Sefirot - Wikipedia

Sefirot meaning emanations, are the 10 attributes/emanations in Kabbalah, through which Ein Sof (The Infinite) reveals himself and continuously creates both ... Sefirot FromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopedia Jumptonavigation Jumptosearch TenemanationsinKabbalah "Sephiroth"redirectshere.ForthecharacterfromvideogameFinalFantasyVII,seeSephiroth(FinalFantasy). TheSefirotinKabbalah Category:Sephirot vte Sefirot(/sfɪˈroʊt,ˈsfɪroʊt/;Hebrew:סְפִירוֹת‎səp̄īrōṯ),meaningemanations,arethe10attributes/emanationsinKabbalah,throughwhichEinSof(TheInfinite)revealshimselfandcontinuouslycreatesboththephysicalrealmandthechainofhighermetaphysicalrealms(Sederhishtalshelus).ThetermisalternativelytransliteratedintoEnglishassephirot/sephiroth,singularsefirah/sephirah,etc. AlternativeconfigurationsofthesefirotaregivenbydifferentschoolsinthehistoricaldevelopmentofKabbalah,witheacharticulatingdifferentspiritualaspects.Thetraditionofenumerating10isstatedintheSeferYetzirah,"Tensefirotofnothingness,tenandnotnine,tenandnoteleven".Asaltogetherelevensefirotarelistedacrossthedifferentschemes,two(KeterandDa'at)areseenasunconsciousandconsciousmanifestationsofthesameprinciple,conservingthetencategories.[1]Thesefirotaredescribedaschannelsofdivinecreativelifeforceorconsciousnessthroughwhichtheunknowabledivineessenceisrevealedtomankind. Thefirstsefirah,Keter,describesthedivinesuperconsciousWillthatisbeyondconsciousintellect.Thenextthreesefirot(Chokhmah,BinahandDa'at)describethreelevelsofconsciousdivineintellect.Inparticular,Da'atrepresentsKeterinitsknowableform,theconceptofknowledge.Willandknowledgearecorrespondingsomewhatdependentopposites.Thesevensubsequentsefirot(Chesed,Gevurah,Tiferet,Netzach,Hod,YesodandMalkuth)describetheprimaryandsecondaryconsciousdivineemotions.ThesefirotoftheleftsideandthesefiraofMalkutharefeminine,asthefemaleprincipleinKabbalahdescribesavesselthatreceivestheoutwardmalelight,theninwardlynurturesandgivesbirthtothesefirotbelowthem.Kabbalahseesthehumansoulasmirroringthedivine(afterGenesis1:27,"GodcreatedmaninHisownimage,intheimageofGodHecreatedhim,maleandfemaleHecreatedthem"),andmorewidely,allcreationsasreflectionsoftheirlifesourceinthesefirot.Therefore,thesefirotalsodescribethespirituallifeofman,breakdownman'spsychologicalprocesses,andconstitutetheconceptualparadigminKabbalahforunderstandingeverything.ThisrelationshipbetweenthesoulofmanandthedivinegivesKabbalahoneofitstwocentralmetaphorsindescribingdivinity,alongsidetheotherOhr(light)metaphor.However,Kabbalahrepeatedlystressestheneedtoavoidallcorporealinterpretation.Throughthis,thesefirotarerelatedtothestructureofthebodyandarereformedintopartzufim(personas).Underlyingthestructuralpurposeofeachsefirahisahiddenmotivationalforcewhichisunderstoodbestbycomparisonwithacorrespondingpsychologicalstateinhumanspiritualexperience.[1] InHasidicphilosophy,whichhassoughttointernalisetheexperienceofJewishmysticismintodailyinspiration(devekut),thisinnerlifeofthesefirotisexplored,andtheroletheyplayinman'sserviceofGodinthisworld. Contents 1EinSof 2Tensefirot 2.1NamesinCordoveranKabbalah 2.2NamesinLurianicKabbalah 2.3NameswhichemergedaftertheSeferYetzirah 2.4Interinclusion 3Threeconfigurations 3.1Circles(iggulim) 3.2Upright(yosher) 3.3Man(ish) 4Man-metaphorinKabbalah 4.1Soulfacultiesandfemale-maleprinciples 4.2AndTetragrammaton 4.3Configurationofthebody 5Lurianicshevirah(shattering)andtikun(rectification) 6Reconfigured(partzufim) 7Innerdimensionsandthepowersofthesoul 8Thefourworlds 9Scriptural,numerologicalandspiritualassociations 9.1Associationsofthe3columns 9.2Numerologicalmeanings 9.3Rabbinicsignificance 10Inpopularculture 11Seealso 12Notes 13References 14Externallinks EinSof[edit] TheEinSof(lit:withoutend)isanimportantconceptinJewishKabbalah.Generallytranslatedas"infinity"and"endless",theEinSofrepresentstheformlessstateoftheuniversebeforetheself-materializationofGod.Inotherwords,theEinSofisGodbeforehedecidedtobecomeGodaswenowknowhim.[2] ThesefirotaredivineemanationsthatcomefromtheEinSofinamanneroftendescribedasaflame.Thesefirotemanatefromabovetobelow.AsthefirstSefiraisclosesttoEinSof,itistheleastcomprehensibletothehumanmind,whileinturnthelastisthebestunderstoodbecauseitisclosesttothematerialworldthathumanitydwellson.[2] Tensefirot[edit] PartofaseriesonKabbalah Concepts EinSof Tzimtzum Ohr AyinandYesh Sephirot FourWorlds Sederhishtalshelut TreeofLife Merkavah Jewishangelichierarchy Shekhinah Partzufim Qliphoth TohuandTikun Sparksofholiness Messianicrectification Gilgul Kabbalisticastrology Gematria Notarikon Temurah NamesofGodinJudaism Shemhamphorasch Tzadik TzadikimNistarim AnthropomorphisminKabbalah Panentheism History Pre-KabbalisticJewishmysticism Tannaim Heichalot SeferYetzirah ChassideiAshkenaz Medieval Bahir Toledanotradition PropheticKabbalah Zohar KabbalisticcommentariesontheBible MainstreamdisplacementofrationalismwithKabbalah Renaissance SelectiveinfluenceonWesternthought MysticismafterSpanishexpulsion Mysticsof16th-centurySafed CordoveranKabbalah LurianicKabbalah Maharal'sthought PopularKabbalisticMussar Earlymodern BaalShem-Nistarim Sabbateanmysticalheresies Emden–Eybeschutzcontroversy ImmigrationtotheLandofIsrael TraditionalOrientalKabbalists BeitElSynagogue EasternEuropeanJudaism HasidicJudaism /philosophy LithuanianJews Hasidic-Mitnagdicschism Modern Hasidicdynasties MysticisminreligiousZionism AcademicinterestinJewishmysticism Non-OrthodoxinterestinJewishmysticism Practices Torahstudy Mysticalexegesis Mitzvot Minhag Customaryimmersioninmikveh Meditation Kavanot Teshuvah Deveikut Prayer Nusach TikkunChatzot TikkunLeilShavuot PilgrimagetoTzadik Pilgrimagetoholygrave LagBaOmeratMeron Asceticism PracticalKabbalah People 100s FourWhoEnteredthePardes SimeonbarYochai 1100s IsaactheBlind Azriel 1200s Nahmanides AbrahamAbulafia JosephbenAbrahamGikatilla MosesdeLeon MenahemRecanati 1300s BahyabenAsher 1400s 1500s MeiribnGabbai JosephKaro ShlomoAlkabetz MosheAlshich MosheCordovero IsaacLuria ChaimVital JudahLoewbenBezalel 1600s IsaiahHorowitz AbrahamAzulai 1700s ChaimibnAttar BaalShemTov DovBerofMezeritch MosheChaimLuzzatto ShalomSharabi VilnaGaon ChaimJosephDavidAzulai NathanAdler SchneurZalmanofLiadi ChaimVolozhin 1800s NachmanofBreslov BenIshChai ShlomoEliyashiv 1900s