Section: The World of Nekudim (Openings 36–50)
This opens the entire World of Nekudim unit. Nekudim = the World of Chaos (Tohu) — the incomplete-Atzilut state, the world of vowel-points that emerged before Atzilut's form was complete. Two parts: (Part 1) Definition: Nekudim = when Atzilut and its three branches (Beriyah, Yetzirah, Asiyah) were successively being made. The Eyn Sof acts not by limitless instantaneous power but as a craftsman — gradual, in stages, like wood shaped by chisel. (Part 2) Metaphor: shapeless-mass first, beauty visible only when complete. The most important pivot in the chapter: **Nekudim is not a level on the scale leading to Atzilut**. Nekudim did not endure; the actual Atzilut now stands in its place. Nekudim is what the Zohar calls the flashes and sparks (Idra Zuta 292b; Zohar II, 254b) — the material the Craftsman struck off and discarded from the metal as he shaped the vessel. Their purpose: to bring forth evil. Once concealment reached the threshold where evil could emerge, what stood ready-to-produce-evil was extracted from the Likeness of Man, flashed briefly with apparent rule, and was extinguished. "The Mind scattered sparks on 320 sides" — the entirety of the kings (shattered vessels). The first three (Keter, Chochmah, Binah) were insufficient for the lower seven; the lower seven could not endure at all. The "serpent" is what was extracted from man and stands outside. The Supreme Will deliberately built this deficiency in, so that permanent repair (Tikkun) would be the end-state — the perfect form earned by removal of all that limited it.
This chapter opens the mid-section of the entire book — the long working-out of Atzilut's emergence through breaking and repair. It defines Nekudim, locates it in the Zohar's imagery, and explains why a deliberately-defective stage was built into the design.
Part 1 — Definition. Nekudim is the World of Chaos: Atzilut and its branches successively being made. The branches: Beriyah, Yetzirah, Asiyah, all woven into a single web with Atzilut. Man's NRNCY maps to A/B/Y/A: Atzilut = NHaN; Beriyah = Neshamah; Yetzirah = Ruach; Asiyah = Nefesh. All creatures fit the same order: Inanimate (A) / Vegetable (Y) / Animal (B) / Man (Atzilut). Eyn Sof acts as a craftsman — gradual stages, not limitless instant power.
Part 2 — Metaphor and pivot. Wood shaped by a chisel: shapeless first, beauty when complete. Then the pivot: Nekudim is not a level on the scale leading to Atzilut. It existed and was negated; its place is now occupied by Atzilut. Nekudim = the flashes and sparks of the Craftsman's hammer (Idra Zuta 292b; Zohar II, 254b). Their purpose: bringing forth evil so it could be removed. Once removed: Atzilut stands in its rectified form (Tikkun). The "kings" are the shattered vessels: KCB insufficient for lower seven; lower seven unable to endure. Sparks scattered on 320 sides = entirety of all the kings. Serpent = the evil-side, separated from man. Permanent repair is the end-state by design.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
גדר עולם הנקודים:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The World of Nekudim Plain English: The chapter's theme is the World of Nekudim.
Concepts: world_of_nekudim.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
עולם הנקודים הוא מה שהאצילות עם כל ענפיו היו הולכים ונעשים, כאומן העושה כלי מחתיכת עץ, שבתחלה הוא גולם, ואחר כך בהשתלם צורתו - אז נראה היופי שלו בצורה שלמה.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The name Nekudim derives from the verse in Genesis 31:10: "I saw in a dream, and behold, the rams which leaped upon the flock were streaked, speckled and grizzled". "Streaked" (עקודים, akudim) alludes to the World of Akudim, the lights of the Mouth of Adam Kadmon, which were contained in a single vessel, as discussed in the preceding Openings. "Speckled" (נקודים, nekudim) alludes to the World of Nekudim, so-called because it is the "world" in which the vowel points (nekudim) emerged as "broken", separate and unconnected vessels, prior to the Tikkun ("repair" or "rectification"). Nekudim is the plural form of the Hebrew word nikud (cf. nekudah), which means a "dot" or "point" (as in Tosefta Shabbat 12:8). The word nekudim is also found with the connotation of "crumbled pieces" (in Joshua 9:12 and Terumah 5:1). > > The World of Nekudim was when Atzilut with all its branches were successively being made, like the way in which a craftsman makes a vessel out of a piece of wood: at first it is a shapeless mass, but afterwards, when its form is completed, its beauty is then visible in its complete form. Plain English: Footnote: name from Genesis 31:10 (Jacob's sheep) — akudim (streaked) = AK's Mouth-lights in one vessel (Op. 35); nekudim (speckled) = vowel-points emerged as broken / separate vessels prior to Tikkun. Proposition: Nekudim = when Atzilut + branches successively made — like a craftsman shaping wood: shapeless mass → complete-form beauty.
