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In the ''
Zohar The ''Zohar'' (, ''Zōhar'', lit. "Splendor" or "Radiance") is a foundational work of Kabbalistic literature. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material o ...
'',
Lurianic Kabbalah Lurianic Kabbalah is a school of Kabbalah named after Isaac Luria (1534–1572), the Jewish rabbi who developed it. Lurianic Kabbalah gave a seminal new account of Kabbalistic thought that its followers synthesised with, and read into, the earli ...
, and
Hermetic Qabalah Hermetic Qabalah () is a Western esoteric tradition involving mysticism and the occult. It is the underlying philosophy and framework for magical societies such as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, has inspired esoteric Christian organiz ...
, the ''qlippoth'' (, originally , plural of ''qəlippā''; literally "peels", "shells", or "husks"), are the representation of
evil Evil, as a concept, is usually defined as profoundly immoral behavior, and it is related to acts that cause unnecessary pain and suffering to others. Evil is commonly seen as the opposite, or sometimes absence, of good. It can be an extreme ...
or impure spiritual forces in
Jewish mysticism Academic study of Jewish mysticism, especially since Gershom Scholem's ''Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism'' (1941), draws distinctions between different forms of mysticism which were practiced in different eras of Jewish history. Of these, Kabbal ...
, the opposites of the
sefirot Sefirot (; , plural of ), meaning '' emanations'', are the 10 attributes/emanations in Kabbalah, through which Ein Sof ("infinite space") reveals itself and continuously creates both the physical realm and the seder hishtalshelut (the chained ...
. The realm of evil is called ''Sitra Achra'' () in Kabbalistic texts.


In the Zohar

The qlippoth are first mentioned in the ''
Zohar The ''Zohar'' (, ''Zōhar'', lit. "Splendor" or "Radiance") is a foundational work of Kabbalistic literature. It is a group of books including commentary on the mystical aspects of the Torah and scriptural interpretations as well as material o ...
'', where they are described as being created by
God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
to function as a nutshell for holiness. The text subsequently relays an esoteric interpretation of the text of
Genesis creation narrative The Genesis creation narrative is the creation myth of both Judaism and Christianity, told in the book of Genesis chapters 1 and 2. While the Jewish and Christian tradition is that the account is one comprehensive story, modern scholars of ...
in Genesis 1:14, which describes
God In monotheistic belief systems, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. In polytheistic belief systems, a god is "a spirit or being believed to have created, or for controlling some part of the un ...
creating the moon and sun to act as "luminaries" in the sky. The verse "Let there be luminaries ( ''məʾoroṯ'')," uses a defective spelling of the Hebrew plural form for "luminous body, light source" (), resulting in a written form identical to the Hebrew word for "curses." In the context of the ''Zohar'', interpreting the verse as calling the moon and sun "curses" is given mystic significance, personified by a description of the moon descending into the realm of
Beri'ah Beri'ah (Hebrew: בְּרִיאָה), Briyah, or B'ri'ah (also known as ''Olam Beriah'', עוֹלָם בְּרִיאָה in Hebrew, literally "the World of Creation"), is the second of the Four Worlds, four celestial worlds in the Tree of Life (Ka ...
, where it began to belittle itself and dim its light, both physically and spiritually. The resulting darkness gave birth to the qlippoth. Reflecting this, they are thenceforth generally synonymous with "darkness" itself. Later, the ''Zohar'' gives specific names to some of the qlippoth, relaying them as counterparts to certain sephirot: Mashhith () to
Chesed (, also Romanization of Hebrew, Romanized: ) is a Hebrew language, Hebrew word that means 'kindness or love between people', specifically of the devotional piety of people towards God as well as of love or mercy of God towards humanity. It is fr ...
, Af () to
Gevurah Gevurah or Geburah (, Tiberian: ''Găḇūrā,'' lit. 'strength'), is the fifth '' sephirah'' in the kabbalistic Tree of Life, and it is the second of the emotive attributes of the ''sephirot''. It sits below Binah, across from Chesed and abo ...
, and Hema () to
Tiferet Tiferet ( ''Tip̄ʾereṯ,'' in pausa: תִּפְאָרֶת ''Tip̄ʾāreṯ'', lit. 'beauty, glory, adornment') alternatively Tifaret, Tiphareth, Tifereth or Tiphereth, is the sixth sefira in the kabbalistic Tree of Life. It has the common as ...
. It also names Avon (), Tohu (), Bohu (), Esh (), and
Tehom Tehom ( ''təhôm'') is a Northwest Semitic and Biblical Hebrew word meaning "the deep" or "abyss" (literally "the deeps"). It is used to describe the primeval ocean and the post- creation waters of the earth. It is a cognate of the Akkadian word ...
(), but does not relate them to any corresponding sefirot. Although the ''Zohar'' clarifies that each sefira and qlippa is 1:1, even with equivalent
partzufim ''Partzufim'' or ''Partsufim'' (, singular ''partzuf'', , from Greek: πρόσωπον ''prósopon'' "face" or "mask"), are "countenances" or "personas" of God described in the '' Zohar''. The '' Idra Rabba'' describes a divine being composed of ...
, it does not give all their names.


