INTRODUCTION TO PATACH ELIYAHU AND THE TEN SEFIROT Rabbi Yosef Chayim, known as the Ben Ish Hai, explains that the book of Tikuney Zohar was compiled with the intention of bringing a rectification in the realm of Asiyah which is the lowest of the four worlds mentioned in Kabbalah. The Divine name associated with this realm is the expanded form of the tetragrammaton which has a numerical value of fifty two as follows:d"d - e"e - d"d - c"ei. It is this specific name that sheds light into the deeper meaning of the name edil` which also has a numerical value of fifty two. It is for this reason that Eliyahu the prophet received Heavenly authority to approve the book of Tikuney Zohar and to be present at the gathering when Rabbi Shimon convened the “Chevrayah” to learn this subject. It is also for this reason that Eliyahu features in the introduction to the Tikuney Zohar and composed a special prayer known as “Patach Eliyahu”. This prayer also serves as a summary introduction to the understanding of the Ten Sefirot.
THE TEN SEFIROT The term Sefirot appears for the first time in the ancient book called “Sefer Yetzirah” (chap 1 Mishnah 2). The teachings in this book is ascribed to our forefather Abraham who received it from the angel Tzadkiel (seed introduction of the Rayvad). The Sefirot are the attributes of the Holy One, Blessed Be He (See Shiur Komah ch. 3, par 4). The Sefirot are the most basic modes of God’s creative power. It is through the Sefirot that God interacts with the universe. They are the bridge between God and His creation. Nothing in the universe takes place except through the medium of the sefirot. The Sefirot, however are not God and we do not direct our prayers to the Sefirot but rather to the Infinte Light of the En Sof that manifest itself in the Sefirot. As Rabbi Moshe Kordovero wrote (See Pardes Rimonim 32:2): “It is necessary to realize that the Infinite One, En Sof, the blessed King of Kings, cannot be encompassed by any name or word. It is not correct to speak of any attribute in this Essence, since it does not change and cannot be described... Therefore, when one meditates on the Infinite One, the En Sof, he should not call it any name or appellation. All of these names only appertain to the Sefirot... His intent should not be directed to the Sefirah itself, but to the Infinite Essence that permeates it, is enclothed in it and makes use of it.” The Sefirot are a Divine creation, they are Divine manifestations, emanations or attributes that dimm the radiation from the Light of the En Sof. That is, in order for finite creations to come about, the Light of the En Sof vested Itself in the
Sefirot. Thus the Sefirot are to be conceived as “vessels” in the which the Divine Light is vested and effects It’s workings through them. Rabbi Elazar Azkari (1533-1600c) wrote a small introduction to Patach Eliyahu, this is found in his book “Sefer Haredim” (chapter 6), there he explains that the ten Sefirot are like ten garments for the light of the En Sof. He finds support for this in the Classic Midrash “Pirkey De-Rabbi Eliezer” which says the following quote: “The Holy One, blessed is He, vested ten garments and created the world.” He gives a parable to explain this, imagine you go to speak to a human king. The king wears glorious royal robes shining and glowing with very precious stones. You do not address your words to his glorious garment but rather to the king himself who is wearing the garments. So too you should address your prayers to the king of the universe exclusively and not to his garments which are the Sefirot. Finaly Rabbi Azkari points out that Eliyahu Hanavi’s prayer appears at the introduction of the Tikuney HaZohar to warn those about to learn this work and any kabbalah books that one must exercise utmost caution not compare the emanated to the Emanator. The emanated being the Sefirot and all the spiritual Divine realms, the Emanator being God who created all the Sefirot and Partzufim in every Divine realm. The language of the Zohar and Kabbalah is metaphoric and is not always to be taken literally. For example, the Kabbalists often used the image of light to describe the relationship between God (the luminary) and creation. The term “light” (or) does not refer to the Divine self or “essence” (atzmut), but to the way the Divine self is manifest. The image of light plays a central role throughout most Zohar and Kabalistic writings. In Sefer Yetzirah it refers to the Sefirot as “Beli-Mah”. There in chapter 1:7 it states: “The ten Sefirot are Beli-Mah - without anything. Their end is wedged in their beginning, their beginning is wedged in their end - like a flame bound up in the coal. For the Eternal is One, and there is no second to Him, and prior to One what can you count!” The word “Beli-Mah” appears in the book of Job (26:7) and means - without anything (see Metzudos) or nothingness. The Ramban explains that the reason the Sefirot are described with the adjective “Beli-Mah” is because the Sefirot are the channels through which the Light of the Infinite One, The En Sof, will manifest itself in the creation. The Divine light flows from the higher worlds to our physical universe by way of the Sefirot. Mankind have no perception or understanding of the Infinite One and therefore the Sefirot are called “without anything” and “nothingness”. Another possible interpretation is that the designation of the Sefirot as nothingness is to indicate that the Sefirot are purely metaphysical in nature and not in any sense material; their essence completely transcends human comprehension. they are ideal concepts, without any substance whatever and purely conceptual. One final suggestion is that “Belimah” is from the Hebrew root word “blom” meaning to bridle. This seems to be indicated by Sefer Yetzirah (1:8) which states “Bridle your mouth from speaking of them”. The Sefirot cannot be
described in any manner whatever. The name Sefirah itself is explained in many different ways, the Ramban says it is derived from the Hebrew word “Mispar” meaning number. It comes to teach us that the ten Sefirot are the all inclusive energy and potential for every number, the ten basic digits which are included in ten. The number ten includes all the units from one to nine. All numbers after that are inclusive of units and tens. Rabbi Shimon Labie, author of Ketem Paz, explains that the word Sefirah comes from the Hebrew “Sapir” which is a precious luminous stone like Sapphire, signifying the purpose of the Sefirot - to illuminate and radiate revelation. The description in Sefer Yetzirah that the sefirot are “like a flame bound up in the coal” appears in the Zohar too (Volume 3 page 70a): “The Holy One, blessed is He, emits ten crowns, supernal holy crowns. With these He crowns Himself and in these He vests Himself. He is they and they are He, just as the flame is bound up in the coal, and there is no division there.” There are ten Sefirot: [1] Keter - crown; [2] Chochmah - wisdom; [3] Binah understanding; [4] Chessed - kindness; [5] Gevurah - severity and judgement; [6] Tiferet - beauty, compassion and truth; [7] Netzach - endurance, victory; [8] Hod - splendor, glory; [9] Yesod - foundation; [10] Malchut - royalty, kingship or sovereignty. In some schemes Keter is omitted from the order of the ten Sefirot because it is too sublime. In such a case Chochmah becomes the first of the ten Sefirot and we insert Da’at - knowledge as a Sefirah after Binah. In the Tikuney Zohar (page 17a) the ten Sefirot parallel different parts of the human body. to quote its words: You have prepared various bodies for them—called bodies relative to the garments covering them. These bodies are named [anthropomorphically] according to this arrangement: Chesed (kindness), is the right arm; Gevurah (severity, power), is the left arm; Tiferet (beauty), is the torso or body; Netzach (eternity and triumph) and Hod (spledour, glory) are the two thighs; Yesod (foundation) is the end of the torso, which is the sign of the Holy Covenant; Malkhut (kingship) is the mouth, which we call the Oral Torah. Chochmah (wisdom) is the brain, meaning inner thought. Binah (insight and understanding) is the heart, through which the heart understands. Regarding these two last Sefirot it is written, “The hidden mysteries belong to Hashem our God” (Deuteronomy 29:28). Keter Elyon (The supreme crown), it is the royal crown, of which it says “He who declares the outcome from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10), and it is the skull upon which the Tefillin are placed.” Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, in his book Pardes Rimonim (chapter Sha’ar HaTzinorot), also presents a symbolic diagram that depicts the Sefirot in the shape of a human figure, in which the major limbs and organs correspond to one of the Sefirot. The ten Sefirot are divided into two principal groups. The first three Chochmah, Binah and Da’at are one group known as the “Sechel” or “Mochin” meaning
intellect. The other seven are grouped together and are called “Midot” meaning attributes or emotions. In Sefer Yetzirah (chapter 1 Mishnah 10) these two groups are known as “the three mothers and the seven multiples”. This means that the first three are the principal Sefirot, the ‘mothers’, from which the other seven Sefirot issue forth. These two groups are then placed in an order in three columns known as 1] the right hand column 2] the left hand column and 3] the middle column as follows :The column of Din
The column of
The column of
Rachamim
Chessed
(Skul) Keter (Left brain lobe)
(Right brain lobe)
Binah
Chochmah (Da’at elyon and Da’at tachton)
(left arm)
(Right arm)
Gevurah
Chessed (Torso, body) Tiferet
(Left leg)
(Right leg)
Hod
Netzach (End of torso, the holy Bris) Yesod (End of Bris, corona) Malchut
(note regarding Chochmah Binah and Da’at and the brain. There are four lobes in the brain known medically as the frontal lobe the temporal lobe the occipital lobe and the parietal lobe. Each lobe has different functions, it could be that these four lobes correspond to Chochmah, Binah, Da’at elyon and Da’at
tachton. However from a superior view these lobes have a fissure right across from front to back dividing the brain into the right hemisphere and the left hemisphere. It could be that the right hand side is Chochmah and the left hand side is Binah.) The right hand column represents the side of Chessed - Kindness, the left hand column represents the side of Gevurah - severities and judgements, the middle column represents a fusion of the two which is Rachamim - mercy (see Etz Chayim Heichal 1 Sha’ar 1 Anaf 2 and Pardes Rimonimsha’ar 6 chapters 1,7). It is in this configuration that the Sefirot parallel the human body as mentioned above. The analogy is to the appearance of a man standing upright, who divides into organs all of which exist level upon level and perfect one another, yet all of them together form one body. Just as a man’s organs are interrelated to one another to form a single body so too the the Sefirot have a full inter-relationship, even while underscoring and retaining the unique characteristcs of each one. The Sefirot are not simple faculties or principles independent of each other, but they form an essentially unified body. Each Sefirah performs a distinctive function and is defined by its function: Keter, the crown, is the first, the highest and the most encompassing of the sefirot. Keter is so sublime and concealed that the Zohar (vol. 1 page 147a) refers to it as: “The most hidden of all hidden things.” And it is also called “Ayin” - “nothingness” (see Zohar vol.3 page 256b) because it is totally concealed and incomprehensible to human beings (see Pardes Rimonim Shaar 23 chapter 1 and shaar 5 chapter 4). All the Sefirot are sometimes represented by different letters of the Hebrew alphabet except for Keter. No letter can describe or represent Keter, it is only the apex of the letter Yod that symbolises it. Keter is the interface between the Infinite En Sof and the creation. Keter is equivalent to a person’s most basic will which is beyond and above intellect. It is like a person’s internal selfhood and inner volition. It is therefore called in the Zohar “Ratzon Ha’elyon” - the Supreme will of God. It is also called “Ra’ava deRa’avin” - “the will of wills” which precedes the Sefirot (see Zohar vol. 3 page 129a and 288b). It is the “innermost will” which transcends the rational faculty and underlies it. It is not a particular will focused on a specific goal but the original Divine will underlying the creative will. The primordial will and desire to create a world for man, it is the manifestation of God’s will. Keter is also absolute compassion where there are no harsh judgements (see Zohar Idra Rabba vol. 3 page 129a; Pardes Rimonim sha’ar 8 chapter 3). Therefore Keter is the source of the thirteen attributes of mercy.
