Section: The World of Nekudim (Openings 36–50)
This is the chapter that places the breaking of the vessels (shevirat ha-kelim) at the foundation of all damage and repair in the world. Why does damage and repair exist in creation? Because the Sefirot themselves — the calculations of the Supreme Mind — were calibrated through creation, destruction, and partial repair. The Supreme Mind made three sequential calculations: (1) creations in unrectified state, with many evil-parts; (2) the destruction-state, where evil attacks and gains power; (3) the partial-repair state — not complete repair, but enough that "they are not in complete ruins... they exist, but they are damaged." This third state is the Sefirot as they are now, established after the balance (mashkela, משקלא — Zohar Terumah 176b), the key to the entire repair (cross-refs Op. 59 Part 1, Op. 69 Part 1). Two unfinished elements remain: (a) the Other Side — what was rejected and expelled from the Sefirot, allowed to exist but cast aside so it would not destroy what remains; (b) what remains of the kings that has not yet been purified — damaged parts that prevent the laws of perfection from operating, but are progressively sifted each day. The cycle of creation and destruction still alternates: sometimes creation gains, sometimes destruction. The end-state: complete repair — but the Supreme Will began the process and leaves the completion to man's service. When man's work is complete, repair will reign with no destruction after it.
This chapter is the foundational law of the entire Nekudim unit. After Op. 36 said "Nekudim is what was struck off the metal", Op. 37 says: that strike is the root of all damage and repair in the world.
Part 1 — The general principle. Sefirot = calculations of the Supreme Mind for the governmental order. Therefore creation/destruction in world must be rooted in Sefirot. Three calculations: (1) unrectified creations with evil-parts; (2) destruction-state — evil attacks; (3) partial-repair state, established after mashkela (the balance, Zohar Terumah 176b). Two unfinished elements: (a) Other Side rejected and cast aside; (b) unpurified remainder of kings — sifted daily.
Part 2 — Re-reading the bold proposition piece by piece. "Kings negated" = the destruction calculation. "Repair fully completed" = the perfection that would end everything. "Except to the degree that would provide a root for the cycle" = exact measurement. "Continue in the world" = the two are in one balance; sometimes one increases, sometimes the other. End of all: complete repair via human service — Supreme Will began, leaves completion in man's hands.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
שבירת הכלים ותיקונם - שורש הפסד והויה:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> All the damage and repairs in the world are rooted in the breaking of the vessels and their repair. Plain English: All damage and repair in the world is rooted in the breaking of the vessels and their repair.
Concepts: breaking_of_the_vessels, tikkun_repair.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
שורש מציאות קלקול ותיקון הוא ענין שבירת הכלים ותיקונם. כי אם לא היה קלקול בהם - לא היה קלקול בעולם, ואם תיקונם היה נשלם לגמרי - היה סוף הכל. אך בהיות שהיה הקלקול בא, ואחר כך התיקון, ולא גמור, אלא בשיעור שהיה נותן שורש לקלקול ותיקון לסבב בעולם. וסוף הכל יהיה תיקון שלם, שלא יהיה אחריו עוד קלקול כלל:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The root of the existence of damage and repair lies in the process of the breaking of the vessels and their repair. For if there had been no damage in them, there would have been no destruction in the world. And if their repair had been fully completed, that would have been the end of everything. However, the way it happened is that the damage came, and afterwards the repair. And the repair was not completed except to the degree that would provide a root for the cycle of destruction and repair to continue in the world. And at the end of everything there will be a complete repair, after which there will be no more damage at all. Plain English: Five-part proposition: (1) damage and repair in world are rooted in vessels' breaking and repair; (2) no damage there → no destruction here; (3) repair fully completed there = end of everything; (4) repair was not completed beyond what roots the cycle of destruction and repair; (5) end-of-all = complete repair, no more damage at all.
