I. The Supreme Being and the doctrine and classification of the

Emanations, or Sephiroth. Being boundless in his nature—which necessarily implies that he is an absolute unity and inscrutable, and that there is nothing without him, or that the τὸ πᾶν is in him, [1]—God is called En Soph (‏אין סוף‎) = ἄπειρος Endless, Boundless. [2] In this boundlessness, or as the En Soph, he cannot be comprehended by the intellect, nor described in words, for there is nothing which can grasp and depict him to us, and as such he is, in a certain sense, not existent (‏אַיִן‎), because, as far as our minds are concerned, that which is perfectly incomprehensible does not exist. [3] To make his existence perceptible, and to render himself comprehensible, the En Soph, or the Boundless, had to become active and creative. But the En Soph cannot be the direct creator, for he has neither will, intention, desire, thought, language, nor action, as these properties imply limit and belong to finite beings, whereas the En Soph is boundless. Besides, the imperfect and circumscribed nature of the creation precludes the idea that the world was created or even designed by him, who can have no will nor produce anything but what is like himself, boundless and perfect. On the other hand, again, the beautiful design displayed in the mechanism, the regular order manifested in the preservation, destruction, and renewal of things, forbid us to regard this world as the offspring of chance, and constrain us to recognize therein an intelligent design. [4] We are, therefore, compelled to view the En Soph as the creator of the world in an indirect manner. Now, the medium by which the En Soph made his existence known in the creation of the world are ten Sephiroth [5] (‏ספירות‎) or intelligences, which emanated from the Boundless One (‏אין סוף‎) in the following manner:—At first the En Soph, or the Aged of the Aged (‏עתיקא דעתיקין‎) or the Holy Aged (‏עתיקא קדישא‎), as he is alternately called, sent forth from his infinite light one spiritual substance or intelligence. This first Sephira, which existed in the En Soph from all eternity, and became a reality by a mere act, has no less than seven appellations. It is called—I, the Crown (‏כתר‎), because it occupies the highest position; II, the Aged (‏עתיקא‎), because it is the oldest or the first emanation—and this name must not be confounded with the Aged of the Aged, which, as we have seen, is the appellation of the En Soph; III, the Primordial Point (‏נקודה ראשונה‎), or the Smooth Point (‏נקודה פשוטה‎), because, as the Sohar tells us, “When the Concealed of the Concealed wished to reveal himself, he first made a single point: the Infinite was entirely unknown, and diffused no light before this luminous point violently broke through into vision;” (Sohar, i, 15 a). IV, the White Head (‏רישא הוורה‎); V, the Long Face, Macroprosopon (‏אריך אנפין‎), because the whole ten Sephiroth represent the Primordial or the Heavenly Man (‏אדם עילאה‎), of which the first Sephira is the head; VI, The Inscrutable Height (‏רום מעלה‎), because it is the highest of all the Sephiroth proceeding immediately from the En Soph. Hence, on the passage “Go forth, O ye daughters of Zion, and behold the King of Peace [6] with the Crown!” (Song of Solomon iii, 2) the Sohar remarks, “But who can behold the King of Peace, seeing that He is incomprehensible, even to the heavenly hosts? But he who sees the Crown sees the glory of the King of Peace.” (Sohar ii. 100 b.) And, VII, it is expressed in the Bible by the Divine name Ehejeh, or I Am (‏אהיה‎ Exod. iii, 4), because it is absolute being, representing the Infinite as distinguished from the finite, and in the angelic order, by the celestial beasts of Ezekiel, called Chajoth (‏חיות‎). The first Sephira contained the other nine Sephiroth, and gave rise to them in the following order:—At first a masculine or active