Dynamics of the Soul / Spark Divisions
"Gates of Reincarnation": Chapter Eleven, Section 3
Translation by Yitzchok bar Chaim;
commentary by Shabtai Teicher
This section is based on the previous one, but the Ari
will add two new aspects: the model of dynamic development, and an explanation
in detail of how it works. In addition, he will change some of the terminology
that was introduced in the previous section.
First of all, in the previous section we learned that
the 613 Major Roots become by fragmentation, as a result of sin and blemish,
600,000 Minor Roots. The 600,000 Minor Roots are not subdivisions of the 613
Major Roots. Rather, the 613 are divided into smaller units. 600,000 is the
maximum number that may be reached. That is what we mean when we say that the
613 Major Roots become or fragment into
600,000 Minor Roots. The symbol we will use for this phenomenon is: →, i.e.:
613 Major Roots → 600,000 Minor Roots
Each one of the 613 Major Roots divides into 613 Major
Sparks. In this case we mean subdivision. We will use the
following symbol for it: ↓, i.e.:
613 Major Roots
↓
613 Major Sparks
Each and every one of the 613 Major Roots is itself
composed of 613 Major Sparks. In other words, there are 613 X 613 Major Sparks  | | " Adam was the progenitor of all the roots and sparks" | | |
The 613 Major Sparks divide into 600,000 Minor Sparks.
Once again, here we are not talking about subdivision, but fragmentation. The
613 Major Sparks are divided into smaller units than their original division.
Thus, they will constitute, without their number having changed at all, a
maximum of 600,000. The 613 Major Sparks become 600,000 Minor Sparks, i.e.:
613 Major Sparks → 600,000 Minor Sparks
In this section the Ari will switch the terminology,
which will become the following:
613 Major Roots → 600,000 Major Sparks
↓
613 Minor Roots → 600,000 Minor Sparks
Nevertheless, it remains the same that the first,
general category of 613 Major Roots subdivides (↓) into 613 particulars. In the
previous section these 613 particulars were called Majors Sparks. In this
section they are called, instead, Minor Roots.
In either case, each one of the 613 Major Roots
ultimately becomes 600,000 Minor Sparks as a result of subdivision (↓) and
further fragmentation (→). In either case, the number of Minor Sparks
constituting the original partzuf, remains the same: 613 x 600,000.
The Ari will now add new information, what is being
called here "dynamic development."
Furthermore, you need to know that all the 613 Major
Roots of Nukva of Asiya fragment in the following way:
We have been using Nukva of Asiya as an
example. Since she is a partzuf, she consists of 613 Major Roots. They
fragment in the following way:
First, there is one soul, Adam, who is the
progenitor of all of them and includes all of them.
Adam was the progenitor of all the roots and
sparks that were described previously, and all of them were included within him.
Afterwards, they are all included within the 3
Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Afterwards, they are all included within
the 12 Tribes. Afterwards, they divide into 70 Souls. Afterwards, these 70 Souls
divide into as many as 600,000 Major Sparks. | | " This dynamic development parallels the historical development of Israel" | | |
The Ari is describing the dynamic development of one
partzuf, Adam, into 600,000 Major Sparks (keeping in mind what was
introduced at the beginning of this section: 613 Major Roots → 600,000 Major
Sparks). Since it is a partzuf, it is in the secret of 613.
How does that 613 become 600,000? This is the dynamic development being
described here, but it is starting with 1 because in this case there is no
difference between 1 and 613. One partzuf is composed of 613 limbs and
sinews. In other words, 613 = 1.
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The Ari is describing the dynamic development of
one partzuf, Adam, into 600,000 Major Sparks (keeping in mind
what was introduced at the beginning of this section: 613 Major Roots -->
600,000 Major Sparks). Since it is a partzuf, it is in the secret
of 613. How does that 613 become 600,000? This is the dynamic
development being described here, but it is starting with 1 because in this
case there is no difference between 1 and 613. One partzuf is
composed of 613 limbs and sinews. In other words, 613 = 1.
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The description of this dynamic development parallels
the historical development of Israel as it is described in the Torah. First, the
Torah tells us the story of Adam. Then it focuses upon the lives of the 3
Patriarchs. The last patriarch, Jacob, gives birth to 12 sons who are the
forefathers of the 12 Tribes. When the family of Jacob descends into Egypt, they
number 70 Souls (Ex.1:5). When the people of Israel are liberated from bondage,
coming out from Egypt to stand at Mt. Sinai and receive the Torah, then they
number 600,000. (Although this is an approximate, rounded-off number, it is the
number actually recorded by the Torah in Exodus 12:37 when the count of Israel
is first given, and all subsequent literature uses it.)
In the same way, each one of the 613 Major Roots is
made (↓) into a partzuf that is comprised of 613 (Minor Roots). They then
fragment (→), as has been explained, until 600,000 Minor Sparks.
Each one of the 613 Minor Roots fragments into as many
as 600,000 Minor Sparks.
For example, Adam contained all the 613 Major
Roots of the entire partzuf of Nukva of Asiya. The left
shoulder of Adam is one Major Root, and it is a whole partzuf.
The left shoulder of Adam is one of the 613
Major Roots of Adam. It is a whole partzuf. In itself it consists
of 613 limbs and sinews. The left shoulder is the partzuf, or Root,
called "Kayin", Hebrew for "Cain".
According to what was written in the introduction to
this section, each Major Root subdivides into 613 Minor Roots. Thus, the Major
Root of Kayin should subdivide into 613 Minor Roots. However, note the
number that the author teaches now.
It (the left shoulder) divides into no more than 70
Minor Roots.
