Monthly Archives: February 2011

Let’s backtrack a bit. No one before Ari spoke of Adam Kadmon; in fact, it was one of his greatest innovations. Ezekiel the prophet saw “on the likeness of the throne … a likeness like the appearance of a man upon it above” (Ezekiel 1:26) which does seem to allude to it, but most declare that it refers to God’s presence or governance.

The Zohar refers to Adam, the first human, as Adam Kadma (“original man”), which while related to the term Adam Kadmon, is nonetheless not identical with it, and the Zohar simply does nothing to expand on the theme whatsoever there (3, 279b). But the Tikkunei Zohar does speak of an Adam Kadmon (p. 42a), a first Adam; but then it speaks of a second, and a third Adam as well. Still and all, it’s fairly clear in context there (as the commentators point out) that it’s referring to Adam the man himself and his position in the various worlds.

Yet elsewhere the Tikkunei Zohar does indeed cite an Adam Kadmon that seems to be exactly what Ari was referring to (p. 120a). It’s said there to refer to Keter, the highest Sephira, but the verse “And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness’” (Genesis 1:26) is cited there, the text speaks of the various “images” and “likenesses” that Adam Kadmon assumes which goes at the heart of Ramchal’s theme here, it speaks of Adam Kadmon’s “body-parts” the way Ari does, and it speaks of it in other “Adamic” terms. So this seems to be a clear precedent for Ari’s Adam Kadmon indeed [1].

Note:

[1]          Also see Sefer Bahir 82, 172 for accounts of man’s body-parts as refection’s of the Divine form

(c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

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You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.

The next theme Ramchal offers here is that all of creation is a single entity in human form known as Adam Kadmon. As he words it “the whole on-going process of governance (of the universe) … and the whole of creation (itself) encompasses one single phenomenon and order … (that is) the mystic figure of a (single) “person” with all his body-parts, which are all inter-connected exactly as they would be in a person (Petach 12). We’d cited Adam Kadmon (“Primordial Man”) before but let’s now explore it.

For one thing, this raises the whole issue of anthropomorphism, since Adam Kadmon seems to be such a blatant and resolute instance of it. But we’ll return to anthropomorphism below when we discuss Ramchal’s discussion of prophetic imagery.

The earliest allusion to Adam Kadmon is the statement in Breishit Rabbah to the effect that God first created the first man, Adam, as an unformed lump (see Psalms 139:16); as having been created him before the rest of creation; and as having spread him out from one corner of the universe to the other” (8:1). As such, Adam Kadmon is usually depicted as having been formed out of the unformed non-material stuff that preceded the universe, and as then occupying the entirety of the space devoid of God that He’d allowed for with the Tzimtzum.

The other element of Adam Kadmon is that it’s also said to be “Macrocosm” or large-depiction of the “Microcosm” or small-depiction that is the physical universe; and that is illustrated in the Zohar by the idea that Adam Kadmon is “in the image of everything that is above and below” (3, 141b). The truth of the matter is that the above Midrash also alludes to that, in that the original, universe-wide Adam can be seen as the source of the eventual earth-bound Adam.

(c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

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AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here at a discount.

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.

Here’s how Ramchal explains the unique role that Malchut plays in the prophetic visions themselves [1]. As the last Sephira of the lot above and the first of the lot below, and the aforementioned entranceway to both, “Malchut … stands in the middle between the emanation and reception” processes. The difference between the two is as follows, though: “The powers of emanation up above are pure” i.e., utterly undifferentiated and formless, while everything down below is differentiated and formed where they’re received.

“So the Shechina must forge a bond between them (i.e., between the powers of emanation and of reception) when they (i.e., the emanations) descend below”.  They thus must pass through Malchut, the gateway, which enables them to “reach their places in the lower worlds” and to be received appropriately.

So much for the mechanics; but what is it about the nature of Malchut itself that allows for the various phenomena to be seen? Ramchal offers that Malchut acts as a sort of “lens” through which the images appear.

So while this is all conjecture on our part, we’d suggest that the prophet would somehow or another have to “enter” Malchut and, drawing upon its lens and gateway properties, he’d have to ascend to somehow get a sense of what was found above, then descend and “translate” what he’d seen into worldly terms.

