Worlds

WORLDS OF EXISTENCE

There exist what are called five “worlds” between the Creator and us. They are called: Adam Kadmon, Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiyah.  These worlds come about in “stages” – beginning with the first ‘constriction’ (tzimtzum) of the Ohr Ein Sof (“light of G-d’”) and then further ones.

Through each of these stages, the light of G-d becomes diminished more and more, creating the different worlds and enabling the existence of things within each one – from the loftiest spiritual ‘forces,’ to angels, to the physical world of humans, animals, vegetables and minerals.

The five worlds are as follows.

1. The “highest” world is called Adam Kadmon (meaning “primordial man”) This is the first stage after the process of tzimtzum began. It is almost as incomprehensible as Ein Sof. It is considered “pre-existence” or the level of the “Will of G-d.”
2. Atzilut, meaning “nearness” – the world where “emanation” begins. It too is considered sublime. It is the “Aleph before the Beit of the first word of the Bible.” It is the, “In the beginning,” before the name “Elohim” in Genesis 1:1.
3. Beriah, meaning “creation” – This is the first world we can comprehend and is considered as being “on the other side of a veil” with regard to the previous world(s). It is the highest level of the ‘spiritual realm’ and is associated with concepts such as the “Throne Room of G-d” and “Heaven(s).” This is the level of Adam in Genesis 1, before the formation of Eve and placement in the Garden of Eden.
4. Yetzirah, meaning “formation” – This is the level of the ‘lower spiritual realm’ associated with angels. This is the key world when studying the tzadik and messiah, as it is the world of Jacob’s Ladder, connecting our world of Asiyah to the “heavenly world” of Beriah. In Genesis, this is the world corresponding to Adam and Eve’s existence in the Garden of Eden (Genesis chapter 2)
5. Asiyah, meaning “making” – This is where physical creation finally comes into being – “our world.” It is of course not void of G-d and spirituality, but there is considered to be a ‘fracture’ between this world and those above. This is the world of the ‘bride’ who must be returned to the groom/king.

In summation: There is no “place” G-d does not exist – through all the Sefirot and the Worlds of existence, He is there. All of these are “reductions of His light,” that enable all things to exist in certain forms and capacities.

INTO THE MATRIX

The Matrix movie is centered on the ascent of Neo (Thomas Anderson) to become “the One,” that saves Zion.” The storyline primarily follows a “from the bottom-up” approach, beginning with Neo meeting Trinity and concluding in the Machine City.

Neo’s path can be mapped through the worlds described above with their associated Torah concepts.  We will first focus on the lower four, as these are the ‘worlds of existence’ and characters he interacts with before the final scene.

The fifth world, represented by the Machine City will be discussed separately, as it is external to the Matrix, including the Architect, who though the ‘creator’ of the Matrix, is still a program.

The following chart shows the following:

• the lower four worlds
• the “dominant” Sefirah/Sefirot in each world
• the primary character from the Matrix
• the Partzuf (“persona”) linked to that world
• the associated letter from the 4-letter name of G-d (YHVH)
• the concept with regard to how G-d interacts with Creation

FROM THE BOTTOM UP

Viewing the Four Worlds from “the bottom up,” is connected to the ideas of tikkun (repair) and redemption. Looking at the Torah where we see how G-d dealt with those coming out of Egypt with Moses:

Exodus 6:6-7 – Therefore, say to the B’nei Yisra’el: “I am YHVH, and I WILL BRING YOU OUT (v’hotzeiti et’khem) from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I WILL FREE YOU (vhitzalti et’khem) from being slaves to them, and I WILL REDEEM YOU (v’ga’alti et’khem) with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I WILL TAKE YOU AS MY OWN PEOPLE (v’lakachti et’khem li l’am), and I will be your G-d…”

Examining and expanding these verses in light of the Four Worlds and in light of Neo’s journey, we have:

We can now consider the idea of how things function along this path, both in terms of ascent and descent and at the various stages. This will enable us to properly understand not only the role(s) of Messiah (through the “dimensions” of time, space and holiness) but also the dynamic behind things such as; prayer, study, prophecy, angels, the ‘evil realm’ (haSatan, etc.) We can now ‘map these out’ along ‘spiritual schematics’ or ‘templates.’

The disadvantage of these successive constrictions is that we live at the ‘tail end’ and are thus ‘distant from G-d’ (not in terms of physical space of course, which has no bearing here). The good news however, is that just as there are these ‘stages of descent’ from the perspective of G-d, we have ‘stages of ascent’ back to G-d along the same path.

In addition to the example of the redemption from Mitzrayim, other things related to these ‘stages of ascent’ that we find in the Bible would include:

• G-d ‘testing’ individual throughout the Bible is always for the purpose of ‘elevating them’ to a higher level where they are then enabled to serve Him at a higher level (and perhaps move on to yet another level.) Abraham is a noted example of this in Torah literature. (1)
• The sacrificial system included elements of mineral, vegetable & animal (and man as the one conducting this) which would be elevated through the spiritual worlds to G-d.
• Jacob’s “ladder” dream (which of course showed angels ascending and descending).
• Paul’s account in the New Testament of ascending to the ‘third heaven.’
• Ezekiel’s ‘chariot’ is associated with the idea of a vision of ascent.
• Some of the Psalms are prefaced as “Psalms of ascent,” which are those designed to help us connect to higher spiritual levels.
• Daniel wrote of those ‘ traveling to and fro’ in the end of days, a euphemism for making connection to the upper worlds and bringing back increased spiritual knowledge (as he also mentioned in the same passage).
• Things related to ‘stages of descent’ would include the account of Adam in Genesis where we see;
  • Adam as a singular “created” entity, before the Garden of Eden
  • Adam with the separately “formed” Chava (“Eve”), within the Garden
  • Adam and Chava who are “made garments” to exist in after the Garden
• Paralleling the these three section of Genesis are the three worlds of Beriah/Creation, Yetzirah/Formation and Asiyah/Making. Also, each has a particular Name of G-d used in the text of the Torah:
  • Beriah = before the Garden, the name “Elohim” is used.
  • Yetzirah = within the Garden, the combined name “YHVH-Elohim” is used.
  • Asiyah = after the Garden, the name YHVH is used and remains the most common Name used throughout the Tenakh.

NOTES

1. See http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1324268/jewish/What-Were-Abrahams-10-Tests.htm.