It's a system that has been unfolding for centuries, really taking root around the start of the sixth millennium – that's roughly the 13th century CE.
It all started with a handful of authors, and from the time of the Geonim – the early medieval rabbinic leaders – this belief has grown and deepened. It goes beyond simply believing in one cause for everything. Instead, it suggests that with the will of one cause, something is created, and that creation then receives authority from the cause above it. Think of it like a chain of command, but a Divine one.
The Zohar, that foundational text of Jewish mysticism, explains this explicitly (Genesis 22). Each level receives its authority from the level above. Malchut, often translated as "Kingdom" or "Sovereignty," receives from Zeir Anpin, "Small Face." Zeir Anpin gets it from Imma, "Mother," and Imma in turn from Abba, "Father." And it keeps going! Abba from Arich, "Long/Patient One," Arich from Atik, "Ancient One," and finally, Atik from Adam Kadmon.
Now, Adam Kadmon – that's a fascinating figure. He's considered the "head of the countenances" of the Emanation. And he alone can say, "See now that I, I am He, and there is no God with Me" (Deuteronomy 32:39). Why? Because he doesn't need to receive authority from anyone above him. He's at the very top of this particular chain.
And when it comes to the act of creation itself, the King, the Creator, was Abba. In the Zohar, he's even called "the Supernal King," and Imma is known as "Craftsman." There's a story about the creation of the first human, Adam. Apparently, Abba wasn't initially keen on the idea. He knew that humanity would be prone to sin. But Imma, the Craftsman, persuaded him, saying, "Since his sin depends on me, it doesn't matter to you."
You can find this elaborated upon in the Zohar and also in discussions around the Holy Temple. It's a complex and multi-layered picture, right? But it reveals a universe brimming with interconnectedness and a God whose creative process involves a whole host of Divine attributes, each playing its part. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, about the unseen forces that shape our world and our own roles within this grand design?