AbrahamIsaacKook YehudaAshlag BabaSali MenachemMendelSchneerson Role History Torah Tanakh Prophecy RuachHaKodesh Pardesexegesis Talmudicalhermeneutics Midrash JewishcommentariesontheBible OralTorah ErasofRabbinicJudaism GenerationaldescentinHalacha GenerationalascentinKabbalah Rabbinicliterature Talmudictheology Halakha Aggadah Hakira ClassicMussarliterature AshkenaziJudaism SephardiJudaism ModernJewishphilosophies Jewishstudies Topics GodinJudaism Divinetranscendence Divineimmanence Freewill Divineprovidence Kabbalisticreasonsforthe613Mitzvot Jewishprinciplesoffaith Jewisheschatology Primarytexts vte Sefirot(ספירות,sfirot,singularספירהsfirɔ),literallymeans"counting,enumeration",butearlyKabbalistspresentedanumberofotheretymologicalpossibilitiesfromthesameHebrewrootincluding:sefer("text"-ספר),sippur("recountingastory"-סיפור),sappir("sapphire"-ספיר,"brilliance","luminary"),sfar("boundary"-ספר),andsofer,orsafra("scribe"-ספרא,סופר).ThetermsefirahthushascomplexconnotationswithinKabbalah.[1] TheoriginalreferencetothesefirotisfoundintheancientKabbalistictextofSeferYetzirah,"TheBookofFormation",attributedtothefirstJewishpatriarch,Abraham.[1]However,thenamesofthesefirotasgiveninlaterKabbalaharenotspecifiedthere,butareonlyidentifiedbytheirattributes"forward","backward","right","left","down","up","light","darkness","good"and"evil".Furtherreferencestothesefirot,nowwiththeirlater-acceptednames,areelaboratedoninthemedievalKabbalistictextoftheZohar,whichisoneofthecoretextsofKabbalah. Thesefirotaretenemanations,orilluminationsofGod'sinfinitelightasitmanifestsincreation.Asrevelationsofthecreator'swill(רצוןrɔṣon),[3]thesefirotshouldnotbeunderstoodastendifferent"gods"butastendifferentchannelsthroughwhichtheoneGodrevealshiswill.InlaterJewishliterature,thetensefirotrefereithertothetenmanifestationsofGod;thetenpowersorfacultiesofthesoul;orthetenstructuralforcesofnature.[1] InCordoveranKabbalah,theforcesofcreationareconsideredasautonomousforcesthatevolveindependentlyofoneanother.Bycontrast,inLureanorLurianicKabbalah(theKabbalahofIsaacLuria),thesefirotareperceivedasaconstellationofforcesinactivedialoguewithoneanotherateverystageofthatevolution.Luriadescribedthesefirotascomplexanddynamicallyinteractingentitiesknownaspartzufim,eachwithitsownsymbolicallyhuman-likepersona.[1] Keter,theCrown,isthefirstsefirah.ItisthesuperconsciousintermediarybetweenGodandtheother,conscioussefirot.Threedifferentlevels,or"heads",areidentifiedwithinKeter.Insomecontexts,thehighestlevelofKeteriscalled"Theunknowablehead",[4]Thesecondlevelis"theheadofnothingness"(reishad'ayin)andthethirdlevelis"thelonghead"(reishad'arich).Thesethreeheadscorrespondtothesuperconsciouslevelsoffaith,pleasureandwillinthesoul.[1] Initsearly12th-centurydissemination,KabbalahreceivedcriticismfromsomerabbiswhoadheredtoJewishphilosophy,foritsallegedintroductionofmultiplicityintoJewishmonotheism.TheseemingpluralityoftheOneGodisaresultofthespiritualevolutionofGod'slight,whichintroducedamultiplicityofemanationsfromtheoneinfinitedivineessence.ThiswasnecessaryduetotheinabilityofmankindtoexistinGod'sinfinitepresence.[5][6]Goddoesnotchange;rather,itisourabilitytoperceivehisemanationsthatismodified.ThisisstressedinKabbalahtoavoidhereticalnotionsofanypluralityintheGodhead.OneparabletoexplainthisisthedifferencebetweentheMa'Ohr("Luminary"-divineessence)andtheOhr("Light")heemanates,likethedifferencebetweenthesinglebodyofthesunandthemultipleraysofsunlightthatilluminatearoom.[7] NamesinCordoveranKabbalah[edit] InKabbalah,thereisadirectcorrespondencebetweentheHebrewnameofanyspiritualorphysicalphenomenonanditsmanifestationsinthemundaneworld.TheHebrewnamerepresentstheuniqueessenceoftheobject.ThisreflectsthebeliefthattheuniverseiscreatedthroughthemetaphoricalspeechofGod,asstatedinthefirstchapterofGenesis.Kabbalahexpoundsonthenamesofthesefirotandtheirnuances,includingtheirgematria(numericalvalues),inordertoreachanunderstandingoftheseemanationsofGod'sessence.[1][8] Inthe16th-centuryrationalsynthesisofMosesbenJacobCordovero(CordoveranKabbalah),thefirstcompletesystemisationofKabbalah,thesefirotarelistedfromhighesttolowest:[8] Category: Sefirah: Super-conscious 1Keter-"Crown" Consciousintellect 2Chokhmah-"Wisdom" 3Binah-"Understanding" Consciousemotions (Primaryemotions:) 4Chesed-"Kindness" 5Gevurah-"Discipline" 6Tiferet-"Beauty" (Secondaryemotions:) 7Netzach-"Victory" 8Hod-"Splendour" 9Yesod-"Foundation" (Vesseltobringaction:) 10Malkuth-"Kingship" NamesinLurianicKabbalah[edit] Inthesubsequent16th-centurytranscendentKabbalisticschemeofIsaacLuria,thesefirotareusuallylistedbyomittingKeterandincludingDa'at(theconsciousmanifestationofthesuperconsciousKeter.ThisdifferenceofopinionreflectsanearlierMedievaldebateregardingwhetherKeteristhefirstsefirah,ortheOhrEinSof(Infinitelight)itself.LuriaincludesKeterinthelistonlyinrelationtotheinnerlightofthesefirot.Inhisusuallistofthesefirotasformedattributes(vessels),Keterisconsideredtooloftytoinclude:[8]Inthisscheme,thesefirotaredepictedaslyingacrossthreeparallelverticalaxes. Category: LeftAxis MiddleAxis RightAxis Consciousintellect 2Binah-"Understanding" 3Da'at-"Knowledge" 1Chokhmah-"Wisdom" Consciousemotions (Primaryemotions) 5Gevurah-"Discipline" 6Tiferet-"Beauty" 4Chesed-"Kindness" (Secondaryemotions) 8Hod-"Glory" 9Yesod-"Foundation" 10Malkuth-"Kingship" 7Netzach-"Victory" NameswhichemergedaftertheSeferYetzirah[edit] Thissectiondoesnotciteanysources.Pleasehelpimprovethissectionbyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(November2020)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) AsAryehKaplanexplainsinhistranslationandcommentaryontheSeferYetzirah,"AlthoughtheSeferYetzirahdoesnotnametheTenSefirot,theirnamesarewellknownfromtheclassicalKabbalah....ThenamesoftheSefirotareallderivedfromscripture."[9]The"classicalKabbalah"KaplanreferstoisaboveallencapsulatedintheZoharandthelaterworksderivedfromit.Accordingtothosesources,thesefirotareoftengivendiversenames,butthechieflyusedtermsare: Keter-"Crown":DivineWilltocreate/InfiniteLightoftheCreator/theHebrewnameofGod"EhyehAsherEhyeh-IAmthatIAm" Chokhmah-"Wisdom":Firstunboundedflashofanideabeforeittakesonlimitations/malelight/divinereality/firstrevelation/creationfromnothingness Binah-"Understanding":theinfiniteflashofChochmahbroughtintothevesselofunderstandingtogiveitgraspofbreadthanddepth/femininevesselthatgivesbirthtotheemotions/reason/understandingbringsteshuvareturntoGod Da'at-"Knowledge":Centralstateofunityofthe10sefirot,alsocalledtheTreeofLife.