Seder hishtalshelus explained

In Kabbalistic and Hasidic philosophy, seder hishtalshelut (Hebrew: סדר השתלשלות|sēḏer hištalšeluṯ|Order of Creation, Yiddish: סדר השתלשלות|seyder hishtalshéyles) refers to the chain-like descent of the Four Worlds 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.Kabbalah is concerned with defining the esoteric nature, particularly the partzufim or divine manifestations or personas, as well as the functional role of each level between the infinite and the finite. Each spiritual realm embodies a creative stage God uses to go from his self to the creation of the physical world, the material Universe being the end of the chain and the only physical realm. Hasidic thought applies the Kabbalistic scheme to its concern of perceiving divine omnipresence in this material world. In this, Hasidism varies in its use of Kabbalah, Mainstream-Hasidism avoiding Kabbalistic focus, while Chabad thought explains seder hishtalshelut concerning man's psychology. In contrast to the functional aim of Kabbalah, this contemplates seder hishtalshelut as a vehicle for relating to the divine unity with creation.[1] [2] "Seder Hishtalshelut" is sometimes used restrictively to refer to the emergent Created Order, the Four Worlds. More broadly, all preceding levels are included, as their function underlies existence. This page lists and links to all the main spiritual levels described in Lurianic Kabbalah, the scheme of Isaac Luria (1534–1572), the basis of modern Jewish mysticism. Its listing incorporated, expanded and explained earlier Medieval/Classical Kabbalah. After Luria, esoteric Kabbalists broadened their explanation within the Lurianic listing. The supra-rational doctrines of Luria described the Chokmah levels of divinity (tzimtzum and the shattering) that preceded the "rationally" perceived Bina levels of Medieval Kabbalah and Moses ben Jacob Cordovero.[3] In turn, the Habad Hasidic exploration described Keter (will) levels of Divine intention that preceded Creation.[4] [5]

The Upper Unity

Or Ein Sof

Preparatory stages in Or Ein Sof "God's Infinite Light" before the beginning of the creative process. The Or Ein Sof is a paradoxical form of divine self-revelation. These are above any world/limitation. Kabbalah considered whether Ein Sof represents God's divine essence or God as First Cause. Chabad philosophy explores atzmut or divine essence in the purpose of Creation. Ten stages of God’s Infinite Light in Kabbalistic terminology before the beginning of Creation:[6]

Tzimtzum

There were 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 to the metaphorical.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:

Adam Kadmon

Adam Kadmon ("Primordial Man" or "Anthropos"), an anthropomorphic term, is the revelation of the divine will for creation after the tzimtzum. Its paradoxical nature is expressed as both Adam (creation) and Kadmon ("primary" divinity). As the will of Keter, 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 before the emergence of the sephiroth and the shattering of their vessels:

Akudim, Nekudim, Berudim

Three Worlds of "lights" and "vessels" resulted from the interacting lights that emanated from Adam Kadmon in Lurianic Kabbalah. Each embodies different stages in the emergence of the ten sephiroth. Their progression corresponds to the archetypal realms of Tohu and Tikun (Chaos and Rectification) described in the new doctrines of Luria. Tohu caused the shattering of the sephirot vessels, the catastrophic exile in creation:

Keter of Atzilut

See main article: Four Worlds. The world of Atziluth is the first of the comprehensive Four Worlds, collectively the realm of rectifying the vessels shattered by Chaos. Atzilut completes the Upper rectification, which began in Berudim, through the sephirot transforming into personas, "countenances" or "personas" of the divine. The personas harmonise the sephiroth in fully-interacting configurations in the form of Man. The rectification of Atzilut begins with the rectification of its Keter "Crown". Eight rectification stages in the Crown:[27]

Atziluth

The ten personas after Keter rectified the first world, Atziluth. Each of the six primary and twelve secondary personas corresponds to the ten sephiroth arranged around one of their numbers. The interaction of the personas rectifies Atziluth eternally, completing the upper rectification.Redemption of the fallen sparks by the Anthropos rectifies the time-connected three lower Worlds Below. Atziluth is separated from the three independent lower worlds by its exclusive consciousness of divine unity without self-awareness. The infinite insight of Hokmah predominates beyond intellectual grasp.Creation from Nothing is seen from the view of Ayin, "Nothingness", realising its non-existence in the Bitul ha-Atzmit "Nullification of Essence"—the world of the Anthropos (sephiroth and personas).

