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Online Digest 90 2 20121219 Kabbalah PDF
Online Digest 90 2 20121219 Kabbalah PDF
many forms of primary sources, reflective commentaries,
the arts, creative fiction, and poetry.
perpetuated the wisdom of the Rosicrucian,
Western esoteric, Tradition.
May we ever be worthy of the light with which
we have been entrusted.
Rosicrucian
Digest
No. 2
2012
Page ii
No. 2 - 2012 Vol. 90 - No. 2
Page 1
Kabbalah:
A Brief Overview
Joshua Maggid, Ph.D., FRC
here are strong connections with traditional Jewish Kabbalah out of their
Page 3
During the European Enlightenment Giovanni Pico della Mirandola
of the eighteenth century, science and (1463-1494) had books on Kabbalah
rationality came to the fore, and interest translated from Hebrew into Latin, and
in mysticism diminished. In Judaism, he also wrote books on Kabbalah. He
the failure of the messianic Sabbatean argued that the Catholic Church should
movement in the seventeenth century incorporate Kabbalah and magic into
had discredited Kabbalah in the eyes of Christian theology. Pico believed that, by
many, and mysticism generally lost its employing Kabbalistic methods of esoteric
appeal. While Kabbalah was attacked interpretation, he could use the Hebrew
and suppressed by the dominant forces, Scriptures to prove the truth of Christian
a form of Kabbalah was perpetuated by teachings such as the divinity of Jesus
the Hassidic movement starting in the and the doctrine of the Trinity. One of
eighteenth century in Eastern Europe. his famous Nine Hundred Theses was:
Hassidism conveyed Kabbalah in a There is no science that assures us more
somewhat popularized form that allowed of the divinity of Christ than magic and
for encountering the Divine in nature Cabala.1 1
and everyday life rather than exclusively
through scriptural study and complex
meditative techniques.
Gershom Scholem (1897-1982) was
a Jewish philosopher and historian who
founded the modern academic study of
Kabbalah. Born and raised in Germany,
he later emigrated to what is now Israel,
where he became the first Professor of
Jewish Mysticism at the Hebrew University
of Jerusalem. Scholem, and the students
he trained and influenced, helped to make
Kabbalah widely available to the lay public.
Christian Kabbalah
ENDNOTES
1. In books on Christian Kabbalah, Kabbalah is 10. Joseph Dan, ed., The Christian Kabbalah: Jewish
generally spelled with a C (e.g., Cabala), probably Mystical Books & Their Christian Interpreters
because the original sources were written in Latin. (Cambridge: Harvard College Library, 1997).
Hermetic Kabbalah books tend to spell it with 11. S. A. Farmer, trans., Syncretism in the West: Picos 900
an initial Q (e.g., Qabalah). Books on Jewish Theses (1486) (Tempe: Medieval & Renaissance Texts
Kabbalah most often use the initial letter K, & Studies, 2008), 497.
possibly because of early books written in German. 12. Johann Reuchlin, On the Art of the Kabbalah: De
While these conventions are not always observed, an Arte Cabalistica, trans. Martin and Sarah Goodman
authors spelling can often be a clue to which system (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1993).
the book is presenting. For the sake of simplicity, 13. Henry Cornelius Agrippa of Nettesheim, Three
except for direct quotations from other sources, only Books of Occult Philosophy, trans. James Freake, ed.
the spelling Kabbalah is used in this article. & annotated by Donald Tyson (St. Paul: Llewellyn
2. For a general survey, see Perle Epstein, Kabbalah: The Publications, 2000).
Way of the Jewish Mystic (Boston: Shambhala, 2001). 14. Frances A. Yates, Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic
For a brief and accessible historical synopsis, see the Tradition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
DVD, Decoding the Past: Secrets of Kabbalah (The 1991).
History Channel, 2006). 15. Frances A. Yates, The Occult Philosophy in the
3. E.g., Kim Zetter, Simple Kabbalah (Conari Press, Elizabethan Age (London: Routledge, 2001), 197-
2000; distributed by Red Wheel/Weiser, York Beach, 205.
ME). 16. Frances A. Yates, The Rosicrucian Enlightenment
4. E.g., Aryeh Kaplan, Meditation and Kabbalah (York (London: Routledge, 2002), 262-277.
Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, 1982). 17. Yates, Occult Philosophy, 105.
5. E.g., Dion Fortune, The Mystical Qabalah (York 18. Ibid., 195.
Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, 1984). 19. Eliphas Levi, The Book of Splendours: The Inner
6. Isidor Kalisch, trans., Sepher Yezirah: A Book on Mysteries of Qabalism (York Beach, ME: Samuel
Creation (San Jose: Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, Weiser, 1984), 130-131.
2002). Aryeh Kaplan, trans., Sefer Yetzirah: The Book 20. Christian Rebisse, Rosicrucian History and Mysteries
of Creation, rev. ed. (York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser, (San Jose: Grand Lodge of the English Language
1997). Jurisdiction, AMORC, 2005), 138.
7. E.g., Kaplan, Sefer Yetzirah, ix. 21. Papus, The Qabalah: Secret Tradition of the West, trans.
8. Arthur Green, A Guide to the Zohar (Stanford: W. N. Schors (York Beach, ME: Red Wheel/Weiser,
Stanford University Press, 2004). Daniel C. Matt, 2000).
trans., The Zohar: Pritzker Edition, multiple vols. 22. Israel Regardie, The Golden Dawn (Woodbury, MN:
(Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2004- ). Llewellyn Publications, 1989).
9. Hayyim Vital, The Tree of Life: Chayyim Vitals 23. S. L. MacGregor Mathers, trans., The Kabbalah
Rosicrucian Introduction to the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria. Volume Unveiled (Mineola, NY: Dover Publications, 2006).
Digest I: The Palace of Adam Kadmon, trans. Donald 24. See note 5.
No. 2 Wilder Menzi and Zwe Padeh (New York: Arizal
2012 Publications, 2008).
Page 6
Scala Philosophorum Cabalistica Magia. From the Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians of the 16th and 17th Centuries,
hand colored by H. Spencer Lewis.
Page 7
Introduction to the
Sefer Yetzirah
Aryeh Kaplan
As a graduate student, Aryeh Kaplan was described in a scientific Whos Who as the most
promising young physicist in America. He later devoted himself to writing and teaching of the
Torah. During his short lifetime (he died suddenly in 1983 at the age of forty-eight), Rabbi
Kaplan wrote more than fifty books. In the text that follows, Rabbi Kaplan introduces us to
the extraordinary Kabbalistic work, the Sefer Yetzirah.
Material excerpted from the book SEFER YETZIRAH: THE BOOK OF CREATION 1997 by The
Estate of Aryeh Kaplan. Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC, Newburyport, MA and San Francisco, CA. Orders may
be placed at www.redwheelweiser.com or by calling 800.423.7087.
he Sefer Yetzirah is without question form is based largely on the Zohar, is
Chapter 1
1-1. By thirty-two mystical Paths has been a depth of West, a depth of North and a
established the Wisdom of YHVH Sabaoth, depth of South. The sole God, the faithful
God of Israel, living Elohim, almighty God, King, rules over all from His holy dwelling,
high and supreme, living for all eternity. forever and ever.
