From there they emerge in concealment and conceal themselves in the true prophets. Yosef was born and they concealed themselves within him. When Yosef entered the Holy Land, he erected them there, and then “they appeared on the earth” and were revealed there. When did they appear? When a rainbow can be seen, they become revealed. At that moment, “the time of singing has come,” meaning the time to eradicate all the wicked in the world. Why did they survive? Because the flower buds have appeared on (from) the earth. And if they were to be seen beforehand, they could not have remained in the world, and the world would not have been able to exist.
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Here The Zohar explains the attainment of the Light of Haya by ZA. NHY of ZA are called “sons” and HGT of ZA are called “patriarchs,” as well as the “turtle dove.” ZA himself (seemingly) consists of two parts: above his Chazeh, his Sefirot HGT are called the big ZON; below his Chazeh, Sefirot NHY are called the small ZON. Sefirot HGT correspond to Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov, while NHY correspond to Moshe, Aaron and Yosef. Malchut corresponds to King David.
Sefirot NHY are called “prophets,” and Yesod is called “the righteous one.”
Here The Zohar speaks of the buds that gradually grow from the small state to the big state of ZON: first ZON were small, consisting of Sefirot NHY with the Light of Nefesh and called Ubar (embryo). Then, with the help of Yenika (nursing), i.e., receiving Light from Ima, ZON grew. Accordingly, the properties of Sefirot NHY grew to equalize those of Sefirot HGT, and Sefirot NHY received the Light of Ruach.
Thus, the Partzuf now consists of parts of HGT and NHY with the Lights Ruach and Nefesh. Subsequently, by further reception of strength from the Upper One, and further growth, they’ve attained the state of Gadlut Aleph, the first big state. Accordingly, Sefirot HGT became HBD with the Light of Neshama, Sefirot NHY became Sefirot HGT, and received new Sefirot NHY.
Thus, the Partzuf grew to include three parts: HBD, HGT, and NHY with the Lights Nefesh, Ruach, and Neshama. And it is called Gadol (big—the first big state).
Then, through further growth, they’ve attainted the state of maturity (Gadlut Bet, the second big state), and the Light of Haya entered Sefirot HBD.
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The word “growth” refers to the growth of a screen, of man’s inner anti-egoistic forces and desires. This is the only difference between a big vessel and a small one, the only difference between the Partzufim. Their inner properties change depending on the change in the magnitude of the screen.
THESE FATHERS ENTERED THE SUPERNAL MIND AND ASCENDED INTO THE WORLD TO COME: this sentence speaks of the prenatal development of ZA, when he ascends to AVI (called “Supernal Mind”
or “Supernal Thought”). Aba-Hochma is called “mind” or “thought,” and Ima-Bina is called “the world to come.” And together they are called “parents”—father and mother, AVI. It is there that creation begins—conception of ZA in the initial state of a spiritual embryo.
Just as an embryo in our world is completely dependent on the mother, having absolutely no desires or life of its own, and developing only thanks to her, so can every man become a spiritual embryo; if he completely relinquishes all of his desires and actions, and submits entirely to the will of the Upper Partzuf, he will turn himself into a spiritual embryo, just like a physiological one. The difference between a physiological embryo and a spiritual one lies in the fact that becoming a spiritual embryo requires tremendous personal desire and effort, whereas the conception of a physiological embryo depends on the parents.
As a result of its prenatal development within Bina (which means that one completely extinguishes all of his personal desires and thoughts, and, like an embryo, is ready to accept all that the mother gives: all of her thoughts and properties, regardless of how incomprehensible or unnatural they may seem to his essence), this embryo achieves the state of its spiritual birth.
However, this is a state of an even greater concealment of the Upper Light with regard to the embryo, for it does not yet have a screen for the reception of this Light. Hence, this state is called Katnut, CONCEALED IN THE TRUE PROPHETS, i.e., in Sefirot Netzah and Hod, which ZA attains as a result of the process of nursing, reception of milk, the Light of Hassadim from Ima (mother) Bina.
The Light of nursing comes to the NHY of ZA, and ZA attains VAK (Light of Nefesh-Ruach), the state of Katnut. During nursing, ZA attains the Sefira Yesod, which is why it is said that Yosef is born. After the nursing period is over, ZA ascends to AVI so as to receive from them the Light of Neshama, and this constitutes the state of Gadlut, called “Yosef.”
