Sefer yetzirah becomes the instruction manual for a very special type of meditation. Sefer yetzirah hebrew, book of creation, is the title of the earliest book on jewish esoterecism. 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 sepher yetzirah is one of the most important founding works of qabalah. Yetzirah is more literally translated as formation. Rabbi kaplans translation is based on the gra version, which has been thought to be the most authentic. Also included are three alternative versions to make this volume the most complete work on the sefer yetzirah available in english. The sepher yetzirah is the ultimate basis of the golden dawn system of correspondences embodied in crowleys liber 777. Sefer yetzirah book of formation rabbi aryeh kaplan. This is the first in a series of classes approximately 42 that are designed to give a student of kabbalah a personal experience of the creator.
Books by chayim vital author of sefer yetzirah book of. Chapters three to five discuss the divisions of the letters in relation to astrology. Rabbi kaplans translation and commentary on this book includes the complete hebrew text of all versions of this book, a clear commentary with generous commentary and explanation, and in depth discussions of many areas of kabbalah with clear and lucid explanations and diagrams. The sefer yetzirah is devoted to speculations concerning gods creation of the world. 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. There are ten intangible sefiroth, shut your mouth from speaking and your heart from thinking.
He was the head of the great jewish academy at sura, babylonia, which under his leadership became the highest seat of jewish learning, and a. The one who receives should try to receive the sefirot first in order to receive the divine overflow. The ancient sefer yetzirah which explains the spiritual mechanics of creation science opens its text by saying that gd created this universe with three versions of this sapar. See all formats and editions hide other formats and editions.
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. To most people, the very word kabbalah implies the mystical experience par excellence, but most. Sepher yetzirah translated from the original hebrew by william wynn westcott the sepher yetzirah is one of the most famous of the ancient qabalistic texts. Chayim vitals most popular book is sefer yetzirah book of formation. Download pdf book of formation sepher yetzirah free. The text states that the universe was created with a sapar, a sefer and a sippur. Who makes winds his messengers, the flaming fire his ministers.
Of these books the sepher yetzirah is consi yetzirah have been lost to the antiquity of time, but a number of modem authors believe that the sepher yetzirah was created by an oral mishnah and written tradition. Western mysticism and spirituality, related material on the web. The sepher yetzirah is one of the most famous of the ancient qabalistic texts. The sefer yetzirah, or the book of creation, was written approximately 3,000 bce, and was the first kabbalistic book to be written. Sefer yetzirah sefer yetzirah this tremendous influence from the 10th century on is totally in opposition to the situation prevalent prior to that time. The ascription of its authorship to the biblical patriarch abraham shows the high esteem which it enjoyed for centuries. Now in its 7th printing since republication in 1997, the sefer yetzirah has established itself as a primary source for all serious students of kabbalah. Rabbi aryeh kaplan has therefore translated the sefer yetzirah the oldest and most mysterious of all kabbalistic texts, and now brings its theoretical, meditative and magical. Though esoteric mysticism was taught by jews as early as the 1st century ad, the zohar gave new life and impetus to mystical speculations through the 14th and subsequent centuries. Benton the sefer yetzirah, or book of formation, is one of the oldest extant works on jewish kabbalah. Additionally, both the time of its composition and its author.
To most people, the very word kabbalah implies the mystical experience par excellence, but most modern books about this subject shed very little light into its ancient mystical and magical aspects. 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. Westcotts translation of the sepher yetzirah was a primary source for the rituals and knowledge lectures of the golden dawn. Sefer yetsira busca apresentar e elucidar um dos mais conhecidos textos cabalisticos, o livro da criacao, sefer yetsira. Carlo suares, carlo suares maaseh bereshytberesheetbereshit jewish mysticism sepher yetsirayetzirah. 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. This translation is based on gra version of the sefer yetzirah and includes the authors extraordinary commentary on all its mystical aspects including kabbalistic astrology, ezekiels vision and the 231 gates. He sealed below, and he turned downward and sealed it with hvy. He expounds on the dynamics of the spiritual domain, the worlds of the sefirot, souls, and angels. Englishhebrew translation of the sefer yetzirah the.
Additionally, both the time of its composition and its author are not completely known. 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. This symbol illustrates the order of creation outlined in the jewish kabbalistic work sefer yetzirah hebrew, book of formation. 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. This is because each person is a unique desire to receive. An introduction to the sefer yetzirah by christopher p.
It is also the root verb for the word sippur story and sefer book. The second chapter is a discussion of the letters of the hebrew alphabet, and the 231 gates. It was written prior to rabbi shimons zohar, or the book of splendor. This ancient work rather reveals god by estimating his manifold handiwork. Ten sefirot of nothingness plus twenty two foundations. Jan 16, 2014 sefer yetzirah hebrew, book of creation, is the title of the earliest book on jewish esoterecism.
Sefer yetzirah wikisource, the free online library. With 32 wonderous paths of wisdom engrave yah, the lord of hosts, god of israel, the living god, king of the universe, almighty god, merciful and gracious, high and exalted, dwelling in eternity, whose name is holy, and create his universe with three books, with text sepher, with number sephar, and with communication sippur. Translated from the original hebrew by william wynn westcott the sepher yetzirah is one of the most famous of the ancient qabalistic texts. 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. Rabbi kaplans translation of this oldest and most mysterious of all kabbalistic texts provides a unique perspective on the meditative and magical aspects of kabbalah. He expounds on the dynamics of the spiritual domain, the worlds of sefirot. Eliot wolfson corroborates this claim, calling the sefer yetzirah one of the most ancient books of jewish esotericism, 1 and cites sources dating the sefer yetzirah back to the third century c. The datestamp of this edition is shown at the topright of the page. The book of creation pdf file for free from our online library. In ancient jewish literature, in the talmudic and midrashic literature and all its branches, and in the mystical literature such as the hekhalot and merkavah literature and all its works, one. It was composed probably between the 3rd and 6th centuries of the. The bok of formation, and the thirty two paths of wisdom. The saadia commentary on the sefer yetzirah by saadia ben joseph alfayumi 882942 ad jewish scholar, b.
Sepher yetzirah in an english translation is almost a necessary companion to these even more abstruse disquisitions. Download pdf book of formation sepher yetzirah free online. The central star contains the three hebrew mother letters, which represent the three primal sounds, and correlate to the elements air, water, and fire, making up the three horizontal bars of the tree of life. He was the head of the great jewish academy at sura, babylonia, which under his leadership became the highest seat of jewish learning, and a vigorous opponent of the. Like the tao teh ching, it is a brief work whose terse verses can easily mask its depth and complexity. Kabbalah libro sepher yetzirah traduccion espanol cabala.
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. The sepher yetzirah ascii version the book of creation an adapted but complete version based on the kalisch and akibastenring translations with adjusted correspondences to conform with the researches of the order of the golden dawn. Best viewed at around 160% zoom the english language version starts on page 38. Book of splendour, thcentury book, mostly in aramaic, that is the classic text of esoteric jewish mysticism, or kabbala. 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. Also included is a digest of all major commentaries on the text of sefer yetzirah and a bibliography of many of the major kabbalistic works that discuss it, as well as extensive notes regarding various aspects of the translation. This is the third edition of westcotts translation, first. He sealed above, and he turned upward and sealed it with vhy. Regularly checked links to esoteric subjects on the web. 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.
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