As to Ramchal’s and others’ portrayal of the role of the Sephira of Malchut in all this, it comes to the following. As the last of the ten Sephirot, Malchut is the repository of the lot of them [1] and is dependent upon them all for its light and abilities [2]. Yet it also serves as the mechanism through which the original plans are carried out [3] and actualized [4], and the world’s “architect” [5]. That’s what Ramchal was referring to when he said that Malchut is the root of the lower realms (Petach 11).
It’s equated with “land” [6] or, as we’d put it in modern terms, the “ground” or “ground floor”. Thus, in order to go from one level to a lower one, an individual must first pass through the higher one’s Malchut [7]. At that point Malchut no longer functions as the “ground floor” anymore, but rather as a new “ceiling” (i.e., Keter) of the lower level [8]. Malchut thus serves as the entranceway and port to lower and higher worlds. And that’s the import of Ramchal’s statement that one can only “ascend” or “receive” through Malchut (Petach 11).
Notes:
[1] Eitz Chaim 6:5.
[2] Zohar 1, 249b, Tikkunei Zohar 82b.
[3] Eitz Chaim 3:1.
[4] Zohar Chadash 34c.
[5] Pardes 11:2. An architect in Ramak’s time almost undoubtedly served as a project’s principle builder rather than the sort of executive planner we understand the term to mean. So perhaps “master-craftsman” would better serve.
[6] Zohar 1, 31b.
[7] See Eitz Chaim 23:6, 76:2.
[8] See Pardes 12:83.
(c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org
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