Adir BaMurom — Chapter 10: The Kruma and Avira De-Kiya — The Brain Membrane; ChaS; Chochma Stima

And these are the words taught in the Sifra DiTzniusa — and the Zohar explains them: "it was found and not found". And the matter: what is accomplished below in the Arikh Anpin of Atzilus is the offspring of the Ayin-Beis of the inner dimension of Adam Kadmon. And know: the tikkunim we mention — their secret is: MEASURES and BOUNDARIES given to what is to act within them. And Arikh Anpin itself is entirely unknowable — except that in being found with these tikkunim which are needed for those below — according to their law he acts — and through them he is known and grasped. But they do not grasp in him any more than this aspect. And for the essence of Arikh Anpin which is unknowable — we call it ATIKA. And the truth: ATIKA means ELDER — but the word atik means loftiness and removal — as in their saying: "things He removed from His creatures."

And now: SABA DE-SABIN [Elder of Elders] is the aspect of his elderliness only. And ATIKA is the secret of the removal I described. And in the secret of his concealment in the tikkunim — hidden from the lower beings — he is called STIRA DE-STIRIN. And in the secret of the tikkunim themselves: YADEA VE-LO YADEA [known and not known] — and this is above governance — as a root to it — and is called SABA DE-SABIN. And know: Abba-Imma too are like Arikh Anpin in this secret — above governance, but he is the root to them — and therefore called SABA DE-SABIN. In the secret of his concealment: ATIKA DE-ATIKIN. In the secret of his enclothing: TAMIR DE-TAMIRIN. And in the tikkunim: YADEA VE-LO YADEA — which are the vessels.13

And he said: "in the cavity of the skull — the membrane of the air of the upper Chochma." And the matter of this membrane is a very great secret — and its secret truly: the firmament in the midst of the waters. And as it appears: it is a single screen that seals the ChaS [Chochma Stimaa = hidden Chochma] and protects it so that the light of the air does not reach it in great abundance — for the measure must be according to those below.

But it must be understood: why is it called KRUMA DE-AVIRA [membrane of the air] — when it should be called kruma de-mocha [membrane of the brain]? For the truth is: the Rakiya [firmament] in the midst of the waters is the secret of RACHAMIM [mercy] connecting chesed and din — the VAV in the middle of the ALEPH connecting the two YUDs. And the verse: "and He divided between the waters below the firmament" [Genesis 1:7]. And: "G‑d by Chochma founded the earth — by Tevuna [Understanding] He established the heavens — by His Da'as the depths were split" [Proverbs 3:19-20].

For the ChaS has in it Yud-Heh-Vav — in the secret of the root of the brains. But it does not bring out the brains of Ze'ir Anpin immediately — until it spreads in the secret of Abba-Imma. In Abba it is in the secret of seed — and in Imma in the secret of embryo. And this is: "by Tevuna He established the heavens" — for the rectification of Ze'ir Anpin in the secret of the brains — which is the essential rectification of governance — is only through Imma — where the particularity of these brains is found.

But if ChaS had only the aspect of being concealed — unable to bring out the brains immediately — it would not need a membrane — for the concealment would suffice. For Abba too is hidden and sealed without a membrane. But the MEMBRANE is made for SEPARATION — as I will now explain. For the spreading of ChaS for the brains of Ze'ir Anpin goes through the skull and face in the secret of the hairs of the head and beard — and the essential spreading is through the beard — in the secret of Mazal ve-Naka which brings out Abba-Imma — and then Cha"B"D. But the aspect of ChaS itself — it does not spread through there — and this is what is separated by the power of the membrane. And this is literally the matter of the separation — for all the luminaries above the membrane are UPPER WATERS — and what is within the membrane is LOWER WATERS. And thus ALL OF ATZILUS is from the aspect of UPPER WATERS. And there are yet LOWER WATERS — given only to the Nukva.

And: "G‑d by Chochma founded the earth" — for the existence of the Nukva in the secret of its Yesod is according to ChaS within the membrane — the lower waters — and in this aspect she is literally a SEA. And this shall be revealed in the World to Come: "the earth shall be filled with knowledge of G‑d as the waters cover the sea" [Isaiah 11:9] — and then: "they shall neither harm nor destroy" — for the Sitra Achra's hold on the Nukva is only because ChaS is not revealed upon her with great power and revelation. But when revealed with power in the World to Come — then: "they shall neither harm nor destroy."

