Four Worlds
Encyclopedia
The Four Worlds sometimes counted with a prior stage to make Five Worlds, are the comprehensive categories of spiritual realms in Kabbalah
in the descending chain
of Existence.
The concept of "Worlds" denotes the emanation of creative lifeforce
from the Ein Sof
Divine Infinite, through progressive, innumerable tzimtzumim (concealments/veilings/condensations). As such, God is described as the "Most Hidden of All Hidden", and Olam is etymologically related to, and sometimes spelled as, עלם (Noun: העלם Helem meaning "concealment"). While these dimmings form innumerable differentiated spiritual levels, each a microcosmic realm, nonetheless, through the mediation of the sephirot (Divine attributes), five comprehensive Worlds emerge. "Higher" realms metaphorically denote greater revelation of the Divine Ohr
light, in more open proximity to their source, "Lower" realms are capable of receiving only lesser creative flow. The Worlds are garments of the Ein Sof, and Hasidic thought interprets their reality as only apparent to Creation
, while "from above" the Divine Infinite fills all equally.
As particular sephirot dominate in each realm, so the primordial fifth World, Adam Kadmon
, is often excluded for its transcendence, and the four subsequent Worlds are usually referred to. Their names are read out from Isaiah
43:7, "Every one that is called by My name (Atzilus "Emanation/Close"), and for My glory I have created (Beriah
"Creation"), I have formed (Yetzirah
"Formation"), even I have made (Asiyah
"Action"). Below Asiyah, the lowest spiritual World, is Asiyah-Gashmi ("Physical Asiyah"), our Physical Universe, which enclothes its last two sephirot emanations (Yesod and Malchut). Collectively, the Four Worlds are also referred to as ABiYA, after their initial letters.
, the Divine creative light that "Fills all Worlds" immanently, according to their particular spiritual capacity to receive. The 10 sephirot attributes and 12 basic partzufim
personas shine in each world, as well as more specific Divine manifestations. In Lurianic Kabbalah, the partzufim dynamically interact with each other, and sublime levels are enclothed within lower existences, as their concealed soul. Nonetheless, in each World, particular sephirot and partzufim predominate. The five Worlds in descending order:
study, its reference to Ohr
("light") is a metaphor for Divine emanation, and the terms "higher" and "lower" are metaphors for closer and further from Divine consciousness and revelation.
The 16th-century systemisation of Kabbalah by Moshe Cordovero brought the preceding interpretations and schools into their first complete rational synthesis. Subsequent doctrines of Kabbalah from Isaac Luria
, describe an initial Tzimtzum
(withdrawal of the universal Divine consciousness that preceded Creation) to "allow room" for created beings on lower levels of consciousness. Lower levels of consciousness require the self-perception of independent existence, by the created beings on each level, to prevent their loss of identity before the magnificence of God. This illusion increases with more force in each subsequent descending realm. The number of graduations between the Infinite and the finite, is likewise infinite, and arises from innumerable, progressively strong concealments of the Divine light. Nonetheless, the four worlds represent fundamental categories of Divine consciousness from each other, which delineates their four descriptions. Consequently, each world also psychologically represents a spiritual rung of ascent in human consciousness, as it approaches the Divine.
Kabbalah distinguishes between two types of Divine light that emanate through the 10 Sephirot (Divine emanations) from the Infinite (Ein Sof
), to create or affect reality. The continual flow of an immanent lower light ("Mimalei Kol Olmin"), the light that "fills all worlds" is the creating force in each descending world that itself continually brings into being from nothing, everything in that level of existence. It is this light that undergoes the concealments and contractions as it descends downward to create the next level, and adapts itself to the capacity of each created being on each level. A transcendent higher light ("Sovev Kol Olmin"), the light that "surrounds all worlds" would be the manifestation on a particular level of a higher light above the capacity of that realm to contain. This is ultimately rooted in the infinite light ("Ohr Ein Sof") that preceded Creation, the Tzimtzum and the Sephirot, rather than the source of the immanent light in the "Kav" (first emanation of creation after the Tzimtzum), in the teachings of Isaac Luria. Consequently, all the worlds are dependent for their continual existence on the flow of Divinity they constantly receive from the Divine Will to create them. Creation is continuous. The faculty of Divine Will is represented in the Sephirot (10 Divine emanations) by the first, supra-conscious Sephirah of "Keter"-Crown, that transcends the lower 9 Sephirot of conscious intellect and emotion. Once the Divine Will is manifest, then it actualises Creation through Divine Intellect, and "subsequently" Divine Emotion, until it results in action. The reference to temporal cause and effect is itself a metaphor. The psychology of man also reflects the "Divine psychology" of the Sephirot, as "Man is created in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27). In man the activation of willpower through intellect and emotion until deed, requires time and subsequent cause and effect. In the Divine Sephirot and their activation of Creation, this does not apply, as limitations only apply to Creation.
