Today, we're going to delve into a fascinating aspect of that unfolding, exploring how the different partzufim, or divine "faces," of Atzilut (the realm of emanation) emerge from one another.
Now, this isn't always easy to grasp. Imagine layers of light and shadow, constantly interacting and transforming. The Sulam commentary, which we'll be drawing from here, guides us through this intricate process.
Think of it this way: each level of existence has its own "opacity," its own degree of concealment of the divine light. The text talks about remnants of this opacity. All those remnants of opacity that are less opaque than the opacity of the third level are considered immaterial in relation to the value of the fusion through collision of the third level, which emerged in the head of Atik. We're told that in order for a new partzuf to come into being, the "partition" of the previous level of opacity has to be purified. That opacity ascends back to the "head" of the partzuf.
There, these remnants are reawakened. However, the level that actually birthed the preceding partzuf? That level is permanently purified and doesn’t participate in this reawakening. The phrase "emerged in the head of Atik" refers to the phase of the process in which the new partzuf emerges from the partition as a result of the fusion through collision in the head of the preceding partzuf (Atik in this case).
So, when Arikh Anpin, often translated as "Long Visage," was born and left the head of Atik to take its place, it drew all those remnants with it. As the text states, after Arikh Anpin went through its three phases – gestation, infancy, and the development of its "brains" – the supernal light shone upon the uppermost level that remained in those remnants: the opacity of the second level.
Then, through those three aspects of gestation, infancy, and brains, ten sefirot – the attributes or emanations of God – of the height of Bina (Understanding) emerged. And these are the partzufim of Abba (Father) and Imma (Mother). According to the Sulam, this is the term for the partzuf of Atzilut corresponding to the level of Bina.
And what about the rest of the partzufim? Well, they emerge in the same manner, each building upon the remnants and purified aspects of what came before. It’s a cascading, interconnected process.
Ultimately, what we're seeing here is a model of creation itself. A process of continuous refinement, emergence, and interaction between light and shadow. It's a complex, multi-layered system that offers a powerful metaphor for understanding our own spiritual growth. What remnants of opacity are we holding onto? And how might we purify them to allow something new to emerge within ourselves? Just some food for thought, as we continue to explore the mysteries of Kabbalah.