Kabbalah

The term guf, body, essentially has three meanings in kabbalistic literature. The first is the vessel for the supernal light. Just as the physical body is a vessel for the soul, so too vessels of all kinds and on all levels of reality are called bodies (while the lights within them are called neshamot, souls). Second, “body” can refer to the central and important aspect that defines each level. The third meaning of “body” is in the context of the structure of a partzuf: the sefirot of Ḥesed, Gevura, and Tiferet, or sometimes Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod, contained in the partzuf are called the body of the partzuf, in contrast to the first three sefirot contained in the partzuf – Keter, Ḥokhma, and Bina – which are considered the head of the partzuf.

The sefira of Gevura is the fifth of the ten sefirot. When the sefirot are divided into the five primary sefirot – Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut – Gevura is encompassed in the sefira of Tiferet as the Ḥokhma level of Tiferet (see Tiferet) The sefira of Gevura is called by this name since it characterizes restraint and constriction. It represents the left column in a process called the rectification of lines, and it is this left column on which the constriction (tzimtzum) acts. This placement characterizes the power of restraint that is used to repel the supernal light. In the structure of partzufim, which is analogous to the human body, Gevura is generally presented as the left hand of the partzuf.

The inner light refers to the supernal light that successfully permeates and is enclothed within every level of reality, in accordance with the level’s capacity to contain it at any given time. This contrasts with surrounding light, the light that reality cannot contain because it is too limited to contain the infinite divine light and so the surrounding light cannot shine within reality at present (but will do so in the future).

Malkhut is the last of the ten sefirot. The essence of this sefira is its capacity as the ultimate vessel, the endless will to receive, which draws and reveals the infinite supernal light. This vessel actualizes the purpose of creation, which is for Ein Sof to bestow good on creation. Although this is its essence, the *constriction (tzimtzum)* prevents Malkhut from receiving the supernal light, protecting Malkhut from becoming subsumed by the supernal light. The constriction adds a new element to Malkhut: In addition to expressing the concept of receiving, it also possesses the attribute of constriction and judgment. The partition that rests upon Malkhut, a result of the constriction (tzimtzum), repels the supernal light, which gives rise to the returning light. This leads to the creation of new vessels, which give rise to the manifestation of the creation. Malkhut is positioned at the bottom end of each level of existence, but also begins the manifestation of the next level below. Malkhut is associated with the female aspect of creation, as well as the mouth. These symbols represent the capacity of Malkhut to receive the lights of the sefirot above and to transmit them to the levels below. It corresponds to the Nukba, or “female,” partzuf persona.

The term neshama commonly refers to the soul, the divine aspect that exists within every being and sustains it. But according to the teachings of the Kabbala, the soul actually contains five levels or lights – nefesh, ruaḥ, neshama, ḥaya, and yeḥida – the third of which is called “neshama.” These five levels (synonymous with the five lights that correspond and fill the five sefirot vessels) of the soul correspond to the five sefirot of Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut, as well as the five worlds of Adam Kadmon, Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, and Asiya.The neshama level corresponds to the sefira of Bina and the world of Beria, and represents the light that illuminates this sefira and world. Therefore one merits it – i.e., it illuminates in the body of a person or a level – only after meriting the lower lights (soul levels), which are nefesh and ruaḥ. After attaining it, one can merit the higher lights of ḥaya and yeḥida.

The sefirot represent ten ways through which the Creator reveals Himself in the creation, with each sefira representing a different degree of revelation. The term sefira itself has the same root as the word sapir, which means sapphire or radiance, indicating that the divine light is contained within the sefirot and illuminates the creation through them. Generally, there are ten sefirot: Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ, Hod, Yesod, and Malkhut. But in essence there are five primary sefirot: Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut. Additionally, each of these five sefirot are themselves composed of the other sefirot, since everything in reality is formed out of sefirot. Thus, for example, the sefira of Keter contains the levels of Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut. As for the five remaining sefirot, Ḥesed, Gevura, Netzaḥ, Hod, and Yesod, they are encompassed within the sefira of Tiferet. Like the other sefirot, the sefira of Tiferet contains all five sefirot, but in this case they are called by different names: In this context, they are called Ḥesed, Gevura, Tiferet, Netzaḥ and Hod. The reason the sefirot are given different names is that a different kind of light from that of the other sefirot, called the “light of giving,” is revealed through Tiferet. Although they are named differently, they are still, in a sense, the same five sefirot mentioned above. Thus, Ḥesed is referred to as the Keter of Tiferet, Gevura as the Ḥokhma of Tiferet, Tiferet as the Bina of Tiferet, Netzaḥ as the Tiferet of Tiferet, and Hod as the Malkhut of Tiferet. In addition to these five, there is another sefira that incorporates all the levels of Tiferet called Yesod.

The sefira of Tiferet is the sixth of the ten sefirot. When the sefirot are divided into the five primary sefirot – Keter, Ḥokhma, Bina, Tiferet, and Malkhut –Tiferet is parallel to the third level of the direct light of giving emanating from the Creator. This level of light is primarily drawn from the desire of the created beings to bond with the Creator, a will to give, but it also contains a certain amount of the will to receive the light of the Creator, which draws in illuminations from the light of wisdom. Tiferet means “Beauty” (the concept of harmony), and it is called by this name because it is able to integrate both kinds of light within it, the light of wisdom, and the light of giving. This integration, which can be thought of as being formed of two columns of light, as well as an intermediating column which connects them, is the harmonious beauty of this sefira. It is this integrative capacity and its unique combination of lights that gives Tiferet its unique characterization in which the five sefirot that comprise it are given different names (recall that each sefira is formed of all five sefirot): The Keter in Tiferet is called Ḥesed. The Ḥokhma in Tiferet is called Gevura. The Bina in Tiferet is called Tiferet. The Tiferet within Tiferet is called Netzaḥ. The Malkhut within Tiferet is called Hod. In addition to these five, there is a sixth sefira in Tiferet called Yesod, which includes the preceding five within it. It is this grouping of the sefirot that gives rise to the familiar count of ten sefirot. In the structure of partzufim, Tiferet is considered the body of the partzuf. Two hands (Ḥesed and Gevura) emerge from the body, as well as two legs (Netzaḥ and Hod) and the limb of procreation and life (Yesod), thus forming the image of the human body. The partzuf that correlates to Tiferet is Ze’er Anpin, which encompasses the six extremities. Each of the five primary sefirot is also parallel to one of the five worlds that form existence. The world that correlates to the sefira of Tiferet is the world of Yetzira.

The world of Yetzira is the third of the four worlds (after the supernal world of Adam Kadmon) that emanate and descend from one another in the process of creation. Some maintain that its name derives from the Hebrew words for form, tzura, or image, tziyur, since it is a kind of image or pattern for the final and fourth world, Asiya. Each of the worlds corresponds to one of the five primary sefirot. The world of Yetzira corresponds to the sefira of Tiferet or the third level of creation. The created beings that dwell in this level are the angels called ḥayot.