Shem HaMephorash | שם המפורש
The primordial state is completely inconceivable to us, and for lack of a better name, it is called the Infinite. It is the domain of the Deity, the source from which everything emerges. No quality known to us can be attributed to the Infinite; that is why we sometimes refer to it as Ain, Nothing, because there is nothing with which it can be compared.
However, it is not a negative void, like something empty, lifeless, implying some kind of lack. On the contrary, it is a state of superlative fullness, where every quality is possessed to a greater degree. For this reason, it is called Ein Sof, Without End, indicating not only that it is the maximum of everything but also that it is always beyond, in an infinitely superior state of total absence of limits.
Precisely, this state of superabundance, completely full and utterly impossible to contain within any limit, implies an emanation from itself to give, to communicate its fullness, and that is what constitutes the Infinite Light, the Ein Sof Ohr.
This is the manifesting, creative agent, the ultimate substance and root of everything, the essential irradiation of the Absolute. The complete emanation of this Light, an indistinguishable state from the Infinite itself, also called Divine Will, gives rise to the first Sefirah, Kether, the Crown of Manifestation, which is like an unfolding seed. Its first development constitutes the Sefirot of the Tree of Life. Everything that exists, from the Kether of Olam Atzilut to the simplest form of being, are the diverse forms of receiving and manifesting this Light, whose first unfoldment is precisely that: a phase of giving, in consonance with the essence of the Light itself, and a phase of receiving, also a necessary configuration of the Light since there cannot be giving without receiving and vice versa.
One should not have too physical an image of the Light as purely mechanical energy. The Light is certainly Energy, but it is an Energy that is also Unconditioned Life, Pure Consciousness, Active Intelligence, Universal Love, Absolute Power, Pure Joy of Being, Self-affirmation, Radiant Splendor, Generative Potency...
Qabalah is connection (reception), personal connection with that Infinite Light, the Light of the Creator, which is always giving, pervading, and filling to overflowing each element and being in Creation, although in our current state of consciousness, it remains hidden.
Therefore, it is the vessel, our state of consciousness and spiritual realization, that must be prepared and transformed if possible, since the phase of the Light that is received depends on the capacity or possibility of the vessel itself. The Light (the timeless plane of Essence) is always there, ready to manifest whenever required appropriately.
The main instrument of connection with the Light is the Name of G'd itself, the Name of four letters, Yod Kei Vav Kei (הוי"ה), but now on we will refer to this name as HaVaYaH, both subject (the manifested source) and object, the formula of creation.
In general, the Names of G'd are the soul of Qabalah, in contrast to all metaphysical speculation about Sefirot, Olamot, etc., which would constitute the body. It should be noted that the soul is the life of the body. And the soul of the soul is the Divine Light in its internal dynamic. It is a design of the Supreme Wisdom that this Light is contained, concentrated, and manifested in the Names of G'd, which constitute for us one of the main instruments of connection and channeling of the Infinite Light. However, depending on the different influences (Sefirot) exerted by G'd, He decided to assign different Names for this purpose.
And G'd decreed and established that when His Name is pronounced by creatures, an illumination and influence occur on them, as it says in Exodus 20:21: "In every place where I cause My name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you."
Qabalah establishes that according to the Name that is pronounced and used for G'd, the corresponding emanation and influence will originate. This means that the type of influence in each case will be specifically related to the Name that G'd, Blessed be He, designated by virtue of the mysteries of that influence.
When any particular influence is transmitted, it necessarily leads to the implied result, and these effects extend from the beginning to the end in the sequence of Creation, that is, the Sefirot and the Olamot.
However, this whole process is within certain limits and specific conditions determined for the influence of the Name to take place. Among the influences that G'd decreed to occur through the use of the various Names, He determined that they would give the power to suspend the natural laws to those who use them. These people will be able to relate to spiritual entities and acquire knowledge and information higher than that of a normal human being, as well as other ramifications that arise from this root. This constitutes divine inspiration (Ruach HaKodesh) and prophecy.
He also decreed that the transmission of influence would be through the means we mentioned, that is, the Names related to G'd and their respective influences. All this happens when they are meditated upon, pronounced, or combined with other words, always within the required conditions.
Regarding Abraham, it is written (Genesis 12:8): "He built an altar there to the LORD and called upon the Name of the LORD." In Hebrew: Vayikra BeShem HaVaYaH; which literally means: calling in the name of HaVaYaH. The usual interpretation is that Abraham prayed or even publicly proclaimed the Name of the LORD. However, some Qabalists have taken the phrase to mean that he invoked the Name of G'd as a means of connecting directly with Him.
Moses' revelation in the burning bush has to do with the Names of G'd: Eheieh Asher Eheieh (אהיה אשר אהיה), HaVaYaH (הוי"ה), in the order in which they appear in the corresponding biblical text. Regarding the text, we read that G'd says (Exodus 3:15): "This is My name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations."
And here we see that this Name is the essence of the entire Torah: if we take its first two letters, Yod Kei (י`ה), which, as we will see, represent the hidden and absolutely transcendent part of the Name, and whose numerical value is 15, and we add them to Shemi (My Name), which is 350, we get a total of 365. And if we consider the remaining two letters, Vav Kei (וה), the immanent and manifested part, with a value of 11, and we add them to Zichri (My Remembrance), which is 237, we get a total of 248.
