Sunday, July 22, 2007

The Colors of the Kabbalah Spheres

Israeli art magen David Photo is courtesy of painter and lecturer on kabbalah issues Avraham Loewenthal who told me that according to kabbalah teachings the sefirot themselves do not have any color or form but there are different color associations with the sefirot. In this paining we see the 42 letter divine name, each in its place in the Star of David which shows the 7 lower Spheres of the Tree of Life.
This work is part of Magen David exhibition in Tasha gallery

Copyright: Abraham Lowenthal
kabbala@netvision.net.il
97246923051

Avraham Loewenthal wrote to me:
ANA-BEKOACH STAR-OF-DAVID
This painting is a map of the Holy 42 Letter Divine Name, as it corresponds to the Sefirot and the Star-of-David. The Kabbalah discusses 10 Sefirot, or aspects of consciousness, through which we experience reality. The 6 points of the Star-of-David, and the 7th point in the center, represent the 7 lower Sefirot. The Kabbalah discusses how by working to balance these aspects of our inner self, we can come to experience the unconditional love and Divine goodness at the root of all creation. Each one of the 7 sefirot contains all 7 of the sefirot. The Star-of-David in this painting is color-coded corresponding to the associated sefirot. The 42 Letter Divine Name is painted according to the sefira that is associated with each letter of the Holy Name. The 7 lower sefirot and one way of translating their meaning is as follows:

CHESED LOVING KINDNESS
GEVURAH HUMILITY
TIFERET HARMONY
NETZACH ETERNITY
HOD THANKFULLNESS
YESOD UNITY
MALCHUT CENTRAL POINT IN THE HEART

The color-coding for this painting is as follows:

CHESED WHITE
GEVURAH RED
TIFERET PURPLE
NETZACH WHITE WITH A LITTLE RED
HOD RED WITH A LITTLE WHITE
YESOD ORANGE
MALCHUT BLUE

The Holy Divine Name of 42 letters is discussed extensively in the Kabbalah, and is described in great detail in the Zohar and the writings of the Ari z”l. These 42 letters are associated with 42 stages in the process of our spiritual development. These stages are the secret of the 42 places mentioned in the Torah where the Nation of Israel camps during the 40 years in the Sinai Desert before entering the Land of Israel. There are 42 lines in each column of the Torah scroll paralleling this process. The 42 Letter Name is used extensively in Kabbalistic meditations and spiritual unifications. The prayer Ana-Bekoach contains 42 words. The 1st letters of these words is the 42 Letter Name. The Prayer Ana-Bekoach is included in the daily order of prayers and is found in the Siddur (prayer book).

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