The 10 Sephirot

"Ten Sefirot of Nothingness: Their measure is ten which have no end. A depth of beginning, a depth of end… Their vision is like the appearance of lightning, their limit has no end." - Sefer Yetzirah, Chapter 1, Mishna 5

10 Sephirot

• The 10 emanations of the Sephirot enable the Creation to know God, and become God's attributes that reveal Divinity.
• They are also the channels through which all of Creation is continuously sustained from nothing
• Each of the Sephirot is said to consist of a "light" (an ohr) that is vested in a "vessel" (a kli Hebrew: כלי; plural: keilim Hebrew: כלים).
• Generally speaking, the light is simple and undifferentiated, as it stems originally from the Ohr Ein Sof ("The Light of the Ein Sof"), God's infinite light. It represents Divine revelation in the world.
• The differentiation between the 10 Sephirot, each with its own particular characteristic, arises from each of their different spiritual vessels. The light adapts itself to each vessel, to express the particular nature of each vessel.

According to Lurianic cosmology, the sephirot correspond to various levels of creation (ten sephirot in each of the Four Worlds, and four worlds within each of the larger four worlds, each containing ten sephirot, which themselves contain ten sephirot, to an infinite number of possibilities),68 and are emanated from the Creator for the purpose of creating the universe. The sephirot are considered revelations of the Creator's will (ratzon),69 and they should not be understood as ten different "gods" but as ten different ways the one God reveals his will through the Emanations. It is not God who changes but the ability to perceive God that changes.

The original reference to the sefirot is found in the ancient Kabbalistic text of Sefer Yetzirah, "The Book of Formation", attributed to the first Jewish patriarch, Abraham.3 However, the names of the sefirot as given in later Kabbalah are not specified there, but rather are only identified by their attributes "forward", "backward", "right", "left", "down", "up", "light", "darkness", "good" and "evil".

The 10 Sephirot describe the emanations, or attributes of God in Kabbalah. The Ein Sof ("Limitless") is the unknowable, undifferentiated, infinite Divine essence. The 10 emanations of the Sephirot enable the Creation to know God, and become God's attributes that reveal Divinity. They are also the channels through which all of Creation is continuously sustained from nothing, as in the Kabbalistic scheme, Creation is continuous and God is the only true existence. A "Chain of Progression" (Seder hishtalshelus) of descending "Worlds", including the Four Worlds, links the Ein Sof with our physical realm. Each of the Sephirot is said to consist of a "light" (an ohr) that is vested in a "vessel" (a kli Hebrew: כלי; plural: keilim Hebrew: כלים). Generally speaking, the light is simple and undifferentiated, as it stems originally from the Ohr Ein Sof ("The Light of the Ein Sof"), God's infinite light. It represents Divine revelation in the world. It is associated with the Kabbalistic Divine Name of Ban. The differentiation between the 10 Sephirot, each with its own particular characteristic, arises from each of their different spiritual vessels. The light adapts itself to each vessel, to express the particular nature of each vessel.

