"Life in the World to Come" Abulafia's Circles
Free Kabbalah book downloads!
A new book on the legends and history of Kabbalah and the Book of Creation, Kabbalah's Secret Circles, has just published! Read some of the chapters and download a free PDF sample of the book to preview. This page is an excerpt from the book on Abraham Abulafia and his circles.
The "Shem HaShani"
The founder of the school of “Prophetic Kabbalah,” Abraham ben Shmuel Abulafia, was considered a master of tzeruf (letter combinations) during late the 1200’s in Spain.
Meditation performed by a pure human being on any letter was just like meditating on the entire Creation, he claimed.
In 1289, Abulafia produced a commentary on the SEFER YETZIRAH in his work called GAN NAUL (THE LOCKED GARDEN). OHR HA-SECHEL (LIGHT OF THE INTELLECT) is Abulafia’s handbook on meditation with concepts from Maimonides’ GUIDE OF THE PERPLEXED (MOREH NEVUCHIM), the ancient BOOK OF CREATION (SEFER YETZIRAH) and Eleazar of Worms' BOOK OF THE NAME (Sefer Ha-Shem).
This is from a page (out of 30 pages) translated fromAbraham Abulafia's Jewish mystical work called "Chaye Ha Olam Haba" (Life in the World to Come).
Abulafia produced 120 circles across 30 pages. Each circle contains 9 letters for a total of 1080 letters. Start upper right, follow each circle counterclockwise from the arrow.
Some claim this is a method to enliven a golem, while others say it is merely a meditative system.
H = Middle of the Head
A = Middle of the End
L = Head of the End
V = End of the End....
There seem to be some common content between Abulafia's book and the "Sefer Raziel HaMelech," especially in the description of the 72 names of the angels (based on the 3 lines of Exodus 14:19-21).
Continue reading about Abulafia Chaye HaOlam HaBa and get links and free PDF downloads of Abulafia's works.
Books on Abraham Abulafia
I recommend these books which are available on Amazon.com about Abraham Abulafia. The links open in a new window to keep your place here.
- Meditation and Kabbalah
by Aryeh Kaplann contains a very complete translation about Chayye HaOlam HaBa.
- Chaye Ha-Olam Ha-Ba - Life in the World to Come
is Abraham Abulafia's masterpiece, and a primer on prophetic Kabbalah. Prophetic Kabbalah is a special flavor of Jewish mysticism that owes its name to the Abulafian School.
- The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia (S U N Y Series in Judaica)
includes a description of the Kabbalistic techniques employed by Abulafia.
- Get Ha-Shemot - Divorce of the Names
- is Abulafia's attempt to describe the general ideology and cosmology that underlie the fundamental principle of Kabbalah - that names and letters are the essential, active, and creative elements of reality.
- Ohr Ha-Sechel - Light of the Intellect
is Abulafia's handbook for meditation with ideas from Maimonides' Guide of the Perplexed (Moreh Nevuchim), the ancient Book of Creation (Sefer Yetzira) and Eleazar of Worms' Book of the Name (Sefer Ha-Shem)
- Path of the Names
is Abraham Abulafia's examination on the sacred Names. 80 pages.
- Sheva Netivot Ha-Torah - The Seven Paths of Torah by Abraham Abulafia
demonstrates the primacy of Kabbalah over every other branch of knowledge. It classifies seven levels of understanding of the Torah, showing what they are and how to reach them.
- Sefer Ha-Ot - The Book of the Sign
by Abulafia relates his experiences and visions, some of which are really frightening. Most notable are his encounters with angels.
- Abraham Abulafia: Meditations on the Divine Name
is about Abulafia by Avi Solomon and Rhisa Teman (Illustrator).
- "Kabbalah's Secret Circle" is Robert Zucker's new book on Kabbalah with selections from "Chaya Ha Olam Ha'Ba" and instructions to create a Kabbalah Wheel.
by Aryeh Kaplann contains a very complete translation about Chayye HaOlam HaBa.
is Abraham Abulafia's masterpiece, and a primer on prophetic Kabbalah.
Prophetic Kabbalah is a special flavor of Jewish mysticism that owes its
name to the Abulafian School.
is
Abulafia's handbook for meditation with ideas from Maimonides' Guide of
the Perplexed (Moreh Nevuchim), the ancient Book of Creation (Sefer
Yetzira) and Eleazar of Worms' Book of the Name (Sefer Ha-Shem) 
is Abraham Abulafia's examination on the sacred Names. 80 pages.
demonstrates
the primacy of Kabbalah over every other branch of knowledge. It
classifies seven levels of understanding of the Torah, showing what they
are and how to reach them.
by Abulafia relates his experiences and visions, some of which are
really frightening. Most notable are his encounters with angels.
is about Abulafia by Avi Solomon and Rhisa Teman (Illustrator).If you have an interest in this book or would like to request a copy of "Kabbalah's Secret Circle," please email bob@emol.org. Robert Zucker, Arizona, USA.
Chaye HaOlam HaBa Index
Kabbalah Home Page
Interested in emailing? bob@emol.org
Bob Zucker. Let me know your interests.