The concept of the Sephirot is generally understood in the Kabbalistic tradition, as events which take place within the life of God. The Sephirot are also a way of man relating to God and of explaining certain existential and historical phenomena. Whereas the system of Sephirot explains the emergence of the natural world, as the externalized language of God or as the emanation from the Ein-Sof and Its generative activity, this does not imply a clear and detailed metaphysic.The ethical dimension of the Sephirot was not neglected. Thus, Cordovero and his Tomer Devorah and de Vides in his Reshit Hokhmah write elaborate works of Musar. Nevertheless, the Kabbalah is here used in didactic fashion rather than in a sub-stantive way, and the Sephirot are invoked more Illustratively than substantively and mystically.R. Dov Ber of Mezeritsch, the”Great Maggid,” as a genuine Kabballst, and as a student of the Besht, both continues the Kabbalistic tradition and Introduces certain variations. These variations are not always reflective of what is popularly con-sidered Hasidism, but rather a profound turn of mind which lays the theoretical basis for later Hasidism, especially HaBaD.The Sephirot as metaphysics: The term is here used quite literally, as a non-physical explanation of the physical universe. One example is: An analysis of the phenomenon of change. Pre-Socratic and later Greek philosophers — differing views expressed by Thales and Parmenides. The Aristotelian system of metaphysics is based on the problem of change. Similarly, the Maggld di«-cusses the question of change. It has already been described in an article HUCA by the late Joseph G. Weiss. Essentially, it involved a meditation in which an object is regressed to the sphere of ^/י/-^^ , where annihilation of all differences and distinctness takes place, thus allowing It to egress in a changed form. I add two points to Weiss’ paper -- one an addition, one a revision. I am not convinced that Weiss is correct in term…