Tree of life (Kabbalah)

Tree of life is an importnat notion within the Kabbalah of Judaism. Although, it was later adopted by some Christians, Hermetics, and perhaps even by some pagans. It has been called the "cosmology" of the Kabbalah by some.

The mystical "tree of life" of Kabbalah is a deeper way of understanding the nature of God. Some believe the tree of life of Kabbalah is the same as the Tree of Life in the first book of the Tanakh: the Book of Genesis. Which is an important topic in and of itself in Judaism. The "tree of life" has been elaborated on by Kabbalists and developed into a full model of reality, or perhaps more accurately, a "map" of creation.

This map is described as having 10 Sephirot and 22 "paths". Each one of these sephirot and paths is given special attributes which reflect its particular quality. Commonly a constellation, planet, name of God and/or an element; Although other attributes such as psychological states, various verbs, and even foods are also attributed (especialy among more modern kabbalists).

These ten sephirot are described as Keter, Chockmah, Binah, Chesed, Gevurah, Tifereth, Hod, Netzach, Yeshod, Malkuth. Although, due to different romanizations and the lack of literature describing All the names of each sephiroth conclusively results in different spellings. For example, a different romanization of Chockmah is Hokhmah. An example of a change in the name of a sepiroth due to a different interpretation of text can be seen with Tiphereth which is sometimes refurred to as Rahamim.

The 22 paths equate to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Like the sephiroth, these are also given various attrbutes and qualities.

The earliest texts which describe the Tree of Life are the Bahir, Sefer Yetzirah, Sefer Raziel, and probably the most influential Zohar.

The tree of life describes in symbolic form how the creative force of God, according to the Kabbalah, emanated into the universe. Part of it are ten Sephiroth (singular: Sephirah, or "sphere") ordered from highest to lowest. The lowermost is physical reality, and the highermost is the one closest to the original, unknowable source.

Many variants of the tree of life arrangement of the Sephirot have been described. The tree as detailed by Athanasius Kircher (sometimes referred to as the "Kircher Tree") is by far the most well-known one today. Others arrange the Sephiroth in different ways, such as in the form of concentric circles.

Scholars differ on the presence of other elements in the cosmology. The position of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet is relatively undisputed at least in Kircher type arrangements, as is the presence of three "pillars" or "columns" of Sephiroth described as connected to each other, and the three "Veils of negative existence". Less well-known elements are the Abyss that separates the three supernal Sephiroth from the others, the "false" eleventh Sephira Da'at, the Veil of Paroketh and the demonic counterpart of the tree of life: the Tree of death composed of the Qliphoth, husks, instead of the Sephiroth.

References

The Sefer Yetzirah the book of creation: In theory and practice, Aryeh Kaplan (1997). Samuel Weiser, inc. (ISBN 0–87728–855–0)
The Bahir, Aryeh Kaplan (1995). Aronson. (ISBN 1–56821–383–2)
Qabalistic Concepts: Living the Tree, William G Gray (1997). Samuel Weister inc.. (ISBN 1–57863–000–2)
On The Kabbalah and its Symbolism, Gershom Scholem (1996). Schocken. (ISBN 0–8052–1051–2)

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