Adam Kadmon

In Kabbalah, Adam Kadmon (‫ָאָדם ַקְדמוֹן‬, ʾāḏām qaḏmōn, "Primordial Man") also called Adam
Elyon (‫ָאָדם ֶﬠִליוֹן‬, ʾāḏām ʿelyōn, "Most High Man"), or Adam Ila'ah (‫ָאָדם ִﬠיָלָּאה‬, ʾāḏām ʿīllāʾā
"Supreme Man"), sometimes abbreviated as A"K (‫א"ק‬, ʾA.Q.), is the first of Four Worlds that
came into being after the contraction of God's infinite light. Adam Kadmon is not the same as
the physical Adam Ha-Rishon.

In Lurianic Kabbalah, the description of Adam Kadmon is anthropomorphic. Nonetheless,

Adam Kadmon is divine light without vessels, i.e., pure potential. In the human psyche, Adam
Kadmon corresponds to the yechidah, the collective essence of the soul.

In Judaism

Philo
The first to use the expression "original man," or "heavenly man," was Philo, in whose view the
γενικός, or οὐράνιος ἄνθρωπος, "as being born in the image of God, has no participation in any
corruptible or earthlike essence; whereas the earthly man is made of loose material, called a
lump of clay."[1] The heavenly man, as the perfect image of the Logos, is neither man nor
woman, but an incorporeal intelligence purely an idea; while the earthly man, who was created
by God later, is perceptible to the senses and partakes of earthly qualities.[2] Philo is evidently
combining philosophy and Midrash, Plato and the rabbis.

Setting out from the duplicate biblical account of Adam, who was formed in the image of God
(Genesis 1:27 (https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0101.htm#27)), and of the first man, whose
body God formed from the earth (Genesis 2:7 (https://mechon-mamre.org/p/pt/pt0102.htm#
7)), he combines with it the Platonic theory of forms; taking the primordial Adam as the idea,
and the created man of flesh and blood as the "image." That Philo's philosophic views are
grounded on the Midrash, and not vice versa, is evident from his seemingly senseless statement
that the "heavenly man," the οὐράνιος ἄνθρωπος (who is merely an idea), is "neither man nor
woman." This doctrine, however, becomes quite intelligible in view of the following ancient
Midrash.

Midrash
The remarkable contradiction between Genesis 1:27 and Genesis 2:7 could not escape the
attention of the Pharisees, for whom the Bible was a subject of close study. In explaining the
various views concerning Eve's creation, they taught[3] that Adam was created as a man-woman
(androgynos), explaining "‫( "ָזָ֥כר וּ ְנֵקָ֖בה‬Genesis 1:27 (https://bible.oremus.org/?passage=Genesi
s%201:27&version=nrsv)) as "male and female" instead of "man and woman," and that the
separation of the sexes arose from the subsequent operation upon Adam's body, as related in
the Scripture. This explains Philo's statement that the original man was neither man nor
woman.
This doctrine concerning the Logos, as also that of man made "in the likeness,"[4] although
tinged with true Philonic coloring, is also based on the theology of the Pharisees. Genesis
Rabbah:

Thou hast formed me behind and before' (Psalms 139:5 (https://bible.oremus.org/?pa

ssage=Psalms%20139:5&version=nrsv)) is to be explained 'before the first and after
the last day of Creation.' For it is said, 'And the spirit of God moved upon the face of
the waters,' meaning the spirit of the Messiah ["the spirit of Adam" in the parallel
passage, Midr. Teh. to cxxxix. 5; both readings are essentially the same], of whom it is
said (Isaiah 11:2), 'And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him.'[5]

This contains the kernel of Philo's philosophical doctrine of the creation of the original man. He
calls him the idea of the earthly Adam, while with the rabbis the spirit (‫ )רוח‬of Adam not only
existed before the creation of the earthly Adam, but was preexistent to the whole of creation.
From the preexisting Adam, or Messiah, to the Logos is merely a step.

Kabbalah
In Kabbalah, before creation began, all that existed was God's Infinite Light. The first stage of
creation began when God contracted His Infinite Light to create the vacuum. Then a ray of
divine light penetrated the vacuum and the persona of Adam Kadmon was projected into the
vacuum. The first stage of Adam Kadmon was in the form of ten concentric circles (igulim),
which emanated from the ray. The ray of light was then enclothed by the anthropomorphic form
of Adam Kadmon (yosher), which is a realm of infinite divine light without vessels, constrained
by its potential to create future Existence. Adam Kadmon is sometimes referred to as Adam
Ila'a (Aramaic: "upper man") or Adam Elyon (Hebrew: "upper man").

