Chapter 7

אNow, before we proceed to [explain] the detailed knowledge of the Chaining Down of the worlds (Seder Hishtalshelut), we must preface with a matter that was previously mentioned (in chapter four).

בThis specifically refers to the connection of the particulars to the general principle.

גAs known to those who delve into the Zohar and other authentic texts of Kabbalah, in the [study of the] Hishtalshelut and the investment of the statures (Partzufim), it is necessary for each person to know the [explanation of the Seder Hishtalshelut] in short form.

דBeginning with the Simple Unity at the beginning of all things, until the end of all things, which is at the end of our lowly world, it all is literally bound with one “knot.” This is similar to a chain that goes from beginning to end and chains down from cause to cause etc.

הThe first light of the simple unity of HaShem-יהו״ה, who is called, “The Cause of all causes”¹ is also called “First” or “Preceding,” as stated,² “I am first and I am last.”

ו“I am first” refers to Malchut of Ein Sof (The Unlimited One) after the first Tzimtzum, which is known as “the empty place.”³

ז“I am last” at the end of everything, is the aspect of Malchut of Malchut of Asiyah, which is the source of the existence of this lowly world.

ח“Their beginning is bound to their end and their end to their beginning.”⁴ They are literally as one, like a chain whose lowest link is bound to its highest link.

טThis is the meaning of the verse,⁵ “See now that I, I am He,” without any change at all from beginning to end.

יNow, although it is known that there are a multitude of details in the chaining down from beginning to end, the entire purpose of man is the contemplation of all the particular details from beginning to end, to bind them all into one general unity with the Simple Unity of HaShem-יהו״ה, Who is called “first.”

יאThis is as stated, “See now that I, I am He,” literally, and as stated,⁶ “I HaShem-יהו״ה have not changed.”

יבThis is the pivotal point upon which the contemplation of the particulars must be founded, so that all [the particulars] are drawn to this general principle, as previously explained.

יגNow, the explanation of this matter for beginners [is as follows]: The order of the multitude of [details] of the chaining down of the line and thread (Kav V’Chut) which is drawn out after the first Tzimtzum, is known briefly as follows:

ידAt first, before the first Tzimtzum, there was “Him and His Name alone.”⁷

טוThis refers to the Essential Self of the Unlimited One, blessed is He (Atzmoot Ein Sof), and His light and ray, which is called “His Name.”

טזIt was all in the aspect of His essence, literally in an aspect of limitlessness, and He filled all “empty space.”

יזAfterwards, He made a Tzimtzum within Himself, and there remained an aspect of an Impression (Reshimu) of what was withdrawn, within this “empty space.”

יחFrom this impression (Reshimu) He drew out the line and thread (Kav V’Chut), in an aspect of encompassing and inner [lights].

יטThe Unlimited Light before the withdrawal (Tzimtzum) is called “The upper purity,”⁸ whereas the general encompassing light of this line (Kav), at its beginning, is called “The lower purity,”⁹ as known.

כAfterwards, through a Tzimtzum (withdrawal), Malchut of the Unlimited was drawn down to become Keter of Adam Kadmon.

כא[Then,] from Malchut of Adam Kadmon there became Keter of Atik Yomin and Arich Anpin.

כבFrom Malchut of Arich Anpin there came Keter of Abba and Imma. From Malchut of Abba and Imma there came Keter of Zeir Anpin, and [likewise] from Zeir Anpin to Nukvah, until from Malchut of Atzilut there came Keter of Briyah.

כגIn this manner [there chained down] from Briyah to Yetzirah, and from Yetzirah to Asiyah, until the aspect of Malchut of Malchut of Asiyah, which is the end of everything.

כדWe find that the “end of everything,” which is Malchut of Malchut of the world of Action-Asiyah is bound to the “beginning of everything,” which is the aspect of Malchut of the Unlimited One (Ein Sof) which contracted to become Keter of Adam Kadmon.

כהThis is as stated in the beginning of Etz Chayim, in Shaar HaKlallim, and is the meaning of “I am first and I am last,” as previously explained.

כו(In contrast, the aspect of the Essential Self of the Unlimited Light before the Tzimtzum cannot yet be called by the terms “beginning” or “end” since it is still an aspect of the light of His Essence, as it is before being drawn down to influence below.

כזThis is as stated,¹⁰ “You are holy and Your Name is holy,” as known.)

כחNow, after [one contemplates the particulars] is the unification.

