Yetzirah

See also: Sefer Yetzirah

Yetzirah wheel

Yetzirah (also known as Olam Yetsirah, עולם יצירה in Hebrew) is the third of four worlds in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, following Atziluth and Briah. It is known as the "World of Formation".

"Yetsirah" as in "making" is as opposed to "Briah" as in "Creating": actually taking whatever matter that was created in the "Briah" and shaping it into the basic elements

Correspondences

On the Tree of Life diagram Yetzirah is associated with the Sephiroth Chesed, Geburah, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod and Yesod. Together, the six Sephiroth are known as the Microprosopus (Zeir Anpin) also known as the 'Lesser Countenance' or the 'Small Face.' In this sense, it stands in contrast with the Macroprosopus (Arich Anpin).

Non-permanent angels dwell in the world of Yetzirah, unlike archangels which reside in Beriah.

In addition, Yetzirah corresponds to:

• The letter vav ו in the Tetragrammaton
• The sefirot of Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod and Yesod and hence the partzuf of Zeir Anpin
• The element of Water
• The soul-level of ruach
• The soul-garment of speech
• The emotions
• The arms, torso, legs, and circumcision (Patach Eliyahu)
• In the allegory of the teacher and the student, the penultimate stage where the teacher gives a lesson, a compressed outline of the full concept. to the student. Through this, the student gains an initial, external understanding of the concept
• Within the Western mystery tradition, the suit of swords in the occult tarot.

References and further reading

The Mystical Qabalah, Dion Fortune, Samuel Weiser publisher, 1984 p. 64