Table of Questions for the Meaning of the Words
1. What is the Aleph in the Vav of SAG?
There are two roots to the letters Yod and Aleph. The Yod is regarded as the genuine root of the letters, since when we want to write any letter, we begin with Yod, meaning with a dot. When we stretch the dot sideways and down, the desired letter appears. Thus, the Yod is the root of each and every letter. Despite that, the Aleph heads all twenty-two letters.
The thing is that the letters in their upper root are vessels for the reception of the abundance. It is known that the expansion of the light and its departure causes the making of the vessels. This is so because the vessels are made of the records that remain after the departure of the light.
From this you will understand that the root of all the kinds of departure is the root to the vessels, which is the letters. It is known that the first restriction is the root of any departure in the worlds. Hence, the point of restriction, which is the Yod, is regarded as the root of all the letters.
However, it is known that the first restriction is still not regarded as the root of the worlds, but only as the root of the root, because the real root of the worlds is the second restriction. The difference between them is that the first restriction was only on one point, namely phase four, which is Malchut, the bottom Hey. The second restriction, however, was also on Bina, meaning the two points joined in this restriction, the point of Malchut and the point of Bina, which is the association of the quality of mercy with judgement.
It is known that connecting two dots together creates a line, longitudinally or across. Hence, the second restriction is called a line, because of the two dots that joined in this restriction, as it says, “and they two went.” Because of this, it is called firmament, or Parsa, which is like a line laid across, separating the upper ones from the lower ones.
It has been explained inside the book that the primary innovation that occurred in the second restriction is the matter of the division of the ten Sefirot to two phases in all the degrees. This is because Bina, ZA, and Malchut of every degree went out of the degree and acquired the value of the degree below it. Thus, from a single degree, an upper and lower were made, where Keter and Hochma became the upper, and Bina, ZA and Malchut became a lower degree to Keter and Hochma.
These
two
novelties,
which
are
the
connection
of
the
two
dots
together
like
a
line,
and
the
division
of
the
degree
into
upper
and
lower
manifest
in
the
shape
of
the
Aleph
(א):
The
connection
of
the
two
dots
in
the
restriction
is
the
line
of
the
Aleph
in
this
manner
–
().
The
upper
phase
of
each
degree
is
the
Yod
(י)
over
the
line,
containing
Keter
and
Hochma
of
the
degree,
as
upper
water,
like
this
(
).
The
lower
phase
of
each
degree
is
the
lower
Yod
below
the
line,
containing
Bina,
ZA
and
Malchut,
which
became
the
lower
ones,
meaning
lower
waters,
like
this
(
).
Thus, you can see how there are two roots to the worlds: Yod is the first root, made in the first restriction only on the point of Malchut, and Aleph is the second root, made in the second restriction on the two points Bina and Malchut together.
The first restriction is a root that is far from the worlds, and only the second restriction is regard as the root of the worlds. Hence, the Yod is not considered the root of the worlds until it is fit to head all the twenty-two letters.
Only the letter Aleph is considered the root of all the letters, since it is regarded as the second restriction, which is the real root of the worlds. Hence, the Aleph is at the head of the twenty-two letters, and the Yod is considered a primordial root, serving the letters in hiding.
Now you can understand the meaning of the four fillings operating in the Name HaVaYaH. They are: AB – Yod, Hey, Viv, Hey, SAG – Yod, Hey, Vav, Hey, MA – Yod, He, Vv, He, BON – Yod, Heh, Vav, Heh.
The main difference is whether the vessels come from the first restriction, or the second restriction. The filling of letters with Yodin indicates that they come primarily from the first restriction, and filling the letters with Alephs indicates that they come from the second restriction.
Now you can see that if all the letters of HaVaYaH are filled with Yods, which is HaVaYaH of AB, then the vessels of that Partzuf have nothing of the phase of the second restriction, but only the first restriction. Conversely, if the letters are filled with Alephs, which is MA in Gematria, then the vessels of that Partzuf have nothing of the phase of the first restriction, but only the second restriction.
