Seder Hishtalshelut - the chain-like descent of spiritual worlds between God and Creation

Emanations

The Chain of Descent From God to Creation

“And all the heavens are one on top of the other, like onion skins one on top of the other, some below and some above” — Zohar

Jacob's vision in Genesis 28:12 of a ladder between Heaven and Earth. Kabbalah relates this to the chain of Worlds. Angels embody spiritual levels of enclothed ohr-light. They "ascend and descend" in ratzu-run nullification desire, and shuv-return purpose of Creation

seder hishtalshelut or hishtalshelus

means the "order of development" or "order of evolution"
the chain-like descent of spiritual worlds (Olam/Olamot) between God and Creation.
the continuous descending chain from the Infinite to our finite World.
In each World, the 10 Sephirot shine. Each World unfolds from the previous, with the lowest Sephirah Malchut of one World, becoming the highest Sephirah Keter of the next, lower World. Within each World too, the spiritual chain descends down the 10 Sephirot, with the illumination of one giving birth to the next, lower Sephirah.

The basic stations of this process from above to below are:

Atzmus Ohr Ein Sof before the Tzimtzum ("The Essence of the Infinite Light before the Contraction")
The Tzimtzum ("The Contraction")
The Reshimu ("The Impression")
The Kav ("Line of Light")
Ratzon Kadum ("Original Desire")
Adam Kadmon ("Original Man")
Atziluth ("World of Emanation")
The Masach ("The Curtain")
Beriah ("World of Creation")
Yetzirah ("World of Formation")
Assiah ("World of Action")

Sources and notes

In Kabbalistic and Hasidic philosophy, seder hishtalshelut or hishtalshelus (Hebrew: סדר השתלשלות) refers to the chain-like descent of spiritual worlds (Olam/Olamot) between God and Creation. Each spiritual world denotes a complete realm of existence, resulting from its general proximity or distance to divine revelation. Each realm is also a form of consciousness reflected in this world through the psychology of the soul.

Seder hishtalshelus (Hebrew: סדר השתלשלות, romanized: sēder hištalšĕlûṯ) means the "order of development" or "order of evolution"

The dynamics of Ratzo and Shuv are felt by the angels and man, but also apply to any spiritual emanation. The "Seder Histalshelus" describes the continuous descending chain from the Infinite to our finite World. In each World, the 10 Sephirot shine. Each World unfolds from the previous, with the lowest Sephirah (Malchut-"Kingship"-fulfilment of the plan in reality) of one World, becoming the highest Sephirah (Keter-"Crown"-the supernal Will of the plan in that World) of the next, lower World. Within each World too, the spiritual chain descends down the 10 Sephirot, with the illumination of one giving birth to the next, lower Sephirah.

The basic stations of this process from above to below are:

Atzmus Ohr Ein Sof before the Tzimtzum ("The Essence of the Infinite Light before the Contraction")
The Tzimtzum ("The Contraction")
The Reshimu ("The Impression")
The Kav ("Line of Light")
Ratzon Kadum ("Original Desire")
Adam Kadmon ("Original Man")
Atziluth ("World of Emanation")
The Masach ("The Curtain")
Beriah ("World of Creation")
Yetzirah ("World of Formation")
Assiah ("World of Action")

One can understand these levels through the analogy of a man who wants a house. The hishtalshelus is generally broken down into two general stages, called the "Upper Unity" and the "Lower Unity". Below are the relevant analogies for all the basic stations of the hishtalshelus in the analogy of a man who wants a house starting from the top (primordial desires) and going down (until the desire is actualized).