Concepts: breaking_of_the_vessels, tikkun_repair, cycle_creation_destruction.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
אחר שנזכר ענין הנקודים בכלל, עתה נבוא לפרטיו:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Having introduced the general subject of the Nekudim, we will now enter into the details. Plain English: Op. 36 was the general subject. Now we enter the details.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלקי המאמר הזה ב'. ח"א, שורש מציאות וכו', והיא הנחה הראשונה בכלל, על ענין הנקודים ותיקונם. ח"ב, כי אם לא היה קלקול וכו', והוא פרט ההנחה הנ"ל:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The proposition consists of two parts. Part 1: The root of the existence... This is a general statement of the first principle relating to the Nekudim and their repair. Part 2: For if there had been no damage... This specifies the implications of this principle. Plain English: Two parts: (1) general first principle; (2) implications.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלק א: שורש מציאות קלקול ותיקון, והיינו כי הרי הספירות הם השיעורים - מה ששיערה המחשבה העליונה לצורך כל ההנהגה, ואם הויה והפסד יש בעולם - צריך שיהיה מושרש בספירות:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Part 1: The root of the existence of damage and repair... For the Sefirot are the calculations and measures devised by the Supreme Mind to cover the needs of the entire governmental order, and if creation and destruction exist in the world, this must be rooted in the Sefirot. Plain English: Sefirot = calculations and measures devised by the Supreme Mind for the entire governmental order. Therefore, if creation and destruction exist in the world, they must be rooted in the Sefirot.
Concepts: sefirot_class, supreme_mind_machshavah_elyonah.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
הוא ענין שבירת הכלים ותיקונם, והיינו כי לכאורה היה נראה ששורש ההויה יהיו אורות של חסד, ושורש ההפסד יהיו אורות של דין, אך לא שיהיו אורות מפסידים ומבטלים אורות אחרים. אלא בין ההויה ובין ההפסד אינם נופלים אלא בנבראים. אך כח ההפסד אינו מבטל כח ההויה, והרי אנו אומרים שהיו הספירות, ושנתבטלו ושנשברו. וכן קשה, שאנו אומרים שמן הספירות האלה עצמם יצאה הס"א, והרי אין ההפסד יוצא מן ההויה.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> ...lies in the breaking of the vessels and their repair. For at first sight it might appear that the root of creation should be in the lights of Kindness (chessed) while the root of destruction should be in the lights of Judgment (din), but not that there should be lights which destroy and negate other lights. For it would seem that the concepts of both creation and destruction should apply only to the creations. But the power of destruction does not negate the power of creation – and yet we say that the Sefirot (of Nekudim) existed, and that they were negated and broken. Likewise it seems problematical to say that the Other Side (Sitra Achra) emerged from these very Sefirot – surely destruction does not come out of creation. Plain English: First-sight expectation: creation in chessed-lights, destruction in din-lights — but not lights destroying lights. Yet we say Nekudim's Sefirot existed and were broken; and the Other Side emerged from those very Sefirot. Surely destruction does not come out of creation — but it did. The chapter's puzzle.
Concepts: chessed, din, sefirot_class, world_of_nekudim, sitra_achra.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
אך שורש כל ענין הזה הוא, מה שנתפרש כבר למעלה, איך כל הנהגת המחשבה העליונה היא רק לגלות אור השלם שלה, שתהא הטבה כללית בסוף הכל מתפשטת לכל. והאדם עם כל שאר הנבראים אינם אלא גילוי ההנהגה הזאת, שמלבד שהוא מנהג כך, רצה לגלות הנהגתו בבריאת האדם, ועשה האדם כך, ואחריו כל הנבראים, עד שהאדם בכל חלקיו רומז בכל מיני הנהגות שהקב"ה מנהג את בריותיו. ונכלל בזה כל מה דאפשר לדבר מן ההנהגה. פירוש - גם הדבר הזה עצמו, שתבוא ההנהגה נרמזת ומתגלית בגוף האדם - גם זה תלוי בדמות האדם עצמו, וכן בסדרי הטבע וחקותיו.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The root of this whole matter lies in what has already been explained earlier (in Opening 4) about how the entire governmental order of the Supreme Mind is directed only to revealing the perfect light of God, so that ultimately general beneficence will extend to all. Man and all the other created beings are nothing but the revelation of this order of government. For besides ruling the world in this way, He wanted to reveal His government in and through the creation of man. He made man, and so too all the other creatures after him, in such a way that man in all his different parts alludes to all the different kinds of ways in which the Holy One, blessed be He, governs His creations. Included in this is everything that can possibly be said about this government. In other words, the fact that the government itself is alluded to and revealed in man's body also depends on the underlying Likeness of Man itself, and so too in the case of the orders of nature and its laws. Plain English: Resolution: see Op. 4. The whole governmental order is directed only to revealing the perfect light of God, with general beneficence the end. Man (and all creatures) = revelation of this order. Man's parts allude to every way HaShem governs creation. The Likeness of Man is what underwrites this revelation — and the same in nature's laws.