His name is holy. He created His universe
by three measures (number, text, and 1-7. Ten sephiroth arose from the Void;
commentary), ten sephiroth in the Void, and their appearance was like an endless flash of
twenty-two fundamental letters. lightning. The Word of God travels through
them constantly, and when He speaks such
1-2. The sephiroth are ten in number, like a whirlwind, they bow before His Throne.
the ten fingers, five opposite five. They
form the sole Covenant of the central Axis. 1-8. Ten sephiroth arose from the Void, as
well as twenty-two fundamental letters: three
1-3. Ten sephiroth arose from the Void: ten Mothers, seven Doubles (Double Letters),
and not nine, ten and not eleven. Discern them and twelve Simples (Simple Letters), each
with Wisdom and Intelligence. Examine them, containing the Breath of God.
interrogate them. Make each thing correspond
to their essence. Their number is ten and they 1-9. Ten sephiroth arose from the Void by the
are infinite. Utterance of Elohim. His throne is eternally
established. Blessed be His name, He who
1-4. Ten sephiroth arose from the Void: perpetually enlivens the worlds, forever and
Restrain your heart so as not to think of ever, with His Voice, Breath, and Word.
them; restrain your mouth so as not to speak
of them. And if your heart throbs, recall 1-10. With the Wind coming from the
what is written: And the Holy creatures ran Breath, God carved and sculpted the four
and returned. Thus shall the Covenant be directions of the Heavens: East and West,
concluded. North and South. The Divine Breath is in
each of them.
1-5. Ten sephiroth arose from the Void: their
end resides in their beginning and their 1-11. With the Waters coming from the
beginning in their end, like a flame in a Breath, God carved and sculpted the Chaos
burning coal. Learn, meditate, and realize and Void from clay and mud. He traced
that God is unique, that the Creator has no them as a kind of garden and sculpted
peer. Facing the One, what is there to count? them like a wall. Chaos is a blue line which
encircles the world. The void consists of
1-6. Ten sephiroth arose from the Void: spongy rocks, buried in the abyss from
ten in number, they determine a depth of whence the Waters emanate.
Beginning and a depth of End; a depth of
Good and a depth of Evil; a depth of High 1-12. With the Fire coming from the Waters,
and a depth of Low; a depth of East and God carved and sculpted the Throne of
Page 11
His glory, and confided it to the Seraphim, For nothing is superior in goodness than
Ophanim, and Angels. Over these three delight (oneg) and nothing is worse in evil
angelic choirs He established his abode, thus than plague (nega).
it is written: He has made His angels spirits,
His ministers a flaming fire. 2-3. Twenty-two fundamental letters were
carved by God, sculpted, weighed, and
1-13. God chose three letters from among combined. He changed them, formed with
the Simples and set them in His great name: them the soul of everything which was
YHV. With it, He sealed the six directions. formed and the soul of everything which will
He turned toward the Height and sealed it be formed.
with YHV. He turned toward the Depth and
sealed it with YVH. He turned toward the 2-4. God weighed and combined Aleph
Front and sealed the East with VYH. He with all the letters and all with Aleph, Beth
turned toward the Rear and sealed the West with all and all with Beth, and so on with
with VHY. He turned toward the Right each of them. Thus, all the letters arose
and sealed the South with YVH. He turned from 231 Gates and emanated from one
toward the Left and sealed the North with Name.
HVY.
2-5. God formed the Primordial Substance
from Chaos and extracted being from
nonbeing. He hewed great Pillars from
imperceptible Being.
Chapter 2
5-14. God made the letter Ayin rule over 6-1. Three Mothers; seven Doubles; twelve
anger, crowned it, combined it with each of Simples. These are the twenty-two letters by
the others, and formed with it Capricorn which Sabaoth, the God of Israel, Elohim
in the universe, the month of Teveth in the living and supreme, living for eternity, whose
year, and the liver in humans, male and Name is holy, formed All that was, is, and
female. shall be.
5-15. God made the letter Tsade rule over 6-2. There are twelve letters below, seven
tasting, crowned it, combined it with each letters above, and three letters upon the
of the others, and formed with it Aquarius seven. God established His dwelling above
in the universe, the month of Shevath in the three, but He has no second and governs
the year, and the esophagus in humans, alone in His universe, because He is One,
male and female. and His name is One.
6-3. There are three Mothers and their
5-16. God made the letter Qoph rule offspring, seven subjects and their host, and
over laughing, crowned it, combined it twelve diagonal limits. The faithful witnesses
with each of the others, and formed with of this are the universe, year, and humanity.
it Pisces in the universe, the month of
Adar in the year, and spleen in man, male 6-4. The sephiroth in the universe are ten
and female. and twelve: fire, air, water, seven planets,
Page 15
and twelve constellations. The sephiroth in 6-10. The seven Doubles have for
the year are ten and twelve: cold, hot, mild, correspondences: Saturn, Shabbat, and
seven days, and twelve months. mouth. Jupiter, first day, and right eye.
Mars, second day, and left eye. Sun, third
6-5. God set a rule of ten, three, seven, and day, and right nostril. Venus, fourth day, and
twelve in the Tali, Cycle, and Heart. The Tali left nostril. Mercury, fifth day, and right ear.
in the universe is like a ruler on the human Moon, sixth day, and left ear.
throne, the Cycle in the year is like a ruler
in his or her empire, and the Heart is like a 6-11. The twelve Simples have for
ruler in war. correspondences: Aries, Nisan, right foot,
sight, and blindness. Taurus, Iyar, right
6-6. As a general rule, certain principles kidney, hearing, and deafness. Gemini, Sivan,
combine with others, are exchanged with left foot, smell, and absence of smell. Cancer,
others, and are opposed to others. If certain Tamuz, right hand, speech, and silence.
ones exist, others do not, and if some others Leo, Ab, left kidney, taste, and absence of
exist, certain ones do not. But all are linked taste. Virgo, Elul, left hand, action, and
with the Tali, Cycle, and Heart. inertia. Libra, Tishri, gall bladder, coition,
and sterility. Scorpio, Marcheshvan, small
6-7. God has made one correspond to
intestine, motion, and paralysis. Sagitarrius,
the other, and the other to the one: good
Kislev, stomach, serenity, and anger.
is opposed to evil, and evil is opposed to
Capricorn, Teveth, liver, laughter, and tears.
good. Good proceeds from good, and evil
Aquarius, Shevath, esophagus, intelligence,
proceeds from evil. Good discerns evil, and
and stupidity. Pisces, Adar, spleen, sleep, and
evil discerns good. Good is preserved for
insomnia.
the good, and evil is preserved for the evil.
6-12. The three enemies are the tongue, liver,
6-8. When Abraham, our blessed father,
and gall bladder. The three allies are the eyes,
came, he looked, lived, probed, understood,
ears, and heart. The three animators are the
carved, sculpted, exchanged, formed,
teeth, nose, and spleen. The three destroyers
thought, and became fruitful. The Lord of
are the two lower orifices and mouth.
All, may His name be blessed for eternity,
revealed Himself to him, kissed him on 6-13. Three things are good for the ear: a
the head, and called him: Abraham, My blessing, glad tidings, praise. Three things
beloved. He made a covenant with him are bad for the eye: adultery, the evil eye, and
and his descendants, and placed His glory a roving eye. Three things are good for the
on him. He made a pact between the ten eye: humility, the appreciative eye, and true
fingers of his hands, attached the twenty-two sight. Three things are bad for the tongue:
letters on his tongue, and revealed to him defamation, denunciation, and hypocrisy.
their mystery. He plunged them into water, Three things are good for the tongue: silence,
burned them by fire, tossed them about controlling the tongue, and truth.
with the breath, inflamed them by the seven
planets, and guided them toward the twelve
constellations.
