Petach 97 then makes a straightforward-enough point which is nevertheless profound. It contrasts the eternal realm which is situated in the world of Adam Kadmon with the lower worlds of Atzilut, Briah, and Assiyah, which comprise the realm that allows for our service to God and for Tikkun. He then underscores the fact that there’s nonetheless a bridge between the two realms: the Partzuf of Attik (which, if you’ll recall, has been our subject for the longest time).
The Petach states that from the world of Atzilut downwards to the worlds of Briah, Yetzirah and Assiyah everything follows the present world’s governing order, i.e., everything is subsumed to the factors of reward and punishment, right and wrong, free will and Divine determination, and the like. Things follow a specific cycle there until they eventually achieve perfect benevolence, i.e., until they achieve the utter perfection that will result in the full expression of Divine benevolence we’d spoken of as being the pinnacle of all of creation.
But from Attik upward which encompasses the most subtle realms, everything is and already functions as it will in eternity from the seventh millennium onward [1].
Attik itself is the central byway between the two systems of governance, i.e., between reward and punishment and the like, and utter unalloyed Divine benevolence. Accordingly, it allows for things done here and now to affect eternity, Ramchal adds in his comments here.
But the world of Adam Kadmon, which sits atop both Atzilut and Attik and is of a whole other order, is comprised of the whole of existence and of all times. It has bearing on the names of MaH and BaN already spoken of and referred to in the next Petach.
Footnotes:
[1] See Clallim Rishonim 9 and Clallei Chochmat HaEmet 10 for the chronology.
(c) 2016 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman
Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org
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