Let’s see now how the Zohar reconfigures the Godhead as the ten sefirot or divine elements. First, note that each has a Hebrew name and a key function, and several have a symbolizing individual or individuals from the Bible. Next, notice they are ranked in a hierarchy from highest to lowest; transcended above by the infinite, boundless, and endless Ein sof and delimited from the material world below over which they govern. Last observe the lines of interaction between the forces, and that some are direct while others lead through intermediaries. Briefly, the ten sefirot are:
- Keter – the Crown or Circle– the highest, the stirring of intent from Ein sof, without “content” only desire, hence “Nothing.”
- Hokhmah – the Beginning or Wisdom – the first and highest point of existence – the inner mind of God.5
- Binah – Understanding or Contemplation – the reflection of Hokhmah (these two making up the primal pair or male-female) – the Womb of Existence.
- Hesed – the Grace or Love of God – symbolized by Abraham.
- Gevurah – or Din – Power or Judgment – balanced with Hesed –symbolized by Isaac.6
- Tiferet – God seated on the Throne or the “blessed Holy One”– the center of the sefirotic universe – the point of balance between Hesed and Gevurah – also Beauty, Compassion, and Truth – the God of Imatio Dei – symbolized by Jacob.7
- Netsah – Endurance – the right leg – a source of prophesy.
- Hod – Splendor – the left leg – also a source of prophesy.
- Yesod – Foundation – the Righteous One and the Covenant– symbolized by the Phallus and by Joseph.8
- Malkhut – Kingdom – Shekhinah (the female element) or Queen – represented by David and Rachel.
The lowest level of the divine ladder, the point where we contact the sefirotic system, is also its key female part, called Shekhinah (spouse or divine consort) which is “tragically exiled” from God. One explanation Moses de Leon extrapolates from the Bible for this separation is represented by the story of 
Adam who failed to obey God when he ate from the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. In this line of thought, the rejection is inverted in contrast to orthodox teachng; that is, the beloved Adam (symbolizing the feminine) rejected God leading to the divine divorce. However, regardless of the cause, the Zohar imposes a duty on the righteous to protect and liberate Shekhinah from the demonic potencies which hold her. “The great drama of religious life, according to the kabbalists, is that of protecting Shekhinah from the forces of evil and joining Her to the holy Bridegroom who ever awaits Her.”9
(further continued next post)
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5Matt, Daniel C., The Zohar – Pritzker Edition. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California, 2004. ISBN 0-8047-4747-4, page xlvii. From Job 28:12 – “Wisdom, comes from nothingness.”
6Ibid., page xlix. Gevurah is the “Fear of Isaac” (Genesis 31:42). Evil results when Gevurah is not balanced by Hesed, that is when Judgment is not tempered by Love; a lesson for us as well.
7Ibid., page li. Moses is the only human to rise to the level of Tif’eret; all other mortals only contact the sefirotic universe from below.
8Ibid., page xlix. Netsah, Hod, and Yesod are channels from the higher levels to Malkhut. The Biblical prophets received their knowledge from the first two.
9Ibid., page lii.
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