הקדמה

5. An alternative explanation: The flowers, these are etc.An alternative explanation: “The flowers” [Song of Songs 2:12] – these are the Patriarchs, who entered into thought and entered into the World-to-Come, which is Bina, and were concealed there. From there, they emerged in concealment and were hidden in the true prophets. Joseph was born, and they were hidden in him. Joseph entered the Holy Land and established them there, and then they “appeared on the earth” and were revealed there. When are they seen? When the rainbow is seen in the world. For when the rainbow is seen in the world, then they are revealed. And at that hour, “the time of pruning has come,” that is, the time to chop off the wicked from the world. Why were they spared? Because “the flowers appeared on the earth.” Had they not appeared already, they would not have remained in the world, and the world would not have survived.

Explanation: Here [Rabbi Shimon] explains the verse cited above, with regard to the attainment of the brains of ḥaya of Ze’er Anpin itself. He says that the flowers surround Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet of Ze’er Anpin, which are called the Patriarchs. For the Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod of Ze’er Anpin are called “sons,” and they1These two groupings of sefirot each represent one partzuf structure. are two partzufim that are split apart on the chest of Ze’er Anpin, since Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet are called the large [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba, while Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod are called the small [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba. [Rabbi Shimon] is therefore precise in telling us that [he is discussing] the large [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba, which is why he says “Patriarchs.” They are called “flowers,” which means sprouts, because they progressively grow, like sprouts. Their level was initially like Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod, and subsequently they became [of the level of] Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet, through the drawing in [of light in infancy], after which, in the first maturity, they became [the level of] Ḥokhma, Bina, and Da'at of neshama, and then, in the second maturity, they became Ḥokhma, Bina, and Da'at of ḥaya.2The author of the Sulam is describing four phases in the development of Ze'er Anpin, represented by each of the four structures of sefirot mentioned here.

He then states: “Entered in thought and entered into the World-to-Come.” This is referring to the gestation3This refers to the first of four phases in the evolution of Ze'er Anpin in the partzufim of Atzilut. In this phase, the sefirot of Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet of Ze'er Anpin are embedded inside of the lower sefirot of Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod, "gestating" within them. of Ze’er Anpin, since at the time of its gestation it ascends to Abba and Imma (father and mother),4This refers to the first three sefirot of Bina, the partzuf that gives the aspects of Ze'er Anpin access to the supernal light of Ḥokhma when Ze'er Anpin ascends to receive it. which is called “thought” and “the World-to-Come”; the father is called “thought” and the mother is called “the World-to-Come.” The beginning of the construction of Ze’er Anpin in “three within three” occurs there, meaning that that Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet are enclothed within Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod. This is the mystical meaning of [the statement]: “The sprouts were like antenna of grasshoppers” – they were uprooted from there, planted elsewhere, and grew. The plantings are the Patriarchs, as stated, who, at their root, are Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet. Through their ascent for purposes of gestation into Ḥokhma and Bina, that is, when they are planted elsewhere, these [aspects of Ze'er Anpin] obtained there the tempered Malkhut, which is fit for brains at the time of maturity.5The purpose of these phases of gestation, infancy and maturity (which has two phases itself) is to develop the partzuf of Ze'er Anpin to receive the "brains," the lights of Ḥokhma. This also requires a "tempering" of Malkhut of Ze'er Anpin through a complex process, since the presence of the first constriction upon Malkhut repels the light of Ḥokhma. They thereby grew slowly through gestation, and subsequently through infancy, and then through the first maturity, and finally through the second maturity, as [Rabbi Shimon] proceeds to explain. The meaning of “from there, they emerged in concealment” is that after Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet receive all the brains of gestation, they are born and emerge from Abba and Imma6The ascent of Ze'er Anpin to Abba and Imma marks the gestation phase in which the sefirot of Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet ultimately emerge from Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod. At this point, Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet gain access to an increased amount of the light of giving, the "brains" of that level which is the light of ruaḥ. The partzuf of Ze'er Anpin is still not complete at this point, so the light is still "diminished." to their place below, “and emerge in concealment,” since even after their emergence from Abba and Imma to their place they still remained in concealment, that is, in diminished light.

