The Heavenly Man

views updated

The Heavenly Man

A concept of the Jewish mysticism of the Kabala. According to the Zohar, the "heavenly man" was the first of the sephiroth or divine emanations. Before the creation, God was without form, above and beyond all attributes. But after he created the heavenly man, he used him as a chariot in which to descend. And desiring to make himself known by his attributes, "He let Himself be styled as the God of pardon, the God of Justice, the God Omnipotent, the God of Hosts and He Who Is (Jahveh)."

The heavenly man is to be distinguished from the "earthly man." The creation of the earthly man was, indeed, the work of the heavenly manthat is, of the first emanation from God.

Sources:

Halevi, Z'ev ben Shimon. AAM and the Kabbalistic Tree. London: Rider, 1974.

More From encyclopedia.com