Chochmah - wisdom, represents God’s first creative activity (Pardes sha’ar 5 chapter 4). and is therefore called the begining (Zohar vol.1 page 3b) everything else derives from it. Chochmah represents pure thought which has not yet been broken up into differentiated concepts or ideas. Chochmah is incomprehensible
untill it becomes enformed in Binah. The En Sof, through the mediation of Keter, is vested in Chochmah, and thence begins creation. For this reason Chochmah is referred to as “Reishit” - Begining, as it is written (Tehilim 104:24) “You have made them all with Chochmah” and in Mishley (3:19) “God has founded the earth with Chochmah”. It is called zi¦W`x¥ because it is the beginning of the Divine light and energy flowing down to start the creative process. Chochmah is the root of the succeeding Sefirot. Chochmah represents the first creative activity of Hashem, it is the initial Divine instrument of actual creation. The light of the blessed “En Sof”, through the mediation of Keter, is vested in Chochmah, and thence begins creation. In Essence, Chochmah-wisdom is as incomprehensible as Keter-crown. So Chochmah is the Sefirah that contains in potential all the laws of creation (Zohar 3:43a). This is why Chochmah contains in it the same letters as ‘Koach Mah’ meaning the potential of what is, because everything is contained in Chochmah in potential. Chochmah is the seed of creation. Chochmah is reffered to as “nothingness” hence the Tikuney Zohar refers to Chochmah as the dot-dagesh inside the first letter Beis in the Torah. The Zohar (vol. 1 page 6a) refers to Chochmah as “the dot in the palace”, the dot being Chochmah and the palace being Binah. Chochmah is the primordium of the intellect, before comprehension and understanding becoming manifest, rather, still in a state of hiding and concealment. Chochmah is the sefirah that contains in potential all the laws of creation and pervades all creation down to the lowest level of the realm of Asiyah. This is alluded to in the verse “How many are Your deeds, God. You have made all of them with Chochmah- Wisdom” [Tehilim 104:24]. Chochmah is represented by the letter Yod in Hashem’s name. The letter Yod being the smallest letter in the Alphabet is symbolised by the Dagesh-dot inside the letter Beis. The dot in this sense is the essence of existence that Hashem wishes to bestow and contains in it potentialy all the details of creation. The Ten Utterances of creation have their parallel in the ten Sefirot, and Chochmah which is the Yod-dot contains in it in potential the other nine utterances.
Binah - understanding is the level immediately below Chochmah - wisdom, and it is the second stage of intellectual process, developing the original concept of Chochmah. the Talmud (Chagigah 14a) defines Binah as the ability to derive one matter from another. Chochmah becomes revealed in Binah which analyses, expands and explains the original thought. Binah is the ability to scrutinize, make logical distinctions and draw conclusions. So Binah is the expansion and elucidation of Chochmah which becomes known solely through Binah. Chochmah and Binah are two separate intellectual faculties, first there is the intuitive flash of intellectual cognition which is the aspect of Chochmah, and then there is the the power of understanding this flash which is Binah. Metaphorically speaking, Chochmah is called Abba - Father and Binah is called Imma - Mother (Zohar vol 3 page 290a; Pardes Rimonim 8:17). They are called
Abba and Imma because the first three Sefirot Keter, Chochmah and Binah give birth, so to speak, to the lower seven Sefirot.
Da’at - knowledge, is a word used in the torah to indicate attachment or union, as it is written (Bereshit 4:1) “And Adam had known his wife Eve”. Da’at is the unifying principle that brings together and joins the faculties of Chochmah and Binah and acts as the bridge between the intellect and the emotions. It is through Da’at that the mentalities and intellect are revealed and externalized in the attributes and emotions. Whilst Chochmah and Binah are completely internal intellectual processes, by contrast Da’at is the intellect that a person shows to the world. Da’at is a persons ability to express his intelligence to others and communicate one’s thoughts effectively. It is through the faculty of Da’at that the wisdom and understanding is brought to its logical conclusion in practical application. Chochmah and Binah are represented in the human body by the right and left lobes of the brain and Da’at is the middle brain, the cerebral cortex which is situated between and below the right and left lobes. The three Sefirot of Chochmah-Binah-Da’at form a triad, which makes the abbreviation called ChaBaD. This triad paralels the three faculties in man’s intellect i.e wisdom, understanding and knowledge. As already mentioned the quasi-Sefirah of Da’at is only considered as part of the ten Sefirot when Keter is not taken into account.
Chessed - kindness, manifests and actualizes God’s absolute, unlimited benevolence and altruistic kindness (Zohar vol 2 page 168b; Pardes Rimonim sha’ar 8 chapter 1). Chssesd is the idea of giving oneself totally and not expecting anything in return. It is the ability to bestow good, love and kindness for the sake of kindness, regardless of the merits of the recipient, even when they do not deserve kindness. It is with this Divine attribute that Hashem created the world, to bring about recipients for the Divine benevolence as it is written (Tehilim 89:3) “The world was built by Chessed”. Chessed wants to give without limitation.
Gevurah - might or power, it represents the Divine attribute of “Din” - harsh judgement and severities. Gevurah is the power to restrain oneself from his urge as the Mishnah (Avot 4:1) says: Who is mighty? the one that can control his urge. The Sefirah of Gevurah is the severe judgement that wants to withhold Chessed from the world. In this sense Chessed and Gevurah are two opposites. Chessed wants to give without restraint and Gevurah wants to withdraw and limit the Divine emanations. Gevurah is the concept of “Tzimtzum” which means contracting and concealing the Divine light. It is through the next Sefirah of Tiferet that there is balance in the system by blending these two attributes. It is of interest that the six days of creation correspond to the six lower Sefirot starting with Chessed on day one and Gevurah on day two, Tiferet on day three
and so on. Bearing this in mind the Talmud (Pesachim 54a) says every day of creation the Torah says “And God saw that it was good” except for the second day. Why is this so? It is because the fire of Gehinom was created on that day! The fire of Gehinom was created on the day in which Gevurah is predominant. The Zohar (vol. 2 page 51b) says that the harsh severe judgements come from the left side which is the side of Gevurah.
Tiferet - beauty, harmonises and blends the boundless outpouring of Chessed with the severities and restrictions of Gevurah. It blends them in such a way so that Chessed will still flow out with some limitation from Gevurah but making it more endurable to the creatures who receive it. The resultant combination is not exactly an equal mixture but it is more inclined towards Chessed (Pardes Rimonim sha’ar 8, chapter 2 and sha’ar 9 chapter 3). For this reason Tiferet is also called Rachamim - mercy and compassion (Zohar Chadash sedra Yitro page 31b). Because of this interaction between these three Sefirot of Chessed, Gevurah and Tiferet they form a triad called “ChaGaT”. Tiferet is the attribute that was predominant on day three of creation which is the day in which the Torah says “And God saw that it was good” twice, to make up for the one missing on the second day. This sefirah is called Tiferet - beauty because of the harmony it brings when it blends Chessed and Gevurah (Tikuney Zohar, tikun 70 page 133b and pardes Rimonim sha’ar 8 chapter 17). Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liady writes in his book Likutey Amarim Tanya (page 122a) that since Tiferet-beauty is a mediating attribute between Gevurah and Chessed therefore it is called ‘beauty’. This is by way of analogy, like beautiful garments, that is, garments dyed with many colors blended in such a way that there is beauty and embellishment. To a garment dyed in one color, however, one cannot apply the term ‘beauty’-Tiferet. One should add that Chessed, Gevurah and Tiferet are the generality and principal classes of the Midot. The other successive attributes are branches or derivatives of these three.
