הקדמה

7. “In the beginning. Rabbi Elazar etc.”“In the beginning.” Rabbi Elazar began [his discourse with the following exposition]: “Lift up your eyes on high and see: who [mi] has created these” [Isaiah 40:26]. “Lift up your eyes on high” – he asks: To which place? He answers: To the place where all eyes turn. And what is that? [It is] the opening of the eyes, which is Malkhut of the head of Arikh Anpin. There you will know that this hidden ancient one, to whom the question applies,1This "question" will be explained below. “has created these.” And who is [the one who created these]? He is the one called Mi [“Who”?], which is the seven lower [sefirot] of Bina, that which is called, “from the edge of the heavens above,” and all lies in its demesnes. And since the [concept of] question refers to this [aspect of the sefirot of Bina], and this is concealed, it is called Mi, the language of questioning. For above this [level], there are no questions. This edge of the heavens, where the question is found, is called Mi.

Explanation: “Rabbi Elazar began” – his purpose is to clarify the interpretation of the creation of heaven and earth that appears in the Biblical account of Bereshit. For heaven and earth are the totality of the seven days of creation, which are the Ze’er [Anpin] and Nukba of Atzilut.2The world of Atzilut is the root of everything below it. The levels of Ze'er Anpin and Nukba (the partzufim of Atzilut that correspond to the six extremities and Malkhut respectively) of Atzilut represent the seven days of Creation. If so, why is it written “bara [“created”], which is Beria rather than Atzilut; it should have said he’etzil (emanated).3Since the verse is explained by Rabbi Elazar as referring to Atzilut, it should not have used the word bara, which is a reference to the world of Beria, the lower world beneath Atzilut. He then says: “And what is that? The opening of the eyes.” The Malkhut of the head of Arikh Anpin of Atzilut is called “the opening of the eyes,” as the sefira of Ḥokhma from the ten sefirot of the head is called “eyes.” As is known, there are only Keter and Ḥokhma in the head of Arikh Anpin,4As a result of the second constriction, the sefirot of Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut are ejected from the head of Arikh Anpin. The implications of this ejection are elaborated upon in the next paragraphs. and therefore its Malkhut is called “the opening of the eyes,” since with its opening the brains of Ḥokhma flow from the head of Arikh Anpin to all the partzufim of Atzilut.5The presence of Malkhut, resulting from the second constriction, effectively blocks and controls the flow of the light of Ḥokhma to the lower levels. This is why [Rabbi Elazar] states “to the place where all eyes turn,” as the brains of Ḥokhma are called “eyes,”6Meaning, all lower levels of Ḥokhma of the different partzufim ("eyes") turn toward the "opening of the eyes," the Ḥokhma that is within the head of Arikh Anpin. and there are no brains of Ḥokhma in all of the partzufim of Atzilut, except by opening the Malkhut of the head of Arikh Anpin.

“There you will know” – i.e., at the opening of the eyes, which is the Malkhut of the head of Arikh Anpin. There you will know this secret, how the Bina created the [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba, as the word bara means lebar [“outside of”] the level of Atzilut. Since Bina herself emerged to outside of the level of the head of Arikh Anpin,7As referenced above, this emergence of Bina from the head of Arikh Anpin took place as a result of the ascent of Malkhut in the second constriction. and thereby became considered Beria,8Since Bina was ejected from the head of Arikh Anpin, Bina is viewed here as a level of Beria (considered "outside") relative to Arikh Anpin. This is the case despite the fact that the Bina under discussion is the Bina of Atzilut, and in fact, this Bina is still in the level of Atzilut, as will be explained. in relation to the head of Arikh Anpin, it must be [the case] that she created the [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba as well. The [partzuf] of Ze’er Anpin became Yetzira, because what emerges from Beria is called Yetzira, and the Nukba became Asiya, since whatever emerges from Yetzira is called Asiya. However, they must not be compared to the actual Beria, Yetzira, and Asiya, which are below the diaphragm of Atzilut, because these [partzufim of] Bina and [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba are positioned above the diaphragm in the world of Atzilut. Rather, it refers to [them as Beria relative] only to the head of Arikh Anpin. Therefore, there are two kinds of Beria, Yetzira, and Asiya: The first is a Beria, Yetzira, and Asiya of separation, which were separated from all of Atzilut through the diaphragm, which is the floor of the world of Atzilut that is positioned over [those lower worlds] from above. The second is Beria, Yetzira, and Asiya of the world of Atzilut itself, which are the Bina, Ze’er Anpin, and Nukba. These [partzufim] are only outside of the head of Arikh Anpin, and they are still Atzilut, except that the diaphragm inside the intestine of Arikh Anpin,9The various structures of the partzufim are described in human terms as "limbs" and "organs." The diaphragm in the chest of Arikh Anpin will be explained more fully in the next sections. at the place of its chest, is positioned over them from above. For this reason, these [partzufim] are separated from the head of Arikh Anpin and are considered a body without a head. That is, the [lower partzufim of Atzilut] lack the brains of Ḥokhma, which is called a head, with respect to the world of Atzilut.10Meaning, the brains of Atzilut are the lights of Ḥokhma. As these lower partzufim are cut off from this light, they lack access to the head of Arikh Anpin, and are only the composite level of a body without a head. This is because the world of Atzilut is usually considered Ḥokhma of all four worlds: Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Asiya, and therefore that which lacks Ḥokhma there is regarded as a body without a head.