Thus, we have the 613 commandments of the Torah (248 affirmatives and 365 negatives), which according to the Zohar constitute the body of the Torah. The narratives, says the Zohar, are the garments worn on the body. But the soul of the Torah is the Divine Light itself. As it appears in Genesis, "And G'd saw the Light," vayirah Elohim et haor, וירא אלהים את האור. Et HaOr, the Light, adds up to 613. G'd saw the Light in its substance, in its fullness; that is why it is preceded by the particle Et, Aleph Tav, את, the first and last letters, which mystically represent totality. The 613 commandments are thus the connection to the Light.
Of course, the spirit of the Torah is G'd Himself, who, when He pronounces His Name, is the Light. As it is written, "And G'd said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light." Iehi Or, יהי אור, Let there be light, has the value of 232, and this is the value of the Name when we unfold it in its four expansions corresponding to the four Olamot.
Atzilut: יוד הי ויו הי equals 72.
Beriá: יוד הי ואו הי equals 63.
Yetzirá: יוד הא ואו הא equals 45.
Asiyá: יוד הה ווו הה equals 52.
Giving a total of 232, יהי אור, Let there be light.
Thus, it is said that the entire Torah is nothing more than a commentary on the divine Name, instead of the stories it represents, and as you will see in the section about the Names in Atzilut, all other Names depend on this one.
All of this is not as arbitrary as it may seem at first glance. If the basic hypothesis is that the universe is the unfolding of the Divine Thought, all created things proceed from the words in which this Thought is poured, the very language of G'd, expressed in the Torah.
Now, this Thought is at the same time the formulation of G'd's self-knowledge, for there is nothing apart from Him to which His thought can be applied. That is why we say that creation consists of G'd enunciating His own Name. And, in turn, the enunciation of this Name of G'd by creation (the conscious recognition of the own essence of creation by creation itself) constitutes the act of unity on the path of return.
In Creation, everything is accomplished according to the pattern of the inner essence (Ohr, Light) and the external form (Keli, Vessel). It is the same duality that, in other contexts, exists between the unmanifested and the manifested, nothingness and being, unconsciousness and consciousness, soul and body, etc.
The Shem HaMephorash, in its highest aspect, is the vessel of Ein Sof. Ein Sof is the soul, and the Shem HaMephorash (הוי"ה) is the body for its manifestation. This is the principle verified in the entire Creation: the vessel is now the Light, the essence, the soul, the emanator, etc., of the next level.
הוי"ה, the Name of G'd, His Will/Vessel, the Idea of Himself, the fruit of His self-knowledge, the expression of His Love (desire to give), is now Ein Sof itself in manifestation, the soul of Him, His essence, His Light.
From a grammatical point of view, the Name HaVaYaH has a general connotation of Being.
In Hebrew, the verb "to be" is "Lihiot," להיות, whose root is "Haya," היה.
The word for the verb in the third person in the past is "Haya," היה, retaining the root. In the future, it would be "Yiye," יהיה, "will be."
In the present form, it happens that Hebrew does not use declination for the verb "to be" since it corresponds to the name of G'd, but the third person of the present would be "Hove," הוה, "is."
The Name synthesizes the three concepts of being in the past, present, and future but in the active sense (Will of Being/Being). G'd is the Absolute Being: Hayá, Hové Yiyé, He who was, is, and will be, היה הוה יהי, the Eternal, as He establishes the existential dimension of being.
The above expression, by the way, adds up to 72, a number that represents the extension of the Divine in its most exalted essence, breaking down the name step by step:
י 10
י`ה 15
י`ה`ו 21
הוי"ה 26
Giving a total of 72.
In the Partzufim or Faces of G'd, developed in the Zohar and brought to their fullest expression in the Qabalah of Isaac Luria, the first emanation, the Will, is called Adam Kadmon, the Primordial Man.
Adam Kadmon is the vessel with respect to Ein Sof, but it is the soul with respect to the Manifestation. It is synonymous with the Divine Light. It is represented by an unvocalized Shem HaMephorash since there is no way to know how the Divine Thought extends through it.
It is worth noting that from the point of view of Adam Kadmon, every Manifestation is something subjective. This is another property of the duality Light/Vessel. From the point of view of the vessel, it is real, objective, being the subjective essence. But from the point of view of the essence, the reality of the vessel is something relative because it is subjective, an internal process, which, without a partial withdrawal of the Light (the true reality), could not take place.
All levels of being, all Olamot, all beings that have been, are, and will be, have their ultimate root in the Infinite Light emanated in Adam Kadmon, the Will that made them be.
Adam Kadmon, or Kether, directed towards manifestation, is called Atik Yomin, the Ancient of Days, and is represented as a great Head or Face, whose Light extends.
Called respectively: Light of the Skull, Light of the Eyes, Light of the Ears, Light of the Nose, and Light of the Mouth.
The Light of the Skull is an extension of the uppermost point of the letter Yod (י), the first letter of the Shem HaMephorash. It is the ultimate connection to the Infinite, the point of non-being amidst being, the unity, simplicity, dimensionless dimension. Seen from the manifestation, it is the point where all lines extending to infinity converge.
Seen from the infinite itself, it surrounds everywhere the metaphorical sphere of emptiness produced by the original contraction (and hence symbolically represented by the circumference of the skull). It corresponds to the Yehida of Adam Kadmon.
It is personified in Arik Anpin, or the Great Face.
