 Previous |
 Enlarge |
 Next |
This series is a continuation and should be read in order. If you are not familiar with previous posts you may have trouble understanding later ones.
In order to be able to perform a proper hisbonenus it is now necessary to understand all of the specifics of the hishtalshellus. First, one must understand the first source of all of the hishtalshellus the simple infinite light before the Tzimtzum, called the Upper Purity. This level is divided into three levels, each containing ten sfiros, namely Yachid [Single], Echad [One], Kadmoan [Preceding or Original]. Seemingly this is a paradox, for we are speaking of the completely simple infinite light that contains no limitations or definitions and has an infinite potential for an infinite number of sfiros and things that are not sfiros at all. So how can we say that it contains three levels, each with ten sfiros when it is not limited to any levels or divisions at all? The answer is that in truth it itself is completely simple and infinite and this that we say that it contains levels and sfiros is only in regard to what is revealed from it to us, so that being that in revelation we find three levels each with ten sfiros, we therefore must say that these were first contained within their source. Only that their existence there is only a result of its infinity and perfection, that it also must be said to contain the ability of these ten sfiros. This type of inclusion is what is called an essential heyuli.
The key analogies for this concept of an inclusion within as essential heyuli are:
- The ten essential attributes of the soul, such as the desire for kindness. That all of the specifics of how this desire will be revealed are included within the very nature and essence of the person’s character. So too with all of the other attributes of the soul, for it has a simple and infinite ability for these ten attributes as part of its essential nature.
- This idea of how the particulars are included within the essential nature is also expressed in the analogy of the power of movement and so too the other powers that come from the soul’s essential life force. The nature of the power of movement is that is can make any type of movement, yet itself is devoid of any essential definition as to particular movements. Rather its essential nature is that it can control the body and cause any muscle to contract at will, the movement resulting being entirely a result of the body’s physical construction. So too, the soul is essentially alive and contains within itself any particular life force as a result that it is the simple essence of life and encompasses all particular vitalities by way of its perfection.
- The way that the particulars that are revealed first existed within the essence from where they came is best to be understood by the analogy of the sun. Aside from how the light is included within the very matter of the sun as an essential heyuli power, also even before the sun light leaves the body of the sun to be revealed it already shone within the very body of the sun and from there it makes its way out, until it breaks through the surface and is revealed. So too is the case with any essential heyuli that before the particulars are revealed out of the essence this revelation already existed within the essence, only that there it is revealed only to itself.
In all of these examples we find that there are three stages in the process of revelation from the essence:
- How the essence includes within its essential nature the ability for this revelation. (Such as how the power of kindness is one with the essential nature of essence of the persons soul, how the life forces of movement, seeing, hearing, etc. are included within the soul’s essential nature of life and similarly how the ability of emanating light is included within the nature of the very matter of the sun.)
- A general revelation of the power, where all of its particulars merge to form a single whole (Corresponding to how the essential desire comes into revelation as a desire for a particular thing, but the particulars of how to realize this desire are not yet worked out and in general all ten of the soul’s attributes are included first in a general desire for self expression. similarly the general life force of the soul, the feeling of life that is a composition of the perception of the particular sensations of seeing, hearing, moving, etc. or specifically when a person wants to make a particular movement, but the specific estimation of how each muscle will have to move was not yet worked out. As is also the case with how the general white light includes within it all of the particular rays of light as one whole.)
- A particular revelation from what was included within the general revelation. (When all of the particulars of how a particular desire for kindness or anything else is already all worked out and well estimated within ones self, only that it was not yet done in actual deed. Likewise with the estimation immediately prior to a particular movement and in general the estimation within the soul before it can enliven the body. In the example of the sun this corresponds to the particular rays and colors that already exist within the white light before it hits an object and they are revealed.)
However, in order for these to come into actuality there first needs to be a Tzimtzum so that they may change over from a spiritual essence to a physical one. This is apparent from the analogy of the power of growth, that being that the essential power for growth itself is completely infinite it can not come into revelation in actuality unless it is first limited by a seed, which directs its infinite potential.
Previous |
Enlarge |
Next |
The material in this series is copyrighted by Rabbi Yossi Markel