Mequbal

Qabalah | קבלה

Meaning and Transmission of Qabalah

Qabalah is the mystical tradition of Judaism, whose name comes from the Hebrew leqabel (לקבל), which means “to receive.” This term, adopted in the Middle Ages, alludes to how its esoteric wisdom has been transmitted from master to disciple through the generations, each student receiving the teachings from his or her instructor. The fundamental premise is that in order to assimilate deep wisdom there must be affinity between the one who imparts it and the one who receives it; otherwise, only superficial aspects are transmitted and not the essence of the knowledge. In that sense, Qabalah is considered a “received” or revealed tradition, a chain of spiritual knowledge that, from the traditional perspective, originates in divine revelation itself.

According to tradition, the origins of Qabalah go back to the earliest communications between the divine and humanity. Some Renaissance sources claimed that this wisdom was revealed first to Adam, then to the patriarch Abraham, and later to Moses on Mount Sinai together with the giving of the Torah. In fact, Midrash Tanchuma teaches that God desired “a dwelling in the lower worlds,” that is, to make His presence inhabitable in our physical world. Qabalah would have been part of the Oral Torah given to Moses, containing mystical principles transmitted confidentially by the sages throughout the ages. For example, the ancient Sefer Yetzirah (“Book of Formation”) is legendarily attributed to the patriarch Abraham, and it describes the creation of the universe through numbers and sacred letters. Centuries later, in the first century, there appeared (according to tradition) the Sefer Bahir or “Book of Clarity,” attributed to Rabbi Nehuniah ben Ha-Kanah—a Tannaitic sage of the first century—although modern studies place its real composition around the thirteenth century. These early texts prepared the ground for the development of medieval Qabalah.

Levels of Interpretation: From the Literal to the Mystical

Within Judaism it is recognized that the Torah (the Pentateuch) can be interpreted on several levels of depth. Four traditional levels are enumerated, known by the acronym PaRDeS: Peshat (simple or literal sense), Remez (allusive or indirect sense), Derash (homiletic or comparative interpretation), and Sod (“secret” or mystical sense). Qabalah focuses on this last level—Sod—which seeks the esoteric meaning hidden behind the words. Thus, each verse of Scripture would contain deep mystical teachings that Qabalistic exegesis attempts to reveal. Qabalists consider their discipline a necessary extension of the study of the Torah, focused on those inner truths that are not accessible through literal reading or conventional legal interpretation.

In this context, Qabalah develops a symbolic language to describe spiritual realities. For example, Qabalists establish parallels between different planes of affinity or correspondence: four levels of reality associated with the four letters of the ineffable Divine Name (YHWH), ten levels linked to the ten Sefirot of creation, or thirteen levels tied to the thirteen attributes of divine mercy revealed in the Torah. Through these correspondences, Qabalah provides conceptual patterns for structuring our perception of the universe—patterns that link the human with the divine.

Ein Sof and the Tree of Life: God and His Emanations

One of the central concepts of Qabalah is Ein Sof (אין סוף, “the Infinite”). This term refers to God’s absolute infinitude, a Divinity without limit or discernible form, beyond all human understanding. Ein Sof is “the Supreme All” in Jewish mysticism—God in His highest and most absolute aspect—who transcends even the category of “being,” for being self-contained and infinite He cannot be limited within existence as we understand it. From Ein Sof emanate all spiritual forces and lights: according to Qabalah, from Him emerged the Sefirot (ספירות), the ten divine emanations or attributes through which the Infinite manifests and acts in the universe. These ten Sefirot are arranged in a diagram known as the Tree of Life, the cardinal symbol of Qabalah.

The Tree of Life is a “map” of cosmic structure: it shows how Ein Sof unfolds into our finite world by means of ten interconnected Sefirot. Each sefira represents a channel of the creative divine force through which God’s essence is revealed to humanity. In turn, each sefira reflects divine attributes (such as wisdom, understanding, kindness, rigor, beauty, etc.) and correlates with aspects of human experience and psychology, creating a mirror between the infinite and the finite. For example, the first sefira, Keter (“crown”), alludes to the Divine Will; Chokhmah (“wisdom”) is associated with intuition or sudden inspiration; and Binah (“understanding”) with analytical intelligence. Lower down, Malkhut (“kingdom”) represents the material plane and our perception and experience of the physical world. Qabalists teach that elevated consciousness (da’at) results from integrating those higher faculties—Chokhmah and Binah—with the tangible experience of Malkhut into a single cohesive unity. Developing that integration (intuition, reason, and lived experience) leads to a state of deep knowledge in which the spiritual and the material cease to stand in opposition and reveal themselves as manifestations of one and the same unified reality.

In the graphic representation of the Tree of Life, the Sefirot appear connected by 22 paths, associated with the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The complete diagram illustrates how, according to Qabalah, the different planes of existence are linked from the divine down to the material. The Sefirot function as an interface between God and the world: they are the “bridges” through which the infinite light (Ohr Ein Sof) descends and adapts at each level of creation. Each sefira is like a filter that reduces the intensity of the divine light so that finite creatures can receive it without being overwhelmed. Taken together, the ten Sefirot “encapsulate all reality,” from the subtlest spiritual worlds to our physical world, providing a framework for understanding the genesis and structure of the universe. Understanding their interrelationships—and achieving balance among them within oneself—becomes a path of self-knowledge and personal transformation for the Qabalist. Through meditation and introspection guided by this model, the practitioner seeks to refine perception, elevate consciousness, and “open the eyes” to the spiritual dimension underlying the everyday.

Connection with the Divine: Aim and Practice of Qabalah

Although Qabalah is known for its symbolic complexity, its ultimate purpose is simple: to bring us closer to the Creator and deepen our connection with Him. How? Qabalists explain that it is through the law of equivalence of form—that is, by coming to share the divine qualities. In simple terms, the human being must transform his or her egoistic nature into an altruistic and loving nature, similar to that of God, in order to unite with Him. Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), one of the great Qabalists of the twentieth century, emphasized that spiritual evolution consists in moving from the “desire to receive” to the “desire to bestow.” By acquiring qualities of giving, kindness, and mercy—the same qualities we attribute to the Creator—we attain that equivalence which adheres us to the divine. This notion of devekut (cleaving to God) does not imply a fusion in which individuality is annulled, but rather an intimate union maintained with full awareness.

Theoretical Qabalah describes this process through two complementary concepts: Ohr and Kli, “light” and “vessel.” The Light represents the divine abundance that flows unceasingly (giving love, life, wisdom), while the Vessel symbolizes creation that receives that light. Qabalists see themselves as receptacles that must receive in order to give: that is, they accept the Infinite Light of Ein Sof not to retain it selfishly, but to share it and diffuse it to the rest of the world. Following this principle, the ideal practitioner of Qabalah (called a mekubal) becomes a living channel of divinity: he receives spiritual illumination and transmits it through his actions, words, and thoughts. Rabbi Moshe Cordovero described that the Qabalist must imitate the divine attributes—compassion, generosity, patience—in every aspect of life, becoming a kind of “ambassador” of the divine on Earth. This attitude of “receiving in order to bestow” sums up Qabalistic ethics, which aspires to repair the world through the elevation of consciousness and the moral correction of the individual.

In practice, ecstatic (or meditative) Qabalah developed concrete methods to achieve these states of connection. The thirteenth-century Spanish Qabalist Abraham Abulafia, founder of the school of prophetic Qabalah, is a prominent exponent of this approach. Abulafia taught breathing techniques, visualization of Hebrew letters, and repetition of combinations of divine names in order to induce higher states of consciousness. His meditation manuals—such as Hokhmat ha-Tzeruf, or the science of letter combination—guide the adept to contemplate the sacred letters of the Name of God until attaining genuine mystical ecstasy. Unlike the more theoretical theosophical Qabalah, Abulafia sought the direct experience of the divine through trance and prophetic vision. Although his methods were controversial in his time (he even made an unsuccessful attempt to convert the Pope in 1280), his legacy endured and enriched the Qabalistic tradition. Ultimately, all these practices—symbolic study, meditation, contemplative prayer—aim to refine the individual’s perception until he or she can see the sacred in the ordinary, spiritualize daily life, and feel God’s presence in every moment.

Branches of Study: Theoretical and Practical Qabalah

Since the medieval period, the study of Qabalah has been divided into two main branches: theoretical Qabalah (called in the Talmud Ma’aseh Bereshit, “Work of Creation”) and practical Qabalah (Ma’aseh Merkavah, “Work of the Celestial Chariot”). Theoretical Qabalah deals with mystical cosmology—the enigmas of creation, the structure of the spiritual worlds, the nature of the Sefirot and the divine emanations—and seeks to understand and describe the divine realm using symbols and allegorical interpretations. This is the predominant current in classics such as the Zohar, which offers an extensive mystical commentary on the Torah. Practical or ecstatic Qabalah, on the other hand, focuses on the experience of the soul: it includes meditative techniques, names and formulas to achieve states of spiritual elevation, visions of the Merkavah (the celestial “Chariot”), and, in some cases, magical-theurgic practices. Historically, masters warned that practical Qabalah—especially the magical—should be approached with extreme purity of intention and preferably postponed until the messianic era. However, the meditative branch (like Abulafia’s) was openly developed by some Qabalists, teaching paths for the ascent of the soul toward union with the divine. In short, Ma’aseh Bereshit attempts to explain how the Infinite became finite (esoteric cosmogony), while Ma’aseh Merkavah focuses on how the finite soul can ascend back to the Infinite.

The Tree of Life serves as an integrating framework for both branches. As we have seen, this diagram encompasses all dimensions of existence (from the most divine to the material) and therefore becomes a guide for self-knowledge and transformation. By studying the Sefirot, their correspondences and balances, the Qabalist learns about his or her own psyche and discovers which aspects must be worked on to resemble the divine. Each sefira presents a kind of ethical-spiritual challenge: for example, balancing mercy (Chesed) with justice (Gevurah), or active initiative (Netzach) with receptive humility (Hod). The process of tikkun (rectification) involves identifying our internal imbalances and correcting them, refining our character and actions. Thus, practical Qabalah is not reduced to isolated mystical exercises, but permeates the practitioner’s whole life, orienting it toward a more conscious existence with greater inner and outer harmony. The ancient Qabalists suggested that after years of Torah study and moral discipline, the aspirant could enter Qabalah as a “bridge” to divine understanding. This path demanded constant, methodical study, but to the one who perseveres, Qabalah offers—in the words of the sages—a lamp that illuminates the complexities of existence and a guide for living with greater awareness and ethics.

Historical Evolution: Major Periods and Figures of Qabalah

Biblical eras (antiquity): Merkabah mysticism (visions of God’s celestial “Chariot”) is already glimpsed in biblical texts such as the visions of Ezekiel and Isaiah. Qabalistic tradition attributes to the patriarch Abraham the text of Sefer Yetzirah or the Book of Formation, an esoteric manual on the creation of the universe through letters and numbers. Likewise, it is believed that Moses received at Sinai, together with the Written Law, certain oral teachings of a mystical nature, later transmitted to select initiates in each generation.
First century: The Sefer ha-Bahir (“Book of Clarity”) is attributed to Rabbi Nehuniah ben Ha-Kanah as one of the earliest Qabalistic texts. According to tradition, this first-century Tannaitic sage would have compiled ancient esoteric teachings; in fact, the Bahir presents itself as a midrash of R. Nehuniah. However, historians place the appearance of the Bahir around 1176 in Provence (southern France), where it began to circulate as fragmentary manuscripts. The Bahir—which introduces concepts such as the “ten sefirot of nothingness” and certain symbols later developed—marks the literary starting point of medieval Qabalah.
Early Middle Ages: During the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, Qabalah flourished in Jewish communities of Europe and the Middle East. In Provence (southern France), Rabbi Abraham ben David of Posquières (RABaD) stood out; beyond his Talmudic renown, he was among the first Qabalists to write commentaries on Sefer Yetzirah. His mystical work influenced the Provençal school, and his son Rabbi Isaac the Blind (Yitzhak Sagi Nahor) is considered the first Qabalist to systematically articulate the doctrine of the Sefirot. Through Isaac the Blind and his disciples, the Qabalistic tradition was transmitted to northern Spain.
Thirteenth century (the “golden age” of Qabalah in Sepharad): In medieval Spain, outstanding figures of Qabalah emerged. Among them, Rabbi Moses de León (c. 1240–1305) published the most influential text of Jewish mysticism: the Zohar (Book of Splendor). Moses de León claimed that he merely transcribed an ancient second-century manuscript attributed to the sage Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, but modern criticism concludes that the Zohar was composed by de León himself at the end of the thirteenth century. Be that as it may, the Zohar—written primarily in mystical Aramaic—became the central work of Qabalah, offering allegorical commentaries on the Torah and profound discussions about God, the soul, and creation. In the same period, Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla (1248–1305) stood out as the author of Sha’arei Orah (“Gates of Light”), a treatise that explained the ten Sefirot in relation to more than 300 Names of God, providing a tool for meditation and understanding the divine energy in each sefira. Another important Qabalist was Rabbi Abraham Abulafia (1240–1291), founder of ecstatic or prophetic Qabalah. Abulafia—born in Zaragoza—traveled through the Mediterranean studying various mystical traditions and developed his own techniques of meditation with letters and sacred names. His approach aimed at achieving mystical union with God (devekut) through ecstasy; although he faced misunderstandings and led a difficult itinerant life, his method left a lasting impact on Qabalah. By the end of the thirteenth century, the Qabalistic school of Girona was consolidated in Catalonia, with masters such as Rabbi Ezra ben Solomon and Rabbi Azriel of Girona, disciples of Isaac the Blind, and later Rabbi Moshe ben Nahman (Nahmanides), whose work integrated Qabalistic elements into his Torah commentary. This intellectual effervescence made the thirteenth century a golden era for Qabalah, expanding its texts and influence throughout the European Jewish world.
Sixteenth century (the apex in Safed, Galilee): After a period of relative quiet in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, Qabalah resurfaced with enormous vigor in the city of Safed (Tzfat, in the Galilee, present-day Israel) during the 1500s. There, an illustrious community of mystics lived together. One of them, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero (the Ramak), systematized earlier Qabalah in his encyclopedic work Pardes Rimonim (“Orchard of Pomegranates”), completed in 1548. Cordovero (1522–1570), a disciple of the famous halakhist Yosef Caro, devoted himself to compiling and harmonizing the scattered Qabalistic teachings up to that time. In Pardes Rimonim and in his commentary on the Zohar, the Ramak succeeded in codifying Zoharic Qabalah into a rational system, describing how finite reality emanates from the Infinite Being through the Sefirot. This work became a reference text and prepared the ground for the revolutionary thought of his successor: Rabbi Isaac Luria, known as the Ari (“the Lion,” 1534–1572). Luria, originally from Jerusalem but settled in Safed from 1570, reinvented Qabalistic cosmology with his concepts of Tzimtzum (God’s self-limiting “contraction” to create an empty space where the world could exist), Shevirat ha-Kelim (the “shattering of the vessels” that caused the dispersion of divine sparks), and Tikkun Olam (the cosmic “restoration” or repair through mitzvot and human actions). These new myths explained the origin of evil and the spiritual mission of Israel to gather the scattered sparks of holiness in creation. The Ari wrote little—he taught orally for two years before dying young—but his principal disciple, Rabbi Chaim Vital, meticulously compiled his teachings in works such as Etz Chaim (“Tree of Life”). Thanks to Vital, Lurianic Qabalah spread in subsequent generations and became the dominant current of Jewish mysticism. Lurianic thought, with its emphasis on Tikkun (the spiritual repair of the world), even permeated later movements such as Hasidism.
Eighteenth century: Two very different yet influential figures emerge in this century. On the one hand, in Italy, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal) (1707–1746) produced important Qabalistic and ethical works. His book Derech Hashem (“The Way of God,” c. 1740) presents the Qabalistic view of the world systematically—explaining the nature of God, creation, the purpose of man, the structure of worlds and souls—with exceptional didactic clarity. Luzzatto, a great connoisseur of the Zohar and Lurianism, sought to reconcile rational philosophy with Qabalah, and although he faced rabbinic opposition in his era, today his texts are considered fundamental guides to Jewish theology. On the other hand, in Eastern Europe, Hasidism arose, a movement of spiritual renewal founded by Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer, called the Baal Shem Tov (“Master of the Good Name,” 1698–1760). Hasidism was based on classical Qabalah (especially Lurianic), but emphasized fervent devotion, joy, and faith over mere academic study. The Baal Shem Tov and his disciples democratized mysticism, teaching that “God is present everywhere and in every simple act if it is done sincerely,” inviting every Jew—learned or unlearned—to cleave his heart to God in prayer, music, and daily life. This movement revitalized popular religiosity, making deep mysticism accessible, wrapped in stories and practices of community. Hasidism spread through Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, and beyond, and its various dynasties (Chabad, Breslov, Satmar, etc.) continue to this day, incorporating the Qabalistic legacy into their thought and ritual.
Twentieth century: In modern times, Qabalah has continued to evolve and gain diffusion outside strictly rabbinic circles. A key figure was Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (1885–1954), called Baal HaSulam (“Author of the Ladder”) for his acclaimed Sulam commentary on the Zohar. In 1922, Ashlag established in Jerusalem a center for Qabalistic studies that many consider “the first Qabalah Center” accessible to the public. Committed to bringing Qabalistic wisdom to the masses, he translated the Zohar into modern Hebrew with explanations and composed the Talmud Eser Sefirot (“Study of the Ten Sefirot”), an extensive didactic compendium that breaks down Lurianic Qabalah into conceptual, systematic language. Ashlag emphasized, as we have seen, that the essence of Qabalah is to transform the desire to receive into the desire to bestow, and he linked this transformation with social ideals (he was notably influenced by utopian socialist ideas, seeing in altruism the key to human redemption). In the mid- and late twentieth century, various popularizers—both within the Jewish world (e.g., Philip Berg with his international “Qabalah Centre”) and outside it—have popularized elements of Qabalah, although sometimes simplifying or decontextualizing its teachings. In parallel, academia (Gershom Scholem, Moshe Idel, and others) has studied Qabalah historically, validating it as a serious object of research. In the twenty-first century, Qabalah remains alive: traditional chains of transmission are maintained in Hasidic schools and yeshivot, while courses, books, and even digital media disseminate aspects of this ancestral wisdom to an ever broader global audience.

