Ta’amim, Nekudot, Tagin, and Otiot

46) We said above that because of the Bitush Ohr Makif inthe Masach de Guf, the Masach weakens, rises until it joins the Masach de Rosh, and becomes a single whole with it. Then both screens perform a Zivug de Haka’a, which leads to the emergence of a new Partzuf in concordance with the Aviut in its Reshimot. Now let us study the four kinds of the light TANTA (Ta’amim, Nekudot, Tagin and Otiot – in Hebrew the word begins with the letter Alef), which stem out of the Bitush de OhrMakif and the rise of the Masach to the Peh de Rosh.

47) However, the Masach does not lose its strength at one go; it happens in a certain order. First, the Masach loses Behina Dalet, then Behina Gimel, then Bet, then Shoresh and Alef, until the Masach is totally free from all the Aviut and merges with the Masach de Rosh. The Upper Light never stops shining; it continues to interact with the Masach in whatever state it may be during the process of its weakening.

When the Masach de Guf ascended one level above the Tabur, i.e., from the Malchut de Guf to the ZeirAnpin de Guf, there was an intermediate Zivug in the Masach de Rosh. Because of this Zivug, the intermediate Partzuf of the level of Hochma emerged.

Then the Masach de Guf continues to rise. From ZA de Guf it rises to Bina de Guf. At this time, there is another intermediate Zivug de Haka’a on the Masach de Rosh, which leads to the formation ofthe Partzuf of the level of Bina and so on.

There are four such interim Zivugim during the transition from Galgalta to AB. These Zivugim lead to the formation of four intermediate Partzufim called Hochma de Galgalta, Bina de Galgalta, ZA de Galgalta, and Malchut de Galgalta.

Thus, we learned that the second Partzuf AB is born with the help of four Zivugim, which gradually emerge during the weakening of the Masach de Guf on its way to complete merging with the Masach de Rosh. A similar process takes place during the transition from AB to SAG or any other Partzuf.

There is a general rule: the Masach cannot get free from its Aviut at one go; it is a gradual process. The Ohr Elion, which is constantly shining, makes a Zivug on each level.

48) These interim, inner Partzufim are called “Nekudot”. Nekudot are the Ohr Hozer, per se. Besides, the Nekudot are inseparably connected with the category of “Din” (judgment), because the force of this judgment-restriction is already included in them.

There are no half-decisions in spirituality. Therefore, when the Partzuf, affected by a Bitush Pnim u Makif, decides to expel the light, this process cannot be stopped. However, as was said above, during the expulsion of the light, i.e., during the ascent of the Masach from the Tabur (Malchut de Guf), intermediate Zivugim de Haka’a take place and create intermediate Partzufim called Nekudot.

Thus, we can distinguish two levels in each Partzuf: the Ta’amim and the Nekudot. The Nekudot were defined above. The Ta’amim are the first 10 Sefirot de Guf of the Partzuf, emerging because of the first regular Zivug de Haka’a, which leads to the formation of this particular Partzuf.

49) The Reshimot (memories) that remain from the Ta’amim in the Guf of the Partzuf are called “Tagin”. The Reshimot that remain from the interim stages of Nekudot are called “Otiot” or “Kelim”. The Tagin (Reshimot from the lights of Ta’amim) are placed above the letters (Otiot - the genuine Kelim), and enliven them.

Therefore, the ten Sefirot that emerged from the first Zivug de Haka’a and the subsequent descent of the light are called the “Ta’amim”. The ten Sefirot or, rather, ten interim Partzufim (or five, if we consider ZA one Sefira), which emerged from the nine (or four) intermediate Zivugim during the rise of the screen from the Tabur to the Peh, are called “Nekudot”. The Reshimot of Ta’amim are called “Tagin” and the Reshimot of Nekudot – “Otiot”.