In the Kabbalah, there are ten Sefirot or dimensions to the Tree of Life and therefore, our experience of it. The Sefirah (or level) of Tiferet occupies the very center of the whole system. It is here, at the hub of our experience, that heart energy is placed. Heart energy is located at this juncture, in the middle of the Tree of Life, for several profound and important reasons.

Let me address one that is quite significant for our understanding of ourselves.

As the sixth Sefirah of the ten that comprise the Tree of Life, Tiferet stands at center stage, at the very core of the entire pattern of human experience. This means that all of our experience in life and our ability to handle it effectively has everything to do with heart. Much of the movement of energy within the Tree centers on Tiferet and its heart energy. Our lives are very dependent, in more ways than we generally realize, on the various functions heart energy actually performs. For the Sefirah of Tiferet is in many ways the driving force of the whole paradigm of how our lives are structured and operate.

Tiferet is the balance point between the Sefirah of Hesed (love) and the Sefirah of Gevurah, (strength). Tiferet (heart) draws on both forces and integrates them. This means that

the heart melds together both our ability to love and our spiritual strength. Heart, then, represents a fascinating equation. That is; Heart on a deep human level is our love being actualized by our inner sources of strength on one hand as well as our power in life being predicated on our capacity to access and manifest love. Heart is the energy of this profound synthesis. Heart is our love manifesting in life because we have spiritual power to draw on and our strength comes online because we can love.

Rabbi Steven Fisdel

Rabbi Fisdel is a Master Kabbalist with 35 years of experience, doing spiritual counseling, teaching and public speaking in Albany, CA.