However, in HaVaYaH of SAG, the letters are not filled equally, as they are all with Yods except for the Vav of HaVaYaH, which is with Aleph.
The reason for this is that HaVaYaH is also divided into four Partzufim, which are Hochma, Bina, ZA and Malchut, by the order of her letters. Thus, the Vav in her is the phase of ZA of Partzuf SAG.
It is known that the second restriction was only in Partzuf SAG, not in the first two Partzufim in her, which is YH, meaning Hochma and Bina in her, but only in ZA in her, standing below the Tabur of SAG (see Inner Observation item 15).
Thus, the beginning of the root of the Aleph, meaning the second restriction, was not in YH of SAG, but only in the Vav of SAG. Hence the YH of SAG are filled with Yods as in HaVaYaH of AB, but the Vav of SAG is filled with the Aleph, as the second restriction is not apparent whatsoever before ZA of SAG.
The matter of HaVaYaH filled with Heys indicates that she lacks the filling, but receives from her upper Partzuf. Hence, she is only double HaVaYaH, as two HaVaYot are BON in Gematria.
The reason for this is that the filling indicates the measure of the level extending by the coupling of the upper light on the screen there. The screen in Partzuf ZA, which is in coarseness of phase one, draws the light for Malchut, too, whose screen is very faint, without the sufficient coarseness for coupling by striking with the upper light. Therefore, she lacks the filling of her phase. All she has is double HaVaYaH, indicating the part of ZA in her.
Now you can see why Hochma and Bina are not considered the root of the world, and the world begins only in ZA. This is the meaning of the six days of creation, as their vessels contain only from the phase of the first restriction. Thus, only ZA, which is the phase of HaVaYaH of MA with a filling of Alephs, meaning the second restriction, is the root for all the worlds.
2. What are letters?
See answer No. 1.
3. What are AHP in their place?
The first three corrections of the thirteen corrections of Dikna are called “AHP in their Place.” It means that they did not come out from the phase of Rosh, and they are the phases of GE of the Rosh of Dikna. They are named AHP only with respect to the Rosh of SAG. (Part 6, item 20)
4. What is Butzina of Kardinuta?
Butzina means illumination, and Kardinuta means hardness or darkness. It implies the bottom Hey, meaning phase four. This is the meaning of the bottom Hey in the Einayim in the Keter of Nekudim, whose illumination is uncovered. It is the dot inside the Vav, meaning the Melafom that Yesod of AK imparted to HB of Nekudim. Only the Vav actually appeared, but the dot is concealed in it. This means that Butzina of Kardinuta is concealed in the Yesod of Ima. (Part 6, item 37)
5. What is the breaching of the Parsa?
The breaching of the Parsa implies the annulment of the boundary in it, which separates Keter Hochma from Bina and ZON inside the degree. Through the breaching, Bina and ZON return to the degree as in the beginning. (Part 6, item 15)
6. What is “one over the other”?
One over the other means that the Sefirot stand by themselves and cannot receive or bestow upon each other. This is due to the disparity of form between each and every one of them, which separates them from each other. In that state, they stand one over the other according to the order of degrees: the anterior of the lower one in the posterior of the upper one.
For instance: ZA, whose anterior is phase one, equalizes with the posterior of Bina, who is also phase one. Also, the anterior of Bina, which is phase two, equalizes with posterior of Hochma, which is also phase two, etc., similarly. In that state, they are opposite from one another and separated from each other. (Part 4, Chap 3, Inner Light item 30)
7. What is Holam?
The dots indicate primarily the illumination of the coupling that emerges through the connection between the bottom Hey and the first Hey, called dots. There are three phases in that:
1. When the bottom Hey is in Keter of Nekudim in the form of bottom Hey in the Einayim and YHV in the AHP. In that state, she is called Holam, which is above the letters YHV, since the light of Keter is not imparted to the HB from the phase of the bottom Hey, but only from the phase of the first Hey.
