Kabbalah, with its intricate symbolic language, offers a fascinating way to understand such barriers – and how we might overcome them. Today, we're diving into a concept from the Sulam Commentary that deals with just that: purification, merging, and the fascinating dance of light and opacity.
The Sulam Commentary, by Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ashlag, is a vital interpretation of the writings of the ARI, Rabbi Isaac Luria, the towering figure of 16th-century Kabbalah. Ashlag's commentary makes these complex ideas accessible, and we're going to explore one small piece of it. Specifically, we’re going to look at the idea of a “partition” and how it can be purified.
Imagine a light shining on a slightly opaque screen. That screen, that barrier, is what Kabbalists sometimes call a parsa (partition). This parsa isn't necessarily a bad thing; it plays a crucial role in structuring reality, in allowing us to receive Divine light in a measured way. But sometimes, that parsa needs some cleaning, some refinement.
The text from the Sulam Commentary (section 63, to be precise) describes this process beautifully. It tells us that when the "surrounding light" – that all-encompassing, radiant Divine energy – "beats" against the opacity of the parsa, something amazing happens: the parsa begins to be purified. It incrementally becomes less opaque, more refined. Think of it like polishing a cloudy mirror until it shines.
Now, here’s where it gets really interesting. This purification process isn’t just about removing opacity; it's about equating form. The text states that the purified parsa eventually becomes identical to the parsa in the "head" of the partzuf. (A partzuf, for our purposes, is like a divine configuration, a specific arrangement of spiritual forces. Think of it like a blueprint of creation.) This "head" parsa is located at the mouth. This equating of form, this merging of the lower parsa with the higher one, is considered a unification. As the text says, "the equating of form is regarded as a unification."
Why is this unification so important? Because it allows the lower parsa to participate in the "fusion through collision" occurring in the head. What does that even mean? Well, Kabbalah often uses the language of "collision" to describe the dynamic interaction of different forces. This fusion renews all aspects of the parsa's opacity, except for one crucial aspect: the level of Keter.
Keter, meaning "crown," is the highest of the Sefirot, the ten emanations through which God manifests in the world. Because the opacity of Keter isn't renewed, the "returning light" – the light that reflects back from the parsa – can only reach a certain height, capable of enclothing Ḥokhma. Ḥokhma, meaning "wisdom," is the second Sefirah. The less opacity in the parsa, the less height the returning light can reach.
Finally, the text describes a "fusion through collision from the supernal light in the head" acting upon the remaining opacity in the lower parsa (the opacity of the third level). From this interaction emerges the "height of the partzuf of Ḥokhma."
What does all this mean for us, in our everyday lives? It suggests that by confronting our own internal "partitions," those barriers we create (or that are created for us), and allowing the "surrounding light" of awareness and intention to shine upon them, we can begin to purify them. We can refine our perspectives, overcome limiting beliefs, and ultimately, achieve a greater sense of unity and connection. It’s not about eliminating all boundaries, but about refining them, clarifying them, so that they allow for the maximum flow of Divine energy and creative potential. Perhaps the barriers we face aren’t so much roadblocks as they are opportunities for profound transformation.