Section: The World of Nekudim (Openings 36–50)
Garments-as-Malchut/feet is the structural-architectural placement of evil's root. Final: Mind decreed — since the light couldn't join the vessel because of this aspect, best to allow vessel to do all in its power, then have light enter for the perfect bond afterward.
This chapter is the spatial-locality claim within the vessel. After Op. 44 located the Other Side's root in Nekudim (and not earlier worlds), Op. 45 specifies where within the vessel it is rooted — at the feet, where the garments sit as Malchut.
Part 1 — The lowest parts. Root of evil only in lowest parts of any given level. Reason: parts of a level are subspecies-on-a-scale; last function of all = production of evil (lowest in status, less control). The trace of the Other Side's root is in the lowest parts.
Part 2 — Sequence of events. Overall light entered, suitable for the General Foundation. Spread progressively. While descending, kings ruled (Genesis 36:31ff). When light reached the lowest level where the root lay → break-up. Lights then departed from even highest parts. Lowest parts = garments = feet of Atzilut (Op. 31 cross-ref: garments stand as Malchut). Mind decreed: vessel must do all in its power, then light enters for perfect bond.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
השבירה היתה בהגיע האור לסוף הכלי ששם מושרש הרע:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Evil was rooted at the end of the vessel, so that when the light reached there, the vessel broke. Plain English: Evil was rooted at the end of the vessel; when the light reached there, the vessel broke.
Concepts: lowest_parts_root_of_evil, vessel_kli, breaking_of_the_vessels.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
רק בחלקים היותר שפלים שבכלים היה נראה זה הרושם מעט של שורש לס"א. ועל כן נכנס האור הכללי בתחלה. והיה הולך ומתפשט בסוד המונח הראשון עד החלקים השפלים האלה. והם הם ענין הלבושים, הנחשבים לרגלי האצילות. ולכן עד שלא הגיעו להם - לא היתה השבירה. ובהגיעם שם - היתה. ואז חזרו לאחור, ויצאו אפילו מן החלקים העליונים:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Only in the lowest parts of the vessels was this faint trace of the root of the Other Side evident. Thus initially the overall light entered and continued spreading in accordance with the mystery of the general foundation until it reached these lowly parts. These are none other than the garments, which are considered the feet of Atzilut. Accordingly, as long as the lights did not reach them, there was no breakage. It was when they reached there that breakage took place. They then turned around and departed from even the highest parts. Plain English: Five-claim proposition: (1) only in lowest parts of the vessels was the faint trace of Other Side's root evident; (2) overall light entered and spread per the general foundation until reaching these lowly parts; (3) these = the garments = feet of Atzilut; (4) until lights reached them, no breakage; reaching there → breakage; (5) light turned around and departed from even highest parts.
Concepts: lowest_parts_root_of_evil, feet_of_atzilut, breaking_of_the_vessels, light_reaches_lowest_then_breaks, light_initially_hidden.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
אחר שאמרנו שהיה גילוי הס"א בנקודים האלה, עכשיו נציין לו מקום הפרטי:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Having stated that there was a revelation of the Other Side in these Nekudim, we will now indicate the particular place where this occurred. Plain English: Op. 44: that the Other Side is revealed in Nekudim. Now: where (the particular place).
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלקי המאמר הזה ב'. ח"א, רק בחלקים וכו', הוא המקום המצויין לשורש זה. ח"ב, וע"כ נכנס, והוא מה שנעשה לפי ענין הזה:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The proposition consists of two parts: Part 1: Only in the lowest parts... This is the place designated for this root. Part 2: Thus initially the overall light entered... This explains what happened as a result. Plain English: Two parts: (1) place designated; (2) what happened as a result.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלק א: רק בחלקים היותר שפלים שבכלים, שאין מקום לשורש הרע אלא בחלקים האחרונים של המדרגה. וזה, כי חלקי המדרגה הם ענינים שהם גם כן בהדרגה, זה תחת וה כמיני הסוג. והענין האחרון שבכולם הוא הוצאת הרע, שהוא היותר שפל במעלתו, ושענינו פחות מן האחרים בשליטה והנהגה:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Part 1: Only in the lowest parts of the vessels... There is no place for a root for evil except in the lowest parts of any given level. This is because the various parts of a given level are also arranged on a scale, one under the other, like subspecies of an overall category. The last function of all of them is the production of evil, which is the lowest of all in status and whose function is less than that of the others in terms of control and government. Plain English: Only in the lowest parts. Why? Each level's parts are also arranged on a scale, subspecies of an overall category. The last function of all of them = production of evil — lowest in status, less control and government.
Concepts: lowest_parts_root_of_evil, vessel_kli, kelipot, sitra_achra.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
היה נראה זה הרושם מעט של שורש לס"א, הוא הרושם שזכרנו למעלה שנראה בנקודים, ויתפרש לקמן:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> ...was this faint trace of the root of the Other Side evident. This is the trace we mentioned above, that is evident in the Nekudim, and it will be explained below. Plain English: Faint trace = the trace mentioned above (Op. 44 ¶10) — evident in Nekudim, to be explained below.
Concepts: sitra_achra, kelipot, world_of_nekudim.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלק ב: ועל כן נכנס האור הכללי בתחלה, היינו האור הראוי למונח הכללי, שגם הוא כללי כמוהו:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Part 2: Thus initially the overall light entered... This is the light suitable for the General Foundation, which consists of all that is contained in Nekudim – Atzilut with its three garments. Just as this foundation is general, so is the light. Plain English: Initially overall light entered. Light suitable for the General Foundation = Atzilut + three garments (all of Nekudim, Op. 40). Foundation general → light general.