2. As dots under the letters YHV, which are the vessels of HB. This is so by the upper coupling of AB and SAG, lowering the bottom Hey from the Einayim to the Peh in the form of Kamatz under the letters. Even now, the bottom Hey is concealed in the Kamatz, which is the phase of Yesod of Keter, and the YHV still have no illumination of the bottom Hey.
3. In the form of dots inside the letters of YHV. This is so by the illumination of Yesod of AK on the phase of Melafom, where the dot of the bottom Hey is inside the Vav. This illumination comes inside the letters of YHV, which are HB, from which the lower seven of Nekudim are born. (Part 6, item 31, and Inner Observation item 19)
8. What is Taffel?
The first Sefira in every degree contains all the phases below it. Hence, the upper phase is always considered the kernel of the degree, compared to which all other phases are secondary, and do not merit a name. (Part 6, item 8)
9. What is “coming out strongly”?
The greater the coarseness in the screen, the more strongly the light comes out. If the coarseness is faint, the light does not come out strongly, meaning there is little reflected light, and the level of light it draws does not expand downward. Since the bottom Hey connected with the Nikvey Einayim, the lights there are found to be coming out forcefully, expanding downward. (Part 6, item 11)
10. What are twenty-two letters?
The letters are the vessels where the self is clothed. They contain twenty-two heads of discernments, from which all the Partzufim are built. They are called, twenty-two letters. See answer No. 1. (Part 6, item 53)
11. What are Male upper waters?
See answer No. 1.
It explains there that the Keter of Nekudim is the upper water above the firmament, which is the Parsa, and HB of Nekudim is the lower water under the firmament. It is known that Keter is the male, and HB is its female (Inner Light item 23). Thus, upper water is considered male, and the lower water, which is HB, is the phase of female. (Part 6, item 9)
12. What are female lower water?
See answers Nos. 11 and 1.
13. What is Melafom?
See answer No. 7.
14. What is Mazla?
Se’arot Dikna are called Mazla, as it is written, “Water shall flow from his branches etc.” This is so because their abundance flows bit-by-bit until they join the greater lights in the worlds (see below answer No. 29). (Part 6, item 2)
15. What is Mayin Nukvin?
It is known that through the expansion of the Nekudot of SAG to MA and BON of the inner AK, two phases of records were joined in the screen, the phases of the first Hey in SAG, and the bottom Hey in the inner AK. You find that the screen consists of two females, Bina and Malchut, hence the name of the screen “Mayin Nukvin” [female water]. From here on, these two females are incorporated in it in every coupling it makes with the upper light. (Part 6, item 15)
16. What is death?
Life is up to the place where the line light of Ein Sof is extended. After the end of the line, meaning below the point of restriction, the light of life ceases. This is the phase of death. Hence, the vessels that fell to BYA, below the new point of restriction, are considered to have died there, as they were departed from the Light of life. (Part 6, item 39)
17. What is Upper Dots?
See answer No. 7.
18. What are the dots under the letters?
See answer No. 7.
Three illuminations operated in Nekudim: the vapor of the Tabur, the vapor of the Yesod, and the vapor of the Tzipornayim of the Raglayim. The vapor of the Tabur is the phase of dots above the letters, meaning Holam. The vapor of Yesod is the phase of dots inside the letters, which is the Melafom, and the vapor of the Tzipornayim of the Raglayim is the phases of dots under the letters. (Part 6, item 28, and Inner Light there)
19. What is a spark of Kardinuta?
See answer No. 4.
20. What are Nikvey Einayim?
Phase one in the Rosh is called Nikvey Einayim [holes of the eyes] because Hochma of Rosh is called Einayim. Through the ascent of the bottom Hey there, the phase of Nukva was also made in Hochma, and it is called Nikvey Einayim. (Part 6, item 7)
21. What are Nikvey Ozen?
See answer No. 20.