[citationneeded] Chesed-"Kindness":Lovinggraceoffreegiving/loveofGod/inspiringvision Gevurah-"Severity":Strength/discipline/judgment/withholding/aweofGod Tiferet-"Beauty":Symmetry/balancebetweenChesedandGevurahincompassion Netzach-"Eternity":'perpetuity','victory',or'endurance' Hod-"Splendor":Withdrawal/Surrender/sincerity Yesod-"Foundation":Connectingtothetasktoaccomplish/whollyremembering/coherentknowledge Malkuth-"Kingship":Exaltedness/Humility.AlltheothersefirotflowintoMalkuth(likethemoonwhichhasnolightofitsown),anditisthefinalrevelationofthedivine;thereceiverandthegiver Interinclusion[edit] Thissectiondoesnotciteanysources.Pleasehelpimprovethissectionbyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(November2020)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) Thefirstdevelopmentthatenabledthesefirottouniteincooperationwastheinterinclusion[clarificationneeded]withineachofthemofafurthersubsetofthe10sefirot,bringingthemtoatotalofonehundredinter-includedsefirot.InKabbalisticinterpretation,thesevenemotivesefirotsimilarlyinter-includetoform49(seventimesseven)emotionalstates.So,forexample,ChesedcontainsChesedwithinChesed(loving-kindnesswithinloving-kindness),GevurahwithinChesed(mightwithinloving-kindness)etc.untilMalkuthwithinChesed(kingdomwithinloving-kindness).Likewise,thereisChesedwithinGevurah(loving-kindnesswithinmight,typifiedbyarestrictionperformedoutoflove,likeafatherpunishingachild)),GevurahwithinGevurah(mightwithinmight),etc.untilMalkuthwithinGevurah(kingdomwithinmight)andsoon,untilthe49thlevel,MalkuthwithinMalkuth(kingdomwithinkingdom).ThisistheKabbalisticinterpretationofthemitzvah(Jewishobservance)ofCountingoftheOmerbetweenthefestivalsofPassoverandShavuot.PassovercommemoratestheExodusfromEgypt(inHebrew,Mitzrayimמצרים,meaning"limitations"),whichrepresentstheunrectifiedlevelofthepsyche,whichwemustescapethroughourdailyspiritualdevelopment.ShavuotcommemoratesthereceivingoftheTorahonMountSinai.Duringthis49dayperiodKabbalahteachesthebenefitoffocusingontheaspectofthe49inter-includedsefirotthatisrelatedtoeachparticulardayoftheOmer.OneachdayoftheOmer,apersonwouldexamineeachoftheirspiritualqualities,asarectificationprocessofTeshuva(ReturntoGod),aspreparationforrelivingtheacceptanceoftheTorahonShavuot. DayofCountingtheOmer: Sub-dividedsefirah: FirstdayofPassoverExodusfromEgypt 1 ChesedwithinChesed 2 GevurahwithinChesed 3 TiferetwithinChesed etc. 47 HodwithinMalkuth 48 YesodwithinMalkuth 49 MalkuthwithinMalkuth FestivalofShavuotReceivingofTorahatSinai Threeconfigurations[edit] Twoalternativespiritualarrangementsfordescribingthesefirotaregiven,metaphoricallydescribedas"Circles"and"Upright".TheiroriginscomefromMedievalKabbalahandtheZohar.Inlater,16th-centuryLurianicKabbalah,theybecomesystemisedastwosuccessivestagesintheevolutionofthesefirot,duringtheprimordialcosmicevolutionofcreation.Thisevolutioniscentraltothemetaphysicalprocessoftikkun(fixing)inthedoctrinesofIsaacLuria. Circles(iggulim)[edit] Thissectiondoesnotciteanysources.Pleasehelpimprovethissectionbyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(September2015)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) MetaphoricalrepresentationoftheFiveWorlds,withthe10sefirotradiatingineach,assuccessivelysmallerIggulim"concentriccircles" Onediagrammaticrepresentationdepictsthesefirotmetaphoricallyassuccessivelysmallerconcentriccircles,radiatinginwardsfromthesurroundingdivineomnipresence.TheFourWorldsofthesederhishtalshelus("ChainofProgression"),orwiththeadditionofthehighestFifthWorld(AdamKadmon),canbedepictedinthisdiagram,startingwiththehighestandproceedingtowardsthecentreofthecircletoourlowest,physicalrealm.IneachWorldthe10sefirotradiate,as10successivestepsinthedownwardchainofflowtowardsthenext,lowerrealm.Thisdepictionshowsthesuccessivenatureofeachofthe10sefirot,asadownwardchain,eachmoreremovedfromdivineconsciousness. ThesurroundingspaceinthediagramistheInfiniteDivinereality(EinSof).TheoutermostcircleintheteachingsofLurianicKabbalahisthe"space"madebytheTzimtzuminwhichcreationunfolds.EachsuccessiveWorldisprogressivelyfurtherremovedfromdivinerevelation,ametaphoricallysmaller,moreconstrictedcircle.EmanationineachWorldproceedsdownthe10sefirot,withthelastsefirah(Malchut-ActualisationoftheDivineplan)ofoneWorldbecoming,andbeingsharedas,thefirstsefirah(Keter-TheDivineWill)ofthenext,lowerrealm.Theverticallineintothecentreofthecirclerepresentsthepathofdownwardemanationandconstriction,fromtheinitialfirstOhr(light)oftheKav(ray)inLurianicdoctrine. Upright(yosher)[edit] Mainarticle:Treeoflife(Kabbalah) Thissectiondoesnotciteanysources.Pleasehelpimprovethissectionbyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(November2020)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) TheYosher-Uprightconfigurationofthe10sefirot,arrangedinto3columns Themostimportantandwellknownschemeofdepictingthesefirotarrangesthemasatreewith3columns.Therightcolumnrepresentsthespiritualforceofexpansion.Theleftrepresentsitsopposite,restriction.Themiddlecolumnisthebalanceandsynthesisbetweentheseopposingtendencies.Theconnectinglinesinthediagramshowthespecificconnectionsofspiritualflowbetweenthesefirot,the"22ConnectingPaths",andcorrespondtothespiritualchannelsofthe22lettersoftheHebrewalphabet.KabbalahseestheHebrewlettersaschannelsofspirituallifeforce.ThisderivesfromtheaccountinGenesisofthecreationoftheWorld,wherecreationtakesplacethrough10Hebrew"Sayings"ofGod("Lettherebe..").InKabbalistictheology,theselettersremaintheimmanentspiritualforcesthatconstantlyrecreateallexistence.Thepathsdivideinto3categories,showninthisdiagrambytheirdifferentcolours,correspondingtothe3typesofletter. Man(ish)[edit] Analternatedepictionofthesefirotisintheformofaman.Thefirstsefirarepresentsthehead,thenextthreerepresentthecavitiesofthebrain,thefourthandfifthsefirotrepresentthearms,thesixthsefiraisthetorso,theseventhandeightharethelegs,theninthisthesexualorgan,andthetenthistheall-embracingtotalityofthisimage.Thismanisalsodividedintotwo,withtherightcolumnbeingmadeupofthemalesefirotandtheleft,thefemalesefirot.[10] Man-metaphorinKabbalah[edit] Mainarticle:AnthropomorphisminKabbalah KabbalahusessubtleanthropomorphicanalogiesandmetaphorstodescribeGodinJudaism,boththeGod-worldrelationship,andtheinnernatureofthedivine.Theseincludethemetaphorofthesoul-bodyrelationship,thefunctionsofhumansoul-powers,theconfigurationofhumanbodilyform,andfemale-maleinfluencesinthedivine.Kabbalistsrepeatedlywarnandstresstheneedtodivorcetheirnotionsfromanycorporality,dualism,plurality,orspatialandtemporalconnotations.As"theTorahspeaksinthelanguageofMan",[11]theempiricaltermsarenecessarilyimposeduponhumanexperienceinthisworld.Oncetheanalogyisdescribed,itslimitationsarethenrelatedtostrippingthekernelofitshusktoarriveatatruerconception.Nonetheless,Kabbalistscarefullychosetheirterminologytodenotesubtleconnotationsandprofoundrelationshipsinthedivinespiritualinfluences.Moreaccurately,astheyseetheemanationofthematerialworldfromthespiritualrealms,theanalogousanthropomorphismsandmaterialmetaphorsthemselvesderivethroughcauseandeffectfromtheirpreciserootanalogiesonHigh. Describingthematerialworldbelowingeneral,andhumansinparticular,ascreatedinthe"image"oftheworldaboveisnotrestrictedinRabbinicJudaismtoKabbalah,butaboundsmorewidelyinBiblical,Midrashic,Talmudicandphilosophicalliterature.[12]KabbalahextendstheMan-metaphormoreradicallytoanthropomorphiseparticulardivinemanifestationsonhigh,whilerepeatedlystressingtheneedtodivestanalogiesfromimpurematerialisticcorporality.Classicalprooftextsonwhichitbasesitsapproachinclude,"FrommyfleshIenvisageGod",[13]andtherabbinicanalogy"Asthesoulpermeatesthewholebody...seesbutisnotseen...sustainsthewholebody...ispure...abidesintheinnermostprecincts...isuniqueinthebody...doesnoteatanddrink...nomanknowswhereitsplaceis...sotheHolyOne,BlessedisHe..."[14]Togetherwiththemetaphoroflight,theMan-metaphoriscentralinKabbalah.Nonetheless,ittoohasitslimitations,needsqualification,andbreaksdowniftakenasaliteral,corporealcomparison.Itslimitationsincludetheeffectofthebodyonthesoul,whiletheWorldeffectsnochangeinGod;andthedistinct,separateoriginsofthesoulandthebody,whileinrelationtoGod'somnipresence,especiallyinitsacosmicHasidicdevelopment,allcreationisnullifiedinitssource. Soulfacultiesandfemale-maleprinciples[edit] Thissectionhasmultipleissues.Pleasehelpimproveitordiscusstheseissuesonthetalkpage.(Learnhowandwhentoremovethesetemplatemessages) Thissectiondoesnotciteanysources.Pleasehelpimprovethissectionbyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(September2015)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) Thissectionmaybeconfusingoruncleartoreaders.Pleasehelpclarifythesection.Theremightbeadiscussionaboutthisonthetalkpage.(September2015)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) (Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) TheYosher-Uprightconfigurationofthesefirotarrangesthe10sefirotintoaPartzufinterrelationship,whereeachsefirahrelatesandmediatestheinfluenceoftheothers.ThismetaphorfordivineinterrelationshipsonHighisarrangedintheschematicrelationshipofahumansoul,becausealoneamongstallcreation,Adam-Manisheldtoencapsulateallharmonizedforces,whileanimalsandangelsembodyonlysingularinstinctivedrives.Thesignificanceofthis,aswellasthefullmeaningofthePartzufimreconfigurationofthesefirot,emergesonlyin16thcenturyLurianicKabbalah,wheretheYosher-Uprightarrangement,thePartzufimandthesoulsofIsraelrepresentthesecondaryWorldofTikun-Rectification,whileangels,animalsandtherootoriginsaboveofthenationsoftheWorldembodytheprimordialWorldofTohu-Chaos.LurianicKabbalahappliestheverse,"GodcreatedmaninHisownimage,intheimageofGodHecreatedhim,maleandfemaleHecreatedthem"tothisreconfiguredTikun-Yosherarrangement.IntheYosherscheme,divineprinciplesaredescribedthroughthesoulfacultiesofman,withBinah-UnderstandingandMalkuth-Kingship-Shechinah-IndwellingDivinePresence,encapsulatingtheDivineFeminineinCreation,theprincipleofreceiving,nurturingandpregnantinternalization. InMedievalKabbalah,thetaskofhumansistheYichud-UniononHighoftheFemale-Maleprinciplesofdivinity,healingtheapparentseparationandconcealmentoftheShechinahfemaleindwellingdivinepresencethatsustainsthisworldfromthe"HolyOneBlessedBeHe",thetranscendentdivineonhigh.SeparationandinterruptionoftheShefa-FlowofdivinevitalityintothisWorldiscausedbyhumansin.Unificationandrevelationisopenedbyhumanbenevolence,sothatinKabbalahhumanencapsulatesthewholespiritualcosmosandupholdstheHeavens.The16thcenturySefadKabbalisticRenaissanceenactedtheprayerbeforeperformingMitzvotJewishobservances,unitingTiferet-Beauty,centralprincipleinthemaleemotions(ZeirAnpin)withMalkuth-Kingship,thefeminineShechinah: ForthesakeoftheunionoftheHolyOne,BlessedBeHe,andHisShechinah;tounitethenameYudandHei,withVavandHeiinthenameofallIsrael. AndTetragrammaton[edit] Thissectiondoesnotciteanysources.Pleasehelpimprovethissectionbyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(November2020)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) ThefourHebrewlettersofGod'sessentialdivinename(knownastheTetragrammaton)correspondtothetensefirot.[1] Theletteryud(י)isdepictedbyapointwithacuspatitshead.Thepoint-likenatureoftheyudcorrespondstothesefirahofchochmah,whichislikenedtotheinitialspark,orpointofpotentialthroughwhichanewinsightentersreality.Thecusp,ortipoftheyudreachesupwardsandalludestothesuper-consciousrootofchochmah,whichresidesinKeter.Thefirstletterhei(ה)oftheTetragrammatonrepresentstheexpansionofthepointoftheyudintoallthreespatialdimensions.ThiscorrespondstothesefirahofBinah,whichexpandsanddevelopstheseminalpointofwisdom(chochmah)intoadetailedidea.Thelettervav(ו)resemblesaverticallinethatconnectsthehigherintellectualfacultieswiththeemotivepowersofthepsyche.Thegematriaofthelettervavis6,correspondingtothesixemotivesefirotfromloving-kindnesstofoundation.Thefinalletterhei(ה)oftheTetragrammatonrepresentsthesefirahofmalchut. Thecuspoftheyud(קוצושלי) Keter yud(י) Chochmah hei(ה) Binah vav(ו) sixsefirot: Chesed,Gevurah,Tiferet, Netzach,Hod,Yesod hei(ה) Malchut Configurationofthebody[edit] Thissectiondoesnotciteanysources.Pleasehelpimprovethissectionbyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(November2020)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) Configurationofthebody