Mysterious Kabbalah....Part 2

Hesed, Gevurah, and Tiferet



The second triad in the tree of the sefirot is that of hesed, gevurah, and tiferet, or lovingkindness, judgment, and harmony. This triad is probably the easiest to understand. But to make it simpler I advise you to take the first three triads as Brahma, the creator, the second triad as Vishnu, the operator and the next three triad as the Shiva in formless state (or the shivalinga) the state just before the manifestation and the last sefirot Malchut as Ganesha. Always remember Brahma Vishnu and Mahesh are not the three different Gods but these are the three different attributes or characteristics of one God.





The dynamic relationship between hesed and gevurah can be expressed in terms of human relationship. We might suppose that all we want in the world is more hesed, more lovingkindness, and a person should try to cultivate and express as much of it as possible. Often, that may be true. But imagine a relationship in which one partner is always full of hesed, doing everything for the other partner, not caring for his/her own needs, and trying, all the time, to help, nurture, feed, support, guide, provide for, and generally love the other. Quickly, such a relationship will become dysfunctional. Eventually the other partner will form a dependence on the first one, or will feel smothered, or will yearn for self-expression and some degree of self-sufficiency. A relationship in which separateness is completely lost is not a healthy relationship. So even in the case of two lovers, gevurah — restraint, holding back — is necessary.



As I mentioned above these three triads can be easily understood as Lord Vishnu, who is the operator or the palanhar, but he is also having the kaalchakra in one hand meant for the judgement to maintain the balance that is the balance between love and judgement. Usually, what our world needs is more hesed, more lovingkindness; more extension of the self to help and nurture others. But not for the sake of hesed, but for the sake of tiferet — harmony, beauty, compassion — the place of balance between hesed and gevurah