The Kabbalah: its doctrines, development, and literatureGinsburg, Christian D. (Christian David)
Religion
The Kabbalah: its doctrines, development, and literature
Ginsburg, Christian D. (Christian David)
Cabala
This world, however, is not a creation ex nihilo, but is simply an
immanent offspring and the image of the King and Queen, or, in other
words, a farther expansion or evolution of the Sephiroth which are the
emanations of the En Soph. This is expressed in the Sohar in the
following passage—“The indivisible point [the Absolute], who has no
limit, and who cannot be comprehended because of his purity and
brightness, expanded from without, and formed a brightness which served
as a covering to the indivisible point, yet it too could not be viewed
in consequence of its immeasurable light. It too expanded from without,
and this expansion was its garment. Thus everything originated through
a constant upheaving agitation, and thus finally the world originated.”
(Sohar, i, 20 a.) The universe therefore is an immanent emanation from
the Sephiroth, and reveals and makes visible the Boundless and the
Concealed of the Concealed. And though it exhibits the Deity in less
splendour than its parents the Sephiroth, because it is further removed
from the primordial source of light, yet, as it is God manifested, all
the multifarious forms in the world point out the unity which they
represent; and nothing in it can be destroyed, but everything must
return to the source whence it emanated. Hence it is said that “all
things of which this world consists, spirit as well as body, will
return to their principal, and the root from which they proceeded.”
(Sohar, ii, 218 b.) “He is the beginning and end of all the degrees in
the creation. All these degrees are stamped with his seal, and he
cannot be otherwise described than by the unity. He is one,
notwithstanding the innumerable forms which are in him.” (Ibid., i, 21
a.)
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account