Introduction to the Book of Zohar (PDF) - Kabbalah Media Archive

I N T RO D U C T I O N T O T H E B O O K O F Z O H A R
Malchut performs a Tzimtzum, becomes empty, and during this state it is
being gradually filled with the light, performs corrections, which finally
lead to the third state, when Malchut returns to being completely filled
with the light.
This third state is equivalent to the first one, the only difference
between them being that the third state was achieved by Malchut itself.
According to the above sketch, the first state is created by the Creator
from outside, by the surrounding light called Ohr Sovev. The third state
– the world of Infinity - is achieved by the correction of Malchut itself,
which absorbs all these previous properties. They become the properties
of Malchut, which fills the entire volume of Infinity by attracting the
outer light.
It is not that the Creator governs and fills the world of Infinity, but
rather Malchut fills this void from within its own desire. We are going to
examine how these three states predetermine each other.
There is an opportunity to pass from the first state to the second
and then from the second to the third in the following way: from the first
state, we pass to the second by descending the so-called levels of descent
(the worlds, Partzufim and Sefirot). This process is usually depicted as one
unfolding from up downwards, from the World of Infinity to our world.
The passage from the second state to the third constitutes the levels of
ascent (correction) of the souls. Naturally, we do not exist between the
first and the second stages; there are no created beings yet. The path of
creation starts between the second and the third states.
There are two paths: “the path of Torah and the path of suffering”. The
difference is only in time. From the beginning until the end of every path,
I should go through a certain number of levels. Every time, while passing
from one level to another I need to feel the evil and corruption of my current
state and the perfection expected at the next one. I can evaluate the
corruption of the current level and the perfection of the future one either
under the influence of my group, books and the Rav or under the influ-
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