לב. ואין תקון למחלוקת הזו אלא על ידי הקו האמצעי, הנעשה על ידי התחתון העולה שם למ"ן, בסוד הקו האמצעי. שנעשה זווג מהאור העליון על המסך של התחתון, המכונה מסך דחירק, ויוצאת עליו קומת החסדים, שהוא סוד הקו האמצעי. שמצד אחד ממעט המסך הזה את שלש ראשונות דקו שמאל, ומצד שני הוא מרבה את אור החסדים, ובשני אלו הוא מכריח את הקו השמאלי להתיחד עם הקו הימני.
32. The only remedy for this dispute is by means of the middle line, which is formed by the lower one ascending there asfeminine waters, in the mystical meaning of the middle line.48The “lower one” refers here to the level underneath the upper level in which the second constriction transpired. Recall that when Malkhut ascended to Bina, it caused Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut of that level to be blocked from that level and descend to the level below. In the phase of maturity, these sefirot return to their place (though there is still a division between them and the remaining sefirot of Ḥokhma and Keter, because of the diaphragm, as explained above). In addition to the return of these descended sefirot to their place, the sefirot of the lower level also desire to ascend to the upper level. As the author of the Sulam explains, this is because these lower sefirot, through their interaction with the descended upper sefirot, develop an affinity for that original higher level. Their yearning to receive from that level is the concept of the ascent of “feminine waters.”A fusing from thesupernal lightoccurs on thepartitionof the lower one, which is called the partition of ḥirik, and theheightof the light of givingemerges from upon it, which is the mystical meaning of the middle line.49Because this rectification, and the subsequent illumination of Ḥokhma, is achieved through the vessels of the level below, this vessel is symbolized by the ḥirik vowel, a dot that floats below the letter, and which represents the partition of the vessel of Malkhut from below. On the one hand, thispartitiondiminishes the first three of the left line, and on the other hand it increases thelight of giving.50The excess light of giving generated by this column reduces the light of Ḥokhma from a full column to a column of six extremities. As the author of the Sulam explains, this allows the light of Ḥokhma to be enclothed in the light of giving so that the light of Ḥokhma can then be received by Malkhut and the lower levels (including our world). In both regards, it compels the left line to unite with the right line.
2
ובזה נמצא אור ו"ק דחכמה של קו השמאל, מתלבש בחסדים שבקו ימין, שעתה הוא יכול להאיר, ונשלם קו השמאל. וכן אור החסדים שבקו ימין מתיחד עם החכמה שבקו שמאל, ונמצא משיג בזה את אור שלש ראשונות, ונשלם קו הימין.
Thus, the light of thesix extremitiesofḤokhmaof the left line isenclothedin the light of givingof the right line, which it can now illuminate, and thus the left line is complete. Likewise, thelight of givingin the right line unites with theḤokhmaof the left line and thereby attains the light of the first three, and the right line is complete.
3
והנך רואה, איך הקו האמצעי משלים שני הקוין, ימין ושמאל. והנה נתבאר תקון שלשה קוין בדרך כלל, שנתתקן בשבע ספירות תחתונות.
Consequently, it can be seen how the middle line completes the two lines, right and left. The rectification of the three lines, which transpired in the seven lowersefirot, has hereby been explained in broad outline.
לב. ואין תקון למחלוקת הזו אלא על ידי הקו האמצעי, הנעשה על ידי התחתון העולה שם למ"ן, בסוד הקו האמצעי. שנעשה זווג מהאור העליון על המסך של התחתון, המכונה מסך דחירק, ויוצאת עליו קומת החסדים, שהוא סוד הקו האמצעי. שמצד אחד ממעט המסך הזה את שלש ראשונות דקו שמאל, ומצד שני הוא מרבה את אור החסדים, ובשני אלו הוא מכריח את הקו השמאלי להתיחד עם הקו הימני.
32. The only remedy for this dispute is by means of the middle line, which is formed by the lower one ascending there as feminine waters, in the mystical meaning of the middle line.48The “lower one” refers here to the level underneath the upper level in which the second constriction transpired. Recall that when Malkhut ascended to Bina, it caused Bina, Tiferet and Malkhut of that level to be blocked from that level and descend to the level below. In the phase of maturity, these sefirot return to their place (though there is still a division between them and the remaining sefirot of Ḥokhma and Keter, because of the diaphragm, as explained above). In addition to the return of these descended sefirot to their place, the sefirot of the lower level also desire to ascend to the upper level. As the author of the Sulam explains, this is because these lower sefirot, through their interaction with the descended upper sefirot, develop an affinity for that original higher level. Their yearning to receive from that level is the concept of the ascent of “feminine waters.” A fusing from the supernal light occurs on the partition of the lower one, which is called the partition of ḥirik, and the height of the light of giving emerges from upon it, which is the mystical meaning of the middle line.49Because this rectification, and the subsequent illumination of Ḥokhma, is achieved through the vessels of the level below, this vessel is symbolized by the ḥirik vowel, a dot that floats below the letter, and which represents the partition of the vessel of Malkhut from below. On the one hand, this partition diminishes the first three of the left line, and on the other hand it increases the light of giving.50The excess light of giving generated by this column reduces the light of Ḥokhma from a full column to a column of six extremities. As the author of the Sulam explains, this allows the light of Ḥokhma to be enclothed in the light of giving so that the light of Ḥokhma can then be received by Malkhut and the lower levels (including our world). In both regards, it compels the left line to unite with the right line.
ובזה נמצא אור ו"ק דחכמה של קו השמאל, מתלבש בחסדים שבקו ימין, שעתה הוא יכול להאיר, ונשלם קו השמאל. וכן אור החסדים שבקו ימין מתיחד עם החכמה שבקו שמאל, ונמצא משיג בזה את אור שלש ראשונות, ונשלם קו הימין.
Thus, the light of the six extremities of Ḥokhma of the left line is enclothed in the light of giving of the right line, which it can now illuminate, and thus the left line is complete. Likewise, the light of giving in the right line unites with the Ḥokhma of the left line and thereby attains the light of the first three, and the right line is complete.
והנך רואה, איך הקו האמצעי משלים שני הקוין, ימין ושמאל. והנה נתבאר תקון שלשה קוין בדרך כלל, שנתתקן בשבע ספירות תחתונות.
Consequently, it can be seen how the middle line completes the two lines, right and left. The rectification of the three lines, which transpired in the seven lower sefirot, has hereby been explained in broad outline.