Turns out, that idea isn't just relatable to our daily lives; it’s also a key concept in Kabbalah, particularly when we're talking about the Sefirot (divine emanations) and their rectification.
We're diving into the Sulam commentary today – specifically, section 26 – and it's all about how different parts of the spiritual realm require different approaches to correction, or Zohar" target="_blank" rel="noopener" class="source-link">tikkun.
So, what's the deal? Well, this particular kind of rectification, the text explains, is only possible in the first three Sefirot of the World of Nekudim. Think of Nekudim as a specific configuration within the larger structure of creation. And these first three Sefirot? They're actually the first three of Bina. Now, Bina, often translated as "understanding," is all about giving. According to the Introduction to the Zohar, in the Sulam commentary, it's this light of giving that is their very essence, "because they never receive the light of Ḥokhma." Ḥokhma, of course, is wisdom. It’s a crucial light, but these first three don’t need it in the same way.
To understand this better, we need to zoom out a bit. The World of Nekudim, we learn, comes from the level of Sag of Adam Kadmon. Adam Kadmon is a big concept – essentially the primordial man, the first spiritual configuration. Sag is its third level and partzuf (divine "face" or configuration). Remember, each level, like this level of Bina, is also composed of five levels – the five main Sefirot. The key takeaway here is that the first three Sefirot of Bina – which is the level of Sag and, by extension, the World of Nekudim – contain that pure light of giving.
Now, here's where things get interesting. The lower six Sefirot? They're different. They do need the illumination of Ḥokhma. And because of that, they require a much more complex rectification. This section, and the ones that follow, will unpack that complexity for us.
The height of the light of giving, which emerged from the partition of Malkhut (the final Sefirah, often associated with kingship and the physical world), is enough to unite the right and left lines and return the first three lights to those upper Sefirot. But this isn't the case with the lower seven Sefirot in the World of Nekudim, which constitute Ze’er Anpin. Ze’er Anpin, "Small Face," is all about giving illuminated by Ḥokhma. As explained in Talmud Eser Sefirot 1:1:50, these lower seven Sefirot require Ḥokhma.
Why the difference? It has to do with Malkhut. See, Malkhut is intermingled with all the Sefirot. The presence of Malkhut in each of them, a result of the second constriction (tzimtzum), means that the light of Ḥokhma can't be received so easily by those Sefirot below the diaphragm. The first constriction, which originally took place within Malkhut, means that the light of Ḥokhma is rejected by Malkhut. And these lower six Sefirot, now mixed with Malkhut because of that second constriction, end up rejecting the light as well.
Therefore, as long as Ḥokhma doesn't illuminate them, they’re in a state of lack and impairment. The level of Bina in a given level doesn't draw the light of Ḥokhma; it only draws the light of giving, or ḥassadim. But these lower seven Sefirot do draw Ḥokhma, and they’re considered impaired when they can't get it. Because of Malkhut intermingling with them, they just can’t draw that light of wisdom in the same way.
So, what does all this mean? It highlights a fundamental principle: different spiritual vessels require different kinds of light and different methods of repair. Some operate primarily on giving, while others depend on receiving wisdom to achieve their fullness. And the presence of Malkhut, our connection to the physical world, complicates the flow of that light. Understanding these nuances is crucial to understanding the intricate dance of creation and its ongoing process of tikkun olam, repairing the world.