The Light of the Eyes is an extension of the Yod of the Shem HaMephorash. It corresponds to the Chaya of Adam Kadmon and is personified in Abba, the Father. Represented by the extension of the name with the value 72: יוד הי ויו הי. It is the source of the Olam Atzilut. Through vision, continuous, direct, synthetic, simultaneous, global, suprarational consciousness is represented, in contrast to the ordered, sequential, linear consciousness of thought and verbal discourse, which implies analysis, definition, differences, categories, logic, etc., and which is symbolized by the following phase.
The Light of the Ears is an extension of the first He (ה) of the Shem HaMephorash. It corresponds to the Neshama of Adam Kadmon and is personified in Ima, the Mother. Represented by the development of the name with a value of 63: יוד הי ואו הי, she is the source of the Olam Beriá.
It is the unapprehensible essence; the Light of the Eyes is the source of Consciousness, pure energy, while the Light of the Ears is the source of Being/Goodness of things.
And the Light of the Mouth (יוד הה ווו הה, 52) is the source of Substance, the Matter of Creation.
The Light of the Nose is an extension of the letter Vav (ו) of the name with a value of 45, יוד הא ואו הא. It corresponds to the Ruach of Adam Kadmon and is personified in Zeir Anpin, the Small Face, in the Olam Yetzirá. The Light of the Nose is the source of Life, the Soul of beings.
Finally, the Light of the Mouth is an extension of the second He (ה) of the name with a value of 52, יוד הה ווו הה. It corresponds to the Nefesh of Adam Kadmon and is personified in Nukva (Feminine) of Zeir Anpin. It is the source of the Olam of Asiyá, the source of substance, the matter of Creation.
A World is the field of a specific manifestation of the Divine Light. In the Simple Tree, a World is linked to the concerted action of a group of Sefirot. Adam Kadmon is the domain of the projection of what we have called the Divine Will (Kether). There, they manifest as Desire, and thus all future Olamot with all their beings are prefigured as a point or seed. Of course, they are in a state of maximum potentiality (minimum actuality), totally unified with the Light that fills them completely. Every desire is intrinsically fulfilled in the Being of the Divine. There is only fullness.
The formulation of that Will or Desire, pure consciousness, is what is called the Olam Atzilut. It is the emanation, the Keli, the vessel of Adam Kadmon, because it is, so to speak, the experience of Being. At the same time, Atzilut develops a complete set of Sefirot because each World has a tree within itself (in this case, it is the archetypal and primordial Tree of Life, the model for all future Trees), which also reflects the structure of the Olamot and the divine faces or Partzufim.
The lower Olamot of Atzilut; Atzilut of Atzilut, Beriá of Atsiluth, Yetzirá of Atzilut, and Asiyá of Atzilut are the vessel of the four letters of the Shem HaMephorash (its external form), just as their Partzufim, Arij Anpin, Atik Yomin, Aba, Ima, Zeir Anpin, and Nukva, are their internal energy.
For example, stating that Atzilut of Atzilut is an actualization of the Yod of the Shem HaMephorash is to say that it is a subjective World to it, although from the viewpoint of the lower Olamot, it is an objectification of it.
We can conceive the diagram of the Olamot as an external stream projected from the divine source, but in reality, it occurs inwardly from the empty space, metaphorically spherical, created by the contraction of the Light, or Tzimtzum. The successive Olamot (and Sefirot) are concentric circles moving further inward. Each of them reflects, in its own way (measured by its distance from the outer circumference of Ein Sof), the entire archetypal structure. In a sense, it is like a fragmented hologram. Since it is a figure of interference, each piece reproduces the image of the whole, holographically.
Thus, there is a general Shem HaMephorash in which all the Olamot exist, and it is actualized in Adam Kadmon. Its immediate concretization is the Olam Atzilut, which is also a Shem HaMephorash. As you will see in the section dedicated to Atzilut, there is a divine name in each of the Sefirot of Atzilut. Of course, they are all one and the same. Only the way it is perceived by different beings in different Olamot may vary.
The Name is like the wave equation of Infinite Light, with its Letters being the operators of the state function. It would apply to everything: from the smallest particle to the entire Manifestation.
The Olam Atzilut is where Adam Kadmon takes a form that is recognizable to the lower realms. Both are in a relationship that we could understand, at the corresponding level, as body and soul. The Light of the Divine Essence (the Direct Light of Ein Sof) descends to the empty space created by the Tzimtzum only up to Atzilut.
Beyond that point, only the Light specific to Atzilut descends (called Ohr Chokmah or Light of Wisdom). In general terms, the transition from Atzilut to Beriá is the leap from Pure Energy to Thought, which is like its body or vessel. The internalization of that Thought is Creation.
The complex Ein Sof > Adam Kadmon > Atzilut, as spirit > soul > body, are three aspects of the same reality, which at that level are an absolute unity.
The structure, infinite and wholly spiritual, indeed inconceivable to us, which we call the Creator, is represented by the great Four-Letter Name of G'd: הוי"ה.
The entry of energies into our universe is characterized by stages or phases. They are called AB (Alef Bet, 72 in gematria), SaG (Samech and Gimel, 63), MaH (Mem and Ayin 45), and finally, BaN (Bet and Nun 52). These phases correspond to Kether, Chokhmah, Binah, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Adam Kadmon, respectively. Thus, these five stages collectively represent the manifestation of Adam Kadmon. Each subsequent phase embodies a level of energy denser and lower than the previous one.
