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☩☩☩

The Key to the Holy Temple ☩☩☩

Sefer Yetzirah Magic

December 7, 2013

This eBook is periodically revised and updated. The date-stamp of this edition is shown at the top-right of the page. Click the following image to download the latest edition.

AstroQab Publishing 1998‒2012 First Electronic Edition 2012 First Published: 12th Dec. 2012 Author: Patrick Mulcahy Patrick Mulcahy©2012 E-book Cover Art, Design & Production by Patrick Mulcahy Email: [email protected] Website: http://astroqab.co.nr/

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Table of Contents

☩ THE KEY TO THE HOLY TEMPLE ☩ ......................................................... 6 Preface ...................................................................................................... 6 Introduction ........................................................................................... 12 Tree of Yetzirah ..................................................................................... 14 Twelve Boundaries ................................................................................ 25 Ten Sefirot .............................................................................................. 28 Seven Doubles ....................................................................................... 34 Three Mothers ........................................................................................ 37 The Holy Temple ................................................................................... 44 Restoring the Holy Temple................................................................... 58 Jacob & Israel ......................................................................................... 61 Sealing the Depths ................................................................................. 64 The Ritual of Sealing the Depths .......................................................... 70 Commentary ...................................................................................... 71 Invoking the Shekinah .......................................................................... 75 The Shekinah Invocation Ritual ........................................................... 79 Commentary ...................................................................................... 80 Air, Water, and Fire ............................................................................... 83 Fixed, Mutable, and Cardinal ........................................................... 89 Earth ....................................................................................................... 97 Fathers & Descendants.......................................................................... 99 A Tzawfone Working .......................................................................... 111 Commentary .................................................................................... 112 pg. 2

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The Holy ShM ...................................................................................... 114 The Alef Principle ................................................................................ 138 The GLGL Wheel ................................................................................. 143 Verses 2:4-6 Decoded ...................................................................... 145 The LB Wheel ................................................................................... 161 The TLY Spiral ................................................................................. 167 The Book of Ezekiel ......................................................................... 170 Some Jacob’s Wheel Links .............................................................. 172 The Sefer Yetzirah ............................................................................... 173

Table of Figures Figure 1 : The Emanation of Da’at ............................................................. 9 Figure 2 : Two Versions of the Tree of Life ............................................. 15 Figure 3 : Tree of Yetzirah - Octahedron ................................................. 16 Figure 4 : The Twelve Diagonal Boundaries ........................................... 18 Figure 5 : Twelve Diagonal Boundaries .................................................. 26 Figure 6 : Three Horizontal Pathways ..................................................... 38 Figure 7 : ‚One on three; three on seven; seven on twelve‛ .................. 39 Figure 8 : The Tree of Yetzirah ................................................................. 43 Figure 9 : ‚Three on Seven‛ ...................................................................... 50 Figure 10 : The Double Letters & the Depths .......................................... 54 Figure 11 : ‚Seven on Twelve‛ ................................................................. 56 Figure 12 : The Tree of YHVH.................................................................. 66 Figure 13 : The Holy Temple Octahedron ............................................... 71 pg. 3

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Figure 14 : Sealing the Depths .................................................................. 74 Figure 15 : Yud, Heh, and Vav ................................................................. 84 Figure 16 : The Holy Temple Octahedron ............................................... 91 Figure 17 : Garden, Wall, and Ceiling ..................................................... 93 Figure 18 : Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob/Israel............................................ 101 Figure 19 : Tree of Yetzirah - Six Seals ................................................... 102 Figure 20 : The Six Seals & the Twelve Descendants ........................... 104 Figure 21 : The Octahedron - Descendants ........................................... 108 Figure 22 : Tree of Yetzirah - Descendants ............................................ 109 Figure 23 : Jacob Surrounded by his Twelve Sons ............................... 110 Figure 24 : The Emanation of Shin (and Tav) ....................................... 116 Figure 25 : The Emanation of Maym (and Kaf) .................................... 117 Figure 26 : The Da'at Nexus ................................................................... 119 Figure 27 : The Alef (‫ )א‬Pathway is Focused in Da’at........................... 121 Figure 28 : The Merging of Shin and Maym ......................................... 123 Figure 29 : ShM in the Twelve Pathways .............................................. 132 Figure 30 : ShM & the Sixfold Star ......................................................... 137 Figure 31 : The GLGL Wheel (called Jacob’s Wheel) ............................ 144 Figure 32 : The Basic Wheel Design ....................................................... 145 Figure 33 : Ordinal Numbers - Magical Arrangement ......................... 146 Figure 34 : The Hebrew Letter Correspondences ................................. 149 Figure 35 : The Hebrew Letter Correspondences (Eng.) ...................... 150 Figure 36 : The First Wheel - RLA (231) ................................................ 151 Figure 37 : ONG - Hebrew...................................................................... 153 Figure 38 : ONG - English....................................................................... 153 pg. 4

