We then begin to focus on the seven lower Sephirot<\/i> which touch upon the function of our world.<\/p>\n
As Ramchal said in Petach<\/i> 17, a Sephira<\/i> is one of the ten generic forces that serve as the foundation upon which the entire structure \u2026 is built, <\/b>while <\/b>a Partzuf<\/i> is the full, detailed expression of each <\/b>Sephira<\/i>.<\/b><\/p>\n
Thus, the ten original — what\u2019s often termed the ten \u201cuniversal\u201d, perhaps \u201cbig picture\u201d — Sephirot<\/i> are the main building blocks of the cosmos; Partzufim<\/i> are thus enlarged and more fully configured versions of Sephirot<\/i>; and yet (and this is where it gets complex) each \u201cuniversal\u201d Partzuf<\/i> is comprised of sub- or \u201cparticular\u201d or \u201csmall picture\u201d Sephirot<\/i> of its own, just as each sub- or particular Sephira<\/i> is comprised of sub-sub- or particular-particular Partzufim <\/i>of its<\/i> own, ad infinitum<\/i>.<\/p>\n
The ten \u201cuniversal\u201d Sephirot <\/i>are, of course<\/p>\n
1. Keter<\/i>,<\/p>\n
2. Chochma<\/i>,<\/p>\n
3. Binah<\/i>,<\/p>\n
4. Chessed<\/i>,<\/p>\n
5. Gevurah<\/i>,<\/p>\n
6. Tipheret<\/i>,<\/p>\n
7. Netzach<\/i>,<\/p>\n
8. Hod<\/i>,<\/p>\n
9. Yesod and<\/p>\n
10. Malchut<\/i>, while some Kabbalistic configuration systems substitute Da\u2019at<\/i> for Keter<\/i> and vice versa.<\/p>\n
And the five \u201cuniversal\u201d Partzufim<\/i> are<\/p>\n
A. Erich<\/i> Anpin<\/i>, often equated with Reisha d\u2019la Ityada<\/i><\/p>\n
B. Abba<\/i>,<\/p>\n
C. Imma<\/i>,<\/p>\n
D. Zeir Anpin<\/i>, and<\/p>\n
E. Nukveh<\/i>,<\/p>\n
Sometimes the Kabbalists break it down to yet other \u201cuniversal\u201d Partzufim<\/i> and thus speak of Attik Yomin<\/i> as appearing above A. Erich Anpin<\/i>; of Abba Ila’ah<\/i> and Yisrael Saba<\/i> as appearing above B. Abba<\/i>; of Tevunah<\/i> as appearing below C. Imma<\/i>; of D. Zeir Anpin <\/i>as <\/i>having two subsets termed Yisrael<\/i> and Yaakov<\/i>; and of E. Nukveh<\/i> having its own two subsets termed Leah<\/i> and Rachel<\/i>.<\/p>\n
And the worlds in which all of this plays itself out are of course termed<\/p>\n
I. Atzilut<\/i>,<\/p>\n
II. Briah<\/i>,<\/p>\n
III. Yetzirah<\/i>, and<\/p>\n
IV. Assiyah<\/i> (given that Partzufim<\/i> didn\u2019t come into play in the world of Adam Kadmon<\/i>).<\/p>\n
(c) 2013 Rabbi Yaakov Feldman<\/p>\n
Feel free to contact me at feldman@torah.org<\/a><\/p>\n ———————————————————-<\/p>\n AT LONG LAST! Rabbi Feldman’s translation of Maimonides’ “Eight Chapters” is available here<\/a> at a discount.<\/p>\n You can still purchase a copy of Rabbi Feldman’s translation of “The Gates of Repentance” here<\/a> at a discount as well.<\/p>\n Rabbi Yaakov Feldman has also translated and commented upon “The Path of the Just” and “The Duties of the Heart” (Jason Aronson Publishers).<\/p>\n Rabbi Feldman also offers two free e-mail classes on www.torah.org entitled “Spiritual Excellence<\/a>\u201d and \u201cRamchal<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" We then begin to focus on the seven lower Sephirot which touch upon the function of our world. As Ramchal said in Petach 17, a Sephira is one of the ten generic forces that serve as the foundation upon which … Continue reading