Concepts: world_of_nekudim, akudim_nekudim_berudim, tikkun_repair, iron_hammer_metaphor, atzilut, lights_of_mouth.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
עכשיו מתחיל עולם הנקודים והוא עולם התוהו, זה ראוי להתבאר תחלה אחר הקודם לו, כי זה הוא האור היוצא אחר האורות שזכרנו למעלה:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Now starts the World of the Nekudim – the World of Chaos (תוהו, Tohu). This is the first thing that must be explained after the preceding discussion because this is the light that emerged after the lights we have discussed above. Plain English: Now begins Tohu — the World of Chaos. It comes after the lights discussed above (AK's apertures), so it must be explained next.
Concepts: world_of_nekudim, tohu_chaos.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלקי המאמר הזה ב'. ח"א, עולם הנקודים הוא מה וכו', והוא גדר עולם הנקודים. ח"ב, כאומן וכו', והוא משל על ענין זה העולם:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The proposition consists of two parts. Part 1: The World of Nekudim was when... This provides the definition of the World of Nekudim. Part 2: ...like the way in which a craftsman... This provides us with a metaphorical way of understanding this world. Plain English: Two parts: (1) definition; (2) metaphor.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלק א: עולם הנקודים הוא מה שהאצילות עם כל ענפיו, ר"ל האצילות - כל מה שבאצילות, וענפיו - בי"ע עם כל תולדותיהם. ותמצא שכל אלה בחדא מחתא מחתינהו, שהכל ענין אחד וקשר אחד. מתחיל באצילות ומסיים בעשיה, שהוא השורש האמיתי לעניני התחתונים, מה שלא היה עד שהגענו למדרגה זאת. ותראה האדם עצמו מורכב מאבי"ע בסוד נר"ן ונל"ן. ואפילו הנבראים הולכים על זה הדרך בסוד דצח"מ:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Part 1: The World of Nekudim was when Atzilut with all its branches... "Atzilut" refers to everything in the world of Atzilut, while the "branches" are Beriyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah with all their offspring. All of them are woven in a single web and fall under one category, for they are one whole bound together in a single bond, starting with Atzilut and ending with Asiyah. This is the true root of everything in the lower realms, and it did not exist until we reached this level. Man himself is a combination of Atzilut, Beriyah, Yetzirah and Asiyah, corresponding to his Nefesh (Asiyah), Ruach (Yetzirah), Neshamah (Beriyah) and Neshamah-of-the-Neshamah (Atzilut). All the different creatures come under the same order in the categories of Inanimate (corresponding to Asiyah), Vegetable (Yetzirah), Animal (Beriyah) and Man (Atzilut). Plain English: Atzilut = everything in Atzilut. Branches = Beriyah, Yetzirah, Asiyah and offspring. All four = single web; root of the lower realms — first existed at this level. Man's NRNCY maps to A/B/Y/Asiyah: Atzilut = NHaN; Beriyah = Neshamah; Yetzirah = Ruach; Asiyah = Nefesh. Creatures: Inanimate / Vegetable / Animal / Man = A / Y / B / Atzilut.
Concepts: atzilut, beriyah, yetzirah, asiyah, nrncy_levels, dmut_adam.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
היו הולכים ונעשים, ר"ל שלא רצה הא"ס ב"ה להוציא ענין זה בתשלום צורתם מתחלתם, אלא בהדרגה. מתחיל בשלמות מועט, ואחר כך בשלמות יותר, עד שנשלם לגמרי. ונמצא שמה שהוא באחרונה הוא מה שהיה בתחלה. אך בחסרון השלמות, שהוא עתיד לבוא אחר כך:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> ...were successively being made... This indicates that Eyn Sof did not want to produce everything fully-formed from the very outset but rather, gradually, stage by stage, starting with the minimum perfection and advancing steadily towards ever-increasing perfection, until complete perfection reigns. Accordingly, what exists at the end is what existed at the outset, although it then lacked the perfection that was intended to come afterwards. Plain English: Eyn Sof did not want instant production. Gradual stages: from minimum perfection toward complete perfection. What exists at the end existed at the outset — but lacking the perfection meant for the end.