The two Heys joined in the association of the quality of mercy with judgement, and the bottom Hey rose to the Einayim. From then on, the phase of Nukva was made in all the Sefirot up to Hochma. These are the holes made in the Hotem, Ozen, and the Einayim. However, before they were connected, the phase of Nukva was only in the Peh.
22. What is the opening of the Einayim?
The illumination of Hochma is called “the opening of the Einayim” because Einayim [eyes] are Hochma. (Part 6, item 51)
23. What is the Parsa?
The Parsa is the premises of the liver (diaphragm), which separates the breathing organs, which are the sustenance, from the feeding organs. It seemingly creates two bodies within a single body. Similarly, when Partzuf MA and BON came out of the Nikvey Einayim, it was divided into two Partzufim on the Tabur and the Parsa.
From the Peh of Rosh SAG to Parsa, it is the phase of GAR of MA and BON, considered a complete Partzuf in and of itself. Its Sium Raglayim is on the Tabur because it came out from the phase of records of the tastes of SAG that did not connect with the bottom Hey.
From the Parsa down emerged the lower MA and BON, which are the ten Sefirot of Nekudim. They emerged from the records of the Nekudot of SAG, and connected with the bottom Hey below the Tabur. Thus, the Parsa divides a single Partzuf of MA and BON into two Partzufim. (Part 6, item 9, and Inner Observation item 34)
24. What is the second restriction?
The restriction of NHY of AK is called the second restriction, because as in the first restriction on phase four in Ein Sof, here, too, there was a restriction on phase two. As the line of light of Ein Sof stopped at the Malchut of NHY of AK, so the line of light of Ein Sof stopped here on Bina of NHY of AK.
Thus Bina, ZA, and Malchut remained under the point of restriction without light, forming the three separated worlds, called BYA: Beria from Bina, Yetzira from ZA, and Assiya from Malchut. (Part 6, item 7)
25. What are the Tzipornayim of the Raglayim?
The phase of Sium of each Partzuf, which is Malchut of NHY of the Partzuf, is called Etzbaot Raglayim. From the time of the correction of Parsa onward, another force was made on the phase of Sium of the Partzuf, which relates to the association of the point of Bina in the restriction.
When this additional force is in the place of Tabur, it is called Parsa, and when it is in the place of Sium NHY, it is called Tzipornayim, namely the Tzipornayim of the Raglayim. (Part 6, item 29)
26. What is a separating firmament?
The “Separating firmament” is the Parsa placed in the ten Sefirot of each degree by connecting the two points, Bina and Malchut. It distinguishes Keter and Hochma in it as male upper water, from the Bina, ZA and Malchut in it, which is the phase of female lower water, see answer No. 11 and answer No. 1. (Part 6, item 9)
27. What is Shuruk?
The Melafom is also called Shuruk, explained above in answer No. 7. (Part 6, item 31)
28. What are Se’arot Rosh?
The first coupling for Partzuf Nekudim was in Nikvey Einayim of the Rosh of SAG. It did not take the AHP of the Rosh of SAG outside, since there is no absence in the spiritual.
The matter of the division of the degree did not affect the Rosh of SAG itself whatsoever, but only as an addition to the Partzuf, and this is the Partzuf Se’arot. From the Nikvey Einayim up emerged the Se’arot Rosh, and from there down emerged the Se’arot Dikna in the phases of AHP. (Inner Light item 2)
29. What are Se’arot Dikna?
See answer No. 28.
30. What is Shibolet HaZakan (the Beard Patch)?
Shibolet HaZakan are phases of AHP that emerged from the first Rosh of Dikna because the first three corrections of Dikna are GE, meaning the Rosh of Dikna. Shibolet HaZakan is the AHP that emerged from the Rosh of Dikna into the phase of Guf, where the abundance of the first three phases of correction of Dikna accumulates. (Part 6 item 9, and Inner Light item 23)