Sepher Yezirah

34
A BOOK ON CREATION (AMORC)

description

Amorc, Twelfth Edition, January 1974.Photolithographed Edition.

Transcript of Sepher Yezirah

Page 1: Sepher Yezirah

A BOOK ON CREATION( A M O R C )

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i b d

S e p h e r Y e z i r a h .

A BOOK ON CREATION;

OR,

T H E J E W I S H M E T A P H Y S I C S

or

R e m o t e A n t i q u i t y .

With English Translation, Preface, Explanatory Notes and Glossary,

BY

R e v . D r. I S ID O R K A L I S C H ,Author o f the “ Guide for Rational Inquiries into the Biblical Scriptaiea,”

“ Tome dee Morgenlandee,” Tranalator of “lfa th an the Wlae” from the Gorman, eto., eto., eto.

NEW YORK: L. H. FRANK & CO., P u b l ish e r s a n d P r in t e r s,

No. 32J Bowery.

1 8 7 7.

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E ntered aooordlng to Act of Oongreaa, In the year 1877, by

L. H. F B A N K A C O . ,

In th e Office of the L ibrarian of Congtea# a t W aahlngton, D. C.

[A LL BIGHTS BE8EBVED]

T h is Photolithographed Edition Especially Prepared for T h e Supreme Council

ofT he Ancient and Mystical

O rder

Rosae Crueis

S e c o n d E d i t i o n , O c to b e r 1950

T h i r d E d i t i o n , M a r c h T954

F o u r th E d i t io n ', J a n u a r y 1957

F i f t h E d i t i o n , J a n u a r y 1960

S ix th E d i t i o n , N o v e m b e r 1962

S e v e n th E d i t i o n , F e b r u a r y 1966

E ig h th E d i t i o n , J u ly 1968

N in th E d i t i o n , F e b r u a r y 1970

T e n th E d i t i o n , A u g u s t 1971

E le v e n th E d i t i o n , Ju ly 1972

T w e l f th E d i t i o n , J a n u a r y 1974

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PREFACE.

This metaphysical essay, called “ Sepher Yezirah, (book on creation, or cosmogony,) which I have en­deavored to render into English, with explanatory notes, is considered by all modem literati as the first philosophical book th a t ever was w ritten in Jh e He- brew language. B ut the time of its composition and the name of its author have not yet been ascertained, despite of the most elaborate researches of renowned archaeologists. Some m aintain th a t th is essay is mentioned in the Talmud treatise Sanhedrin, p. 66 b. and ibid. 67 b. which passage is according to the com­m entary of Rashi, to treatise Erubin, p. 63 a., a re­liable historical notice. Hence th is book was known already in the second or a t the beginning of the th ird century of the Christian E ra. The historian, Dr. Graetz, tries to show very ingeniously in his work, entitled “Gnosticism,” p. 104 and 110, th a t it was written in the early centuries of the Christian Church, especially when the ideas and views of the Gnostics were in vogue. This opinion, however, he afterwards revoked. (See Dr. G raetz’s “ H istory of the Jews,”

VoL Y, p. 315 in a note.)D r. Zunz, the N estor of the Jewish Rabbis in

Europe, maintains th a t we have to look for the gen­esis of ihe book “Yezirah” in the Geonic period, (700 —1000), and th a t it was consequently composed in a post-talmudical time. B ut if so, it is very strange

th at Saadjah Gaon, who lived in the tenth, and Judah Halevi, who lived in the twelfth century, represented the book “Yezirah” as a very ancient work. There­fore it seems to me, th a t Dr. Graetz had no sufficient cause to repudiate his assertion concerning the age of this book; because all the difficulties which he himself and others raised against his supposition, fall to the ground, when we consider th a t the most ancient works, holy as well as profane, had one and the same fate, namely, that from age to age more or less interpolations were made by copyists and com­mentators. Compare also Prof. Tenneman’s “Grund- riss der Geschichte der Philosophic,” improved by Prof. W endt, p. 207.

Tradition, which ascribes the authorship of this book to the patriarch Abraham, is fabulous, as can be proved by many reasons; but the idea th a t Rabbi Akiba, who lived about the beginning of the second century, composed the book “Yezirah,” is very likely possible. Be this as it may, it is worth while to know the extravagant hypotheses which ancient Jewish philosophers and theologians framed as soon as they began to contemplate and to reason, endeavoring to combine oriental and Greek theories. Although there is an exuberance of weeds, we will find, nevertheless, many germs of truisms, which are of the greatest im­portance. A Christian theologian, Johann Friedrich von Meyer D. D., remarked very truly in his German preface to the book “Yezirah,” published in Leipzig, 1830: “This book is for two reasons highly im portant: in the first place, th a t the real Cabala, or mystical

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doctrine of the Jews, which must be carefully dis­tinguished from its excrescences, is in close connec­tion and perfect accord with the Old and New Test­aments ; and in the second place, th a t the knowledge o f i t is of great importance to the philosophical in­quirers, and can not be put aside. Like a cloud per­meated by beams of light which makes one infer that there is more light behind it, so do the contents of this book, enveloped in obscurity, abound in corus­cations of thought, reveal to the mind th a t there is a still more effulgent light lurking somewhere, and thus inviting us to a further contemplation and investiga- tion, and a t the same time demonstrating the danger. o f a superficial investigation, which is so prevalent. in modem times, rejecting that which can not be understood a t first sight.”

I shall now try to give a sketch of the system as it is displayed in the book “Yezirah,” which forms a link in the chain of the ancient theoretical specula­tions of philosophers, who were striving to ascertain the tru th mainly by reasoning a-priori, and who im­agined th a t it is thus possible to permeate all the secrets of nature. I t teaches th a t a first cause, eter­nal, all-wise, almighty and holy, is the origin and the centre of the whole universe, from whom gradu­ally all beings emanated. Thought, speech and action are an inseparable unity in the divine being; God made or created, is metaphorically expressed by the w ord: writing. The Hebrew language and its characters correspond mostly with the things they designate, and thus holy thoughts, Hebrew language

and its reduction to writing, form a unity which pro­duce a creative effect.*

The self-existing first cause called the creation into existence by quantity and quality ; the former re­presented by ten numbers, (Sephiroth,) the latter by twenty-two letters, which form together thirty-two ways of the divine wisdom. Three of the twenty-two letters, namely, Aleph, Mem, Sheen, are the mothers, or the first elements, from which came forth the prim­itive m atter of the w orld: air, water and fire, that have their parallel in man, (male and female): breast, body and head, and in the y e a r: moisture, cold and heat. The other seven double and twelve}: simple letters are then represented as stamina, from which other spheres or media of existence emanated.

C Man is a microcosm, as the neck separates rational- 4 ity from vitality, so does diaphragm the vitality V. from the vegetativeness.

•T hus for instance, th ey imagined th a t the name of Jehovah, ,m r r is by reversing the alphabet; (mzpz); mem signifies the le tte r jod, zaddi, the letter he, and pe, the le tte r wav. These un­meaning sounds, they said, have magic power. Some maintained th a t the Hebrew language consists of twenty-two consonants, be­cause being the complex o f all beings, its num ber is equal to the m ost perfect figure, nam ely, of the periphery, as it is well known th a t the diam eter is always to the periphery as seven to twenty-two.

t i t was frequently observed by Jew ish and Christian theolo­gians, th a t the Marcosianic Gnostic system, as well as th a t of the Clementinians o f the second century, contain m any analogies and parallels with th e book “ Yezirah.” Marcus divides the Greek al­phabet into three parts, nam ely : nine m ute consonants dcpccva, eight h a lf vowels 7}/Jiq>a)va, and seven vowels tpaovT/evra. in order to give a clear idea of the peculiar constitution o f his “ Aeons." (Ire- naeus Haer, I , 16.)

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God stands in close connection with the Universe, and just so is Tali connected with the world, th a t is, an invisible, celestial or universal axis carries the whole fabric. In the year by the sphere, in man by the heart, and thus is the ruling spirit of God every­where. Notwithstanding the decay of the individual, the genus is produced by the antithesis of man and

wife.

Hebrew commentaries on the book “Yezirah” were composed b y : first, Saadjah Gaon, of Fajum in Egypt, (892—942); second, Eabbi Abraham ben Dior H alevi; third, Rabbi Moses ben N achm an; fourth, Elieser of Germisa; fifth, Moses Botarel; sixth, Rabbi E liah Wilna: The book “Yezirah,” together with all these commentaries, was published in 1860, in the city of Lemberg. B ut although the commen­tator Saadjah was a sober minded scholar in a superstitious age, a good Hebrew grammarian, a re­nowned theologian and a good translator of the H e­brew Pentateuch, Isaiah and Job into the Arabian language, his ideas and views were, nevertheless, very often much benighted. See his comments on Yez. Chap. I , etc., etc.; his notes on “Yezirah” Chap. I l l , 2, prove undoubtedly th a t he had no knowledge whatever of natural science, and therefore his anno­tations on the book “Yezirah” are of little or no use at all. All the other commentaries mentioned above, together with all quotations of other expounders of the same book, contain nothing but a medley of ar­bitrary, mystical explanations and sophistical distor­tions of scriptural verses, astrological notions, orient­

al superstitions, a metaphysical jargon, a poor know­ledge of physics and not a correct elucidation of the ancient book; they drew mostly from their own im­agination, and credited the author of “Yezirah” with saying very strange things which he never thought of. I m ust not omit to mention two other Hebrew commentaries, one by Judah Halevi, and the other by Ebn Ezra, who lived in the first part of the twelfth century. They succeeded in explaining the book “Ye­zirah in a sound scientific manner, but failed in making themselves generally understood, on account of the superstitious age in which they lived, and the tenacity with which the people in that period adhered to the marvelous and supernatural; they found, there­fore, but few followers, and the book “ Yezirah” re­mained to the public an enigma and an ancient curios­ity, g iv ing rise toasystem ofm etaphysical_deliriu i^ called Cabala.

