Introduction to Sulam Commentary

38. It is important understand that two forces operate in this partition of the middle line in order to reduce the level of the first three of Ḥokhma in the left line.

It has been explained above (section 22) that Ze’er Anpin and Nukba56This refers the partzuf corresponding to Malkhut. on their own are unfit to receive brains,57The term “brains“ can be thought of as similar to the human concept of consciousness. When a person understands more, he or she can be thought of as “more conscious.” Similarly, when there are changes in particular levels, like when a level ascends to the level above it as a result of the process of maturity, it is described as having more “brains,” meaning increased exposure to the supernal light that is accessible at those higher levels. because the Malkhut of the attribute of judgment rules over them, and the force of the first constriction dominates Malkhut, preventing it from receiving the illumination of Ḥokhma. We call this Malkhut of the attribute of judgment “manula” (lock) (as explained in Sulam on the introduction to the Zohar 59, s.v. “go”).

However, Malkhut subsequently partnered with the attribute of mercy, meaning in Bina, so that due to Malkhut partnering with Bina, Ze’er Anpin and Nukba are fit to receive brains, namely, the illumination of Ḥokhma. We call this Malkhut that partners with Bina “maftaḥa” (key) (as stated above in Sulam on the introduction to the Zohar 57, s.v. “hahu”).

Therefore, these two forces, manula and maftaḥa, are also present in the partition of Ze’er Anpin, which is the middle line.58After the second constriction, Malkhut operates in two roles. It serves as a terminating element at the bottom of a set of sefirot (the terminating Malkhut, with a partition associated with the manula mentioned here). It also serves as a channeling factor when it pairs with Bina, ultimately allowing the flow of the light of Ḥokhma to reach lower levels of existence (with a partition of maftaḥa). Initially, when Ze’er Anpin needs to reduce the first three of the left line, it does this using the partition of manula, which is the Malkhut of the attribute of judgment, because wherever this Malkhut reveals itself, the supernal light flees from there (as explained in Sulam , Vayetzei 13, s.v. “sitra”). However, since Ze’er Anpin wants to compel the six extremities of Ḥokhma to remain, it subsequently conceals this partition of manula and operates with the partition of maftaḥa, which is the Malkhut that partners with Bina. Through its power, the illumination of the six extremities of Ḥokhma remains (see also Sulam , Lekh Lekha 13, s.v. “venitba’er”).

It has thus been thoroughly explained how Ze’er Anpin ascends together with Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna to the level of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna and how by means of its partition, Ze'er Anpin unites and completes the two lines, right and left, that are in Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, where Ze'er Anpin becomes a middle line. These three lines in Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna are called Ḥokhma, Bina, and Da’at of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, as the two lines, right and left, are called Ḥokhma and Bina, while Ze’er Anpin, which is the middle line that determines between them, is called Da’at.