The Sephiroth is part of the Kabbalah.
This division of the ten Saphiroth into three triads was
arranged into a form called by the Kabbalists the Kabbalistic tree.
This division of the ten Sephiroth into
three triads was arranged into a form called by the Kabbalists the Kabbalistic
Tree, or the Tree of Life, as shown in the diagram.
This paper examines features of a Three-Dimensional model of the Sephiroth proposed by Robert Wang, secretary and protege of Israel Regardie of Golden Dawn fame. Wang's three 3-d model portrayes the four worlds with the geometry of the Sephiroth represented as a double cube with a center column as the Pillar of Beauty. The paper includes 3-dimensional computer generated images of Wang's model and a discussion of the unique features of the four worlds which it represents. The paper assumes basic to intermediate knowledge of the Sephiroth and Four Worlds on the part of the reader.
The concept of the Sephiroth and the Four Worlds is a difficult to understand,
but essential, part of Freemasonry. In his exposition upon the degrees within Morals
and Dogma[i] Albert Pike provides exhaustive and
specific discussion of both the Sephiroth and the Four Worlds in four separate
instances including “Knight of the East and West[ii]”, “Knight Rose Croix[iii]”, “Knight of the Brazen Serpent[iv]”, and “Knight of the Sun or Prince Adept[v]”. Bro. Manly P. Hall considered the
concept of the Sephiroth and Four Worlds sufficiently relevant as to publish an
English translation[vi] (the diagram was originally rendered in
Latin) of Athanasius Kircher’s “Tree of the Sephiroth” contained in Oedipus
Aegyptiacus[vii] (1652). Hall further notes in his Secret
Teachings of All Ages[viii] that
“the ten globes and twenty-two
channels of the Sephiroth are analogous to the Thirty-Two Degrees of
Freemasonry”.
Mackey and
Haywood note[ix] in the Encyclopedia of Freemasonry that:
“The Sephiroth forms the most
important portion of the secret doctrine of the Cabalists, and has been adopted
and referred to in many of the high philosophic Degrees of FreeMasonry. Some
acquaintance with it therefore seems necessary to the Freemason who desires to penetrate
into the more abstruse arcana of his order.”
The relevance of the Sephiroth and the Four Worlds to Freemasonry is
therefore extensive, and is basic to even the Symbolic (Blue Lodge) Degrees
(forming the concept behind the Three Pillars of Masonry[x]). This paper examines the
Sephiroth and Four Worlds by exploring a three-dimensional (3d) model proposed
by Robert Wang. Mr. Wang was a protégé of and secretary to Israel Regardie, of Hermetic
Order of the Golden Dawn fame. It’s important that I clarify at this time
that I do not ascribe to the views of the Golden Dawn, but present this model
for the sole purpose of reflecting upon an interesting concept and thereby stimulating
thought. I also would like to specify that my approach to the Sephiroth here is
consistent with the precepts of Western Herrmeticism, and not Rabbinical
tradition.
This paper is not intended to be a discussion of basics, and in
preparing it I have made certain assumptions about the reader. It is assumed
that he will know something about the Sephiroth, including their basis and
associated philosophy, and that the reader will understand the concept of the
Four Worlds which is embodied by the Sephiroth. Readers without these
prerequisites of knowledge may find it useful to first read one of the many
introductory books written about the Sephiroth; my own recommendation to those
seeking a basic grounding in the subject is to read (and reread) the introduction
provided by MacGregor Mathers in his book The Qabalah Unveiled[xi]. I believe that for the prepared reader,
this paper will be both entertaining and thought-provoking.
The
Structure of the Sephiroth
In order to properly address the basic concepts of this paper, an
exploration of the structure of the Sephiroth is in order. When I use the term
“structure” I am referring to the arrangement in which the individual Sephira
are depicted in a glyph intended to illustrate the concept of the Sephiroth.
Since the Sephiroth are conceptual, and not a physical reality, it is
important not to confuse the Sephirothic Glyph (Tree of Life) with anything
other than a postulated structure. Said more plainly, the Sephiroth do not
exist as physical entities. The discussion of the structure will be followed by
a similar discussion of the Four Worlds.
The traditional method for illustrating the Sephiroth (Figure 1) is by a 2-dimensional glyph or diagram. In those instances in which the glyph has been modified by shading in an attempt to add depth (i.e. to illustrate the spheres) the result is a figure which remains essentially planar or two-dimensional. The problem of illustrating the four worlds of the Sephiroth using such a planar model is usually resolved by drawing four separate Sephiroth one beneath the next, often creating a confusing representation of that which it is intended to illustrate.