DespitetheparticulargeometricdepictionoftheYosherscheme,througheachsoulfacultyinthebody,physicalhumanorgansalsoreflectthesupernaldivineforcesonhigh,astheschemeofYosherunderscorestheinter-relationshipofthesefirotasaunitorbody.Inthiscontext,thephysicaluprightstandingofhumanscontrastswiththehorizontalformsofanimals.Thecorrespondenceofthesefirotwiththephysicalorgansofahuman: Sefirah: Organ: Kether-Crown-כתר SkullEncompassingcrownDa'atelyon Chochmah-Wisdom-חכמה RightbrainBrain Binah-Understanding-בינה LeftbrainHeart Da'at-Knowledge-דעת CentralbrainDa'attachton Chesed-Kindness-חסד Rightarm10fingersincluded Gevurah-Strength-גבורה Leftarm10fingersincluded Tiferet-Beauty-תפארת TorsoFrontPnimiut-InternalityBackHitzoniut-Externality Netzach-Victory-נצח Rightleg10toesincludedRightkidneyrighttesticle/ovary Hod-Glory-הוד Leftleg10toesincludedLeftkidneylefttesticle/ovary Yesod-Foundation-יסוד SexualorganHolycovenantFemaleandmalepartzufim Malkuth-Kingship-מלכות MouthSpeech-revelationFeet Lurianicshevirah(shattering)andtikun(rectification)[edit] Mainarticle:TohuandTikun Thissectionhasmultipleissues.Pleasehelpimproveitordiscusstheseissuesonthetalkpage.(Learnhowandwhentoremovethesetemplatemessages) Thissectiondoesnotciteanysources.Pleasehelpimprovethissectionbyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(September2015)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) Thissectionmaybeconfusingoruncleartoreaders.Pleasehelpclarifythesection.Theremightbeadiscussionaboutthisonthetalkpage.(September2015)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) (Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) SeferHakavanotfrom"KisveiHaAri",disciplesofthe16thcenturyLurianicKabbalah.ItmovedtheoriginofperceivedexileinthesefirottoPrimordialCreation,beforetheinfluenceofManonsupernalharmony,asinMedievalKabbalah IsaacLuriareinterpretedandrecastthewholeschemeofKabbalahinthe16thcentury,essentiallymakingthesecondoftwodifferentversionsoftheKabbalah:theMedieval(theinitial,directunderstandingsoftheZohar,latersynthesisedbyMosheCordovero)andtheLurianic.However,heunderstoodhisnewdoctrineasnomorethananewrevelation-teachingofthetruemeaningoftheZohar.LurianicKabbalahbecamethedominantKabbalisticsystem,displacingCordovero's,andafterwardstheZoharwasreadinitslight.LurianicKabbalistssoughttointegratethiswiththeCordoverianscheme,seeingbothastrue,butdescribingdifferentaspects("Worlds")ofthedivineprocess. MedievalKabbalahdepictsalineardescendinghierarchyofdivinevitality,thesefirotemergingfromtheEinSoftoenactcreation.LurianicKabbalahdescribesenclothingprocessesofexileandredemptioninthedivineflow,wherehigherlevelsdescendintolowerstates,assoulstospiritualbodies.Thefirstemanationincreationleadstospiritualshatteringofdivinityinadefinitive"catastrophe"(SheviratHaKeilim-"TheShatteringoftheVessels"),andtheexileofits"sparks"intothedescendingcreatedrealms.CordoverohadreconciledpreviousopinionsofthesefirotbydescribingeachasdivineOhrot("lights")investedin10spiritualKeilim("vessels"),adaptedbyLuriatohisscheme.InLurianicKabbalah,thefirstvesselsofthesefirotshatterduetothesublimeintensityofthelight.Becauseeachofthesefirotactasindependentforces,IsaacLuria'sattributionoftheIggulim(independent"Circles"arrangementofthesefirot)withoutcooperation,theirimmaturevesselsareweak.Fromthedestructionofthisprimordialrealm,theWorldofTohu("Chaos"),isbuiltthesubsequentWorldofTikun("Rectification"),characterizedbylowerlightsandstrongervessels.ThesublimelightsofTohuwithdrawintotheEinSof,whiletheirsefirotvesselsshatterdowncreation.Sparksoftheoriginalhighlightsremainattachedinexiletothedescendingfragments,andtheMessianictaskistheredemptionofalltheholysparksofTohu.IntheWorldofTikunincontrast,thesefirotvesselsaremature,strongerandacttogetherinharmony.Tothisreformedstate,IsaacLuriaattributedtheformerKabbalisticconceptsofYosher(harmonised"Upright"arrangementofthesefirot),andthemanyZoharicpassagesexpoundingthePartzufim(Divine"Personas/Configurations"-particularDivinemanifestations).ThissystemisedtheclassicconceptofthePartzufimasthesecondary,evolvedarrangementsofthesefirotinCreation. IsaacLuriarelatedthetransitionfromTohutoTikuntoGenesis1:1-3: "InthebeginningGodcreatedtheHeavensandtheEarth",theinitialsourceinpotential,fromwhichallwouldunfold."AndtheearthwasChaos(Tohu)andVoid(Vohu),withdarknessoverthesurfaceofthedeep...",eachsefirahactsindependentlycausingtheshattering(SheviratHaKeilim)."...AndGodsaidlettherebeLight",theabilityoftheharmonisedsefirotofTikuntorevealDivinityandenactstableCreation.[Thisquoteneedsacitation] TheLurianicdoctrineoftheshatteringoftheemotionalsefirotvesselsdescribestheesotericmeaningofGenesis36:31andIChronicles1:43 ThesearethekingswhoreignedinthelandofEdombeforetherereignedanykingoverthechildrenofIsrael...[Thisquoteneedsacitation] EdomisdescribedinGenesisasthedescendantsofEsau.IntheKabbalisticscheme,thisisidentifiedwithunrectifiedGevurah-Severity,thesourceofthevesselsoftheWorldofTohu-Chaos.TheeightkingslistedwhoreignedinEdombeforeanykingofIsrael,embodiedtheeightsefirotofDaattoMalchutintheWorldofTohu,thevesselsthatshattered.Ofeachitsaystheylivedanddied,deathconnotingthesoul-lightofthesefirotascendingbacktoitssource,whilethebody-vesseldescends-shatters.AttachedtothebrokenvesselsaretheholyresiduesoftheformerlightasNitzot-"Sparks"ofholiness,sustainingCreationbytheDivineflowofWill.ThesparksarethecreativeforceofthesefirotdowntheFourWorlds.Theunabsorbedresidueofthebrokenvesselsinourphysical,lowestWorldAssiahbecomestherealmofKelipotimpurity.Genesis1:2,"...AndtheSpiritofGodhoveredoverthewaters."Merachepet-"hovered"splitsintothenumber"288died",therootnumberofDivinesparksthatthensubdivideintoinnumerablefragments. Reconfigured(partzufim)[edit] Thissectiondoesnotciteanysources.Pleasehelpimprovethissectionbyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(November2020)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) ThefourrealmsofourcreatedexistencearetogethercalledtheWorldofTikkun("Fixing").InTikkun,thesefirotevolveintonewarrangements,wheretheycanunite.ThedifferentrealmsTikkunarecharacterizedbylowerlightsandstrongervessels.