Jul 26, 2011 the sepher yetzirah, although this name means the book of formation, is not in any sense a narrative of creation, or a substitute genesis, but is an ancient and instructive philosophical treatise upon one aspect of the origin of the universe and mankind. The sepher yetzirah is also known as the book of formation and the book of creation. It describes a total of 32 intelligences or emanations that make up the body and mind of god. The name sepher yetzirah is hebrew for book of formation or creation. The sefer yetzirah is without question the oldest and most mysterious of all kabbalistic texts. It is the oldest known kabbalistic writing from which the zohar is derived. Sefer yetzirah hebrew, book of formation, or book of creation, is the title of the earliest extant book on jewish esotericism. The book of formation book 2 a meditative journey through the ethereal dimensions of creation. The fifth section of the first book of hebrew kabbalah, called sepher yetzirah, the book of formation. The sefer yetzirah meaning book of formation or book of creation is a text written down almost 2000 years ago that is generally considered the first of those texts that came from the pervasive influence known as kaballah. Sepher yirah, book of formation, or book of creation is the title of the earliest extant book on jewish mysticism, although some early commentators treated it as a treatise on mathematical and linguistic theory as opposed to kabbalah. In two and thirty most occult and wonderful paths of wisdom did jah the lord of hosts engrave his name. Sepher yetzirah epub william wynn westcott achat ebook. The book of creation sefer yesira is a unique, isolated work that belongs to no school of thought daphne hadas freedman2 sefer yetzirah book of formation, hereafter sy is the oldest known speculative treatise in hebrew.
The one who receives should try to receive the sefirot first in order to receive the divine overflow. Thus, the chaos, the abyss, the waters, the spiritual air, the angels, the darkness, etc. God of the armies of israel, everliving god, merciful and gracious, sublime, dwelling on high, who inhabiteth eternity. Sefer yetzirah hebrew, book of creation, is the title of the earliest book on jewish esoterecism. An introduction to the sefer yetzirah by christopher p. Benton the sefer yetzirah, or book of formation, is one of the oldest extant works on jewish kabbalah. Westcotts translation of the sepher yetzirah was a. Best viewed at around 160% zoom the english language version starts on page 38. Astrological correspondences in the sepher yetsira sefer. Apr 24, 2010 sefer yetzirah hebrew, book of formation, or book of creation, is the title of the earliest extant book on jewish esotericism.
The sefer yetzirah the holy kabbalah book of creation riders of the chariot this is a hebrewenglish translation of the kabbalists book the sefer yetzirah book of creation. The sefer yetzirah, the book of creation or formation depending on your translator reveals and explores among other things how the names of god were used by the prophets upto the talmudic period. His sefer yetzirah provides considerable commentary and explanation of the text, though much of it is still a mysteryso dont expect a complete exposition of a definitive sort. The sefer yetzirah is the book of creation, one of the earliest extant texts about the creation of the world of the jewish tradition, a book that some scholars are supposing.
The book of formation translated from the hebrew by wm. Like the tao teh ching, it is a brief work whose terse verses can easily mask its depth and complexity. Yetzirah as in formation is as opposed to beriah as in creation. Who makes winds his messengers, the flaming fire his ministers. The sepher yetzirah, or book of formation, although very short, is probably the most important of the kabalistic texts. Additionally, both the time of its composition and its author are not completely known. The sepher yetzirah, according to adolph franck, differs from other sacred books in that it does not explain the world and the phenomena of which it is the stage by leaning on the idea of god or by setting itself up as the interpreter of the supreme will. Robert bishop reading the book of creation 03262014 duration. An incredibly influential book of the maasei bereshit workings of creation in the jewish mystical tradition. To most people, the very word kabbalah implies the mystical experience par excellence, but most modern books about this subject shed very little light on its ancient mystical and magical aspects. Macgregor mathers, i and the sepher yetzirah in an english translation is almost a necessary companion to these abstruse disquisitions.
