The Profundities of Human Thought

The Profundities of Human Thought


"The masters of the Sefirot call them by names and say that the name of the first Sefirah is 'thought,' and they add another name, in order to explain its meaning, which they call Keter Elyon, since the crown is something lying on the heads of kings.....and the [master of Sefirot] will add another name and will call it 'primeval air'.....and so will he do to each and every Sefirah of the ten Sefirot Belimah. But the masters of the [divine] names have [quite] another intention, completely superior to that, this path of names is of such a profundity, that in the profundities of human thought there is no one more profound and more excellent than it, and it alone unites human thought with the divine [thought] to the extent of the human capability and according to human nature. And it is known that human thought [Keter] is the cause of his wisdom [Chochmah], and his wisdom is the cause of his understanding {Binah], and his understanding is the cause of his mercy [Chesed], and his mercy is the cause of his reverence [Gevurah]  of his Creator, and his fear is the cause of his beauty [Tiferet] , and his beauty is the cause of his victory [Netzach], and his victory is the reason for his splendour [Hod], and his splendour is the cause of his essence, which is named bridegroom [Yesod], and his essence is the cause of his kingship, named his bride [Malchut]."
 
- Abraham Abulafia (Ve-Zot li-Hihudah)