Life as “Continuous Prayer”: Qabalistic Ethics and Mysticism

From the Qabalistic perspective, everything in the universe and in our lives is imbued with divine meaning. There are no neutral acts: every thought, word, and action resonates in the higher worlds and contributes either to darkness or to light. Therefore, Qabalists conceive of human existence as a constant opportunity for spiritual rectification (tikkun). Every moment offers the chance to elevate a “spark” of fallen holiness: in every act of kindness, in every word of truth, in every gesture of love, we are invoking and manifesting the Light of Ein Sof on the material plane. Through such conscious actions, we elevate the sparks of holiness scattered in creation and return them to their divine source. This process—described in Lurianic Qabalah—entails “repairing” both our being and the surrounding world, revealing the extraordinary in the ordinary and the sacred in the earthly.

In the Qabalistic vision, life itself becomes continuous prayer, a web of acts with pure intention that reflect divine archetypes. The world ceases to be a profane place to become the Sanctuary where God wishes to dwell (“a dwelling in the lower worlds”). Daily tasks—working, eating, relating—can be elevated with the proper kavanah (intention), becoming spiritual services. In this way, the material does not oppose the spiritual, but is its vehicle and expression. As the Hasidim teach, “God is present even in the most mundane matters; one need only open the eyes of the soul to see Him.” The adept of Qabalah trains those “eyes of the soul” through meditation, ethical discipline, and study, so that his or her consciousness becomes imbued with the underlying divine reality.

Over time, the Qabalist seeks to reach a state of permanent devekut: a constant cleaving to God in which, even while attending to the affairs of this world, the heart remains united to the Source. This requires humility, love of one’s neighbor, and mastery over the ego. The challenges of life—crises, losses, conflicts—are then seen as invitations to spiritual growth: opportunities sent (not at random) to polish some aspect of the self, to awaken greater understanding, or to overcome some negative inclination. Faced with that attitude, sufferings can refine character instead of embittering it, and joys are lived with gratitude instead of arrogance.

Ultimately, Qabalah invites us to live “in dialogue” with the Divine. Existence is understood as a loving conversation between the Creator and our soul: God “speaks” through the events and symbols that surround us, and we respond with our choices and attitudes. Our souls, Qabalah says, “speak the language of love and light” when they act with kindness and awareness. Every time we choose generosity over selfishness, empathy over indifference, we are pronouncing God’s Name in deeds; we are tuning our frequency to His. To live Qabalistically does not mean to escape the world, but to sanctify it—to reveal the hidden light behind the “veil” of apparent reality. It implies recognizing that, although Ein Sof is unknowable in His essence, His mystery pulses in all things, whispering to us to keep seeking. Thus, the Qabalist lives as a pilgrim of the infinite: every experience is a veiled teaching, every neighbor a fragment of divinity, every day an opportunity to receive and give light. On that endless path, Qabalah acts as beacon and companion, guiding us toward a life of greater spiritual fullness, deep understanding, and union with the eternal source of all that exists.

Ein Sof | אין סוף

On the Mystery of Existence and the Faculty of Naming

When we dare to speak about the mystery of existence, it is fitting to begin with what is closest to us: our faculty of naming. Language is like a sacred key granted to the human being. With words we can point to whatever rises on our horizon, from the densest and most material to the most subtle and invisible. Our Sages teach that Adam ha-Rishon (the first human), endowed with spiritual vision, assigned a name to each creature according to its inner essence—something that even the heavenly angels could not do (Bereishit Rabbah 17:4). Indeed, Qabalah explains that the Hebrew name of each being is the conduit of its vital energy: the divine letters that compose it infuse it with existence. Naming is not an arbitrary act, but a mystical bridge: a word spoken with pure intention can lay threads of connection between two souls.

And yet that same language—so broad and potent—shrinks when we aim it toward the Divine. There its intrinsic limits are revealed. We may wish to describe God with words, but we inevitably risk reducing the Unlimited to a limited form. It is like trying to draw the entire ocean with a single drop of ink. Qabalists warn bluntly: to define the Infinite is like boarding a ship destined to founder in the immensity of the divine sea.

Ein Sof: Naming the Unknowable

Tradition teaches that HaKadosh Baruch Hu (the Holy One, blessed be He), in His infinitude, is “all in all, a beginning without beginning and an end without end” (Devarim 4:35). That is, an absolute reality that utterly transcends the categories of space and time. We, by contrast, live within boundaries: clocks, distances, causes and effects—conceptual walls that delineate the finite. The finite can never fully encompass the Infinite. Therefore, in the wisdom of Qabalah there arises the supreme Name for referring to God as absolutely unknowable: Ein Sof (אין סוף), literally “Without End” or “Infinite.” Ein Sof is not a positive definition of God nor a bounded concept, but a name that negates all descriptions—like a finger pointing toward what lies beyond anything pointable.

When the sages name Ein Sof, they do so knowing that, at bottom, they are keeping silence, for no created term can grasp the Creator. “Can you fathom the designs of the Almighty?”—cries the book of Job. To comprehend God totally is as futile as a finite creature embracing the infinite. He is as near as the air we breathe and as immeasurable as the cosmos that overflows the galaxies; He is both beginning and destiny, “the First and the Last” (Isaiah 44:6). Before Him we can only exclaim with the psalmist: “Who can declare the mighty acts of Hashem? Who can make all His praise heard?” (Tehillim 106:2). In other words, every expression falls short.

Beyond Even Ein Sof: Atzmut, the Divine Essence

Beyond even the veil of Ein Sof, Qabalists speak of Atzmut (עצמות), the unknowable Divine Essence. If Ein Sof already indicates the unlimited “without end,” Atzmut—God’s very Essence—is beyond even the idea of “emanation” or “light.” Here language stumbles further. Atzmut is not even “light,” nor “thought,” nor any quality at all, but the pure reality of God, about which nothing can truly be said. As the prophet Elijah proclaims in the introduction to the Tikkunei Zohar: “Leit machshavah t’fisah Bach klal”—no thought can grasp You at all (Tikkunei Zohar, Patach Eliyahu). And he further declares of the Creator: “Ant Hu Ḥakim velo be-Ḥokhmah yedi’ah; Ant Hu Navon velo be-Binah yedi’ah”—“You are Wise, but not with knowable wisdom; You are Understanding, but understanding cannot penetrate You” (ibid.).

In this Aramaic litany, Elijah enumerates how God possesses, in His perfect Essence, all conceivable qualities—yet so sublimely that no human concept of wisdom, understanding, or goodness can apprehend Him. Atzmut transcends even the most fundamental dualities—being and nonbeing, existence and inexistence. The human mind simply cannot grasp it; every concept falls short. And yet the human soul bears in its core a spark of that indescribable Essence. Our sages said that the soul is “ḥelek Eloah mi-ma’al”—literally, “a portion of the Divinity from on High” (cf. Job 31:2). In the deepest place within us there is a pure mirror that, though it does not rationally comprehend God, can indeed reflect His light. There, in that inner sanctuary, the soul and the Divine Essence may meet in a secret dance—in a mystical union that cannot be described in words but can be lived in direct spiritual experience.

Or Ein Sof and Tzimtzum: Light, Contraction, and Creation

To help us glimpse this mystery, the masters introduce another concept: Or Ein Sof (אור אין סוף), the “Infinite Light.” Not a physical light, of course, but a primordial radiance—eternal, without beginning or end—that streams constantly from the Divine Source. Before any creation, before even the first emanations, that simple Light of Ein Sof filled all. Thus writes R. Ḥaim Vital transmitting the teachings of his master the Ari (R. Itzḥak Luria):

“Know that, before the emanated beings were emanated and the created beings created, there was only a simple Upper Light that filled all existence; there was no empty space, for all was filled by the infinite light of the Ein Sof. There was neither beginning nor end; all was the uniform light of Or Ein Sof.” (Etz Ḥayim, Sha’ar 1)

When there then arose in the Divine Will to create the Olamot (עולמות, the Worlds) and to emanate the Sefirot, tzimtzum (צמצום)—“contraction”—is the term the Ari used for the next step: God “contracted” His Infinite Light, withdrawing it, as it were, from a central point, leaving a primordial void (ḥalal panui, חלל פנוי) within which finite creation could exist. This is deep, metaphorical language: it implies no change or real absence in God, but an occlusion of the Light to grant space for otherness. Indeed, the Baal HaTanya (R. Shneur Zalman of Liadi) clarified that the tzimtzum must not be understood literally (shelo ke-peshuto)—the Essence of Hashem did not “vacate” the world, for “leit atar panuy mineh,” “there is no place empty of Him” (Tikkunei Zohar 57); only the revelation of His light was hidden from created eyes, thus permitting independent creatures to perceive a separate reality (Tanya, Sha’ar HaYichud ve-ha’Emunah).

After that primordial Tzimtzum, the Ari taught that a “ray” of the Or Ein Sof—called the kav—re-entered the void to illumine it gradually, forming multiple degrees and spiritual worlds. Earlier Qabalists, like the Ramak (R. Moshe Cordovero), had described emanation in more continuous terms—a harmonious gradation of the Divine Light through the Sefirot without speaking of an initial “void”—whereas the novel Lurianic metaphor of Tzimtzum stressed the otherness and distance required for creation. Despite the different emphases, both viewpoints discern the same principle: the Infinite manifests in such a way that the finite can exist without being annulled—yet Ein Sof never ceases to intimately sustain all that exists. That Infinite Light still permeates everything: matter, thought, emotion, every particle and every star. It is the omnipresent current that continuously upholds existence. As the prophet said: “מְלֹא כָל־הָאָרֶץ כְּבוֹדוֹ”—“the whole earth is filled with His glory” (Yeshayahu 6:3).

Silence as Praise: The Ineffable Name

Here a fundamental teaching emerges: at times, the highest thing we can do before God is not to speak, but to be silent. Supreme reverence expresses itself in humble silence. The essential Name of God—the four sacred letters יהוה (Yod, Hei, Vav, Hei)—is, as written, unpronounceable for us; in its place we say, in awe, “Adonai” or simply “HaShem” (“the Name”). Our sages teach: “It is not read as it is written”—“In this world, the Name is written one way and read another; but in the World to Come (when His Essence is revealed), it will be read as it is written” (Pesachim 50a). To pronounce it fully now would be to pretend to delimit the Illimitable—and that amounts to profanation. Thus, keeping silence before Him is not to ignore Him, but to affirm that any word would be too narrow. As the psalmist sings, “לְךָ דֻמִיָּה תְּהִלָּה”—“For You, silence is praise” (Tehillim 65:2). We therefore remain in reverent silence, acknowledging that all our language cannot capture His mystery. This sacred silence is itself a kind of name and praise: the space we leave for the Ineffable to speak to the heart.

Diversity of Souls and the Rejection of Rigid Dogmatism

That we cannot touch the Divine Essence with our concepts does not mean we fail to perceive His manifestations. The Divine expresses itself in a thousand ways in creation. Each soul is a unique and singular reflection of that Infinite Light, a spark with its own hue within the universal design. The free will we are given is essential to that design: the Creator does not desire mechanical uniformity but living diversity arising from free choices. Therefore our Sages taught, “Just as the faces of people differ, so do their understandings” (Talmud, Berakhot 58a)—each individual has an unrepeatable path and contribution. To demand that all spiritual voices sound in unison, imposing a single path for everyone, would extinguish the symphony God is composing with humanity. Consequently, rigid dogmatism opposes the divine will, which values harmonious multiplicity.

Qabalah teaches that we are not to “study” God as an external object, but to let His Light shape us inwardly. True understanding is transformative. Our mission is to become mirrors that reflect His attributes—raḥamim (compassion), tzedek (justice), ḥokhmah (wisdom), love, and the other divine virtues. In the words of the Ramak in Tomer Devorah: “Just as He is compassionate, you be compassionate; just as He shows gracious favor, you do likewise” (Tomer Devorah, ch. 1). Imitating our Creator in daily life is the ideal: to deal with other beings as He deals with us. This work is a kind of inner alchemy—a continual refinement of our middot (character traits). We do not seek to annihilate the ego or individuality—as some Eastern philosophies propose by dissolving the “I”—but to educate and purify it until it becomes a transparent channel of Divinity, a vehicle of giving and service rather than a cistern of selfish retention. The human self, purified, can become a temple in which the virtues of HaShem shine—a “little sanctuary” (mikdash me’at) that reflects the Divine Presence in the world.

