Editing Kabbalah (section)

=== Sephirot ===
{{Main|Sefirot}}
[[File:Sefiroticky strom.jpg|thumb|Scheme of descending [[Sephirot]] in three columns, as a tree with roots above and branches below]]
The ''Sephirot'' (also spelled "sefirot"; singular ''sefirah'') are the ten emanations and attributes of God with which he continually sustains the existence of the universe. These emanations are viewed as parts of God's divine nature, which reveal themselves in different ways. The Zohar and other Kabbalistic texts elaborate on the emergence of the sephirot from a state of concealed potential in the ''Ein Sof'' until their manifestation in the mundane world. In particular, Moses ben Jacob Cordovero (known as "the Ramak"), describes how God emanated the myriad details of finite reality out of the absolute unity of Divine light via the ten sephirot, or vessels.{{sfnp|Ginsburgh|2006|p=6}}

{{anchor|Ten Sephirot as process of Creation}}
====Ten sephirot as process of creation====
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),<ref>See ''Otzrot Haim: Sha'ar TNT"A'' for a short explanation. The vast majority of the Lurianic system deals only with the complexities found in the world of Atzilut as is explained in the introductions to both Otzrot Haim and Eitz Haim.</ref> and are emanated from the Creator for the purpose of creating the universe. The ''sephirot'' are considered revelations of the Creator's will (''ratzon''),<ref>''The Song of the Soul'', Yechiel Bar-Lev, p.73</ref> 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.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

{{anchor|Ten Sephirot as process of ethics}}
==== Ten Sephirot as process of ethics ====
[[File:Shefa Tal.png|thumb|In the 16–17th centuries Kabbalah was popularised through a new genre of ethical literature, related to Kabbalistic meditation]]

Divine creation by means of the Ten Sephirot is an ethical process. They represent the different aspects of Morality. Loving-Kindness is a possible moral justification found in Chessed, and Gevurah is the Moral Justification of Justice and both are mediated by Mercy which is Rachamim. However, these pillars of morality become immoral once they become extremes. When Loving-Kindness becomes extreme it can lead to sexual depravity and lack of Justice to the wicked. When Justice becomes extreme, it can lead to torture and the Murder of innocents and unfair punishment.{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

"Righteous" humans (''tzadikim'' plural of [[Tzadik]]) ascend these ethical qualities of the ten ''sephirot'' by doing righteous actions. If there were no righteous humans, the blessings of God would become completely hidden, and creation would cease to exist. While real human actions are the "Foundation" (''[[Yesod]]'') of this universe (''[[Malchut]]''), these actions must accompany the conscious intention of compassion. Compassionate actions are often impossible without faith (''Emunah''), meaning to trust that God always supports compassionate actions even when God seems hidden. Ultimately, it is necessary to show compassion toward oneself too in order to share compassion toward others. This "selfish" enjoyment of God's blessings but only in order to empower oneself to assist others is an important aspect of "Restriction", and is considered a kind of [[Golden mean (philosophy)|golden mean]] in kabbalah, corresponding to the ''sefirah'' of Adornment ([[Tiferet]]) being part of the "Middle Column".{{citation needed|date=February 2025}}

Moses ben Jacob Cordovero, wrote ''[[Tomer Devorah]]'' (''Palm Tree of Deborah''), in which he presents an ethical teaching of Judaism in the kabbalistic context of the ten ''sephirot''. ''Tomer Devorah'' has become also a foundational [[Musar literature|Musar text]].{{sfnp|Laenen|2001|p=164}}