The ten sephiroth shine in the Four Worlds; the last sephira of a World, Malkuth, becomes the first sephira, the Crown, of the next Realm. The Malkuth of Atzilut, called "God's speech," the source of prophecy, is the general source of independent creation.[40]

The Lower Unity

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.

Beriah

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.

Yetzirah

Archetypal Creation. Zeir Anpin (Divine Emotions) predominate. The world of the angels who serve God with emotional self-nullification.

Asiyah

Particular pluralist Creation. Malkuth (Divine Rulership) predominates. Asiyah is a spiritual world, but with a lower physical aspect (our Universe).

Asiyah Gashmit

Our physical Universe. Enclothes the last two sephirot Yesod and Malkuth of Spiritual Asiyah.

Analogies for Seder Hishtalshelut

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

Although these are the basic stations, each level contains innumerable details. To understand Seder Hishtalshelus properly, one must first understand how all of the analogies exist in a person. Once one has understood this, one can begin to see how all of these levels exist in the world. Then, one will be able to take any event or aspect of creation and trace it up the chain to God Himself, then back down to the original view and see how God is literally here with us, relating to us directly through his creations.

The purpose of learning about Seder Hishtalshelus in Hasidic thought is not merely to know about many distinct levels, rather, the purpose is to see how all the levels in between us and God are transparent and irrelevant, and in truth God is relating to us directly, and there is "none besides for Him". (Deuteronomy 4:35) Because of this, the Tanya states that learning about the Seder Hishtalshelus will bring a person to a "complete heart".

This is much like two friends talking on the phone. There are many stages one's voice must undergo before it reaches the other. Yet, the two people are talking to each other, not to their phones. The stages in between become irrelevant and transparent in such a situation.

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).

Only Analogies

While the Hasidic texts offer many analogies of how Seder Hishtalshelus exists within a person, such as the one given above, they also emphasize that these are only analogies and the analogue is nothing like the analogies. These analogies are meant only to give a glimpse into Seder Hishtalshelus in a way that we are familiar with, but the true analogue deals with how God interrelates with our world. Much like a house, God desires a "dwelling place" in this world. This means He desired that his Essence be revealed through the medium of this world much like a person might wish his own essence to be revealed through the medium of his house. While analogies are a necessary step, the true goal of studying Seder Hishlshelus must be to pick out the point that unites all of the analogies and apply it to the analogue i.e. how God is being revealed in our world directly.

On the other hand, the analogies are not vague, These analogies are precise and exact, much scholarly work has been dedicated to understanding and analyzing why particular analogies have been used, some that are not, and some that are inconsistent in application (i.e. a text may use different analogies to demonstrate the same point - the analysis required is to understand and examine the deficiency in each analogy, and how they can be reconciled with each other)

Relation to Western philosophy

Study and contemplation of Seder Hishtalshelus is central to the Intellectual-Hasidism school of Chabad. Some speculate that the recent Hasidic explanations of Seder Hishtalshelus may have been influenced by certain principles in Western philosophy. Various dichotomies mentioned in philosophy are strikingly similar to those mentioned in late Hasidic texts: Form/Matter, Sense/Feeling, Initial Cognition/Semiotic Cognition/Semiotic Transition.[44] Furthermore, the prose of the Rebbe Rashab is almost identical to that of G. W. F. Hegel.

Others counter that the dichotomies meantioned in Hasidic texts originate in sources predating Western philosophy. Proponents of Hasidic philosophy, counter that since Intellectual-Hasidut is an essential wisdom that is higher than, and includes all other wisdoms it would necessarily make reference to all other forms of wisdom, whether Western or otherwise. They would argue that such similarities are not proof of influence of Western philosophy, but rather are evidence that Hasidic philosophy touches upon, unites, and enlightens every other wisdom, whether it be Torah or secular.

