Splendours and Emanations

#ssefirot

Emanations[^1] are the highest things that we can grasp. Even though they are unreachable and unknowable, and the human intellect cannot actually comprehend them, still, these Splendours satisfy the soul.
— Likutey Moharan 24:1,8.

In Kabbalah it is said that G-d revealed Himself with 10 emanations. These are called Sefirot.

Sefirot could be thought of as something like the Calibi-Yau manifolds. In one version of string theory, the strings must live in a 10-dimensional spacetime. Since human experience seems to be that of 4-dimensional spacetime (three space dimensions, plus time), it is presumed that if 10-dimensional string theory is correct, there must be six additional dimensions that are curled up into complicated undetectably small shapes at Planck scale, know as Calibi-Yau spaces. Every point in spacetime would therefore possess six additional dimensions whose topology is described by a Calibi-Yau space, providing a large number of possibilities.

As these sefirot are emanations of G-d, how would we imagine, or describe them? They would be spaces, or fields, rather than material. They would have an infinite aspect to them. But, more importantly they would contain the Light of the Divine. However, contain is not the right word either. For they are expressions, or conduits, of this Light as It descends to the final goal, the purpose of Creation, this “universe”. They are referred to as the “clothing of the Light”. At Each stage of emanation was, at the same time, more garments with to clothe this Light, until It could “appear” in public, so to speak—It could be sensed. It has then manifested in this world of light and shadow, emerging in this time and place, holding space, carrying a narrative, and thus information.

What then could these splendours be? That would be an absurd question if, as stated, they are beyond the emanations which are the highest things we can grasp. They would “satisfy our souls” in ways we can only intuit—meaning “having a soul sensation”. They are our guides to help remind us of our journey.