הקדמה

28. “Samekh entered etc.”The letter samekh entered [and] said before Him: Master of the worlds! It is good for You to create the world with me, for through me there is support [semikha] for the fallen, as it is stated: “The Lord supports all those who fall” (Psalms 145:14). He said to her: For this reason you need to be in your place, and do not budge from it, for if you leave your place, in the word somekh [supports], what will become of those fallen, since they rely on your support? She immediately departed from before Him.

Explanation: The letter samekh is Tiferet of Ze’er Anpin, which is Bina of the body. As is known, the names of Keter, Ḥokhma, and Bina, which became [the light of giving] in Ze’er Anpin, change into Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet. Now, the Bina is divided into two aspects, the first three [sefirot] and the lower seven [sefirot]. The first three in [Bina] become [the partzuf] of Abba and Imma Ila'in, which enclothe from the chest of Arikh Anpin and above. [Abba and Imma Ila'in] are still considered [of the aspect of the] head of Arikh Anpin, even though they are positioned at the body [of Arikh Anpin], for [Abba and Imma Ila'in] are [light of giving], as it is stated: “Because He desires kindness [ḥesed]” (end of Micah [7:18]).1As the first three sefirot of Bina, Abba and Imma Ila'in only draw the light of giving. As a result, these facets of Bina are not impaired by being outside the head of Arikh Anpin, a context in which they lose access to the light of Ḥokhma. Since [Abba and Imma Ila'in] do not receive light of Ḥokhma even when they are in the head of Arikh Anpin, the emergence from the head does not diminish [Abba and Imma Ila'in] at all, and they are still considered [of the aspect of the] head of Arikh Anpin. [Abba and Imma Ila'in] are also called samekh because those first three [sefirot] of Bina were established as [Abba and Imma Ila'in], and the six sefirot Ḥokhma, Bina, Da'at, Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet, spread in [Abba and Imma Ila'in] until the chest. However, the lower seven [sefirot] of Bina, which are from the incorporation of Ze’er Anpin and Nukba in Bina and are not Bina itself, are divided from the Bina and become the partzuf of Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, which enclothe the four sefirot Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod, of [Abba and Imma Ila'in]. This [enclothing] is from the chest of [Abba and Imma Ila'in] and below. [Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna] require the illumination of Ḥokhma, in order to give to Ze’er Anpin and Nukba. Since [Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, like Abba and Imma Ila'in,] emerged from the head of Arikh Anpin to the aspect of the body, and they lack [access to the light of] Ḥokhma, [Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna] are therefore impaired by this emergence, and become six extremities without a head. [Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna] are also called a closed mem, because they take up only four sefirot Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod, of Abba and Imma Ila'in, which they enclothe there, as stated (see Marot HaSulam, section 2, s.v. Vehu).

Now, the division of Bina into samekh and [closed] mem was performed in Bina of Arikh Anpin,2This division is a result of the second constriction. in which [Bina] emerged to outside of the head of Arikh Anpin and spread into the Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet [of Arikh Anpin] until the bottom third of Tiferet in [the body of Arikh Anpin]. [These aspects of Bina] give all the brains to Ze’er Anpin and Nukba.

However, not all phases are the same. When the lower [beings] improve their conduct and elevate feminine waters to Ze’er Anpin and Nukba, and Ze’er Anpin and Nukba [elevate feminine waters] to Abba and Imma Ila'in, then Abba and Imma Ila'in and Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna become one partzuf and ascend to Arikh Anpin. [This completed partzuf of Bina] then bestows complete brains of the illumination of Ḥokhma from Arikh Anpin to Ze’er Anpin and from Ze’er Anpin to the Nukba, in the mystical meaning of one hundred blessings. The samekh [numerical value of 60], which is Abba and Imma Ila'in, becomes one with the mem [numerical value of 40], which is Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, and thus together they add up to the number 100. But when the lower [beings] corrupt their actions once again, the brains depart from Ze’er Anpin and Nukba and return to the state of six extremities and a point.3In this disjointed state, the partzuf of Malkhut, the Nukba, is reduced to only a "point," lacking a full partzuf structure. Abba and Imma Ila'in and Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna also divide from one another, and Abba and Imma Ila'in become samekh again, which is only the six sefirot Ḥokhma, Bina, Da'at, Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet, each of which is incorporated from ten, and Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna become a closed mem once more, which is only Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod of Abba and Imma Ila'in, as stated.

When Ze’er Anpin and Nukba are in this state of immaturity of six extremities and a point, there is a fear that the kelippot may attach [themselves]. [This attachment would cause Ze’er Anpin and Nukba] to fall from Atzilut to Beria, Yetzira, and Asiya of separation.4This refers to a disintegrated form of existence in which the various structures of being are unable to perpetuate the flow of supernal light into the lower levels. For this reason Abba and Imma Ila'in bestow upon [Ze’er Anpin and Nukba] from the [brains of the] aspect of their samekh, as these lights, although they are only the light of giving (ḥassadim), are still considered pure air and an aspect of a head.5These lights of the head, although they are only the lights of giving flowing from Bina of Arikh Anpin, still protect Ze'er Anpin and Nukba from the kelippot. Therefore the kelippa has no purchase on Ze’er Anpin and Nukba even during the period of immaturity, since these lights of samekh protect them. Therefore, these lights are called samekh, as they support [somekhim] the Ze’er Anpin and Nukba from falling from Atzilut while they are in [the state of] immaturity, in the aspect of six extremities without a head, as explained.

This is the meaning of [Rav Hamnuna's] statement: “Samekh entered etc. for through me there is support for the fallen, as it is stated: ‘The Lord supports all those who fall.’” This is as we said, that [samekh] considered herself better qualified than all the previous letters, since the lights of samekh can illuminate to the Ze’er Anpin and Nukba even during their immaturity, as they are only the light of giving, and there is no purchase at all for the kelippot in these lights of giving, because the external forces flee from the lights of the first three [sefirot] of Bina. Consequently, [samekh] considered her attribute the best suited for the world to be created with her, for she can protect the inhabitants of the world even when their actions are corrupted, as stated, and then there would be no grasp for the kelippot either.

[Rav Hamnuna] continues: “He said to her: For this reason, you need to be in your place, and do not move from it.” In other words, since your place is to support the fallen, to protect them at the time of the corruption of the inhabitants of the world, for this reason you must be solely in this place without budging from it. If the world were created with you, and your attribute would have constant sufficient dominion, the result would be that those fallen ones, Ze’er Anpin and Nukba, would remain forever in immaturity, and the lower [beings] would not awaken to elevate the feminine waters, and all the expanded brains that are necessary for bringing the completion of rectification would not be revealed. Rather, you must remain only in your place, the place of rectification, for the times that the lower [beings] are unfit. However, when they will merit it, they will be able to draw the expanded brains from the entire level, in the mystical meaning of one hundred blessings.

[Rav Hamnuna] says: “If you leave your place, what will become of those fallen,” as they will always remain fallen, requiring your constant support. This is the meaning of: “Since they rely on your support,” i.e., they [would] rely on you alone, and the Ze’er Anpin and Nukba [would] have no wholeness to stand on their own. Therefore, you are unfit for the world to be created with your attribute.