## Sulam on Zohar, Introduction

###### Sulam on Zohar, Introduction 10:1
[Sulam on Zohar, Introduction 10:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sulam%20on%20Zohar/s/Introduction/r/10:1)

י) **מי קצה השמים** וכו': **מ"י** פירושו קצה השמים למעלה שהוא ישסו"ת, **מ"ה**, פירושו קצה השמים למטה. שהוא המלכות. וזה ירש יעקב שהוא ז"א, שהוא מבריח מן הקצה אל הקצה. מן הקצה הראשון שהוא **מ"י**, עד הקצה האחרון, שהוא **מ"ה**. משום שהוא עומד באמצע בין ישסו"ת למלכות. ועל כן, מי ברא אלה. שישסו"ת שנקראו **מ"י** בראו את ז"א ומלכות הנקראים **אל"ה**.

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
**10. “*Mi* is the edge of the heavens etc.”**
***Mi* is the edge of the heavens above**, which is *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*; ***Ma* is the edge of the heavens below**, which is *Malkhut***. This is what Jacob inherited,** who is *Ze’er Anpin*, **who “passes through from edge to edge”** [Exodus 26:28] **– from the first edge, which is *Mi*, to the last edge, which is *Ma*, as [*Ze'er Anpin*] is positioned in the middle**, between *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna* and *Malkhut***. Therefore, “who has created these** [*eleh*,” Isaiah 40:26]**.** As *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*, who are called *Mi* ("who"), created *Ze’er Anpin* and *Malkhut*, which are called *eleh*.


###### Sulam on Zohar, Introduction 10:2
[Sulam on Zohar, Introduction 10:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sulam%20on%20Zohar/s/Introduction/r/10:2)

ביאור הדברים, כי לכאורה היה לו להכתוב לומר מראש השמים ועד קצה השמים, ולמה אומר מקצה ועד קצה, דהיינו מסוף עד סוף, שאין כאן כל משמעות. וז"ש **מ"י קצה השמים לעילא**, דהיינו ישסו"ת דקיימא לשאלה המלביש מהחזה עד הטבור דא"א. **מ"ה** היינו הנוקבא שמטרם העלאה מ"ן שהיא סוף כל דרגין מחזה דז"א ולמטה. וביניהם עומד יעקב, הוא ז"א המתחיל להלביש ממקום הטבור דא"א עד הנוקבא, ואז הוא מבריח מקצה ד**מ"י** עד הקצה ד**מ"ה**. כי ה**מ"י** מסתיים בטבור דא"א, ושם מתחיל יעקב כנ"ל, והנוקבא שהיא **מ"ה** עומדת בסיומו כנ"ל.

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
Explanation: It would seem that the verse should have said “from the top of heaven to the [bottom] edge of heaven.” Why does it say, “from one edge to the other edge” [Deuteronomy 4:32], implying from end to end, which does not mean anything? He therefore states: **“*Mi* is the edge of the heavens above,”** i.e., *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*, which is poised for a question and which enclothes from the chest to the navel of *Arikh Anpin*.¹ and *Tevuna* before any ascents result from feminine waters, and the yearning from below. See the preceding sections in order to understand the foundations of this section. ***Ma*** is the *Nukba*² is the female *partzuf* counterpart to *Ze'er Anpin* and corresponds to the *sefira* of *Malkhut*. before the ascent of feminine waters, which is the end of all the levels from the chest of *Ze’er Anpin* and below. Jacob is positioned between [*Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna* and *Nukba*] – he is *Ze’er Anpin*, who starts to enclothe from the place of the navel of *Arikh Anpin* until the *Nukba*, which means he passes from the end of *Mi* [the bottom of *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*] to the end of *Ma* [the top of *Nukba*, the *partzuf* of *Malkhut*]. For the *Mi* concludes at the navel of *Arikh Anpin*, where Jacob begins, as stated, and the *Nukba*, which is *Ma*, is positioned at his conclusion, as stated.

footnotes:
¹ This is the default state of Yisrael Sabba
² Nukba


###### Sulam on Zohar, Introduction 10:3
[Sulam on Zohar, Introduction 10:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sulam%20on%20Zohar/s/Introduction/r/10:3)

אמנם הכתוב מדבר כבר אחר המשכת המוחין אל הזו"ן, כמ"ש, ברישא דקרא, שאל נא לימים הראשונים וכו', שהפירוש הוא בעת שהזו"ן עולים ומקבלים המוחין דישסו"ת, הנק' ימים ראשונים, כנ"ל, שאז נמצא, שקצה השמים דלתתא שהוא **מ"ה** דהיינו הנוקבא, עלתה והלבישה על קצה השמים לעילא, דהיינו על ה**מ"י** שהוא ישסו"ת, ונמצאים שניהם במקום אחד ממש. וע"כ אומר הכתוב מקצה עד הקצה, שהרי עתה נעשו שניהם בחי' קצה השמים אחד. כי הימים הראשונים מקבל הז"א, שהם ו"ק מישראל סבא שהם חג"ת נה"י, והנוק' נוטלת התבונה, שהיא המלכות דבינה, הנמצאת עתה בקצה דז"א, הנק' שמים, אלא בערך הקודם למוחין, נבחנת לראש השמים.