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Figure 39 : The First Wheel Pathway Sequence .................................... 155 Figure 40 : The Second Wheel ................................................................ 157 Figure 41 : "Air that cannot be grasped"................................................ 158 Figure 42 : The Second Wheel Pathway Sequence ............................... 159 Figure 43 : The Key Mandala ................................................................. 161 Figure 44 : The GLGL Wheel - Tav (‫ )ת‬................................................... 162 Figure 45 : The Projection of Alef ........................................................... 163 Figure 46 : The Implanted Alef .............................................................. 163 Figure 47 : Key Wheel - Alef Shin .......................................................... 165

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Sefer Yetzirah ☩ Magic ☩ THE KEY TO THE HOLY TEMPLE ☩

Preface

Here’s a question for you< What is the name of the tenth sefirah of the kabbalistic Tree of Life? If you answered ‘Malkut’ then you’re correct, but only in relation to the contemporary Tree diagram. The tenth sefirah of the ancient ‘Tree of Yetzirah’1 is called ‘depth of North’. Ten: He sealed ‘north’ and faced to the left, and sealed it with Heh, Vav, Yud. [From: Sefer Yetzirah, 1:13]

Is today’s Malkut equivalent to the ancient ‘depth of North’? This book will endeavour to help you answer that, and other perplexing questions concerning the kabbalistic Tree of Life.

The ‘Tree of Yetzirah’ is my label for the metaphysical structure outlined (and implied) in the text of the Sefer Yetzirah. 1

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A significant point of difference between the Tree of Yetzirah and the modern kabbalistic Tree of Life is that the sefirot and pathways of the ancient Yetziratic Tree are etymologically (and therefore, archetypally) interconnected. That’s because, at its heart, the Sefer Yetzirah is a linguistic text. Conversely, while it’s true the sefirot and pathways of the modern Tree are geometrically (i.e. physically) linked together, they have no fundamental linguistic (or archetypal) interrelationship. Instead, the pathways and sefirot are generally viewed as two separate and essentially dissimilar components that are combined together to form the Tree of Life diagram.

One thing both Trees have in common is that in both cases their twenty-two pathways reflect the archetypal essence of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. And also, the sefirot of both Trees are numbered one to ten (albeit in differing arrangements). However, a key distinction between the two versions of the Tree diagram is that the ten sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah, like its twenty-two pathways, are derived from the Hebrew alphabet. This was known by the author of the Zohar< He [the Creator] enfolded Himself in a covering of a supernal radiance of thought and created therefrom a world. He produced from the light of that supernal radiance mighty cedars of the upper world, and placed His chariot on twenty-two graven letters which were carved into ten utterances [sefirot] and infixed there. [Soncino Zohar. Vol I, Pg. 111. Bereshith, 29a.] [Bracketed blue text has been added by me.] pg. 7

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The sefirot are called ‘utterances’ because they represent the spoken word of the Creator, and divine speech requires divine language. 2 For example: The second sefirah of the Tree of Yetzirah is called ‘Breath from Breath’. It’s an expression of the Hebrew mother letter Alef (‫)א‬. Similarly, the third sefirah ‘Water from Breath’ is an expression of the Hebrew mother letter Maym (‫)מ‬, and the fourth sefirah ‘Fire from Water’ is an expression of the Hebrew mother letter Shin (‫)ש‬. And the other sefirot are also expressions of Hebrew letters. My previous book—Formation of the Tree of Life—presents a detailed exploration of the nature and structure of the Tree of Yetzirah. Its main thesis is that the lower sefirot of the Tree are emanations of pathways located in the Tree’s higher branches. And similarly, it explains the manifestation of the higher sefirot as the projected influence of pathways in the Tree of the World above Yetzirah. To summarize: The three supernal sefirot—known as Keter, Hockmah, and Binah—are projections of the three mother letter pathways (Alef, Maym, and Shin) of the higher ‘Tree of Beriah’. 3 The three mother letter pathways of the Tree of Yetzirah are projections of the three supernal sefirot—Keter, Hockmah, and Binah—of the ‘Yetziratic’ Tree. The seven lower sefirot are projections of the seven supernal pathways (i.e. the seven double letter pathways) of the same Tree. The twelve simple letter pathways of the Tree of Yetzirah, like the path of Shin, are also emanations of the sefirah Binah.4

2

‚Ten utterances‛ is a reference to the ten sayings of the Elohim in Genesis, Chap.I.

