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32 Paths of Creation
The 32 Paths of Creation

According to the opening lines of Sefer Yetzirah (the Book of Creation) which surround this kabbalistic Tree of Life diagram, God created the universe with '32 Paths of Mystical Wisdom'. These are defined as the 10 Numbers (Sefirot) and the 22 Hebrew Letters. The 32 Paths derive from the first 32 verses of Genesis (the Story of Creation) in which the Name of God (Elohim) is mentioned exactly 32 times. Elohim, a plural Name of God, is used in the Story of Creation because Creation is the process whereby the One manifests the Many - represented by the number 10 - via Ten Divine Utterances, or Ten Sefirot.

See the ten phrases that contain the Name of God (Elohim) and encircle ten clusters of dots? The Ten Numbers (Sefirot) are associated with these phrases:

1 - "IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED..."
(Keter-Crown)
3 - "GOD SAID, let there be a firmament..."
(Binah-Understanding)
2 - "GOD SAID let there be light..." (Chokhmah-Wisdom)
6 - "GOD SAID let there be luminaries in the firmament..."
(Tiferet-Beauty)
5 - "GOD SAID, earth bring forth grass..."
(Gevurah-Strength)
4 - "GOD SAID, waters gather..." (Chesed-Kindness)
9 - "GOD SAID let us make man..."
(Yesod-Foundation)
8 - "GOD SAID, earth bring forth animals..." (Hod-Majesty)
7 - "GOD SAID, waters swarm with life..."
(Netzach-Victory)
10 - "GOD SAID to them be fruitful and multiply..."
(Malkhut-Kingship)

See the Name of God (Elohim) in the twenty-two phrases that connect the Sefirot to each other?
The Twenty-two Hebrew Letters are associated with these phrases:

In the three Paths that connect the Ten Sefirot horizontally are three phrases from Genesis Chapter One: "GOD MADE the firmament..."; "GOD MADE two luminous orbs..."; and "GOD MADE the beasts of the earth..." - and the Three Mother Letters: Aleph, Mem and Shin.

In the seven Paths that connect the Ten Sefirot vertically are seven phrases from Genesis Chapter One that all say: "GOD SAW that it was good..." - and the Seven Double Letters: Bet, Gimel, Dalet, Kaf, Peh, Resh and Tav.

In the twelve Paths that connect the Ten Sefirot diagonally are the remaining twelve phrases that contain the Name of God (Elohim) in Genesis Chapter One - and the Twelve Elemental Letters: Heh, Vav, Zayin, Chet, Tet, Yod, Lamed, Nun, Samach, Ayin, Tzadi and Kuf.

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