Introduction to Sulam Commentary

13. With this in mind, you will understand what we are saying: that through the ascent of Malkhut to Bina, the level ends under Ḥokhma, and for this reason only two sefirot remain in the level, Keter and Ḥokhma, while Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut are negated and descend from the level (as will be explained below in section 17).21Every level is built out the five sefirot of Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut. After the second constriction, the Malkhut, which is the end of a given level, moved up and connected to Bina, moving the “end” of that level upward under Ḥokhma, inside the Bina. This movement essentially ejects the lower vessels Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of a given level from that level, “negating” them from their previous placement. Because of this change, from the moment of the second constriction, every level is left with two vessels of Keter and Ḥokhma, and two lights of nefesh and ruaḥ. Now this applies only from the perspective of the vessels, but from the perspective of the lights the reverse is the case. The lights of nefesh and ruaḥ remain in the level, while the lights of neshama, ḥaya, and yeḥida are negated from the level.