Kabbalah: Sefer Yetzirah the "Book of Creation"
Sefer Yetsirah - The Creation of a Formation
By R. Zucker
The Hebrew name of "Sefer Yetzirah" ("Sefer Yetsirah") in English is the "Book of Creation" or the "Book of Formation."
This cryptic manuscript has evoked speculation and controversary for centuries. Those who discover this strangely written manuscript have pondered its meaning with a variety of interpretations.
Some believe that the "Sefer Yetzirah" is about the creation and manipulation of the Universe. Some have claimed that it holds the key to the creation of a golem, an artificial man. Others say, it's both.
You've found this page because of your unusual interest in this unusual manuscript. It is an obscure subject with very little explanation other than the numerous attempts at authors to try to decipher its cryptic messages.
 "Sefer Yetzirah" Index:
OVERVIEW of the "Sefer Yetzirah"
Editions of "Sefer Yetzirah"
Authors of "Sefer Yetzirah"
Golem: creating a creature, techniques and instructions
VirtualQBL Kabbalah software. Study Sefer Yetzirah digitally
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The "Sepher Yetzirah," or Book of Formation (also called the Book of Creation) was origianlly a very short manuscript, perhaps a few hundreds words long. Over the centuries, anonymous authors and scribes added and changed the content.
Known to the English speaking world as The Book of Creation (or called the Book of Formation), it is probably the most important of all the Kabalistic texts.
"Sefer" means book. "Yetzirah" (also spelled as Yesirah, Yetzira, Yetsira) means creation. Sometimes, the word formation is used. Traditionally, the word is usually spelled with a z instead of a s.
The secrets within the text of the "Sefer Yetsira" were passed on in the Hebrew oral tradition, called Qabala, for centuries until it was written down in the 2nd century B.C.E. by Rabbi Akiba ben Joseph. But, the myth of this curious book dates back to Abraham the Patriarch and Moses.
The text of the Sefer Yetzirah lays out the principles of Kabalistic cosmology and the Tree of Life, how humankind (the microcosm) reflects the Divine (the macrocosm). It also sets forth the Hebrew doctrine of Logos – the creation of the world in numbers, letters, and sound. As such, it is a seminal text for all serious magicians.
Most of all, the mystical secret of the Sepher Yetzirah still has yet to be uncovered. While the text describes the universe, time and body in an organized order, it still is confusing to the average reader.
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Great Jewish scholars like Aryeh Kaplan, Gershom Scholem and Moshe Idel have made some sense of the Sefer Yetzirah. But, what we read today are English translations of Hebrew and German (Yiddish) writings that have a tendancy to lose some meanings in those translations.
In the late 19th and 20th Century, authors like Eliphas Levi, Aleister Crowley, Israel Regardie, William Wynn Westcott have published books about the Sefer Yetzirah. The most recent edition, by Kaplan, is considered to be the authoritative study on the subject. Copies are the book are sometimes hard to locate since its last printing was in 1977.
Sefer Yetzirah - Create a What??
Out of all of the persistant traditions, the most common is the ability to create a golem, a living object, by use of the techniques described in the Sefer Yetzirah. This golem comes to life by the meditations of the golem-makers who learn their techniques from studying the manuscript. The golem has its appearances on non-Jewish mysticism as well- Egyptian, Greek and other cultures have their own versions of our Frankenstein. Read more about making a golem with the Sefer Yetsirah...
But, the most discussed and known aspect of the Sefer Yetzirah is its definition of the Tree of Life and the ten sephiroth. This explains the organization of the Universe. New sections on the Sephiroth are included on my upcoming QBL software program.
Sefer Yetsirah - Create your own Universe
The Sefer Yetsirah (Yetzirah) is filled with mystery and shrouded with myths, misconceptions and illusions. Out of all of the Hebrew manuscripts that have survived over the centuries, the Sefer Yetzirah continues to amaze and confuse those who study its pages.
This web site is the gateway to a computerized study of this mysterious manuscript which has influenced Judaism, Christianity, Occultism, Metaphysics, Philosophy, Science and Psychology for thousands of years.s
The Sefer Yetzirah is also known as Sefer Yesirah, Yesira, Sefer Yetsirah, Sefer Yetzira, Sefer Yesirah, Sepher Jesriah, Jeseriah and Sepher Yezirah. The various spellings are based on the Hebrew letters, Y, Tz, Y, R, H. Depending on how the author pronounces or translates the sounds, determine how that author spells the word.