And the membrane's matter: the KRUMA [membrane] is only the END OF THE AVIRA [air] — for the AVIRA is in the secret of DA'AS connecting Keter and Chochma together. And MAZAL VE-NAKA — from the aspect of what it receives from the Avira — is called by it: "by His Da'as the depths were split." For above — the Avira connects Ketera and ChaS. And below — the Mazala connects the depths [tehomot] — which are the Yesodos of the Nukva raising MaN — with the males [duchrin] descending MaD which is the Tal. And the end of the Avira is the Kruma standing to separate the ChaS by itself. And from the secret of ChaS itself there is also an aspect of Mazal ve-Naka — and from this aspect it is called DA'AH — in the secret of the Nukva. And in the World to Come: "the earth shall be filled with knowledge [da'at] of G‑d."

And now I explain why ChaS is called UPPER [ila'a] even though Keter is higher. For know: the tikkun found now is in the secret of ChaS — for eternity will be in the secret of Keter. And when the Emanator wished to rectify Atzilus — He combined MaH and Be"N above through the power of Yesod and Malchus of Adam Kadmon — called MATEKALA [the balance]. And this was given specifically to ChaS — for all Atzilus to be rectified through this power. And then Chochma is called YUD-HEH — and its secret: Ze'ir Anpin and Nukva — for it was rectified in the secret of Zu"N through MaH and Be"N — and it rectified all the rest of Atzilus too. And according to this tikkun — even the Gulgalta is drawn after Chochma. And therefore Chochma is called UPPER — for according to the Matekala all are drawn after it.

And the two aspects of ChaS — MATEKALA [= YUD-HEH] and the membrane [= ShaMVa] — are given to the Nukva from the side of her existence in the secret of ChaS. And therefore the letters BIYH SheMO [= Beis-Yud-Heh and Shin-Mem-Vav] must be at the head of the column in a Torah scroll — for they are the heads of its building and all the rest flows after them. And according to this secret ChaS is called UPPER — for all are drawn after it according to the Matekala.

Know: in the counsel of a person there are TWO THINGS — the KNOWLEDGE [yediah] and the REASONING [sevara]. Two people can be equal in knowledge yet not equal in reasoning — for the knowledge is the gathering of things in the brain from which the counsel is born, and the reasoning is the way through which counsel is born from the knowledge. And truly the knowledge in a person flows from the sefira of CHOCHMA — and the generation [of insight] from the secret of DA'AS. And thus Da'as makes the difference between one time and another — for in youth the person receives from Ze'ir Anpin — and in advancing to old age he receives from Arikh Anpin.

And in ChaS itself there is Cha"B"D — their secret being Yud-Heh-Vav as mentioned. But they are ALL SEALED TOGETHER and all called Chochma alone. For: Chochma = the gathering of things; Bina = the refinement of things and their bonding; Da'as = the drawing forth of the offspring — and this is literally the sevara in a person. And its secret above: the joining of Chochma-Bina and bringing out the drop in the secret of generation. And below in Ze'ir Anpin: the Da'as stands to be revealed in the secret of Chesed-Gevura spreading throughout the body — and therefore the matters stand in revelation and commotion. But the Da'as encompassed in ChaS does not stand to be revealed.

And the Kruma [membrane] that surrounds ChaS causes this — for the membrane surrounds the brains also in Ze'ir Anpin — but in Ze'ir Anpin it is SEVERED [atfasak] — for the Da'as must spread into Chesed-Gevura. And it is severed at least where the brain meets the Bina below — for there the membrane must break, so that from there the brains spread to the thirty-two paths. And: the membrane surrounds the Chochma of Ze'ir Anpin but is severed from it — for even in the aspect of Chochma all three brains are called Chochma, and the Bina is in the heart, but the Yesod of Imma comes and spreads in ZA in the Tiferes and illuminates to Malchus — and this is the secret of Yud. And the membrane is severed from below in Ze'ir Anpin, for the Bina in its place connects the brains.

And: "a river goes out from Eden" [Genesis 2:10] — for here there is a spreading in the secret of Chochma, what was hidden in Arikh Anpin. For the sustenance flowing through the river takes the paths of Yud — and Imma stands for the secret of building and bonding in the secret of HEH — the two partzufim [of Ze'ir Anpin and Nukva]. The three: EDEN [= Abba] — RIVER [= Yesod of Imma] — GARDEN [= Ze'ir Anpin]; and these are the secret of YUD-HEH-VAV in ChaS. The three make THIRTY-TWO — Yud has full-spelling of Yud-Vav-Dalet = 16; and the Dalet of ECHAD gives FOUR DALETS from itself = 16; and 16 + 16 = 32. And: "from there it divides into four heads" — for when the sustenance reaches the aspect of the Dalet which is the Garden, from there the bounty takes the matter to divide into four — and they are FOUR HEADS whose secret is the FOUR DALETS flowing from the Dalet itself — the enlarged Dalet of ECHAD. And these are the 32 paths of Wisdom.

