This essay is written in order to summarise a five year project on the Sefer Yetzirah, and to serve as an account of some of the main experiences resulting from working with the text and commentary on some of the problems. The Sefer Yetzirah is an ancient Hebrew text which contains astrological ideas, sacred geometry, [...]
Archive for the ‘Sefer Yetzirah’ Category
The Sefer Yetzirah Study – Introduction
Posted in Sefer Yetzirah on August 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
The Sefer Yetzirah Study – Chapter 1
Posted in Sefer Yetzirah on August 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
“He makes His angels of breaths, His ministers of flaming fire” (Psalms 104:4).
2002 – 2003 Leicester
The study of the Sefer Yetzirah began with a programme of summoning of the Archangels of the Sefirot, generally using the attribution system of Moses Maimonides. The students had no idea what to expect from these evocations, and most of [...]
The Sefer Yetzirah Study – Chapter 2
Posted in Sefer Yetzirah on August 5, 2007 | 1 Comment »
“A depth of good and a depth of evil.”
2002 – 2003 Leicester
Before discussing the Letter study itself, I want to mention the study of the Sefirot themselves which accompanied the Angel study. So much can be gained from a study of the theoretical Qabalah as it relates to the Sefirot that it would be foolish [...]
The Sefer Yetzirah Study – Chapter 3
Posted in Sefer Yetzirah on August 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
“He placed them in a circle like a wall with 231 Gates”
Leicester 2003 (Birmingham) – Bath 2004 (Cardiff 2004)
Having established our Foundation and the intent behind the study of the letters, we continued with the Sefer Yetzirah. In this section of the commentary I will outline the instructions of the text and the interpretation [...]
The Sefer Yetzirah Study – Chapter 4
Posted in Sefer Yetzirah on August 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
“And with them, He depicted all that was formed and all that would be formed.”
(Leicester 2003 – Bath 2004)
Using the methods outlined above, the students proceeded to study the letters in turn from Alef to Tav, and like the study of the Sefirot it would be impossible for me to make a comprehensive list of [...]
The Sefer Yetzirah Study – Chapter 5
Posted in Sefer Yetzirah on August 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
“A great, mystical secret covered and sealed with six rings” Sefer Yetzirah, Gra version 3:2(Bath 2004 – Leicester 2005)
Having sufficiently married the ideas of theory and practice of the Sefer Yetzirah in the mind of the reader, we will treat chapters 3 – 5 of the SY, i.e. the concept of Kingship only in practice.
These [...]
The Sefer Yetzirah Study – Chapter 6
Posted in Sefer Yetzirah on August 5, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
“One on three, three on seven, seven on twelve, And all are bound, one to another.” Sefer Yetzirah, Gra version 6:5
(Leicester 2006 – Prague 2006)
If Chapters 1-5 of the Gra Version of the Sefer Yetzirah were intended to set up the theoretical system of the text then Ch.6 establishes some general rules about how it [...]
Keter
Posted in Sefer Yetzirah on July 31, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Keter
You cannot conceive the many without the one.
Plato, Dialogues, Parmenides
No God – Within most texts explaining the mysteries of the QBL you will see oblique and opaque references to something called God as if we all know what this means. The etymological beginnings the word God or a God in its true meaning refers to [...]
THE WARRIOR KING – SAADIA
Posted in Sefer Yetzirah on July 30, 2007 | Leave a Comment »
“The heart in the body is like a king in battle…”
Sefer Yetzirah, Saadia version 8:4
The warrior king looks out over the field, dark clouds roll in from the east; from his chariot he considers the weapons in his hands. First the sword in his right.
“The blade of this sword I have forged has [...]
