Introduction to Sulam Commentary

72. The third stage is the world of Atzilut, in which ten sefirot emerged at three distinct times, which are called gestation, infancy, and brains.203These terms are explained in the end of this section and the ensuing sections. Here, for the world of Atzilut, a purification of the partition was added on the last level.

This is because the partition was purified from the first level, which is called the “apertures of the eyes,” into a partition of the opacity of the root level204There are five levels of opacity in a partition, as was referred to in the previous footnotes. The fourth level opacity is the most opaque, giving rise to a height of returning light capable of enclothing as high as Keter. The least amount of opacity is that of the “root” level, capable only of generating returning light of the height of Malkhut. (in the manner explained in Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala,” section 21), whose returning light enclothes only the height of the light of the Malkhut in the vessel of Keter, which is called forehead. Therefore, this light is called “Mah that emerges from the forehead,” since the sefirot of Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut of the head are called gulgalta, eyes, ears, nose, mouth. The forehead is gulgalta.205The five aspects of the human head correspond to five “features” of the head of a partzuf and, as always, to the five main sefirot. Those five features are the skull (gulgalta, corresponding to Keter), eyes (corresponding to Ḥokhma), ears (Bina), nose (Tiferet) and mouth (Malkhut).

Consequently, two descents of the sefira of Malkhut are required here: (a) its descent from the forehead to the apertures of the eyes, which is called “infancy,” and (b) its descent from the apertures of the eyes to its place, to the mouth, which is called “brains.”206The result of these descents is a change in the related levels, allowing for the supernal light to return to the levels. This is explained further in the following sections. These newly modified conditions are termed “gestation,” “infancy” and “brains.” Thus, the first height of returning light, which emerges upon the partition of the opacity of the root,207As explained in the previous section , this level of opacity in a partition only generates returning light of the height of Malkhut, the lowest height. is called “gestation.” The second height of returning light, which emerges upon the partition after the descent of Malkhut to the first level, is called “infancy.” The third height of returning light, which emerges upon the partition after the descent of Malkhut to its place, is called “brains.”

It has thus been explained that in the world of Atzilut ten sefirot emerge at three times, which are called gestation, infancy, and brains. The meaning of this will be explained below.