Introduction to Sulam Commentary

If not for the Ascent of Malkhut to Bina, Ze’er Anpin and Nukba Would Not Be Fit for brains22. At this stage, it should be understood that on their own, Ze’er Anpin and Nukba are unfit to receive the brains at all, because the source of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba is from below the navel of Adam Kadmon (see section 8 above). It is there that the Malkhut of the attribute of judgment is dominant, and the force of the first constriction rests upon that region, and it is thus unfit to receive the supernal light.27As will be explained in the next sections and the accompanying footnotes, the area below the navel of Adam Kadmon referred to here represents an area of Adam Kadmon that has no access to the supernal light. At the point of the navel and below, the power of Malkhut is dominant. Malkhut cannot serve as a vessel for the supernal light because it is only will to receive, and has no capacity for giving, making it too different from the supernal light that is wholly giving. Therefore, any vessel that is within this area is restricted from receiving the supernal light. Now, however, when Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna have raised up the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba to the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, the level of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba have become like the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, and they are able to receive the supernal light like Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna.