Img. ID: 438986

The following description was prepared by William Gross:

Kabbalistic diagrams resembling Porphyrian trees have been known at least since the sixteenth century as “Ilanot” [Heb. pl. Arborae; sing. "Ilan"]. [First such reference known to me is in the work of Guillaume Postel, who refers to "Ilanoth" as a genre of rabbinic literature.] Ilanot constitute visual representations of kabbalistic cosmologies from the relatively simpler forms of the thirteenth century to the far more complex and ramified systems in Lurianic Kabbalah from the sixteenth century onward. The increasing complexity of cosmic trees between the thirteenth and eighteenth centuries directly reflects the exponential ramification of kabbalistic theosophy that took place over those centuries. Given the overwhelmingly visio-spacial conceptions of the divine in its evolutionary “becoming” in these mystical traditions, Ilanot could serve as cosmic maps. This divine cartography aspired to capture the syncronic interrelations between the various facets of the godhead and creation as well as their diachronic, evolving emergence.

What’s an Ilan? Any synoptic diagrammatic presentation of kabbalistic cosmology. The basic graphical forms could range from the arboreal to the boldly anthropomorphic. Lurianic Ilanot, in their lengthy and complex presentations, often feature both, as well as spreadsheet-like tables. The iconic decadal tree is an Ilan, as is the intricately Baroque Hammerschlag Ilan. Diagrams expressing particular concepts within a larger framework, such as the illustrations that frequently accompany certain cosmogonic discussions in the Lurianic corpus, would doubtfully have been called ilanot by anyone. However simple or complex the pictorial-diagrammatic features of an Ilan, extensive textual material is frequently embedded in and around the geometrical forms. The texts may be paraphrastic chapter headings, original compositions, or the study notes of a student. Their connection to the pictorial features alongside which they appear is usually clear, with the text providing a verbal key to the quality or process depicted graphically. That said, in complex Ilanot, simple keying gives way to more complex and even inscrutable connections. Indeed, these manuscripts demand to be treated as “integrated systems of communication” that raise “questions about how verbal and visual patterns of meaning were constructed, combined, and modified.”

This example of the Ilan Aroch is more elaborately decorated that the normal scroll. The decorative effects, mainly floral, are highly unusual for the genre. The scroll is written on cow skin in six sections.

 Scroll # 6 - 12 frames (028.012.012) beautiful floral design 1800? parchment ink written 22.7X354.8cm [like prt.1] - similar to # 1

 1.       - missing [or misnumbered!]

2.       the first 2 RMP diagrams [the Circle Sefirot of the Malbush and the folding of the square folding of the Malbush]

 3.       the folding of the levush [second half of the previous?] followed by the ten Sefirot of Adam Kadmaah Stima as the 10 Tzahtzahot [sparkling lights]; followed by the 10 Sefirot as circles in Shevirah

4.       missing [or misnumbered!]

 5.       Face of Adam Kadmon as TNT"A and primordial attributes and roots of lower Partzufim; followed by the 10 Sefirot of Atika and engarmentations of higher and lower

 6.       Face of Arikh engarmenting Atik, and 13 attributes, followed by the roots of Abba vImma

7.       Engarmentation of Arikh to Abba vImma and Yisrael Sabba and Tevunah - reflecting how these also engarment A"K

 8.       Last third of the previous frame, then the engarmenting of the Zelem of Zeir

 9.       Zeir as circle, containing two levels of katnut [immaturity] and gadlut [maturity] and their correspondences; then, the Mochin [intelligence]of Leah and the Keter of Yaakov and Rachel

10.      Engarmenting of Rachel Yaakov, and the lower half of Zeir; followed by a recapitulation of En-sof [Infinite]-Atik-Arikh, similar to the second half of Scroll # 5 fr. 2, and how the lower Sefirot of Arikh embody the 8 lower Partzufim

11.      7 of those Partzufim, differentiated

12.      the rest differentiated [overlap of bottom of previous frame], then Keter of Beriah [include. A Name rarely found]

 13.      Sefirot [in Beriah?] w Tetrag. vocal, color and Heichalot [heavenly halls] Name designations

 14.      World of Yetzirah, with Archangels [!] and vocalization-angels