The energies contained in these phases constitute an infinitesimal fraction of the total energy within Ein Sof. However, from our perspective within the universe, this energy appears virtually unlimited, overshadowing everything within our realm, but remaining insignificant when contrasted with Ein Sof. Therefore, it is not the infinite energy of Ein Sof, but only a portion that is granted entry into our universe.
We find the concept of Shem HaMeforash, the sacred name of G'd, composed of four Hebrew letters: Yod, Hei, Vav, and Hei. These letters symbolize the four phases of energy entry, with Yod corresponding to AB, Hei to SaG, Vav to MaH, and Hei to BaN. These letters encapsulate the five phases, with the first stage, Gulgolet (skull), residing at the top of the Yod, when the writing instrument is placed on the paper, that first point. Thus, the Tzimtzum, although theoretically consisting of countless stages, is simplified to five main stages for ease of understanding.
Ohr Ein Sof seeks its passage to finitude through the first phase of divine manifestation, called Gulgolet. However, the magnitude of this energy is such that it needs to be limited and contracted before it can penetrate our plane of existence. This dynamic and transformative process is articulated by the Qabalists through the conceptual apparatus of extending the Shem HaMephorash. Essentially, this involves the expansion of the sacred name of G'd, with each letter expanding in a way similar to how a letter is spelled, let's take the letter Aleph as an example, which would be spelled as Aleph, Lamed, and Pei.
This expansion begins with the second phase, AB. The first phase, Gulgolet, remains hidden, veiled in mystery, far beyond our reach.
- AB (72): יוד הי ויו הי
Yod: Yod + Vav + Dalet = 10 + 6 + 4 = 20, Hei: Hei + Yod = 5 + 10 = 15, Vav: Vav + Yod + Vav = 6 + 10 + 6 = 22, Hei: Hei + Yod = 5 + 10 = 15. Resulting in a total of 72.
AB represents a state of sublime harmony and absolute unity, where the distinction between the vessels and the light of Ein Sof is practically indistinguishable. Although this state of perfect harmony may seem ideal, it also entails a total lack of individuality and singularity, an absence of the diversity that characterizes our reality. The light of Ein Sof, in its immense power and fullness, unifies everything into a single entity, meaning that there is no difference or diversification.
The Shem AB is an elevated and sacred designation that occupies a preeminent place among the four distinctive permutations of the Divine
Name HaVaYaH, known as AB, SaG, MaH, BaN. Each of these combinations of the Divine Name has its correspondence in both the worlds and the sefirot and in the human soul. In the case of the Name AB, it relates to the World of Rings in Qabalistic cosmology, to the Sefirah of Wisdom in the sefirotic structure, and to the Yehida, or unity, in the conception of the human soul.
In this particular form of spelling, a singularity is presented: four Yods are observed, unlike what happens with the other three Shemot, which despite also having a Yod, do not contain four Yods.
The Shem AB is revealed in a network of correspondences and analogies, being called "Great Adam" in relation to the Name MaH, which receives the appellation of "Adam." This parallelization is similar to that between the Name BaN, known as "Behemot," and the Name SaG, which is nicknamed "Great Behemot."
The Shem AB resonates in the World of Rings, that unique space where all the sefirot are tied together in a single vessel, without any distinction. The possibility of such non-distinction among the sefirot arises from the illumination produced by the Shem AB, whose essence is annihilation.
Regarding the human soul, the essence of the Shem AB corresponds to the Yehida of the soul. According to Qabalistic teachings, the soul unfolds in five different levels: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, Yehida. Chaya and Yehida are included in the Neshama of the soul, and based on this understanding, it turns out that these levels correspond to the shemot AB, SaG, MaH, BaN. Thus, it is established that the Shem AB relates to the Neshama of the soul, which includes the Yehida.
Within the Yehida in the soul, the essence is identified as the force of the soul that is revealed in the force of self-nullification. The essence is eternal, a characteristic that is reflected in the Shem AB, which, unlike the other shemot, is not renewed. It is, therefore, a static, eternal name, a reflection of the inherent eternity of the human soul and, by extension, of the Divinity. This name, then, not only has a central place in the Qabalistic understanding of the universe and the human soul but also reflects profound and fundamental aspects of spiritual reality and human nature.
- SaG (63): יוד הי ואו הי
Yod: Yod + Vav + Dalet = 10 + 6 + 4 = 20, Hei: Hei + Yod = 5 + 10 = 15, Vav: Vav + Alef + Vav = 6 + 1 + 6 = 13, Hei: Hei + Yod = 5 + 10 = 15. Resulting in a total of 63.
SaG marks the beginning of a drastic change in the relationship between the vessels and the light of Ein Sof. The vessels, which were previously fully filled with light, begin to experience a tension between the overflowing reception of the light of Ein Sof and the maintenance of their own singular identity.
An emerging desire for autonomy and differentiation leads them to create a veil, known as Parsa in Qabalistic terminology. This veil serves to limit and moderate the amount of incoming light, establishing the process of Tzimtzum, the contraction. At this point, the absolute receptivity of the vessels begins to be restricted, allowing them to begin to form their own individuality and experience.
The Shem SaG is a direct reference to the name of G'd and plays a fundamental role within Qabalah due to its connection with the Sefirah of Binah, which symbolizes understanding or intelligence.
