Chapter I

הנה עין הוי׳ אל יראיו

"The eye of the L-rd is directed
toward those who fear Him."1

The Midrash2 comments that this verse alludes to Avraham, as it is written:3 "Now I know that you are a G-d-fearing person."

The Midrash states:4 "When the Jewish people fulfill G-d's will, He looks at them with both eyes, as it is written:5 'The eyes of the L-rd are directed toward the righteous.' When they disobey Him, He looks at them with one eye, as it is written: 'The eye of the L-rd is directed toward those who fear Him.' "

Yet Avraham served G-d with great devotion and mesirus nefesh. How can this expression be used regarding him, when our Sages tell us that it is employed when Jews disobey G-d?

The matter can be understood as follows: There are two levels, hishtalshelus and the level that transcends hishtalshelus. The emanation of a higher level progressively descending to a lower level is hishtalshelus. An example would be a chain made of rings, in which the upper portion of every lower ring rests on the lower portion of the ring just above it.

The same is true regarding knowledge. There are various branches of knowledge, higher and lower, the simple and the more profound. In truth, all branches of knowledge are related. Therefore a thorough grounding in a lower branch leads to a deeper understanding of the higher levels. Within each particular branch of knowledge, too, there are levels, with some portions being higher and more profound while others are lower and shallower.

There are two manners of hishtalshelus. One manner is that the illumination of a higher level descends to a lower one. A second manner is that the higher level actually causes the lower one to come into being. The latter form of hishtalshelus is called ilah v'olul, i.e., cause and effect. The higher level is known as ilah, meaning "creator" or "cause," while the lower is known as olul, which means "created" or "effect."

In Sefiros,6 too, there is hishtalshelus. In this instance, part of the illumination of the higher level descends into the lower one.

Accordingly, we understand what is written in Sefer HaPardes7 that within each Sefirah, there are three levels. The first is that which is drawn down from the Sefirah above it, the second is the essence of the Sefirah in question, and the third is that part of the Sefirah which descends to the Sefirah below it.

An example is the Sefirah of Chochmah, or concept. The first level of the Sefirah comes from the Sefirah of Keser, as it is written:8 "Chochmah comes from ayin," referring to the Sefirah of Keser, which is known as ayin or "nothingness." The second level of Chochmah is the essence of the Sefirah. The third level is that which emanates from Chochmah to Binah, or understanding.

The above-mentioned three levels are found in all the Sefiros. This is the meaning of the term "Hishtalshelus HaSefiros" the progressive chain of descent of the Sefiros. In fact, the emanation of a higher Sefirah can be said to affect even a third Sefirah, through the intermediary of the one in between.

There is also a manner of "Hishtalshelus HaSefiros," whereby the lower Sefirah actually comes about from the higher. This does not mean that the lower Sefirah is actually created from the higher. Rather, the lower one was, prior to its emergence, concealed by and enclosed within the higher one. When the Sefirah is subsequently revealed, the terms ilah and olul are applicable.

All matters regarding hishtalshelus relate specifically to levels which are comparable one to another.

In summary: Soul powers and Sefiros exist on two levels. One level is higher than hishtalshelus while the other is hishtalshelus. An example of hishtalshelus is a chain, the rings of which are linked together. The relationship between Chochmah and Binah is one of ilah and olul, cause and effect.