To sustain the recipients after they broke, 288 sparks of the lights came down as well, because a connection to their original lights was needed to keep them alive. Some of these sparks reunited with their higher lights, and helped the recipients rise and also reunite with their lights, while others fell even lower into the other worlds.
The Tikun – reparation is to make rise all the other sparks to their origin and bring back the creation to its original state. Therefore, the goal of all the works, deeds and prayers of men in this existence is to help and participate in the ascent of the rest of the fallen 288 sparks to their origin. This can be done different ways but mainly by accomplishing the Mitsvot and by the prayers.
After the breaking of the Kelim and the separation from their lights, it was necessary for the guidance of the world that reparation be done. From the forehead of Adam Kadmon emerged ten Sephirot of the aspect of the name of MaH (45), corresponding to the masculine – reparation. This is in contrast to the Sephirot of BaN (52), which correspond to the feminine aspect – rigor, and are the root of deterioration.
The Tikun was done by the union of the Sephirot of MaH (45) (mercy) and BaN (52) (rigor) in complex arrangements, so as to allow the feminine BaN (52) to be repaired by the masculine MaH (45), and for the Sephirot to stand in the three-column arrangement of kindness, rigor and mercy. With the proper order of the Sephirot in place, various configurations that are called Partsufim completed the creation.
With the emanation of the lights of MaH (45) He could have done the Tikun (rectification) of all the worlds after the Shvirat HaKelim (breaking of the vessels), but then, there would not have been a reason for the participation of man in this Tikun.
It is to give a possibility to man to act and repair the creation that G-od restrained in a way, his outflow of kindness to this world. At the completion of this Tikun of unification between the fallen sparks and their Kelim, it will be the time of the resurrection of the dead and the arrival of Moshia’h.
This ray of His direct light called “Kav” emerged from Ein Sof (Infinite) and entered on one side of the vacant space, where there was still an imprint of the original light. The Kav, which represents the masculine and the imprint, the feminine, will now together give existence to the worlds and the various systems of Sephirot with which He will govern these worlds.
There are two main systems of guidance of the worlds: one is for the general guidance, in charge of the nature and normal events, and one for men, influenced by their acts and time.
After entering the vacant space, the Kav made ten circular Sephirot encircling one another – (encircling Sephirot) in charge of the general guidance of the worlds. Keeping his shape, he also made ten Sephirot in a linear arrangement – (straight Sephirot) in charge of the guidance of the world in the manner of ‘Hesed, Din and Ra’hamim (Kindness, rigor and mercy), which is the balanced guidance of this existence.
The Kav is the root of all the guidance and the innermost interiority of all this creation.
Encircling Sephirot
The ten circular Sephirot encircle the whole vacant space, one on the other. The first Sephira כתר encircles חכמה, which encircles בינה and so on until יסוד encircles the last Sephira of מלכות.
These ten circular Sephirot are in charge of the general guidance of the worlds, provide for its subsistence, for what is needed for the normal events of nature and for the vegetal and animal life. This guidance is not influenced by the actions of men.
Straight Sephirot
The Kav (ray) maintained his straight shape and made ten other Sephirot, but this time in a linear arrangement. They ten straight Sephirot were arranged in three columns: right, left and middle, it is the model of the dynamic guidance of the world. Each one of these three columns represents one of the main forces that make the guidance: kindness, rigor and what makes the balance of the two; mercy. This first configuration, or the first world where the emanated lights were formed into ten Sephirot, is called Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man). It is the union between the imprint and the Kav (ray). From this first configuration, all the other worlds of אצילות (emanation), בריה (creation), יצירה (formation) and עשיה (action) came forth into existence
[1] כתר is the outer limit of the vacant space
In the beginning, there was no existence except His presence; the Creator was alone, occupying all space with His light. His light, without end, borders or limit, filled everything. He was not bestowing His influence because there was no one to receive it. When He willed to create; He started to influence. His light being of such holiness and intensity, it is not possible for any being to exist in its proximity.
The “Tsimtsum” is the first act of Ein Sof (Infinite) in the creation. It is the retraction of His light from a certain space and encircling it, so as to reduce its intensity and allow created beings to exist. After this contraction, a ray of His light entered this empty space and formed the first Sephirot.
By these boundaries, He revealed the concepts of rigor and limit needed by the created beings, and gave a space for all the created to exist.
‘Hallal – vacant space
After the Tsimtsum (retraction) of His light, an empty space called ‘Hallal was left in the center of this new creation – a space without His full presence. This space is circular and contains all possibilities of existence for separated entities given that they are now distanced from the intensity of His light.
Reshimu – imprint
When His light retracted to form this round space, a trace of it called Reshimu – imprint remained inside. This lower intensity light allowed a space of existence (Makom) for all the created worlds and beings.
The roots of all future existence and events are in the Reshimu. Nothing can come into existence without having its root in this imprint.
The combination of the Reshimu – imprint of the original light and the Kav – ray of His direct light, will be the origin of all future worlds and existence.
Non-Jews that are attracted by the Kabbalah could get an “intellectual” insight of its concepts and a feeling of well-being by its values, but have no direct participation in its realization, since they do not observe its intricate relations with the commandments of the Torah and the prayers.
For example; when praying three times a day, we participate in the unification of particular lights or energies for the guidance of the world, by observing the Shabbat this participation is enhanced, and our rituals correspond to very particular actions that are reflected on these energies. About all of the other prayers, rituals or commandments of the Torah are also in direct relation with these lights or energies that are in charge of the guidance, and the manifestation of G-od’s presence. A non-Jew will study this intellectually but will not act on it.
This is the reason why throughout the history, all the main and important Kabbalists were very meticulous in observing all the commandments of the Torah in their least details.