Clive Richard Weeks Spiritual Counselling, Readings & Courses What is Qabalah Page

W h a t i s Q a b a l a h ?

Disclaimer

I am not Jewish and have never studied Qabalah through orthodox Jewish channels. My experience of Qabalah is through its use in the esoteric sciences, and therefore the statements made in this article are based on that knowledge. I make this disclaimer as I don't wish to offend anyone who has studied traditional Qabalah within the framework of orthodox Judaism.

What is Qabalah?

Qabalah is a Jewish system of Mysticism and Metaphysics.

The word Qabalah (more often spelt Kabbalah in English) is of Hebrew origin and means to receive. The meaning is a reference to the oral tradition by which Qabalah was passed down, generation after generation, "mouth to ear". The Qabalah began to be written down only during the middle ages

If the Old Testament is regarded as the body of Judaism and the Talmud (a set of commentaries often studied by Jewish scholars) its intellectual soul, then the Qabalah is its spirit.

The ancient Hebrews came into contact with many peoples and philosophies, from the astrologers of Babylon to the powerful magicians of ancient Egypt. They incorporated much of this wisdom into the secret oral tradition that was placed into the hands of their priests, and which forms the basis of Qabalah. Because of these many external influences, the Qabalah can be used successfully with both monotheistic and polytheistic mythologies or religions. It can also be used by atheists - if the concepts of God, or gods, are replaced by the natural equivalents that exist within the make-up of mankind.

This makes the Qabalistic system extremely flexible and explains its popularity in Western occult circles.

What is the Core Philosophy?

The main philosophies are as follows:

That prior to the universe being created there was "no thing"

When God decided to bring about creation, he/she "emanated" the universe through ten (10) major stages or levels called Sephiroth

That the way the universe was created defines its structure, on all levels - both visible and invisible

The universe is full of correlations or relationships that can be mapped and understood in the context of Qabalah

One of these correlations is that the universe is defined by numbers. In Hebrew each letter is also a number

The Tree of Life

The core philosophies are often expressed in a diagram known as the Tree of Life. This diagram is the central glyph of Qabalah and is shown below.

The diagram is a relational model of how the universe was created, and also how it is presently structured as a legacy of the way it was created. This includes all of the layers of the physical and non-physical worlds, as well as describing the internal make-up of mankind.

The model consists of the following components:

Above the main structure of the diagram are shown the three stages of pre-creation

The spheres are called Sephiroth (plural) or Sephirah (singular). They represent the levels, or if you will, the pause points through which creation was emanated.

Each sphere has a number from 1 to 10, a Hebrew name, and an English meaning (in so far as a single word can express all of the meaning of a single Sephirah).

There is also a Sephirah numbered 0. This is not considered a true Sephirah, as such but more of a nexus point

The English versions of the Hebrew names are not shown in the diagram due to lack of space, but the English variants, from both the Jewish and Esoteric traditions respectively, are as follows:

1. Keter, or Kether

2. Hokhmah, or Chokmah

3. Binah (same for both)

0. Daat, or Daath

4. Hesed, or Chesed

5. Gevurah, or Geburah

6. Tiferet, or Tiphereth

7. Nezah, or Netzach

8. Hod (same for both)

9. Yesod (same for both)

10. Malkhut, or Malkuth

The paths that link the Sephiroth represent operational relationships between the Sephiroth. Each path is also numbered to assist identification.

The diagram shown below, being used largely for esoteric purposes, also shows the astrological and Tarot correspondences for each Sephirah and Path. These link the diagram not only to these disciplines, but also to the great pantheons of mythology.

In addition, each of the Paths (of which there are 22) is assigned a letter of the Hebrew alphabet (which has 22 letters). Each Hebrew letter has a meaning of its own that sheds light on the meaning of the path to which it is attributed.