Translations of the book “Yezirah” and comments thereon by learned Christian authors a re : first, a translation of the book “Yezirah” with explanatory notes in the L atin language, by Wilhelm Postellus, Paris, France, 1552; second, another Latin version is contained in Jo. Pistorii artis cabalistical scriptorum, Tom I, p. 869, sqq., differing from that of Postellus. Some are of the opinion th a t John Reuchlin, while others m aintain that Paul Riccius was the author of it. (See Wolfii Biblioth. Hebr. Tom., I, Chap. 1.) Third, R ittangel published the book “Yezirah,” 1642, at Amsterdam, en titled : “Liber Yezirah qui Abra- hamo patriarchae adscribitur, una cum commentario

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10 PREFACE.

E abbi Abraham F. D. (filii Dior) super 32 Semitis Sapientiae, a quibus liber Yezirah incipit. Translatus et notis illustratus, a Joanne Stephano Rittangelio, ling. Orient, in Elect. Acad. Eegiomontana Prof. extraord. Amstelodami ap. Jo . and Jodoc. Jansson- ios,” 1642, in quarto ; fourth, Johann Friedrich von Mayer, D. D., published the book “Yezirah” in H e­brew with a translation and explanatory notes in the

German language, Leipzig, 1830.

A ll these translations are out of prin t and are rarely found even in well regulated libraries. I was so fortunate as to obtain a copy of Dr. Mayer’s edition of the book “Yezirah.” H e states in the pre­face to it, th a t he had a copy of Postellus’ transla­tion in m anuscript as well as some others, and com­pared them. The explanatory notes given by this author are, nevertheless, insufficient and sometimes very incorrect. The present translation is, as far as I could ascertain, the first th a t was ever published in the English language. Again, I have to add th a t I have not only endeavored to correct a great many mistakes and erroneous ideas of my predecessors, but I have also endeavored to give more complete anno­tations. I therefore hope that the candid reader will consider the great difficulties I had to overcome in th is still unbeaten way of the ancient Jewish spirit­ual region, and will receive with indulgence th is new contribution to archaeological knowledge.

Db. i s i d o e k a l i s c h .

THE ROSICRU Cl AN LIBRARYW orthw hile books m ake lifetim e friends. Below a re listed a

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I Rosicrucian Questions and Answers with Complete History of the Order

II Rosicrucian Principles for the Home and BusinessIII T h e Mystical Life of JesusIV T h e Secret Doctrines of JesusV U nto T hee I G rant

(Secret Teachings of T ibet)VI A T housand Years of Yesterdays

(A Revelation of R eincarnation)VII Self Mastery and Fate with the Cycles of Life

(A Vocational Guide)VIII Rosicrucian M anual

IX Mystics a t PrayerX Behold the Sign

(A Book of Ancient Symbolism)XI Mansions of the Soul

(T he Cosmic Conception)XII Lemuria, T he Lost C ontinent of the Pacific

XIII T h e Technique of th e Master (O u t of p rin t)XIV T h e Symbolic Prophecy of the G reat Pyram idXV T h e Book of Jasher

XVI T he Technique of th e Disciple (O u t o f p rin t)XVII Mental Poisoning

XVIII G lands—O ur Invisible G uardiansXIX Along Civilization’s T rail (O ut of prin t)XX T h e W ord W ent Forth (O ut of print)

XXI W h a t to E at—And W h enXXII T he Sanctuary of Self

XXIII Sepher YezirahXXIV Of Gods and Miracles (O ut of prin t)XXV Son of the Sun ( O u t of p r in t )

XXVI T he Conscious InterludeXXVII Essays of A M odem Mystic

XX V III Cosm ic Mission FulfilledXXIX W hisperings o f Self XXX H erbalism T hrough the Ages

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Page 8: Sepher Yezirah

PUBLISHER’S FOREWORD

T he service D r. Kalisch rendered in 1877 by his first

English translation o f the Sepher Yezirah has grown even

greater w ith the passing years. O th er translations, it is

true, have a certain m erit; none the less, none has su r­

passed and few have equalled the work which he did.

This is so not because D r. Kalisch was Jewish and other

translators were not; bu t rather because his translation

was prom pted by motives unmixed w ith mistaken notions

of the au thor’s intent. H e dealt w ith it reverently as the

earliest example of H ebrew metaphysical w riting and not

as a brief for a particular school of magical legerdemain in

the realm o f thought.

O ne readily forgives him, then, for calling the Cabala

a system o f metaphysical delirium, for such it became in

the hands of those whose mental discipline was small and

whose imagination large. H e rescued the Sepher Yezirah

from the unw orthy use to which such w riters were sub­

jecting it.

W ith o u t question, the Sepher Yezirah is a fundam ental

source of Cabalistic thought, but it should be remembered,

as D r. Johann Friedrich von M eyer pointed ou t in his

preface to the G erm an translation of 1830, a distinction'

must always be made between the real Cabala and the

excrescences which have developed around it. U n fo r tu ­

nately, for most, those excrescences are the Cabala.

D r. Kalisch’s real service lay in restoring the work as a

sound metaphysical treatise w orthy o f the attention of all

seriously interested in the development of such concepts.

Originally, the Cabala was conducive to such con­

cepts, and had Cabalists confined themselves solely to the

Yezirah’s pattern and no t ventured beyond it in extensions

of thought based on fundam ental misconceptions, the

extravagances of eighteenth and nineteenth century mys­ticism would have been avoided and the Cabala would

today be seen as a steady and reliable beacon in a world

of dark and confused thinking. But for that result, the hum an mind itself would have had to be differently

constituted.

M odern systems of thought— ethical, religious, meta­

physical— have nevertheless been permeated w ith ideas

directly traceable to the Cabala. Esoteric societies and

fra ternal organizations have draw n largely from it for

their ritualistic teaching and procedure— oftentimes being altogether unaw are of their indebtedness.

T he A ncient and Mystical O rder Rosae Crucis has

numbered among its members in the past many w ho were

known to be Cabalists, and today its membership is kept

inform ed of the essential characteristics. It is in the a t ­

tem pt to make available authentic inform ation on the

subject tha t this reprin ting of Dr. Kalisch’s translation of

the Sepher Yezirah is undertaken. T here is little- doubt

that the careful and properly discriminating reader will

be adequately rew arded fo r the time he spends in the

study of this invaluable little essay.

Rosicrucian Park J o e l D i s h e r

O ctober 13, 1948 Literary Research Dept.

T he Rosicrucian O rder, A M O R C

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S E P H E R YEZIRAH.

CHAPTER I.S e c t io n 1.

Yah,1 the Lord of hosts, the living God, King of the Universe, Omnipotent, All-Kind and Merciful, Supreme and Extolled, who is Eternal, Sublime and Most-Holy, ordained (formed) and created the Universe in thirty-two3 mysterious paths3 of wisdom by three4 Sepharim, nam ely: 1) S’for ">?Q; 2) Sip- pur'AED; and 3) Sapher "'SS which are in Him one and the same. They consist of a decade out of nothing5 and of twenty-two fundamental letters. He divided the twenty-two consonants into three divisions: 1)

three mothers, fundamental letters or first ele­ments ; 2) seven double; and 3) twelve simple con­

sonants.S e c t io n 2.

The decade5 out of nothing is analogous to tha t of the ten fingers (and toes) of the human body, five parallel to five, and in the centre of which is the covenant with the only One, by the word of the tongue and the rite of Abraham.

S e c t io n 3 .

Ten are the numbers out of nothing, and not the number nine, ten and not eleven. Comprehend this great wisdom, understand this7 knowledge, inquire into it and ponder on it, render it evident and lead8 the Creator back to H is throne again.

1) See Notes commencing on Page 50

• H r r "1 B D 15

* p m i p i s

. a n s o b

p jr i nopn n is ^ s ninvu d -w i msfycta

■he* bx obis? Tj Di o t i Dribi* nfoait n irr rr iop> tfnp ] o ip iy pi&y kepi d i juni ram

"fispi ippp* D-nsp na^po inViy nt< jqra

d i o t i n p ^ p n i T s p n fr y : i d d i

c n p ji nibisp ypp'i ntojjt the} : "rip? ni’nix

:nip-ityp rntoy. a m m &

niyastt ~\pv "ispps n p ^ p niTep ~)by

yyp>a ru n a t i t rm p i Eton *ujp Eton• ♦ • - V • r • ; t w : •• t

:niypn rte p i jtefyn rfe a

. 3 n 5 f f l > 3

t&j ic'V. K/i npy np^p niTsp nfry ana pro nrpp ppqinppnp p n nnpy nna nsi1 peih] IniD by "on ip y n i Dnp nipn?

:iPsp-by

:n w p i i s i o i -iqd3

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S e c t io n 4 .

The decade out of nothing has the following ten infinitudes:

1) The beginning9 infinite. 6) The depth infinite.2) “ end “ 7) “ E ast3) “ good “ 8) “ W est “4) “ evil10 “ 9) “ N orth “5) “ height “ 10) “ South “

and the only Lord God, the faithful King, rules over all from His holy habitation for ever and ever.

S e c t io n 5.

The appearance of the ten spheres out of nothing is like a flash of lightning, being without an end, H is word is in them, when they go and re tu rn ; they run by H is order like a whirlwind and humble them­selves before H is throne.

S e c t io n 6.

The decade of existence out of nothing has its end linked to its beginning and its beginning linked to its end, just as the flame is wedded to the live coal; because the Lord is one and there is not a second one, and before one what wilt thou count?11

S e c t io n 7.

Concerning the number ten of the spheres of ex­istence out of nothing keep thy tongue from speak­ing and thy mind from pondering on it, and IT thy mouth urges thee to speak, and thy heart to think about it, return! as it reads: “ And the living creatures ran and returned,” (Ezekiel 1,14.) and upon this13 was the covenant made.

