## Introduction to Sulam Commentary Chapter 23

###### Introduction to Sulam Commentary 23:1
[Introduction to Sulam Commentary 23:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Introduction%20to%20Sulam%20Commentary/r/23:1)

כג. עתה תבין היטב, מה שאמרו חז"ל (בראשית רבה סוף פרשה י"ב) “בתחילה עלה במחשבה לברוא העולם במדת הדין", דהיינו במלכות דצמצום ראשון, שהיא מדת הדין. ו"העולם" יש לפרשו על זו"ן דאצילות המכונים 'עולם'. וכן יש לפרשו על העולם הזה, המקבל מזו"ן דאצילות, כי כל המקובל לזו"ן דאצילות, אפשר שיקובל לבני אדם שבעולם הזה, וכל שאינו מקובל לזו"ן, אינו מקובל לבני העולם הזה, כי למעלה ממדרגת זו"ן אין אנו יכולים לקבל. ולפיכך, כיון ששורש הזו"ן הוא מלמטה מטבור דא"ק, ששם שולטת המלכות דמדת הדין, אין הם יכולים לקבל האור העליון ולהתקיים, מחמת הצמצום שבמלכות הרוכב עליהם, ומכל שכן העולם הזה שלא יהיה יכול להתקיים.

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
23. **Now the statement of the Sages** cited above **can be properly understood:**²⁸ **“Initially, it was** God’s **intent to create the world through the attribute of judgment” – that is, through the** ***Malkhut*** **of the** **first constriction****, which is the attribute of judgment.**²⁹ was unable to directly receive the supernal light. As a result, *Malkhut* operates as a force that limits the light and imposes darkness upon the vessels. This limiting dynamic is the “attribute of judgement” discussed here. **The term “world” should be explained as referring to the** ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*** **of** ***Atzilut*****, which are called “world.” It can also be interpreted as referring to this world, which receives** supernal light **from the** level of ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*** **of** ***Atzilut*****, for everything that is received in** the level of ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*** **of** ***Atzilut*** **can be received by human beings in this world, whereas anything that is not received in the** level of ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*** **of** ***Atzilut*** **cannot be received by human beings in this world, as we cannot receive from** any level **above the** level of ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*** in *Atzilut*.³⁰ can be thought of as a sort of divine root of our world. There are many levels that are higher than this level of *Atzilut*, but since they are beyond the root of our world, and similarly, beyond the root of our very selves, we have no way of accessing them. If we think of the different levels and layers as coverings or filters for the supernal light, then the intensity or radiance of the supernal light above this level of *Atzilut* is beyond our capacity. Only after it is filtered through this layer does it begin to reach states that are accessible to us. The root of our souls derives from *Ze'er Anpin* and *Nukba*, the root of this world. **Therefore, since the root of** ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*** **is below the navel of** ***Adam Kadmon*****, where the** ***Malkhut*** **of the attribute of judgment is dominant,** *Ze’er Anpin* and *Nukba***cannot receive the** **supernal light** **and continue to exist, on account of the constriction of** ***Malkhut*** **which controls them. All the more so, this world cannot exist.**³¹ is addressing the state of things if there would not have been a second constriction, which is the ascent of *Malkhut* to *Bina*. He does so in order to substantiate the explanation of the words of the Sages regarding the partnering of judgment with mercy to create the world. The issue here is that the root in *Adam Kadmon* of the lower part of the world of *Atzilut*, which is *Ze’er Anpin* and *Nukba*, is positioned below the navel of *Adam Kadmon*. This area of the *partzuf* of *Adam Kadmon* is the end of that higher *partzuf*, the area where the supernal light cannot enter. This means that the supernal light has no way of reaching *Ze’er Anpin* and *Nukba*, which is the *partzuf* and level of *Atzilut* that is the root of our world. Accordingly, in this state, our world cannot exist, as it would have no access to the supernal light that provides lifeforce for existence. As the author of the Sulam goes on to explain, the ascent of *Malkhut* to *Bina* allows for *Ze’er Anpin* and *Nukba* to ascend to the higher level of *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*, the roots of which are above the navel of *Adam Kadmon*. It is this elevation that allows for our world to exist, as it allows *Ze’er Anpin* and *Nukba* to receive supernal light, and in turn, to transmit that light to the lower levels.

