Kabbalah's Great Chain of Being | Cordovero & Luria

Demystifying Mysticism and Decanting Kabbalah. Attempting to make sense of Seder Hishtalshelut, Kabbalah’s ‘Great Chain of Being.’ Exploring Cordovero’s liminal Keter, the middle-most point in existence, and Luria’s Tzimtzum, concealing and revealing, literal and non-literal. Dance with us between the cosmic curtains of consciousness, as we trace the traces of light lingering in the void, and find God hiding in plain sight.
Part of a series on Jewish Pantheological thought. Looking at the way thinkers within the Jewish tradition thought about the relationship between God and World, in creative, daring and inspiring ways.
This is the second instalment looking at the thinking of the Kabbalists on this issue, trying to get a glimpse of just how they go about thinking and unpacking nothing less than what they believe to be the mysteries of the universe, God and the human condition.
Previous Episodes:
Part 1: The Other God of Judaism • The Other God of Judaism
Part 2: The God of the Kabbalists • God of the Kabbalists ...
00:00 Intro, Recap & Up Next
00:49 Demystifying Kabbalah
02:39 Seder Hishtalshelut?
07:56 A Living Question
09:37 Cordovero’s Keter
11:41 God and not God
14:40 Cordovero’s Caveats
16:24 Luria’s Tzimtzum
17:47 A Literal Tzimtzum
19:17 Tzimtzum Non-Literal
20:46 Reshimu: Traces of Light
22:17 Chaim Vital on God
23:22 Curtains of Consciousness
25:38 Revealing and Concealing
28:31 Double Talk?
29:27 Recap
30:18 Up Next & Thank you
Video credit:
17:12 Artistic depiction of tzimtzum
• The Kabbalah concept o...
/ @mystiekeschool
Image credits:
Mapping Seder Hishtalshelut, throughout
iyyun.com/kabbalah/understandi...
iyyun.com/wp-content/uploads/2... (full res)
06:07 Tree of Knowledge: Dr. Gregg Henriques
www.unifiedtheoryofknowledge....
www.psychologytoday.com/blog/t...
I meant to include this as a post script to the vid but i forgot, whoops. So i'll add it for you here:
"Gershom Scholem, who we’ve been quoting copiously here, has come under criticism from the both the academic and traditional worlds of recent Kabbalistic scholarship. He’s been accused of many things, of imposing his Hegelian agenda or philological methodology ahead of the data itself, of sacrificing breath for depth, of ignoring the schools of Kabbalah in his own day in his own town, and even of seeing himself as the messianic herald of his own heterodoxical school of Jewish mysticism.
And while it’s true that Scholem may have make many mistakes, as humans are prone to, and may have had some outdated German methodological presuppositions that got between him and his texts, Scholem, I believe, still makes for a reliable source, as long as one is aware of the shortcomings and inaccuracies, charm and charisma, inherent in any founder of a given field. I happen to have a great amount of appreciation for Scholem’s scholarship, and for what I see as the philosophical and speculative side of his work.
The ability to hold appreciation for a founder, while remaining critical to their constraints and shortcomings is true in every field, for Freud in Psychology; Yates, Underhill and James in Hermeticism and Mysticism; as much as it is for Newton, Copernicus and Galilei in astronomy, science and physics.
I believe that a health balance can be struck between adoration and criticism, with an eye to a scholar’s flaws and a willingness to allow the historical datum to speak for itself, even in defiance of accepted scholarly consensus when necessary. “Love Plato, love Aristotle, but more than both, love the truth.”
Love you,
Thank you for watching and keep seeking.
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Tags: Kabbalah, Tzimtzum, Seder Hishtalshelut, Moshe Cordovero, Moses Cordovero, Ramak, Tzimtzum, Reshimu, Masach, Parsa, Isaac Luria, Ari, Arizal, Lurianic Kabbalah, Great Chain of Being
#Kabbalah
#SederHishtalshelut
#Tzimtzum

[@SeekersofUnity]

Part 1: The Other God of Judaism kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4ncf5uVnNqCbpo Part 2: The God of the Kabbalists kzbin.info/www/bejne/pJawpmykqLmMi7M

[@lunarchandelierpress6986]

Hello and thank you once again for a compact, concentrated and lucid explanation and exploration. So very appreciative.

[@SeekersofUnity]

You’re most welcome.