Atzmut Ohr Ein Sof Lifnei Hatzimtzum ("Essence of the Infinite Light before the Contraction"): The analogy for this stage is the essence of the person's soul. At this stage we are dealing with only the person himself, who at this point has no revealed desire for a house or any other physical object. However, since he is human, we must say that at some point he will desire a house because this is part of human nature. At this stage, however, this desire doesn't have any independent existence at all, but is simply a part of his soul.
Tzimtzum and Reshimu ("Contraction and Impression"): At this stage there is still no revealed desire for a house. However, the person realizes that his ultimate desire will be to express his true self through things that are separate from himself, such as through music, art, a house, etc. Those decisions have not yet been made, however. There is only the realization that one will want to express his true self by making something that appears separate from him, express him. This is similar to the way one might want the challenge of playing an instrument, which is something separate from a person, and allow himself to be expressed through it. Reshimu means impression, because at this stage the person realizes that he will not be able to express himself directly, but his self will somehow leave its own impression on the things he does so he can be seen through them.
Kav ("Measuring Line"): This is the part of the person that connects the Tzimtzum and Reshimu to the Infinite Light before the Tzimtzum. The analogy for The Kav is the person's judgement. In life, whatever choices a person makes, will be free choices made by the person, without influence from those around him. Even small and seemingly insignificant choices, such as what one decides to order at a restaurant, still express his essence, because they are 'his' choices, and are his way of expressing himself. If one looks carefully at a person's choices one can see how they bring across his unique taste and personality. At this point there is still no revealed desire for a house, but only the subconscious framework that will eventually be used when he begins to desire one.
Ratzon Kadum ("Original Desire"): Now that person is most likely older, he begins to feel a desire for independence and belonging. This is one particular expression of his original desire to express himself. But now it is specific to wanting a sense of contentment and a feeling of being at "home". At this point, he still does not desire a home, but wishes for the happiness gained when one gains a house. Technically he could still express this desire in other ways than having a house, such as interacting friends or participating in activities which he enjoys and achieve that same sense of belonging and contentment. There are still no details yet of how the desire for belonging will be fulfilled.
Adam Kadmon (A"K-"Primordial Man"): The person now looks at the outside world for the first time. Up until this point, he was only thinking about himself, and his desires. Now, in order to bring out this desire to practicality, he must decide what in the physical world will fit these desires. He creates a world image, i.e., a picture of what is going on in the world. He then decides where in this mental picture he belongs. He eventually realizes that the best way to integrate into society is to possess a house, and will choose a house that fits his particular character in order to best express himself. The kind of house he will want has been limited at this point due to his still ignorant outlook on the world and the very basic ideas of his own personality. However, he still does not truly desire a physical house. Rather, it is that he has realized his own desires and needs and now knows the best type of "house" that would suit him.
Keter of Atzilut ("Crown of the World of Emanation"): This stage is what results from the associations created in A"K, namely, a particular desire for a particular house. This stage mainly compromises two concepts: Arich Anpin-Outer/Chitzoneyus of Keter: Desire for this particular house; and Atik Yomin-Inner/Pnimiyus of Keter: The pleasure he receives in knowing that this will express who he is.
Atzilut ("World of Emanation"): A"K already included all the details of the levels below it. However, the actual details only come out as needed. Now he knows the way he will express himself will be specifically through a house. At this stage he may sit down with his wife, or real estate agent, and clarifies exactly how he wants his house to be. This stage includes Chochma (Wisdom) of Aztilus which is when he creates the general picture of what he wants in the abstract, "a warm home". Binah (Understanding) of Atzilus involves figuring out what are the components of such a home; everything he wants the house to be with all their details. In A"K he only knew what types of homes are appropriate with what kind of person. Here he actually decides where he will fit into the picture. Here he also decides what is practical based on how much money he has and what is available etc. Based on all of these things he comes up with the Zeir Anpin (Z"A-"the Small Face"-Emotions) of Atzilus: This stage is the picture of what things are good and what are bad. Here he sets up what things will bring him closer to his goal (his dream house) and what things will bring him further. He will have Chesed (a love) for things he will like. He will have Gevurah (a fear or hate) for things he will not like. He will have Tiferet (Beauty) for the compromises he makes (or the beauty that results) and Netzach (feeling of victory in spite of challenges) to want to go and get what he wants, and the Hod to not settle for something less than he wants. He will have a Yesod, which forms the compromise of how he will actually interact with everyone resulting from the interplay between his Netzach and Hod. This results in Malchut ("Kingdom" or actualization), which is the stage at which he will talk to himself about what he likes and doesn't like. And he will talk about what he is actually going to do. Finally, all of the above will lead to his creation of his Malchus of Atzilus i.e. he will actually tell the real estate agent what he wants, what he will settle for and what he will not, what he likes hates etc. The desires are all set up now, but still the real building process of the house has not occurred.
Beri'ah ("World of Creation"): At this stage the real-estate agent will take everything the man told him about what kind of house he wants. He will take these words of the original guy and translate them into things that can exist in a home. For instance, if the person said he wants a home where he can swim, the real-estate agent might translate that into him having a pool, or having a beach-home. This translations process is called the masach (screen) which carries across all the upper desires and connects them to things in the real world. Real estate agent must pull out from those words what this guy really wants and how to find a house that will accomplish his goal. To translate what this guy wants to get out of a house and make it into a picture of an actual house. What he creates is the world of Beriyah. He must figure out all the different scenarios that would have all the elements with the best combination=Beriya. The real-estate broker need not do this, this technically could also be done within the person's self.
Yetzirah ("World of Formation"): Now someone must figure out exact dimensions for each of these things, its shape, what it will be constructed out of. Will it be made of brick, limestone, wood or something else. Someone must look at the person's style, needs and desires. For instance if they intend to have parties, they should probably have a hardwood floor instead of carpet. Someone at this stage figures out the exact shape, size of the house and its location and then creates a floorplan.
Asiyah Ruchnit ("Spiritual World of Action"): Now this plan must go to the builders. The builders must look at the blueprint and figure out how to actually build a house like this. Sometimes a certain type of house can be drawn up in Yetzira but in real life wouldn't hold up or would be impracticable. These builder must figure out how to pour the cement, how to make it strong, and figure out where they will we get the furniture to actually make something like that. They must study the blueprint and figure out how to make something that will work.
Asiyah Gashmit ("Physical World of Action"): The builders actually pour the cement or whatever and build the physical structure and everything in the house. Now the man can go live in the house and enjoy and express himself in fulfillment of his original desire which started this entire process in the Infinite Light before the Contraction.