Concepts: world_of_nekudim, atzilut, one_world_three_garments, first_division_essence_secondary.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
והיה הולך ומתפשט בסוד המונח הראשון עד החלקים השפלים האלה, שלא היתה השבירה מיד בכלים, שהרי מלוכה כתוב בהם, אלא שהיה האור מתפשט עד סופם, ובכל אותו הזמן היה להם מלוכה, ורק כשהגיעו לסוף - היתה בהם השבירה, כשהגיעו למקום שהיה שם שורש זה, וכדלקמן:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> ...and continued spreading in accordance with the mystery of the general foundation until it reached these lowly parts. For the breaking did not take place in the vessels immediately, for it is written that they "ruled" (Genesis 36:31ff). Rather, the light continued spreading to their lowest level, and during all that time they had rule. Only when the lights reached the lowest level where this root lay did the break-up occur in the vessels, as explained below. Plain English: Light continued spreading per the mystery of the general foundation, until reaching these lowly parts. Breaking did not take place immediately — for Genesis 36:31ff says the kings "ruled". Light continued spreading to lowest level; during all that time, they had rule. Only when lights reached the lowest level where this root lay → break-up occurred.
Concepts: kings_who_ruled, light_reaches_lowest_then_breaks, breaking_of_the_vessels, primordial_worlds.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
והם הם ענין הלבושים שנחשבים לרגלי האצילות, כי כבר אמרנו למעלה איך כל הסדרים נכללים תחת סדר העשר ספירות. ונמצא שאף על פי שהגוף עצמו שלם בעשר ספירות, בחשוב עליו הלבושים - יהיה הגוף כמו תשע ספירות, והלבוש - מלכות להם:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> These are none other than the garments, which are considered the feet of Atzilut. For we have already discussed above (Opening 31) how all of the various orders are included under the order of the Ten Sefirot. Thus even though the body itself is a complete array of Ten Sefirot, when we also consider its garments with it, the body is like nine Sefirot and the garment stands as their Malchut, the tenth Sefirah. Plain English: Garments = feet of Atzilut. Op. 31 cross-ref: all orders included under Ten Sefirot. Body itself = complete array of Ten Sefirot — but when garments considered with the body, body is like nine Sefirot and garment stands as their Malchut, the tenth Sefirah.
Concepts: feet_of_atzilut, garments_as_concealing_veils, nukva, sefirot_class, one_world_three_garments.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
ולכן עד שלא הגיעו להם - לא היתה השבירה. ובהגיעם שם - היתה: ואז חזרו לאחור, ויצאו אפילו מן החלקים העליונים, והיינו כי אז גזרה המחשבה - שכיון שאי אפשר לידבק האור עם הכלי מחמת ענין זה שיש בכלי, אין טוב אלא להניח לכלי לעשות את שלו. ואחר כך יבוא האור ויכנס בו, ויתחבר חיבור שלם:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Accordingly, as long as the lights did not reach them, there was no breakage. It was when they reached there that breakage took place. They then turned around and departed from even the highest parts. For then the Mind decreed that since it was impossible for the light to be joined with the vessel because of this aspect contained in the vessel, it would be best to allow the vessel to do all in its power, and then afterwards the light would enter into it and be joined with it in a perfect bond. Plain English: Until lights reached them, no breakage. Reaching there → breakage. Then turned around and departed from even the highest parts. Mind decreed: since impossible for light to join vessel because of this aspect contained in the vessel → best to allow vessel to do all in its power, then afterwards light enters and joins in perfect bond.
Concepts: breaking_of_the_vessels, light_initially_hidden, vessel_must_complete_mission, tikkun_repair.
Op. 45 specifies where within the vessel the root of the Other Side lies. After Op. 44's causal-locality argument (only in Nekudim, not earlier worlds), Op. 45 supplies the spatial-locality claim: at the lowest parts of the vessel — the feet. The reason is structural: each level's parts are arranged on a scale, one under the other, like subspecies of an overall category. The last function of all of them is the production of evil — lowest in status, less control and government. So the trace of the Other Side's root sits at the bottom of the structure. The lowest parts are also the garments, which are the feet of Atzilut — and (per Op. 31's cross-ref) the Malchut-of-the-tenth: when the body's ten Sefirot are considered with a garment, the body is like nine Sefirot and the garment stands as their Malchut. With this geometry in place, the chapter narrates the sequence of events: the overall light (suitable for the General Foundation of Op. 40 = Atzilut + three garments) entered and spread progressively. During all that time, the kings ruled (Genesis 36:31ff: "These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned in Israel"). Only when the lights reached the lowest level where the root lay did the break-up occur. The lights then turned around and departed from even the highest parts — the structural explanation of the withdrawal Op. 41 reported. The chapter closes with the Mind's decree: since the light could not join the vessel because of this aspect contained in the vessel, it would be best to allow the vessel to do all in its power and afterwards have the light enter for a perfect bond. The light's withdrawal is not avoidance — it is a deliberate decree to permit the vessel to complete its mission first.
lowest_parts_root_of_evil, feet_of_atzilut, kings_who_ruled, light_reaches_lowest_then_breaks.Op. 45 says evil was rooted at the end of the vessel — feet of Atzilut = Malchut; Genesis 36:31ff (kings of Edom). When the light reached the end-place, the vessel broke. Forecasts Op. 31.