• 1 n 5 TO f t

a n b pa# -iOT p ip np'-bp n i - r e p ipy p p iy i; n ip p p iy n n n x p p ijn r v p j n p p iv r p

p a ir ] m jp p a ls n n n p p ijn a i - i p a ly i n

■ ^ p b x - i t p ] h x a r n p p i i ? i p s y ppiy 3 - ^

♦12 ’’12.1V ItVpp Jilipp aba bpiD jpxj

. n f l DO a

nip-’bp niTpp iv y

*np 10? VP iV i bpni :D"inn^p an ixpp pbi isiTr hd-idd Vipgpbi

. i n s xo &

fnbnrvi jnbnpp jDio pin na^p nlTpp iv y

m t i t p ix y nbnip 'n iw p r u n b p ? jd id 3

npio n i x np i n x ^?bi p# ib

. r n 3 © ft

*1? ! "Qlbp Tpp Dibp np-'bp niTsp iv y

M " in p n b ^ b i n p ib T p s p T n x ] " in p n b a

121 by] aieh Kftn nirin] i m i 7]pby oipob

: r r a r rp j nr

rryjn iqd tjjn nna f>"n riY'p^n iq m ina *>*r fix: " kh win (•

: rnie> n a n ^ eb

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S e c t io n 8 .

The following are the ten categories of existence

out of nothing:

1) The spirit of the living God, praised and glori­fied be the name of Him who lives to all eternity.

C The articulate word of creative power, the spirit and

f the word are what we call the holy spirit.18

2) Air emanated from the spirit by which He formed and established twenty-two consonants, sta ­mina. Three of them, however, are fundamental

letters, or mothers, seven double and twelve simple consonants; hence the spirit is the first one.

3) Primitive water emanated from the air. H e formed and established by it Bohuu (water, stones) mud and loam, made them like a bed, pu t them up like a wall, and surrounded them as with a ram part, put coldness upon them and they became dust, as it reads: “H e says to the snow (coldness) be thou

earth.” (Job 37, 6.)

4) F ire or ether emanated from the water. H e established by it the throne of glory, the Seraphim and Ophanim, the holy living creatures and the angels, and of these three H e formed His habitation, as it read s: “W ho made H is angels spirits, H is ministers

a flaming fire.” (Psalm 104, 4.) H e selected three consonants from the simple ones which are in the hidden secret of three mothers or first elements:

air, water and ether or fire. H e sealed them with spirit and fastened them to H is great name and

sealed with it six dimensions.15

•n V S ’ 1 3 D 19

. n n d ® )a

cpti D'rfrft? n n rm np- a n irpp nfcy n n i . P i p c p p b i y n i n b p to ts * T j n i a p i T ] n a

p p n n n p n n d t i e * : E h i p n n n w n i m a n

n i s x vhp - r iD ’ n i ’ n i N razft o n f e y n a a s mT . • . - ; . . ... T _ T .

nnx nni nicistfp nnfry D’nzfi nfcisa yatfi

o n w ) jna asn] ppn nnp r a e)bp :jnp

I1*?? !i?P7 e's'). irtai rin (nrnix crnzft

nanyp pap tcappp npin pop •ja’sn ru n g

bpb ’a npsotf nay r t a i hz) on-bv pan). . . . t t v v v v •• I - t -

™ 3 a n ] p p n r a p v x j q - i n : q n j < « v i n o t f

■o & 6 p i e h i p n n i r n p p s i w n a a n x p a

n t p i y n p c s r j t f p i y p n p ; [ n ^ t p n n p n

n p b p T r a c a r r i ^ v x l m t s t o n i n n v j m b n• t : t : t t : -

i t f w t n i s # t i b t i i i D 2 n W E n ; p r v p n i N

: titi ona □rn i iotfa nyafj]

:«jnnK KnDU (• :j2TD a

ijra rm o n n :» 'D in u r («T - I - " T • ~

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5) H e sealed18 the height and turned towards above, and sealed it with in'

6) H e sealed the depth, turned towards below and sealed it with m

7) H e sealed the east and turned forward, and sealed it with m

8) H e sealed the west and turned backward, and sealed it with vn

9 ) H e sealed the south and turned to the right and sealed it with J*1T*

10) H e sealed the north and turned to the left and sealed it with *V1

S e c t io n 9 .

These are the ten spheres of existence out of nothing. From the spirit of the living God emana­ted air, from the air, water, from the water, fire or ether, from the ether, the height and the depth, the E ast and W est, the N orth and South.

CHAPTER H.S e c t io n 1 .

There are twenty-two letters, stamina. Three of them, however, are the first elements, fundamentals or mothers, seven double and twelve simple conso­nants. The three fundamental letters have as their basis the balance. In one scale17 is the merit and in the other criminality, which are placed in equilibrium by the tongue. The three fundamental letters 2?"»"« signify, a s » is mute like th e water and 27 hissing like the fire, there is x among tnem, a breath of air which reconciles them.

S e c t io n 2.

The twenty-two letters which form the stamina

vra tonm rb m b nan on onn Eton: 7 : 7 — : 7 7 - T " 7

rra ianm macb ms-i nnn onn m: 7 : t - : 77 — - r

nnn ianm v x h nan nma arm yatf: 7 : 7 7 : t 7 • - t -

’rra tonm mra6 nan onya onn njiatf: t : T ~ : - : 7 7 7 - r r ;

nn ianm irrab nai aim ann ytfn: 7 : • • 7 7 7 - 7

nnn ianm b tio p b nan |isy ann nfrg

.B n 3 TD »

□ v6n ran nnx nrabs niraap ntoy ibx

nnni am atop e?n ranp an? rana ran ram

:ainni jioa onypi mm

• ’ i f f p l B

n i u n

snE h n is N e6e> n ira n im iN r a n t f l n n iy y

t f w t n m e6e> rrio iE to r n ip y ra n E h n ib ® ?

r a n a y n o p p n jitfb i r a i n r p n o i p]? j-rira

t k 'X n p n iE i ' t n p p in to e f tr a * n io * t e6e»

:rana ynpp ran

. 1 n 3 » a

jma jnvn }ppn mra nimix ranttfl anpy

Page 13: Sepher Yezirah

after having been appointed and established by God, H e combined, weighed and changed them, and formed by them all beings which are in existence, and all those which will be formed in all time to come.

S e c t io n 3.

H e established twenty-two letters, stamina, by the voice, formed by the breath of air and fixed them on five places in the human mouth, nam ely: 1) gutturals, 37 Pi n X 2) palatals, p 2 - a 3) linguals, n 3 b ts i 4) dentals, y n D u T 5) labials, ?)»12

S e c t io n 4 .

H e fixed the twenty-two letters, stamina, on the Bphere like a wall with two hundred and thirty-one gates,18 and turned the spheres forward and backward. For an illustration may serve the three letters, a a y

( There is nothing better than joy, and nothing worse than sorrow or plague.19

S e c t io n 5 .

B ut how was it done? H e combined,20 weighed and changed: the x with all the other letters in succession, and all the others again with x ; 2 with all, and all again with 2 ; and so the whole series of letters.21 Hence it follows th a t there are two hundred and thirty-one22 formations, and th a t every creature and every word emanated from one name.23

S e c t io n 6 .

f He created a reality out of nothing, called the ] nonentity into existence and hewed, as it were, co- (, lossal pillars from intangible air. This has been

shown by the example of combining the letter x with

.n v s ’ i d d 2 3

b 3 n x i n s p n ^ 3 n x a n a p r a r n j b p t f

: n a b n n y nT * TVn 5 W >2

p v n b ) p ? j p p n l i o ^ r v r n i N D T i e f t u n p y m

y m x n m a n i n i p p r a n ? n s a p a p n r a

u w t f o j i b & ? r v j ^ p n t j t q p " ? ^ p u s

pa? b i? s p?j? Din^i nnpy

ninw d ^ b u b & s n i r i m o n y t f nomt : ' t - t : : t

n i r o p x i n y p n b y n b r a t o a p x " a n 1? j i n p i

. n rr d xo & x D 3? } V ? n y x p r o r n £ > p t f f o n t n r a

n i x s a j i r M m n r i r i m 3 o s ? f e i f e o y 3t : •: t • t : ; • I t It \

x s i 1 T c m b a ) n a n b s x s o j i o n y t f x * V t 3t : : - t t : •; • t : :

T V ** •.1 m© >a

a y m i : \ ^ n # n e w r i r o E t o u p .- T : : V •• v T T: • T - - T

nia ]uo rm ocn: ith # nngto Dpiu cniDj?

:DE>3 X"3 t*

Page 14: Sepher Yezirah

all the other letters, and all the other letters with Aleph (x). H e34 predetermined, and by speaking created every creature and every word by one name. F or an illustration may serve the twenty-two ele­mentary substances by the primitive substance of Aleph36 (x).

CHAPTER ITT.S e c t io n 1.

The three first elements, are typified by abalance, in one scale the merit and in the other the criminality, which are placed in equilibrium by the tongue. These three mothers, are a great,wonderful and unknown mystery, and are sealed by six36 rings, or elementary circles, nam ely: air, water and fire emanated from them, which gave birth to progenitors, and these progenitors gave birth again

to some offspring.S e c t io n 2.

God appointed and established the three mothers

combined, weighed and changed them, and formed by them three mothers in the world, in the year and in man, male and female.

S e c t io n 3.

The three mothers in the world are: air,water and fire. Heaven was created from fire or e th e r; the earth (comprising sea and land) from the elementary w ater; and the atmospheric air from the elementary air, or spirit, which establishes the bal­

ance among them.

• n v r i s o 2 5

nx nipn totm nsis x djj }bo ny x

-cub jcnpi ins u p la in bp nxi nmn

: X P|U3 D’SEn DTIEi □'HEW

• w b v pHD

i l J B U

rain rra r\3 pto1. erirx nisx zbp

lio E>"p"s nisx zb p OTua yppp pn jiE6i ix s i niyaco z)m ranrn hdddi xbsm biu

: t : t ~ : t : t : t : t

rvDKDi ni3iN rfcfc cm crp-i tjk crip

:ni-6in

|sn» pyn ffjpn tf'mv

e titk nisK vbtf e ra nyi p;prn 2)222 t f w x r v m r u t o p - d " n n im

v v : v v : • t : t t : v v :

:rnp ::1 ^T I - : T T

ew W x rriSK vbu)• - 1 — ■ — T T V v : • T

nnp tjw crop n>n:p pNi

:dths yjnpp

nitDK nap* nar D’pSnno* k>n d'nyv n-j (*-.San xnap u e >db> n ia x n S u jnoi p t o ’

Page 15: Sepher Yezirah

S e c t i o n 4.

The three mothers produce in the year37:heat, coldness38 and moistness. H eat was created from fire, coldness from water, and moistness from

air which equalizes them.