Beriah (i.e. the ‘World of Creation’) overshadows Yetzirah (i.e. the ‘World of Formation’) from its own existential domain directly above the World of Yetzirah. 3

A vital link exists between Shin and the twelve boundaries of the octahedron. And similarly, a special esoteric connection exists between Maym and the six vertices. 4

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A good example of the projection process is the manifestation of the sphere of Da’at (‫)ב‬. Da’at is an emanation of the pathway (Bayt, ‫ )ב‬that extends between Hockmah (‫ )מ‬and Binah (‫)ש‬.5 The influence of the Bayt pathway descends, consolidates, and stabilizes to form the sphere of Da’at (‫)ב‬. Thus, the Hockmah-to-Binah pathway and Da’at share the same archetypal essence (i.e. Bayt, ‫ )ב‬but differ in the form that the Bayt archetype takes—that is, a ‘pathway’ versus a ‘sefirah’.

Figure 1 : The Emanation of Da’at

In most kabbalistic traditions, the sphere of Da’at is understood to be the ‘child’ of the sefirot Hockmah and Binah. 5

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The pathways represent passive (or receptive), fluid, open-ended embodiments of the Hebrew letter archetypes. They are home to the various hierarchies of angels whose task it is to transmit and give form to the divine influx. They generate forms from their own substance that reflect the play of Shin and Maym within their own domains. The sefirot represent relatively fixed, delimited, stable, but active expressions of the Hebrew letter archetypes. They anchor the Consciousness principle within the various planes of the Creation. They focus the Consciousness principle into the pathways (wherein the changing physical universe is subjectively experienced). The golden rule is: Sefirot are emanations of higher pathways; Pathways are emanations of higher sefirot. The pathway-sefirah relationship that exists within the Tree of Yetzirah is unique and adds another level of meaning to the basic structure of the kabbalistic Tree of Life.

Since the 2007 writing of my book ‘Formation of the Tree of Life’ a few of my original thoughts concerning the nature and structure of the Tree of Yetzirah have changed. The changes in my understanding are not so fundamental however, as to render obsolete my previous book, but they are quite significant. The main gist of my new perception involves the realization that what we now call the ‘non-sefirah’ Da’at is actually counted as one of the ten sefirot of the original Tree of Yetzirah. It’s given there the name ‘depth of Above’. And I now realize that the extra ‘non-sefirotic’ component of the Tree of Yetzirah—the ‘Holy Temple’—is what is now referred to as the sefirah ‘Tifaret’. pg. 10

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Even though the Holy Temple is a very important component of the Tree of Yetzirah, the Sefer Yetzirah does not number it as sefirah. It excludes it for symbolic reasons and because it’s concealed within (i.e. at the centre of) the Octahedron. This is explained below.

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Introduction

It’s speculated, though not established for certain, that the Sefer Yetzirah (‘Book of Formation’) was written sometime around the 2nd century CE—that is, soon after the razing of the second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE.6 The synchronicity of these two events is significant because I believe the Sefer Yetzirah was produced partly in response to a spiritual crisis engendered by the Temple’s destruction. Clearly the book was composed by Jewish metaphysicians intent on transmitting a system of knowledge that would assist with the spiritual healing of future generations. But the book was written in coded form and the decryption key was lost. The Holy Temple in Jerusalem was the venerated symbol of God’s holy covenant with His people. It was literally perceived as the ‘House of God’—the sacred place wherein dwelled the divine Presence, the Shekinah. And from that holy place the Shekinah was able to spiritually support the Jewish community. The destruction of the second Temple in 70 CE was therefore perceived by the people as ostensibly removing the divine Presence from their midst, and appeared to break an important spiritual link. It effectively placed the Jewish people in spiritual exile, and psychologically alienated them from their God. But the Jewish occultists of the time (the spiritual elders of Judaism) knew that the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was merely the mundane

Some kabbalists believe the book was written much earlier and claim its author was the biblical patriarch Abraham. 6

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physical expression of an even greater metaphysical Temple destined to be built within human consciousness. So they composed the Sefer Yetzirah as an instruction manual for building the ‘third Temple’—the sacred inner ‘Temple of YHVH’. Up and Down. East and West. North and South. And the Holy Temple precisely in the center and it supports them all. [From: Sefer Yetzirah, 4:4]

The key to deciphering the Sefer Yetzirah’s coded instructions was lost, and the numerous revisions of the ancient document have led to the corruption of the original text. But this e-book, Sefer Yetzirah Magic, aims to re-forge that original key, and it’s hoped that with it you’ll be able to rebuild the Holy Temple within your psyche and thereby establish a more conscious connection with the Creator of All.