The sefer yetzirah is a small and concise book, only 0 words long in the short version and 2500 words long in the long version. Pdf the creation of the world in the sefer yetzirah. This subject is particularly dense and will not make a whole lot of sense unless the reader has more than the basics of judaism and biblical hebrew. Jan 19, 20 the book of formation book 2 a meditative journey through the ethereal dimensions of creation. Rabbi aryeh kaplan has translated sefer yetzirah, the oldest and most mysterious of all kabbalistic texts, and now brings its theoretical, meditative, and magical implications to light. Sefer yetzirah the ancient book of formation time line links sefer yetzirah yetsirah authors walter benjamin s. Head was created from fire, and belly was created from water, and geviyah29 was. Sepher yetzirah in an english translation is almost a necessary companion to these even more abstruse disquisitions. None exists at least in english as far as i can determine. Notably, he wrote 3 books on jewish meditation and commentaries on both the sefer yetzirah and the book bahir.
The sepher yetzirah, although this name means the book of formation, is not in any sense a narrative of creation, or a substitute genesis, but is an ancient and instructive philosophical treatise upon one aspect of the origin of the universe and mankind. It lays out the principles of kabalistic cosmology and the tree of life, how humankind the microcosm reflects the divine the macrocosm. Sefer hayetzirah the book of formation gra version translated by aryeh kaplan chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 chapter 6 chapter 1 1. Its secrets were passed on in the hebrew oral tradition until it was written down in the 2nd century b. The sefer yetzirah, or the book of creation, was written approximately 3,000 bce, and was the first kabbalistic book to be written. Englishhebrew translation of the sefer yetzirah the. Jun 01, 2004 the book of formation or the sepher yetzirah, is a deep book pertaining to the kabbalah. Of these books the sepher yetzirah is consi sefer yetzirah, or the book of creation, was written approximately 3,000 bce, and was the first kabbalistic book to be written. Three letters from the simple ones he sealed air14 through three, and set them into his great name vhy27, and sealed through them the six extremities. First, sefer yetzirah clearly states that the uncreated elements of the genesis text all were, in fact, generated at their proper time and place in the unfolding of the universe. The sefer yetzirah is the book of creation, one of the earliest extant texts about the creation of the world of the jewish tradition, a book that some scholars are supposing of an early medieval.
The sefer yetzirah book of formation is the ancient source text from which the contemporary design of the kabbalistic tree of life diagram has evolved. Rabbi aryeh kaplan has translated sefer yetzirah, the oldest and most mysterious of all kabbalistic texts, and now brings its theoretical, meditative, and. Sefer yetzirah wikisource, the free online library. Kaballah itself cannot be defined, as it surfaced in jewish, islamic, christian, alchemical, astrological, and other.
He sealed below, and he turned downward and sealed it with hvy. Book of formation or sepher yetzirah by knut stenring. Sefer ha yetzirah the book of formation gra version translated by aryeh kaplan chapter 1 chapter 2 chapter 3 chapter 4 chapter 5 chapter 6 chapter 1 1. The book of formation details the creation of the most high and mans connection with him. Correspondences edit on the tree of life diagram yetzirah is associated with the sefirot chesed, gevurah, tiferet, netzach, hod and yesod. Over eighty commentaries to it have come down to us across the centuries, many of them composed by prominent rabbinic figures. Translated from the original hebrew by william wynn westcott the sepher yetzirah is one of the most famous of the ancient qabalistic texts.
Woc trees of life from the sefer hashmoth and the sefer yetzirah trees of life from the book of sefer yetzirah book of formation leo baecks commentary azamra. He sealed above, and he turned upward and sealed it with vhy. The first commentaries on this book were written in the 10th century, and the text itself is quoted as early as the sixth century. Westcotts translation of the sepher yetzirah was a primary source for the rituals and knowledge lectures of the golden dawn. Wynn westcott the sepher yetzirah is one of the most famous of the ancient qabbalistic texts. In thirtytwo 1 mysterious paths of wisdom did jah, 2 the jehovah of hosts, 3 the god of israel, 4 the living elohim, 5 the king of ages, the merciful and gracious god, 6 the exalted one, the dweller in eternity, most high and holy engrave his name by the three. The book of formation a meditative journey through the ethereal dimensions of creation. The name sepher yetzirah,translates as the book of formation, is not in any sense a narrative of creation, or a substitute genesis, but is an ancient and instructive philosophical treatise upon one aspect of the origin of the. Yetzirah also known as olam yetsirah, in hebrew is the third of four worlds in the kabbalistic tree of life, following atziluth and beriah and preceding assiah.