The Upper Unity Ohr Ein Sof Preparatory stages in the Ohr Ein Sof ("God's Infinite Light") before the beginning of the creative process. The Ohr Ein Sof is a paradoxical form of divine self-revelation. These are above any world/limitation. Kabbalah considered the functional question whether the Ein Sof represents God's divine essence or God as First Cause. Chabad intellectual Hasidic thought explores Atzmut (divine essence) in the purpose of Creation. Ten stages of God’s Infinite Light in Kabbalistic terminology before the beginning of Creation:6

Atzmut ("God's Absolute simple Essence" above the limitations of infinitude/finitude, able to be expressed in the divine "desire" for finite mitzvot7)8
Yachid ("The Single One")9
Echad ("The One")10
Sha'ashuim Atzmi'im ("The Delights of Self")11
Aliyat Haratzon ("The 'ascent' of God’s will" to create the world)12
Ana Emloch (The Primordial 'Thought' of “I Shall Rule”, God’s Primordial Will to be 'King')13
Ein Sof ("No End" - classic term for the Unknowable God in Kabbalah, God as Infinite lifesource continuously sustaining all Creation into Existence, above Being/Non-Being, reciprocally Becoming through the totality of Creation by the divine souls of Man14)15
Kadmon ("Primordial One")16
Avir Kadmon ("Primordial Atmosphere")17
Adam Kadma'ah Stima'ah ("Concealed Primordial Man", God's will for Creation before the Tzimtzum)18 Tzimtzumedit Metaphorical diagram of the Kav thin line of light descending from the Ohr Ein Sof into the Khalal vacuum to emanate the concealed 10 sephirot in Adam Kadmon Three stages of the Sod HaTzimtzum "Secret of Contraction" taught in the new doctrines of Lurianic Kabbalah. These received differing interpretations after Luria, from the literal (more mythological) to the metaphorical (more philosophical). In this dynamic myth, the first act in Creation was Divine Self-Withdrawal, the opposite of Creative revelation. Tzimtzum is a paradox as Creation depends on God also being present in the vacuum and resulting existence:
Tzimtzum ("Contraction") "Self-Withdrawal/removal" of God's Infinite Light to create the Khalal ("Vacuum")19
Reshimu ("Impression") Light left behind in the vacuum, the Residue20
Ḥālāl (חָלָל "Empty space"), the emptiness
Kav ("Line/Ray"), new divine light radiated into the primordial emptiness21
Avir ("Space/Ether") "Ethereal space" within which divine light, created precisely by God, took shape in creation and creatures or was sublimated in the spiritual modalities of the angels and the souls of living beings (see hyle). A cause of his spiritual nature, Avir is related to Adam and Eve before the original sin, but in natural science, avir is a modality about the orbital mechanism of constellations and silica in the esoteric traditions of Eastern Europe: so, this is due to "celestial-green color" and this is the first iridescence of Jupiter. In the more accessible Halakhah, all this corresponds to the tzitzit of the tallit: the tekhelet color of the threads, today not usable due to divergence of opinion regarding its origin22
Shevirat HaKelim ("Distinctions") Creation, World by World. Adam Kadmonedit Adam Kadmon ("Primordial Man"), an anthropomorphic term, is the revelation of the specific Divine Will for Creation after the Tzimtzum. Its paradoxical nature is expressed as both Adam (creation) and Kadmon ("primary" divinity). As the level of Keter ("Crown") divine will, it is pure light, with no vessels, bounded by its future potential to create vessels. It is sometimes counted as the first of the Five Worlds, but its supreme transcendence is prior to the emergence of the sefirot and Shevirat Hakeilim ("Shattering of their Vessels"):
Ratzon Kadum ("Original Desire")
Adam Kadmon ("Primordial Man")23
Orot Ozen-Chotem-Peh (Five "lights from the eyes, ears, nose, mouth and forehead" of Adam Kadmon)