Netzach - dominance,victory, endurance or eternity. Netzach represents the attribute of endurance of prevaling and standing up against, and conquering all that would withhold or interfere with the flow of Divine Benevolence (Chessed). Netzach also entails to prevail and stand up against anything that withholds the flow of the Divine light and benevolence from within and from without. “From within” - means to strengthen himself against the attribute of “Gevurah” and “Tzimtzum” that want to withhold and restrain the flow. In Man, the sefirah of Netzach signifies the triumph over all obstacles that stand in your way of serving Hashem. Netzach belongs to the right hand column and sits under Chessed.
Hod - majesty and splendor. Hod seeks to restrain like Gevurah. Hod belongs to left hand column and sits below Gevurah. For this reason Hod also seeks to
restrain like Gevurah. The Zohar refers to Netzach and Hod as “two halves of one body” (See Zohar vol 3 page 236a). In the model of the human body, Netzach and Hod are represented by the two thighs which are the underpinnings of the body. They represent faith - Emunah which likewise underpins and is the foundation of Torah.
Yesod - foundation. A harmonious balance is required between Netzach and Hod and it is this that leads to a perfect Yesod relationship. Yesod creates a synthesis between the two opposing Sefirot Netzach and Hod, it blends and compounds them both. Moreover, Yesod is the blending channel of all the preceding Sefirot; all the sefirot pour their light into Yesod, and Yesod serves as the all-inclusive principle joining heaven to earth, making it possible for the emanations of the Sefirot to issue forth effectively unto creatures. It is through Yesod that the emanations of the higher Sefirot issue forth to Malchut to bring about a manifest creation. Thus Yesod is the foundation of the creation. The Divine attribute of Yesod is the bond uniting Emanator and recipient, the link that connects giver and the receiver. In the Sefirah model of the human body, Yesod is symbolized as the male reproductive function, the organ that gives. Yesod belongs to the middle column. The three Sefirot of Netzach-Hod-Yesod form a triad known by the acronym NeHY. Kabbalah teaches us that the true Tzaddik in every generation is associated with the Sefirah of Yesod because he too is the chanel through which all the Divine blessings come to the the world and from him it flows to the rest of mankind. It is for this reason that the True tzaddik is known as “Tzaddik Yesod olam - The Tzaddik is the foundation of the world” (Mishley 10:25).
Malchut - kingship or royalty is the last and lowest level of the Ten Sefirot. It does not exert any influence of its own. It is passive and has no light of its own except that which the other Sefirot pour into it. For this reason it is compared to the moon that has no light of its own and only reflects the light it receives from the sun (Zohar vol 1 page 249b and 251b. vol 2 page 145b). Malchut receives the flow of abundance from Yesod who in turn received it from all the preceding Sefirot. It is the final destination for the Divine flow of abundance from where it is spread throughout the world. In this sense Malchut is generally associated with the woman who receives the seed from the male which is Yesod. Malchut is also known in Kabalah as “Imma Tata’a” - the lower mother who gives birth and feeds the world and all its creatures. The Sefirah of Malchut is the lowest level in the realm of Atzilut and becomes the root and source for all the lower worlds (See Ramchal Kelach Pitchey Chochmah petach 9 page 32 and petach 11 page 35 and petach 26 page 67).
TZIMTZUM The Hebrew word “Tzimtzum” means contruction or constriction of the Divine Infinite Light, it can also mean concealment of the Infinite Light. Tzimtzum is a basic fundamental concept in the teachings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luriah, the Ari-Zal. In fact in his magnum opus The Eitz Chayim, he begins with an explanation of Tzimtzum (Heichal 1, Sha’ar 1, Anaf 2 page 11b), he writes as follows: Before anything was created there was a Supernal simple Light that filled all existance. There was no empty space in the sense of emptiness or void. But rather everything was filled with the simple light of En Sof (the term Or En Sof literaly tanslated means the light - Or, of the Infinite One - En Sof). There was no top or bottom no begining and no end, instead it was all one simple Light equal everywhere undifferentiated, this is known as Or En Sof. When it arose in His simple Will to create all the worlds and to allow emanations to issue forth, and to bring to light the perfection of His works and His Names and pseudonym, which is the reason for creation. Then the Infinite Light of the En Sof was withdrawn into Himself into a center point within Himself, in the center of His light. He distanced the Light to its sides around a center point, leaving a vacated space, a void (this vacated space is known as the “Chalal”), in the middle of the Light of En Sof. (It is very important to point out that the concept of tzimtzum should not be interpreted literally, and that it affects only [God’s] light, but not the Source of light. [Indeed, within the light,] it affects only the lowest level of the light which existed before the tzimtzum. It is not a withdrawal of the light but merely its concealment. That is to say that God Himself has not withdrawn from our world but rather He is hidden from our world. We also see, that the Tzimtzum is not a true concealment because its entire intent is actually to reveal. Rabbi Moshe Zacuto asks the question how can the Infinite One have a center point? If you give dimensions and have a center then there would also be a top and a bottom and this contracdicts infinity? He explains that this center referes to the empty space that was going to be created and not in the Light of the En Sof before creation. see the commentaries of Shemen Sason and Divrey Shalom here.) The created vacated space was a perfect circle and not a square with corners so that the center point would be equidistance to all side in any direction. It had to be this way so that the distance from the Or En Sof surrounding the circle to its center is equal around the entire circumference.... After this constriction took place there was now an empty space void of the Infinite Light in which all emanations (Atzilut), creations (Beriah) and formations (Yetzirah) can now be completed and made (Asiyah). Then He drew a ray of Light from the Or En Sof which was outside the vacated circle and it came ito the circle in a staight line. The top of this ray of light touched the Infinite Light of the En Sof which surrounded the circle of the vacated space.
This ray of light penetrated the circle and extended towards its center and from this ray the the light of the En Sof now spreads into the entire vacated space in a measured way. This manifestation now brought about the creation of space with dimensions of a top a center and a bottom. Most Mekubalim hold the view that the above passage is not to be taken literaly. in the sense that the Infinite Light is still present in the Chalal (the vacated space) except that it is now in a completely concealed state. The Or En Sof now in the Chalal does not affect or relate to creation thereby allowing creation to come into existance. The only Divine Light that will now affect and relate to creation is the constricted Light that came into the vacated space from outside, in the form of a thin ray of the Or En Sof, the Divine Infinite Light. The above can be summarised into three stages, Phase one: “Before” the tzimtzum, “there was a Divine simple light that filled all existence, and there was no empty room... Rather all was filled with simple infinite light, which did not have either beginning or end, but all was one simple light, all the same and equal... this is called infinite light (Or En Sof).” Phase two: “Then... this light was contracted (tzimtzum )... and drawn aside... leaving empty room, a hollow space (chalal)... After this tzimtzum there was now space where emanations and creations could [potentially] be formed and made.” Phase three: “Then was drawn forth from the infinite light a single ray of light (kav), drawn from the infinite light surrounding the Chalal ... successively descending into the vacated space. The top of this ray is drawn from the the infinite light itself and touches it... and through this ray the infinite light is drawn and spread out below. Thus, in that hollow space, all the realms were emanated, created and made.”
OROT AND KELIM The ten Sefirot, the Supernal attributes, are essentially without end and without limit, because the Infinite Light of the En Sof actually radiates and is vested within them. As the Tikuney Zohar (page 3b) says: “For in the ten Sefirot of Atzilut is vested the King (the light of the En Sof) therefore He (his essence) and His causations are one, He and His vivifications are One - in them. This is not so in the ten Sefirot 0f Beriah. There they are not one with their vivification, nor are they one with their causations. But the cause of all radiates in the ten Sefirot of Atzilut, and in the ten Sefirot of Beriah; and He radiates among the ten classes of angels in the world of Yetzirah, and the ten heavenly constalations in the world of Asiyah, and does not become changed anywhere.” Rabbi Scheneur Zalman explains in his book Likutey Amarim Tanya (section Igeret
Hakodesh chapter 20) That the ‘vivifications’ and ‘causation’ just quoted from the Tikunim means “Orot” and “Kelim”. “Orot” means lights I.e., the Infinite Divine effusions and emanations. “Kelim” means vessels that contain the Divine light and act as a means to conceal and contract them. In the Etz Chayim (sha’ar Seder Abiyah chapter 1 and 5 page 91 column 3) the Ari Hakadosh explains that in Atzilut the the Infinite Divine Light of the En Sof radiates directly without any veils or garments, whereas in the lower realms from Beriah downwards the Divine Light radiates through veils and garments that contract, condense and conceal the light. Hence in the realm of Atzilut the Or En Sof and the Sefirot become one, not so in the lower realms where the Or En Sof is covered by veils and garments. In the realm of Atzilut the Orot are infinite and the Kelim are finite. “Kelim” - vessels is not to be understood literally as a physical container but rather it means in spiritual terms a Divine Light of a lower degree than the light of the “Orot”. The lower level Light has been contracted and condensed and serves as a vessel to the higher level light, the purpose being to conceal the light within the vessel so that it can give to the lower realms in a diminished form. Kelim are part of the Tzimtzum process whereby finite beings were created. (How the Kelim were created is explained by the Ari Hakadosh in Sha’ar Hahakdamot, Sha’ar 1 Derush keitzad Na’asu Hakelim page 15 amud 1 and it is beyond the parameters of this work).
PARTZUFIM Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, known as the Ari Hakadosh, revealed the concept of Partzufim. The Partzuf has the ability to combine disparate elements into a unified whole that contains ten Sefirot. The partzufim constantly interact with each other. In the Partzuf scheme, Keter for example is converted into a configuration analogous to the Man-Image in which every Sefirah functions in the configuration, though Keter is the dominant aspect. This Partzuf is called Arich Anpin and in this configuration it would subdivide into the Keter of Arich Anpin, the Chochmah of Arich Anpin, the Binah of Arich Anpin, the Chessed of Arich Anpin, the Gevurah of Arich Anpin and so forth. In the system of Partzufim the ten Sefirot are arranged into five groups as follows:1] Keter becomes two partzufim called Atik-Yomin and Arich-Anpin. 2] Chochmah becomes the partzuf of Abba-Father. 3] Binah becomes the partzuf of Imma-Mother. 4] The six Sefirot from Chessed to Yesod becomes the partzuf of Zeir-Anpin. 5] Malchut becomes the partzuf of Nukva.
Some of the above mentioned Partzufim subdivide into further smaller Partzufim. For example the Partzuf of Abba subdivides into two as follows the upper part becomes Abba Ila’ah and the lower part becomes Yisroel Sabba. The partzuf of Imma also subdivides into two, the upper part becomes Imma Ila’ah and the lower part is known as the partzuf of Tevunah. The partzufim, like the Sefirot have a heirachy, with Atik-Yomin and Arich-Anpin being the highest, followed by Abba then Imma, then Zeir Anpin and the lowest being Nukva. The highest Partzuf descends and becomes enclothed inside the one below it, giving it light and energy and concealing itself within it. All the different Sefrot and the concept of Partzufim do not imply any pluralism in the Godhead. The Partzufim, which literally means faces, they are different manifestations of Hashem, various aspects under which God manifests Himself. It is through a person’s face that one interacts with others and expresses his feelings, hence the different manifestations of God are referred to as Partzufim. Just as a person who is made up of many constituent parts such as organs, limbs bones etc. all working in harmony and co-operation to make up one single entity, so too all the ten Sefirot, orot and kelim and Levushim work in harmony to constitute one single Partzuf. Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai said in the Idera Rabba (Zohar vol 3 page 141a) that the general rule is that Atik, Arich Anpin, Abba, Imma, Zeir Anpin and Malchut is all one (for the highest one includes in it all the lower ones). All is, all was, and all shall be; He will not change, He is unchanging, and He has not changed.... Should you ask, what then is the difference between one and the other? It is all One.... it is only from our perspective that they differ one from another. Rabbi Moshe Kordovero in his book Pardes Rimonim (Sha’ar 4 chapter 4) presents a simile to explain this. Imagine ten glass bottles each one has a different shape and each one is made of a different coloured glass. They are subsequently filled up with water from the same fountain. The result will be that the water in each bottle will take the shape of its bottle and the water in each bottle will look like the colour of its glass. The water in all ten bottles came from the same source, one fountain, however they all appear in different shapes and colour. The glass bottles represent the Sefirot which are called by us Chessed or Gevurah or Tiferet etc. they appear to us in different colours according to their attribute white, red and green etc. The water in the bottles which comes from one source and is colourless and without form represents the the Infinite Light that comes from the emanator and is the essence of the Lights. The Water takes on the colour and shape of the vessel it occupies but in essence it does not change at all. Similarly the Divine light vested in each of the Sefirot or Partzufim is one and the same except that it manifest itself in different
garments of the Sefirot or Partzufim in each world. The Zohar says something similar (Zohar vol 2 page 42b) as follows:- “Like the sea, whose waters have neither form nor shape in themselves only when the waters spread into a vessel do they get a shape of the vessel. The vessel being the earth in which the waters are gathered and take a particular form. On the basis of this fact we can calculate the following: The source of the waters in the sea is level one and corresponds to the Sefirah of Keter which serves as the source for the Infinite Divine Light to give to the subsequent nine levels. From the source comes a fountain which forms into a round circle like a letter Yud, this is level two which corresponds to the Sefirah of Chochmah. Keter being the apex of the letter Yud (The four letters in Hashem’s name represent the Ten Sefirot as follows, the letter Yud the smallest letter represents Chochmah because we are unable to comprehend much in this level. The apex of the Yud represents Keter because it is so sublime that no letter can represent it. the first letter Hey represents Binah because in this level we are able to comprehend more with depth and breadth like the letter Hey which has breadth and length. The Letter Vav represents the six Sefirot from Chessed to Yesod because the numerical value of Vav is six and because the letter Vav as a long line symbolises the flow downwards. The last letter Hey represents the final Sefirah of Malchut). From the fountain the waters flow into a large pit which fills up with waters. This third vessel is called the sea which is the Sefirah of Binah. Finally the sea divides and pours into seven rivers. The source, the fountain, the sea are the first three Sefirot and the seven rivers are the lower seven sefirot which make up the Ten Sefirot. Should the master who constructed these seven rivers were to break up any of these vessels then the waters would return to their source and the vessels would remain dry and broken. So too the Cause of all Causes made ten Sefirot and He named the source as Keter, the flow of its light is infinite. For this reason He called Himself “En Sof” - “The Infinite One”. He has neither form nor shape, there is no vessel that could contain Him or perceive Him at all. For this reason they have said about Keter “Do not pursue that which is too wonderous and that which is concealed from you do no search” (Ben Sira 320-324). Thereafter He formed a small vessel, small as the letter Yud, and it was filled with a flow from the source and called it the fountain that flows with wisdom. Through this He calls Himseld The Wise One, and he called this Sefirah Chochmah. Then He made a large vessel and called it the sea, and designated this Sefirah Binah and in virtue of it He is known as The Understanding One. He is known as The wise One by virtue of Himself and He is known as The understanding One by virtue of Himself, that is to say in his own essence (and not because the Sefirot give him wisdom or understanding). In fact the Sefirah of Chochmah is not called Wise because of its own capability but rather because wisdom flows from the Infinite One into it. Likewise Binah has no intrinsic understanding of its own, only because the Infinite one who is
the source of understanding fills her up. For if the the flow from the En Sof would cease then Chochmah and Binah would remain as dry empty vessels. This is what is written (Job 14:11) “Waters have gone from the sea and the river has become arid and dry.” After that He split the sea into seven rivers and diverted the waters into seven precious vessels. He named them as Gedulah (Chessed), Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and Malchut. He calls Himself “Gadol”- Great through the Sefirah of Gedulah-Chessed, He calls Himself Mighty through the Sefirah of Gevurah, Beauty through the Sefirah of Tiferet. Master of victories at battles through the Sefirah of Netzach. Through Hod He is known as the splendor of our creator. Through Yesod He is known as the Tzaddik. Yesod, everything is supported by it, all the vessels and all the worlds. Through Malchut He calls Himself King. “Yours, Hashem, is the greatness, the strength, the splendor, the triumph, and the glory, even everything in heaven and earth” (Divrey Hayamim 1, 29:11), for He is Tzaddik. He has kingship for he is Malchut. Everything is under His authority, He can reduce the vessels, He can add the flow into them or he can reduce their flow according to his wishes. There is no God above him who could add to him or take away from him.” -- untill here is the quotation from the Zohar (vol 2 page 42b).
THE FIVE WORLDS Kabalah teaches that the structure of the ten Sefirot is like the DNA of creation and they are found in every universe and every level of existance. Whilst there are, relatively speaking, infinite number of worlds, there are five that are more relevant to us. These are 1] Adam Kadmon 2] Atzilut 3] Beriah 4] Yetzirah 5] Asiyah. The five worlds parralel the Ten Sefirot, the five levels of the soul and five faculties of man and the five Partzufim and the letters of Hashem’s name as follows:-
WORLD SEFIRAH FACULTY SOUL PARTZUF Adam Kadmon - Keter Atzilut Beriah
- Chochmah - Binah
- will - mind
LETTER
- Yechida - Arich Anpin - Crown on Yud - Chaya
- Abba
- Yud
- thought - Neshamah - Imma
- Heh
Yetzirah - Chessed to Yesod - speech - Ruach
- Zeir Anpin
- Vav
Asiya
- Nukva
- Heh
- Malchut
- Action - Nefesh.
Descending from the higher to the lower worlds, God’s concealment gradually
increases. His radiance is most evident in the world of Adam Kadmon and Atzilut, and it is almost completely obscured in the lowest world of Asiyah. The four letter name of Hashem, the Tetragramaton, can be expanded by spelling out each letter. There are many variations of this, but the Mekubalim speak mainly of four and they correspond to the four worlds as follows:-
Partzuf
world
`a`
zeliv`
`ni`
numerical value
Expanded name
a"r `ixhnib
i"d - e"ie - i"d - c"ei
d`ixa
b"q
i"d - e"`e - i"d - c"ei
oitp` xirf
dxivi
d"n `ixhnib
`"d - e"`e - `"d - c"ei
`awep
diyr
o"a `ixhnib
e"d - e"e - d"d - c"ei
`ixhnib
SHEVIRAT HAKELIM Shevirat Hakelim, the shattering of the vessels, is a concept which is referred to in the Zohar in the parts known as Sifra DeTzniuta and the Iderot and expounded in more details by the Ari-Zal (see Mevo She-arim Sha’ar 2 part 2 chapter 1 page 13a; Etz Chayim Hechal Hanekudim sha’ar 8; Sha’ar Hahakdamot Sha’ar 1 Derush Yeridat zayin melachim el haberiah). In the early spiritual stages of creation God made imbalances in the system so that evil could come into being. This was necessary in order to enable mankind to have freewill. The ten Sefirot emanated from Adam Kadmon in three stages known as 1] Akudim, 2] Nekudim and 3] Berudim. In the first stage of Akudim the ten Sefirot are all bound together in one single vessel undifferentiated. The word Akudim means bound together. In the second stage of Nekudim the ten Sefirot were divided into ten distinct entities. In this stage the Sefirot were like ten separate points or spots which could not interact or give anything to each other. The word Nekudim means spots. At this stage the Divine light was too powefull and the vessels too weak and as a result they shuttered. The broken vessels together with sparks of the Divine light fell from the realm of Atzilut into the lower three realms to be, as they were not yet created. In the third stage of Berudim the ten Sefirot are reconstituted into Partzufim and act in unison. During the second stage the first three higher Sefirot Keter, Chochmah and Binah could contain the resplendent Divine Light flowing through them. The lower seven Sefirot could not hold the Light and acosmic cataclysm occurred, and these vessels shattered, spilling sparks of holiness (Nitzotzot Hakedushah)
from the realm of Atzilut into the lower three realms of Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. When the vessels of the seven lower Sefirot had broken and fallen into the lower three realms toghether with sparks of light, these fragments are responsible for the multifariouness in God’s creation, and for the existance of evil. In fact this was the purpose why God created the system with a flaw which caused Shevirat Hakelim. Rabbi Shimshon Chayim Nachmani explains in his book Toldot Shimshon (Toldot Shimon on Pirkey Avos Chapter 6 Mihnah 9 page 346) that the world was initialy created with flaws and imperfections purposely in order to allow the Sitra Achra to come into existance in order to provide the opportunity for the righteous and reward them.