potency, designated Wisdom (‏חכמה‎), proceeded from it. This Sephira, which among the divine names is represented by Jah (‏יה‎ Isa. xxvi, 4), and among the angelic hosts by Oplianim (‏אפנים‎ Wheels), sent forth an opposite, i.e. a feminine or passive, potency, denominated Intelligence (‏בינה‎), which is represented by the divine name Jehovah (‏יהוה‎), and angelic name Arelim (‏אראלים‎), and it is from a union of these two Sephiroth, which are also called Father (‏אבא‎) and Mother (‏אמא‎), that the remaining seven Sephiroth proceeded. Or, as the Sohar (iii, 290 a) expresses it, “When the Holy Aged, the Concealed of all Concealed, assumed a form, he produced everything in the form of male and female, as the things could not continue in any other form. Hence Wisdom, which is the beginning of development, when it proceeded from the Holy Aged, emanated in male and female, for Wisdom expanded, and Intelligence proceeded from it, and thus obtained male and female—viz., Wisdom, the father, and Intelligence, the mother, from whose union the other pairs of Sephiroth successively emanated.” These two opposite potencies—viz., Wisdom (‏חכמה‎) and Intelligence (‏בינה‎)—are joined together by the first potency, the Crown (‏כתר‎); thus yielding the first triad of the Sephiroth. From the junction of the foregoing opposites emanated again the masculine or active potency, denominated Mercy or Love, (‏חסד‎), also called Greatness (‏גדולה‎), the fourth Sephira, which among the divine names is represented by El (‏אל‎), and among the angelic hosts by Chashmalim (‏חשמלים‎, Comp. Ezek. i, 4). From this again emanated the feminine or passive potency, Justice (‏דין‎), also called Judicial Power (‏גבורה‎), the fifth Sephira, which is represented by the divine name Eloha (‏אלה‎), and among the angels by Seraphim (‏שרפים‎, Isa. vi, 6); and from this again the uniting potency, Beauty or Mildness (‏תפארת‎), the sixth Sephira, represented by the divine name Elohim (‏אלהים‎), and among the angels by Shinanim (‏שנאנים‎, Ps. lxviii, 18). Since without this union the existence of things would not be possible, inasmuch as mercy not tempered with justice, and justice not tempered with mercy would be unendurable: and thus the second trinity of the Sephiroth is obtained. The medium of union of the second trinity, i.e. Beauty (‏תפארת‎), the sixth Sephira, beamed forth the masculine or active potency, Firmness (‏נצח‎), the seventh Sephira, corresponding to the divine name Jehovah Sabaoth (‏יהוה צבאות‎), and among the angels to Tarshishim (‏תרשישים‎, Dan. x, 6); this again gave rise to the feminine or passive potency, Splendour (‏הוד‎), the eighth Sephira, to which answer the divine name Elohim Sabaoth (‏אלהים צבאות‎), and among the angels Benei Elohim (‏בני אלהים‎, Gen. vi, 4); and from it again, emanated Foundation or the Basis (‏יסוד‎), the ninth Sephira, represented by the divine name El Chai (‏אל חי‎), and among the angelic hosts by Ishim (‏אישים‎, Ps. civ, 4), which is the uniting point between these two opposites—thus yielding the third trinity of Sephiroth. From the ninth Sephira, the Basis (‏יסוד‎) of all, emanated the tenth, called Kingdom (‏מלכות‎), and Shechinah (‏שכינה‎), which is represented by the divine name Adonai (‏אדוני‎), and among the angelic hosts by Cherubim (‏כרובים‎). The table on the opposite page exhibits the different names of the Sephiroth, together with the several names of God and the angels, which correspond to them. From this representation of each triad, as consisting of a threefold principle, viz., the two opposites, masculine and feminine, and the uniting principle, the development of the Sephiroth, and of life generally, is symbolically called the Balance (‏מתקלא‎), because the two opposite sexes, are compared with the two opposite scales, and the uniting Sephira is compared with the beam which joins the scales, and indicates its equipoise. Before we