[@ruthlewis673]

" you may break you may shatter the vase if you will but the scent of the roses will hang round it still". Thomas Moore

[@MarianaBandarra]

I so appreciate how you integrate these lofty concepts within a somewhat palatable philosophical framework without stripping them from their ultimately mysterious nature. It’s so easy to, in our yearning for knowing the unknowable, end up selling it short (so to speak) in order to wrap our limited/limiting language around it. Labels are fun, yes! They give our mortal consciousness something to chew on while the soul can feast on what’s concealed behind the language. I am sharing a one-person standing ovation all the way from southern Brasil 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Mariana ☺️☺️

[@ulyssesm.daniels6927]

I discovered your channel because of your contemporary Dr. Justin Sledge and I am very thankful.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Welcome 🙏🏼

[@mediocrates3416]

Have i told you, you're my favorite syncretist.❤️❤️

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you :)

[@user-uu7od4wm9i]

What an amazing 🤩 informative presentation. 👐💜👐 Thank you!

[@SeekersofUnity]

You’re very welcome 🙏🏼

[@jared3370]

I really love studying kabbalah when I'm high as balls. It makes things that don't make sense feel like they kinda start making sense in a weird way

[@seanoneill2098]

Hello, so nice to think about of-ness and from-ness and beingness-ness

[@tedetienne7639]

Wow, I’m going to need to view this video a few times to grasp the knowledge. This is serious, graduate-level teaching here!

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Ted. Feel free to rewatch it as much as necessary. It’s a flat rate for the lot 😉

[@user-dt3od1kt9t]

Thank you for this work,i immediaty found it informative and clearly well researched.Judaic monotheism in light of the kabbala creates a series of unfoding stories that try to explain our present world in a physical and spiritual way.I cant remember the story but there were vessels that couldn't cntain something and they shattered and sparks were lost in matter and the quest was to bring them back.

[@satursun9880]

Thanks! Really enjoying Seekers of Unity, the channel's becoming a central resource for me.

[@SeekersofUnity]

You’re most welcome. I’m glad to hear that. Thank you for your kind contribution to the project.

[@cassandrasiraganda2940]

Hi Dear Friend, Seeker of Unity - You are a Genious, It is a delight to follow you - it's definitely HIGHER GROUND! Intellectually challenging for my old age, but I try to make some effort to learn something very important here! On 14.46 this is absolutely astonishing identical to the Vedic planetarium! Bhu Mandala! We are truly one, all entities drifting out in order to learn something and then going back to the source! One asked somebody why the human didn't remain inside his stone age cave - he would be better off, then the other one answered him: in this case he would perhaps suffer less, but still be a stone age troll... Oh yes, we have to learn, to suffer and then return back to the source as precious stones! May the most HIGH BLESS YOU - then BLESS ME!🙏🙏🙏

[@ladylongsleeves3175]

I felt sad today, but after casually watching this I’m feeling better. Thank you!

[@SeekersofUnity]

You’re most welcome Lady Longsleeves. Glad we could cheer you up with some philosophy and mysticism. We’re always here for you :)

[@Jason-ms8bv]

Another excellent presentation Zevi, your enthusiasm for the subject is infectious. I don't know so much about the Jewish esoterism and pantheism but it's intriguing that there are many parallels with Plato, Parmenedes and Plotinus. I am especially taken by the idea of internalizing the cosmologies and seeing the deep and profound psychological insights, in a kind of reflection of self and cosmos. As within so without, so to speak.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Jason. Yup those parallels are definitely there and fascinating. And yes that final notion you mentioned runs deep in many traditions. Much to explore here. It really is exciting.

[@sebastiangaete7479]

Extremely useful class - thank you so much! I have recently discovered that what I have been calling "the mushroom apocalypse" using Christian language is beautifully explicated by the Kabbalah.

[@SeekersofUnity]

You’re most welcome Sebastian. Glad we could help.

[@gelayegudisa9554]

You are good my friend in explaining complex things in simple words which makes it easier to be understood by common men. Thank you Sir!

[@SeekersofUnity]

You are most welcome. Glad to help a friend.

[@justinbirkholz7814]

Woah. That was a kabbalah blitz lol. You covered quite a few terms and concepts but with a little bit of previous knowledge it wasn't overwhelming or anything. I particularly loved the section on revealing and concealing with your usage of the Huxleyian metaphor of the reducing valve and how that relates to the worlds of kabbalah. Just beautiful. I'm next in the queue for Scholem's Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism from my library but now I just added like 5 more books to my list hahaha. Anyways, thank you, thank you, thank you 🙏 Another great video

[@SeekersofUnity]

You’re most welcome Justin. Glad you so enjoyed it ☺️ Thank you for the reassurance that it wasn't too much.