[citationneeded] Subsequenttotheinterinclusionofthe10sefirotwithineachother,inLurianicKabbalahtheythendevelopintopartzufim("personas").WidediscussionofthepartzufimisfoundintheMedievalKabbalahoftheZohar,beforeIsaacLuria.IntheZohar,ShimonbarYochaiexpoundsuponthespiritualrolesofthepartzufim,bytalkingaboutthemasindependentspiritualmanifestations."TheHolyAncientofDays",or"TheLongVisage",twoofthedifferentParsufim,arenotjustalternativeadjectivesforGod,butareparticularspiritualmanifestations,levelsandnatures.LurianicKabbalahfocusedontheroleoftheParsufimasthefullyevolvedstageoftheprimordialevolutionofthesefirot,inthebeginningofcreation.Insteadofeachofthe10sefirotmerelyincludingafullsubsetof10sefirotaslatentpotentialforces,thefirststageoftheirevolution,intheParsufimthesefirotbecomefullyautonomousandinterrelated.Thenameofeachpartzufdenotesthatthesefirahfromwhichitderived,hasnowbecomeanindependentschemeof10fullyfunctioningsefirotinthe"Upright"(Yosher)formof"Man".ThisreconfigurationisessentialinLurianicKabbalahtoenabletheopposingspiritualforcesofthesefirottoworktogetherinharmony.EachParsufnowoperatesindependently,anduniteswiththeotherParsufim.So,forexample,"TheLongVisage"issaidtodescend,andbecomeenclothedwithinthelowerParsufim.Thesefirotnowharmonise,toenabletheLurianicschemeofTikkun(rectification)tobegin.ThenamesofthefundamentalpartzufimandtheirEnglishtranslations: Sefirah:Originalsefirahbeforeevolution Partzuf:Developedfull"Persona"form AboveconsciousCrown:Keter InnerKeter:AtikYomin"AncientofDays"OuterKeter:ArichAnpin"LongFace/Visage"(Macroprosopus) IntellectualWisdom:Chochmah Abba"Father" IntellectualUnderstanding:Binah Imma"Mother" 6emotionalsefirot:ChesedGevurahTiferetNetzachHodYesod ZeirAnpin"SmallFace/Visage"(Microprosopus)Maleson LastEmotionalSefirah:Malchut Nukvah"Feminine"CounterpartofZeirAnpinFemininedaughter Innerdimensionsandthepowersofthesoul[edit] Mainarticle:Kochoshanefesh AsalllevelsofCreationareconstructedaroundthe10sefirot,theirnamesinKabbalahdescribetheparticularroleeachplaysinformingreality.Thesearetheexternaldimensionsofthesefirot,describingtheirfunctionalrolesinchannellingthedivine,creativeOhr(Light)toalllevels.Asthesefirotareviewedtocomprisebothmetaphorical"lights"and"vessels",theirstructuralroledescribestheparticularidentityeachsefirahpossessesfromitscharacteristicvessel.Underlyingthisfunctionalstructureofthesefirot,eachonepossessesahidden,innerspiritualmotivationthatinspiresitsactivity.Thisformstheparticularcharacteristicofinnerlightwithineachsefirah. UnderstandingthesefirotthroughoutJewishmysticismisachievedbytheircorrespondencetothehumansoul.Thisappliestotheouter,Kabbalisticstructureofthesefirot.Itappliesevenmoretotheirinnerdimensions,whichcorrespondtoinnerpsychologicalqualitiesinhumanperception.Identifyingtheessentialspiritualpropertiesofthesoulgivesthebestinsightintotheirdivinesource,andintheprocessrevealsthespiritualbeautyofthesoul.InHasidicthoughttheseinnerdimensionsofthesefirotarecalledthePowersoftheSoul(Hebrew:KochosHaNefesh‎).HasidismsoughttheinternalisationoftheabstractideasofKabbalah,bothoutwardlyinjoyfulsincerityofdveikusindailylife,actsofloving-kindnessandprayer;andinwardlyinitsprofoundnewarticulationofJewishmysticalthought,byrelatingittotheinnerlifeofman.[15]ArticulationofthesefirotinHasidicphilosophyisprimarilyconcernedwiththeirinnerdimensions,andexploringthedirect,enliveningcontributionofeachinman'sspiritualworshipofGod.[16]KabbalahfocusesontheesotericmanifestationsofGodincreation,thevesselsofdivinity.Hasidutlooksatthelightsthatfillthesevessels,howthestructuresrevealthedivineessence,andhowthisinwardnesscanbeperceived.ThisdifferencecanbeseeninthenamesofthesetwostagesofJewishmysticism."Kabbalah"inHebrewisderivedfrom"kabal"(to"receive"asavessel)."Hasidut"isfrom"chesed"("loving-kindness"),consideredthefirstandgreatestsefirah,alsocalled"Greatness",thewishtorevealandshare.ThenamesofthesefirotcomefromKabbalah,anddescribetheDivineeffectthateachhasuponCreation,butnottheirinnerqualities.Hasidicthoughtusesnewdescriptivetermsfortheinnerdimensionsofthesefirot:[17][18] Sefirah:OuterfunctioninDivinityandsoul Innerexperience:InnerDivinemotivationandhumansoulresponse Aboveconscious:Keter-Crown EssenceofKeter:Emunah–"Faith"(expressesessenceofsoulinInfinite)InnerKeter:Taanug-unconscioussourceof"Delight"(soulrootedindelight)OuterKeter:Ratzon-unconscioustranscendent"Will"(soulexpressesthroughwill) Firstrevelationofintellect:Chochmah-InsightofWisdom Bittul–"Selflessness"(Revelationinspiresselfnullification) GraspedIntellect:Binah-Understanding Simchah–"Joy"(Understandingawakensjoy) AssimilatedIntellect:Daat-Knowledge Yichud–"Union"(Unionwithideaawakensemotions)[citationneeded] Primaryemotionofgiving:Chesed-Loving-kindness Ahavah–"Love"ofGodandDivineinallthings(ResponseofDivinegiving) Primaryemotionofrestriction:Gevurah-Might/Severity Yirah–"Fear"ofGod(MysticalaweofDivinity) Primaryemotionofbalance:Tiferet-Beautifulharmony[citationneeded] Rachamim–"Mercy/Compassion"(Balanceskindnesswithrestriction) Secondaryemotionofgiving:Netzach-Victory/Eternity Bitachon–"Confidence"(Confidenceinspiresdetermination) Secondaryemotionofrestriction:Hod-Splendour/Thanksgiving Temimut–"Sincerity/Earnestness"(SincereresponsetoDivineGlory) Secondaryemotionofbalance:Yesod-Foundation Emet–"Truth"(Drivetoverifyconnectionintask) Emotionalvesselforaction:Malchut-Kingship Shechinah-"DivinePresence"(TheHighestLight) Thefourworlds[edit] ThesetenlevelsareassociatedwithKabbalah'sfourdifferent"Worlds"orplanesofexistence,themainpartfromtheperspectiveofthedescending"chainofprogression"(Sederhishtalshelut),thatlinkstheinfinitedivineEinSofwiththefinite,physicalrealm.InallWorlds,the10sefirotradiate,andarethedivinechannelsthroughwhicheveryleveliscontinuouslycreatedfromnothing.Sincetheyaretheattributesthroughwhichtheunknowable,infinitedivineessencebecomesrevealedtothecreations,alltenemanateineachWorld.Nonetheless,thestructureoftheFourWorldsarisesbecauseineachone,certainsefirotpredominate.EachWorldisspiritual,apartfromtheloweraspectofthefinalWorld,whichistheAsiyahGashmi("PhysicalAsiyah"),thephysicalUniverse.EachWorldisprogressivelygrosserandfurtherremovedfromconsciousnessoftheDivine,[19]untilinthisWorlditispossibletobeunawareofortodenyGod.Indescendingorder: WorldofEmanation(Hebrew:אֲצִילוּת‎,Atzilut):InthislevelthelightoftheEinSofradiatesandisunitedwithitssource.DivineChochmah,thelimitlessflashofwisdombeyondgrasp,predominates. WorldofCreation(Hebrew:בְּרִיאָה‎,Beri'ah):Inthislevel,isthefirstcreationexnihilo,wherethesoulsandangelshaveself-awareness,butwithoutform.DivineBinah,theintellectualunderstanding,predominates. WorldofFormation(Hebrew:יְצִירָה‎,Yetzirah):Onthislevel,creationisrelatedtoform.TheDivineemotionalsefirotofChesedtoYesodpredominate. WorldofAction(Hebrew:עֲשִׂיָּה‎,Assiah):Onthislevelcreationisrelegatedtoitsphysicalaspect,theonlyphysicalrealmandthelowestWorld,thisrealmwithallitscreatures.TheDivineKingshipofMalchutpredominates,thepurposeofCreation. IntheZoharandelsewhere,therearethesefourWorldsorplanesofexistence.IntheLurianicsystemofKabbalah,fiveWorldsarecounted,comprisingtheseandahigher,fifthplane,AdamKadmon-manifestGodheadlevel[clarificationneeded],thatmediatesbetweentheEinSofandthefourlowerWorlds. AsthefourWorldslinktheInfinitewiththisrealm,theyalsoenablethesoultoascendindevotionormysticalstates,towardstheDivine.EachWorldcanbeunderstoodasdescriptiveofdimensionallevelsofintentionalityrelatedtothenaturalhuman"desiretoreceive",andamethodforthesoul'sprogressupwardtowardunitywithorreturntotheCreator.(TheterminologyofthisformulationisbasedontheexpositionofLurianicKabbalahbythe20thcenturyKabbalistYehudaAshlag). Scriptural,numerologicalandspiritualassociations[edit] Thissectiondoesnotciteanysources.Pleasehelpimprovethissectionbyaddingcitationstoreliablesources.Unsourcedmaterialmaybechallengedandremoved.(March2014)(Learnhowandwhentoremovethistemplatemessage) The10sefirot,arrangedintothe3columns,withthe22PathsofConnectionofthreetypes Associationsofthe3columns[edit] Thesefirothareorganizedintothreediscretecolumnsorgimelkavim("threelines"inHebrew).Theyareoftenreferredtoasthethree"Fathers,"arederivedfromthethree"Mothers,"andareattributedtothevowels(Vav,Yud,andHeh.)Theyareasfollows: Centralcolumn Ketherheadsthecentralcolumnofthetree,whichisknownmetaphoricallyspeakingasthe"PillarofMildness"andisassociatedwithHebrewletterAleph,"thebreath",andtheairelement.Itisaneutralone,abalancebetweenthetwoopposingforcesoffemaleandmaletendencies.Someteachingsdescribethesefirotonthecentrepillarasgender-neutral,whileotherssaythatthesefirotvaryintheirsexualattributions. Rightcolumn(kavyamin) Chokhmahheadstherightcolumnofthetree,metaphoricallyspeakingthe"PillarofMercy",associatedwiththeHebrewletterShin,thefireelement,andthemaleaspect; Leftcolumn(kavsmol) TheleftcolumnisheadedbyBinahandiscalledthe"PillarofSeverity."ItisassociatedwithHebrewletterMem,thewaterelementandthefemaleaspect. Whilethepillarsareeachgivenasexualattribution,thisdoesnotmeanthateverysefirahonagivenpillarhasthesamesexualattributionasthepillaronwhichtheysit.InJewishKabbalah,ofallthesefirotonlyBinahandMalkuthareconsideredfemale,whilealltheothersefirotaremale.[citationneeded] Additionally(andthisappliestobothJewishandHermeticKabbalah),eachsefirahisseenasmaleinrelationtothefollowingsefirahinsuccessiononthetree,andfemaleinrelationtotheforegoingsefirah. Alternativetraditionsconsiderthegrammaticalgendersofthewordsinvolved.Thus,GevurahisfemininebecauseithasanatonalfinialHeh.Thus,SeverityorJusticebecomesafeminineattributewhileChesed(MercyorLoving-kindness)becomesamasculineone,despitethemodernWesterntendencytogenderizethesetermsinreversemanner. Numerologicalmeanings[edit] Inanumerologicalsense,thetreeofsefirotalsohassignificance.Betweenthe10sefirotrun22channelsorpathswhichconnectthem,anumberwhichcanbeassociatedwiththe22lettersoftheHebrewalphabet.Togetherthespiritualforcesofthe10sefirotandthe22connectingchannelsarecalledthe"32PathsofWisdom". Rabbinicsignificance[edit] Astotheactualsignificanceofthenumbers10and22incontextofJudaismgoesintoKabbalisticinterpretationofGenesis.GodissaidtohavecreatedtheworldthroughTenUtterances,markedbythenumberoftimesGenesisstates,"AndGodsaid." Gen1:3-"AndElohimsaid,'LettherebeLight.'andtherewasLight."(Kether) Gen1:6-"AndElohimsaid,'LettherebeafirmamentinthemidstoftheWaters,andletitdividetheWatersfromtheWaters."(Chockmah) Gen1:9-"AndElohimsaid,'LettheWatersundertheheavenbegatheredtogetheruntooneplace,andletthedrylandappear.'Anditwasso."(Binah) Gen1:11-"AndElohimsaid,'LettheEarthbringforthgrass,theherbyieldingseed,andthefruittreeyieldingfruitafterhiskind,whoseseedisinitself,upontheearth.'Anditwasso."(Chesed) Gen1:14-15-"AndElohimsaid,'Lettherebelightsinthefirmamentoftheheaventodividethedayfromthenight;andletthembeforsigns,andforseasons,andfordays,andyears:Andletthembeforlightsinthefirmamentoftheheaventogivelightupontheearth.'Anditwasso."(Gevurah) Gen1:20-"AndElohimsaid,'Letthewatersbringforthabundantlythemovingcreaturethathathlife,andfowlthatmayflyabovetheearthintheopenfirmamentofheaven.'"(Tiferet) Gen1:22-"AndElohimBlessedthem,saying,'Befruitful,andmultiply,andfillthewatersintheseas,andletfowlmultiplyintheearth.'"(Netzach) Gen1:26-"AndElohimsaid,'LetusmakePeopleinourimage,afterourlikeness:andletthemhavestewardshipoverthefishofthesea,andoverthefowloftheair,andoverthecattle,andoveralltheearth,andovereverycreepingthingthatcreepethupontheearth.'"(Hod) Gen1:28-"AndElohimblessedthemandElohimsaidtothem,'Befruitful,andmultiply,andreplenishtheearth,andkeepit:andhavestewardshipoverthefishofthesea,andoverthefowloftheair,andovereverylivingthingthatmovethupontheearth.'"(Yesod) Gen1:29-30-"AndElohimsaid,'Behold,Ihavegivenyoueveryherbbearingseed,whichisuponthefaceofalltheearth,andeverytree,inthewhichisthefruitofatreeyieldingseed;toyouitshallbeformeat.Andtoeverybeastoftheearth,andtoeveryfowloftheair,andtoeverythingthatcreepethupontheearth,whereinthereislife,Ihavegiveneverygreenherbformeat.'Anditwasso."