It is of considerable importance to a clear understanding of this Occult treatise that the whole work be read through before comment is made, so that the general idea of the several chapters may become in the mind one concrete whole. A separate consideration of the several parts should follow this general grasp of the subject, else much confusion may result.
This book may be considered to be an Allegorical Parallel between the Idealism of Numbers and Letters and the various parts of the Universe, and it sheds much light on many mystic forms and ceremonies yet extant, notably upon Freemasonry, the Tarot, and the later Kabalah, and is a great aid to the comprehension of the Astro-Theosophic schemes of the Rosicrucians. To obtain the full value of this Treatise, it should be studied hand in hand with Hermetic Rituals, the “Isiac Tablet”, and with a complete set of the Tarot designs.
Note that the oldest MSS. copies of the “Sepher Yetzirah” have no vowel points: the latest editions have them. The system of points in writing Hebrew was not perfected until the seventh century, and even then was not in constant use. Ginsburg asserts that the system of vowel polluting was invented by a Rabbi Mocha in Palestine about A.D. 570, who designed it to assist his pupils. But Isaac Myer states that there are undoubted traces of pointing in Hebrew MSS. of the second century.
The words” Sepher Yetzirah “are written in Hebrew from right to left, SPR YTzYRH, Samech Peh Rash, p. 33 Yod Tzaddi Yod Resh Heh; modes of transliteration vary with different authors. Yod is variously written in English letters as I, Y, or J, or sometimes le. Tzaddi is properly Tz; but some write Z only, which is misleading because the Hebrew has also a true Z, Zain.
Chapter I
The twelve sections of this chapter introduce this philosophic disquisition upon the Formation and Development of the Universe. Having specified the subdivision of the letters into three classes, the Triad, the Heptad, and the Dodecad, these are put aside for the time; and the Decad mainly considered as specially associated with the idea of Number, and as obviously composed of the Tetrad and the Hexad.
1. Thirty-two. This is the number of the Paths or Ways of Wisdom, which are added as a supplement. 32 is written in Hebrew by LB, Lamed and Beth, and these are the last and first letters of the Pentateuch. The number 32 is obtained thus — 2 X2X2X2X2 = 32, Laib, LB as a Hebrew word, means the Heart of Man.
Paths. The word here is NTIBUT, netibuth; NTIB, meant primarily a pathway, or foot-made track; but is here used symbolically in the same sense as the Christian uses the word, way — the way of life: other meanings are — stage, power, form, effect; and later, a doctrinal formula, in Kabalistic writings.
2. Jah. This divine name is found in Psalm lxviii. 4; it is translated into Greek as kurios, and into Latin as dominus, and commonly into the English word, Lord: it is really the first half of the word IHVH or Jehovah, or the Yahveh of modern scholars.
3. Jehovah Tzabaoth. This divine name is printed in English Bibles as Jehovah Sabaoth, or as “Lord of hosts” as in Psalm xxiv. 10. TzBA is an army.
4. God of Israel, Here the word God is ALHI, which in unpointed Hebrew might be God, or Gods, or My God.
5. The Elohim of the Living, The words are ALHIM ChHM. Alhim, often written in English letters as Elohim, or by Godfrey Higgins as Aleim, seems to be a masculine plural of the feminine form Eloah, ALH, of the divine masculine name EL, AL; this is commonly translated God, and means strong, mighty, supreme. Chiim, is the plural of Chi — living, or life. ChIH is a living animal, and so is ChIVA. ChH is also life. Frey in his dictionary gives ChHM as the plural word, lives, or vitae. The true adjective for living is ChIA. Elohim Chiim, then, apart from Jewish or Christian preconception, is “the living Gods,” or '-'- the Gods of the lives, i.e., living ones.” Rittangelius gives Dii viventes, “The living Gods,” both words in the plural. Pistorius omits both words. Postellus, the orthodox, gives Deus Vivus. The Elohim are the Seven Forces, proceeding from the One Divine, which control the “terra viventium,” the manifested world of life.
6. God. In this case we have the simple form AL, EL.
7. Sepharim. SPRIM, the plural masculine of SPR, commonly translated book or letter: the meaning here is plainly “forms of expression.”
8. Numbers, Letters and Sounds, The three Hebrew words here given are, in unpointed Hebrew, SPR, SPR and SIPUR. Some late editors to cover the difficulty of this passage, have given SPR, SPUR, SIPR, pointing them to read Separ, Seepur, Saypar.
The sense of the whole volume appears to need their translation as Numbers, Letters and Sounds. Pistorius gave “scriptis, numeratis, pronunciatis.” Postellus gave “Numerans, numerus, numeratus,” thus losing the contrasted meanings; and so did Rittangelius, who gave “Numero, numerante, numerate.”
