# Zeir Anpin

Part of a series on :
Kabbalah :
Concepts
Ein Sof
Tzimtzum
Ohr
Ayin and Yesh
Sefirot
Four Worlds
Seder hishtalshelut
Tree of Life
The path of the flaming sword
Merkavah
Jewish angelic hierarchy
Shekhinah
Partzufim
Qlippoth
Tohu and Tikun
Sparks of holiness
Messianic rectification
Gilgul
Kabbalistic astrology
Gematria
Notarikon
Temurah
Names of God in Judaism
Shemhamphorasch
Tzadik
Tzadikim Nistarim
Anthropomorphism in Kabbalah
Panentheism :
History
Pre-Kabbalistic Jewish mysticism
Tannaim
Heichalot
Sefer Yetzirah
Chassidei Ashkenaz
Medieval
Bahir
Toledano tradition
Prophetic Kabbalah
Zohar
Kabbalistic commentaries on the Bible
Mainstream displacement of rationalism with Kabbalah
Renaissance
Selective influence on Western thought
Hermetic Qabalah
Mysticism after Spanish expulsion
Mystics of 16th-century Safed
Cordoveran Kabbalah
Lurianic Kabbalah
Maharal's thought
Popular Kabbalistic Mussar
Early modern
Baal Shem-Nistarim
Sabbatean mystical heresies
Emden–Eybeschutz controversy
Immigration to the Land of Israel
Traditional Oriental Kabbalists
Beit El Synagogue
Eastern European Judaism
Hasidic Judaism / philosophy
Lithuanian Jews
Hasidic-Mitnagdic schism
Modern
Hasidic dynasties
Mysticism in religious Zionism
Academic interest in Jewish mysticism
Non-Orthodox interest in Jewish mysticism
English
James Lees' :
Practices
Torah study
Mystical exegesis
Mitzvot
Minhag
Customary immersion in mikveh
Meditation
Kavanot
Teshuvah
Deveikut
Prayer
Nusach
Tikkun Chatzot
Tikkun Leil Shavuot
Pilgrimage to Tzadik
Pilgrimage to holy grave
Lag BaOmer at Meron
Asceticism
Rosicrucianism
Practical Kabbalah :
People
100s
Four Who Entered the Pardes
Simeon bar Yochai
1100s
Isaac the Blind
Azriel
1200s
Nahmanides
Abraham Abulafia
Joseph ben Abraham Gikatilla
Moses de Leon
Menahem Recanati
1300s
Bahya ben Asher
1400s
1500s
Meir ibn Gabbai
Joseph Karo
Shlomo Alkabetz
Moshe Alshich
Moses ben Jacob Cordovero
Isaac Luria
Chaim Vital
Judah Loew ben Bezalel
1600s
Isaiah Horowitz
Abraham Azulai
1700s
Chaim ibn Attar
Baal Shem Tov
Dov Ber of Mezeritch
Moshe Chaim Luzzatto
Shalom Sharabi
Vilna Gaon
Chaim Joseph David Azulai
Nathan Adler
Schneur Zalman of Liadi
Chaim Volozhin
1800s
Nachman of Breslov
Ben Ish Chai
Shlomo Eliyashiv
1900s
Abraham Isaac Kook
Yehuda Ashlag
Baba Sali
Menachem Mendel Schneerson :
Role
History
Torah
Tanakh
Prophecy
Ruach HaKodesh
Pardes exegesis
Talmudical hermeneutics
Midrash
Jewish commentaries on the Bible
Oral Torah
Eras of Rabbinic Judaism
Generational descent in Halacha
Generational ascent in Kabbalah
Rabbinic literature
Talmudic theology
Halakha
Aggadah
Hakira
Classic Mussar literature
Ashkenazi Judaism
Sephardi Judaism
Modern Jewish philosophies
Jewish studies
Topics
God in Judaism
Divine transcendence
Divine immanence
Free will
Divine providence
Kabbalistic reasons for the 613 Mitzvot
Jewish principles of faith
Jewish eschatology
Primary texts :
vte :
Ze`ir Anpin (Aramaic: זְעֵיר אַנפִּין meaning "Lesser Countenance/Small Face", is a revealed aspect of God in Kabbalah, comprising the emotional sephirot attributes: Chesed, Gevurah, Tiphereth, Netzach, Hod and Yesod.
The Zohar's imagery expounds its role in Creation, where it is the microscopic equivalent of Arich Anpin (Macroprosopus) in the Sephirotic tree of life. The Sifra D'Tzniuta portrays it as the revealed face of God, and the Idra Rabba elaborates on the Kabbalistic significance of its several attributes. In 16th century Lurianic doctrine it becomes systemised as one of the 6 Primary Partzufim Divine Personae, as part of the cosmic process of Tikkun Rectification.

## Uniting Zeir Anpin-Short Face with Nukvah-Female

Zeir Anpin, the emotional sephirot centered on Tiferet (Beauty), is the transcendent revelation of God to Creation ("The Holy One Blessed Be He"), a perceptible manifestation of the essential Divine infinity (the Tetragrammaton name of God). Nukvah ("Female" of Zeir Anpin) is the indwelling immanent Shekhinah (Feminine Divine Presence) within Creation, the concealed Divine finitude (the name Elokim). In Medieval Kabbalah, the sin of Adam, as well as later sin, introduces apparent separation (perceived from Creation) between the two, bringing exile and constriction on High. The task of man is restoring union (Yichud) to the Male and Female Divine manifestations. This is the origin of the Kabbalistic prayer formula recited before performing a Jewish observance. Within the tetragrammaton, the first two letters signify the Concealed World/Upper Unity with God, and the latter two signify the Created World/Lower Unity:
   "For the sake of the union of the Holy One Blessed be He, and His Shekhinah, to unite the name Y-H with V-H in a perfect union, in the name of all Israel"
In Lurianic Kabbalah, the origin of disharmony in the Sephirot is located earlier, in the primordial Realm of Tohu before the creation of Man, though later sin brings further exile. The task of man, while also affecting Male-Female union on High, involves Messianic redemption of the exiled "Sparks of Holiness" (Birur) from Tohu that are scattered within Physical existence. Birur becomes the inner dimension of Yichud. Each indwelling spark is relatively female in relation to the person who redeems it from captivity. The collectivity of all sparks, similar to the collective People of Israel, also comprises the exiled Shekhinah, awaiting raising up to God.