Concepts: tikkun_repair.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלק ב: כאומן העושה כלי מחתיכת עץ, ר"ל שלא רצה הא"ס ב"ה לפעול כפי עצמו. שאז היה מוציא שלמות הענין בבת אחת. אלא עשה כאומן שאינו יכול לעשות אלא בהדרגה. ולוקח החתיכה לפניו, ומציירה מעט, וכמה חילופים מתחלפים עליה מצורה לצורה, עד שמסתימת בצורה השלמה:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Part 2: ...like the way in which a craftsman makes a vessel out of a piece of wood. This means that Eyn Sof did not want to act in accordance with His own intrinsic, limitless power, for He would then have produced complete perfection instantaneously. Rather, He acted like a craftsman who is only able to work gradually, in stages. He takes the lump of material in front of him and shapes it little by little. It undergoes many different changes of form, from one to another, until finally it ends up in its complete form. Plain English: Eyn Sof deliberately did not use limitless intrinsic power (which would yield instant perfection). Instead, as a craftsman: takes material, shapes gradually, many changes of form, until complete.
Concepts: iron_hammer_metaphor.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
שבתחלה הוא גולם ואחר כך בהשתלם צורתו - אז נראה היופי שלו בצורה שלמה, שבתחלה הוא גולם גמור, והנה אחר כך הוא הולך ומצטייר. אך עם כל זה רק כשנשלם צורתו נראה היופי, ומי שרואה הגולם בראשונה, או בציוריו הראשונים, לא יראה אלא דבר בלתי נאות. ובסוף נראית הצורה היפה, ומראה גם כן שכל זה היה צריך כדי לבוא אל היופי.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> At first it is a shapeless mass, but afterwards, when its form is completed, its beauty is then visible in its complete form. It starts off as a completely formless substance, then afterwards it steadily takes on more and more of a distinct form. Nevertheless, only when the form is complete is the beauty visible, but one who sees the shapeless mass at the outset or in its initial forms will merely see something faulty. However, in the end the true form will be seen in all its beauty, and it will then be evident that all this was necessary in order to come to that beauty. Plain English: Shapeless first; takes form gradually. Beauty visible only at completion. Whoever sees the shapeless mass mid-process sees something faulty. End reveals: all this was necessary to reach the beauty.
Concepts: tikkun_repair, iron_hammer_metaphor.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
ואמנם בדרך זה ממש היה ענין זה של האצילות, כי התחיל הרצון העליון לציירו למעלה במחשבה העליונה, ובעוד שהיה מתחיל להצטייר, ולא השלים צורתו, היו יוצאים אורות הנקודים, והם לפי בחינת האצילות בלתי מושלמת. אחר כך השלים להצטייר, ויצא הוא עצמו בציור היפה, שהוא התיקון כדלקמן.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> This is exactly the way in which Atzilut developed. The Supreme Will began to design it above in the Supreme Mind (המחשבה העליונה, hamachshavah ha-elyonah). It was while it was still beginning to take shape, before its form was complete, that the lights of the Nekudim emerged, corresponding to Atzilut before it was complete. Afterwards the design of Atzilut was complete, and it emerged in all the beauty of its intrinsic form, this being the state of Tikkun, "repair" or "rectification", as will be discussed below. Plain English: Atzilut designed in HaMachshavah HaElyonah (Supreme Mind). While the form was still being shaped (incomplete), the Nekudim emerged — corresponding to incomplete Atzilut. Afterwards: form complete = state of Tikkun.
Concepts: supreme_mind_machshavah_elyonah, world_of_nekudim, atzilut, tikkun_repair.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
ושתי ידיעות יש בענין זה, א' - שעולם הנקודים נמצא מהתחלת הצטייר עולם האצילות, קודם שהיה נשלם, דהיינו שהיה האצילות ככלי שעדיין לא נשלם צורתו. ב' - שאין עולם הנקודים עולם האצילות עצמו, אלא מה שיצא לפי בחינת צורת האצילות הבלתי מושלמת.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Two things must be understood here. The first is that the World of Nekudim came into existence when the World of Atzilut first began to take shape, before it was complete. Atzilut was then like a vessel whose form was as yet incomplete. The second thing that must be understood is that the World of Nekudim is not to be identified with the World of Atzilut itself. Rather, it is what emerged while the form of Atzilut was still incomplete. Plain English: Two essentials: (1) Nekudim came into existence when Atzilut was still incomplete (a vessel whose form was unfinished); (2) Nekudim is NOT Atzilut — it is what emerged while Atzilut's form was still incomplete.