[@gottakeepgettinup]

חזק וברוך

[@SeekersofUnity]

🙏🏼

[@leom141]

Why? "I was a hidden secret, and I desired to be known" ~Hadith Qudsi

[@shemuelthesabbatian1254]

one of your best videos, by far! yesh m’ayin, ayin m’yesh!

[@SeekersofUnity]

🙏🏼

[@ruthgoldbergives6945]

A new speaker.🕎✡️

[@artsolomon202]

🙏 this fills the 🫀 & 🧠 and opens the 👁

[@SeekersofUnity]

Amen. Thank you 🙏🏼

[@hotsauce153]

I'm gonna love this!

[@rkmh9342]

Thank you for the illuminating discourse! QUESTION: is the Chain of Being reified in Luria but not Cordovero, given the standard interpretations? Context: i've had philosophical concerns with the concept of the Chain of Being, due largely to its reification and use in Anslem's Ontological Argument (which, for clarity's sake, i reject). Am i correct in thinking that Cordovero's conception wouldn't work, all things being equal, as a premise in Anslem's Argument because of its non-literal nondual pantheistic nature whereas, in Luria's conception of the Chain of Being, Anslem's Chain of Being is basically interchangeable with it in terms of how the Ontological Argument works (if it works: the question of how much the divine perfection permeates the lower rungs, given that the chain is reified, does seem to imply the rationality of the question 'does the most perfect exist?' and given the reification of the Chain of Being, the existence of the above rational question implies the existence of the most perfect the question queries) And for those who think reifying the Chain is begging the question-- Zevi argues the chain makes sense in a psychological interpretation, so if he is correct, how we conceive of the chain of being is independent of the question of deity and her divine perfections, it follows that begging the question is not a legit criticism. the issue is instead whether, as i am starting to suspect, the chain is nondual nonliteral or reified in some sense if this line of reasoning is cogent. Much love!

[@ruthlewis673]

I have some thoughts on this but, as usual, it will take some time. But to begin with l wonder why the metaphor is always up and down? In short, why not depth instead of Hight?

[@MarianaBandarra]

What a tremendously powerful thought, @Ruth

[@mysticcolin5561]

I look forward to hearing you elaborate upon this. I believe my initial understanding of what you were saying was a misunderstanding. What follows is from that misunderstanding: Focus on Height seems to be a focus on transcendence, freedom from the trappings of this world. Focus on depth...it seems that would be a focus on embodiment, loving kindness and connecting to others. The two not in conflict but fostering one another. For the above reason, I've also wondered about expressing the chain of being horizontally rather than vertically. Relatedly, considering G-d as both Emanator and the Void and Emanation resulting between these two "hands'.

[@ruthlewis673]

I suppose this is a complex issue or not depending on your perspective. In short, I feel there is often a good deal of investigation into the nature of God, that great unknown and not enough investigation into the mystery of self. In short not enough personal in depth Self enquiry. We have a great number of us willing to spend an enormous amount of energy, reading about, talking about and listening to others talk about God. Perhaps to put off the awful moment of self enquiry and encounter. This has led a lot of us craning our necks looking upward and outward when, perhaps, we could be looking inward.

[@tracyking4518]

What about inward and outward like the 5th dimension? Faith, for example, springs from within

[@Baabaalawn]

Thank you so much 👐🖤👐 for sharing your WIZDOM 💛⚡🔱 So much information 😍🥺.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Baabaa. You’re most welcome.

[@gianluigisegalerba4543]

Very, very interesting. Very well done.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Glad you appreciated it ☺️🙏🏼

[@fehmeh6292]

Not knowing anything about this before. I had heard someone tell me about opening a third eye. I told them we have 5, but can only have 200% (two full eyes) open at any given time and that must be shared between all 5. Kind of cool something not too far off from that already exists to look into.

[@mediocrates3416]

I was gonna mention mirror and then there it was; as above so below. With a mirror under Ein Sof, there would be no need of contraction? The mirror would necessarily be half way between Ein Sof and its image, Keter.

[@zakikhan814]

you have very good vibes. Love runs at a higher frequency which you give. Keep your intentions pure, keep them for the creator and shall you stack good deeds to save you on judgement day. I wud like to hear your opinion on Mohammad's Mirage journey

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you friend. Peace be with you, always.

[@jonathanwilner6174]

That was an excellent video, and I carry away from it some more vocabulary. Perhaps two levels could be arranged where one series is devoted to those who feel at home with the Hebrew/Aramaic nomenclature and one for those unfamiliar with these terms and the concepts involved. That would double your workload though. Thank you. I hope to see more.

