – that's us, and everything in our realm – have the power to "raise the feminine waters." In Kabbalistic terms, these "feminine waters" represent a yearning, an aspiration that rises from below, a desire to connect with the divine. When we cultivate this yearning, something remarkable happens: we draw forth illumination from Ḥokhma and Bina of Adam Kadmon.
Adam Kadmon is a complex idea. Think of it as the primordial, archetypal man – a blueprint for creation itself. Ḥokhma and Bina are two of the sefirot, divine attributes or emanations. Ḥokhma is often translated as "wisdom," and Bina as "understanding." So, when we raise the feminine waters, we’re essentially tapping into the wellspring of divine wisdom and understanding.
And here’s where it gets really interesting. This illumination, drawn forth from the highest realms, has a transformative effect. It "removes Malkhut (Sovereignty) from Bina." Malkhut, meaning "kingdom," represents the manifest world, our reality. Its separation from Bina indicates a kind of disruption or imbalance.
But don’t worry, that’s not the end of the story! The text goes on to say that the three vessels of Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, which had "fallen to the level below," now "return and ascend from there to their level as before." Tiferet, meaning "beauty," is another sefirah (a divine emanation), representing harmony and balance. So, the falling of these three vessels signifies a disruption of the divine order. The ascent, however, speaks to a restoration.
Think of it as a cosmic reset. The imbalance is corrected, and the divine attributes return to their proper place.
With the five vessels – Keter (Crown, the highest of the ten sefirot), Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut – now in their proper positions, the five lights – yeḥida, ḥaya, neshama, ruaḥ, and nefesh (the vital soul) – become enclothed in them once more. These five lights represent different levels of the soul, from the most transcendent (yeḥida) to the most grounded (nefesh). Their enclothement signifies a complete and harmonious integration of the divine within the created world.
This, the text concludes, is the "phase of maturity of the level." It’s a moment of completion, of fulfillment, where everything is in its right place, functioning as it should. The Sulam commentary itself points us to the Introduction to the Zohar (page 20 in the Sulam, s.v. “tziyer”) where this idea is further elaborated.
So, what does all this mean for us? Well, it suggests that our actions, our aspirations, our yearnings, have a real and tangible impact on the cosmos. We're not just passive observers in this grand drama; we're active participants, capable of influencing the flow of divine energy and contributing to the ongoing process of creation. It's a powerful thought, isn't it?