HaBeriah | הבריאה
In the immeasurable vastness that precedes the primordial moment of creation, three emanations of resplendent infinite luminosity unfold with majesty:
- Yajid, the Unifying Core.
- Ejad, the Absolute Singularity.
- Kadmon, the Initial Primordiality.
These words, are the vehicles through which our limited understanding attempts to approach what is beyond all classification and designation: the sublime realm of Ein Sof and Atzmut, the Infinity and Supreme Divine Essence.
Yajid represents the innermost essence of infinite brilliance, a luminous darkness where even divine omnipotence becomes an enigma, an unfathomable mystery even to the Supreme Divine Mind. In this sacred domain of Atzmut, the energies of Chesed and Gevurah—the powers of divine mercy and judgment—coexist in a state of potentiality, like seeds in the soil of the Absolute Being. In this abode, omnipotence is not only a power of action but also a transcendental freedom for abstention, a state of simultaneous existence and non-existence, of being and non-being, in a single eternal moment.
This realm that precedes the manifestation of the cosmos originates in the divine act of Tzimtzum, the celestial contraction that allows for the emanation of all creation. This divine emptying aligns with Atik Yomin, the innermost core of Keter, the Divine Crown.
Thus, everything our limited cognition can come to know, express, or conceptualize about Divinity is but a shadow, an echo of these states that precede the act of Tzimtzum. In this uncharted realm, Ein Sof and Atzmut merge in a metaphysical dance, in an eternal play of cosmic mirrors, where each reflection simultaneously serves as a veil that conceals and a revelation that unveils, remaining eternally beyond human understanding and cognition.
In the endless ocean of Ein Sof, the Divine Will, known as Ratzon, wove the tapestry of limitation, a paradoxical act that transcends human understanding. The infinite force of Ein Sof, in its unfathomable wisdom, carried out an act of Tzimtzum, a self-contraction that served as the first exile of its infinite essence. This heroic and mysterious act created a conceptually empty space, a Halal, within its own infinitude.
Tzimtzum, this first restraint, is the epitome of the cosmic self-exile of Ein Sof, an act of distancing from its own infinitude to make way for the finite. At the heart of Ein Sof resides the divine potential to self-limit, a necessary power to give birth to the entirety of the cosmos. This mysterious capacity suggests an even deeper truth: that from the boundless, the absolutely distinct, the finite, can emerge, as if by a miracle.
In the grand scheme of existence, everything we can conceive—our mortal bodies, fleeting ideas, and even our ephemeral consciousness—are glimpses that emerge from this infinite source. When we conceive of something, that idea is but a drop in the vast 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, in contrast, remains eternally veiled due to the limitless nature of Ein Sof. However, the indivisible essence of Ein Sof, Atzmut, infiltrates every nook and cranny of its being, acting as a fractal pattern that replicates ad infinitum.
For Ein Sof to manifest itself in its full splendor, a second act of Tzimtzum is necessary. It must create a space within itself, a withdrawal from its own essence, to allow other beings and realities to flourish. Otherwise, its infinite radiance would engulf any possibility of existence distinct from itself.
This space, this Halal, is not entirely empty. Within it reside flashes of Ein Sof's energy, known as Reshimu. These divine sparks kindle in souls an intrinsic need to receive, just as they ignite in Ein Sof an unchanging desire to bestow. Now, the act of giving from the Infinite is of such magnitude that, if allowed to flow freely, it would engulf the finitude of the void, nullifying its purpose and returning it to the bosom of Ein Sof. To prevent this annihilation, the Infinite Light is directed and moderated through a narrow and precise conduct: the Qav, the line that balances the act of giving and receiving.
This act of giving and receiving is not a mere transaction; it is a cosmic dance, an interplay of energies manifesting in masculine and feminine attributes. The act of expansion, of making space to receive more light, is associated with femininity, while the action of moderating the light given, of limiting to avoid overwhelming, is seen as a masculine quality. These terms are not confined solely to gender roles but represent eternal dynamics of adjustment and balance, of giving and receiving, in the grand theater of being. At every moment, according to the needs of the Whole, these energies may manifest one or both of these attributes, in a perpetual dance that reflects the unfathomable will of Ein Sof.
In the cosmic dawn of creation, when the boundaries between the finite and the infinite had not yet been delineated, the concept of Ohr, or in its plurality, Orot, emerges. This primordial energy represents the inexhaustible disposition to give and is the force seeking 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 ontological space destined to become our universe, a void imbued with potentialities.
