Sephirah

Binah

Binah is Understanding, the form-giving power that receives Chokmah's force and gives it limits. It completes the Supernal Triad with Kether and Chokmah and is symbolised as the Great Mother.

14 correspondences · 1 with an ancient or scriptural source · 0 with no source located

All the tables The sephiroth table

The oldest attribution here is Counts of 10, first attested 100 CE.

Counts of

  • 10

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Sefer Yetzirah's counting (2nd–6th century CE (contested))
    Earliest verified attestation
    100 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Attested
    Evidence
    The source states it

    Sefer Yetzirah counts ten sefirot but does not name them. Their order on this tree belongs to the later tradition, not to the book itself.

    Evidence

    1. Rabbi Akiva (traditional attribution); older versions attributed to Abraham, Sefer Yetzirah, 2nd–6th century CE (contested) — 1:2

      Sacred primary · originates · Westcott translation, 3rd edition, 1911 (first published 1887)

      Ten are the ineffable Sephiroth. Twenty-two are the Letters, the Foundation of all things; there are Three Mothers, Seven Double and Twelve Simple letters.

      The count, not the names.

      Read the source

Angelic choir

  • Aralim

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Not yet attributed to a school
    Earliest verified attestation
    1170 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Not yet investigated

    Third of Maimonides's ranks. From Isaiah 33:7. In Christian angelology often rendered 'Thrones'.

    Evidence

    1. Maimonides (Moses ben Maimon, Rambam), Mishneh Torah, 1170–1180 — Yesodei HaTorah 2:7

      · Original Hebrew, Maimonides c. 1180

      There are ten names given to the angels: Chayot HaKodesh, Ophanim, Erelim, Chashmalim, Seraphim, Malachim, Elohim, B'nei Elohim, Cherubim, and Ishim.

      Maimonides's ten angelic ranks. The pairing of each class with a specific sephirah is a later Kabbalistic development. Available on Sefaria.

    2. Aleister Crowley, 777, 1907–1909 — Table VI, col. IX

      · First edition, 1909 (anonymous)

      Read the source

Planetary attribution

  • Saturn

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Not yet attributed to a school
    Earliest verified attestation
    1509 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Not yet investigated

    One of the more clearly-traceable planetary attributions. Saturn as the outermost classical planet corresponds to Binah as the outermost sephirah of the supernal triad.

    Evidence

    1. Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, Three Books of Occult Philosophy, 1509–1510, revised through 1533 — Book II, ch. 32-38 (on Saturn)

      · English translation, J.F., London 1651

      Agrippa's Book II establishes the classical planetary character (Saturn as slow, restrictive, form-giving) that the Kabbalistic attribution reflects.

      Read the source

    2. Aleister Crowley, 777, 1907–1909 — Table VI, col. I / Table IV

      · First edition, 1909 (anonymous)

      Read the source

  • Saturn

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Agrippan occult philosophy (1509–1533)
    Earliest verified attestation
    1509 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    None located
    Evidence
    The source states it

    Agrippa's Renaissance Christian-Cabalist table is explicit. It is not presented as a planetary scheme stated by Sefer Yetzirah or another ancient Jewish source.

    Evidence

    1. Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, Three Books of Occult Philosophy, 1509–1510, revised through 1533 — Book II, chapter 13, Scale of the Number Ten

      Esoteric primary · systematises · English translation, J.F., London 1651

      The table aligns the ten Sephiroth with the ten spheres in order.

      Read the source

    2. Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, Three Books of Occult Philosophy, 1509–1510, revised through 1533 — Book III, chapter 10

      Esoteric primary · systematises · English translation, J.F., London 1651

      Agrippa's prose names this Sephirah and the sphere through which its influence descends.

      Read the source

Archangel

  • Tzaphkiel

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Not yet attributed to a school
    Earliest verified attestation
    1509 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Not yet investigated

    Agrippa prints Zaphchiel in his direct Binah–Saturn table and Zapkiel in a later planetary list. This tree preserves the canonical spelling Tzaphkiel.

    Evidence

    1. Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim, Three Books of Occult Philosophy, 1509–1510, revised through 1533 — Book III, chapter 10

      · English translation, J.F., London 1651

      Read the source

    2. Aleister Crowley, 777, 1907–1909 — Table VI, col. VIII

      · First edition, 1909 (anonymous)

      Read the source

Channel of

  • Chokmah

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Cordovero's channels (1548)
    Earliest verified attestation
    1548 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    None located
    Evidence
    The source states it

    One of the twenty-two channels Pardes Rimonim 7:1 records as the opinion of the commentators. Drawn on this tree with the letter Daleth (ד); the lettering is Kircher's and the Golden Dawn's, not Cordovero's.

