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SEVEN HEAVENS


To the dimensions of height, width, length and time the Kabbalists have added the dimension of spirituality. In the positive spiritual direction are the seven heavens: Vilon, Rakia, Shehakim, Zevul, Ma’on, Makhon, [and] Aravot.’

Farthest from Earth is Aravot, which contains uncreated objects and is the permanent residence of men's souls. It is associated with the emanation Greatness (Kindness). The Kabbalist visualizes himself ascending through seven heavens and through the seven palaces in the highest heaven, the Aravot. For the Hasidim "It is not the mystic who ascends through the palaces, but the relational aspect of God that descends to man."

Makhon, the second heaven, contains the precipitants rain, snow, hail, fog, and dew. Makhon is presided over by Moses the Law Giver and the emanation Law, and emits a lightning bolt into Ma'on.

Ma'on, the third heaven, presided over by Father Abraham who alters the bolt into four "rays of foundation" corresponding to the four spheres of emanations along the central axis and are colored black, white, red and green. The third heaven is filled with harmonizing lights and sounds that sing praises to God, and is symbolized by the emanation Beauty.

Above this is Zevul, a spiritual Jerusalem corresponding to the emanation Victory which is the positive aspect of cosmic power. In this city is a tabernacle, personified by Metatron, with Michael as high priest, surrounded by the souls of martyrs. There is also a heavenly tribunal of seven lights.

The fifth heaven is called Shekhakim and is associated with Glory. It contains millstones whch grind manna for the righteous and is presided over by Jacob and the twelve heads of the Israelite tribes. It is surrounded by a river of fire wherein reside the angels of destruction, and this river is held back by a colorless light of monotheism, which is fueled by prayers from below and projected out from Shekhakim as an archetypal alphabet of 22 colors.

Next is Rakia, the firmament. Symbolized by the emanation Foundation, this heaven supports the heavenly bodies, which are endowed with divine knowledge. The lowest heaven is called Vilon (lit. veil), which shields the heavens during he day and "rolls" down each night. It is associated with the Kingdom, is the main source [of] prophetic visions, and is presided over by Joseph, the interpreter of dreams.

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SEVEN ABYSSES

Below the Earth spiritually are seven abysses, known as Gehenna, Death's Shadow, Death's Gate, Filth, Destructive Whirlpools, Place of Perdition and Sheol. Interpretations on these vary considerably; however, it is generally held that they are made up of tohu (impure earth), bohu (impure water), and darkness (opposite of fire).

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SEVEN PALACES

Associated with the heavens are the seven "hekhalot" (palaces) in the "merkavah" (Divine Chariot). The seven palaces are in the upper regions of Paradise in which the souls take pleasure while their prayers ascend and after they depart the earth. The seventh palace leads to the Throne of God, symbolized by sapphire and emerald. Here the souls of mystics travel outside of their bodies and rise up to the Veil of God. The veil is not physical, for God has no physical form; it is a symbol for the limitations of Man's comprehension of God.

YHVH, Lord of Israel, dwells in seven palaces, in the innermost room thereof. At the gates of each palace, there are eight guardians: four to the right and four to the left.

And these are the names of the guards of the gates of the first palace: Dehaviel, Kashriel, Gahoriel, Botiel, Tofiel, Dehariel, Matkiel, Shuiel, and some say Sheviel.

And these are the names of the guards of the gates of the second palace: Tagriel, Matpiel, Sarhiel, Arfiel, Sheharariel, Satriel, Regaiel, and Saheviel.

And these are the names of the guards of the gates of the third palace: Shevooriel Retzutziel, Shulmooiel, Savliel, Zehazahiel, Hadariel, and Bezariel.

And these are the names of the guards of the gates of the fourth palace: Pachdiel, Gevoortiel, Kazooiel, Shekhiniel, Shatkiel, Araviel, Kafiel, and Anaphiel.

And these are the names of the guards of the gates of the fifth palace: Tachiel, Uziel, Gatiel, Getahiel, Safriel, Garafiel, Gariel, Dariel, and Falatriel.

And these are the names of the guards of the gates of the sixth palace: Roomiel, Katzmiel, Gehaghiel, Arsavrasbiel, Agroomiel, Faratziel, Mechakiel, and Tofariel.

At the gate of the seventh palace, they stand angry and war-like, strong, harsh, fearful, terrifying, taller than mountains and sharper than peaks. Their bows are strung and stand before them. Their swords are sharpened and in their hands. Bolts of lightning flow and issue forth from the balls of their eyes, and balls of fire [issue] from their nostrils, and torches of fiery coals from their mouths. They are equipped with helmets and with coats of mail, and javelins and spears and hung upon their arms.