When the Ari uses the system of dynamic development,
he does not start with the number 613. He does not say that one Major Root such
as the left shoulder subdivides (↓) into 613 Minor Roots, although that would be
an accurate statement. However, when he uses the system of dynamic development,
the number 613 is equivalent to 1, to one whole partzuf. In this case the
left shoulder of Adam, which is one of the Major Roots subdivides (↓) into 613
limbs or 1 partzuf --> 3 Patriarchs --> 12 Tribes --> 70 Souls. Thus, each one of the
613 Major Roots subdivides into 70 Minor Roots, and they are the 70 particular
Souls of the Minor Root.
He does not go on to say that it fragments into
600,000 because on that level it is no longer called "Root", but "Spark".
These 70 (Minor) Roots comprise the 613 limbs and
sinews of this partzuf.
This one Major Root has 3 Patriarchs that include all
of it, and then 12 Tribes, and then 70 Souls into 600,000 Minor Sparks.
These 70 Minor Roots comprise the 613 limbs and sinews
of the one partzuf that is the left shoulder of Adam. The 613
limbs and sinews do not subdivide into the 70 Minor Roots. They are merely
reorganized into these 70 sets.
All these 70 Minor Roots fragment (→) into 600,000
Minor Sparks.
They do not subdivide (↓) into 600,000 each. The 70
become (→) 600,000, but their name changes from Root to Spark.
Kayin consists of this one Major Root that
includes 70 Minor Roots comprised of 600,000 Minor Sparks. He is just like
Adam (in the following respect). This one Major Root (called "Kayin")
has 3 Patriarchs that include all of it, and then 12 Tribes, and then 70 Souls.
Afterwards, they fragment into 600,000 Minor Sparks.
Thus, the partzuf of Adam contained 613
limbs and sinews. One of them was the Left Shoulder, which is the Major Root
called Kayin. It is one of the 613 subdivisions () of the Nukva
of Asiya of Adam. This Major Root, Kayin, subdivided into
70 Minor Roots, which further fragmented into 600,000 Minor Sparks.
The Ari will now go on to explain the second new
aspect of this section. How do the 70 Minor Roots become 600,000 Minor Sparks?
Now, I will explain the fragmentation of the 70 Minor
Roots. It has already been made clear that all of them together fragment (→)
into 600,000 Minor Sparks. | | " Each one of the 70 Minor Roots contains 613 internal sparks and an unspecified number of external sparks" | | |
Note how the Ari uses the phrase that "all of them
together" divide into 600,000 Minor Sparks. They do not subdivide into that
number, but all of them together are reorganized into that larger number.
However, each Root among them is not necessarily an
equal number of Sparks as any of the other ones.
Each one of the 70 Minor Roots has an average of 8,571
Minor Sparks. But this number is an average. Some of the 70 Minor Roots
have more; and some of the 70 have less. All together they equal a maximum of
600,000.
The only thing concerning them that is equivalent is
the following. Each one of the (70) Roots divides (↓) into 613 Sparks that are
internal and essential.
Of the average 8,571 there are 613 Sparks that are
internal and essential. Each one of the 70 Minor Roots contains 613 internal and
essential Sparks, no matter what the actual number of Sparks are contained by
that Root.
These are the Torah scholars in this Root.
Developing around them are the branches, who are the
householders and masses. These are without any specific number.
The 70 Minor Roots can become a maximum of 600,000
Minor Sparks. We will review the Ari's description of how it happens.
One Major Root has subdivided into 70 Minor Roots.
Each one of the 70 Minor Roots contains 613 internal sparks and an unspecified
number of external sparks. The internal sparks are the saints, scholars and
students of wisdom of the root; the external sparks are the masses - the
farmers, merchants and householders of the root.
All of these Sparks all together, the internal ones
and the external ones, of all the 70 Minor Roots all together, equal 600,000
maximum.
In the left-hand column of the accompanying table you
see the 613 limbs and sinews that comprise one of the Minor Roots of the left
shoulder of Adam (or any other one of the Minor Roots). These 613 are the
talmedei chachamim, the "students of wisdom" of the Root. Each one of
these develops an indefinite amount of branch sparks. These are the masses of
the Root. All together, in all the 70 Minor Roots, there are not more than
600,000 sparks.
Thus, each Major Root in Adam has subdivided
into 613 (one partzuf) according to one way of looking at it, into 70
Minor Roots according to another way of looking at it, and finally into 600,000
Minor Sparks. None of these viewpoints is contradictory.
The left shoulder is one Major Root of Adam,
and it is called Kayin. One of the 70 Minor Roots of this limb is the
Heel of the Left Leg of the general partzuf that is the Root of Kayin.
In this Minor Root (the Heel of the Left Leg) there are 613 Sparks. All of these
are students of wisdom.
In Chapter 38 the Ari will identify some of these 613
internal sparks of the Heel of the Left Leg of the Left Shoulder of Nukva
of Asiya of Adam.
In general, all other human souls develop out from the
613 internal, essential sparks, as shown in the table.
All the other Sparks of human souls develop around
them. These are those that do mitzvot, the merchants and the peasants. Of
these there are no specific number. The only requirement is that all the Sparks
of these 70 Minor Roots that comprise this one Major Root not exceed the number
of 600,000 Minor Sparks. To return to the previous article in this series,
Gate of Reincarnations, Roots and Sparks 11:2
To link to the next article in this series,
Gate of Reincarnations, Flesh, Tendons & Bones 11:4
Visitor Comments: 1
funny subversive, from no man land, 12/29/2004
Is there any difference betwee
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