Kabbalah Part 2

...And why are they called sefirot? Because it is written: 'The heavens declare (m'saprim) the Glory (ka'vod) of God (Psalm 19:2) -- The Early Kabbalah, Paulist Press, 1986 p. 60

...And what is the Torah of truth? This is that power which represents the truth of the worlds, and He operates by Thought. And He gives existence to the ten Utterances by which the world exists, and He is one of them. And He created in man ten fingers on the hands to correspond to the ten Utterances, and when Moses raised his hands with the minimum of his heart's intention...and points out to Him his ten fingers to signify that he makes the ten exist...(The Early Kabbalah, p. 69)

(1) With ten utterances the world was created. And what is learned - couldn't it have been created by one utterance? Rather, [it was done this way] in order to punish the wicked who destroy the world that was created with ten utterances and to give reward to the righteous who sustain the world that was created with ten utterances.

(1) In thirty-two most occult and wonderful paths of wisdom did Yah the Lord of Hosts engrave his name: God of the armies of Israel (Tzevaot Elohai Yisrael), ever-living God (Elohim Hayim), merciful and gracious (v’Melekh Olam), sublime, dwelling on high (El Shaddai), who inhabiteth eternity. He created this universe by the three derivatives: Writing (SeFeR) Numbers (SeFoR), and Speech (SiPuR).

(2) Ten are the numbers, as are the Sefirot, and twenty-two the letters, these are the Foundation of all things. Of these letters, three are 'mothers', seven are 'double', and twelve are 'simple'.

(3) The ten numbers formed from nothing are the Decad: these are seen in the fingers of the hands, five on one, five on the other, and over them is the Covenant by voice spiritual, and the rite of Circumcision; corporeal.

(4) Ten are the numbers of the ineffable Sefirot. Ten, and not nine. Ten, and not eleven. Learn this wisdom, and be wise in the understanding of it. Investigate these numbers, and draw knowledge from them. Fix the design in its purity, and pass from it to its Creator seated on his throne.

(5) These Ten Numbers, beyond Ein Sof, have boundless realms, boundless origin and end, an abyss of good and one of evil, boundless height and depth, East and West, North and South, and the one only God and king, faithful forever seated on his throne, shall rule over all, forever and ever.

(6) These ten Sefirot which are ineffable, whose appearance is like scintillating flames, have no end but are infinite. The word of God is in them as they burst forth, and as they return; they obey the divine command, rushing along as a whirlwind, returning to prostrate themselves at his throne.

(7) These ten Sefirot which are, moreover, ineffable, have their end even as their beginning, conjoined, even as is a flame to a burning coal: for our God is superlative in his unity, and does not permit any second one. And who canst thou place before the only one?

(8) And as to this Decad of the Sefirot, restrain thy lips from comment, and thy mind from thought of them. And if thy heart fail thee return to thy place? Therefore is it written, "The living creatures ran and returned," and on this wisdom was the covenant made with us.

(9) These are the ten emanations of number. First, is the Spirit of the Living God, blessed and more than blessed be the name of the Living God of Ages. The Holy Spirit is his Voice, his Spirit, and his Word.

(10) Second, from the Spirit he made Air and formed for speech twenty-two letters, three are 'mothers', seven are 'double', and twelve are 'simple', but the spirit is first among these.

(11) Third, Primitive Water. He also formed and designed from his Spirit, and from the void and formless made earth, even as a rampart, or standing wall, and varied its surface even as the crossing of beams.

(12) Fourth, from the Water, He designed Fire, and from it formed for himself a throne of honor, with Auphanim, Seraphim, Holy Animals, and ministering Angels, and with these he formed his dwelling, as is written in the text "Who maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flaming fire."

(13) He selected three letters from the simple ones, and sealed them as forming his great Name, Yud, Hei, Waw, and he sealed the universe in six directions. Fifth, He looked above, and sealed the height, with Yud-Hei-Waw. Sixth, He looked below, and sealed the deep, with Yud-Waw-Hei. Seventh, He looked forward, and sealed the East, with Hei-Yud-Waw. Eighth, He looked backward, and sealed the West, with Hei-Waw-Yud. Ninth, He looked to the right, and sealed the South, with Waw-Yud-Hei. Tenth, He looked to the left, and sealed the North, with Waw-Hei-Yud.

(14) These are the ten ineffable existences, the spirit of the living God, Air, Water, Fire, Height and Depth, East and West, North and South.