Matt describes that evolution best explains Kabbalah. He explains that evolution follows a path of ascent, which he compares to divinity (Matt, 1994, p. 31). Evolution studies how species start off from a common ancestor and branches upward to more closely related species. Many times these branches go on and on for awhile. Matt took this concept and related it to the Sefirot. All human beings start at the level below the Shekhinah. The goal of the human being is to ascend through the many branches of the Sefirot, while keeping things in balanced so that the Ein Sof bring down grace. Matt says, “How can one despair, seeing that everything evolves and ascends?” (1994). Looking at evolution, it gives a sense of happiness because human beings have come a long way. Also, looking at the Sefirot, one cannot feel anything, but optimism because when we look up we can see that only good things can…show more content… Sherwin had several views that were similar to Matt and others that were very different. A way that Sherwin sees evolution differently is through the transmigration of the human body. Sherwin states a person's soul can be reincarnated to either a higher form or a lower form depending on the sins they commuted or the good deeds they did in their life time. A person who committed several harsh sins, can start from a lower life form such as a plant and evolve to a higher life from such as an animal (Sherwin, 2006, p.205). The energy the life form creates can be used to help the soul evolve for observing the commandments and studying the torah. The soul transmigration is very different from the way Matt saw how one can ascend and evolve, but there are things that there are very similar. Matt said one can look up and see the good things that are yet to come. In this version, one can come up
