The Four Worlds of Kabbalah...
Kabbalah teaches there are four worlds. Each is a stage in creation, allowing for the next to form. These four worlds are Atziluth, the World of Archetypes (or Emanations); Briah, the World of Creation; Yetzurah, the World of Forms; and Assiah, the World of Action.
In the beginning, there was only G-d. G-d was not created. He does not exist, in the sense that existence is a trait of created things. G-d is the Ain, the "no thing", the opposite of thing, the opposite of what we know as existence. This is far beyond our understanding, and so removed from existence, that existence wasn't possible. In this way, you can say atheists have it right, that G-d doesn't exist. But they miss that a lack of existence doesn't necessarily mean there isn't a G-d. G-d is, not G-d exists, for existing is a concept only relevant in creation. Creation here meaning all four worlds that will be discussed below. Likewise, the Buddhist concept of Nirvana, ceasing existing in the sense of a separate existence, is similar to Ain. For in Ain, there is no concept of Self or Other. There is only Ain. But Ain desired. And desire requires a separation, a place where there isn't the desirer. So G-d created a space. Ain created what was not Ain. The non-existing created the existing. Something came from nothing.
To make way for creation, G-d had to pull back, to create a space that wasn't him, a space that wasn't the "no thing". This constriction is called Tzimtzum. G-d restricted himself to make room for creation. This is the Ain Soph, the "without end". This is the void, the vacuum, the universe-shaped whole in G-d. But it is no less G-d. G-d is infinite. As such, he is both infinitely large, larger than creation, and infinitely small, smaller than the smallest subatomic particle. G-d fills the Ain Soph, which is both the space where he isn't and him. This filling is Ain Soph Ohr, the Endless Light. Even this is beyond our understanding, but this light fills vessels that become the Sephirah, which make up all creation, all four worlds. Ain Soph Ohr is all light and no sound. It is the silence before the first sound.
Why did G-d create? To see G-d, Kabbalah teaches. Creation is the Divine Mirror, the non-existing reflected in the existing. This bares further discussion, and I'll come back to it in a later post.
So, in the Ain Soph Ohr, four worlds were created in succession. Each is closer to what we know as the world and further from Ain Soph Ohr. We cannot understand G-d and direct interaction with him would negate our existence, so G-d put on various levels of clothes, various shells, so that we can behold his form. These clothes are the Sepharah, and these clothes are the four worlds. Each world and each Sepharah conceal G-d more, so we can behold him, and reveals G-d more by showing us more of the form of him, like cloth draped over something that is invisible shows the shape of the thing that wouldn't be able to be seen without it. Ain is the first cloth, for G-d can't be described even as "no thing". Ain Soph is the second and Ain Soph Ohr is the third. Them comes Atziluth.
Out of Ain Soph Ohr, G-d created ten vessels to hold the light, to give it form. Into these vessels, he put the Sephiroth. But the lesser Sephiroth were not strong enough to hold the light this pure. These shattered and the pieces of them fell down into the worlds below and helped form them. Atziluth is the Greater Eden, and the first concealment of the non-existent, and the world of fire. In Atziluth, there is not yet such thing as time or space, only the essence of what creation will be, pure consciousness without even ideas. Atziluth is the vowel sounds before the existence of letters, the first sounds in the silence, not yet formed into anything understandable to us. It is the world of emunations, where the light of Ain Soph Ohr radiates into the worlds below. There are many ways to view the worlds. The worlds can be seen through the lens of the Tetragrammon. Atziluth is the Yod of the Tetragrammon, which is the first letter, the first creation, the first existing thing, the seed from which the rest of creation comes. Atziluth is too abstract for our minds to understand. Atziluth can also be seen as Kether, the Crown, which is beyond our understanding, the conception of creation. Atziluth can be seen as the top of the tree, as Kether, Chokmah, and Binah, the three Sephiroth that survived in this world, with Da'ath forming the connection with the worlds below. Atziluth can also be seen as the entire tree, for each Sephiroth is present in each world, because each Sephirah manifests itself as one Sephirah, but contains and conceals within itself the other Sephiroth. In this way, Kether of Atziluth is the union with the Ain Soph Ohr, and Malkuth of Sephirah is Kether of Briah. Also, Atziluth can be seen in relation to the Mothers. Shim, Tooth, which is fire and represents the Pillar of Fire, connects Chokmah and Binah, Wisdom and Understanding. As the Pillar of Fire, Atziluth is Chokmah, Chesed, and Netzach. Shim represents decision, and is G-d's decision to create.