The Ten Sephiroth

1. Kether (כֶּתֶר)
• English: Crown
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי-אוֹר
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim yehi or vayehi or
• English: And Elohim said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
• Nature and Qualities: Kether is the primal unity, the crown of divine will, the infinite light beyond form, the source of all emanation, the eternal point of pure being.
• Archangel: Metatron, the Scribe of Heaven, Prince of the Divine Presence.
• Color: Brilliant White, the unblemished radiance of the infinite.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: The First Swirlings (pre-planetary, the cosmic origin).
• Element: Aether, the quintessence beyond the four.
2. Chokhmah (חָכְמָה)
• English: Wisdom
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim yehi rakia betokh hamayim
• English: And Elohim said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters.”
• Nature and Qualities: Chokhmah is the flash of divine insight, the seed of creation, the expansive wisdom that births duality and potential.
• Archangel: Raziel, the Keeper of Secrets, Herald of Mysteries.
• Color: Grey, the shimmering veil of hidden light.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Uranus (or the Zodiac in some traditions), the sphere of revelation.
• Element: Air, the breath of inspiration.
3. Binah (בִּינָה)
• English: Understanding
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim yikavu hamayim mitakhat hashamayim
• English: And Elohim said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together.”
• Nature and Qualities: Binah is the womb of form, the structuring understanding that births the tangible from the abstract.
• Archangel: Tzaphkiel, the Watcher of God, Guardian of Form.
• Color: Black, the depth of the maternal void.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Saturn, the lord of time and limitation.
• Element: Water, the fluid matrix of creation.
4. Chesed (חֶסֶד)
• English: Mercy
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim tadshe haaretz deshe
• English: And Elohim said, “Let the earth bring forth grass.”
• Nature and Qualities: Chesed is the boundless love, the generous outpouring of divine grace and abundance.
• Archangel: Tzadkiel, the Righteousness of God, Bestower of Mercy.
• Color: Blue, the hue of expansive kindness.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Jupiter, the king of bounty.
• Element: Water, the flow of compassion.
5. Gevurah (גְּבוּרָה)
• English: Severity
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim yehi meorot birekia hashamayim
• English: And Elohim said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens.”
• Nature and Qualities: Gevurah is the strength of restraint, the judgment that carves order and discipline from chaos.
• Archangel: Kamael, the Severity of God, Enforcer of Justice.
• Color: Red, the fire of divine wrath and power.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Mars, the warrior’s sphere.
• Element: Fire, the blade of purification.
6. Tiferet (תִּפְאֶרֶת)
• English: Beauty
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim yishretzu hamayim sheretz nefesh khayah
• English: And Elohim said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures.”
• Nature and Qualities: Tiferet is the heart of harmony, the balance of mercy and severity, the radiant beauty of the soul.
• Archangel: Raphael, the Healing of God, Light of Equilibrium.
• Color: Gold, the solar glow of perfection.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Sun, the center of life and truth.
• Element: Fire, the warmth of balance.
7. Netzach (נֵצַח)
• English: Eternity
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim totze haaretz nefesh khayah
• English: And Elohim said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures.”
• Nature and Qualities: Netzach is the enduring vitality, the passionate force of eternal victory and instinct.
• Archangel: Haniel, the Grace of God, Muse of Desire.
• Color: Green, the verdant pulse of life.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Venus, the star of love and persistence.
• Element: Earth, the root of endurance.
8. Hod (הוֹד)
• English: Splendor
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim naaseh adam betzalmenu
• English: And Eloರ

Elohim said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim naase adam betzalmenu
• English: And Elohim said, “Let us make man in our image.”
• Nature and Qualities: Hod is the glory of intellect, the splendor of reason and articulation reflected in humanity.
• Archangel: Michael, the Likeness of God, Protector of Truth.
• Color: Orange, the brilliance of thought.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Mercury, the messenger of mind.
• Element: Air, the breath of intellect.

1. Yesod (יְסוֹד)
• English: Foundation
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים לָהֶם פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim lahem peru urevu
• English: And Elohim said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply.”
• Nature and Qualities: Yesod is the foundation of generation, the reservoir of life-force bridging spirit and matter.
• Archangel: Gabriel, the Strength of God, Herald of Dreams.
• Color: Purple, the twilight of the subconscious.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Moon, the tide of cycles and visions.
• Element: Water, the flow of procreation.
2. Malkuth (מַלְכוּת)
• English: Kingdom
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֵת כָּל-עֵשֶׂב
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim hine natati lakhem et kol esev
• English: And Elohim said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed.”
• Nature and Qualities: Malkuth is the kingdom of manifestation, the completion of the divine in the material world.
• Archangel: Sandalphon, the Twin of Metatron, Guardian of Earth.
• Color: Citrine, russet, olive, black (the fourfold earth).
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Earth, the sphere of presence.
• Element: Earth, the solid ground of being.

