It all comes down to something called a "partition," and how much it can "see" or, perhaps more accurately, how much it can not see.
In Kabbalistic thought, this partition acts as a kind of filter, or a screen. It's what allows creation to happen, by limiting the infinite light of the Creator. According to Petichah LeChokhmat HaKabbalah, if this partition contains all five levels of what’s called "opacity," it creates five vessels. These vessels are essential because they enclothe the ten sefirot (divine emanations). Think of the sefirot as different aspects of God's character and creative energy.
Now, what's this "opacity" all about? Opacity, in this context, refers to the degree of the "will to receive" within a created being. Remember, the divine light is all about giving, pure and unadulterated. The will to receive, on the other hand, is... well, the opposite. It obstructs the light from entering. It is only through the transformation of the will to receive, changing it into a "will to receive in order to give", that creation can truly function.
So, what happens if the partition doesn't have all five levels of opacity? Let’s say it’s missing the fourth level. Then, according to our Kabbalistic source, it can only create four vessels. Less opacity means less conversion of the will to receive, which in turn reduces the amount of returning light that's generated. This returning light is crucial! It's the light that bounces back from the partition and allows the divine light to be enclothed and contained.
Think of it like a mirror. A perfectly reflective mirror (all five levels of opacity) can bounce back the full image. But a cloudy mirror (missing a level) only reflects part of it.
Consequently, a partition that lacks a level of opacity can only generate enough returning light to enclothe four lights: Ḥokhma (Wisdom), Bina (Understanding), Tiferet (Beauty), and Malkhut (Kingdom). But it won't have enough to enclothe the light of Keter (Crown), the highest of the lights.
Why is Keter so important? Well, the opacity of the fourth level – the level that’s often missing – is essential to enclothe the light of Keter. It represents the greatest degree of the will to receive, and therefore requires the most powerful returning light to transform and elevate it. Without that level of opacity, the returning light simply isn’t strong enough to reach all the way to Keter. As a result, the light of Keter remains unenclothed and can't be received within its vessel.
So, what does all this mean for us? It suggests that completeness, whether in ourselves, our relationships, or even our spiritual endeavors, requires a certain… fullness. It requires acknowledging and even embracing the "opacity," the will to receive, within ourselves, and then working to transform it into a will to give. Only then can we truly access the highest levels of divine light and bring wholeness into our lives.