enter into further particulars about the nature, operation, and classification of these Sephiroth, we shall give the Sohar’s speculations about the Supreme Being, and its account of the origin of the Sephiroth, and their relationship to the Deity. THE TEN THE TEN THE TEN THE TEN SEPHIROTH. CORRESPONDING CORRESPONDING CORRESPONDING NAMES OF THE CLASSES OF MEMBERS OF THE OF THE DEITY. ANGELS. HUMAN BODY. / 1. כתר‎, Crown. \ | 2. ‏עתיקא‎, the Aged. | | 3. ‏נקודה ראשונה‎, | | Primordial Point. | | 4. ‏נקודה פשוטה‎, | | Smooth Point. | i. ‏אהיה‎, I am ‏חיות‎, ζῶον. Head. | Head. | (Exod. iii. 4). | 6. ‏אריך אנפין‎, | | Macroprosopon. | | 7. ‏אדם עילאה‎, | | Heavenly Man. | | 8. ‏רום מעלה‎, | \ Inscrutable Height. / ii. ‏חכמה‎, σοφία, ‏יה‎, Jah (Isa. ‏אופנים‎, κίνησις. Brains. Wisdom. xxvi. 4). iii. ‏בינה‎, νοῦς, ‏יהוה‎, Jehovah. ‏אראלים‎, Arelim Heart. Intelligence. (Isa. xxiii. 7). / 1. ‏חסד‎, χάρις, \ ‏אל‎, the Mighty ‏חשמלים‎, Right Arm. iv. One. Chasheralim \ 2. ‏גדולה‎, Greatness. / (Ezek. i. 4). / 1. ‏דין‎, Judgment. \ ‏אלה‎, the ‏שרפים‎, Seraphim Left Arm. v. Almighty. (Isa. vi. 7). \ 3. ‏גבורה‎, Strength. / vi. ‏תפארת‎, Beauty. ‏אלהים‎, God. ‏שנאנים‎, Shinanim Chest. (Ps. lxviii. 18). vii. ‏נצח‎, Firmness. ‏יהוה צבאות‎, ‏תרשישים‎ Right Leg. Jehovah Sabaoth. Tarshishim (Dan. x. 6). viii. ‏הוד‎, Splendour. ‏אלהים צבאות‎, ‏בני אלהים‎, the Left Leg. God Sabaoth. Sons of God (Gen. vi. 4). ix. ‏יסוד‎, ‏אל חי‎, Mighty ‏אשים‎, Ishim (Ps. Genital Foundation. Living One. civ. 4). Organs. / 1. βασιλεία sc. τῶν \ x. ‏אדני‎, the Lord. ‏כרובים‎, Cherubim. Union of the \ 2. ‏שכינה‎, Shechinah. / Whole Body. The prophet Elias having learned in the heavenly college the profound mystery and true import of the words in Isa. xl, 25, 26, “To whom will ye liken me, and shall I be equal? saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who (‏מי‎) hath created these things (‏אלה‎),” revealed to R. Simon b. Jochai that God in his absolute nature is unknown and incomprehensible, and hence, in a certain sense, non-existent; that this Who (‏אלה‎ unknown subject) had to become active and creative, to demonstrate his existence, and that it is only by these (‏אלה‎) works of creation that he made himself known to us. It is therefore the combination of the unknown Who (‏מי‎) with these visible (‏אלה‎) works that showed him to be God (‏אלהים‎ which is produced by ‏מי‎ transposed, i.e. ‏יﬦ‎, and united with ‏אלה‎). Or, as it is in the language of the Kabbalah;— “Before he gave any shape to this world, before he produced any form, he was alone, without a form and resemblance to anything else. Who then can comprehend him how he was before the creation, since he was formless? Hence it is forbidden to represent him by any form, similitude, or even by his sacred name, by a single letter or a single point; and to this the words ‘Ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you’ (Deut. iv, 15)—i.e. ye have not seen anything which you could represent by any form or likeness—refer. But after he created the form of the Heavenly Man (‏אדם עלאה‎), he used it as a chariot (‏מרכבה‎) wherein to descend, and wishes to be called by this form, which is the sacred name Jehovah. He wishes to be known by his attributes, and each attribute separately; and therefore had himself called the God of Mercy, the God of Justice, Almighty, God of Sabaoth, and the Being. He wishes thereby to make known his nature, and that we should see how his mercy and compassion extend both to the world and to all operations. For if he had not poured out his light upon all his creatures, how could we ever have known him? How could the words be fulfilled, ‘The whole earth is full of his glory’ (Isa. vi, 3)? Woe be to him who compares him with his own attributes! or still worse with the son of man whose foundation is in the dust, who vanishes and is no more! Hence, the form in which we delineate him simply