Kabbalah

Kabbalah (カバラ), also referred to as Qabalah, are a set of esoteric principles and teachings meant to explain the relationship between an eternal and mysterious Creator and the mortal and finite universe (His creation).

In Toaru Majutsu no Index, it is used as background to explain the situations and concepts that are related to the Abrahamic religions and their God.

Aspects of God
In the 3rd volume of Toaru Majutsu no Index, Index compares the goals of Academy City, which is to achieve SYSTEM, or One who is not a god yet reaches the will of the Heavens, to the teachings of the Kabbalah, specifically she referred to Ein Sof Ohr, Ein Sof, Ein.


 * Ein is translated as null, void, or nothingness, and corresponds to 0.
 * Ein Sof is translated as infinity, and corresponds to 00, and is the emanator of 10 Sephirot.
 * Ein Sof Ohr is translated as infinite light, and corresponds to 000.
 * Ein caused Ein Sof, and Ein Sof begot Ein Sof Ohr.

Ein Sof in Kabbalah, is understood as God prior to His manifestation in the production of any spiritual Realm — before God changes His Self, known as to the creation of the physical world. Ein Sof may be translated as "no end", "unending," or infinite. Ein Sof is the divine origin of all created or existed, in contrast to the Ein, which is infinite nothingness. Ohr on the other hand, is translated as light, and is used as an analogy as a way of describing metaphysical Divine emanations of God.

Ein Sof Ohr or Ohr Ein Sof means The Infinite Light, and is the Kabbalistic term for the Divine essence. In the Kabbalah, it describes the 10 Sephirot (The 10 Divine emanations or attributes), that reveal the unknowable Godhead to the creations and channel the creative life-force to all levels of existence. As well as the 10 "lights" of God encapsulated in the Sephirot, Kabbalah also describes a more primordial light that shines from the Ein Sof (Infinite) itself. This light, the origin of all Creation, and all lower lights, is called the "Ohr Ein Sof" ("The light of the Infinite", or alternatively, itself "The Infinite Light"). Before Creation, there could be no being to behold a revelation of Divine light. The Ohr Ein Sof is a form of Divine self knowledge, and through God knowing Himself, He created everything, with its subsequent historical unfolding, and its ultimate purpose in the innermost Divine Will.

The above can be explained as God, has known Himself, and through it, He created everything from infinite nothingness, and from there emanated his divine presence, infinitely upon His creations.

In relation to the story
Since the purpose of SYSTEM is to find a way to reach the will of the heavens and for Academy City to find a body that exceeds humans and can do God's calculations, this comes off as particularly blasphemous to Index. Simply put, SYSTEM is the achievement of becoming the same as God, and goes up against God's will, by removing one's self from his divine light.

Furthermore, Kabbalah teaches that God is neither matter nor spirit, but is the creator both, is unknowable and the revealed aspect of God that created the universe, preserves the universe, and interacts with mankind. Because God is infinite (Ein Sof), nothing can be said of His essence, and that the 10 emanations through the Sephirot is only partially accessible to human thought.

Sephiroth
The Sephiroth (セフィロト), also known as the Tree of Sephirot, meaning tree of enumerations, represent the 10 attributes/emanations in Kabbalah, through which God reveals himself and continuously creates both the physical realm and the chain of higher metaphysical realms. The emanations, or Sephirah (セフィラ), arise out of the three preliminary states that are considered to precede manifestation. The first is the Ein, the second is the Ein Sof (the concentration of Ein), and the third is Eins Sof. The Sephiroth was brought from the Ein Sof, and from the brilliance of God's light, the Ein Sof Ohr, took form of as His emanations.

Sephirah
The downward route through the ten Sephirah in numerical order from Keter to Malkuth, is represented in the shape of a lightning flash, which is also referred to as the Flaming Sword (フレイミングソード).

Paths
In addition to the Sephirah, the tree also has 22 paths (パス) which connect the ten spheres, with their own set of attributes ascribed to them, including a letter of the, and a card of the Major Arcana, in Golden-style traditions.

Similar to the downward route through the Sephirah represented in the Flaming Sword, the route along the 22 paths is represented in the form of the Serpent of Wisdom. Wrapped around the tree, the serpent's head is in the first path from the top (Keter - Chokhmah) and its tail at the bottom path (Yesod - Malkuth), with the serpent's body touching each path in numerical order from head to tail, going round but never passing through the spheres.

