## Introduction to Sulam Commentary Chapter 9

###### Introduction to Sulam Commentary 9:1
[Introduction to Sulam Commentary 9:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Introduction%20to%20Sulam%20Commentary/r/9:1)

**חזה**
ט. ועד כאן דברנו בפרצופי אדם קדמון. אמנם בפרצופי עולם האצילות נתוסף סיום חדש בעשר ספירות דתוך, שהמלכות דתוך, הנקראת 'טבור', עלתה לבינה דעשר ספירות דתוך, וסיימה שם עשר ספירות דמדרגת התוך, שהסיום הזה נקרא '**חזה'**.

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
**Chest**
9. **Up to this point, we have discussed the** ***partzufim*** **of** ***Adam Kadmon*****. However, in the** ***partzufim*** **of the world of** ***Atzilut*****, a new end point is added to the ten** ***sefirot*** **of the interior: the** ***Malkhut*** **of the interior, which is called “navel,” rises to** ***Bina*** **of the ten** ***sefirot*** **of the interior, where it forms an endpoint for the ten** ***sefirot*** **of the** **level** **of the interior.**¹⁹ introduces the concept of the second constriction, which applies only from the level of the world of *Nekudim* and the *partzuf* of *Atzilut* which derives from it, and downward. In this process, the *sefira* of *Malkhut* that was positioned at the navel, the bottom of the interior aspect of the *partzuf*, is repositioned to the chest of the *partzuf*, the place of the *sefira* of *Bina*. This changes the format of the *partzuf* such that the interior area now ends at the point of the chest (just as *Malkhut* of the navel marked the end of the interior before the repositioning). Additionally, the area below the chest now becomes part of the lower area of the *partzuf* that was below the navel. The chest thus acts as a new separation, a new endpoint, wherein only two *sefirot* of the interior, *Keter* and *Ḥokhma*, and half of the *sefira* of *Bina*, remain above the chest, in the interior. The remaining *sefirot* of the interior “fall” below the separation, into the area of the end of the *partzuf*, with the six extremities. This second constriction is integral to the purpose of Creation, as the author of the *Sulam* will explain. **This endpoint is called “chest.”**

footnotes:
¹⁹ Here, the author of the Sulam


###### Introduction to Sulam Commentary 9:2
[Introduction to Sulam Commentary 9:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Introduction%20to%20Sulam%20Commentary/r/9:2)

והופרס שם פרסא, כלומר שסיום החדש שנעשה מחמת עלית המלכות לבינה, במקום החזה, נקרא 'פרסא', בסוד הרקיע המבדיל בין מים עליונים, שהם כתר וחכמה שנשארו במדרגת תוך, ובין בינה ותפארת ומלכות, שיצאו ממדרגת עשר ספירות דתוך ונעשו למדרגת עשר ספירות דסוף. שמשום זה נחלקו עשר ספירות דתוך לשתי מדרגות: שמפה עד החזה נחשב לבחינת עשר ספירות דתוך, ולאצילות, ולבחינת שלש ראשונות של הגוף. ומחזה ולמטה עד הטבור נחשב לבחינת עשר ספירות דסוף, ולבריאה, ולבחינת ו"ק בלי ראש, כמו עשר ספירות דסוף. וענין עלית המלכות לבינה וסיום החדש שנעשה באמצע כל מדרגה עיין לקמן אותיות ט"ו ט"ז.

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
**A diaphragm is thus inserted there. In other words, the new end point that was formed on account of the ascension of** ***Malkhut*** **to** ***Bina*****, in the place** called **the chest, is called “diaphragm”** based **on the mystical meaning of the firmament that separates between the upper waters, which are** ***Keter*** **and** ***Ḥokhma*****, which remained within the** **level** **of the interior, and** ***Bina*****,** ***Tiferet*****, and** ***Malkhut*****, which were ejected from the** **level** **of the ten** ***sefirot*** **of the interior and became the** **level** **of the ten** ***sefirot*** **of the end.**²⁰ explains here that the Torah alludes to this separating diaphragm in Genesis 1:7. The repositioning of *Malkhut* from the navel at the bottom of the interior to the level of *Bina* at the chest, effectively “partnering” *Malkhut* with *Bina*, causes the levels of *Bina*, *Tiferet* and *Malkhut* to be separated from *Keter* and *Ḥokhma*. *Keter* and *Ḥokhma* are the “waters” that lie above the firmament, and *Bina*, *Tiferet* and *Malkhut* are the “waters” below. **Because of this diaphragm, the ten** ***sefirot*** **of the interior were divided into two** **levels****:** The area **from the** **mouth** **to the chest is considered the ten** ***sefirot*** **of the interior,** ***Atzilut*****, and the first three** *sefirot* **of the** **body****; from the chest and downward, to the navel is considered the ten** ***sefirot*** **of the end,** the level of ***Beria*****, and the six extremities without a** **head****, like the ten** ***sefirot*** **of the end. With regard to the ascent of** ***Malkhut*** **to** ***Bina*****, and the new endpoint that occurs in the middle of every** **level****, see sections 15 and 16 below.**

footnotes:
²⁰ The author of the Sulam