The Book of Job
states that "from my flesh I see God". In Kabbalah
and Hasidism this is understood to refer to the correspondence between the "Divine psychology" of the Four Worlds and the Sephirot, with human psychology and the Sephirot in the soul of man. From understanding the Kabbalistic description of the human soul, we can grasp the meaning of the Divine scheme. Ultimately, this is seen as the reason that God chose to emanate His Divinity through the 10 Sephirot, and chose to create the corresponding chain of four Worlds (called the "Seder hishtalshelus
"-"order of development"). He could have chosen to bridge the infinite gap between the Ein Sof and our World by a leap of Divine decree. Instead the Sephirot and Four Worlds allow man to understand Divinity through Divine manifestation, by understanding himself. The verse in Genesis of this correspondence also describes the feminine half of Creation: (Genesis 1:27) "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them". Consequently some of the Sephirot are feminine, and the Shechina (immanent Divine presence) is seen as feminine. It is the intimate relationship between the Divine sceme of four World and man, that allows man's ascent more easily to Divine consciousness (see Dveikus).
Texts:
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
in the descending chain
Seder hishtalshelus
Seder hishtalshelus means the "order of development" or "order of evolution", where the word Hishtalshelus is derived from the reduplicated quadriliteral root ŠLŠL "to chain", and so literally means "the chain-like process"...
of Existence.
The concept of "Worlds" denotes the emanation of creative lifeforce
Ohr
Ohr is a central Kabbalistic term in the Jewish mystical tradition. The analogy of physical light is used as a way of describing metaphysical Divine emanations...
from the Ein Sof
Ein Sof
Ein Sof , in Kabbalah, is understood as God prior to His self-manifestation in the production of any spiritual Realm, probably derived from Ibn Gabirol's term, "the Endless One"...
Divine Infinite, through progressive, innumerable tzimtzumim (concealments/veilings/condensations). As such, God is described as the "Most Hidden of All Hidden", and Olam is etymologically related to, and sometimes spelled as, עלם (Noun: העלם Helem meaning "concealment"). While these dimmings form innumerable differentiated spiritual levels, each a microcosmic realm, nonetheless, through the mediation of the sephirot (Divine attributes), five comprehensive Worlds emerge. "Higher" realms metaphorically denote greater revelation of the Divine Ohr
Ohr
Ohr is a central Kabbalistic term in the Jewish mystical tradition. The analogy of physical light is used as a way of describing metaphysical Divine emanations...
light, in more open proximity to their source, "Lower" realms are capable of receiving only lesser creative flow. The Worlds are garments of the Ein Sof, and Hasidic thought interprets their reality as only apparent to Creation
Da'as Elyon and Da'as Tachton
Daas/Daat Elyon and Daas/Daat Tachton are two alternative levels of perception of reality in Hasidic thought...
, while "from above" the Divine Infinite fills all equally.
As particular sephirot dominate in each realm, so the primordial fifth World, Adam Kadmon
Adam Kadmon
In the religious writings of Kabbalah, Adam Kadmon is a phrase meaning "Primal Man". The oldest rabbinical source for the term "Adam ha-Ḳadmoni" is Num. R. x., where Adam is styled, not as usually, "Ha-Rishon" , "Ha-Kadmoni" ....
, is often excluded for its transcendence, and the four subsequent Worlds are usually referred to. Their names are read out from Isaiah
Isaiah
Isaiah ; Greek: ', Ēsaïās ; "Yahu is salvation") was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah.Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus...
43:7, "Every one that is called by My name (Atzilus "Emanation/Close"), and for My glory I have created (Beriah
Beri'ah
Beri'ah , or Briyah , is the second of the four celestial worlds in the Tree of Life of the Kabbalah, intermediate between the World of Emanation and the World of Formation , the third world, that of the angels...