SITRA ACHRA; KELIPOT; CHITZONIM The existence of evil in creation is referred to in the Zohar by the name “Sitra Achra” which literally means “the other side”, the unclean side opposed to holiness, the side of creation that is the antithesis of holiness and purity. The other name for it is “Kelipot” which means shells or husks, the outer shell and peel that surrounds the fruit but which is inedible itself. God created forces which conceal the Godly force found in all creation as a peel covers and conceals a fruit. Another name is “Chitzonim” which means the external ones, the waste and refuse of the holy side that are evil. The Ari-Zal (see Etz Chayim sha’ar 49 chapter 2) explains that there are four categories of Kelipot, three of them are completely impure and evil and one called “Kelipat Nogah” which is not completely bad, it is a mixture of evil with some holiness. Kelipat Nogah can be translated as the “the glowing Kelipah” for within this Kelipah there is yet found a ray of holiness. It is an intermediary between holy and profane, between good and evil. All this is alluded to by the prophet Yechezkel (1:4) in the vision known as Ma’aseh Merkavah: “I saw, and behold there was a stormy wind coming from the north, a great cloud and flashing fire, and a glow (nogah) surrounding it; and from its midst there was like the color of Chashmal, in the midst of the fire.” [According to the Talmud Chagigah 13a the Chashmal is a type of angel that at times stands silent (Wg̈) and at times speaks (lEln̈) God’s praises.] Essentially, Yechezkel saw five things: a storm wind; a great cloud; a fire; a glow; and the Chashmal. According to the Zohar, the first four were Kelipot, husks or barriers that the prophet Yechezkel had to experience and overcome before getting into the prophetic vision. The “Stormy wind”, the “great cloud” and the “flashing fire”, these represent the three totally impure Kelipot; and “a glow (nogah) surrounding it” represents the fourth Kelipah, Kelipat Nogah (Nogah being a radiation from holiness). The Kelipah of Nogah is found in the higher worlds as well. However, the proportion of good and evil which comprise it vary from one World to the next. In the realm of Beriah,
Kelipat Nogah is mostly good, possessing only a small measure of evil which is separate from the good. In the realm of Yetzirah it is composed equally of good and evil, while in the spiritual realm of Asiyah evil predominates. In our physical world, Kelipat nogah is almost totally evil, with only a minute representation of good and light. Our world, with all its contents, are in the lowest part of the realm of Asiyah and is therefore called the world of Kelipot and Sitra Achra. The evil that is in this material world is the dregs of the coarse Kelipot.... Therefore all mundane affairs in this world are severe and evil, and the wicked people prevail in it (See Etz Chayim sha’ar 42 end of chapter 4). The Ari-Zal explains in Sefer Hagilgulim (chapter one) as follows: Those seven kings that reigned in the land of Edom were created before the realm of Atzilut and subsequently died. This is the deeper meaning of what our sages said “He was creating worlds and destroying them”. Subsequently there was a process in which the shuttered vessels and their sparks were sifted and the good was separated from them and that which was appropriate for the realm of Atzilut was raised to Atzilut to complete its formation, the scraps and trash left behind became Kelipot. A second sifting took place were all the relevant good belonging to the realm of Beriah was removed and elevated to Beriah to complete its formation. The same process took place for the realm of Yetzirah and finally for the realm of Asiyah. After all the necessary holy and good fragments were sifted out, the scraps and refuse left behind became the source for the formation of the Kelipot and the Sitra Achra. This process of sifting the good and separating it from the bad is called “Birurim” which is a continuous process that still applies to us because not all the Holy sparks were sifted completely. Some Holy sparks were left behind and Am Yisroel was assigned this task of completing all the “Birurim” which are necessary to bring the world to its ultimate goal of the final redemption and the world to come. In Addition when Am Yisroel sin they cause more sparks to fall again and become trapped in the Kelipot and making them stronger. When we perform Mitzvot and even when we do mundane things such as eating if we do so according to the Torah and we make a blessing before eating we are in fact doing “Birurim” and we sift the sparks trapped in plant life and animal life. The meaning of Holy sparks can be sparks of the Divine Light that were in the shuttered vessels or it can also mean holy souls of Am Yisroel. When Adam Harishon sinned he contained inside him the roots of all the souls of Am Yisroel and as a result of his sin these souls were scattered as holy sparks all over the world to be trapped by the Kelipot. One of the purposes of Am Yisroel having been sent into exile and scattered in all four corners of the world is in order to free the captive holy sparks and souls all over the world. When all the Birurim are completed then we will be ready for the final redemption. Rabbi Chayim Vital writes in Otzrot Chayim (Sha’ar Hanekudim chapter 6 page
8b) that before Adam was created the Chitzonim and Kelipot had the power to nurture from the holy side. This is the deeper meaning of the verse (Bereshit 2:5) “And there was no man to work the earth” this refers to removing thorns and weeds from the vineyard. Symbolically the vineyard is the Holy Side and the weeds and thorns represent the Kelipot and Chitzonim that want to nurture from the Holy Side. Removing the thorns and weeds from the vineyard can only be done when a person performs Mitzvos, learns Torah and prays thereby subduing the unclean side and dispelling them. When the verse said “And there was no man to work the earth” this is a reference to the lowest Sefirah called Malchut which is susceptible to attack by the Kelipot. Cutting the thorns and removing the weeds symbolizes the performance of Mitzvos which subdues the unclean side and removes them. the Mitzvos can be either by action or by speech. When Adam was created he did the two types of Mitzvos 1] he fulfilled in action the Mitzvah of procreation with Chavah on the friday when he was created, and 2] he prayed for the vegetation and trees to grow. It is clear from the above passage from Otzrot Chayim that the Kelipot came into existence before Adam and Chavah were created. They came about as result of the Shattering of the vessels as we mentioned above. They originate from the Holy Side and only when separated from it they become Kelipot and Chitzonim. In other words when there is a powerful concealment of the Divine Countenance the Kelipot and Sitra Achra come into being. By virtue of the descent and flow of the Divine Life-force to the lower planes, by means of many and powerful contractions of many kinds, in order that many diverse creatures be created from them. Indeed, so great and powerful are the contractions and concealment of the Divine Light, that even unclean things, Kelipot and Sitra Achra, can come into being and be created, receiving their life and existence from the Divine word and the breath of His blessed mouth, in concealment of His countenance and by virtue of the downward gradations. (see Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s book Likutey Amarim chapter 22 who explains this in detail). When all the Birurim will be completed and the Holy Divine Light will be revealed in the final redemption the Sitra Achra will then be restored back to the Holy side and be nullified completely. Another point to emphasize from the words of the Otzrot Chayim is that we have the power to subdue the Sitra Achra with our behavior. When a person controls his desires and impulses for the sake of Torah and serving Hashem then he subdues the Sitra Achra and the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, is brought forth on high. It is the Sitra Achra that tries to seduce the person to do wrong against the Torah therefore overcoming the temptation actually subdues the Sitra Achra (see Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s Likutey Amarim chapter 27 who explains this in detail). Rabbi Shimshon Chayim Nachmani explains in his book Toldot Shimshon in the name of the Ari-Zal that when learning Talmud and Halachah in a deep analytical way, asking questions and working hard to find answers, this breaks the Kelipot. It is
the Kelipot who cause the Torah to be concealed creating confusion and making difficulties in understanding. By clarifying things one is removing the concealment caused by the Kelipot and breaking them (see Toldot Shimshon on Pirkey Avos chapter 6 Mishnah 9 page 346). Rabbi Moshe Chayim Luzzatto explains in his book “Derech Hashem” (part 1 chapter 5 section 8): The cause of all evil is the absence of the light of God’s presence and the concealment of His presence. God’s wisdom decreed that both good and evil exits in the world. God’s wisdom arranged the transcendental Forces, and set them in an order and system in which it would be possible that there should pertain to them either rectification (Tikun) or spiritual damage (kilkul). They therefor have states that are good and otherwise. The essence of a state of good is when a Force has the capacity to be illuminated by the Light of God’s presence. The opposite state is that which lacks this capacity, and where this Light is therefore withheld from a given Force. He also decreed that the lower seven Sefirot, which comprise the partzufim of Zeir Anpin and Nukva, are affected by man’s behavior. If Am Yisroel is faithful to Hashem, to the Torah and Mitzvos then the Divine blessing flows uninterrupted through all the Sefirot and Yesod has a union with Malchut and passes on all the flow into it and the world functions in a harmonious way. When Am Yisroel is not faithful to Hashem and the Torah the Sefirot are affected in a negative way restricting the Divine flow. The relationship between Yesod and Malchut are in a state of separation restricting the Divine light from its flow affecting nature in a detrimental way. This situation is described by our sages as the Shechinah in exile (see Zohar vol 3 page 69a; Tikuney Zohar tikun 6 page 22a) as the prophet Yeshaya said (50:1) “it is for your rebellious sins that your mother has been sent away” the mother in this verse is a reference to the the Sefirah of Malchut which is the Partzuf of Nukva which is the Shechinah. Not only are the Sefirot in a state of disunity but even worse, the Sefirah of Malchut which is synonymous with the Shechinah becomes subjugated to the unclean side. This is the exile of Am Yisroel and the destruction of the Holy Temple. Yet even during this period of exile Hashem in his infinite mercy allows us to perform Mitzvos and learn Torah which bring relief and allows for the temporary union of Yesod and Malchut allowing the Divine flow to continue in a minimal way to keep the world alive.
PATACH ELIYAHU The following piece is from the second introduction to the Tikunim found in page 17a commonly known as “Patach Eliyahu”. This are the words of Eliyahu the prophet it is written as a prayer which serves as an introduction to the hidden
part of Torah and explains the mystical concept of the Ten Sefirot. This prayer has been incorporated into many Sidurim such as Nusach Sefard and Edot Hamizrach, and is customarily recited before Shachris and some even recite before Mincha. The Chabad custom is to recite it before mincha on Erev Shabbos. The mekubalim have the custom to say it after the prayers of Tikun Chatzos. Others have the custom to recite it after the Havdalah ceremony on at the termination of Shabbos. The earliest mention of this custom is in the prayer book “Tefilah LeMoshe” with the commentary of Rabbi Moshe Kordovero who brings the custom to recite it before prayers (see Tefilah LeMoshe page 23, section Tefilot kodem hatefilah). Eliyahu the prophet managed to summarise in a very condensed way most of the hidden Divine wisdom in this short prayer. The effect of this prayer is like a declaration of attachment to the Holy Zohar and the Tikunim.
lr© d¨`N̈r¦ `Ed Y§ § p`© ,oħWg§ ªa `l̈§e cg̈ `Ed Y§ § p`© C§ oi¦n§lr̈ oŸeAx¦ ,x©n`¨ §e EdϦl ¥̀ gzR̈ © ,ll̈§M Kä `q̈i¦tY § däẄ£gn© zi¥l ,oi¦niz§ ¦ q lM̈ lr© `n̈iz§ ¦ q ,oi¦`N̈r¦ lM̈ Elijah the prophet z.l. opened his discourse and said, 'Master of the worlds! You are One but not in the numerical sense. You are higher than all the exalted ones, more concealed than all the concealed ones. No thought can grasp You at all. (Rabbi Eliyahu Mani comments in his book Kiseh Eliyahu that the expression ‘Master of the worlds’ is a reference to the En Sof, The Infinite One, when He is vested and clothed in the Sefirot and the upper realms. And the expression “You are one but not in the numerical sense” is to be understood according to the Rambam z.l. as he wrote in Mishneh Torah, hilchos Yesodey Hatorah, chapter 1 halachah 7 :- God is one and not two and not more than two. He is one and there is no other unity as His that exists in the world. Not one that is made of many parts. One, but not like a human body which is made up of many parts and has dimensions, rather, God is one and there is no other unity like Him in the world.)
oi¦n§lr̈ oŸed§a `b̈d̈§p`© §l ,oẍi¦tq§ x©Ur£ oŸel op̈ixẅ§ ¦ e ,oi¦pETY ¦ x©Ur£ z©wi¦R`© c§ `Ed Y§ § p`© ,`Ẅp̈ i¥pA§ n¦ z©`i¦qM§ z¦ § ` oŸed§aE ,oiï§l©Bz¦ § `C§ oi¦n§lr̈§e ,oiï§l©Bz¦ § ` `l̈C§ oi¦niz§ ¦q It is You who generated ten mi¦pEwz¦ - rectifications, that we call the “ten Sefirot” through which you conduct hidden worlds which are not revealed, and the revealed worlds. Through them You conceal Yourself from human beings (The Light of the En Sof is clothed and concealed in all the Sefirot from the first and highest to the last and lowest).
,oŸel c¥g©in§ E ,oŸel xi¦Wẅc§ `Ed Y§ § p`© §e You are the One who binds together and unites them. (The lowest level of the higher realm or Partzuf allways becomes the soul and life-force the realm below
it. For example the lowest Sefirah of Atzilut which is Malchut becomes the Keter of the next world which is Beriah. Similarly the sefirot of Netzach, Hod and Yesod of the Patzuf of Imma becomes the Mochin and energy for the lower Partzuf of Ze’ir Anpin. The En Sof, blessed is He, is the soul of all souls and gives energy to all levels, as a soul gives life to a body. Just as if the soul is separated from the body then all all the four elements in the body begin to separate and dissintegrate. For it is the soul that binds it all together and gives life to the body. So too, it is the Light of the En Sof that is vested in all worlds and Partzufim, that enables the entire system to work in harmony. All the Sefirot, Patzufim and worlds are all inclusive of each other.)
Di¥l ai¥Xg© z¦ § ` ,x©Ur£ oi¥N`¦ n¥ Dix§ ¥ag© o¦n c©g Wix§ ¥t`© C§ o`n̈ lM̈ ,e`b̈§Nn¦ Y§ § p`© C§ oi¦ba§ E .KÄ Wix§ ¥t`© EN¦`M§ Since You are within them, whoever separates one of these ten Sefirot one from another, it is regarded as if he divided You. (As explained above the Infinite Divine Light - the Or En Sof is vested in the highest level which then clothes itself in the next lower level all the way from the highest to the lowest level. It follows that the Or En Sof is vested in all the ten Sefirot of the world of Atzilut and it is their soul and life-force. Separating one Sefirah and isolating it from the rest tantamounts to causing a separation in the En Sof itself, as if it were possible. The Zohar (volume 2 page 176a) states as follows: Rabbi Shimon said, in the spiritual realms the attribute of Gevurah comes from the attribute of Chssed, and Chessed from Gevurah. In other words severe judgements come from kindness and kindness comes from severities. Abraham inherited kindness and yet Isaac who is severe judgements came from him, Din and Gevurah from Chessed. Ya’acov came with Rachamim - compassion from Isaac who is severe judgements. So too in the spiritual realms Gevurah comes from Chessed and they nurture from each other because the Light of the En Sof is the same through all the Sefirot. This makes it clear that all the sefirot come from one source and they are all dependant on one source and all is in one unity, blessed be His Name for eternity. When a person misbehaves, his sins can have an effect in the Sefirot and cause a separation between the Sefirot and between the Partzufim. as the Zohar explains (see Zohar volume 3 page 77a).
,i¦pEpi¥A c©g§e ,x¦vw§ c©g§e ,Kix£̀ ¦ c©g ,oẍc¦ § qM§ oi¦l§f`¨ oEPi¦` oẍi¦tq§ x©Ur£ oi¥N`¦ §e These ten Sefirot proceed according to their order: one long, one short and one intermediate. (This language of ‘long’ ‘short’ and ‘intermediate’ is not to be taken literally because this gives physical dimensions to the Sefirot. ‘Long’ in this context means Chessed-kindness and long suffering and tolerant which is the characteristic of the right hand column. ‘Short’ here refers to Gevurah-harsh,
short tempered and severe judgement which is the characteristic of the left hand column. ‘Medium’ means Tiferet-mercy and compassion, the middle column which blends the right and the left. Similarly Yesod is in the middle column which mitigates and fuses Netzach and Hod.)
lM̈¦n `l̈§e `Ÿz © §l `l̈§e `l̈ir§ ¦ l `l̈ ,Kl̈ bi¦d§p`© C§ o`n̈ zi¥l§e ,oŸel bi¦d§p`© c§ `Ed Y§ § p`© §e z©pi¦wY § oi¦tEb dÖ©k§e ,`Ẅp̈ i¥pa§ ¦l oizn̈§ ¦ W¦p oi¦gxR̈ § Edi§i©Pn¦ C§ ,oŸel z©pi¦wY § oi¦WEa§l ,`ẍ§hq¦ ,oŸedi¥lr£ oiï§qk© n§ C¦ oi¦WEa§l i¥A©b§l `ẗEb E`ix§ ¦wz¦ § `C§ ,oŸel It is You who conducts them, and no one conducts You—neither above nor below nor in any direction. You have prepared garments for them, from which souls issue forth to human beings. You have prepared various bodies for them—called bodies relative to the garments covering them. (The concept of garments in relation to the Sefirot serves as means of concealing the Divine light to allow all the lower levels and realms to be able to benefit from it. The concept of garments applies in all the worlds and levels. Describing the act of creation, king David said (Tehilim 104:3-4) “You have dressed Yourself in majesty and splendor; You have covered Yourself with light like a garment”. A garment serves two purposes, to conceal and to reveal. With respect to Hashem, the concept of “garment” conceals His true essence, while at the same time, it diminishes the light so that it can be revealed in the lower worlds. The ten Sefirot act as garments to each other. That is to say that the lower Sefirot act as a veil and garment to the higher ones in order to conceal the Divine light in them. It also applies to the four worlds of Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah. The lower world becomes a garment to the higher world above it to conceal the higher level of Divine light and allowing it to give its benefit to the lower level world in a diminished form. So Beriah serves as a garment to Atzilut and Yetzirah to Beriah and Asiyah to Beriah.)