Astrological language in the sepher yetsira astrological equations astrological equations in tarot symbolism the planets and their formative hebrew letters astrologicalhebrew letter correspondences in the sepher yetsira zodical formatives and planetary rulerships in the sepher yetsira. Sepher yetzirah the book of creation metaphysical reflections. When properly understood, sefer yetzirah becomes the instruction. Sepher yetzirah the book of formation and the thirty two paths of wisdom. Although the name sefer yetzirah means the book of formation, or the book of creation, is not in any sense a narrative of creation, or a substitute genesis, but is an ancient and instructive philosophical treatise upon one aspect of the origin of the universe and mankind. The sepher yetzirah, although this name means the book of formation, is not in any sense a narrative of creation, or a substitute. The bok of formation, and the thirty two paths of wisdom. Jan 16, 2014 sefer yetzirah hebrew, book of creation, is the title of the earliest book on jewish esoterecism.
The kabbalah is such a spiritual book dealing with the hidden elements of torah. The sefer yetzirah is devoted to speculations concerning gods creation of the world. Additionally, both the time of its composition and its author. Stopyourmouthfromspeaking,stopyourheart fromthinking,andifyourheartrunstothinkreturntoaplaceofwhichitissaid. Oct 12, 2009 the fifth section of the first book of hebrew kabbalah, called sepher yetzirah, the book of formation. References to the work appear in the first century, while traditions regarding its use attest to its existance even in. He expounds on the dynamics of the spiritual domain, the worlds of the sefirot, souls, and angels. The ascription of its authorship to the biblical patriarch abraham shows the high esteem which it enjoyed for centuries.
Sefer yetzirah the book of formation servants of the light. The sepher yetzirah translated from the hebrew by william wynn westcott note. The second chapter is a discussion of the letters of the hebrew alphabet, and the 231 gates. Sefer yetzirah book of formation, or book of creation is the title of the earliest extant book on jewish esotericism. To most people, the very word kabbalah implies the mystical experience par excellence, but most modern books about this subject shed very little light on its. It was written prior to rabbi shimons zohar, or the book. It was written prior to rabbi shimons zohar, or the book of splendor. Three mothers alef a, mem m, shin s are in the body of male and female.
The sefer yetzirah the book of creation exactly what is the sefer yetzirah. Sepher yezirah a book on creation by isidor kalisch. Chapters three to five discuss the divisions of the letters in relation to astrology. The sefer yetzirah or yesira, or other transliterations has been dated to wildly different periods of time, and is, depending on the commentary you read, the earliest hebrewlanguage book of science, or a key work of kabbalah a form of jewish mysticism apparently beginning in the late. The sepher yetzirah is one of the most famous of the ancient qabalistic texts. I recommend this book for anyone who studies the kabbalah. Jan 10, 2016 robert bishop reading the book of creation 03262014 duration. The three main books of the kabbalistic esoteric philosophy are the sepher yetzirah book of formation, the sepher zohar book of splendour and the sepher bahir book of brilliance. The sepher yetzirah although this name means the book of formation,is not in any sense a narrative of creation, or a substitute genesis, but it is a very. One of the most important books on the kabbalah, sepher yezirah is an outstanding meditation manual on the creation of the universe, both the microcosm and macrocosm. In this essay i discuss the sefer yetzirah in light of some fourth way ideas. The exposition here is by no means exhaustive, but represents an approach to the sefer yetzirahan approach that i believe is productive the sefer. Yetzirah is more literally translated as formation.