Ohr Pnimi (אור פנימי) — Inner Light

Core definition

Ohr Pnimi is the "inner light" — the Divine light as it is drawn into the worlds in a measured, comprehensible way, in contrast to the ohr makif (encompassing light) that surrounds without being grasped. In Korach's parables: "Food = Ohr Pnimi (inner light); garment and house = makifim (encompassings)" — the two makifim being Memaleh and Sovev [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצג]. Memaleh is "the revelation of the influence in the aspect of inner light (ohr pnimi), which needs measuring in the light — in what manner it will be drawn, so that it will be received in the vessels" [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצו].

How the Rebbeim develop it

The inner light is drawn from the Essence itself: "in truth the Ohr Pnimi is also a drawing from the aspect of the Essence of the Ein Sof" — but its drawing as a world is through the tzimtzum, "drawn in the aspect of a radiance alone," for as it is in essence the worlds cannot receive it [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצח]. Hence of the Ohr Pnimi it is said "the radiance of His glory" (ziv yikrei) — the radiance alone — while of the Ohr Ein Sof of Sovev it is said "Ani malei" (I fill): the Pnimi is drawn only as a radiance through the tzimtzum, since the worlds cannot receive it as-is; the Sovev is drawn as the very light [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצח].

Paradoxically, the inner light is rooted higher than the encompassing: "the Ohr Pnimi is rooted in the Essence more than the Ohr Ein Sof of Sovev; and it is known that every revealer must be above the thing it reveals" [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצח]. The makif is drawn through the pnimi: "the circles are drawn through the Kav — for at first it is drawn to be Ohr Pnimi, and afterward it becomes circular" (Etz Chaim) [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצז]. The great circle before the Kav encompasses the Kav from head to end equally, and all the encompassing circles are drawn from it — "the drawing is not in the aspect of Ohr Pnimi... but it is in the aspect of Sovev and makif, in all equally" [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצז].

The tallis/tzitzis parable makes the relationship concrete: the tallis's main matter is the ohr makif, while "the tzitzis emerging from it are the ohr pnimi drawn from the makif" — the makif is the source from which the pnimi emerges [31643/maamar_027 :: p. קפב summary]. Likewise the kav's revelation is the ohr pnimi: "the tzitzis emerging are the kav's revelation — ohr pnimi" — the inner light "contracted to the worlds" [31643/maamar_027 :: p. קפה summary].

Key distinctions

• Pnimi vs. makif. The inner light is measured, vessel-adapted, and grasped; the makif surrounds in all equally without being received inwardly [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצו–תצז].
• Pnimi vs. Sovev. Both come from the Essence, but the Pnimi comes through the tzimtzum as radiance alone (ziv yikrei), while Sovev comes as the very light (Ani malei); yet the Pnimi is rooted higher in the Essence, since it is the revealer [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצח].
• Drawn from the makif. The pnimi is not separate from the makif — it emerges from it, as the tzitzis from the tallis, and the circles are drawn through the Kav [31643/maamar_027 :: p. קפב summary; 58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצז].
• Memaleh as pnimi. Memaleh kol almin is the inner light's manner: the influence measured "in what manner it will be drawn, so that it will be received in the vessels" [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצו].

Related concepts

Ohr makif, memale kol almin / sovev kol almin, the Kav, tzimtzum, vessels (keilim), tallis and tzitzis, Yuval (as Ohr Pnimi) vs. Yaval (as Sovev).

Sources

• [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצג] — Food as Ohr Pnimi; garment and house as the two makifim, Memaleh and Sovev.
• [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצו] — Memaleh as inner light needing measurement for the vessels.
• [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצז] — The makif drawn through the pnimi; circles through the Kav; first Ohr Pnimi, then circular.
• [58837/maamar_055 :: עמוד תצח] — Ohr Pnimi rooted in the Essence more than Sovev; ziv yikrei vs. Ani malei; drawn as radiance alone through the tzimtzum.
• [31643/maamar_027 :: p. קפב summary] — The tallis as ohr makif; the tzitzis as ohr pnimi drawn from the makif.
• [31643/maamar_027 :: p. קפה summary] — The kav's revelation as ohr pnimi contracted to the worlds.