    Evidence

    1. Moses ben Jacob Cordovero, Pardes Rimonim, 1548, first printed 1592 — Pardes Rimonim 7:1

      Esoteric primary · originates · Hebrew text

      The enumeration closes 'they total 22, as the numerical value of bakh'. Cordovero assigns no letters to these channels.

  • Kether

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Cordovero's channels (1548)
    Earliest verified attestation
    1548 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    None located
    Evidence
    The source states it

    One of the twenty-two channels Pardes Rimonim 7:1 records as the opinion of the commentators. Drawn on this tree with the letter Beth (ב); the lettering is Kircher's and the Golden Dawn's, not Cordovero's.

    Evidence

    1. Moses ben Jacob Cordovero, Pardes Rimonim, 1548, first printed 1592 — Pardes Rimonim 7:1

      Esoteric primary · originates · Hebrew text

      The enumeration closes 'they total 22, as the numerical value of bakh'. Cordovero assigns no letters to these channels.

Channel

  • Geburah

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Cordovero's channels (1548)
    Earliest verified attestation
    1548 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    None located
    Evidence
    The source states it

    One of the twenty-two channels Pardes Rimonim 7:1 records as the opinion of the commentators. Drawn on this tree with the letter Cheth (ח); the lettering is Kircher's and the Golden Dawn's, not Cordovero's.

    Evidence

    1. Moses ben Jacob Cordovero, Pardes Rimonim, 1548, first printed 1592 — Pardes Rimonim 7:1

      Esoteric primary · originates · Hebrew text

      The enumeration closes 'they total 22, as the numerical value of bakh'. Cordovero assigns no letters to these channels.

  • Tiphareth

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Cordovero's channels (1548)
    Earliest verified attestation
    1548 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    None located
    Evidence
    The source states it

    One of the twenty-two channels Pardes Rimonim 7:1 records as the opinion of the commentators. Drawn on this tree with the letter Zayin (ז); the lettering is Kircher's and the Golden Dawn's, not Cordovero's.

    Evidence

    1. Moses ben Jacob Cordovero, Pardes Rimonim, 1548, first printed 1592 — Pardes Rimonim 7:1

      Esoteric primary · originates · Hebrew text

      The enumeration closes 'they total 22, as the numerical value of bakh'. Cordovero assigns no letters to these channels.

Divine name

  • YHVH Elohim

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Not yet attributed to a school
    Earliest verified attestation
    1677 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Not yet investigated

    The tetragrammaton vocalised as Elohim. In the Zohar, Elohim is particularly associated with the receiving, form-giving pole (Binah), while YHVH proper is associated with Chokmah.

    Evidence

    1. Christian Knorr von Rosenroth (editor and Latin translator), Kabbala Denudata, 1677–1684 (compilation and Latin translation) — The Book of Concealed Mystery, ch. 1

      · Mathers English translation, 1887

      Mathers's translation of the Sifra di-Tzeniuta treats YHVH and Elohim as the two poles of the tetrad.

      Read the source

    2. Aleister Crowley, 777, 1907–1909 — Table VI, col. II

      · First edition, 1909 (anonymous)

      Read the source

Sephirah of

  • Three of Cups

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Not yet attributed to a school
    Earliest verified attestation
    1888 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Not yet investigated

    The Threes give a definite form to what began in the Two. Intention becomes action, and the first recognisable result appears.

    Evidence

    1. Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (primarily); Harriet Felkin (later material), Book T, c. 1888 — General meanings of the small cards under the Sephiroth, p. 27

      · Mathers, c. 1888 (Golden Dawn internal)

      Read the source

  • Three of Pentacles

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Not yet attributed to a school
    Earliest verified attestation
    1888 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Not yet investigated

    The Threes give a definite form to what began in the Two. Intention becomes action, and the first recognisable result appears.

    Evidence

    1. Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (primarily); Harriet Felkin (later material), Book T, c. 1888 — General meanings of the small cards under the Sephiroth, p. 27

      · Mathers, c. 1888 (Golden Dawn internal)

      Read the source

  • Three of Swords

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Not yet attributed to a school
    Earliest verified attestation
    1888 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Not yet investigated

    The Threes give a definite form to what began in the Two. Intention becomes action, and the first recognisable result appears.

    Evidence

    1. Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (primarily); Harriet Felkin (later material), Book T, c. 1888 — General meanings of the small cards under the Sephiroth, p. 27

      · Mathers, c. 1888 (Golden Dawn internal)

      Read the source

  • Three of Wands

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Not yet attributed to a school
    Earliest verified attestation
    1888 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Not yet investigated

    The Threes give a definite form to what began in the Two. Intention becomes action, and the first recognisable result appears.

    Evidence

    1. Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers (primarily); Harriet Felkin (later material), Book T, c. 1888 — General meanings of the small cards under the Sephiroth, p. 27

      · Mathers, c. 1888 (Golden Dawn internal)

      Read the source