The website and books of Sanford Drob bring the Seder Hishtalshelut theosophical scheme of Lurianic Kabbalah into dialogue with Modern and Postmodern Philosophy and Psychology. In our age when Western philosophy deconstructs the possibility of metaphysics, he sees the Lurianic scheme as an essence-myth that transcends and incorporates secular disciplines, allowing it to re-open the possibilities of philosophy. This process both enriches the secular disciplines, while giving intellectual insights into the Lurianic myth through revealing its facets in human life. This dialogue includes Hegelian dialectics and its application in Marxism, Freud, Jung and Deconstructionism, as well as ancient systems of thought.[45]

See also

External links

Cordoverian-Evolution, Lurianic-Enclothement, Hasidic-Omnipresence

Notes and References

  1. http://www.inner.org/overview/overvie5.htm Chassidut: Kabbalah's Final Frontier
  2. http://www.inner.org/stages/stages5.htm Divine Omnipresence and the Kabbalah of the Baal Shem Tov
  3. http://www.inner.org/stages/stages.htm The Development of Kabbalah in Three Stages
  4. http://www.inner.org/worlds/atzmut.htm Ohr Ein Sof: Ten stages of God's Infinite Light before the beginning of the creative process
  5. http://www.inner.org/chassidut/chassidut.htm Overview of Hasidic thought
  6. https://www.inner.org/worlds/worlds.htm The Worlds: The Stages of the Creative Process from God’s Infinite Light to Our Physical World - Introduction, from inner.org
  7. Heaven On Earth: Reflections on the Theology of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Faitel Levin, Kehot 2002
  8. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Atzmut. 29 January 2014.
  9. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Yachid. 30 January 2014.
  10. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Echad. 28 January 2014.
  11. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Sha'ashuim Atzmi'im. 27 January 2014.
  12. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Aliyat Haratzon. 28 July 2014.
  13. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Ana Emloch . 29 July 2014 .
  14. Symbols of the Kabbalah: Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives, Sanford Drob, Aronson 1999
  15. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Ein Sof. 28 July 2014.
  16. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Or ein Sof. 16 January 2014.
  17. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Avir Kadmon. 27 January 2014.
  18. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Adam Kadma'ah Stima'ah. 28 July 2014.
  19. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Tzimtzum. 27 January 2014.
  20. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Reshimu. 27 January 2014.
  21. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Kav. 29 July 2014.
  22. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Adam Kadmon. 28 January 2014.
  23. http://newkabbalah.com/index3.html Adam Kadmon-Primordial Man, newkabbalah.com.
  24. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Olam Ha'Akudim. 13 April 2014.
  25. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Olam Ha'Nekudim. 29 January 2014.
  26. https://www.inner.org/glossary/gloss_b.htm Glossary of Kabbalah and Hasidut from inner.org, letter B. Link to page
  27. https://www.inner.org/worlds/parketer.htm 8 stages of rectification in the world of Atzilut which begins with rectification of its 'crown' - Introduction: Partzufei Ha’Keter (The “Figures of the Crown”), from inner.org
  28. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Arich Anpin. 29 January 2014.
  29. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Resha d'Lo Ityada–Radla. 27 January 2014.
  30. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Resha d'Ayin. 27 January 2014.
  31. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Resha d'Arich. 16 February 2014.
  32. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Gulgalta. 27 July 2014.
  33. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Mocha Stima'ah. 29 January 2014.
  34. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Dikna. 27 January 2014.
  35. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Abba. 27 January 2014.
  36. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Abba Ila'ah. 27 January 2014.
  37. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Imma Ila'ah. 28 January 2014.
  38. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Tevunah. 27 January 2014.
  39. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Rachel. 29 January 2014.
  40. https://www.inner.org/worlds/arbaolam.htm Introduction: Arba’ah Olamot (The Four Worlds), from inner.org
  41. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Olam Ha'Atzilut . 27 January 2014 .
  42. Web site: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Olam Ha'Asiyah. 28 January 2014.
  43. https://www.inner.org/worlds/olamasiy.htm Olam Ha’Asiyah (The World of Action), from inner.org
  44. Compare Maamarim 5663 by Sholom Dovber Schneersohn (the Rashab), with Values in a Universe of Chance by Charles S. Peirce
  45. http://www.newkabbalah.com/index3.html newkabbalah.com

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