[Rabbi Shimon] continues: “And were hidden in the true prophets.” In other words, through the attainment of the brains of infancy, the designated light is drawn to the sefirot of Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod of Ze’er Anpin, which are called “the true prophets. Then the Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet spread forth from the Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod, and Ze'er Anpin attained the six extremities. And yet, [the six extremities] remain hidden, as they are still concealed from the [the first three sefirot, which are the] brains of the head, and they have only [the lights of] nefesh and ruaḥ alone. This is why [Rabbi Shimon] stated “and were hidden within the true prophets.” The true prophets are Netzaḥ and Hod, [the vessels] that were attained through infancy, but [the Patriarchs] were hidden in them and their light was still concealed and not revealed. Know that there is always an inverse relation between vessels and lights. This is because in the case of the lights, the light of Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet, which is ruaḥ, is attained through infancy, whereas in the case of the vessels, the vessels of Netzaḥ and Hod are attained through infancy, and the light of nefesh that was in Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet, descends in them.7Here the Sulam references a core principle in spiritual mechanics. Kabbalah structures revolve around the linked constructs of "vessels" and "lights." There are five main vessels corresponding to five main lights. The point here is that the process of development of these two groups has an inverse relationship. Vessels always develop from the highest level of vessel and downward, with the lowest vessel developing last. In contrast, lights populate the existing vessels from the lowest light and upward, with the highest light entering the vessel structure last. This means that if there is only one vessel developed in a structure, it will be the highest vessel, that of Keter. Additionally, the light populating that lone vessel would be the light of nefesh, the lowest light. Similarly, with regard to the brains of maturity,8This refers to the next level above infancy of lights in the development process, the brains of maturity. in relation to the lights, it is considered that the lights of Ḥokhma, Bina, and Da'at have been attained, whereas in relation to the vessels, it is considered that the vessel of Yesod of maturity has been attained, as stated below.

This [preceding statement] is what [Rabbi Shimon] meant when he said: “Joseph was born, and they were hidden in him.” After the completion of the brains of infancy, Ze’er Anpin ascends for a second gestation for the brains of the first maturity. Through these brains, [Ze'er Anpin's infancy,] Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet become Ḥokhma, Bina, and Da'at, [forming] the head [of Ze'er Anpin], and the Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod that [Ze'er Anpin] acquired through infancy become Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet for [the Ze'er Anpin]. New [vessels of] Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod are born, which are called “Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod of the brains of maturity.” Those [sefirot of] Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod are called Joseph, who is the Yesod of maturity, which incorporates Netzaḥ and Hod of maturity. This is the meaning of “Joseph was born,” i.e., the Yesod of maturity.

[Rabbi Shimon] says “and they were hidden in him” to teach us that Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet still do not have the complete lights of maturity and they remain in concealment [from the complete lights]. This is because in the first maturity Ze'er Anpin obtains only the brains of neshama, which are still considered the back9In this context, the term "back" indicates a comparative lack of importance, like when a person carelessly tosses something behind him. in relation to Ze’er Anpin. He therefore says that “they were hidden in him,” i.e., they remained in concealment.

[Rabbi Shimon] continues: “Joseph entered the Holy Land and established them.” After the brains of the first maturity, Ze’er Anpin begins to receive the brains of the second maturity, which are the brains of ḥaya. The Nukba is subsequently excised from Ze'er Anpin and is constructed as a whole partzuf with the brains of ḥaya. Then, the Nukba is called “the Holy Land,” because the brains of ḥaya are called “holy.” [Rabbi Shimon] thus said that Joseph, who is the Yesod of the maturity of Ze’er Anpin, “entered the Holy Land,” which is the Nukba,[when it is] face-to-face with Ze’er Anpin, at an equal level.10The imagery here is sexual in nature. As the Nukba is separated from Ze'er Anpin and formed into a separate partzuf, Ze'er Anpin and Nukba enter into a state of pairing (like "mating") or "fusion." The Yesod of Ze'er Anpin conceptually represents the sexual organ of the male, "transmitting" to the female (in this case, Nukba). This is the meaning of "Joseph (the Yesod) entered the Holy Land (the fully formed Nukba). “And established them there” means specifically in the "Holy Land," since the brains of ḥaya, which is the mystical meaning of Ḥokhma, are drawn out only at the time of fusion, when [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba are in the mystical [state of] of oneness. The [brains of ḥaya] remain only in the domain of the Nukba, since [the Nukba] is the cause of the drawing down of [these lights] during the time of copulation. That is why [Rabbi Shimon] states “and established them there,” i.e., in her home. The reason [why these lights remain only with Nukba] is that the quality of Ze’er Anpin with respect to the Nukba is like the quality of the Abba and Imma Ila'in with respect to Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna.11Yisrael Saba and Tevuna requires the light of Ḥokhma, in addition to the light of giving. This partzuf is the lower partzuf of the level of Bina in Atzilut (and downward). Abba and Imma Ila'in generally refers to the upper partzuf of Bina which, in contrast to Yisrael Saba and Tevuna, only draws the light of giving. Similarly here, Nukba draws the greater light of Ḥokhma, the light of ḥaya, while Ze'er Anpin is more like Abba and Imma Ila'in, drawing relatively more of the light of giving. Consequently, the brains of ḥaya, the light of Ḥokhma, is revealed only in Nukba, which is considered Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna [in relation to Ze'er Anpin]. This is the meaning of the ensuing statement, “and then they appeared on the earth and were revealed there.” In other words, they are now revealed in the proper quality of maturity, but until now they were considered hidden and concealed.

