Sephiroth (Cabal)

Preludes

" When the Name, blessed is it, wanted to create the world, it did not have there a place to create it, because the whole was infinite. So It contracted (tsimtsem) the " lumière" on the sides and via this withdrawal (tsimtsoum) a " was formed; space vide" (hallal hapanouy). And inside this " space vide" came to the existence the days (time) and measurements (spaces) which constitute the essence of the Creation of the World " , Rabbi Nahman de Breslev - Liqouté Moharan .

Original light (gold qadoum) - which filled up in an equal way and without difference in degree before the tsimtsoum - spouts out a light emanated (gold nietsal) in the vacuum left by the tsimtsoum. This emanated light constitutes the " olam ha-Atziluth " , the world of the Emanation or Divine and in addition, creation generated the olam haBeryah or world of Creation, the olam haYetzirah or world of the Formation and the olam haAssya or world of Manufacture. We find this diagram in the Kabbale of Safed but also at Moché Haïm Luzzatto or Moïse Cordovero in its By of Rimonim (chap. 16).

This emanated Light contains the whole of Sephiroth and is divided into two radiations, one interior (penimiyout), the heart, the divine one and the other is the world of separation. And it is the same for each of the three other worlds. Here, the question which arises for us is " how to conceive the divine one emanated of the divin" ? God is essentially ONE (Echad) but, " it is by conceiving the vacuum in oneself to accommodate the otherness of the world, it is by withdrawing itself in itself that God created the world. From this vacuum of God, the world emerges. The creation of empty space makes possible the otherness starting from the séparation" , MY Ouaknin, Concerto for four consonants.

According to the Cabal, God is unit, the Emanation is thus single which knows neither change, nor multiplicity. Thus, Its Light itself does not change and is not connected. If the gasoline of God is unknowable for us, however, we can know his will. The world was created by Ten Words and according to Moché Haïm Luzzatto, " Ein-Sof is the Will such as It could have wanted it, that which has neither term neither measurement, nor end; Sephiroth are what He wanted with limit and which constitutes particular attributes that He has voulu". The will is called " radiation and the Ein-Sof , " light simple" (gold qadoum or pachout). The worlds of Creation, the Formation and Manufacture are worlds resulting from the Paramount Light and by there they are the forces of the will. These worlds are consisted of the " rayonnement" and of the envoys (angels) who achieved the other worlds.

Shekhinah resides on the angel only according to the force of this last. Thus, the manifestation of the Divine Presence will be less in the world of the Formation than in that of Creation etc And each revealing of the divine Presence consists of 10 degrees in each world. They are Sephiroth which is ten methods of the Light acting on the beings according to their composition.

In short, Sephiroth are the forces of the Higher Will. Thus, Sephiroth of the Emanation are the forces of the Will alone and Sephiroth of the three other worlds are the forces of the Will with the angels. Sephiroth are arranged according to the degrees of the force insufflated by Emanateur. Each thing created has a clean principle which depends on the activity of this clean principle which takes root in Sephiroth. The beings are themselves " émanés" of Sephiroth according to their force and their intensity. There is thus a gradation of the beings which rises from Sephiroth of the three lower worlds. Sequence of Sephiroth is born thus the matter…

" It is sure that the only knowledge of the name of Sephiroth and the faces without that of their nature and their raison d'être does not constitute of anything a knowledge " (The Philosopher and Cabaliste, Ugly Haïm Luzzatto p 122). While following this principle any kabbalist must know the " vision of Char" , i.e., the whole of Sephiroth and the rules which relate to them as taught by the Tradition (Cabal) and then, it is necessary to know interpretations of all this " vision of Char". According to the lourianic Cabal , following the Tsimtsoum appeared the Paramount Man (Adam haRichon or Adam haKadmon) resulting from a luminous ray (qav) resulting from the Ein-Sof . In the Ets' Hayyim , the Paramount Man is regarded as simple a " détail" containing all the worlds. And the Paramount Man consists of successive Branches which go from invisible to the visible one.

