Introduction to the Sefirot

Isaac Luria's Creation Myth

In the creation myth of ancient Judaic mysticism, God creates the universe by a process dubbed tzimtzum, which in Hebrew means a sort of stepping back to allow for there to be an Other, an Else, as in something or someone else. The Judaic notion of a world of Free Will (Talmud Berachot 33b) is deeply rooted in this concept, in the understanding that in creating life, the Eyn-Sof, or the Endless One, subdued the omnipotent, all-embracing Divine Presence for the sake of the realization of the Divine Will that there be other beings (Etz Chaim 1:1:2.) Our world, then is the sacred space that the Great Spirit gave as a gift to us, a space in which to be as human as divinely possible, and as divine as humanly possible. A space to err, to fall, to believe, to doubt, to cry, to laugh. Our space, created by the simple motion of stepping back, the humble act of honoring the separate reality of an Other.

From Rabbi Benjamin Adler's Source Sheet

Luria’s new myth is concentrated in three great symbols, the tsimtsum, or self-limitation, of God, the shevirah, or breaking of the vessels, and the tikkun, or harmonious correction and mending of the flaw which came into the world through the shevirah.

Gershom Scholem, On the Kabbalah and its Symbolism, p. 110

What are the Sefirot?

The Sefirot – God emanates ten vessels through which the world is created, called sefirot, which are both part of God and created by God. These vessels are channels of light or water, and they also are light. They are God and of God, but they cannot define God or limit God – what is truly God is wholly beyond these descriptions, beyond the first sefirah, called Keter or crown, denoted by the term Ein Sof – without limit, without end.

When Kabbalists read stories in the Torah, every character and place represents a configuration of the Sefirot. For example, the binding of Isaac is Chesed (Abraham) overcoming Gevurah (Isaac). A (secular) technical term for how the Sefirot function is that they are "hypostases" (sing. "hypostasis") – that is, abstract concepts imagined as beings or as parts of a reality that are more real than the physical world around us ...

The Structure of the Sefirot – for the Zohar, an essential aspect of this world is that the Sefirot are emanated in the form of a Mishkal or balance scale, with a center, right and left, which can be pictured as the form of a triangle or triad. This allowed each Sefirah to share the force of creation with those around it, so that none would shatter because of the influx of God's energy. Each of the Sefirot also contains within itself an element of all the others. (Sarah Idit Schneider's term for this is that they are "interincluded" within each other.) This fractal structure is one way in which the Sefirot are infinite or divine in their essence.

Rabbi David Seidenberg, neohasid.org/kabbalah/sefirot/

Tzimtzum is the concealment of the Or Ein Sof which allows a Seder Hishtalshelut, a “series of intermediary stages” or worlds that makes the creation of the finite world possible. Each of these worlds has a spiritual infrastructure, the most basic component being the Sefirot.

The Sefirot are ten modes or attributes through which G‑d manifests Himself. The Sefirot are not G‑d, but they are the medium through which specific qualities and attributes can be ascribed to Him. The word Sefirah is related to the verb lesaper, which means to “express” or “communicate.” This implies that the function of a Sefirah is to express a certain attribute. It is also related to the word “sapphire” (sapir). A sapphire is a gemstone that is brilliant and illuminating, implying that the function of a Sefirah is to give Light.

Combining these two concepts, one may say that the Sefirot have two basic functions, one as lights or luminaries that serve to reveal and express, and another as Vessels that limit and define the Light so that specific qualities are manifest. The Sefirot may be compared to the two hands of a king. Sometimes the king operates with his right hand and sometimes with his left. Ultimately, it is the king himself who is acting through the medium of his hands.

Everything that happens in the spiritual worlds takes place through the medium of the Sefirot. They are not G‑d, and the Kabbalists warn that one should not pray to them. In the words of Tikkunei Zohar: Elijah opened his discourse and said: ‘Master of the worlds, You are One but not in the numerical sense. You are exalted above all the exalted ones, hidden from all the hidden ones; no thought can grasp You at all. You are He who has brought forth ten “garments,” and we call them ten Sefirot, and revealed worlds; and through them You conceal yourself from man.

You are He who binds them together and unites them; and inasmuch as You are within them, whoever separates one from another of these ten Sefirot, it is considered as if he had effected a separation in You.

The Infinite Being is boundless and without beginning. Except for this Infinite Being, everything else that exists has a beginning. At first there arose in Him the potential to emanate from His own essence all the worlds that existed potentially within Him. When the will of the Infinite Being decided to create, He brought existence from potential to actuality. First the Infinite Being emanated its sefirot, through which its actions are performed. In this way all worlds were brought into being; indeed, all that exists came into being from Him, from the depths of the earth to the loftiest heavens.

