The Concept of Infinity (Eyn-sof) and the Rise of Theosophical Kabbalah

The rise of theosophical Kabbalah is commonly understood as the appearance of a two-folded structure consisting of ten Sefirot on the one hand, and a transcendental entity named Eyn-Sof (infinity) on the other. In this article an alternative model will be proposed trying thus to shed new light on the rise of theosophical Kabbalah. The role of Eyn-Sof in the formation of the theosophical system will be reexamined by emphasizing the common roots of Eyn-Sof and the Sefirot and their interconnection. This study will trace the development of Eyn-Sof from the Jewish cosmological tradition of Sefer Yetzirah to 13th century kabbalistic commentaries. It will thus portray the novelty of this trend in comparison to the philosophical commentaries on Sefer Yetzirah that preceded the rise of Kabbalah. This article argues that the concept of Eyn-Sof originated in Sefer Yetzirah, and acquired its unique sense in the exegetical theosophical literature on that work. From this time forward, the vertical structure of the theosophical system, its infinite expansion from the source and its infinite upper extension toward the source, would prevail in most of the theosophical works. Eyn-Sof became synonymous with God’s essence not necessarily because of its apophatic character but precisely because of the theosophical space that is made possible by the infinite extension. The image of Eyn-Sof portrayed here differs thus from the abstract, inaccessible and remoteness usually associated with it; Eyn-Sof became the divine space itself.