Concepts: dmut_adam, supreme_mind_machshavah_elyonah, return_evil_to_good.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
ונמצא שהמצא ההנהגה למעלה, והמשכה לגלות בדרך זה באדם, והעשותה באדם, והמצא ממנו האדם - הכל תלוי בדמות אדם עצמו. ובצייר המחשבה העליונה דמות זה - היה כל זה, ר"ל שהיתה מציירת ההנהגה בכל חקותיה. נמצא לפי זה, כל השיעורים הנראים משוערים במחשבה העליונה - הם הם הנבראים עם כל חלקיהם. כי שרשי הנבראים הם הם חקות ההנהגה ודרכיה, שלתת שורש לחלק מן הנבראים - צריך חק אחד בהנהגה. וכל הדרגות האורות הם כך, כי העולמות העליונים הם הם הנבראים מושרשים בשורש גדול, והתחתונים מהם, אותם הנבראים עצמן, מושרשים בשורש קטן מן הראשון.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Thus the existence of the governmental order above, its being drawn down to be revealed in this way in man, its actualization in the making of man and man's existence from it – all depend on the Likeness of Man itself. All this came about through the way the Supreme Mind designed this Likeness, i.e. this is how He designed the governmental order in all its laws. We must accordingly infer that all the calculations and measures (i.e. the Sefirot) seen to have been devised by the Supreme Mind correlate to the creations in all their parts. For the roots of the creations are those very laws of government and its ways. To provide a root for any one division of creatures requires a separate law in the order of government. All levels of the lights are this way. For the upper worlds are themselves the creations rooted in a great root, while the worlds below them are those same creations rooted in a smaller root than the first. Plain English: Three-step inference: (1) governmental order's existence above, drawing down to man, and actualization in man — all depend on the Likeness of Man; (2) so all Sefirot-calculations correlate to the creations; (3) upper worlds = same creations rooted in a great root, lower worlds = same creations rooted in a smaller root. Therefore: every creature-feature must have its Sefirot-root, including damage and repair.
Concepts: dmut_adam, sefirot_class, atzilut, beriyah, yetzirah, asiyah.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
והנה בתחלה המחשבה העליונה שיערה הנמצאים בלתי מתוקנים, ור"ל שיהיה בהם חלקים הרבה של רע, ולמעלה הם הם הנהגות של הפסד, העתידים להפסיד אותם הנמצאים עצמם, והיו החלקים האלה כלולים בהם. אחר כך שיערה הנמצאים האלה עצמם - נפסדים ומבוטלים, דהיינו שאלה החלקים של רע, שהיו מעורבים בהם, היו מתגברים ושולטים וגורמים להם עצמם הפסד. ואז נראה בשיעור העליונים - הנמצאים עצמם נפסדים ונבטלים מחמת החלקים של הרע ששולטים בנמצאים עצמם. והנה כיון שהיו הנמצאים בשיעור העליון, וגם נפסדו, הרי ניתן להם מציאות של הויה והפסד. אך ההפסד בתחלה היה שולט וגובר, שלא היה מניח לנמצאים מציאות כלל. אחר כך שיערה המחשבה העליונה את הנמצאים האלה מתוקנים, אך לא לגמרי, אלא מתוקנים כמו שהן עתה, דהיינו שאינם חרבים, אלא הוים וגם נפסדים. והנה שיעור הנמצאים כך - הם הספירות שיש עתה אחר המשקלא, כדלקמן.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The Supreme Mind first calculated how the creations should be in their unrectified state, i.e. that they should contain many parts of evil. In the worlds above, these are the governmental laws of destruction, which stand ready to destroy those very entities, and these parts were included in them. Afterwards He calculated how those same realms and beings were to be in a state of destruction and negation. The evil components mixed up in them were to attack and gain power, bringing about their own destruction. On the level of the upper realms the existing entities are then seen to be broken, destroyed and negated because of the rule of the evil components over those entities themselves. Now, since these entities existed on the level of the upper world (that of the Sefirot) and were also destroyed, we see that they were indeed brought into existence in the mode of creation and destruction. However, initially it was the force of destruction that took greater and greater control – which would not have allowed anything to exist at all. Afterwards the Supreme Mind calculated how these entities should exist in a state of repair, though not one of complete repair. They were to be rectified only to the extent that they are now: they are not in