S e c t io n 5.

The three mothers u"73"x produce in man, male and female, breast, body and head. The head was created from fire, the breast from water, and the body from air, which places them in equilibrium.

S e c t io n 6.

F ir s t D iv is io n . God le t the letter. Aleph (x) pre­dominate in primitive air, crowned39 it, combined one with the other,80 and formed by them the air in the world, moistness in the year, and the breast in man, male and fem ale; in male by ®"tt"x and in female

b y : d"S?"XS e c t io n 7.

S ec o n d D iv is io n . H e let the letter Mem (») pre­dominate in primitive water, and crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them the earth, (including land and sea) coldness in the year, and the belly in male and fem ale; in male by ,E?"tt"X81 in

female by : X"B"ttS e c t io n 8.

T h ir d D iv is io n . H e let the letter Sheen (©) pre­dominate in primitive fire, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them, heaven in the world, heat in the year, and the head of male and female.83

- 1 n 5 w ft

Din nnni Tipi Din h jeq tf 'trx niax abp

i r o n im p m m d g d jtid j nip e*xd K33J: - - •• t- : • - • t : • j •• •• t: ■

: d t u 3. n n i © ft : '

j r a $50 rap^i *dt t f a n niSN $b$

r r a n ® p jtra $ to r r a

:o ry ? jt-dd n n p.1

" to ft n$pi nra x ni« Tjfton .n *ga

roeh p m u b m n ro ona n n ni m a it t : t : t t — v t t : v t v I t : t :

:D"K?"X3 i33pJi 2rD"X3 331 ttfDJS H’lJT t : Tl •*; v vs: TT w : T-;

.7

n ro b ntfpi d g q g nix ipbpn .3 sen

m eb nipi oV ta ynx ona nsi n n ni jsnsi

:N"©"D3 nppjl *$"P"X3 331 &SJ3 JCD31

.n m id a

"TO ib 3tfpi 127X3 ’V) niK I^D n .J X33

ruefe Dim obisa DG2? dhs nsi n n nr isnsiT T ; ; T T • - T V T T : VT V I T : T ;

in sp ji 331 tfDJ3 27X31T )••: T T V v : :

:K>"N"D3 n"j (•. . . . J

Page 16: Sepher Yezirah

28 ) SEPHER YEZIRAH.

CHAPTER IY.

S e c t io n 1 .

The33 seven double letters, mCD b22 with a duplicity

of pronunciation, aspirated and unaspirated, namely:

.nn .nn ,CB .23 ,TJ .32.32 serve as a model of softness and

hardness, strength and weakness.

S e c t io n 2.

Seven34 double letters, ,mE2 n32 shall, as it were,

symbolize wisdom, wealth, fruitfulness, life, dominion,

peace and beauty.

S e c t io n 3.

Seven double letters serve to signify the antithesis

to which human life is exposed. The antithesis of

/ wisdom is foolishness; of wealth, poverty; of fruit-

/ fulness, childlessness; of life, death; of dominion,

[ dependence; of peace, w ar; and of beauty, ugliness.

S e c t i o n 4.

The seven double consonants are analogous to the

six dimensions : height and depth, E ast and West,

N orth and South, and the holy temple th a t stands

in the centre, which carries them all.

S e c t io n 5 .

The double consonants are seven, mE3 132 and not

six, they are seven and not eight; reflect upon thi«

. m ’ S ’ *i d o 29

p i c

. a n 3 » a

Titf? nijmpp n 'i? ? *na nib®? jntf

r v a s n r r n " i n b ® ? ® m n 3*3 n t i i t f b

:tfbrn Hbj ntffJi ip

. 3 m u s s

"itfiyi no?n |"TiDi m s? t o nib®? y?K>

: p Dibttf n b eto D rri yin

.3 n 3 » ft

rninp?} in i? rv iM tjs nib®? y?tf

m » n d y "itfy rm on nbis no3n m an_ : . v - : vv • t : t :

nbtsto r m ® ma cn n mion ncnts* ynT T : V “ : VT •“ “ : T T :

my® ]n rnran npnbp oibtf rrroi nn?yI

. 1 H D t S h

rnip nisp-i nbyp nnp? t j? nib®? VDp

yypt<? jpp Ehlpn bprn □ m |®y 3nypi

:jb? nx KE’iJ wni

. n n 3 m a

sb i nysz? n n ss t ® n ib ss y3tyt * t : • : : - v

Page 17: Sepher Yezirah

fact, inquire about it, and make it so evident, th a tM

tbe Creator be acknowledged to be on H is tbrone again.

S e c t io n 6.

The seven double consonants, stamina, having

been designed and established, combined, weighed, and changed by God, H e formed by th em : seven planets in the world, seven days in the year, seven gates, openings of the senses, in man, male and

female.S e c t io n 7.

The seven planets in the world are :M Saturn, Jupi­

ter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon. Seven days

in the year are the seven days of the week; seven

gates in man, male and female, a re : two eyes, two

ears, two nostrils and the mouth.

S e c t io n 8 .

F i r s t D iv is io n . H e let the letter 2 predominate in

wisdom, crowned it, combined one with the other and formed by them: the moon in the world, the first

day in the year, and the right eye in man, male and female.

S e c t io n 9.

S ec o n d D iv is io n . He let the letter 3 predominate

in wealth, crowned it, combined one with the other,

and formed by th em : Mars in the world, the second day in the year, and the right ear in man, male and fe m a le .

. n v r i s o 31

n n y n i o n a n i p n i a n a p r o r u i n s ? x b i n y a s ?

: i J i a p b y n y v a s ? i n i i n i a b y n a n

.i n 5 ® a

jsny ]asn jppn hd1 nnsa via nib©? ya t? obiya o-paia nyaip ana nyi pppni jbptf nai t?BJa onyt? nyas? rus?a c^n1 nyas?

t t v v : • t : t : • t t : * t t : •

.T

nsri crnwD prra uoyo rrotfT - • - I v v - : - T T • T t ;

■c p n y a s? m s ? a a ^ n 1 n y a s? n j a b a a ia n int : - t t : • t t : • t t : t

tig? n a p ? n a i s ? s j a o n y t ? n y a s ? ysas?n: t | - : t t v v : ' * : t : • - t -

:nsni F]xn ’ap: us? onix Tit? out

.n ns BS n n a i b n t f j ? n p a n a ' a n i x r p b p n . x x a a

j i s ? x n o r D b i y a n o b o n a n y i n s a n j j s n y i

: n a p ? n a j s ? B j a p p ; p y i n a t f a

. & H 3 B B

n n a i b n i p p i n t f i y a p n i x r p b p n . a x a a

p s ? o r o b i y a D n x p o n a n y i n j a n ? j s n y i

: n a p ? n a i s ? s a a p p 1 p x i r u t f ?

Page 18: Sepher Yezirah

S e c t io n 10.

T h ir d D iv is io n . He let the letter *i predominate in producibility, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by th em : the sun in the world, the third day in the year, the right nostril in man, male and female.

S e c t io n 11 .

F o u r t h D iv is io n . H e let the letter 3 predominate in life, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them: Venus in the world, the fourth day in the year, and the left eye in man, male and female.

S e c t io n 12.

F if t h D iv is io n . H e let the letter c predominate in dominion, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by th em : Mercury in the world, the fifth day in the year, and the left ear in man, male and female.

S e c t io n 13.

S ix t h D iv is io n . H e let the letter *1 predominate in peace, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by th em : Saturn in the world, the sixth day in the year, and the left nostril in man, male and female.

S e c t io n 1 4 .

S e v e n t h D iv is io n . H e let the letter n predominate in beauty, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Jupiter in the world, the seventh day in the year, and the mouth of man, male and female.

• n v s ’ i s o 33

n i w

n r o b n t f p i y n p - n n i x r p b p n . j x a a

W b p d p q b i s n n a n o n a n a i : n o n r j a n a i

: n a j ? j ? n a t t f p o p p i n r a ,1 : 2 0

. a " 11

nro b ntfpj opri? o n i x t p b p n .1 x a a

T?"! dp naira ruij o n a naj n o nt jsnaj * " Q J b t t o b p g n j c t f a

. n 5 u> >a

n n a b n t f p j n b t f p i r a o n i x a p b p n . n x a a

^ ’ P Q q p c f r t a 3 a i a o n a n a t n o n t j a n a ]

: n ? j 2 ? " 9 J. b t t o p j i w r u t f a

*a**

' n n i x r p b p n .1 x a a

'W & o i i p b i r a - n y # a n a n a i n o n t . j D n . a i

: n n p j i n a t 2 0 0 b x a f c t n r u i n y c r a

•V'1 n 5 xo K ^ ^ 9 ^ } n a t i n f « r p b p n . r * o a

n a t f d p o b i v a p n a a n a n a j n o n t j D n a j

: n a p i i n a t 2 ? a j a n s i r u e f e i' ■ T T v : v t t ;

Page 19: Sepher Yezirah

S e c t io n 1 5 .

B y the seven double consonants, mDD*122 were also

designed seven worlds (at'caret), seven heavens, seven

lands, (probably climates,) seven seas, (probably

around Palestine,) seven rivers, seven deserts, seven

days a week, seven weeks from Passover to Pente­

cost, there is a cycle of seven years, the seventh is

the release year, and after seven release years is ju ­

bilee. Hence, God loves the number seven under

the whole heaven.*7 (In the whole nature.)

S e c t io n 16.

Two stones build two houses, three stones build

six houses, four build twenty-four houses, five build

one hundred and twenty houses, six build seven

hundred and twenty houses and seven build five

thousand and forty*8 houses. From thence further

go and reckon what the mouth cannot express and

the ear cannot hear.

CHAPTER Y.S e c t io n 1 .