Between Atziluth, above, and Briah, below, stretches the Great Abyss. What is above is unknowable to us, beyond our ability to understand. This is the greatest separation between us and G-d in the four worlds. For a time, for a moment, we can know some of what Atziluth is, standing in Da'ath, in the midst of the Abyss, but we stand the risk of falling in. If we view the worlds each as a Tree, Malkuth of Atziluth and Kether of Briah come together in the Abyss, so Da'ath is the coming together of Kether and Malkuth.
The second world is Briah, the creative world. Here, once more, there were ten Sephiroth. Kether, Chokmah, Binah, Chesed, Gevurah, and Tipherah held here, but Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malkuth once more shattered, falling with the pieces from Atziluth, down to the worlds below. Briah is the Lesser Eden. As Atziluth conceals Ain Soph Ohr, Ain Soph, and Ain, Briah conceals Atziluth. Briah is the world of air. The first breath, Heh, has separated. The fire, the heat, rises up into Atziluth, and the water, the moisture, condenses and settles down into Yetzurah, leaving the air between. In Briah are the ideas from which all else comes. Here, the consciousness of Atziluth forms into ideas that are the basis of the forms of Yetzurah. In Briah, the sounds of Atziluth become the Hebrew letters. The light from above is veiled more and the ideas form in the shadows. Here, the idea of Self forms. There isn't a concept of Other yet, but Self is known. Briah is the first Heh of the Tetragrammon, which is the Window and the word Behold. It is Briah that declares what creation will be, Mazal, the constellations that govern creation. Briah is the second triad, Chesed, Gevurah, and Tipherah. Da'ath joins Briah with Atziluth, and Tiferah borders Yetzurah. As above, Kether of Briah is Malkuth of Atziluth, and Malkuth of Briah is Kether of Yetzurah. Briah is Chokmah, Wisdom. We understood Chokmah before we learned language, as we could understand Briah at that time. Only through returning to our birth can we understand Briah. Briah is the Second Mother, Aleph, the Ox, and Strength, which is air and represents the Pillar of Air, which is Kether, Da'ath, Tipherah, Yesod, and Malkuth. Aleph connects Chesed, Mercy, with Gevurah, Judgement, coming together in Tipherah. Briah can also be viewed as Chokmah and Binah together, with Kether being Atziluth above.
Between Briah, above, and Yetzurah, below, is the Veil, represented by the veil in the temple separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. As such, Briah is the Holy of Holies, and Yetzurah is the Holy Place. Only Tipherah crosses the Veil, and it is through the balance of Beauty that we cross into Briah. In this way, Tipherah is Malkuth of Briah and Kether of Atziluth.
The third world is Yetzurah, the world of forms. The ten Sephiroth are repeated once again here, but here, only Malkuth shattered, water joining the fire and air from above to fall into Assiah below. Yetzurah is the lower heavens, and can be seen as the place where the sun, the moon, and the planets reside. Yetzurah conceals Briah. Yetzurah is the world of water, the moisture settling out from the air above. Matter doesn't yet exist, but the forms of it are defined. In Yetzurah, the Hebrew letters have joined with the vowel sounds to make words. Yetzurah is the letter Vev in the Tetragrammon. Vev is the hook that holds the veil in the Temple, and is "and", the separation of Self from Other. Vev is the creation of Binah, the reflection of Chokmah, which is the understanding of Other. And Yetzurah can be seen as Binah, Understanding, which is the Great Ocean. In this way, Yetzurah is the water above that was separated from the water below by the firmament in Genesis. Mem means sea or ocean, and is the Third Mother, connecting Netzach, Victory, and Hod, Glory. Mem is also the Pillar of Water, which is Binah, Gevurah, and Hod. As Binah, Yetzurah is the Greater Mother, with Malkuth being the Lesser Mother, for from Binah came all below. Yetzurah can be seen as Netzach, Hod, and Yesid, the Foundation. In this way, it borders on Tipherah above, which corrisponds to Kether of Yetzurah when the whole tree is viewed in this world. Yesod becomes Malkuth of Yetzurah. Another way to look at Yetzurah is as the center six Sephiroth. Kether, Chokmah, and Binah form above as Atziluth and Briah, and Malkuth below as Assiah.
Yetzurah is the most accessible world from those below. There is no Abyss or Veil separating it, just the Firmament. This Firmament is crossed by Tav, the last Hebrew letter, which joins Malkuth and Yesod, and is the path G-d's light takes to the world below. Yesod, the Malkuth of Yetzurah, can be seen as Kether of Assiah.