[The Zohar] continues: “When are they seen etc.” One should not ask: But he already explained this earlier, that they are revealed when Joseph ascends to the Holy Land, that is, at the time of the copulation, and he also informed us that the place of the manifestation is in the Nukba, and if so, why does he again ask, “when are they seen”? The explanation is that even at the time of the copulation there are two aspects, as there is the incorporation of the left in the right, i.e., in the mystical meaning of the five givings (ḥassadim) in the male, and there is the incorporation of the right in the left, in the mystical meaning of the five restraints in the Nukba. He therefore asks when they are seen, whether in the mystical meaning of the incorporation of the right in the left, or in the mystical meaning of the incorporation of the left in the right.

He answers: “When the rainbow is seen in the world. The “rainbow” is Yesod of Ze’er Anpin; “in the world” means the Nukba, which is the incorporation of the right in the left at the time of the fusion, in the mystical meaning of “I have set My bow in the cloud etc.” [Genesis 9:13]. He is saying that the higher brains are drawn only from that aspect, and this is the meaning of “then they are revealed,” i.e., only from the incorporation of the right in the left.

[Rabbi Shimon] continues: “And at that hour, the time of pruning has come, the time to chop off the wicked from the world.” When the wicked multiply in the world, on whose account the kelippot and the Sitra Aḥara have gained a strong footing, as occurred in the time of the generation of the flood – on account of which every living thing was wiped out – at that stage, the inhabitants of the world have no remedy other than through the revelation of the aforementioned supernal brains, which are the brains of ḥaya, as [Rabbi Shimon] proceeds to explain. The clause “why were they spared – because the flowers appeared” means the following: Why are people spared destruction, as occurred in the days of the flood? It is because “the flowers appeared on the earth.” [This refers to how] the revelation of the brains of ḥaya remove the kelippot from the earth, which is Malkhut, and [the kelippot] no longer have a hold upon it. This is the mystical meaning of the verse: “And I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant” [Genesis 9:16].

[Rabbi Shimon] continues: “Had they not appeared, they would not have remained in the world etc.”12As will be explained, each usage of "they" in this line refers to something different. There is a great secret here. For the Nukba was initially constructed in the mystical meaning of the two great lights,13See the end of the Sulam's "Introduction to the Commentary of the Sulam," where this is explained fully. The core concept here is that the textual reference in Genesis 1:16 to the two "great lights" of the sun and the moon refers to Ze'er Anpin and Nukba. at which time the Nukba had an equal level to Ze’er Anpin. However, [Nukba] stands at the back of Ze’er Anpin, which is why the moon complained that two kings cannot use a single crown. Therefore, these brains [attained by Ze'er Anpin and Nukba in that state] are considered the brains of the back,14These are the incomplete brains of the first maturity of Ze'er Anpin. and they are accordingly called the brains of the six extremities of Nukba, which are the brains of her immaturity, i.e., [the brains of] her initial formation. At that time, [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba are considered “small faces,” and they are called “children,” “youths,” and “youngsters.” However, once Nukba has been completed with these brains [of the back], she returns for a second gestation to the Abba and Imma Ila'in, and then [the Nukba] is built as a major structure, with the brains of the face-to-face with Ze’er Anpin, and then they are called the “large faces.” It is known that there is no change or loss in the spiritual, and [thus] those [previously attained] brains of the back, the small face, remain in [Nukba] even at the time of the brains of maturity. Furthermore, the cause of the drawing down of the aforementioned brains of ḥaya lies primarily in the vessels of the brains of the back in the mystical meaning of the small face.15Meaning, the vessels for the lights of the brains of the back are the activating cause of the drawing down of the higher lights of the brains of the face. And this is the meaning of: “Had they not appeared already, they would not have remained in the world.” That is, had those flowers [representing the brains of the back] not appeared in the Nukba already at the time of her immaturity, i.e., in the construction of her back, the brains of ḥaya would not have remained in [the Nukba] during the time of maturity either, since she would have had no vessels in which to receive them.