ZA consists of three parts: HBD, HGT, and NHY. The process of Zeir Anpin’s growth, of acquiring a screen on his desires, begins with the purest, least egoistic part—Sefirot HBD, in which he first receives the Light of Nefesh.
Afterwards, ZA acquires a screen on coarser egoistic desires—Sefirot HGT;
the Light of Nefesh passes from HBD to HGT, and the Light of Ruach enters the empty HBD.
Finally, ZA acquires a screen on the most egoistic Kelim—Sefirot NHY; the Light of Nefesh passes from HGT to NHY, the Light of Ruach moves from HBD to the empty HGT, and the Light of Neshama enters the empty HBD.
The attainment of the big state by ZA is called the birth of Yosef, for there emerge Sefirot NHY, of which the last Sefira, Yesod, is called “Yosef.” However, since the Light of Haya is not yet present, this state is called “concealment.”
WHEN YOSEF ENTERED THE HOLY LAND AND ERECTED THEM THERE: that is, after the attainment of the first big state, the reception of the Light of Neshama, ZA continues to grow, cultivating his screen until the Light of Haya enters it.
In such a state, Malchut of ZA separates from him into an independent Partzuf, called THE HOLY LAND, as the Light of Haya is called holiness. It is therefore said that Yosef entered or, rather, ASCENDED TO THE HOLY LAND in the Gadlut state of ZA. ZA and Nukva became equally big in the state of PBP (Panim be Panim, face to face), which is the state that determines the Zivug between ZON.
AND YOSEF ERECTED THEM THERE: the Light of Haya or Hochma fills the Partzuf only during a Zivug, when ZON (ZA and Nukva) make a Zivug together. And this Light remains in Malchut, for only she (her screen) can reveal it. Just as AVI are GAR de Bina, YESHSUT is ZAT de Bina and the Light of Hochma is found only in YESHSUT, the relationship between Malchut and ZA works along the same principle, and the Light of Hochma is revealed only in Malchut. Therefore, only when the Light of Hochma fills Nukva can it be said that the Light has been revealed, and until that happens, it is considered to be concealed.
WHEN ARE THEY SEEN? WHEN A RAINBOW CAN BE SEEN IN THE WORLD: ZA is called a “rainbow,” the world is Malchut, and their union is called a “rainbow within a cloud.” THE TIME HAS COME TO ERADICATE ALL THE WICKED FROM THE WORLD—as the number of the wicked grows, as more impure forces cling to ZON. The impure forces can influence ZON so greatly that the entire world will be brought to ruin, as has happened in the
time of the Flood. If so, there is no salvation for man other than through the revelation of the Upper Light, the Light of Haya. That is why The Zohar tells us that the world is saved by the flower buds appearing from the earth, meaning that the Light of Haya eradicates man’s impure forces from the earth (his desires, Malchut), and they cannot cling to her and hinder man.
AND HAD THEY NOT APPEARED, THERE WOULD BE NO SALVATION FOR THE WORLD—for initially Nukva is built as big as ZA.
This is called the “two great celestial bodies,” when Malchut is on the same degree as ZA, but stands behind him, back to back, unable to receive the Light of Hochma in the absence of the Light of Hassadim. This is why Malchut complains about lacking the Light of Hassadim and thus not being able to receive the Light of Hochma.
Even though the moon grows as big as the Sun, it cannot shine independently, but only if the Sun (ZA) gives it Light. And since Malchut lacks the Light of Hochma, such a state is called reversed (Achor-back). And a Zivug cannot take place in the position of back-to-back (Achor be Achor).
However, after Nukva is born and grows (receives the properties) from the Guf of ZA, as it is written in the Torah (Beresheet 2) that Chava (Eve) was born from the body of Adam, she becomes equal to ZA and enters into a Zivug face-to-face (Panim be Panim, PBP) with him.
Also, Nukva still retained the previous Light. Moreover, precisely because she felt the lack of the Light in her initial state, Malchut received the Light of Haya specifically into her previous sufferings. Similarly, man can feel pleasure only and precisely because of his previous suffering.
Therefore, The Zohar tells us that had the flower buds not appeared in Malchut during her Katnut, when she was standing behind ZA, she would not have been able to receive the Light of Haya in her state of Gadlut, as she would not have the Kelim (desires) to receive this Light. Every new creation is founded on the sensation of darkness, as it is said: the Creator emanates the Light out of Himself, and creates darkness out of nothingness. Man’s sensation of darkness signifies his readiness to receive the Light.
6. Who sustains the world and evokes the revelation of the Patriarchs? It is the