In contrast to the name AB, which is unchanging, the Shem SaG presents itself as a renewed name. This concept of renewal is crucial, as it is closely linked to the ideas of concealment and revelation. These two ideas are cornerstones for understanding the relationship between the divine and the finite.
This notion of change and renewal is also reflected in the relationship between the Shem SaG and the Qabalistic concepts of the world of Tohu (chaos) and the world of Tikun (correction or repair). These two worlds represent two states of the universe, and the Shem SaG plays a crucial role in their interaction.
After Shevirat haKelim, the lights detach from the Shem SaG and fall to the name BaN. The latter is associated with Asiyah, and there is a deep connection between BaN and SaG. In the future, it is believed that BaN will ascend again to its origin in the worlds of Tohu, which are represented by SaG.
The Shem SaG also has an association with the world of points, another name for the world of Tohu. In this world, the sefirot are represented as bright points that are not included within each other, and this world is therefore associated with the breaking of the vessels.
- MaH (45): יוד הא ואו הא
Yod: Yod + Vav + Dalet = 20, Hei: Hei + Alef = 6, Vav: Vav + Alef + Vav = 13, Hei: Hei + Alef = 6. Resulting in a total of 45.
MaH is a critical stage, the event known as Shevirat HaKelim, the breaking of the vessels. The vessels, in their quest for individuality, face a task that exceeds their capacities: to contain the intense light of Ein Sof while maintaining their own autonomous existence. This unsustainable tension leads to the breaking of the vessels, a catastrophic but necessary event for the progress of the cosmic process. This event leaves a spiritual landscape full of fragments of the broken vessels and sparks of the light of Ein Sof scattered in the empty space left by the withdrawal of the primordial light.
In the spiritual worlds, the divine influence of the name MaH is manifested in the form of light revelation, in such a way that the formed entity feels its origin and, therefore, is always in a state of desire and withdrawal to be included in it (unlike the name Ben, whose influence is of distancing from the origin). This is the reason why the entities formed from the name MaH are superior; they feel and desire to be included in their origin.
Therefore, this name belongs to the World of Atzilut (the World of Emanation). This name is also called Adam (man), in relation to the name Ben, which manifests in the worlds of BYA (Beria, Yetzira, Asiya) and is called Behemah (beast).
In particular, it refers to the lights in the Sefirot (unlike the vessels of the name Ben); to the Sefirah of Wisdom (unlike the Sefirah of Understanding of the name Ben); to the six measures of Atzilut, Zeir Anpin (unlike Nukva, the Sefirah of Royalty, of the name Ben).
The name MaH also comes from the word "Mah" and annihilation (as in the verse "And we, what?"), that is, it is at the extreme of annihilation, and therefore there is no negative influence from it (unlike the name Ben, from which negative influence is possible).
The name MaH has its root in the illumination that comes out of the forehead of Arik Anpin, and its example in man is the light seen on the face of a person happy to speak wisdom, "The wisdom of a man's face lights up." However, this illumination is a revelation that comes out of the forehead, and the forehead hides the origin of the illumination, so it is not the essence that illuminates, but only a revelation of it.
In the future, there will be a revelation of the name MaH itself, that is, not the illumination as it comes out of the forehead of Arik Anpin, but as it is in its root and origin within the forehead.
In the service of G'd, the name MaH is absolute annihilation to Hashem - annihilation in existence, annihilation in essence (unlike the name Ben, whose matter is only the annihilation of being).
The name MaH belongs to the service of the righteous, who attract divine light in revelation and have no place for evil. Therefore, the task of the Messiah, who will work to bring the righteous to repentance, is a matter of the union of MaH and Ben.
- BaN (52): יוד הה וו הה
Yod: Yod + Vav + Dalet = 20, Hei: Hei + Hei = 10, Vav: Vav + Vav = 12, Hei: Hei + Hei = 10. Resulting in a total of 52.
BaN is a stage of reconstruction and reconfiguration. The fragments of the broken vessels, now mixed with the sparks of the light of Ein Sof, gather and rearrange themselves into a new order. This process of reordering is known as Tikun, the repair. Here, the vessels take on a more active role in their relationship with the light of Ein Sof. They are no longer just passive vessels that receive the light; instead, they become mirrors that reflect and emit light. This transformation is fundamental, as it alters the dynamics between the vessels and the light of Ein Sof, allowing for a more balanced and mutual interaction that maintains the singularity of the vessels and, at the same time, their connection to the source of divine light.
The phases AB, SaG, MaH, BaN correspond to Kether, Chochmah, Binah, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Adam Kadmon, respectively. Thus, these five stages collectively represent the manifestation of Adam Kadmon. Each subsequent phase embodies a denser and lower level of energy compared to the previous one.
The energies contained in these phases constitute an infinitesimal fraction of the total energy within Ein Sof. However, from our perspective within the universe, this energy appears virtually unlimited, overshadowing everything within our realm, yet remaining insignificant when contrasted with Ein Sof. Therefore, it is not the infinite energy of Ein Sof, but only a portion of it that is granted entry into our universe.
The concept of Shem HaMeforash, the sacred name of G'd, composed of four Hebrew letters Yod, Hei, Vav, and Hei, is found within the phases AB, SaG, MaH, BaN. These letters symbolize the four stages of energy entry, with Yod corresponding to AB, Hei to SaG, Vav to MaH, and Hei to BaN. These letters encapsulate the five phases, with the first stage, Gulgolet (skull), residing at the top of the Yod, as when the writing instrument is placed on the paper, that first point. Thus, the Tzimtzum, although theoretically consisting of countless stages, is simplified into five main stages to facilitate its understanding.
