The ten sefirot have names. These names are the vessels for the sefirot. The reason for this is because a name draws out the essence and spreads it forth into revelation. This is understood by the fact that when one’s name is called out, it draws that person’s essential identity and attention toward the caller. Furthermore, a name is what gives description to something. This is to say that a description is a name. Now, a name is not the actual thing itself. Rather, it brings the essence of the thing to light and defines its specific form. If someone were to go to a craftsman and tell him, “make it for me”, without defining it by name, such as make a chair for me or make a table for me, the craftsman would surely not know what to make. He would simply not know what is wanted of him. Even if the person who placed the order has a clear picture in his own mind of what he wants, nonetheless, since no description was given, the object will never be made. It is the description of this thing, i.e. its name, which reveals it to the craftsman, and makes it possible for the object to come into actuality. Likewise above, the names of the sefirot etc. are the descriptions which contain and bring the G-dly light into revelation. Without the vessels of the names and descriptions, the G-dly lights could not be tangible and would remain completely beyond tangible comprehension and definition.[1]
[1] (Footnote: In general, the ineffable name of G-d has four letters, Y-H-V-H (Hebrew). Each of these letters corresponds to and represents particular sefirot. The thorn of the first letter, Yod, corresponds to Keter. This is because it is from this tiny point that everything originates. Nonetheless, it remains completely hidden. The body of the Yod itself, corresponds to Chochmah. This is because, as mentioned above, Chochmah, like the Yod, is a point, the seminal drop which flashes into Binah. Binah corresponds to the first Heh of the Holy Name. This is because this is where the point of Chochmah becomes expanded and developed into a tangible comprehendible thought with a length and width, similar to the shape of the Heh. The next letter is Vav, whose numerical value is 6. The Vav corresponds to the 6 emotional sefirot. The final letter is Heh. This corresponds to Malchut, which represents tangible actualization.
More particularly, just as the sefirot subdivide into many subdivisions, so too, this name can be expanded as well. Now since a name is a description or explanation of something, then an expansion of a name means that it is an explanation of the explanation. There are four general expansions of the ineffable name of G-d which also correspond to the subdivisions of the sefirot. These expansions too can be further expanded etc. In general, the following four expansions of the ineffable name are used:
The first is YOD-HY-VYV-HY (Hebrew) and is expanded with Yods. This is the name of 72-A”V (H) which is its numerical value. This name corresponds to Chochmah.
The second is YOD-HY-VAV-HY (Hebrew) and is expanded with Yods and an Aleph. This is the name of 63-SA”G (H) which is its numerical value. This name corresponds to Binah.
The third is YOD-HA-VAV-HA (Hebrew) and is expanded with Alephs. This is the name of 45-M”AH (H) which is its numerical value. This name corresponds to Zeir Anpin, the six emotional attributes.
The last is YOD-HH-VV-HH (Hebrew). This is the name of 52-B”AN (H) which is its numerical value. This name corresponds to Malchut.
These various names are the vessels of particular sefirot which bring out their essence into tangibility, description and existence. All of this will be discussed later at greater length.)