This section of the Qabalah website explores the Sefer Yetzirah, its history, theory and practice. Although most of my original material is still in handwritten notes in my file cabinets, more sections will be uploaded here with samples to a full printed book, interactive Qabalah study web site and software program. Read more...
Next: OVERVIEW The ancient manuscript: "Sefer Yetzirah"
Interested in emailing? bob@emol.org
Bob Zucker. Let me know your interests.
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My Top Choice Sefer Yetzirah Books
These are the most popular, and available, books on Sefer Yetzirah. Although other editions have been printed by other authors, it is getting harder to find them.
 Nehora.com - The biggest selection of Jewish Books in Hebrew, Spanish, English, and Freche. We have rare and new Jewish Books, Sifrei Kodesh on Torah Talmud and Kabbalah. Judaica Gifts, Shofars, and Prayer Books.
By Aryeh Kaplan
The authoritative text on the study of the "Sefer Yetzirah" or Book of Formantion (Book of Creation). Kaplan's explanations are easy to understand and make sense. A must have manual for anyone ready to decifer this ancient manuscript.
• Paperback: 398 pages
• Publisher: Weiser Books; Rev Sub edition (May 1997)
• Language: English
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by R. A. Gilbert (Foreword),
Arthur Edward Waite (Editor, Introduction),
sKnut Stenring (Translator)
Stenring has made a word-for-word translation from several texts, choosing only those parts which he believed to be authentic. He reveals the text’s secrets in his diagrams, tables, and extensive notes. His "Master Key to the Theoretical and Practical Kabala" is a diagram of the correspondences between the English and Hebrew alphabets and is not found in other translations of the Sepher Yetzirah. Also unique in this translation is Stenring’s assignment of certain tarot cards to the paths on the Tree of Life. Several authors have done this before, but Stenring asserts that he arrived at his correspondences on his own. The introduction by Waite surveys the historical background of the Sepher Yetzirah translations and the import of this foundational Kabbalistic text.
About the Author
R. A. Gilbert's foreword provides background information on Waite's interest and involvement with Stenring's translation.
Knut Stenring was a Swedish Hebrew scholar. He published this work in 1923.
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by W. Wynn Westcott (Author)
A selection from INTRODUCTION: The "Sepher Yetzirah," or "Book of Formation," is perhaps the oldest Rabbinical treatise of Kabalistic philosophy which is still extant. The great interest which has been evinced of 1ate years in the Hebrew Kabalah, and the modes of thought and doctrine allied to it, has induced me to translate this tractate from the original Hebrew texts, and to collate with them the Latin versions of mediaeval authorities; and I have also published An Introduction to the Kabalah which may be found useful to students. Three important books of the "Zohar," or "Book of Splendour," which is a great storehouse of Kabalistic teaching, have been translated into English by S. L. MacGregor Mathers, and the "Sepher Yetzirah" in an English translation is almost a necessary companion to these abstruse disquisitions: the two books indeed mutually explain each other.
Sepher Yetzirah (Paperback: 48 pages)
Publisher: Kessinger Publishing (December 30, 2005)
Language: English
Sepher Yetzirah (Kindle) (Format: Kindle Edition)
File Size: 226 KB
Print Length: 112 pages
Publisher: Oak Grove (March 20, 2008)
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
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by Charles F. Horne (Editor)
Paperback: 48 pages
Publisher: Kessinger Publishing (December 30, 2005)
Language: English
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Several versions of Sefer Yetzirah in Hebrew; Raziel HaMalach and others!
A new collection of Kabbalah books from Abulafia, Luria, Luzzatto and more; several types of Sefer Yetzirah in original Hebrew with the original commentaries; and other great books, software and Judaic gifts.
Nehora.com - The biggest selection of Jewish Books in Hebrew, Spanish, English, and Freche. We have rare and new Jewish Books, Sifrei Kodesh on Torah Talmud and Kabbalah. Judaica Gifts, Shofars, and Prayer Books.
Explore the biggest selection of Jewish Books and Sifrei Kodesh.Over six years on the Internet, serving jewish people around the world, Nehora was the first on the Internet to offer the biggest selection of rare and new Jewish Books, Sifrei Kodesh on Torah Talmud and Kabbalah.
Sefer Yetzirah Books- (Book of Formation) Find several hard back edition. The first book of Kabbalah ever written. With the most famous commentators in Hebrew.
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(Paperback)