The twelve simple letters p"jrp D":"b -"u"n r r n

symbolize, as it were, the organs of speaking, think-

• n v r i s o 3 5

•Yto n D O ) 3

™ (ppnj jnstf nnpp yjq ni iD? ygef

nv p nisrw nyip prpn nyptf ninb\y nyptf erpj nyptf ni-onp nintf ninn: npp nfep nvzp pcp ptf ninp op# nine? niratf

:D?pcpn n n n r\?v'opn sgn

♦T"t3 n 3 t t ) 3

o t d -yctf n iji3 d u sk ''ntf

□ ’’hd n&# niJiD

nap nut) □piik tfpn □ ’’ns

Dntpin niNp y ip nijia q*>jdn t ip crna

e p ^ n ^ p n n i j i a m s c s ? c r r a■ T ~ “ V • T

iitfqi Nif TjJrtg |>ap dtd D’y rw (sq-ind

n'r°) i- 'sn n o

:yiD ^

♦ ’t m i p-)Dn ] ID 53

p w nn niW p rn p y o n tf

Page 20: Sepher Yezirah

36 SEPHER YEZIRAH.

mg, walking, seeing, liearing, working, coition, smell­

ing, sleep, anger, swallowing and laughing.

S e c t io n 2.

The twelve simple consonants p"S"y D ":"b v't9"n T'T 'n

symbolize also twelve oblique po in ts: east height,

north east, east depth, south height, south east, south

depth, west height, south west, west depth, north

height, north west, north depth. They grew wider

and wider to all eternity, and these are the boundaries

of the world.

S e c t io n 3.

The twelve simple letters p"S"j> r r n

stam ina, having been designed, established, com­

bined, weighed and changed by God, H e performed

{by them : twelve constellations in the world, twelve

months in the year, and twelve leaders (organs) in the

hum an body, male and female.

Section 4.

The twelve constellations in the world a re : Aries,

• n v s * TDD 37

n p y n n m p r r a q t p b n n i r n n n r r i ? i n o 1

: p i n f c ? n c y b t a i n n r e ? n n) : t • : v T •• - •• • ; -

♦ n HDf f l a

p"iry D“ab i”con n n niraeto rn ew crnef

n ’mra baa jiopbN ’boa new o p tf j-riD1

n v n n n m ra tea paisa n m ra baa n’Din. : - • t: • : : • t: • :

b o a n r n r p ' n t f n . b a a r v p n n ^ p l n n b a a

n ’ D i n r r a n g p S o a n v r i n r r p i n n

b a a r w n n n n p r o p S a a n ’p i n n n a n y p

n o i s a b a a n p n y p n o i s a b a a n ’ p i n n o i s y

j n j n i n y n y n y p s b i n i j o r n n p i r v n n n

: n b i y n i b a at :

.5 n a w a

puay D“jb ■'"on n n nto-itfs nnew erne*

ana nai p;pna jbptf jpna pan jppn jniD’

onchn new outf nbiya nibm m ew dtw#t - : t t : t t t - : v *• :

: n a p a i - a i e t o a a o o t u d n e w d o # n a e P it t v v : • • : - t t : t t :

.1 n 5 W tt

wtiim nie> nbo nbiya nibtn m ew nneJ: v t t T T - ••: v ;

Page 21: Sepher Yezirah

Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio,

Sagitarius, Capricomus, Aquarius and Pisces. The

twelve months of the year a re : Nisan, Iyar, Sivan,

Tamus, Ab, Elul, Tishri, Marcheshvan, Kislev,

Teves, Schevat and Adar. The twelve organs of the

human body are : two hands, two feet, two kidneys, gall, small intestines, liver, gullet39 or esophagus,

stomach and milt.

S e c t io n 5.

First Part.

F ir s t D iv is io n . God let the letter n predominate in speaking, crowned it, combined one with the

other, and formed by them : Aries (the Ram) in the

world, the month Nisan in the year, and the right foot of the human body, male and female.

S e c t io n 6.

S ec o n d D iv is io n . H e let the letter i predominate

in thinking, crowned it, combined one with the other,

and formed by them : Taurus (the Bull) in the world,

the month Iy ar in the year and the right kidney o f

the human body, male and female. .

S e c t io n 7.

T h ir d D iv is io n . H e let the letter t predominate

in walking, crowned it, combined one with the other,

and formed by them : Gemini (the Twins) in the

world, the month Sivan in the year, and the left foot o f the human body, male and female.

i n na ntfp. 3ipy duixd r6 ro rn x jdid

vpd "p s ]du r a te D’Ehn n te outf invni t * t • I t • t t : • T - : t t : • t

: n s nDQ bo3 iitei n te i bbx 3X nant - : t : : • I t : ••• • : • v : t ~

o n 1 w * napai "oi t e a auvun n te oatf• - t : t I - : t t v v : • • : - t t :

(ppmp) ppn nna nii>? vy# nbp_ Vp n3p nnru

T T I ” V V : -

.n n d to ft

b "ten nrrte ‘n nix Trten .xna'x X33- I t : t ■ ; f • : • t •• t t

. i n i ® ? :

b n t f p i - n n n n a i n i x T p t e n . x n n a r a p

t x i o b t e n i $ a n s n s i n a n i i d i x i n n at • : t : v t t : v t v I t : t ;

: p d m i 3 i t e a s r w x ^ d i r a t et I - : t t v v : ■ t s t : : t t ;

.T n 5 V ft

b n s t f p i T j t a n p ' i n i x n p b p n . x n p a X 3 3

j r p i u b m □ ’ p i x n e r a n a i n n n i j p n s i n r o

a r n p a i n a i . t e a s bxnsr bam ratet I - : t t v v : : v v : t t :

Page 22: Sepher Yezirah

S e c t io n 8.

Second Part.

F ir s t D iv is io n . He let the letter n predominate in seeing, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by th em : Cancer (the Crab) in the world, the month Tamus in the year, and the right hand of the human body, male and female.

S e c t io n 9.

S ec o n d D iv is io n . H e let the letter a predominate in hearing, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Leo (the Lion) in the world, the month Ab in the year, and the left kidney of the human body, male and female.

S e c t io n 10.

T h ir d D iv is io n . H e let the letter predominate in working, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Virgo (the Virgin) in the world, the month Elul in the year, and the left hand of the hum an body, male and female.

S e c t io n 11.

Third Part.

F ir s t D iv is io n . H e let the letter b predominate in coition, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : L ibra (the Balance) in the world, the month Tisliri in the year, and the gall of the human body, male and female.

S e c t io n 12.

S ec o n d D iv is io n . H e let the le tte r : predominate in smelling, crowned it, combined one with the other, and formed by them : Scorpio (the Scorpion) in the world, the month M archeshvan in the year, and the small intestines of the human body, male and female.

. n

rv tC Q 'n n i x ?y b p n ♦ r r o t f n |p k * 0 3

c f c iy s jcpnD e r a n y i n n rn j s n y i n p o sb

t r n p j ) "id t E t o n p p i t j n : r a n o n ]

. t : n 5 d 12

n jf tp E b v n i a t y b a n . n n t p n ] p n « a a

u b m e r a n sn n n m ?D-isn n r o h n t fp it : — v t t : v t v i t : t j % . i t .

i n p p j l “ IDT 2*3:3 n^X D C I X ^ D l nJE>3 3X1t I--: t t v v : • t : t : : t t : t .

.■> n : xo 72

n^pi ntOTop 0 niK Tpbpn .nn&n ]p 'j *93

n b m nVra ons nsn nn ni is-rai nn3 )bT : T : V T T : V T V I T : T .

:n 3pai pdt 2*0:3 ‘pxnfr v t rum bbwt ) • • : t t v v : : “ • t t : v . v

• n 5 w ft

n ix ■y b n n . n ’^ e i n j p 'x x p s

o u T X n e r a “ is t n n n i ]pnaT; n n p b n 2*px]

• .n p p ji "idt 2*0 :3 n n n i r u m n s tfn i r b mT ) • • : T T V V : T T T T : • . . T

. n"*1 n 5 » ) 3

t ^ p t n r a u n i x n . n ’t f ’b ip n | p n x p p

□ b i j j ? p n p y e r a n a i n n n i jppsT n n p i >

i r i p p j i n p ; 2*o :p p j?v . r u m j ^ n n ip i

Page 23: Sepher Yezirah

S e c t io n 13.

T h ir d D iv is io n . H e let the letter d predominate

in sleep, crowned it, combined one with the other,

and formed by them : Sagittarius (the Archer) in the world, the month Kislev in the year, and the stomach

of the hum an body, male and female.

S e c t io n 14.

Fourth Part.

F ir s t D iv is io n . H e l e t the letter y predominate in anger, crowned it, combined one with the other,

and formed by th em : Capricomus (the Goat) in the

world, the month Teves in the year, and the liver in

the human body, male and female.

S e c t io n 15.

S ec o n d D iv is io n . H e let the letter s predominate

in swallowing, crowned it, combined one with the

other, and formed by them : Aquarius (the "Water­

man) in the world, the month Schwat in the year,

and the esophagus of the human body, male and

female.S e c t io n 16.

T h ir d D iv is io n . H e let the letter p predominate in laughing, crowned it, combined one with the other,

and formed by them : Pisces (the Fishes) in the world, the month Adar in the year, and the milt of the

human body, male and female.

( He made them as a conflict, drew them up like a

\ w a ll; and set one against the other as in warfare.

• n v s ’ T D D 4 3

. }"■> n 5 W 72

r\:p2 v niN Tfbgn p

□ V i in n # p . o r o n y n n p it |£ n ;sn n n p *b

:npp:i npi nzrpi f?pp]

. Y ’’ n 5 12 ft

d to n i« ■sptopn .rryrrvn ]P n *03

rfrto ^ dpq nai n n ni nnp ib: r a p y \ “ d t e fc m *1001 r u r f c r o o

T I " : T T V V : ' I f T T .

.1*0 f l l U S

novV? 'a nix ip b an \n v n n n jo '3 nes

oblji3 ’bn ana nui n n ni jsnsi. nro ib ntfpi.

t m p j i ” 0 T E to n r n r u i ( R jT f lp p

, t " o n s s> a

pin©? p n ix Tpbpn .n p n in ;p ‘i xaa

ohm cnn on? nai. n n ni. ]Errai; nro lb nE>pY]

I’D? jxtwi napai nai Eton bintpi rutf? nnxi

:npnbp pp? pny npin pop prpp T ons

: w h o ix n a n o k"j (*t •: t -i

Page 24: Sepher Yezirah

CHAPTER VI.

S e c t io n 1.