In relation to the story
The version of the Tree of Sephirot, which omits the Da'at Sephirah, though traditionally it is often omitted from the Tree. Da'at is translated as (Knowledge), where all 10 sephirot are united as one. In Da'at, all sefirot exist in their perfected state of infinite sharing. The three sephirot of the left column that would receive and conceal the Divine Light, instead share and reveal it. Since all sephirot radiate infinite self-giving Divine Light, it is no longer possible to distinguish one sefira from another. Thus they are one.

It should be noted that his version has been adapted by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn and its descendant organizations. Kircher's version shows twenty-two channels or pathways connecting the Sephiroth, arranged in the same pattern as is found on the modern Tree. Each channel has been assigned one of the Hebrew letters.

It can be assumed that this may what Index be referring to as the slot where God's positions amongst the other hierarchy is. However, this is highly unlikely, as the Sephirot is the emanation of God, and no single Sephirah nor the entire Tree, consitute to the whole limiteless state of God. Thus, Index's reaction when Komoe reveals Academy City's goal of SYSTEM, as it is not part of the emanation of God, and a being separate from his emanation is separate from Ein Sof, implying that the being in itself has his own infinity. In Toaru Majutsu no Index, the Tree is referred to as a basic concept where 10 levels are arranged, separating God, Angels, Humans, and souls, and to represent that God reigns supreme over everything. Furthermore, both Stiyl Magnus and Tsuchimikado Motoharu state that people can train in order to achieve a higher level, but there is a limit to how much humans can climb.

During Angel Fall, Motoharu refers that all of the positions in the sephirot are full and is such, two beings cannot exist in the same sephirot, forcing a switch. It should be noted that there are beings that rule over each sephirot, though it varies depending on the source. It is unknown if this was what Motoharu referring to.

Qliphoth
The Qliphoth (クリフォト) is the completely opposite tree to the Sephiroth, covering another side of the world. Like the tree of life, the Qliphoth consists of 10 spheres and 22 paths. Unlike the upright tree of the Sephiroth which is protected by angels, the Qliphoth is an upside-down tree with a demon's name engraved in each qliphah.

Though the Qliphoth is often interpreted as a tree of evil, being the inverse of the Sephiroth and having demons as the guardians of its spheres, it's essence is not an absolute evil. With appropriate training and experience, it can assist in acquiring dangerous knowledge found in the hidden world. However it will inevitably trip up anyone who tries to view it with insufficient training or resolve. Such people will likely be bewildered by a fog of confusion, find something other than truth, come to believe that perverted ceremonies are one and the only way to acquire knowledge, among other things. The sight alone can provide a powerful shock to those who never intended to view it. Practitioners must learn and understand the fundamental meanings of the standard Sephiroth before even attempting to peer into the inverse Qliphoth and utilize the reverse meanings.

Just as the Sephiroth, the tree of life, is also a diagram explaining how to handle the soul, the Qliphoth, the inverse tree, can assist in the creation of something much like life if used properly. This can be used to produce artificial demons based on the Qliphoth. These artificial demons have a structure similar yet different to humans corresponding to the tree of life and much simpler than demons like Coronzon, evil trees anthropomorphized by knowledge, and are the inverse of thought beings based on the standard tree. An example of such an artificial demon is the Qliphah Puzzle 545. Though this demon was noted to be quite flimsy despite the illusion of stability, it was capable of repairing itself after having its spheres destroyed so long as the paths connecting them remained intact, by filling in the holes left behind, though it took a long time and it was helpless while it was doing so.

Four Worlds
The Four Worlds (四界) are the comprehensive categories of spiritual realms in Kabbalah in the descending chain of Existence. These "Worlds" denotes the emanation of God's light, the Ohr, from the Ein Sof Divinte Infinite, through progressive, innumerable constrictions of his Ohr in order to allow for the "conceptual space" in which a finite and seemingly independent world could exist. These constrictions or dimming of his light, form differentiated spirtiual levels. Higher realms metaphorically denote greater relvelation of God's divine Ohr light, and more open to their source, or closer to God.


