Section: The World of Repair (Openings 59–69)
This chapter develops Op. 59-60's overall repair-architecture into the details of how MaH joins BaN to produce the Tree of Holiness (= ABYA). Three parts: (Part 1) MaH joined to itself the levels selected from BaN — out of which the entire Tree (ABYA) was produced. Crucial: the repair was not brought about in the vessels themselves to make them return to repair by themselves — it came through the construction of the Partzufim out of MaH and BaN combined; the vessels were then repaired as a matter of course as each entered its proper place in the Partzuf structure. BaN-vessels could not repair themselves; only via connection with MaH-lights. Israel-archetype: "The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise" (Amos 5:2) — as themselves they cannot rise. But: "I will raise up David's fallen tabernacle" (Amos 9:11) — through HKBH alone (Zohar Pekudey 239b). The "new state" is the mystery of "new heavens and a new land" (Isaiah 65:17) — not the old state restored. BaN cannot stand by itself — only lifted with the new MaH. Retrospective revelation: even what was bad turns out to have been for good (when vessels enter the structure, even the bad part is revealed as serving a function). All the bad reverts to good = BaN as repaired through MaH. Two things joined: deficiency + complete perfection that repairs it. (Part 2) Yet certain levels of BaN remained not attached to MaH. Creation not yet complete; certain pathways and creature-parts lacking. Asher bara Elokim la-asot (Genesis 2:3) — "which God created to do" — He started so that mankind would complete the work. Deficiencies = clear proof creation isn't complete (an artefact whose manufacture is complete has no deficiencies). (Part 3) Steadily repaired little by little (Op. 53 Part 1) — power after power. Continuous progressive cycle until everything is altogether perfect.
This is the unit's third chapter — after Op. 59 stated the root (matkela; kinship architecture) and Op. 60 the binding-and-coupling (BaN under Malchut of AK; MaH under Yesod of AK), Op. 61 traces what is produced: the Tree of Holiness — ABYA constructed via the Partzufim from MaH-joined-with-BaN. Three parts.
Part 1 — MaH joined BaN to produce the Tree. Levels selected from BaN; joined with MaH; Partzufim constructed; vessels repaired as matter of course in their proper places. Repair via Partzuf-construction, not vessel-self-repair. Israel: cannot rise as itself — only raised by HKBH (Amos 5:2 + 9:11). New state, not old (Isaiah 65:17). Retrospective revelation: even the bad was for good.
Part 2 — But not all BaN attached. Certain levels remained unattached → creation not yet complete. "Asher bara Elokim la-asot" (Genesis 2:3): He started; mankind completes. Deficiencies = clear proof.
Part 3 — Repaired little by little. Power after power; continuous cycle until altogether perfect.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
פרטיות התיקון הנעשה ע"י חיבור מ"ה וב"ן:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The connections between MaH and BaN produce the "Tree" – Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah. The repair is completed through men's deeds. Plain English: Theme: MaH-BaN connections produce the Tree (ABYA); repair completed through men's deeds.
Concepts: mah_ban_joining, tree_of_holiness, human_service_completes_repair.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
מ"ה היה מחבר עמו כל המדרגות שהיה מתברר [נ"א, מתחבר] מב"ן, ומהם היה עושה כל האילן של הקדושה, דהיינו אבי"ע. אך נשארו עוד מדרגות מב"ן שלא נתחברו עם מ"ה. ועל כן לא נשלמה עדיין הבריאה, שיש בה כמה חסרונות, וזה הולך ונתקן מעט מעט, עד שיהיה נתקן הכל, ויהיה הכל בשלמות:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> MaH went through the process of joining up to Him all the levels that were being selected from BaN, out of which He produced the entire Tree of Holiness, namely Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah. However, there remained further levels of BaN that were not attached to MaH. Accordingly the creation was not yet complete, because it contains certain deficiencies. This is steadily repaired little by little until eventually everything will be repaired and everything will be in a state of complete perfection. Plain English: Five claims: (1) MaH joined to itself levels selected from BaN; (2) produced the Tree of Holiness = ABYA; (3) further levels of BaN not attached — creation not yet complete; (4) certain deficiencies; (5) steadily repaired little by little until complete perfection.