Assiah, the final world, is the physical world we know. The concepts thought of in Atziluth, designed in Briah, and formed in Yetzurah here take action, and the world we know is the result. This is where we can make a difference, where action and change is possible. Here, the pieces of the vessels that shattered above have come to rest and combine with the Sephiroth of Assiah to make a whole. Assiah is the world of earth, but contains fire, water, earth, and air, all working together to be the world we know. Assiah conceals Yetzurah within it and is the final covering concealing G-d. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork" - Psalm 19:1. We see G-d most clearly in the world around us, but also miss Him most easily, because we don't see it as Him. In Assiah, the words of Yetzurah have come together and form the Torah, the Law, the Word of G-d. Assiah is the final Heh of the Tetragrammon, the last breath that brought life to the world. It is the Window through which we Behold the glory of G-d. Assiah is Malkuth, whether you look at it based on one Sephirah or by sections of the Tree. Malkuth is the Lesser Mother, for from it comes all we know, and from each Malkuth comes Kether of the world below. Kether of Assiah is Malkuth of Yetzurah, which is Yesod, but Malkuth of Assiah is the last Malkuth, the only Sephirah that only receives, for each Sephirah gives to those below and receives from those above. It is in Assiah, in Malkuth, that the Shekinah, the manifest presence of G-d, resides. For only in Assiah can G-d manifest, for only there is He concealed enough for us to withstand His presence.
If Briah is the Holy of Holies, and Yetzurah is the Holy Place, Assiah is the Temple or the Inner Court. In another way, Atziluth could be seen as the Holy of Holies, Briah as the Holy Place, Yetzurah as the Inner Court, and Assiah as the Outer Court, the Court of the Gentiles.
Another way to look at the Tree and the four worlds is to overlay Kether with the Tiphirah of the world above, so that Da'ath becomes Yesod and Tipherah becomes Malkuth. I won't look at this in detail here, but it does bring additional insights to the four worlds, the ten Sephiroth, and the Tree of Life.
So, these are the four worlds that make up creation, which make up the coverings of G-d, which make up the Divine Mirror. The goal of mysticism is to move up the Tree, through the worlds, to grow closer to the true nature of G-d. The imagery of the four worlds provide a framework with which to understand the journey, discuss and share what we learn, and better understand the creator of these worlds.
~Muninn's Kiss
In the beginning, there was only G-d. G-d was not created. He does not exist, in the sense that existence is a trait of created things. G-d is the Ain, the "no thing", the opposite of thing, the opposite of what we know as existence. This is far beyond our understanding, and so removed from existence, that existence wasn't possible. In this way, you can say atheists have it right, that G-d doesn't exist. But they miss that a lack of existence doesn't necessarily mean there isn't a G-d. G-d is, not G-d exists, for existing is a concept only relevant in creation. Creation here meaning all four worlds that will be discussed below. Likewise, the Buddhist concept of Nirvana, ceasing existing in the sense of a separate existence, is similar to Ain. For in Ain, there is no concept of Self or Other. There is only Ain. But Ain desired. And desire requires a separation, a place where there isn't the desirer. So G-d created a space. Ain created what was not Ain. The non-existing created the existing. Something came from nothing.
To make way for creation, G-d had to pull back, to create a space that wasn't him, a space that wasn't the "no thing". This constriction is called Tzimtzum. G-d restricted himself to make room for creation. This is the Ain Soph, the "without end". This is the void, the vacuum, the universe-shaped whole in G-d. But it is no less G-d. G-d is infinite. As such, he is both infinitely large, larger than creation, and infinitely small, smaller than the smallest subatomic particle. G-d fills the Ain Soph, which is both the space where he isn't and him. This filling is Ain Soph Ohr, the Endless Light. Even this is beyond our understanding, but this light fills vessels that become the Sephirah, which make up all creation, all four worlds. Ain Soph Ohr is all light and no sound. It is the silence before the first sound.
Why did G-d create? To see G-d, Kabbalah teaches. Creation is the Divine Mirror, the non-existing reflected in the existing. This bares further discussion, and I'll come back to it in a later post.
So, in the Ain Soph Ohr, four worlds were created in succession. Each is closer to what we know as the world and further from Ain Soph Ohr. We cannot understand G-d and direct interaction with him would negate our existence, so G-d put on various levels of clothes, various shells, so that we can behold his form. These clothes are the Sepharah, and these clothes are the four worlds. Each world and each Sepharah conceal G-d more, so we can behold him, and reveals G-d more by showing us more of the form of him, like cloth draped over something that is invisible shows the shape of the thing that wouldn't be able to be seen without it. Ain is the first cloth, for G-d can't be described even as "no thing". Ain Soph is the second and Ain Soph Ohr is the third. Them comes Atziluth.
