Does anyone know who came up with the modern tree?

Libaws

I have been studying a slew of different trees and i see a progression, mutation, evolution...but I am still not sure who devised the modern tree and if there is an image of it. The Sefer Yetzirah speaks of a 3-5 dimensional tree. I have drawn it according to instruction and it does not look like the modern tree. I have read that the first tree was drawn 100's of years after the SY but I have no good source on that date. I would love to have some real answers if anyone knows. Merci!
 

kwaw

There are two trees described in "The Garden of Pomegranates" ("Pardes Rimonim", completed in 1548) by Moses Cordovero, one pre-lurianic and one based upon the teachings of Isaac Luria (the Ari/Lion). The Ari described the pre-Lurianic one as the 'Tree of Emanation' and that based upon his teachings as the 'Tree of Return'. The shape of the pre-Lurianic 'Tree of Emanation' was used by Kircher (there is a manuscript of the Pardes Rimonin in the Vatican with annotations by Kircher), and is the basis of the modern Western Hermetic Kabbalah (albeit with different letter to path attributions, and variations in the planet to sephiroth attributions*), and the Lurianic (the Ari/Gra) is used in Modern Jewish Kabbalah.

The Cordovero Tree of Emanation and the Luria Tree of Return:

https://books.google.com.tr/books?id=oMdrAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA32#v=onepage&q&f=false

and here:

http://www.digital-brilliance.com/themes/tol.php

As well as the Yetziratic division of the alphabet into three mothers, seven doubles and twelve doubles, Cordovero describes its division as alef plus three septenaries:

Alef as the first letter encompasses all the others: "Alef is their primary source and they all draw from it." The remaining letters are organized in three groups, each consisting of seven letters: bet, gimmel, dalet, he, vav, zayin, ḥet "are the mystery of the rule of Grace," tet, yod, kaf, lamed, mem, nun, samekh "that of the rule of Mercy," and ayin, pe, ẓaddik, kof, resh, shin, tav "that of the rule of Strict Justice" (Pardes Rimmonim, 27:21).

Kwaw

* The planet to sephiroth attributions mainly used in the modern Western Hermetic Tradition follow those in Agrippa (which, with the association of Saturn/Binah, go back to at least the 13th century), rather than those of Kircher:

quote:

