Ramchal begins this section with a retroactive excursion into the experiences of the first three and the final seven of the ten Sephirot<\/i> of Nikkudim<\/i> in the course of the breaking of the vessels. We\u2019re thus told that the<\/b> seven lower<\/b> Sephirot<\/i>, i.e., Chessed, Gevurah, Tipheret, Netzach, Yesod, and Malchut<\/i>, which are<\/b>, i.e., correspond to, the seven days of creation, are the root of the created realm, while the first three<\/b> Sephirot<\/i>, i.e., Chochma, Binah<\/i>, and Da\u2019at<\/i>, only serve as \u201cadornments\u201d to <\/b>(literally, as \u201ccrowns over\u201d) the lower seven to <\/b>help govern and rectify them. <\/b>We\u2019ll need to explore those roles and differentiate between them.<\/p>\n
Given <\/b>the \u201cremoved\u201d status of the first three Sephirot<\/i> <\/b>we see why existential harm is irrelevant to them, since they\u2019re beyond the reach of <\/b>the effects of human actions <\/b>that could conceivably undo them, so sins don\u2019t harm them and can only set them aside <\/b>which we\u2019ll explain. <\/b>We\u2019ll see the relationship between exalted realms and human input.<\/p>\n
Ramchal\u2019s next point is that that\u2019s <\/b>in fact why the first three<\/b> Sephirot<\/i> continued to function<\/b> and to endure<\/b> during the course of the breaking of the vessels — they\u2019re being clear of harm. Nevertheless, what exists in them<\/b>, i.e., in those first three Sephirot<\/i>, that serves the needs of the lower seven <\/b>ones wasn\u2019t rectified<\/b>, though we imagine they should have been; for had it been, then all of the seven lower<\/b> ones would also have been rectified <\/b>too which should not have happened at that stage. So those aspects of the first three<\/b> that relate to the seven lower<\/b> ones<\/b> <\/i>became<\/b> blemished <\/b>rather than broke, but they still did in fact become blemished, which <\/b>purposely stymied their ability to repair the seven lower<\/b> ones. For if they were able to, then there\u2019d be no harm in the world<\/b> whatsoever, which also was not yet to happen (Petach<\/i> 51). <\/b>We\u2019d need to explore the implications of all that.<\/p>\n
We then begin to focus on the seven lower Sephirot<\/i>, which are comprised of the Partzuf<\/i> of Zeir<\/i> Anpin<\/i>\u2019s six Sephirot<\/i> and the one Sephira<\/i> associated with Nukveh<\/i> (which is the Partzuf<\/i> equivalent of Malchut<\/i>). Ramchal indicates that t<\/b>he<\/b> source of the makeup of Zeir<\/i> Anpin <\/i>is <\/b>in fact Imma’s<\/i><\/b>, i.e., the Partzuf <\/i>equivalent of Binah\u2019s<\/i> <\/i><\/b>Judgment <\/b>element — her five Gevurot<\/i><\/b>. Binah is the Sephira <\/i>that precedes Chessed<\/i>, etc. of the lower seven; its Din<\/i>-nature will play a significant role, as we\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n
In fact, it\u2019s because of its<\/b>, i.e., Din\u2019s<\/i>, makeup that each light<\/b>, i.e., that each of the <\/i>six Sephirot <\/i>of Chessed, Gevurah, Tipheret, Netzach, Hod, <\/i>and Yesod,<\/i> <\/i><\/b>exists separately rather than together with the others. For by nature judgment doesn\u2019t exhibit \u201cbrotherly love\u201d but rather \u201csorrow\u201d and \u201cseverity\u201d<\/b> and is thus inclined toward separateness rather than unity. <\/b>That separateness doesn\u2019t last forever, though, because at a certain point Imma<\/i><\/b> overcomes this with her \u201csweetness\u201d<\/b>, i.e., her ability to draw disparate elements together, so that when judgment subsides, \u201csorrow\u201d passes and \u201cbrotherly love\u201d comes into play<\/b> after all. That\u2019s actually why Imma <\/i>enters there<\/b>, i.e., <\/b>into <\/i><\/b>Zeir<\/i> <\/i><\/b>Anpin<\/i> <\/i><\/b>in the world of Tikkun<\/i>: in order to<\/b> foster \u201cbrotherly love\u201d among its Sephirot. <\/i><\/b>We\u2019ll need to delve into separateness versus unity as well as strict judgment versus \u201cleniency\u201d.<\/p>\n
