Adir BaMurom — Chapter 16: The Name of Atik Yomin — Hidden in Torah; Revealed at the Akeidah; The Tzimtzum

The Idra now says: "taana, shmeih de-atika satim mi-kola" — the name of Atik is hidden from all, and is not revealed in the Torah except in one place. The Ramchal opens here the most profound and exalted discussion of the entire Idra: the secret of creation itself, and how all of governance — the existence of the Sitra Achra, the exile, the Patriarchs, Moshe, and Mashiach — are all rooted in the two primordial acts of the blessed Emitter: the TZIMTZUM [contraction] and the EXTENSION OF THE KAV [line of Ayn Sof].

Before the renewal of existence there was only the Emitter — an Infinite, Undifferentiated Light [or pashut beli tachlis]. On this the mind may not investigate. Even to say "He willed" or "He thought" is impossible, for these words express actions of the limited sefirot that came after. Even the Name HVYH refers only to the sefirot, not to the Emitter before emanation. The existence of the sefirot in potential before their actualization is entirely beyond us. Only the DEED — the tzimtzum and the kav — is what we can investigate. And before that deed there was what the Ramchal calls the MACHSHAVAH [thought], corresponding to ChU"B = Chochma and Bina = mind and heart. And the Ayn Sof, in inclining His simple will toward this particular type of illumination, is called KETER over all — hence Keter is called Ayn Sof.

And: the secret of all the sefirot IS the Torah. This is the primacy of Torah over all existence — for what was established in the inclination of the will was specifically the matter of Torah, and through its secret the existence was built. And: "Yisroel arose in thought" — for in this thought they were found as the foundation and root of all existence. And this is the 2000 years the Torah preceded the world: the world is the secret of VAV-HEH = tzimtzum and kav; and preceding it are 2000 years = the two letters YUD-HEH = the machshavah above. And: Torah preceded creation because only the existence of the sefirot according to the governance of Torah gives existence to the klippa — the klippa exists only as the necessary outer shell preceding the fruit. And: the first act of creation in the machshavah was: first the din, then the rachamim — "first He thought to create the world with the attribute of din, then He combined with it the attribute of rachamim" [Bereishis Rabba]. And correspondingly: the outer aspect [chitzoniyus] is revealed before the inner [penimiyus].

And now the exposition in the order of the verses: "Bereishis" [In the beginning] = TORAH, which was the divine delight for 2000 years before the existence of the ZU"N. "Bara Elokim" = what was revealed [ELOHIM] created. "Es ha-shamayim ve-es ha-aretz" = the two names ELOHIM in the secret of Ze'ir and his Nukva. "Ve-es" [and] = the secret of the CROWNS on the letters [the connection of letters to their source]. "Ve-ha-aretz haysa tohu vavohu" — the four expansions: TOHU/VAVOHU/CHOSHECH/TEHOM = four Yuds [the four Be"N-names of ELOHIM]. In their expansion they are the MEM-OPEN [going out]; then the ring [izka] gathers them back to MEM-CLOSED — and this is MAYIM [water]: "ve-ruach Elokim merachefes al penei ha-mayim" — MEM is the forty; RU"CH is four times Be"N [= the four expansions]; PE"S is four times 120 [permutations of ELOHIM]. Then the yod-letters of YAAKOV are revealed: for EKEV [heel] = two ELOHIM [in gematria], and when they return to the ring-Yud it becomes YAAKOV.

And: the root of the Sitra Achra. The existence of the sefirot according to the governance of Torah gives existence also to one created thing that is the OPPOSITE of the blessed Emitter's good will — the SA, called elohim acherim [other gods], things that go against the holy creation which is entirely good. And: the error of those who said there are two powers was in seeing the Sitra Achra as truly opposite to the good-will of Ayn Sof, not understanding that the Emitter is omnipotent and CAN create even the SA. This is: "oseh shalom u-voreh ra" [Isaiah 45:7]. And the names ELOHIM include: holy ELOHIM = those standing in the holy spreading of the light; and other ELOHIM = those standing in this created thing that is against the light. The latter are CHOSHECH — darkness, not light. And: the SHIN-CHAF [320] dins are the secret of five times DIN in the five letters of ELOHIM. And: YITZCHAK = R"CH = 208 = all the levels of din — and this is the risha de-Esav, the root of all darkness, for in its spreading to Esav it makes CHOSHECH; but in being given to Yaakov it remains OR.

And the PATRIARCHS as cosmic forces. AVRAHAM = the KAV — the line of Ayn Sof = 248 = CHESED = Ayin-Beis. He is the force that descends into the RESHIMU [the residual impression after the tzimtzum] and transforms it. He is born when the Kav exits from within the Reshimu — for when the Kav entered it vested within the Reshimu and was mixed with it [this was TERACH — gematria of the three times 120 permutations of ELOHIM + the 248 of the Kav entering = T-R-CH]. After three years [= the third illumination of ELOHIM, above the two of Esav] Avraham recognized his Creator — and at that point the Kav had the strength to act. YITZCHAK = the Reshimu rectified by the Kav — the water of the renewal, containing all the levels of din that need sweetening. YAAKOV = the lights that break through the outer shell and emerge. And all of these needed to be in the form of ZU"N — male and female — hence Sarah from Avraham, Rivkah from Yitzchak's rectification, Rachel and Leah from Yaakov's [through Lavan, who ruled the Reshimu at that stage to bring forth the Immahos].