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
However, the verse is speaking [of the stage] after the drawing of the brains³ to attain access to higher brains, levels of supernal light. to [*Ze’er Anpin*] and *Nukba*, as it written, at the start of the verse: “For ask now of the days past etc.” [Deuteronomy 4:32]. This is referring to the time when the [*Ze’er Anpin*] and *Nukba* ascend and receive the brains of *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*, which are called “the days past,” as stated. For then, the edge of the heavens below, which is *Ma*, i.e., the *Nukba*, ascends and enclothes at the edge of the heavens above, that is, on the *Mi*, which is *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*, and thus they are literally both in one place. This is why the verse states “from edge to edge” [Deuteronomy 4:32], as they have both now become the aspect of one edge of heaven. For the *Ze’er Anpin* receives “the days past,” which are six extremities from *Yisrael Sabba*:⁴ structure of *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*. *Ḥesed*, *Gevura*, *Tiferet*, *Netzaḥ*, *Hod*, and *Yesod*, while the *Nukba* takes *Tevuna*, i.e., the *Malkhut* of *Bina*, which is now at the edge of *Ze’er Anpin*, called “heaven.”⁵ matches with *Yisrael Sabba* and *Nukba* with *Tevuna* during this phase. However, with respect to the quality that precedes the brains, she is considered the head of heaven.

footnotes:
³ The "brains" refer to particular levels of supernal light. One of the main themes of these sections is the required adjustments in the structures of the partzufim
⁴ This refers to the male component of the partzuf
⁵ This is the layout of how Ze'er Anpin


###### Sulam on Zohar, Introduction 10:4
[Sulam on Zohar, Introduction 10:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sulam%20on%20Zohar/s/Introduction/r/10:4)

ויש עוד פי' ב', אשר השמים דלעילא הוא יש"ס, הכולל ו' הימים הראשונים, שהם חג"ת נה"י דבינה. וקצה השמים דלעילא הוא התבונה, שהיא המלכות דבינה. ויהיה שיעור הכתוב מהקצה דיש"ס, עד הקצה דז"א הנק' שמים דלתתא.

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
There is also a second explanation [of the verse]: The heavens above is *Yisrael Sabba*, which incorporates the six first days, which are *Ḥesed*, *Gevura*, *Tiferet*, *Netzaḥ*, *Hod*, and *Yesod* of *Bina*.⁶ and *Tevuna* are the lower seven *sefirot* of the *sefira* of *Bina* of the level of *Arikh Anpin*. *Yisrael Sabba* here is the lower six of *Bina*, and *Tevuna* is *Malkhut* of *Bina*. The edge of the heavens above is the *Tevuna*, which is the *Malkhut* of *Bina*. The verse should thus be understood as follows: From the edge of *Yisrael Sabba* to the edge of *Ze’er Anpin*, which is called “the heavens below.”

footnotes:
⁶ Recall that Yisrael Sabba


###### Sulam on Zohar, Introduction 10:5
[Sulam on Zohar, Introduction 10:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Sulam%20on%20Zohar/s/Introduction/r/10:5)

וז"ש **ועל דא מ"י ברא אלה**: כלומר, על אלו המוחין אומר הכתוב **מ"י ברא אלה** כי **מ"י** הוא ישסו"ת העומד במקום בריאה דא"א, דהיינו מחזה עד הטבור, למטה מפרסא שבגוי מעוהי דא"א, ששם אינה מגיעה עוד הארת ראש דא"א, (כנ"ל אות ז' ד"ה וז"ש דהאי, ע"ש). דע"כ נבחן לבריאה דהיינו לבר מראש דא"א, וע"כ הוא קיימא לשאלה, כנ"ל. ונמצא אחר שהזו"ן משיגים אלו המוחין שהם עולים ומלבישים את המ"י הזה ונוטלים מקומו מהחזה עד הטבור דא"א, הרי גם המוחין שלהם עתה רק בבחינת בריאה דא"א, וז"ש הכתוב, **מ"י ברא אלה** שהם הזו"ן, כלומר הזו"ן נטלו מוחין דבריאה מן ה**מ"י**.

**The Sefaria Sulam, 2023:**
[The *Zohar*] thus states: **“Regarding who has created these.”** That is, it is in reference to these brains that the verse states **“who [*mi*] has created these,”** for ***Mi*** is *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*, which is positioned in the place of *Beria* of *Arikh Anpin*, i.e., from the chest to the navel, below the diaphragm that is inside the intestine of *Arikh Anpin*, since the illumination of the head of *Arikh Anpin* no longer reaches there (as stated above, in section 7, third paragraph; see there).⁷ lies below the diaphragm positioned at the "bottom" of the world of *Atzilut*. Similarly, in the body of *Arikh Anpin*, the area below the diaphragm in the chest of *Arikh Anpin*, where *Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna* is positioned, is the region corresponding to *Beria*. As mentioned previously, the light of the head of *Arikh Anpin* does not penetrate below the diaphragm. This is why [that region] is considered *Beria*, i.e., outside [*bar*] of the head of *Arikh Anpin*, and therefore [*Yisrael Sabba* and *Tevuna*] is poised for a question. Thus, once the [*Ze’er Anpin*] and *Nukba* attain the brains [of this region], by ascending and enclothing this *Mi* and taking its place from the chest to the navel of *Arikh Anpin*, their brains, too, are now only *Beria* of *Arikh Anpin*. This is the meaning of the verse: “**Who [*Mi*] has created [*bara*] these,”** i.e., the [*Ze’er Anpin*] and *Nukba* took the brains of *Beria* from the *Mi*.

footnotes:
⁷ The world of Beria