Concepts: world_of_nekudim, atzilut.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
והוא הסוד שפירש באד"ז, כד אכתיש אומנא בפרזלא.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Thus the Zohar states: "When the Craftsman pounded with the iron hammer, it produced sparks on all sides, and the emerging sparks came out as flashes that lit up and were then immediately extinguished, and these are called the Primordial Worlds, and because of this they were destroyed and did not endure..." (Idra Zuta 292b). Plain English: Zohar Idra Zuta 292b: Craftsman pounded with iron hammer → sparks on all sides → flashes that lit up and immediately extinguished = Primordial Worlds. They were destroyed and did not endure.
Concepts: iron_hammer_metaphor, flashes_and_sparks, primordial_worlds.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
ופירוש הענין זה הוא, כי בשלמא שאר ההדרגות שקודם עולם הנקודים, נוכל לקרוא אותם הדרגות ממש לעולם האצילות, כי הרי יש להם מהות מה שיש להם תמיד. וכשנבחין אותו - נמצאהו מהות אחד מתקרב לענין דמות אדם של האצילות, אך רחוק ממנו מעט, כפי שיעור ההדרגה. אך עולם הנקודים לא נוכל לקרא אותו כך, כי הרי אין מציאותו קיים, אלא היה ונתבטל, ועכשיו במקומו יש אצילות ממש. אם כן אין הנקודים הדרגה לאצילות, שהרי אם היתה הדרגה - צריכה היתה להתקיים תמיד. דאם לא כן, הרי יש דילוג - שחסרה מדרגה אחת, והכוונה העליונה להעמיד כל האורות בסדר זה תחת זה. ואם עכשיו אינה צריכה להדרגה זאת - גם מתחלה לא הוצרכה.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Let me explain this: The other levels prior to the World of Nekudim (e.g. the worlds of Vision, Hearing and Smell of Adam Kadmon) can properly be called levels leading to the world of Atzilut, because they continue to possess the same quality they always had. When we examine this more closely we find it to be one quality which steadily approaches the Likeness of Man that typifies Atzilut, although it is still a little distant from it because the development is gradual. However, we cannot call the World of Nekudim a "level", because it is not something that endured. It existed, and then it was negated, and now, in its place, is the actual Atzilut. If so, Nekudim cannot be called a level leading to Atzilut, because if it were, it should have remained in existence. Otherwise we would be faced with a "leap", because one level would be missing, while the supreme intention was to arrange all the lights in order, one under the other, and if there is no need for this level now, it was also unnecessary at the outset. Plain English: AK's V/H/S worlds = legitimate levels leading to Atzilut (they endure with the same quality). But Nekudim is NOT a level — it did not endure. It was negated, and Atzilut now stands in its place. If it were a level, the order would have a "leap" — but the order requires all lights in sequence. Therefore Nekudim must be something categorically different.
Concepts: world_of_nekudim, world_of_vision, world_of_hearing, world_of_smell, atzilut, dmut_adam.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
אלא צריך לומר, שאין זה לפי טעם ההדרגה, אלא ענין אחר. והוא ענין הזיקין ניצוצין שזכר הרשב"י זללה"ה, וענינם הוא מה שנבדל מגוף הברזל בשעת התקנתו, מפני כח ההכאה המתקנת ענינה. לפי זה, באצילות הוא - שהמחשבה העליונה היתה לוקחת סוד דמות אדם להעמידו על מכונו, ואז היתה מבררת מה שצריך להסיר משם, ומהו שצריך להסיר - אלא ענין הרע,
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Rather, we should say that the Nekudim are not to be understood as a level on the scale leading to Atzilut. They are something different. The Nekudim correspond to the "flashes" and "sparks" mentioned by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (Zohar II, 254b). As the craftsman pounds the metal, the flashes and sparks are what separates from the body of the metal under the impact of the blow that comes to shape and fix the vessel. Following this metaphor, Atzilut is where the Supreme Mind took the underlying mystery of the Likeness of Man in order to establish it on its foundation, and the Supreme Mind then picked out what had to be removed and discarded from there. And what was it that had to be removed? Evil. Plain English: Nekudim = flashes and sparks (Zohar II, 254b). The Craftsman's blow separates sparks from the body of the metal — what flies off as he shapes the vessel. Cosmic version: Supreme Mind takes the Likeness of Man and picks out what must be removed and discarded — evil.