the Hebrews, the most learned in Divine things, have received the ten principal names of God, as certain Divine powers, or as it were members of God, which by ten numerations which they call Sephiroth as it were vestiments, Instruments or examplars of the Archetype, have an influence on all things created, through the high things, even to the lowest, yet by a certain order; for first and immediately they have influence on the nine orders of Angels, and quire of blessed souls, and by them into the Celestiall Spheres, Planets and men, by the which Sephiroth every thing then receiveth power and vertue; The first of these is the name Eheia, the name of the Divine Essence; his numeration is called Cether [Kether], which is interpreted a Crown or Diadem, and signifieth the most simple Essence of the Divinity, and it is called that which the eye seeth not, and is attributed to God the Father, and hath his influence by the order of Seraphinus, or as the Hebrews call them Haioth Hacadosch, that is creatures of holiness, and then by the primum mobile, bestows the gift of being to all things, filling the whole Universe both through the circumference and center, whose particular intelligence is called Meratiron [Metatron], that is, the prince of faces, whose duty it is to bring others to the face of the prince; and by him the Lord spake to Moses. The second name is Iod or Tetragrammaton joyned with Iod; his numeration is Hochma, that is wisdom, and signifieth the Divinity full of Ideas, and the first begotten; and is attributed to the Son, and hath his influence by the order of Cherubins, or that the Hebrews call Orphanim, that is, forms or wheels; and from thence into the starry Heaven, where he fabricateth so many figures as he hath Ideas in himself, and distinguisheth the very Chaos of the creatures, by a particular Intelligence called Raziell, who was the ruler of Adam. The third name is called Tetragrammaton Elohim; his numeration is named Prina, [Binah] viz. providence and understanding, and signifies remission, quietness, the Jubilee, penitentiall conversion, a great Trumpet, redemption of the world, and the life of the world to come; it is attributed to the Holy Spirit, and hath his influence by the order of the thrones, or which the Hebrews call Aralim, that is great Angels mighty and strong, and from thence by the sphere of Saturn administereth form to the unsettled matter, whose particular intelligence is Zaphchiel, the ruler of Noah, and another intelligence named Iophiel the ruler of Sem; and these are three supream and highest numerations as it were seats of the Divine persons, by whose commands all things are made, but are executed by the other seven, which are therefore called the numerations framing. Therefore the fourth name is El whose numeration is Hesed, which is Clemence or goodness, and signifieth grace, mercy, piety, magnificence, the scepter and right hand, and hath his influx by the order of the Dominations, which the Hebrews call Hasmalim, and so through the sphere of Iupiter [Jupiter] fashioning the Images of bodyes [bodies], bestowing clemency and pacifying justice on all; his particular intelligence is Zadkiell the ruler of Abraham: The fifth name is Elohim Gibor, that is, the mighty God, punishing the sins of the wicked; and his numeration is called Geburach [Geburah], which is to say, power, gravity, fortitude, security, judgement, punishing by slaughter and war: and it is applyed [applied] to the Tribunall of God, The girdle, the sword and left hand of God; it is also called Pachad, which is fear, and hath his influence throw [through] the order of powers which the Hebrews call Seraphim, and from thence through the sphere of Mars, to whom belongs fortitude, war, affliction, it draweth forth the Elements; and his particular intelligence is Camael, the ruler of Samson; The sixt [sixth] name is Eloha, or a name of four letters, joyned [joined] with Vaudahat, his numeration is Tiphereth, that is apparel, beauty, glory, pleasure, and signifieth the tree of life, and hath his influence through the order of vertues [virtues], which the Hebrews call Malachim, that is Angels into the spere [sphere] of the Sun, giving brightness and life to it, and from thence producing mettals [metals]; his particular intelligence is Raphael, who was the Ruler of Isaac and Toby the younger, and the Angel Peliel, ruler of Iacob [Jacob]. The seventh name is Tetragrammaton Sabaoth, or Adonai Sabaoth, that is the God of hosts; and his numeration is Nezah [Netzach], that is triumph and victory; the right Columne is applyed to it, and it signifies the eternity and justice of a revenging God; it hath his influence through the order of principalities, whom the Hebrews call Elohim, that is Gods, into the sphere of Venus, gives zeal and love of righteousness, and produceth vegetables; his Intelligence is Haniel and the Angel Cerviel, the ruler of David; The eighth is called also Elohim Sabaoth, which is also interpreted the God of Hoasts [Hosts], not of war and justice, but of piety and agreement; for this name signifieth both, and precedeth his Army; the numeration of this is called Hod, which is interpreted both praise, confession, honor and famousness. The left column is attributed to it; it hath his influence through the order of the Archangels, which the Hebrews call Ben Elohim, that is the sons of God, into the sphere of Mercury, and gives elegancy and consonancy of speech and produceth living creatures; his intelligence is Michael, who was the ruler of Salomon [Solomon]; The ninth name is called Sadai, that is Omnipotent, satisfying all, and Elhai, which is the living God; his numeration is Iesod, that is foundation, and signifieth a good understanding, a Covenant, redemption and rest, and hath his influence through the order of Angels, whom the Hebrews name Cherubim, into the sphere of the Moon, causing the increase and decrease of all things, and taketh care of the genui, and keepers of men, and distributeth them; his intelligence is Gabriel, who was the keeper of Joseph, Joshua and Daniel; The tenth name is Adonai Melech, that is Lord and King; his numeration is Malchuth [Malkuth], that is Kingdom and Empire, & signifieth a Church, Temple of God, and a Gate, and hath his influence through the order of Animastick, viz. of blessed souls, which by the Hebrews is called Issim, that is Nobles, Lords and Princes; they are inferior to the Hierarchies, and have their influence on the sons of men, and give knowledge and the wonderfull understanding of things, also industry and prophesie [prophesy]; and the soul of Messiah is president amongst them, or (as others say) the intelligence Metattron [Metatron] which is called the first Creature, or the soul of the world, and was the ruler of Moses.
end quote

Agrippa, volume 3, chapter X of 'Three Books of Occult Philosophy", 1533

Also as tabulated in Volume 2, in Chapter xiii, of the number ten and the scale thereof:

http://www.esotericarchives.com/agrippa/agrippa3.htm
 

Libaws

Response to Kwaw' origins. of the tree.

There are two trees described in "The Garden of Pomegranates" ("Pardes Rimonim", completed in 1548) by Moses Cordovero, one pre-lurianic and one based upon the teachings of Isaac Luria (the Ari/Lion). The Ari described the pre-Lurianic one as the 'Tree of Emanation' and that based upon his teachings as the 'Tree of Return'. The shape of the pre-Lurianic 'Tree of Emanation' was used by Kircher (there is a manuscript of the Pardes Rimonin in the Vatican with annotations by Kircher), and is the basis of the modern Western Hermetic Kabbalah (albeit with different letter to path attributions, and variations in the planet to sephiroth attributions*), and the Lurianic (the Ari/Gra) is used in Modern Jewish Kabbalah.