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Tree of Yetzirah

The Sefer Yetzirah details a structure that resembles the Tree of Life diagram of the modern day Kabbalah. But because the Sefer Yetzirah’s metaphysical system predates all current traditions of Kabbalah by at least a thousand years, it’s no surprise that its Tree blueprint is a little different to the modern kabbalistic Tree of Life. It’s clear that current versions of the Tree diagram represent the development (over hundreds of years) of original ideas contained in the Sefer Yetzirah. But it’s also apparent that most contemporary Tree designs have strayed considerably from the source in certain important respects.

If you’re familiar with the modern Tree of Life diagram then you may need to let go of some basic assumptions and expectations regarding the shape of the original ‘Tree of Yetzirah’. But you’ll definitely notice the similarities that exist between the ancient Tree and its modern day counterparts. Both the modern Tree of Life and the Tree of Yetzirah have ten sefirot, although their numbering systems differ.7 And both Tree diagrams incorporate twenty-two pathways between the ten sefirot. Also, they both include an additional eleventh sphere. But that’s where their structural similarities end.

The Sefer Yetzirah numbers the sefirot as opposing complementary pairs. The sefirot of the modern Tree are numbered hierarchically from highest to lowest. 7

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Figure 2 : Two Versions of the Tree of Life

Like the modern Tree of Life, the Tree of Yetzirah can easily be drawn in two dimensions. But unlike the conventional Tree, the essential form of the Tree of Yetzirah is three dimensional. This is made abundantly clear by instructions given in the text of the Sefer Yetzirah.8

8

See especially: Sefer Yetzirah, 5:2. pg. 15

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The six lowest sefirot of the Yetziratic Tree are presented as the six vertices (i.e. corners) of an octahedron. Twelve pathways (called ‘boundaries’) extend between the six sefirot and form the twelve edges of the octahedron.

Figure 3 : Tree of Yetzirah - Octahedron

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Strangely, many commentators ignore (or are unaware of) the Sefer Yetzirah’s actual design blueprint for the Tree of Life. Instead, they promote a numerologically based approach to the positioning of the twenty-two pathways. But one only needs to read the Sefer Yetzirah’s description of the twelve edges (or ‚diagonal boundaries‛9 as they are called in the text) to know that the numerological approach is untenable. Unfortunately, many people automatically assume that the phrase ‚diagonal boundaries‛ refers to the twelve sloping pathways of the

modern

Tree

diagram.

But

the

Sefer

Yetzirah’s

design

specifications directly contradict that idea. The twelve sloping pathways of all standard versions of the Tree of Life diagram are separated and scattered over the entire body of the Tree’s structure. However, the Sefer Yetzirah clearly indicates (in verse 5:2) that the twelve boundaries compose the twelve edges of a single three-dimensional homogenous form—namely, an octahedron. And the text also suggests (in verse 6:5) that those twelve boundaries are located within the lower section of the Tree diagram.

In the image below, the twelve simple letter pathways are coloured red. The Sefer Yetzirah positions them in relation to six directional ‘depths’. The six depths are named: ‘Above’, ‘Below’, ‘East’, ‘West’, ‘North’, and ‘South’.10

The original Hebrew phrase is ‘‫’גבולי אלכסון‬, ‘g’vulei alakson’. This term technically refers to the side of a triangle. See: ‘An Introduction to the Sefer Yetzirah’, by Christopher P. Benton. Published in: The Maqom Journal for Studies in Rabbinic Literature, Vol VII, Winter 2004. The twelve ‘diagonal boundaries’ define the sides of eight equilateral triangles that together form an octahedron. 9

Note that many ancient and modern commentators assign the depth of East to Tifaret, and the depth of West to Yesod (as per the Hermetic Tree diagram below). 10

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The twelve sloping pathways of the modern Hermetic Tree of Life obviously bear no relation to the six spatial directions, and instead are spread out amongst all the ten sefirot. This is also true of other wellknown versions of the Tree diagram. Therefore, it’s clear that the twelve sloping pathways do not conform to the Sefer Yetzirah’s design specifications for the twelve simple letter ‚diagonal boundaries‛.

Figure 4 : The Twelve Diagonal Boundaries

Verse 6:5 of the Sefer Yetzirah gives us the basic structural elements of the Tree of Yetzirah.

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Three: Each one stands alone. One acts as advocate, one acts as accuser, and one decides between them. Seven: Three opposite three, and one is the rule deciding between them. Twelve stand in war: Three love, three hate, three give life, and three kill. Three love: the heart and the ears. Three hate: the liver, the gall, and the tongue. Three give life: the two nostrils and the spleen. Three kill: the two orifices and the mouth. And God faithful King rules over them all from His holy habitation until eternity of eternities. One on three. Three on seven. Seven on twelve. And all are bound, one to another. [Sefer Yetzirah, 6:5]

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The Tree has a basic fourfold hierarchical structure. The main body of the Tree is crowned by a single component that’s higher than all the others. Below it are grouped three components. Clustered below them is a group of seven components. These seven sit upon a group of twelve components. As verse 6:5 states< One on three. Three on seven. Seven on twelve. And all are bound, one to another.

Verse 6:5 is ingenious in the way that it reveals and at the same time conceals the deepest mysteries of the Sefer Yetzirah. Without the lost key though it’s quite difficult to decipher exactly what design elements this verse is referring to. But with the restored key we can now decode the information contained in this very cryptic verse. Three: Each one stands alone. One acts as advocate, one acts as accuser, and one decides between them. This extract from verse 6:5 refers to the three Mother letters, and the three supernal sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah: ‘Breath from Breath’, ‘Water from Breath’, and ‘Fire from Water’.11 These three correspond with the three highest sefirot of the modern Tree of Life: ‘Keter’, ‘Hockmah’, and ‘Binah’.

The three sefirot are described in verse 1:10-12 of the Sefer Yetzirah. (See the Appendix.) 11

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Seven: Three opposite three, and one is the rule deciding between them. The next section refers to the seven double letters and the six directional depths (i.e. lower sefirot) of the Tree of Yetzirah: ‘Above’, ‘Below’, ‘East’, ‘West’, ‘North’, and ‘South’. Naturally, Above is opposite Below, East is opposite West, and North is opposite South. In other words: ‚three opposite three‛. These six correspond with the modern sefirot of the Tree of Life known as: ‘Da’at’, ‘Yesod’, ‘Hesed’, ‘Hod’, ‘Netzah’, and ‘Geburah’. The mysterious seventh component is described as ‚the rule deciding between them‛. It corresponds with the sefirah of the modern Tree of Life commonly known as Tifaret. But the Sefer Yetzirah does not refer to the additional sphere as Tifaret, and does not number it as a sefirah. Instead it refers to Tifaret as the ‘Holy Temple’ (‫)היכל הקודש‬.12 Seven Doubles: ‫ כפרת‬- ‫בגד‬ Up and Down. East and West. North and South. And the Holy Temple precisely in the center and it supports them all. [Sefer Yetzirah, 4:4]

The Sefer Yetzirah refers to Tifaret as the Holy Temple to highlight its divine function in relation to the six lower sefirot. The six lower sefirot

Aryeh Kaplan translated this phrase as ‘Holy Palace’, but the Hebrew word Haykal (HYKL, ‘palace’) more often means ‘temple’, and usually refers to the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. See: Strong: #01965. 12

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represent ‘pillars’ that establish the six extremities of the ‘World’—i.e. the ‘World’ octahedron. From the centre Tifaret illuminates the octahedron with the light of consciousness, and gives expression to the Holy Name (i.e. ShM, ‫)שם‬. This will be explained below.

A reading of verse 1:14 makes it clear that the Sefer Yetzirah does not count the Holy Temple amongst the ten sefirot of the Tree. These are the ten sefirot beli mah:13 The Breath of the Living God, Breath from Breath, Water from Breath, Fire from Water, Up, Down, East, West, North, South. [Sefer Yetzirah, 1:14]

As you can see, the Holy Temple is not included in the above list of ten sefirot. But even so, it’s still considered to be an essential and very important component of the Tree of Yetzirah.