complete ruins – they exist – but they are damaged. The measure and calculation of how existence is to be in this state constitutes the Sefirot as they are now, after the "balance" (משקלא, mashkela, "weight" or "scales" – Zohar, Terumah 176b). This balance is the key to the entire repair. (See Opening 59 Part 1 and Opening 69 Part 1.) Plain English: Three calculations: (1) creations in unrectified state — containing many parts of evil; the laws of destruction stand ready to destroy them. (2) the destruction-state — evil attacks, gains power, brings about its own destruction; entities broken/destroyed/negated. Initially destruction took greater control — would have left nothing. (3) partial-repair state — rectified only to the extent of now: "not in complete ruins — they exist — but they are damaged." This = Sefirot as they now are, after the balance (mashkela, משקלא, Zohar Terumah 176b) — key to the entire repair (Op. 59 Part 1, Op. 69 Part 1).
Concepts: supreme_mind_machshavah_elyonah, sefirot_class, mashkela_balance, tikkun_repair, breaking_of_the_vessels, kelipot.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
אך עוד ענין אחד צריך שתבין, והוא, כי כמו כשהתגבר ההפסד - היה מחריב הנמצאים לגמרי, כן היה צריך לתקן תיקון, היפך הקלקול, דהיינו שתשלוט ההויה לגמרי, שלא יהיה עוד מציאות לקלקול כלל. ואמנם בין חקות ההנהגה גם חק זה יש, שישתלמו הדברים בשלמות כזה. אלא שזה הדבר לא נהיה עדיין, והיינו שיצאו כל הדברים כל מה שנותן להם המציאות, אך לא מה שנותן להם קיום נצחי. כי אדרבא, עדיין כח ההפסד גובר, שלא להניח שלמות זה להמצא.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> However, there is something else that you must understand: just as when destruction held sway, it completely destroyed what existed, so too it was necessary to institute a repair that would be the very opposite of destruction. The power of creation must hold complete sway so that destruction will no longer have any existence at all. Included among the laws of government, there is indeed this law that everything should reach such a level of perfection. So far, however, this has not come about. Everything that gives the creations existence did indeed come forth, but not what gives them endurance forever. On the contrary, the power of destruction still holds sway so as not to allow this perfection to exist. Plain English: Just as destruction completely destroyed when it held sway, so a fully-opposite repair must be instituted — creation holding complete sway until destruction has no existence at all. This law of perfection is included in the governmental order — but not yet given. Existence-bestowing laws came forth; endurance-forever-bestowing laws did not. Destruction still holds sway so this perfection cannot yet exist.
Concepts: laws_of_perfection, tikkun_repair, breaking_of_the_vessels.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
ואדרבא, זה ההפסד הוא הגורם שהנמצאים לא יהיו מתקיימים בשלמותם, אלא יהיה להם הויה והפסד, לפעמים תגבר ההויה ותתארך, או להיפך - יגבר ההפסד ויפסידם ח"ו. אך כשיצא השלמות לגמרי, וינתן חק זה לנמצאים להשתלם לגמרי, הנה יהיה ענינו - שיבטל הרע ביטול גמור. וגם בנבראים עצמם יש חלקים שאינם בהם עתה, שהם מקבילים לשלמות הזה, ומגלים אותו.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> This power of destruction prevents what exists from enduring in a state of complete perfection, causing it to go through cycles of creation and destruction. Sometimes the power of creation gains strength and endures for a long period, sometimes the opposite is the case, and the power of destruction attacks and destroys what exists. But when the time comes for complete perfection to emerge and for the giving of this law that will cause what exists to attain complete perfection, this will totally negate evil. The creations themselves will then also include components that are not present in them now, corresponding to and revealing this perfection. Plain English: Destruction's continued sway = cycles of creation and destruction. Sometimes creation gains and endures long; sometimes destruction attacks and destroys. When the time comes for the law of complete perfection — this will totally negate evil. Creations will then include components not present now corresponding to this perfection.