The Lower Unityedit The beginning of self-aware ego, the spiritual worlds perceiving themselves to exist, as created realms independent from God, despite the ultimate illusion of this. The worlds can only reach Bitul Ha-Yesh (Nullification of Being), not the Bitul Ha-Atzmis (Nullification of Essence) characterised by Atzilut. Beriahedit Hebrew prophets envisioned the Throne of God of Beriah with angelic retinue. In Kabbalah Isaiah 645 saw from Beriah, Ezekiel 146 saw from Yetzirah Contemplation of Divine emanations in Theosophical Kabbalah enables the advantage of the esoteric scholar over the prophet's visions in cognitive understanding of higher levels of Divinity47 The roots of Creation in the Divine mind. Binah (Divine Understanding) predominates, the intellect taking measured grasp of the Divine transcendence and remoteness of God above Beriah. The world of the Throne of God, metaphorically where the Divine Anthropos of Atzilut descends ("sitting") to rule independent Creation from above.

Olam Ha'Beriah (the "World of Creation") Yetzirahedit Archetypal Creation. Zeir Anpin (Divine Emotions) predominate. The world of the angels who serve God with emotional self-nullification.
Olam Ha'Yetzirah (the "World of Formation") Asiyahedit Particular pluralist Creation. Malkuth (Divine Rulership) predominates. Asiyah is a spiritual world, but with a lower physical aspect (our Universe).
Olam Ha'Asiyah (the "World of Action")48 Asiyah Gashmitedit Our physical Universe. Enclothes the last two sephirot Yesod and Malkuth of Spiritual Asiyah.
Asiyah Gashmit ("Physical Action")

The basic stations of this process from above to below are: Atzmus Ohr Ein Sof before the Tzimtzum ("The Essence of the Infinite Light before the Contraction") The Tzimtzum ("The Contraction") The Reshimu ("The Impression") The Kav ("Line of Light") Ratzon Kadum ("Original Desire") Adam Kadmon ("Original Man") Atziluth ("World of Emanation") The Masach ("The Curtain") Beriah ("World of Creation") Yetzirah ("World of Formation") Assiah ("World of Action")

The Four Worlds (Hebrew: עולמות ʿOlamot, singular: ʿOlam עולם), sometimes counted with a prior stage to make Five Worlds, are the comprehensive categories of spiritual realms in Kabbalah in the descending chain of Existence.

The concept of "Worlds" denotes the emanation of creative lifeforce from the Ein Sof Divine Infinite, through progressive, innumerable tzimtzumim (concealments/veilings/condensations). As particular sefirot dominate in each realm, so the primordial fifth World, Adam Kadmon, is often excluded for its transcendence, and the four subsequent Worlds are usually referred to. Their names are read out from Isaiah 43:7, "Every one that is called by My name and for My glory, I have created, I have formed, even I have made" each elucidating the names Atziluth ("Emanation/Close"), Beriah ("Creation"), Yetzirah ("Formation"), and Assiah ("Action"). Below Assiah, the lowest spiritual World, is Assiah-Gashmi ("Physical Assiah"), our Physical Universe, which enclothes its last two sefirot “emanations” (Yesod and Malkuth).1 Collectively, the Four Worlds are also referred to as ABiYA, after their initial letters. As well as the functional role each World has in the process of Creation, they also embody dimensions of consciousness within human experience.

The Worlds are formed by the Ohr Mimalei Kol Olmin, literally "Fills all Words", which is the Divine creative light that represents the concept of Divine immanence. The 10 sefirot attributes and their associated twelve partzufim "shine" in each world, as do more specific Divine manifestations.