In Hermetic Qabalah


Mathers' interpretation

Christian Knorr von Rosenroth's Latin ''Kabbala denudata'' (1684) (translated ''The Kabbalah Unveiled'' by
Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers Samuel Liddell (or Liddel) MacGregor Mathers (8 or 11 January 1854 – 5 or 20 November 1918), born Samuel Liddell Mathers, was a British occultist and member of the S.R.I.A. He is primarily known as one of the founders of the Hermetic Order ...
) equates these forces with the Kings of
Edom Edom (; Edomite language, Edomite: ; , lit.: "red"; Akkadian language, Akkadian: , ; Egyptian language, Ancient Egyptian: ) was an ancient kingdom that stretched across areas in the south of present-day Jordan and Israel. Edom and the Edomi ...
and also offers the suggestion they are the result of an imbalance towards Gedulah, the Pillar of Mercy or the merciful aspect of God, and have since been destroyed. In subsequent Hermetic teachings, the qlippoth have tended, much like the sefiroth, to be interpreted as mystical worlds or entities, and merged with ideas derived from
demonology Demonology is the study of demons within religious belief and myth. Depending on context, it can refer to studies within theology, religious doctrine, or occultism. In many faiths, it concerns the study of a hierarchy of demons. Demons may be n ...
. In most descriptions, there are seven divisions of
Hell In religion and folklore, hell is a location or state in the afterlife in which souls are subjected to punishment after death. Religions with a linear divine history sometimes depict hells as eternal destinations, such as Christianity and I ...
: #
Sheol Sheol ( ; ''Šəʾōl'', Tiberian: ''Šŏʾōl'') in the Hebrew Bible is the underworld place of stillness and darkness which is death. Within the Hebrew Bible, there are few—often brief and nondescript—mentions of Sheol, seemingly descri ...
or
Tehom Tehom ( ''təhôm'') is a Northwest Semitic and Biblical Hebrew word meaning "the deep" or "abyss" (literally "the deeps"). It is used to describe the primeval ocean and the post- creation waters of the earth. It is a cognate of the Akkadian word ...
"the Deeps" #
Abaddon The Hebrew term Abaddon ( , meaning "destruction", "doom") and its Greek equivalent Apollyon (, ''Apollúōn'' meaning "Destroyer") appear in the Bible as both a place of destruction and an angel of the abyss. In the Hebrew Bible, ''abaddon'' ...
"Doom" or
Tzoah Rotachat The Tzoah Rotachat () in the Talmud and the '' Zohar'' is a location in Gehenna where the souls of Jews who committed certain sins are sent for punishment. Babylonian Talmud The Babylonian Talmud lists the cause for a Jew being sent to Tzoah Rot ...
"Boiling excrement" #'Well of Corruption or Mashhith "destroyer" # Cistern of Noise () or "Sticky Mud/Filth" () #
Silence Silence is the absence of ambient hearing, audible sound, the emission of sounds of such low sound intensity, intensity that they do not draw attention to themselves, or the state of having ceased to produce sounds; this latter sense can be exten ...
or Gates of Death () # Oblivion () or Shadow of Death () # Lowest Earth () There are also twelve qlippothic orders of demons, three powers before
Satan Satan, also known as the Devil, is a devilish entity in Abrahamic religions who seduces humans into sin (or falsehood). In Judaism, Satan is seen as an agent subservient to God, typically regarded as a metaphor for the '' yetzer hara'', or ' ...
, and twenty-two demons which correspond to the 22 letters of the
Hebrew alphabet The Hebrew alphabet (, ), known variously by scholars as the Ktav Ashuri, Jewish script, square script and block script, is a unicase, unicameral abjad script used in the writing of the Hebrew language and other Jewish languages, most notably ...
.