footnotes:
²⁸ See section 15.
²⁹ fter the placement of the partition resulting from the first constriction, Malkhut
³⁰ This level of Atzilut
³¹ At this point in the discussion, the author of the Sulam


###### Introduction to Sulam Commentary 23:2
[Introduction to Sulam Commentary 23:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Introduction%20to%20Sulam%20Commentary/r/23:2)

וזה שאמרו: “ראה שאין העולם מתקיים, הקדים מדת הרחמים ושתפה למדת הדין", דהיינו שהעלה המלכות דכל מדרגה, שהיא מדת הדין, אל הבינה של המדרגה, שהיא מדת הרחמים. ונמצא שהמלכות דישסו"ת עלתה לבינה דישסו"ת, שעל ידי זה נפלו בינה ותפארת ומלכות דישסו"ת למדרגה שמתחתיה, שהיא זו"ן, ונתדבקו עמהם. ומשום זה, בזמן הגדלות דישסו"ת, שהמלכות חזרה וירדה מבינה דישסו"ת למקומה, ושלושת הכלים בינה ותפארת ומלכות דישסו"ת חזרו למקומם לישסו"ת, כבתחילה, הנה אז לקחו עמהם גם את זו"ן הדבוקים בהם, והעלו אותם אל מדרגת ישסו"ת. ונעשו זו"ן כמדרגת ישסו"ת, דהיינו שנעשו ראויים לקבל האור העליון כמו ישסו"ת (כנזכר לעיל אות כ"א), ועל כן מקבלים האור העליון דישסו"ת ומשפיעים לעולם הזה, ועתה יכול העולם להתקיים. אבל לולא השיתוף של מדת הדין במדת הרחמים, דהיינו אם לא עלתה המלכות דישסו"ת לבינה דישסו"ת, אז לא היו נופלים בינה ותפארת ומלכות דישסו"ת לזו"ן, ולא היתה שום מציאות שזו"ן יעלו לישסו"ת, ואז לא היו יכולים לקבל האור העליון בשביל העולם, והעולם לא היה יכול להתקיים. והנה נתבאר ענין עלית המלכות לבינה.

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
**This is the meaning of** the continuation of **the statement** of the Sages: **“When He saw that the world could not exist** with the attribute of judgment alone, **He preceded** it with **the attribute of mercy, partnering it with the attribute of judgment.” This means that He raised up** ***Malkhut*** **which is the attribute of judgment, of every** **level****, to** ***Bina*** **which is the attribute of mercy, of the** **level****. The** ***Malkhut*** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*** **ascended to the** ***Bina*** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*****, as a result of which** ***Bina*****,** ***Tiferet*****, and** ***Malkhut*** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*****, fell to the** **level** **below** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*****, which is** ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*****, and became attached to them. As a consequence, when the** level of ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*** **reached a state of** **maturity****, where the** ***Malkhut*** **reverted and descended from** ***Bina*** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*** **to its place, and the three vessels** ***Bina*****,** ***Tiferet*****, and** ***Malkhut*** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*****, returned to their place, to** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*****, as before, they also took with them the** level of ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*** **that was attached to them. They raised them to the** **level** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*****, and the** level of ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*** **became like the** **level** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*****, meaning they became fit to receive the** **supernal light** **like** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*** **(as stated in section 21 above). Accordingly,** ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*** **receive the** **supernal light** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*** **and give to this world, and** only **now this world can exist. However, without the combination of the attribute of judgment with the attribute of mercy – that is, if the** ***Malkhut*** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*** **had not ascended to the** ***Bina*** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*** **– then the** ***Bina*****,** ***Tiferet*****, and** ***Malkhut*** **of** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*** **would not have fallen to** ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*****, and there would have been no possibility of** ***Ze’er Anpin*** **and** ***Nukba*** **ascending to** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*****. In that case, they would not have been able to receive the** **supernal light** **on behalf of the world, and the world could not exist. The ascent of** ***Malkhut*** **to** ***Bina*** **has** now **been explained.**