ABiYA (The Four Worlds: Atzilut, Beriah, Yetzirah, Asiyah) Four stages ("worlds") which emerge out of God's infinite light and culminate in our finite physical universe.
Introduction Arba'ah Olamot
Olam Ha'Atzilut	Olam Ha'Beriah	Olam Ha'Yetzirah	Olam Ha'Asiyah

Olam Ha'Beriah
"The World of Creation"

The world of Beriah is the first of the three lower worlds. Here the initial ethereal "substance" of creation emerges out of pure nothingness.

While in relation to its own state of reality the world of Atzilut is a world of "non-existence" (ayin), the world of Beriah is one of "potential existence" (yesh). This state of being is referred to as "formless matter" (chomer hiyuli).

The world of Beriah is referred to in Kabbalah as "the world of the throne." The kingdom of Atzilut sits, as it were, on the throne of Beriah. The word "throne" (kisai) derives from the root which means "to cover." The throne at once covers and conceals the light and glory of Atzilut together with drawing it down into created reality.

In each of the three lower worlds there exists a class of angles (messengers of God to manifest His Presence and rule over the created entities of the lower worlds). The world of Beriah is the spiritual abode of the serafim ("fiery angels"). These are the angles that the prophet Isaiah saw in his vision of the Divine chariot. These are the angles that exclaim to God: "Holy, Holy Holy is the God of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory."

The world of Beriah is the spiritual origin of human intelligence. Imma (binah, understanding and intelligence in general) of Atzilut resides in the world of Beriah. Here are the "abstract intelligences" (sechalim nivdalim) of which speaks the Rambam.

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