These palaces are dangerous, and the mystics who travel them must carry with them the seals of the two angels designated for each gate to show to the eight angels who guard each of the seven entrance ways. Those that do not have the proper seals are said to be swept away in a fiery tornado. The sixth palace is particularly hazardous,for it is made of sparkling marble, and if the traveller mistakes it for water the angels chastise and punish him for his ignorance.

The goal of the Kabbalah is to obtain a complete understanding of God, the universe and their inter-relationships. It strives to achieve this understanding through the use of symbols and analogies, particularly through study and sacred texts.

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FIVE LEVELS OF SOUL

"Then Hashem G-d formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.(JPS)" Any essence or entity including a soul consists of "light" or "spirit," which sustains that entity's existence. "Light" or "spirit" distinguishes between a living person and a corpse. Aside from the technical meaning in the hierarchy of the five levels, "soul" is also the generic term for the "inner part " or "light" or "heart" of any entity.

The "Soul of Man" is the candle of G-d. Spiritual quality is only found in man. G-d placed within Man the spiritual potential to develop himself and his will beyond his given nature. Man has the ability to reason and the ability to communicate in words. This is the essential difference between him and all other lower creatures. Animals only possess a Nefesh Bahamit, an animal soul, which involves no extra moral or spiritual evolution.

Man can elevate himself higher and higher to the point where his Will (Ratzon) to do good receives a higher value and importance. It rises up from the level of Nefesh to the level of Ruach, and then Neshamah. A "speaking spirit" refers to the ability to contemplate and speak about that which is spiritual, and to elevate himself to the level of receiving spiritual knowledge, at this point the Nefesh grows and receives the higher quality of Neshamah.

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The soul is the fundamental model of individual religious experience in Judaism and Christianity. ”The Soul is the inner essence of the sefirot and correspond to the four/five worlds. Following is a brief description of the five levels and their correspondence. All of these name represent the various stages of growth and spiritual development that the Nefesh must pass through on its way to perfection.

1. Nefesh - Physical Body - Primal or Animal Soul - Lower Part of Soul - Face of Malkuth - at its most primary level, animates existence in terms of life force, movement and propagation of the species; and then on another level it acts as the source of man's capacity to think, to imagine, to dream to contemplate. Nefesh is the foundation of man's existence. With it's complexity of the mind and emotion, this level is called the animal soul and belongs to the world of action, Assiyah.

2. Ruach - Emotion - The Middle Soul - Face of Ze'er Anpin - every human being is directly connected to divine essence. This level of the soul of human kind corresponds in its inner essence, to the level of an angel in the world of formation, Yetzirah.

3. Neshamah - Intellect - The Higher Soul - Face of Binah - has to do with Quality, or the value of something and corresponds to a level of being in the world of creation, Briyah. It is the same Nefesh we started with only now it is more evolved and has acquired a higher value. For now its Will and Desire is only for the spiritual and Godly.

 

The following two levels, Chayah and Yechidah surround us and illuminate us from above. They are unlike Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah which are internalized while Chayah and Yechidah are so exalted that we cannot internalize them and they therefore remain outside of us.

To understand this a little better we can add that the Nefesh, Ruach and the Neshamah correspond to three major centers in the body. Nefesh corresponds to the Liver (Kaved), or the Liver is the main dwelling place of the Nefesh. The main dwelling place of the of the Ruach is the Heart (Lev), and the main dwelling place of the Neshamah is the Brain (Moach).

It is the liver where new blood cells are generated. It is the will and desire of every living creature to grow and develop and preserve its life and life of its species. This is the level of Nefesh in the Liver.

Next is the Ruach in the Heart. Here the heart stimulates the blood to circulate to every part of the body. The heart also is a powerful expression of will. The residing place of the Ruach is in the Heart.

Above the Liver and the Heart we have the Brain, or the power of thought. It is with the mind that we must oversee and regulate our various desires. The brain is the residing place of the Neshamah.

4. Chayah/Hayyah/Chayyah - Pure Being - Face of Hohkmah - the action of the force in the world of emanation, Atzilut.

5. Yechidah/Yekidah/Yehidah - Divine - Face of Keter - the point of contact between the soul and the very essence of the Divine, corresponding to the world of Primordial Humanity, Adam Kadmon.


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REBIRTH OF THE SOUL - REINCARNATION

According to the Zohar, after death each aspect of the soul undergoes a different experience on the afterlife journey. The lower levels of the soul are purified and purged of physical and emotional attachments, while the higher levels experience transcendental bliss.

To summarize briefly, when the body dies, if the person merits it, a small portion of the soul remains with it to keep it connected with the soul's source, anticipating the general revival of the dead at the time that G-d decrees. Different parts of the remainder of the soul may go to different places. One might be reincarnated into a new body in an attempt to rectify another of its spiritual aspects, or for other purposes. One part might go to a level of Paradise. Another might go to Gehinnom for a period, to remove the sins of that life and prepare it for a future one. Another part might join temporarily with an already living person, to assist it with its rectification and in the process gather more merit. The reassignments of the soul continues until the time that G-d decrees.