,`ẗEB zx¤̀ ¤ t§ Y ¦ ,`l̈`n̈§U `r̈Ÿexc§ dẍEa§B ,`p̈i¦n§i `r̈ŸexC§ c¤qg¤ ,`c̈ `p̈ETz§ ¦ A E`ix§ ¦wz¦ § `§e dẍŸeY d¤R zEk§ln© ,WcŸ¤w zix§ ¦A zŸe` `ẗEbc§ `n̈EI¦q cŸeqi¦e ,oi¦wŸeW oix¥Y § cŸed§e g©vp¤ ,oi¦an¥ a¥Nd© DäE `Ħl dp̈i¦A ,eb̈§Nn¦ däẄ£gn© Edi¦` `g̈Ÿen dn̈§kg̈ .Di¥l op̈ixẅ ¦ d¤R lr§ © AW ¤ Edi¦` oŸei§lr¦¦ xz¤ ¤ M ,e''pidl` d''edi©l zŸexŸ§q¦Pd© (gk hk mixac) aiz§ ¦ M oix¥Y § oi¥N`¦ lr§ ©e `Ÿ§tw© x© §w Edi¦`§e ,zix£ ¦g`© zi¦W`x¥ ¥n ci¦Bn© (i en diryi) x©nY¦ § ` Di¥lr© £e ,zEk§ln© xz¤ ¤M `p̈l̈i¦`c§ Ei§wW © Edi¦` ,zEli¦v £̀ gxŸ©` Edi¦`C§ ,`''d e''`e `''d c''ei Edi¦` eb̈§Nn¦ ,i¥Nt¦ Y § c¦ .Ei§wW © `Ed©dA§ i¥Ax©z¦ § `§e ,`p̈l̈i¦`§l i¥wW § `© c§ `Ï©nM§ ,iŸeR§pr§ © e iŸerŸexc¦ §A These bodies are named [anthropomorphically] according to this arrangement: Chesed (kindness), is the right arm; Gevurah (severity, power), is the left arm; Tif’eret (beauty), is the torso; Netzach (eternity and triumph) and Hod (spledour, glory) are the two thighs; Yesod (foundation) is the end of the torso, which is the sign of the Holy Covenant; Malkhut (kingship) is the mouth, which
we call the Oral Torah. Hokhmah (wisdom) is the brain, meaning inner thought. Binah (insight and understanding) is the heart, through which the heart understands. Regarding these two last Sefirot it is written, “The hidden mysteries belong to Hashem our God” (Deuteronomy 29:28). Keter Elyon (The supreme crown), it is the royal crown, of which it says “He who declares the outcome from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10), and it is the skull upon which the Tefillin are placed. Inside the Tefillin is the Four-Letter Name (whose letters Yod, He, Vav, He when fully spelled out like this: `d e`e `d cei) have the numerical value of forty-five which is the path of Atzilut (spiritual Emanation). This irrigates the tree of the Sefirot, spreading through its arms and branches, like water that irrigates a tree, causing it to grow.
`Ed©dA§ `p̈l̈i¦`§l i¥wW § `© C§ ,zŸeA¦Qd© z©Aq¦ ,zŸeNrd̈ ¦ z©Nr¦ `Ed Y§ § p`© ,mi¦nl̈Ÿerd̈ oŸeAx¦ zi¥l§e oŸei§nC¦ zi¥l KäE ,`ẗEb§l mi¦Ig© Edi¦`c§ ,`ẗEb§l `z̈n̈§W¦pM§ Edi¦` Eri¦a§p `Ed©d§e ,Eri¦a§p `ẍ£di¦q§e `Ẅ§nW ¦ oŸed§Pn¦ z©wi¦R`© §e ,`r̈x© §`§e `Ï©nW § z̈`ẍ§aE ,xä§lE eb̈§NC¦ d©n lM̈¦n `p̈§wŸeiC¦ i¥pa§ E oi¦pEp§e oi¦tŸer§e oeëi¥g§e oi¦AU § r§ ¦ e oc¤r¦ c§ `z̈§P¦b§e oi¦`W § c§ ¦e oi¦pl̈¦` `r̈x© §`a§ E ,i¥lG̈©nE `Ï©ak§ Ÿk§e Ki¥̀§e ,oi¦`Ÿz © §e oi¦`N̈r¦ oŸed§A oEb£d©pz¦ § i Ki¥̀§e ,oi¦`N̈r¦ oŸed§a `r̈cŸ§ enY§ § W`¦ §l ,`Ẅp̈ .ll̈§M KÄ rcï © C§ zi¥l§e ,i¥̀ Ÿz © §e i¥̀ N̈r¥ ¦ n o`r̈cŸ§ enY§ § W`¦ Master of the worlds! You are the Cause of causes, and producer of effects, who waters the Tree through that fountain; a fountain whose flow is like a soul for the body, which is the life of the body. In You there is neither likeness nor similarity to anything within or without. You created heavens and earth, bringing forth from them the sun, the moon, the stars, and constellations. And on earth: the trees, grass, the Garden of Eden, the beasts, the cattle, the birds, the fish, and human beings. In order to make known through them the supernal realms, how the higher and lower worlds are conducted, and how the the higher worlds may be known from the lower. However, there is no one who can know You at all.
lM̈ oẍi¦tq§ lk̈§e ,`N̈ŸM lr© oŸec¨` rc̈ŸenY§ § W`¦ Y§ § p`© §e ,i¥̀ Ÿz © §e i¥̀ N̈r§ ¦ A `c̈i¦g§i zi¥l KP̈i¦n x©aE Y§ § p`© C§ ,ri © c§ ¦i m¥W Kl̈ zi¥l Y§ § p`© §e ,`Ï©k`¨ §ln© E`ix§ ¦wz¦ § ` oŸed§aE ,ri © c§ ¦i m¥W Di¥l zi¦` c©g Ex£̀ Ÿ§W`¦ ,oŸed§Pn¦ w¥NY © q§ Y ¦ Y§ § p`© c©k§e ,Ed§NkªC§ Eni¦lW § `Ed Y§ § p`© §e ,od̈n̈§W lk̈ `¥Nn© n§ `Ed .`z̈n̈§W¦p `l̈§A `ẗEb§M od̈n̈§W Ed§NMª Without You there is no unity in the higher or lower realms. You are known as the cause of all and the master of all. Every one of the sefirot has a name that is known, by which the angels are also designated. You however, have no known name, for You permeate all names; You are the perfection of them all. When You remove Yourself from them, all those Names are left like a body without a soul.
x©z £̀ Kl̈ zi¥l ,`r̈ic§ ¦i dp̈i¦An¦ `l̈§e oi¦an¥ `Ed Y§ § p`© ,`r̈ic§ ¦i dn̈§kg̈§A e`©l§e mi¦Mg© Y§ § p`©
bi¥d©pz¦ § ` Ki¥̀ oŸel d¨`f̈£g`© §lE ,`Ẅp̈ i¥pa§ ¦l Kl̈i¥g§e Kẗ§wEY `r̈cŸ§ enY§ § W`¦ §l `N̈¤̀ `r̈ic§ ¦i Edi¦` oiC¦ ,`Ẅp̈ i¥pa§ C¦ oŸedic§ ¥aŸer mEt§M ,hR̈§Wn¦ E wc¤ ¤v oEpi¦`c§ ,i¥ng £ x§ ©aE `p̈ic§ ¦A `n̈§lr̈ i¥kn§ q© oix¥Y § wc¤ ¤v i¥p§f`Ÿn ,`ẄiC© ¦w `z̈Ek§ln© wc¤ ¤v ,`z̈irv̈§ ¦ n ¤̀ c§ `c̈EOr© hR̈§Wn¦ ,dẍEa§b Kl̈ zi¦`C§ e`©l lä£̀ ,`n̈§lr̈ bi¥d©pz¦ § ` Ki¥̀ d¨`f̈£g`© §l `N̈ŸM ,zix§ ¦A zŸe` wc¤ ¤v oi¦d ,hŸeW§w .ll̈§M zŸeC¦n oi¥N`¦ lM̈¦n e`©l§e ,i¥ng £ x© Edi¦`c§ `r̈ic§ ¦i hR̈§Wn¦ e`©l§e ,oic¦ Edi¦`c§ `r̈ic§ ¦i wc¤ ¤v You are wise, but not with a known definable type of wisdom. You understand, but not with a known definable type of understanding. You have no known place. [You clothed Yourself in the Sefirot] only to make known Your power and strength to human beings, showing them how the world is conducted by justice and compassion, according to the deeds of human beings. Law is Gevurah (severity, power). Justice is the middle pillar. Righteousness is the Holy Malchut (kingship). The scales of Righteousness are two supports of truth, the measure of righteousness is the sign of the Holy Covenant. All these are to show how the world is conducted, but actually You have no known wc¤ ¤v -righteousness , which is oic¦ -law, or hẗy§ n¦ judgment, which is min£ ¦ gx© -compassion, nor any of these attributes at all. Blessed is Hashem forever, Amen and Amen.
oi¦fẍ d¨`N̈©b§l Kl̈ ai¦d©iz¦ § ` `z̈EWx§ `d̈C§ ,Kc̈§i lr© oi¦Nn¦ oEWc© § gz¦ § i§e oŸer§nW ¦ i¦Ax© mEw ,or§ © M cr© W©p x©A mEW§l d¨`N̈©b§l EWx§ ai¦di©iz¦ § ` `l̈C§ d©n ,Kc̈§i lr© oixi¦ ¦ nh§ Rise Rabbi Shim’on fashion new words with your hands, because you have permission to reveal hidden mysteries which have not been revealed by another until now.
