Introduction to Sulam Commentary 76

עו. והנה אחר שיצאו שתי קומות הנזכרות לעיל, חג"ת בתוך נה"י, בהתכללות הזווג דראש דעליון, והוכר שהן קומות חדשות משונות מהעליון, נבחנת הכרה זו ללידה, כלומר, שהוכר שנולד כאן פרצוף חדש משונה מהעליון. והן יורדות ומלבישות לגוף דעליון; אם הן פרצופי שלש ראשונות – מלבישות לשלש ראשונות דגוף, שהן חג"ת, ואם הן פרצופי ו"ק – מלבישות לו"ק דגוף, שהם תנהי"מ שמחזה ולמטה. והן יונקות האור מהפרצוף העליון. ויניקה זו גורמת להוריד המלכות מן המצח לנקבי העינים, שאז חוזר ומקבל העובי דבחינה א' המחוברת עם המלכות, כמו שהיה בפרצופי נקודים. ואז קונה גם קומת החג"ת בחינות כלים, ואינם צריכים עוד לכלים דנה"י. ולפיכך נבחן, שעל ידי יניקה מתפשטים החג"ת ויוצאים מתוך הנה"י. ואז יש לו קומת רוח בשלמות. 76. Now, after the aforementioned two heights emerge – Ḥesed, Gevura and Tiferet within Netzaḥ, Hod and Yesod – through the incorporation of the partition in the fusion through collision of the head of the upper partzuf, and the two heights are distinguishable as new heights that differ from the upper partzuf, this distinction is considered a birth.²²⁵As in the previous sections, when a particular structure is identical to another structure, the two are considered spiritually unified, through the concept of equating of form. When a distinction is discernable, they become “separated” into two distinct entities, which is considered a “birth” of the new entity. That is, it is recognized that a new partzuf has been born here, which differs from the upper partzuf. The new partzufim²²⁶The plural language here refers to the two different heights that are at play in this phase of “gestation,” the “female” structure of vessels, and the male structure that is “within” the female structure and lacks vessels of its own. descend and enclothe the body of the upper partzuf;²²⁷A partzuf that emerges from a fusion through collision in the head of its upper partzuf always descends and enclothes the body of the upper partzuf, as described here. This new, enclothing partzuf has its own head and body, both of which are below the mouth of the previous, higher partzuf. if they are the partzufim of the first three, they enclothe the first three of the body, which are Ḥesed, Gevura and Tiferet, and if they are the partzufim of the six extremities they enclothe the six extremities of the body, which are Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, Yesod, and Malkhut, that are from the chest of the partzuf and below. They also draw the light from the upper partzuf, and this flow causes the descent of Malkhut from the forehead to the apertures of the eyes, at which point Malkhut again receives the opacity of the first level which is attached to Malkhut, as was the case in the partzufim of Nekudim.²²⁸The world of Nekudim was built out of a fusion through collision against a partition of the first level, the level of Ze'er Anpin. When the partition descends back to this same level (from the forehead back to the apertures of the eyes), it regains the opacity of the first level. Then the height of Ḥesed, Gevura and Tiferet also acquires the attribute of vessels,²²⁹Since the partition now has opacity of the first level, it can generate a fusion through collision that creates vessels of the level of ruaḥ. This allows the “gestated” Ḥesed, Gevura and Tiferet to emerge as their own height in their own vessels, instead of only within the vessels of the level of Netzaḥ, Hod and Yesod. and they no longer require the vessels of Netzaḥ, Hod and Yesod. Consequently, as a result of the drawing of light,²³⁰In Hebrew, the term for “drawing the light” here is yenika, “suckling,” which is also the name for the second phase (of three, gestation, infancy and brains), “infancy.” The drawing of the light leads to the formation of vessels for a height of ruaḥ, which is the phase of infancy. The following phase, discussed below, is the phase of “brains.” Ḥesed, Gevura and Tiferet spread out and emerge from within Netzaḥ, Hod and Yesod, and then the partzuf has a complete structural height of ruaḥ.

ולמשל פרצוף עתיק דאצילות. הנה תחילה עלה המסך דנקודים, על ידי הזדככותו, לראש הס"ג דא"ק. ואחר שנאבדה בחינה אחרונה שבו דבחינת העובי, נשאר המסך בעובי דבחינת שורש, הנקרא 'מצח', ורשימו דהתלבשות דבחינה א'. ואז יצאו עליו שתי קומות חג"ת ונה"י ג' גו ג', כי אין כלים לחג"ת, כנזכר לעיל [אות עג]. וכשהוכרו שהם קומה חדשה, נבחן שיצאו ונולדו ובאו למקומם, דהיינו להלביש מטבור ולמטה דא"ק. כי להיותו פרצוף ו"ק, על כן מלביש רק ו"ק דגוף כנזכר לעיל, והוא שנקרא 'פרצוף עתיק'. ואחר כך, על ידי יניקה שיונק מס"ג דא"ק, הוא מוריד המסך ממצח לנקבי עינים, ואז יוצאים כלים גם לחג"ת שלו, והם מתפשטים מתוך הנה"י. והנה נתבארו שתי הבחינות המכונות 'עיבור', ו'יניקה'. Take, for example, the partzuf of Atik²³¹This refers to the Keter level partzuf of the world of Atzilut. of Atzilut. Initially, the partition of Nekudim ascended, through purification, to the head of the Sag of Adam Kadmon. After the partition's last level of the aspect of opacity was lost,²³²Levels of opacity are “eroded” by the beating of the surrounding light against the vessels containing the inner light. the opacity of the aspect of the root, called “forehead,” remained in the partition, with the remnant of enclothing²³³See section 74 above for the full explanation of this term. of the first level. Then, two heights emerged upon it, Ḥesed, Gevura and Tiferet, and Netzaḥ, Hod and Yesod, “three within three,” since Ḥesed, Gevura and Tiferet have no vessels, as mentioned above.²³⁴This is the phase of “gestation” in the example. When these two heights are recognized as a new height,²³⁵This means that the new structure is distinguishable, which is the definition of “birth,” spiritually speaking. they are considered to have emerged and been born and come to their place, that is, to enclothe from the navel and below of Adam Kadmon. Since Atik is a partzuf of the six extremities, it enclothes only the six extremities of the body, as stated above, and this is called “the partzuf of Atik.” Afterward, by means of Atik's drawing the light from the Sag of Adam Kadmon, it brings down the partition from the forehead to the apertures of the eyes, at which point vessels emerge for its Ḥesed, Gevura and Tiferet as well, which spread out from within Netzaḥ, Hod and Yesod. The two aspects known as gestation²³⁶As explained, this is the phase when Ḥesed, Gevura and Tiferet, the structural height generated by the remnant of enclothing, are “inside” the structural height of Netzaḥ, Hod and Yesod, lacking their own vessels. and infancy²³⁷As explained, this is the phase when, as a result of the drawing of light, the partition descends to the aperture of the eyes, regaining the opacity of the first level. This allows the partition to give rise to returning light vessels of the structural height of Ḥesed, Gevura and Tiferet, allowing them to emerge from “gestation” into a full level (a level of ruaḥ). have now been explained.