Tikkun and Partnership with the Creator

This spiritual path is neither merely intellectual nor exhausted by external rites: it is a process of transformation of being, a true rebirth of the soul. Every act of generosity, every word of truth spoken with kindness, every thought of love and purity becomes a spark that returns light to the Infinite. According to Lurianic Qabalah, mitzvot and good deeds have the power to liberate and elevate nitzotzot—divine sparks of holiness—trapped in matter since the dawn of Creation. In doing good we participate in the world’s tikkun (rectification): we repair spiritual fractures and restore harmony between Above and below. Thus we become partners with the Creator in His ongoing work of sustaining and perfecting existence—what the ancients called tikkun olam. And though we know we will never fully embrace the Divine Mystery with our limited understanding, each step on this path draws us closer to Him. It is an infinite ascent: with every rung of consciousness we climb, yet higher horizons of God reveal themselves—always beyond and yet ever more intimately present. For the unfathomable Essence of God is reflected in His acts of creation, mercy, and continual sustentation of the universe. Likewise, we—created in His image—are called to reflect that generosity and love in our own actions. By practicing justice, kindness, and compassion, the human being becomes a partner of the Creator in the work of Creation (Midrash Tanchuma), making God present in the world of action.

On Naming the Unnameable

At this point, once again, human language falls short. When we say “Ein Sof” or speak of the Infinite, we know we do not truly capture Him with a word. And yet we still name Him, because the very act of attempting opens us. In the sincere effort to name the Unnameable, our consciousness widens beyond its usual borders. It is as if each sacred Name—even imperfect—were a door left ajar toward transcendence. The prophets exhort us: “Lift up your eyes on high and see Who created these” (Isaiah 40:26). That is, daring to seek God—knowing our eyes cannot encompass Him fully—already elevates and purifies us. In that impulse to seek, the heart opens to the Infinite and, in some way, enters into communion with Him.

The Ten Sefirot: Prisms of the One Light

To aid that search, Qabalah presents the Sefirot, the ten divine emanations, which function as prisms or multicolored mirrors for the single light of Ein Sof. These Sefirot are not separate parts of God—far from it!—but facets of His simple Unity, modes by which the infinite Oneness reveals and channels itself toward the finite without ceasing to be One. The early Qabalists described: “Ten Sefirot of Nothingness, ten and not nine; ten and not eleven—understand with wisdom and be wise with understanding” (Sefer Yetzirah 1:4). That is, they are ten precise manifestations, neither more nor less, through which the One shows Himself in multiplicity.

The Sefirot act as lenses or conduits: they temper and modulate the infinite intensity of the Or Ein Sof so that it can be perceived at each level of creation. Imagine a luminous cascade: the divine light descends from the heights of the eternal and, as it pours forth, passes through distinct “stations” or filters. Each sefira works like a living filter—a specific quality (for example Ḥesed, compassion; or Gevurah, rigor) that tints the light with a particular hue—enabling the infinite energy to take an accessible form in the finite world. The same white light, passing through a prism, unfolds into the colors of the spectrum; so too, the Light of Ein Sof, flowing through the ten Sefirot, diversifies into multiple attributes.

The Ramak illustrated this by saying that the divine light is like pure water poured into vessels of different colors: the water itself does not change, but according to the color of the vessel, so the sheen appears—white, red, green, blue—to our eyes (Pardes Rimonim). In the same way, the one Light manifests as wisdom, love, power, beauty—through the Sefirot—without ceasing to be one at its Source. In Lurianic Qabalah these Sefirot are further reconfigured into more complex arrangements called Partzufim (פרצופים, “faces” or divine personae), such as Abba (Father), Ima (Mother), Ze’ir Anpin (Lesser Countenance, the Son), and Nukva (the Feminine), which interact dynamically. These are richer metaphoric languages for describing the interrelations of the divine forces that sustain the worlds. But it must be stressed: neither the Partzufim nor the Sefirot fragment God’s unity—they are representations to help us understand how the Infinite relates to the finite. The Zohar itself insists on the perfect unity of Ein Sof even within manifold manifestation: “Hashem echad u’Shmo echad”—“Hashem is One and His Name is One” (Zohar II:42b, citing Zechariah 14:9). In the end, after every process of emanation, God remains One, and all diversity is unified in Him.

Maps, Not the Territory: Toward a Living Encounter

In truth, this entire array of concepts and symbols does not seek to provide exhaustive definitions of Divinity, but to invite us to recognize His multifaceted presence. The Sefirot, the Partzufim, the various sacred Names are maps for consciousness—not the territory itself. They point toward mysteries that exceed understanding; yet in reverent contemplation of these symbols, the heart intuits something of supreme truth. Knowing words fail, the heart that opens humbly to the Infinite already stands closer to the Divine Essence than any intellectual description. As our masters say, “His concealment is (also) His Name” (Midrash): the very fact that He transcends our ideas is, itself, a revelation of His glory.

Ultimately, Qabalah invites us to a living encounter: not to remain in definitions, but to let the Infinite awaken in us wonder, love, and reverence. May our souls, nourished by Torah and by mystical teachings, grow increasingly sensitive to perceive the Light of Ein Sof shining behind every veil of reality. For though we cannot see His face, we can feel His warmth; though we cannot pronounce His Name fully, we can hear His whisper in silence. And that is enough to kindle in us the flame of devotion and to unite us—even for an instant—with the Or Ein Sof, the Without End, who is at once our origin and our eternal destiny.

Shem HaMephorash | שם המפורש

Ayin and Or Ein Sof: Nothingness and Infinite Light

At the summit of the unknowable, before the manifestation of any being, Qabalah describes an absolute state called Ayin—“Nothingness.” This is not literal nothingness, but the divine infinitude beyond every category or definition. For lack of a better term, it is called “Nothingness” because it overflows every parameter and transcends any conceivable limit. From this full Void there arises Ein Sof, the Infinite, whose first expression is the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof). This primordial Light is the seed of creation: Keter Elyon, the Supreme Crown, the first divine emanation. Just as a seed contains a whole tree in potential, Keter encloses the plan of the Etz Chaim (Tree of Life) in an initial point. From there the entire cosmos will unfold through the sefirot, from the most sublime to the most mundane.

This Or Ein Sof is not a physical light, but the very essence of life and consciousness: the vital “breath” of intellect, the warmth of love, the strength of power, and the exaltation of joy. Everything that exists—from the highest angels to the humblest matter—are vessels and channels of this Infinite Light. All creation is nothing but the diffusion of the divine will to Be, for the Eternal in His Absolute Being is “the One who was, is, and will be.” In fact, Qabalists point out that the Name YHVH (יהוה) of the Eternal integrates the forms of the Hebrew verb “to be” in past (hayah היה), present (hoveh הווה), and future (yihyeh יהיה). This sacred Name indicates that God “was, is, and will be” eternally, gathering within His absolute being the three dimensions of time. He is infinite Being in act, the eternal Will to exist made manifest.

Keter: First Emanation and Seed of the Tree of Life

The first emanation arising from Or Ein Sof is Keter (the Crown). Keter acts as a “bridge” between unknowable infinitude and the first forms of manifestation. It represents the Divine Will, God’s idea of Himself, the fruit of His self-knowledge, and the expression of His love (the desire to give). Within Keter there dwells in germ everything that will follow: it is like a point of light in which all the sefirot and future worlds are already implicit, like a cosmic embryo. Tradition teaches that this first manifestation is so united to Ein Sof that it is sometimes considered inseparable from Him, as the soul is to the body. Hence it is said that the Ineffable Name YHVH in its highest aspect is the “vessel” of Ein Sof—that is, the “body” through which Ein Sof (the “soul”) is manifested.

From Keter emanates the rest of the cosmic structure known as the Tree of Life, composed of ten sefirot. Initially, the Divine Light filled this schema completely, leaving no space for anything else. Infinite Light unified everything into a single perfect entity. However, to allow the existence of distinct beings and a universe with multiplicity, a Tzimtzum or contraction was necessary: God “withdrew” or restricted His Light to some degree, creating a space where the finite could exist. This initial contraction left an “imaginary” void surrounded by Infinite Light. Keter, acting as primordial will, projected the seed of the worlds into that void. Adam Kadmon, the Primordial Human, is the name given to this first projection after the Tzimtzum.

Adam Kadmon: The Primordial Human and the First Rays of Light

Adam Kadmon (אדם קדמון) represents the first configuration of the emanated light after the contraction. It is not a literal human, but the primordial divine form that encompasses all potentialities of creation. It is conceived as an archetype or cosmic human whose “members” represent the different channels through which the light flows to the future worlds. In Lurianic Qabalah, Adam Kadmon is divine light without vessels, pure potentiality. In relation to Ein Sof, Adam Kadmon is like a vessel that contains that Light; but in relation to all that will come after, Adam Kadmon acts as the “soul” or source of life.

Qabalists describe metaphorically that the light of Adam Kadmon emanates through certain “apertures” of his figure, giving rise to distinct stages of Creation. They speak of:

Light of the Head: corresponds to the highest point of the Yod (י) of the Name. It is the initial spark of existence, the last link with the Infinite. From the perspective of manifested worlds, it is the direction toward which all points to the limitless. From the perspective of Ein Sof, this light surrounds the void created by the Tzimtzum, forming the “Great Countenance” (Arich Anpin).
Light of the Ears: emanating from the level of Chokhmah–Binah of Adam Kadmon (associated with the first Hei ה of the Name). It represents a flow of energy that gives rise to the world of Beri’ah (Creation), linked to the intellectual soul (neshamah).
Light of the Nose: emanating from the level of Ze’ir Anpin (the letter Vav ו of the Name). It originates the world of Yetzirah (Formation), linked to the emotional spirit (ruach).
Light of the Mouth: emanating from the level of Malchut/Nukva (the final Hei ה of the Name). It is the densest flow associated with the world of Asiyah (Action) and physical vitality (nefesh).

According to the Lurianic tradition, at first lights issued from the ears, nose, and mouth of Adam Kadmon—these formed certain hidden structures—and later a very intense light issued from the eyes. The light emitted through the eyes (called Orot de Einayim) was so powerful that the vessels destined to contain it could not withstand it and shattered. This event is known as the Shevirat ha-Kelim, the “shattering of the vessels.” From that cosmic shattering come the “husks” or residues of negativity and the scattered sparks of light that Qabalah identifies as elements to be restored. Finally, after that rupture, a gentler light emanated from the forehead of Adam Kadmon, reorganizing the sefirot into the stable arrangement known as the partzufim (complete divine configurations).

In sum, Adam Kadmon acts as the prototype of all worlds: his lights and “countenances” outline the structure that will repeat at each level of reality. Hence one speaks of an “Adam” in each world (Adam of Atzilut, Adam of Beri’ah, etc.), reflecting the idea that the divine human figure is projected in cascade.

The Ineffable Name in Qabalah: Key to Divine Mysteries

Qabalah teaches that creative power is expressed through Divine Names. Among them, the most important is the Shem ha-Mephorash—the four-letter Name (Yod–Hei–Vav–Hei, יהוה), considered God’s proper Name. Sages such as Rabbi Yosef Gikatilla warned that these sacred Names are not mere words or magical formulas, but spiritual codes that enclose profound knowledge. Each Name of God reveals a facet of divinity, as if they were different frequencies in the symphony of Creation.

Shem ha-Mephorash literally means “explicit” or “specific” Name. Out of reverence it is often referred to simply as HaShem (“the Name”). In the Qabalistic tradition it is said that the entire Torah is a development of this Name of God, and that the whole Torah “is a single Holy Name, the supreme Name, the Name that includes all other names.” In effect, the other divine names are considered aspects derived from this four-letter Name in diverse contexts and worlds.

Note: An ancient midrash teaches that “whoever devotes himself to the words of the Torah, it is as if he devoted himself to the Holy Name; the entire Torah is one single Holy Name… hence whoever alters a single letter of the Torah damages the Holy Name.” This idea illustrates the centrality of the Name YHVH in revelation: the whole cosmic order and spiritual law are encoded in those four letters.

For Qabalah, studying the Names of God is not learning external pronunciations, but understanding the divine forces they represent. Gikatilla stresses that the Names are like “keys” that open portals to the various emanations of the Divinity. Each Name, used with intention and wisdom, resonates at a unique frequency of Creation. The power of a holy Name depends on the consciousness with which it is invoked: it is not mere vocalization that effects change, but the alignment of the soul with the spiritual Light that the Name channels.

Using the Divine Names and Their Ultimate Purpose

Qabalah teaches techniques of meditation and yichudim (unifications) using the sacred Names to attain elevated states of consciousness. For example, it is said that through certain letter-combinations of the Shem ha-Mephorash an initiate may access Ruach ha-Kodesh (divine inspiration) and even prophecy. However, it is warned that the invocation of these Names must not be a superficial or egocentric act. True Qabalists use the Names consciously and sacredly, knowing that each activates a specific flow of divine energy within the bounds of the Eternal’s will.

Although there are accounts of great masters who employed Names to work wonders, all insist that the ultimate goal is not the powers themselves. These are only byproducts or rungs on the mystical path. The supreme end of Qabalistic practice is intimate union with God, devekut. The Names serve as mirrors that reflect different aspects of divinity; by meditating on them, the Qabalist seeks to transcend the reflection and merge with the original Light. In the words of the sages, it is “not about what we obtain, but about what we become and how our relationship with God deepens.” Each Name invoked, each sefira understood, and each commandment observed with proper intention is an act of drawing near to the Eternal.

Scripture offers examples: it is said that the patriarch Abraham “called upon the Name of the Eternal” (Genesis 12:8). Initiates interpret that this was not a mere public proclamation, but a direct mystical invocation, an alignment of his soul with the divine presence through deep understanding of God’s Name. Another crucial example is the revelation to Moses at the burning bush, where God reveals the Name “Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh” (אהיה אשר אהיה, “I Will Be What I Will Be”) and reiterates the Name YHVH. Tradition says these Names enclose the entirety of the Torah: through gematria and other permutations, sages find allusion to the 613 commandments in the letters of Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh together with the Tetragrammaton. While the Torah’s stories would be the external “garment,” the commandments (mitzvot) and the divine Names would be the inner skeleton and soul of Revelation.

When the Name YHVH is pronounced (in very holy contexts) with full knowledge of its meaning, it is said to radiate the divine Light that illumines the invoker and the world. “And God said, ‘Let there be light’ (Yehi Or); and there was light” (Gen. 1:3)—it is not accidental, Qabalah notes, that the Hebrew expression Yehi Or (יהי אור) has a numerical value of 232, which corresponds to the sum of the four expansions of the Name YHVH linked to the four worlds. This suggests that the creative act of “making light” was an emanation of the Name in all its dimensions. God’s Name thus acts as a bridge to the Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof), the supreme good that all creatures long for.