"Creation"), I have formed (Yetzirah
Yetzirah
Yetzirah is the third of four worlds in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, following Atziluth and Briah...
"Formation"), even I have made (Asiyah
Assiah
Assiah is the last of the four spiritual worlds of the Kabbalah—Atziluth, Beri'ah, Yetzirah, 'Asiyah—based on the passage in . According to the Maseket Aẓilut, it is the region where the Ofanim rule and where they promote the hearing of prayers, support human endeavor, and combat evil...
"Action"). Below Asiyah, the lowest spiritual World, is Asiyah-Gashmi ("Physical Asiyah"), our Physical Universe, which enclothes its last two sephirot emanations (Yesod and Malchut). Collectively, the Four Worlds are also referred to as ABiYA, after their initial letters.
Enumeration
The Worlds are formed by the Ohr Mimalei Kol OlminOhr
Ohr is a central Kabbalistic term in the Jewish mystical tradition. The analogy of physical light is used as a way of describing metaphysical Divine emanations...
, the Divine creative light that "Fills all Worlds" immanently, according to their particular spiritual capacity to receive. The 10 sephirot attributes and 12 basic partzufim
Partzufim
Partzufim/Partsufim , meaning Divine "Personae/Visages/Faces/Forms/Configurations", are particular reconfigured arrangements of the 10 sephirot Divine attributes/emanations of Kabbalah into harmonised interactions in Creation. Their names derive from mystical discourses in the Zohar, the...
personas shine in each world, as well as more specific Divine manifestations. In Lurianic Kabbalah, the partzufim dynamically interact with each other, and sublime levels are enclothed within lower existences, as their concealed soul. Nonetheless, in each World, particular sephirot and partzufim predominate. The five Worlds in descending order:
- Adam KadmonAdam KadmonIn the religious writings of Kabbalah, Adam Kadmon is a phrase meaning "Primal Man". The oldest rabbinical source for the term "Adam ha-Ḳadmoni" is Num. R. x., where Adam is styled, not as usually, "Ha-Rishon" , "Ha-Kadmoni" ....
(אָדָם קַדְמוֹן), meaning Primordial Man. This anthropomorphic metaphor denotes the Yosher (Upright) configuration of the sephirot. Kadmon signifies "primary of all primaries", the first pristine emanation, still united with the Ein SofEin SofEin Sof , in Kabbalah, is understood as God prior to His self-manifestation in the production of any spiritual Realm, probably derived from Ibn Gabirol's term, "the Endless One"...
. Also called the realm of KeterKeter*Keter in Kabbalah, is one of the ten Sephirot *Keter or kether כתר is the Hebrew word for "Crown ", as worn by a king or queen* Keter Publishing House is a book publisher based in Israel...
Elyon (Supernal Crown of Will), "the lucid and luminous light" (Tzachtzachot), "the pure lucid sephirot which are concealed and hidden" in potential. As Keter is elevated above the sephirot, so Adam Kadmon is supreme above the Worlds, and generally only Four Worlds are referred to. - AtziluthAtziluthAtziluth, or Atzilut , is the highest of four worlds in which exists the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. Beri'ah follows it. It is known as the World of Emanations, or the World of Causes...
(אֲצִילוּת), meaning World of Emanation, also "Close." On this level the light of the Ein SofEin SofEin Sof , in Kabbalah, is understood as God prior to His self-manifestation in the production of any spiritual Realm, probably derived from Ibn Gabirol's term, "the Endless One"...
(Infinite Divine "without end") radiates and is still united with its source. This supernal revelation therefore precludes the souls and Divine emanations in Atzilus from sensing their own existence. In Atzilus the 10 sephirot emerge in revelation, with Chochma (Wisdom) dominating, all is nullification of essence (Bittul HaEtzem) to Divinity, not considered created and separate. The last sephirah Malchut (Kingdom) is the "Divine speech" of Genesis 1, through which lower Worlds are substained. - Beri'ahBeri'ahBeri'ah , or Briyah , is the second of the four celestial worlds in the Tree of Life of the Kabbalah, intermediate between the World of Emanation and the World of Formation , the third world, that of the angels...
(בְּרִיאָה or alternatively בְּרִיָּה), meaning World of Creation. On this level is the first concept of creatio ex nihiloEx nihiloEx nihilo is a Latin phrase meaning "out of nothing". It often appears in conjunction with the concept of creation, as in creatio ex nihilo, meaning "creation out of nothing"—chiefly in philosophical or theological contexts, but also occurs in other fields.In theology, the common phrase creatio ex...