The Tree also has three vertical "pillars" formed by the paths. These are:

The Pillar of Severity or Judgement - also known as the pillar of Form and the Passive pillar - running from Binah down to Hod

The Pillar of Mercy - also known as the pillar of Force and the Active pillar - running from Chokmah down to Netzach

The Pillar of Mildness, running from Kether down to Malkuth

One of the lessons that the occult student learns is that unbalanced Severity is cruelty, and unbalanced Mercy is weakness. It is only through the balance of the two outer pillars and the knowledge of when to apply which attributes, that the harmony and honesty of the middle pillar can be achieved.

So How Was the Universe Created?

Using the model above, let us now describe how this Universe of ours came into being...

God being outside of time and space as we understand it, is outside of the constraints of his own creation and existed in some state that in our current form we can only understand by analogy.

At this time all that existed was Ain, or "No Thing". This is not creation as we understand it, but a state of pre-creation.

From this state came Ain Soph, or "Without End", which is saying that this condition of pre-creation is now limitless.

Now from this arises Ain Soph Aur or the "Limitless Light". There is still nothing tangible - not even the invisible planes that exist today - but the Glory of God is everywhere.

But now something happens that we may be able to grasp onto - if only tenuously at first. What is described as the "Lightening Flash of Creation" begins as God begins to emanate his glory into the first Sephirah, which is called Kether, or "The Crown". This is the first emanation on a level that has any kind of definition that can be understood. Kether is mathematically equivalent to the one-dimensional point. It is a theoretical - even tenuous - concept in our three dimensional material existence, but that does not mean that a point does not exist. As God pours out his power so the Sephirah of Kether is filled and complete. But there is an inertia to this flow that has been set in motion, and a one-dimensional world is not sufficient for a struggling Adam or Eve to actually live and learn in. The process of creation must continue until it is complete down to the last detail.

So Kether overflows and from it is born Chokmak, "Wisdom" or the Supernal Father. Chockmah has two dimensions - a line, but a line is still only a mathematical concept to our 3-dimensionally-constrained minds.

When Chokmah is complete and full, emanation again continues to overflow and gives rise to Binah, "Understanding" and also the Supernl Mother. Binah has the number 3 and mathematically 3 points define a plane, which is the beginning of form and is slightly more understandable to us mere humans.

But with the completion and then overflow of Binah, Chesed or "Mercy" comes into being. Now there are four points and we can define a three dimensional structure with 4 points. This is the first of the Sephiroth that our lowly earth-bound minds have a hope of understanding under normal conditions. For this reason, the number Four (4) is the number of Structure.

The lightning flash of creation continues down through the remaining Sephiroth, one by one, pausing at each while the emanation fills out and completes the whole, before overflowing and creating the next.

When all is finished, Malkuth - "The Kingdom" or the physical world that we inhabit - has been created.

But there is a mystery... Malkuth contains within its nature all that has preceded it in the process of creation. Our physical universe is the last note in the symphony of creation. But, being the completion of all, it contains all of the processes that led to its existence.

This is one of the reasons that Qabalah teaches us not to abandon the physical world, or to treat it as illusion, but rather to embrace its completeness and overcome its challenges while simultaneously building up for ourselves treasure on the higher levels of existence. This is why it is not necessary wrong or evil to have wealth. It is only a problem when that is all that matters, and there is no balance.

The Qabalistic goal is to "bring heaven down to earth". In other words we are to bring our spirituality into our everyday existence, and not to seek escape from the physical world.

So now we have a map of how our world (on both the subtle and gross levels) was created. This provides us with a map of our course back to unification with God, or for the non-religious, the realisation of our own personal Godhead. In either case, the goal is to achieve the highest human potential.

For this reason - and perhaps as a reflection of my early musical tastes - I sometimes refer to the Tree of Life as the Stairway to Heaven.

But wait...there's more.