 * 1) Atziluth (World of Emanation) On this level the light of the Ein Sof, radiates and is still united with its source. This supernal revelation the souls and Divine emanations in Atzilus from sensing their own existence, which would mean that those that reside with this realm are unaware of their self.
 * 2) Briah (World of Creation) On this level is the first concept of creatio ex nihilo, yet without shape or form. Here, the creations of Beri'ah are aware of their selves, of their own existence, but cease being Divine.
 * 3) Yetzirah (World of Formation) This level have beings that have assumed shaped and form. The beings here worship through Divine emotion and striving, as they sense their distance from the Understanding of Beriah.
 * 4) Assiah (World of Action) On this level the creation is complete, differentiated and particular, due to the concealment and diminution of the Divine vitality. However, it is still on a spiritual level. Assiah is separated as spiritual and physical, and here in the physical Assiah, is the material Universe of humans with all its creations.

In relation to the story
Continuing with the explation of Angel Fall to Touma, Kanzaki Kaori states that the spell affects all of the four worlds, from those closest to the Divine light of God, and in the lowest from it, the world of humans, switching the inside and the outside states of the beings.

According to Fiamma of the Right, Angel Fall occurred only because there was a distortion of the Laws of the World, allowing for the switching of the elements and attributes of the Archangels and the ability of those beings to name themselves without God's permission. This would imply that a terribly powerful source pervaded through the four worlds and distorted the divine light of God, perhaps something that is outside the Ein Sof of God.

Background
According to Coronzon, at some point in the past, the majority of the sephirah were under attack by an unknown threat, only to be saved by the atoning.

The technique of animating corpses using artificial souls used by the Rosenthal Family was derived from several hundred years of Kabbalic knowledge, and further developed using elements of the Hopping Zombie Spell into Rosenthal-style Necromancy.

Kabbalah was one of the formats used as a foundation in the magical system developed by the Golden Dawn alongside Hermeticism,  which would come to be known as Golden-style Magic. One of its founders, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, translated the grimoire  and converted it into a form which anyone could read, leading to a Kabbalah-centric magic culture spreading across Europe.

Among attempts by magicians to pass between sephira in history, one of the most notable attempts was by Aleister Crowley during a trip to Africa. In order to pass through the abyss without taking spiritual damage, Aleister wished to become one with that abyss. During this experiment, he encountered the demon Coronzon, who was not contained within the existing Qliphoth and broke through Aleister's attempts to bind it.

was a pioneer in academic study of Kabbalah, notably writing on the nature of Golems.

Deep Blood Arc
Index mentioned Kabbalah during her first meeting with Himegami Aisa regarding her validity as a magician. It was included in her list together with the likes of Enoch, Hermeticism, Vision of Mercury and modern astrology.

Sisters Arc
When Tsukuyomi Komoe explained SYSTEM to Index, she realized similarities to concepts in Kabbalah, such as the Tree of Life, the Sephiroth, and Ein Sof Ohr, as well as.

Angel Fall Arc
The Four Worlds and the Sephiroth were several of the elements forming the basis of Angel Fall, and the concepts were described during the explanation of the spell.

Kazakiri Hyouka Arc
Sherry Cromwell, well-versed in Kabbalah, made use of Kabbalic concepts mixed with other elements to produce her golem, Ellis. Faced with this golem, Index identified this basis and also made use of Notarikon, a quick Kabbalah reading method, in her Spell Intercept.

Orsola Aquinas Rescue Arc
The basis model for the method of decoding the Book of the Law, which Orsola Aquinas devised but was later stated to be incorrect, involves, a form of permutation from Kabbalah, using a special form that has special rule which was closely related to the number of lines in the book.

World Rejecter Arc
When Othinus and Nephthys were giving Touma a lecture on European magicians and the Dark Continent, they mentioned that in Golden-style Tarot, the Major Arcana are linked to the paths connecting the Sephira.

Kamisato Rescue Arc
The concept of the Four Worlds was one of the elements utilized in Toyama Luca's spell to retrieve Kamisato Kakeru from the 'new world'. Aleister Crowley also referred to both the Sephiroth and Qliphoth as means of attaining spiritual knowledge if used correctly.

Aleister Crowley Arc
During the ascent through the Windowless Building, Index and later Aleister noted that it symbolized a third tree, different from the Sephiroth or Qliphoth, built up from scratch.

Coronzon Arc
An artificial demon created from and based on the Qliphoth, the Qliphah Puzzle 545, was involved in the events surrounding the Crowley's Hazard invasion of the United Kingdom.

