Kabbalah is a way of reading the bible, more accurately it refers to reading the Torah within the framework of Jewish mysticism.
Withing this practice, the name of God, conventionally written in Roman letters as YHVH, is used as the key for understanding the bible text.
"The original name of God in Hebrew, often referred to as the Tetragrammaton, is יהוה (YHWH). It holds deep significance and is considered sacred. Its exact meaning and pronunciation have been the subject of theological exploration for centuries. Here's a breakdown of its letters:
י (Yod): Represents a point of creation or the beginning. It signifies the hand, power, or action, symbolizing divine creation.
ה (He): Symbolizes revelation or breath. It can be seen as an expression of existence and life.
ו (Vav): Represents connection or a hook. It symbolizes joining or bridging, indicating a link between divine and earthly realms.
ה (He): Appears again, reiterating the idea of revelation or breath, emphasizing the dynamic aspect of divine presence.
Together, the name is often interpreted to reflect "He who brings into being" or "He who causes to exist." It conveys the essence of eternal existence and creative power. The name is so revered that it is traditionally not vocalized, and substitutes like "Adonai" (Lord) or "HaShem" (The Name) are used instead."
In a simplified manner of explaining them, they can be understood as follows, character for character:
>immaterial, unmanifested (God before creation)
>immaterial, manifested (the word, the law)
>material, manifested (creation, the earth, man)
>material, unmanifested (destruction and rebirth)
These 4 forms, are also shown in the 4 readings of the Torah:
>symbolic
>allegoric
>literal
>as parable
These are also present in there being 4 Gospels in the New Testament, which all somehow represent the 4 different letters of YHVH and their different angles on the original books by Moses.
Kabbalah Tree
This is an illustration of the manner in which God created the world and its inhabitants, as described in the Genesis book. In original Hebrew, God has different names depending on this actions, some or which are:
Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) – This is the most prominent name used in the creation account (Genesis 1:1). It signifies God as the all-powerful Creator and Judge.
YHWH (יהוה) – Often rendered as "LORD" in English translations, this is the sacred and covenantal name of God, revealed later in the Bible (appearing in Genesis 2:4 as YHWH Elohim).
El Shaddai (אֵל שַׁדַּי) – Though not in the creation account, it appears later in Genesis (17:1) and translates as "God Almighty."
Adonai (אֲדֹנָי) – Meaning "Lord" or "Master," reflecting God's authority.
El Elyon (אֵל עֶלְיוֹן) – "God Most High," used later in Genesis (14:18-20).
El Olam (אֵל עוֹלָם) – "Everlasting God," used in Genesis 21:33.
These names give rise to the understanding that God has different forms, called emanations, or Sephiroth. These are in the image of the tree drawn as the spheres:
Keter (כתר) – Crown: The divine will and unity, representing the infinite and unmanifest potential.
Chokhmah (חכמה) – Wisdom: The spark of intuitive insight and creative force.
Binah (בינה) – Understanding: The power of analysis, contemplation, and comprehension.
Chesed (חסד) – Loving-kindness: Generosity, compassion, and the expansive aspect of love.
Gevurah (גבורה) – Strength: Discipline, justice, and restraint to balance kindness.
Tiferet (תפארת) – Beauty: Harmony, balance, and the integration of kindness and judgment.
Netzach (נצח) – Eternity: Endurance, ambition, and the creative drive.
Hod (הוד) – Splendor: Humility, gratitude, and the refinement of actions.
Yesod (יסוד) – Foundation: Connection, communication, and the bridge between spiritual and material worlds.[Expand Post]
Malkhut (מלכות) – Kingdom: Manifestation, sovereignty, and the physical world.
Which are also divided into 4 "worlds":
Atzilut (אֲצִילוּת) – The World of Emanation: This is the highest, purest realm, closest to the Divine. It represents the unmanifest source of creation, where God's essence flows without form or limitation.
Beri'ah (בְּרִיאָה) – The World of Creation: This world is the realm of Divine intellect and the seat of higher souls. It's where the blueprint for existence begins to take shape in abstract form, separated but still connected to the Divine.
Yetzirah (יְצִירָה) – The World of Formation: The realm of emotions, angels, and symbolic forms. Here, the abstract concepts from Beri'ah take form and structure, becoming more concrete but still spiritual.
Assiyah (עֲשִׂיָּה) – The World of Action: The lowest realm, where divine energy manifests in the physical universe. It represents the world as we experience it—the material and tangible realm of everyday life.
In later theory, there is also the Kelipah, also spelled Qliphoth in modern occultism, meaning "shells" or "husks". These form, in some understandings, a shadow tree, which has negative spheres which correspond to the Sephiroth. These husks are negative qualities which conceal the power of God. According to the book Tanya Rabbati, there are 3 such Kelipah which must be destroyed, while the rest of them can be salvaged and re-incorporated with the person as they turn back to God.