Chapter 52

1Now, in regard to the aspect of the specifics of the ten Sefirot of Malchut of Atzilut as they are in Briyah after penetrating the screen (Masach), it is known that the aspect of Keter Malchut of Briyah, which is called Atik of Briyah, is what is drawn forth from the aspect of Malchut of Malchut of Atzilut etc., and is the aspect of the desire and pleasure for the aspect of the source of actual creation (Briyah) of something from nothing.

2This is like the statement,¹ “When it arose in His will to create the world,” for just as it arose in His will to emanate (Atzilut) etc., so likewise His will descended to create something from nothing etc., and this is what is called Keter Malchut of Briyah.

3(This is as explained elsewhere regarding the matter of,² “Yishmael my son, bless Me; and he answered Him, “May it be desirable before You etc.” That is, Rabbi Yishmael, the High Priest, was in the Holy of Holies of Briyah-Creation, wherein there descends the light of Malchut of Malchut of Atzilut, to become the Crown (Keter) of Briyah-Creation. He therefore said to him, “My son, bless Me (Barcheini-ברכני)”³ to which he responded, “may it be desirable before You etc.”)

4From this pleasure and desire to bring about the creation (Briyah) etc., it was drawn down [further] into Chochmah and Binah of this desire and pleasure, which are called Abba and Imma of Briyah.

5From Abba and Imma, which are the aspects of Chochmah and Binah of this desire and pleasure, the emotions, which are called Zeir Anpin of Briyah, were drawn down.

6From Zeir Anpin [it was drawn down] to Malchut of Briyah, which is the source that brings the world of Briyah, with its souls and angels, into being from nothing into actual something etc.

7Similarly, in the ten Sefirot of Briyah there also is the aspect of lights (Orot) and vessels (Kelim), garments (Levushim) and chambers (Heichalot).

8This is as known regarding the seven chambers⁴ (Heichalot) of Briyah-Creation;⁵ that the union of Zeir Anpin and Nukvah occurs in the chamber of the Holy of Holies, which is the seventh chamber⁶ etc.

9Now, from the aspect of Malchut of Briyah, the aspect of Keter and Atik Yomin of the world of Yetzirah⁷ made, and this too is through the penetration of a screen (Masach) between Briyah and Yetzirah, similar to what was previously discussed regarding the screen between Atzilut and Briyah.

10For, just as it arose in His desire to create, so likewise did it arise in his desire to form (Yetzirah) and to actualize (Asiyah), only that it is necessary for there to be a break and a screen between the end action of the desire for Briyah-Creation and the beginning of the desire for Yetzirah-Formation.

11This is as it states,⁸ “For My glory I have created it (Barativ), I have formed it (Yatzartiv), I even have actualized it (Af Asitiv).”

12Now, as known, the [worlds of] Creation-Briyah, Formation-Yetzirah, and Action-Asiyah are called the three separate worlds [that] actually [come into being in a manner of] something from nothing.

13This is similar to the coming into being of the letters of thought, speech and action, which truly come forth in a way of tangible somethingness (Yesh), separate from oneself.⁹

14Likewise, from the aspect of the letters of thought of the Godly emotions of Briyah, which is called Zeir Anpin of Briyah, as mentioned above, there was created the aspect of the “hidden worlds that are not revealed,” which are the souls and angels of the world of Briyah, [that are] actually [brought into being in a manner of] something from nothing.

15For example, the soul of,¹⁰ “Avraham who loves Me,” is from the aspect of the inner vessels of Chessed of Zeir Anpin of Malchut of [the world of] Briyah,¹¹ and [the angel] Michael of the world of Briyah is from the aspect of the externality of the vessels and letters of Chessed of Zeir Anpin of Briyah etc.

16Similarly, the upper garden of Eden (Gan Eden HaElyon) of [the world of] Briyah, is from the aspect of the light of Keter of Briyah, which is the Supernal pleasure that is called Atik of Briyah, as it constricts within Binah of Malchut of Briyah, wherein the souls in Briyah derive pleasure from the ray etc.