[@mironalexandra4602]

thank you so much for sharing the knowledge! I cannot wait for you to introduce more concepts because I really like the way you explain them (min 23:42, it sure is a looot of fun!)

[@SeekersofUnity]

My pleasure. Thank you Miron. Looking forward to more ☺️

[@mironalexandra4602]

yes please!

[@taratasarar]

Wonderful, thank you! Reading Eric D. Perl on Plotinus, Proclus & Dionysus at the moment, and this resonnated a lot. Love how they lay out the interwoven relationship between the world and God in a way that dismantles strict dualisms. I can see that the kabbalahists do the same and developes it further. Will need to delve deeper into this! So, thanks. Any chance you will take a look at the neoplatonic theology more specifically?

[@SeekersofUnity]

You’re most welcome. Yes, we certainly hope to. It’s hard to miss.

[@DefWorlds]

Will you do a video or two on Tanya?

[@SeekersofUnity]

Yes, we do hope to at some point.

[@beagru5706]

💗🍀🌻

[@deepblack67]

So what are the books on the table? Thank you Zevi

[@SeekersofUnity]

I see, The Early Kabbalah and Safed Spirituality from the Classics of Western Spirituality series and the third is a collection of essays on Messianism.

[@EverythingHumorous]

Judaism Demystified needs to watch your series on Kabbalah Zevi! They sometimes grossly misrepresent Kabbalah on their KZbin channel which makes it unfair for those seeking to decide between mainstream Judaism and a more rationalist Judaism.

[@thirdrockjul2224]

❤️

[@iraseiden]

Ph-antastic:)!!:)

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Ira 🙏🏼

[@user-dt3od1kt9t]

what does the tree represent?

[@jaysilverstone7221]

if the One is All that must include Experience of Itself, hence the (apparent) infinite bifurcations

[@ramkitty]

My vocabulary neurons are dancing.

[@servantofallah1512]

Could you do another video on Christian Pantheology?

[@SeekersofUnity]

Hey friend. Thank you for the request. I think we might be moving on from our pantheism series soon. But we’ll definitely be revisiting Christian mystics and philosophers a whole bunch as we attempt to tell the story of Mysticism.

[@EstherYael1984]

It would be great if you could go into Luria more deeply.

[@SeekersofUnity]

That would be fun :)

[@joshlewis5253]

I loved it! Not too much theology at all :)

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you Josh 🙏🏼☺️

[@deepblack67]

Not so much filters ( limit vs distraction, we are not limited as much as we are distracted. The music is already there we just are not listening.) as shutting down perception (noise) interfering with finer music, the world is loud, that's the point of it the drum of Shiva driving the body of Shakti thrown into cosmic dance. Consciousness and perception. To hear higher consciousness one must quiet perception, a reverse process.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you T.R.

[@brynawaldman5790]

Some people go into bliss & unity states in sensory deprivation baths which cut back on perceptions of the body. It's hot to sized, warm like body temperature in salt water, that makes you float, so touch sensations are minimal, either the room is dark or the seeker is blind folded, or both; ditto with noise; a soundless room & ear plugs make it silent, & viola! Union w the divine.

[@kevanhubbard9673]

Any of these theories lack the answer 'why?'Why would an eternal One or Unmoved Mover suddenly decide that it was lonely or want to explore itself via the making of a universe?the 'why'is the ultimate flaw in any such theory.One way, and probably the only way, around that is to say we are not God therefore can think or say nothing about the mental activities of God assuming it's got mental activities.Those curtains that shield us from the Divine could be the brain .... well Aldous Huxley thought so.

[@mysticcolin5561]

I've thought about this and how creations/emanation might be an eternal activity of the divine. It is what G-d does. Worlds come and go within the divine.

[@LAGoff]

Since -- as you say (3:42) -- the one is beyond desire, how do you reconcile that with the God of Tanakh who speaks and commands, punishes and comforts, and desires? (e.g. Gen.6:6)

[@SeekersofUnity]

That’s a really really good question. A question that’s been asked for a few hundred years and a variety of answer have been proposed. Non which can do justice to in a yt comment 😋

[@LAGoff]

@@SeekersofUnity Well, then why dou do you hold that...is beyond desire?

[@SeekersofUnity]

Because by definition the absolute is beyond any of our categories and lacks nothing, as desire might imply.

[@LAGoff]

@@SeekersofUnity Can you recommend something not too academic, technical, and jargonistic (like 'the absolute') where I can understand how by definition God has no desire? I assume you hold that God creates and cares for us. I assume you hold that God can create and care for us, yet have no desires.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Hmm I think we’re using the same word God in two very different ways here. I’d recommend checking out the short video we did introducing Pantheism where we try define “God” the way that concept is being employed here.

