Chapter 19

1We must now understand the source of the ten emanated sefirot [of the world of Atzilut – Emanation]. Their source is from the aspect of Malchut of Adam Kadmon.

2This is as stated in Etz Chayim Shaar HaKlallim,¹ that Keter of Atik Yomin comes about from the aspect of Malchut of Adam Kadmon.

3Now, we must first preface with [an explanation of] the matter of how the ten hidden sefirot, which are concealed, come out into revelation.

4This is the meaning of the verse,² “He calls out the generations from the beginning (Rosh-ראש),” that is, from the “head (Rosh-ראש)” of Adam Kadmon etc.

5Sefer Yetzirah states³ that [the revelation of the concealed] is like “the flame that is bound in the coal,” and there are many similar analogies to this.

6However, this [matter] may be better understood from the [revelation] of the ten powers of the soul.

7As known, the matter of “concealment and revelation” is unlike the spreading forth of a power from its essence, such as the “power of action” that spreads forth in the action, since [in such a case] it is the power of the essence itself [that spreads forth] and is called, “cause and effect.”

8Rather, it is similar to the aspect of the ray and light of the essence.

9This is like the radiance of the rays of light of the sun, or like the life and light of the soul as it is within the vessel of the body, or like a flash of insight [as it comes] from the “power of conceptualization,” and the like.

10However, a truer analogy for the matter of “the revelation of the concealed” is like the revelation of movement from a living animal, or like the letters of thought and the letters of speech, and the like.

11All the above are better [analogies] than the analogy of the flame that is bound, in a hidden fashion, with the coal.

12For although the flame was indeed hidden in the coal, nonetheless, the flame came out of the essential heat of the coal, and thus, this is not a true comparison to the matter of “revelation.”

13[This is because, “the revelation of the hidden”] is merely like the aspect of an appearance or a color, such as the color of an apple, which is not essential to the apple, as known.

14This is likewise the case with the revelation of the concealed essential powers of the soul, such as the power of the quality of Chessed-Kindness, as it is in the essence.

15Its revelation is when a desire and intellect for kindness and goodness is constantly brought into being because of this essential quality of the essence of the soul.

16The opposite is true of someone whose essential quality is cruelty. [In such a person] a desire and intellect for judgment and punishment is brought into being.

17Now, the coming into being of the source of this desire for [either] kindness or judgment is still considered to be [part and parcel] of the essential quality, and is altogether not separate from it.

18However, the revealed desires for judgment or its opposite, which are born [of the “desire for the desire”], are merely like a revealed indication of the essence.

19This may be compared to the revealed movement [which comes] from the [power of movement in the] essence of the animal, or to the revealed life force [of the soul as it exists] in a separate thing, that is, the [physical] body.

20This is to say that because he is essentially alive, he reveals his life force in [physical] movement.

21Moreover, because he essentially is a living being, he [therefore] also enlivens the inanimate body. [The physical life] is called “Chayei Bassar-the life of the flesh” etc.

22[Similarly,] the revelation of desire comes into a separate thing, which is this [above mentioned] matter of [either] kindness or judgment.

23However, the source that gives rise to this desire comes from the power of the essential quality alone.

24[We] automatically understand [from this] that since there are many different types of things, a specific desire will be born for each of them from a single source, which at all times is dependent upon the essential quality.

25Similarly, [when one’s] intellect constantly leans towards a desire [for] kindness, this is only because of [his] essential quality of kindness, which constantly gives rise to a desire and intellect for kindness, specifically.

26Because there are many different separate things [through which this kindness may be expressed, therefore,] an individual desire and intellect is born [from the same essential source] for each one [in and of] itself. This will suffice for those of understanding.

27We [therefore] find that the general “desire for the desire” for kindness can bring forth many different particular desires for kindness, in many very different matters and ways.

28[Nonetheless,] they all are from one source, this being the concealed desire, which is called, “The essential desire for kindness,” [which comes about] because of the essential Heyulie quality [of kindness in the essence of the soul].

29However, [this essential Heyulie quality] comes [to be expressed] in a specific way, to be this [specific] “desire for the desire” for this specific thing. This will suffice for those of understanding.