Out of Ain Soph Ohr, G-d created ten vessels to hold the light, to give it form. Into these vessels, he put the Sephiroth. But the lesser Sephiroth were not strong enough to hold the light this pure. These shattered and the pieces of them fell down into the worlds below and helped form them. Atziluth is the Greater Eden, and the first concealment of the non-existent, and the world of fire. In Atziluth, there is not yet such thing as time or space, only the essence of what creation will be, pure consciousness without even ideas. Atziluth is the vowel sounds before the existence of letters, the first sounds in the silence, not yet formed into anything understandable to us. It is the world of emunations, where the light of Ain Soph Ohr radiates into the worlds below. There are many ways to view the worlds. The worlds can be seen through the lens of the Tetragrammon. Atziluth is the Yod of the Tetragrammon, which is the first letter, the first creation, the first existing thing, the seed from which the rest of creation comes. Atziluth is too abstract for our minds to understand. Atziluth can also be seen as Kether, the Crown, which is beyond our understanding, the conception of creation. Atziluth can be seen as the top of the tree, as Kether, Chokmah, and Binah, the three Sephiroth that survived in this world, with Da'ath forming the connection with the worlds below. Atziluth can also be seen as the entire tree, for each Sephiroth is present in each world, because each Sephirah manifests itself as one Sephirah, but contains and conceals within itself the other Sephiroth. In this way, Kether of Atziluth is the union with the Ain Soph Ohr, and Malkuth of Sephirah is Kether of Briah. Also, Atziluth can be seen in relation to the Mothers. Shim, Tooth, which is fire and represents the Pillar of Fire, connects Chokmah and Binah, Wisdom and Understanding. As the Pillar of Fire, Atziluth is Chokmah, Chesed, and Netzach. Shim represents decision, and is G-d's decision to create.
Between Atziluth, above, and Briah, below, stretches the Great Abyss. What is above is unknowable to us, beyond our ability to understand. This is the greatest separation between us and G-d in the four worlds. For a time, for a moment, we can know some of what Atziluth is, standing in Da'ath, in the midst of the Abyss, but we stand the risk of falling in. If we view the worlds each as a Tree, Malkuth of Atziluth and Kether of Briah come together in the Abyss, so Da'ath is the coming together of Kether and Malkuth.
The second world is Briah, the creative world. Here, once more, there were ten Sephiroth. Kether, Chokmah, Binah, Chesed, Gevurah, and Tipherah held here, but Netzach, Hod, Yesod, and Malkuth once more shattered, falling with the pieces from Atziluth, down to the worlds below. Briah is the Lesser Eden. As Atziluth conceals Ain Soph Ohr, Ain Soph, and Ain, Briah conceals Atziluth. Briah is the world of air. The first breath, Heh, has separated. The fire, the heat, rises up into Atziluth, and the water, the moisture, condenses and settles down into Yetzurah, leaving the air between. In Briah are the ideas from which all else comes. Here, the consciousness of Atziluth forms into ideas that are the basis of the forms of Yetzurah. In Briah, the sounds of Atziluth become the Hebrew letters. The light from above is veiled more and the ideas form in the shadows. Here, the idea of Self forms. There isn't a concept of Other yet, but Self is known. Briah is the first Heh of the Tetragrammon, which is the Window and the word Behold. It is Briah that declares what creation will be, Mazal, the constellations that govern creation. Briah is the second triad, Chesed, Gevurah, and Tipherah. Da'ath joins Briah with Atziluth, and Tiferah borders Yetzurah. As above, Kether of Briah is Malkuth of Atziluth, and Malkuth of Briah is Kether of Yetzurah. Briah is Chokmah, Wisdom. We understood Chokmah before we learned language, as we could understand Briah at that time. Only through returning to our birth can we understand Briah. Briah is the Second Mother, Aleph, the Ox, and Strength, which is air and represents the Pillar of Air, which is Kether, Da'ath, Tipherah, Yesod, and Malkuth. Aleph connects Chesed, Mercy, with Gevurah, Judgement, coming together in Tipherah. Briah can also be viewed as Chokmah and Binah together, with Kether being Atziluth above.
