Sepher Yetzirah: The Book of Formation
Anonymous (attributed to Abraham) · tr. W. Wynn Westcott · 1887 · 3,904 words
The oldest book of Jewish mysticism: how the world was formed by the ten Sephiroth and the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, three mothers, seven doubles and twelve simple letters, mapped onto the cosmos, the year and the human body.
Opening
Chapter 1
1. In two and thirty most occult and wonderful paths of wisdom did JAH the Lord of Hosts engrave his name: God of the armies of Israel, ever-living God, merciful and gracious, sublime, dwelling on high, who inhabiteth eternity. He created this universe by the three Sepharim, Number, Writing, and Speech.
2. Ten are the numbers, as are the Sephiroth, and twenty-two the letters, these are the Foundation of all things. Of these letters, three are mothers, seven are double, and twelve are simple.
3. The ten numbers formed from nothing are the Decad: these are seen in the fingers of the hands, five on one, five on the other, and over them is the Covenant by voice spiritual, and the rite of Circumcision, corporeal (as of Abraham).
4. Ten are the numbers of the ineffable Sephiroth, ten and not nine, ten and not eleven. Learn this wisdom, and be wise in the understanding of it, investigate these numbers, and draw knowledge from them, fix the design in its purity, and pass from it to its Creator seated on his throne.
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Contents
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3
- Chapter 4
- Supplement to Chapter IV
- Chapter 5
- Supplement to Chapter V
- Chapter 6
- The Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom