Chapter 2
To understand this we need to first explain the two ways of service “from above to below” and “from below to above”. Generally each has its own specific time. Elul is a preparation for Tishrie and Nissan is a preparation to the giving the torah however both modes of service are also found through out the entire year. They are the service of torah and the service of tiffila-prayer.
The idea here is (see hemshech 5672 above) how the difference between torah and prayer is similar to the difference between the name m’ah and the name b’an (1numerical equivalents to hashem’s name yud keh vov keh).
Torah is the category of m’ah (see glossary) as is written (numbers chukat chapter 19.14) this is the ritual: when a person-adom, and adom is numerically m’ah (pardas shar 23). The service of torah is in the category of drawing down from above to below. (Torah comes from g-d who is above to man below)
Tiffila however is in the category of b’an as is written (psalm 109.4) “but I am all prayer” which refers to the 2 sefira of malchut which is the category of b’an. The service of tiffila is
In the category of elevation from below to above. (Man below asks for his needs from g-d above). as is written lman yezamarcho vlo yidom (psalms 30.13) referring to the river below which is never silent and calls constantly to the river above (zohar 2 page 140.1) the idea of elevation from below to above. yet this is not contradictory to what was taught (hemshech 5672) that m’ah and b’an are orot (light) and kalim (vessels) whereby light is m’ah and is in the category of elevation to become absorbed in its source and the vessels are in the category of the b’an and they descend and flow below (which is the opposite of what was taught earlier that m’ah is from above to below and b’an is from below to above).
Because this that the light is in a constant state of elevation (to its source and the infinite) and the vessels are descending downwards below (to limitation and creation) is in accord with what they are essentially. By way of their very coming into being –how they where created- .
Foot notes
1-the name of hashem yud keh vov keh can be spelled in four combinations and each then add up to a different number
Ab-72, sag-63, m’ah-45, b’an-52. (See glossary in chapter one number three the idea of gematria). Each being a different revelation of an aspect of the divine name. (see glossary on ma’ and b’an)
2-there are ten seferot. chocmo being the highest and malchut being the lowest. in all they are chocmo –bina-das-chesed-gevura-tiferes-netzach-hod-yesod-malchut. (See glossary seferot)
3-the river below and river above refer to g-d dividing the waters during creation. Placing some water on earth; rivers oceans, springs and the water above in the sky; clouds, rain.
The water below yearns to reunite the waters above and be closer to g-d it source in heaven as the waters above are.
Glossary
M’ah and b’an:
M’ah means what is? It corresponds to the level of chochmo which is bitu; self nullification to Ohr Ein Sof. While b’an corresponds to the level malchut which is the beginning of yesh- existence (g-d uses malchut to create the world).
Hence chochmo or m’ah is the higher level and malchut which is b’an is the lower level)
Seferot: kabbala explains that g-d created so to speak within him ten seferot that act as a channel through which the infinite and the finite are able to interact with each other.
Nehora tato and nehora ela: can also refer to the feminine waters that yearn for the flow of the masculine waters see zohar. Using the lower and upper waters in creation to teach us about elevation teaches as well how the physical world derives from the spiritual.
Orot; light and kalim; vessels are terms used by the kabbalists
To denote the infinite being contained in the finite. The light representing the infinite and the vessel representing the limitation that the light takes on. Light by definition is connected to its source in a revealed way while the vessels are connected to their source in a hidden way which is way they are able to limit the light.
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