“Let There Be Light”: The Name YHVH and the Light of Creation

The numerical correspondence mentioned above is one of the classic teachings of Lurianic Qabalah. The Name YHVH can be “spelled out” with additional letters in several ways, yielding four distinct numerical values: 72, 63, 45, and 52. These four forms are associated with the four principal levels of manifestation (from subtler to denser) and sum to 72 + 63 + 45 + 52 = 232, the same as Yehi Or (“Let there be light”). Each expansion of the Name also corresponds to different descriptive names: Ab, Sag, Mah, Ban (from the Hebrew letters of their values). These are, in a sense, four “Names” within the Name, tied to the stages of the Light’s flow from the infinite divine to our finite world.

Atzilut (Emanation): Name Ab (א״ב, value 72).
Beri’ah (Creation): Name Sag (ס״ג, value 63).
Yetzirah (Formation): Name Mah (מ״ה, value 45).
Asiyah (Action): Name Ban (ב״ן, value 52).

Each corresponds respectively to the letters Yod (י), Hei (ה), Vav (ו), and Hei (ה) of the Tetragrammaton. As the Ari (Isaac Luria) and his disciples explain, “the Yod is associated with the Name Ab (72), the first Hei with Sag (63), the Vav with Mah (45), and the final Hei with Ban (52).” Together they summarize the full process of divine contraction and emanation.

The Four Expansions of the Name YHVH (Ab, Sag, Mah, Ban)

Name Ab (72) — Unity and Self-Negation: The subtlest and most exalted expansion. It represents a state of perfect unity where the Divine Light and its vessels are in full harmony “as a single body.” The essence of Ab is the annulment of ego in the infinite peace of Ein Sof. There is no separation or diversity at this level; thus it is associated with Yechidah, the highest spark of the human soul that is pure oneness with God. Qabalistically, Ab corresponds to Chokhmah (Wisdom) and to the level of the Igulim or “circles”—a state in which all sefirot are unified in a single vessel without distinction. It is symbolically called “Great Adam” (Adam Ila’ah), in contrast with later, more limited forms of “Adam.” It is a static and eternal Name, reflecting the eternity of the soul and of Divinity itself. Notably, in the expansion Ab each of the four letters includes the letter Yod (yod–vav–dalet; hei–yod; vav–yod–vav; hei–yod), underscoring the constant presence of the divine spark (Yod) at every stage.
Name Sag (63) — Differentiation and Creative Yearning: With the expansion Sag differentiation begins. The vessels (sefirot) start to perceive themselves as entities with their own identity and feel tension between receiving all the Light and maintaining their singularity. This engenders the establishment of a parsa (screen or boundary) that limits the amount of light entering. Sag is associated with Binah (Understanding)—the capacity to distinguish and structure—and also with the world of Tohu (primordial chaos). It is a state of powerful lights but weak vessels, like isolated points that do not interact (hence it is also called Olam ha-Nekudim, “world of the points”). Sag introduces the principle of concealment and revelation: the lights are no longer revealed fully, initiating the process of Tzimtzum necessary for creation. Traditionally Sag, linked to the Supernal Mother (Ima), is a renewable energy that will undergo transformations. In fact, after the shattering of the vessels, many lights of Sag descend to the level of Ban (52), leaving Sag partially “concealed.” It is taught that in the future rectification, Ban will return to its origin in Sag to restore the initial harmony. Sag is also associated with the power of imagination and the intense will to “change reality” (the lights of chaos).
Name Mah (45) — Rupture, Rectification, and Humility: The expansion Mah is linked to the critical moment of the Shevirat ha-Kelim (shattering of the vessels). It symbolizes the interaction between intense light and limited vessels: the vessels sought to hold the Infinite Light while asserting their own identity, and failed, breaking. Mah corresponds to the dimension of Tiferet/Ze’ir Anpin (the “Lesser Countenance” that integrates six central sefirot) and to the renewed world of Atzilut after chaos. Its essence is humility and transmutation. Indeed, mah in Hebrew means “what?”—alluding to the stance of “what are we?” i.e., total humility and acknowledgement of dependence on God (Moses said, “Mah, what are we?” Num. 16:7). Mah channels the returning light: after the shattering, entities influenced by Mah are conscious of their lost divine origin and yearn to return to it. For this reason Mah contains no malign influx, but is wholly purifying. This Name is associated with the service of the tzaddikim (righteous), who draw down divine light through their self-nullification to Hashem’s will. In terms of the soul, Mah corresponds to balanced ruach (spirit). It is said that in messianic times there will be a complete revelation of the aspect Mah, integrating reality without breaking it. Mah, tied to the letter Vav of the Name, is the force that takes the chaotic energy of Sag and shapes it with intellect and compassion, so it can be contained without causing destruction.
Name Ban (52) — Repair, Matter, and Manifestation: Ban is the expansion associated with the lowest level, Asiyah, the world of material action. Its energy corresponds to Malchut (Kingship), the sefira that receives and manifests all the influence of the previous ones. After the shattering, Ban represents the process of Tikkun (rectification): the fragments of the broken vessels reorganize and recombine along with the remaining sparks of light. Unlike the prior state, now the vessels in Ban learn not only to contain the light but also to reflect it. This establishes a new balance: creation is no longer a mere passive receiver, but actively participates by returning light (praising the Creator, fulfilling His will). Ban is associated with physical reality, the multiplicity of creatures, and Nefesh (the basic vital soul). At this level, the divine Light is very contracted and “heavy,” making most beings perceive chiefly material existence, disconnected from higher planes. Nonetheless, even here the Yod (divine spark) remains present as a hidden point. Ban, metaphorically called “Behemah” (beast) for its more “coarse” nature, is the level in which our daily experience occurs and where the spiritual work of refinement is carried out. The Name Ban bears the residues of chaos but also the mission to elevate those sparks back to the Source. In the final rectification, Ban will be sublimated by reuniting with Mah, reabsorbing in order what was once fractured.

These expansions describe the cosmic history of Light: from undifferentiated fullness (72), through restriction and rupture (63, 45), to reconstruction and multiplicity (52). In each transition of the Name one notes changes in how the letters of the Tetragrammaton are “spelled out,” which symbolically reveals the transformation of energy:

In Ab (72), the letter Vav is spelled vav–yod–vav, including the letter Yod (10) in the middle—indicating that even in the initial emanation the divine spark (Yod) permeates the extensions.
In Sag (63), the Vav changes to vav–alef–vav: the letter Alef (1) appears instead of Yod, marking a subtle diminution of light (Alef representing a light the lower world does not yet grasp). The presence of the Alef signals the beginning of distance between the supreme source and the lower vessels.
In Mah (45), both Hei letters and the Vav are spelled with Alef (hei–alef, vav–alef–vav), except for the initial Yod which remains the same—indicating a greater contraction: the light is reduced in intensity (Alef=1 symbolizing a lesser value than Yod=10), adapting more to limited vessels.
In Ban (52), the Alef disappears entirely from the letters (hei–hei, vav–vav), except in the Yod which is still spelled with vav and dalet. This reflects that the energy has “hardened” so much that conscious connection with the above is almost lost: we are at the level of pure matter, where the divine is veiled. Even so, the original spark (Yod) persists hidden in the structure as a spiritual germ that never disappears.

Contraction and Shattering: From the Infinite to the Material World

The progression Ab → Sag → Mah → Ban can be understood as the gradual adaptation of Infinite Light to finite vessels. In Ab there was scarcely any difference between light and vessel—Creation was “fused” in God—but there was also neither independence nor diversity. Sag introduced autonomy: the vessels claimed their identity (what, in Qabalistic terms, was the emergence of din or judgment that limits unlimited expansion). This led to the first clear separation among the sefirot, preparing them to exist as individual entities. However, in Mah this tension reached a climax: the light remained too potent and the vessels too rigid in their zeal for autonomy. The consequence was the Shevirah—the sefirot of Olam ha-Tohu (the chaotic world) burst.

After the shattering, divine infinite mercy set Tikkun (repair) in motion. Ban represents precisely the reconstruction system: the sefirot were reordered into configurations (partzufim) where the lights are balanced and interlaced with sturdier vessels. This is the model of Olam ha-Tikkun (the rectified world), which corresponds to the cosmos as we know it from Atzilut down to Asiyah. In this new order, the sefirot interact (for example, love and rigor combine into mercy, etc.), avoiding the isolation that caused the shattering in Tohu.

In short, what Infinite Light seeks is to manifest in our limited world without destroying it. To achieve this, the Light had to be gradually restricted (vowels hidden within YHVH) and then redistributed after the initial cosmic crisis. The “expanded” Name YHVH in Ab–Sag–Mah–Ban describes precisely this equation of Infinite Light, where its letters act as “operators” regulating the amount of light at each level.

It should be added that Qabalah sees a parallel between this process and the human process of perceiving God: at the start (Ab) the soul can intuit divine Unity; then (Sag) it distinguishes His attributes; in the phase of rupture (Mah) it faces the existential crisis of separation; and finally (Ban) it labors in rectification, discovering God in the concreteness of the world. This whole path is encoded in the Shem ha-Mephorash. As the Qabalist Moshe Chaim Luzzatto wrote: “In sum, all that exists is founded upon the mystery of this Name [YHVH] and upon the mystery of the letters of which it is composed. All the orders and laws of creation derive from and remain under the order of these four letters.”

Pronunciation and Resonance of the Four-Letter Name

In Jewish practice, the Name YHVH is ineffable: it is not pronounced as written, but replaced with titles like Adonai (“Lord”) or HaShem (“the Name”). In ancient times only the High Priest on Yom Kippur pronounced it in the Holy of Holies. Today its true vocalization is considered lost or reserved for the messianic era. Nevertheless, Qabalah delves into the intrinsic sound of its letters. Interestingly, Yod (י), Hei (ה), and Vav (ו) can function as matres lectionis (semi-vowels) in ancient Hebrew: Yod lends the sound “i/y,” Hei can indicate “a/e,” and Vav indicates “o/u.” This led some Qabalists to note that YHVH is, in a sense, a Name formed by vowels, a symbol of the energy that gives life to the language of creation. Just as vowels give sound and vitality to words (without vowels, consonants are mute), the Name YHVH provides the vital breath to the “speech” of the universe.

Each vowel has been associated with a region of the body by its vibration: I resonates in the head, A in the chest, and U in the abdomen, with E and O as intermediates. If we imagine the Name divided as Y (I), H (A), V (U), H (A), we see a descent of vibration from head to torso and then a final ascent: “I–A–U–A.” Some suggest that in the ancient Temple in Jerusalem the Levites chanted the sacred Name with harmonics and overtones, generating a powerful spiritual effect. After the biblical period, the Masoretic scribes vocalized the Tetragrammaton with the signs of Adonai to recall its substitute reading; hence erroneous forms like “Jehovah” (an artificial combination of the consonants YHWH with the vowels of Adonai).

Beyond external pronunciation, Qabalah seeks the inner vibration: meditating on the letters Yod–Hei–Vav–Hei, visualizing them in different points of the body or of the sefirot, chanting their prolonged sounds—all with the intention of tuning the soul to the divine frequency of the Name. This practice is called yichud (unification) because it aims to unite the diverse parts of the Name in the mystic’s consciousness, restoring the harmony that YHVH represents. Remember the teaching, “There is no place empty of Him”—in every atom of existence the signature YHVH underlies it. To pronounce (mentally or vocally) this Name with pure intention is to acknowledge that hidden presence and draw it more manifestly.

YHVH as Synthesis of the Universe: Sefirot, Worlds, and the Human

The four-letter Name is a coded map of the universe. Qabalists find in it multiple correspondences: the four letters relate to the four spiritual dimensions (the four Olamot), to the ten sefirot of the Tree of Life, to the levels of the soul, and even to the image of the celestial human. This last association is based on each letter symbolically representing a part of the “divine body”: Yod—the head; Hei—the arms (and torso); Vav—the extended trunk (spine, torso); final Hei—the legs and feet, or alternatively the feminine counterpart (the Shekhinah).

Four Letters, Four Worlds, Four Partzufim

A fundamental equivalence taught is: Yod = Atzilut, Hei = Beri’ah, Vav = Yetzirah, Hei (final) = Asiyah. In other words:

Yod (י) — World of Atzilut (Emanation). Associated with the sefira Chokhmah (Wisdom) and the Partzuf Abba (Father). The Yod is just a point ∴, yet it contains unlimited potency. A note in the Zohar says: “the little upper point of the Yod” alludes to Keter, the supreme crown, source of consciousness. Then the form of the Yod—a point with a small tail downward—is interpreted thus: The upper point symbolizes the nexus with the unknowable Source; the horizontal stroke that forms the head of the Yod indicates Chokhmah, and the descending line suggests that that wisdom flows downward to the lower world, like “a river that issues from Eden and divides into four streams” (Gen. 2:10). In experience, Yod represents the spark of divine inspiration, the sudden flash that descends.
Hei (ה) — World of Beri’ah (Creation). Associated with the sefira Binah (Understanding) and the Partzuf Ima (Mother). The letter Hei has an open structure (like a window) indicating the expansion of wisdom into articulated understanding. If Chokhmah is sudden insight, Binah is its development and elaboration. The upper Hei of the Name corresponds to this creative unfolding—indeed “Beri’ah” means creation arising from an idea. Mystically, Chokhmah and Binah (Yod and the initial Hei) constitute the transcendent half of the Name (Yah, יה). These two sefirot are “above the abyss” that separates the inner divine world from external manifestation. Hence, יה is considered a Name unto itself (Yah, as in Hallelu–Yah) and represents God’s hidden reality. “Yah” embraces God as He is, beyond time and space.
Vav (ו) — World of Yetzirah (Formation). Associated with the six central sefirot (Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod) that together form the Partzuf Ze’ir Anpin (the “Lesser Countenance,” sometimes called simply the Son or the King). The Vav, whose numerical value is 6, alludes directly to these six emanations. In the form of the Name, Vav connects the upper Hei with the lower Hei—it is the “nail” or channel that carries divine influence toward final manifestation. It represents the pillar of balance (Tiferet) and by extension the internal psychic state of the human being (consciousness that synthesizes emotion and intellect). The Vav, by its shape (a vertical line), indicates descent: it conducts the spiritual toward the material. It also symbolizes the redeemed human, the “child of God” as a creature made in His image, mediating between heaven and earth.
Final Hei (ה) — World of Asiyah (Action). Associated with the sefira Malchut (Kingship) and the Partzuf Nukva or Shekhinah (the Immanent Divine Presence, often depicted in the feminine as the Wife or the Queen). This letter, repeating the form of the first Hei but in final position, shows that the last reflects the first: Malchut is a “mirror” of Binah. The final Hei receives all the influence of the preceding letters and concretizes it in material, visible reality. It is the world where things “happen” and where God’s Sovereignty is revealed in tangible deeds. Spiritually, Malchut/final Hei is the mouth of creation—divine words issue from it to sustain the universe, and in turn it is where creatures return praise. This last Hei closes the cycle and, at the same time, contains the seed for a new cycle (for the final Hei of one Name can become the initial Yod of a next level, repeating the fractal pattern like a hologram).