9. The ineffable Sephiroth. The words are SPIRUT BLIMH, Sephiruth Belimah. The simplest translation p. 35 is “the voices from nothing.” The Ten Sephiruth of the Kabalah are the “Ten Primary Emanations from the Divine Source” which are the primal forces leading to all manifestation upon every plane in succession. Buxtorf gives for Sephiruth — predicationes logicæ. The word seems to me clearly allied to the Latin spiritus, — spirit, soul, wind; and is used by Quintilian as a sound, or noise. The meaning of Belimah is more doubtful. Rittangelius always gives “praeter illud ineffabile.” Pistorius gives “praeter ineffabile.” Postellus evades the difficulty and simply puts the word Belimah into his Latin translation. In Frey's Dictionary BLIMH is translated as nothing, without any other suggestion; BLI is “not”, MH is “anything.” In Kabalistic writings the Sephiruth, the Divine Voices and Powers, are called “ineffabilis,” not to be spoken of, from their sacred nature.
10. The classification of the Hebrew letters into a Triad, Heptad and Dodekad, runs through the whole philosophy of the Kabalah. Many ancient authors added intentional blinds, such as forming the Triad of A.M.T., Ameth, truth; and of AMN, Amen.
11. The Two Covenants, by the Word or Spirit, and by the Flesh, made by Jehovah with Abraham, Genesis XVII. The Covenant of Circumcision was to be an outward and visible sign of the Divine promise made to Abraham and his offspring. The Hebrew word for circumcision is Mulah, MULH: note that MLH is also synonymous with DBR, dabar, — verbum or word.
12. Rittangelius gives “replace the formative power upon his throne.” Postellus gives “restore the device to its place.”
13. Abyss; the word is OUMQ for OMQ, a depth, vastness, or valley.
14. Hermetic rituals explain this Yetziratic attribution.
15. The Lord the only God. The words are ADUN IChID AL, or “Adonai (as commonly written) the only El.”
16. Seat. The word is MOUN, dwelling, habitation, or throne.
17. Lightning flash. In the early edition the words “like scintillating flame” are used: the Hebrew word is BRQ. Many Kabalists have shown how the Ten Sephiruth are symbolized by the zig-zag lightning flash.
18. God; the Divine name here is Jehovah.
19. The text gives only RTzUA V ShUB— “currendo et redeundo,” but the commentators have generally considered this to be a quotation from Ezekiel i. 14, referred to H ChIVT, the living creatures, kerubic forms.
20. The Spirit of the Gods of the Living. RUCh ALHIM ChIIM.; or as R. gives it “spiritus Deorum Viventium.” Orthodoxy would translate these words “The spirit of the living God.”
21. AL ChI H OULMIM; “the Living God of Ages,” here the word God really is in the singular.
22. The Voice, Spirit and Word are QUL, RUCh. DBR. A very notable Hebrew expression of Divinatory intuition was BATh QUL, the Daughter of the Voice.
23. Formless and void. THU and BHU; these two words occur in Genesis i. 2, and are translated “waste and void.”
24. Note the order in which the primordial elements were produced. First, Spirit (query Akasa, Ether) then Air, Vayu; then Water, Apas, which condenses into solid elementary Earth, Prithivi; and lastly from the Water He formed Fire.
25. The first name is often written Ophanim, the letters are AUPNIM, in the Vision of Ezekiel i. 16, the word occurs and is translated “Wheels.” ShRPIM are the mysterious beings of Isaiah vi. 2; the word otherwise is translated Serpent, and in Numbers xxi. 6, as “fiery serpents”: also in verse 8 as “fiery serpent” when Jehovah said “Make thee a fiery serpent and set it upon a pole.” Kerubim. The Hebrew words are ChIVTh H QDSh, holy animals: I have ventured to put Kerubim, as the title of the p. 37 other Biblical form of Holy mysterious animal, as given in I. Kings vi. 23 and Exodus xxv. 18, and indeed Genesis iii. 24. Bible dictionaries generally give the word as Cherubim, but in Hebrew the initial letter is always K and not Ch.
26. Three. In the first edition I overlooked this word three; and putting and for as, made four classes of serving beings.
27. This is verse 4 of Psalm civ.
28. Here follow the permutations of the name I H V, which is the Tetragrammaton — Jehovah, without the second or final Heh: IHV is a Tri-grammaton, and is more suitable to the third or Yetziratic plane. HVI is the imperative form of the verb to he, meaning he thou; HIV is the infinitive; and VIH is future. In IHV note that Yod corresponds to the Father; Heh to Binah, the Supernal Mother; and Vau to the Microprosopus — Son.