30However, it is nevertheless understood that there is a great difference between [the concealed desire of Adam Kadmon and] the revelation of the desire for kindness [of Atzilut] which is merely the aspect of a “revelation of the concealment” of the essential desire, which arouses this [specific] desire.

31[In contrast, the concealed desire of Adam Kadmon] comes from the power of the essential quality [of the Self], and is not an aspect of a “separate thing.” This will suffice for those of understanding.

32Now, the matter of “He calls out the generations from the head of Adam Kadmon etc.,” may be understood according to the above analogies.

33This is analogous to a person who calls out to something to come out from its concealment and be revealed outside.

34Likewise, the main matter of the aspect of the ten sefirot of [the world of] Atzilut-Emanation, is only that they come out from being concealed to being revealed.

35This is why they are called by the terms, “Lights-Orot” or “Emanations-Sefirot,” [in that they are] similar to a ray and a light.

36This is similar to any aspect of the “revelation of the concealed,” in that it is only an aspect of light, or only like the aspect of an indication [of the Essence], [such as the] color [of an apple]. [In other words,] it is like the movement of an animal [which is merely an indication that, in essence, it is alive] etc.

37Moreover, this is the meaning [of the word Atzilut-Emanation,] as in [the verse],⁴ “And He emanated from the spirit,” which was not the [actual] spirit of Moshe [itself].

38Rather, it was only an aspect of a revelation of his light and ray, which spread forth and emanated, similar to a flame [that emanates] from a coal, and the like.

39All this may be understood according to the aforementioned analogy regarding the matter of [how] the desire becomes revealed in a separate thing.

40That is, it emerges from the concealment of the essential desire, according to [his] essence, as mentioned previously.

41Likewise, the aspect of the Ketarim (Crowns) of [the world of] Atzilut-Emanation, is only the aspect of the revelation of the desire, in comparison to the concealed essential desire [itself], which is called “the desire for the desire,” this being the aspect of Adam Kadmon, as previously explained.

42For example, the revealed desire for kindness of Atzilut which is called Keter of Chessed, is drawn from the aspect of the concealed desire for kindness of Adam Kadmon.

43Likewise, [the revealed desire for wisdom (Chochmah) of Atzilut is drawn] from the aspect of the concealed desire of Chochmah [of Adam Kadmon].

44However, just as it is understood from the aforementioned analogy that the existence of what is called “the desire for the desire” comes as an aspect of a “general [desire],” which “gives birth” to many different [particular] desires and many different matters and ways, likewise, many different types of revealed desires for kindness of [the world of] Atzilut are “born” from the aspect of the “desire for the desire of kindness” of Adam Kadmon.

45The [explanation of the] matter is that from the aspect of the Malchut of a [particular] quality of Adam Kadmon, comes about the aspect of the Keter of that quality of Atzilut.

46However, [when speaking] of the ten sefirot generally, it is only from the [general] aspect of Malchut of Adam Kadmon that the [general] Keter of [the world of] Atzilut is made.

47This is to say that it is only from the “letters” and revelation of the concealed essential desire that the essential light of the revealed desire is made.

48(This bears a similarity to what was explained in chapter eighteen, that the “desire for the desire,” that is, the sefirot of Adam Kadmon, is only made from the aspect of the “end action” of the “Essential [Primal] Desire”- [Ratzon HaKadoom].)

49(By way of analogy, [this is like] the revelation of the desire in the speech of the influencer, which becomes the essential desire of the recipient.

50Similarly, it is like how the letters that reveal the intellect in the speech of the influencer, become the essential intellectual light of the recipient.

51Likewise, the light of the desire for kindness in the recipient, only comes about from the letters and revelation of kindness in the speech of the influencer.

52As known regarding every [type of] cause and effect, that the root and beginning of the effect is made from the last level of the cause.

53Similarly, Keter of Atik Yomin [of Atzilut] is made from the aspect of Malchut of Adam Kadmon.

54In other words, the source of revelation of the desire which results from pleasure, which is called Atik Yomin, as will be explained, is made only from the revelation of the “desire for the desire” in “speech.”)

55This is the general [explanation] of the matter of the ten sefirot of [the world of] Atzilut, which came out of the concealment of the ten sefirot of Adam Kadmon, as stated, “He calls out the generations from the head” [of Adam Kadmon] etc.

Rabbi Amiram Markel (Neirot) · CC BY · sefaria.org