These are the three mothers or the first elements, E"?2"N from which emanated three progenitors; prim­

itive air, water and fire, and from which emanated

as their offspring, three progenitors and their off­

spring, nam ely: the seven planets and their hosts, and the twelve oblique points.

S e c t io n 2.

To confirm this there are faithful witnesses; the

world, year and man, the twelve, the Equipoise, the

heptade, which God regulates like the Dragon,40 (Tali) sphere and the heart.

S e c t io n 3 .

The first elements w"»"K are air, water and fire ;

the fire is above, the water below, and a breath of air establishes the balance among them. For an illus­

tration may serve, that the fire carries the water is

the phonetic character of & which is mute and © is

hissing like fire, there is x among them, a breath of air which places them in eqilibrium.41

S e c t io n 4 .

Dragon (Tali) is in the world like a king upon his throne, the sphere is in the year like a king in the

empire, and the heart is in the human body like a

king42 in war.

♦ w p i s

n 3» a

vxhv) onn w i e>"0“n niDN ebut ant : v •• : t : v v : * t

iie6 e> rvhbin niasra Etai otdi mix cm nicxT . . T .... - I

arni*aai nsncch nrnrfeim rvdK

:}iDcSx “iew c’JEh

etoJ rotf abiyc d’Jdn: omy -q-6 irm. . . . . . T T T T ' T V : V 1 ” T T - T —. -

'bro jnpoi n v b m riypcpi pn nfry o-gtfi

nb'i b&n. 3 & ‘' T :

rbysb v x u m v x nisK vbtfjippi d to ? jn jp pn n n tjw rtsd? e r a

npnjtf 'v rooin #o man n« x m wxn np-fc

:q^u? yn?o pn n n nnx k

rfcrn n:tf a b&i by rfnya

:nDn*?03 v z n 2b T in aat t : • : ) v v : v v : ** t • :

:n o in Stf k- 3 (•

Page 25: Sepher Yezirah

S e c t io n 5 .

God has also set the one over against the other;

the good against the evil, and the evil against the

good; the good proceeds from the good, and the evil from the evil; the good purifies the bad, and the bad the good; the good is preserved for the good, and the evil for the bad ones.

* S e c t io n 6.

There are three of which every one of them stands by itself; one is in the affirmative, the other in the negative and one equalizes them.

‘ S e c t io n 7.

There are seven of which three are against three,

and one places them in equilibrium. There are twelve’which are all the time a t war; three of them produce

love, and three hatred, three are animators and three destroyers.

S e c t io n 8 .

The three th a t produce love are the heart and the

ea rs ; the three that produce hatred are the liver, the

gall and the tongue; the three animators are the two

nostrils and the m ilt; and the three destroyers are the mouth and the two openings of the body; and

God, the faithful King, rules over all from H is holy

habitation to all eternity. H e is one above three,

three are above seven, s e v e n a b o v e tw e lv e , a n d a ll

a re lin k e d to g e th e r .

. n n s w a

rnvb nits nt rosyb nt hn m

Dicsn snp y n aitsa aits uio nayjp sn jn

ro to aten n x )vqp srvn y in n x jvpp

mat) nyn □■alts'? mce>• t t t : t t : t

n 2 125 tt

•m i n3ip nifc "iptt rub im by npbp :d t® jn ? 8 i m ) T rip

. T n D ® ? 3

DTua vrgo -m i npbp biD ntiip r\V2p ctqiTIk npbp :npnbpa p-ipiy -ifrv lUVVQ ntfbeft cm? ntfb# r\pbp

• n n 3 w tt

u^yp r\pbp mwni mrrte wtfap rfgn ptf crnp npbp jwbnj rnsn to hbw nsni n'lpjn ptf □ ’>map npbp) binprn -iv nv i v ieh jj ]iypp obp? bpiD jp*o Tjba

nv2P rrotf '2: bv npbp npbp *q-j bv tpk; • t : • — “ t : t : - T •

:n a m crons* o b i -\vy D’stf •gi by,v t v ) ■ t t t

Page 26: Sepher Yezirah

S e c t io n 9.

There*8 are twenty-two letters by which the I am, Yah, the Lord of hosts, Almighty and Eternal, de­signed, formed and created by three Sepharim, H is

whole world, and formed by them creatures and all those th a t will be formed in time to come.

S e c t io n 10.

When** the patriarch Abraham comprehended the great truism, revolved it in his mind, conceived it

perfectly, made careful investigations and profound inquiries, pondered upon it and succeeded in contem­

plations, the Lord of the Universe appeared to him, called him his friend, made with him a covenant

between the ten fingers of his hands, which is the

covenant of the tongue,*8 and the covenant between

the ten toes of his feet, which is the covenant of cir­cumcision, and said of h im : “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee.” (Jer. I , 5.)

n 3 m 73

mnx ppn jns# nrnix Dinsft onfcy on &

nnn n&yi dv6x rri.T me* bx nitas fflrp rr*v •• t t : • v : t j — •-* t : t ; T

cns un th is b3 nx ono xn3i nnDD n&btfV T T : T T V V “ T T ' T • T :

:-A5fb mnyn b3 nxi nnpn b j

n j » a

Dsm ppm nxni cram o tx otqk rantfa~ t ; / t - t : t t : • • : • t t t : - ) • t v .

■onto ijnpi ^srt jinx r6y rfen imp nnVyi

rvp tarn rm niysyx nfry j-g nmp ib r r a

rfran nmp tarn rbjn niypyx ncyy ]->za jie^n

•iTj’nym jcpsp ^nyx ones rbv xnpTi

n i o ’ n « nbfl t t e ^ a ni>rriK D'ncn D n tr y ->e>pi (•

r r to y DTitfa JJna nyatfa l?"1? jp^n onaa laeto

:nibroT "

: r r P 2 F “IDG p-’b D l . p^bO

Page 27: Sepher Yezirah

N O T E S .

1) O ur au tho r maintain* th a t there is a first intelligent, self-existing,

alm ighty , e ternal ruling cause o f all th ings, and th a t an everlasting entity

produced nonentities by a progression o f effects. T h e divine knowledge, he

adds, differs from the hum an knowledge in such a degree, th a t it gives ex­

istence to all th a t is. t l l t Q S 'P P"1 p p P is a talmudical expression. (See

T reatise Bava B athra p. 73.) I t teems to m e, th a t th e au thor no t only

wanted to contradict P la to 's assertion th a t the Supreme Being had need o f a

plan, like th e h u m a n architect, to conduct the great design, w hen he made

th e fabric o f the Universe, but a lto th e com m on belief th a t God reasons

and acts by ideas like a hum an being. As th e prophet Isaiah exclaim ed:

I “ Behold ! God has no ideas l ike you, and hi* ways o f acting are no t like

\ yours." (Isaiah 35 , 8— 9 )

2) T h e num ber th ir ty -tw o i t not only th e fifth power o f tw o, and the

sum o f ten units and tw enty-tw o letters, b u t is also the sum o f the first and

last le tte r o f the H ebrew Pentateuch, nam ely : 3 2 and 5 30, equal th irty-

tw o. (See K u ta ri p. 343 , translated into G erm an by D r. David Cassel.)

3) P a th s denote powers, effects, kinds, form s, degrees o r stages.

4) T hese Sepharim o r th ree words o f sim ilar expression signify ; first,

num ber, calculation o r idea j second, th e w o rd ; th ird , the writing o f the

■Word. T h e idea, word and writing (o f th e wordl. are signs to m an for a

th ing , and is no t th e th ing itself, to th e C reator, however, idea, word and

w riting (of the word) are th e th ing itself, or a t some ancient R abbis re­

m arked : “ n V p r n i n * i s i in n ban m n jm P irn pnonfc idea,

word and w ork are one and the same to God.” T here is an ideal world in

th e divine intellect, according to w hich th is sensible world was made. T h e

difference between th e hum an and divine m anner o f th ink ing adm its no

comparison.

5 ) T h is means to say, th a t there has no t been any m a tte r or hyle ex­

isting from all e tern ity , containing different k inds o f prim itive atom s or

molecules e tc., as th e G re e k philosopher, Anaxagoras, taught, bu t th a t all

th ings are th e gradual em anations o f one everlasting being. T h is idea is

th e n symbolically explained in the next paragraph.

6) T h e design o f th e author is evidently to deduce the proof o f th e de­

cade from th e phenomena in the na tu re o f m an , who is generally considered

th e crow n o r th e final cause o f the terrestial creation, and upon whom God

vouchsafed two m ost precious gifts, n am ely : the articulated word, and the

religious elem ent (spiritual purity). T h is passage is explained by Isaac

Satanow in his Hebrew Dictionary entitled Sephath E m eth , p. 4 4 , b :

T 'b ia n “c * i D obson n n b i r b n c io c s to n y io b n ro m B u m ntt o ^ p b o b i? t i n s to n in i* b a i e v n ia n n n n b i n b m m s r o i* n i n n x i n a n n n w b s ■’n o b s m r m nts^bcbT h e tongue is, as it were, the .1111123 H U 1 11303 ,HT m t 1- « 1 D " K m

descriptive pen o f all th e spiritual issues, and the genital parts are th e or­

iginators o f the corporeal substances. Every one o f them is an eternal

covenant in order to preserve the hum an race for ever, according to its two­

fold being: body and spirit. Each working after its own way, physically

and spiritually.

7) L ike Pythagoras, who taught th a t the digits inclusive num ber ten

which are typified in T e trak tys , {TETpaxrvi) nam ely: I plus z plus 3

plus 4 equal 10, and w hich comprise the whole arithm etical system o f

na tu re , etc. O ur au th o r endeavors to show th e gradual em anation o f all

th ings from God, which were completely finished in ten spheres.

8) M y Hebrew reading is 1 1D1373 b * 1 2 1 301 .11 T h e re are various

readings; therefore Postellus rendered i t : “ restitue figm entum in locum

suum R ittangcl, “ restitue form atorem in throno s u o P i s t o r i u s , “ fac

sedere creatorem in th rono suo.” T h e au tho r seems to ridicule here th e

Gnosticians who m aintained th a t D cm iurg was th e creator o f m an and the

sensual world.

