Qlippoth
In the Zohar, Lurianic Kabbalah, and Hermetic Qabalah, the Qlippoth (Hebrew: קְלִיפּוֹת, romanized: qəlippōṯ, lit. “peels”, “shells”, or “husks”, sg. קְלִפָּה qəlippā; originally, Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: קְלִיפִּין, romanized: qəlippin) are the representation of evil or impure spiritual forces in Jewish mysticism, the opposites of the sefirot. The realm of evil is called Sitra Achra (Jewish Babylonian Aramaic: סִטְרָא אַחְרָא, romanized: siṭrā ʾaḥrā, lit. ‘the Other Side’) in Kabbalistic texts.
The Kabbalah “Tree of Death” is a schema representing the Qlippoth, the negative or impure spiritual forces in Jewish mysticism, as the inverse of the Tree of Life. While the Tree of Life guides the soul toward divine unity, the Tree of Death, or Qlippothic Tree, represents chaotic and adversarial forces. It is used in modern occultism for spiritual development by confronting and integrating these “shadow” aspects of the psyche, sometimes described as a path to the underworld or a connection to alternate dimensions.
Structure and relationship to the Tree of Life
- Opposite forces: Each of the 10 Qlippoth (spheres) on the Tree of Death corresponds to one of the 10 Sefirot on the Tree of Life, but represents an evil or distorted aspect of the divine.
- Inverted diagram: The Tree of Death is often depicted as an upside-down version of the Tree of Life to show the connection between the two, with the last Sefirah (Malkuth) touching the last Qlippah (Lilith).
- “Where holiness ends, the Qlippoth begin”: The Zohar states that the Qlippoth are the forces that emerge at the boundary where the divine ends.
Significance and interpretation
- Symbol of evil: Originally, the Qlippoth were seen as a symbolic representation of spiritual impurity and forces that hinder spiritual growth.
- Path of occultists: In modern occult traditions, particularly those on the “left-hand path,” the Tree of Death is a map for spiritual practice.
- Confronting the shadow: Occultists may engage with the Qlippoth to understand and integrate the darker or neglected aspects of the self and reality to achieve a more holistic spiritual existence.
- Not the same as the Tree of Knowledge: In some interpretations, the Tree of Death is also referred to as the “Tree of Knowledge,” but this can be confused with the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil mentioned in the Book of Genesis, which is different from the Qlippothic Tree.
AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.occult.live/index.php/Qlippoth
[2] https://www.occult.live/index.php?title=Tree_of_Death&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop
[5] https://www.occult.live/index.php?title=Qlippoth&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop
[7] https://www.occult.live/index.php?title=Lilith_(qlippoth)&mobileaction=toggle_view_desktop