The Rebbe Rashab explains the meaning of the “eyes” of Adam Kadmon, and what it has to do with the Keilim of the Sefiros of Akudim and Nekudim:
The idea of “eyes” is that by looking at something, the person has an “encompassing” connection to that thing. (For example, we find that a Tzadik can have a powerful effect on someone by just looking at him in the face, without even saying a word. This is an “encompassing” light that envelops the person receiving that look from the Tzadik. Similarly, Moshe Rabeinu looked at the entire land of Eretz Yisrael before he passed away, thereby bringing down an encompassing Light and power into it.)
The level of Adam Kadmon, is the first level that came into being from the Kav, it is the all-encompassing plan and desire from Hashem for everything in the subsequent worlds, like the general blueprint of the architect for the entire building. When it “looks” at a certain level of Hishtalshelus, it is drawing into it an encompassing power. This encompassing power it receives enables it to form its own Keilim. (In the analogy of the building, at each stage of construction of the building, by the architect looking at a certain part of the building as it is described in the blueprint, he can go ahead at that stage with the actual construction.)
Through this process of Adam Kadmon “looking” at the revelations of Hashem which are the source of Akudim and Nekudim, it enables them to form Keilim. This allows the next stage of Keilim to come into being, the Keilim of Atzilus.
Meaning, that at that point there can come into being the level (of Chochma of Atzilus), which serves as that source of the source of wisdom that is found in our world.
The Rebbe Rashab explains: Chochma of Atzilus is called the “source of the source,” since, relative to the types of wisdom in created worlds, the Divine Wisdom of Chochma of Atzilus is still unlimited and cannot be fathomed by any creation. However, the Kli (singular of Keilim) of Chochma of Atzilus is the “source” of wisdom of creations, since it creates the limited wisdom in created worlds, even though, the Chochma of Atzilus itself is not actually limited.
(The entire idea of the Tzimtzum leading to the descending levels of Igulim-Circles/Encompassing Light and Yosher-Direct revelation, and the ‘Parsa-dividing curtain’ of ‘Adam Kadmon-the beginning of the source of Man,’ leading to the worlds of Akudim and Nikudim, they are all within the level of Keser of Atzilus.)
Since, Keser of Atzilus acts as an intermediary level, enabling the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus to come into existence, beginning with Chochma-Wisdom, the first of the Sefiros of Atzilus.
Earlier in the maamar it said that between the Infinite Light of Hashem and Atzilus is a level called “Kesser-crown,” that serves as intermediaty level. Regarding the higher part of that intermediary level of Kesser we said that “You are He that is One, but not a one that is counted.”
This higher level of Kesser, Atik, was receives from the Infinite Light, and through it there came into being the lower part of Kesser, Arich, which is the direct source of Atzilus.
So how do all these other levels come into the picture? What is the purpose of the levels of Hashem’s revelation known as Adam Kadmon, and Akudim, and Nekudim/Tohu, if they are too lofty to create actual worlds which will lead to the physical world? If the purpose of Hishtalshelus is to act as an “interface system” between the Infinite Light of Hashem and the limited creations, why do we need so many levels?
The answer is: In general, Kesser refers to two levels of Atik and Arich (the “Kesser-Crown” of Atzilus). But, in a broader sense, the term Kesser can refer to all the levels from the beginning of the Kav until Atzilus. This is because all the levels from the beginning of the Kav until Atzilus all serve one purpose: To serve as an intermediary between the Infinite Light, and the “definition” and relative limitation of the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus. In order for the Infinte Light to actually shine into Atzilus, it has to “travel” through all the levels of the Kav, through Adam Kadmon, Akudim, and Nekudim, until it reaches Atzilus, and can become manifest in Atik and Arich of Atzilus.
All of those levels are needed in order for the Light of the Kav to come down to the level of Atzilus. In that sense, they are part of the “interface system” between the Infinite Light and creations, since they are needed for Atzilus to come into being, and then Atzilus can create actual worlds, including the physical world.
In that sense, the statement “You are He that is One, but not one that is counted,” is also referring to the levels of Nekudim, Akudim, and Adam Kadmon, since they are not counted in the category of the Ten Sefiros of Atzilus, yet, they able to bring some of the Infinite Light, that comes into the Kav, into Atzilus, as described above.
Due to the complexity of the terms mentioned here, we will save the explanation of “Igulim-Circles/Encompassing Light” and “Yosher-Direct revelation,” and the “Parsa-dividing curtain” of “Adam Kadmon-the beginning of the source of Man,” leading to the worlds of Akudim and Nikudim. For the end of the maamar in Addendum One.