The Paramount Man thus contains AV, SAG, MAH and BEN which are four methods of Tétragramme Divin hvhy. Chem AV is the Name deployed in Yod index, cash 10 letters and having a numerical value of 72. Chem SAG is the deployment of the Name in Yod index for He and Aleph index for Vav. It adds up 10 letters and its numerical value is of 63. Chem MAH is the deployment of the Name in Aleph index. It counts 10 letters and has a numerical value of 45. Chem Ben sees the Name deployed in index " doublé". It counts 9 letters and has a numerical value of 52. AV is at the level of cranium of the Paramount Man and thus of Sephira Hokhmah . This dimension remains hidden with the man who can apprehend only surface of it. Knowledge starts only in SAG which indicates the lights which leave the Ears of the Paramount Man. SAG is compared to Binah (which has a numerical value of 63). From SAG, Wisdom starts to reveal itself. Chem MAH corresponds to the lights which leave the nose of the Paramount Man and Chem Ben corresponds to the lights which leave the Mouth. These lights are the production of the vases by the exit and the return of Sephiroth! There are still the lights of the Eyes which are the points, their crack and their fall. There is finally the World of Repair with all its faces: the Old one, the Long Face, the Father, the Mother, the Small Figure and the Female one.

To return in the World of the Points (olam haNiqoudim), it occurs there what one names the Crack of the Vases, this one occurs in the exit and the return of the lights of the Mouth, because it is during this withdrawal that the formation of the Kéli would have taken place (Vase), root of the materiality. The Vases were laid out the ones under the others, characteristic of the world of the points where Sephiroth are isolated the ones from the others. This will be besides one of the causes of the Crack of the Vases. Sephiroth of the Emanation are broken and fell into the worlds from Creation, the Formation and Manufacture. It is known as that the interior part of Sephiroth of the Emanation fell into the world from Creation, that the intermediate part fell into the world from the Formation and that the part external fell into the world of Manufacture.

The Crack sparked 288 of light which was contained in the vases. During their fall, they mixed with the " écorces" (qelipoth) thus, " there is nothing in the world, in all the worlds and, in the same way in all the parts of the world of Manufacture like mineral, the plant, the animal or the human one, where one cannot find sparks of holiness mixed with the barks; and they must be triées" (Rabbi Vital Haïm, Mavo Chéarim 7 2 1). This sorting must take place in the Female one, in Malkhut , the Royalty, last Sephiroth, our world. On this sorting the increase depends on the light purified towards the world of the Emanation.

Polarity of Sephiroth

The Light emanated by Sephiroth can be more or less intense according to the laws. In this direction, all Sephiroth emit light and receive light. It is known as that the emission of the light is of male nature whereas the reception is of female nature. In this direction, all Sephiroth, except Kether, are Bi-sexuées. each of the 10 Sephiroth thus receives the impulse which reaches him of In-Sof and the épanche in its turn: " Knows that the emanation was emitted only to attest unit in the Infinite one, and if receiving it did not link itself with épanchant, and épanchant it with receiving, linking oneself in only one power, one could not recognize that both are a single power; but while linking oneself, from them one knows the power of the unit. However while seeing the power of plain in a manifest way, one any more will not doubt the unit in what is hidden. Thus each thing, or Sephira, without exception, is épanchant and recevant" Azriel de Gérone, Cha' rear haChoel. According to Mopsik, " The sex of the âmes" p. 54: " Each Sephira - and thus the whole of the Emanation - is at the same time male and female, épanchant and recevant". " Each degree without exceptions of YHVH, blessed is it, has two forces; a force receives what is above it, and its second face épanche of kindness with what is below it, to the navel of the ground (Malkhut). Each degree without exception is thus to have two authorities: a power of reception to receive épanchement what is above him, and a power of emission for épancher of the good with what is in lower part of him, in this way the structures are known as androgynes, as receiving and épanchant. It is a great secrecy there among the mysteries of the foi" , Joseph Gikatila, Cha' Orah are, chapter 5 fol. 58b. The question that we must be posed here is: how is it made that Sephiroth are androgynes whereas certain are called male and other females?

It would seem that this last classification rests more on the mode of épanchement and the reception that in the intrinsic quality of Sephira.

" Actually it acts of four Sephiroth particular which receives and épanchent, and such is the secrecy of the androgyne. Similar are other dimensions constituting the unit of the higher chain holy and pure, they also concern the secrecy épanchant and receiving. Why some are called " femmes" (Binah, Guebourah, Hod and Malkhut)? Because the color of dimensions which are épanchent in them is engraved in their center and, through them, it seems a rammer in the mortar, because it is never detached any. As for all other dimensions, they are in the same way overlapping, except that here, there is color above a color, as the flame on the ember " , Fragments of comments on the Genesis by J. of Hamadam, translation by CH. Mopsik, pages 51-52. Here, the word color indicates the substantial contents characteristic of each Sephira. According to Hamadam, Kether is only male and the other androgynes, Sephiroth males are Hokhmah, Hessed, Tiphereth and Netzach. There thus exists a double state androgynal: female androgyny (neqèvah) for Sephiroth female and the male androgyny (zakhar) for Sephiroth male.

Parzufim.

