That’s kind of what we're doing today, diving into some pretty deep Kabbalistic concepts about the nature of the Divine.
We’re talking about the Sefirot, those ten emanations of God in Kabbalah, and how they relate to the Ein Sof, the Infinite. It's a complex topic, and there are…let’s just say opinions on how to understand it all.
One thing that’s really important to understand is that the body of the Sefirot, as Kabbalah describes it, extends from the very essence of the Ein Sof – that Infinite, unknowable source. And that's not just the Sefirot themselves, but also their inner light (their soul) and their encompassing light (their garment). They all emanate from the same source. The book "Shushan Sodot" goes into detail about this, both in the order of prayer and in the context of the seven days of Passover.
Now, here’s a crucial point: the ten Sefirot aren't created beings. They're more like a concept, an unfolding, that extends from the essence of the Creator. They aren't separate from Him; He continuously exists within them, like a spark within its garment. Rabbi Moshe Zacuto, known as the RAMAZ, made this point, stating that the vessels of Atzilut (the world of emanation) have a divine aspect. Rabbi Menachem HaMeiri echoed this, saying that even all of Atzilut – lights, vessels, even their garments – are all complete divinity. Even the "Beit Kodesh HaKodashim" says that the body and soul are unified.
However, when you get to the lower realms of Beriah (creation), Yetzirah (formation), and Assiyah (action), things change. In those worlds, even the spirit isn't considered complete divinity.
This distinction is key. And it brings us to a debate, a point of contention. Some might argue, "Wait a minute! Are you saying the Kabbalists believe the Sefirot are part of the Ein Sof?" The answer is nuanced. The Sefirot emerged and unfolded from a higher elevation to a lower one. They are not the Ein Sof itself, but are an expression of it.
The Zohar, that foundational text of Kabbalah, refers to each of the faces as the "uppermost of the upper," because each is an elevation above the lower levels. Adam Kadmon (Primordial Man), however, is called the "uppermost of all the upper," as it's the initial elevation for all the faces.
So where does this leave us with prayer? Well, according to tradition, all our service and prayers are directed specifically to Ze’eir Anpin, who is considered the son of Abba (Father) and Imma (Mother). As we find in works like "Mikdash Melech," "HaRashba," "Yosher Levav," "Sefer HaBrit," "Maharsha," "Etz Chaim," "Ha'ari" in "Likutei Amarim," "Kisei Eliyahu," "Matzref HaEmunah," and "Nachalat Yosef," all praises and blessings are specifically for Ze’eir Anpin. They aren’t directed towards the Ein Sof or any other higher faces in the world of Atzilut, nor towards the faces below Ze’eir Anpin in the worlds of Beriah, Yetzirah, and Asiyah. Even though those worlds contain aspects of Atzilut that originate from the Ein Sof, they aren’t considered "complete divinity" in the same way. You don’t pray to them or invoke them in times of distress, unless the source of the matter reveals itself through their words.
Our sages, in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 91b), offer a way to understand this. They say, "From the gods of the nations that are near you or far from you." Why both "near" and "far"? Rashi explains that we should look at the idols close to us and see that they have no substance, and from that, understand the nature of those that are far. So, if the entities in Assiyah, Yetzirah, and Beriah have no substance, then even Ze’eir Anpin of Atzilut, who is more distant, ultimately derives from the one true God.
This whole discussion circles back to a really important point: focus your worship, praises, and blessings on Ze’eir Anpin of Atzilut. It's a perspective the "new Kabbalists" all seem to agree on.
It’s like the Tanna said in Pirkei Avot: “Ten things were created on the eve of the Sabbath… with a golem, with the appearance and characteristics of a golem." The golem, in this context, represents something incomplete, something that doesn’t quite grasp the full picture.
Ultimately, grappling with these concepts is about striving to understand the relationship between the finite and the infinite, between the revealed and the hidden. It’s a lifelong journey, and one that invites us to continually refine our understanding of the Divine. So what do you think? How do you understand the relationship between the Sefirot and the Ein Sof? It's a question that's been pondered for centuries, and one that continues to challenge and inspire us today.