Concepts: cycle_creation_destruction, laws_of_perfection, tikkun_repair.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
והנה כאן שני ענינים, יש הס"א, שהיא היפך ממה שנתקן, והיינו מה שנדחה מן הספירות. ויש הנשאר מן המלכין שלא נתברר עדיין. הס"א היא - מה שהיה נותן בנמצאים להמצא, כנגד זה היה נדחה מהם ההפסד שלא יחריבם, אבל לא היה עובר מן העולם, אלא שלא מפסידם באותו הזמן, כמו שהיה החרבן בתחלה. אבל הוא מוכן להתעורר בזמן שהוכן לו, ובגבול שהוכן לו.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> We have here two things. There is the Other Side (Sitra Achra), which is the opposite of what is rectified – this is what was rejected and expelled from the Sefirot. Then there is what remains of the kings that has not yet been purified. The Other Side is something that was allowed to exist but was nevertheless rejected and cast aside so as not to destroy the rest of existence. However, it did not pass from the world. It just does not destroy everything now as it did at the time of the initial destruction. Nevertheless, it stands ready and waiting to be aroused at its ordained time and within its ordained limit. Plain English: Two unfinished elements: (1) Other Side — opposite of what is rectified — rejected and expelled from the Sefirot. Allowed to exist, but cast aside so it would not destroy the rest. Did not pass from the world. Does not now destroy everything as it did originally. Stands ready to be aroused at its ordained time and limit. (2) unpurified kings remainder — see ¶13.
Concepts: sitra_achra, kelipot, kings_unpurified_remainder.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
אך מה שלא נתברר, הוא שחלקי ההפסד מעכבים על ידיהם איזה חקות מן ההנהגות שלא יהיה להם מציאות עתה, וכן חלקים בנפרדים, והם חקות השלמות, שענינם שלא יהיה עוד רע כלל. ואלה הם הבירורים שנתבררים תמיד, והריוח שמרויחים בכל יום, כמו שיתפרש במקומו. וכשישלמו אלה להתברר ולהנתן להם מציאות - הנה יעשו כפי ענינם, דהיינו שלא יהיה עוד רע כלל ועיקר בעולם, ויהיה תיקון שלא יהיה שיך אחריו שום קלקול כלל ועיקר:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> As to what remains of the kings that was not purified: this means that the damaged parts prevent certain laws contained within the governmental order from operating now, and the same applies to certain parts contained within the independent realms and beings that are ruled by it. These laws are the laws of perfection, under which there will be no more evil at all. The emergence of these laws comes about through the constant process of sifting and purification that is going on with steadily increasing gain each and every day, as will be explained in its appropriate place. And when they complete their process of purification and come to full existence, they will do what is within their power so that there will be no more evil in the world, leading to a state of repair that cannot possibly be followed by any damage whatsoever. Plain English: Unpurified remainder of kings = damaged parts prevent the laws of perfection from operating now. These laws = no more evil at all. They emerge through constant sifting and purification with steadily increasing gain each day. When sifting completes → full existence → repair that cannot be followed by any damage.
Concepts: kings_unpurified_remainder, sifting_and_purification, laws_of_perfection, tikkun_repair.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלק ב: כי אם לא היה קלקול בהם - לא היה קלקול בעולם, וזהו מה שכבר פירשנו לך, כי שיעור הנמצאים בהפסדם - הם הם המלכים שנתבטלו: ואם תיקונם היה נשלם לגמרי - היה סוף הכל, זהו מה שכתבנו ענין השלמות שצריך לצאת בנמצאים שיתקיימו: אך בהיות שהיה הקלקול בא, ואחר כך התיקון, ולא גמור, והיינו שני ההתחלות - ההויה וההפסד, שפירשנו למעלה:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Part 2: For if there had been no damage in them, there would have been no destruction in the world. As I have already explained to you, the "kings" that were negated (the Sefirot that were "broken") are themselves the measure and calculation of the way things were to be in their state of destruction. And if their repair had been fully completed, that would have been the end of everything. This refers to the complete perfection that must emerge in the creations in order for them to endure, as mentioned above. Plain English: Re-reading: "no damage there → no destruction here" — kings negated = the measure and calculation of how things were to be in their destruction-state. "Fully completed repair → end of everything" = the complete perfection that must emerge for endurance.
