The topic of Sefirot is one of the pillars of the study of Kabbalah. The Sefirot are the basic form of G-d's creative power. They constitute the internal structure and configuration of the Universe and serve as a bridge between the Creator and all of his creation.
There are basically ten Sefirot1, which are the ten components of reality – of the Divine forces that create and sustain the Universe. The human soul also possesses these ten Divine attributes and this is one of the explanations for the fact that man was created "in the image" of G-d.
O Sefer Yetzirá (the Book of Formation), considered the oldest work on Kabbalah, divides the Ten Sefirot in three matrices and seven multiples. The three matrices are the three Sefirotbasic, which are the foundations of reality: they are the three components of the mind that allow us to perceive things. They are known as the three "Sefirot intellectuals", but in reality, they are more than tools used by humans for conception and intellectual understanding: they represent the soul's ability to perceive, assimilate and relate to all things and situations. These three Sefirotbasic are Chochmthe wisdom), biná(Understanding), and Daat(Knowledge).
The seven multiples are known as the "Sefirotemotional." They are also called the "seven days of construction" because they are the building blocks of Creation, embodied by the seven days in which G-d created the world. In fact, the reason the week is formed by seven days is that each of these incorporates one of the seven Sefirot2 emotional.
Similarly to the three Sefirot intellectual, the emotional seven are also attributes of the human soul. They are the seven basic forces that motivate human behavior and provoke, within us, an emotional response. They are also a reflection of the qualities that G‑d uses to make His Universe work. It is important to note here – and this is discussed in this issue's article, "The Kabbalah of Sukkot" – that these seven qualities by themselves are neither positive nor negative: each of them, depending on how it is used, can lend itself to expressions of goodness and holiness, or profanity and evil.
Kabbalists describe the Sefirot as corresponding to various members and functions of the human organism. The human body, standardized from the set of Sefirot, serves as a paradigm of varied and even opposing forces that work in synchronized balance and harmony. In fact, in the human body, all senses and biological systems are differentiated, but still interdependent. Similarly, each Sefirah it is a specific power or way by which G‑d governs and sustains His universe. Each Sefirah works in perfect harmony with the others Sefirot and contains within itself aspects of all the others.
The fundamental work on Kabbalah, Tikunei Zohar, opens with an introduction and description of the seven Sefirot emotional, which are also called Midot (Attributes): Chessed (Love) is the right arm; Gevurah (Containment) is the left arm;Tifferet (Harmony) is the chest; Netzach (Domain) is the right leg; Hours (Submission) is the left leg; Yesod(Foundation) is the sign of the sacred covenant (the sexual organ); It ismalchut (Royalty) is the mouth.
In this essay, we will introduce, with a brief explanation, each of the seven Sefirot emotional.
Chessed, Gevurah e Tifferet
The first of seven Sefirot emotional is Chessed, which is commonly translated as Love or Kindness. This has the connotation of altruism – unconditional giving, expecting nothing in return. It is Sefirah encompasses the emotions of love, attraction, generosity and expansiveness, as well as their various derivations and ramifications. AND Chessed what drives us to get closer to others, to give of ourselves and our possessions.
Being the first of the seven multiples, this Sefirah makes a parallel with the first day of Creation, Sunday. As described in the Torah, the main creation on the first day was light. One of the properties of light is the fact that it shines indiscriminately and is expansive, generally without well-defined limits.
The second Sefirah of emotion is Gevurah, translated as Containment or Power. Gevurah is essentially the opposite of Chessed: brings with it restriction, distancing. A Gevurah it also manifests itself through the use of discipline, justice, strength, and reverence. The concept of this Sefirah it is closely linked to barriers and borders and is also interpreted as Power because it manifests itself whenever there is a concentration of force. A laser beam, for example, is very powerful because it concentrates light.
The second day of Creation, Monday, when the Firmament was created, incorporates the Gevurah. A firmament, which is a barrier, a limit, is the symbol of this Sefirah.
