Growing Up

In the beginning of the portion of the Torah read this week, we are told that:

Jacob left Be'er Sheva and went to Haran. (Gen. 28:10)

Based on this verse, the Arizal discusses certain details of how Zeir Anpin is developed out of Abba and Imma. Jacob represents the full development of the concept of "patriarch", the individual fully fit to become the progenitor of the Jewish people, in contrast to Abraham and Isaac, who represented preparatory stages in this process. Similarly, Abba and Imma, the intellect, can be considered preparatory phases in the developmental process that leads to Zeir Anpin (and Nukva), the emotions, which is the main partzuf through which divinity is manifest on earth.

Abraham and Isaac personified [respectively] the chesed and gevura of the yesod of Imma as it is enclothed in the daat of Zeir Anpin.

Yesod of Imma is the drive of bina for self-actualization. This drive contains an element of chesed, or love, as part of its motivation, as well as an element of gevura, or power. Yesod of Imma becomes enclothed in the daat of Zeir Anpin, meaning that Zeir Anpin's ability to empathize (daat) is taken from his "mother" (Imma). Daat contains within it the twin faces of empathy, chesed and gevura, which later emerge as the primary emotions.

Jacob personified the yesod of Abba, which is enclothed within the yesod of Imma.

When yesod of Imma becomes enclothed in the daat of Zeir Anpin, it already has within it the yesod of Abba. In other words, the drive for self-actualization within Imma carries with it the drive for self-actualization within Abba. Abba and Imma are "the two companions that never separate", always joined in conjugal union, since chochma without bina is ephemeral and bina without chochma can lose its bearings.

Now, it is known that at first there enters Zeir Anpin immature mentality, signified by the name Elokim.

The name Elokim signifies tzimtzum ("contraction") of divine light. The constricted consciousness of immature mentality is therefore signified by this name.

Afterwards, when the above-mentioned mature mentality enters [his mind], the original, immature mentality descends into his throat. 1 For this reason, the numerical value of the word for "throat" [in Hebrew "garon", gimel-reish-vav-nun, whose numerical value is 259] is equal to three times that of the name Elokim [alef-lamed-hei-yud-mem, 86, plus 1 for the kolel]. This is also the numerical value of Haran [chet-reish-nun, 258].

3 x 86 = 258; 258 + 1 = 259.

It follows that the yesod of Imma in the state of mature mentality extends only as far as the chest of Zeir Anpin.

Imma's drive for self-actualization ends once it has become the intellect of the emotions.

However, the yesod of Abba, which is male and longer, extends further down, down to the level of the yesod of Zeir Anpin itself. The female…is the true actualization of any ideal…

The yesod of Abba was enclothed within the yesod of Imma, but it extends further into the reality of Zeir Anpin. This is because it is "male", i.e., as a drive for self-actualization it extends further. The original insight of chochma carries in it the seed of full manifestation in reality and therefore the drive and power to penetrate reality until the insight has inspired and remade reality in its image to the fullest extent possible. In contrast, the processing of the insight in bina mitigates its power, since the whole purpose of bina is to integrate the insight into the existing reality and world-view. This does, of course, endow bina with a certain drive for self-actualization once the new synthesis of old-thinking and new-thinking has been completed, but this cannot compare with the original force of the unprocessed flash of insight.

The yesod of Abba therefore continues further than the yesod of Imma, down to the level where yesod of Zeir Anpin is poised to bring Nukva into being. In other words, this may be seen as the drive within any father to have a daughter, and psychologically may account for the affinity between fathers and daughters (whereas the fact that yesod of Imma terminates in Zeir Anpin may account for the greater affinity between mothers and sons). The female, as we have discussed previously, is the true actualization of any ideal, since she is the embodiment of G‑d's will to manifest His divinity within creation. The male, embodying the inspiration of chochma, is driven toward this ideal, but is incapable himself of actualizing it just because of his abstract nature.

