Monthly Archives: May 2014

We’re taught here that Attik is the first Partzuf attributed to the world of Atzilut. It is in fact the Malchut of the world of Adam Kadmon. Let’s explain all of that.

Recall that there are five worlds, in descending order:

Adam Kadmon

Atzilut

Briah

Yetzirah

Ari pointed out in a number of places that these are the names of the Partzufim, in descending order:

Radlah (i.e., Reishah d’La Isyadah — The Unknowable Source)

Attik (also known as Attik Yomin) and Nukveh d’ (the feminine aspect of) Attik Yomin)

Erich Anpin and Nukveh d’ Erich Anpin

Abba Ilah (the Higher)

Yisrael Sabah

Abba and Imma

Tevunah

Zaire Anpin

Yisrael

Yaakov

Nukveh d’Zaire Anpin

Leah

Rochel

So, the statement that Attik is the first Partzuf attributed to the world of Atzilut means that even though Attik functions as the Malchut or lowest level of the world of Adam Kadmon, it nonetheless also functions as the highest Partzuf of the next lower world of Atzilut. That is to say that Attik straddles two worlds: Adam Kadmon, which it’s the lowest degree of, and Atzilut which it’s the highest degree of (where it functions as Erich Anpin which will be discussed in the Section Sixteen below).

(c) 2014 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 we’d said earlier (see 4:1), the Partzufim are usually laid out thusly, in descending order: Adam Kadmon, Erich Anpin, Abba and Imma, Zeir Anpin, and Nukveh.

There are those who speak of Partzufim higher yet than Adam Kadmon [1], and in fact Ari himself clearly alluded to higher Partzufim [2] but they are not our concern here for the most part, both because Ramchal doesn’t focus much on them here and also because Ari discouraged full discussions of them.

In any event, this Petach starts off with a discussion of the Partzuf known as Attik.

Notes:

[1]       See R’ Sarug in his Derushei Olam HaMalbush.

[2]       See Otztrot Chaim end of p. 3a. Also see Ramchal’s own statement that “even though we only (usually) refer to four (or five of them) in truth there are an infinite number of worlds (and hence, Partzufim)” (Petach 31, in his comments).

(c) 2014 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”.

Ramchal said in Petach 16 above that everything (manifestly)emanates from Him, and that He is the end-point of everything, as it’s written: “I am first, and I am last” (Isaiah 44:6). And it likewise illustrates that He is revealed at the beginning as well as at the end.

We spoke about that here.  But we’d like to add some other sources to this revolutionary (literally, as in “to revolve”) idea of everything returning to its Source here.

We found these sources in the esteemed R’ Y.M. Morgenstern’s work, Yam HaChochma (5777) pp. 639-641. Very much could and should be said about R’ Morgenstern’s expertise, scholarship, genius, and Divine inspiration, but that is far from our intentions here. Suffice it to say that one could hardly do better to become a student of Kabbalah than to study his many and truly holy works.

In any event, for other references to this notion see Eitz Chaim 1:1, R’ Sharabi’s Nahar Shalom p. 13a, The Petach and Mavoh HaSha’arim to R’ Aaron of Strashelye’s Sefer Sha’arei HaYichud v’HeEmunah. and R’ Ashlag’s Pri Chacham — Ma’amarim pp. 149-150.

(c) 2014 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”.

We’re concerned here with Partzuf Attik, given that Attik is the first Partzuf attributed to Atzilut. We learn that It is in fact the Malchut of Adam Kadmon, it extends outward with the repairs that Adam Kadmon needs, i.e., MaH and Ban, and it clothes itself in Atzilut through Erich in order to connect it to Adam Kadmon and to sustain and govern it (Petach 74).

The Partzuf of Attik is comprised of MaH and BaN, which are its “male” and “female” aspects. But they literally function as a single entity and as one body, such that it is impossible to assign each a separate and independent place, and to call this one “right” and the other one “left” which one could in regard to Erich. Rather, they are literally joined together as a single entity comprised of one body (Petach 75).

Another thing unique to Attik is the fact that the phenomenon of a “reverse side”, where the lights are darkened and don’t irradiate which is found in all other Partzufim, isn’t found in Attik. For Attik manifests a “face” on each side.

Its aspect of a “reverse side” suchasitis, is subsumed under the aspect of the “face” there that governs. It’s just that there’s a “face” when it comes to MaH and a “face” when it comes to BaN, and that BaN’s “face” is considered MaH’s “reverse side” relatively speaking (Petach 76).

