Netzach
| The Sephirot in Jewish Kabbalah | ||
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Category:Sephirot | |
Netzach (Hebrew: נצח, "victory") is the seventh of the ten Sefirot in the Jewish mystical system Kabbalah. Located beneath Chesed, at the base of the "Pillar of Mercy" also consisting of Chochmah ('Wisdom') and Hesed ('Loving-Kindness'). Netzach generally translates to "Eternity" and in context of Kabbalah refers to "Perpetuity", "Victory", or "Endurance".
Ancient Israelite Viewpoint
Netzach (Hebrew נצח) communicates the idea of long-suffering, strength, endurance unto completion or patience. This term appears 8 times in the Hebrew Scriptures and derivatives of this child root נצח from the parent root נח appear over 40 times in the Hebrew text. See the following passages:
- 1 Samuel 15:29 וְגַם֙ נֵ֣צַח יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א
Also the strength (נצח) of Israel will not....
- Job 34:36 אִיּ֣וֹב עַד־ נֶ֑צַח עַל־ תְּ֝שֻׁבֹ֗ת
I request [that] Job will be proven up to the limit (נצח); he will return above men of misfortune.
- Psalms 13:1 יְ֭הוָה תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֣נִי נֶ֑צַח עַד־ אָ֓נָה
Yahweh, will You forget me continually (נצח)? Until when?
- Jeremiah 15:18a הָיָ֤ה כְאֵבִי֙ נֶ֔צַח וּמַכָּתִ֖י אֲנוּשָׁ֑ה֙
Why has my suffering been without end (נצח)?
- Amos 1:11c וְעֶבְרָת֖וֹ שְׁמָ֥רָה נֶֽצַח׃
and he nursed his grudge forever(נצח).
[1] English translations are original translations by editor Charles Williams
Netzach is considered one of the Fruits of the Spirit in the Pauline Epistles (Romans 5:3, Galatians 5:22)
Jewish Kabbalah
Within the Sefiroth, Netzach sits geometrically across from Hod. This pairing makes up the third such group, the "tactical" sefirot, meaning that their purpose is not inherent in themselves, but rather as a means for something else.
Understanding the attributes of Netzach and Hod gives us a new perspective into understanding what is happening in the world. No longer do we merely look at an act at face value, and attempt to understand it as such, but we must look at it also in terms of "a means to an end."
These sefirot mark a turning point. Whereas the first two groups of sefirot deal with Yahweh's intrinsic will, and what it is that He desires to bestow upon man, these sefirot are focused on man: What is the most appropriate way for man to receive G-d's message? How can G-d's will be implemented most effectively?
Netzach refers to actions of Yahweh that are chesed, "kindness," in essence, but are presented through a prelude of harshness. Hod refers specifically to those events where the "wicked prosper." It is retribution —Gevurah, "strength/restraint," in essence, but presented by a prelude of pleasantness.
Netzach is "endurance," the fortitude, and patience to follow through on your passions. It is paired with Hod as the righteous attributes related to group interactivity, with Netzach being leadership, the ability to rally others to a cause and motivate them to act; while Hod is community, the ability to do the footwork needed to follow through on ideas and make them happen. Netzach is identified with the right leg or foot when the Tree of Life is portrayed on the human form, while Hod is the left leg or foot.