Sefer Yetzirah
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Sefer Yetzirah |
SEFER YETZIRAH
Chapter One.
Paths of Wisdom and Heavenly Books
Mishnah Aleph: With 32 wondrous paths of wisdom, He engraved “Yah,” “Yahovah”, “Tzvaoth”, Elohai Yisrael, Elohim Chayyim v’ Melech olam, El Shaddai, Ruchom v’ Chanom, Ram v’nesa, Shakom ad marom, v’kadosh shemu, and created his world with three books, with number, and book and story.
The Sefiroth and the Letters of Creation
Mishnah Beth: Ten Sefirot of nothing and twenty-two letters of foundation, three mothers and seven doubles and twelve singles.
The Bodily Covenants
Mishnah Gimel: Ten Sefirot of nothing, the number of the ten fingers, five opposite five, and the single covenant is in between, as in the circumcision of the tongue and the circumcision of the penis.
The Significance of the Number Ten
Mishnah Dahlet: Ten Sefiroth of nothing, ten not nine, ten and not eleven, understand in wisdom and be wise in understanding, contemplate them and study of them, and establish the matter clearly, and seat the creator on His Place.
The Infinite Depths
Mishnah Hey: Ten Sefiroth of nothing, their measure is ten that have no end: The depth of the beginning, the depth of the heights, the depth of the North, The depth of the end, the depth of the bottom, the depth of the South, The depth of good, the depth of the East, The depth of bad, the depth of the West, And one master, God faithful King, rules them all, from His holy Place till forever and ever.
The Aspects and Action of the Sefiroth
Mishnah Vav: Ten Sefiroth of nothing, their look is like the aspect of lightning, and their end is without bound. His Word in them is running and returning and to His Words they hurry like a storm, and before His Throne they bow.
The Unity of the Divine
Mishnah Zayin: Ten Sefiroth of nothing, insert their end in their beginning and their beginning in their end, like a flame bound to a coal, that a single master who has no second [rules], and before one what do you count?
The Covenant of Silence
Mishnah Chet: Ten Sefiroth of nothing, shut your mouth from talking and your heart from thinking. But if your heart runs, return to the place, for that is the reason it is said: “And the Living Ones run and return.” [Ezek. 1:14] and on this matter a covenant was cut.
The First Sefirah – God’s Spirit
Mishnah Tet: Ten Sefiroth of nothing, one Spirit, living angels, blessed from blessed is the Name of He, for all worlds. Voice, Spirit, and Speech, this is the Holy Spirit.
Alternative rendition: Ten Sefiroth of nothing, One – The Spirit of the Living God, blessed and blessed is the name of He who lives forever. Sound and wind and speech, this the Holy Wind.
The Second Sefirah – Spirit from Spirit
Mishnah Yodh: Two, Spirit from Spirit. He engraved and hewed in her twenty-two letters of foundation, three mothers, seven doubles, twelve singles, and Spirit is one of them.
The Third Sefirah – Water from Spirit
Mishnah Yodh Aleph: Three, water from Spirit. He engraved and hewed in them Tohu and Bohu, mud and clay. He engraved them like a type of garden bed. He put them above like a covering.
The Fourth Sefirah – Fire from Water
Mishnah Yodh Beth: Four, fire from water. He engraved and hewed in her the seat of glory, the seraphim, the ofanim, the Chayyoth Holy and the ministering angels, and from the three of them He established His abode, as it is said, “He makes his angels the Spirits, His ministers flaming fire.” [Psalms 104:4].
The Six Extremes and the Structure of Space
Mishnah Yodh Gimel: He chose three letters from the singles, which are the secret of the three mothers, Aleph, Mem, Shin, and He put them in His great name, and He sealed with them the Six Extremes. Five, He sealed High, and he looked up, and sealed it with the letters, yodh, hey, vav. Six, he sealed Bottom, and He looked down, and sealed it with the letters yodh, vav, hey. Seven, He sealed East, and He looked in front of Him and sealed it with hey, yodh, vav. Eight, he sealed West, and He looked in back of Him and sealed it with hey, vav, yodh. Nine, He sealed South, and He looked to his right and sealed it with vav, yodh, hey. Ten, He sealed North, and He looked to his left and sealed it with vav, hey, yodh.
Summary of the Emanations
Mishnah Yodh Dahlet: These are the Ten Sefiroth of nothing: One, the Spirit of the Living God, and Spirit from Spirit, and Water from Spirit, Fire from Water, the High Heights, Bottom, East, West, North, and South.
