Having looked at structure, relationships and paths, we now consider a negative concept – the idea of separation. The Sefirot are referred to in a number of ways in Torah literature, including; gates, crowns, kings and even plants or shoots. There are serious negative behaviors may cause ‘division’ or ‘cutting’ between any of the Sefirot.
The most common example of “cutting between the plants,” is where the last Sefirah of Malchut is separated from the rest. As Malchut is associated with the concept of the ‘bride.’ this is also called separating the bride from the groom or king.
One way the bride is separated is when there is a defect at Yesod (the clear Sefirot in the image to the right). Yesod is associated with numerous concepts, one of which Is the tsaddik and righteousness. When there is a total disregard for righteousness (in a person or society) the connection Yesod provides between Malchut and the upper Sefirot is severed. Malchut then no longer experiences a “balanced input” through Yesod (and its association with the “mitigating filter” of the six sefirot of Zeir Anpin), but draws directly from negative forces from the side of judgment.
“Cutting between the plants” means causing division to the Name of G-d, which is counter to our goal of, “Unification of the Name.” This relates to the concept of ‘blasphemy,’ which is ‘gadaph’ (גָּדַף) which has an ancient root meaning to cut or cut off.
As Malchut is also associated with the Shekinah and Ruach Hakodesh, cutting off the bride would also be considered “blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.”