Sefirot

The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions | 1997 | 644 words | Copyright

Sefirot. Jewish kabbalistic term meaning God's emanations. There are ten sefirot that emerge from Ein Sof. Each one points to a different aspect of God's creative nature, and together they compose the world of divine light in the chain of being. All ten together form a dynamic unit, sometimes portrayed as a tree, by which God's activity is revealed. The three highest sefirot are the Supreme Crown, Wisdom, and Intelligence. The seven lower are Love, Power, Beauty, Endurance, Majesty, Foundation, and Kingdom. The whole concept is influenced by gnostic thought and is an attempt to explain how a transcendent God can interact with the world.

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

MLA
Chicago
APA

JOHN BOWKER. "Sefirot." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. 27 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

JOHN BOWKER. "Sefirot." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Encyclopedia.com. (May 27, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Sefirot.html

JOHN BOWKER. "Sefirot." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. 1997. Retrieved May 27, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O101-Sefirot.html

Learn more about citation styles