Olam Ha'Atzilut ("The World of Emanation") Ten stages (partzufim--figures) of the world of Atzilut--exclusive consciousness of Divine unity.
Abba	Imma	Abba Ila'ah	Imma Ila'ah	Yisrael Sabba
Tevunah	Ze'ir Anpin	Nukvah D'Ze'ir Anpin	Leah	Rachel

Ze'ir Anpin
"The Small Countenance"

Ze'ir Anpin is the partzuf of the midot, corresponding to the emotive faculties of the soul. Initially, the midot consist of the six sefirot from chesed to yesod (chesed, "lovingkindness"; gevurah, "might"; tiferet, "beauty"; netzach, "victory"; hod, "thanksgiving"; yesod, "foundation"). These six midot develop, in the rectified world of Atzilut, into the full partzuf of Ze'ir Anpin, by the addition of the three mental powers drawn into them by means of the partzufim of Abba and Imma above them.

While Arich Anpin ("the long countenance") symbolizes the experience of infinity, Ze'ir Anpin ("the small countenance") symbolizes the experience of finitude. The very word midot (the essence of Ze'ir Anpin) means "measured," implying definite finite states of being.

The partzuf Ze'ir Anpin "enclothes" the partzuf Arich Anpin from "naval" to "feet." This is to say that the lower half of the experience of infinity (the lower half of every partzuf is its man-like half, as said with regard to the connotation of Moses as "man of God": "From half down ?man,' from half up ?God'") enters into the experience of finitude to enliven it as a soul to a body.

Just as the figurative "long countenance" of Arich Anpin symbolizes infinite patience, the "small countenance" of Ze'ir Anpin symbolizes relative impatience. By the deeds of mortals, Ze'ir Anpin may become "angered" (and the extent of his partzuf reduced).

Ze'ir Anpin is identified with the archetypal soul of Jacob, the third patriarch. As the extent of the partzuf Ze'ir Anpin fluctuates in accord with the deeds of mortals (unlike the higher partzufim) as explained above, Jacob possesses two essential names, Jacob and Israel (unlike Abraham, who after being called by God Abraham was never again called Avram, Jacob, even after being called Israel, continues to be called Jacob). When relatively small, he is called Jacob, when fully grown in spirit he is called Israel.

In Chassidut it is explained that the name Jacob refers to the service of the beinoni (the level of Divine service obtainable by all Jewish souls), while the name Israel refers to the service of the tzaddik (the uniquely righteous souls of each generation).

Ze'ir Anpin is referred to as "the Higher Man," the image of God which the prophet Ezichkial saw in the "vision of the chariot." As explained above, "the Higher Man" is influenced by the lower man. Likewise, the lower man aspires to emulate the attributes of "the Higher Man."

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