describes each time his dominion over a certain attribute, or over the creatures generally. We cannot understand more of his nature than the attribute expresses. Hence, when he is divested of all these things, he has neither any attribute nor any similitude or form. The form in which he is generally depicted is to be compared to a very expansive sea; for the waters of the sea are in themselves without a limit or form, and it is only when they spread themselves upon the earth that they assume a form (‏דמיון‎). We can now make the following calculation: the source of the sea’s water and the water stream proceeding therefrom to spread itself are two. A great reservoir is then formed, just as if a huge hollow had been dug; this reservoir is called sea, and is the third. The unfathomable deep divides itself into seven streams, resembling seven long vessels. The source, the water stream, the sea and the seven streams make together ten. And when the master breaks the vessels which he has made, the waters return to the source, and then only remain the pieces of these vessels, dried up and without any water. It is in this way that the Cause of Causes gave rise to the ten Sephiroth. The Crown is the source from which streams forth an infinite light: hence the name En Soph (‏אין סוף‎) = infinite, by which the highest cause is designated: for it then had neither form nor shape, and there is neither any means whereby to comprehend it, nor a way by which to know it. Hence it is written, ‘Seek not out the things that are too hard for thee, neither search the things that are above thy strength.’ (Ecclus. iii, 21.) He then made a vessel, as small as a point, like the letter ‏י‎, which is filled from this source (i.e. the En Soph). This is the source of wisdom, wisdom itself (‏חכמה‎), after which the Supreme Cause is called ‘wise God.’ Upon this he made a large vessel like a sea, which is called Intelligence (‏בינה‎): hence the name ‘intelligent God.’ It must, however, be remarked that God is wise, and through himself, for wisdom does not derive its name through itself, but through the wise one who fills it with the light which flows from him, just as intelligence is not comprehended through itself, but through him who is intelligent and fills it with his own substance. God needs only to withdraw himself and it would be dried up. This is also the meaning of the words, ‘the waters have disappeared from the sea, and the bed is dry and parched up.’ (Job xiv, 11.) The sea is finally divided into seven streams, and the seven costly vessels are produced, which are called Greatness (‏גדולה‎), Judicial Strength (‏גבורה‎), Beauty (‏תפארת‎), Firmness (‏נצח‎), Splendour (‏הוד‎), Foundation (‏יסוד‎), and Kingdom (‏מלכות‎). Therefore is he called the Great or the Merciful, the Mighty, the Glorious, the God of victory, the Creator, to whom all praise is due, and the Foundation of all things. Upon the last attribute all the others are based as well as the world. Finally, he is also the King of the universe, for everything is in his power; he can diminish the number of the vessels, and increase in them the light which streams from them, or reduce it, just as it pleases him.” (Sohar, i, 42 b, 43 a, section ‏בא‎.) In another place again the same authority gives the following description of the Deity and the emanation of the Sephiroth. “The Aged of the Aged, the Unknown of the Unknown, has a form and yet has no form. He has a form whereby the universe is preserved, and yet has no form, because he cannot be comprehended. When he first assumed the form [of the first Sephira], he caused nine splendid lights to emanate from it, which, shining through it, diffused a bright light in all directions. Imagine an elevated light sending forth its rays in all directions. Now if we approach it to examine the rays, we understand no more than that they emanate from the said light. So is