Netzach (in Hebrew: נצח “eternity”) is the seventh of ten Sefirot and is located under Chesed (“mercy”), at the base of the “Pillar of Mercy” to which also Chochmah (“wisdom”) belongs. Netzach generally translates into “eternity” but in the context of the Kabbalah this concept is also understood with Victory and Triumph (over death), both names of Netzach. It is a victory in the sense of perpetuity, and its additional appellative is in fact firmness, the idea of an energy that persists.
Netzach (נצח) also means the concept of a great force of resistance, or suffering until the accomplishment of an important goal, and can be identified in patience (like the sublime one of Job). This term appears eight times in the Holy Scriptures and the derivatives of this trilectal root נצח from the mother root נח appear more than forty times in the Hebrew text.
(1 Samuel 15, 29) וְגַם֙ נֵ֣צַח יִשְׂרׂרָאֵ֔ל לֹ֥א “Even the strength (נצח) of Israel is not…”.
(Job 34, 36) אִיּ֣וֹב עַד- נֶ֑צַח עַל- תְּ֝שֹֻ֗ת “I ask the work be tried to the limit (נצח); he will return over the men of doom.
(Psalm 13, 1 יְ֭הוָה תִּשְׁכָּחֵ֣נעַדִי נֶ֑צּח- אָ֓נָה “LORD, continuously (נצח) forget ? Until when?”
(Jeremiah 15, 18a) הָיָ֤ה כְאֵבִי֙ נֶ֔צַח וּמַכָּתִ֖י אֲנוּשָׁ֑ה֙ “Why has my suffering been endless (נצח)?”
(Amos 1, 11c) וְעֶבְרָת֖וֹ שְׁמָ֥רָה נֶֽצח׃ “and nurtured his grudge forever (נצח).”
Netzach is geometrically in front of Hod, this coupling constitutes the third group, which marks a “turning point”. While the first two groups of sefirots deal with God’s intrinsic will and what He wishes to give to man, these sefirots are primarily aimed at man.
Netzach is the “resistance”, the strength of mind and patience to follow one’s passions and is attributed to the right leg.
- Attribute:
ETERNITY – Our “strength” is forever. We are eternal beings in Spirit, and we must not be in a hurry, nor be sad when we approach death (if we remain faithful to the Divine Justice).
Everything that the true believer will leave unfinished, can be accomplished after the reincarnation of our Spirit. - Biblical characters associated:
•MOSES – Moses demonstrated great “strength,” an “everlasting perseverance.” First he waited for the fulfillment of his vocation outside the land of his birth (fleeing from Pharaoh and retiring to the land of Midian where he married Zipporah, daughter of the local priest, near Mount Horeb where he later received the call of GOD), then he waited for the 10 Plagues of Egypt to be fulfilled, and again during the 40 years wandering in the desert. He knew that he would never enter the Promised Land, but he still had the certainty of faith and the knowledge that he could do it through the eternal Spirit, in another body, and for this reason he worked hard to complete his Mission.
Moses remained “eternally” as the one who gave us the Law of GOD. - Associated body part:
RIGHT LEG – The element associated with this sephira is the right leg. The right leg is always the first to move in the correct direction. Right indicates the most exalted part of us (closest to GOD).
After having “achieved” Yesod, one’s can continue either towards the right side (Netzach) or the left side (Hod). Those who choose this “path” have fully understood the power of the immortality of the Soul. Like Moses, who in spite of the first vacillations, succeeds in leaving the land of Egypt where the people of GOD were oppressed. He knows his weak human nature, but gains strength from his spiritual and eternal nature, continuing undaunted towards the Promised Land.
- Consciousness:
• To be conscious, aware of one’s immense potential as children of the Creator, and supreme creatures above all (created in the image and likeness of GOD). Finally acquiring Netzach we are certain of our eternity: the body (the simple shell of the Spirit) will soon die, but we will continue through our descendants our Great Work. We will see with our eyes (not carnal, but immaterial) the arrival, the Peace, the Grace. - To feel chosen:
• The greatest Gift that GOD has granted us, is to make us know our “likeness” to the Eternal One (as claimed in Genesis 5, 1). By acquiring Netzach we understand that the Eternity of our most valuable side, the immortal Soul, makes us feel elected, chosen in the Book of Life. Those who ascend the ladder by improving themselves, just by trying it, will consider themselves elected, and this will generate great satisfaction in life. Finally we will have a worthy purpose.
- Malkut (through 1 – aleph – א)
- Yesod (through 4 – dalet – ד )
- Chesed (through 10 – yod – י )
- Tipharet (through 8 – chet – ח )