Chapter 2.
The Alphabet of Creation
The Three Letter Groups
Mishnah Aleph: Twenty-two letters of foundation, three mothers, seven doubles, and twelve singles. Three mothers, Emesh (Aleph, Mem, Shin), their foundation is the Palm of Merit and the Palm of Guilt, and the Tongue of Decree mediates between.
God’s Use of Letters
Mishnah Beth: Twenty-two letters, He engraved them, hewed them, weighed them, interchanged them, combined them, and formed with them the Seal of All that was created and the Soul of All that will be created in the future.
The Location of the Letters
Mishnah Gimel: Twenty-two letters of foundation are engraved with the Voice, hewn in the Spirit, fixed in the Mouth in five places: 1) aleph, chet, hey, ayin; 2) beth, vav, mem, peh; 3) gimel, yodh, kaf, kuf; 4) daleth, tet, lamed, nun, tav; 5) zayin, samech, shin, resh, tzadi.
The Gates of Letters in the Heavenly Sphere
Mishnah Dahlet: Twenty-two letters of foundation are fixed in the sphere in 231 gates. The sphere goes forward and backward. The following is a sign for this thing – nothing is greater in goodness than pleasure (oneg in Hebrew) (Ayin, Nun, Gimel) and nothing is lower in badness than plague (nega in Hebrew) (nun, gimel, ayin).
Combinations and Permutations of Letters
Mishnah Hey: How did He weigh them and switch them? Aleph with all of them and all of them with Aleph, Beth with all of them and all of them with Beth, and it returns back. Thus, it turns out that all formation and all speech emerge from one name.
Essence from Chaos and Being From Nothingness
Mishnah Vav: He formed substance from Chaos (Tohu) and made nothingness into being, and He hewed great pillars from ungraspable air. This is the sign – He observes and switches. He makes all that is created and all things one name. A sign for the thing is twenty-two objects in one body. (or twenty-two objects and are one body.)
Chapter 3.
The Scale of Divine Justice
Mishnah Aleph: The three mothers, aleph, mem, shin, emesh, their foundation is the Palm of Merit and the Palm of Guilt, and the Tongue of Decree mediates between.
Emergence of Fire, Water, and the Sexes
Mishnah Beth: The Three mothers, Emesh, a great and exalted secret, hidden and sealed in six rings from which emerge fire and water, which split into masculine and feminine. The three mothers, Emesh, are their foundation, from them were born the fathers and from them all.
The Mother Letters and Their Manifestation in the Universe
Mishnah Gimel: The three mothers, Emesh, in the world are air, water, and fire. The heavens were first created from fire (masculine), the land was created from water (female), and air (kadashim) mediates between fire and water.
Manifestations of the Three Mothers Letters in Time and the Soul
Mishnah Dahlet: The Three Mothers, Emesh: in the year they are fire, water, and spirit [as follows]: heat was created from fire, cold, and water, and saturation with the spirit, which mediates between. The three mothers Emesh: in the Soul (Nephesh) they are fire, water, and Spirit (as follows): The Head was created from Fire, the Stomach was created from Water, and the Body was created from Spirit, which mediates between the body and the head.
Male and Female Aspects of the Mother Letters in Space, Time and the Soul
Mishnah Hey: The three mothers, EMESH – He engraved them and hewed them, combined them and sealed with them the three mothers in the world, the three mothers in the year, and the three mothers in the soul, masculine and feminine.
The Action and Permutations of the Letter Aleph
Mishnah Vav: The King letter Aleph from the Spirit and tied a crown to it, and this to them each with each. He sealed them with Air in the world and saturation in the year, and body in the Soul, Masculine with EMESH and Feminine with aleph, shin, mem.
The Actions and Permutations of the Letter Mem
Mishnah Zayin: The King letter Mem from the Water and tied a crown to it, and combined them each with each. He sealed with them Earth in the World, and cold in the year, and Stomach in the Soul, masculine and feminine – masculine with shin, aleph, mem, feminine with aleph, shem, mem.
The Actions and Permutations of the Letter Shin
Mishnah Chet: The King letter Shin from the fire and tied a crown to it and combined them each with each. He sealed with them heavens in the world and heat in the year, and the head in the Soul, masculine and feminine.
