588. Malchut of the Upper One Becomes Keter to the Lower One
It is explained in several places that Malchut of the upper one becomes Keter to the lower one. We should ask, Since Malchut is called “vessels of reception,” what the lower one receives and which is considered the “I” that we attain, and Keter is called Ein Sof [infinity/no end], and even Keter of Assiya is called Ein Sof, so how can it be said that Malchut, which is called a Kli [vessel], will be called Ein Sof?
According to what is explained there, Keter being called Ein Sof refers to the Giver, since in the Giver, there are no names or differences of which we can speak. All that we speak of is what is revealed from Ein Sof, and any change in the revelations depends on the ability of the attaining lower one.
Therefore, he says that the Giver of the world of Assiya is also called Ein Sof, since Ein Sof is called the “thought of creation,” referring to His desire to do good to His creations.
For this reason, anything that is bestowed upon the lower ones is according to the power of the attaining. But among the attaining there are changes. For this reason, each time, the Giver is given a different name according to how the lower one attains Him. He names the Giver after his attainment.
With corporeal names, we call Him “Healer of the sick,” “Freer of the imprisoned,” “Who makes the blind see,” etc. Likewise, in spiritual bestowal, when we receive Assiya from the Giver, He is called by the name Assiya.
When we say that Malchut of the upper one becomes Keter to the lower one, it is in the sense that Malchut of the upper one causes the lower one to receive from the upper one.
This means, as is said, that the Reshimot that remain from the upper one cause the lower one to want to attain. In other words, Malchut of the upper one causes the lower one a need for the lower one to need to receive abundance from Ein Sof. Likewise, the connection between upper and lower also refers to the medium there is between the need that the upper one lacks and the need that the lower one lacks.
However, to the Giver, when the lower one causes the quality of Ein Sof to be born, but Malchut of the upper one causes the lower one to have a need to receive from the upper one, at that time, the quality of Ein Sof is born in the lower one, meaning that at that time the lower one extends the quality of Ein Sof, meaning a giver.
It is as The Zohar interprets in BeHukotai, “‘And do them,’ do not pronounce it Otam [them] but rather Attem [you],” as though you have made them. He interprets in the Sulam [Ladder commentary on The Zohar] that by the lower ones needing the Creator to fill them, the lower one attains the Giver by receiving abundance from the upper one. But if the receiver does not receive anything from the Giver, how does he know that there is a Giver? This is called “By Your actions, we know You.”