Very interesting...Thank you.
I started looking around and eventually found some interesting excerpts from A Journey of Balance & Growth By Rachel Pollack who shows diagrams of the tree that Kircher made and is the tree used today. Apparently Kirchers tree was an adaptation of the tree made by Isaac Luria. I have also seen that Kircher changed the attributions of the letters to the paths (which actually we talked about in a different thread) I don’t like that he took the three mother letters Meme aleph and shin off the three horizontal lines. There was a perfection between the 3 mothers and their paths, the 12 diagonals and the twelve single letters and the 7 double letters and the seven straight lines. I have seen a few different trees from around the 16th century but I think in reference to the pre-lurian trees, it might have been the Sefer Yetzirah tree which has a very different shape. I think I mentioned somewhere that I have been projecting the tree into 3d according to the text of the Sefer Yetzirah and it is not the same configuration of Sephiroths and paths seen in the 'modern-Kircher tree'. I also projected the Kircher tree without changing positions of paths or duplicating Sephiroths (like the Golden Dawn did) It is quite beautiful but it doesn't mirror the instructive text in the SY. In the SY tree Tipareth is in the center with above, below, east, west, north and south around it. The supernals are in the center of Tipareth. For me it is a more beautiful tree. What surprises me is that although there have been (in my mind) almost successful renditions for this tree, it is hardly known.

I bookmarked the Agrippa text and will read it. Thanks!
Concerning the text you shared, I have seen Chokmah called the son in this triad of Kether -Father and Binah - Holy Spirit Idea. Meaning: Father son and holy Ghost. In my opinion, Binah is not a holy Ghost she is the Great Mother emanating directly from the Great Spirit as the Virgin. She is the inner spirit but she takes the force of chokmah and igives the idea of confinement, body. Chokmah is not the son but emanates as the great Father. Tipareth is the son for me. I see Kether as the Great Spirit or as the hebrew call it the 'I am' as residing in the 'neutral column'. Like Aleph it has all three of the supernals neatly residing within. I do agree that the male aspect is more prominent in Kether and the female aspect more prominent in Malkuth. There is a beauty to that system. Also this polarity of male female on the vertical coupled with the male female on the supernal horizontal gives us the cross. But umtimately Kether is the the Mother-father-Spirit unmanifest and Malkuth the same but manifest. Also keep in mind the initial emanation coming from Kether (throught he paths) is female. Maybe that’s the balance. The SY says there are originally three mothers emanating from the divine. And from them three fathers:
Quote:
"From the Air (ryva, avir) of Alef a comes the father “Space;” from the Water (,ym, mayim) of Mem mcomes the father “Matter;” and from the Fire (sa, esh) of Shin s comes the father “Energy” or “Motion"
The modern trees have Hod on the ‘female’ side and Netzach under the male. Or can it even be divided into male female. After all the idea is that severity is female going down and male going up. But I can’t seem to make that work with this ‘modern’ diagram of the tree. There are confusing things in this tree. I find the potential and expression of a direct diagram of the SY descriptive more in sync with my own perspective of balance and polarity.

I also bookmarked the other links and will try to pick up those two books in england when i am there next week. Many thanks for all the leads and knowledge.
 

kwaw

I started looking around and eventually found some interesting excerpts from A Journey of Balance & Growth By Rachel Pollack who shows diagrams of the tree that Kircher made and is the tree used today. Apparently Kirchers tree was an adaptation of the tree made by Isaac Luria.

No, that's an error. Kircher's tree is based on the Corsovero tree, Kircher's paths are the same as the Corsovero, and is thought to be pre-Lurianic. The Lurianic tree, for example, doesn not have paths from Malktuth to Hod or Netzach, but only to Yesod.
 

Libaws

No, that's an error. Kircher's tree is based on the Corsovero tree, Kircher's paths are the same as the Corsovero, and is thought to be pre-Lurianic. The Lurianic tree, for example, doesn not have paths from Malktuth to Hod or Netzach, but only to Yesod.

wow so much misinformation out there. Guess I'll scrap that book. You've given me some great leads. Also i read the link you gave me (since i wrote-i am a 15 hours a day work girl.everything takes time..) thanx!