the Holy Aged an absolute light, but in himself concealed and incomprehensible. We can only comprehend him through those luminous emanations (‏ספירות‎) which again are partly visible and partly concealed. These constitute the sacred name of God.” (Idra Suta, Sohar, iii, 288 a.) Four things must be borne in mind with regard to the Sephiroth. I. That they were not created by, but emanated (‏נאצל‎) from, the En Soph; the difference between creation and emanation being, that in the former a diminution of strength takes place, whilst in the latter this is not the case. [7] II. That they form among themselves, and with the En Soph, a strict unity, and simply represent different aspects of one and the same being, just as the different rays which proceed from the light, and which appear different things to the eye, form only different manifestations of one and the same light. III. That since they simply differ from each other as the different colours of the same light, all the ten emanations alike partake of the perfections of the En Soph; and IV, that, as emanations from the Infinite, the Sephiroth are infinite and perfect like the En Soph, and yet constitute the first finite things. [8] They are infinite and perfect when the En Soph imparts his fulness to them, and finite and imperfect when the fulness is withdrawn from them, so that in this respect these ten Sephiroth exactly correspond to the double nature of Christ,—his finite and imperfect human nature and his infinite and perfect divine nature. In their totality and unity these ten Sephiroth are not only denominated the world of Sephiroth (‏עולﬦ הספירות‎) and the world of Emanations (‏עולﬦ אצילות‎), but represent and are called the Primordial or Archetypal Man (‏אדﬦ קדמון‎ = πρωτόγονος), and the Heavenly Man (‏אדם עילאה‎). In the figure, the Crown (‏כתר‎) is the head; Wisdom (‏חכמה‎), the brains; and Intelligence (‏בינה‎), which unites the two and produces the first triad, is the heart or the understanding—thus forming the head. The fourth and fifth Sephiroth, i.e., Mercy (‏חסד‎) and Justice (‏פחד‎), are the two arms of the Lord, the former the right arm and the latter the left, one distributing life and the other death. And the sixth Sephira, Beauty (‏תפארת‎), which unites these two opposites and produces the second triad, is the chest; whilst the seventh and eighth Sephiroth,—i.e., Firmness (‏נצח‎) and Splendour (‏הוד‎), of the third triad,—are the two legs; and Foundation (‏יסוד‎), the ninth Sephira, represents the genital organs, since it denotes the basis and source of all things. Thus it is said “Every thing will return to its origin just as it proceeded from it. All marrow, all sap, and all power are congregated in this spot. Hence all powers which exist originate through the genital organs.” (Sohar, iii, 296 a.) Kingdom (‏מלכות‎), the tenth Sephira, represents the harmony of the whole Archetypal Man. The following is the archetypal figure of the ten Sephiroth. It is this form which the prophet Ezekiel saw in the mysterious chariot, and of which the earthly man is a faint copy. Moreover, these Sephiroth, as we have already remarked, created the world and all things therein according to their own archetype or in the likeness and similitude of the Heavenly Man or the World of Emanations. But, before we propound the Kabbalistic doctrine of the creation of the world, it is necessary to describe a second mode in which the trinity of triads in the Sephiroth is represented, and to mention the appellations and offices of the respective triads. ‏כתר‎ CROWN ‏חכמה‎ WISDOM ‏בינה‎ INTELLIGENCE ‏תפארת‎ BEAUTY ‏חסד‎ LOVE ‏פחד JUSTICE ‏יסוד‎ FOUNDATION ‏הוד‎ SPLENDOUR ‏נצח‎ FIRMNESS ‏מלכות‎ KINGDOM Now in looking at the Sephiroth which constitute the first triad, it will be seen that they represent the intellect; hence this triad is called the Intellectual World (‏עולם מושכל‎). The second