Hishtalshelut (השתלשלות): Chain of Being

From God’s absolute oneness the finite reality of the universe develops.

Hishtalshelut is the “Chain of Being” or “evolution,” describing the sequential, gradual, and developmental process by which the finite universe emerges from the absolute, infinite unity of God (Ein Sof). It explains the unfolding of reality through descending, increasingly condensed stages, acting as a “step-down transformer” that allows the infinite divine light to inhabit creation.