Page 19
Three Kabbalistic Meditations
from the Sepher Yetzirah
Julie Scott, SRC
In this article, Grand Master Julie Scott presents three Kabbalistic meditations, using tech-
niques from the Sepher Yetzirah.
ccording to the Rosicrucian and the number two, etc. When letters are
Alef Bet
Alef Vav Bet Vav Gimel Vav Dalet Vav Hay Vav
Alef Zayin Bet Zayin Gimel Zayin Dalet Zayin Hay Zayin Vav Zayin
Alef Chet Bet Chet Gimel Chet Dalet Chet Hay Chet Vav Chet Zayin Chet
Alef Tet Bet Tet Gimel Tet Dalet Tet Hay Tet Vav Tet Zayin Tet Chet Tet
Alef Yud Bet Yud Gimel Yud Dalet Yud Hay Yud Vav Yud Zayin Yud Chet Yud Tet Yud
Alef Kaf Bet Kaf Gimel Kaf Dalet Kaf Hay Kaf Vav Kaf Zayin Kaf Chet Kaf Tet Kaf Yud Kaf
Alef Lamed Bet Lamed Gimel Lamed Dalet Lamed Hay Lamed Vav Lamed Zayin Lamed Chet Lamed Tet Lamed Yud Lamed
Alef Mem Bet Mem Gimel Mem Dalet Mem Hay Mem Vav Mem Zayin Mem Chet Mem Tet Mem Yud Mem
Alef Nun Bet Nun Gimel Nun Dalet Nun Hay Nun Vav Nun Zayin Nun Chet Nun Tet Nun Yud Nun
Alef Samekh Bet Samekh Gimel Samekh Dalet Samekh Hay SamekhVav Samekh Zayin Samekh Chet Samekh Tet Samekh Yud Samekh
Alef Ayin Bet Ayin Gimel Ayin Dalet Ayin Hay Ayin Vav Ayin Zayin Ayin Chet Ayin Tet Ayin Yud Ayin
Alef Pay Bet Pay Gimel Pay Dalet Pay Hay Pay Vav Pay Zayin Pay Chet Pay Tet Pay Yud Pay
Alef Tzaddi Bet Tzaddi Gimel Tzaddi Dalet Tzaddi Hay Tzaddi Vav Tzaddi Zayin Tzaddi Chet Tzaddi Tet Tzaddi Yud Tzaddi
Alef Kuf Bet Kuf Gimel Kuf Dalet Kuf Hay Kuf Vav Kuf Zayin Kuf Chet Kuf Tet Kuf Yud Kuf
Alef Resh Bet Resh Gimel Resh Dalet Resh Hay Resh Vav Resh Zayin Resh Chet Resh Tet Resh Yud Resh
Alef Shin Bet Shin Gimel Shin Dalet Shin Hay Shin Vav Shin Zayin Shin Chet Shin Tet Shin Yud Shin
Alef Tav Bet Tav Gimel Tav Dalet Tav Hay Tav Vav Tav Zayin Tav Chet Tav Tet Tav Yud Tav
Chart No. 2.
Rosicrucian
Digest
No. 2
2012
Page 22
Kaf Lamed
Kaf Ayin Lamed Ayin Mem Ayin Nun Ayin Samekh Ayin
Kaf Pay Lamed Pay Mem Pay Nun Pay Samekh Pay Ayin Pay
Kaf Tzaddi Lamed Tzaddi Mem Tzaddi Nun Tzaddi Samekh Tzaddi Ayin Tzaddi Pay Tzaddi
Kaf Kuf Lamed Kuf Mem Kuf Nun Kuf Samekh Kuf Ayin Kuf Pay Kuf Tzaddi Kuf
Kaf Resh Lamed Resh Mem Resh Nun Resh Samekh Resh Ayin Resh Pay Resh Tzaddi Resh Kuf Resh
Kaf Shin Lamed Shin Mem Shin Nun Shin Samekh Shin Ayin Shin Pay Shin Tzaddi Shin Kuf Shin Resh Shin
Kaf Tav Lamed Tav Mem Tav Nun Tav Samekh Tav Ayin Tav Pay Tav Tzaddi Tav Kuf Tav Resh Tav Shin Tav
Page 23
2:3 Twenty-two fundamental letters Creating images of the Hebrew letters
were carved by God, sculpted, weighed, with our hands
and combined. After doing the exercise above mentally,
This technique engraves the letters in take color pencils or pens and do the same
our minds, then carves them filling our thing on the pages of this magazine (or
entire consciousness. make copies) engrave, carve, permute,
Chart No. 4 (on page 26) shows each weigh, and transform the letters so that
of the twenty-two Hebrew letters. Choose they fill your entire consciousness.
one and focus on its shape. Close your eyes While doing this open yourself to any
and see it clearly in your minds eye. impressions you may receive.
See the letter carved out or ablaze Now bring the letters to life by creating
with color and life against a contrasting a three dimensional work of art.
background. Then see the background First choose one of the Hebrew letters
carved out or ablaze with color and life and become thoroughly familiar with its
behind the empty image. Now choose corresponding numerical value, essence,
another letter and do the same thing. pronunciation, and form. Various charts
While doing this open yourself to any with this information are presented in this
impressions you may receive. magazine for your reference.
Pronunciation Guide
Chart No. for the Hebrew
3. Pronunciation Letters
Guide for Hebrew Letters.
*Note:ch
*Note: "ch"
andand "kh"
kh topronounced
to be be pronounced
as the as in theBach
German Germanand"Bach" and the Scottish "loc
the Scottish
Rosicrucian
Digest "U" to be pronounced as the "oo" in "book" and "look."
loch. U to be pronounced as the oo in book and look.
No. 2
2012
Page 24
Then create a work of art based on If you have found these meditations
your experience of this letter. Allow time interesting, then you may find the
for this creation to manifest. Make it as Rosicrucian and Martinist lessons dealing
three dimensional as possible. Stand it up, with Kabbalah especially inspiring and
hollow it out, carve it, engrave it, and add beneficial.
other qualities such as sound or smell.
While doing this open yourself to any
impressions you may receive. Authors Note: Many thanks to Lloyd Abrams,
Ph.D., FRC for creating the original charts for
After you have completed this work of this article and for serving as a most helpful
art, deconstruct it within twenty-two days advisor for this issue of the Rosicrucian Digest.
of completion, returning as many of its
parts back to nature as possible.
The Rosicrucian and Martinist
teachings include many Kabbalistic
lessons, meditations, and exercises. In fact, ENDNOTES
Kabbalah is one of the most important 1. Isidor Kalisch, Sepher Yezirah, A Book on Creation,
(San Jose: Rosicrucian Order, AMORC, 2002).
sources contributing to the Rosicrucian 2. Aryeh Kaplan, Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation,
teachings and even more so to the Martinist (Newburyport, MA and San Francisco, CA: Red
teachings. Wheel/Weiser, 1997).
Page 25
The Hebrew Alphabet
Rosicrucian
Digest
No. 2 Chart No. 4. The Hebrew Alphabet.
2012
Page 26
Masculine and Feminine
1
Symbolism in Kabbalah
Lloyd Abrams, Ph.D., FRC
Lloyd Abrams, Ph.D., FRC, serves on the Editorial Board of the Rose+Croix Journal (www.
rosecroixjournal.org) and is an instructor for Rose Croix University International. He has
presented many programs and workshops on Kabbalah. In this article, he explains many of the
core Kabbalistic concepts and relates them to masculine and feminine symbolism in Kabbalah.