Kabbalah teaches that Chessed e Gevurah are the two basic human emotions. The first of them brings us closer to people, things, situations, while the second does the opposite. A person who is basically characterized by Sefirah de Chessed is likely to be more affectionate and generous. It is someone who gives of themselves; He gives of his time, his money, his assets. She is someone who seeks out others and cares about them. On the other hand, one that is characterized by Sefirah de Gevurahtends to be elusive and very restrained. This is someone who does not love easily nor seeks to be loved. He does not share easily and it is difficult for him to be generous, even with himself. Furthermore, he is a person who strongly believes in law, order and justice. He is not very tolerant nor can he forgive other people's mistakes and sins. He whose soul is primarily linked to Sefirah de Gevurah tends to be disciplined: he is generally centered and organized and this extraordinary discipline generally results in making him efficient and powerful, helping him to master any subject or endeavor to which he dedicates himself.
Clearly, depending on how it is used, the Sefirah de Gevurah It can be an extremely positive or extremely negative point. The same can be said about each of the others Sefirot emotional, includingChessed. The first Sefirah emotional is not necessarily good, just as the second is not necessarily bad.
It is true that love is the greatest and noblest of feelings, and that it must be the force that guides our lives. Its importance is highlighted by the fact that it is the first of Sefirot emotional. In fact, the main commandment in Judaism is the practice of acts of generosity, charity and kindness – all of these, manifestations of Chessed. We are also commanded to love G‑d and serve Him and fulfill His commandments with joy. However, to live a balanced and productive life, it is also necessary to use Sefirahde Gevurah. One who is almost practically guided by Sefirah deChessed You will live an undisciplined, disoriented, irresponsible and, perhaps, unproductive life. You will try to do more than you can and, sooner or later, you will be physically and mentally exhausted. You may distribute more money than your reserves allow and, in return, have to depend on the generosity of others. You may worry a lot about what others think, and by trying to please everyone, you will end up pleasing no one. And you can try to get involved in excessive activities and find yourself "everywhere" – unfocused, exhausted, without ever being able to do something well and to the end. Furthermore, as he is attracted to everyone and everything, he can find himself in dangerous situations and become involved in relationships and with destructive people. In this world, it is necessary to live with limits – withGevurah. Anyone who disregards restrictions and limits does so at their own risk.
However, living a life practically governed by Sefirah de Gevurahnor is it advisable. Those who do not give much should not be surprised if they do not receive much – neither from men nor from G‑d. He who does not love should not count on anyone's love. And those who believe that the law must always be applied to the letter must keep in mind that the Almighty judges man "measure for measure": in other words, whoever judges others with severity and rigor will be judged in this way by the Judge of the Universe .
O modus vivendi ideal is the balance between Sefirot de Chessed eGevurah. The mixture of these two constitutes the third Sefirah emotional –Tifferet. This Sefirah is defined as Beauty, Compassion and Harmony. IfChessed is white and Gevurah It's red, so Tifferet it's pink. The thirdSefirah of emotion represents the ability to harmonize and mergeChessed on Gevurah. A person who acts with Tifferet tends to lead a balanced and harmonious life. Don't give excessively or pettily. It is neither too expansive nor too retracted.
The third day of Creation, Tuesday, is associated with Tifferet. Even though the Light was created on the first day and the Firmament on the second, on the third day, G-d separated the seas from the dry land. On the third day of Creation, Tuesday – the most auspicious day of the Jewish week – a harmonious balance was established between the seas and the land, both necessary for the maintenance of life. Furthermore, vegetation was also created on that third day. A plant that sprouts, a clear manifestation of Chessed, also has its part embedded in the earth, serving as a barrier between the new being and the outside world – an element of Gevurah. The plant therefore combinesChessed on Gevurah, resulting in Tifferet.