Regardie and Crowley

According to
Aleister Crowley Aleister Crowley ( ; born Edward Alexander Crowley; 12 October 1875 – 1 December 1947) was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, novelist, mountaineer, and painter. He founded the religion of Thelema, identifying himself as the pr ...
, the three evil forms (before Samael), are said to be Qemetial,
Belial Belial (; , ''Bəlīyyaʿal'') is a term occurring in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament which later became personified as the devilSee the reference to "Beliar" in ''The Ascension of Isaiah'', at EarlyChristianWritings.com', specifically at 1:8 ...
, and Othiel. Crowley (who calls them "Orders of Qliphoth") and
Israel Regardie Francis Israel Regardie (; né Regudy; November 17, 1907 – March 10, 1985) was an English and American occultist, ceremonial magician, and writer who spent much of his life in the United States. He wrote fifteen books on the subject of occultis ...
list the qlippoth and their associated
sephiroth Sefirot (; , plural of ), meaning '' emanations'', are the 10 attributes/emanations in Kabbalah, through which Ein Sof ("infinite space") reveals itself and continuously creates both the physical realm and the seder hishtalshelut (the chained ...
on the
tree of life The tree of life is a fundamental archetype in many of the world's mythology, mythological, religion, religious, and philosophy, philosophical traditions. It is closely related to the concept of the sacred tree.Giovino, Mariana (2007). ''The ...
as: #Thaumiel, associated with
Kether Keter or Kether (; ) is the first of the ten sefirot in the Tree of life (Kabbalah), Kabbalistic Tree of Life, symbolizing the divine will and the initial impulse towards creation from the ''Ein Sof'', or infinite source. It represents pure co ...
#Ghogiel, associated with
Chokmah ''Chokmah'' (, also transliterated as ''chokma'', ''chokhmah'' or ''hokhma'') is the Biblical Hebrew word rendered as "wisdom" in English Bible versions ( LXX '' sophia'', Vulgate ').''Strong's Concordance'H2451 "from H2449 ''chakam'' "wise" wi ...
# Satariel, associated with Binah #Agshekeloh, associated with
Chesed (, also Romanization of Hebrew, Romanized: ) is a Hebrew language, Hebrew word that means 'kindness or love between people', specifically of the devotional piety of people towards God as well as of love or mercy of God towards humanity. It is fr ...
#Golohab, associated with
Geburah Gevurah or Geburah (, Tiberian: ''Găḇūrā,'' lit. 'strength'), is the fifth '' sephirah'' in the kabbalistic Tree of Life, and it is the second of the emotive attributes of the ''sephirot''. It sits below Binah, across from Chesed and abo ...
#Tagiriron, associated with
Tiphareth Tiferet ( ''Tip̄ʾereṯ,'' in pausa: תִּפְאָרֶת ''Tip̄ʾāreṯ'', lit. 'beauty, glory, adornment') alternatively Tifaret, Tiphareth, Tifereth or Tiphereth, is the sixth sefira in the kabbalistic Tree of Life. It has the common as ...
#Gharab Tzerek, associated with
Netzach Netzach () is the seventh of the ten sefirot in the Jewish mystical system of Kabbalah. It is located beneath Chesed ('loving-kindness'), at the base of the "Pillar of Mercy" which also consists of Chokmah ('wisdom'). Netzach generally transla ...
#
Samael Samael (; , ''Sammāʾēl'', "Venom of God"; , ''Samsama'il'' or , ''Samail''; alternatively Smal, Smil, Samil, or Samiel) is an archangel in Talmudic and post-Talmudic tradition; a figure who is the accuser or adversary (Satan#Judaism, Satan ...
, associated with Hod #Gamaliel, associated with
Yesod Yesod (Hebrew: יְסוֹד ''Yəsōḏ'', Tiberian: ''Yăsōḏ'', "foundation") is a sephirah or node in the kabbalistic Tree of Life, a system of Jewish philosophy. Yesod, located near the base of the Tree, is the sephirah below Hod and ...
#
Lilith Lilith (; ), also spelled Lilit, Lilitu, or Lilis, is a feminine figure in Mesopotamian and Jewish mythology, theorized to be the first wife of Adam and a primordial she-demon. Lilith is cited as having been "banished" from the Garden of Eden ...
, associated with
Malkuth Malkuth (; "kingdom"; Ashkenazi: ''Malkhus'' ), Malkhut, Malkhuth, or Malchus, is the tenth of the sefirot in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life. Description In the ''Zohar'', an important Kabbalistic text from late al-Andalus, Malkuth sits at th ...
.