And ESAV = the spreading of the four ELOHIM outward — taking 364 days of the year [gematria of SATAN]. And YAAKOV when doubled [Yaakov Yaakov] = 364 + 12 [tribes] = ESAV — and in that moment Yaakov is equal to Esav. But when the Kav [= Avraham] adds its strength, then Yaakov inherits the rosh [head = the first ALEPH of ELOHIM] from Esav, becoming YISROEL = L"I RO"SH [to me is the head]. And: MASHIACH in the time of exile stands in the secret of NACHASH [serpent] — gematria equal to MASHIACH — keeping the klippos bound under the holy, as head controls tail. And: the SHE"S [365] MITZVOS LO SA'ASEH are the three times 120 permutations of ELOHIM of the nursing-phase [yenuka] plus the HEH above them, all equaling 365 — and these are the fence [geder] that subdues the SA. And GEDER = OR [= 207] in gematria — for this is the Torah's light as a fence of protection.

And MOSHE = SHEM MA"H [= 45] = the secret of Yisroel, for he encompasses 600,000 souls. And: "the voice is Yaakov's voice, the hands are Esav's hands" — for Yaakov does not overpower Esav except through the power of Torah. And: the two MASHIACHS — Mashiach ben Yosef in the secret of Rachel, and Mashiach ben Dovid in the secret of Leah — ultimately unite: "ve-hayu le-achadim be-yadecha". And the two lights that Yaakov inherited from Esav [the two ALEPH-values not included in the 365] are given to Avraham in trust, and he is called NER [= 248 + 2] — "arachti ner li-meshichi" — and through this NER the Mashiachim rule. And: YOVAK = the breaking-through, as in "az yivaka ke-shachar orecha" — when the Kav pierces the Reshimu completely, the darkness is split and the dawn breaks.

And the secret of the NAME OF ATIK being hidden: throughout the Torah the governance is in the secret of ZA [= HVYH as the Torah was given through ZA], and Atik Yomin is entirely concealed — except at the AKEIDAH [binding of Yitzchak]. For there the Kav entered the Reshimu and the union of Atik and ZA was revealed to Avraham: "bi nishba'ti ne'um Hashem" — one swears by one greater than oneself; and here Hashem swears BY HIMSELF — the implication: Atik Yomin IS the inner secret of the Name HVYH. For AHYAH = the YHV"H before its full revelation — in the secret of YIHYEH [will be], which is the Yud of the Name, and Atik is named for this Yud. And so: "becha yevorach Yisroel" — Yaakov says this of the inner aspect of himself, which is from AA; and "Yisroel asher becha esfaar" — ZA says this to the people below who mirror his form, and AA says this to ZA who mirrors his.

And the NOSE of Arikh Anpin [chotma]: the place of the birth of the partzuf [facial image], for the nose is MALCHUS of the tikkunim of the head. The three MoChIN [ChaBa"D] spread through all the tikkunim above the nose; then the Gevuros emerge from the fourth moach [Da'as] as the roots of all the partzuf's gevuros, concentrating in a single flaring at the midpoint of the face, all contained in Malchus rooted in the face's structure. This is: "chotma de-malka — tikuna de-partzufa" [the nose of the King — the tikkun of the face] from parashas Mishpatim. And in the nose the RUACH [spirit] receives its life from the NESHAMAH: "vayipach be-apav nishmas chayim va-yehi ha-adam le-nefesh chayah" — the Neshamah is the source of life; the Nefesh must be vivified through the Ruach; and the Ruach receives the life-force in the NOSE. Therefore: CHOTAM [nose] = CHAYIM [life] in gematria — for in the nose there is the letter HEH [one of the HEH-letters constituting the nose], and CHOTAM itself = CHAYIM. And this is: "ke-tal Chermon she-yored al harrei Tziyon — ki sham tzivah Hashem es ha-berakhah, chayim ad ha-olam" [Psalms 133:3] — for there [in the nose / Beis HaMikdash] Hashem commanded the blessing, life forever.

And the RUACH goes out through the nostrils and reaches the mouth, makes a great tikkun there, then descends to the beard [dikna] — as will be explained. And inside the nose there is Sa"G; and outside the nose is made of three AHYAH [Akik] as known from the Yichudim — and these three AHYAH fill there, and their secret is: NACHT [= nun-ches-tes]. When the Ruach dominates [reaches the point of exiting through the nostrils] it is called nachas ruach — for CHOTAM [nose] is the NACHAS, not acting on its own, only flowing after the Ruach. And when the Ruach is still sealed inside the nose [not yet reaching exit] the nose itself flares and scintillates from the Ruach circling within it seeking to descend — and that scintillation reaches the Dikna directly rather than descending through the nostrils.

And in Arikh Anpin the nose is different from ZA: in ZA the nose is the place where din and rachamim contend — and charon af [burning anger] occurs in the nose when the gevuros flare without the moach's sweetening. But in Arikh the nose contains only illumination of ChA"S — a NACHT RUACH of complete sweetness. And: "chad rucha nafik le-ZA" — one breath goes out from the nose of Arikh to ZA into Gan Eden; and "chad rucha de-chayei, de-veih zamin le-zimna" — a second breath of life, reserved for the time-to-come, for Mashiach. This is "ve-nacha alav ruach Hashem — ruach chochma u-vinah" [Isaiah 11:2]. And all the events of the exile are contained in the operations of this second breath while still sealed inside the nose of Malchus — for when it finally exits and arrives, all will be repaired: the living in Tziyon will be called holy, and DEATH WILL BE SWALLOWED UP FOREVER.

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.