Ramchal

אין שום דבר לבטלה, ועל כן מה שנכנס האור בתחלה, ואחר כך חזר ויצא, והלא היה יכול לעשות כל ההדרגה הזאת בתחלה בלא זה – גם לזה יש פעולה ותולדה עיקרית.

וזהו שורש פרטי מה שצריך לתת מציאות להנהגת העולם הזה בקלקוליו ותיקוניו. בשכר ועונש, לפי השיעור השלם מה שצריך לזה, לא פחות ולא יותר:

            Since nothing is in vain, then when the light first entered the various vessels, then turned back, and departed — couldn’t we make the point that it could have achieved all these steps in the process of rectifying wrong and of cleansing Atzilut, Briah, Yetzirah, and Assiyah in one move without all of this, i.e., without all these apparently extra moves? But that goes to show that this entire process serves an essential function with a purposeful and specific earthly consequence.

            Indeed, this entry of the light within the vessels is a specific underpinning of the governance of the world with all of its harm and repair, and its reward and punishment, all in accordance with the exact measure of what’s required for this governance, neither less nor more than necessary.

(c) 2012 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”.

שיהיו הכלים הלבושים האלה שורש לרע – זה אינו קלקול. כי אדרבא, זהו שלמות הבריאה לפי הכוונה בה – לגלות היחוד העליון ב”ה. אך שבתחלה היו שורש לרע, שהיה רע ממש. וצריך שזה הרע שיחזור לטוב על ידי תיקוני בני האדם, והוא עצמו יהיה לכבודו של מלך – שזכו על ידו בני האדם.

וכדי לעשות בפועל זה הדבר, הוצרך שאלה הלבושים יתנו מקום לו להמצא, וזה על ידי הבירור וההדרגה שנעשה בהם, עד שנשארה המדרגה האחרונה של מלכות דעשייה לבדה להוציא אותו, ונעשה מכי”ע – אבי”ע. וכשכבר ניתקן וחזר לטוב – חוזרים הדברים כבראשונה, ואין צורך לו להמצא בפועל, כי די שהיה ככר, וניתקן. וזהו, “בלע המות לנצח”.

ואז חוזרים אבי”ע לבי”ע, וחלק המלכות דעשייה נכללת בכלל שלה, ומתגלה האצילות העליון של כללות הנקודים. ואז נשארים הלבושים שורש לרע שהיה כבר, וניתקן, והוחזר לטוב, ונקרא שהשלים אז א”ס ב”ה את מעשיו, ונשגב לבדו ביחודו:

            The fact that these vessels of Nikkudim or ”garments”, i.e., the worlds of Briah, Yetzirah, and Assiyah, should be the root of wrong isn’t a flaw; on the contrary, it’s the fulfillment of the underlying intention behind creation, which is the revelation of  God’s ultimate sovereignty. It’s just that first there first needed to be a root of wrong, i.e., the vessels of Nikkudim, which was truly wrongful, which was to revert to goodness through the repairs carried out by humankind. That itself will be for the glory of the King by means of which humans could earn merit.

            But in order to actually bring this about, these “garments” had to provide a place for wrong to exist. That was accomplished by the selection and gradation that took place among them, until only the very last level of Malchut of Assiyah was left to produce wrong. The three worlds of Briah, Yetzirah, and Assiyah will then become the four worlds of Atzilut, Briah, Yetzirah, and Assiyah, that is, when Malchut of Assiyah becomes a new Assiyah, Assiyah becomes Yetzirah, Yetzirah becomes Briah, and Briah becomes Atzilut. Wrong will then be rectified and revert to goodness, things will revert to what they’d been at first, and there will no longer a need for wrong to exist in actuality, as it will enough for it to have once existed and to have then been rectified. This is the meaning of the verse, “He has consumed death forever” (Isaiah 25:8).

