Partzufim

{{short description|Particular reconfigured arrangements of the ten sefirot}} {{Kabbalah}} '''''Partzufim''''' or '''''Partsufim''''' ({{langx|he|פרצופים}}, singular '''''partzuf''''', {{langx|he|פרצוף}}, from Greek: πρόσωπον ''prósopon'' "face" or "mask"), are "countenances"<ref name=TEoJMMM>{{cite book |title=The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic and Mysticism |last=Dennis |first=Geoffrey W. |year=2019 |edition=2nd |publisher=Llewellyn Publications |isbn=978-0-7837-4591-6 |page=325 }}</ref> or "personas" of God described in the ''Zohar''.

The terms used for partzufim appear in the following texts of the Zohar: ''Sifra de'Tzniuta'' (the ''Book of Concealment''), the ''Idra Rabba'', and the ''Idra Zuta''.<ref name=innerspace>{{cite book |last=Kaplan |first=Aryeh |editor-last=Sutton |editor-first=Abraham |title=Innerspace: Introduction to Kabbalah, Meditation, and Prophecy |url=https://archive.org/details/aryehkaplanabrahamsuttoninnerspaceintroductiontokabbalahmeditationandprophecymoz/page/n1/mode/2up |year=1991 |publisher=Moznaim Publishing Company |location=New York/Jerusalem }}</ref>{{rp|93}} The ''Idra Rabba'' describes a divine being composed of three partzufim: Arikh Anpin, the “Long-Faced One” or “Slow to Anger”; Zʿeir Anpin, the “Small-Faced One” or “Short-Tempered”; and Nukvah, the feminine aspect of the Divine.<ref name=Hellner-Eshed2021>{{cite book | last=Hellner-Eshed | first=Melila | title=Seekers of the Face |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4bU6EAAAQBAJ | publisher=Stanford University Press | date=2021-09-14 | isbn=978-1-5036-2858-8 }}</ref>{{rp|18}} Although one can observe expression of certain sefirot in the partzufim, the Idra Rabba makes no attempt to bring these two paradigms into alignment.<ref name=Hellner-Eshed2021>{{cite book | last=Hellner-Eshed | first=Melila | title=Seekers of the Face |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4bU6EAAAQBAJ | publisher=Stanford University Press | date=2021-09-14 | isbn=978-1-5036-2858-8 }}</ref>{{rp|33}} The ''Idra Zuta'' describes five partzufim, the aforementioned three and two additional ones Abba (Father) and Imma (Mother), forming an “inner” divine “family” within the Godhead.<ref name=Hellner-Eshed2021/>{{rp|19}}

The symbolic language of the Idrot entered mainstream Kabbalah after their adoption by Isaac Luria.<ref name="Green2004">{{cite book |last=Green |first=Arthur |title=A Guide to the Zohar |url=https://archive.org/details/a-guide-to-the-zohar-arthur-green-2003/mode/2up |publisher=Stanford University Press |year=2004 |isbn=0-8047-4908-6 }}</ref>{{rp|155}} In Lurianic Kabbalah, the partzufim are reconfigured arrangements of the ten sefirot, the divine attributes or emanations. Each partzuf is thus a configuration of disparate entities into a harmonious unit.<ref name="Kab">{{cite book |last1=Ginsburgh |first1=Rabbi Yitzchak |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_VGQtuj1E2MC |title=What you need to know about Kabbalah |date=2006 |publisher=Gal Einai |location=Jerusalem |isbn=965-7146-119 |edition=1st }}</ref>{{rp|117}} Their full doctrinal significance emerged in Lurianic Kabbalah in the 16th century concerning The World of Chaos and The World of Rectification. The Lurianic system describes the dynamic relationships between personas, which interact. The higher partzufim clothe themselves within the lower ones as a soul is in a body.<ref name="Kab"/>{{rp|7-8,117}}

==Lurianic system== {{More citations needed section|date=May 2025}} [[File:Idra2.jpg|thumb|160px|left|Traditional location of the Idra Assembly. In the ''Zohar'', Shimon bar Yohai convenes his students to expound the partzufim. Later, Isaac Luria, who systemised the partzufim, convened his students there, each one sitting in the location of their former incarnation<ref>{{cite book |last1=Fine |first1=Lawrence |title=Physician of the Soul, Healer of the Cosmos: Isaac Luria and his Kabbalistic Fellowship |date=2003 |publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=978-0-8047-4826-1 |page=300 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=B2o8vqvrQOcC&pg=PA300 |language=en}}</ref>]]

In Lurianic Kabbalah, the Four Worlds of our created existence are arranged in a stable form, through the reconfiguration of the original sefirot into partzufim. Their reformation as partzufim in the World of Rectification begins tikkun olam, cosmic repair. As a result of the collapse of the World of Chaos, sparks of holiness were lost or exiled in the three lower Worlds. The human, whose soul reflects the harmonised order of the partzufim, rectifies the mundane world by redeeming the exiled sparks of holiness through Torah study and performance of mitzvot.