At this point in our analysis, it is important to emphasize that the Sefirah deTifferet is not a replacement for Chessed e Gevurah. (If that were the case, G‑d would have created just the Sefirah de Tifferet, and not the other two). The employment of Tifferet It may seem like a safe choice, but it's not always ideal. In life, we often have to act with Chessed, donating unconditionally, while at other times, we have to act withGevurah, with total self-restraint. But a person's life, in its fullness, must be characterized by Sefirah de Tifferet, as it must be harmonious. The great challenge of life is that it requires extraordinary wisdom and a keen sense of perception to know when to act wisely. Chessed with Gevurah or Tifferet. Our mistakes in life generally occur when we employ a Sefirah instead of another.
Netzach, Hod e Yesod
The fourth Sefirah of emotion, Netzach, is defined in several ways: as Dominance, Victory, Eternity and Ambition. The word Netzach comes fromMenatzeach, conquer and overcome, or win. At the Tree of Sefirot,Netzach, as Chessed, is on the right side; how do you teach Tikunei Zohar, this Attribute corresponds to the right leg of the human body. Consequently, Netzach derives from Love: the more one being gives himself to another (Chessed), the more that person influences and perhaps subjugates the other.
Netzach is symbolized by a human leg because it is the Sefirah emotional that "takes us places". It is what inspires human beings to have ambitions and what compels them to go after their goals and dreams: to overcome challenges, to conquer their opponents. Netzach It means establishing your will and, often, trying to dominate others so that your goal is achieved. The coach of a sports team usually employs Netzach: your ambition and objective are to be victorious and beat the opposing team; and, to do so, he needs to impose his will on his players so that they act in accordance with his plans and strategy.
A Sefirah de Netzach corresponds to the fourth day of Creation, Wednesday, when the stars and astronomical bodies were created. G-d created them and placed them where they are without any reciprocity on their part. G-d imposed His Will on them to serve Him and His purposes. And so it was.
the fifth Sefirah of emotion is Hours. Like this Gevurah is the opposite ofChessed, Hours is the opposite of Netzach. If the concept of Netzach is to assert one's will or identity, Hours manifests itself when someone cancels themselves before another. Indeed, the Hebrew word Hours has the connotation ofHoda'a, submission; or also the ability to "give thanks" even in the case of misfortune, that is, "admitting" and acquiescing in the face of an obstacle.
A soldier who follows orders from a superior, without question, takes advantage ofSefirah de Hours, in the same way that a player who trusts his coach acts exactly as directed. At the Tree of Sefirot,Hours is on the left side, as well as Gevurah. Hours therefore, it derives from Containment: the more someone contains themselves (Gevurah), the more he makes space for the needs of the other and, thus, the more he allows the other to assert his own individuality (Hours).
To offer an analogy that explains the difference between Netzach e Hours, if life were a game of chess, whenever G‑d, the supreme Chess Master, imposed order – not just moving His pieces off the board, but forcing us to move our pieces according to His Will – He would be practicing Netzach. However, whenever He expects us to move the pieces according to our own will, it is Hours that manifests itself.
This Sefirah is represented by the fifth day of Creation, Thursday, when the first living creatures, fish, were created. These were the first beings that could move freely.
Just as a person needs to employ as much Chessed as Gevurah, in the same way you will have to act with Netzach e Hours. To walk properly and, in particular, to run, you need both legs – which symbolize the fourth and fifth Sefirot emotional. To function properly in the world, to "arrive at your destination", you need to be, at the same time, assertive and submissive; sometimes you have to lead; in others, being led. We need to know when to insist on ourselves and our ideas, but also have the humility to accept the collaboration of others, especially when that other is more qualified or capable than us. To live effectively and productively, you need to make use of Netzach, formulating objectives and goals and striving to overcome limitations and obstacles – but it is also necessary to use Hours in the advice asked from a third party and in the consideration of those around us.
Sometimes you just need to use Netzach, asserting your own identity and will; other times, it is necessary to act with Hours, agreeing with the others. In most situations, the ideal is a harmonious balance between these two Sefirot. Such harmony occurs when the sixthSefirah emotional, Yesod, manifests itself. Like this Tifferet is the combination of Chessed e Gevurah, Yesod is the mixture of Netzach e Hours. Yesod denotes a balance between the aggressiveness of Netzach and the passive acquiescence ofHours.
