Seder hishtalshelus
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Seder Hishtalshelus (Hebrew סדר השתלשלות) means the "order of development" or "order of evolution", where the word Hishtalshelus (or Hishtalshelut) is derived from the reduplicated quadriliteral root ŠLŠL "to chain", and so literally means "the chain-like process". This is the term found in Kabbala and Hasidic philosophy that is used to refer to the progression God continually uses to go from His Self to the creation of the physical world. The Tanya states that learning about the Seder Hishtalshelus will bring a person to a "complete heart".
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[edit] The Basic Stations
The basic stations of this process from above to below are:
- Atzmus Ohr Ein Sof before the Tzimtzum ("The Essence of the Infinite Light before the Contraction")
- The Tzimtzum ("The Contraction")
- The Reshimu ("The Impression")
- The Kav ("Line of Light")
- Ratzon Kadom ("Original Desire")
- Adam Kadmon ("Original Man")
- Atzilus ("World of Emanation")
- The Masach ("The Curtain")
- Beriya ("World of Creation")
- Yetzira ("World of Formation")
- Asiya ("World of Action")
Although these are the basic stations, there are infinite details to each level. To understand Seder Hishtalshelus properly, one must first understand how all of these levels exist within himself. Once one has mastered this, one can begin to see how all of these levels exist in the world. Then, one should be able to take any event or aspect of creation and trace it up the Hishtalshelus to G-d Himself, then back down to the original view and see how G-d is literally here with us, relating to us directly through his creations.
The purpose of learning about Seder Hishtalshelus is not merely to know about many distinct levels, rather, the purpose is to see how all the levels in between us and G-d are transparent and irrelevant, and in truth G-d is relating to us directly, and there is "none besides for Him".
This is much like two friends talking on the phone. There are many stages one's voice must undergo before it reaches the other. Yet, they are talking to each other, not to their phones. The stages in between become irrelevant and transparent in that situation.
We can understand these levels through the analogy of a man who wants a house. The Hishtalshelus is generally broken down into two general stages, called the "Upper Unity" and the "Lower Unity"
[edit] The Upper Unity
[edit] Atzmus Ohr Ein Sof Lifnei Hatzimtzum
"The Essence of the Infinite Light before the Contraction":
The essence of the person's soul. At this stage we are dealing with only the person himself, who at this point has no revealed desire for a house at all. However, since he is a person, we must say that at some point he will desire a house. However, at this stage that desire is something that must at some point come out by virtue of who he is. This desire doesn't have any independent existence at all.
[edit] The Tzimtzum and Reshimu
"The Contraction and the Impression":
The point at a person's life when time, events trigger this desire to come out and it becomes the focus of his life. He puts aside all the other different possibilities and ways to express themselves ("The contraction") and leave over only this one thing ("the Reshimu"). Now its not about him, but his desire for a house. He forget about who I am ("the infinite light before the tzimtzum and focus on what I want (the Reshimu). Reshimu is an aspect of self revelation, but the desire is now so that through this one aspecet of self expression, should bring across his essence. So that someone should be able to look at the house and figure out his taste, who he is. Every detail of the house will be affected by your impression. I'm not going to express my whole self, but rather just this impression of myself.
[edit] The Kav
"The measuring Line":
His judgement. He make all the decisions about the style, location, what color paint etc. of the house. Although these are finite decisions, they can still express their essence through the fact that he chooses which limited form it takes on. By choosing, brings across his unique style and taste. The fact that he's able to control the outcome with free choice reveals that fact that he is a person. By looking at the choices that were made you see what kind of person lives there.
At this point there is still no revealed desire for a house, rather there is only a focusing of the impression (reshimu) we would like to give over through the house, and we have figured out how we will bring across that impression-through the choices (kav).
[edit] Ratzon Kadom
"Original Desire"(Lower Purity):
He chooses the general picture of what kind of desire this will be. He now has decided that he will express this aspect of himself (independence, belonging) by having a home. But not just any home, but his home according to his taste. So included in his definition of "his home" is included all the details of what he is looking for though he himself may not have yet figured exactly what details will accomplish this.
[edit] Adam Kadmon (A"K)
"Original Man":
He now looks at the outside world for the first time. Up until this point, he was only thinking about himself, and what he wants, and how he wants to feel. Now in order to bring out this desire to practicality, he must decide what in the physical world will fit this what he wants. He creates a world image i.e. a picture of what is going on in the world. Then he figures out where he fits into this world. He figures out that since he's a person, and not an animal so he wants a house, not a nest. Or if he is a rock star, sports fan, or Hassidic Jew he will choose a house that fits those particular needs.
[edit] The Lower Unity
[edit] Keser of Azitlus
"The Crown of the World of Emanation":
This stage is what results from the associations created in A"K, namely, a particular desire for a particular house. This stage includes: A. Arich Anpin-Chitzoneyus of Keser: Desire for this particular house B. Atik Yomin-Pnimiyus of Keser: The pleasure he gets in knowing that this will express who he is.