W spiritual or metaphysical
concepts, it is helpful to make
use of symbols and metaphors derived from
While Ain Sof is absolute unity, the world is
characterized by duality, pairs of opposites,
polarities. The archetypal symbol for
familiar everyday experience. Kabbalah has this in Kabbalah is the masculine and
been described as an alphabet of symbols in feminine. It is the archetype of contrasts
which a spiritual language is constructed.2 or pairs of opposites. Human gender is
Two important symbolic terms in Kabbalah only one concrete manifestation of this
are masculine and feminine. While more general concept.
not specifically denoting men and women, The Sefirot
Kabbalistic symbolism draws upon some
aspects of these terms to communicate by Ain Sof creates and sustains the world
analogy certain characteristics of spiritual by emanating the Infinite Light (Ain Sof
concepts and processes. Or), which flows downward giving rise
to a series of ten Sefirot. Each Sefirah is a
In Kabbalistic tradition, especially different attribute or function of Divinity
in the Zohar and the teachings of Isaac as it manifests at each successive level.
Luria (1534-1572), while the essential In Kabbalah, the masculine-feminine
nature of Divinity is neither masculine polarity relates to the direction of this
nor feminine, some of the ways in which flow, giving and receiving. Specifically,
the Deity manifests and relates to the it relates to giving and receiving Divine
world are differentiated from one another Light. This symbolism is based on the
by being conceptualized symbolically as process of procreation. The father gives his
either masculine or feminine. In addition, seed to the mother. The mother receives
the processes which create and sustain the seed into the womb, where it takes on
the universe are understood in symbolic the form of the new creature. Giving is
terms drawn by analogy from human thus associated with the masculine and
reproduction. receiving is associated with the feminine.
Kabbalah makes a distinction between In one sense, then, each Sefirah can be
the essential nature of Divinity and its seen as both feminine and masculine
various emanations and manifestations. feminine in relation to the preceding
The essential nature and highest aspect Sefirah, from which it receives the Light,
of the Divine is Ain Sof, which means and masculine relative to the next lower
infinite, limitless or unbounded. Ain Sof Sefirah, to which it gives the Light.3 In
transcends all categories of thought. It general, however, each Sefirah is identified
is an unknowable, formless and infinite as either masculine or feminine.
Page 27
1
KETER
Crown
3 2
BINAH CHOKHMAH
Understanding Wisdom
5 4
GEBURAH CHESED
Severity Mercy
6
TIFERET
Beauty
8 7
HOD NETZACH
Splendor Victory
9
YESOD
Foundation
10
MALKHUT
Kingdom
Rosicrucian
Digest
No. 2
2012 The 10 Sefirot
Page 28
The fathers seed is without form,
undifferentiated. It is in the womb of the
mother that the embryo takes on form
and differentiates into various organs and
limbs. Formlessness is therefore associated
with the masculine, and Form is associated
with the feminine.
As the Infinite Light flows downward
from Ain Sof, the Sefirot serve as vessels
to receive and hold the Light. At each
successive level of emanation, the vessels
become more and more dense and the
Light is more and more veiled, eventually
culminating in our material world. Light
tends to expand infinitely in all directions,
while vessels contain and restrict things
within boundaries. Therefore, the
masculine is associated with expansiveness
while the feminine is associated with
restriction. The Ancient of Days by William Blake.
The world as first created was a true as by sins in general, can be restored
Garden of Eden because the blessed by the kabbalistic performance of the
Holy One and Shekhinah were face to commandments.10
face, joined in constant embrace like He and they (the Kabbalists in
that of Hokhmah and Binah. Divine particular) share in the task of restoring
blessing thus coursed through the cosmic oneness, of bringing divine
system without interruption, flowing male and female face to face with one
through all of Shekhinahs hosts and another so that the lights might shine
palaces into an idealized lower world throughout the universe, so that the
as well. Only Adam and Eves sin . . . waters of life might flow through Her
disturbed this initial harmony. Since to nourish and sustain all the worlds
the expulsion from Eden, the union of below.11
Tif eret and Malkhut, or Blessed Holy The uniting of the blessed Holy
One and Shekhinah, has been sporadic One and His Shekhinah became for the
rather than constant, dependent upon Castilian Kabbalists the overwhelming
the balance of human virtue and goal of the religious life, and virtually
transgression.9 all of the commandments were viewed
The harmonious relation between as part of this effort.12
Tifereth and Malkhut, or, as this relation For the Kabbalist, it is not sufficient
was more commonly called, Yihud to perform the commandments in a casual
Kudsha Berikh Hu u-Shekhintei (the or automatic way. One has to have the
unification of the Holy One, blessed proper Kavanah, that is, the proper mental
be He, and His Divine Presence), is intention and focused mind in order to
crucial for the welfare of the world. have an effect upon the upper realm.
Only when the union between the Prior to performing a commandment, in
two divine powers is achieved can the order to achieve the necessary conscious
influx stemming from the Eyn Sof (the intention and focus, the Kabbalist recites
infinite one) be transmitted to the a formula that begins: For the sake of
lower world. This harmony, which was unification between The Holy Blessed One
disturbed by the primordial sin, as well and His Shechinah . . .13
Page 31
Another way to induce the Holy One the four Hebrew letters Alef Dalet Nun
and the Shekhinah to join together is for Yud (ADNY). Uniting these two Divine
a husband and wife to engage in sexual Names with properly focused intention
relations in a manner consistent with (Kavanah) theurgically unites Tiferet with
the commandments and with the proper Malkhut, the Holy One blessed be He with
theurgical intention (Kavanah). The the Shekhinah.
husband identifies with the Holy One,
blessed be He, and the wife embodies the
Shekhinah, the feminine Divine Presence
in the world.
The human pair performing the
sexual union is able to induce a state
of harmony above. The sexual act is
conceived as fraught with theurgical
powers. With most of the kabbalists,
this human act both reflects the higher
structure and influences it. Therefore, Tetra- 6 The Holy
marriage and sexual union have a grammaton TIFERET One,
Beauty Blessed
tremendous impact on the upper Be He
worlds. . . Marriage and sex were
transformed into a mystery that reflects
a mysterious marriage above, whose
success is crucial for both the divine
cosmos and the lower universe.14
The Zohar contains glorious
descriptions of the correspondence
between the upper union and the Adonai 10
lower union, assuring the reader that MALKHUT Shekhina
his coupling with his wife, carried out Kingdom
Page 33
The Shekinah in the Grand Temple, Rosicrucian Park, San Jose, California.
ENDNOTES
1. There is no universally accepted method for spelling In the Tree of Life diagram, Tiferet is the only Sefirah
Hebrew words using the English alphabet. In direct that is directly connected by paths to the other five.
quotations from other works, the original authors Tiferet is Sefirah #6. It is also associated with the
spelling has been retained, trusting that the reader third letter of the Tetragrammaton, Vav, which has
will not be troubled by the resulting inconsistencies the numerical value of six. See Vital, Tree of Life, 60.
in spelling. 7. Daniel C. Matt, trans., The Zohar: Pritzker Edition.
2. Henrietta Bernstein, Cabalah Primer: Introduction to Vol. III (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 2006),
English/Hebrew Cabalah (Marina del Rey: DeVorss 274.
& Company, 1984), 17. 8. A. E. Waite, The Holy Kabbalah: A Mystical
3. According to a sixteenth-century kabbalist [R. Interpretation of the Scriptures (New York: Citadel
Moshe Cordovero], the whole process of emanation Press, 1995), 392-393.
can be described as the successive impregnations and 9. Arthur Green, A Guide to the Zohar (Stanford:
births of the sephirot from one another, beginning Stanford University Press, 2004), 75.
with Causa Causarum and ending with the last 10. Idel, Sexual Metaphors, 207.
sephirah. Moshe Idel, Sexual Metaphors and Praxis 11. Green, Guide, 52.
in the Kabbalah, in The Jewish Family: Metaphor and 12. Ibid., 130.