Keli, in its essence, is of a dense and material nature, a barren land prepared to receive abundance. On the other hand, Ohr is of a more subtle substance, a light that seeks to illuminate the darkness. However, both energies are divergent manifestations of a single essence, different aspects of the same primordial reality. The very fabric of our existence is, therefore, a continuous exchange between these two polarities, Ohr and Keli, in an everlasting cycle of giving and receiving.
Within the vast sea of Ein Sof, even when everything is flooded by Ohr, by the immensity of the giving light, there exists the potential for the formation of a Keli. In that infinite realm, where there are no barriers or structures, where everything is a continuous flow of benevolence, lies the possibility to impose limits, to create an autonomous space for reception.
To more deeply understand this cosmic dialectic, it is helpful to meditate on the emanations of Ohr Ein Sof, known as the '10 illuminations' or Orot (which later become Sefirot, when joined with their respective Kelim). These are not arbitrary variations but different frequencies or vibrations of the same primordial energy.
Like a prism separating a beam of light into its spectral components, these Orot are decompositions of the flow of infinite light. However, it is crucial to understand that these 'colors' have no independent existence; they are manifestations that depend entirely on the luminous source that originates them, just as the different frequencies of Ohr Ein Sof are projections of that endless light residing at the core of the Infinite.
In the infinite matrix of Ein Sof, the Orot are uniform, a singularity of unfathomable light. However, upon crossing the threshold into finitude through the transcendental act of Tzimtzum, this uniformity dissipates. This act of self-limitation, known as Adam Kadmon, is the first veil that the Orot must pass through on their journey into finite existence.
When the longing to receive is activated in the empty space, an ontological void is created to accommodate Ohr Ein Sof. But this act is not without consequences; the potency of this energy transfer is such that it initiates an expansion of finite space, culminating in a cataclysmic event: the Shevirat haKelim, or the shattering of the vessels.
Simultaneously, in this mysterious interstice between the finite and the infinite, emerges previously veiled information known as Adam Kadmon. This is not a human being in the literal sense but rather a transitional phase, a state where energy seeks to manifest in finitude. In its descent, these energies pass through five stages, each of them a portal to the realm of the void.
Of these ten Orot, three reside in spheres 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. As they burst into the finite universe, these energies collide and clash, a phenomenon nonexistent in their primordial state in Ein Sof, where boundaries are an abstraction.
Descending from their origin in Ohr Ein Sof, these energies are known as Orot, but their identity transforms further when incarnated in a Keli, where they are named Sefirot. The Infinite Light, or Ohr Ein Sof, is the pure and immutable essence of the Divine. Before the cosmos was, this Light passed through 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.
These ten stages, in their multiplicity and unity, are an enigma that escapes human comprehension. They exist as separate yet interconnected entities, residing beyond the coordinates of time and space, in the vast depths of the divine. Each stage is a singular aspect of the Infinite Light of the Eternal and has a unique mission in the foundation and sustenance of the cosmos.
- In the first stage, the Infinite Light is in a state of absolute simplicity, an undifferentiated unity radiating spiritual plenitude and divine serenity. Here, the whole is one, and one is all.
- In the second stage, the Eternal begins to contemplate diversity within the Infinite Light, formulating archetypes and fundamental principles that will serve as the foundations for the universe yet to be born.
- The third stage is the concretization of these ethereal ideas; this is where the Eternal begins the design of the cosmos, inscribing the primordial laws that will govern existence.
- In the fourth stage, these designs take shape in the 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 the Infinite Light. Contradictions that defy logic, such as good and evil, light and darkness, manifest.
- The sixth stage is the turning point toward autonomous existence, where entities emerge that, though inseparable from the Eternal, seem to have independent existence.
- In the seventh stage, the Infinite Light acquires the property of change and transformation, and concepts like time and motion are introduced into the fabric of being.
- The eighth stage is the act of contraction of the Infinite Light by the Eternal, an ontological space created to allow the emergence of the universe.
- The ninth stage is the act of creation itself, the moment when the Eternal emits its Infinite Light to animate the cosmos.
- And finally, in the tenth stage, the Eternal chooses to dwell within its own creation, thus establishing an eternal and unbreakable connection with all that has been created.
These stages are like the ten sefirot of the Qabalistic Tree of Life, each a link in the chain of divine creation. Within this framework, special attention will be given to the crucial moment known as Tzimtzum. In this phase, the Infinite Light undergoes an act of divine self-limitation, a restraint that allows the emergence of an empty space, a sphere of potentialities and possibilities where autonomous existence can manifest.