Between Briah, above, and Yetzurah, below, is the Veil, represented by the veil in the temple separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. As such, Briah is the Holy of Holies, and Yetzurah is the Holy Place. Only Tipherah crosses the Veil, and it is through the balance of Beauty that we cross into Briah. In this way, Tipherah is Malkuth of Briah and Kether of Atziluth.
The third world is Yetzurah, the world of forms. The ten Sephiroth are repeated once again here, but here, only Malkuth shattered, water joining the fire and air from above to fall into Assiah below. Yetzurah is the lower heavens, and can be seen as the place where the sun, the moon, and the planets reside. Yetzurah conceals Briah. Yetzurah is the world of water, the moisture settling out from the air above. Matter doesn't yet exist, but the forms of it are defined. In Yetzurah, the Hebrew letters have joined with the vowel sounds to make words. Yetzurah is the letter Vev in the Tetragrammon. Vev is the hook that holds the veil in the Temple, and is "and", the separation of Self from Other. Vev is the creation of Binah, the reflection of Chokmah, which is the understanding of Other. And Yetzurah can be seen as Binah, Understanding, which is the Great Ocean. In this way, Yetzurah is the water above that was separated from the water below by the firmament in Genesis. Mem means sea or ocean, and is the Third Mother, connecting Netzach, Victory, and Hod, Glory. Mem is also the Pillar of Water, which is Binah, Gevurah, and Hod. As Binah, Yetzurah is the Greater Mother, with Malkuth being the Lesser Mother, for from Binah came all below. Yetzurah can be seen as Netzach, Hod, and Yesid, the Foundation. In this way, it borders on Tipherah above, which corrisponds to Kether of Yetzurah when the whole tree is viewed in this world. Yesod becomes Malkuth of Yetzurah. Another way to look at Yetzurah is as the center six Sephiroth. Kether, Chokmah, and Binah form above as Atziluth and Briah, and Malkuth below as Assiah.
Yetzurah is the most accessible world from those below. There is no Abyss or Veil separating it, just the Firmament. This Firmament is crossed by Tav, the last Hebrew letter, which joins Malkuth and Yesod, and is the path G-d's light takes to the world below. Yesod, the Malkuth of Yetzurah, can be seen as Kether of Assiah.
Assiah, the final world, is the physical world we know. The concepts thought of in Atziluth, designed in Briah, and formed in Yetzurah here take action, and the world we know is the result. This is where we can make a difference, where action and change is possible. Here, the pieces of the vessels that shattered above have come to rest and combine with the Sephiroth of Assiah to make a whole. Assiah is the world of earth, but contains fire, water, earth, and air, all working together to be the world we know. Assiah conceals Yetzurah within it and is the final covering concealing G-d. "The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork" - Psalm 19:1. We see G-d most clearly in the world around us, but also miss Him most easily, because we don't see it as Him. In Assiah, the words of Yetzurah have come together and form the Torah, the Law, the Word of G-d. Assiah is the final Heh of the Tetragrammon, the last breath that brought life to the world. It is the Window through which we Behold the glory of G-d. Assiah is Malkuth, whether you look at it based on one Sephirah or by sections of the Tree. Malkuth is the Lesser Mother, for from it comes all we know, and from each Malkuth comes Kether of the world below. Kether of Assiah is Malkuth of Yetzurah, which is Yesod, but Malkuth of Assiah is the last Malkuth, the only Sephirah that only receives, for each Sephirah gives to those below and receives from those above. It is in Assiah, in Malkuth, that the Shekinah, the manifest presence of G-d, resides. For only in Assiah can G-d manifest, for only there is He concealed enough for us to withstand His presence.
If Briah is the Holy of Holies, and Yetzurah is the Holy Place, Assiah is the Temple or the Inner Court. In another way, Atziluth could be seen as the Holy of Holies, Briah as the Holy Place, Yetzurah as the Inner Court, and Assiah as the Outer Court, the Court of the Gentiles.
Another way to look at the Tree and the four worlds is to overlay Kether with the Tiphirah of the world above, so that Da'ath becomes Yesod and Tipherah becomes Malkuth. I won't look at this in detail here, but it does bring additional insights to the four worlds, the ten Sephiroth, and the Tree of Life.
So, these are the four worlds that make up creation, which make up the coverings of G-d, which make up the Divine Mirror. The goal of mysticism is to move up the Tree, through the worlds, to grow closer to the true nature of G-d. The imagery of the four worlds provide a framework with which to understand the journey, discuss and share what we learn, and better understand the creator of these worlds.
~Muninn's Kiss