Attik (6)

Petach 75 relates that like the other Partzufim beneath it, the Partzuf of Attik is likewise comprised of a MaH and a BaN, which are its “male” and “female” aspects. But  unlike the lower instances of MaH and BaN, they, i.e., those of Attik, literally function as a single entity and as one body, such that it is impossible to assign either a separate and independent place, and to call one “right” and the other “left”. Rather, they’re literally joined together as a single entity that‘s comprised of a single body [1].

What that means to say, in short, is that unlike the “male” and “female” of the lower Partzufim (i.e., Erich Anpin, Abba and Imma, etc.), the “male” and “female” aspects of Attik are of the order spoken of in the verse that reads, “male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27), which alludes to the fact that Adam/Eve was originally a hermaphrodite (Breishit Rabbah 8:1) — male and female at one at the same time.

The point here is that that state was the prototype and it remains the ideal, so the closer to the Source a Partzuf is the more this holds true. As such, Attik very closely embodies this while the other Partzufim only do so to varying degrees, as we’ll see.

Note:

[1]       Also see Klallot HaIlan 3:1, 3-4 and Klallei Chochmat HaEmes 46.

(c) 2014 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

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