Ohr Ein Sof seeks its passage to finitude through the first phase of divine manifestation, called Gulgolet. However, the magnitude of this energy is such that it needs to be limited and contracted before it can penetrate our plane of existence. This dynamic and transformative process is articulated by the Qabalists through the conceptual apparatus of the expansion of the Shem HaMephorash. Essentially, this involves the expansion of the sacred name of G'd, with each letter expanding similarly to how a letter is spelled, let's take, for example, the letter Alef, which would be spelled as Alef, Lamed, and Pei.
- AB (72): יוד הי ויו הי
Yod: Yod + Vav + Dalet = 10 + 6 + 4 = 20, Hei: Hei + Yod = 5 + 10 = 15, Vav: Vav + Yod + Vav = 6 + 10 + 6 = 22, Hei: Hei + Yod = 5 + 10 = 15. Resulting in a total of 72.
AB represents a state of sublime harmony and absolute unity, where the distinction between the vessels and the light of Ein Sof is practically indistinguishable. Although this state of perfect harmony and balance may seem ideal, it also entails a total lack of individuality and uniqueness, an absence of the diversity that characterizes our reality. The light of Ein Sof, in its immense power and fullness, unifies everything into a single entity, meaning that there is no difference or diversification.
The Shem AB is an elevated and sacred designation that occupies a preeminent place among the four distinctive permutations of the Divine Name HaVaYaH, known as AB, SaG, MaH, BaN. Each of these combinations of the Divine Name has its correspondence in both the worlds and the sefirot and in the human soul. In the case of the Name AB, it relates to the World of Rings in Qabalistic cosmology, to the Sefirah of Wisdom in the sefirotic structure, and to the Yehida, or unity, in the conception of the human soul.
In this particular form of spelling, a singularity is presented: four Yods are observed, unlike what happens with the other three Shemot, which despite also having a Yod, do not contain four Yods.
The Shem AB is revealed in a network of correspondences and analogies, being called "Great Adam" in relation to the Name MaH, which receives the appellation of "Adam." This parallelization is similar to that between the Name BaN, known as "Behemot," and the Name SaG, which is nicknamed "Great Behemot."
The Shem AB resonates in the World of Rings, that unique space where all the sefirot are tied together in a single vessel, without any distinction. The possibility of such non-distinction among the sefirot arises from the illumination produced by the Shem AB, whose essence is annihilation.
Regarding the human soul, the essence of the Shem AB corresponds to the Yehida of the soul. According to Qabalistic teachings, the soul unfolds in five different levels: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Chaya, Yehida. Chaya and Yehida are included in the Neshama of the soul, and based on this understanding, it turns out that these levels correspond to the shemot AB, SaG, MaH, BaN. Thus, it is established that the Shem AB relates to the Neshama of the soul, which includes the Yehida.
Within the Yehida in the soul, the essence is identified as the force of the soul that is revealed in the force of self-nullification. The essence is eternal, a characteristic that is reflected in the Shem AB, which, unlike the other shemot, is not renewed. It is, therefore, a static, eternal name, a reflection of the inherent eternity of the human soul and, by extension, of the Divinity. This name, then, not only has a central place in the Qabalistic understanding of the universe and the human soul but also reflects profound and fundamental aspects of spiritual reality and human nature.
- SaG (63): יוד הי ואו הי
Yod: Yod + Vav + Dalet = 10 + 6 + 4 = 20, Hei: Hei + Yod = 5 + 10 = 15, Vav: Vav + Alef + Vav = 6 + 1 + 6 = 13, Hei: Hei + Yod = 5 + 10 = 15. Resulting in a total of 63.
SaG marks the beginning of a drastic change in the relationship between the vessels and the light of Ein Sof. The vessels, which were previously fully filled with light, begin to experience a tension between the overflowing reception of the light of Ein Sof and the maintenance of their own singular identity.
An emerging desire for autonomy and differentiation leads them to create a veil, known as Parsa in Qabalistic terminology. This veil serves to limit and moderate the amount of incoming light, establishing the process of Tzimtzum, the contraction. At this point, the absolute receptivity of the vessels begins to be restricted, allowing them to begin to form their own individuality and experience.
The Shem SaG is a direct reference to the name of G'd and plays a fundamental role within Qabalah due to its connection with the Sefirah of Binah, which symbolizes understanding or intelligence.
In contrast to the name AB, which is unchanging, the Shem SaG presents itself as a renewed name. This concept of renewal is crucial, as it is closely linked to the ideas of concealment and revelation. These two ideas are cornerstones for understanding the relationship between the divine and the finite.
This notion of change and renewal is also reflected in the relationship between the Shem SaG and the Qabalistic concepts of the world of Tohu (chaos) and the world of Tikun (correction or repair). These two worlds represent two states of the universe, and the Shem SaG plays a crucial role in their interaction.
After Shevirat haKelim, the lights detach from the Shem SaG and fall to the name BaN. The latter is associated with Asiyah, and there is a deep connection between BaN and SaG. In the future, it is believed that BaN will ascend again to its origin in the worlds of Tohu, which are represented by SaG.
The Shem SaG also has an association with the world of points, another name for the world of Tohu. In this world, the sefirot are represented as bright points that are not included within each other, and this world is therefore associated with the breaking of the vessels.
