10 Sefirot: Kabbalah Tree of Life & Jewish Mysticism

Welcome to our course series on the Sefirot!

These lessons will take you into an in depth journey of what the Sefirot are and how they relate to your life. With the timeless wisdom of Kabbalah we learn about our soul make up and how to practically improve our lives.

Before we get into the details of each Sefirah, let's first understand what the Sefirot are. The word Sefirah comes from the word:

1. Sapir- Saphire gem 2. Book Sefirot denote specific attributes

3. Number -alluding to the mathematical structure of creation

Delve into this class for the in depth intro to the Sefirot.

Keter is the origin of the 10 Sefirot. Compared to the subconscious mind, Keter is the source of the revealed realities. While some Kabbalists consider Keter a Sefira, others maintain that it is within the realm of the infinite and therefore cannot be limited by calling it a Sefirah.

In modern Hebrew, Chochma, means wisdom. However, on a deeper level, Chochma connotes intelligence. What is intelligence? A spark of genius which emanates from the ethereal source of consciousness- Ayin. The Kabbalists tell us that Chochma is a composite of the words "כח- מה" - "the power of what?". Chochma is the beginning of the hierarchy of the Sefiratic tree.

Let's unpack what Divine intelligence is all about!

Binah is the second of the intellectual Sefirot. Binah comes from the word "Boneh" or construct and is associated with the mind's construction of understanding and identification with intuition. Also called "the higher mother", Binah is a feminine Sefirah, and is the incubator of the subsequent 7 emotional Sefirot of the Sefirotic tree of life.

Da'at is the 3rd of the intellectual Sefirot. Referred to as consciousness, Da'at merges intelligence and understanding and is called "the key of 6". The verse says "Adam knew Chava (Eve)", referring to an intimate knowing and merging of opposites. Find out what Divine consciousness is in this class.

The Midrash says that "The world is created through kindness". The first of the emotional set of the 10 Sefirot, Chesed is the life giving water of the Sefirotic tree of life.

The Sefirah of Gevurah- strength is all about restriction. But a restriction of what? We generally don't like restriction. What if the restriction is like a scaffold placed around a tree? Or, practice that helps the artist hone in on her potential. In this class, we will delve deeper into the Kabbalistic context of Gevurah.

Tiferet is defined as beauty and splendor. incorporating harmony, balance, and creativity. On the emotional level, Tiferet is the seat of mercy and truth. Situated in the middle column of the 10 Sefirot, Tiferet connects opposites both vertically and horizontally.

The Sefirah of Netzach relates to endurance, victory and fortitude. The source of endurance is found in deep subconscious allowing us to overcome inner obstacles and persevere until the final victory. Science says that persistence and grit out predicts IQ at a ratio of 3/1. Find out the inner reason why in this class.

Literally meaning a ray, Hod embodies the splendorous attributes of humility, acknowledgment and gratitude. We all know the importance of gratitude, but what we often don't realize, is the positive effects it has on our relationships and in maintaining healthy confidence.

The Sefirah of Yesod is the seat of Leadership, virtue, communication, and bonding. Called "foundation", Yesod is the funnel of spiritual energy as the divine higher faculties evolve into concrete action in the form of merging with Malchut.

Malchut is the culmination of the down-chaining of the Sefirot, yet it is also the beginning of a new cycle. Sefer Yetzirah The Book Of Formation puts it like this: "The end is wedged at the beginning". Malchut is the receiver of the Sefirot and called "the lower mother" giving birth to new life and potentiality.