Tree of Life: A Poem

[I]t is impossible to speak of the history of something before we know the thing itself...
Retrieved by Pat Darnell


Behold that before the emanations were emanated and the creatures were created,

The Upper Simple Light had filled the whole existence.

And there was no vacancy, such as an empty air, a hollow,

But all was filled with that Simple, Boundless Light.

And there was no such part as head, or end,

But everything was One, Simple Light, balanced evenly and equally,

And it was called “the Light of Ein Sof (Infinity).”

And when upon His simple will, came the desire to create the worlds and emanate the emanations,

To bring to light the perfection of His deeds, His names, His appellations,

Which was the cause of the creation of the worlds,

Then the Ein Sof restricted Himself, in His middle point, precisely at the center,

And He restricted that Light, and drew far off to the sides around that middle point.

And there remained an empty space, an empty air, a vacuum

Precisely from the middle point.

And that restriction was equally around that empty, middle point,

So that the space was evenly circled around it.

And after the restriction, when the vacant space remained empty

Precisely in the middle of the Light of Ein Sof,

A place was formed, where the Emanations, Creations, Formations, and Actions might reside.

Then from the Light of Ein Sof, a single line hung down from Above, lowered into that space.

And through that line, He emanated, created, formed, and made all the worlds.

Prior to these four worlds, there was one Light of Ein Sof, whose Name is One, in wondrous, hidden unity,

And even in the angles closest to Him

There is no force and no attainment in The Ein Sof,

As there is no mind of a created that could attain Him,

For He has no place, no boundary, no name.

The Ari, The Tree of Life, Part One, Gate One


LINK:
http://www.kabbalah.info/eng/content/view/frame/2854?/eng/content/view/full/2854&main

The greatest contemporary Kabbalists, Rav Yehuda Ashlag, and his son and successor, Rav Baruch Ashlag, provide valid answers to life’s most fundamental question: “What is the meaning of my life?” Based on their interpretations of The Book of Zohar, and The Tree of Life, we can now learn how to benefit from the wisdom of Kabbalah on a day-to-day basis.

In addition to authentic texts by these great Kabbalists, this book offers illustrations that accurately depict the evolution of the Upper Worlds as Kabbalists experience them, as well as several helpful essays to enhance our understanding of the texts.

In Kabbalah for the Student, Rav Michael Laitman, PhD, Rav Baruch Ashlag’s personal assistant and prime student, compiled all the texts a Kabbalah student would need in order to attain the spiritual worlds. In his daily lessons, Rav Laitman bases his teaching on these inspiring texts, thus helping novices and veterans alike to better understand the spiritual path we undertake on our fascinating journey to the Higher Realms.