The soul of Adam HaRishon ("the first man") was the supreme essence of mankind. It contained
within it all subsequent souls. In the midrash, he is sometimes referred to as Adam HaKadmoni
("the ancient man"),[6] Adam Tata'a (Aramaic: "lower man") or Adam Tachton (Hebrew:
"lower man").

The anthropomorphic name of Adam Kadmon denotes that it contains both the ultimate divine
purpose for creation, i.e., mankind, as well as an embodiment of the Sefirot (divine attributes).
Adam Kadmon is paradoxically both "Adam" and divine ("Kadmon-Primary").

Adam Kadmon preceded the manifestation of the Four Worlds, Atzilut ("emanation"), Beriah
("creation"), Yetzirah ("formation") and Asiyah ("action"). Whereas each of the Four Worlds is
represented by one letter of the divine four-lettered name of God, Adam Kadmon is represented
by the transcendental cusp of the first letter Yud.

In the system of the sefirot, Adam Kadmon corresponds to Keter ("crown"), the divine will that
motivated creation.

The two versions of Kabbalistic theosophy, the "medieval/classic/Zoharic" (systemised by

Moshe Cordovero) and the more comprehensive Lurianic, describe the process of descending
worlds differently. For Cordovero, the sefirot, Adam Kadmon and the Four Worlds evolve
sequentially from the Ein Sof (divine infinity). For Luria, creation is a dynamic process of divine
exile-rectification enclothement, where Adam Kadmon is preceded by the Tzimtzum (Divine
"contraction") and followed by Shevira (the "shattering" of the sefirot).

Closely related to the Philonic doctrine of the heavenly Adam is the Adam Ḳadmon (called also
Adam 'Ilaya, the "high man," the "heavenly man") of the Zohar, whose conception of the original
man can be deduced from the following passages: "The form of man is the image of everything
that is above [in heaven] and below [upon earth]; therefore did the Holy Ancient [God] select it
for His own form."[7]

As with Philo the Logos is the original image of man, or the original man, so in the Zohar the
heavenly man is the embodiment of all divine manifestations: the ten Sefirot, the original image
of man. The heavenly Adam, stepping forth out of the highest original darkness, created the
earthly Adam.[8] In other words, the activity of the original essence manifested itself in the
creation of man, who at the same time is the image of the heavenly man and of the universe,[9]
just as with Plato and Philo the idea of man, as microcosm, embraces the idea of the universe or
macrocosm.

The conception of Adam Ḳadmon becomes an important factor in the later Kabbalah of Isaac
Luria. Adam Ḳadmon is with him no longer the concentrated manifestation of the Sefirot, but a
mediator between the En-Sof ("infinite") and the Sefirot. The En-Sof, according to Luria, is so
utterly incomprehensible that the older Kabbalistic doctrine of the manifestation of the En-Sof
in the Sefirot must be abandoned. Hence he teaches that only the Adam Ḳadmon, who arose in
the way of self-limitation by the En-Sof, can be said to manifest himself in the Sefirot. This
theory of Luria is treated by Ḥayyim Vital in "'Eẓ Ḥayyim; Derush 'Agulim we-Yosher" (Treatise
on Circles and the Straight Line).

Gnosticism
The Primeval Man (Protanthropos, Adam) occupies a prominent place in several Gnostic
systems. In the Coptic Nag Hammadi texts, the archetypical Adam is known as Pigeradamas or
Geradamas.[10] According to Irenaeus[11] the Aeon Autogenes emits the true and perfect
Anthrôpos, also called Adamas; he has a helpmate, "Perfect Knowledge", and receives an
irresistible force, so that all things rest in him. Others say[12] there is a blessed and incorruptible
and endless light in the power of Bythos; this is the Father of all things who is invoked as the
First Man, who, with his Ennoia, emits "the Son of Man", or Euteranthrôpos.[13]

According to Valentinus, Adam was created in the name of Anthrôpos and overawes the demons
by the fear of the pre-existent man (tou proontos anthropou). In the Valentinian syzygies and in
the Marcosian system, we meet in the fourth (originally the third) place Anthrôpos and Ecclesia.
[13]