[@zevilover3591]

What does that actually mean?

[@JawkneePruitt]

I am studying Hebrew and I love the plethora of Hebrew terms you have sprinkled all over this video.........as they say in Latin.......Beautius Maximus lolololol...... totally not Latin.......lololol

[@linusasterlinus6507]

well how ya doin there??

[@SeekersofUnity]

Doing well thank you. How are you?

[@linusasterlinus6507]

A-OK... @@SeekersofUnity

[@garygoldberg9906]

Can we please check on the concept of the Panentheism that is the central dogma of Judaism and what Judaism brings to the world. I think about it as 'panpsychism' in a Panentheistic frame. That is the central dogma in my view. The Shema is a faith declaration in the reality of Panentheism. That is, that the Immanent Y-K-V-K and the Transcendent ELoKiM are both contained within the Y-K-V-K. This is also reflected in the structure of the human brain--ELoKiM associated with the left hemisphere--the 'Emissary', and the Y-K-V-K with the right hemisphere--the 'Master'. They are both necessary and interdependent. But it is the Master that is, of the two, Primordial.

[@Aaron-xb4rq]

Beautifully put. Judaism actually appears to be panentheistic, not pantheist. There is no separation between the transcendent and the immanent, the Master and Emissary.

[@spiralthinker]

my teacher, the great Stand Up Torah Poet of Mythopoesis and great composer, who brought part of Hasidic Mysticism's music into a contemporary sound, R'Shlomo Carlebach a"h v'z'y'a - whom we cancel, rather than work through, at our own, and indeed the forward future of Jewish Mysticism and World Awakening's risk - USED TO JOKE ABOUT QUIBBLING ABOUT LITTLE THINGS WHEN THE ESSENCE IS TOP QUALITY: "it's like walking away from seeing Miss America having noticed she could use a manicure touch up... " SO, MY BRO, SEEKER OF UNITY! THE WORD IS "BIFURCATES," NOT "BIFURICATES!" that said, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CARRY ON (AS T BRITS SAYS :)

[@SeekersofUnity]

Thank you brother Steven 🙏🏼 מכל מלמדי השכלתי

[@spiralthinker]

Nu... How close r we to Hasidism :)????

[@SeekersofUnity]

“Closer than our own jugular vein.” - Quran 50:16

[@spiralthinker]

@@SeekersofUnity am i understanding rightly that you're Zevi? it was actually a peshat question, lol, since i didn't (then) see any subsequent postings from u on Hasidus (appearing in the column of icons to the right of this space on youtube... but i have since seen one w/ the Alter Rebbe's image, as well as others in the last few months. Technical Question: HOW CAN I GET ALL YOUR POSTINGS TO APPEAR AT ONCE? ty, and i look fwd to seeing how much of it's subtle diversity you've already explicated... ty

[@SeekersofUnity]

Ahh. Here is our complete catalogue of videos: kzbin.infovideos And here our some videos we make on or related to Hasidism: kzbin.info/aero/PL_7jcKJs6iwVZwY0rGquQQOmerV-8uzZR Enjoy :)

[@yosefzee7605]

'germanic' or 'dramatic' writing style?

[@SeekersofUnity]

Germanic.

[@reygranado1229]

NOPE

[@solomontruthlover5308]

Love the content but it almost seems like you're using these complicated terms so less and less people understand what the hell you're saying, (my English vocabulary is not the best)

[@SeekersofUnity]

Hey brother. Sorry if any of the vocab was too much. I'm happy to help explain if you got stuck anywhere. I just try and use the most accurate to describe what it is i'm trying to get across and sometimes the most accurate word, particularly when discussing complex things, is a fancy one. But the point isn't to use fancy words or to try intentionally confuse people, quite the opposite. Maybe see this as a chance to challenge your vocabulary and learn some fun words? Much love, Zevi

[@solomontruthlover5308]

@@SeekersofUnity of course. I'm actually learning from it personally, but I think it will be way more accessible to more people if you just replace certain terms with simpler ones, and also I never thought you were intentionally trying to confuse anyone I just thought you were vocabulary is a bit too high for some people and it's just a good idea to lower down to the level of people like me

[@solomontruthlover5308]

@@SeekersofUnity ah I now see the way I wrote it did look like I was trying to accuse you of something, but then I told you that it's just because I don't have a very good vocabulary (should have added a lol after that lol)