Notes:

[1]       The quotes are from his own comments to Petach 11.

(c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

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AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here at a discount.

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.

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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AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here at a discount.

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.

Ramchal speaks to all of the above throughout Klach Pitchei Chochma and in his other esoteric works as well, as one would expect. But he treats it rather peripherally in his more “popular” works like Derech Hashem and Ma’amar HaIkkurim [1]; whereas in Da’at Tevunot he couches it in terms of Creation Ex Nihilo [2] which the earlier sages spoke a lot about [3].

There’s a fundamental and vital difference though between the idea of Creation Ex Nihilo and the Kabbalistic idea of Sephirot, etc. Non-Kabbalists — Jewish and non-Jewish — argued from a perspective of everything arising anew out of sheer nothingness by Divine fiat from a God who was and is still very separate from it, whereas the Kabbalists argue that God Himself is the “No-thing” from which creation emanated and that He is still connected to it.

Returning to Ramchal’s statement we find that he says at the very end of Da’at Tevunot (193-195) that when God created “material substance”, which was “an utterly new phenomenon” — that’s to say that it’s utterly unlike His own Being — He did it in a way that we simply cannot fathom. He’s not arguing against Ari’s depictions here so much as pointing out that while, like Ari, one can arrive at metaphors that serve to address the issues at hand, one cannot actually depict the process itself since it occurred beyond space and time, and within God’s very Being. The metaphoric or non-metaphoric nature of Ari’s depictions proved to be a very controversial subject which we’ll discuss in some detail later on in this section, but suffice it to say that it’s easy to determine Ramchal’s stance on that from this statement alone.

In any event, the remark that sums up our concerns here reads, “When (God) wanted to create material substance out of ‘nothing’ (i.e., out of His Being) He set up an utterly original system of emanation from His Being that was meant to allow for this material substance”. And that “original system” alludes to Ari’s entire depiction [4].

We’ll discuss Ramchal’s portrayal of the Sephira of Malchut next.

Notes:

[1]       He only addresses the process of creation in passing in Ma’amar HaIkkurim where he differentiates between God Himself, His “Transcendent Forces” (Nivdalim, i.e., the Sephirot, Partzufim, etc.), and the various created entities that followed from angels and souls downwards. He offers much of the same, though in more detail, in Derech Hashem, where he likewise differentiates between all of that (see the first chapter; 1:5:1, 3-4) but see 2:5:1, 3, 6 where he addresses the issue of emanation which is to be discussed below.

[2]       That is, the creation of the universe “out of the blue”, i.e., out of sheer nothingness (but see Da’at Tevunot 80, near the beginning, for some allusion to the Ari’s system).

[3]          See Sa’adiah Gaon’s Emunot v’Deot 1:1–2; Ibn Gabirol’s Keter Malchut; Rambam’s Moreh Nevuchim 2:22, 24-25; Crescas’ Ohr Hashem 3:1, 4–5; etc.

[4]          As we’ll see, Ramchal also discusses the rarely cited Creation Ex Nihilo system known in Sefer Yetzirah as “Tsur Tak” in Petach 39 (in his comments there).

(c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

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AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here at a discount.

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.

Here’s how Ari depicted the “break”. (We’ll backtrack and discuss Ramak then fast-forward to Ramchal after this for obvious reasons.) Based on deep reflections of the Zohar, most especially the Iddrot and Sifre D’Tzniuta [1], on revelations granted him by Eliyahu [2], on traditions he was privy to in Egypt before he came to Tzefat, and on his own visions and keen discernment, Ari offered the following [3].

God suddenly brought about a Tzimtzum in His Being [4] which, if one may say as much, had His Being push itself aside (or conceal itself) to the sides of the center of His Being which then allowed room for the existence of empty space — space devoid of Him, whereas before all there was, was Him. Understand of course that all of this, as well as what’s soon to follow, is fraught with possible obfuscation and misinterpretation given that God doesn’t occupy space, is unaffected by time and change, etc. But we’ll go on.