And it is said: "we learned in Bereishis Rishumei Atvan TAV." For they would explain the letters from what they hint. And the Tav was explained as: from the language of "mark a mark [ve-hisvisa tav]" [Ezekiel 9:4]. And now he explains what this Tav is — and says it is the aspect of this Kruma itself. For Tav is A SIGN — a mark pointing to something else not revealed in that sign — when the sign is present one understands one thing, though the name of that thing is not in the sign. And this is the Tav marked on men of valor pointing to their king — even though his name is not in it. So this Tav is placed at the head of Arikh Anpin — pointing to Atik — and through it one knows how it is the root of all. And TAV means TAMIM — in the secret of: "you shall be tamim with the Lord your G‑d" [Deuteronomy 18:13]. And the secret: ChaS is called TAMIM DA'AT — "perfect in knowledge" [Job 36:4] — for the Da'as within it is covered also by the Kruma. And thus all its aspects are given and delivered to their root which is Atik Yomin — and this is the aspect of PERFECTION [tamimus]. And from this it follows that it is sealed and quiet — all as above.

Chapter 7 of Adir BaMurom is the longest and most profound chapter in the entire work — the Ramchal's masterpiece: a complete systematic exposition of the second half of the Idra Rabba, from the continuation of the Eye of Arikh Anpin through the final closing of the Idra. It spans pages 116–488 of the printed text (373 pages) and covers seven major thematic arcs:

I. THE EYE OF ARIKH ANPIN (§§1–11b, pp. 116–340). The five senses as breaking-through points of light; the Reshimu as vessel and the Kav as light; the three white hues [chivorin]; how ZA's eye has no illumination except from AA's; the Mikveh's three aspects [40 Se'ah / 9 Kabin / 3 Lugin] as the sweetening of the Eye's Gevuros; wine becoming water; chachlili einayim mi-yayin; the double bonding of ZA with AA drawing Imma's milk to wash ZA's eyes; the third white hue sending illumination downward to all six extremities; tov ayin hu yivorach — the blessing going out from the goodly eye; yiras ha-romemus vs. yiras ha-onesh; hineh lo yanum ve-lo yishan shomer Yisroel — 60 letters of Birkas Kohanim as the protection of the All.

II. THE NAME OF ATIK AND THE GREAT TEACHING ON CREATION (§§12–12b, pp. 341–397). The Name of Atik Yomin is hidden throughout Torah except at the Akeidah, where bi nishba'ti ne'um Hashem reveals that Atik IS the inner secret of HVYH itself; the complete teaching on the Tzimtzum and the Kav; Torah preceded the world by 2000 years [= the YH before the VH]; the world first created with Din then with Rachamim; BEREISHIS = Torah; the Patriarchs as cosmic forces [Avraham = Kav = 248 = Chesed; Yitzchak = Reshimu rectified; Yaakov = lights breaking through]; Esav and Yishmael; Moshe = Shem MaH; the 70 nations from the Nikkudos; Mashiach ben Yosef and Mashiach ben Dovid; NACHASH = MASHIACH in gematria — Mashiach binds the klippos as head controls tail; the Nose of Arikh Anpin as Malchus of the head-tikkunim; the two breaths: one for ZA now, one reserved for Mashiach; the four lights of the Nose flaring into the Great Sea [Dikna]; the Four Kingdoms of Daniel [Bavel/Paras-Madai/Yavan/Edom]; Atik Yomin sitting on the Dikna of Arikh — "when Atik sits upon it, it is subdued; the one who rides controls."

III. THE RUACH OF MASHIACH, FREE CHOICE, AND THE SIN OF ADAM (§13, pp. 398–440). The Ruach of Mashiach was created before the world and all human tikkunim depend on it; everything Mashiach will do — Adam HaRishon could have done on the day he was created; his sin only lengthened the time; the two trees = two paths to the same ultimate point; the Tree of Life = immediate direct path; the Tree of Knowledge = the long path of exile and tikkun; the secret of Free Choice — G-d is the ultimate good and even evil must return to good; judgment by free choice enables this without coercion [= the shame of "bread not one's own"]; ROSH and SOFA [beginning and end] — the Unity of the Emitter is equally present in both; 7th millennium = revelation of Sofa; 8th millennium = equalization of Rosh and Sofa = "Hashem Echad u-Shemo Echad"; the Tzimtzum at the center of all infinite light — when its opposite [evil] is revealed as identical to the Blessed One, His unity is clarified completely; SHEM and KINUY: ELOHIM is the cognomen concealing HVYH — all evil is only a concealment that hides the inner good; nine Heichalos; the Pargod between Keter and Chochma; Gan Eden's plants = 613 commandments.