The 10 Sephirot of the Tree of Life

Spheres

“decade out of nothing”

1. Keter (Crown): The highest Sephirah, representing pure divine essence, unity, and the source of all creation.
2. Chokhmah (Wisdom): Signifies primordial wisdom, creative inspiration, and the masculine aspect of divine intellect.
3. Binah (Understanding): Symbolizes intuitive insight, discernment, and the feminine aspect of divine understanding and comprehension.
4. Chesed (Mercy): Represents divine love, compassion, benevolence, and the expansive, giving aspect of God's nature.
5. Gevurah (Severity): Signifies divine justice, discipline, strength, and the restrictive, withholding aspect of God's judgment.
6. Tiferet (Beauty): Balances Chesed and Gevurah, embodying harmony, compassion, and the integration of diverse qualities into a unified whole.
7. Netzach (Victory): Represents endurance, perseverance, ambition, and the energetic drive to achieve spiritual goals.
8. Hod (Glory): Signifies humility, surrender, receptivity, and the reflective, contemplative aspect of divine revelation.
9. Yesod (Foundation): Symbolizes the realm of the subconscious, creativity, imagination, and the bridge between the material and spiritual worlds.
10. Malkhut (Kingdom): Represents the manifest world, physical reality, embodiment, and the receptacle for divine energy and presence.

0 - 10 - Sephirot - Numerology & Minor Arcana

Numerology - Sephirot - Minor Arcana 0 - Unmanifested, Potential Ace/1 - Beginning/Source, Essence, Raw/Pure Form 2 - Duality/Harmony 3 - Growth, expansion, collaboration, communication 4 - Stability, foundation, structure, 5 - Conflict, challenge, change 6 - Harmony, cooperation, balance. 7 - Evaluation, assessment, choices. 8 - Movement, progress, change. 9 - Fulfillment, attainment, culmination. 10 - Completion, fulfillment, wholeness, mastery.

Zero (0):

• Represents: The void, potential, infinity, the beginning and end of all things.
• Symbolizes: Infinite possibilities, the divine, the unmanifested, and the source of creation. One (1):
• Represents: Unity, singularity, independence, new beginnings, and leadership.
• Symbolizes: Individuality, originality, creativity, and the power to manifest. Two (2):
• Represents: Duality, balance, harmony, cooperation, and relationships.
• Symbolizes: Partnership, receptivity, diplomacy, and the need for cooperation. Three (3):
• Represents: Creativity, expression, communication, and expansion.
• Symbolizes: Self-expression, optimism, joy, enthusiasm, and the ability to create. Four (4):
• Represents: Stability, structure, order, and practicality.
• Symbolizes: Security, discipline, organization, and the foundation for achievement. Five (5):
• Represents: Change, versatility, adaptability, and freedom.
• Symbolizes: Adventure, unpredictability, resourcefulness, and the desire for new experiences. Six (6):
• Represents: Harmony, balance, responsibility, and service.
• Symbolizes: Home, family, nurturing, compassion, and the domestic sphere. Seven (7):
• Represents: Spirituality, wisdom, introspection, and analysis.
• Symbolizes: Inner wisdom, intuition, mysticism, and the search for truth. Eight (8):
• Represents: Abundance, success, power, and material prosperity.
• Symbolizes: Achievement, authority, ambition, and the rewards of hard work. Nine (9):
• Represents: Completion, fulfillment, humanitarianism, and spiritual awakening.
• Symbolizes: Compassion, generosity, idealism, and the culmination of the spiritual journey. Ten (10):
• Represents: Completion, fulfillment, and new beginnings.
• Symbolizes: The end of one cycle and the beginning of another, wholeness, and the potential for infinite growth.