Mathers' role in the spread of Kabbalah across Europe was referenced during the events involving the reproduced Golden Dawn and Aleister made use of the Qliphoth during the final battle with the reproduced Mathers.

Various Kabbalistic elements were involved in the events surrounding the Ceremony of Mo Athair.

Christmas Eve Arc
The magic which Neoka Norito acquired from R&C Occultics involved using the seven metals associated with the classical planets and from that seven of the Sephirah and the construction of an angel, to reach the paths between the spheres on the Sephiroth and embed a temporary extra sphere into the channel to produce an effect in the world.

Christmas Day Arc
Various aspects of Kabbalah, including the Sephiroth and Gematria were utilized by Anna Sprengel in her spells during her battles on Christmas Day.

Alice Arc
Alice Anotherbible's unique magic Live Adventures in Wonderland, which enables her to form connections between ideas, laws and definitions, and affect the world as she goes on an adventure, was stated to utilize modified Kabbalah bridge linking, with  having previously been noted as recommended by Aleister Crowley for those wishing to deepen their understanding of magic and claimed to take on a complete new meaning if the reader had sufficient knowledge of Kabbalah.

Necromancer Arc
In order to achieve the Rosenthal Family's goal of creating the perfect golem, Isaac Rosenthal attempted to shift the artificial soul of the Taowu, which he had been placed in, to Keter using 'memories of death' from the Misaka Network, obtained from Misaka 10046.

Uses of Kabbalah within the story

 * Adam Kadmon: Meaning 'Primordial Man', a spiritual realm corresponding to Keter, the first spiritual world to have come into being after the contraction of God's light.
 * One of Leivinia Birdway's theories on Fräulein Kreutune's origins is that she is an Adam Kadmon that left its mother's womb before achieving clear individuality.
 * Adam Kadmon was briefly referenced by name during a description of Lilith Crowley's circumstances, with regards to spiritual rank.
 * Four Worlds: A categorization of spiritual realms.
 * The concept of the Four Worlds was one of the elements utilized in Toyama Luca's spell to retrieve Kamisato Kakeru from the 'new world'.
 * Golems: An animated anthropomorphic being, created entirely from inanimate matter. In the Kabbalah, humans are created by God through dirt, and the poor copies that humans make are called golems, imitations that are not properly created.
 * Sherry Cromwell's golem, Ellis, is apparently an attempt to create a higher existence than that of a human, like angels. Sherry's golem was created in the image of a cross, its head, right arm, left arm, and legs corresponding to each present position, and each assigned with the power of the four Archangels. However, this is of course impossible for Sherry, due to her outdated techniques, as Aleister Crowley can attest as he has managed to make one of his own.
 * The method of creating golems from corpses devised Obed Rosenthal and used by his descendants as part of Rosenthal-style Necromancy, is derived from the Kabbalh.
 * Notarikon: A quick Kabbalah reading method.
 * Index's Spell Intercept uses Notarikon, which uses a unique pronunciation method of only using the first alphabet, with the aim of turning it into a code and making it quicker to read.
 * Qliphoth: The polar opposite of the Sephiroth.
 * Aleister Crowley refers to both the Sephiroth and Qliphoth as means of attaining spiritual knowledge if used correctly. He has made use of the Qliphoth in the past. He made use of the Qliphoth during his final battle with the reproduced Mathers to neutralize one of his enemy's spells.
 * The Qliphah Puzzle 545 is an artificial demon created from and using the Qliphoth.
 * Sephiroth: A 'tree' made up of ten positions/attributes and twenty-two paths connecting them (also referred to as the Tree of Sephirot or the Tree of Life).
 * In Golden-style Tarot, the Major Arcana are linked to the paths connecting the Sephira.
 * A sephiroth is one of the elements which comprise the artificial souls used in Rosenthal-style Necromancy. Part of the Rosenthals' goal in creating the perfect golem involved having the artificial soul reach Keter.
 * Aleister Crowley refers to both the Sephiroth and Qliphoth as means of attaining spiritual knowledge if used correctly. He and others have compared the inside of the Windowless Building to a third tree separate from the previous two.
 * Temurah: A Kabalistic technique known also as permutation. It is a way which Kabalists use in order to rearrange words and sentences to give them a new meaning.
 * Orsola Aquinas specifically states that the basis model of decoding the Book of the Law is using, using a special form that has special rule that’s closely related to the number of lines in the book. Needless to say, Orsola was wrong.