God allowed something of a residue of His Being to remain in the void, and also allocated a single beam of light to emit from His Being into the center of this void, which then formed ten concentric circles, Partzufim, and a primal replication of the human figure known as Adam Kadmon (“Primordial Man”). “Lights” then emitted from Adam Kadmon’s countenance which then formed an entire realm that eventually lead to the formation of four primordial Worlds out of which devolved this physical world.

Ramak, though, touched upon very little of this. He certainly allowed for the formation of Sephirot and, unlike others before him, he even addressed Partzufim in a later work [5], but he went no further [6]. That was said to be so because while the earlier Kabbalists only addressed “The World of Chaos” (i.e., the anarchic non-perfected state of things) Ari addressed “The Rectified World” [7].

Notes:

[1]       The Iddrot (“The Assemblies”) are terse and pithy Zoharic statements of the makeup of the Upper Realms. Iddra Rabba “The Greater Assembly”) is found in Zohar 3, 127b-145;  Iddra Zutta (“The Lesser Assembly”) is in Zohar 3, 287b-296b; and Sifre deTzeniuta (“The Book of Concealment”) is in Zohar 2, 176b-179a.

[2]       See R’ Reuben Margoliot’s discussion of that in Sha’alot u’Teshuvot  Min HaShamayim pp. 36-41.

[3]       We’ll explain this all in more detail both later in this section and elsewhere in the book.

[4]       This can legitimately be translated either as a “contraction” or “concealment” depending on your perspective as we’ll explain.

[5]       See his Elimah Rabbati.

[6]       Thus while Ramak might be taken to have gone straight from God to the Sephirot before touching on this world (though he really didn’t, as we saw in the previous note), and Ramchal can be seen as doing that too, at least as far as our reading of Klach goes for now, that too is really not true. Klach is out of order, for several good reasons; Ramchal will certainly backtrack to discuss Ari’s other themes — his own way.

[7]       R’ Shimon Ashkenazi said this in his second introduction to Eitz Chaim in the name of Ari himself.

(c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

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AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here at a discount.

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.

The essential problem, which has been stated in many different ways, is this: How could finite, differentiated, and fault-ridden things derive from the one perfect God? As it’s worded in R’ Meir Ibn Gabbai’s Avodat HaKodesh (1:18, 16^th Century) that “no two opposites could be connected without an intermediary”, the question then becomes, what exactly is that intermediary or series of intermediaries?

Many of the ancients spoke of a series of “emanations” descending down- and outward from God’s being and growing more and more unlike Him in the process. R’ Shlomo Ibn Gabirol (11^th Century) for example likened them to streams emanating from a river, to light beams emitting by the sun, etc. (M’kor Chayim). Rambam noted his and others’ remarks and argued for and against certain elements (Moreh Nevuchim 2:12). He even cited the following verses as evidence for the veracity of the analogies: “My people … have forsaken Me, the spring of living waters” (Jeremiah 2:13), and “For with You is the source of life; in Your light we will see light” (Psalms 36:10) [1].

But there had to have been a “break” somewhere along the line — a point at which things utterly and radically changed and turned mortal and ungodly — a “skip” or “jump” [2]. Otherwise the universe could never have been created; so, what was it?

Notes:

[1]       The astute reader will note of course that the term “the source of life” cited in the last verse is the translation and undoubtedly the source of Ibn Gabirol’s M’kor Chayim.

[2]       See R’ Schneur Zalman’s Likutei Torah 4, 46c.

(c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

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AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here at a discount.

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.

There are a number of things we’ll want to touch upon before we go on to learn more about the images that the Sephirot, which God used to create the various worlds and continues to use to govern them, are said to assume.

We’re taught in this section, for example, that every action that God brings about occurs through the Sephirot (Petach 10), that it’s the Sephira of Malchut specifically that is the root of the lower realms (Petach 11) and is also the means by which individuals can “ascend” or “receive” (Petach 11). So let’s see what precedes the appearance of the Sephirot for one thing, learn about their arrangement, and delve into Malchut itself.

As we know, the Torah reports that God created the world in seven days; but there’s a background story as well we learn, which is only alluded to in the Torah, and exceedingly subtly at that. Let’s briefly examine Ramak’s, Ari’s, and Ramchal’s insights into this.

