Our first concern when it comes to understanding what happened between the Shevira<\/i> process (the \u201cBreaking of the Vessels\u201d) and the Tikkun<\/i> (\u201crepair\u201d) that followed it is this: What actually came about as a result of the Shevira<\/i> [1]?<\/p>\n
And so we learn that it was the ability to govern, <\/b>i.e., to facilitate constructive actions and to contribute to a set positive goal, <\/b>that was taken away from the vessels when they were broken <\/b>in the course of the Shevira<\/i>. <\/b>And so only their rah<\/i> elements prevailed, which produced a lop-sided form [2].<\/p>\n
They also didn\u2019t function as the mystical configuration of a perfect form<\/b> then. Instead, they functioned as various imperfect phenomena that were unfit to do things<\/b> fully and positively. <\/b>They weren\u2019t destroyed, Ramchal underscores in his comments here, since they had to function until the Tikkun<\/i> process would take place.<\/p>\n
It was their source<\/b> i.e., the name AV<\/i>, that kept them that way <\/b>so that they wouldn\u2019t be undone altogether until a new emanation<\/b>, i.e., the name MaH<\/i>, came about to perfect them and give them <\/b>a fully realized form and function <\/b>[3] which is the Partzuf<\/i> configuration (Petach<\/i> 54).<\/b><\/p>\n
Notes:<\/p>\n
[1]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Also see Klallim Rishonim<\/i> 18, Pitchei Chochma v\u2019Da\u2019at<\/i> 36, and Klallei<\/i> Chochmat HaEmet<\/i> 18, 24 (at end).<\/p>\n
[2] \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 See our discussion of this in Section Eight (Petach<\/i> 37 specifically).<\/p>\n
[3]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cThis touches upon the esoteric notion of the selection and purification process, in the course of which the name MaH<\/i> sifts out and gathers unto itself parts of BaN<\/i>, as will be discussed later\u201d Ramchal notes in his comments.<\/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":" Our first concern when it comes to understanding what happened between the Shevira process (the \u201cBreaking of the Vessels\u201d) and the Tikkun (\u201crepair\u201d) that followed it is this: What actually came about as a result of the Shevira [1]? And … Continue reading