Memory, ed. David Kraemer (New York: Oxford 13. S. P. Berg, The Kabbalistic Daily Prayer Book: Siddur
University Press, 1989), 210. Tfilah Lani For Weekdays (New York: Yeshivat Kol
4. Hayyim Vital, The Tree of Life: Chayyim Vitals Yehuda Press, 1999), 31.
Introduction to the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria. Volume I: 14. Idel, Sexual Metaphors, 207-208.
The Palace of Adam Kadmon, trans. Donald Wilder 15. Green, Guide, 115.
Menzi and Zwe Padeh (New York: Arizal Publications 16. Moshe Idel, Introduction to the Bison Book
Inc., 2008). Edition, in Johann Reuchlin, On The Art of the
5. The seven lower sephirot were generated out of Kabbalah: De Arte Cabalistica, trans. Martin and
the union between Hokhmah and Binah, the seven Sarah Goodman (Lincoln: University of Nebraska
sephirot being commonly considered the sons of the Press, 1993), xix. G. Lloyd Jones, Introduction, in
Rosicrucian
higher sephirot. Idel, Sexual Metaphors, 210. Reuchlin, Art of the Kabbalah, 17. Reuchlin, Art of
Digest
No. 2 6. It seems appropriate to use Tiferet to represent these the Kabbalah, 77 and 353.
six Sefirot. Tiferet is centrally located among the six.
2012
Page 34
Pico della Mirandola
and the Cabala
Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, D. Phil.
Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, D. Phil., Oxon, (1953-2012), was an eminent professor of Western
Esotericism at the University of Exeter (http://centres.exeter.ac.uk/exeseso/) and co-founder of the
European Society for the Study of Western Esotericism. In this article, Professor Goodrick-Clarke
introduces us to the extraordinary influence of Pico della Mirandola and the Cabala on Western
thought.
From pp. 41 - 46 of The Western Esoteric Traditions: A Historical Introduction, Italian Renaissance Magic
and Cabala by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke, 2008. Reprinted with permission of Oxford University Press
(www.oup.com).
iovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463- was the pupil of the Jewish philosopher Elia
Pico elaborates in his Apology how The Oration on the Dignity of Man
cabalists may use the secret Hebrew Picos famous Oration on the Dignity of
names of God and names of angels, Man was written as an introduction to his
Page 37
the power to be reborn into the
higher forms. Pico opens the
Oration with the quotation:
A great miracle, Asclepius, is
man. Whereas the Fathers of
the Church had placed man
in a dignified position as the
highest of terrestrial beings,
as a spectator of the universe,
Pico was citing the Hermetic
text Asclepius with its promise
of mans equality with the gods:
Man is a miracle, a living
thing to be worshipped and
honored: for he changes his
nature into a gods, as if he
were a god. . . . Conjoined to
the gods by a kindred divinity,
Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (middle) with Agnolo Poliziano (right) he despises inwardly that part
and Marsilio Ficino (left). Cosimo Rosselli, Chiesa di S.Ambrogio, of him in which he is earthly.8
Firenze (1484 86). http://www.pico-kabbalah.eu/
Introducing the contents
nine hundred theses, which he took with of his nine hundred theses, Pico
him to Rome in 1486 in order to engage in a ranges over all the philosophers and
great public debate. The Oration has rightly mysteries he has studied. A keynote of
been regarded as a masterpiece of rhetoric, his philosophia nova is an attempt to
celebrating the newfound independence establish a concordance or correlation
and confidence of Renaissance man. Picos between all ancient philosophies in
statement marks the sea-change between support of a pristine theology (prisca
the medieval mind and the modern mind, theologia). A tribute to his precocious
the tremendous growth in mans sense of learning (he was only twenty-four),
autonomy and dignity which had grown up the names of the Latins Duns Scotus,
with humanism. The Oration also rejects Thomas Aquinas, Giles of Rome,
as inadequate the traditional grounds for Franciscus de Mayronis, Albertus
Mans importance in the world: his reason, Magnus, and Henry of Ghent are
or his place as the microcosm. Pico claims followed by the Arabs Avicenna,
that Mans true greatness lies in his freedom Averroes, and al-Farabi. Further
to become whatever he wants to be. Both back among the ancients he invokes
animals and angels have their fixed place in the Greek Peripatetics and then the
the universe and are powerless to change Neoplatonists Plotinus, Porphyry,
their natures. But God gave to Man, alone Iamblichus, and Proclus. At the very
of all creatures, no fixed abode, form, or source of the ancient wisdom stand
function. Free of such limitations, he has Pythagoras, Mercurius Trismegistus,
the power to change and develop, to make Zoroaster, and the Hebrew Cabalist
and mould himself.7 wisemen, whose knowledge, Pico
Rosicrucian What was the ultimate goal of mans asserts, was later detected by al-Kindi,
Digest existential freedom? Imagining God Roger Bacon, and William of Paris. 9
No. 2 addressing Adam, Pico attributes to Man However, the great themes of Magia
2012
Page 38
and Cabala echo through the Oration. of mans ability to operate on the mundane
The ancient theology of Hermes world through the knowledge and
Trismegistus and the occult mysteries application of correspondences between
of the Hebrews offer the prime means the higher and lower worlds. As Frances
of mans promotion to the divine Yates has suggested, this attitude anticipates
realms. As the farmer weds his elms the exploration and confidence of natural
to vines, even so does the magus wed science. However, their emphasis on the
earth to heaven. The Oration alludes hierarchy of spiritual intermediaries in
to esoteric knowledge known only to the form of attributes, letters, numbers,
the few. Pico speaks of occult Hebraic transmutation of the soul indicate that
law, vouchsafed only to initiates, and he this philosophy of nature was intimately
recalls the symbolism of the sphinxes bound up with religious experience and
on Egyptian temples, indicating that an approach to God. Renaissance magic is
mystic doctrines should be kept secret thus a form of sacred science.
from the common herd.10
Picos subsequent career was turbulent.
As soon as he published his nine hundred *Editors Note: This article is the second half of
theses, several Roman theologians raised the chapter entitled Italian Renaissance Magic
an outcry about their heretical character, and Cabala in The Western Esoteric Traditions:
and Pope Innocent VIII appointed a A Historical Introduction by Nicholas
commission to examine them. Pico was Goodrick-Clarke. The first half of the chapter,
summoned to appear several times before published in the Rosicrucian Digest, Volume
this commission, and several of the theses 90, Number 1, 2012, introduced readers to
the Neoplatonism of Renaissance Florence and
were condemned. Undaunted, in May
the eminent Neoplatonist, Marsilio Ficino.
1487 Pico published, together with part
of the Oration, an apologia defending the
condemned theses. This challenge involved
him in fresh difficulties, and bishops with
inquisitorial powers were appointed to
deal with his case. In July, Pico made a
formal submission and retraction to the
commission, and in August the pope
issued a bull condemning all the theses and
forbidding their publication. Lorenzo de
Medici interceded for Pico with the pope,
and Pico was thereafter permitted to live
in Florence under Medici protection. On
17 November 1494, the day the armies
of King Charles VIII of France entered
Florence, Pico died of a fever. He was
thirty-one.11
Ficino and Pico were seminal figures in
the revival of Hermeticism, Neoplatonism,
magic, and Kabbalah in Renaissance No. 54, Opus Mag. Cab ii.