[edit] Atzilus
"The world of Emanation":
A"K already included all the details of what is below it. However, the actual details only come out as needed. He sits down with his wife, or real estate agent, and clarifies exactly how he wants his house to be. Chochman of Aztilus=Creating the general picture of what he wants in the abstract. "A warm home" Binah of Atzilus=Figuring out what are the components of such a home. Everything he wants the house to be-all the details. In A"k he just knew all the different types of association of ppl and animals with different kinds of houses. Here he actually decides where he is going to fit in. -Here he also decides what's practical based on how much money he has, what is available etc.
Based on all of these things he comes up with: Z"A of Atzilus-The Small Face of the world of emanation:
The picture of what things are good and what are bad. What things will bring him closer to his goal and what things will bring him further. Chesed for things he'll like. Gevurah for things he will hate, and Tiferes for the compromises he makes (or the beauty that results) the netzach to want to go get what he wants, and the hod to not settle for something less than he wants. Yesod, the compromise of how he will actually interact with everyone resulting from his netzach and hod. This results in malchus, him talking to himself about what he likes and doesn't like. And what he is actually going to do.
Malchus of Atzilus: He actually tells the real estate agent what he wants, what he will settle for and what he will not, what he likes hates etc.
[edit] Beriya
"World of Creation":
Real Estate agent will take everything he told him. The words of the original guy are the masach-the language barriers that carries across everything from before. Real estate agent must pull out from those words what this guy really wants and how to find a house that will accomplish his goal. To translate what this guy wants to get out of a house and make it into a picture of an actual house. What he creates is the world of Beriyah. All the particular things e.g. dining room table. What would be a good vessel to accomplish that desire. If he like to swim, he needs a pool, lake or beach-front. He must figure out all the different scenarios that would have all the elements with the best combination=Beriya.
[edit] Yetzirah
"World of Formation":
Must figure out exact dimensions for each of these things, and what will be its dimensions, shape, what it will be made out of. Must look at their style, needs and desires. Do they need a practical table, or a "farbrengen" table. Firgure out exact shape, size of house and location create a floorplan
[edit] Asiyah Ruchnis
"Spiritual World of Action":
Now it must go to the builders. They must look at the blueprint and figure out how to build a house like this. The must figure out how to pour the cement, how to make it strong, and where they will we get the furniture to actually make something like that. They must study the blueprint and figure out how to make something that will work.
[edit] Asiyah Gashmis
"Physical World of Action":
The builders actually pour the cement and build the physical structure and everything in the house. Now the man can go live in the house and enjoy and express himself in fulfilment of his original desire which started this entire process in the Infinite Light before the Contraction.
[edit] Only Analogies
While the hasidic texts offer many analogies of how seder hishtalshelus exists with a person, such as the one given above, they also emphasize that these are only analogies and the analogue is nothing like the analogies. These analogies are meant only to give a glimpse into seder hishtalshelus in a way that we are familiar with, but the true analogue deals with how G-d interrelates with our world. Much like a house, G-d desires a "dwelling place" in this world. This means He desired that his Essence be revealed through the medium of this world much like a person might wish his own essence to be revealed through the medium of his house. While analogies are a necessary step, the true goal of study of the seder hishlshelus must be to pick out the point that unites all of the analogies and apply it to the analogue i.e. how G-d is being revealed in our world directly.
On the other hand, the analogies are not vague, These analogies are precise and exact, much scholarly work has been dedicated to understanding and analyzing why particular analogies have been used, some that are not, and some that are inconsistent in application (i.e. a text may use different analogies to demonstrate the same point - the analysis required is to understand and examine the deficiency in each analogy, and how they reconcile each other)
[edit] Relation to Western Philosophy
Much of the Seder Hishtalshelus has been expounded upon by late Chassidic masters, especially those of Chabad. Some speculate that the recent Hasidic explanations of Seder Hishtalshelus may have been influenced certain principles in Western Philosophy. Various dichotomies mentioned in western philosophy are strikingly similar to those mentioned in late Chassidic texts: Form/Matter, Sense/Feeling, Initial Cognition/Semiotic Cognition/Semiotic Transition. (cf. 5663, Rashab; Values in a Universe of Chance, Charles S. Peirce). Furthermore, the prose of the Rebbe Rashab is almost identical to that of G.W.F Hegel.
Proponents of hasidic philosophy, however, would counter that since hasidic philosophy is an essential wisdom that is higher than, and includes all other wisdoms it will necessarily make reference to all other forms of wisdom whether Western or otherwise. They would argue that such similarities are not proof of influence of Western philosophy, but rather are evidence that hasidic philosophy touches upon, unites, and enlightens every other wisdom in the world, whether it be Torah wisdom or secular wisdom. (see hasidic philosophy "Key to all Wisdom").
