That\u2019s <\/b>also why the first three Sephirot <\/i>of Zeir Anpin <\/i>were missing when Imma <\/i>entered into and rectified it<\/b>, i.e., <\/i><\/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. <\/b><\/p>\n
Tractate Shabbat<\/i> deals at length with the idea of transferring from one \u201cdomain\u201d (or \u201csphere\u201d) to another in chapters 1 and 11, and it distinguishes between four of them: a private domain such as one\u2019s house, a public one such as a major thoroughfare, as well as a semi-public and a sort of neutral area. The idea of a private or public sphere began to assume mystical implications in the Zohar and elsewhere [1].<\/p>\n
As Ramchal explains in his comments here, the term \u201cpublic domain\u201d is the one Ari and others used to depict the six Sephirot<\/i> between Binah<\/i> and Malchut<\/i> \u201cwhen they were arranged one under the other\u201d [2] rather than\u00a0side by side. Thus the term \u201cpublic domain\u201d here seems to imply the sort of lack of intimacy one would experience in a homier \u201cprivate domain\u201d. The point, he offers, is that \u201cproper governance would be based on the consensus of all the Sephirot<\/i> \u2026 which need to face each other with the center column conjoining them. This way the effect is produced with the agreement of all levels, and this is termed the \u2018private domain\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n
As a consequence, each of the six functioned separately and (seeming) independently, and without the input of Malchut<\/i>. This brought on \u201cexcessive separation and dissension\u201d, as a consequence of which \u201cthey were not interconnected in a single governing order in which everything stands together\u201d as he put it.<\/p>\n
This was the condition out of which the \u201cother side\u201d emerged, since its nature and role is to bring about division. <\/b>That\u2019s to say, as Ramchal indicates in his comments, the whole purpose of the \u201cother side\u201d or yetzer<\/i> harah<\/i> is to \u201cwithhold the flow (of beneficence) \u2026 from its (intended) recipients\u201d which can only come about with the cooperation and concentrated efforts of all parts.<\/p>\n
Notes:<\/p>\n
[1] \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 See Tikkunei Zohar<\/i>\u00a030, p. 73b, for example.<\/p>\n
[2]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 See Eitz Chaim<\/i>,\u00a0Sha\u2019ar Sh\u2019virat HaKeilim<\/i>, Ch. 3; also see Ramchal\u2019s Klallei<\/i> Ma\u2019amar<\/i> HaChochma<\/i> 19.<\/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":" That\u2019s also why the first three Sephirot of Zeir Anpin were missing when Imma entered into and rectified it, i.e., Zeir Anpin. The six others were then termed a \u201cpublic domain\u201d rather than a \u201cprivate domain\u201d. Tractate Shabbat deals at … Continue reading