Together, the four letters encompass both the transcendent and the immanent in God’s creation. Yod–Hei (יה) is the hidden aspect, the upper worlds; Vav–Hei (וה) is the revealed aspect, the lower worlds. Put differently: Yod–Hei corresponds to divine transcendence (God as He is in Himself, beyond the cosmos), while Vav–Hei corresponds to divine immanence (God within the cosmos, animating it from within). Both are joined in the full Name YHVH, reminding us that God is One encompassing both poles. Transcendence guarantees that God is not exhausted in the world; immanence guarantees that nothing is truly separate from God.

The Form of the Yod According to the Zohar

The Zohar, a foundational Qabalistic text, offers interpretations for each letter. On the Yod it teaches: “The upper point of the Yod indicates the secret crown (Keter) that rises toward the unknowable; the horizontal stroke is wisdom (Chokhmah) expanding; the descending stroke is the current of understanding (Binah) flowing toward the lower parts.” Thus the Yod summarizes in miniature the basic structure of emanation: Keter → Chokhmah → Binah, which will later unfold into all the sefirot. The Zohar also affirms that Chokhmah and Binah are indissolubly united (Aba ve-Ima, father and mother, ever embraced). Therefore, although we consider Yod as representing Chokhmah, in truth the first half of the Name “Yah” (יה) embraces Chokhmah–Binah as a unity. Wisdom is only perceived through understanding; without Binah, Chokhmah would remain incommunicable. This dyad is the origin of all that follows: Binah gives birth to the seven lower sefirot (Ze’ir Anpin and Nukva) that constitute “Vav–Hei” (וה), the revealed half of the Name.

A beautiful midrashic interpretation compares the letters of the Name with stages in the flow of a river: Yod is the hidden spring welling from the heights; Hei is the channel widening; Vav are the rivers branching to water the land; the final Hei is the lake or sea that gathers all currents. Just as the water returns to the cycle by evaporation (back to the clouds), so too the final Hei implicitly “returns” to the initial Yod, closing the circuit of emanation and return.

One Name, Multiple Extensions

Because of the unparalleled importance of the Tetragrammaton, diverse longer extensions of the Name developed in Qabalistic literature. The best known are: the 12-letter Name, the 22-letter Name, the 42-letter Name (known as Ana BeKoach), and the 72-letter Name (or the 72 Names of God). All these are extrapolations and combinations of the four-letter Name, considered keys to specific domains of creation. For example, the 42-letter Name is associated with the very work of creation, while the 72 triplets are extracted from a passage in Exodus and are considered a compendium of protective angelic energies.

Over the centuries, Qabalists have elaborated commentaries and techniques about these Names. Yet—faithful to Gikatilla’s warning—they have always emphasized that knowledge of the Names is a means to refine the soul and draw it closer to God, not a tool of power for selfish ends. To study the Shem ha-Mephorash and its extensions is, in the words of our sages, “to study the intimate structure of the Torah and of the universe,” since “everything is founded upon the mystery of this Name.”

The Name of God as the Key to Torah and Creation

The Qabalistic vision presents the Name YHVH as the backbone of the cosmos. Every letter and every number associated with it reflects deep laws of reality. As Ramchal (M. C. Luzzatto) summarized, all the orders and laws of existence follow the pattern of these four letters. This means that to understand the Name is to understand the source code of creation. It is no wonder, then, that it is said that the Torah itself is essentially the Name of God unfolded. Indeed, Qabalists consider the Torah, at its innermost level, as an uninterrupted sequence of divine Names and combinations of sacred letters. The narratives, laws, and teachings are the external “garments”; the soul of the Torah is the hidden Name of the Eternal pulsing between the lines.

In practice, this inspires the devotee to read the Torah and pray not only with the intellect, but with the intention to unite the letters of the Names. Each traditional Jewish prayer, for example, is carefully structured to allude to YHVH (many blessings contain 72 words or repetitions that allude to the expansions, etc.). Through kavanah (meditative intention) upon the Name, the worshiper seeks to repair whatever breaches remain in creation, uniting what is separated, elevating fallen sparks, and drawing more light into the world. It is, ultimately, to continue the labor begun with “Let there be light”—to collaborate with God so that His Infinite Light may shine unveiled at the end of the process.

In the Qabalistic worldview, when humanity completes the rectification of creation, there will come a time when “God will be One and His Name One” (Zechariah 14:9). This is interpreted to mean that the Ineffable Name will be pronounced openly because the entire reality will be capable of containing it without harm. The cycle will be fulfilled: the Above and the below will be unified, Ayin and Yesh, infinite and finite. Meanwhile, in our present state, deep study of the Shem ha-Mephorash allows us to glimpse the greatness of the divine plan. It reminds us that nothing “profane” or separate truly exists, for all comes from the letters of the sacred Name that God “pronounced” in creating. And as we invoke that Name with love and reverence, we participate in the return of creation to its origin, fulfilling the highest purpose: full communion with the divine Unity.

HaBeriah | הבריאה

Pre-Primordial Emanations: Yachid, Echad, and Kadmon

Before the primordial instant of creation, three emanations of the resplendent Infinite Light unfold: Yachid, the Unifying Core; Echad, Absolute Singularity; and Kadmon, Initial Primordiality. These linguistic designations, although insufficient, are the vehicles by which our limited understanding attempts to approach what is beyond all classification and designation: the sublime realm of Ein Sof and Atzmut, Infinity and the Supreme Divine Essence.

Yachid and the Hidden Essence

Yachid represents the most recondite essence of infinite brilliance, a luminous darkness, where even divine omnipotence becomes enigma, a mystery even to the Supreme Divine Mind. In this sacred domain of Atzmut, the energies of chasadim and gevurot (the powers of divine mercy and judgment) coexist in a state of potentiality, like seeds in the soil of Absolute Being. In this dwelling, omnipotence is not only a power of action, but a state of simultaneity in existence and non-existence, in being and non-being, in a single eternal instant.

Tzimtzum and the Innermost of Keter

This realm that precedes the manifestation of the cosmos originates in the divine act of Tzimtzum, the celestial contraction that makes possible the emanation of all creation. This divine emptying aligns with Atik Yomin, the innermost core of Keter, the Crown, first emanation or Sefirah.

Shadows of Pre-Contraction

Thus, everything that our limited cognition can come to know, express, or conceptualize about Divinity is nothing more than a shadow, an echo of these states that precede the act of Tzimtzum. In this realm, Ein Sof and Atzmut merge in a metaphysical dance of mirrors, where each reflection serves simultaneously as a veil that hides and a revelation that discloses, remaining eternally unreachable for human understanding and cognition.

Ratzon, Tzimtzum, and the Vacated Space

In the ocean of Ein Sof, the Divine Will, known as Ratzon, in a paradoxical act, an act of self-contraction, Tzimtzum, which served as the first exile of Its infinite essence. This act created a conceptually empty and finite space, Halal, in the bosom of Its own infinitude.

Tzimtzum, this first restriction, is the epitome of Ein Sof’s self-exile, an act of distancing from Its own infinitude to make room for the finite. At the heart of Ein Sof resides the divine potential to self-limit, a potency necessary to give birth to the totality of the cosmos. This mysterious capacity suggests an even deeper truth: that from the unlimited the absolutely distinct, the finite, can arise.

In the grand scheme of existence, everything we can conceive—our mortal bodies, our fleeting ideas, and even our ephemeral consciousness—are flashes that emerge from this infinite source. When we devise something, that idea is nothing more than a drop in the immense ocean of Ein Sof, a fleeting manifestation of a deeper reality.

The infinitude of Ein Sof bifurcates into two conceptual domains: the first unfolds in the tangible universe and the second, by contrast, remains eternally veiled due to the unlimited character of Ein Sof. However, the indivisible essence of Ein Sof, Atzmut, infiltrates every corner and crevice of Its being, acting like a fractal pattern that replicates ad infinitum.

For Ein Sof to manifest in Its splendor, it is necessary for a second act of Tzimtzum to be carried out. It must create a space within Itself, a withdrawal of Its own essence, to allow other beings and realities to flourish. Otherwise, Its infinitude would annihilate every possibility of existence distinct from It.

This space is not absolutely empty. In it reside reflections of Ohr Ein Sof, known as Reshimo. These divine sparks generate a dual yearning to receive and to bestow, to absorb and to emanate. In the symbolism of Qabalah, these energies manifest as feminine and masculine aspects, and they are the fundamental foundations upon which our universe stands.

Butzina de-Kardinuta: The Lamp of Darkness

Ein Sof emanates a light without limits, known as Ohr Ein Sof. This divine radiance needs darkness to be apprehended. To achieve this, Ein Sof conceives a complex structure, a lamp of darkness, called Butzina de Kardinuta. This lamp, more than a simple instrument, is a mechanism that enables the act of Tzimtzum, the contraction of the light, thereby creating a finite void, a space in which the dimensions of time and space can arise. This is the stage of our universe, the stage of all existence.

Reshimo and the Kav

Within this universe, there remains a residue of the original light, which the Qabalists call Reshimo. This spark awakens in souls an intrinsic need to receive, just as it kindles in Ein Sof the unchanging desire to bestow. Now, the act of giving from the Infinite is of such magnitude that, if allowed to flow freely, it would swallow the finitude of the void, nullifying its purpose and returning it to the Infinite. To prevent this annihilation, the Infinite Light is directed and moderated through a narrow and precise line of light, Kav, the line that balances the act of giving and receiving.

Masculine and Feminine Dynamics

This act of giving and receiving is not a mere transaction; it is rather a dance that manifests in masculine and feminine attributes. The act of expansion, of making space to receive more light, is associated with the masculine, while the action of moderating the light that is given, of limiting so as not to overwhelm, is seen as a feminine quality. These terms are not confined only to gender roles, but represent the eternal dynamics of adjustment and balance, of giving and receiving, in the great theater of being. At every moment, according to the needs of the Whole, these energies can manifest one or both of these attributes.

Ohr and Keli: Light and Vessel

At the dawn of creation, when the boundaries between the finite and infinite had not yet been delineated, the concept of Ohr, or in its plurality, Orot, arises. This primordial energy represents the disposition to give, and it is the force that seeks to pour itself into the void. In contrast, the vessel designated to receive this luminous flow is known as Keli, or in its plural form, Kelim. This first Keli is none other than the space destined to become our universe.

The Keli, in its essence, is of a dense and material nature, a wasteland prepared to receive abundance. The Ohr, on the other hand, is of a subtler substance, a light that seeks to illuminate darkness. However, both energies are divergent manifestations of a single essence, distinct aspects of the same primordial reality. We can imagine that Ohr is water, and Keli is a cup made of ice, both are water.

Within Ein Sof, even when everything is flooded by the Ohr, there exists the potential for the formation of a Keli. In that infinity, where there are neither barriers nor structures, where everything is a continuous flow of benevolence, there lies the possibility of imposing limits, of creating an autonomous space for reception.

The Ten Illuminations

To understand more deeply, it is fitting to meditate on the emanations of Ohr Ein Sof, known as the ‘10 illuminations’ or Orot (which later will be converted into Sefirot, upon joining with their respective Kelim). These are different frequencies or vibrations of that same primordial energy. Just as a prism separates a ray of light into its spectral components, these Orot are decompositions of the flow of infinite light. Nevertheless, these ‘colors’ have no independent existence; they are manifestations that depend completely on the luminous source that originates them, just as the different frequencies of Ohr Ein Sof are projections of that endless light.

In the matrix of Ein Sof, the Orot are uniform, a singularity of light. However, upon crossing the threshold toward finitude through the act of Tzimtzum, this singularity fades. This first phase after Tzimtzum, known as Adam Kadmon, is the first veil that the Orot must traverse on their journey toward finite existence.

When the yearning to receive is activated in the vacated space, an ontological hollow is created to welcome Ohr Ein Sof. But this act is not without consequences; the power of this transfer is such that it initiates an expansion of the finite space, culminating in a cataclysmic event: the Shevirat haKelim, or the shattering of the vessels.

Adam Kadmon: Primordial Threshold

In parallel, in this mysterious crossing between the finite and the infinite, information previously veiled emerges, known as Adam Kadmon, the primordial man. This is not a human being in the literal sense; it is rather a transitional phase, which is going to be conceptualized as a man for its comprehension and understanding in study. It is a state where energy seeks to manifest in finitude. In its descent, these energies traverse five stages, each of them a portal toward the realm of the void.

Of these ten Orot, three are so elevated that their entry into our universe is inconceivable. The remaining seven Orot make their appearance in fractal forms, containing within themselves the essence of the original ten. Upon entering the finite universe, these energies collide and clash, a phenomenon nonexistent in their primordial state in Ein Sof, where limits are an abstraction.

Descending from their origin in Ohr Ein Sof, these energies are known as Orot, but their identity transforms even further upon becoming embodied in a Keli, where they receive the name Sefirot. Infinite Light, or Ohr Ein Sof, is the pure and immutable essence of the Divine. Before the cosmos existed, this Light traversed ten evolutionary stages, each of which played a crucial role in the architecture of the universe as we inhabit it today. These stages are the legacy and imprint of the immutable will of Ein Sof, the driving force behind all creation and existence.

Ten Stages (Poetic Description)

In the first stage, Infinite Light is found in a state of absolute simplicity, an undifferentiated unity that radiates spiritual fullness and divine serenity. Here, the all is one and the one is all.

In the second stage, the Eternal begins to contemplate diversity within Infinite Light, formulating archetypes and fundamental principles that will serve as foundations for the universe that is about to be born.

The third stage is the concretion of these ethereal ideas; it is here that the Eternal initiates the design of the cosmos, inscribing the primordial laws that will govern existence.

In the fourth stage, these designs take form in Infinite Light, as if they were a scale model of the universe in the omnipotent mind of the Eternal.

The fifth stage introduces additional complexity: duality in Infinite Light. Contradictions arise that challenge logic, such as good and evil, light and darkness.

The sixth stage is the turning point for autonomous existence, where entities emerge that, although inseparable from the Eternal, seem to have an independent existence.

In the seventh stage, Infinite Light acquires the property of change and transformation, and concepts such as time and movement are introduced into the fabric of being.

The eighth stage is the act of contraction of Infinite Light by the Eternal, an ontological space that is created to allow the emergence of the universe.

The ninth stage is the act of creation itself, the moment in which the Eternal issues His Infinite Light to animate the cosmos.

And finally, in the tenth stage, the Eternal chooses to reside within His own creation, thus establishing an eternal and unbreakable connection with everything that has been created.

These stages are like the ten sefirot of the Qabalistic tree of life, each one a link in the chain of divine creation. Within this framework, we will devote special attention to the crucial moment known as Tzimtzum. In this phase, Infinite Light undergoes an act of divine self-limitation, a restriction that allows the emergence of a vacated space, a sphere of potentialities and possibilities where autonomous existence can manifest.

The Three Stages of Tzimtzum

This Tzimtzum is the foundation on which the entire edifice of reality is erected, the starting point for the eternal dance of giving and receiving that configures the cosmos; it occurs in three stages.

