The Four Elements

[Nau7ik]

Hum, there are lots of interesting thoughts in here. Definitely making a lot of headway with understanding the elements.

I am not going to add too much, but I would like to point out that in the Kabbalistic tradition if you are going based on the Sepher Yetzirah then the process of the creation of the elements starts with Spirit. From Spirit is formed the Air. From the Air was formed Water, and then from the Water was formed Fire.

This is probably opposite to a lot of people who usually associated Fire with being close to Spirit, but as the animating principle it actually makes sense to come last. That which invigorates and spurs to action all the 'designs' in the Mind of God.

Thank you Aion, very interesting! The Sefer Yetzirah explains the philosophy behind the elements nicely.

[[However, I want to point out, because there has been confusion, that what I was trying to do was to look at the four elements of the material sphere, MALKUTH. That’s not really working out so let us talk about all 5 of the elements.]]

The Three Mother letters in Hebrew are Aleph, Mem, and Shin; א מ ש. (Read from right to left in Hebrew.)
Aleph is attributed air, Mem is attributed water, and Shin is attributed fire.

1st. The spirit of the living Elohim, blessed and more than blessed be the living Elohim of ages. His Voice, His Spirit, and His Word are the Holy Spirit.

2nd. He produced air from the spirit and in the air He formed and established twenty-two sounds—the letters. Three of them were fundamental, or mothers; seven were double; and twelve were simple (single); but the spirit is the first one and above all.

3rd. Primordial water He extracted from the air. He formed therein twenty-two letters and established them out of mud and loam, making them like a border, putting them up like a wall, and surrounding them as with a rampart. He poured snow upon them and it became earth, as it reads: “He said to the snow be thou earth.” (Job. xxxvii. 6.)

4th. Fire (ether) He drew forth from the water. He engraved and established by it the Throne of Glory. He fashioned the Seraphim, the Ophanim, and the Holy Living Creatures, as His ministering angels; and with (of) these three he formed His habitation, as it reads: “Who made His Angels spirits, His ministers a flaming fire.” (Psalms civ. 4.)

[...]

These are the ten ineffable existences out of nothing: From the spirit of the Living God emanated air; from the air, water; from the water, fire (ether); from the fire, the height and the depth, the East and the West, the North and the South.

—The Sepher Yetzirah, the Book of Formation