1. Kether (כֶּתֶר)
• English: Crown
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי-אוֹר
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim yehi or vayehi or
• English: And Elohim said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
• Nature and Qualities: Kether is the primal unity, the crown of divine will, the infinite light beyond form, the source of all emanation, the eternal point of pure being.
• Archangel: Metatron, the Scribe of Heaven, Prince of the Divine Presence.
• Color: Brilliant White, the unblemished radiance of the infinite.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: The First Swirlings (pre-planetary, the cosmic origin).
• Element: Aether, the quintessence beyond the four.
2. Chokhmah (חָכְמָה)
• English: Wisdom
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמָּיִם
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim yehi rakia betokh hamayim
• English: And Elohim said, “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters.”
• Nature and Qualities: Chokhmah is the flash of divine insight, the seed of creation, the expansive wisdom that births duality and potential.
• Archangel: Raziel, the Keeper of Secrets, Herald of Mysteries.
• Color: Grey, the shimmering veil of hidden light.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Uranus (or the Zodiac in some traditions), the sphere of revelation.
• Element: Air, the breath of inspiration.
3. Binah (בִּינָה)
• English: Understanding
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם מִתַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim yikavu hamayim mitakhat hashamayim
• English: And Elohim said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together.”
• Nature and Qualities: Binah is the womb of form, the structuring understanding that births the tangible from the abstract.
• Archangel: Tzaphkiel, the Watcher of God, Guardian of Form.
• Color: Black, the depth of the maternal void.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Saturn, the lord of time and limitation.
• Element: Water, the fluid matrix of creation.
4. Chesed (חֶסֶד)
• English: Mercy
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תַּדְשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim tadshe haaretz deshe
• English: And Elohim said, “Let the earth bring forth grass.”
• Nature and Qualities: Chesed is the boundless love, the generous outpouring of divine grace and abundance.
• Archangel: Tzadkiel, the Righteousness of God, Bestower of Mercy.
• Color: Blue, the hue of expansive kindness.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Jupiter, the king of bounty.
• Element: Water, the flow of compassion.
5. Gevurah (גְּבוּרָה)
• English: Severity
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת בִּרְקִיעַ הַשָּׁמַיִם
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim yehi meorot birekia hashamayim
• English: And Elohim said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens.”
• Nature and Qualities: Gevurah is the strength of restraint, the judgment that carves order and discipline from chaos.
• Archangel: Kamael, the Severity of God, Enforcer of Justice.
• Color: Red, the fire of divine wrath and power.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Mars, the warrior’s sphere.
• Element: Fire, the blade of purification.
6. Tiferet (תִּפְאֶרֶת)
• English: Beauty
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִשְׁרְצוּ הַמַּיִם שֶׁרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim yishretzu hamayim sheretz nefesh khayah
• English: And Elohim said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures.”
• Nature and Qualities: Tiferet is the heart of harmony, the balance of mercy and severity, the radiant beauty of the soul.
• Archangel: Raphael, the Healing of God, Light of Equilibrium.
• Color: Gold, the solar glow of perfection.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Sun, the center of life and truth.
• Element: Fire, the warmth of balance.
7. Netzach (נֵצַח)
• English: Eternity
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim totze haaretz nefesh khayah
• English: And Elohim said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures.”
• Nature and Qualities: Netzach is the enduring vitality, the passionate force of eternal victory and instinct.
• Archangel: Haniel, the Grace of God, Muse of Desire.
• Color: Green, the verdant pulse of life.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Venus, the star of love and persistence.
• Element: Earth, the root of endurance.
8. Hod (הוֹד)
• English: Splendor
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim naaseh adam betzalmenu
• English: And Eloರ

Elohim said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.”

• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim naase adam betzalmenu
• English: And Elohim said, “Let us make man in our image.”
• Nature and Qualities: Hod is the glory of intellect, the splendor of reason and articulation reflected in humanity.
• Archangel: Michael, the Likeness of God, Protector of Truth.
• Color: Orange, the brilliance of thought.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Mercury, the messenger of mind.
• Element: Air, the breath of intellect.

9. Yesod (יְסוֹד)
• English: Foundation
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים לָהֶם פְּרוּ וּרְבוּ
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim lahem peru urevu
• English: And Elohim said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply.”
• Nature and Qualities: Yesod is the foundation of generation, the reservoir of life-force bridging spirit and matter.
• Archangel: Gabriel, the Strength of God, Herald of Dreams.
• Color: Purple, the twilight of the subconscious.
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Moon, the tide of cycles and visions.
• Element: Water, the flow of procreation.

10. Malkuth (מַלְכוּת)

• English: Kingdom
• Divine Utterance:
• Hebrew: וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים הִנֵּה נָתַתִּי לָכֶם אֵת כָּל-עֵשֶׂב
• Transliteration: Vayomer Elohim hine natati lakhem et kol esev
• English: And Elohim said, “Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed.”
• Nature and Qualities: Malkuth is the kingdom of manifestation, the completion of the divine in the material world.
• Archangel: Sandalphon, the Twin of Metatron, Guardian of Earth.
• Color: Citrine, russet, olive, black (the fourfold earth).
• Correspondences:
• Planet: Earth, the sphere of presence.
• Element: Earth, the solid ground of being.