Concepts: mah_ban_joining, tree_of_holiness, human_service_completes_repair, tikkun_repair.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
כבר אמרנו התיקון בכלל, שהלכה ההנהגה בתיקון. עכשיו צריך לפרט הדברים בפרטיו, והענין הראשון - חיבור מ"ה וב"ן:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> We have already explained the overall repair – that the government operated in a mode of repair. We must now explain things in greater detail. The first thing that must be explained is the interconnection between MaH and BaN. Plain English: Op. 59-60 = overall repair. Now: details. First: interconnection between MaH and BaN.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלקי המאמר הזה ג':
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The proposition consists of three parts. Part 1: MaH went through the process of joining... Part 2: However, there remained... Part 3: This is steadily repaired... Plain English: Three parts: (1) MaH joining; (2) what remained; (3) steady repair.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלק א: מ"ה היה מחבר עמו כל המדרגות שהיה מתברר מב"ן, זה פירשנו כבר, שהספירות הראשונות היו ממתינות להארה אחרת שתתקן אותם. והיינו כי המ"ק, כבר פירשנו, שהיו רק ענין אחד מן דמות האדם שהמחשבה זרקתו. אך עתה בא תשלום דמות האדם באמת, שיצא מן המחשבה העליונה. ואז אפילו אותם הענינים שהיו מוציאים הרע, היו חוזרים לטובה.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Part 1: MaH went through the process of joining up to Him all the levels that were being selected from BaN... We explained earlier (Opening 54) that the Sefirot of BaN, which were the first to emerge, were awaiting another radiation that would repair them. For as already explained, the Primordial Kings (the Sefirot of BaN) were merely one aspect of the Likeness of Man which the divine Mind rejected. Now, however, came the true completion of the Likeness of Man which emerged from the Supreme Mind. And then even those aspects which had originally been producing evil started turning back to good. Plain English: Op. 54: Sefirot of BaN emerged first, awaiting another radiation to repair them. Primordial Kings = one aspect of the Likeness of Man rejected by divine Mind. Now: true completion of Likeness of Man emerges from Supreme Mind. Even evil-producing aspects start turning back to good.
Concepts: mah_ban_joining, ban_expansion, kings_who_ruled, dmut_adam, return_evil_to_good.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
ולא נעשה התיקון בכלים מעצמם, שיחזרו ויתוקנו מאליהם. שהרי אלו הם ענינים שולטים רק בשעה שדמות אדם לא נתגלה עדיין. אבל כשיצא עיקר דמות אדם - אז ממילא נתקן גם הענינים הראשונים האלה.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The repair was not brought about in the vessels in order to bring them to return to a state of repair by themselves. (The repair did not operate on the vessels themselves. Rather, it came about through the construction of the Partzufim out of the lights of MaH and BaN combined, and the vessels were then repaired as a matter of course as each entered its proper place in the structure of the Partzufim. The vessels – from BaN – thus could not be repaired by themselves but only through being connected with the lights of MaH.) For the Sefirot of BaN – which were in a state of breakage – were aspects that took control only at the time when the Likeness of Man had not yet been revealed. (Their existence was temporary from the very outset.) But with the emergence of the essential Likeness of Man – MaH – the repair of these initial aspects also followed as a matter of course. Plain English: Repair NOT brought about in the vessels themselves (so they could return to repair on their own). Rather: through construction of the Partzufim out of MaH and BaN combined; vessels repaired as matter of course as each entered its proper place in the Partzuf structure. BaN-vessels could not repair themselves; only via connection with MaH-lights. Sefirot of BaN took control only when Likeness of Man not yet revealed (existence temporary from the outset). With emergence of essential Likeness of Man (MaH), repair followed as matter of course.
