Sephirah

Chesed

Chesed is Mercy, the expansive and generous force on the right pillar. It is the first sephirah below the Abyss and is balanced across the Tree by Geburah's discipline and restraint.

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.

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Angelic choir

  • Chashmalim

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

    Fourth of Maimonides's ranks. The Chashmalim reveal themselves 'through fiery flashes of light' according to medieval commentary; the name derives from Ezekiel 1:4.

    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

  • Jupiter

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

    The classical benefic planet, matching Chesed's mercy and expansion. Chesed is also traditionally titled Gedulah ('Greatness').

    Evidence

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

      · English translation, J.F., London 1651

      Read the source

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

      · First edition, 1909 (anonymous)

      Read the source

  • Jupiter

    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

  • Tzadkiel

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

    Agrippa names Zadkiell as the particular intelligence of Hesed, working through Jupiter, and calls him the ruler of Abraham. Pseudo-Dionysius is not cited: his hierarchy names angelic orders, not a list of seven individuals.

    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 Vav (ו); 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 Teth (ט); 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.

  • Netzach

    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 Kaph (כ); 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 Yod (י); 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.

Sephirah of

  • Four 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 Fours settle the suit into order and stability. Its force has found a form that can be established and held.

    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

  • Four 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 Fours settle the suit into order and stability. Its force has found a form that can be established and held.

    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

  • Four 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 Fours settle the suit into order and stability. Its force has found a form that can be established and held.

    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

  • Four 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 Fours settle the suit into order and stability. Its force has found a form that can be established and held.

    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

Divine name

  • El

    Traditional
    Who says so
    Not yet attributed to a school
    Earliest verified attestation
    1907 CE
    Ancient or scriptural source
    Not yet investigated

    The simplest Hebrew divine name, meaning 'mighty one' or 'God'. Its assignment to Chesed reflects Chesed's character as pure, unrestricted giving.

    Evidence

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

      · First edition, 1909 (anonymous)

      Read the source