9) In God is th e beginning and he is th e boundary o f the Universe.

Compare also the T alm ud treatise Chagigah p. 12.

10) H ere is contradicted th e system o f ditheism , consisting o f an eternal

G od, the A u tho r o f all good and o f “ Hyle" or “ Satan ,” th e co-etcrnal and

co-equal principle o f evil, m aintaining th a t an all-perfect God alone is the

au thor o f all good and evil, and has in his infinite wisdom so wonderfully

contrived the nature o f things, th a t physical and m oral evil m ay produce

good, and hence contribute to carry out the great design o f tn e Supreme

Being. Compare also Chap. 6 §5.

11) A s th e infinite series o f numbers starts from one un it, so was the

whole Universe formed a unity , th a t centres in the Godhead.

12) T h e m eaning is, th a t as the living creatures w hich the prophet saw

in h is vision were stricken w ith such an awe, th a t they could not go any

fu rther to see th e divine glory, and had to re turn , to is the decade an eter­

nal secret to us and we are not permitted to understand it . W e find this

very idea in th e Pythagorean system. T h e disciples o f Pythagoras looked

upon the decade as a holy num ber, and swore by i t and by th e T e trak tys

which contain th e num ber ten.

13) See above N ote 1, G od, idea and word are indivisible.

Page 28: Sepher Yezirah

14.) I adopted here the reading o f Judah Halevi, namely : " j i i a a i m p p H

0 3 3 OD"l i n n with the exception o f the word l i l t l i because it it

obvious from “ Y ezirah,” Chap. I I , th a t the author signifies by the word

“ T o h u ,” no th ing , and no t som ething, as Ju d ah H alevi erroneously thought.

M oses Butarel and o thers te ll us th a t they had before them a correct copy

o f “ Sepher Y ezirah ," where it reads: l i * W a *331 p Y 1"» I p HT i n n

tm f c i lD J a T h e same passage is mentioned in the T alm ud treatise Chagi-

gah, p. 12, a, w ith th e addition o f ‘p K S 'P p T a C B l i t M m 5 p 1B » n

T h e word m )s b lD J 2n is translated by R ashi, moist. Some say it is

a compound word o f M f i i iC Q > others o f / ‘'JDaifct etc. But the

word is no t o f Semitic o rig in ; i t is, according to my opinion, borrowed from

the G reek as th e word etc., ITXr/fJTf Jlood. ni& b& Q D^SaK flood-

stones. T h e sam e word is used treatise Beza, p. 24 , b, •’p ttb lD JS H 0 1 3 T

fish th a t are caught from out o f th e flood.'

1$) According to the author, the space and six dimension* emanated

from the ether.

16) Ju d ah Halevi in h is book entitled “ K usari,” p. 356, illustrates it

th u s : T h e C reator is one, and th e space has in the figurative expression

six dimensions. T h e book “ Y ezirah ," having ascribed to the Creator some

nam es in the spiritual language, chooses now in th e hum an language the

finest sounds which are, as i t were, the spirits o f the o ther sounds, nam ely:

“ "nfl and says, th a t when th e divine will was expressed by such a sublime

nam e, it became th a t which th e Exalted by praise wished to call fo r th ac­

cording to th e combination o f Hence it follows, th a t the material

world was created in such a way and m anner w hich corresponds w ith the

m ateria l, nam ely, by th e sublime spiritual nam e, w hich corresponds with

th e m aterial nam e, i^fTl » rm iVSI '"’IH »m*’ 'TTH and out o f each o f them

became one dimension o f the world, th e sphere.

17) T h e au tho r shows here by the symbol o f a scale and th e phonetic

character o f the fundamental letters th a t the opposite forces and

the struggle w hich prevail in the smallest as well as in the largest circles o f

creation are appeased and calm ed.

18) M eaning outlets, outgates o f the creative power, formations.

19) T h e word 335 signifies joy , and when transposed, forming the word

533 i t signifies ju s t th e contrary , trouble, plague. H e m eans to say, th a t

th e le tters o f the words 335 and 533 a re the same, but they signify never­

theless, opposite ideas on account o f transposition. J u s t as th e sphere re­

m ains the same during th e rotation on its axis in its setting and in its rising;

yet it appears to us as i f i t had undergone a great change on account o f its

different position.

20) M y reading is j y p n m ■jD IS

21) T h e combination o f th e tw enty-two letters w ithou t perm utation ii

represented in the following ta b le :

D D 3 D D 3 3 I D D D 3 D D 3 D D D D 3 3 3

. J J J J J 1 J J , , -» J 1 J J-Kj « 13 O ci o U ^ C D * ! ^ 3 J u U Z

a l l a j T! u z

o ^ o K d ^ u ^ c d S s S j E u x

^ B 2 § - s >2 8 3 2 2 3 3 2 S.2v : v , v ; v r Y ; v . v 3 v j v_ v .Y :Y 3 v ,v :V 2o 5 o nt- u

a \J~U y o 3 - " J J u u ZL* s. L* . L. l_» . L# L* - L# L#O \J~U ^ C U h J ^ U - l f c i U X

:2~rf j ' i f u ’x

1 t 31 3 t 3 33 3 :j -t d u xa 3 j c u x

3 j d u 23 1 3 31 J d U 2

—I r! u U *uU X

uX22) T h e num ber o f combinations o f tw enty-tw o le tte rs two and two

w ithout any perm utation is according to the m athem atical formula

n— 1 22n-------- = 2 2 — 1 x = 2 2 1 .2 2 J

23) T h e ancient philosophers maintained th a t i f God is th e first cause,

and H e is necessarily, H e , the immediate effect o f H im , as an absolute unity,

Page 29: Sepher Yezirah

can only be again a unity. H ence from a being th a t is in every respect a unique being, there can only em anate one being j because would tw o essen­

tially and tru ly different th ings issue conjointly from one being, they can

only proceed from two different things o f substance, th a t would consequently

ad m it a division th a t is inconceivable. T h e y then put th e question, how

cam e so m any various beings in to existence ? O ur au thor is therefore en ­

deavoring to show th a t the whole universe em anated gradually from the

spirit o f th e one living God.

24) T h e reading o f V o n Jo . M eyer and others is as follows: UTVlD ”12^

ocna t t o b " m an D*»Jna d -h id * n s m lSDn i n * mean c a n “in a d m D 'nD in 5d r .a i “m -T i 5d rroir - w a n nca2 ^*>0 n n1 T » fcpTl t f l l ’n t t D T M D * H M * O t 5 *\D*’t n M y reading according to a m anuscript o f R abbi Isaac Luria, which I have preferred to all others,

is thus: D-’i n a d’h i d ? a s m n r n n a n o j i im nD o d d -is*’ t o t s a u? i5 id t i ln s C5 a m a vs*® n n o c r o t p k o n-naD -OTb •\d*'di n n a d o m nnn b s r .a i -n2 v i b s na noan -id^di

i a epiiD o i s t n d t i o i D*noj>25) I t has been already mentioned above Chap. i, § i , th a t God, h is idea

and h is word are a u n i ty ; hence th e author signifies by th e le tte r Aleph

th e a ir from which em anated the creative speech, etc.

26) H ere is m e a n t : ethereal air, ethereal water, ethereal fire, the macro­

cosm , th e courses o f tim e and microcosm. M any offspring o r derivations

cam e from the la tte r three , as their progenitors, as it is explained after­

wards in th e chapter.

27) T h e au thor endeavors to show how th e creative divine w ord became

m ore condensed and how a new series o f productions cam e out o f three

elements.

28) In ancient tim es coldness was considered to be a substance. [See

Psalm 147, 17.]

29) Id est, made it the reigning power.

30) Namely, w ith th e two o ther elements.

31I T h a t is to say a different combination o f the elements.

32) According to th e opinion o f the author, i t may be arranged as follows;

Aleph. M em . Sheen.W o rld : A ir, E arth , Heaven or A tm osphere.

( I a c lu i l r . of Land «nd S•* .)M a n : Breast, Belly, Head.Y e a r : M oistness, Coldness, Heat.

33) T h e aspirating pronunciation o f p in th e G reek , was adopted by the

ancient Jew s in Palestine fo r the Hebrew le tter “V T h e y pronounced it

partly aspirated and partly unaspirated. [See D r. Geiger’s Lehr-und Lese-

buch der M ischnah , p. 22, and D r. G raetz 's Gnosticismus, p. 117.J

34 ) According to th e idea o f our au thor, there em anated from th e unity

o f God three ethereal e lem ents : prim itive a ir from th e spirit, from th e air,

prim itive water, and from th e w ater, prim itive fire o r ether, ou t o f which

cam e other spheres o f existence in th e significant and h ighly im portant

num ber, seven, from which descended sm aller spheres and which produced

again others. H e endeavors to show how th e ideal became, after numerous

emanations, m ore condensed, palpable and concrete. T h e w hole creation is

thus contemplated as a pyram id, term inating in a point a t the top w ith a

broad basis. [See Dr. G raetz’s Gnosticismus, p. 224.J

35) Compare C hapter I , Section 3, N ote, 8.

36) T h e order o f the planets (including th e Sun) is stated here according

to th e Ptolem aic system w hich was in vogue even am ong th e learned m en

till th e middle o f th e fifteenth cen tury , n am ely : M oon, M ercury, Venus,

Sun, M ars, Ju p ite r and Saturn . B ut th is arrangem ent is undoubtedly an

interpolation o f a la te r tim e, as th e au tho r o f the book “ Y ezirah" lived

m any years before Ptolem y. And indeed Prof. Jo . Friedrich V on M eyer

and others o f reliable au thority had in the ir copies o f “ Y ezirah" the follow­

ing order : .D-HXD p i s '’M S rD3b 35*13 M313 nD n M ars, Ju p itfr ,

Saturn, M oon, M ercury, V enus, Sun.

37) Philo (Allegor 1, 42 ,) after having called a tten tion to the fact tha t

th e heptade is to be found in m any biblical laws, in th e vowels o f th e G reek

language, in the gam ut and in th e organs o f th e hum an body, exclaims,

sim ilar to our author : “ T h e whole nature exults in th e hep tad e!"

