I have heard it said that Berich Shemeh was expunged from the S&P siddur because it is "kabbalistic", though I do not quite see what is kabbalistic about it. On the other hand on Hoshannah Rabbah the hakafot are clearly arranged in the order of the seven "lower sephirot" - naming them specifically. So it seems the idea of the sephirot per se was not seen as dangerous. Anyone have any facts or thoughts about this?