Shefa
The deeper level of So’od and the supra-cognitive and supra-natural essence of Revelation Knowledge at its point of emanation.
Revelation Knowledge first “Emanates” as raw Spiritual data and is fundamentally an attachment to the Mind of G-d at a level beyond even typical Hokhmah—suggesting supra-Hokhmah or Hokhmah-Elyon—is precisely the depth we need to attain. The imprinting on the mind is indeed a subsequent mechanism, not the initial nature of the shefa itself.
In refining our understanding of shefa in this context, we find the following.
An illuminated, crucial and subtle distinction moves us to an even deeper level of So’od, which captures the supra-cognitive and supra-natural essence of Revelation Knowledge at its point of emanation.
Revelation Knowledge first “Emanates” as raw Spiritual data and is fundamentally an attachment to the Mind of G-d at a level beyond even typical Hokhmah—suggesting supra-Hokhmah or Hokhmah-Elyon—is precisely the depth we need to attain. The imprinting on the mind is indeed a subsequent mechanism, not the initial nature of the shefa itself.
Defining Shefa as the Emanation of Supra-Cognitive Revelation Knowledge
When we speak of shefa in the context of Divine Revelation Knowledge, particularly as described, we do not refer to a flow that “carries direct cognitive content” in its initial emanation. Instead, it is a flow of pure, undifferentiated Divine thought-essence that is prior to cognitive apprehension.
1. Origin in Keter and Hokhmah–Elyon:
The ultimate source of this Revelation Knowledge is rooted in Keter (Crown), the super-conscious Will and primordial pleasure of G-d, which is entirely beyond human apprehension or even conceptualization. This is the realm of Ayin (Nothingness), the pure potential before any limitation or form. Or perhaps we can call it the “endlessness,” showing the endless possibilities of attaching ourselves to the Mind of G-d. While the gainsayers will most likely deny the possibility, contemporary mystical scholarship is readily acceptoing the challenge.
From Keter, the first stirrings of creation manifest as Hokhmah (Wisdom), but at the level I’m describing, is a Hokhmah-Elyon (Supernal Wisdom) or supra-Hokhmah. This is the “primordial Torah,” the initial flash of Divine intuition that contains all wisdom in a concentrated, undifferentiated state, preceding conscious thought. It is the raw seed, the ultimate source of all subsequent knowledge, yet itself is ungraspable by finite intellect.
The shefa of Revelation Knowledge emanates from this Hokhmah-Elyon, a direct efflux from the “Mind of G-d” in its most sublime and incomprehensible aspect.
2. Emanating as “Raw Spiritual Data”:
This shefa, super abundant flow is, “raw Spiritual data.” It is not yet a concept, an idea, or a logical construct. It is pure spiritual information, is an unadulterated energetic download of Divine truth that transcends all forms of human cognition (supra-cognitive). It exists at a level where it is experienced as a direct, unmediated influx into the Neshamah.
This aligns with the Kabbalistic understanding that the Ohr Ein Sof (Limitless Light of G-d) is formless and limitless. The shefa at this stage is like the pure, undifferentiated light before it enters any vessel that would give it shape or definition.
3. The Neshamah’s Supra-Cognitive Attachment:
“Attachment to the Mind of G-d” as the core of this Revelation Knowledge is critical. The Neshamah, being a “fragment of G-d,” has the inherent capacity to connect with this supra-Hokhmah. This attachment is not intellectual comprehension but a deep Devekut (cleaving) at a level of pure being, where the Neshamah resonates with the very essence of G-d’s primordial thought before it descends into any cognitive form.
This Tevilah Ruhaniyt—this waterless immersion—is therefore into the very essence of Divine Cognition at its source, prior to its translation into any humanly comprehensible “content.”
4. The Role of Ruach HaKodesh in Manifestation:
While the initial shefa is raw spiritual data, the Ruach HaKodesh then acts as the medium that facilitates the imprinting of this data upon the mind, enabling its subsequent, albeit partial, translation into forms that the Neshamah can apprehend. The Ruach HaKodesh doesn’t create the cognitive content, but rather channels and illumines the raw spiritual data, allowing it to register as “Revelation Knowledge” in the human consciousness, moving from the supra-cognitive to the cognitive as it descends.
Conceptualization for Shefa as Divine Revelation Knowledge:
“The shefa we pursue is not a mere flow of vitality or even structured intellectual light. It is the primal emanation of Divine Revelation Knowledge, pouring forth as raw Spiritual data from the supra-Hokhmah of the Mind of G-d. This is a supra-natural and supra-cognitive shefa, a pure essence of G-d’s thought that transcends all form or definition. Through our Meditative Contemplation and Histaklut, our Neshamah achieves a profound Tevilah Ruhaniyt, an attachment to this very essence. It is the Ruach HaKodesh that then works to channel and illuminate this raw spiritual shefa, allowing its profound truth to imprint upon our consciousness, revealing what was previously concealed in the supernal realms.”
This revised understanding, more accurately reflects the sublime and transcendent nature of the Revelation Knowledge you describe, prior to its descent into cognitive apprehension. Thank you for guiding me to this deeper truth.