The meaning of “that this hidden ancient one etc. has created these” is as follows: The Bina that emerged from the head of Arikh Anpin from the force of the Nukba that ascended11This refers to the second constriction. to Ḥokhma of Arikh Anpin, where [the Nukba] formed an endpoint of the head of Arikh Anpin – as this is why [Bina] emerged to Beria and the body of Arikh Anpin, as stated – [this Bina] is therefore divided into two aspects: The first three [sefirot] on their own, and the lower seven [sefirot] on their own.12Every individual sefira or structure is formed of all ten sefirot. Thus, this level of Bina is made of ten sefirot, and as a result of the ejection of Bina from the head, there is a structural distinction between the first three sefirot of Bina and the lower seven. The reason is that it is not in the nature of the Bina, in her source of the ten sefirot of the direct light,13The "nature" of a given sefira in the myriad structures of existence is always a reflection of its primary root sefira in the structure of direct light, the light flowing from the Creator to creation through a set of ten sefirot. The level of Bina in the direct light structure only draws the light of giving, not the light of Ḥokhma. to receive Ḥokhma at all, but only the light of giving, in the mystical meaning of the verse “because He delights in Ḥesed” [“mercy”; Micah 7:18] – and not [the light of] Ḥokhma (see Petiḥa leḤokhmat HaKabbala, section 5). Therefore, the emergence [of Bina] to the body does not impair [Bina] at all, since even when [Bina] is in the head of Arikh Anpin, [Bina] does not receive [the light of] Ḥokhma from there. Thus, [Bina] is not lessened at all on account of her position below the Malkhut of the head of Arikh Anpin, and now too [Bina] is fully considered a head, and it is as though she never emerged from the head of Arikh Anpin.14Since the first three sefirot of Bina only draw the light of giving, there is no change in the situation of Bina when it is ejected from the head of Arikh Anpin to an environment lacking access to the light of Ḥokhma. The first three sefirot of Bina are established in the mystical meaning of Abba and Imma Ila'in, who enclothe Arikh Anpin from the mouth to the chest. The second aspect [of Bina], which is the lower seven [sefirot] of Bina, are from the incorporation of [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba in Bina, which are the roots of [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba that are in Bina.15The lower seven sefirot of any structure consist of six extremities (Ze'er Anpin) and Malkhut (Nukba). Thus, the lower seven of Bina mentioned here serve as roots for the lower level partzufim of Atzilut called Ze'er Anpin and Nukba. These [lower seven sefirot] therefore require the illumination of [the light of] Ḥokhma for the [lower partzufim of Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba, and consequently these [lower seven sefirot of Bina] were impaired by their positioning in the body of Arikh Anpin, for they became devoid of [the light of] Ḥokhma, and these [lower seven] are considered Beria and six extremities without a head.16While the ejection of Bina from the head of Arikh Anpin did not impair the first three of Bina, which do not need the light of Ḥokhma, the lower seven were impaired, since they require the light of Ḥokhma. It is with regard to them that it is stated that "the father removed the mother outside,"17Here the "father" is Arikh Anpin and the "mother" is Bina. i.e., outside of the head of Arikh Anpin. These [lower seven] are called Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, and they enclothe Arikh Anpin from the chest to the navel, while their sons, [the partzufim of Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba, enclothe from the navel and below, of Arikh Anpin, until the end of the world of Atzilut. This is the mystical meaning of the diaphragm that is inside the intestine of Arikh Anpin, which is positioned at his chest. For [this diaphragm] is the force of the Malkhut of the head of Arikh Anpin, which ejects the lower seven [sefirot] of Bina outside of the head and disrupts them from receiving [the light of] Ḥokhma. For although this partition is positioned at the mouth of the head of Arikh Anpin, nevertheless it does not effect [change] there in any way, since the Abba and Imma Ila'in are positioned there [below the mouth], and they are the first three [sefirot] of Bina, which are still considered the head of Arikh Anpin, for the reason stated above. Accordingly, it is only at the place of the chest, i.e., above the lower seven of Bina, that the power of the partition has impact, removing the lower seven of Bina that are underneath it, to outside of the head of Arikh Anpin. Remember this.