(Yesh miAyinAyin and YeshAyin is an important concept in Kabbalah and Hasidic philosophy. It is contrasted with the term Yesh...
), however without yet shape or form, as the creations of Beriah sense their own existence, though in nullification of being (Bittul HaMetzius) to Divinity. Beriah is the realm of the "Divine Throne", denoting the sephirot configuration of Atzilus descending into Beriah like a King on a Throne. The sephirah BinahBinah (Kabbalah)Binah, , in the Kabbalah of Judaism, is the second intellectual Sephirah on the tree of life. It sits on the level below Keter , across from Chokmah and directly above Gevurah...
(Understanding) predominates, Divine intellect. Also called the "Higher Garden of Eden". The Highest Ranking Angels are in Beriah. - YetzirahYetzirahYetzirah is the third of four worlds in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, following Atziluth and Briah...
(יְצִירָה), meaning World of Formation. On this level the created being assumes shape and form. The emotional sephirot ChesedChesedThe Hebrew noun khesed or chesed is the Hebrew word for "kindness." It is also commonly translated as "loving-kindness," or "love." Love is a central Jewish value, and leads to many particular commandments. Chesed is central to Jewish ethics and Jewish theology...
to Yesod predominate, the souls and angels of Yetzirah worship through Divine emotion and striving, as they sense their distance from the Understanding of Beriah. This ascent and descent channels the Divine vitality down through the Worlds, furthering the Divine purpose. Therefore, in Yetzirah are the main angels, such as Seraphim, denoting their burning consummation in Divine emotion. Also called the "Lower Garden of Eden". - AssiahAssiahAssiah is the last of the four spiritual worlds of the Kabbalah—Atziluth, Beri'ah, Yetzirah, 'Asiyah—based on the passage in . According to the Maseket Aẓilut, it is the region where the Ofanim rule and where they promote the hearing of prayers, support human endeavor, and combat evil...
(עֲשִׂיָּה), meaning World of Action. On this level the creation is complete, differentiated and particular, due to the concealment and diminution of the Divine vitality. However, it is still on a spiritual level. The angels of Asiyah function on the active level, as the sephirah Malchut (fulfilment in Kingship) predominates. Below spiritual Asiyah is Asiyah Gashmi ("Physical Asiyah"), the final, lowest realm of existence, our material Universe with all its creations. The last two sephirot of Asiyah channel the lifeforce into Physical Asiyah.
Meaning
These four worlds are spiritual, Heavenly realms in a descending chain, although the lowest world of Assiah has both a spiritual and a physical aspect. The physical level of Assiah is our physical finite realm, including the cosmological Universe studied by Science. Consequently, as Kabbalah is a metaphysicalMetaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
study, its reference to Ohr
Ohr
Ohr is a central Kabbalistic term in the Jewish mystical tradition. The analogy of physical light is used as a way of describing metaphysical Divine emanations...
("light") is a metaphor for Divine emanation, and the terms "higher" and "lower" are metaphors for closer and further from Divine consciousness and revelation.
The 16th-century systemisation of Kabbalah by Moshe Cordovero brought the preceding interpretations and schools into their first complete rational synthesis. Subsequent doctrines of Kabbalah from Isaac Luria
Isaac Luria
Isaac Luria , also called Yitzhak Ben Shlomo Ashkenazi acronym "The Ari" "Ari-Hakadosh", or "Arizal", meaning "The Lion", was a foremost rabbi and Jewish mystic in the community of Safed in the Galilee region of Ottoman Palestine...
, describe an initial Tzimtzum
Tzimtzum
Tzimtzum is a term used in the kabbalistic teaching of Isaac Luria, explaining his concept that God began the process of creation by "contracting" his infinite light in order to allow for a "conceptual space" in which a finite and seemingly independent world could exist...
(withdrawal of the universal Divine consciousness that preceded Creation) to "allow room" for created beings on lower levels of consciousness. Lower levels of consciousness require the self-perception of independent existence, by the created beings on each level, to prevent their loss of identity before the magnificence of God. This illusion increases with more force in each subsequent descending realm. The number of graduations between the Infinite and the finite, is likewise infinite, and arises from innumerable, progressively strong concealments of the Divine light. Nonetheless, the four worlds represent fundamental categories of Divine consciousness from each other, which delineates their four descriptions. Consequently, each world also psychologically represents a spiritual rung of ascent in human consciousness, as it approaches the Divine.
