When non-Jews ask about Judaism, they commonly ask questions like: What is the nature of God? Do you believe in heaven and hell? What happens to us after death? The answers to questions like these characterize most religions. While Jewish law (Talmud) focuses on what it is God wants from man, the area of Judaism and Jewish thought that discusses these issues falls under the realm of Jewish mysticism and the Kabbalah. Kabbalah is the name applied to the whole range of Jewish mystical activity. The word Kabbalah comes from the Hebrew root Qof-Beit-Lamed, which means "to receive, to accept." If you have spent any time studying or reading about the Kabbalah, you can not help but to notice that there are many alternative spellings of this word. The reason for this is that some letters in the Hebrew alphabet have more than one representation in the English alphabet. For example, the letter "Qof" can be written either as K or Q or even as a C. This has led some authors choose one spelling for the word Kabbalah while others select another. In the end, they are all talking about the rich mystical tradition that has been a part of Judaism since its earliest days According to its supporters, intimate understanding and mastery of the Kabbalah brings man spiritually closer to God and as a result man can gain insight into the inner-workings of God’s creation. Since it deals with universal principles, i t works to explain not only the way our inner and outer worlds are constructed, but why. It teaches a method which allows the spiritual seeker to live in accord with the guiding force behind the whole of reality. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/introduction-to-jewish-mysticism-kabbalah.html ---------- The 10 spheres of the Kabbalah: * Keter (Crown) * Chokmah (Wisdom) * Binah (Understanding) * Chesed (Mercy) * Gevurah (Strength, Severity) * Tipharet (Beauty) * Netzach (Splendor) * Hod (Glory) * Yesod (Foundation) * Malkut (Kingdom, Kingship) These are divided into three upper Sefirot: * Keter (Crown) * Chokmah (Wisdom) * Binah (Understanding) And seven lower Sefirot: * Chesed (Mercy) * Gevurah (Strength, Severity) * Tipharet (Beauty) * Netzach (Splendor) * Hod (Glory) * Yesod (Foundation) * Malkut (Kinfdom, Kingship) The ten Sefirot emanated from Eyn Sof are often arranged in a chart known as the Tree of Life. The Tree of Life chart represents the Sefirot in three columns connected by interconnecting paths as follows:

You must mean the 10 Sephirot (Sefirot) of Kabbalah (yes, I know it sounds remarkably similar to spheres). In the Torah's account of Creation, it tells us how G-d "said" let there be this and let there be that. All in all there are ten "statements" made by G-d in the creative process. These ten utterances form the basic code for all of Creation- according to Kabbalah. Accordingly, Kabbalah explains how all life systems work on a ten-point, or ten-sefirah hierarchy. The easiest way to understand this system is by seeing how it works in humans (remember humans were created in the Divine image...) In humans, we can identify these Ten elements as divided into three categories: A. Intellect: Chochmah- conception, the "light bulb" moment when new ideas are hatched. Binah- comprehension, the process of developing and understanding a concept. Da'at- intergration, taking what you know and making it real. B. Character: Chesed- Love, kindness and tolerance. Gevurah- Discipline, strength and discernment. Tiferet- Compassion and empathy. Netzah- Perserverance and guts. Hod- Humility and acceptance Yesod- Bonding C: The Other: Malchut- Effective communication and leadership. G-d employed ten energies, which are similar to those in humans, to create existence. These are the ten "utterances" alluded to in Genesis, or the ten "Sefirot" of Kabbalah. For more on this: http://www.inner.org/sefirot/sefirot.htm

1) "Sephirot [or "enumerations", Sephiroth, Sefiroth (סְפִירוֹת), singular: Sephirah, also Sefirah (סְפִירָה "enumeration" in Hebrew)], in the Kabbalah of Judaism, are the ten attributes that God (who is referred to as אור אין סוף Aur Ain Soph, "Limitless Light, Light Without End") created through which he can manifest not only the physical but the metaphysical universe." "Through a careful study of the Tanakh, Jewish sages identified ten Sephirot (ten being the number of divine perfection) known by the following names/characteristics from highest to lowest: - Keter - Crown - Divine Plan/ Creator/ infinite light/ Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh - I AM THAT I AM (Supreme/ Total Consciousness) - Chokmah - Divine Reality/ revelation/ Yesh me-ayin - being from nothingness (Power of Wisdom) - Binah - Understanding/ repentance/ reason (Power of Love) - Chesed - Mercy/ Grace/ Love of (intention to emulate) God (Power of Vision) - Gevurah - Judgment/ strength/ determination (Power of Intention) - Tipheret - Symmetry/ balance/ compassion (Creative Power) - Netzach - Contemplation/ Initiative/ persistence (Power of the Eternal Now) - Hod - Surrender/ sincerity/ steadfastness (Intellectual/ Observational Power) - Yesod - Foundation/ wholly remembering/ coherent knowledge (Power of Manifesting) - Malkuth - Lower Crown - Kingdom/ physical presence/ vision and illusion (Power of Healing/ Accomplishment/ Level of Realization of Divine Plan) The Sephirot above are listed in order according to the version given to us by rabbi Moses ben Jacob Cordovero. However, Rabbi Isaac Luria listed the Sephirot somewhat differently by taking out Keter and adding in da'at" Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sephirot 2) "The Sefer Yetzirah describes the universe as being created through Ten Numbers ('Sefirot,' the origin for the Sefirot of later Kabbalah), Three Mother Letters, Seven Double Letters and Twelve Elemental Letters and that God created the universe through these four structures. These structures correspond to the astrological symbols in the sky, the planets, human physical functions, the parts of the human body." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepher_Yetzirah http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/yetzirah.htm 3) ""And they pursue his speech like a whirlwind." The author's intention here is to emphasize how the letters and numbers are formed in the air. He says that the whirlwinds describe figures and forms in the air, and though they all differ, they are still all circular. Among their material forms, some are more oblong, others combine circle and square, others combine circle and triangle, some are composed of superimposed spheres, and still others are composed of interpenetrating spheres. All of these are types of whirlwind. This analogy explains how the letters and numbers are formed and have sprung into the air; and this is why it is said: "The Eternal hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm," [Nahum I, 3]; and also: "For behold, the Eternal will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind" [Isaiah LXVI,15]. " Source and further information: http://www.wbenjamin.org/saadia.html 4) Further information: - about traditional Jewish Kabbalah: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabbalah - about the Western esoteric mystical tradition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetic_Qabalah

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