## Introduction to Sulam Commentary Chapter 50

###### Introduction to Sulam Commentary 50:1
[Introduction to Sulam Commentary 50:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Introduction%20to%20Sulam%20Commentary/r/50:1)

**שתי בחינות עלית מ"ן**
נ. יש שתי בחינות עלית מ"ן דז"א:

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
**Two Aspects to the Ascent of the** **Feminine Waters**
50. **There are two aspects to the ascent of the** **feminine waters**¹⁰⁴ represented by the ascent of *Ze'er Anpin* to the higher levels as the middle line. In *Kabbala* and Torah thought, the concept of female denotes the dynamic of receiving, while male denotes giving. The flow of direct light of *Ḥokhma* from above to below is described as the “masculine waters.” Here the *Sulam* explains the two aspects of the “feminine waters,” the yearning from below to above. It is this “yearning” from below that triggers structural shifts above to allow the flow of *Ḥokhma* to reach the lower levels. **of** ***Ze’er Anpin*****:**

footnotes:
¹⁰⁴ The ascent of feminine waters is a term referencing the “yearning” from below for the light of Ḥokhma


###### Introduction to Sulam Commentary 50:2
[Introduction to Sulam Commentary 50:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Introduction%20to%20Sulam%20Commentary/r/50:2)

א': מתוך ששלש ראשונות דבינה שהוא סוד או"א עלאין, הם תמיד באחורים לחכמה, דהיינו שאינם רוצים לקבל חכמה אלא חסדים, בסוד הכתוב “כי חפץ חסד הוא" כנזכר לעיל. ואין ישסו"ת יכולים לקבל חכמה מא"א, אלא דרך או"א (כנזכר לעיל אות מ"ד). לפיכך אי אפשר שישסו"ת יקבל חכמה דרך או"א, אלא אם כן שז"א עולה למ"ן לישסו"ת, ואז מסירים או"א את האחורים שלהם מן החכמה, והחכמה עוברת דרך או"א אל ישסו"ת. והתעוררות זו נמשכת מבינה דאור ישר, הממשכת הארת חכמה בחסדים בשביל ז"א דאור ישר (כמו שנתבאר בפתיחה לחכמת הקבלה אות ה'). ולפיכך, בכל עת שז"א עולה למ"ן, מתעוררים או"א להמשיך לו חכמה (ועיין להלן אות פ"ג).

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
**First, since the first three of** ***Bina*****, which are the mystical meaning of** ***Abba*****and *Imma Ila’in*****,**¹⁰⁵ and *Imma* *Ila’in* (literally “supernal father and mother”) is the name for the *partzuf* formed out of the first three of the level of *Bina* that was ejected from the head of *Arikh Anpin* as a result of the second constriction and the ascent of *Malkhut*. **always show their back in relation to** ***Ḥokhma*****, meaning that they do not want to receive** ***Ḥokhma*****, but rather** the light of **giving****, as** is alluded to **in the mystical meaning of the verse “For He delights in mercy,” as stated above,**¹⁰⁶ **and** also, ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*** **can receive** ***Ḥokhma*** **from*****Arikh Anpin*** **only by means of *Abba* and *Imma* (as stated in section 44 above),** it **therefore** follows that **it is impossible for** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*** **to receive** ***Ḥokhma*** **by means of *Abba* and *Imma* unless** ***Ze’er Anpin*** **raises up the** **feminine waters** **to** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*****. Then *Abba* and *Imma* remove their backs from** ***Ḥokhma*****, and the** light of ***Ḥokhma*** **passes by way of *Abba* and *Imma* to** ***Yisrael Sabba*****and *Tevuna*****. This awakening is drawn from the** ***Bina*** **of the** **direct light****, which extends the illumination of** ***Ḥokhma*** **in the** light of **giving** **for** ***Ze’er Anpin*** **of the** **direct light** **(as explained in** ***Petiḥa LeḤokhmat HaKabbala*****, section 5). Consequently, whenever** ***Ze’er Anpin*** **raises up the** **feminine waters****, A*bba* and *Imma* awaken to draw** ***Ḥokhma*** **to** *Ze'er Anpin* **(see section 83 below).**¹⁰⁷ “desires” the light of giving with an illumination of the light of *Ḥokhma* within it. This “yearning” activates a flow of the light of *Ḥokhma* from *Arikh Anpin*. It also activates *Bina* of *Arikh Anpin* (with its higher aspect, *Abba* and *Imma*, and its lower aspect, *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*) to “turn to face” the flow of the light of *Ḥokhma*, in order to stop blocking it, and instead, allowing the light of *Ḥokhma* to pass through to *Ze'er Anpin* below. *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna* plays a key role here, since it is the lower *sefirot* of the level of *Bina*, and thus, has an affinity for the light of giving illuminated by the light of *Ḥokhma* (like any lower set of seven *sefirot*).

footnotes:
¹⁰⁵ Abba
¹⁰⁶ See section 43 above.
¹⁰⁷ To summarize: Ze'er Anpin