This Tzimtzum is the foundation upon which the entire edifice of reality is built, the starting point for the eternal dance of giving and receiving that shapes 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.
In a second moment, the act of divine self-restraint imparts a new dynamic to the fabric of existence. While the omnipresence of the Eternal remains a constant, this contraction of the Light creates the illusion of divine withdrawal. This apparent distancing opens the possibility for a world where creatures can exercise their free will, where they can yearn for and seek the divine in an environment that seems to conceal it. This echo, this residual impression of the divine act, is what mystics call Reshimu. It is the fragrance that lingers in the air long after the rose has gone; a subtle yet undeniable trace that acts as a spark of consciousness, constantly reminding us of our eternal connection to the divine.
In a third stage, despite the restraint, a thread of divine light pierces the primordial darkness, illuminating creation from within. This ray of light is not a mere vestige; it is a vital current that infuses life and sanctity into the cosmos. It is the medium through which the Eternal continues to exert its influence on reality, and the beacon that guides creatures in their quest 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 grand narrative of existence, and together, they are the epic of our eternal relationship with the Divine.
The ultimate purpose of creation, then, is a call to spiritual epiphany: that every creature discovers this thread of divine light in the texture of existence and, in doing so, recognizes the omnipresence of the divine even in a world that seems to conceal it. This is the highest spiritual pilgrimage, an unceasing 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 soul's odyssey seeking to return to its divine origin, thus fulfilling the deepest desire of the Eternal: that His creation comes to know Him as He knows Himself.
Tzimtzum, in its enigmatic depth, serves as the foundation that allows for the existence of autonomous realities within the infinity of the Eternal. Throughout time, two distinct interpretations of this concept have been transmitted. One, more literal, suggests that the Divine Light completely withdraws from the created universe. The other, rooted in the teachings of the Baal Shem Tov and his disciples, considers Tzimtzum as a metaphor illustrating how the Divine manifests in the finite.
From the perspective of Divinity, the omnipresence of the Infinite Light is an immutable constant, without alteration before or after the act of Creation. However, from our limited perspective as created beings, we are presented with the illusion of a disappearance of this Light. This apparent withdrawal is essential for the actualization of the cosmos, to grant human beings the gift of free will, and ultimately, to fulfill the design of the Eternal to manifest 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 Geburah, which is severity within Ein Sof. It is the infinite capacity to engender the finite, to limit the limitless. This concealment of the divine presence ultimately aims for 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 the Infinite Light gives way to existence. This process is a metaphysical journey that unfolds from the loftiest heights of divinity to the tangible corporeality of our world. It is a descent that, paradoxically, allows for the elevation of the self through the recognition and pursuit of 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 inviting human beings to participate in the grand drama of existence.
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," symbolizing creation, and "Kadmon," representing the divine essence, merge. This magnificent being radiates pure and uncontainable light, which, though not confined to a particular vessel, maintains an intrinsic connection with its infinite potential to manifest in future vessels.
This archetype is often situated as the first world in the series of the major Olamot (Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Assiah) in Qabalistic cosmology. However, its supremacy transcends even the manifestation of the Sefirot and the cosmic event known as 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.
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 represent the development and maturation of the Divine Attributes in the fabric of reality.
- Olam HaAkudim is the primordial state where the ten sefirotic lights coexist 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 chaos, a mirror of the internal dissonance of the soul.
- Olam HaBerudim is the redemptive act, where a new divine light seeks to restore the broken balance. It leads to the world of Tikkun, where creation is recomposed, illuminated by divine souls in service, preparing for a new symbiosis with divinity.
In this spiritual hierarchy, Adam Kadmon stands as a beacon of Divine Will, as the source from which all creation emanates and toward which all 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.
At the highest and most inaccessible peak of Keter in Atzilut, above all its other manifestations, resides Atika Kadisha, the Ancient Holiness. This realm is the ultimate sanctuary of the Divine Will, an abyss of yet-unmanifested potentialities, where Divinity resides in a state of perfect and eternal rest. Here, everything is pure potential; there is not yet manifestation, but the promise of all that could be pulses in sublime silence. Atika Kadisha is beyond comprehension, beyond reach, but always present as the eternal and primordial source of all existence.
Descending, we encounter eight stages of rectification in the domain of Keter in Atzilut:
- Atik Yomin, the Ancient of Days, presents to us 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 of creation.
