Malkuth /mal 'kûth/ is the tenth and final sefirah on the kabbalistic Tree of Life, and its name is translated as “Kingdom” in Anglish. This sefirah is defined as the manifestation of the Creator within His Creation, and it is situated at the very bottom of the Tree, “hanging”, as it were, from the sefirah Yesod (Foundation) and the rest of the Tree of Life by a single connecting path. Aside from the sefirah Malkuth itself, this path would be the first (interconnecting) path navigated by the mekubbal (kabbalist).
Malkuth is the sefirah most accessible to the initiate for meditation (or pathworking). As Malkuth is defined as the Creator reflected in His Creation, it is not actually the realm of physical existence itself, but it is inseparably linked with it. Creation acts as a vehicle for the energy of Malkuth and reflects the Creator by way of its physicality. It is the spiritual status of Creation as the Handiwork of YHWH which associates it with Malkuth.
Malkuth, as the lowest sefirah and furthest from the singularity and ineffability of Kether, enjoys a unique status as the bride-queen of the creative potential of the other nine sefiroth, whose synthesis is realised in Yesod (the only sefirah connected with Malkuth). Indeed, מלכה (Malka) is Hebrew for “queen”.
Although the lowest of the ten sefiroth, Malkuth is often the most attractive to an initiate, as it is first and foremost expressed via the most familiar domain (that of material existence), and secondly it is surpassed it its complexity only by the sefirah Kether. Certainly many initiates never leave Malkuth in their pathworking efforts as they continue to explore the other sefiroth all within the realm of Malkuth. Not until the initiate can explore spirituality via meditation, effectively separating oneself from the distraction of material existence, can one ascend out of Malkuth and toward Kether.
Malkuth is decidedly feminine in an archetypal sense, though not female, and it manifests many archetypal feminine qualities, such as passivity, motherhood, subordination to and precipitation out of the creative influence. Malkuth is archetypally feminine just as Kether is archetypally masculine, and together they define each other, much the same way as do other complementary archetypes (Netzach and Hod, Chesed and Gevurah, Chokhmah and Binah). Malkuth is paired with Yesod, however, not with Kether. This is primarily because, given the current spiritual condition of Creation, Malkuth is far removed from the creative potential found in Kether. This explains the mystery of the traditional Jewish philosophy that when Yisra’el is afflicted, YHWH Himself joins in suffering the affliction. Essentially, a part of YHWH is attached inexorably with His Creation, that part being the שכינה (Shekhinah, Divine Presence), and although we ourselves may not be able to see YHWH directly expressed in Creation, still there, concealed behind the elusive veil of mundane reality, is His Presence.
Malkuth, as the realisation of Creation and the reflexion of the creative power, manifests within itself all of the higher sefiroth in a physical context. The Creation referred to as such — and there is no other word more befitting — implies the existence and influence of the Creator. The initiate should understand that Malkuth is not the Universe, any one physical part of it, or even the sum of all physicality; a rather appropriate metaphor regarding Malkuth is to say that it is the garment donned by the Almighty when He desires to interact with Creation in the most intimate or familiar manner. Accounts of the appearance of the Shekhinah in the scriptures are typically interpreted as a good omen for Yisra’el.
In the Atzilutic Realm, Malkuth is represented by the Divine Name יהוהּ אדני הארץ (YHWH Adonai h'Aretz, YHWH LORD of the Earth).
In the Realm of Beryah, this sefirah is associated with the archangel סנדלפון (Sandalfon).
In the Yetziratic Realm, Malkuth is affiliated with the ranks of the אשים (Eshim, Flames).
In the Realm of Asiyah, this sefirah is associated with the Sphere of חולם יסודות (Cholam Yesodoth, Breaker of Foundations, believed to be a mystical reference to the earth and symbolically representing all of Creation).
The sefirah Malkuth is also known to kabbalists by other appellations as well:
| הּ of יהוהּ | Second Heh of YHWH |
| מלכה | Malka, Queen |
| כלה | Kallah, Bride |
| שכינה | Shekhinah, Divine Presence |
| חולם יסודות | Cholam Yesodoth, Breaker of Foundations |
| חקל תפוחין קדשין | Chaqal Tappuchin Qaddishin, Field of Holy Apples |