oi¦`N̈r¦ ,(`i hk ` d''c) 'eke dẍEa§Bd© §e dl̈Ec§Bd© d''edi L§l ,x©n`¨ §e gz © R̈ oŸer§nW ¦ i¦Ax© mẅ i¥pk§ ŸeW Ep§Px§ ©e Evi¦wd̈ ,oŸekz© § pX § n¦ Exr̈z¦ § ` `p̈§ni¥dn§ `ïr¦¦x§ ©e ,oŸex§ag¤ C§ oi¦ki¦nC§ oEpi¦` Ern̈§W xiy) DÄ x©nY¦ § `c§ `Ed©dc§ `ẍ§hQ¦ n¦ oEpi¦`c§ `Ï©wiC© ¦v oEpi¦` oi¥N`¦ ,(hi ek ediryi) xẗr̈ ,'eke Ep§Px§ ©e Evi¦wd̈ oŸed§A x©nY¦ § ` `C̈ oi¦ba§ E ,miz¥ ¦ n oEpi¦` e`©l§e ,xr¦ i¦A¦l§e dp̈¥W§i i¦p £̀ (a d `Ÿ§pi¦kW § c¦ `z̈Exr̈z¦ § `§l od̈ä£̀©e Y§ § p`© xr© Y¦ § ` `p̈§ni¥dn§ `ïr¦¦x© ,od̈ä£̀©e Y§ § p`© Evi¦wd̈ .oŸedixŸ¥eg§a `z̈§pi¦W§e oi¦ki¦nC§ Ed§NMª `Ï©wiC© ¦v or§ © M cr© C§ ,`z̈Elb̈§A dp̈¥W§i i¦di¦`c§ Rabbi Shimon rose up and opened his discourse and said: (Divrey Hayamim 1, 29:11) “Yours, Hashem, is the greatness, the stength, the splendor, the triumph and the glory, even everything in heaven and earth. Yours, Hashem, is the kingdom, and the sovereinty over every leader.” The upper ones listen those asleep in Hevron (the forefathers Avroham Yitzchak and Yaakov), and the faithful shepherd (Moshe Rabbenu) wake up from your sleep. The prophet Yeshaya said (26:19) “Awake and sing, you who rest in the earth” this is a reference to the righteous ones who are from those about whom it says (Shir Hashirim 5:2) “I was asleep but my heart was awake.” They are not dead.
Because of this it says about them “Awake and sing, you who rest in the earth”. Wake up You and our forefathers, Faithful shepherd wake up and our forefathers to the awakening of the Shechinah who is asleep in the exile. Untill now all the righteous are asleep with slumber on their eyes. (The Ben Ish Chai explains in his book “Benayahu” that Rabbi Shimon opened his discourse with this verse from Divrey Hayamim “Yours, Hashem, is the greatness, the stength, the splendor, the triumph and the glory, even everything in heaven and earth. Yours, Hashem, is the kingdom, and the sovereinty over every leader.” because this verse contains seven Divine attributes which are the lower seven Sefirot. “Greatness” refers to the the sefirah of Chessed, “strength” refers to Gevurah, “splendor” refers to Tiferet, “triumph” refers to Netzach, “glory” rfers to Hod, “even everything” refers to Yesod and “kingdom” refers to Malchut. It is through these lower seven Sefirot that Hashem manifests Himself in this world. This verse unifies these seven Sefirot and by mentioning them, Rabbi Shimon with his Kavanot (meditations) wanted to bring a rectification to this lower world, which is the purpose of the book Tikuney HaZohar.)
,`p̈§ni¥dn§ `ïr¦¦x© mEw Di¥l `n̈i¥i§e ,`p̈§ni¥dn§ `ïr¦¦x© i¥A©b§l oi¦lẅ z©lY § `Ÿ§pi¦kW § z©ai¦d§i cϦn `n̈i¥i§e ,Di¥liC¦ oeëz© § ` r©Ax© §`A§ i`Ä©b§l w¥tŸec icŸ¦eC lŸew (a d xiy) x©nY¦ § ` Kl̈r£ `d̈c§ si¦qŸei `Ÿl ,oŸeI¦v z©A K¥pŸer£ m©Y `d̈C§ ,izÖ© ¦ z izp̈Ÿ ¦ ei izï ¦ r¦¦x© izŸ ¦ eg£̀ i¦l i¦gz¦ § R ,oŸed§a .(ak c dki`) KzŸ ¥ el§bd© §l The Shechinah immediately gave out three calls to the faithful shepherd and said arise faithful shepherd for about you it says (Shir Hashirim 5:2) “the sound of my beloved knocks” towads me with the four letters of His name, and He says with them, (Shir Hashirim 5:2) “Open up your heart to Me, My sister, My love, My dove, My perfection”, for (Eicha 4:22) “Your iniquity is expiated, o daughter of Zion, He will not exile you again.”
Y§ § p`© ,`Ed Kix§ ¦A `ẄcEw § x©n`¨ `N̈¤̀ lḧ `l̈§n¦p i`©n ,(a d xiy) lḧ `l̈§n¦p i¦W`ŸxW ¤ e`©l ,`äEX¦ia§ `p̈§l`r̈§e ,i¦lic¦ `z̈i¥aA§ `p̈§l`r̈c§ `ẄC§ § wn© i¥A axg̈ © z¦ § `c§ `n̈ŸeI¦nc§ z©ai¦Wg £ ,lḧ `l̈§n¦p i¦W`ŸxW ¤ `p̈n̈i¦q Kl̈ ix£ ¥d ,`z̈Elb̈§A Y§ § p`© c§ `p̈§n¦f lk̈ `p̈§l`r̈ `l̈c§ ,i¦kd̈ ,e''`e `''d c''ei Edi¦` `c̈§e ,lḧ Edi¦` Dl̈iC¦ mi¦Ig© §e Dl̈iC¦ Eni¦lW § ,`z̈Elb̈§a `Ÿ§pi¦kW § `''¥d o©AW § g§ ªl oeëz© § ` Ewi¦lq§ C¦ ,e''`e `''d c''ei `N̈¤̀ ,l''ḧ o©AW § Eg¥n `l̈c§ `Ÿ§pi¦kW § i¦di¦` `''d§e ,`p̈§ni¥dn§ `ïr¦¦x© mẅ cϦn ,oi¦`N̈r¦ oixŸ¦ew§n lk̈C§ Eri¦a§Pn¦ `Ÿ§pi¦kW § ¦l `ï§ln© Edi¦`C§ ,l''ḧ ix¥z¦ § qc§ d¨`n̈c© § w `z̈ẄẍR̈ K¥li¥̀§e o`©Mn¦ ,`c̈Eg¦ic§ `f̈ẍ o`©M cr© ,Di¥Or¦ oi¦WiC© ¦w od̈ä£̀©e .`z̈i§ixŸ©e` The verse in Shir Hashirim (5:2) continues and says: “for my head is filled with dew”. What does this mean “My head is filled with dew”? The Holy One blessed is He said: You might think that from the day the Holy Temple was destroyed that I entered into My own house, I entered a settlement, not so! I will
not enter as long as you remain in exile. I will give you a sign that I will not enter into my house, as it is written “My head is filled with dew”. (the word for ‘dew’ in Hebrew is lh which has a numerical value of thirty nine. The expanded form of Hashem’s name as follows:- `"d-e"`e-Ÿ`"d-c"ei has a numerical value of forty five. Each of the letters of this name represents the Sefiros and the Partzufim. The letter c"ei represents Keter and Chochmah, the first letter `"d represents Binah, the letter e"`e represents the middle six sefirot from Chessed to Yesod. The last letter `"d represents Malchut which is the Shechinah. If we take away the last letter `"d away from the rest we are left with thirty nine which is numerically equivalent to lh. In other words if we separate the Shechinah away from all the other Sefirot which symbolises the Shechinah going into exile and being isolated. This is the last letter separated from the other letters which make up the numerical value of 39 instead of 45.) This means that the last letter `"d which represents the Shechinah is isolated from the other letters and sent into exile. Her completion and her life is the remaining thee letters which have the numerical value of 39 which is the word lh - dew, the letters e"`e-Ÿ`"d-c"ei . The letter `"d is the Shechinah which is not counted with the 39 which is lh - dew. What makes up lh - the dew are the three other letters e"`e-Ÿ`"d-c"ei . The life force and energy from the higher sources that the Shechinah, the last letter `"d, needs is the dew - lh from Zeir Anpin the upper Sefirot, He fills the Shechinah from the flow that comes from the source of all sources. On hearing this the faithful shepherd immediately rose up together with the holy forefathers. Untill here is the secret of the upper union. From here onwards is the first chapter of the secrets of the Torah. (The flow from the source of all sources is Keter. The Hebrew word used in the text is xewn - source, this word has a numerical value of 346 which is the same as the word oevx - will. Keter is known as oeilrd oevx - the Supreme will of God, the original Divine willingness that is responsible for creation. Keter is the lowest level of the “En-Sof” - The Infinite Light, it is the intermediary between the En-Sof and the Sefirot. When king Solomon said in Shir Hashirim “my head is full of dew” he wanted to convey the message that the lowest of all the Divine levels, the Shechinah, receives from all the upper levels which are represented by the three first letters of Hashem’s Name which have a numerical value of 39 which is lh - dew. Ultimately it will receive from the highest level from xewn which is oevx which is Keter, the source of all sources.)