Keter (Kabbalah)

Keter ("Crown"; כתר) also known as Kether in the Kabbalah of Judaism, is the topmost of the Sephirot, of the "Tree of life (Kabbalah)." It is derived from the Hebrew word keter (כתר) which means "crown". Since its meaning is "crown" so in this sense it is interpreted as both the "topmost" of the Sephirot and the "regal crown" of the Sephirot. It is between Chokmah and Binah (With Chockmah on the right and Binah in the left) and it sits above Tiphereth. It is usually given three paths. To Chockmah, Tifereth, and Binah.

Keter is so sublime, it is called in the Zohar "the most hidden of all hidden things", and is completely incomprehensible to man. It is also described as absolute compassion, and Rabbi Moshe Cordovero describes it as the source of the 13 Supernal Attributes of Mercy.

Keter, although being the highest Sefirah of its world, receives from the sefirah of Malchut of the "world" above it (see Sephirot). The uppermost Keter sits below no other Sefirah, although it is below Or Ein Sof which is the source of the Sefirot.

Da'at and Keter are the same sefirah from two different aspects. From one aspect this sefirah is referred to Keter and from another aspect it is referred to as Da'at. Therefore when Da'at is counted then Keter is not counted and when Keter is counted Da'at is not counted.

According to the Bahir: "The first sefirah is called the Crown, since a crown is worn above the head. The Crown therefore refers to things that are above the mind's abilities of comprehension."

13 Supernal Attributes of Mercy

Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, in The Palm Tree of Devorah, discusses ethical behaviour that man should follow, related to the qualities of the Sephirot, in order that man might emulate his creator. Through discussion of a line in the Michah, 13 attributes are associated with the Sephirah Kether

"Who is God like you, who pardons iniquity and forgives the transgressions of the remnant of his heritage? He does not maintain His anger forever, for He delights in kindness. He will again show us compassion, He will vanguish our iniquities, and You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. Show faithfulness to Ya'akov, kindness to Avraham, which You have sworn to our fathers from days of old." ( Michah 7:18-20 )

Accordingly, the 13 attributes are derived from this and described in great detail.

Non-Jewish practices

Dion Fortune describes Keter as pure consciousness, beyond all categories, timeless, a point that crystallises out of the Ein Sof, and commences the process of emanation that ends in Malkuth.

The name of God given to it is Eheieh, the archangel that presides over it is Metatron, the order of angels that resides in it are the Holy Living Creatures, the Chaioth ha Qadesh, and the mundane chakra is said to be the First Swirlings of the cosmos.

As pure formless consciousness, it is often compared with the chakra Sahasrara, in Indian Shakta Tantra.

In Aleister Crowley's Liber 777, Keter is associated with the Four Aces of the Tarot deck, White Brilliance, Ptah, Shiva, Brahma, Wodan, Zeus, The Trinity, Almond in flower, Diamond, Exilir Vitae, Dao, and Death (not a complete list of the 777 associations).

It is said to have a negative aspect, the Qliphoth Thaumiel.

References

Jewish

Bahir, translated by Aryeh Kaplan (1995). Aronson. (ISBN 1-56821-383-2)
Lessons in Tanya
The Palm Tree of Devorah, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, translated by Rabbi Moshe Miller (1993). Targum Press Inc. (ISBN 1-56871-027-5)

Non-Jewish

777, Aleister Crowley (1955). Red Wheel/Weiser. (ISBN 0-87728-670-1)
The Mystical Kabbalah, Dion Fortune (1935). Weiser Books. (ISBN 1578631505)

External link

Basics in Kabbalah, The Ten Sefirot: Keter (inner.org)

Kabbalah | Hebrew words

Kether