- MaH (45): יוד הא ואו הא
Yod: Yod + Vav + Dalet = 20, Hei: Hei + Alef = 6, Vav: Vav + Alef + Vav = 13, Hei: Hei + Alef = 6. Resulting in a total of 45.
MaH is a critical stage, the event known as Shevirat HaKelim, the breaking of the vessels. The vessels, in their quest for individuality, face a task that exceeds their capacities: to contain the intense light of Ein Sof while maintaining their own autonomous existence. This unsustainable tension leads to the breaking of the vessels, a catastrophic but necessary event for the progress of the cosmic process. This event leaves a spiritual landscape full of fragments of the broken vessels and sparks of the light of Ein Sof scattered in the empty space left by the withdrawal of the primordial light.
In the spiritual worlds, the divine influence of the name MaH is manifested in the form of light revelation, in such a way that the formed entity feels its origin and, therefore, is always in a state of desire and withdrawal to be included in it (unlike the name Ben, whose influence is of distancing from the origin). This is the reason why the entities formed from the name MaH are superior; they feel and desire to be included in their origin.
Therefore, this name belongs to the World of Atzilut (the World of Emanation). This name is also called Adam (man), in relation to the name Ben, which manifests in the worlds of BYA (Beria, Yetzira, Asiya) and is called Behemah (beast).
In particular, it refers to the lights in the Sefirot (unlike the vessels of the name Ben); to the Sefirah of Wisdom (unlike the Sefirah of Understanding of the name Ben); to the six measures of Atzilut, Zeir Anpin (unlike Nukva, the Sefirah of Royalty, of the name Ben).
The name MaH also comes from the word "Mah" and annihilation (as in the verse "And we, what?"), that is, it is at the extreme of annihilation, and therefore there is no negative influence from it (unlike the name Ben, from which negative influence is possible).
The name MaH has its root in the illumination that comes out of the forehead of Arik Anpin, and its example in man is the light seen on the face of a person happy to speak wisdom, "The wisdom of a man's face lights up." However, this illumination is a revelation that comes out of the forehead, and the forehead hides the origin of the illumination, so it is not the essence that illuminates, but only a revelation of it.
In the future, there will be a revelation of the name MaH itself, that is, not the illumination as it comes out of the forehead of Arik Anpin, but as it is in its root and origin within the forehead.
In the service of G'd, the name MaH is absolute annihilation to Hashem - annihilation in existence, annihilation in essence (unlike the name Ben, whose matter is only the annihilation of being).
The name MaH belongs to the service of the righteous, who attract divine light in revelation and have no place for evil. Therefore, the task of the Messiah, who will work to bring the righteous to repentance, is a matter of the union of MaH and Ben.
- BaN (52): יוד הה וו הה
Yod: Yod + Vav + Dalet = 20, Hei: Hei + Hei = 10, Vav: Vav + Vav = 12, Hei: Hei + Hei = 10. Resulting in a total of 52.
BaN is a stage of reconstruction and reconfiguration. The fragments of the broken vessels, now mixed with the sparks of the light of Ein Sof, gather and rearrange themselves into a new order. This process of reordering is known as Tikun, the repair. Here, the vessels take on a more active role in their relationship with the light of Ein Sof. They are no longer just passive vessels that receive the light; instead, they become mirrors that reflect and emit light. This transformation is fundamental, as it alters the dynamics between the vessels and the light of Ein Sof, allowing for a more balanced and mutual interaction that maintains the singularity of the vessels and, at the same time, their connection to the source of divine light.
The phases AB, SaG, MaH, BaN correspond to Kether, Chochmah, Binah, Tiferet, and Malkhut of Adam Kadmon, respectively. Thus, these five stages collectively represent the manifestation of Adam Kadmon. Each subsequent phase embodies a denser and lower level of energy compared to the previous one.
The energies contained in these phases constitute an infinitesimal fraction of the total energy within Ein Sof. However, from our perspective within the universe, this energy appears virtually unlimited, overshadowing everything within our realm, yet remaining insignificant when contrasted with Ein Sof. Therefore, it is not the infinite energy of Ein Sof, but only a portion of it that is granted entry into our universe.
The concept of Shem HaMeforash, the sacred name of G'd, composed of four Hebrew letters Yod, Hei, Vav, and Hei, is found within the phases AB, SaG, MaH, BaN. These letters symbolize the four stages of energy entry, with Yod corresponding to AB, Hei to SaG, Vav to MaH, and Hei to BaN. These letters encapsulate the five phases, with the first stage, Gulgolet (skull), residing at the top of the Yod, as when the writing instrument is placed on the paper, that first point. Thus, the Tzimtzum, although theoretically consisting of countless stages, is simplified into five main stages to facilitate its understanding.
Ohr Ein Sof seeks its passage to finitude through the first phase of divine manifestation, called Gulgolet. However, the magnitude of this energy is such that it needs to be limited and contracted before it can penetrate our plane of existence. This dynamic and transformative process is articulated by the Qabalists through the conceptual apparatus of the expansion of the Shem HaMephorash. Essentially, this involves the expansion of the sacred name of G'd, with each letter expanding similarly to how a letter is spelled, let's take, for example, the letter Alef, which would be spelled as Alef, Lamed, and Pei.