triad, again, represents moral qualities; hence it is designated the moral or Sensuous World (‏עולﬦ מורגש‎): whilst the third triad represents power and stability, and hence is designated the Material World (‏עולﬦ המוטבע‎). These three aspects in which the En Soph manifested himself are called the Faces (‏אנפין‎ and ‏פרצופין‎ = πρόσωπον, the two words are identical, the former being pure Aramaic, and the latter from the Greek). In the arrangement of this trinity of triads, so as to produce what is called the Kabbalistic tree, denominated the Tree of Life (‏עץ חיים‎), or simply the Tree (‏אילן‎), the first triad is placed above, the second and third are placed below, in such a manner that the three masculine Sephiroth are on the right, the three feminine on the left, whilst the four uniting Sephiroth occupy the centre, as shown in the following diagrams:— I. ‏כתר‎ 1 Crown 3 ‏בינה‎ Intelligence ‏חכמה‎ 2 Wisdom 5 ‏פחד‎ Justice ‏חסד‎ 4 Love ‏תפארת‎ 6 Beauty 8 ‏הוד‎ Splendour ‏נצח‎ 7 Firmness ‏יסוד‎ 9 Foundation ‏מלכות‎ 10 Kingdom II. ‏און סוף‎ The Endless. ‏כתר‎ Crown 1 ‏בינח‎ Intelligence 3 ‏חכמה‎ Wisdom 2 ‏פחד‎ Justice 5 ‏חסד‎ Love 4 ‏תפארת‎ Beauty 6 ‏הוד‎ Splendour 8 ‏נצח‎ Firmness 7 ‏יסוד‎ Foundation 9 ‏מלכות‎ Kingdom 10 The three Sephiroth on the right, representing the principle of mercy (‏חסד‎), are called the Pillar of Mercy (‏סטרא ימינא עמודא דחסד‎); the three on the left, representing the principle of rigour (‏דין‎), are denominated the Pillar of Judgment (‏סטרא דשמאלא עמודא דדינה‎); whilst the four Sephiroth in the centre, representing mildness (‏רחמיﬦ‎), are called the Middle Pillar (‏עמודא דאמצעיתא‎). Each Sephira composing this trinity of triads is, as it were, a trinity in itself. I, It has its own absolute character; II, It receives from above; and III, It communicates to what is below it. Hence the remark, “Just as the Sacred Aged is represented by the number three, so are all the other lights (Sephiroth) of a threefold nature.” (Sohar, iii, 288 b.) Within this trinity in each unit and trinity of triads there is a trinity of units, which must be explained before we can propound the Kabbalistic view of the cosmogony. We have seen that three of the Sephiroth constitute uniting links between three pairs of opposites, and by this means produce three triads, respectively denominated the Intellectual World, the Sensuous or Moral World, and the Material World, and that these three uniting Sephiroth, together with the one which unites the whole into a common unity, form what is called the Middle Pillar of the Kabbalistic tree. Now from the important position they thus occupy, these Sephiroth are synecdochically used to represent the worlds which by their uniting potency they respectively yield. Hence the Sephira, Crown (‏כתר‎), from which the Sephiroth, Wisdom (‏חכמה‎) and Intelligence (‏בינה‎), emanated, and by which they are also united, thus yielding the Intellectual World, is by itself used to designate the Intellectual World (‏עולﬦ המושכל‎). Its own names, however, are not changed in this capacity, and it still continues to be designated by the several appellations mentioned in the description of the first Sephira. The sixth Sephira, called Beauty (‏תפארת‎), which unites Sephiroth IV (‏הסד‎, Love) and V (‏פחד‎, Justice), thus yielding the Sensuous World, is by itself used to denote the Sensuous World, and in this capacity is called the Sacred King (‏מלכא קדישא‎), or simply the King (‏מלכא‎); whilst the Sephira called Kingdom (‏מלכות‎), which unites the whole Sephiroth, is here used to represent the Material World, instead of the ninth Sephira, called Foundation (‏יסוד‎), and is in this capacity denominated the Queen (‏מלכתא‎) or the Matron (‏מטרוניתא‎). Thus we obtain within the trinity of triads a higher trinity of units,—viz., the Crown (‏כתר‎), Beauty (‏תפארת‎), and Kingdom (‏מלכות‎),—which represents the potencies of all the Sephiroth.