Ramchal understands the face as representing the \u201cvessels\u201d (or, \u201creceptacles\u201d) as opposed to the Lights, and as elements of \u201cthe Trace environment\u201d as opposed to the Line. And he introduces a new element to the mix aside from the face and its apertures: the face\u2019s \u201cradiance\u201d (\u05d6\u05d9\u05d5).<\/p>\n
Without taking too many liberties with his ideas we\u2019d offer that that\u2019s to say that the face proper is only the stage<\/em> for what\u2019s to occur. The actor<\/em>, if you will, is the Light of the Ein<\/em> Sof<\/em> (i.e., the Line) that pierces through the face in the form of the \u201csenses\u201d produced within the apertures\u00a0(and which like all actors, prod and react to others). These senses perform<\/em> by governing the Partzufim<\/em> that will appear after Adam<\/em> Kadmon<\/em> serves its function, much the way the soul \u201cperforms\u201d upon the \u201cstage\u201d of the human body.<\/p>\n The character<\/em> produced, if you will, is the face\u2019s \u201cradiance\u201d — what we\u2019d also term an individual\u2019s \u201ccharacter\u201d or \u201cpersonality\u201d, i.e., what \u201cshines through\u201d when he or she interacts with animation. In fact, it\u2019s the product of the interactions of the senses, the face, with the universe that experiences it.<\/p>\n He then makes the point what there\u2019s a qualitative difference, though, between the Lights which pass through the apertures and the face\u2019s radiance, which we\u2019ll explore next.<\/p>\n (c) 2012 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<\/p>\n Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org<\/a><\/p>\n ———————————————————-<\/p>\n AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here<\/a> at a discount.<\/p>\n You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here<\/a> at a discount as well.<\/p>\n Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).<\/p>\n Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence<\/a>\u201d and \u201cRamchal<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ramchal understands the face as representing the \u201cvessels\u201d (or, \u201creceptacles\u201d) as opposed to the Lights, and as elements of \u201cthe Trace environment\u201d as opposed to the Line. And he introduces a new element to the mix aside from the face … Continue reading