The Four Worlds

The Tree can be subdivided into four parts that correspond to four main levels or worlds. The worlds are as follows:

Atziluth, The Archetypal World

This is the world where the idea of a thing, or the original model upon which subsequent levels are base, comes into being. It corresponds to the element of Fire and the Tarot suit of Wands and also to the Knights (sometimes called Kings)

Beriah, The World of Creation

It corresponds to Water and the Tarot suit of Cups and also to the Queens

Yetzirah, The World of Formation

It corresponds to Air and the Tarot suit of Swords and also to the Princes (Sometimes also called Kings - just to confuse everyone)

Assiah, The World of Action - the physical world

This is the world where all of the ideas and plans that have been created and developed are made manifest and clothed in matter. It corresponds to Earth and the Tarot Suit of Pentacles and also to the Princesses

Each of these worlds has its own Tree of Life. Each of these Trees has its own colour scale. The diagram shown above is in the Queen scale. This is a reference to the Tarot court card corresponding to the world that the colours belong to.

The Trees of Life for the 4 worlds all interlink as per the diagram below to form what is described as Jacob's ladder.

Study of this diagram with it's fur interlinking worlds, teaches us all things are related. Some of the overlapping Sephiroth exist in three of the four worlds. A good example of this, using the Biology of mankind, is Tiphereth in the world of Assiah.

Tiphereth is the central focus of any world that it falls in. In the case of Assiah, the physical world and in particular in the body of man, this represents the central nervous system, including the brain.

But the same Sephirah in the world of Yetzirah is Malkuth. In the make-up of mankind, the world of Yetzirah represents his psychological make-up. Malkuth represents physicality; therefore Malkuth in Yetzirah is the physical residence of the Psyche, which as we know is the central nervous system - primarily the brain.

So the central nervous system is simultaneously Tiphereth in Assiah and Malkuth in Yetzirah.

How is Qabalah used?

Qabalah and the tree are used in a number of ways, both practical & theoretical

Macrocosmic Tree

The macrocosm is that which is outside of us, but of which we are a part.

As well as helping us to understand our macrocosmic universe, this system helps us to understand what kind of entities inhabit the various levels and what we can expect to find on any given level. The entities we can expect to find will be those from the Jewish or other traditions, that correspond to the level we are exploring

It also gives us words of power that we can use for protection from entities, or admittance to certain places

Microcosmic Tree

The microcosmic tree helps us to understand the nature of mankind. This is because the archetype of a man or woman is defined in the relational model of the Tree of Life. The archetype of Mankind is referred to as Adam Kaddamon,. This is Adam before the fall - because as an archetype he isn't flesh.

The Great Work

This is the life commitment - often by magical oath in the occult world - whereby an individual seeks to achieve their highest possible potential. The state of Adam Kaddamon before he was made flesh and fell.

The individual does this by many means:

He maps the Tree of Life, and its attendant Sephiroth to the physical body - much like the Eastern Chakras. This permits access points for physical ritual to be able to work.

Doing his enables the occultist to balance the 3 pillars in his Aura and his Psyche so that there is a balance point form which to operate.

Also the occultist endeavours to build up the full tree of life in the Aura

The esoteric Qabalist does this through a number of exercises and rituals.

Building these symbols of the very structure of creation, balanced by the will of God into one's own make-up, assists the aspirant in beginning their ascension of the Stairway to Heaven which is the four interlinking worlds comprising Jacob's Ladder.

Gematria

Gematria is a numerological technique that assists the student or scholar in extracting additional meaning form Holy or esoteric texts. It does this by associating the meanings of words or even letters & words that have the same numerical value. Used correctly and with discernment it can provide great insights, particularly into the Holy texts of the Old Testament - but it can work on any text written in Hebrew.

Life Atitude

The Qabalah teaches optimism

It teaches that we can have material and spiritual wealth - even more that we should live a full material life. This is a major point of difference from some of the Eastern systems that teach that the material world is but an illusion to be dispensed with.

The Qabalistic view is that if we are unable to manage our earthy affairs, how would we cope with the responsibility of our spiritual ascent to Heaven.

Conclusion

Qabalah is an extremely complex and broad system that demands time, study and practice to fully comprehend. It is not a quick fix, and is not for everyone.

But anyone who studies it and practices its' exercises and attitudes will benefit.

The Qabalah is a Holy, bright, multi-coloured light that may be of help to those seeking a path.

This brief article can only offer a broad brush stroke of monochrome understanding - but I hope that it is enough to enthuse at least some of the readers to find out more about this at once ancient and modern system!