            Then the new Atzilut, Briah, Yetzirah, and Assiyah will revert to Briah, Yetzirah, and Assiyah, and the Malchut of Assiyah will become integrated with its whole, i.e., with the world of Yetzirah that would then exist, and the original exalted Atzilut of the general Nikkudim that was removed in the course of the “breaking of the vessels” will be revealed. The “garments” will then remain the root of the wrong that once existed but was rectified and reverted to goodness. Ein Sof will then be said to have completed His task, and He will be exalted unto Himself in His sovereignty.

(c) 2012 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”.

תיקון מדרגה זאת האחרונה תלוי במעשה בני אדם, שהם יגבירו כח הקדושה, ואז לא יהיה עוד ענין לרע כלל, אלא הכל עומד לכבוד הבורא לבד. ואז יקרא שנתקנו כל הלבושים תיקון שלם, וחוזר הכל להשלים המונח הראשון שהושם – להיות כל הבריאה בהשוואה אחת, חק אחד של תיקון שלם בענין גילוי יחודו של מקום ב”ה.

ואז יתגלה האצילות של הנקודים, שהוא המונח הזה הראשון. וישלים ליכנס האור בכלים כולם, והלבושים יהיו נמשכים אחר האצילות, ויהיה הכל בתיקון שלם. כדי להשלים הילוך הכולל של המ”ק, צריך לפרש גם ענין המדרגה הזאת הנשארת באחרונה:

            The repairing of this final degree, i.e., of Malchut of Assiyah, depends on human input, for humanity is meant to strengthen the power of holiness within the Sephirot and to purge it of all sin. Once that’s accomplished there’ll no longer be wrong even in Malchut, since there’ll no longer be the need a yetzer harah or free will, and everything will serve only to manifest the glory of the Creator. The “garments” of Briah, Yetzirah, and Assiyah will be completely repaired, and everything will revert to helping to perfect the basic foundation that was established so that all of creation would be of one accord, and so that the single rule of perfect repair would lead to the revelation of God’s sovereignty.

            Atzilut of Nikkudim, which is this basic foundation, will then be revealed. Light will complete its entry into all the vessels as a result, all “garments” will be under the influence of Atzilut, and everything will be in a state of utter repair.

(c) 2012 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”.

כשרצה המאציל ית”ש לתקן עניני הלבושים האלה, היה מברר מדרגותיהם אחת אחת, שלא תהיינה פונות אל הרע, אלא יחזרו פניהם להסתלק ממנו. ואז כל.מדרגה היתה מניחה ענין הוצאת הרע למדרגה שלמטה ממנה. ונמצא, שהיה לה חלק בזה, רק שהיתה מסתלקת ומתנקית ממנו. ואז היא היתה ראויה לקבל אור. וכן כל מדרגה למדרגה שתחתיה, עד שנתבררו כל המדרגות של אבי”ע. כמו שהם עתה. והניחו ענין הוצאת הרע אל המדרגה התחתונה שבכל המדרגות – במלכות דעשיה. ואז הוכנו כולם לקבל את האור, חוץ מזאת האחרונה, באשר שאין לאור להתפשט אלא בכלי שנוקה מן הרע.

וכל זה נקרא רק תיקון הלבושים של הנקודים, שכמו שהיו הכלים מתוקנים – כך היה האור הולך ונכנס בהם. וכל כלי שהוא רחוק יותר במדרגתו מענין הרע – ראוי לאור יותר גדול. אך האצילות הראשונה לא חזר ונתגלה, כי זה לא נקרא תיקון שלם של אלה הלבושים כל זמן שיש מדרגה זאת האחרונה כך – פונה להוציא הרע, וריקה מן האור בשבילו:

            When God wanted to rectify these “garments”, i.e., the worlds of Briah, Yetzirah, and Atzilut, He first purified each level, i.e., their Sephirot, in turn, so that instead of facing toward wrong they’d turn their visages away from it and avoid it. Then each level, i.e., each Sephira, left the task of producing wrong or, of having wrong produced, to the level below it. The while upper level thus had a share in this, it was in the process of getting away from and being cleansed of it as a consequence of which wrong wasn’t a part of it, and it was then able to receive light. The same process of the elimination of wrong occurred on each successive level in relation to the one below it, until all the levels of Atzilut, Briah, Yetzirah and Assiyah were purified, as they are now. They then left the task of producing wrong to the lowest of all levels, that of Malchut of Assiyah. They, i.e., the vessels of all levels, were then ready to receive the light except for this last level, because the light can only spread within a vessel that’s cleansed of all wrong.