One method of illustrating the four worlds was
used by Robert Wang as a rear dust cover photo in the hardback version of his
book Qabalistic Tarot[xii]. This
method involves placing the Sephiroth of each world in true 3-dimensional
perspective, with twelve Sephiroth forming a double cube and with a single
column of Sephiroth vertically positioned in the center of the double cube. I
have reproduced this arrangement in Figure 2 using a computerized drawing
system. Please note that in
Wang’s model, which appears to have been made
of wood, each Sephira and each Pathway is colored to coincide with the beliefs
of the Golden Dawn concerning colors and energies. In my reproduction I have
not colored, nor have I labeled the Sephiroth or the Pathways. I believe my
result to be otherwise true to the Wang model, and have spent considerable time
rotating and manipulating the 3d image so that I could examine it just as Wang
no doubt examined his wooden model. Note that in Figure 2 I have presented two
views of the 3-Dimensional Sephiroth, each rotated to a slightly different
orientation to better illustrate the structure as a whole. In Figure 3, I have
rotated the model to present a view looking down into the Sephiroth from the
very top. My reason for providing this particular view will soon be made
apparent.
The pathways in both views are represented as
tubular connectors, which again is true to both Wang’s model and the
traditional representation of the Sephiroth. One of the interesting features of
the Sephiroth, when drawn in 2-dimensions is that the individual Sephira are
laid out in a circular pattern[xiii]. When considering the 3-dimensional
model, the layout of the Sephira is spherical. The top view in which the center
column, or column of Beauty, is shown fits into
this same spherical layout.
Recently, during a spirited Philalethes Society
discussion list conversation concerning the phrase “4th part of a circle”, one
of the participants offered the following quotation from The Way of The
Craftsman[xiv], by W. Kirk MacNulty:
“… Now the circle is an almost universal symbol
for the whole of existence, the relative universe which contains the four
worlds according to our cosmology. The “fourth part of a circle” makes
reference to one of the four worlds”
If one is to examine the top view of the
3-dimensional model in Figure 3, it becomes apparent that if the top cube of
the Sephiroth is circumscribed by a circle, that circle would be divided into
four equal segments (by the X-shaped connecting pathways), with each quadrant
forming a ninety-degree angle. Each quarter circle then would indeed describe
one of the four worlds in our 3-dimensional model.
While I’m on the subject of 3-dimensional views
of the Sephiroth, I would like to offer that there is a strong correlation
between the traditional 2-dimensional view of the Sephiroth and the double-cube
used by Wang in his 3-d model. In Figure 4 I have provided two views of the
double cube used to represent the four worlds (less the inner column) along
with a 2-d view of the Sephiroth as it is traditionally rendered.
The reader will notice the unusual similarity
between the center view of the double cube in Figure 4, and the traditional 2-d
representation of the Sephiroth at the far right. This similarity may actually
be at the root of the evolution of the diagram of the Sephiroth[xv] since its pattern or form is not
specifically established in the Sefer Yetzirah[xvi].
The Four
Worlds
The Four Worlds are
comprised of: Atziluth the world of Emanation and Deity, which is sometimes
considered related to the Christian concept of the Holy Spirit; Briah, the
world of creation (or the Archangelic realm) in which the mind is first given
expression; Yetzirah, the world of formation (Angelic realm) - equivalent to
the Christian concept of Purgatory[xvii]; and Assiah, the material world (the
world of action, or movement). Of all of the various beliefs expressed in
Kabalistic literature, it is the concept of the Four Worlds which tends to be
the most difficult to comprehend Even the most basic description of the
Four Worlds here would be impractical given limitations of the scope and length
of this paper; suffice it to say that this is an extremely abstract concept,
and that the subject requires a well grounded understanding of the Sephiroth as
a whole. I intend in this discussion to stay focused upon a few specific
aspects of the four worlds as they relate to the 3-d model proposed by Wang and
as illustrated herein.