In the Pistis Sophia, the Aeon Jeu is called the First Man, he is the overseer of the Light,
messenger of the First Precept, and constitutes the forces of the Heimarmene. In the Books of
Jeu this "great Man" is the King of the Light-treasure, he is enthroned above all things and is the
goal of all souls.[13]

According to the Naassenes, the Protanthropos is the first element; the fundamental being
before its differentiation into individuals. "The Son of Man" is the same being after it has been
individualized into existing things and thus sunk into
matter.[13]

The Gnostic Anthrôpos, therefore, or Adamas, as it is

sometimes called, is a cosmogonic element, pure mind as
distinct from matter, mind conceived hypostatically as
emanating from God and not yet darkened by contact with
matter. This mind is considered as the reason of humanity,
or humanity itself, as a personified idea, a category without
corporeality, the human reason conceived as the World-
Soul. The same idea, somewhat modified, occurs in
Hermetic literature, especially the Poimandres.[13]

In Manichaeism
A portion of these Gnostic teachings, when combined with
Zoroastrianism, furnished Mani with his particular doctrine
of the original man. He even retains the Jewish designations
"Adam Kadmon" (= ‫ )אדם קדמון‬and "Nakhash Kadmon" (=
‫)נחש קדמון‬, as may be seen in Al-Fihrist. But, according to
Mani, the original man is fundamentally distinct from the
first father of the human race. He is a creation of the King of
Light, and is therefore endowed with five elements of the
kingdom of light; whereas Adam really owes his existence to Adam Ḳadmon—Diagram illustrating
the Sefirot (Divine Attributes). (From
the kingdom of darkness, and only escapes belonging
Christian Ginsburg, The Kabbalah -
altogether to the number of demons through the fact that he
its Doctrines, Development &
bears the likeness of the original man in the elements of Literature)
light contained within him. The Gnostic doctrine of the
identity of Adam, as the original man, with the Messiah
appears in Mani in his teaching of the "Redeeming Christ," who has his abode in the sun and
moon, but is[14] identical with the original man. It also appears in this theory that Adam was the
first of the sevenfold series of true prophets, comprising Adam, Seth, Noah, Abraham,
Zoroaster, Buddha, and Jesus. The stepping-stone from the Gnostic original man to
Manichaeism was probably the older Mandaean conception, which may have exercised great
influence. Of this conception, however, there remains in the later Mandaean writings little more
than the expression "Gabra Ḳadmaya" (Adam Ḳadmon).[15]

In Mandaeism
Adam Kasia, also referred to using the portmanteau Adakas in the Ginza Rabba,[16] means "the
hidden Adam" in Mandaic.[17] The hidden Adam is also called Adam Qadmaiia ("First Adam")
[17] or Gabra Qadmaiia ("First Man"). In Mandaeism, it means the soul of the first man and the

soul of every human.[17][18][19][20] Adam Kasia shows many similarities with the Jewish idea of
Adam Kadmon.[21]

In other traditions
Outside of an Abrahamic context, the Cosmic Man is also an archetypical figure that appears in
creation myths of a wide variety of cultures. Generally he is described as bestowing life upon all
things, and is also frequently the physical basis of the world, such that after death parts of his
body became physical parts of the universe. He also represents the oneness of human existence,
or the universe.

For instance, in the Purusha sukta of the Rigveda, Purusha (Sanskrit puruṣa, पु ष "man," or
"Cosmic Man") is sacrificed by the devas from the foundation of the world—his mind is the
Moon, his eyes are the Sun, and his breath is the wind. He is described as having a thousand
heads and a thousand feet.[22]

In popular culture
One tradition associates Adam Kadmon or the biblical Adam and the figure of Cadmus in Greek
mythology, both associated with dragons/serpents.[23][24]

The Marvel Comics character Eternity has called himself Adam Qadmon.[25]

In Persona 5 Royal, the ultimate Persona of the antagonist Takuto Maruki is named Adam
Kadmon. [26]