            All this is termed the repair and purification of the garments of Nikkudim. For it’s only to the extent that the vessels were repaired that the light can enter into them in turn. The farther removed the level of a given vessel is from anything that has to do with wrong, the greater the light was it fit to receive. Still and all, the initial Atzilut, i.e., the loftiest light of the world of Nikkudim, was not revealed again, for the repair of all these garments cannot be termed truly complete as long as this lowest level is still facing toward the production of wrong and consequently devoid of the light, and in fact the initial Atzilut will only be revealed in the World to Come, when the Malchut of Assiyah will be purified.

(c) 2012 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”.

כשהוצרך לתת שליטה ללבושים בפני עצמם לתקן את עצמם, נתעלם החלק העליון שהיה בנקודים, והוא ענין האצילות שלהם, ואז היו שולטים הלבושים בפני עצמם.

וזה נקרא להם נפילה, כי היו נופלים ממה שהיו נכללים באצילות בסוד לבושיו, ושולטים בפני עצמם, ולא בסידור ותיקון, אלא בקלקול, ריקים מן האורות שנתרחקו מהם. ואז היו פונים תמיד לתת מקום לרע לצאת ולהמצא, כרי שיתוקן לבסוף:

            When it became necessary to grant rule to the “garments” themselves, i.e., to Briah, Yetzirah, and Assiyah, in order for them to repair themselves and to appear as separate and distinct worlds, their most exalted element — their Atzilut aspect — which was contained in Nikkudim, became concealed. And the “garments” then ruled on their own.

            This rule of the “garments” was considered a relative “descent” for them, since they had descended from having once been incorporated in Atzilut as its mystical “garments” while they were now ruling by themselves as a consequence of the breaking of the vessels albeit not in a state of order and repair but rather in one of damage, and while devoid of all the lights that had separated from them. They were thus always ready to provide a place for wrong to emerge and exist, and to be rectified in the end.

(c) 2012 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”.

רק בחלקים היותר שפלים שבכלים היה נראה זה הרושם מעט של שורש לס”א.

ועל כן נכנס האור הכללי בתחלה. והיה הולך ומתפשט בסוד המונח הראשון עד החלקים השפלים האלה. והת הם ענין הלבושים, הנחשבים לרגלי האצילות.

ולכן עד שלא הגיעו להם – לא היתה השבירה. ובהגיעם שם – היתה. ואז חזרו לאחור, ויצאו אפילו מן החלקים העליונים:

            This slight trace of a root for the “other side” only manifested itself in the very lowest aspects of the vessels, i.e., in the lower seven Sephirot of Nikkudim.

            Thus, the overall light initially entered into the vessels of Nikkudim and continued spreading in accordance with the mystical notion of the basic foundation until it reached these lowly aspects. In fact, these encompass the notion of the “garments” we’d spoken of above which are considered the “feet” of Atzilut.

            There was thus no breaking of vessels as long as the lights did not reach them; it only occurred when the lights did reach there, after which they i.e., the lights of Nikkudim then turned around and departed from even the highest aspects of each of the seven lower Sephirot.

(c) 2012 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”.

האורות אינם מוציאים תולדותיהם עד שיעמדו בערך אליהם. כי אור גדול לא יקרא עילה לנברא אחד קטן כי לא יצא ממנו לעולם, שהרי המאציל ית”ש שם חק ההדרגה.

ולפי זה, הדין שנתגלה ברשימו, לא הגיע למדרגה שיוכל ליקרא סיבה כלל אל הס”א, עד שהגיע לעשות הכלי בנקודים, כי למעלה מזה לא נראה שום ענין שייך לעניני הס”א כלל. אך כנקודים נגלה איזה דבר שיש לו שייכות לענינה, כי רק כאן היה המונח הכללי של כל אבי”ע האלה, המגיעים עד הגשמיות, ועד סוף כל הנמצא.

