THE WORLD OF AZILUT (EMANATION) (Last updated 7/27/01) The beginning of all existence starts with the World of Azilut (Emanation). To be precise, it begins the Keter (crown) of Azilut, which is associated with the God name of Ehyeh ("I AM"). This was the name with which God revealed Himself to Moses in Exodus 3:14 (Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh - I AM that I am). Azilut is the eternal unchanging world symbolized by the "archetypal" Divine Sephirot. The root of the term Azilut means "to stand near," as Azilut is the "buffer" or "interchange" between the unknowable Eyn Sof and the three lower worlds of Beriah, Yezirah and Asiyyah. Azilut is also called the "World of Divine Light," and the "Glory of God," which passes through all four worlds (all of which exist within Azilut). It is also called the "World of Unity," as it is apart from the dimensions of time and space that exist in the lower worlds. Thus, Azilut is strictly a world of conciousness, and represents a stage of "pure will." As time and space do not exist in this world, there is never any type of motion, therefore Azilut is always in perfect balance. Therefore, evil does not exist at this level. Azilut was in existence prior to Genesis 1:1, and is said to have begun with ten utterances of God. These ten utterances are associated with ten Names of God, which came out of the "Black Fire" of unmanifest existence, into the "White Fire" of Azilut. As such, Azilut is associated with the aspect of fire and the color white, symbolizing radiance.1 In each section on the Four Worlds, we present a Tree of Life diagram associated with that world. Note that each diagram represents but one aspect of the corresponding world.
1. A Kabbalistic Universe, Z'ev Shimon Halevi, Samuel Weiser, Inc., York Beach, Maine, 1977, p. 19. |
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