Europe. Their interest in the power of
sympathetic and Cabalistic magic to effect
changes in nature signal a new appreciation
Page 39
ENDNOTES
1. Frances Yates offers a summary chapter on Picos life the West: Picos 900 Theses (1486), Medieval and
and contribution to Kabbalistic magic in Giordano Renaissance Studies 167 (Tempe: Arizona State
Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition, pp. 84-116. University Press, 1998).
Cf. Paul Oskar Kristeller, Eight Philosophers of the 4. F. A. Yates, Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition,
Renaissance, pp. 54-71. For his Jewish teacher, see pp. 91, 95.
Chaim Wirszubiski s introduction to his edition of 5. Ibid., pp. 96-97.
Flavius Mithridates, Sermo de Passione Dei (Jerusalem, 6. Ibid., pp. 98-102.
1963) and his article Giovanni Picos Companion to 7. The Oration on the Dignity of Man is discussed by
Kabbalistic Symbolism, in Studies in Mysticism and Kristeller, Eight Philosophers of the Renaissance, pp.
Religion, presented to G. G. Scholem (Jerusalem, 65-68. See also the full English translation of the
1967), pp. 353-362. text and commentary by Kristeller in The Renaissance
2. For a helpful account of the historical development of Philosophy of Man, edited by Ernst Cassirer, Paul
Jewish Kabbalah as a current of Western esotericism, Oskar Kristeller, John Herman Randall (Chicago:
see Kocku von Stuckrad, Western Esotericism, pp. University of Chicago Press, 1956), pp. 215-256.
31-41. Definitive studies of are offered by Gershom 8. Kristeller, Renaissance Philosophy of Man, p. 223; the
Scholem, Kabbalah (New York: Penguin/ Meridian, quotation refers to the sixth passage in the Asclepius
1978), and Origins of the Kabbalah, edited by R. J. in Brian P. Copenhaver, Hermetica: The Greek Corpus
Werblowsky, translated by A. Arkush (Princeton, N Hermeticum and the Latin Asclepius in a New English
J .: Princeton University Press, 1990); Moshe Idel, Translation (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
Kabbalah: New Perspectives (New Haven, Conn.: Yale 1992), p. 69.
University Press, 1988); The Early Kabbalah, edited 9. S. A. Farmer, Syncretism in the West, pp. 204-205,
by Joseph Dan, translated by R. C. Kiener (New offers an outline of Picos first 400 theses which
York: Paulist Press, 1986). trace philosophy from the Latin scholastics back
3. Kristeller, Eight Philosophers of the Renaissance, pp. to the harmonious ancients and Hebrew Cabalist
61f, takes up the theme of Picos syncretism and wisemen. This quasihistorical survey reflects Picos
interest in establishing concordance (Faivres fifth insistence on correspondences within an emanational
characteristic of esotericism) between the Kabbalah cosmology. Cf. Oration, in The Renaissance Philosophy
and the Bible within a prisca theologia identified with of Man, pp. 242-249.
Rosicrucian Hermes and Zoroaster. A substantial monograph on 10. Kristeller, Renaissance Philosophy of Man, p. 250.
Digest Picos thought with special reference to his Roman 11. Kristeller, Eight Italian Philosophers of the Renaissance,
No. 2 debate and the full text of his nine hundred theses pp. 56-57.
2012 is offered by Stephen Alan Farmer, Syncretism in
Page 40
The Kabbalistic Order
of the Rose-Croix
Christian Rebisse, FRC
In his book, Rosicrucian History and Mysteries, Christian Rebisse describes the many
traditions that contributed to what would become the Rosicrucian Order, AMORC and to
some extent the Traditional Martinist Order. The excerpt below briefly describes the history
of the Kabbalistic Order of the Rose-Croix and its founders who greatly influenced both
traditions.
Page 41
Events seem to have come to a head at its august traditions resolved to restore it
this time. Many occultists then living in by consolidating it on new foundations ...
Paris were members of the Theosophical and now life cycles throughout the mystical
Society, but they remained disappointed by body of the rejuvenated colossus.2
its excessively Eastern teachings. Included Thus, moving from Toulouse to Paris
among them was Grard Encausse (1865- (1887-1888), the restored Rose-Croix
1916), better known as Papus. As a student became the Kabbalistic Order of the
of medicine he had the opportunity to work Rose-Croix. This order was directed by a
with Dr. Jules Luys, who had done some supreme council of twelve members, of
research in hypnosis at La Charit Hospital whom six remained unknown, their role
in Paris. It was there that he met Augustin consisting of rebuilding the organization
Chaboseau (1868-1946), with whom he if it were to be dissolved for any reason
soon reorganized the Martinist Order. whatso ever. Among those who were
In 1888, after the death of its president, members of the Council of Twelve
Louis Dramart, the French division of at one time or another, let us mention
the Theosophical Society fragmented. He Stanislas de Guaita, Josphin Pladan,
published his Trait lmentaire de science Papus, A. Gabrol, Henry Thorion, F.-Ch.
occult (Elementary Treatise on Occultism; Barlet, Augustin Chaboseau, Victor-mile
1888), a book with which he wanted to Michelet, Sdir, and Marc Haven. The
restore Western esotericism and to put order was structured around a hierarchy
occultism on an equal basis with subjects of three degrees acquired by examination
taught in the universities. (Bachelor of Kabbalah, Master of
Afterwards, in September 1889, Kabbalah, Doctor of Kabbalah), and entry
Pierre-Gatan Leymarie (1817-1901),
who directed the spiritist movement since
the death of Allan Kardec, organized an
international spiritist and spiritualistic
congress in which Papus, F.-Ch. Barlet,
Augustin Chaboseau, and Chamuel
participated. This important event allowed
occultists to free themselves from the
Theosophical movement, especially as the
journal LInitiation, launched by Papus
and his friends in October 1888, began
to experience some success. Seeking to
place itself under the auspices of a secular
tradition, the occultists attempted to
make Rosicrucianism and Martinism the
pillars of a new temple that they wished
to erect. Josphin Pladan and Stanislas de
Guaita were associated with this project,
and at the time when the Rose-Croix was
ebbing away in Toulouse, they made the
decision to restore it. The ancient order
of the Rose-Croix being on the point of Josphin Pladan.
Rosicrucian
Digest going dormant, three years ago [the author
No. 2 wrote in 1890], when two direct heirs of
2012
Page 42
into the order was reserved to Martinists reproached Papus for his taste in occultism
having achieved the S.I. degree. and magic. Along with Abb Alta, one of
the eminent members of the Kabbalistic
The Rose-Croix of the Temple and the Order of the Rose-Croix, Josphin
Grail reproached Papus for confusing occultism
and esotericism. On February 17, 1891,
Thanks to the journal Llnitiation, the Pladan wrote a letter to Papus, published
order became well known, and before in the April issue of the journal Llnitiation,
long a troop of eager occultists came that severed their relationship.
knocking at the temple door. Stanislas Heir to a tradition that he felt was on
de Guaita, who lived like a hermit in his the verge of losing its mission, Pladan
first floor apartment on Trudaine Avenue, decided to work along different lines and
allowed Papus to organize matters. But thus founded in May 1891 the Order of
the capricious personality of an artist such the Rose-Croix du Temple et du Graal
as Josphin Pladan was hardly suited (also called the Order of the Rose-Croix
for associating with such a strong-willed Catholique du Temple et du Graal), which
organizer as Papus. The latter wanted he had already outlined in Le Vice suprme,
to open up the order and broaden it. In his first novel, in 1884. In June 1891, he
contrast, Josphin Pladan wanted to designated himself as the Grand Master
reserve access to carefully selected initiates of this new order, using the name of Sr
and was not at all in accord with the Mrodack Pladan. This event was given
Masonic aspect that Papus wanted to considerable space in many articles for Le
impose upon the order. The positions of Figaro, and this great publicity profoundly
these two men were reconciled only with irritated Papus and his friends who
difficulty, especially as Josphin Pladan denounced Pladans split.