One says Small Figure which it treats the light like a woman treats her child. The action is triple: gestation, breast feeding and maturity. The action is not completed in gestation and one thus finds Victoire-Majesty-Base there. In the breast feeding, where it is completed, one finds Generosity-Rigor-Splendor and in maturity Wisdom-Understanding-Knowledge.

The two actions of the Long Figure are the subsistence and the perfect good. Justice comes from the Long Figure which softens it, it is thus Long Figure which all the good comes but Justice is necessary, Justice it is the Small Figure and the Female one, from the point of view of those which receive, Petite Figure from the point of view of épanchement. What is between the two is the Father and the Mother: " And you will see that just as the causes generate their effects, the Father and the Mother generate the Small Figure and the Female one: the Father is the remote cause and first and the Mother is the nearest cause and second… "

According to Cordovero, each Sephira has 6 aspects:

1- its hidden aspect;

2- the aspect under which it appears;

3- the aspect under which it materializes;

4- the aspect by which Sephira higher can insufflate in it the capacity to emanate from other Sephiroth;

5- the aspect by which it acquires the capacity to emanate Sephiroth hidden in its center;

6- the aspect by which Sephira following is emanated.

In the lourianic Cabal, Kether is formed like Parzuf (face) of ARIKH ANPIN, the Long Figure, Sephiroth Hokhmah and Binah become the parzufim of Abba and Imma, the Father and the Mother. Union from these two parzufim is born Zeïr Anpin, Petite Figure, which extends from Gedulah with Yessod. Malkhut became the parzuf of Nukba de Zeïr, the Woman of Zeïr. These 5 parzufim are in the lourianic Cabal the final shape of Adam Kadmon.

" That wise the glorifie not of its wisdom, that the brave man glorifie not of its bravery and that the rich person glorifie not of its richness but only that which glorifie glorifie of this: to be intelligent and to know me " , Jérémie 9-22,23.

According to the modern kabbalists, Sephiroths would actually be of truths worlds as real as our physical world. Yessod would be what certain call the lunar astral world where those go which try out the states close to dead (NDE) and also all the people died in the first moments of their nonphysical life.

Sephiroth

Kether
Hokhmah
Binah
Hessed
Guebourah
Tiphéreth
Netzach
Hod
Yesod
Malkhouth

Short hermetic symbolic system of Sephiroth

The representations below illustrate the symbolic system of Sephiroth in the tradition Hermétique, which differs from the Jewish tradition.

Malkouth

Significance: Kingdom

Planet: Olahm Yesodoth (the sphere of the elements, Earth)

Element: ground

Color: the brown one

Number: 10

Image: a Crowned Young woman, sitting on a Throne

Briatic correspondence: stability

Virtue: understanding

Defect: avarice & inertia

Qlipah: damning up

Spiritual experiment: Vision of the Saint Guardian angel

Titles: the Door, the Door of Death, the Door of the Tears, the Door of Justice, the lower Mother, Malkah, the Queen, Kallah, Promised, the Virgin

Name of God: Adonaï ha Aretz, Adonaï Malekh

Archangel: Sandalphon

Order Angelica: Ishim

Common nouns: the real-world, physical matter, the physical ground, Ground-Mother, elements, the natural world, solidity, stability, inertia, body death, the incarnation,…

Yesod

Significance: Foundation

Planet: Levanah (the Moon)

Element: ether

Color: the mauve

Number: 9

Image: a beautiful and strong man

Briatic correspondence: receptivity, perception, purity

Virtue: independence

Defect: illusion, daydream

Qlipah: blind obedience

Spiritual experiment: vision of the Mechanism of the Universe

Titles: the Palate with the Images

Name of God: Shaddaï el Chaï

Archangel: Gabriel

Order Angelica: angels

Common nouns: perception, imagination, instinct, appearance, the moon, the unconscious one, instinct, bonds, the illusion, dreams, divination, ether, the sex, secret doors,…

Hod

Significance: Glory, Splendor

Planet: Kokab (Mercury)

Element: Air

Color: yellow

Number: 8

Image: an Hermaphrodite

Briatic correspondence: the abstraction

Virtue: honesty, confidence

Defect: will

Qlipah: rigidity

Spiritual experiment: vision of Splendor

Titles: none

Name of God: Elohim Tzabaoth

Archangel: Raphaël

Order Angelica: Blessed Elohim

Common nouns: reason, the abstraction, the communication, conceptualization, sciences, the language, money, mathematics, medicine, philosophy, Qabale, the law, " droits" , ritual magic.

