Keter/Kether |
Chokmah/Hhokmah |
Binah |
Daath/Da'at |
Gedolah |
Gevurah |
Tipheret |
Netzach |
Hod |
Yesod |
Malkuth
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| Gedolah/Chesed |
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| Traditional Meaning:
Greatness (Gedulah), Mercy (Chesed). Love. Majesty.
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Formative Meaning:
4/Dalet: Archetypal Resistance/Response: the 4/Dalet/Gedolah resistance to the 3/Ghimel/Binah
inner movment of 2/Bayt/Hhokmah's containment of 1/Aleph/Kether's infinite energy. Four is the
foundation of physical reality and "material order" (Iamblichus). The formative meaning of this
sepherot, resistance, permeates its structure and purpose: completing the inner reality of
Adam Qadmon and providing the Dalet necessary to resist Aleph to its incarnation.
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Sephira 4: Dalet: Gedolah: Resistance.
In Gedolah, Sephira 4, resistance/response (Dalet/4) to the movement (Ghimel/3)
of Binah produces its own, now controlled, organic movement (Lammed/30) as a living (5/Hay) response. In Gevurah,
the substitution of Bayt for Dallet and Raysh for Lammed is the difference betweeen the inner life of the
4th Sephira and Esh M'maim and the outer life of the 5th and Ha'im-Mot. In one, the 3 of Binah is an
inner living movement; in the other, it contributes to the formation of a living body (the 5/life/Sephira
forms 2/Bayt/container and Saturn/Shabatai (Sheen-Bayt-Tav-Yod) with a double life: Hayt-Yod-Yod-Mem.
Here, in the 4th, the basic internal structural cycle is completed and archetypal existence is achieved:
Aleph-Yod-Sheen, Iysch, Man, is formed in the resistant waters of Mem and Adam Qadmon's internal space is
completed in Oomq Raa.
The medieval kabbalists had such a fear of "evil"
that they identified it with Malkut (or fear of the material world that they identified it with evil) (Luria).
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It may be asked why the second name of this Sephira, Hhessed (Mercy) is often preferred to G'dolah (Splendour),
which is a better term for the birth of Adam Qadmon. (Hhessed: Hhayt-Sammekh-Dallet: 8.60.4 expresses a very primitive life.)
Suares, SY p.80
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8.60.4 (unstructured female energy in physical existence vs. 3.4.6.30.5 (a new birth
proliferating in living movement). The medieval kabbalists were probably attracted by the 72 gematria of Chesed.
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Sepher Yetsira:
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1:12 Four:
Esch
Memaim.
Hhaqaq Vehhatsav (legislates or organises and chisels or cuts) the glorious throne (with) (the) Seraphim and
(the) wheels and the Hhaivoth (holy lives) auxiliary messengers (angels), and with these three founded his dwelling as it is said:
he made of his messengers the breaths (winds) and (the) blazing fire of his servants.
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Esch Memaim: Fire of Water. Fire (Esh: Aleph-Sheen) of (Mem) Water (Mayim: Mem-Yod-Mem) is permuted to
Man (Iysch: Aleph-Yod-Sheen)
interpenetrating with Mem-Mem-Mem, an amplification of the Waters. With the necessary resistance
of the Fourth Sephira, Adam Kadmon's interior space is
formed as the "dwelling-place of the ineffable."
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| Archetypal life |
Controlled
movement |
Union |
Resistance |
Infinite
Movment |
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Tree Index |