29. Note the subdivision of the Decad into the Tetrad — four elements; and the Hexad — six dimensions of space.
Chapter II
This chapter consists of philosophic remarks on the twenty-two sounds and letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and hence connected with the air by speech, and it points out the uses of those letters to form words — the signs of ideas, and the symbols of material substances.
30. Soul; the word is NPSh, which is commonly translated soul, meaning the living personality of man, animal or existing thing: it corresponds almost to the Theosophic Prana plus the stimulus of Kama.
31. This is the modern classification of the letters into guttural, palatal, lingual, dental and labial sounds.
32. The 231 Gates. The number 242 is obtained by adding together all the numbers from 1 to 22. The p. 38 Hebrew letters can be placed in pairs in 242 different positions; thus ab, ag, ad, up to at; then ba, bb, bg, bd, up to bt, and so on to ts, tt: this is in direct order only, without reversal; for the reason why eleven are deducted, and the number 231 specified, see the Table and Note 15 in the edition of Postellus.
33. Non-existent; the word is AIN, nothingness. Ain precedes Ain Suph, boundlessness; and Ain Suph Aur, Boundless Light.
34. Body; the word is GUP, usually applied to the animal material body, but here means “one whole.”
Chapter III
This chapter is especially concerned with the essence of the Triad, as represented by the Three Mothers, Aleph, Mem, and Shin. Their development in three directions is pointed out, namely in the Macrocosm or Universe; in the Year or in Time; and in the Microcosm or Man.
35. The importance of equilibrium is constantly reiterated in the Kabalah. The Siphra Dtzeniouta, or Book of Concealed Mystery, translated by Mac Gregor Mathers, in his “Kabalah Denudata,” opens with a reference to this Equilibrium as a fundamental necessity of stable existence.
36. Heavens. The Hebrew word Heshamaim HShMIM, has in it the element of Aesh, fire, and Mim, water; and also Shem, name; The Name is IHVH, attributed to the elements. ShMA is in Chaldee a name for the Trinity (Parkhurst). ShMSh is the Sun, and Light, and a type of Christ, the Sun of Righteousness. Malachi iv. 2.
37. Were produced; the Hebrew word BRA, is the root. Three Hebrew words are used in the Bible to represent the idea of making, producing or creating.
BRIAH, Beriah, giving shape, Genesis i. 1. OShIH, Ashiah, completing, Genesis i. 31.
ITzIRH, Yetzirah, forming, Genesis ii. 7.
To these the Kabalists add the word ATzLH, with the meaning of “producing something manifest from the unmanifested.”
38. These several formations then appear in a table thus:—
Emanation. | Shin. | Aleph. | Mem.
Macrocosm. | Primal Fire. | Spirit. | Primal Water.
Universe. | Heavens. | Atmosphere. | The Earth.
Elements. | Terrestrial Fire | Air. | Water & Earth
Man. | Head. | Chest. | Belly.
Year. | Heat. | Temperate. | Cold.
Chapter IV
This is the special chapter of the Heptad, the powers and properties of the Seven. Here again we have the threefold attribution of the numbers and letters to the Universe, to the Year, and to Man. The supplemental paragraphs have been printed in modern form by Kalisch; they identify the several letters of the Heptad more definitely with the planets, days of the week, human attributes and organs of the senses.
39. These numbers have been a source of difference between the editors and copyists, hardly any two editors concurring. I have given the numbers arising from continual multiplication of the product by each succeeding unit from one to seven. 2x1=2,2x3 = 6, 6x4 = 24, 24x5 = 120, 120x6 = 720, 720x7 = 5,040.
40. In associating the particular letters to each planet the learned Jesuit Kircher allots Beth to the Sun, Gimel to Venus, Daleth to Mercury, Kaph to Luna, Peh to Saturn, Resh to Jupiter, and Tau to Mars. Kalisch in the supplementary paragraphs gives a different attribution; both are wrong, as an adept cultured clairvoyant could prove. Consult the Tarot p. 40 symbolism given by Court de Gebelin, Eliphaz Lévi, and my notes in the “Isiac Tablet of Bembo.” The true attribution is however, not anywhere printed. The planet names here given are Chaldee words.
41. The Seven Heavens and the Seven Earths are printed with errors, and I believe intentional mistakes, in many occult ancient books. Private Hermetic MSS. have alone the correct names and spelling.
42. On the further attribution of these Seven letters, note that Postellus gives: Vita — Mors, Pax — afflictio, Sapientia — stultitia, Divitiae (Opus) — paupertas, Gratia — opprobrium. Proles — sterilitas, Imperium — servitus. Pistorius gives: Vita — mors. Pax— bellum, Scientia — ignorantia, Divitiae — paupertas. Gratia — abominatio, Semen (Proles) — sterilitas, Imperium (Dominatio) — servitus.
