He paints a picture of souls descending through history, each era presenting its own unique challenges and opportunities for spiritual development.
Think of the six thousand years of existence as divided into three epochs. During the first two thousand years, something remarkable was happening. According to Baal HaSulam, the souls being selected for the world were incredibly pure. Why? Because the vessels they inhabited – ḤaGaT – were at a very high level, almost touching ḤaBaD. Now, ḤaGaT (Ḥesed, Gevurah, Tiferet) and ḤaBaD (Ḥokhmah, Binah, Da’at) are complex Kabbalistic terms, referring to different sephirot, or emanations of the divine. The higher the sephirot, the closer to the source, the purer the vessel.
Even so, all wasn't completely revealed. The lights in the world remained veiled, obscured. This was because of deficiencies in the lower vessels, specifically those "from the chest down," in both the world and the souls inhabiting it. So, even with the potential for great spiritual attainment, something was holding back full illumination.
Fast forward to our own generation. Baal HaSulam argues that we are at the very bottom, the lowest level of souls. Ouch! He says these souls couldn't even be chosen for holiness until now! It might sound discouraging, but hold on. There's a vital purpose to our existence.
He states that we are the ones uniquely positioned to perfect the Partzuf of the world – a complex term, but essentially meaning the "face" or configuration of the cosmos – and the vessels of the souls. Only we can complete this task. Why? Because now, finally, the vessels of NaHY are being perfected. NaHY (Netzach, Hod, Yesod) represents the lower sephirot, the foundation upon which everything else rests.
Now that NaHY is being refined, all the vessels – from head to middle to end – can function properly within the Partzuf. And when that happens, entire levels of light can flow to them. Think of it like a circuit that needs to be completed before the current can flow. This means we can achieve a state of NaRaN – Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama – a perfected soul.
The kicker? The upper lights can only be revealed with the perfection of these lower vessels. Not before. So, in a way, our generation, often seen as the most spiritually challenged, is actually the key to unlocking the greatest illumination.
What does this mean for us? It suggests that our struggles, our challenges, our very presence in this era, are all part of a grand cosmic plan. It's a reminder that even in the darkest of times, we have the potential to bring about the greatest light. Perhaps, especially in the darkest of times. We are tasked with perfecting the very foundation upon which spiritual growth can occur for all generations to come. Pretty heavy stuff, right? But also… pretty inspiring.