Kabbalah distinguishes between two types of Divine light that emanate through the 10 Sephirot (Divine emanations) from the Infinite (Ein Sof
Ein Sof
Ein Sof , in Kabbalah, is understood as God prior to His self-manifestation in the production of any spiritual Realm, probably derived from Ibn Gabirol's term, "the Endless One"...
), to create or affect reality. The continual flow of an immanent lower light ("Mimalei Kol Olmin"), the light that "fills all worlds" is the creating force in each descending world that itself continually brings into being from nothing, everything in that level of existence. It is this light that undergoes the concealments and contractions as it descends downward to create the next level, and adapts itself to the capacity of each created being on each level. A transcendent higher light ("Sovev Kol Olmin"), the light that "surrounds all worlds" would be the manifestation on a particular level of a higher light above the capacity of that realm to contain. This is ultimately rooted in the infinite light ("Ohr Ein Sof") that preceded Creation, the Tzimtzum and the Sephirot, rather than the source of the immanent light in the "Kav" (first emanation of creation after the Tzimtzum), in the teachings of Isaac Luria. Consequently, all the worlds are dependent for their continual existence on the flow of Divinity they constantly receive from the Divine Will to create them. Creation is continuous. The faculty of Divine Will is represented in the Sephirot (10 Divine emanations) by the first, supra-conscious Sephirah of "Keter"-Crown, that transcends the lower 9 Sephirot of conscious intellect and emotion. Once the Divine Will is manifest, then it actualises Creation through Divine Intellect, and "subsequently" Divine Emotion, until it results in action. The reference to temporal cause and effect is itself a metaphor. The psychology of man also reflects the "Divine psychology" of the Sephirot, as "Man is created in the image of God" (Genesis 1:27). In man the activation of willpower through intellect and emotion until deed, requires time and subsequent cause and effect. In the Divine Sephirot and their activation of Creation, this does not apply, as limitations only apply to Creation.
The Book of Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
states that "from my flesh I see God". In Kabbalah
Kabbalah
Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine...
and Hasidism this is understood to refer to the correspondence between the "Divine psychology" of the Four Worlds and the Sephirot, with human psychology and the Sephirot in the soul of man. From understanding the Kabbalistic description of the human soul, we can grasp the meaning of the Divine scheme. Ultimately, this is seen as the reason that God chose to emanate His Divinity through the 10 Sephirot, and chose to create the corresponding chain of four Worlds (called the "Seder hishtalshelus
Seder hishtalshelus
Seder hishtalshelus means the "order of development" or "order of evolution", where the word Hishtalshelus is derived from the reduplicated quadriliteral root ŠLŠL "to chain", and so literally means "the chain-like process"...
"-"order of development"). He could have chosen to bridge the infinite gap between the Ein Sof and our World by a leap of Divine decree. Instead the Sephirot and Four Worlds allow man to understand Divinity through Divine manifestation, by understanding himself. The verse in Genesis of this correspondence also describes the feminine half of Creation: (Genesis 1:27) "So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them". Consequently some of the Sephirot are feminine, and the Shechina (immanent Divine presence) is seen as feminine. It is the intimate relationship between the Divine sceme of four World and man, that allows man's ascent more easily to Divine consciousness (see Dveikus).