Concepts: breaking_of_the_vessels, primordial_worlds, tikkun_repair, laws_of_perfection.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
אלא בשיעור שהיה נותן שורש לקלקול ותיקון, כי זה פשוט כבר, שכל הדברים עשוים בשיעור מדוקדק, והיינו אם לא היה נעשה התיקון בכל אותם המדרגות שנעשה, לא היה אפשר לעבודת האדם להוסיף תיקון על תיקון. ואם היה נעשה יותר, כבר לא היה צריך עוד עבודה: נותן שורש לקלקול ותיקון לסבב בעולם, שכיון ששניהם בשיקול אחד, לפעמים נוסף זה, ולפעמים נוסף זה:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> However, the way it happened is that the damage came, and afterwards the repair. And the repair was not completed... Thus we have the two beginnings – the creation and the destruction – that we discussed above. ...except to the degree that would provide a root for the cycle of destruction and repair... For it is already clear that everything was brought about with exact measurement. Thus without the repair on all those levels on which it was brought about, it would not have been possible for man's service to add further repair. But had the repair been greater, there would have been no further need for any kind of service. ...that would provide a root for the cycle of destruction and repair to continue in the world. Since they are both in one balance, sometimes one increases and sometimes the other. Plain English: Two beginnings: creation and destruction (above). The partial repair = exact measurement: enough that man's service can add further repair; not so much that no service would be needed. Cycle's root = one balance — sometimes one increases, sometimes the other.
Concepts: cycle_creation_destruction, mashkela_balance, human_service_completes_repair.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
וסוף הכל יהיה תיקוך שלם, שלא יהיה אחריו עוד קלקול כלל, היינו שהכוונה היתה מתחלה לתקן, אלא שרצה הרצון העליון להתחיל הוא, ולהניח תשלום הדבר ביד בני אדם. וכשכבר יהיה נגמר גם מעשה בני האדם - יהיה גמר המלאכה, ויהיה התיקון שלא יהיה אחריו קלקול כלל:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> And at the end of everything there will be a complete repair, after which there will be no more damage at all. In other words, from the outset, the intention was to fix and rectify, but the Supreme Will wanted to start the process Himself while leaving the completion in the hands of man. And when man's work is at last completed, that will be the end of the work, and a state of repair will reign with no destruction at all after it. Plain English: End: Supreme Will began the process, leaves completion to man. When man's work is at last completed — repair reigns, no destruction afterwards.
Concepts: tikkun_repair, human_service_completes_repair, laws_of_perfection.
Op. 37 is the general law of the entire Nekudim unit: all damage and repair in the world are rooted in the breaking of the vessels and their repair. Why must this be so? Because the Sefirot are the Supreme Mind's calculations and measures of the governmental order, and that order is designed to reveal Eyn Sof's perfect light through man. Therefore every feature of the creations — including damage and repair — must have its Sefirot-root. The Supreme Mind made three sequential calculations: an unrectified state with evil-parts; a destruction-state where evil attacks and brings about its own end; and a partial-repair state established after the balance (mashkela, Zohar Terumah 176b) — Sefirot as they are now, not in ruins, but damaged. This third state is calibrated so that man's service can add further repair — neither so broken that nothing endures, nor so perfect that no service is needed. Two unfinished elements remain: the Other Side, rejected and expelled from the Sefirot, cast aside but not passed from the world, standing ready at its ordained time and limit; and the unpurified remainder of the kings, sifted and purified daily with steadily increasing gain. The world's history is the alternation of creation and destruction within this balance — until the laws of perfection, not yet operating, are finally given, totally negating evil. That gift waits on human service — Supreme Will deliberately leaves completion in our hands.
breaking_of_the_vessels, mashkela_balance, cycle_creation_destruction, laws_of_perfection, sifting_and_purification, human_service_completes_repair, kings_unpurified_remainder.Op. 37 names the first general principle: all damage and repairs in the world are rooted in shevirat ha-kelim. The chapter forecasts Op. 4, 59, 69 — connecting the breaking-doctrine forward to the World of Repair unit.