Concepts: repair_via_partzufim_construction, mah_ban_joining, ban_receives_does_not_act, dmut_adam, partzuf.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
ושורש זה בישראל הוא מה שכתוב, "נפלה ולא תוסיף קום", וכתיב, "אקים את סוכת דוד הנופלת", והיינו כשנפלה כנסת ישראל, היה לפי הענין שלא גילה עדיין המלך העליון את כבודו כראוי, שהוא עיקר ההנהגה. אלא בזמן שהיתה מזדמנת ליגלות - היו דברים אלה שהיו. והנה לא רצה הקב"ה להחזיר אותם למה שהיו לבד, שר"ל שיקומו הם מנפילתם, אלא היה רוצה להביא מציאות חדש להם, שעל ידו יהיו הם מתוקנים.
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> The way this root is seen in the people of Israel is as it is written: "The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise" (Amos 5:2). Yet it is also written: "I will raise up David's fallen tabernacle" (ibid. 9:11). In other words, when the Assembly of Israel fell, it was because the Supreme King had not yet properly revealed His glory, which is the root of the governmental order. As long as it still waits to be revealed, all that has happened happened. The Holy One, blessed be He, did not merely want to restore them to what they were on their own so that they would rise from their fall by themselves. He wanted to bring them to a new state of being through which they would be repaired. (The Zohar Pekudey 239b states that the raising up is accomplished only through the Holy One, blessed be He.) Plain English: Israel-archetype: Amos 5:2: "virgin of Israel fallen; shall no more rise". Amos 9:11: "I will raise up David's fallen tabernacle". Assembly of Israel fell because Supreme King had not yet revealed His glory. HKBH did NOT want merely to restore them to what they were — wanted to bring them to a new state of being. Zohar Pekudey 239b: raising up only through HKBH.
Concepts: israel_faith_in_exile, shechinah, new_state_not_old_state.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
והם סוד, "שמים חדשים וארץ חדשה", "אקים את סוכת דוד", בסוד מ"ה שמקים את ב"ן. ואין קימה לב"ן העצמו, אלא יוצא מ"ה החדש, שהוא עיקר ההנהגה. ואז למפרע נראה שכל מה שנעשה - אפילו מתחלה היה לטוב. ואז חוזר כל רע לטוב, והוא ב"ן הנתקן על ידי מ"ה. ושורש מה שיהיה בעולם - הוא הדבר הזה שנעשה בספירות:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> This new state is the mystery of "new heavens and a new land" (Isaiah 65:17). "I will raise up David's fallen tabernacle" – through the mystery of MaH, which enables BaN to stand. BaN cannot stand by itself and can only be lifted up with the emergence of the new light of MaH, which is the main root of the governmental order. (If they had rectified themselves, they would only have returned to their initial state of repair, but He wanted to bring them to a greater state of repair – one of complete repair.) It then retrospectively becomes apparent that everything that took place even from the outset was for good. (When the vessels enter into the structure, it is revealed that even the bad part was for good because of the function it plays in the world.) All the bad then reverts to good, this being BaN as repaired through MaH. The root of what was to come about in the world is found here in this process that took place in the Sefirot. Plain English: New state = "new heavens and a new land" (Isaiah 65:17). "Raise up David's fallen tabernacle" through MaH which enables BaN to stand. BaN cannot stand by itself — only lifted with the emergence of the new MaH. If they rectified themselves: only return to initial state. He wanted greater state: complete repair. Retrospectively apparent: everything from outset was for good — when vessels enter structure, even the bad part was for good. All bad reverts to good = BaN as repaired through MaH.