ENDNOTES
1. Lettres indites de Stanislas de Guaita au Sr Josphin Pladan, edited by douard Bertholet and mile Dantinne
(Neuchatel: ditions rosicruciennes, 1952).
2. Stanislas de Guaita, Au seuil du mystre, Essais de sciences maudites (Paris: Geroges Carr, 1890) p. 158.
Page 43
The Kabbalah:
Secret Tradition of the West
Papus
Grard Encausse, MD (1865-1916), better known by his mystical pseudonym, Papus, was one
of the co-founders of the Martinist Order and the Kabbalistic Order of the Rose-Croix (1888).
As noted in the article on page 41, the Kabbalistic Order of the Rose-Croix was structured
around a hierarchy of three degrees acquired by examination Bachelor of Kabbalah, Master
of Kabbalah, and Doctor of Kabbalah.
The following text is an excerpt from the book written by Papus entitled The Kabbalah: Secret
Tradition of the West. Translation by the staff of the Rosicrucian Digest.
Papus.
Tr a d i t i o n s Word.Writing.
connected with the How to read and
MATERIAL part of write the text. MASSORA
the text. Some mysterious
(Fixation of the text). meanings of the sacred
characters.
BODY
Legislative part. Primitive tradition
THE LAW of Moses and the great MISHNAH
Diverse rules. prophets. TALMUD
Customs. (General Code of
Commentaries on THE LAW)
connected with the TORAH.
Ceremonies.
Civil life. this tradition. GHEMARAH
Various TRADITIONS
LIFE (Jurisprudence)
Bereschit. Generation,
Tr a d i t i o n s mystical constitution
connected with the Religious and
THEORY
and relationship of the SEPHER YETZIRAH
SPIRITUAL part of philosophical part. 3 worlds. (Theoretical
the text. Kabbalah);
(Explanation of the THE SECRET
text). DOCTRINE Mercavah. Mystical
study of the divine world ZOHAR
Esoterism of the and its relationships. THE KABBALAH
Bible.
SOUL Synthetic hieroglyphism.
Evolution. Division. (Virtually nothing
PRACTICE
Magic manuscripts
attributed to Solomon. CLAVICULA (Practical Kabbalah)
(Practical magic). (Schemamphoras)
Table No. 1.
by Mr. Isidore Loeb (entry Cabbale in the Other writers, such as Mr. S. Munk
Grande Encyclopdie). divide the Kabbalah in the following
The principal subjects of mystic fashion:
speculation of the time are the work of KABBALAH
the chariot (maasse mercaba), by allusion
1. Symbolic Mystic calculations
to Ezekiels Chariot, and work of creation
Themurah
(maasse bereschit).
Gematria
The work of the chariot, which is also Notarikon
the great work (dabar gadol), discusses the 2. Positive, Dogmatic Angels and demons
beings of the supernatural world, God,
Divisions
the powers, the fundamental ideas, the
Trasmigration of souls
heavenly family as it is sometimes called;
3. Speculative and Sephiroth, etc.
the work of creation discusses generation metaphysical
and the nature of the terrestrial world.
As can be seen, Mr. S. Munck tends
Here is this division: toward the old division adopted by certain
Kabbalists, notably Kircher.
KABBALAH: Maasse Mercaba ZOHAR (work
of the chariot) But the most complete division, in
Maasse Bereschit S E P H E R our opinion, of the Kabbalah is that
YETZIRAH of Molitor: this is the one which we
(work of creation)
ourselves have adopted in the general
Page 45
KABBALAH
THEORETICAL BERESCHIT First degree.
Sepher Yetzirah. Historical Legends.
Haggadah.
MERCABA Second degree.
Zohar. Practical morals.
PRACTICAL Virtually nothing written Third degree.
MAGICAL Mystical doctrine.
MANUSCRIPTS
(Clavicula) (Practical magic.)
table given previously, for it has the merit These two conditions call for the
of conforming in a general way to the initiation of a disciple, regardless of age or
generally adopted divisions while going status; it sometimes happened that a father
beyond them, complementing them as it would instruct his children while they
were by the recognition of a practical part. were very young.
Traditional teaching, triune like human This high tradition is called Kabbalah
nature and human needs, was at the same (in Hebrew, KIBBEL, to join together).
time historical, moral, and mystical; thus Within its exterior form the word conceals
the sacred writing contained a triple sense: the aptitude of the soul to conceive
supernatural ideas.
1. The literal, historical sense The Kabbalah was divided into two
(pashut), which corresponds to parts: the theoretical and the practical.
the body and to the square of the 1. Patriarchal traditions on the
temple; sacred mystery of God and the
2. Moral teachings (drusch), to the divine persons;
soul or the sacred; 2. On spiritual creation and the fall
3. And last, the mystical sense (sod), of the angels;
which represents the spirit and 3. On the origin of chaos, matter,
the holy of holies. and the renovation of the world
The first, composed of certain during the six days of creation;
stories taken from the lives of the 4. On the creation of the visible
ancient patriarchs, was transmitted from person [humanity], his fall, and
generation to generation, like so many the divine ways leading to his
popular legends. It is found scattered reinstatement.
here and there in the form of comments, Otherwise stated, it treated:
in Biblical manuscripts and Chaldean The work of creation (Masse
paraphrases. Bereschit).
The moral sense looked at everything The heavenly chariot (Mercabah)
from a practical point of view, while the The work of creation is contained in
mystical, rising above the visible transitory the Sepher Yetzirah.
world, hovered unceasingly in the sphere We were responsible for the first
of the eternal. French translation of this book (1887).
Rosicrucian The mystical sense thus required a Since then, a new translation has appeared,
Digest
No. 2
secret discipline, exacting an uncommon more developed, thanks to more complete
2012 piety of soul. originals, made by Mr. Mayer-Lambert.
Page 46
We recommend this very serious work have space here to give a translation of this
with great enthusiasm. Only one regret: book (translations already exist in Latin
the absence of a bibliography which would and in English), let us be content with the
have been most useful for all concerned. excellent summary of Mr. Isidore Loeb in
So that the reader may, in so far as the Grande Encyclopdie (entry Cabbale).
possible, supplement our translation,
which is to be found further on, we The Zohar is a cabbalistic
provide here a table below summarizing commentary on the Pentateuch;
the supplementary developments of the it is not certain that we possess
Sepher Yetzirah. We have modified the it in its original form, and the
relation of the planets and the days of the form we do possess may be the
week, since the earlier relations seem to us work of several people. It is a vast
to have been erroneously established due compilation including, along with
to a poor understanding of the connection the ideas of the writer or writers,
between the order of the planets and the other more or less ancient works,
order of the days. The Egyptian clock such as the Book of the Secret, The
given by Alliette (Etteila) clearly shows the Great Assembly, The Lesser Assembly,
source of this error. The Book of Heavenly Tents, The
The work of the heavenly chariot is Faithful Shepherd, The Discourse of
contained in the Zohar. Since we do not a Young Man [Person], and others.
LETTER UNIVERSE YEAR MAN MORAL WORLD
Temperate (spring or
Alef AIR Atmosphere
autumn)
Chest Rule of Equilibrium
Page 47
Kabbalah and
Contemporary Cosmology:
Discovering the Resonance
Daniel C. Matt, Ph.D.