(c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

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AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here at a discount.

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.

Not following the order of the Petachim themselves, we’re going to be delving into the following in this section, God willing:

A.         What occurs before the appearance of the Sephirot? That will touch upon the idea of the Sephira of Malchut (9, 11) which is said to be the root of the lower realms (11), and thanks to which one can “ascend” to higher worlds and “derive things” (11).

B.         All of creation as a single entity in human shape known as Adam Kadmon (12).

C.         The whole array of God’s governance constituting a Merkava, a “chariot”, (Ramchal’s comments to 7), which has all sorts of associations in Kabbalistic and Rabbinic literature.

D.         The idea of “circles” and “straight lines” in God’s governance (9, 13).

E.         The Sephirot (as well as everything else) as interdependent, sequential, interwoven phenomena that follow specific rules (10); and the idea of certain Sephirot being “encased” in or “emerging” out of others (10).

F.         All that having been explained we can then speak to the assumed “appearance” of the Sephirot, including the idea that the Sephirot only assume shapes in visions — that they don’t really have them (7); that those shapes can be self-contradictory (8); and that we gain our knowledge of God’s governance as well as of the upper realms from those “shapes” (11). This subject also touches on Ramchal’s controversial idea that the Ari’s depictions of things are all metaphors and not to be taken literally which we’ll discuss.

G.         The significance of the fact that each “viewer’s” makeup affects his perception of the Sephirot (8).

(c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

———————————————————-

AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here at a discount.

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.

What we have here are all seven Petachim of the third section (in English alone and with emendations) which is the followed by a synopsis. We’ll begin our analysis after this.

7. The Sephirot can be envisioned as shining brightly or dimly. And they can be pictured as assuming different forms and figures, though they don’t really have forms or figures and only seem to assume them. For as anyone who would truly scrutinize them could see, the forms and figures (they seem to assume) are accidental and dependent on whoever is observing them, as in (the verse that reads) “through the prophets I was imaged (i.e., I was portrayed)” (Hosea 12:11).

In essence, though, the Sephirot are actually an array of (Divine) capacities that are organized a specific way, and which are interdependent and sequential so as to ensure that things are organized just so.

8. The Sephirot can even appear in contradictory images, exactly the way things in a dream can reverse themselves in a moment. It’s just that each likeness seen in the prophetic vision provides information about a (specific Divine) element or attribute. And while the attributes and elements (themselves) become known (to the prophet or soul envisioning them) in the actual order in which they’re arranged and function, the images (appear to the prophet or soul) in accordance with the (prophet or) soul’s ability to receive (them).

9. Even though the Sephirot appear as images, still and all they never assume an actual physical form, Heaven forefend! (Instead,) what’s envisioned is understood to represent something one might see (here) below, and it’s termed a “soul depiction” rather than a physical one.

As such, the subjects (of the vision) needn’t correspond to how an object would appear physically. It’s just that a glow of light is envisioned by means of which the concept of (concentric) “circles” is understood (as being referred to) if the vision appears circular, or (the concept of the) “straight line” is understood if it’s straight and the like.

No (actual) physical form is seen. In fact, even the spiritual form (envisioned) isn’t intrinsic to the Sephirot themselves whatsoever; it’s (connected to) the mystical import (of the Sephira) of Malchut, which represents these phenomena this way.

10. Every action that God brings about occurs through the Sephirot. They (i.e., both the actions and the Sephirot themselves) follow certain rules He wants them to follow, they’re interdependent, they’re sequential, and they’re sequestered within each other.

As such, one particular capacity may function clandestinely while another one appears to be functioning openly, when the latter in fact only functions thanks to the clandestine one. That’s why the Sephirot assume specific images, as when (some) lights are (seemingly) enclosed in (other) lights, or when (certain) lights (seem to) emerge from others. (In point of fact,) all of these forms and figures are (merely) what the soul envisions (when looking at the Sephirot) which it then understands on a spiritual level the way the eye sees (i.e., understands) things in its purview.