The connection, i.e., the conjunction, of these “male” and “female” aspects ofAttik is literally like two powers joined together within a single body (Petach 77).

(c) 2014 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”.

חיבור דו”ן אלה הוא ממש כמו שני כחות שמתחברים ביחד בתוך גוף אחד

 The connection, i.e., the conjunction, of these “male” and “female” aspects ofAttik is literally like two powers joined together within a single body.

This completes the presentation of this Section’s Petachim. We’ll now present the entire Section.

(c) 2014 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”.

 גם מציאות האחוריים, שהם מה שהאורות מתחשכים ואינם מאירים שם, אינו נראה בעתיק, כי כולו מראה פנים לכל צד.

ובחינת האחוריים נבלע בבחינת הפנים, שהם השולטים שם, רק שיש פנים מצד מ”ה, ופנים מצד ב”ן, ואותם של ב”ן נחשבים כמו אחור לשל מ”ה

 Another thing unique to Attik is the fact that the phenomenon of a “reverse side”, where the lights are darkened and don’t irradiate which is found in all other Partzufim, isn’t found in Attik. For Attik manifests a “face” on each side.

Its aspect of a “reverse side” such as it is, is subsumed under the aspect of the “face” there that governs. It’s just that there’s a “face” when it comes to MaH and a “face” when it comes to BaN, and that BaN’s “face” is considered MaH’s “reverse side” relatively speaking.

(c) 2014 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”.

פרצוף עתיק בנוי ממ”ה וב”ן. והם דו”ן שלו, עומדים בחיבור אחד ממש כגוף אחד, עד שאי אפשר לציין להם מקום, לומר זה ימין וזה שמאל, אלא מתחברים בחיבור אחד ממש, שנעשה מביניהם גוף אחד:

The Partzuf of Attik is comprised of MaH and BaN, which are its “male” and “female” aspects. But they literally function as a single entity and as one body, such that it is impossible to assign each a separate and independent place, and to call this one “right” and the other one “left” which one could in regard to Erich. Rather, they are literally joined together as a single entity comprised of one body.

(c) 2014 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”.

Section 13 centers on the first Partzuf under discussion: Attik. And it’s comprised of Petachim 74-77. As is our way, we’ll first translate the Petachim one by one, and then expand upon the entire section.

Petach 74

עתיק הוא הפרצוף הראשון הנחשב לאצילות, והוא מלכות של א”ק, מתפשטת בתיקונים הצריכים לזה, ומתלבשת באצילות, לקשרו בא”ק, ולקיימו ולהנהיגו.

Attik is the first Partzuf attributed to Atzilut, though it’s higher up than it. It is in fact the Malchut of Adam Kadmon, it extends outward with the repairs that Adam Kadmon needs, i.e., MaH and Ban, and it clothes itself in Atzilut through Erich in order to connect it to Adam Kadmon and to sustain and govern it.

(c) 2014 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”.

And the final Partzuf of this section (73) offers these overarching observations.

Perfection is achieved ultimately in the big picture and in each instance by the conjugation of “male” and “female”, and with the conduction of the Divine flow through that conjugation. That is, all is well and as it should be when the two poles of existence are no longer in tension but rather conjoined, and when God’s beneficence is allowed to directly shower downward as a consequence.

As such, “male” and “female” being close to each other already indicates a level of perfection that requires no service, i.e., input into the conjunction of “male” and “femal”, on the part of the lower realms. But their being further apart from each other indicates a need for i.e.,or a lack of, perfection and for the need for the aforementioned service on the part of the lower realms in the meanwhile.

            This completes Section Twelve.

 (c) 2014 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”.

It goes on to say, yet there are certain relatively minor differences between the lights of “male” and “female” as well as real differences in their procedures. But when it comes to differences in form, there are real differences there indeed, just as there are “innate differences between males and females in respect to voice, appearance, physical strength, etc.” in our experience, Ramchal adds in his comments.

But those differences only manifest themselves in the lights that are involved in the conduction process, namely the two respective Yesods, or their respective “reproductive organs”, if you will; which are intimately involved in “channeling the influence to its destination” as he puts it, from up above down below. Since they act as conduction agents, as all the different, i.e., other, parts of the Partzuf are drawn to them i.e., to the respective Yesods, in order to act as conduits in keeping with their own processes. Hence, “since the channeling process … depends upon the Yesods and the other ‘limbs’ (i.e., the Sephirot above it in the Partzuf) are subject to them in this respect, it’s enough for the difference to be in the Yesods in order to affect the necessary changes in Divine Governance”, he adds there.

(c) 2014 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”.