<\/i><\/b>But this <\/b>process is <\/b>all accomplished through <\/b>the agency of <\/i>Malchut<\/i><\/b>, for it was established to be the container for all of them<\/b>, i.e., for all of the Sephirot <\/i>of Chessed, Gevurah, Tipheret, Netzach, Hod, <\/i>and Yesod <\/i>that precede it, so that instead of each light functioning separately, they\u2019d all head in one direction<\/b>, i.e., toward Malchut<\/i>, and a connection would then be established between them. For they\u2019d all face toward Malchut <\/i><\/b>which would function mystically<\/b> as the “hind of love” (Proverbs 5:19), and they\u2019d join with one another. <\/b>In fact, the more they turn to her, the stronger the bond of \u201cbrotherly love\u201d there\u2019d be between them, which would bring great \u201cjoy\u201d. <\/b>So we\u2019ll explain the role of Malchut<\/i> at some length.<\/p>\n
This <\/b>input on the part of Malchut<\/i> in fact is what was lacking in the primordial kings, <\/b>in the world of Nikkudim <\/i>during the breaking of the vessels. For the six Sephirot <\/i><\/b>of Chessed, Gevurah, Tipheret, Netzach, Hod, <\/i>and Yesod <\/i>that came into play then, didn\u2019t face towards <\/b>the <\/i>Malchut <\/i><\/b>that came into play there and then and <\/b>they <\/b>thus weren\u2019t spared \u201csorrow\u201d and \u201cseverity\u201d <\/b>or isolation, and Imma<\/i> <\/b>which could have mitigated this nonetheless allowed them to remain that way <\/b>so as to let the cleansing process take place as we\u2019ll see. <\/b>We\u2019ll explore this role of Malchut<\/i>, too.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s <\/b>also why the first<\/b> i.e., the upper, three Sephirot <\/i>of Zeir Anpin <\/i>were missing when Imma<\/i> entered into and rectified it<\/b>, i.e., <\/b>Zeir<\/i> <\/i><\/b>Anpin<\/i>. <\/i><\/b>The <\/b>six others were then termed a \u201cpublic domain\u201d <\/b>rather than a \u201cprivate domain\u201d since they became separate entities rather than a united one, which was the condition out of which the \u201cother side\u201d <\/b>and rah<\/i> emerged, since its nature and role is to bring about <\/b>that sort of division <\/b>and disunity <\/b>(Petach<\/i> 52). <\/b>We\u2019ll see how disunity played into the role and place of rah<\/i>.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re now presented with the basic chronology at play throughout: Everything that was degraded at the time of the breaking<\/b> of the vessels is to be repaired little by little <\/b>through mankind\u2019s input in the meanwhile. This includes both the descent of the \u201chind parts\u201d of Abba<\/i> and Imma<\/i><\/b>, which are the Partzuf<\/i> equivalents of Chochma<\/i> and Binah<\/i>, as well as the breaking of the <\/b>\u201chind\u201d and \u201cfront\u201d parts of the other Sephirot<\/i><\/b>, i.e., Zeir<\/i> Anpin<\/i> and Nukveh<\/i>. For everything that was lacking then, <\/b>i.e., at the breaking of the vessels, began<\/i> to be fulfilled at the time of the repair <\/b>of Atzilut<\/i>, Briah<\/i>, Yetzirah<\/i>, and Assiyah<\/i> <\/b>through Heaven\u2019s input. But in the end everything will be fulfilled in the perfect repair that will come about in the ultimate future<\/b> when God\u2019s Yichud<\/i> will finally be revealed and will be as it must (Petach <\/i>53). <\/b>We\u2019ll explore this chronology.<\/p>\n
(c) 2013 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 begins this section with a retroactive excursion into the experiences of the first three and the final seven of the ten Sephirot of Nikkudim in the course of the breaking of the vessels. We\u2019re thus told that the seven … Continue reading