This expansion begins with the second phase, AB. The first phase, Gulgolet, remains hidden, covered by a veil of mystery, far beyond our reach.
In this second phase, the name expands as follows: Yod becomes Yod Vav Dalet, Hei becomes Hei Yod, Vav becomes Vav Yod Vav, and the second Hei also becomes Hei Yod.
Regarding its pronunciation, it is essential to note that Hebrew letters are consonants. In ancient times, vowels did not appear in the text and were provided by the reader, who either knew them beforehand or, especially in cases of multiple possibilities, deduced them from context.
However, there were several letters (called semivowels) that, although consonants, could also function as vowels. Precisely these are the three letters Yod, He, and Vav, constituents of the Four-Letter Name of G'd, HaVaYaH. Thus, the letter Yod indicated the sound of i and e; He the sound of a; and Vav the sound of o and u.
The Name of G'd, HaVaYaH, was, therefore, a purely vocal term (signifying the active being of the Universe, just as vowels are the soul of language, without which consonants are dead letters).
Regarding the progression of vowels, it is well-known in phonetic theory that i vibrates in the head, a in the chest, and u in the belly, with e and o being intermediate states.
The Name of G'd thus indicates a descent followed by an ascent, the second He culminating in the heart. It is speculated that in the Temple of Jerusalem, the Name was sung using overtone singing, the most powerful form. When vowels were introduced in the biblical text (adding dots and small signs called nekudot), the vocalization of Adonai (Name of G'd in Malkhut) was used.
On the other hand, the Four-Letter Name of G'd, HaVaYaH, holds a special place because it is an image of the whole. Among other things, it represents the Tree of Life in its entirety. As already explained, each of its four letters represents one of the four Olamot and also the four divine faces or Partzufim within each tree. Additionally, each letter of the Name corresponds to one of the Sefirot, so the Name itself is an image of the entire Tree of Life.
We start with the letter Yod, י, which in itself is already a divine name. It corresponds to the higher World (Atzilut), the plane of emanations, and also to Chokmah par excellence (Aba, the father).
The small upper point, the appendage, is the point of infinitude that represents Kéter (and the Ancient of Days as the divine face).
He, ה, corresponds to the plane of creation (Beriá), and also to Binah as a Sefirá (Inma, the mother) because it is the mother of form, where the forces of creation are found.
Vav, ו, essentially represents Tiféret, but not only Tiféret, but also the six Sefirot called of construction, from Chesed to and including Yesod. Vav has the numerical value of 6. It is the plane of formation (Yetzirá) and as the divine face, it is Zeir Anpin, the smaller face of divinity.
The second he, ה, corresponds to the plane of action (Asiyá), and of course as a Sefirá to Malkhut. As the divine face, it is the Shekinah or the female aspect of Zeir Anpin.
The Zohar explains the Yod as follows:
The upper point is the connection to the conscious source. The horizontal line is wisdom itself, and the descending line would be wisdom that opens up and descends to the lower World; it descends like a river flowing out of Eden and divides into 4 branches.
However, as we will see, here in Chokmah not only is the Yod present, but also the first half of the Name, י`ה, because one cannot consider the Yod as separate from the first he, which is Binah. It is impossible to reach wisdom without passing through understanding; impossible to attain Chokmah without passing through Binah. Wisdom is only perceptible through understanding.
Thus, the name of G'd in Chokmah is י`ה. This name represents, so to speak, the transcendental half of HaVaYaH, as it represents Chokmah and Binah that are above the abyss. The second half of the name, וה, would be its immanent part. It corresponds to the part below the abyss. Thus, we have the immanence of G'd and the transcendence of G'd, but forming a unity, together in a single name.
From this immanence, the first letter, the Vav, is the immanence in the psychological being, for it is centered in Tiféret, in the internal and personal form of the human being. The second, the he, the last letter of the Four-Letter Name, would be the immanence in the bodily World of material manifestations.
Due to the particular power of this name (it is said that the entire Torah is just a commentary on it) and also because it is a name with a letter-by-letter analysis that encompasses the totality, we generally refer to it as the Shem HaMeforash, HaVaYaH.
Traditional practitioners of Qabalah maintain that its origins predate the world's religions, forming the primordial blueprint for philosophies, religions, sciences, arts, and political systems of Creation. Qabalah is a vast and complex field of study that has evolved over centuries, but one of its central elements is the concept of the Shem HaMephorash or the explicit name.
The Shem HaMephorash refers to the name of G'd in its most complete and broken-down form. In Qabalah, this term can refer to a name of G'd composed of 4, 12, 22, 42, or 72 letters (or triads of letters), with the latter version being the most common. The 72-letter version is of special significance and is derived from the reading of Exodus 14:19-21, where 72 three-letter names are produced. This method of interpretation was explained by Rashi and in the Sefer HaBahir, an important Qabalistic text from the 12th century.
According to Qabalistic legends, the 72-letter name was used by Moses to part the Red Sea, and it was believed to bestow upon later holy men the power to expel demons, heal the sick, prevent natural disasters, and even kill enemies. This mystical name represents a powerful tool within Qabalistic cosmology, and it is believed to have a direct influence on the material world.
Throughout the history of Qabalah, Qabalists have developed their own transmissions of sacred texts within the Hebrew tradition, using the classical Hebrew Scriptures to explain and demonstrate their mystical teachings. In this way, the Shem HaMephorash becomes a tool for unlocking the deepest and hidden meanings of the biblical text.