Correspondences
| World: | Descriptions: | Dominant Sephirah: | Letter of Tetragrammaton Tetragrammaton The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:... : | Level of soul Kochos hanefesh Kochos/Kochot haNefesh , meaning "Powers of the Soul", are the innate constituent character-aspects within the soul, in Hasidic thought's psychological internalisation of Kabbalah. They derive from the 10 Sephirot Heavenly emanations of Kabbalah, by relating each quality to its parallel internal... : | Level of Torah-PaRDeS Pardes (Jewish exegesis) Pardes refers to approaches to biblical exegesis in rabbinic Judaism . The term, sometimes also spelled PaRDeS, is an acronym formed from the name initials of the following four approaches:... : | Other associations: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Kadmon Adam Kadmon In the religious writings of Kabbalah, Adam Kadmon is a phrase meaning "Primal Man". The oldest rabbinical source for the term "Adam ha-Ḳadmoni" is Num. R. x., where Adam is styled, not as usually, "Ha-Rishon" , "Ha-Kadmoni" .... "Primordial Man" |
Primary form of Kav Above consciousness Sephirot concealed Latent potential Tetragrammaton Tetragrammaton The term Tetragrammaton refers to the name of the God of Israel YHWH used in the Hebrew Bible.-Hebrew Bible:... s United with Ein Sof Ein Sof Ein Sof , in Kabbalah, is understood as God prior to His self-manifestation in the production of any spiritual Realm, probably derived from Ibn Gabirol's term, "the Endless One"... Divine intent Pure light, no vessels |
Keter Keter *Keter in Kabbalah, is one of the ten Sephirot *Keter or kether כתר is the Hebrew word for "Crown ", as worn by a king or queen* Keter Publishing House is a book publisher based in Israel... -Crown In relation to 4 Worlds Inherent Will to Create Revealed in Keter-Will of Atzilut |
Apex atop י Yud Above representation Alluded to by thorn |
Yechidah-Singular Essence of soul Unity with God |
Sod Sh'b'Sod Secret within Secret Reflects Atzmut-Essence Inner soul of Torah Yechidah-source of Torah |
Beyond all names Including all names Beyond good-bad polarity |
| Atziluth Atziluth Atziluth, or Atzilut , is the highest of four worlds in which exists the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. Beri'ah follows it. It is known as the World of Emanations, or the World of Causes... "Emanation/Nearness" |
From Tohu to Tikun Sephirot revealed First perception Unrestricted illumination Divine insight No self-awareness Nullification of Essence Da'as Elyon and Da'as Tachton Daas/Daat Elyon and Daas/Daat Tachton are two alternative levels of perception of reality in Hasidic thought... Divine All |
Chochmah Chokhmah (Kabbalah) Chokhmah in the Kabbalah of Judaism, is the uppermost of the Sephirot of the right line . It is derived from the Hebrew word chokhmah which means "wisdom". It is to the bottom right of Keter, and with Binah across it. Under it are the sephirot of Chesed and Netzach... -Wisdom Source of intellect Partzuf of Abba-Father |
י Yud Dimensionless point First illumination-Male Dot in the Palace |
Chayah-Living Encompassing soul Spiritual awareness |
Sod-Secret Kabbalah Kabbalah Kabbalah/Kabala is a discipline and school of thought concerned with the esoteric aspect of Rabbinic Judaism. It was systematized in 11th-13th century Hachmei Provence and Spain, and again after the Expulsion from Spain, in 16th century Ottoman Palestine... Soul of Torah Chayah-Wisdom of Torah |
Concealed World with Beriah Divine name ע״ב Divine good Ayin Ayin and Yesh Ayin is an important concept in Kabbalah and Hasidic philosophy. It is contrasted with the term Yesh... -Nothingness Torah scroll Ta'amim-Notes |
| Beri'ah Beri'ah Beri'ah , or Briyah , is the second of the four celestial worlds in the Tree of Life of the Kabbalah, intermediate between the World of Emanation and the World of Formation , the third world, that of the angels... "Creation" |
Formless existence First self-awareness Parsah-Veil from Atzilut to Beriah Divine Intellect Nullification of Being Da'as Elyon and Da'as Tachton Daas/Daat Elyon and Daas/Daat Tachton are two alternative levels of perception of reality in Hasidic thought... First sensed Creation Divine Throne Higher Garden of Eden |
Binah Binah (Kabbalah) Binah, , in the Kabbalah of Judaism, is the second intellectual Sephirah on the tree of life. It sits on the level below Keter , across from Chokmah and directly above Gevurah... -Understanding Grasp of intellect Partzuf of Imma-Mother |
Higher ה Hei Dimensional expansion Vessel for intellect-Female Palace |
Neshamah-Breath Divine intellect in soul Highest internalised potential Breath is internalised |