A radiance of this extension of the yesod of Abba - that extends lower than the chest [of Zeir Anpin] and is then exposed - shines outside of Zeir Anpin itself, and becomes the partzuf of Yaakov.

Once the yesod of Abba extends out further than the yesod of Imma, it is no longer enclothed in the yesod of Imma but is exposed. Its "light" can then shine, and it shines outside of Zeir Anpin itself. From this residual, secondary light is formed a new partzuf, Yaakov. Female waters…ascend, just as a well is an upwelling of subterranean water…

Now, we generally speak of six principle partzufim: Atik Yomin, Arich Anpin, Abba, Imma, Zeir Anpin, and Nukva. In this general scheme, Zeir Anpin and Nukva are often personified by Jacob (Yaakov) and Rachel. However, there is a secondary development of partzufim as well, in which some of these split into or give rise to additional partzufim. We are introduced here to one of these secondary partzufim, that of Yaakov, which develops out of the primary partzuf of Zeir Anpin.

This, then, is the mystical meaning of the verse: "Jacob [Yaakov] left ["went out from"] Be'er Sheva and went to Haran." The partzuf of Yaakov originates, as we have said, from the yesod of Abba after the extension of the yesod of Imma and terminated at the chest of Zeir Anpin. At that point [yesod of Abba] goes forth and is revealed from within the yesod of Imma, which is termed "Be'er Sheva," as we will explain.

"Be'er Sheva" literally means "the well of seven"; its mystical association with yesod of Imma will be explained presently. The verse thus reads: The origin of Yaakov, i.e., yesod of Abba, went forth from the yesod of Imma, i.e., Be'er Sheva…

The yesod of Abba, who is male, is termed the "[male] organ" [in Hebrew, "eiver", spelled alef-beit-reish]. It is therefore alluded to in the final letters of the words "Jacob left Be'er…" [in Hebrew, "va-yeitzei Yaakov mi-be'er, alef-beit-reish"].

The yesod of Imma, however, is female, and is therefore alluded to by the inversion of these letters, which yields the word for a "well" ["be'er", spelled alef-beit-reish-beit-alef-reish], which is concave and hollow, and into which the male organ is inserted. Therefore the yesod of the female [partzuf] is always called a "well".

This is true also for the reason that [the female partzuf] causes "female waters" to ascend, just as a well is an upwelling of subterranean water - toward the male organ.

In order to couple, the male and female partzufim must mutually arouse each other. The Zoharic terms for these processes of arousal are "the descent of male water" and "the ascent of female water," respectively. The images evoked are that of rain for the male and the upwelling of spring water.

As to why [the female yesod] is called Be'er Sheva ["the well of seven"], this is for two reasons. First, the brains of Zeir Anpin were originally four: chochma, bina, and [the states of] chesed and gevura [that would later be contained within daat].

"Originally" here refers to before Zeir Anpin emerged as a partzuf and was still in the "womb" of Imma.

Later, when they descended further and entered the netzach-hod-yesod of Imma, they became three brains: chochma, bina, and daat - which included chesed and gevura [within it].

Part of the maturation process of Zeir Anpin was the coalescence of chesed and gevura into one power of empathy, daat.

As is known, these mature states of mentality are all names Havayah. Therefore, the two developmental stages comprise seven names Havayah [within Imma], and therefore [yesod of Imma] is called Be'er Sheva.

The second reason is that when the three brains [of Zeir Anpin] - chochma, bina, and daat - [when it is at the level] of netzach-hod-yesod of Abba are joined with the four brains [of Zeir Anpin] - chochma, bina, chesed, and gevura - [when it is at the level] of netzach-hod-yesod of Imma it gives seven names Havayah. They are all enclothed within Imma, as is known, and therefore her yesod is called Be'er Sheva. These names…that manifest the mature mentality spread via the three axes throughout the body…

The fact that yesod of Imma becomes enclothed in the daat of Zeir Anpin is just part of a larger picture: the entire triplet of netzach-hod-yesod of Imma becomes enclothed in the triplet of chochma-bina-daat of Zeir Anpin. Similarly, just as yesod of Abba is enclothed within yesod of Imma (and therefore, once removed, within the daat of Zeir Anpin), so is the entire triplet of netzach-hod-yesod of Abba enclothed within the triplet of netzach-hod-yesod of Imma (and therefore, once removed, within the chochma-bina-daat of Zeir Anpin).