This Infinite Being, known as Ein Sof, fills all the worlds of time and space. Both the heavens above and the earth below are equally filled with His light. There is no place empty of Him in the upper or the lower worlds.

Howard Schwartz, Tree of Souls, p. 9

How doing mitzvot affects the world:

The commandments have a cosmic impact of bringing blessing, while sins can bring cosmic tragedy. For example, according to one interpretation, during the week there is a wall of fire between Shekhinah (or Malkhut – kingdom, the cosmic feminine) and the Holy One (or Tif'eret, the masculine), but on Shabbat the fire goes out so that they can unite. We don't light fire on Shabbat in order to help this happen. This was a radical rejection of Jewish (and Christian and Muslim) rationalist philosophy. Philosophy had taught that God has no need whatsoever (this was a lemma [assumption] to the concept of God's perfection), and that any idea to the contrary was heretical to monotheism.

Rabbi David Seidenberg, neohasid.org/kabbalah/themes/

The meaning of the 10 Sefirot

Chesed: חסד Lovingkindness, Benevolence

Love is the single most powerful and necessary component in life. Love is the origin and foundation of all human interactions. It is both giving and receiving. It allows us to reach above and beyond ourselves; to experience another person and to allow that person to experience us. It is the tool by which we learn to experience the highest reality: God. Chesed helps us be enthusiastically present in each other’s lives and make meaningful contact despite the temptation to stay in the safe confines of our own lives.

Gevurah: גבורה Discipline, Strength, Justice, Restraint

If love is the bedrock of human expression, discipline is the channel through which we express love. It gives our life and love direction and focus. Like a laser beam, its potency lies in the focus and concentration of light in one direction, rather than fragmented light beams dispersed in all different directions. Gevurah concentrates and directs our efforts, our love, in the proper proportions and directions. Pirkei Avot teaches, “Who is strong [gibur, from same root as gevurah]? The one who controls is inclinations.”

Tiferet: תפארת Balance, Harmony, Splendor, Truth

Tiferet blends and harmonizes the free outpouring of love with discipline. It possesses this power by introducing a third dimension – the dimension of truth, which can integrate love and discipline. Tiferet is accessed through selflessness; rising above your ego and your predispositions, enabling you to realize a higher truth. Truth gives you a clear and objective picture of your and others’ needs. Introducing truth by suspending personal prejudices allows you to express your feelings in the healthiest manner.

Netzach: נצח Endurance, Ambition, Eternality

Netzach is a combination of determination and tenacity, and a balance of patience, persistence and guts. Endurance is also being reliable and accountable, which establishes security and commitment. Without endurance, even a good endeavor or intention has no chance of success. Netzach is an energy that comes from within, feeling driven by healthy and productive goals. It is the readiness to fight for what you believe, to go all the way. Without such commitment any undertaking remains flat and empty. Of course, endurance needs to be closely examined to ensure that it is used in a healthy or productive manner.

Hod: הוד Humility, Gratitude

If endurance is the engine of life, humility is its fuel. Humility should not be confused with weakness and lack of self-esteem. Humility is modesty; it is acknowledgement (from “hoda’ah”). It is saying “thank you” to God. Hod means recognizing your qualities and strengths and acknowledging that they are not your own; they were given to you by God for a higher purpose than just satisfying your own needs. Acknowledging that your strengths come from a higher place gives you the power to endure far beyond your own perceived capacity. When you are filled with yourself and your needs, there is no room for more. When you “empty” yourself before something greater than yourself, your capacity to receive increases beyond your previously perceived limits. Humility is the key to transcendence.

Yesod: יסוד Foundation, Bonding

Bonding is the ultimate emotional connection, fusing the lover and the beloved. It develops an everlasting union that lives on forever through the perpetual fruit it bears. Every person needs bonding to flourish and grow. It gives one the sense of affirmation and belonging, that “I matter, I am significant and important.” It establishes trust in self and others, instills confidence, and nurtures us to be ourselves. Yesod channels all 5 previous qualities into a constructive bond, giving it the meaning “foundation.” It completes the spectrum of the first 6 emotions, integrating them into a foundation for the structure of human emotional experience.

Malchut: מלכות Nobility, Sovereignty, Leadership

Malchut is a state of being rather than an activity. True leadership is the art of selflessness; it is only a reflection of a higher will. On the other hand, malchut manifests and actualizes the character and majority of the human spirit. When love, discipline, harmony, endurance and gratitude and properly channeled into the psyche through bonding, the result is malchut. It means knowing that you matter and that you make a difference; that you have the ability to be a proficient leader in your own right to contribute to this world. It gives you independence and confidence, a feeling of certainty and authority, of royalty in your heart.

Rabbi Simon Jacobson