The first realm to exhibit this new arrangement is the mature form of Atziluth, the World of Emanation, therefore also called the World of Rectification.<ref name=innerspace/>{{rp|79}} This follows on from the ''Shevirah'' "Shattering" of the sefirot vessels in the World of Chaos, the initial, unstable form of Atziluth.<ref name=Vital>{{cite book | last=Vital | first=Ḥayyim ben Joseph |others=Translated by Eliahu J. Klein | title=Kabbalah of creation: the mysticism of Isaac Luria, founder of modern Kabbalah |url=https://archive.org/details/KabbalahOfCreationVital2005/page/n11/mode/2up | publisher=North Atlantic Books | publication-place=Berkeley, Calif | year=2005 |isbn=1-55643-542-8 }}</ref>{{rp|231}} In Tikun, the sefirot evolve into the harmonised partzufim, new arrangements where they can unite. The World of Chaos is characterised by abundant light (Ohr) and weak vessels, as the ten sefirot act independently as absolute forces, causing it to collapse. The World of Rectification is characterised by lower lights in strong vessels, as through the partzufim the sefirot inter-relate to absorb the illumination from Chaos . The task of humanity becomes the rectification of the fallen sparks of Chaos, the concealed sublime origins of lower Creation, latently active in their exiled state. The messianic goal is the union of the original great illumination of Chaos within the mature vessels of Rectification, revealing the ultimate divine essence of both.

===Anthropomorphism of the ''partzufim''=== {{Main|Anthropomorphism in Kabbalah}} As Medieval Kabbalists never tire of stressing the unity and non-plurality in the concept of the sefirot, so Luria stressed the metaphorical nature of the partzufim. They are Divine "faces", manifestations of the Godhead, alternative aspects through which God manifests Himself, and do not imply any plurality in God. As Shimon bar Yochai recounts in the ''Zohar'': {{quote|Whatever I said of the Atika Kadisha, Holy Ancient-One, and whatever I said of the Zeir Anpin, is all One; everything is absolutely One. There is no division in Him, blessed be He and blessed be His Name forever. The sum of all this is: the Ancient of the Ancient and the Zeir Anpin are absolutely One. All is, was, and shall be; He will not change, He is unchanging, and he has not changed...Should you ask, what then is the difference between one and the other? It is all One, but from above His paths divide and from below judgement is found; from our perspective they differ one from another.<ref>Zohar III:290a and 141a</ref>}}

==Primary and secondary partzufim== The ten sefirot develop into five or six primary partzufim, which further develop into pairs of Male and Female secondary partzufim. The male principle in Kabbalah metaphorically denotes outward/emanator/giver, and the female principle denotes inward/receiver/nurturer, similar to the female process of pregnancy to nurture subsequent emanation. The terminology and system of partzufim describes detailed and specific aspects of Divinity, their nature and function discussed in Kabbalah.

===Primary partzufim=== The fundamental primary partzufim and the sefirot they develop from are:<ref name="Kab"/>{{rp|117-119}} * Ancient of Days/''Atika Kadisha'', supreme "earliest/oldest" inner dimension of Keter Will (from Ein Sof) * ''Arich Anpin'' - "Long Face/Extending Patience", infinitely extending downwards source of divine compassion in Keter Will * ''Abba'' - "Father", Chokmah illumination of Wisdom insight, root of intellect on the "right" of the sefirot (Revelation) * ''Imma'' - "Mother", Binah intellectual Understanding nurturing pregnant emotions, on the "left" side of the sefirot (Internalisation) * ''Zeir Anpin'' - "Small Face/Short Patience", Son, 6 sefirot emotions that shattered, born from Imma on "left" side (Judgement) * ''Nukvah'' - "Female" of Zeir Anpin, Daughter, Malkuth reign in Feminine Shekhinah, born from Zeir Anpin on "left", man reunites

