AYIN BEIS | Existence Unplugged
Chapter 109 (part 3): Jacob’s Pillar – Elevating Malchus
Long Summary
Jacob built a monument (matzeivah) not a mound (gal). This signifies the building of containers to manifest the energy. Explanation: The Meorei Ohr writes that the stone is the “point” of malchus, and the building of the monument signifies lifting malchus upright (ha’komas or binyan ha’malchus), by expanding the point (nekudah) into a structure (partzuf). The point is keser malchus, which has no containers, and is thus just a point (yet this point is rooted in radlo”h, which is beyond expression, thus malchus too initially emerges as a simple point, without an expansion). The work of expanding the point is building the containers and drawing into them the energies. Though the expansion is lower than the original point, the effort to achieve this development stems from a higher source than that of malchus itself, higher than radlo”h.
We can understand this with the Zohar (Vayakhel xxx), that the expansion of the point (malchus) is generated by an increased flow of holiness and blessings from above (which happens on Shabbat). We can say that mlachus as a point is rooted in the outer dimension of radlah, and the expansion comes from its inner dimension. etz chaim xxxx. As explained on the Zohar xxx. with the example of a great king who in time of great joy, like at the wedding of his child, is in full glory expression-wise, and extends to all, by telling stories even to thosE that are far inferior to his exalted state. We see from this two things: 1) That his increased joy causes an overabundant flow, beyond the regular measure. 2) This overflow expresses itself in words, which the lower levels do not fully comprehend, though they are hearing the words.
All this explains malchus, the stone. the point as it is in atzilus, and how Jacob lifts it to a state of revelation.
Another interpretation: We can also say that the stone is the point of malchus as it descends and manifests in concealed form in biy”a, where it is like a point compared to the revelations of atzilus. And Jacob’s lifting the stone and turning it into a pillar signifies the process of lifting the point of malchus from its concealed state and revealing in it the revelations/emanations of malchus and the higher sefiros of atzilus.
Malchus as it manifests in biy”a itself consists of two levels: 1) As malchus of atzilus becomes the keser (crown) of biy”a — a state in which malchus of atzilus is also concealed. 2) As the point of malchus spreads out and manifests in the lower levels of biy”a.