Therefore, the first three [sefirot] of Bina are called “this hidden ancient one,” as the head of Arikh Anpin is called “the holy ancient one.” Since the first three [sefirot] of Bina are considered as though they are still positioned at the head of Arikh Anpin,18As was explained in the previous section, since the first three sefirot of Bina are unchanged by their ejection from the head of Arikh Anpin, it is as though they are still positioned within that head and are thus referred to as "this hidden ancient one." despite being [positioned] below the mouth of Arikh Anpin, these [first three sefirot] are therefore also called ancient, like the head of Arikh Anpin. However, on account of their position in the body of Arikh Anpin, they are called “hidden ancient one.”

This is why [Rabbi Elazar] states “that this hidden ancient one, to whom the question applies, has created these,” i.e., only the lower seven [sefirot] of this hidden ancient one, which are called Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, “to whom the question applies,” that is, to receive the [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba within them19The concept of feminine waters is meant as an analogy for the dynamic of "yearning from below," in which a lower level yearns to receive the light of Ḥokhma from a higher level. This yearning ascends to the level above and is described as a manifestation of that lower level within the higher level. This yearning is the meaning of the "question" mentioned here, a request of Ze'er Anpin and Nukba for the light of Ḥokhma. Yisrael Saba and Tevuna, the lower seven sefirot of Bina receive this yearning manifestation from below and escalate the process further to ultimately release the light of Ḥokhma to the lower levels. by raising the feminine waters. This is because the “question” refers to the ascent of the feminine waters, as in the phrase “we ask for rain” [Ta’anit 1:1]. He is saying that only the lower seven [sefirot] of this hidden ancient one, which are called Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, are ready for the question, i.e., to receive the feminine waters in order to draw forth the light of Ḥokhma, since [these lower seven sefirot of Bina] are devoid of [the light of] Ḥokhma. Before that [these lower seven sefirot] are considered Beria,20As has been explained, only the lower seven of Bina are truly called a level of Beria, since the first three remain unchanged from their previous state despite being ejected from the head. and therefore [Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna] “created these,” which are the [Ze’er Anpin and Nukba, known as “these.” [Ze’er Anpin and Nukba] were also created, in their strengths, devoid of a head, like [Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna]. For the word bara indicates the lack of a head with respect to Atzilut. This is why [Rabbi Elazar] states: “And who is this? It is the one called Mi [Who]. The lower seven [sefirot] of Bina, which are ready for a question [of feminine waters], are called Mi, and the word bara refers to them, as stated, since they themselves became Beria, on account of the diaphragm of the chest of Arikh Anpin, which separates [the lower seven sefirot of Bina] from the illumination of the head of Arikh Anpin, as stated. This is why [Rabbi Elazar] says: “From the edge of the heavens above, and who is in possession of everything.” The lower seven of Bina, which are called Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, and are called Mi, are considered “from the edge of the heavens above,” since the heavens are Ze’er Anpin, and he receives only from Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, which is called Mi. Therefore, Mi is called “from the edge of the heavens above, and all lies in its demesnes,” as the heaven and earth, which are [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba, and similarly the lower three worlds of Beria, Yetzira, and Asiya, all receive from this Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, which is called Mi. Consequently, “all lies in its demesnes.”

This is why [Rabbi Elazar] says: “Above this there are no questions, and this edge of the heavens is called Mi.” In other words, above, i.e., the first three [sefirot] of Bina, which are the [partzuf] of Abba and Imma Ila'in, “there are no questions,” as these [first three] do not receive the feminine waters for drawing forth [the light of] Ḥokhma, since the [first three] are only the light of giving and they do not lack Ḥokhma,21Since the first three are of the light of giving, they do not lack or yearn for the light of Ḥokhma. and therefore they are not called Mi. The [first three] are also not considered the “edge of the heavens,” because they are not at the behest of the request of [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba [through feminine waters] for the illumination of [the light of] Ḥokhma. It is only the lower seven [sefirot], which are Yisrael Sabba and Tevuna, which are established to [receive] the question – i.e., to receive the feminine waters from the [Ze’er Anpin] and Nukba, and to ascend to the head of Arikh Anpin to receive the illumination of Ḥokhma on their behalf – that are therefore regarded as “the edge of the heavens above,” because the Ze’er Anpin, which is called “heaven,” receives from them.