יְסוֹד
Foundation
Yesod is the ninth of the ten sefirot, and the sixth of the emotive attributes within Creation.
Yesod appears in the configuration of the sefirot along the middle axis, directly beneath tiferet, and corresponds to the procreative organ in the male and in the female, to the womb.
Yesod is associated in the soul with the power to contact, connect and communicate with outer reality represented by the sefirah of malchut. The foundation, yesod, of a building is its “grounding,” its union with the earth, malchut.
Corresponding to the procreative organ of man, yesod is the foundation of generations to come. The power to procreate is the manifestation of infinity within the finite context of the created human being. Each individual man is “small” relative to all generations to come. The yesod is referred to as the “small limb” of man, the “small that holds the large i.e. infinite”. The yesod is the “small” and “narrow” bridge between the infinite potential of procreation that flows into it and its actual manifestation in the progeny of man.
For this reason, the sefirah of yesod is identified with the “righteous one” or holy man, as is said: “the holy one is the foundation of the world.” In particular, this refers to the one, perfect righteous one of the generation. In the very body of this holy one, finite and limited in time and space, God’s infinite light and creative life force becomes manifest. This enlightened being procreates on the spiritual plane as well as on the physical plane. He experiences procreation in the inner eye of his consciousness, in the continual flow of new insights and true innovations in spirituality. He procreates by arousing the souls of his generation to return to God and the Word.
The yesod is also referred to as “the holy sign of the covenant” that God made with Abraham. In particular, the yesod is the covenant between the two Divine attributes of truth and peace. The origin of love is represented by the soul of Abraham, of whom is said “Abraham, My lover” (Isaiah 41:8). All of his lovingkindness (chesed) flows down (as water) to become concentrated in yesod. There it creates the covenant between the absolute truth of the Teachings and the peace of “good deeds” performed with love for God.
Just as “foundation” implies “beginning,” so is yesod called “the conclusion of the body”. For the body, tiferet, extends until the procreative organ, yesod_, as is said: “body and brit are considered one”. The property of “peace” inherent in yesod means as well the power to bring an act to its conclusion, as our sages teach us: “one who begins a ‘good deed’ is told ‘finish’.” Thus, the full sense and power of the sefirah of yesod is its ability to manifest the union between beginning and end, as is said: “the end is enwedged in the beginning, and the beginning in the end.”
Yesod = 80 which equals 8 (chet) times 10 (yud) - chai. The righteous one is called chai. 80 = klal (the “general” or “entire” body of the Jewish people). The klal, the “entire community” never dies.
The spiritual state identified as corresponding to the sefirah of yesod is that of truth, in the sense of the power to “verify” one’s convictions and emotions in action and to achieve true self-fulfilment in life.