When evaluating the four worlds in a 3-d
perspective, consideration was given to the manner in which the emanations are
propagated from Kether to Malkuth in each of the Four Worlds. Golden Dawn
Tradition holds that the pathway for the emanations is a sort of zig-zag
pattern (beautifully illustrated in a Plate preceding the Fifth Knowledge
Lecture in Isreal Regardie’s The Golden Dawn[xviii]) often called the Path of the Flaming
Sword[xix]. Figure 5 illustrates this path two
ways; first with the path viewed as it propagates in only one world, and then
with the path viewed as it progresses in two worlds simultaneously. The
reader will no doubt recognize that in practice the emanation will progress
identically and simultaneously in all four worlds. Note also that as the
emanation proceeds from Binah to Chesed, it does not follow an established
pathway. The “gap” through which the emanation passes is often considered to
represent the Abyss, which is the separation between the three supernal
Sephiroth and the seven lower Sephiroth. The concept of The Abyss is often
identified with Tohu Bohu (Chaos and Emptiness) in Genesis 1:2 [xx]. Some Cabalists also associate the Abyss
with “Qlippoth”, which are scattered shells of Sephiroth which shattered during
initial failed attempts at creation as the result of imbalance in the Tree of
Life. There are many more explanations for The Abyss, however that which I find
particularly compelling is that espoused by Isaac Luria[xxi] (1534 -1572) which came to be known as
“tzimtzum” or expansion and contraction.
The reader will recall that the Sephiroth in the pillar of Wisdom are
considered Feminine and those in the pillar of Justice are considered
Masculine, with the center pillar of Beauty considered neutral (i.e.
androgynous). This concept is alluded to in the Christian Bible[xxii] (Proverbs 8:1) when Solomon declares:
"Does not wisdom call out? Does
not understanding raise her voice” (emphasis is the author’s)
An even more
specific reference to the feminine nature of Wisdom[xxiii] is found in Proverbs 3:13:
"Happy is the
man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth
understanding....She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon
her: and happy is every one that retaineth her”.
The import of this is that each Sephira at any given moment of emanation
is either male or female depending upon which of the outermost pillars it
occupies, but combines to beconme androgynous when it occupies the center
pillar. This androgynous character appears to separate and recombine several
times as the emanations progress throughout the Sephiroth. Some would argue that
the androgynous aspect, after passing through Tipareth, is subsequently
separated, but that at the point at which the pathways converge in Yesod
the male and female aspects are again recombined and are passed to Malkuth
without further separation.
Tradition, on the other hand holds that the
Male and Female aspects are separately passed to Malkuth, and that through the
holy institution of Marriage the two are brought back together again. This
concept is of course related to the prohibition of divorce in some religious
traditions and denominations.
Given the construction of the 3-d Sephiroth,
the Sephira designated “Chokmah” in one world would be regarded as “Binah” in
that world to which it is adjacent. This interesting characteristic seems to
coincide with a passage from The Zohar which (in speaking of the
emanation of light) translates as “the Left was included in the Right and
the Right in the Left."[xxiv]
Careful evaluation of Figure 5 (Wang’s model)
will lead the reader to recognize that at no point is any single Sephira
involved in, nor interacts with, more than one world at a given time. I would make the analogy that the Sephiroth is like
an automobile engine. In an engine, each cylinder receives a spark in a
progressive sequence (as opposed to all cylinders being fired simultaneously).
In some cabalistic literature the Path of the Flaming Sword is also referred to
as a lightning flash; this would seem to be an especially apt description if
the 3-d representation in Figure 5 is indeed correct. I interpret here that a
“flash” is a rapid, but discontinuous event, and that the flash is analogous to
the sparking of an engine cylinder.
It is apparent from Figure 5 and from Figure 6 (if folded in such a
manner as to recreate its 3-dimensional perspective), that each individual
World has one Parallel World in which the emanations are in phase, and two
Adjacent Worlds which are Perpendicular and ninety degrees out of phase. This
is, to say the least, a very complex structure. I leave the reader to ponder
the significance of the terms “parallel” and “perpendicular” in this context
(hint: what are signs ?).
Conclusion
In closing, I would restate the fact that The Sephiroth and their related
philosophy are indeed an important element in the more philosophic aspects of
what is often called Esoteric Freemasonry. Given the importance then of
The Sephiroth, an exploration of the more difficult, but related concept of the
Four Worlds would seem reasonable. I have chosen just one of the many possible
forms of the Sephiroth for discussion here; I hope that the reader will agree
that this exploration has been worthwhile, and that with further exploration of
other possible structural forms, greater understanding of the Sephiroth will
perhaps evolve. I would also like to mention to my Orthodox friends that I
understand that much of my speculation could be considered disrespectful of
established tradition and deeply held beliefs. I would sincerely hope that they
will accept that no offense or disrespect is intended.
The author is grateful to Bro. Ben Williams, Telluride Lodge No. 56
(Grand Lodge of Colorado) who kindly reviewed and edited this paper greatly
improving it in uncountable ways. Remaining errors, omissions, and poor grammar
in this paper remain the fault of the author, so don’t blame poor Ben
<Grin>.
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from http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/mackeys_encyclopedia/s.htm.
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[xvi] Kohler, Kaufmann & Ginzberg Louis. Yezirah
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