Imma<\/i> overcame this with her \u201csweetness\u201d<\/b>, i.e., her ability to mitigate harsh judgments. For at one point, Zeir Anpin<\/i> and Imma<\/i> are said to have \u201cmarried\u201d [1] and to have come to work in tandem on various levels. As a result, Ramchal adds in his comments, though \u201cZeir<\/i> Anpin<\/i> is intrinsically aligned with (harsh) judgment, Imma<\/i> granted it a share of her intrinsic power of mitigation\u201d when they were combined, and Zeir Anpin<\/i> became more sympathetic, so to speak [2].<\/p>\n
And indeed when judgment subsides, \u201csorrow\u201d passes and \u201cbrotherly love\u201d comes into play<\/b> after all, in potential [3]. <\/b>In fact, 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 <\/b>this sort of \u201cbrotherly love\u201d among its Sephirot.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
<\/i><\/b>But didn\u2019t we learn above that the source of the <\/b>harsh makeup of Zeir Anpin <\/i>is Imma’s<\/i><\/b> <\/i>own judgment <\/i><\/b>element? What was it then in Imma<\/i> that enabled it to be more sympathetic itself rather than harsh? Ramchal pointed out that it had been Imma<\/i>\u2019s five Gevurot<\/i> <\/b>that provided Zeir Anpin<\/i> with its judgment aspect; thus it was Imma<\/i>\u2019s five Chassadim<\/i> (kindness aspects) that granted Zeir Anpin<\/i> its new kindness. For there are two “sides” — two poles — to Imma<\/i>, as it has (five elements of) Chessed<\/i> and (five of) Gevurah<\/i>, as Ar”i points out [4].<\/p>\n
Notes:<\/p>\n
[1]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 See\u00a0Eitz Chaim<\/i>,\u00a0Sha\u2019ar HaMochin<\/i>\u00a0ch. 1).<\/p>\n
[2]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In his comments here Ramchal ties this in once again with the various mochin<\/i> of Zeir Anpin<\/i>, as when it\u2019s \u201cimmature\u201d and experiences what we\u2019d term \u201csmall-mindedness\u201d as opposed to when it\u2019s \u201cmature\u201d and to experience \u201clarge-mindedness\u201d so to speak. As he explains it there, \u201cIn the stage of immaturity, only the external aspect of this aspect of Imma<\/i> is granted Zeir Anpin<\/i>\u2026. But as Zeir Anpin<\/i> attains mental maturity, its (trait of harsh) judgment becomes more mitigated\u201d. See note 7 above as well as Petachim<\/i> 128-129.<\/p>\n
[3]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 See Petach<\/i> 123 and Ramchal\u2019s comments there as well as Klallim<\/i> Rishonim<\/i> 23.<\/p>\n
[4]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 See Eitz Chaim<\/i> 9:1 for a discussion of the five gevurot<\/i> and 5 chassadim<\/i>.<\/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":" Imma overcame this with her \u201csweetness\u201d, i.e., her ability to mitigate harsh judgments. For at one point, Zeir Anpin and Imma are said to have \u201cmarried\u201d [1] and to have come to work in tandem on various levels. As a … Continue reading