Netzach

Significance: Victoire, Firmness

Planet: Nogah (Venus)

Element: water

Briatic color: green

Number: 7

Image: a splendid nude woman

Virtue: opening on the others

Defect: closing with the others

Qlipah: routine, practice

Spiritual experiment: Vision of the Triumphing Beauty

Titles: none

Name of God: YHVH Tsabaoth

Archangel: Haniel

Order Angelica: Elohim

Common nouns: passion, pleasure, lust, the sensual beauty, feelings, emotions - love, hatred, the rage, joy, depression -, misery, the excitation, sympathy, empathy, the desire, extatic magic.

Tiphéreth

Significance: Beauty

Planet: Shemesh (Sun)

Element: fire

Briatic color: the orange, gold

Number: 6

Image: a king, a Child, sacrificed God

Briatic correspondence: centered, totality

Virtue: devotion with the Philosopher's stone

Defect: pride, importance given to its own person

Qlipah: falseness

Spiritual experiment: vision of the Harmony

Titles: Melek, the King; Zeïr Anpin, the microprosope; the Son; Rachamin, charity.

Name of God: Aloah ve Daath

Archangel: Mikhaël

Order Angelica: Malahim

Common nouns: the harmony, the integrity, totality, the car-sacrifice, Pierre of God, centers, the Philosopher's stone, the identity, the solar plexus, a King, the Philosopher's stone.

Guebourah

Other names: Geburah, Gueburah, Gevourah, Guevourah

Significance: Force

Planet: Madim (Mars)

Element:

Briatic color: red

Number: 5

Image: a Powerful Warrior

Briatic correspondence: capacity

Virtue: courage & energy

Defect: cruelty

Qlipah: bureaucracy

Spiritual experiment: vision of the Power

Titles: Pachad, Fear; DIN, Justice

Name of God: Elohim Gibor

Archangel: Kamaël

Order Angelica: Seraphim

Common nouns: power, justice, the remuneration, the Law in its execution, cruelty, oppression, domination, severity, martial arts.

Hessed

Significance: Mercy

Planet: Tzadekh (Jupiter)

Element:

Briatic color: blue

Number: 4

Image: a Powerful King

Briatic correspondence: authority

Virtue: humility & obedience

Defect: tyranny, hypocrisy, religious bigotry & gloutonnery

Qlipah: the ideology

Spiritual experiment: vision of the Love

Titles: Gedulah, Magnificence, Love, Majesty

Name of God: El

Archangel: Tsadkiel

Order Angelica: Hashmalim

Common nouns: authority, creativity, inspiration, vision, excess, secular & spiritual capacity, the tender, birth.

Daath

Significance: knowledge

This Sephirah, which is not one, does not have any expressed quality & cannot be called upon directly.

Common nouns: a hole, a tunnel, a door, a black hole, a vortex.

Binah

Significance: Comprehension

Planet: Shabbathaï (Saturn)

Element:

Briatic color: black

Number: 3

Image: old men on thrones

Briatic correspondence: intelligence

Virtue: stability

Defect: inertia

Qlipah: fatalism

Spiritual experiment: vision of the Sorrow

Titles: Liked, the Mother; Ama, the Crown; Marah, Sea of Bitterness; the Mother of the Forms, the Mother Superior.

Name of God: YHVH

Archangel: Tsaphkiel

Order Angelica: Aralim

Common nouns: the limitation, the constraint, slowness, sterility, the incarnation, the karma, the destiny, the mother, fertility, death.

Hokhmah

Significance: Wisdom

Planet: Mazlot (Zodiac, Stars Fixed)

Briatic color: silver plated, gray-white

Number: 2

Image: a Bearded Man

Briatic correspondence: the harmony, music

Virtue: the good

Defect: evil

Qlipah: the arbitrary one

Spiritual experiment: vision of God

Titles: Abba, the Father, the Supernel Father.

Name of God: Iah

Archangel: Raziel

Order Angelica: Auphanim

Common nouns: pure creative energy, the force of life.

Kether

Significance: Crown

Planet: Rashith ha Gilgalim, Whirling Fire (Big Bang)

Briatic color: the pure white

Number: 1

Image: a man with the luminous face like the sun on a throne

Briatic correspondence: the Unit

Virtue: success

Qlipah: futility

Spiritual experiment: union with God

Titles: the Old one of the Days, Macroprosope, the White Head, the Existence of the Existences, Rum Maalah.

Name of God: Eheieh

Archangel: Metatron

Order Angelica: Hahioth ha Qodesh, Holy Animals

Common nouns: the unit, union, all, pure conscience, God, the Divinity, the Demonstration, the Beginning, the Source, Emanation.

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