(Malchut) Asforthe22letter-paths,theremustfirstbeanexplanationofthethreedifferenttypesoflettersinHebrew. Therearethree"Mothers"(Aleph,Mem,andShin)thatrepresentthehorizontallines. Theirdifferencefromtheotherlettersisamatterforanotherarticle. Thereareseven"Doubles"(Bet,Gimel,Dalet,Kaf,Peh,Resh,andTav)thatrepresenttheverticallines. Eachdoubleisattributedtoasoftandhardsound,positiveandnegativemeaning,direction,planet,gateofthesoul,color,angels,andvowel. Gimel,Dalet,Resh,andTav'ssecondpronunciationsarelostordisputed,withdifferentdialectsusingdifferentsounds.TavhasnosecondpronunciationinSephardi,butAshkenaziusea's'soundwhenthedageshisabsent. Thetwelve"Elementals"(Heh,Vav,Zayin,Chet,Tet,Yud,Lamed,Nun,Samech,Ayin,Tzaddi,andQof)haveonepronunciation,andrepresentthediagonallines.Othersourcessaythattheycorrespondtothetwelvezodiacalconstellations. EachlettergroupinghassignificanceinGenesis1: TheMothersrepresentthethreetimesGenesisstates"Godmade." TheDoublesrepresenttheseventimesGenesisstates"Godsaw." Theelementals(orsingles)representtherestofthetimes"God"(ElohimineveryinstanceofGenesisChapter1)ismentioned. Inpopularculture[edit] IntheseventhepisodeoffirstseasonoftheanimatedseriesTheMidnightGospelthereisaSefirotinsidethebagofthemaincharacter. IntheOrion'sArmUniverseProject,thegodlikeartificialintelligencesthatrulehumanityeachidentifywithoneofthesefirot. IntheJapaneseanimeNeonGenesisEvangelion,theTreeisshownintheopeningoftheshow,alongwithotherreligiousiconography. Theninemass-productionEVAsandEVAUnit01formasefirotshapeinthefilmTheEndofEvangelion. IntheJapanesemangaandanimeACertainMagicalIndex,thetreeisshownandreferenced. Yu-Gi-Oh!5Ds:Z-ONE,themainantagonistofthefinalstoryarcintheanime,isusingasetof11cardscalled"Timelords",wherethefirst10representstheSefirotandeachnamedafteranarchangelinJudaism,andthefinalcard(andthestrongest),Sephylon,representsthetreeofSefirotitself,whereallSefirotbecomeone(Daat). ThesupportcardsarealsonamedinJapanese"NonexistenceMachine-Ain","EndlessMachine-AinSoph",and"InfiniteLight-AinSophOhr",namedaftertheconceptof"EinSof". IntheKoreanvideogameLobotomyCorporation,theartificialintelligencesthatpresideovereachdepartmentofthecompanyarenamedafterthesefirotandarecalledSephirah[sic],andthedepartmentsthemselvesarearrangedinaninversetree. SephirothisthenameofthemainantagonistofFinalFantasyVII.Hisroleinthegame'snarrativeisinspiredbythetree. InthefirstvideogameofTheWitcherseriestheprotagonistissentouttosearchfor10'sephirot'.Thesenamedstoneseachrepresentanattribute,listedbythegameas"Keth'aar—Crown,Chocc'mah—Wisdom,Veen'ah—Understanding,Kezath—Love,Ghe'vrath—Power,Tipperath—Compassion,Neh'tza—Victory,'Oth—Glory,Yesath—FoundationandMaal'kad—Kingdom" Seealso[edit] MajorArcana Notes[edit] ^abcdefghiGinsburgh,RabbiYitzchak(2006).WhatYouNeedtoKnowaboutKabbalah.Jerusalem:GalEinaiInstitute.ISBN 965-7146-119. ^abCohn-Sherbok,Dan.KabbalahandJewishMysticism:AnIntroductoryAnthology.OneWorldOxford.p. 9. ^TheSongoftheSoul,YechielBar-Lev,p.73,citedonKabbalahpage. ^Seethediscourse"OntheEssenceofChassidus",KehotPublicationSociety,describedontheHasidicphilosophypage.Theacronym"RADLA"forthislevelisidentifiedastheoriginoftheTorahofHasidus. ^Ginsburgh,RabbiYitzchak(2007).KabbalahandMeditationfortheNations.CanadaandIsrael:GalEinai.ISBN 965-7146-127. ^SeeforexampletheclassicpassagefromtheZoharbeginning"Elijahopenedhisdiscourse.."thatisreadeveryFridayafternoontopreparefortheSabbath,intheHabadSiddur"TehillatHaShem". ^E.g.,Tanya,Chapter35 ^abcMysticalConceptsinChassidismbyJacobImmanuelSchochet.KehotPublications.Chapteronthesefirot.Availableseparately,orprintedatbackofbilingualHebrew-EnglisheditionTanya ^P.23,Kaplan,Aryeh(1990).SeferYetzirah:TheBookofCreation.YorkBeach,Maine:SamuelWeiser.ISBN 0-87728-726-0. ^Cohn-Sherbok,Dan.KabbalahandJewishMysticism:AnIntroductoryAnthology.OneWorldOxford.p. 10. ^TalmudBerachot31bandothersourcesinChazal ^MysticalConceptsinChassidism,JacobImmanuelSchochet,Kehot,Chaptor1,"AnthropomorphismandMetaphors" ^Job19:26 ^TalmudBerachot10a,MidrashTehillim103:4,5,TikuneiZohar13:28aandlaterKabbalisticcommentary.Citedinfootnote7,chapter1,MysticalConceptsinChassidism ^OverviewofChassidutfromwww.inner.org.RetrievedNov.2009 ^TheTenSefirot-Introductionfromwww.inner.org.RetrievedNov.2009 ^"Sefirah"inGlossaryofKabbalahandChassidutatwww.inner.org.RetrievedNov.2009 ^ThePowersoftheSoulexplainedatwww.inner.org.RetrievedNov.2009 ^"Neohasid.org'sTuBish'vatHaggadah"(PDF).Retrieved2020-12-07. References[edit] Earlytexts: TheSeferYetzirahthebookofcreation:Intheoryandpractice,translatedandexplainedbyAryehKaplan(1997).SamuelWeiser,Inc.(ISBN 0-87728-855-0) TheBahir,translatedbyAryehKaplan(1995).Aronson.(ISBN 1-56821-383-2) Modernguides: TheMysticalQabalah,DionFortune(Originallypublished:London,Williams&Norgate1935;Revisededitionpublishedin2000byRedWheel/Weiser,LLC)(ISBN 1-57863-150-5) QabalisticConcepts:LivingtheTree,WilliamGGray(1997).SamuelWeiser,Inc.(ISBN 1-57863-000-2) TheSecretTeachingofAllAgesbyManlyP.Hall(October27,2003).Tarcher.(ISBN 1-58542-250-9) TheDecadofCreationbyAaronLeitch(JournaloftheWesternMysteryTradition,http://www.jwmt.org/v2n13/doc.html) Academicstudy: MysticalConceptsinChassidism:AnIntroductiontoKabbalisticConceptsandDoctrines,JacobImmanuelSchochet(3rdedition1998).Kehot.(ISBN 0826604129) OnTheKabbalahanditsSymbolism,GershomScholem(1996).Schocken.(ISBN 0-8052-1051-2) Externallinks[edit] TheTenSefirot:Introduction KabbalahatCurlie Diagramof10SefirotandAttributes SefiroticSystemsintheSeferYetsira,BahirandPost-ZoharKabbalah Retrievedfrom"https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sefirot&oldid=1057898606" Categories:SephirotKabbalahTreesinmythologyKabbalisticwordsandphrasesHiddencategories:ArticleswithshortdescriptionShortdescriptionmatchesWikidataArticlescontainingHebrew-languagetextArticlesneedingadditionalreferencesfromNovember2020AllarticlesneedingadditionalreferencesAllarticleswithunsourcedstatementsArticleswithunsourcedstatementsfromOctober2014WikipediaarticlesneedingclarificationfromNovember2020ArticlesneedingadditionalreferencesfromSeptember2015WikipediaarticlesneedingclarificationfromSeptember2015AllWikipediaarticlesneedingclarificationArticleswithmultiplemaintenanceissuesArticleswithunsourcedquotesWikipediaarticlesneedingclarificationfromOctober2014ArticlesneedingadditionalreferencesfromMarch2014ArticleswithunsourcedstatementsfromAugust2009ArticleswithCurlielinks Navigationmenu Personaltools NotloggedinTalkContributionsCreateaccountLogin Namespaces ArticleTalk Variants expanded collapsed Views ReadEditViewhistory More expanded collapsed Search Navigation MainpageContentsCurrenteventsRandomarticleAboutWikipediaContactusDonate Contribute HelpLearntoeditCommunityportalRecentchangesUploadfile Tools WhatlinkshereRelatedchangesUploadfileSpecialpagesPermanentlinkPageinformationCitethispageWikidataitem Print/export DownloadasPDFPrintableversion Inotherprojects WikimediaCommons Languages العربيةBoarischCatalàČeštinaDeutschΕλληνικάEspañolEuskaraفارسیFrançaisHrvatskiItalianoעבריתMagyarPolskiPortuguêsRomânăРусскийSlovenčinaSuomiSvenskaTürkçe中文 Editlinks