Imagine, if you will, the world of Atzilut, the realm of emanation, the closest to the Divine. But how do we get from that lofty height to the lower worlds? That’s where the concept of a Massakh, or screen, comes in. Think of it as a filter, a veil, something that allows the Divine light to be stepped down, made more accessible.
The Ramchal tells us that below Atzilut, there's a Massakh formed from the light of Imah, the Divine Mother. From this screen descends Hashmal, a kind of radiant energy. This Hashmal encircles below the "legs" of ZON – that's Zeir Anpin and Nukvah, the masculine and feminine principles in Kabbalah, often seen as the “son” and “daughter” of the Divine. The lights of Atzilut pierce through this Hashmal, and voilà! The world of Briah, creation, comes into being. So, Briah is generated, in essence, by Imah.
But the story doesn't end there. There are other worlds, other realms to consider. Between Briah and the next world, Yetzirah (formation), lie further screens. The Ramchal explains there is one screen from Imah to ZON, and another from ZA (Zeir Anpin) to Nukvah. Because of these further screens, Yetzirah is generated by ZA. Each step down requires a further limitation, a further veiling.
Finally, we reach the world of Assiyah, action, the world closest to our own physical reality. Between Yetzirah and Assiyah, we find even more screens: one from Imah to ZON, another from ZA to Nukvah, and a third from Nukvah to the world beneath it. Therefore, Assiyah is generated by Nukvah.
So, what does it all mean? The Ramchal is showing us a process, a chain of being. Each world is born from the one above it, through a series of veils and filters represented by these screens. The light of the Divine becomes increasingly limited and refined as it descends, creating the different levels of existence that we experience. It’s a powerful image of how the Infinite expresses itself in the finite, the hidden becoming revealed, step by step. A continuous unfolding, a delicate dance of creation. It makes you wonder about the screens, the limitations, the Massakhs in our own lives. What are they, and how do they shape the reality we perceive?