Chapter V
This chapter is specially concerned with the Dodecad; the number twelve is itself pointed out, and the characters of its component units, once more in the three zones of the universe, year and man; the last paragraph gives a recapitulation of the whole number of letters: the Supplement gives a form of allotment of the several letters.
43. It is necessary to avoid confusion between these letters; different authors translate them in different manners. Heh or Hé, H, must not be confused with Cheth, or Heth, Ch. Teth, Th also must be kept distinct from the final letter Tau, T, which is one of the double letters; the semi-English pronunciation of these two letters is much confused, each is at times both t and th; Yod is either I, Y, or J; Samech is simple S, and must not be confused with Shin, Sh, one of the mother letters; Oin is often written in English Hebrew grammars as Ayin, and sometimes as Gnain; Tzaddi p. 41 must not be confused with Zain, Z; and lastly Qoph, Q is very often replaced by K, which is hardly defensible as there is a true K in addition.
44. Postellus gives suspicion, and Pistorius, mind.
45. These letters are the initials of the 12 Zodiacal signs in Hebrew nomenclature. They are:
Teth | Telah | Aries
Shin | Shor | Taurus
Tau | Thaumim | Gemini
Samech | Sartan | Cancer
Aleph | Aryeh | Leo
Beth | Bethuleh | Virgo
Mem | Maznim | Libra
Oin | Oqereb | Scorpio
Qoph | Qesheth | Sagittarius
Gimel | Gedi | Capricornus
Daleth | Dali | Aquarius
Daleth | Dagim | Pisces
46. The month Nisan begins about March 29th. Yiar is also written Iyar, and Aiar: the Hebrew letters are AIIR.
47. The list of organs varies. All agree in, two hands, two feet, two kidneys, liver, gall and spleen. Postellus then gives, “intestina, vesica, arteriæ”, the intestines, bladder and arteries; Rittangelius gives the same. Pistorius gives, “colon, coagulum et ventriculus,” colon — the large intestine, coagulum and stomach. The chief difficulty is with the Hebrew word MSS., which is allied to two different roots, one meaning private, concealed, hidden; and the other meaning liquefied.
48. The Elohim — divine powers — not IHVH the Tetragrammaton,
Chapter VI
This chapter is a resume of the preceding five; it calls the universe and mankind to witness to the truth of the scheme of distribution of the powers of the numbers among created forms, and concludes with the narration that this philosophy was revealed by the Divine to Abraham, who received and faithfully accepted it, as a form of Wisdom under a Covenant.
49. The Dragon, TLI, Theli. The Hebrew letters amount in numeration to 440, that is 400, 30 and i o. p. 42 The best opinion is that Tali or Theli refers to the 12 Zodiacal constellations along the great circle of the Ecliptic; where it ends there it begins again, and so the ancient occultists drew the Dragon with its tail in its mouth. Some have thought that Tali referred to the constellation Draco, which meanders across the Northern polar sky; others have referred it to the Milky Way; others to an imaginary line joining Caput to Cauda Draconis, the upper and lower nodes of the Moon. Adolphe Franck says that Theli is an Arabic word.
50. Happiness, or a good end, or simply good, TUBH.
51. Misery, or an evil end, or simply evil, ROH.
52. This Hebrew version omits the allotment of the remaining six. Mayer gives the paragraph thus: — The triad of amity is the heart and the two ears; the triad of enmity is the liver, gall, and the tongue;. the three life-givers are the two nostrils and the spleen; the three death-dealing ones are the mouth and the two lower openings of the body.
53. God. In this case the name is AL, El.
54. This last paragraph is generally considered to be less ancient than the remainder of the treatise, and by another author.
55. The Lord most high. OLIU ADUN. Adun or Adon, or Adonai, ADNI, are commonly translated Lord; Eliun, OLIUN, is the more usual form of “the most high one.”
56. Him. Rittangelius gives “credidit in Tetragrammaton,” but this word is not in the Hebrew.
57. Tongue. The verbal covenant.
58. Speech. The Hebrew has “upon his tongue.” 59. The Hebrew version of Rabbi Judah Ha Levi concludes with the phrase, “and said of him. Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee.” Rabbi Luria, gives the Hebrew version which I have translated. Postellus gives: “He drew him into the water. He rose up in spirit, He inflamed him in. seven suitable forms with twelve signs.” Mayer gives: “Er zog sie mit Wasser, Zundet sie an mit Feuer; erregte sie mit p. 43 Geist; verbannte sie mit sieben, goss sie aus mit den zwolf Gestirnen.”, “He drew them with water. He kindled them with fire. He moved them with spirit, distributed them” with seven, and sent them forth with twelve.”