|: the sefirah tiferet

Tiferet

Tiferet is the sixth Sefirah.  It points towards a balance or harmonious blending of opposite concepts – most importantly; it represents both compassion and love.  As it is related to our Creator, it’s the symbol for the powerful flow of Divine love and benevolence that it is His desire to bestow on His Creation. 

Tiferet is situated on the Sefirotic tree in the middle axis.  In the tzelem Elohim (semblance, likeness, or image of G-d) it’s associated with the central part of the upper torso, or the heart.  Often referred to as Harmony, Tiferet does two things in relation to the Sefirot closest to it (Chesed and Gevurah).  It takes the unbounded lovingkindness of Chesed, and also the restrictive discipline of Gevurah and harmonizes, balances and reconciles both.  Tiferet is the balance.  It manifests and integrates the attributes of Chesed and Gevurah in a way that is deemed beautiful (Tiferet also represents beauty).  Another aspect of the balance that Tiferet brings is that it makes possible the appropriate measure of the Lightforce (of the Creator) to the Creation. 

Tiferet is associated with the third day of creation as well as the concept of mercy.  It was on this day that the waters and the earth were separated, and green plants were brought into existence.  The third day establishes a balance so that the future life (the animal and human aspects of creation) will be nourished and sustained.

On a side note, the biblical archetype for the attribute of Tiferet is the Patriarch Jacob.  Interestingly, Tiferet is also seen to represent the mercy and love of the Creator in the guise of lover or husband to the Divine Feminine essence of G-d, the Shechinah (symbolized by the Sefirah Malchut).  Accordingly, the Matriarch Rachel is often equated with Malchut.