The ambiguous Hebrew phrase ‘beli mah’ (‫ )בלי מה‬literally translates as ‘without what?’ and is usually interpreted to mean ‘nothingness’. (See below for my translation of the term.) 13

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Another significant distinction that exists between the Tree of Yetzirah and the contemporary Tree of Life involves the sphere of Da’at. Da’at is not counted as a sefirah in the modern Tree diagram, but is numbered as one of the ten sefirot of the ancient Tree of Yetzirah. The Sefer Yetzirah calls Da’at the ‘depth of Above’, and also refers to it as a ‘singular covenant’ (or ‘covenant of unity’). Ten sefirot beli mah. In the number of ten fingers. Five opposite five with a singular covenant precisely in the middle. In the circumcision of the tongue, and in the circumcision of the member. [Sefer Yetzirah, 1:3]

The term ‚singular covenant‛14 (‫ )ברית יחיד‬is used to describe Da’at’s special role as unifier of the ten sefirot (i.e. ‘depths’) of the Tree of Yetzirah. The phrase ‚five opposite five‛ refers to the five pairs of opposing depths as listed in verse 1:5. (See below.) Da’at is positioned in the midst (i.e. ‚precisely in the middle‛) of the ten sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah. 15 The statement ‚five opposite five with a singular covenant precisely in the middle‛ suggests a symbolic association between Da’at (as the ‘singular covenant’) and Tifaret (as ‘the Holy Temple’). Their close association is implied by the similar statement ‚three opposite three

This is Aryeh Kaplan’s translation, but other alternatives include ‚covenant of the Unique One‛ and ‚covenant of unity‛. See: Sefer Yesira. A. Peter Hayman. Mohr Siebeck, 2004. Pg. 67. 14

That is, Da’at is positioned at the centre of the middle column of the Tree of Yetzirah—halfway between Ain Sof and Yesod. 15

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and one is the rule deciding between them‛16. This phrase refers to the pivotal function of Tifaret in relation to the six directional sefirot. And note that it’s also said of Tifaret: ‚And the Holy Palace precisely in the center‛17—that is, in the centre of the group of six lower sefirot (‚three opposite three‛).

Da’at is identified as a singular covenant after the Holy Temple has been built. When Da’at becomes established (in human consciousness) as the apex of the Holy Temple octahedron it forms a link between the six lower sefirot and the four higher sefirot. Da’at as a ‘singular covenant’ symbolizes the union of macrocosm and microcosm—God and Humanity. In other words, Da’at facilitates the unification of the ten sefirot.

The Holy Temple in Jerusalem symbolized a covenant of union between the Jewish people and the divine Creator, but when it was physically destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE the covenant was thought to be broken. So, to mirror that reality, the Sefer Yetzirah excludes the Holy Temple (i.e. Tifaret) from the ten sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah. But importantly, it does include coded instructions on how to rebuild the Temple, and consequently activate Da’at as a covenant of union between God and Humanity.

16

Sefer Yetzirah, 6:5.

17

Sefer Yetzirah, 4:4. pg. 24

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Twelve Boundaries

The Sefer Yetzirah describes the twelve boundaries as connecting lines that extend between the six lower sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah. This is clearly stated in verse 5:2.

Twelve Simples:

‫הוז חטי לנס עצק‬. Their foundation is the twelve diagonal boundaries: The east upper boundary; The east northern boundary; The east lower boundary; The south upper boundary; The south eastern boundary; The south lower boundary; The west upper boundary; The west southern boundary; The west lower boundary; The north upper boundary; The north western boundary; The north lower boundary. They extend continually until eternity of eternities, And it is they that are the boundaries of the World. [Sefer Yetzirah, 5:2]

pg. 25

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Because the twelve boundaries extend between the six lower ‘directional’ sefirot, they must be located together in the lower part of the Tree (as previously explained). It’s obvious from verse 5:2 that the twelve diagonal boundaries are not separated and scattered amongst all the ten sefirot of the Tree diagram. But that’s how many students of the Kabbalah assume they are placed.

Figure 5 : Twelve Diagonal Boundaries

It’s geometrically impossible, for example, for the twelve diagonal pathways of the GRA version of the Tree diagram (above left) to conform to the boundary placement instructions of verse 5:2. However, the Tree of Yetzirah (above right) conforms perfectly to the Sefer Yetzirah’s design specifications. pg. 26

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The three dimensional figure that naturally results from the instructions of verse 5:2 is an octahedron. Some commentators derive a cube, but it’s more logical to associate the six directional sefirot (or ‘depths’) with the six vertices of an octahedron (unless the cube concept is developed outside the natural structure of the Tree of Life). If you try to picture the six lower sefirot as the six square sides of a cube you’ll find it very difficult. But it’s easy to see the sefirot as six vertices with twelve edges extending between them to form an octahedron.