Chapter 4. The Seven Double Letters – Beged Kafarta
The Letters’ Dual Nature – Kindness and Harshness
Mishnah Aleph: The seven doubles bgd kfrt (Beged Kafarta). They take on two forms. The foundation is life, peace, wisdom, wealth, beauty, seed, rule. They take on two forms: vet bet, gimel gimel, daleth dahlet, chaf, kaf, feh, peh, resh, resh, saf and tahv. There structure is soft and hard, courageous and weak, doubles that are replacements. The replacement of Life is Death, the replacement of Peace is Evil, the replacement of Wisdom is Foolishness, the replacement of Wealth is Poverty, the replacement of Beauty is Ugliness, the replacement of Seed is Desolation, and the replacement of Rule is Slavery.
The Significance of Seven
Mishnah Beth: The Seven Doubles, Beged Kafarta, are seven and not six, seven and not eight; contemplate them, and study them, and establish the matter clearly and seat the Creator on his Place.
The Letters and the Nature of Space
Mishnah Gimel: The seven doubles, Beged Kafarta, represent the seven extremes. From these are top and bottom, east, west, north and south. The Holy Palace is located in the middle and carries the others.
Manifestation of the Double Letters in Space, Time and the Soul
Mishnah Dahlet: The seven doubles – Beged Kafarta – He engraved them and hewed them, combined them and fashioned with them the Stars of the Universe, the days in the Year, and the gates in the Spirit (Nepesh). From them He engraved the seven firmaments, the seven continents, and the seven Sabbaths. Therefore, He loved the seventh the most of all under the entire heavens.
Letters – Beth’s Relation to Saturn, Sunday and the Right Eye
Mishnah He: How? He made the letter Beth King of Life, and tied a crown to it, and formed with it Saturn in the Universe, Sunday in the year, and the right eye in the Nephesh.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: He made Beth King of Wisdom, and tied a crown to it. He combined them (the letters) with each other and formed with them the Moon in the Universe, Sunday in the year, and the right eye in Nephesh, male and female.
Gimel’s Relation to Jupiter, Monday, and the Left Eye
Mishnah Vav: He made the letter Gimel the King and tied a crown to it. He formed Jupiter (Tzadek) with it in the Universe, Monday in the year, and the left eye in the Nephesh.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: He made the letter Gimel the King with riches and tied a crown to it. He combined them (the letters) with each other and formed with them Mars in the universe, Monday in the year, and the right ear in the Nephesh, male and female.
Dahlet and Mars, Tuesday and the Right Ear
Mishnah Zayin: He made the letter Dahlet King, and tied a crown to it, and formed Mars with it in the universe, Tuesday in the year, and the right ear in the Nephesh.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: He made Dahlet King of Seed, and tied a crown to it, and combined (the letters) with each other. He formed the Sun with them in the Universe, Tuesday in the year, and the right nostril in the Nephesh, male and female.
Kaf and the Sun, Wednesday, and the Left Ear
Mishnah Chet: He made the letter Kaf King and tied a crown to it. He formed the Sun with it in the universe, Wednesday in the year, and the left ear in the Nephesh.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: He made the letter Kaf king with life and tied a crown to it. He combined them (the letters) each with each and formed Venus (Chamah) with them in the universe, Wednesday in the year, and the left eye in the Nephesh, male and female.
Text from the Saadia Gaon: He made the letter Kaf king and tied a crown to it and built it into Kafarta Beged. He formed with it the Sun in the universe, Tuesday in the week in the year, and the right nose in the Nephesh, as well as wealth and its replacement, poverty.
Peh and Venus, Thursday, and the Right Nostril
Mishnah Teth: He made the letter Peh King and tied a crown to it. He formed Venus with it in the universe, Thursday in the year, and the right nostril in the Nephesh.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: He made the letter Peh king with kingdom and tied a crown on it. He combined them (the letters) each with each and formed with them Mercury in the universe, Thursday in the year and the right ear in Nephesh, male and female.
Text from the Saadia Gaon: He made Peh King and built into ‘Parat Begcach’. He formed with it Venus in the universe, Wednesday in the week in the year, the left nostril in the Nephesh, and seed and its replacement, desolation.
Resh and Mercury, Friday, and the Left Nostril
Mishnah Yodh: He made the letter Resh King and tied a crown to it. He formed Kokav (Mercury) (the name means Star) with it in the universe, Friday in the year, and the left nostril in the Nephesh.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: He made the letter Resh King with peace and tied a crown on it. He combined them (the letters) each with each and formed with them Saturn in the universe, Friday in the year, and the left nostril in the Nephesh, male and female.
Text from the Saadia Gaon: He made the letter Resh King and built it into ‘Retbag Dekaf’. He formed with it Mercury in the world, Thursday in the week in the year, the right ear in the Nephesh, and grace and its replacement, ugliness.
Tav and the Moon, Sabbath and the Mouth
Mishnah Yodh Aleph: He made the letter Tav King and tied a crown to it. He formed the moon with it in the universe, Shabbat in the year, and the mouth in the Nephesh.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: He made the letter Tav King with grace and tied a crown to it. He combined them (the letters) each with each and formed with them Jupiter in the universe, Shabbat in the year, and the mouth in the Nephesh, male and female.
Text from the Saadia Gaon: He made Tav King and built it into ‘Tabar Dichfar’. He formed the moon with it in the universe, Friday in the week in the year, and the right ear in the Nephesh, and rule and its replacement, slavery.
Letters as the Building Blocks of the Universe
Mishnah Yodh Beth: The seven double letters, how were they combined? Two stones build two houses. Three build six houses. Four build twenty-four houses. Five build 120 houses. Six build 720 houses. Seven build 5,040 houses. From here on, go and figure that which the mouth is unable to utter and the ear cannot hear. These are the seven stars in the universe: The Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. These are the seven days in the year; the seven days of creation. These are the seven gates of the soul: the two eyes, the two ears, the two nostrils of the nose, and the mouth. With them were engraved the seven firmaments, the seven continents, and the seven hours. Therefore, he made seven beloved for every item under the heavens.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: The seven double letters, how were they combined? Two stones build two houses. Three build six houses. Four build twenty-four houses. Five build 120 houses. Six build 720 houses. Seven build 5,040 houses. From here on, go and figure that which the mouth is unable to utter and the ear cannot hear. The seven doubles, Beged Kafart, with them were engraved the seven worlds, the seven firmaments, the seven lands, the seven seas, the seven rivers, the seven deserts, the seven days, the seven weeks, the seven years, the seven Shemitot, the seven Jubilees, and the Holy Palace. Therefore, He made the sevens beloved under the whole heavens.
Chapter Five:
Twelve Attributes and Twelve Spatial Boundaries
Mishnah Aleph: The twelve single letters, ה, ו, ז, ח, ט, י, ל, נ, ס, ע, צ, ק – their foundation is seeing, hearing, smelling, speaking, eating, intercourse, action, walking, anger, laughter, thought, and sleep. Their measure is the twelve borders in their diagonal. The northeastern border, the southeastern border, the top eastern border, the bottom eastern border, the northern top border, the northern bottom border, the southwestern border, the northwestern border, the top western border, the bottom western border, the southern top border, the southern bottom border. They spread out and continue forever and ever and they are the arms of the world.
The Zodiac, Months, and Leaders of the Soul
Mishnah Beth: The twelve single letters, ה, ו, ז, ח, ט, י, ל, נ, ס, ע, צ, ק. He engraved them and hewed them, weighed them and combined them and substituted them. He formed with them twelve constellations in the universe. The sign (mnemonic to remember them) is “Teshat saab maak godad”. These are the twelve months in the year: Nissan, Iyar, Sivan, Tamuz, Av, Elul, Tishrei, Marcheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, and Adar. These are the twelve leaders in the soul: two hands, two feet, two kidneys, the spleen, the liver, the gall bladder, the additional stomach (of an animal that chews the cud), the regular stomach, and the gizzard. (This list contains) two falsifiers, two happy ones, two advisors, two advised, two attackers, and two hunters. He made them like a conflict, he stationed them like a war, for “God made each to the level of each”. (Ecclesiastes 7:14).