17(As known,¹² “The supernal mother (Imma) settles in the throne,” which refers to the [descent of the] light of Binah of Atzilut through multitudes of chainings-down until Binah of Malchut of Atzilut [settles] within Binah of Malchut of Briyah etc. In this same manner Zeir Anpin of Atzilut settles in [the world of] Yetzirah,¹³ and Malchut settles in [the world of] Asiyah etc.¹⁴)

18This is likewise the case in regard to the matter of the Serafim [angels] that are in the world of Briyah etc.¹⁵ They are the,¹⁶ “Sons of Elohim who stand before HaShem-יהו"ה,” which is the aspect of Zeir Anpin of [the world of] Briyah.

19The aspect of the vessels of Zeir Anpin of Briyah is the aspect of Metat”ron-מטטרו״ן,¹⁷ the minister of the world of Briyah,¹⁸ about whom it states,¹⁹ “For My Name is within him” which is the aspect of Zeir Anpin of [the world of] Atzilut etc.

20(He is called a lad²⁰ (Na'ar-נער) or the “small face [or stature]” relative to the “large face [or stature]” of the aspect of Zeir Anpin of Atzilut,²¹ as known.)

21In general, the world of Briyah is called the “World of Thought,” which is the aspect of the concealed worlds etc.

22(This is similar to [the statement that,²²] “The coming world was created with a Yod-י” which refers to the Yod of the thought of Binah of Malchut of Briyah etc., “and with a Heh-ה this world was created” [which refers to] the aspects of Yetzirah and Asiyah.)

23The world of Yetzirah, however, is the “World of Speech,” that is, the revealed worlds etc.

24(This is like the [difference between] the prophecies of Isaiah regarding the Serafim [angels] of Briyah, who say,²³ “Holy, [Holy, Holy etc,]” and the [prophecies] of Ezekiel regarding the Chayot [angels] and Ophanim [angels] who say, “Blessed [be the Glory of HaShem-יהו״ה from His place] etc.”²⁴)

25Now, just as it was explained above regarding the ten Sefirot of Briyah, it is the same way with the ten Sefirot of Yetzirah and the ten Sefirot of Asiyah to the finest particulars, with lights and vessels, garments and chambers etc. and the coming into being of angels and souls in Yetzirah; for example [the angel] Sandal”fon-סנדלפו״ן etc.²⁵

26For, all the prophecies of the prophets were from the aspects of Netzach and Hod of Zeir Anpin of Yetzirah,²⁶ as known.

27And in the same manner there is a screen that separates between Yetzirah and Asiyah,²⁷ and the aspect of Malchut of Malchut of Yetzirah becomes Keter and Atik Yomin for Asiyah, regarding which it states, “Everything that HaShem-יהו"ה desired He did (Asah).”

28This refers to the souls and angels of [the world of] Asiyah, including the aspect of the lower garden of Eden (Gan Eden HaTachton), until the Ophanim-אופנים angels who receive from the aspect of Malchut of Malchut of Asiyah, as known.

29And it is from the aspect of the excretions of the Ophanim angels²⁸ that influence is drawn down to influence the cycles of the constellations (Mazalot-מזלות), which are the root of all inanimate, plant life, animals and humans, in all climates,²⁹ as well as the root for the composition of the foundational elements of fire, air, water and earth from spirituality to physicality etc.

30This is similar to the statement,³⁰ “A land that cultivates wise [people] etc.,” because [it receives from] the Mazal of Machkim [Chochmah-Wisdom] etc.,³¹ or [the verse,³²] “The choice fruits of the sun etc.,” to the point that there is even a Mazal for inanimate objects, as in [the statement],³³ “the luck of the mountain,” until there is even a Mazal for the inanimate of the inanimate, as it states,³⁴ “There is not a blade of grass that does not have its Mazal.”

31The constellations (Mazalot) are ruled by the aspect of Malchut of Malchut of Asiyah, as known regarding the verse,³⁵ “His Kingdom rules over all etc.,” and as stated,³⁶ “[Your Kingdom is the Kingdom of all worlds” and “Your dominion [is throughout all ages”] etc., as will be explained with the help of HaShem-יהו"ה.

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