כטThrough the thorough contemplation (Hitbonenut) of all the particulars of the chaining down (Hishtalshelut), from the beginning of all things, which is Malchut of the Unlimited One until Malchut of Asiyah specifically, they should then all be drawn to the First Source, which is the aspect of the Essential Self of the Limitless Light of the Unlimited One before the Tzimtzum.

לThis is the general intention of the first verse of the Shema¹¹ recital, [which is] the “Upper Unity.”¹²

לא[In other words, Listen Israel, HaShem-יהו״ה our God] HaShem-יהו״ה is One” refers to His simple unity before the first Tzimtzum. About this it states in Sefer Yetzirah,¹³ “Before One, what do you count?”

לב[This is to say, HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He is] higher than the ten sefirot. This is as stated,¹⁴ “You are One, but not in enumeration” of the ten sefirot, as known.

לגHowever, the general intent of “Blessed is the Name of His glorious kingship forever and ever,”¹⁵ which is the “lower unity,”¹⁶ is the aspect of Malchut of the Unlimited One after the Tzimtzum.

לדAbout this it states,¹⁷ “Your kingdom is the kingdom of all worlds,” until Malchut (Kingdom) of Asiyah. This is the aforementioned matter of “I am first and I am last.”

להNow, this entire unification (Yichud) and “binding” from the beginning to the end, which follows the contemplation of the multitude of intermediary particulars, is only like a single detail in comparison to the general principle which includes them all.

לוThis general principle is the aspect of the general encompassing of the Circle (Igul) which encompasses the Line (Kav).

לז[Moreover,] it too is considered to only be a detail in comparison to the Essential Self of the Unlimited Light before the Tzimtzum, which is called the “Upper Purity.”

לח[This “Upper Purity”] is even higher than being an aspect of a “general principle” for “particular details,” since we have already stated that “He is Holy” and removed in the aspect of His Essential Self.

לטThis is the meaning of the words,¹⁸ “The Singular One, Life of the worlds.”

מFrom this aspect of “Yachid – Singular,” [influence] is drawn down by means of the aforementioned first Tzimtzum, to become what is called “the life of the worlds” of ABY”A,¹⁹ which are within the line-Kav in an encompassing and inner manner, as known. This will suffice those of understanding.

מאIt is necessary for a person to know and implant in his soul all the explanations of the chaining down of the worlds. After the explanations of all the particular details in the order of the chaining down (Seder Hishtalshelut) have been explained to a person,

מבthen he should constantly accustom himself, throughout his life, [to contemplate them] in his mind and heart, so that he will be proficient in all the details, specifically.

מג[Through this,] he will [be capable of] making a summation of the entire length, including [the entirety of it] from beginning to end as one.

מדThis [should be done] to such a degree that in a single moment of contemplation within his soul, [when he contemplates] “the end of everything,” which is the comprehension of physical coming into being of “something out of nothing,” [that is, the creation] of the physical planets and the four physical foundations, and all the other particulars of this lowly world, [he will see that there rests upon them the aspect of Malchut of the Unlimited One, literally].

מהThis is as stated,²⁰ “Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who has created these.” “Lift up your eyes on high” with an actual physical sight, “and behold Who has created these” into a completely physical something, through the most final Tzimtzum-concealment.

מוIt is literally in this [“end of everything”] where Malchut of the Unlimited One, which is the “beginning of everything” and is even higher than the source of Atzilut, rests, in a limitless aspect, specifically.

מזThis is why the book of Psalms only mentions the greatness of HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, in a simple manner, [as it pertains to] the greatness and wondrousness of the acts of HaShem-יהו״ה in the [physical] heavens and the earth, and its physical hosts, specifically.

מחIt makes no mention or praise of His greatness [as it pertains to] the upper spiritual worlds and the highest heights which even precede the world of Atzilut.

מטThis is because, as previously mentioned, “the beginning is specifically bound to the end.” This is [also] as stated, “See now that I, I am He,” and that the Essential Self of the Unlimited Light is what encompasses [all of existence]. This will suffice for those of understanding.

נThis then, is the true intent in the contemplation of the particulars, as previously explained.

נא(Even though according to the calculation of the [multitude of] details in the chaining down of the worlds, there is a very vast distance between the beginning and the end, nonetheless, in truth, it is very close, without any interruption and concealment in between.

נבThis is as stated, “See now that I, I am He” and,²¹ “There is no other besides Me, as an intermediary.” This will suffice for those of understanding.)

נג(This is as stated,²² “[Lo, this only I have found,] that God has made man upright; but they have sought out many calculations.” “That God has made man upright” [refers to] Primordial Man (Adam Kadmon), from the beginning of the line (Kav) until the “heel” of Primordial Man (Adam Kadmon), which concludes at the end of the world of Asiyah.

נדIt is all one complete [matter] from beginning to end. [However,] “They have sought out many calculations” [referring to] the aspect of Circles (Igullim), with separations and divisions, one above the other.)

נהAll the above may be understood, in a very brief way, from the aspect of the Ketarim²³ of each world.

נוIn the aspect of the Ketarim there is no aspect of “chaining down” from cause to effect in a way of distance of levels, at all.

נזFor example, the aspect of the simple desire in the Essential Self of the Unlimited Light, as stated,²⁴ “When it arose in His simple desire,” that is, the aspect of Malchut of the Unlimited One itself is what arose in His simple thought, [as in the statement] “I shall rule,”²⁵ which is much higher than the desire to Emanate (Atzilut) or to Create (Briyah) etc.

נחThose [desires] are still only in the aspect of a Heyulie.

נטFrom this first [simple desire], there is a Tzimtzum – lessening to the “Primal Desire,” which is called Keter of Adam Kadmon.

סAfterwards, [there came] the desire to Emanate which in general is the aspect of Keter of Atzilut.

סאAfterwards was the desire to Create, which is Keter of Malchut of Briyah, following which [there came] Keter of Malchut of Yetzirah, until the aspect of Keter Malchut of Asiyah, which is the desire to actualize.

סבThis is as stated,²⁶ “Whatever HaShem-יהו״ה desired He did…”

סג[Similarly,] below in man, what difference is there between the aspect of his desire and essential heyulie in which there were included four desires.

סדFor example, the desire for his essential self and his most final desire to actualize, all came from and are rooted in one source.

סהLikewise, there is no difference between HaShem’s-יהו״ה simple desire that was drawn down to become the desire for emanation, and His simple desire that was drawn down to become [the aspect of] “Whatever HaShem-יהו״ה desired He did,” at the end of our world of action. This will suffice for those of understanding.

סו1 See Zohar Bereshit 22b

סז2 Isaiah 44:6

סח3 See Etz Chayim (Drush Igullim V’Yosher) Shaar 1, Anaf 2

סט4 See Sefer Yetzirah, Chapter 1, Mishnah 7

ע5 Deuteronomy 32:39

עא6 Malachi 3:6

עב7 Pirke D’Rabbi Elazar, Chapter 3

עג8 Tihiru Ila’ah – The Upper Purity

עד9 Tihiru Tata’a – The Lower Purity

עה10 In the liturgy of the Amidah prayer.

עו11 Deuteronomy 6:4

עז12 See Zohar Bereshit 18b. The first verse of the Shema is the “Upper Unity,” while the second statement of the prayer is the “Lower Unity.”

עח13 See Sefer Yetzirah, Chapter 1, Mishnah 7

עט14 See Introduction to Tikkunei Zohar 17a

פ15 In the daily Shema prayer, the statement which immediately follows the first verse of “Listen Israel,” is the “Baruch Shem Kevod Malchuto LeOlam Va’ed.”

פא16 See tractate Psachim 56a, and Zohar Bereshit 18b

פב17 Psalms 145:13, “Malchutcha Malchut Kol Olamim.” The literal translation is “Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom.” However, it can also be translated as, “Your kingdom is the kingdom of all the worlds.” (Malchut is Kingdom). This signifies how HaShem-יהו״ה, blessed is He, not only brings all worlds into existence, but that He is the ruler of them all.

פג18 See the Baruch She’amar and Yishtabach prayers of the morning prayers, “Yachid Chay HaOlamim”

פד19 Atzilut, Briyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.

פה20 Isaiah 40:26

פו21 See Tikkunei Zohar 120a

פז22 Kohelet 7:29

פח23 This word is the plural of Keter (crown). The sefirah of Keter corresponds to the faculty of “pleasure” and “desire,” as will be explained at great length later.

פט24 See introduction of Etz Chayim, and Shaar 1, Anaf 2

צ25 As stated in the Zohar on “VaYimloch.” These words, “I will rule – Ana Emloch” is the original simple desire which arose in His simple thought.

צא26 Psalms 135:6