We've been exploring the partzufim, the divine countenances, of Adam Kadmon, the Primordial Man. But now, as we move into the world of Atzilut, the realm of emanation, things get… interesting.
A new endpoint emerges within the ten sefirot, the divine attributes, of the interior. Think of it like this: imagine a body – the partzuf. We’re used to the idea of a “navel,” the Malkhut (Kingship) of the interior, acting as the boundary, the limit. But here, according to the author of the Sulam commentary, this Malkhut actually ascends, rising up to the position of Bina (Understanding) within the ten sefirot. It's a promotion, of sorts! And this new position becomes the new endpoint for the interior.
Now, this isn't just a simple reshuffling of divine geography. It marks the introduction of something called the “second constriction,” or Tzimtzum Bet. This second constriction, crucial for understanding creation, only applies from the world of Nekudim (Points) and the partzuf of Atzilut downwards.
So, what does this mean in practice? The sefira of Malkhut, once comfortably nestled at the "navel" - the bottom of the partzuf's interior - gets relocated all the way up to the "chest," the place of the sefira of Bina. This dramatically changes the landscape. The interior area of the partzuf now stops at the chest. Everything below the chest, which used to be part of the interior, now joins the lower regions of the partzuf, the part that was previously below the navel.
Think of the “chest” as a new dividing line, a fresh boundary. Above it, in the interior, we only have Keter (Crown), Ḥokhma (Wisdom), and half of Bina. The rest of the interior sefirot? They "fall" below the line, into the lower part of the partzuf, along with the six extremities (Zeir Anpin).
Why this radical restructuring? Why this "fall"? The Sulam tells us this second constriction is absolutely essential for the purpose of Creation. It’s not some random cosmic event; it’s a deliberate act with profound implications. The text calls this new endpoint, understandably, “chest.”
This concept of the "chest" as a dividing line might seem strange at first. But consider this: isn't there a sense in our own lives that certain boundaries, certain limitations, are actually necessary for growth and creativity? Perhaps this "second constriction" is a reflection of that very principle, a cosmic acknowledgement that limitation can, paradoxically, lead to expansion. What do you think?