Yesod, translated as "Foundation", is basically a reciprocal relationship. The sixth Sefirah emotional is the perfect average between Netzach e Hours. It is not just a physical amalgamation, but a blending of psyche, emotion and spirit. In other words, the perfect measure to maintain your own identity without giving up it. The paradigm ofYesod is the intimate relationship between a man and a woman. The ideal relationship, according to Judaism, is a marriage where there is a partnership, where one spouse completes the other, and not where one always dominates and the other always submits. The part of the human body that corresponds to Yesod it is the sexual organ, which, if used properly, can unite two people in the most intimate of all unions. Yesod It represents the most powerful bond that can exist between two individuals – a bond so strong that it gives two human beings the opportunity to become, in the likeness of G‑d, creators of life. A Sefirah de Yesod It is also the supreme connection between the human being and the Divine.
The sixth day of Creation, Friday, is associated with Yesod, for it was the day on which man was created. Man is the foundation and purpose of Creation. In our lives, G‑d is constantly giving us something (Netzach), as He is constantly recreating and sustaining all existence. But at the same time, by making use of the free will He gave us, we can give Him something in return (Hours): we can work to perfect His world and live according to His Will, thus fulfilling His objective in creating the Universe. In this way, so to speak, we give Him pleasure. YesodTherefore, it is a reciprocal relationship. The ideal ratio of Yesod is that of one Tzaddik with G-d. O Tzaddik, the righteous man, is one who is constantly linked to G-d: he dedicates his life to fulfilling the Divine Will and G-d fulfills practically all his requests.
According to an old midrash, the first six days of Creation can be seen as two blocks of three days, the second of which perfects and completes the first. That midrash states that on the first day (Chessed), G-d created light. On the fourth day (Netzach), three days later, He created the lamps. In the second day, Gevurah, G-d created the oceans by dividing the waters. On the fifth day, Hours, He created the fish, which are the perfection of water. On the third day, Tifferet, G-d created the dry land. On the sixth day, Yesod, He created man, lord of the dry land.
malchut
The first six Sefirot emotional, of Chessed aYesod, constitute a single, unified structure, which is called, in Kabbalah, Ze'ir Anpin ("Small Face").
The seventh and last Sefirah emotional is malchut, translated as Royalty. While the first six Sefirot emotions are "masculine", malchut accumulators is a Sefirah "feminine". The first six, Ze'ir Anpin, are seen as the basic powers of giving and creating, while the feminine, malchut, represents the power to receive. In Kabbalistic language, malchut is also called Nukvfrom Ze'ir Anpin (the feminine of Ze'ir Anpin). Nukvá is the Aramaic term for the Hebrew word for feminine, Nekevá, and refers to the bride of Ze'ir Anpin.
The creation of the universe occurred through Sefirah of Malchut. This last of all Sefirot, intellectual and emotional, is compared to the female womb: it represents the power to receive Ze'ir Anpin, shelter it and, at some future point, return something more complete and perfect. The day of the week that corresponds to malchut It is the seventh, the holy day: Shabbat. malchut relates to the seventh day of Creation, which is the day that gives us the power to receive the energy of all Sefirot and integrate them into our lives. The first sixSefirot emotional, in addition to being related to the six days of Creation, represent the six basic directions of the three-dimensional physical universe: North-South, East-West, up-down. They also represent the fundamental ways of reaching the six directions of Creation. malchut, on the other hand, is the axis or focal point that resides in the center of the six directions, and from where, instead of looking outside, the person looks within, absorbing spiritual enlightenment about themselves.
malchut is the idea of receiving: it is the idea of being a Keli, a "receptacle". It is Sefirah it is the power that G-d gives us so that we can be able to receive from Him. And, most importantly, it is in malchut that the purpose of giving is fulfilled: the relationship in which the recipient can reciprocate, thus becoming a donor. For this reason, malchut is seen as a Sefirah feminine. On the other hand, malchut it is the most sublime "receptacle", which was created to contain the Divine Light. It represents the epitome of the act of receiving, and is therefore characterized as the Sefirah who "has nothing of his own." malchutliterally needs to receive everything he has from Sefirot that precede it. But on the other hand, it represents the power that ultimately unifies all the different powers of Sefirot, keeping them all together. Withoutmalchut, Creation would be incomplete.