Concepts: flashes_and_sparks, supreme_mind_machshavah_elyonah, dmut_adam, return_evil_to_good.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
דהיינו שהאורות ההם היו עומדים להוציא הרע, כי כבר הגיע ההעלם למדרגה זאת שאפשר לצאת הרע משם. והנה אין זאת הכוונה בדמות האדם - שיהיו אורותיו מוציאים הרע, אדרבא, שיהיו טהורים ומתוקנים כדלקמן. ואז זה מה שעומד להוציא הרע - נבדל מגוף דמות אדם, שהוא העומד להכין הדברים בהכנה ראויה, ואז הוציא מן הדמות זה הענין, וזה הענין יצא ונראה בפני עצמו, והם הם זיקין דאתלהטו ואתדעכו. והנה עשו שלהם, שבתחלה יצאו בדרך להיטה, כאילו גם הם מנהיגים, שהרי מהנהגתם בא הרע, ואם לא היה להם מקום בהנהגה, ולא היו פועלים כלום, לא היו כלום. אלא נתלהטו ונראו ושלטו, ומפני הרע נחרבו. וזאת היא פעולת הס"א - לגרום חורבן לזה השורש, וזה שאמרו, מחשבה זריקת ניצוצין לש"ך עיבר, שהוא כללות כל המלכין האלה.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> In other words, the purpose of those lights (i.e. of Nekudim) was to bring forth evil, for the concealment had already reached the level from which it was possible for evil to emerge. The intention here was not that the lights of the Likeness of Man should produce evil. On the contrary, the whole intention was that they should be purified and rectified, as will be discussed in due course. It was then that what stood ready to produce evil became separated from the essential body of the Likeness of Man, which stood ready to arrange things in the the proper way. It was then that He brought forth and separated this function (evil) from the Likeness of Man, and it came forth and was seen in itself, these being the "sparks" that "flashed… and were then immediately extinguished". Thus they performed their allotted task. For initially they emerged with a flash, as if they too had control, and indeed it was from their rule that evil emerged. Had they had no place or function at all in the governmental order, they would not have amounted to anything. Rather, they flashed and appeared and ruled... and because of the evil, they were destroyed. This is the function of the Other Side: to cause destruction to this root. The Zohar accordingly states (loc. cit.) that "the Mind scattered sparks on three hundred and twenty sides", these being the entirety of all these kings (the shattered vessels). Plain English: Purpose of Nekudim-lights: bring forth evil. Concealment had reached the level where evil could emerge. Not that Likeness-of-Man should produce evil — but that what stood ready to produce evil should be separated from the Likeness's essential body. The separated bits flashed, briefly had rule (and from that rule came evil), and were destroyed. Other Side's function: cause destruction to this root. "The Mind scattered sparks on 320 sides" = entirety of the kings (shattered vessels).
Concepts: world_of_nekudim, flashes_and_sparks, 320_sides, primordial_worlds, kelipot, return_evil_to_good, supreme_mind_machshavah_elyonah.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
נמצא הענין כך, האצילות היה הולך ומצטייר, והנה בתחלה קבל ציור אחד שהיה בו ענין זה של הוצאת הרע, וזהו המצב הבלתי שלם שלו, וזה בהיות בו כחות עומדים במצב בלתי נשלם, ראוי להוציא הרע. ומצב זה הוא המצב הנראה אחר כך במלכים עצמם, דהיינו הג"ר בלתי מתוקנות לצורך התחתונות, והתחתונות בלתי מתקיימות כלל. ונמצא שבהיות בדמות האדם ענין זה, היה מוציא הרע. מה עשתה המחשבה העליונה? הוציאה ענין זה ממנו, והיינו זה הכח שהיה כלול בו לעשות הענין הזה, והוציאו לבדו, ואינו העיקר, אלא כח קטן מן הדמות, שעיקרו לעשות דברים מתוקנים.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> We may sum up by saying that Atzilut was steadily taking shape, and initially it took on a certain form that had the purpose of producing evil. This is its incomplete, imperfect form, inasmuch as it contains forces standing in an imperfect state suited to the production of evil. This is the state seen afterwards in the kings themselves: i.e. the first three (Keter, Chochmah and Binah) were insufficiently prepared to provide the needs of the seven lower Sefirot, while the lower Sefirot themselves were altogether unable to endure. Thus, when this function existed in the Likeness of Man, it was ready to produce evil. What did the Supreme Mind do? He brought this function forth and removed it from the Likeness of Man. It was a power contained within the Likeness to produce this function, and He brought it forth and made it separate, by itself. (This is the "serpent", the evil side, which stands outside of man. Initially, it was mixed up within him in order to allow it to enter if man sins.) It is not the main essence but a small power that is part of the overall Likeness, whereas the essence of the Likeness is to bring things to a state of repair. Plain English: Summary: Atzilut initially had a form purposed to produce evil — incomplete state. Kings: KCB insufficient to provide for lower seven; lower seven unable to endure. Supreme Mind brought this function forth and removed it from the Likeness — made it separate. This = the serpent / evil-side — outside of man, initially mixed within so it could enter at sin. Not main essence — a small power. The Likeness's essential purpose = bring to repair.