The octahedron incorporates the entire lower portion of the Tree of Yetzirah, and provides us with a magical tool we can use to heal the rift that unfortunately exists within human consciousness. The rift effectively separates Humanity and the divine Creator. But it only exists as a hiatus in human awareness. Human-beings tend to be oblivious of the existence/reality of the divine Creator. But thankfully the rift doesn’t represent the complete separation of Humanity from the Divine. That would be impossible.

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Ten Sefirot

Seven Doubles: ‫ כ פ ר ת‬- ‫ב ג ד‬. Seven and not six. Seven and not eight. Examine with them and probe with them. Make [each] thing stand on its essence, and make the Creator sit on His base. [Sefer Yetzirah, 4:5]

Six of the seven double letters are associated with the six vertices of the octahedron. But the Sefer Yetzirah reminds us in verse 4:5 that there are seven, not six, double letters, so we must associate one of them with the central point of the octahedron. And it also advises us not to be tempted to add an eighth double letter, meaning, do not add another double letter sefirah (i.e. Malkut) to the bottom of the Tree diagram. It makes a similar statement regarding the ten sefirot in general. Ten sefirot beli mah. Ten and not nine. Ten and not eleven. Understand with wisdom; Be wise with understanding. Examine with them and probe from them.

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December 7, 2013

Make [each] thing stand on its essence, and make the Creator sit on His base. [Sefer Yetzirah, 1:4]

The Hebrew word ‘mawkone’ (‫מכון‬, MKVN)18 translated here as ‘base’, is a reference to the sefirah Da’at, called ‘depth of Above’. Mawkone means ‘foundation’ and is often understood in the Hebrew Bible to refer to the site of God’s temple. And just as the sefirah Yesod (‫יסוד‬, YSVD, also meaning ‘foundation’) represents the foundation of human consciousness, Mawkone identifies Da’at as the foundation of divine Consciousness.

‚Ten and not nine‛ in verse 1:4 refers to the temptation to exclude the first sefirah—Ain Sof19, called the Holy Breath—from the sefirot, thereby deriving nine sefirot instead of ten. ‚Ten and not eleven‛ warns against adding Malkut to the bottom of the Tree because that would make eleven sefirot.

The ten sefirot of the Sefer Yetzirah are also called ‘depths’.

18

See verses1:4 and 4:5.

19

Ain Sof (‫ )אין סוף‬translates literally as ‘no end’. It represents the infinite unknown. pg. 29

Sefer Yetzirah Magic

December 7, 2013

Ten Sefirot beli mah: Their measure is ten which have ain sof.20 A depth of Beginning, A depth of End, A depth of Good, A depth of Evil, A depth of Above, A depth of Below, A depth of East, A depth of West, A depth of North, A depth of South. The singular Master, God Faithful King, dominates over them all from His holy dwelling until eternity of eternities. [Sefer Yetzirah, 1:5]

Verse 1:5 lists the ten depths in two groups, and as opposing pairs. Obviously Malkut is not included, but many people still make the mistake of adding Malkut as a sefirah. And then they compound the error by assigning a ‘depth’ to it (usually ‘depth of End’ or ‘depth of Evil’). This not only disrupts the original depth hierarchy, but completely disrupts the Sefer Yetzirah’s system of ten sefirot.

20

See the note above. pg. 30

Sefer Yetzirah Magic

December 7, 2013

The ten sefirot are clearly delineated in the text of the Sefer Yetzirah. There are four sefirot located at the top of the Tree diagram, and below them are six ‘directional’ sefirot that produce the octahedron. There is also an extra component of the Tree, that’s not called a sefirah, but is referred to as the Holy Temple.

Malkut is not one of the four highest depths, and nor is it one of the six lower ‘directional’ depths. Therefore it cannot be the ‘depth of Evil’, or any of the ten depths. The depths, as aforesaid, are presented in two groups—a higher group of four and a lower group of six—and as a series of opposing principles. Ten sefirot beli mah: Their measure is ten which have no end. A depth of Beginning, [Ain Sof – Holy Breath] A depth of End, [Keter – Breath from Breath] A depth of Good, [Hockmah – Water from Breath] A depth of Evil, [Binah – Fire from Water] A depth of Above, [Da’at] A depth of Below, [Yesod] A depth of East, [Hesed] A depth of West, [Hod] A depth of North, [Netzah] A depth of South. [Geburah] In fact, the first three lines of this verse cryptically instruct us to exclude Malkut, and include Ain Sof. ‚Beli mah‛ (‫ )בלי מה‬translates to ‘without Mah’, where the Hebrew word Mah (‫ )מה‬in ancient Kabbalistic tradition, is associated with the sefirah Malkut.

pg. 31

Sefer Yetzirah Magic

December 7, 2013

"That extremity of heaven is called Mi, but there is another lower extremity which is called Mah (What?)... Of a surety the veiled One, the most high, the sum of all existence will heal thee and uphold thee—Mi, the extremity of heaven above, Mah, as far as the extremity of heaven below. And this is the inheritance of Jacob, he being the "bolt that passes from extremity to extremity" (Exod. XXVI, 28), that is, from the higher, identical with Mi, to the lower, identical with Mah, as he occupies a position in the middle." [From: Soncino Zohar, Prologue 1b.]

