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Ten Sefirot of Nothingness
in the number of ten fingers
five opposite five
with a singular covenant
precisely in the middle
in the circumcision of the tongue
and in the circumcision of the membrum.
[Sefer Yetzirah 1:3]
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And when Abraham our father, may he rest in peace,
looked, saw, understood, probed,
engraved and carved,
He was successful in creation,
as it is written,
"And the souls that they made in Haran" (Genesis 12:5).
Immediately there was revealed to him the Master of all,
may His name be blessed forever,
He placed him in His bosom, and
kissed him on his head,
and He called him,
"Abraham my beloved" (Isaiah 41:8).
He made a covenant with him
and with his children after him forever,
as it is written,
"And he believed in God, and He considered it
to him for righteousness" (Genesis 15:6).
He made with him a covenant
between the ten fingers of his hands -
this is the covenant of the tongue,
and between the ten toes of his feet -
this is the covenant of circumcision,
And He bound the 22 letters of the
Torah to his tongue
and He revealed to him His mystery
He drew them in water,
He flamed them with fire,
He agitated them with Breath,
He burned them with the seven [planets]
He directed them with the twelve constellations.
[Sefer Yetzirah 6:7]
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My comments...
As the Sefer Yetzirah states, the divine 'covenant' is "singular", but it has within it two levels.
The 'lower' level is known as the covenant of the 'circumcision of the male member' and is referred to the sefirah Yesod. It symbolises the control and sublimation of the material desires. As verse 6:7 states, it is placed "between the ten toes of his feet". This has two basic meanings.
The 'legs/feet' of Adam are represented by the sefirot Netzah (right leg) and Hod (left leg), between which is located the sefirah Yesod (i.e. representing the 'male member'). The "ten toes" are a reference to the ten sefirot of the kabbalistic 'world of Assiah' which is associated with the sefirah Malkut.
The 'higher' level is called the covenant of the 'circumcision of the tongue' and is associated with the sefirah Da'at. It symbolises the control and sublimation of the mental body, and the development of the spiritual intuition. The Sefer Yetzirah locates this level of the covenant "between the ten fingers of his hands" referring to the position of the sefirah Da'at between the right 'arm/hand' (i.e. Hesed), and the left 'arm/hand' (i.e. Geburah). The "ten fingers" allude to the ten sefirot of the kabbalistic 'world of Yetzirah' which is a level above the 'world of Assiah' and which is associated with the seven Double letter sefirot of the Son (Vav).
Another way of interpreting verse 1:3 of the Sefer Yetzirah is as follows...
The sefirot Da'at (Bayt) and Yesod (Tav) are the first and last sefirot of the group of seven Double letter sefirot that constitute the body of the Son.
On one side of the Son (i.e. Vav of YHVH) is the Mother (i.e. Binah, first Heh of YHVH) and on the lower side of him is the Daughter (i.e. Malkut, the second Heh of YHVH). Heh = 5. Thus "five (Heh) opposite five (Heh) with a singular covenant (Vav) precisely in the middle" (i.e. this is because the ten sefirot can be understood in terms of the formula YHVH.) The "middle" referred to in the quote is a reference to the 'middle pillar' of the Tree of Life.
Blessings,
Patrick.
Virgo-Moon [2/1]
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