Luria, Isaac
(1534–1572). Also known as the Holy Lion. He led a group of Kabbalists
in Tzfat in the north of the Land of Israel. Luria developed the Kabbalah he
inherited into a far more elaborate system involving four different worlds
within the supernal realm. He also innovated a creation myth that involves
tsimtsum, or divine withdrawal to create a space that is not divine in order to
create the world. In the subsequent process of creation, there was a shattering
of vessels containing divine energy; our task is to repair (tikkun) those
shattered vessels through the performance of the commandments with the proper
intention. Lurianic Kabbalah was influential for centuries.
Courtesy: Professor Shai Cherry
