Editing The First Tzimtzum (section)

== Source of the Concept ==

The Tzimtzum is explicitly mentioned for the first time in the writings of the Arizal, and its description is briefly presented by Rabbi Chaim Vital, and these are his words:<blockquote>"Know that at the beginning of everything, all of existence was a simple light called Ein Sof, and there was no empty space or any vacant air. Rather, everything was the light of Ein Sof. When it arose in His simple will to emanate the emanated beings for a known reason... He then contracted Himself in the middle of His light at the central point within it, and there He contracted Himself to the sides and surroundings, leaving a void in between. This was the first Tzimtzum of the Supreme Emanator, and this place of the void is circular, equal on all sides, such that the world of Atzilut and all the worlds are placed within this void. And the light of Ein Sof surrounds it equally from all sides."

— Otzrot Chaim, at its beginning.</blockquote>He then continues with the description of the extension of the Kav (line of light) into this void:<blockquote>"And behold, when He contracted Himself, then through another side of this circular void, He extended light through one straight, thin line, like a channel of light drawn from the Ein Sof into this void, filling it. But there remained an empty space between the light within this void and the light of Ein Sof that surrounds this void as mentioned, which contracted to its sides. And the end of this line below also does not touch the light of Ein Sof itself, because if it did, the matter would return to how it was, and this light within the void would reconnect with the light of Ein Sof together as at first."</blockquote>This matter is presented at great length (with many additional details) in the writings of the Arizal, also in Etz Chaim, and in Mavo She'arim (at its beginning, First Gate, Part One, Chapter One).