Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut: Yachid

The Stages of the Creative Process
from God's Infinite Light to Our Physical World

Introduction  Or Ein Sof ("God's Infinite Light") Sod Ha'Tzimtzum ("The Secret of 'Contraction'")  Adam Kadmon ("Primordial Man") Akudim, Nekudim, Brudim ("Binding, Points, Connection") Keter D'Atzilut ("The 'Crown' of Emanation") Olam Ha'Atzilut ("The World of Emanation")  ABiYA (The Four Worlds: Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah)

Or Ein Sof  ("God's Infinite Light") Ten stages of God's Infinite Light before the beginning of the creative process.
Atzmut	Yachid	Echad	Sha'ashuim Atzmi'im	Aliyat Haratzon
Ana Emloch	Ein Sof	Kadmon	Avir Kadmon	Adam Kadma'ah Stima'ah

 

 

Yachid
The Single One

There are three general levels of God's Infinite light before the initial tzimtzum, the beginning of the actualization of the creative process: Yachid ("The Single One"); Echad ("The One"); Kadmon ("The Primordial").

Yachid refers to the essence of God's Infinite light as it is concealed within Atzmut, before it becomes revealed even to Himself, as it were. Yachid is thus understood to be the absolute omnipotence of God, the fact that God Himself is able to do all. Just as He isable to do so is He, equally, able not to do. This is the ultimate origin of the two lines, right and left, chasadim and gevurot, as they exist, as it were, in Atzmut.

Just as the duality of chasadim and gevurot is present (though absolutely concealed), at the level of Yachid, so are all of the tensefirot present here in a state of the totally abstract "ability" (He is able to be wise; He is able to be kind etc.). The ten sefirot are here seen to be "innate," as it were, in God.

This level, before the tzimtzum, corresponds to the level of Atik Yomin, the inner partzuf of keter, after the tzimtzum.