The "Book of
Creation," known in Hebrew as the "Sefer Yetzirah," is one of the
oldest, yet secretive, occult manuscripts in the world. It is also
considered one of the first mystical books on the Kabbalah.
This section on the
Book of Formation provides the basic information on this ancient
manuscript with links to more information. These pages are summaries
from my new 347-page book Kabbalah's Secret Circles, where I reveal a cipher device, called a Kabbalah Wheel, to decipher the 231 Holy Gates.
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"Kabbalah's Secret Circles" explores
the legends and history of Kabbalah, the Book of Creation ("Sefer
Yetzirah"), and how to create a simple Kabbalah Wheel device. Hundreds
of pages of information and references.
"Twilight of Consciousness: Explore Your Dreams with Astral Projection"provides practical techniques to achieve astral projection experiences. Control your dream while it is happening!
The
"Book of Creation" is more accurately called the "Book of Formation"
since the Hebrew word for formation (something that is formed rather
than created out of nothing) in Hebrew is spelled as YTzRH.
This mystical
manuscript has been studied for centuries by prominent rabbis and
Qabalists who have pondered its riddles and obscure meanings with a
variety of conflicting interpretations, correspondences, illusions and
delusions.
After studying the early Hebrew and English versions for decades, there are some hidden patterns that can be revealed. Many of these secrets are published in this book on the Sefer Yetzirah.
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The
"Sefer Yetzirah" ( also spelled as Sefer Yetzira, Sepher Yetsirah,
etc.) has been in written form for about 2,000 years. This book is
probably the most important of all the Kabbalistic texts.
The
"book" was originally a very short manuscript, perhaps a few hundreds
words long. The Book of Creation explains the entire process of the
Universe in ten simple terms and 22 letters.
But, with all of its simplicity, this cryptic manuscript has evoked speculation and controversy for centuries.
The
Book of Creation explores deep into divine magical formation and human
manipulation of the Universe. The manuscript was written as a riddle or
series of riddles. To unravel the mysteries of the book is to understand
creation and know how to create something out of nothing.
Some
commentators have claim that the book contains the knowledge of how to
manipulate the foundations of the Universe, Time and Man. It also holds
the key to the creation of a golem,
an artificial man. Many say that it's both- a manual about how to
manipulate nature and secretly gives the recipe to create a golem as
proof.
Where did the Book of Creation come from?
The
first time the teachings of the Book of Creation (Book of Formation)
may have been first written down may be about 2,000 years ago, by famous
Rabbi Akiba.
But
the Book of Creation is claimed to originate thousands of years before
as an oral tradition. Its origin is attributed to biblical ancestors
like Abraham and Moses.
After it was written and rewritten over the centuries, anonymous authors and scribes added and changed the content.
This now creates many errors in the content and correspondences that we see today. But, the basic principles remain the same. Read about some of the authors and text of "Sefer Yetzirah."
The Sefer Yetzirah in Theory and Practice
The
secrets within the text of the "Sefer Yetsira" were passed down by word
of mouth for centuries through generations of Jewish mystics as part of
the oral tradition called Qabalah (Kabbalah).
The Book of Creation (or Formation) was probably 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 Kabbalistic
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 secrets 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.
"Sefer"
in Hebrew means book. "Yetzirah" (also spelled as Yesirah, Yetzira,
Yetsira) means the word "creation (YTzRH)" or to create (YTzR).
Traditionally, the Hebrew word is usually spelled with a z (yetzirah) instead of a s
(yesirah). Most Spanish translation use the s instead of the z.
Sometimes, the word formation is used instead of the word creation.
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
tendency to lose some meanings in those translations. Aryeh Kaplan is
probably best known for his work on the translation of the Sefer
Yetzirah.
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.
In the English speaking world, it became to be known as The Book of
Creation or Book of Formation.
Using the Sefer Yetzirah to create a What??
Out of all of the persistent 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.
"Kabbalah's Secret Circles" explores
the legends and history of Kabbalah, the Book of Creation ("Sefer
Yetzirah"), and how to create a simple Kabbalah Wheel device. Hundreds
of pages of information and references.
Create your own Universe with the Book of Formation
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.
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...
Links to books on Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Creation), Kabbalah, Kabbalah Red String Bracelets and more.
Most popular and reliable books about "Sefer Yetzirah"
These
are the most popular books on Sefer Yetzirah, the Book of Creation
(Book of Formation). All of them can be purchased through these links at
Amazon.com. Check for free shipping eligibility on some books.
By
Aryeh Kaplan. This is the most authoritative text on the study of the
"Sefer Yetzirah" or Book of Formation (Book of Creation). Kaplan's
explanations are easy to understand and make common sense. Hebrew with
English translations in great detail and insight. A must have manual for
anyone ready to decipher this ancient manuscript. Paperback: 398 pages.
By
Arthur Edward Waite (Editor, Introduction), Knut Stenring (Translator)
and R. A. Gilbert (Foreword).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. The introduction by Waite surveys the historical
background of the Sepher Yetzirah translations and the import of this
foundational Kabbalistic text. Knut Stenring was a Swedish Hebrew
scholar. He published this work in 1923 and it is regarded as a major
resource, although some translations are dubious. 78 pages from Ibis
Press.
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).
Sefer Yetzirah The Book of Formation: The Seven in One English-Hebrew Edition - New Translations with an Introduction into the Cosmology of the Kabbalah by E. Collé (Author), H. Collé (Author) .