11. The ability of the Sephirot to be represented in images derives from the Sephira of Malchut, which is the root of the lower realms. It’s through Malchut that they are all set in their forms. That’s why it’s said that one can only “ascend” or “receive” through Malchut.

In fact, we even derive knowledge of (God’s) governance from the forms and images themselves, for thanks to them we can know how the Shechina(God’s Indwelling Presence) needs to govern for the sake of a particular matter (represented by a specific image) and to bring it about in the lower realms. And (from those images) we can (likewise) gain insight into the levels above where the capacities and attributes actually exist.

12. The whole on-going process of governance (of the universe) until its completion and the whole of creation (itself) encompasses one single phenomenon and order which the Emanator instituted with the goal of bestowing utter goodness (upon creation) to the utmost degree of perfection. All created entities and the rules by which they’re governed are part of this order.

It’s all (an expression of) the mystic figure of a (single) “person” with all his body-parts, which are all inter-connected exactly as they would be in a person. As such, Adam Kadmon, which encompasses everything (in creation), comprises the entire order formed in this figure.

At bottom, the Emanator only brought about a single entity: an order (of phenomena) in the form of a “person”. Thus everything that exists, (which is to say,) all of created entities along with their governance, is (comprised of) the entirety of this mystical figure.

13. The mystical significance of the images (envisioned) is that they assume the shape of things as they’re actually depicted below. Thus a (vision of a) “circle” refers to a circular (i.e., non-linear) mode of governance without differentiation as to Chessed (Kindness), Din (Judgment) or Rachamim (Mercy), but rather as (i.e., it’s an expression of) overall providence depending on the makeup of that Sephira. And it is (a depiction of) the mystical notion of (linear) causality. The (vision of a) “straight line” on the other hand indicates a detailed mode of governance that is based on Chessed (Kindness), Din (Judgment) and Rachamim (Mercy, which are themselves laid out as) right, left or center (poles). And the same applies to all the other images (envisioned).

Our synopsis:

7.        The Sephirot don’t really have shapes — they only assume them in a vision. They’re actually an array of invisible interdependent Divine capacities that are arranged in specific ways and vary in their “appearance” and potency.

8.        They can even assume conflicting shapes, the way images often appear in dreams. And that’s because while their character, relationship, and function are indeed made known to the person “envisioning” them, each “viewer’s” makeup affects his perception of them.

9.        But make no mistake about it: even though the Sephirot do indeed seem to assume shapes and forms when they’re mystically depicted, they don’t actually have shapes. It’s just that a certain “glow of light” is made to assume the shape of circles or straight lines, for example, which then represent things “above” that are analogous to them. As such, those phenomena needn’t conform to reality as we know it. And they all need to pass through the Sephira of Malchut to appear as they do.

10.      Everything but God Himself derives from the Sephirot. Both the Sephirot and they are thus interdependent, sequential, interwoven, and follow specific rules. As such, while one capacity may appear to be in force, in fact another one sequestered within it may actually be. That explains why the Sephirot are sometimes depicted as being encased in each other or as emerging from one another when that’s not literally true.

11.      As had been said in Petach 9, it’s the Sephira of Malchut that enables the lot of them to be “envisioned” here in the world, as it’s the root of the lower realms, and it’s thanks to Malchut that one can “ascend” mystically to higher worlds and “derive sustenance” and the like from them. In any event, we gain our knowledge of God’s governance in the world as well as of the upper realms from the shapes the Sephirot assume.

12.      All of God’s interactions with the cosmos from beginning to end — which occur so as to express His beneficence — encompass a single phenomenon within an order. For, it assumes a human shape with all its contents which is referred to as Adam Kadmon (i.e., Primordial Man). Adam Kadmon thus comprises the whole of creation.

13.      The “visions” assume the shape of things in this world and take on their symbolic value. Upon seeing a “circle”, for example, the prophet understands that to refer to a circular, non-linear mode of governance that’s still and all influenced by the Sephira lying behind it, and to causality; or when seeing a “straight line” he understands that to refer to a detailed, linear mode of governance. The same is true of other “visions”.

(c) 2011 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman

Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org

———————————————————-

AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here at a discount.

You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here at a discount as well.

Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).

Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence” and “Ramchal”.