How did He combine them? He made the Hey (ה) King and tied a crown to it. He formed with it Aries in the Universe, Nissan in the year, and the right hand in the Nephesh, male and female. He made the Vav (ו) King and tied a crown to it. He formed with it Taurus in the universe, Iyar in the year, and the left hand in the Nephesh. He made the letter Zayin (ז) King and tied a crown to it. He formed Gemini in the universe, Sivan in the year, and the right leg in the soul. He made the letter Chet (ח) King and tied a crown to it. He formed Cancer with it in the universe, Tamuz in the year, and the left foot in the Nephesh. He made the letter Teth (ט) King and tied a crown to it. He formed with it Leo in the universe, Av in the year, and the right kidney in the Nephesh. He made the letter Yodh (י) King and tied a crown to it. He formed with it Virgo in the universe, Elul in the year, and the left kidney in the soul. He made the letter Lamedh (ל) King and tied a crown to it. He formed with it Libra in the universe, Tishrei in the year, and the liver in the Nephesh. He made the letter Nun (נ) King and tied a crown to it. He formed with it Scorpio in the universe, MarCheshvan in the year, and the spleen in the Nephesh. He made the letter Samech (ס) King and tied a crown to it. He formed with it Sagittarius in the universe, Kislev in the year, and the gall bladder in the Nephesh. He made the letter Ayin (ע) King and tied a crown to it. He formed with it Capricorn in the universe, Tevet in the year, and the additional stomach in the Nephesh. He made the letter Tzaddi (צ) King and tied a crown to it. He formed with it Aquarius in the universe, Shevat in the year, and the stomach in the Nephesh. He made the letter Kaf (ק) King and tied a crown to it. He formed with it Pisces in the universe, Adar in the year, and the gizzard in the Nephesh.
The Mothers, Fathers, and Three Basic Elements
Mishnah Gimel: The three mothers are the three fathers from which emerged fire and Spirit and water. Three mothers, seven double letters, and twelve single letters.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: These are the three mothers, Emesh, and from them emerged three fathers, and they are air, water, and fire, and from the fathers (emerge) offspring.
The Letters and the Names of God
Mishnah Dahlet: God, with these twenty-two letters established Yah, הוהי, Tzvaot, the living God, the God of Israel, high and uplifted, who dwells forever and holy is His name, exalted and Holy is He.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: These are the twenty-two letters with which היהא, הי, הוהי elohim, elohim הוהי, הוהי Tzvaot, Elohim, Tzvaot, El Shaddai, הוהי, ינודא, engraved and made from them three books, and created His entire universe from them, and formed with them all that was created and all that is to be created in the future.
Chapter 6.
The Rulers and the Elements
Mishnah Aleph: The three fathers and their offspring, the seven stars and their hosts, and the twelve diagonal boundaries. Proof of the matter are the trustworthy witnesses – world, year and Nephesh. He decreed twelve, seven, three, and assigned them to Tlee, sphere, and heart. Three – fire, water, Spirit – fire is above, water is below, and Spirit is the decree that mediates between them. This matter is symbolized by “fire carrying water”. Mem is quiet, Shin screeches, and Aleph is the decree that mediates between them.
Tlee, The Sphere and the Heart
Mishnah Beth: TLEE in the world is like a king on his throne. The sphere in the year is like a king in his kingdom. The heart in the Nephesh is like a king in war. Also, every desire, “this to the level of this God made” (Eccl. 7:14). Good to the level of evil. Good from good and evil from evil. The good tests the evil and the evil tests the good. Goodness is put aside for the good, and evil is put aside for the evil.
The Relationships Between the Letters
Mishnah Gimel: Three, each one stands alone. Seven is split three against three and the decree mediates in between. Twelve stand in war – three lovers, three haters, three that make live, and three that kill. The three lovers are the heart, the ears, and the mouth. The three haters are the liver, the gall bladder, and the tongue. El (God), the faithful King, rules over all of them. One is over three, three is over seven, and seven is over twelve, and they all cling one to another.
Text from the Vilna Gaon: Three, each on stands alone; one finds merit, one finds guilty, and one mediates in between. Seven, three against three, and the decree mediates in between. Twelve stand in war – three lovers, three haters, three that make live, and three that kill. The three lovers are the heart and the ears. The three haters are the liver, the gall bladder, and the tongue. The three that give life are the two nostrils and the spleen. The three that kill are two orifices and the mouth. God, the faithful King, rules over all of them, from His Holy Place until forever and ever. One is over three, three is over seven, and seven is over twelve, and they all cling one to another.
Abraham, God, and Sefer Yetzirah
Mishnah Dahlet: Once observed Abraham our Father and looked and saw and investigated and understood and engraved and hewed and combined and formed and was successful, then the Master of All, blessed be He, revealed Himself to him. He sat him in His lap and kissed him on his head and called him, “He who loves Me.” He cut with him a covenant between the ten toes of his feet – this is the covenant of circumcision. Also, [a covenant] between the ten fingers of his hands, and this is the tongue. He tied twenty-two letters in his tongue and revealed to him their foundation. He pulled them in water, He burnt them in fire, He made them tumultuous in the Spirit, He ignited them in seven and led them in the twelve constellations [of the Zodiac]. |
Nasorean Orthodox Qahal
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