            Lights only produce their offshoots once they reach their appropriate levels. For a great light cannot be termed the direct “cause” of one lone, minor created phenomenon since the latter would never emerge directly from the former. For, God formulated the tenet of things coming about in sequences.

            As such, the degree of “judgment” that was revealed in the Trace  in the space formed by the Tzimtzum did not reach the level it would need to in order to be called the direct cause of the other side until it came to produce a vessel in Nikkudim. For we find nothing that relates in any way to the other side on the higher levels. But something is revealed in Nikkudim that does bear some relation to it, which is the rule of vessels. For there alone in Nikkudim lies the general foundation consisting of the worlds of Atzilut, Briah, Yetzirah and Assiyah that extend downward to the material level and to the end of all existence including the other side.

(c) 2012 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”.

הרע לא היה מושרש כי אם בסוד הלבושים דאצילות שהם בי”ע.

ולכן כדי להשלימם, הוצרך לפרטם לכל עניניהם, שיניחו בתחלה מקום לרע, לפי מה שהיה מוכן בהם. וסוף סוף יחזרו לתקן כל הקלקולים.

            Evil was rooted in nothing other than in the mystical notion of the “garments” of Atzilut, i.e., Briah, Yetzirah and Assiyah, which also represent the vessels of Nikkudim.            

            So, in order to bring these garments to a state of perfection they first had to be separated into all their component elements in such a way that they would first provide an environment for wrong in accordance with what had prepared for them in the course of the breaking of the vessels, and then to eventually return to their original state in order to repair all the harm done by allowing the light to enter.

(c) 2012 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”.

תיקון הכלים היה הולך ונעשה מעט מעט. וכפי מה שהיו ניתקנים – כך היה האור הולך ונכנס בהם.

סוף תיקונם יהיה לעתיד לבוא, וכן סוף כניסת וחיבור האור בהם

            The process of the repairing of the vessels happened step by step and by degrees, and the light entered into them gradually according to the degree that the vessels had been repaired.

            The vessels’ repair will only be complete in the ultimate future, as will the entry of the light and its joining with them.

(c) 2012 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”.

המונח הזה הכללי היה צריך לקבל אורו בתחלה בסוד הקו המתחבר עם הרשימו. אך בתחלה היה צריך להשתלם, כי מפני כך היה הצמצום בתחלה – כדי שימצא מקום לרע שיהיה ניתקן, וסוף הכל יהיה טוב.

ולכן האור, שהוא מן הא”ס ב”ה, צריך להמתין גם כן שיהיה הכלי נשלם, שבו מושרש ענין הרע, ואחר כך יאיר בו, ואז יהיה הכל נשלם.

על כן לא נתחבר בתחלה האור עם הכלים, אלא נעלם למעלה, עד שישלימו הכלים את ענינם, והוא שיתנו מקום לרע לשלוט, וגם תשלם שליטתו, ויבוא תיקונו לחזור הכל לטוב, אז יאיר בו האור:

            This general foundation, i.e., Atzilut and its offshoots, was to have originally received its light in line with the mystical notion of the joining of the line which represents light with the trace which represents the vessel. But the trace first had to be completed, given that the Tzimtzum came about in the first place in order to provide a place for wrong which could be rectified with the introduction of the light and to ultimately have everything become good.

            And so, the light of Atzilut and its offshoots, which is from Ein Sof, had to also wait for its vessel to be complete, since that’s where the root of evil lies. Only afterwards will the light shine within it , i.e. join with it, after which everything will be completed.

            Thus, the light wasn’t originally joined with the vessels in the world of Nikkudim, which alludes to the breaking of the vessels, but remained hidden above in Adam Kadmon until the vessels completed their task in order to provide a place for wrong to rule and to complete its rule. The light’s own repair will then come about, which will then return everything to a state of good, when Atzilut and its offshoots’ light will shine within it.

(c) 2012 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”.