Concepts: new_heavens_new_land, new_state_not_old_state, mah_ban_joining, return_evil_to_good, repair_via_partzufim_construction.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
ומהם היה עושה כל האילן של הקדושה, פירוש הענין - כי ההנהגה צריכה להיות כך מחוברת משני דברים, מחסרון, ושלמות שמתקנו, שכל זה הולך להודיע היחוד,
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> ...out of which He produced the entire Tree of Holiness. It was necessary for the governmental order to consist of two things joined together: deficiency on the one hand and the complete perfection that repairs it on the other. For all this successively makes known God's unity. (Without the preceding deficiency, there would be no revelation of the unity.)* Plain English: Governmental order = two things joined: deficiency + complete perfection that repairs it. Successively makes known God's unity. (Without preceding deficiency, no revelation of unity.)
Concepts: tree_of_holiness, perfection_requires_deficiency, tikkun_repair.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
והנה עשתה המחשבה העליונה מתיקון זה מה שעשתה, עד שנעשו כל כך מדרגות ופרצופים, הכל מענין זה - מהקלקולים שנתקלקלו ומהתיקון שתיקן אותם. ועל פי זה הדרך עתה מתנהג העולם, ונשאר עתה העבודה ביד האדם, להשלים תיקון הזה בכל פרטיו:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Thus the Supreme Mind set to work making all that it made through this repair, until all the different levels and Partzufim were produced, all constructed out of parts damaged in the earlier destruction together with the repair that came to fix them (the parts of MaH and BaN from which the Partzufim were made). It is in this mode that the world is now governed, and now the completion of this repair in all its details is in the hands of man. Plain English: Supreme Mind made all through this repair — all levels and Partzufim constructed out of parts damaged in earlier destruction + the repair that fixed them (MaH + BaN). World now governed in this mode. Completion of this repair in all its details = in the hands of man.
Concepts: repair_via_partzufim_construction, human_service_completes_repair, mah_ban_joining, partzuf.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
דהיינו אבי"ע, והוא מה שביארנו למעלה שכל אבי"ע - כללות ענין אחד:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> ...namely Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah. As explained earlier (in Opening 35), Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah are one whole (and are therefore jointly referred to as the "Tree").* Plain English: Op. 35 cross-ref: ABYA = one whole — jointly the Tree.
Concepts: tree_of_holiness, atzilut, beriyah, yetzirah, asiyah.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלק ב: אך נשארו עוד מדרגות מב"ן שלא נתחברו עם מ"ה. וזה מה שביארנו לעיל בענין המ"ק, שנשארו חלקים שלא נתבררו עדיין, והם הם חלקי השלמות:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Part 2: However, there remained further levels of BaN that were not attached to MaH. As explained earlier (in Opening 35) regarding the Primordial Kings, there remained certain levels that had yet to be sifted out, and these are the parts that bring perfection.* Plain English: Op. 35 cross-ref: certain levels of Primordial Kings still to be sifted out — the parts that bring perfection.
Concepts: kings_unpurified_remainder, selection_and_cleansing, ban_expansion.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
ועל כן לא נשלמה עדיין הבריאה, זה פשוט כמ"ש, הרי חסרים דרכים בהנהגה, וחסרים חלקים בנמצאים, ונראה שעדיין צריך להשלים הבריאה הראשונה. והוא ענין, "אשר ברא אלקים לעשות", שהתחיל כדי שיושלם על ידי בני אדם:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Accordingly the creation was not yet complete... In the light of what I have said, this should be clear – because certain pathways were lacking in the governmental order and certain parts of the creations were also lacking. It is therefore obvious that the original creation still needed to be completed. This is the meaning of "...which God created to do" (Genesis 2:3). He started in order that the work should be completed by mankind.* Plain English: Creation not yet complete — pathways lacking in governmental order, parts of creations lacking. Genesis 2:3: "...which God created to do" (asher bara Elokim la-asot). He started so the work should be completed by mankind.