38) T h e rule for perm utation is as follows : (n— 1). n . 1 x 2 x 3 14X 5 x6 2 7 = 5 0 4 0 . I n our edition i t re a d s : •D-'r.D D-'Dbl* PiTDDn Five

thousand and four houses, w hich is obviously a m istake, it should re a d :

5040 houses. «D->rn D - M i a i D - c i a r i c D n

39) I read fHT*Ck instead o f “p I p ' T l p for tw o reasons. I n th e first

place, th e same thing is mentioned afterwards, and in the second place, i t is

proved by tn e expression th a t th e au thor m eant D1313 and not

. • p i p n p

40) Some m aintain th a t by th e expression T a li is understood th e con­

stellation Draco o r Dragon, w hich is a very large constellation extending

for a great length from East to W est} beginning a t the tail which lies h a lf

way between th e Pointers and the Pole Star, and winding round between

the G rea t and L ittle B ear by a continued succession o f b right stars from 5

to 10 degrees asunder, i t coils round under the feet o f th e L ittle Bear, sweeps

round the pole o f th e ecliptic, and term inates in a trapezium formed by four

conspicuous stars from 30 to 3 5 degrees from N orth Pole. Dr. Steinshneidet

(see M agazin fuer L itera tu r des Auslandes, 1845) and D r. Cassel (in his

com m entary to th e book entitled Kusari,) m aintain th a t th e ancient Jew ish

Page 30: Sepher Yezirah

astronomer* signified by the word T a li, no t th e constellation Draco, but

the line which joins together the two points in w hich th e o rbit o f th e moon

intercepts th e ecliptic (Dragon’s head and tail). Dr. Cassel is o f th e opinion

th a t our au tho r m eant here, probably th e invisible, celestial or universal

axis th a t carries the whole Universe.

41) O ur au thor means to say th a t th e water has a great disposition to

unite itse lf w ith th e caloric, thus for instance is th e fire la ten t in steam,

but the a ir equipoises them .

42) T h e m eaning is, as God is the centre o f th e Universe, so have the

macrocosm, the seasons and tem perature and the microcosm, their centres

receiving power from th e principal centre to regulate and rule.

43) T h e substance o f th is M ishnah is mentioned in the Talm ud treatise

Berachoth, p. 55, a. I t reads th e re : PPT! 3>T P 3*1 *1126* m i m 3*1 “W *

f p S O t n E O y t 3 1» 33 3 D tm m * C p s i i » b 2 3 “ R ab Jehudah stated

in the nam e o f R ab, th a t Bezalel understood to combine letters by which

heaven and earth were created.” To th is the com m entator R ash i adds:

“ as it is taugh t in th e book Y ezirah.” I t is undoubtedly certain th a t the

book Y ezirah, or a cosmogony as it is represented there , was know n to Rab,

who was a disciple o f Jehudah Hanasi, during the second part o f the second

century. (C . E.) See treatise B erachoth , p. 55 a, where the com m entator

R ash i referred to the book Y ezirah.

4 l ) T h is whole paragraph is an interpolation o f an unknow n hand, as i t

can be easily proved.

45 ) I have translated according to th e reading o f Rabbi Ju d ah Halevi.

T h e reading o f Rabbi Luria is as follows: tVPnl* B*’tWn U“n B ? I ic p i

•psa rm n i s m c »3 p i n i s r a m o n * n i n inai 131013“ H e fastened tw enty-two letters on » t l l i i a *305 t P 3B 3 ’p ™ 115303 his tongue and revealed to h im H is mystery, H e drew them by water, k in ­

dled them by fire and thundered them by th e w ind, H e lighted th e m by

seven, and rules them by twelve constellations.” Pistor. renders i t : “ T ra n a t

per aquam , accendit in ignc grandine signavit in acre. Disposuit cum sep-

tem e t gubem avit cum duodecim." Postellus’ version is : “ A ttrax it eum

in aqua, accendit in spiritu, inflam m avit in scptem aptatum cum duodecim

signis.” M eyer translates i t : “ E r zog sie m it W asscr, ziindet sic an m it

Feuer, erregte sie m it G eist, vebrannte sie m it sieben, goss sie aus m it den

ssro e lf G estirnen .”

GLOSSARYOP

RABBINICAL WORDS.

X

p*IK v. To adhere, cohere. VI, 8.

V W *■ [Syriac ,-iKK Greek aijp] Air. II,

». Sign, letter; tto* hi»niK fundamental letters. 1 , 1.

adv. hinc e t ulteriUB; from now farther. I V 16

<*4/- These. Equals the biblical .n^K V I. 1.

[Greek Adfov] Oblique, diagomJ direction. V, 2.

yVDK n. Middle, oentre. I , 2*▼ : v

3

Vfta n. Clearness, perspicuity. I , 3. 1n i3 b it 13 1 uiDPjT1

and put the subject in a clear point of view.

K03 n. Division. V , 5.T T

D*DJ3 or D'Dil'B Composed of ,D,nB> omitting E* between them.

.................. x, 1. [See Duke’B Sprache der Miachnah. p. 68.]

■y n. Back. '33 upon the back id est, upon or above.- — - V I, 8.

tjy ». Body, substance II , 5.

b & n. Circle, celestial orb, or sphere. II , 4.

Page 31: Sepher Yezirah

■wan «•

im n «•

“nrnn «.

n is i n.*

min fi­

lm ®.•T

nWm n.▼ •

S)no «•

1Word. 1 .8 .

nThink, muse, m editate, re flect 1 ,7.

Reflection, meditotion. V, 1.

T

Innocence, purity, godliness, m e r i t I I , 1.

nMisdeed, trespass. I I , 1.

To return, to tn m one’s se lf round. I I , 5.

R otation ; from *>*>n to dance round. I I , 5.T

CD

Milt, spleen. V , 4.

JN3 or JN2 adv. Here, th e re ; ]N3D thence, from thence. IV , 16.

3 3 ) 3 n . S ta r ; especially the planet Mercury. IV , 7.T

J13 p ie l f |3 v. D irect; fi3D directed, situated. I , 2.

■RJP3 n. Ugliness. IV , 3.

TJ3 or adv. So, thus. I , 7.

JTI3 H iph. j m s n V . To intervene in any thing, to mediate the Deace, acoom odate a quarrel. I I , 1.

1>HB'V^ «• Eating, swallowing. V , 1.

T *«

Tp'D.* adv. Composed of the wordB and . i p According to

that, therefore. IV , 15.

D pS D n.

.TIB n.T *

ru e to n.T I *

ni^D «.T “

f»D3 adv.

SB'O v.

EtoD n.

nsnvp »-

r n p n.

anmp

3H3 v.

r »313 n.

w r v-

n*

TID v.• T

JD’D n.

p'!>p «.

n

The planet Mars. IV , 7.

Measure, quality, divine attribute. I , 4.

Doctrine, lesson, paragraph.

Constellations; especially the twelve signs of the

Zodiac. V, 3. 310 >TO a happy constellation.▼ -

I t is a particle like ,3 a s ; it is added the word pD

kind, d eno ting : as a kind of, like, as. I I , 4.

Chald. inf. 1DXD or .30D To speak, command. I I , 5.

Substance, reality. I I , 5.

R am part, a floor, pavement. I , 8.

Gall. V, 4

See .3HJ IV , 1.- T

2

W ith a 3 following after it, signifies: to make use

of any thing. IV , 1.The planet Venus. IV , 7.

Chald. Stick in, fasten, conjoin, connect. I , 6.

Opening. IV , 8.

D

Arrange. V, 16.

arjfitiov Sign, illustration. I I , 4. [See Geiger’s Lesestucke der Mishnah, p. 121.]

F inished; the end (of a book or chapter.)

V

r a n y *»• Contention, rivalry. V, 5.T •• -| ¥T n y n- Future . 11,2.

• r

Page 32: Sepher Yezirah

PIB «-D

Chapter, section.

BHfta a4i- Divested of clothes, ondressed, simple. I, 8.

PTY n.

».▼ • I

FpY v.

The p lane t Jnp iter. IV , 7.

Appearance. I , 5.

Refine, m elt together, connect, combine. I I , 5

VapT v. To fix, to fasten. I , 8. I I , 3.

n y p o r n j p n. Stom ach. V, 4.

J3Cnp or J2p*np n. Stomach. V, 4.

1

!T tn ». A rgum ent, evidence. V I, 2.

Sight. V, 1.

Redundancy of w ater, moistneas. I I I . 4.

Smell. V, 1.

V

’K n 3 ^ n. The p lane t Saturn. IV , 7.

nPPb» n. Speaking. V . 1.

njrpB* n. Hearing. V, 1.

THE* r - T o B erve. 1 , 8.

n

The constellation Draco or Dragon. V I, 2 .

n»to n.▼ ’ S

n*n ».T* |

m v.

n.

E^DE>n n. Coition. V , j.* I *

EXPLANATORY

T H E R O S IC R U C IA N O R D E R

Anticipating questions w hich m ay be asked by the readers of this book, th e publishers w ish to announce

th a t the re is b u t one un iversal R osicrucian O rd e r exist­

ing in the w orld today, un ited in its various jurisdictions, and hav ing one Suprem e C ouncil in accordance w ith the

original p lan of the anc ien t Rosicrucian manifestoes.

T h e Rosicrucian O rd e r is n o t a religious or sectarian

society.

T h is in te rn a tio n a l o rgan ization re ta ins th e ancien t

trad itions, teachings, principles, and practical helpfulness

of th e B ro therhood as founded centuries ago. It is known

as th e A ncien t , M ystica l O rder Rosae Crucis, which

n am e, for p o p u la r use, is a b b re v ia te d in to A M O R C . T h e

h e a d q u a r te r s fo r th e In te rn a t io n a l Ju r isd ic tion of the

O rd e r is lo c a te d a t San Jose, C alifo rn ia . T hose in te r ­

es ted in k n o w in g m o re of th e h istory a n d p re se n t-d a y

he lp fu l offerings of th e R osicrucians m a y h a v e a free

copy o f th e book e n t i t le d T h e M astery o f L i fe , b y s e n d ­

ing a defin ite re q u e s t to S c r i b e I. S. M ., R o s icruc ian P ark , S an Jose, C a lifo rn ia 95191, U.S.A.

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