Kenneth Grant

Kenneth Grant, founder of the
Typhonian Order The Typhonian Order, previously known as Typhonian Ordo Templi Orientis (T.O.T.O.), is a self-initiatory magical organization based in the United Kingdom that focuses on magical and Typhonian concepts. It was originally led by British occultist ...
, provided extensive teachings on the qlippoth. Grant emphasized the importance of understanding and integrating these darker aspects for a holistic spiritual perspective. In ''Nightside of Eden'', Grant explores the Tunnels of Set, pathways corresponding to the Qlippothic Tree. These tunnels symbolize hidden paths filled with transformative energies beneath the surface of consciousness. Traversing these tunnels involves confronting and integrating darker aspects of the psyche and the universe, which Grant views as crucial for spiritual development. Grant advocated for balancing light and dark forces, believing that engaging with Qlippothic energies can lead to significant spiritual growth. He often linked the Qlippoth to
sex magic Sex magic (sometimes spelled sex magick) is any type of sexual activity used in magical, ritualistic or otherwise religious and spiritual pursuits. One practice of sex magic is using sexual arousal or orgasm with visualization of a desired r ...
and
Tantric practices Tantric may refer to: Religion Religious practices *Tantra massage, a form of erotic massage *Tantric sex, Hindu and Buddhist tantric practices that utilize sexual activity in a ritual or yogic context *Tantric yoga, a form of yoga * Tibetan tantr ...
, suggesting these could harness primal energies for transformation. Grant suggested that
H. P. Lovecraft Howard Phillips Lovecraft (, ; August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American writer of Weird fiction, weird, Science fiction, science, fantasy, and horror fiction. He is best known for his creation of the Cthulhu Mythos. Born in Provi ...
's description of
Yog-Sothoth Cthulhu Mythos deities are a group of fictional deities created by American author H. P. Lovecraft (1890–1937), and later expanded by others in the fictional universe known as the Cthulhu mythos. These entities are usually depicted as immens ...
as a conglomeration of "malignant globes" may have been inspired by the Qlippoth, part of his view that Qlippothic forces are integral to ancient and contemporary esoteric thought.


See also

*
Fallen angel Fallen angels are angels who were expelled from Heaven. The literal term "fallen angel" does not appear in any Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic religious texts, but is used to describe angels cast out of heaven. Such angels are often described ...
*
Goetia (, ) is a type of European sorcery, often referred to as witchcraft, that has been transmitted through grimoires—books containing instructions for performing magical practices. The term "goetia" finds its origins in the Greek word "goes", ...
* ''Tohu'' and ''Tikun'' * ''
Yetzer hara In Judaism, () is a term for humankind's congenital inclination to do evil. The concept is prominent in rabbinic texts and in the works of the Syriac poet Narsai. The term itself is drawn from the phrase "the inclination of the heart of man is ...
''


References


Works cited

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* * * {{refend


External links


On the Nature of the Qlippoth
Kabbalah Hermetic Qabalah Left-Hand Path Kabbalistic words and phrases