Concepts: asher_bara_la_asot, human_service_completes_repair, hand_of_heaven_vs_hand_of_man.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
שיש בה כמה חסרונות, הרי זה מופת ברור לאמת הענין הזה - שיש חסרונות בבריאה, אם כן לא נשלם ענינה. שהרי כשיהיה נשלם - לא ישאר עוד חסרון, כמו הכלי כשנגמרה מלאכתה:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> ...because it contains certain deficiencies. This is the clear proof of the above assertion that the creation was not complete – because there are deficiencies in the creation, and it is therefore not in a state of complete perfection. For when it is complete, there will be no more deficiency left, just as in the case of an artefact whose manufacture is complete.* Plain English: Deficiencies = clear proof creation not complete. When complete: no deficiency left — like an artefact whose manufacture is complete.
Concepts: tikkun_repair, laws_of_perfection.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
חלק ג: וזה הולך ונתקן מעט מעט, וזהו מה שביארנו, שהתיקון הולך בהדרגה, כח אחר כח, עד הסוף:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> Part 3: This is steadily repaired little by little... As explained earlier (Opening 53 Part 1), the process of repair proceeds in stages, power after power, until the end.* Plain English: Op. 53 Part 1: process in stages, power after power, until the end.
Concepts: tikkun_repair, light_enters_progressively.
Source — Hebrew (קל"ח פתחי חכמה):
עד שיהיה נתקן הכל, ויהיה הכל בשלמות, וגם זה הוא כמו שכתבתי לעיל, שכל זה הוא מהלך סובב והולך, עד שישתלמו הדברים לגמרי:
Source — English (Greenbaum):
> ...until eventually everything will be repaired and everything will be in a state of complete perfection. This too is as I have written above, that all this is a continuous progressive cycle until everything is altogether perfect.* Plain English: Continuous progressive cycle until everything altogether perfect.
Concepts: tikkun_repair, laws_of_perfection.
Op. 61 develops Op. 59-60's overall repair-architecture into the details of how MaH joins BaN to produce the Tree of Holiness (= ABYA). The chapter's most important operational claim: repair via Partzuf-construction, not vessel-self-repair. The vessels do not return to their old state by themselves; instead, the Partzufim are constructed out of MaH-and-BaN-combined, and the vessels enter the Partzuf-structure in their proper places — at which point they are repaired as a matter of course. BaN-vessels cannot repair themselves (Op. 56: BaN does not act); only MaH's action can lift them — and even then, not by restoring but by integrating them into a new architecture. The chapter anchors this in the Israel-archetype: Amos 5:2 — "the virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise" — Israel cannot rise by herself; Amos 9:11 — "I will raise up David's fallen tabernacle" — He raises her (Zohar Pekudey 239b). The new state is "new heavens and a new land" (Isaiah 65:17) — not the old state restored but something greater. The retrospective revelation: when the vessels enter the structure, even the bad part was for good, because of the function it plays in the world. All the bad reverts to good = BaN as repaired through MaH. The governmental order requires two things joined: deficiency + complete perfection that repairs it — without the preceding deficiency, there would be no revelation of the unity (Op. 49). Yet — and this is Part 2 — certain levels of BaN remain unattached to MaH; the creation is not yet complete. Genesis 2:3 — "asher bara Elokim la-asot", "which God created to do" — is the deepest claim: He started so the work should be completed by mankind. Deficiencies are clear proof of incompleteness — an artefact whose manufacture is complete has no deficiencies. Part 3: the repair proceeds little by little (Op. 53 Part 1), power after power, in a continuous progressive cycle until everything is altogether perfect.
tree_of_holiness, new_state_not_old_state, new_heavens_new_land, asher_bara_la_asot, repair_via_partzufim_construction.Op. 61 explains MaH joins BaN to produce the Tree of Holiness — Atzilut-Beriyah-Yetzirah-Asiyah. The repair is completed through man. New state, not old — Amos 5:2/9:11 (fallen and raised); Isaiah 65:17 (new heavens and new land); Genesis 2:3's asher bara la-asot; man completes the work. Forecasts Op. 35, 53, 54.