It's not a simple, linear thing. They used both circles and lines to explain it. Let’s untangle that for a bit.
The igul, the circle, represents an all-encompassing governance. It doesn't discriminate between Chessed, Kindness, Din, Judgment, and Rachamim, Mercy. It's a holistic view. This concept, by the way, applies to all the Sefirot.
Yes, you heard right: all of them. Each Sefirah, these divine emanations or attributes, can be seen in circular form, or in a straight, upright form. Why both? Because the Sefirot exist as a hierarchy, different levels, and that means there are different ways of looking at them. We can view them as a causal chain – how one develops from another – or in terms of how they actually govern the world.
Think of it like this: When looking at how the Ten Sefirot manifest, level by level, each one is caused by, and develops from, the one above it. In this aspect, it’s not important that one Sefirah leans towards Kindness while another leans toward Judgment. Because even though Kindness and Judgment partner in governing, from a developmental point of view, Judgment emerges from Kindness.
It’s a fascinating chain of being, right? From this viewpoint, each successive Sefirah is “lower” than the one above it. And this is really interesting: the Sefirah of Gevurah, often translated as “Strength” or “Severity," develops out of Chessed, "Kindness".
As the sages said, "The waters conceived and gave birth to darkness," (Midrash Rabbah Exodus 15:22). Here, water symbolizes Kindness, and darkness symbolizes Judgment. So, Kindness produces Judgment. Mind-blowing, isn’t it? From this perspective, the Ten Sefirot emerge as ten distinct levels, one below the other.
And here's where the imagery gets even more evocative. Because each higher Sefirah bears and carries the Sefirah below it, we can picture them nested, one inside the other. Like…the skins of an onion. Layer upon layer, each containing the next.
So, what does this all mean? Well, maybe it means that even seemingly opposing forces like Kindness and Judgment aren't truly separate. They're part of the same unfolding process, each giving rise to the other. And that perhaps, understanding the layers, the circles and the lines, brings us closer to understanding the very fabric of existence itself.