Drush-Homiletic Midrash Midrash The Hebrew term Midrash is a homiletic method of biblical exegesis. The term also refers to the whole compilation of homiletic teachings on the Bible.... Neshamah-Understanding of Torah Aggadah Aggadah Aggadah refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic exegetical texts in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash... alludes to Kabbalah |
Divine name ס״ג Mostly good Little potential source of bad Thought garment Torah scroll Nekudot-Vowels |
| Yetzirah Yetzirah Yetzirah is the third of four worlds in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, following Atziluth and Briah... "Formation" |
General existence Divine Emotions Striving for ascent Awareness of distance Active self-nullification Archetypal forms Lower Garden of Eden |
Midot-6 Emotions Chesed Chesed The Hebrew noun khesed or chesed is the Hebrew word for "kindness." It is also commonly translated as "loving-kindness," or "love." Love is a central Jewish value, and leads to many particular commandments. Chesed is central to Jewish ethics and Jewish theology... to Yesod Centred round Tiferet Partzuf of Zeir Anpin Zeir Anpin Zeir Anpin is a revealed aspect of God in Kabbalah, comprising the emotional sephirot attributes: Chesed, Geburah, Tiphereth, Netzach, Hod and Yesod.The Zohar's imagery expoundes its role in Creation, where it is the microscopic equivalent of Arich Anpin in... -Son |
ו Vav Descending illumination Emotional revelation-Male Reveals Da'at-Knowledge |
Ruach-Spirit Divine emotions in soul Potential internalised spirit Emotional movement |
Remez-Hint Ruach-Emotions of Torah Soul of simple meaning Some Torah commentaries |
Revealed World with Asiyah Divine name מ״ה Equal good-bad potential Speech garment Torah scroll Tagin-Crowns |
| Assiah Assiah Assiah is the last of the four spiritual worlds of the Kabbalah—Atziluth, Beri'ah, Yetzirah, 'Asiyah—based on the passage in . According to the Maseket Aẓilut, it is the region where the Ofanim rule and where they promote the hearing of prayers, support human endeavor, and combat evil... "Action" |
Particular existence Divine action Concealment of God 1 Asiyah Ruchni-Spiritual Below it: 2 Asiyah Gashmi-Physical Purpose of Creation |
Malchut-Kingship Fulfilment in action Partzuf of Nukvah-Daughter Shechinah-Divine Presence |
Lower ה Hei Dimensional expansion Vessel for emotions-Female Nurtures action |
Nefesh-Lifeforce Vitality of actions Invested in body |
Pshat-Simple Nefesh-Physicality of Torah Halachah and Torah narratives |
Divine name ב״ן Mostly bad-little good Action garment Torah scroll Otiyot Ashuri alphabet Ashuri alphabet means Assyrian alphabet and also refers to the Assyrian script which is a traditional name for the Hebrew alphabet and a term that was first used in the Mishnah to refer to either the Aramaic alphabet or the formal script used in certain Jewish ceremonial items, including Sefer... -Letters |
See also
Concepts:- OhrOhrOhr is a central Kabbalistic term in the Jewish mystical tradition. The analogy of physical light is used as a way of describing metaphysical Divine emanations...
- Sephirot
- Ayin and YeshAyin and YeshAyin is an important concept in Kabbalah and Hasidic philosophy. It is contrasted with the term Yesh...
- Seder hishtalshelut
- Jewish angelic hierarchyJewish angelic hierarchyMaimonides, in his Yad ha-Chazakah: Yesodei ha-Torah, counts ten ranks of angels in the Jewish angelic hierarchy, beginning from the highest:- Kabbalistic angelic hierarchy :...
- MerkabahMerkabahMerkabah is the throne-chariot of God, the four-wheeled vehicle driven by four "chayot" , each of which has four wings and the four faces of a man, lion, ox, and eagle...
Texts:
- Masseket AzilutMasseket AzilutMassekhet Azilut is an anonymous kabalistic work from the early 14th century, the earliest literary product of the speculative Kabbala which contains the doctrine of the four graduated worlds as well as that of the concentration of the Divine Being...
- ZoharZoharThe Zohar is the foundational work in the literature of Jewish mystical thought known as Kabbalah. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material on Mysticism, mythical cosmogony, and mystical psychology...
- HaSulam
External links
- The Worlds: The Stages of the Creative Process from God's Infinite Light to Our Physical World from www.inner.org. Describes the many levels and PartzufimPartzufimPartzufim/Partsufim , meaning Divine "Personae/Visages/Faces/Forms/Configurations", are particular reconfigured arrangements of the 10 sephirot Divine attributes/emanations of Kabbalah into harmonised interactions in Creation. Their names derive from mystical discourses in the Zohar, the...
between Adam Kadmon and Atzilut, as well as prior stages, and then the subsequent Four Worlds