Kabbalah — Tree of Life (Adam Kadmon)

Keter, the Crown — the first emanation, the un-knowable will of Ein Sof entering manifestation. In Lurianic Kabbalah Keter is identified with the Atik Yomin (Ancient of Days) and the Arikh Anpin (Long Face), the source of all subsequent sefirot. On Adam Kadmon it sits above the head, often pictured as a halo rather than a body-point: it is the threshold between unmanifest and manifest, not yet form. The contemplative correlate is bittul — annihilation of self-will into divine will. Where Chokhmah is insight and Binah understanding, Keter is the silent assent that precedes thought.

Chokhmah — the flash of insight prior to articulation. The Zohar likens it to a single point that contains a world, the seed of manifestation. In Adam Kadmon it sits at the right side of the head (the viewer's left when facing the body), the active masculine pole of the supernal triad. In Chabad psychology Chokhmah is the bittul of the intellect — the moment a truth flashes whole, before the mind organises it. It is the 'Father' (Abba) in the Lurianic family of partzufim, paired with Binah the 'Mother' (Imma).

Binah — the womb of comprehension that takes the seed-flash of Chokhmah and develops it into structured understanding. The classical image is the upper river dividing into many channels: Chokhmah is the wellspring, Binah is the elaboration. As the supernal Mother (Imma) she gives birth to the seven lower sefirot. In body-projection Binah sits at the left side of the head. In Chabad psychology she is the discursive reasoning that takes a flash and writes it out, lecture by lecture, until insight becomes knowable.

Chesed — the sefirah of expansive, unconditional giving. Identified with Abraham in the patriarchal scheme and with the right arm of Adam Kadmon, it is the impulse that pours without measure. Without restraint it would dissolve all distinctions; therefore the Tree pairs it with Gevurah on the opposite arm. The Lurianic imagery of the broken vessels (shevirat ha-kelim) attributes the catastrophe partly to Chesed-without-Gevurah — pure giving with no vessel to receive.

Gevurah — strength as the power of restraint, judgement, and limit. Associated with Isaac and the left arm of Adam Kadmon. It is the discipline that gives form to Chesed's flow; without it, kindness dissipates and structure cannot hold. In the kabbalistic theodicy Gevurah is also the root of stern judgement, and unbalanced Gevurah is the structural origin of the sitra achra (the 'other side', the Qliphoth). Isaac's binding (the Akedah) is read as the paradigmatic Gevurah-event.

Tiferet — the harmonising centre of the Tree, the synthesis of Chesed and Gevurah. Identified with Jacob, with the sun, and with the heart of Adam Kadmon. In the partzuf scheme it is Ze'ir Anpin (the Short Face), the king who mediates between the upper triad and the lower sefirot. Devotionally Tiferet is the sefirah of the prayer 'Shema Yisrael' as an act of unification — bringing the upper and lower into a single beating centre.

Netzach — endurance, the long-distance pulse of Chesed pushed downwards into action. Associated with Moses and the right leg/hip of Adam Kadmon. Where Chesed gives, Netzach persists; it is the sefirah of prophecy as long-form revelation.

Hod — splendour, the lower face of Gevurah, the sefirah of acknowledgement and ritual order. Associated with Aaron and the left leg/hip. In partner with Netzach it forms the 'two-legged' base of conscious action: Netzach the long pulse, Hod the precise posture, the sound of the priestly trumpet.

Yesod — the channel that gathers the upper sefirot and pours them into Malkhut. Associated with Joseph (the tzaddik) and with the generative organs of Adam Kadmon. The Zohar treats Yesod as the brit, the covenantal seal: what is upheld here flows into the world; what is broken here scatters the higher light.

Malkhut — kingdom, the receptive vessel, the in-dwelling Shekhinah, the world. Identified with the feet of Adam Kadmon and with King David in the patriarchal scheme. Malkhut has nothing of its own; it is pure receptivity, a moon to Tiferet's sun. Yet it is also the only sefirah we directly inhabit — every act of tikkun (repair) the kabbalist undertakes is done in and through Malkhut. The Lurianic project of tikkun olam is, structurally, the work of returning the broken sparks to their sefirot — and the place that work happens is here, at the feet, in the kingdom.