Sephirothic System Of Ten Divine Names

Systema Sephirotica

(The Tree of Life aka Sephirothic System Of Ten Divine Names)

Q: I keep seeing that Tree of Life thingy (aka Systema Sephirotica [or even System Sephiroth]) all over the place in the series, the movies and even on other pages. What the hell is it and why is it what the EVAs transform into during the Third Impact?

A: The Tree of Life plays a pretty big role in the story of Evangelion. After all, the Sephiroth is a map between humankind and God. It essentially gives directions on how to get to Heaven (and don't forget that it was also the Tree of Wisdom that brought about mankind's downfall in the Garden of Eden, and so it goes that the Tree of Life will bring us back to Eternal Happiness ^_~). Perhaps "enlightened" people (i.e. people that had gone through the trials of the Sephiroth) were needed for the Third Impact and became their own type of "god".

The story goes that mankind stole the Fruit of Wisdom from the Tree of Wisdom and learned science and logic and were driven from Paradise (but with this undergoes science we created the EVAs and the Human Complementation Project). The Angels were instead allowed to eat from the Tree of Life and gained eternal spirits.

To begin with, the Tree of Life consists of ten rings and 22 lines (which is the primary mandala of the Jewish Kabalah). Through a symbolic process of manifestation (or FORCE precipitating into FORM) the force in organization an increase in complexity and density on descending the Tree.

The rings are called Sephirah (or Major Paths of Wisdom) and represent established forms of existence (form concepts) as they divide up God (each being a different aspect of God). The lines are called the Minor Paths of Wisdom and represent established forms of consciousness (force concepts).

The gist of the System is it is a means of converting us humans (from Malchut) to God (at Keter and beyond) and vice versa. Basically, each different aspect is a bit more advanced and beyond mere mortal's limited comprehension (one has to advance to the next Sephirah in order to come close to understanding the following one).

Shinji could've been charted to go through all these tests of the System, but finally refused the last one, the last synchronization - Keter. The virtue for Keter is "Completion of the Great Work". Since Shinji's Eva was in the position of Yesod (Foundation) which takes the physical aspects of Malchut (Kingdom, or Earth - where we humans are) and converts them to spirits (which Rei/Lilith was consuming), if our good old wuss-boy Shinji stopped, then the spirits stopped coming too @_@

The Angels, by extraction, were elevated beings as well (much higher than lowly unenlightened humans). That's what humanity needed for the Third Impact, to become a kind of elevated being themselves and enter Heaven, enlightenment. To become their own Ein Soph. (or Ayn Sof - without name).

Below you will find each of Shinji's trials for the Sephiroth (they're in chronological order):

Malchut, kingdom - Hard to tell. This is the earth Sephira, so he might not have had to do anything but be born. But since Malchut's virtue is 'discrimination', I think it was probably his refusal to enter the Eva-01 for me, but to do it for the right reason - Rei.

Yesod, foundation - Also hard to tell. The virtue is 'independence', so I guess the best example would be when he runs away. However, this is also a change from physical to spiritual, so I think it might be his gradual opening up to things, possibly acceptance of the Entry Plug (throne of souls?).

Hod, glory - The virtue is honesty... so perhaps beginning to be honest about his feelings? He does in the Jet Alone episode with Misato, and he does in the Rei II episode with Rei... and the falling Angel episode, he realizes why he pilots and he stops lying to himself.

Netzach, victory - The virtue is unselfishness. Perhaps the training with Asuka to overcome Israfel helped him to become more giving of himself? To learn to share?

Tiphares, splendor - The virtue is devotion to the great work. I think this is when he falls into the Sea of Dirac due to his high opinion of himself (splendor), but then gets out by his devotion to the great work (destroying angels, etc..).

Chesed, mercy - Easy. Refusing to kill Toji in Eva-03. However, it was sort of the opposite of it's virtue, obedience (although he was forced into obedience by his father's act of initializing the dummy plug).

G'vurah, strength - Beating the snot outta the 14th Angel (Zeruel) that almost destroyed everything that meant anything to him (butchered Asuka, Rei, almost all of NERV and GeoFront...) and his subsequent strength of mind that aided him to escape the consciousness of the Eva before he melded with it. The virtue is courage.

Binah, understanding - Learning everything from Ritsuko... about Rei, Evas, etc. The virtue is silence, he had nobody to talk to anymore.

Hohma, wisdom - Learning about the sweet parts of life from Kaworu, but being devoted enough to destroying angels to kill him. The virtue is devotion.

Keter, crown - Completing the Sephiroth, gaining his fiery wings. HOWEVER, he doesn't complete Keter, as he refuses all of it, and destroys Lillith/Rei and the entire human race.... Or maybe he doesn't.

More info

The Tree of Life (The Original, since 1994)

Ikari Gendo's Ultimate EVA FAQs