First: Infinite Light undergoes an act of divine self-limitation, a restriction that allows the emergence of a vacated space, a sphere of potentialities and possibilities where autonomous existence can manifest. This Tzimtzum is the foundation on which the entire edifice of reality is erected, the starting point for the eternal dance of giving and receiving that configures the cosmos. Before the act of Tzimtzum, the Infinite Light of the Eternal permeated everything, saturating every corner of being in an overwhelming luminosity that left no room for otherness.
Second: The act of divine self-restriction imprints a new dynamic on the fabric of existence. Although the omnipresence of the Eternal remains a constant, this contraction of the Light creates the illusion of a divine withdrawal. This apparent distancing opens the possibility of a world where creatures can exercise their free will, where they can yearn for and seek the divine in an environment that seems to veil it. This echo, this residual impression of the divine act, is what mystics call Reshimo. It is the perfume that lingers in the air long after the rose is gone; a subtle but undeniable trace that acts as a spark of consciousness, constantly reminding us of our eternal connection with the divine.
Third: Despite the restriction, a thread of divine light traverses the primordial darkness, illuminating creation from within. This ray of light is not a mere remnant; it is a vital current that infuses life and holiness into the cosmos. It is the means through which the Eternal continues to exert His influence over reality, and the beacon that guides creatures in their search for the divine in the world.

Thus, these three moments form a triad of cosmic transformations that articulate the divine unfolding from Unity to multiplicity, from omnipresence to concealment, and finally, from concealment to continuous revelation. Each stage is a chapter in the great narrative of existence, and together, they are the epic of our eternal relationship with the Divine.

Purpose of Creation

The ultimate purpose of creation, then, is a call to spiritual epiphany: that each creature discover this thread of divine light in the texture of existence and, in doing so, recognize the omnipresence of the divine even in a world that seems to veil it. This is the highest spiritual pilgrimage, an incessant quest that invites us to find the divine presence in every aspect of reality, from the most mundane to the most transcendent. It is the odyssey of the soul that seeks to return to its divine origin, thus fulfilling the Eternal’s deepest desire: that His creation come to know Him as He knows Himself.

Two Interpretations of Tzimtzum

Tzimtzum, in its enigmatic depth, stands as the foundation that allows autonomous realities to exist within the infinitude of the Eternal. Through time, two distinct interpretations of this concept have been transmitted. One, more literal, posits that the Divine Light withdraws completely from the engendered universe. The other, rooted in the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, considers Tzimtzum as a metaphor that illustrates the way the Divine manifests in the finite.

From the point of view of Divinity, the omnipresence of Infinite Light is an immutable constant, without alteration before or after the act of Creation. Nevertheless, from our limited perspective as created entities, there appears to be a disappearance of this Light. This apparent distancing is indispensable for the actualization of the cosmos, to grant the human being the gift of free will and, ultimately, to fulfill the Eternal’s design to manifest Himself in reality.

Tzimtzum resolves the fundamental paradox of how finitude and plurality can emanate from the unfathomable unity of the Eternal. This mystery is unveiled through a profound understanding of Tzimtzum. This act of contraction originates in the divine attribute of Gevurah, which is rigor within Ein Sof. It is the infinite capacity to engender the finite, to limit the unlimited. This concealment of the divine presence has as its ultimate objective a beneficial revelation, a discovery that magnifies both the Creator and the creation.

The three stages of Tzimtzum delineate the process by which the contraction of Infinite Light gives way to existence. This process is a metaphysical journey that runs from the most inaccessible heights of divinity to the tangible corporeality of our world. It is a descent that, paradoxically, allows the elevation of being through the recognition and search for the divine in every fiber of the universe. In this sense, Tzimtzum is not only an act of concealment, but also an act of revelation, a divine wink that invites the human being to participate in the great drama of existence.

Adam Kadmon: Personification of Divine Will (First Statement)

Adam Kadmon, the Primordial Man, makes his appearance on this cosmic stage as the personification of the Divine Will that guides the post-Tzimtzum universe. In him the dualities of “Adam,” which symbolizes creation, and “Kadmon,” which represents the divine essence, are fused. This magnificent being radiates a pure and uncontainable light that, although not confined to any particular vessel, maintains an intrinsic connection with its infinite potential to manifest itself in future vessels.

This archetype is often situated as the first world in the series of the principal Olamot (Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah) in Qabalistic cosmology. Nevertheless, his supremacy transcends even the manifestation of the Sefirot and the cosmic event called Shevirat Hakeilim, or the Shattering of the Vessels. Adam Kadmon is more than a mere link in the chain of creation; he is the original source of the divine manifestations, the lights or Orot, that illuminate the cosmos.

Akudim, Nekudim, and Berudim

The evolution of creation unfolds through three stages represented by the worlds of lights and vessels: Akudim, Nekudim, and Berudim. These are energetic emanations that flow from Adam Kadmon and that represent the development and maturation of the Divine Attributes in the fabric of reality. Akudim is the primordial state, where lights and vessels are in perfect union. Nekudim represents the moment of Rupture, where the lights are too intense for the vessels. And Berudim is the stage of rectification, where a balance between the capacity of the vessels and the intensity of the lights is sought.

In this spiritual hierarchy, Adam Kadmon stands as a beacon of the Divine Will, as the source from which all creation emanates and toward which everything aspires to return. He is a beginning and an end, an alpha and an omega, in the eternal cycle of emanation and return that constitutes the cosmic dance of existence.

Adam Kadmon: Personification of Divine Will (Reprise)

Olam HaAkudim, the ten sefiric lights cohabit in a single vessel, in a divine dance of complete unity. It is a state of “mati velo mati,” a flow and reflux of divinity in an eternal return to the singular vessel.
Olam HaNekudim is the theater of ontological rupture, where the intensity of the lights shatters their own vessels. It is the beginning of the world of Tohu, the world of disorder, a mirror of the soul’s inner dissonance.
Olam HaBerudim is the redemptive act, where a new divine light seeks to restore the broken balance. It leads to the world of Tikun, where creation is recomposed, illumined by divine souls in service, preparing for a new symbiosis with divinity.

Atika Kadisha and the Peak of Keter of Atzilut

At the highest and most inaccessible peak of Keter of Atzilut, above even all its other manifestations, sits Atika Kadisha, the Ancient Holiness. This realm is the ultimate sanctuary of the Divine Will, an abyss of potentialities not yet manifested, where Divinity resides in a state of perfect and eternal repose. Here, everything is pure potential; there is as yet no manifestation, but the promise of everything that could come to be throbs in a sublime silence. Atika Kadisha is beyond comprehension, beyond reach, but always present as the eternal and primordial source of all existence.

Eight Stages of Correction within Keter of Atzilut

Atik Yomin, the Ancient of Days, presents us with a spiritual ecstasy in which the Divine Will manifests in perfect harmony with the Divine Source. This domain is an abyss of divine love so unfathomable that it not only permeates, but also transcends all creation.
Arich Anpin, the Long Countenance, Divinity reveals itself with unending patience and unperturbed constancy, in perpetual pursuit of the well-being of creation, even when faced with obstacles that seem insurmountable.
Resha DeLo Ityada, the Unknowable Head, is the frontier of divine mystery, a humble reminder that certain aspects of Divinity will always escape our finite understanding.
Resha DeAyin, the Head of Nothingness, transports us to the fertile void of divine potential, revealing the supernatural power to create ex nihilo, to bring forth existence from non-existence.
Resha DeArich, the Head of the Infinite, shows us a Divinity that expands in an infinite kaleidoscope of manifestations, each one a reflection of the Eternal’s infinitude.
Gulgalta, meaning Skull, we find the summit of spiritual realization, a pinnacle of fullness where the Divine Will reaches its highest manifestation.
Mocha Stimaa, the Hidden Brain, is an inexhaustible spring of divine wisdom in the heart of Arich Anpin, where truths and revelations capable of transforming all reality are housed.
Dikna, or Beard, serves as a divine sieve that filters the divine light through the attributes of mercy. Here, Divinity shows Its infinite love and compassion toward creation, in a delicate balance between justice and grace.

Each of these stages is a reflection of an aspect of Divinity, a note in the celestial symphony that composes reality. They offer us a path to approach the ineffable, to touch the intangible, to know the unknown. They are like stars in the spiritual firmament, each shining with its own light, but all forming part of the divine constellation that is the totality of being.

The stages of rectification in Keter of Atzilut represent unique aspects of the Divine Will and its interaction with creation. Together, these stages guide us from initial unity to diversity and, finally, toward interconnection and harmony. In this journey, we learn to perceive the divine presence in everything and we understand that creation is a constant process of emanation, formation, and rectification.

Atzilut and the Partzufim

Let us delve into the world of Atzilut, the World of Emanation, which is the first of the Four Worlds (Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah) that compose the realm of Rectification, a reality that arises after the Shattering of the Vessels in the previous world of Tohu, or Chaos. Atzilut plays a crucial role in completing the rectification initiated in the world of Berudim. This culmination is achieved through the metamorphosis of the Sefirot into Divine Faces known as Partzufim. These Partzufim introduce a new harmony into the sefiric system, organizing it into a structure that resembles human physiognomy.

The task of rectification in Atzilut begins with the Keter of Atzilut, which is the representation of the Divine Will. In this first world, the Partzufim in Keter of Atzilut diversify into six primary Partzufim and twelve secondary ones, which interact in a continuous and fluid manner in Atzilut, thus perpetuating the process of rectification. Additionally, the human being plays a transcendental role in the rectification of the three lower worlds, which are bound to time, through the redemption of the fallen sparks.

Atzilut is distinguished from the lower worlds by its unique awareness of Divine Unity, a state of being that is not overshadowed by self-consciousness. Here, the vision of Wisdom transcends even intellectual understanding. From this plane of existence, Creation is experienced as an emanation from Nothingness, upon becoming conscious of its own non-existence through the nullification of Essence.

Partzufim in Atzilut

Aba (Father): It is the realm of Divine Wisdom in its purest and highest form.
Aba Ilaah (Supernal Father): It represents Wisdom that is even higher and less accessible.
Israel Saba (Israel the Elder): It is the Wisdom that can be accessed and understood.
Ima (Mother): It represents Understanding and the conceptualization of applicable ideas.
Ima Ilaah (Supernal Mother): She understands beyond the limits of human intellect.
Tevunah (Discernment): It applies wisdom in daily life, translating knowledge into action.
Zeir Anpin (Short Face or Son): It embodies the divine emotions in creation.
Nukva (Bride): It serves as the final manifestation in physical reality.

Each Partzuf is like a jewel in the diadem of Divinity, each one reflecting a unique facet of the infinite. Together, they form a celestial symphony that helps us to understand how the Divine manifests and acts in the world, offering ways for the human being to participate in the sacred process of rectification.

From Atzilut to Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah

Beyond the Partzuf of Nukva, we come to an important change. At this stage, the spiritual worlds begin to be perceived as independent realms created by the Eternal, instead of being an extension of the Eternal Himself. Although this may seem an illusion, it is a reality in which the lower worlds can only attain a level of nullification of self, not the profound nullification of essence that characterizes the higher world of Atzilut.

This change in perception leads us to the world of Beriah, where Hebrew prophets such as Isaiah and Ezekiel had visions of the majestic Throne of the Eternal and His angelic attendants. In Theosophical Qabalah, it is argued that the deep study of divine emanations grants an understanding superior to the visionary experiences of the prophets, since it provides a cognitive comprehension of the higher levels of Divinity.

Beriah is crucial in Qabalah, since it represents the very root of Creation in the Divine Mind. The Sefirah of Binah, Divine Understanding, has a prominent role here, allowing the human intellect to understand the remoteness of the Eternal from this realm. The metaphorical existence of the Throne of the Eternal in Beriah symbolizes the divine descent from the higher world of Atzilut to govern independent Creation from a higher position.

Advancing to Yetzirah, we enter the realm of archetypal Creation, where Zeir Anpin, which represents the Divine Emotions, is central. Here dwell the angels, celestial beings who serve the Eternal with complete emotional devotion. Their existence and service reflect the absolute devotion that creatures can attain.

Finally, we arrive at Asiyah, the last of the Four Worlds. Here a more specific and differentiated Creation unfolds. In Asiyah, Malchut, the Kingdom, takes control. Although it is a world of spiritual Action, it also has physical aspects, which shows its connection with our physical Universe. This duality represents the complexity of this realm and includes the last two Sefirot of Spiritual Asiyah, Yesod and Malchut.

Fractal Pattern and Malchut of Atzilut

The pattern of the ten Sefirot is repeated in all the worlds like a fractal, where the last Sefirah of one world becomes the first of the next. This shows how the worlds are connected and are one. In this context, the Malchut of Atzilut, which is like the speech of the Eternal, plays a fundamental role. It is the source of Prophecy, giving the prophets their vision and understanding, and it is also the main source of independent Creation, driving the existence of the universe as we know it.

Adam Kadmon | אדם קדמון

Maximum Intention and Detailed Design

Adam Kadmon, the Primordial Man, represents the utmost intention and detailed design of God to create the worlds. This profound concept shows Adam Kadmon as the first conscious and deliberate form of God, emerging from the infinite sea of divine possibilities, a sea that has no beginning and no end.

First Step: The Concrete Form of the Divine Intention

The first step in the appearance of Adam Kadmon is the taking of concrete form of God’s specific intention and His plan to create the worlds. Here, “worlds” refers to different levels or aspects of reality that unfold within creation. Each of these worlds is a reflection of the divine side and a clear representation of God’s plan. This is the first concept of creation, where from an apparently perfect order, the potential for imperfection appears, becoming a structure that will be the universe and everything that is in it.

This divine plan is not an event in time as we understand it, but rather an eternal state in God’s timeless realm. It is a divine model that establishes the shape and structure of everything that exists. This model is both constant and changing, encompassing all time and space, yet always in a state of change, taking new forms and constantly adjusting.

Second Step: Lights from Ears, Nose, and Mouth

The second step in the appearance of Adam Kadmon involves the lights that come out of his ears, nose, and mouth. These lights are the divine energies or emanations that come from Adam Kadmon, each with a particular meaning and purpose in the act of creating. In speaking of the ears, nose, and mouth of Adam Kadmon, they should not be understood as physical components, but as symbols of the channels through which the divinity communicates and manifests its will in the cosmos.

Symbolism of Each Light

The lights of the ears symbolize the divine ability to listen, to notice and respond to the needs and desires of all beings. They represent how God is receptive, how He has the capacity to receive, understand, and react to all forms of communication and expression in creation.

The lights that come out of the nose represent the vital breath of God, the energy that gives life to everything. These are the forces that circulate through all that is created, providing life and energy to all things. The lights that emerge from the mouth symbolize God’s ability to communicate, that is, to structure reality. These are the divine vibrations that fill existence, the words that give shape to matter, energy, time, and space.

Each of these lights has a crucial and essential role in the continuous and eternal process of creation. All of them come from Adam Kadmon, the first manifestation of the divinity, the first light that breaks the silence of the Infinite to give shape to creation.

Reshimo and the Inherent Limit of the Light

Although Adam Kadmon is pure divine light without, its expansion into the void is restricted both by the power of the Reshimo, an echo of the state prior to the contraction, and by a limiting power inherent in its own light, which is the potential of this light to create containers for that same light, that is, the limiting potential of the initial expansion.

