> On Sep 12, 12:07 pm, mika gmail.com> wrote:
>

>> My understanding of this system is that Chokmah and Binah came into
>> being simultaneously, despite the fact that Chokmah precedes Binah on
>> the tree (for good reasons, some of which you discuss, but not related
>> to my point). In some ways, like trying to discuss will without
>> direction, or how something can "exist" as pure potential without
>> manifestation, it makes no sense to try to discuss them separately as
>> if one came before the other; when one arrives, the other arrives. My
>> only question is if that applies to working up the tree as well :)

>
> All ten spheres came into being at the same time, from what I can tell
> in the Sefer Yetzirah. Before they are associated with any numbers,
> they are described collectively as having "boundless origin and end."
> The numbers assigned to them seem to be a mystical assignment, and not
> necessarily an indication of linear development. When you're "working
> up the tree," you're experiencing ten manifestations of God that
> happen to have numbers related to them. If you do it using meditation,
> vision questing, or pathworking, for example, you'll be conjuring up
> the idea the sephiroth represents and immersing your consciousness in
> it to gain an understanding of that idea as it exists within
> creation.
>
> Because they were created simultaneously, you're right, they can't be
> experienced separately from the other nine spheres. At the least,
> you'll see how the one you're working with interacts with the others.
>
> I understood the Tree better, I think, after I learned that the
> standard Tree of Life drawing we see was drawn by Athanasius Kircher
> in the seventeenth century. Earlier graphical representations are much
> different and have different implications, revealing aspects of the
> sephiroth that are missed in a strict geometric interpretation of the
> glyph. I personally believe that the sephiroth are better understood
> as concentric spheres occupying the same space. The assignment of the
> numbers to the spheres gives an insight into the mystical
> interpretation of the numbers one through ten, but interpreting the
> spheres solely as a linear development can lead to error.
>

> For your enjoyment, here's Chapter 1 of the Sefer Yetzirah (Westcott
> translation):
>
> 1. In two and thirty most occult and wonderful paths of wisdom did JAH
> the Lord of Hosts engrave his name: God of the armies of Israel, ever-
> living God, merciful and gracious, sublime, dwelling on high, who
> inhabiteth eternity. He created this universe by the three Sepharim,
> Number, Writing, and Speech.
>
> 2. Ten are the numbers, as are the Sephiroth, and twenty-two the
> letters, these are the Foundation of all things. Of these letters,
> three are mothers, seven are double, and twelve are simple.
>
> 3. The ten numbers formed from nothing are the Decad: these are seen
> in the fingers of the hands, five on one, five on the other, and over
> them is the Covenant by voice spiritual, and the rite of Circumcision,
> corporeal (as of Abraham).
>
> 4. Ten are the numbers of the ineffable Sephiroth, ten and not nine,
> ten and not eleven. Learn this wisdom, and be wise in the
> understanding of it, investigate these numbers, and draw knowledge
> from them, fix the design in its purity, and pass from it to its
> Creator seated on his throne.
>
> 5. These Ten Numbers, beyond the Infinite one, have the boundless
> realms, boundless origin and end, an abyss of good and one of evil,
> boundless height and depth, East and West, North and South, and the
> one only God and king, faithful forever seated on his throne, shall
> rule over all, forever and ever.
>
> 6. These ten Sephiroth which are ineffable, whose appearance is like
> scintillating flames, have no end but are infinite. The word of God is
> in them as they burst forth, and as they return; they obey the divine
> command, rushing along as a whirlwind, returning to prostrate
> themselves at his throne.
>
> 7. These ten Sephiroth which are, moreover, ineffable, have their end
> even as their beginning, conjoined, even as is a flame to a burning
> coal: for our God is superlative in his unity, and does not permit any
> second one. And who canst thou place before the only one?
>
> 8. And as to this Decad of the Sephiroth, restrain thy lips from
> comment, and thy mind from thought of them, and if thy heart fail thee
> return to thy place; therefore is it written, "The living creatures
> ran and returned," and on this wise was the covenant made with us.
>
> 9. These are the ten emanations of number. One is the Spirit of the
> Living God, blessed and more than blessed be the name of the Living
> God of Ages. The Holy Spirit is his Voice, his Spirit, and his Word.
>
> 10. Second, from the Spirit he made Air and formed for speech twenty-
> two letters, three of which are mothers, A, M, SH, seven are double,
> B, G, D, K, P, R, T, and twelve are single, E, V, Z, CH, H, I, L, N,
> S, O, Tz, Q, but the spirit is first among these. Third, Primitive
> Water. He also formed and designed from his Spirit, and from the void
> and formless made earth, even as a rampart, or standing wall, and
> varied its surface even as the crossing of beams. Fourth, from the
> Water, He designed Fire, and from it formed for himself a throne of
> honor, with Auphanim, Seraphim, Holy Animals, and ministering Angels,
> and with these he formed his dwelling, as is written in the text "Who
> maketh his angels spirits and his ministers a flaming fire." (Psalm
> civ. 4.)
>
> 11. He selected three letters from the simple ones, and sealed them as
> forming his great Name, I H V and he sealed the universe in six
> directions.
>
> Five.- He looked above, and sealed the height, with I H V.
>
> Six.- He looked below, and sealed the deep, with I V H.
>
> Seven.- He looked forward, and sealed the East, with H I V.
>
> Eight.-He looked backward, and sealed the West, with V H I.
>
> Nine.- He looked to the right, and sealed the South, with V I H.
>
> Ten.-He looked to the left, and sealed the North, with H V 1.
>
> 12. These are the ten ineffable existences, the spirit of the living
> God, Air, Water, Fire, Height and Depth, East and West, North and
> South.
>