For this reason Yaakov also comprises these seven names Havayah, whose combined numerical value is the same as that of Yaakov. This, then, is the mystical meaning of "Jacob went out of Be'er Sheva."

Havayah (yud-hei-vav-hei) = 10 + 5 + 6 + 5 = 26. 7 x 26 = 182.

Yaakov (yud-ayin-kuf-beit) = 10 + 70 + 100 + 2 = 182.

Now, it is known that these names Havayah that manifest the mature mentality [of Zeir Anpin] spread via the three axes throughout the body of Zeir Anpin. In this process, they pass through the throat, which is termed "Haran", which is formed from the three names Elokim that manifest the immature mentality [of Zeir Anpin, as above]. In addition, the yesod of Abba - which is termed Yaakov [because the partzuf of this name will develop out of it] - passes through it. This is the mystical meaning of "…and went to Haran", for Haran signifies these three names Elokim.

The word "to Haran" in Hebrew, however, is one word: the word for "Haran" with a hei attached as a suffix.

The additional hei in the word "to Haran" signifies the five letters of Elokim.

The numerical value of hei is 5.

The meaning of the word "Haran" also indicates [immature or constricted consciousness, for it means] "anger", which [is caused by] severe stages of judgment, which are called "Elokim".

The name Elokim indicates G‑d's attribute of judgment and justice, which "incites" His "anger". The extra yud in "Yaakov" corresponds to the ten letters, indicating how he encompasses them all…

This is the mystical meaning of the verse, "My throat is parched [literally, 'grew angry']." (Ps. 69:4) For since the throat expresses the name Elokim, it becomes hot and parched, just as the idiom [for "anger" in Hebrew] is "heating of the nostril". Also, the word for "parched" in this verse ["nichar", spelled nun-chet-reish] comprises the same letters as the word for Haran ["charan", spelled chet-reish-nun], and its numerical value is also [naturally] that of the word for "throat" [in Hebrew, "garon", spelled gimel-reish-vav-nun] with the kolel. It is all one.

Now, as we have explained elsewhere, these three names Elokim are [the three ways of spelling out this name:] with the letter yud, with the letter alef, and with the letter hei.

The [name Elokim] that is spelled out with the letter yud is first, and is manifest in the partzuf of Leah, which is situated above. The last is the one spelled out with the letter hei, and is manifest in the partzuf of Rachel, which is situated below. The middle one is the one spelled out with the letter alef, and is manifest in the partzuf of Yaakov.

In the secondary array of partzufim, the partzuf of Yaakov, the emotions, couples with two female partzufim, Leah (thought) and Rachel (speech).

Since Yaakov is the middle of the three, he encompasses both of them, the higher and the lower [partzufim]. Therefore the numerical value of Yaakov is [ten more than] twice that of Elokim, i.e., that of the word for "heel" [in Hebrew, "eikev", which also spells "Yaakov" without the yud].

The extra yud in "Yaakov" corresponds to the ten letters [of two times Elokim], indicating how they [the partzufim of Rachel and Leah] are connected to him.

Translated and adapted by Moshe-Yaakov Wisnefsky from Shaar HaPesukim and Likutei Torah; subsequently published in "Apples From the Orchard."

Reprinted with permission from Chabad of California. Copyright 2004 by Chabad of California, Inc. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this work or portions thereof, in any form, without permission, in writing, from Chabad of California, Inc.