Section 17 is entitled “The Connection between (the world of) Atzilut and (the world of) Adam Kadmon through (the Partzufim of) Attik and Erich Anpin“, and it encompasses Petachim 96-100.
Let’s get our bearings again. As Ramchal points out in Sefer HaIlan (7), the Partzuf of Attik is above the other Partzufim. It’s actually the Malchut — i.e., it’s the lowest rung — of the high world of Adam Kadmon. Attik‘s own upper division is a separate entity, Radlah (“the Unfathomable Beginning”) which we discussed above, and it’s lower is engarbed in and thus permeates and thus influences the Partzuf below Adam Kadmon, Atzilut.
The first Petach of the section, Petach 96, is concerned with the connection between the exalted world of Adam Kadmon and the one just beneath it, Atzilut, and how that connection affects Divine governance.
We’ll be discussing that, Ramchal says in his comments here, since we’d already discussed in Section 16 above the two ways that the Partzuf of Erich Anpin functions — as itself, and as it relates to the Partzuf of Zeir Anpin below it — which is analogous to what we’ll be discussing here. But we’d first need to discuss the Partzuf of Attik Yomin that governs the Partzuf of Erich Anpin.
In truth, Petach 96 is a rather technical one that might distract us, but it serves to clear up an apparent contradiction in two statements in Eitz Chaim. We’ll proceed from it, of course, to the Petachim that follow which speak to the greater theme of the interactions of the various worlds, Partzufim and intentions for the universe under discussion.
(c) 2015 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org
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