*She'ol is often referred to as Gehinnom.

The Nefesh temporarily remains with the body in the grave, undergoing the Hibbut Ha-Kever, the suffering of the grave. Simultaneously, the Ruach experiences Gehinnom for 12 months. "Gehinnom is conceived of as a purification process in which the psychic remnants from the previous life are purged and transformed. This purgation process lasts only twelve months and is tormentingly painful in direct proportion to each individual's lived life experience. [Simcha Paull-Rapahel] After leaving Gehinnom, the Ruach then permanently enters the Lower Gan Eden.

For Christians, hell is an abode of eternal torment where sinners go, and is for anyone who does not accept Jesus as their messiah and god. For Jews, gehinnom - while certainly a terribly unpleasant place -is not hell. The majority of rabbinic thought maintains that people are not tortured in hell forever; the longest that one can be there is said to be 12 months. It is a spiritual forge where the soul is purified for its eventual ascent to Gan Eden [Heaven], and where all imperfections are purged.

After death the Neshamah, since it not subject to being tainted by sin, goes to Gan Eden Elyon, the Upper Gan Eden, where it experiences divine reward and bliss. The Chayah and Yechidah also return to Upper Gan Eden immediately after death, and become as one with God as is possible. "Those who have awakened these dimensions of their being are able to perceive the infinite grandeur of the divine realms, to enter the overflowing celestial stream - described by the Zohar as the "bundle of life". [Paull-Rapahel]

At various points in the afterlife journey, the soul is said to encounter:

Nothing new can be gained in heaven. The quantity of mitzvot (deeds or blessings) and Torah acquired by the time of death is what remains with a person after death. In heaven, one can gain only a deeper and richer understanding of his life on earth. It is for this reason that souls, once they have absorbed all that heaven has to offer, apply for reincarnation, i.e. in order to attain further perfection. Reincarnation is also granted to allow the soul to bring about a restitution of the wrongs it has committed.

Some souls are so filled with the light of knowledge and the warmth of compassion. However, the heavenly court, heavenly family, will engage in all kinds of ruses in order to re-involve it in the work of saving and helping other souls still on the earthly plane. Reincarnation is an option at any point--after Gehinnom, after the lower paradise, or even after the upper paradise. The process repeats until a soul has built its spiritual body.

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Recommended Reading

Belief in reincarnation is commonly held by many sects, as well as some other mystically-inclined. The following books can be found in many major bookstores.

Adin Steinsaltz's The Thirteen Petalled Rose (Hardcover) or (Paperback) is a complete mystical cosmology written by one of the greatest Jewish scholars alive today. It discusses the various levels of existence, the angels and demons that are created by our actions, the concept of reincarnation, and many other subjects of interest.

For an outline of Jewish thought on the afterlife, see The Death of Death : Resurrection and Immortality in Jewish Thought, by Neil Gillman. Gillman is a Conservative rabbi and a professor of Jewish philosophy at the Jewish Theological Seminary (a most important school for Conservative rabbis).

For information about the wide variety of Jewish views on what happens after death, see Simcha Paull Raphael's book, Jewish Views of the Afterlife (Hardcover) or (Paperback). Raphael, a Reconstructionist rabbi, takes a historical approach to life-after-death theories, exploring the views that predominated in each era of Jewish history.


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ALICIA THANKS YOU GUIDING LIGHT

Where Do We Go From Here? ... My Other Angel Links ...


redlite.gif (2184 bytes) Withdrawal - Tzimtzum

redlite.gif (2184 bytes) Shattering the Vessels - Shevirat ha Kelim

redlite.gif (2184 bytes) Four Worlds

redlite.gif (2184 bytes) Tree of Life - The Sefirot

redlite.gif (2184 bytes) Back to Starting Page

redlite.gif (2184 bytes) Return - Teshuvah

redlite.gif (2184 bytes) Search for Oneself

redlite.gif (2184 bytes) Zoharic Grades Correspondence to Sefirot

Alicia's Web site is my personal interpretation as redacted, cited, compiled, and edited by myself. They are not to be misconstrued as representative of any particular religious organizations, denomination, doctrine, or dogma ... other than my own.

I have cited various sources: Adin Steinsaltz book - The Thirteen Petalled Rose, The Zohar - translated by Harry Sperling and Maurice Simon, The Bahir translation and commentary by Aryeh Kaplan, B.S. Ashlag (1906-1991)also known as The Rabash, The Ari- Rabbi Isaac Luria; and Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi; The Master Plan - The Baal Shem Tov's Unique Conception of Divine Providence.



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