The Hebrew word 'Mi' (‫)מי‬21 signifies Binah (and the first Heh of YHVH). 'Mah' (‫)מה‬22 represents Malkut (and the second Heh of YHVH). 'Jacob' (the Vav of YHVH) is the 'bolt'23 that extends between the first Heh and the second Heh of YHVH.

The third line of Sefer Yetzirah verse 1:5 actually reads ‚which have Ain Sof‛, because ‘no end’ is the English translation of the original Hebrew ‘Ain Sof’ (‫)אין סוף‬. Therefore, a more appropriate translation of the first three lines of verse 1:5 is< Ten sefirot without Mah [Malkut]: Their measure is ten which includes Ain Sof. Ain Sof is called ‘depth of Beginning’ because it has ‘no end’.

21

Meaning: ‘Who?’

22

Meaning: ‘What?’

23

Note that the Hebrew word Vav (‫ )וו‬means ‘nail’ (or ‘bolt’). pg. 32

Sefer Yetzirah Magic

December 7, 2013

The Holy Temple is a sacred place that contains, preserves, and reflects the Light of the Creator. It is there that He has chosen to especially abide—concealed in the midst of the octahedron, close to His creation, in His Holy Temple, or Tifaret. But the Holy Temple remains devoid of the divine Presence—that is, until we build the Holy Temple octahedron, and activate the ‘singular covenant’ in Da’at. Verse 1:5 continues< The singular Master, God Faithful King, dominates over them all from His holy dwelling until eternity of eternities. The ‘holy dwelling’ (of verse 1:5) is the Holy Temple octahedron. It’s the place of the ‘singular Master’, the ‘singular covenant’ (of verse 1:3), and the ‘One ShM’ (of verses 2:5 and 2:6). The foundation of the Holy Temple is the sefirah Mawkone (Da’at), called ‘depth of Above’. It’s associated with the first Hebrew double letter, Bayt (‫)ב‬. Bayt means ‘house’, as in the ‘House of God’, or Holy Temple.

Another important reason why Malkut is not included as a component of the Tree of Yetzirah is because it embodies the lowest kabbalistic world of Assiah (i.e. ‘Making’). The Tree of Yetzirah specifically delineates the world of Yetzirah (i.e. ‘Formation’). That’s why the six ‘seals’ of Yetzirah only include the first three letters—Y, H, V—of the divine Name YHVH. They necessarily exclude the final Heh because it represents Assiah and the sefirah Malkut, and therefore doesn’t belong in the world of Yetzirah. The final Heh is only appended to the six YHV seal formulas when magical forces are required to flow down from the world of Yetzirah into the world of Assiah. pg. 33

Sefer Yetzirah Magic

December 7, 2013

Seven Doubles

There’s much speculation among kabbalists as to the Sefer Yetzirah’s original assignment of the seven astrological planets to the seven Hebrew double letters. The oldest surviving manuscripts of the text present conflicting data presumably caused by scribal error and/or deliberate obfuscation. My own solution to this conundrum is based on the fact that the Sefer Yetzirah likes to organize its Tree of Life components in alphabetical order. For example, the Sefer Yetzirah presents the three mother letter sefirot in their natural alphabetical order—Alef, Maym, Shin—and it associates the twelve zodiacal signs with the twelve simple letters in their natural alphabetical order. Therefore, it’s likely that the seven double letters will be associated with the seven planets in alphabetical order. There’s universal agreement in all versions of the Sefer Yetzirah that the alphabetical order of the twelve simple letters parallels the natural heavenly order of the twelve zodiacal constellations (as observed by astrologers for thousands of years). But what is the ‘natural order’ of the seven astrological planets? It’s my belief that, in the Sefer Yetzirah, the planets are ordered according to their cyclical movement as observed by the ancient astrologers who wrote the original text. The orbital periods of the planets (as viewed from Earth) are as follows