Concepts: primordial_worlds, sefirot_class, serpent_evil_outside, kelipot, return_evil_to_good, dmut_adam.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
וזה הכח מתחלק גם כן לפרטים רבים, ואז הוציאה המחשבה כל הפרטים האלה לבד, ונתן להם ענין השליטה, כדלקמן. אך אם היה רוצה הרצון העליון, היה יכול להוציא הדמות מתוקן מתחלה, שלא יהיה בו ענין זה כלל. אלא רצה שיהיה בו, ושיצא ממנו בדרך זה, וישאר מתוקן רק בסוף, שהיא הצורה השלמה אחר שהוסר כל מה שהיה מונע אותה. ומה היא הצורה הזאת השלמה - תראה לקמן בס"ד:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> And this small power divides in turn into many particulars, and the Supreme Mind then brought forth all these particulars by themselves and gave them a certain power, as will be discussed further below. However, if the Supreme Will had so desired, He could have produced the Likeness already prepared from the very outset, without including evil at all. But He wanted it to contain this deficiency, and that it should depart from it in such a way that it should attain permanent repair only at the end. This is the perfect form after the removal of all that limits it. And what this perfect form is, you will see below, with the help of Heaven. Plain English: The small power divides into many particulars; Supreme Mind brought all forth separately and gave them a certain power. Could have made Likeness perfect from outset — but wanted the deficiency, to be departed from, so permanent repair would be the end-state. Perfect form = the form after removal of all that limits it.
Concepts: tikkun_repair, return_evil_to_good, kelipot, dmut_adam.
Op. 36 opens the World of Nekudim by defining it negatively — not a level on the scale leading to Atzilut, not a stage of gradual approximation to the Likeness of Man, not something that endures. Nekudim is the material struck off the metal as the Craftsman pounds the vessel into shape. Specifically, it is what stood ready to produce evil within the Likeness of Man, extracted and made separate so that what remains can be repaired. The deficiency was built in deliberately — Eyn Sof could have produced the perfect Likeness from the outset but chose the path of incomplete-form-then-permanent-repair, because the perfect form earned by removal of all that limits it is dignified differently from the perfect form given gratis. The Mind scattered sparks on 320 sides — the entirety of the kings — and Op. 37+ unfolds this into the breaking of the vessels, the kings of Edom, the construction of Atzilut as Tikkun, and the entire architecture of return-of-evil-to-good. The serpent is what was extracted and stands outside man — small in essence relative to the Likeness, but consequential for everything that follows below. Tohu (Chaos) becomes Tikkun (Repair) only because the Tohu was first separated, then extinguished. The fifteen openings that follow are the working out of this passage from speckled-sheep to repaired-Atzilut.
world_of_nekudim, tohu_chaos, tikkun_repair, primordial_worlds, flashes_and_sparks, iron_hammer_metaphor, supreme_mind_machshavah_elyonah, akudim_nekudim_berudim, 320_sides, serpent_evil_outside.Op. 36 opens the World of Nekudim unit with the foundational definition: Nekudim = the World of Chaos (Tohu), the incomplete-Atzilut state in which Atzilut and its branches were successively — not yet integrated, not yet repaired. Sparks of Tohu (Idra Zuta 292b), 320 sides, serpent, Akudim/Nekudim/Berudim etymology from Genesis 31:10.