O Sefer YetzirIt teaches that the six days of the week, which are masculine, are the six directions that point outwards. O Shabbat, in turn, which is feminine, is the pole that attracts all six points, uniting them. All week long, in our efforts to acquire spirituality, we remain on the "masculine" level. At the Shabbat, we reached the "feminine" level because we were able to absorb the fruits of all the effort of the past week. Without Shabbat, we would not be able to receive spirituality: this can be compared to a situation in which we strive for something, without ever achieving it. Hence the supreme importance ofShabbat for Judaism. They teach us, therefore, that this day is the source of all blessings: it is the day that receives the spiritual work carried out during the days of the week, thus generating even more blessings for the week to come. O Shabbat It can be compared to the soil where a seed is planted. Without soil, the seed will not be able to become a plant.
The dynamics between the top six Sefirot emotional (Ze'ir Anpin) to malchut(Nukva) can be compared to the biological relationship between a man and a woman who generate life: the man is the giver, but it is the woman who receives and cherishes, and, when generating a human being, she ends up donating much more than at the beginning planted by man.
malchut It is, therefore, not just a container vessel, which only receives: to be perfect, it also needs to give what it receives. The receiver needs to become a donor. In monarchical terms, for example, malchutIt could represent the people's acceptance of the king's sovereignty, as well as the fact that he is their provider. They would be dependent on their king, but if the king wanted his subjects to interact with him, he would have to give them some form of freedom and autonomy. They would thus become his partners in leading the kingdom.
Our true and eternal King is G-d. As He is the Origin of everything, we are constantly receiving everything from Him. But we are also obligated to do our part in the work of perfecting his world. If we take what G-d gives us – resources, talents and opportunities offered to us – and use them to improve ourselves and the world, we will be making good use of malchut.
malchut It is associated with the mouth, because, to truly lead, you need to communicate well to serve as an inspiration to your followers. Royalty is closely linked to words, as evidenced by the fact that Gd, King of the Universe, created and continues to recreate the Universe through Divine Speech. Furthermore, man is king on Earth because he, more than any other creature, can, in fact, communicate in an effective and sophisticated way.
We conclude here this introductory study on the subject of the seven Sefirotemotional. Some parts of this discussion may seem technical or esoteric, but in reality, in addition to being a pillar for the study of Kabbalah, the study of Sefirot is a manual for greater self-awareness and improvement of our character and behavior. In the article "The Kabbalah of Sukkot", we analyze some of the practical and everyday applications of the seven Sefirot emotional.
References:
1 There is an eleventh Sefirah, that is, Keter. But when it is counted as Sefirah, it replaces the third intellectual Sefirah, Daat. Keter and Daat are mutually exclusive. The Sefirot are therefore considered to be ten, not 11.
2 It is understandable why a month consists of approximately 30 days: it follows the lunar cycle. It is also clear why the year is based on the solar cycle: even the Jewish calendar, which is based on lunar cycles, takes the solar cycle into account. But why is the week made up of seven days? Why doesn't a month just have three ten-day weeks? The Torah established the seven-day week because each day of Creation embodies one of the seven emotional Sefirot.
Bibliography:
- Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan – Inner Space: Introduction to Kabbalah, Meditation and Prophecy. Moznaim Pub. Corp.
- Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz - Opening the Tanya: Discovering the Moral and Mystical Teachings of a Classic Work of Kabbalah - Jossey-Bass
- Rabbi Simon Jacobson – Counting the Omer. Meaningful Life Center
