Sepher Yetzirah 1:2-5

isthmus nekoi

Yes, it is interesting how to divide the tree up by 5-5, or 5-5-1. I suppose we'll never know which specific way the SY refers to although the following verses suggest that there is an emphasis on those 5 polarities (beginning-end, good-evil etc.) Perhaps those properties were meant to be directly related to a sephira. e.g. beginning-end -> kether-malkuth

As for the covenant in the center, perhaps that has something to do w/1:4's "make a thing stand on its essence, and make the Creator sit on his base."
 

venicebard

isthmus nekoi said:
Perhaps those properties were meant to be directly related to a sephira. . . .
The ‘five opposite five’ (5 successive pairs) of SY quite clearly means odd versus even—which means macrocosm versus microcosm (since even implies reflection) . . .
. . . e.g. beginning-end -> kether-malkuth
This facile re-ordering of Sefirot the rabbis indulge in is utter blasphemy to this old Qabbalist: malkut can’t be 2nd and 10th both and still be one Sefirah. In Atzilut, described by the Bahir (‘Illumination’), there are two Netzachs, 9th and 10th—9 and 10 form the fundamental polarity in man (-1 valence versus numerological +1), 9 a taking-in from without through feeling, 10 a giving-off from within through desire—and this gives rise, then, to the second form of the Tree, the one we have here (five successive polarities). But to the best of my knowledge, there is only one Malkut: it is what 10th is called in Yetzirah, the third or triadic Tree. Nowhere in SY itself does it call the depth-of-the-last Malkut, to my knowledge anyway.
As for the covenant in the center, perhaps that has something to do w/1:4's "make a thing stand on its essence, and make the Creator sit on his base."
I would say definitely; absolutely. I base this on the seven doubles being the seven manifested signs or stations of the Throne world (‘Throne’ being the equivalent of ‘base’), whose wheel is centered atop seated Adam’s head—prototype of the surroundings in the mind of the meditator, its bottom or manifested half the ground. The doubles pair evenly, originally with voiced towards inner horizon (back) and unvoiced towards outer (ahead), with reysh left over, at the bottom (libra the loins, one’s base). This is the 7th station of the round, midpoint of the lower seven Sefirot (4-10) and the point common to all wheels, being where all four rest.
 

isthmus nekoi

venicebard> Thanks for your detailed thoughts. I'm afraid however, that you may be misinterpreting the spirit of my posts. They are brainstorms, just bringing ideas to the table and are not meant to have any sort of authoratative tone. All I am suggesting is that there were 10 qualities listed in 1:5 and that they could be associated w/the 10 sephira. That's all :)

If you are interested in a debate, I'm afraid you will not find one with me; I am ignorant of many key references you've made and we clearly come from very different discursive backgrounds! :p So I do not have enough knowledge about the qabalah at this point to propose or defend any definite opinions or theories and as such, can only share my speculations and my curiosity as I try to learn more about this fascinating mystical system.
 

venicebard

isthmus nekoi said:
venicebard> Thanks for your detailed thoughts. I'm afraid however, that you may be misinterpreting the spirit of my posts. They are brainstorms, just bringing ideas to the table and are not meant to have any sort of authoratative tone.
I’ll take this as a ‘heads up’ in future. Listen, if I come on a bit authoritative at times, it’s only cuz this tome is like an old friend, and others’ interest in it excites me: forgive an ‘old’ man, who only attempts to feed in tidbits of information that might prove relevant to someone perusing this. You are free to ignore me all you want: others do.
All I am suggesting is that there were 10 qualities listed in 1:5 and that they could be associated w/the 10 sephira.
They are the 10 Sefirot (you must not have ‘read ahead’). Only one warning, though: the last two have been reversed in this list from their actual order as specified later this same chapter—perhaps to draw attention to the fundamental 9-10 polarity but certainly based on the interchangeability implied by the Bahir’s labeling 9 & 10 both Netzach (Victory or Endurance).

(Actually, my chief motivation is to demonstrate, for any who are interested, the alternative to the standard rabbinical interpretation juggling the order of Sefirot—such as the 2nd or ‘depth of the last’ establishing the time axis being equated with Malkut, 10th—and any debate on this topic is of course welcome.)