the Kabbalah & the Tree of Life
The model of the Tree of Life comes from the philosophy of the Jewish Kabbalah.
The Kabbalah (sometimes spelled Qabalah) is a belief system that seeks to understand and explain life.
The philosophy is an oral tradition.
This means that originally it was passed by word of mouth from generation to generation.
The diagram of the Tree of Life was most likely drawn with a sharp stick in the dust of the ground.
This was the main tool of instruction and memory for thousands of years.
Kabbalah is an ancient Hebrew word meaning "received by word of mouth".
The words of the Kabbalah were not written down until somewhere around the 13th Century.
There are references in ancient books, traditions and beliefs that reach back through our history 10,000 years. Prior to this we refer to the Sumerians, the Chaldeans and even the Atlanteans.
The Hindu Vedas and Chinese philosophy also pre-date it .
The Sepher Yetzirah (Book of Formation) is a book of the Kabbalah.
The Sepher Yetzirah explains the beginnings of things.
The Universe, letters and numbers.
The Hebrew system of Numerology known as Gematria derives from this source.
The Sepher Yetzirah tells us how the Tree of Life was formed.
The Kabbalah speaks of 4 worlds of existence.
The divine world of emanation is Atziluth (Will).
The lower worlds are Beriah (Intellect), Yetzirah (Emotion) and Assiyah (Action).
Other words assigned, respectively, to the 4 worlds are:
Emanation, Creation, Formation, Manifestation
Spirit, MInd, Emotions, Body
Nearly every book on the subject that you pick up will spell the Hebrew words differently.
It is more about pronunciation than spelling.
The original 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet were all consonants.
There were no vowels until writing and printing of books became more common.
Below are two common, traditional images of the Kabbalah's Tree of Life.
The Kabbalah (sometimes spelled Qabalah) is a belief system that seeks to understand and explain life.
The philosophy is an oral tradition.
This means that originally it was passed by word of mouth from generation to generation.
The diagram of the Tree of Life was most likely drawn with a sharp stick in the dust of the ground.
This was the main tool of instruction and memory for thousands of years.
Kabbalah is an ancient Hebrew word meaning "received by word of mouth".
The words of the Kabbalah were not written down until somewhere around the 13th Century.
There are references in ancient books, traditions and beliefs that reach back through our history 10,000 years. Prior to this we refer to the Sumerians, the Chaldeans and even the Atlanteans.
The Hindu Vedas and Chinese philosophy also pre-date it .
The Sepher Yetzirah (Book of Formation) is a book of the Kabbalah.
The Sepher Yetzirah explains the beginnings of things.
The Universe, letters and numbers.
The Hebrew system of Numerology known as Gematria derives from this source.
The Sepher Yetzirah tells us how the Tree of Life was formed.
The Kabbalah speaks of 4 worlds of existence.
The divine world of emanation is Atziluth (Will).
The lower worlds are Beriah (Intellect), Yetzirah (Emotion) and Assiyah (Action).
Other words assigned, respectively, to the 4 worlds are:
Emanation, Creation, Formation, Manifestation
Spirit, MInd, Emotions, Body
Nearly every book on the subject that you pick up will spell the Hebrew words differently.
It is more about pronunciation than spelling.
The original 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet were all consonants.
There were no vowels until writing and printing of books became more common.
Below are two common, traditional images of the Kabbalah's Tree of Life.
In the diagram on the right, the three curved lines above the Tree are known as the Ain Soph Aur.
The Ain Soph Aur is interpreted as the Absolute Limitless Light.
Another word for the Ain Soph Aur is Nothingness.
This is the source from where everything emanated.
Light streamed from the Absolute Limitless Light into the void that was created for the World as we know it.
The light traveled in the form of a lightning flash.
Balancing from one side to the other, it zig-zagged into existence forming the 10 Sephiroth in sequence as it progressed.
The Sephiroth are the 10 circles (not including Daath) in the diagram at right.
The Sepher Yetzirah provides that each Sephira is a number and there are 10 of them.
Connecting the 10 Sephiroth are 22 paths and they each relate to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
The movement of the lightning flash was controlled by the principles of the three Pillars Will, Rigour and Mercy.
Will is the central pillar of the structure - holding the balance.
Rigour and Mercy, also termed Form & Force, are the pillars either side.
This is the basis of the traditional structure known as the Tree of Life.
The philosophy of the Kabbalah is structured upon the ideas of 3 pillars, 4 worlds, 10 numbers (Sephiroth) and 22 letters (paths).
In addition to these elements there is the Source (Nothingness) and the World (Everythingness).
Balancing from one side to the other, it zig-zagged into existence forming the 10 Sephiroth in sequence as it progressed.
The Sephiroth are the 10 circles (not including Daath) in the diagram at right.
The Sepher Yetzirah provides that each Sephira is a number and there are 10 of them.
Connecting the 10 Sephiroth are 22 paths and they each relate to a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
The movement of the lightning flash was controlled by the principles of the three Pillars Will, Rigour and Mercy.
Will is the central pillar of the structure - holding the balance.
Rigour and Mercy, also termed Form & Force, are the pillars either side.
This is the basis of the traditional structure known as the Tree of Life.
The philosophy of the Kabbalah is structured upon the ideas of 3 pillars, 4 worlds, 10 numbers (Sephiroth) and 22 letters (paths).
In addition to these elements there is the Source (Nothingness) and the World (Everythingness).
The 10 Sephiroth
Kether - the Crown
Chokhmah - Wisdom
Binah - Understanding
Chesed - Mercy
Geburah - Severity
Tiphareth - Beauty
Netzach - Victory
Hod - Glory
Yesod - Foundation
Malkuth - Kingdom
The Sephiroth represent the 10 numbers
Kether - the Crown
Chokhmah - Wisdom
Binah - Understanding
Chesed - Mercy
Geburah - Severity
Tiphareth - Beauty
Netzach - Victory
Hod - Glory
Yesod - Foundation
Malkuth - Kingdom
The Sephiroth represent the 10 numbers
The 22 Paths
The 22 Paths represent the 22 Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet
The 22 Paths represent the 22 Letters of the Hebrew Alphabet
The Paths on the Traditional Tree of Life
The Tree of Life & the Fall
At some time, after the Tree of Life was formed, an event occurred that is known as "The Fall".
After the Fall, the traditional Tree of Life image shows:
the non-Sephiroth known as Daath,
the veils,
and the abyss.
At some time, after the Tree of Life was formed, an event occurred that is known as "The Fall".
After the Fall, the traditional Tree of Life image shows:
the non-Sephiroth known as Daath,
the veils,
and the abyss.
The Return
The Serpent winds through the tree, rising from bottom to top.
Each turn and coil wraps around another path showing the way of return.
Each turn and coil wraps around another path showing the way of return.