IV. THE PARGOD, THE NINE HEICHALOS, AND THE 42 PAIRINGS (§13b, pp. 441–460). The Pargod [brain membrane] is born from Chochma's pursuit of Keter — it is the root of all screens between all levels; its shape = the letter Aleph [two Yuds facing a Resh]; nine Heichalos as root of Atzilus; three illumination levels [Keter = sealed Kamatz; Chochma = Patzach = opened; Bina = the Mouth/Peh]; mati ve-lo mati — in the reaching aspect things are known; in the not-reaching aspect all gathers in Unity; the 42 pairings through the seven Heichalos of BIY"A; the Korbanos ascending from below, connecting Kavod to Atzilus and Atzilus to Ayn Sof.

V. THE EIGHT EDOMITE KINGS (§13b cont., pp. 460–488). Each of the eight Malchin Kadma'in [primordial kings] in Bereishis 36 corresponds to a stage in the world's governance: BELA = the sealed mouth of Bina / chesron ha-da'as / reward and punishment; YOVAV = the trembling voices [ro'esh] / Shevarim-Teruah / all worldly hardship; CHUSHAM = the senses / 2000 years of Tohu / materialist blindness to Providence; HADAD = Tiferes breaking / the domain of SA's unchecked power / ultimately destroyed; SAMLAH from MASREKAH = the nations as fallen garments of Jewish souls / Mashiach as the folding Vav completing for the later generations / Chirik→Shuruk→Cholam at redemption; SHAUL from RECHOVOS HA-NAHAR = Yesod / Torah-joy through revelation to others / David inheriting and completing this; BAAL-CHANAN = times of expansiveness vs. sealing of lights / the tzaddik-mouse and the evil-mouse; HADAR = the general tikkun of all the Breaking / ZU"N united / TZEDEK + YaK = HADAR / Ruach HaKodesh from Malchus — the final governance.

VI. SOULS, GARMENTS, AND MASHIACH'S FOLDING (§§13b–14). Before Adam's sin, all souls were to be Israel and the nations only their outer garments; after the sin the garments fell; Mashiach stands at the "fold" between the earlier and later generations, completing for those who could not complete for themselves; the Tzaddik = Yesod = the giver to the Nukva; Torah-joy = the flaming of the 231 gates when Torah is revealed to others; Yerushalayim = City of Tzedek; Tzedek + YaK = Hadar = the final king = the final tikkun.

VII. THE METAPHYSICS OF THE EMITTER (§§13–13b). Woven throughout the chapter's final arc: the Keter is the first emanation and may not be investigated [only from Chochma downward]; the sefirot are the Emitter's attributes as they relate to those below; there are nine upper Heichalos and seven lower Heichalos; the ultimate reward of souls is endless new comprehension of the Infinite; the blessed Emitter desired that even the evil of exile shall be revealed as good — so that in the end not merely "the illness passed" but the illness itself is transformed into the healing.

1 The Pargod as the membrane of the brain: see Zohar Bereishis 15a; and see Eitz Chaim, Sha'ar ha-Tzimtzum.

2 On the nine Heichalos as root of Atzilus: see Zohar Pekudei 259b; and Kla"ch Petach 136.

3 On Mati ve-lo mati: see Kla"ch Pataich 93–94; Pischei Chochma ve-Da'as §9 (Sha'arei Ramchal p. 144).

4 On the 42 Zivugim = the seven Names in the Heichalos with 42 letters: see Kitzur ha-Kavanos p. 162; and Sha'ar ha-Zivugim.

5 On Bereishis = Bra Shis: Zohar Bereishis 3b. On the seven Voices: Zohar 2:25b (parashas Va'era).

6 On the Eight Edomite Kings = eight stages of Breaking and Tikkun: see Eitz Chaim, Sha'ar ha-Shvirah; and Maamar Sod ha-Yichud (Ginzei Ramchal p. 270).

7 On the Vavs = garments of AK contracting to threads: see Eitz Chaim, Sha'ar ha-Klalim §3; and Kla"ch Petach 29 (p. 87).

8 On Mashiach as the folding Vav: see Da'as Tevunos Part 2 (Ginzei Ramchal p. 48); Maamar Sod Demut ha-Adam (Ginzei Ramchal p. 263).

9 On the Simchas Torah = flaming of the 231 gates: see Tamid 32b; and Kla"ch Petach 52.

10 On Tzedek + YaK = Hadar: Sha'arei Ramchal p. 386. And see Kla"ch Petach 58 on Malchus as Yesod.