71. The second stage is the world of Nekudim, which emerged from upon the partition of the first level¹⁹⁴ of Adam Kadmon emerged as a result of the direct light impacting the partition in a fusion through collision and creating returning light. The partition initially contained opacity of the fourth level, then was purified to the third level, then the second. Each level of opacity created a different height of returning light, with the fourth level creating a height of Keter, the third level creating one of Ḥokhma, and the second level creating one of Bina. At this point in the process, the second constriction occurred, leading to the ascent of Malkhut to Bina in every sefira from that level onward. The partition in this context has opacity of the first level, since the previous levels were purified from the partition in the previous fusions through collision. that is attached to Malkhut, in which ten sefirot emerged at two distinct **times.**¹⁹⁵ of Nekudim requires two stages.

footnotes: ¹⁹⁴ The first three partzufim ¹⁹⁵ As this section explains, as a result of the new situation created by the second constriction, the creation of the partzufim

Initially the sefira of Malkhut ascended to the partzuf of Bina of Sagof Adam Kadmon.¹⁹⁶ Then, when the partition of Sag was purified to the first level,¹⁹⁷ which is called the “apertures of the eyes,”¹⁹⁸ of the head of the partzuf. the Malkhut ascended and attached itself to the first level, terminating the level¹⁹⁹ and its partition to the higher position of Bina. This new placement prevents the supernal light from continuing onward and leads to a fusion through collision at that point. This is the same concept as that discussed in many previous sections regarding the rectification of lines and the descent of lower aspects of a level (Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut) to the level below. under Ḥokhma, which is called “eyes.”²⁰⁰ and, as always, to the five main sefirot. Those five features are the skull (gulgalta), eyes (corresponding to Ḥokhma), ears (Bina), nose (Tiferet) and mouth (Malkhut). Thus, only two vessels were left in the level, Keter and Ḥokhma, with two lights, ruaḥ and nefesh,²⁰¹ while three remaining vessels – Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut – fell from the level. This state is called “the immaturity of the Nekudim.”²⁰² remains in Bina, constricting the supernal light. The phase of maturity is when Malkhut descends back to its proper place, allowing the level to have a full set of vessels and lights once again. At the phase of maturity, the three vessels, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, were returned to the level, and the five vessels, Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, were completed in the level, together with the five lights, nefesh, ruaḥ, neshama, ḥaya, and yeḥida (in the manner explained in section 19 above).

footnotes: ¹⁹⁶ This is the ascent of the second constriction, beginning only at this point and downward in the structured “stack” of existence. ¹⁹⁷ This refers to the purification that takes place as a result of the surrounding light beating against the vessel of the returning light after a fusion through collision has taken place. ¹⁹⁸ The aperture of the eyes refers to the level of Ḥokhma ¹⁹⁹ This termination is the result of the ascent of Malkhut ²⁰⁰ The five aspects of the human head correspond to five “features” of the head of a partzuf ²⁰¹ Recall that higher vessels always come in first, while lower lights always come in first. Hence, when the lower vessels are ejected, the higher lights also leave. ²⁰² As was discussed previously, the phase of immaturity is when Malkhut

It has thus been explained that in the world of Nekudim the ten sefirot did not emerge all at once, as in the first three partzufim of Adam Kadmon. Rather, they emerged at two distinct times, during the phase of immaturity and during the phase of maturity, with only two sefirot emerging at the phase of immaturity and the other three sefirot emerging at the phase of maturity.