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Who Knows One?
There is one infinite creator, the cause of causes and the maker
of all. He is not one in a numerical sense -- since He is not subject to change,
definition or multiplicity. He is one in that the number one signifies an
independent unit and is the basis of all numbers; the number one is also
contained in all numbers. Similarly, the Creator is actually within everything,
and everything is within Him. He is the beginning and cause of everything. The
Creator does not change, and therefore one cannot add or subtract from Him.
Moreover, His existence is necessary existence (i.e. it is not
contingent upon anything else), in the same way that the number one is a
requisite for the existence of any other (whole) number. If the number one would
cease to be, every other number would also cease to exist. However, if other
numbers disappeared, one would continue to exist. There are properties of the
number one; similar qualities apply to the Creator. Even if the act ceased to
be, the One who acted remains. Because His being is not contingent upon the
existence of anything else, were they to cease being, His existence would
continue. | | " Prior to Creation, there was only the infinite revelation of G-d" | | |
Prior to Creation, there was only the infinite revelation of G-d
which filled all existence. This is called the Or Ein Sof -- the Infinite
Light -- which is not G-d Himself, only His infinite revelation of Himself.
Within this infinite revelation, limited beings could not possibly exist.
Accordingly, there was a progressive lessening and constricting of the Or Ein
Sof, making room for limited existence.
This progressive constriction, called tzimtzum, brought
about various planes of reality -- called, in Kabbala, the five worlds. Each
"world" is a certain level of concealment of G-dliness, of the Or Ein Sof.
From the highest to lowest (i.e. from greater to lesser revelation) they are:
(1) the world of Adam Kadmon, which is the primordial world, or the first level
of somewhat finite revelation; (2) the world of Atzilut, (3) the world of
Beriya, (4) the world of Yetzira;, and (5) the world of Asiya.
The entire physical universe is the lowest aspect of the world of Asiya. In each
of the worlds there is an increasingly dim revelation of the Infinite light as
it descends further and further and becomes more and more concealed. It is
important to note that these worlds do not occupy different geographical places.
They are not geographical at all, but rather descending planes of reality.
From the "Fiftieth Gate" edition of the Zohar,
IntroductionTo view the next article in the Worlds series, "Worlds 2: Chaos and the Primordial," 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.
Visitor Comments: 2
Gerald Nzewi, from Nigeria,Enugu State,Enugu City, 10/24/2007
One of the most beautiful elabhugh charles, from florida, 2/11/2005
I search for wisdom and knowle
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