===Full array of ''partzufim''=== The full array of primary partzufim<ref name=Green2004/>{{rp|154-155}} and the secondary partzufim that develop from them:<ref name="Kab"/>{{rp|118}} {| class="wikitable" |- ! Sephirot: Unstable separated forces ! Partzufim: Stable harmonised reconfigurations ! Secondary Partzufim: Particular Male/Female subdivisions |- | Above conscious: Keter | '''Ancient of Days''' Atika Kadisha Inner level of Keter-Delight Most primary earliest cause '''Arich Anpin''' ("Long Face/''Macroprosopus''") Outer level of Keter-Will Descending Divine soul in Creation | [''Atik Yomin is Male "Ancient of Days"''] '''Nukvah d'Atik Yomin''' ("Female of Ancient of Days") [''Arich Anpin is Male "Long Face"''] '''Nukvah d'Arich Anpin''' ("Female of Long Face") |- | Wisdom: Chokhmah | '''Abba Ila'ah''' ("The Higher Father") The power to spontaneously extract insight from the superconscious realm '''Yisrael Saba''' ("Israel the Elder") The power to subsequently direct insight into consciousness '''Abba''' ("Father") The combination of Abba Ila'ah and Yisrael Saba | ''Both partzufim of Chokhmah are male. For their female counterparts see primary partzufim of Binah'' |- | Understanding: Binah | '''Imma''' ("Mother") Joined influence with Abba-Father Nurturing development '''Tevunah''' ("Comprehension") | ''Both partzufim of Binah are female. For their male counterparts see primary partzufim of Chokhmah'' |- | 6 Emotional Attributes: Chesed Gevurah Tiferet Netzach Hod Yesod | '''Zeir Anpin''' ("Small Face/''Microprosopus''") Youthful of Days<ref name="g766">{{cite book | title=The Zohar {{!}} Pritzker Edition |volume=8 | publisher=Stanford University Press |translator=Daniel C. Matt |chapter=Idra Rabba | date=2014 | isbn=978-0-8047-8726-0 | page=390}}</ref> Revealed Ben ("Son") Groom seeking unity with Nukvah Torah study/Written Torah/Sun/tree of life Revelation of Divine transcendence-Tetragrammaton "The Holy One Blessed be He" | ''Both partzufim of Zeir Anpin are male and have their female counterparts in Nukvah'' '''Yisrael''' (named after "Jacob-Israel") The face that looks up '''Yaakov''' (named after "Jacob", father of Israelites) |- | Active Emotion: Malkuth | '''Nukvah/No"k''' d'Zeir Anpin ("Feminine" of Zeir Anpin) Receiving Bat ("Daughter") Bride seeking unity with Zeir Anpin Prayer/Oral Torah/Moon/tree of the knowledge of good and evil Immanence-Elohim Shekhinah-Indwelling Divine Presence | ''Both partzufim of Nukvah are female and have their male counterparts in Zeir Anpin'' '''Leah''' (named after First wife of Jacob) '''Rachel''' (named after Second wife of Jacob) |}

Both of the secondary, male and female partzufim of Atik Yomin and Arich Anpin exist within the same configuration. There are therefore only 10 distinct secondary partzufim, and consequently the secondary partzufim of Keter do not have particular names, unlike the secondary partzufim of the other ''sefirot''.

==Manifestations== The 6 primary and 12 secondary partzufim are the basic harmonised Divine manifestations in the Four Worlds of created existence. More specifically however, within their interaction are numerous more particular aspects of Divinity, each denoting a differentiated expression. In the ''Idrot'' narratives of the ''Zohar'', Shimon bar Yochai discusses profound manifestations of the partzufim. The ''Idra Zuta'', traditionally ascribed to his day of passing from this world, the Hillula of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, is considered the deepest teachings of the ''Zohar''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Rectifying the State of Israel |author=Yitzchak Ginsburgh |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=27NT8cbcdnsC |year=2002 |publisher=Gal Einai |isbn=9789657146057 }}</ref>{{rp|136}}

==Image gallery== <gallery> File:Complex qaballah.jpg|The partzufim, 3 Reishin and 13 attributes - Tikunai Dikna from ''Cabala Denudata'', 1684, by Knorr von Rosenroth.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/alchemy-and-mysticism/page/265/mode/2up |title=Alchemy And Mysticism |chapter=Opus Magnum: Sephiroth |first=Alexander |last=Roob |year=2016 |publisher=Taschen |page=267 |isbn=978-3-8365-4936-3 }}</ref> Jewish works avoid drawing personifications. </gallery>

==See also== * Anthropomorphism in Kabbalah * Isaac Luria

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * [http://www.inner.org/glossary/gloss_p.htm inner.org], Glossary of Kabbalah and Chassidut Letter P * [http://www.inner.org/worlds/worlds.htm inner.org], The Stages of the Creative Process from God's Infinite Light to Our Physical World. Includes detailed descriptions of particular partzuf manifestations * [http://www.koshertorah.com/PDF/Partzufim%20-%20the%20Sefirotic%20Faces.pdf koshertorah.com], "The Partzufim - The Sefirotic Faces" By Rabbi Ariel Bar Tzadok (Originally published in Panu Derekh #13) * [http://www.inner.org/monothei/mono.htm inner.org], "True Monotheism". Kabbalistic understanding of the absolute Unity of Divine Manifestations.

Category:Kabbalah Category:Sefirot Category:Isaac Luria Category:Kabbalistic words and phrases