| |
Keter
The first and highest sefira is called keter
or "crown." Within this sefira are two main aspects -- the inner aspect
of keter, called atik or atik yomin and the outer aspect,
called arich anpin. Due to its loftiness atik yomin is sometimes
referred to as temira d'chol temirin (the most concealed of all) and as
ayin (nothingness). The Infinite Light (Or Ein Sof) illuminates
atik without any separation. Atik is the source of the Torah, which
is referred to as "G-d's delight" and is revealed primarily in the esoteric
teachings of the Torah, i.e. in kabbala. Arich Anpin is essentially the
expression of G-d's will. In other words, the outer aspect of the keter
of any particular world is the expression of G-d's will and purpose in creating
that world.  | | " The will of a human being is the most all-encompassing power of his soul" | | |
This can be understood better by comparing this
sefira to certain aspects of a human being. The will of a human being is the
most all-encompassing power of his soul, since it gives rise to and motivates
all of the other powers of the soul. If a person has a will for something he
begins to invent ways in which to achieve his goal. Once he has discovered a
theoretical method of achieving his goal, he starts to plan out how to achieve
this in reality. From there he initiates the action. As long as he has not yet
achieved his desire, his will drives him onwards until he does so.
Similarly, keter contains within it the
ultimate goal which it seeks to attain. The aim of every plane of reality is to
reveal the Infinite Light appropriate to that plane of reality. Thus keter
contains within itself the end-point which it desires to achieve. And when it
has achieved that desired end-point, it ceases to drive further. This is the
meaning of the statement of the Sages in Sefer Yetzira (1:7): "the end is
wedged in the beginning, and the beginning is wedged in the end." The purpose of
the emanation of the sefirot which is expressed in keter is to
unfold the level of Infinite Light appropriate for that plane of reality, all
the way through the various stages of development (i.e. through the various
sefirot) to the final revelation and manifestation of that light in the
sefira of malchut. Thus, keter is "wedged" in the lowest
sefira, malchut.. And malchut is wedged in the highest
sefira, keter, for it is the end-point which fulfills the purpose of the
entire emanation. | | " Thus keter is the generator and activator of all the other sefirot" | | |
Thus keter is the generator and activator of
all the other sefirot. For in order to achieve the goal (the revelation
of the Infinite Light), the entire range of emanation from its highest point to
its lowest is generated and unfolds specifically from keter until the
desired objective is achieved.
Just as a person's will transcends any particular
aspect of his being and envelops all of him, there is no organ or limb which is
the seat of the will. So too, the will and purpose of the Creator in producing a
plane of reality is transcendent and envelops the entire inner structure of that
world. There is no level of revelation which is outside of the will of G-d as
manifested in the keter of that world. Thus keter is the
all-encompassing and transcendent sefira of every world. In addition, it
is generally beyond human comprehension. The process of immanent, in-dwelling
and comprehensible revelation of the Infinite Light appropriate for a plane of
reality only begins with the next sefira, the sefira of chochma.
From the "Fiftieth Gate" edition of the Zohar,
Introduction
To return to the previous article in this series on the sefirot, Worlds and Emanations, click here
To continue on to the next article in this series on the sefirot, Chochma,
which is also the next article in the " Kabbala for Beginners" tutorial, click here
If you would like to know what the Kabbala for Beginners Tutorial is all about, click here.
|