- Arik Anpin, the Long Face, reveals Divinity with endless patience and unwavering constancy, perpetually seeking the well-being of creation even when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
- Resha DeLo Ityada, the Unknowable Head, is the frontier of divine mystery, a humble reminder that certain aspects of Divinity will always elude 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 DeArik, the Head of the Infinite, shows us a Divinity that expands into an infinite kaleidoscope of manifestations, each a reflection of the infinity of the Eternal.
- Gulgalta, which means Skull, we find the summit of spiritual realization, a pinnacle of fullness where the Divine Will reaches its highest manifestation.
- Moja Stimaah, the Hidden Brain, is an endless wellspring of divine wisdom within the heart of Arik Anpin, housing truths and revelations capable of transforming all of reality.
- Dikna, or Beard, serves as a divine sieve that filters the divine light through the attributes of mercy. Here, Divinity displays its infinite love and compassion toward creation in a delicate balance between justice and grace.
Each of these stages reflects 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 interconnectedness and harmony. In this journey, we learn to perceive the divine presence in everything and understand that creation is a constant process of emanation, formation, and rectification.
Let us delve into the world of Atzilut, the World of Emanation, which is the first of the Four Worlds—Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, and Assiah—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 sefirotic system, organizing it into a structure resembling the human visage.
The task of rectification in Atzilut begins with Keter of Atzilut, which represents the Divine Will. In this first world, the Partzufim in Keter of Atzilut diversify into six primary and twelve secondary Partzufim, which interact continuously and fluidly in Atzilut, thus perpetuating the process of rectification. Additionally, human beings play a transcendental role in the rectification of the three lower worlds, which are bound by time, through the redemption of fallen sparks.
Atzilut distinguishes itself from the lower worlds by its unique awareness of Divine Unity, a state of being unclouded by self-awareness. Here, the vision of Wisdom transcends even intellectual comprehension. From this plane of existence, Creation is experienced as an emanation from Nothingness, becoming aware of its own nonexistence through self-annulment of Essence.
In Atzilut, the Partzufim continue as follows:
- Aba (Father): It is the realm of Divine Wisdom in its purest and highest form.
- Aba Ilaah (Supernal Father): Represents Wisdom that is even higher and less accessible.
- Israel Saba (Elder Israel): Is the Wisdom that can be accessed and understood.
- Ima (Mother): Represents Understanding and the conceptualization of applicable ideas.
- Ima Ilaah (Supernal Mother): Understands beyond the limits of human intellect.
- Tevunah (Understanding): Applies wisdom in everyday life, translating knowledge into action.
- Zeir Anpin (Short Face or Son): Embodies divine emotions in creation.
- Nukva (Bride): Serves as the final manifestation in physical reality.
Each Partzuf is like a jewel in the diadem of Divinity, each reflecting a unique facet of the infinite. Together, they form a celestial symphony that helps us understand how the Divine manifests and acts in the world, offering pathways for human beings to participate in the sacred process of rectification.
Beyond the Partzuf of Nukva, we reach a significant change. At this stage, the spiritual worlds begin to perceive themselves as independent realms created by the Eternal, rather than being an extension of the Eternal Himself. While this may appear as an illusion, it is a reality in which the lower worlds can only achieve a level of self-annulment, not the profound self-annulment of essence that characterizes the higher world of Atzilut.
This shift 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 accompanying angelic hosts. In Theosophical Qabalah, it is argued that deep study of divine emanations grants a higher understanding than the visionary experiences of the prophets, as it provides cognitive insight into the higher levels of Divinity.
Beriah is crucial in Qabalah, as it represents the very root of Creation in the Divine Mind. The Sefirah of Binah, Divine Understanding, plays a prominent role here, allowing the human intellect to comprehend 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 superior position.
Moving on to Yetzirah, we enter the realm of archetypal Creation, where Zeir Anpin, representing Divine Emotions, is central. Here reside 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 Assiah, the last of the Four Worlds. Here, a more specific and differentiated Creation unfolds. In Assiah, Malkhut, the Kingdom, takes control. Although it is a world of spiritual Action, it also has physical aspects, demonstrating its connection to our physical Universe. This duality represents the complexity of this realm and includes the last two Sefirot of Assiah Spiritual, Yesod and Malkhut.
The pattern of the ten Sefirot repeats in all the worlds as a fractal, where the last Sefirah of one world becomes the first of the next. This shows how the worlds are interconnected and are one. In this context, the Malkhut of Atzilut, which is like the discourse of the Eternal, plays a fundamental role. It is the source of Prophecy, giving prophets their vision and understanding, and it is also the primary source of independent Creation, driving the existence of the universe as we know it.