I'm talking about the very foundation of our existence, the residue left behind from the creation of the universe. Sounds a little out there. But stick with me.
In the mystical text Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, we find a fascinating idea about this residue, this leftover energy that forms the basis of our world. It all boils down to the Sefirot.
Now, the Sefirot (סְפִירוֹת) are, in Kabbalistic thought, the ten emanations of God’s divine energy. Think of them like lenses, each one refracting God's light in a different way, creating the various aspects of the universe. The tenth and final one is Malchut (מַלְכוּת), often translated as "kingdom" or "sovereignty." It represents the culmination of all the other Sefirot and the point at which divine energy manifests into the physical world. It is, in essence, the vessel that receives and expresses all that comes before it.
And here's where the "residue" comes in. According to the Kalach Pitchei Chokhmah, the existence of this residue is completely dependent on the connection, the bond, of all the individual Malchuyot (plural of Malchut) within the nine higher Sefirot. It's a law, really, a cosmic principle that the lower realms – our realm – should exist. This is because Malchut is the tenth law of the Ten Laws constituted by the Ten Sefirot.
Think of it like this: each Sefirah has its own aspect of Malchut, its own way of expressing its sovereignty and manifestation. And when all those individual expressions come together, they create a kind of… well, residue.
This residue, then, is the overall Malchut, the ultimate expression of divine energy in the created world. It's the "place," as the text calls it, of all created realms and beings. It's the very foundation upon which our existence is built. It is the law that gives them existence.
This is a profound idea. The very ground beneath our feet, the air we breathe, the relationships we cherish – all of it is rooted in this residue, this leftover energy from the divine act of creation.
The text emphasizes that the residue itself is made up of powers that were joined together, these being the root of the lower realms. These joined powers form the root of everything that exists “below,” in our world. It’s a reminder that everything is interconnected, that our world is not separate from the divine, but rather a direct result of it. We are all connected to the Divine.
So, next time you're feeling lost or disconnected, remember this: you are part of something much bigger than yourself. You are a piece of this cosmic residue, a manifestation of divine energy. And that's a pretty amazing thought, isn't it?