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Homework # 4
Study of the 10 Sefirot, Part 1, Chapter 1 is the text that best explains to me what we are studying and I’ve been working on summarizing it so that others may more easily understand it. It feels like giving.
“Before the emanated beings were emanated and the created beings were created, an upper, simple light filled the entire reality… [It] had no Rosh (Head, beginning) or Sof (end).” A restriction occurred and a circular, vacant space was created with a single point of light at it’s center. The light in this point then withdrew but an empty space remained. This point/empty space is where it all happens.
Within the empty place a complete partzuf will exist containing the “Light of Hokhma” (a light that provides a complete filling) clothed in (surrounded by) the light of Hasidim (mercy, spirit associated with breath, air and wind). Initially the incomplete vessel contains only its clothing, the light of Hasidim (empty air) waiting for the Light of Hokhma (abundance) to fill it.
A spiritual vessel of reception represents the desire and yearning to receive the abundance/light of Hokhma. The extent of this desire and yearning is the measure of what the emanated being receives.
The light in Ein Sof is defined as; He (Ein Sof) is One and His Name (the Will to Receive) One. It is a simple unity without separation, meaning without disparity of form. In Ein Sof there is no difference between Bestowal and Reception. Our Distance from the Emanator defines how different we are in our will to receive from the perfect state of reception which is only for the benefit of the Emanator. This difference causes the Emanated beings to become separated (not One) and the Emanated Beings acquire their own name while there is no change in Him, Ein Sof, the Emanator. This Disparity of Form (between us and the Emanator) is the Cause and the Reason for the Creation of the Worlds. The empty point contains the Soul of the Emanated being which is able to invert this Disparity of Form between Bestowal and Reception through work in Torah and Mitzvot (good deeds with the correct intention) to bestow contentment upon the Emanator. This process is called adhesion or unification of the Spiritual Vessel of Reception.
Initially the Spiritual Vessel of Reception exists only in potential and contains light of Hasidim (empty air) waiting for the light of Hokhma to fill it. The same process applies to all of the souls that exist and are destined to exist. This vessel goes through 4 Phases to reach completion.
Phase 1: The Light of Hokhma expands from the Emanator to the Vessel containing only the will to receive. This process is initiated by the Emanator.
Phase 2: Restriction occurs where the Malkhut (receptiveness) diminishes her will to receive the light and abundance from the Emanator. A dim light of Hasidim called will to bestow is extended from the vessel due to what is a yearning for adhesion (equivalence, Oneness – not Separation).
Phase 3: This dim light of Hasidim from the soul of the emanated being joins with the great Light of Hasidim from the Emanator and intensively expands.
Phase 4: The light of Hokhma in the vessel reawakens and draws more Light of Hokhma and more Light of Hasidim from the Emanator. This leads to a permanent yearning for both Hasidim and Hokhma. The Partzuf and the Vessel are then in a state of Completion (Sium). In this phase reception is no longer inferior to bestowal.
These 4 phases are called the expansion of the upper light – where the light containing both the will to receive and the will to bestow has departed from the Emanator and acquired it’s own name. The complete expansion of the light is dependent on emanated beings yearning (force/action) to receive the abundance. This yearning can only arise out of a lack/deficiency and the emanated beings own strength so that he awakens toward the will to bestow and extends the light of Hasidim towards the Emanator and within the empty space in Phase 2.
The light of Hokhma is considered the emanated being’s self and vitality whereas Hasidim is a light only for correction and completion of the emanated being. The 4th phase resembles the Emanator restricted himself to the middle point in Ein Sof where there is simple unity, however the light in Ein Sof is immeasurable and boundless whereas with regard to the emanated being there is a vessel which has walls, boundaries and measurement of the light contained within.
Phase 1 is considered to have the least will to receive and is called the most refined. Each progressive Phase paradoxically contains a greater will to receive and is considered to be less refined, meaning more light can enter.
The restriction of the light to the middle point occurred because the Emanator wished to create the worlds, meaning he wished to create a form of reception that was meant only to bestow contentment upon the Emanator. Because this reception is only to bestow contentment to the Emanator it is equal to the upper light from the Emanator and in complete adhesion with him. This form of reception can continuously increase without producing any disparity of form. It is described as a state in our world where a gift provides equal pleasure to both the giver and the receiver.
The Purpose of “Society” 1 tells us that that it is dedicated to the “method” of Ba’al HaSulaam (master of the ladder), where we work to overcome self-love, meaning the desire to receive for our own cravings of pleasure, and instead desire to bring contentment to our Creator. This “method” focuses on lowering one’s ego while having pride in the work of bringing his Shekhina (essence of his holy Spirit) to dwell among us.