See also
Adam and Eve
Adam-God Doctrine
Original Sin

References
1. Fhilo, De Allegoriis Legum, I. xii.
2. Philo, De Mundi Opificio, i. 46.
3. Gen. R. viii.
4. Philo, De Confusione Linguarum, xxviii.
5. Gen. R. viii. 1.
6. Numbers Rabbah 10:2
7. Idra R. 141b.
8. Zohar, ii. 70b.
9. Zohar, ii. 48.
10. Meyer, Marvin (2007). The Nag Hammadi scriptures. New York: HarperOne.
ISBN 978-0-06-162600-5. OCLC 124538398 (https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/124538398).
11. Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, I, xxix, 3.
12. Irenaeus, I, xxx.
13. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
public domain: Arendzen, John Peter (1909). "Gnosticism". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).
Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 6. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
14. As Kessler, in Herzog's "Realencyclopädie für Protestant. Theologie," 2 ed. ix. 247, has
pointed out.
15. Kolasta, i. 11.
16. Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba (https://livingwaterbooks.com.au/product/ginza-rba/).
Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.
17. Manfred Lurker (2004). The Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and
Demons (https://books.google.com/books?id=Vtj0wSsw1JcC&pg=PA3). Psychology Press.
p. 3. ISBN 978-0-415-34018-2.
18. Drower, E. S. (1959). The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Brill.
ISBN 978-90-04-00496-2.
19. Drower, E.S. (2002). The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran: Their Cults, Customs, Magic
Legends, and Folklore. Gorgias Press. ISBN 1931956499.
20. Drower, E.S. (1960). The Secret Adam - The Study of Nasoraean Gnosis (http://khazarzar.s
keptik.net/books/mandaean/adam.pdf) (PDF). Oxford University Press.
21. "Adam Kadmon" (https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/adam-kadmon).
www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 11 January 2020.
22. Rigveda, 10.90. (http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv10090.htm)
23. Beer, John B. (1969). Blake's Visionary Universe (https://archive.org/details/blakesvisionary
u00beer). Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 340 (https://archive.org/details/blake
svisionaryu00beer/page/340). Retrieved 12 November 2016. "It is likely, on the other hand,
that the name 'Cadmus' reminded Blake of Adam Kadmon, the primitive Man of the
Cabbala, and so set him thinking about the curse on Adam and his sons — the curse, that
is, that lies upon all men. [...] The resemblance between 'Cadmus' and Adam Kadmon, it
may be added, would focus Blake's attention all the more closely on this story of two divine
figures who were transformed into harmless serpents [...]"
24. Nesbit, Thomas (2007). "6: The Rosy Crucifixion". Henry Miller and Religion (https://books.g
oogle.com/books?id=VpX7f39T1SAC). Studies in major literary authors. New York:
Routledge. p. 117. ISBN 9780415956031. Retrieved 12 November 2016. "Twice, [Henry
Miller] acknowledges his lineage to "Adam Cadmus," a fusion of Adam and the Greek god
Cadmus, who was the grandfather of Dionysus and father to Semele."
25. "DRSTR13_AdamQadmon.jpg" (https://web.archive.org/web/20190111003821/http://www.su
permegamonkey.net/chronocomic/entries/scans13/DRSTR13_AdamQadmon.jpg).
SuperMegaMonkey's Marvel Comics Chronology. Archived from the original (http://www.sup
ermegamonkey.net/chronocomic/entries/scans13/DRSTR13_AdamQadmon.jpg) on 11
January 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
26. Atlus (31 October 2019). Persona 5 Royal (PlayStation 4) (1.0 ed.). Sega. Level/area:
Laboratory of Sorrow. "Takuto Maruki: 'With my power- No... with mine and Adam
Kadmon's together, our reality is nigh!' "

Attribution
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Singer, Isidore;
et al., eds. (1901–1906). "Adam Kadmon" (http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?letter=A
&artid=761). The Jewish Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls.

External links
Adam Kadmon—The Divine Names (http://www.kheper.net/topics/Kabbalah/Lurianic-AdamK
admon.htm) Archived (https://web.archive.org/web/20031013172723/http://www.kheper.net/t
opics/Kabbalah/Lurianic-AdamKadmon.htm) 13 October 2003 at the Wayback Machine
Two stages of Adam Kadmon (https://web.archive.org/web/20031204183610/http://www.inn
er.org/worlds/1adamkad.htm)
Adam Kadmon Primordial Man (http://www.newkabbalah.com/adam.html)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adam_Kadmon&oldid=1221326115"