Paradoxical Nature and Messianic Soul

The name Adam Kadmon indicates its paradoxical nature: on the one hand, it is a created creature, Adam; on the other hand, it is a manifestation of the primordial divine, Kadmon. For this reason, it is often seen as the archetypal soul of the Messiah, the general Yechidah of all the souls of Israel, the ultimate jewel of all God’s creation, the divine intermediary that reveals the Infinite to finite reality.

Beginning and End, Mystery and Revelation

Adam Kadmon, in all its symbolism, represents the beginning and the end, possibility and reality, mystery and revelation. It is the divine intention within finitude, the cosmic model of creation and the source of all the light that gives life and form to the universe.

Human Form and Metaphorical Organs

Its human appearance is not just an aesthetic detail or a personification of the divine. The parts of its face represent different aspects of perception, judgment, and communication. It is through these metaphorical organs—the ears, the nose, and the mouth—that lights or energies go out, whose presence transforms and elevates the reality around them.

Initial Non-Physical Lights and the First Container

Initially, the lights that come out of the ears and the nose are so elevated and ethereal that they cannot take physical form. However, this does not diminish their importance; in fact, each of these lights has a vital role in the preparation for the creation of the first container, which will be formed by the light that comes out of the mouth of Adam Kadmon.

Path of the Lights Through the Body

These lights travel to different parts of the body of Adam Kadmon, each representing an aspect or a phase in the process of releasing the lights. The lights of the ears, which are the first phase of this process, travel to the chin of Adam Kadmon. The lights of the nose, which symbolize an intermediate phase, travel to his chest. Finally, the lights of the mouth, which represent the culmination of this process, travel to his navel.

Three Categories of Souls

However, these lights not only have a key role in the order of the cosmos, but they are also very significant in relation to the nature of human souls. Since souls can be divided into three categories according to their gifts.

Souls of the Ears (Understanding/Listening)

Souls whose main gift is to understand or listen to the divine are represented by the lights of the ears. They are souls that seek knowledge and truth, tuned to the delicate aspects of the divine, and their goal is to understand and grasp the deepest enigmas of life. Through attentive listening, they catch the divine whispers, yearning to integrate that wisdom into their being. They not only seek to know, but to live in harmony with the heavenly truths, illuminating their surroundings with flashes of knowledge and understanding.

Souls of the Nose (Prayer/Devotion and Beauty)

Souls with the gift of serving the Eternal through ardent prayer are reflected in the lights emanating from the nose. They are beings of overflowing passion and great devotion, whose search for the Eternal is carried out with emotion and dedication that spring from the depths of their hearts. These souls, in their desire to serve, see in the beauty of the world a mirror of the divinity, and they devote themselves to elevating reality, whether through artistic creation, enterprises, or any act imbued with beauty and meaning. Their service, far from being limited to prayer in the silence of sanctuaries, extends to where beauty becomes a bridge to the divine, and conscious action, a form of worship.

Souls of the Mouth (Teaching/Leadership)

Finally, souls whose main gift is to teach others are represented by the lights of the mouth. They are souls destined to be leaders, whose mission is to share knowledge and guide others in their search for the divine. With each word and each teaching, they reveal paths of reflection and growth, forging a bridge between the earthly and the sacred.

Perception, Judgment, and Communication as Paths

In this context, each light that comes from Adam Kadmon fulfills a crucial function, representing different paths toward the divine and corresponding to different spiritual callings. In this way, perception, judgment, and communication become paths through which the divine manifests in the world, each with its exclusive role and purpose, all interwoven in the astonishing fabric of existence.

Orot of Ozen, Chotem, Peh (Five Forms of Light)

In addition, Adam Kadmon is the source of the lights or Orot of Ozen, Chotem, Peh, which are the five distinct forms of light that emanate from the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and forehead of Adam Kadmon. These lights symbolize the different ways in which the divine shows itself and communicates in the world. Each light represents a unique way of understanding and comprehending the divine, offering a channel for divine revelation in the world.

Creation as Active Process

Creation is an active and changing process, not a single event. It is a sequence of changes and transformations that occur over time. This flow in the creative process is reflected in the appearance of the three worlds of lights and containers that result from the lights emanated from Adam Kadmon.

Akudim, Nekudim, and Berudim

Akudim, Nekudim and Berudim are three worlds or states of existence that arise from the brilliant energy that flows from Adam Kadmon. These worlds, made of lights and containers, symbolize different phases in the development of the 10 Sefirot or divine attributes. Each of these worlds shows a stage in the evolution of creation, from the initial unity toward diversity and finally toward connection and harmony.

Each stage offers a unique vision of the process of creation and how the divine shows itself in the world: from the complete unity of Akudim, passing through the diversity of Nekudim, until reaching the respectful union of Berudim. This cycle also serves as a metaphor for the human task of balancing unity and diversity, the whole and the individual, to find the purpose of our life.

Olam HaAkudim — The World of Bindings

Olam HaAkudim, the world of bindings, represents a complete unity between the lights, which are symbols of the divine, and the vessels, which are our ability to understand and receive that divinity. But in this total union, there is no room for uniqueness or diversity.

The first world, Akudim, is a place where 10 lights come together in a single container. This world shows a kind of stability in the midst of disorder. It is as if all the possible directions that creation could take are stored in a single place, ready to go out into the world.

Olam HaAkudim is the result of the divine breath of the original source. Here, a single vessel guards the ten Orot or lights, forming a perfect harmony. This phase is compared to childhood in human beings, where although there is a variety of emotions and thoughts, the ability to express them is limited.

In Olam HaAkudim, the lights show a special dynamic. Sometimes they reach the vessel and sometimes not, in a constant cycle. This resembles the human struggle to balance what is inside us with what we show to the world. In the same way, people try to find the best way to show their inner truths, within the limits of how they can communicate them.

In this place, the ten characteristics or qualities of the divine are fused in a single container. They are combined so much that it is difficult to distinguish one from another. They are not ten separate entities, but a single entity that surpasses the idea of individuality.

This world is related to the Shem AB, one of the most sacred ways of representing the divine. Shem AB is an extended version of the name YHVH, and it is linked with the Sefirah of Chokhmah, which is a key pillar in the structure of the universe. It is associated with the “Power of What” or Koach Mah, which represents the force of the question and appears as a total nullification of everything. The positions of the Sefirot in this world reflect this state of nullification.

It is also mentioned that there are different forces in the soul, forces that in other situations might seem opposite. But when these forces are in the soul, they do not contradict each other, but exist in harmony. This harmony is possible due to the power and essence of the soul, which unifies all these disparate forces into a single harmonious whole.

Although unity and nullification are spoken of, it is not a simple uniformity. Although the ten Orot are united in a container, they still maintain their uniqueness. They are ten forms of energy or divine aspects even when they are together. This seems a contradiction, but it captures the complexity and depth of both the world of the rings and the infinite mystery of the divine.

The world of the rings underlines how we can live together in peace and unity, even each one being unique in their own way. This concept teaches us that, although each of us is different, we all form part of a larger human group. It reminds us that, within all this diversity, there is an underlying unity and connection.

Olam HaNekudim — The World of Points

Olam HaNekudim, the world of points, introduces the idea that each light and each vessel are individual, which generates both diversity and conflicts and disagreements. Here, the 10 lights are separated into 10 distinct receptacles, resulting in a less stable situation. In this world, each light, each aspect of the divine, is shown individually, generating many different ways of expressing the divine. Here, the light of Adam Kadmon is directed toward 10 developing receptacles, seen as points, which are destined to house the 10 lights. This state resembles a young person who is growing and discovering their individuality.

Unlike the world of Akudim, where the lights move freely, in the world of Nekudim, the lights are forcibly introduced into each vessel, leading to a rupture. This spiritual breaking is compared to a mental collapse, with the lights returning to their point of origin and the broken vessels descending to lower levels of reality. However, sparks of life still remain in these vessels, which suggests that there will be a recovery in the future.

Nekudim is also known as Olam HaTohu, the world of chaos, which is contrasted with the more stable chaos of Akudim. The lights of Nekudim are the base for the souls of Israel that are destined to be the messengers of the Eternal. The rupture of the vessels represents the failure of these messengers in not recognizing the Eternal as the only authority.

Olam HaTohu, the world of chaos, is a term with many profound meanings. It represents a time before there existed any kind of order in the universe, when everything was a set of unorganized forces. It is a period full of boundless energy and unrealized possibilities.

In Qabalistic teaching, the world of chaos is an initial phase in the creation of the universe, which comes before the world of Rectification or Olam HaTikun (also known as Olam HaBerudim). According to these ideas, creation is not something that happened just once, but a developing process. There is a series of changes and evolutions that happen in an ordered way, and everything starts with this world of chaos.

In Olam HaTohu, the Orot (lights) are extremely strong, but there are no vessels capable of containing all that light. As a result, the lights explode, which leads to a decrease in their intensity. This burst separates the good from the evil in the light. It is here where the bad element or Sitra Achra first originates and the Qlippot are formed. The Qlippot act as a barrier that hides and distorts the divine light, generating evil and division in the world.

However, the world of Chaos is not simply a place of disorder. It has tremendous potential, like an ocean full of opportunities. Although it seems disordered, there is a pure and fundamental energy that is the basis of everything that will come later. It is like a fertile soil where the “seeds” of creation are ready to grow.

This world of Chaos is like the original state of being, where all possibilities exist before becoming reality. It is the source of all creativity and change, the place where all the infinite possibilities are prepared to form the world as we know it. Here, everything is possible, but nothing has taken a definite shape, which leads to a state of infinite opportunities but also of uncertainty.

In this primordial world, the lights and the vessels coexist in such a way that the light moves freely and the vessels receive it without resistance. Although it may seem chaotic to us, there is no conflict or struggle between the lights and the vessels. The lights manifest and the vessels receive them, with no obstacles to show the divinity.

Nevertheless, this union also presents a problem for growth and evolution. The lights are so intimately mixed with the vessels in the world of Chaos that they cannot reach their maximum potential. They are restricted by the vessels and there is no space to grow and diversify. This limitation in how the divine is expressed is the root of future conflict and rupture.

Olam HaBerudim — The World of Connections

Olam HaBerudim, or the world of connections, is the stage in which the lights and the vessels come together and balance to form a unit that functions properly. In this place, the lights and the vessels align in a kind of circle, where each light connects not only to its own vessel, but also to the others. This organized design symbolizes how peace and unity have been brought back, allowing the divine to circulate smoothly through the vessels and toward everything that has been created.

This world aims to fix what was broken in the world of Points and to make everything one and in harmony again. For this to happen, the Sefirot must adjust and link among themselves so that the light can pass from one to another through the vessels, which creates a harmonious link.

At this time, the Sefirot can accept light from those that have more light than they do. This causes people to feel more complete and to realize who they truly are, which leads to a genuine love. This is because people begin to think less of themselves and more of what others need.

Olam HaBerudim is the end of the road in spiritual development, the place where what makes us unique and what unites us combine in a balanced and beautiful way. It is a phase of making arrangements and making everything work well together, allowing the lights and the vessels to come together in a clear and logical system, and making it possible for the divine to show itself in all its fullness in everything that exists.

Shevirat haKelim | שבירת הכלים

Shattering of the Vessels

Shevirat HaKelim refers to the moment in creation when the Infinite Light, called Ohr Ein Sof, was poured into original containers, known as Kelim. These containers could not withstand the intensity of the Light and broke, releasing 288 flashes of light into the empty space.

In this space, Ein Sof began to release emissions of light, known as Orot, which traveled from the infinite into the empty and finite space. Each of these lights represented a specific form of the divine.

At the same time that the lights were released, a series of containers or Kelim were created to hold these lights. Each container was destined to receive and direct a specific light. At this point, the lights and the containers were in a state of disorder called Tohu. There was no connection between them.

Each light tried to enter its corresponding container, but the containers were not ready for the intensity of the Orot. They broke, and the lights scattered. Of the original lights, 288 sparks were trapped in the material world taking shape.

This event occurred in the stage of Tohu, before the formation of the Sefirot. The Sefirot were formed later in the process of creation, during the phase of TIkkun (repair), where the lights and containers were reorganized into an interconnected structure.

Tohu and Bohu

Tohu and Bohu are mentioned in the Torah to describe the creation of the world. Tohu represents the state in which the containers were weak and the lights intense, which led to the rupture. Bohu represents the emptiness that remained afterward. It is a necessary stage, a space prepared for repair.

Tohu and Bohu are not only descriptions of the world in its beginnings; they represent key phases in the Qabalistic process of creation, shattering, and repair. They also apply to our own personal and spiritual processes. We often face challenges that break us so that we can rebuild ourselves stronger.

Why 288 Sparks?

Why is it said there are 288 sparks? The 10 Orot are connected by 22 channels. Only the lowest, Malkuth, is visible. The other 9 are invisible. So we have 9 invisible Orot multiplied by 32, resulting in 288. The number 32 represents the 10 dimensions and 22 channels in 9 dimensions of the Tree of Life, showing how energy flows in the universe.

Qlifot and the Concealment of Light

The Orot are too powerful for the universe to absorb. Some fragments of this potent light become trapped in the Qlifot, which means “husks.” Each husk holds a portion of this light, protecting its brilliance. Thus, the Qlifot become the barriers of the light, a light inaccessible in our common state.

The formation of a husk or Qlifá is a mechanism to conceal light. Therefore, when we speak of a Qlifá, we are speaking of an evil. In Qabalah, it is believed that evil conceals good within itself. Paradoxically, evil also emanates light, but to perceive that evil also serves the purpose of good, one must undertake a long journey of knowledge. Therefore, when we encounter a Qlifá, it symbolizes the opportunity to break the husk and release the hidden light.

Previously, the reality of evil did not exist, but when there was a clash, this reality of evil appeared. With the appearance of evil, the hope arises that the little pieces in the universe can help fix things.

Why Did the 10 Lights Clash?

Why did the 10 lights, or 10 Orot, clash? It was not because of a problem in the container of the universe, but because of an inequality among the 10 Orot. These lights were fine in an infinite world, but in a finite world, each wanted to be the most important.

The reason the vessels broke, known as Shevirat HaKelim, is that the lights did not understand that they all formed part of a whole. This confusion led them to a disaster, but this was something planned by the divine force, Ein Sof. Without this event, our universe would not have come to exist.

This struggle among the lights resembles the internal battles we have. Within us, there are parts that are in conflict and we need to find a way to make them work together. Not paying attention to this can lead to serious problems, both physical and mental.

The soul is like a small model of the universe. It has sub-personalities that fight for control, and we have to integrate them in order to live in peace. Overcoming obstacles makes us stronger.

The shattering of the vessels is not something bad, but a necessary step in a larger plan. This created a world with good and evil, and gives us the opportunity to choose. From this shattering, 288 sparks were scattered into the material world. Our mission is to find and release these sparks, whether by praying, studying, or doing good deeds.

The effort to find and release these sparks is called TIkkun Olam. Everything we do has the potential to release these sparks and return them to their divine origin. This motivates us to live just and good lives. In addition, understanding the concept of Shevirat HaKelim and the 288 sparks helps us see our own problems as opportunities to release divine light and make improvements both in our lives and in the world.

