K. Trees of Life from the Etz HaChayyim
)
The Etz HaChayyim yields several forms of the Tree of Life.
The first renders the Sefiroth as a pattern of ten concentric
circles, like “layers of an onion,” with Kingdom (Malkhuth) as
the centermost Sefirah (see Diagram).
This format reflects the idea that the physical world of Kingdom represents
the densest form of spirit-matter, and that each layer is
successively more subtle. )
As previously mentioned, the principal
source for the Yosher (lit. upright, straight, firm) form of the
Name hvhy is the Sh’ir Qoma in the Sefer Raziel HaGadol. In
Branch 3 of the Etz HaChayyim, Luria synthesizes a meditation
image in which the Sefirothic pattern of the Tree is superimposed
upon the Yosher (see Diagram). In Branch 10, Luria introduces the allusion of the four Worlds of Emanation,
Creation, Formation, and Making as “Curtains” (partzufim), and
the Tree of Life as “the internal structure and bones of the Ancient of Days.” In conjunction with this, Luria offers a
meditation image in the form of five sets of ten concentric circles
that are superimposed upon the Yosher (see Diagram). The five sets correspond respectively to the partzufim of “Great Face” (at the point of entrance of the Kav into the
Tzimtzum), “Father” (Yod), “Mother” (Upper Heh), “Small Face”
(Vav), and “Young Female” (Lower Heh).
Aside from the Tree diagrams yielded by the text of the Etz
HaChayyim, Luria also developed his own version of the
Composite Fallen Tree in his edition of the Sefer Yetzirah. )
For
this Tree, Luria used the Zoharic names for the Sefiroth and a
proprietary configuration of gates that differed significantly from
those of previous redactions of the text. )
Hence, the reader will
notice that the gate assignments on Luria’s Tree in Diagram are
very different from those in the Tree diagrams in the Work of the
Chariot’s version of the Sefer Yetzirah. In Luria’s Composite
Tree, the Mother letters are respectively placed in the three horizontal gates; the Double Letters are placed in the seven
vertical gates; and the Simple Letters are placed in the twelve
diagonal gates. While all of the Trees specified by the Sefer
Yetzirah are two-and three-dimensional Trees of Perfection, it is
a matter of some curiosity that Luria’s Trees are all flat and
fallen.
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