Evil did not arise simply because Eve gave Adam fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, as the Torah recounts. Evil already existed before and was part of the original design of the universe to promote growth and highlight the light. Darkness serves as a background that makes the light shine brighter. Therefore, evil does not come from human beings; it is integrated into the basic structure of the universe. The Qlifot act as obstacles that make our effort to release the light and raise our consciousness more difficult, thus marking the existence of evil.

It might seem that a universe with evil is an imperfect creation of the Eternal. But in that “imperfection” there is a perfect design. This inherent evil is what pushes us to grow and ascend. Here an advanced idea of Qabalah enters: both the Eternal and we are in the act of co-creating the universe. The Eternal does it from above and we from below. Evil, in this context, serves as a tool in this construction project, known as TIkkun.

Our task, then, is to contribute to making a better world. We have to extract the light that is hidden in evil.

The First Void, the Break, and the Emergence of Daat

At the beginning, there was a void. This was the stage for the interaction of masculine and feminine energies in the Tzimtzum. Before meeting, these energies did not know of the other. At that moment, the energy of Ohr was so intense that it broke the Keli, the container made to hold it. The explosion of this energy returned to Ein Sof, the source of everything. From Ein Sof, the energy would return to our physical universe, or Beriá, marking a second phase of creation.

In this phase, the energies were transformed in order to achieve balance. A new element, called Daat, arose. Daat, which means knowledge or consciousness, had the task of recognizing the limits of the energies as they returned to the universe. This new flow of energy was careful and gradual through the Qav, in contrast to the first violent collision. Now, made conscious by Daat, the energies knew of their own existence and of each other’s, minimizing the risk of damaging Beriá again.

TIkkun and Atzilut as Buffer; Partzufim

TIkkun is this careful return of energy to Beriá. To soften the transition, Atzilut was created, a buffering zone. Here, the masculine and feminine energies, previously separated in Adam Kadmon, became interwoven in harmony, showing unity and balance in a phenomenon called Partzufim, or faces. They are not literal faces, but rather symbolic representations of how these energies interact in multiple ways.

These energies are linked to the phases of Adam Kadmon, MaH and BaN, and shape the cosmic dance. The intense energy of Kether of MaH was sustained by lower-level Kelim. Although they were of lower level, they were dense enough to hold the light of Kether of MaH. However, the Keli of Kether of BaN could not hold that potent energy, requiring the creation of denser Kelim.

To sustain the bright light of Kether of MaH, denser Kelim were needed, culminating in the Kelim of Binah of BaN. However, the energy of Kether of MaH was so intense that it needed the intervention of the Kether of the seven lower dimensions of BaN. In short, most of the low-frequency energy of BaN had to be used to sustain the level of light of Kether of MaH.

The creation of denser Kelim, at various levels, was crucial to resist the expansive energy of MaH. A single level of limitation was not enough to control this expansion, which highlights the intricate connection of the Partzufim. MaH is the last energy that entered, pushing BaN and leading to the breaking of the containers.

In the phase of TIkkun, BaN changed its role and became a vibration that could withstand the strong energies of MaH. BaN had not been able to do this in the first Tzimtzum because MaH was such a strong energy that it broke the initial universe, and BaN, being of lower vibration, could not contain it.

The combination of finite energy, the Reshimó, with the low-frequency restrictions of BaN, could not contain the energy of MaH, driven by AB and SaG. Therefore, the energies of MaH and BaN, which were not synchronized, burst into the universe.

Daat as Stabilizer and Balance

The original container of the universe could not handle this clash, leading to the emergence of Daat, which acts as an energy stabilizer between low- and high-density vibrations. Daat reveals the complicated nature of these systems of divine energy.

Daat is a unique system that balances both limiting and expansive energies. Its origin is found in Ein Sof, a realm of infinite possibilities where, in some way, there is balance between the Infinite Light, Ohr Ein Sof, and Butzina deKardinuta.

To understand the complex role of Daat, one must see how it acts in Ein Sof. Here, Daat maintains a delicate balance between Butzina deKardinuta (represented by Gevurah) and Ohr Ein Sof (represented by Chesed). This function is vital for existence, acting as a kind of safety valve to ensure that one energy system does not overwhelm the other.

In this way, Daat facilitates the formation of the finite within Ein Sof. However, the creation of the finite requires the intervention of energies already existing in Ein Sof, highlighting the fundamental interaction of these vibrational energies. We, limited by space and time, cannot perceive the true nature of Ein Sof unless it decides to manifest in our finite universe.

Daat serves as a balancer among different energies, the Orot and their containers, the Kelim, especially in more basic worlds where there is more contrast. At higher levels, where there is not as much contrast, the importance of Daat diminishes. Daat steps aside to allow the creation of something finite in our universe limited by time and space, thanks to its role in maintaining a balance among infinite energies, or Orot. This balance is broken and restored during key events such as Tzimtzum and TIkkun, showing how Daat, or Ruaj HaKodesh, is crucial for maintaining the order of the universe.

During the Tzimtzum, the lack of balance between MaH and BaN demonstrates the need for an energy adjustment, something that Atzilut does well. This leads to a universe in which the finite and the infinite can coexist peacefully, both originating in Ein Sof. Nature may seem unbalanced, but those imbalances are part of a larger balance that can only be understood through deep analysis.

When the light of the first Tzimtzum, Ohr Hozer, returns, Daat becomes active again, especially when Butzina deKardinuta interacts with opposing forces. This leads to a collision of energies that creates something finite in the Olam haBeriá. The function of Daat becomes even more evident when examining the interactions among different energies. The imbalances we see are really part of a larger and hidden balance.

Vibrational Interactions: AB, SaG, MaH, BaN; Butzina deKardinuta

The tension between opposing energies continues to descend, becoming more powerful in the process. The higher Partzufim require more restrictive energies to balance the expansive energies. When we observe lower Partzufim, we see how these opposing energies begin to intertwine, which leads to a system in which the Kelim have to be almost as powerful as the Orot. Over time, as the expansive energy in the Orot diminishes, the need for powerful Kelim also diminishes.

In the system, the balance is delicate. The containers of more powerful energy, or Kelim, need to be denser to function well. Butzina deKardinuta, which arises in the Chokmah of Chokmah of MaH, illuminates the existence of the limited within an endless universe. This is a critical moment, where the vibrations shift to being either expansive or restrictive.

Specifically, in Malkuth of SaG, the vibrations of Ein Sof are transformed into energies. These energies are shown in the sphere of the wisdom of MaH, adding more complexity to the developing universe. Adam Kadmon shows a universe full of vibrational states, ranging from Gulgolet to the Chokmah of Chokmah of MaH. Here there is likely to be a major clash of energies in Kether of Kether of MaH.

In this expansive universe, the low vibrations of SaG change to become the restrictive energies that form BaN. The high vibrations of AB become the expansive energies that characterize MaH. This clash of high and low vibrations creates a crucial point, the hole of Malkuth of SaG. This becomes the dimension of Kether of MaH, adding another layer of complexity.

Within Ein Sof, the high and low frequencies intertwine in a kind of dance. At a given moment, they collide and form a point where the finite world begins. This point is the Kether of Chokmah of MaH. The energy of SaG creates the conditions for Butzina deKardinuta to exist in Chokmah of Chokmah of MaH. This clash between SaG and AB gives rise to the first breaking point in Ein Sof.

In this confrontation of energies, the emergence of the point of the Lamp of Darkness could be the result of the clash of AB and SaG. This point of conflict is in Malkuth of SaG. During this clash the event of Tzimtzum occurs. From here, a combined energy of AB and SaG comes out and is directed toward Kether of MaH. In the infinity of Ein Sof, SaG takes on a feminine character due to its lower frequency.

In Adam Kadmon, the idea of the feminine is not fixed, but changes. At first, SaG is seen as feminine due to its lower vibrational frequency compared to the masculine AB. But after the Tzimtzum event, the confrontation between AB and SaG leads to the formation of Kether of MaH.

The Kelim, or containers, show how the masculine and feminine energies now play roles of giving and receiving energy. The vibrations of AB and SaG change to expansive energies in MaH and limiting energies in BaN. Interestingly, these energies continue to exist within Ein Sof and only show themselves when they change into MaH and BaN.

So you can think of Adam Kadmon as two parts: one hidden in the infinity of Ein Sof and the other revealed through the first clash of energies, known as Tzimtzum. To understand all this complexity, one must focus on MaH. First, in Kether of MaH, a void is formed by the encounter of the energies SaG and AB. But this void is not inactive. In the next phase, in Kether of Chokmah of MaH, it begins to fill with vibrations from both SaG and AB.

This absorption of energy sets the stage for what happens in Chokmah of Chokmah of MaH, where the phenomenon of Butzina deKardinuta appears, full of a kind of dark light that expands the previous void. This expansion is limited when it reaches Binah of Chokmah of MaH, where the expansive light is limited in relation to Ein Sof.

This current of energies that expand and limit continues in a balanced dance. In Chesed of MaH, the energy expands again, and then, in Gevurah of MaH, it encounters limitations. This play of opposites finds a kind of balance in Tiferet of MaH. But this balance is only temporary, since energy expands again in Netzach of MaH, is limited in Hod of MaH, finds another point of balance in Yesod of MaH, and finally creates a new void in Kether of BaN.

Then, the cycle begins again, showing a constant play of energies. This eternal cycle shows how complicated the play of energies is and how the different parts and phases are in a constant flow, forming the structure of the spiritual universe.

From Adam Kadmon to Beriá: Sefirot and Etz Jaim

From the beginning with Adam Kadmon to the formation of the physical world called Beriá, the divine forces go through a series of changes and adjustments. In Beriá, these forces take the form of a Keli, or vessel. Upon arriving at Beriá from Atzilut, the ten distinct spiritual energies combine within the Keli, creating what we know as the Sefirot. These Sefirot are the mixture of Ohr (light) and Keli (vessel), and represent a fundamental balance in the universe.

All this happens under the supervision of Daat, which works through twenty-two different types of energy. These energies are related to the twenty-two Hebrew consonant letters, which connect the ten Sefirot and bring harmony among them. This harmony results in the creation of Etz Jaim, the Tree of Life.

Understanding the Tree of Life in depth is key to grasping the complexities of reality and moving toward higher spiritual levels. The Tree of Life acts as a map of the soul and, due to its repetitive design, as a representation of the universe and all reality.

Each Sefirah, which is an individual version of the Sefirot, has two key parts: Ohr and Keli. Ohr is the light, commonly linked to the masculine, while Keli, generally associated with the feminine, represents the capacity to receive. These energies interact to maintain a delicate balance in the universe.

But this balance is not always steady. Imbalances can arise, either from excess or deficiency. For example, if the Keli receives more light than it can handle, or does not obtain enough light, imbalances occur. In human terms, the first resembles overeating, which leads to health problems such as obesity, and the second is like not eating enough, which leads to weakness and illness.

Structure of the Tree of Life

Now, let us detail the structure of the Tree of Life. It consists of ten dimensions that reflect the ten energies in Ein Sof, and it shows the repetitive design of reality.

They are often classified in two ways. One way separates them into three columns: the left column that contains three Sefirot of rigor, the right column with three Sefirot of mercy, and the central column that has four Sefirot of balance.

Another approach groups them into triads: the upper triad, the middle triad, and the lower triad, with one Sefirah that stands alone. Each triad relates to a distinct part of the human body, and the Sefirot within each triad are associated with specific attributes. For example, the upper triad is aligned with the brain and includes the Sefirot Kether (will), Chokmah (wisdom), and Binah (understanding).

But there is a key component that we must not forget: Daat. Appearing during TIkkun, Daat serves as the main vein of the Tree of Life, uniting all the Sefirot. Some writings of Qabalah speak of Daat as a hidden Sefirah, but it is more accurate to consider it as an energy that links everything through twenty-two paths, facilitating interaction and understanding among the Sefirot.

Within Daat there is another tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. This tree, together with the Tree of Life, is mentioned in Bereshit in the Torah. Adam and Eve ate its fruit, which led to their fall. This tree symbolizes duality: the distinction between good and evil, light and darkness, masculine and feminine. In contrast, the Tree of Life represents unity, everything as a single interconnected being.

Qabalists seek to join these two trees, with the goal of reaching a state where duality becomes unity. This is the ultimate goal of Qabalah: to unite everything under a single divine idea. By achieving it, you become one with the universe and attain complete enlightenment.

The Ten Dimensions (Sefirot)

Kether (Crown)
Chokmah (Wisdom)
Binah (Understanding)
Chesed (Mercy)
Gevurah (Severity)
Tiferet (Beauty)
Netzach (Eternity)
Hod (Glory)
Yesod (Foundation)
Malkuth (Kingdom)

Kether, the first dimension, and Malkuth, the tenth, show the entire range of the Tree of Life in the mystical tradition of Qabalah. Kether, closer to the incomprehensible Ein Sof, is the highest point of divine consciousness. Malkuth, the farthest from Ein Sof, is the final materialization of divine energy in the physical world. This contrast is crucial to understanding how the energies flow through the Tree of Life.

Each of the Sefirot has its own vessel, or Keli, that receives the divine energy. The higher dimensions, being closer to Ein Sof, have a stronger Keli that can handle more divine energy. The lower dimensions, being farther from Ein Sof, have a weaker Keli and receive less energy in comparison.

The divine energy begins its journey in Kether at the top, passes through Chokmah, moves to the right, shifts to the left, continues through the center and then begins again. This constant flow represents the concept of Tzimtzum in Qabalah: the idea of divine self-limitation and expansion. This movement of energy between states of contraction and expansion helps maintain balance throughout the universe.

Olamot and the Tree

Within the vision of the universe according to Qabalah, the four worlds known as Olamot are linked with specific dimensions in the Tree of Life. Adam Kadmon, the highest world, is associated with Kether and represents pure divine energy. Then comes Atzilut, the world of archetypes, linked to Chokmah. It is followed by Beriá, the world of creation, associated with Binah. Yetzirá is related to six Sefirot, from Chesed to Yesod, and deals with emotions and formation. Finally, Asiyá, linked to Malkuth, is our material universe.

Souls also pass through these worlds. From Adam Kadmon they descend to Atzilut, where the essence of the soul is formed. Then, they travel to Beriá to take a more concrete form. After that, they pass to Yetzirá, the emotional world, before entering Asiyá, where they become living beings. Qabalah divides the soul into five levels: Yehida, Jayá, Neshamá, Ruaj and Nefesh, each associated with a world and with unique characteristics.

Each stage of life grants us different levels of the soul. At birth, we receive Nefesh, focused on basic needs. Over time, Ruaj arrives and then Neshamá. The higher levels, Jayá and Yehida, are more difficult to reach.

The Tree of Life is a structure of ten dimensions or energies, present in all worlds. Each Sefirah has a unique energy, and knowing this can help us live in a balanced way. The Sefirot are united by 22 channels that carry Daat, which allows the flow of knowledge. Balance is lost if we approach the Tree of Life with a dualistic mindset of good and evil, since in Qabalah, even evil is part of divine creation.