Daniel C. Matt, Ph.D., one of the worlds foremost authorities on Jewish mysticism, served as
Professor of Jewish Spirituality at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California for
more than twenty years. He received his Ph.D. from Brandeis University and has also taught
at Stanford University and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
This article is based on Dr. Matts book God and the Big Bang: Discovering Harmony
between Science and Spirituality, published by Jewish Lights. Dr. Matt is also the author of
The Essential Kabbalah and of the multi-volume annotated translation of the Zohar entitled
The Zohar: Pritzker Edition. Reprinted with permission of the author.
n the beginning was the big bang, mix of matter produced by cycles of stars
Page 49
inexplicable. We crave to understand the precise plan for creation, worked out in
underlying order in the world. A myth advance. By an intricate and unrepeatable
tells us why things are the way they are and combination of chance and necessity,
where they came from. Such an account is humanity has evolved from and alongside
not only comfortable, assuring and socially countless other forms of life over billions of
useful; it is essential. Without a myth, there years. Ultimately, our evolutionary history
is no meaning or purpose to life. There is is uplifting: It enables us to see that we are
just vast emptiness. part of a wholeness, a oneness.
Myths do more than explain. They To be religious means, in the words
guide mental processes, conditioning how of a contemporary physicist, to have an
we think, even how we perceive. Myths intuitive feeling of the unity of the cosmos.
come to life by serving as models for This oneness is grounded in scientific fact:
human behavior. On Friday evening, as We are made of the same stuff as all of
my family begins Shabbat (the Sabbath), creation. Everything that is, was, or will
I sometimes imagine God, having created be started off together as one infinitesimal
the world in one very packed week finally point: the cosmic seed.
taking a break. According to the Bible, Life has since branched out, but this
Shavat va-yinnafash, God rested and was should not blind us to its underlying
refreshed. This mythical image enables unity. The deepest marvel is the unity
me to pause, to slow down and appreciate in diversity, the vast array of material
creation. By observing Shabbat, I am manifestations of energy. Becoming aware
imitating the divine. Order re-emerges out of the multifaceted unity can help us
of the impending chaos of life. learn how to live in harmony with other
What do we do when the myths of human beings and with all beings, with all
tradition have been undone, when the our fellow transformations of energy and
God of the Bible seems so unbelievable? Is matter.
there really someone up there in control, If the big bang is our new creation
charting the course of history, reaching myth, the story that explains how the
down to rescue those in need, tallying universe began, then who is God? God
up our good and bad deeds for reward is a name we give to the oneness of it all.
and punishment? Many people have shed How can you name oneness? How
the security of traditional belief; they are can you name the unnamable? The Jewish
more likely to experience a gaping, aching mystical tradition, the Kabbalah, offers a
void than the satisfying fullness of Gods number of possibilities. One is Ein Sof,
presence. If they believe in anything, literally: there is no end. Ein Sof is the
perhaps its science and technology. And Infinite, or, to borrow a phrase from the
what does science provide in exchange for Christian mystic Meister Eckhart, the God
this belief? Progress in every field except beyond God.
for one: the ultimate meaning of life. Some Sometimes the kabbalists use a more
scientists insist that there is no meaning. radical name than Ein Sof. This is the name
As one leading physicist has written, The ayin nothingness. We encounter this
more we know about the universe, the bizarre term among Christian mystics as
more it is evident that it is pointless and well: John Scotus Erigena calls God nihil;
meaningless. Eckhart, nihts; St. John of the Cross, nada.
The big bang is a contemporary To call God Nothingness does not mean
Rosicrucian
Digest Creation story. Energy turns into matter, that God does not exist. Rather, it conveys
No. 2 which turns back into energy. There is no the idea that God is no thing. God animates
2012
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all things and cannot be contained by any Physicists call this point a singularity:
of them. God is the oneness that is no an infinitely dense point in spacetime. A
particular thing, no thingness. singularity is both destructive and creative.
This mystical nothingness is neither Anything falling into a singularity merges
empty nor barren; it is fertile and with it, losing its identity, while energy
overflowing, engendering the myriad forms emerging from a singularity can become
of life. The mystics teach that the universe anything. The laws of physics do not apply
emanated from divine nothingness. to the split second in which energy or mass
Similarly, as we have seen, cosmologists emerges.
speak of the quantum vacuum, teeming According to the thirteenth-century
with potential, engendering the cosmic kabbalist, Moses de Leon,
seed. This vacuum is anything but empty
a seething froth of virtual particles, The beginning of existence is the
constantly appearing and disappearing. secret concealed point. This is the
How did the universe emerge out beginning of all the hidden things,
of prolific nothingness? According to which spread out from there and
Kabbalah and classical big bang theory, emanate, according to their species.
this transition was marked by a single From a single point you can extend the
point. dimensions of all things.
Visible View of Pillar and Jets HH 901/902. NASA, ESA, and M. Livio and the
Hubble 20th Anniversary Team (STScI).
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As emanation proceeds, as God begins infinitesimal point from which the cosmos
to unfold, the point expands into a circle. flashed into existence.
Similarly, ever since the big bang, our One kabbalist, Shimon Lavi,
universe has been expanding. We know understands expansion as part of the
this thanks to the astronomer Edwin rhythm of creation:
Hubble, who measured the speed at which
With the appearance of the light,
other galaxies are moving away from us.
the universe expanded.
In 1929 Hubble determined that the
farther a galaxy is from us, the faster it is With the concealment of the light,
moving away. The universe is expanding the things that exist were created in all
in all directions. Its not that the universe their variety.
is expanding within space. Space itself is This is the mystery of the act of
expanding. Creation.
The most dramatic consequence of One who understands will
Hubbles discovery is what it tells us about understand.
the origin of our universe. Just play the
Hubble tape in reverse: If the universe is When light flashed forth, time and
now expanding, that means it was once space began. But the early universe was
much smaller. How small? According to an undifferentiated soup of energy and
classical big bang theory, if we go back matter. How did matter emerge from
far enough in spacetime and retrace the the stew? The mystic writes that the light
paths of the galaxies and their formation, was concealed. A scientist would say that
the entire mass-energy of the universe energy congealed. Matter is frozen energy.
contracts into the size of a singularity the No nucleus or atom could form until some
Rosicrucian
Digest Hubbles Largest Galaxy Portrait Offers a New High-Definition View. NASA, ESA, K. Kuntz (JHU), F. Bresolin
No. 2 (University of Hawaii), J. Trauger (Jet Propulsion Lab), J. Mould (NOAO), Y.-H. Chu (University of Illinois,
2012 Urbana), and STScI.
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energy cooled down enough that it could in Galilee, the most famous kabbalist who
be bound and bundled into stable particles ever lived Isaac Luria pondered creation
of matter. and asked himself, What came before?
Einstein discovered the equivalence of He believed there was only Ein Sof, God as
mass and energy. Ultimately, matter is not infinity. But if Ein Sof pervaded all space,
distinct from energy, but simply energy how could there be room for anything
that has temporarily assumed a particular other than God? Luria concluded that the
pattern. Matter is energy in a tangible first act of creation was not emanation,
form; both are different states of a single but withdrawal: Before the creation of
continuum, different names for two forms the universe, Ein Sof withdrew itself into
of the same thing. its essence, from itself to itself within itself.
Like the physicist, the mystic, too, Within its essence, it left an empty space,
is fascinated by the intimate relation of in which it could emanate and create.
matter and energy, though the mystical This is tsimtsum, which literally
description is composed in a different key. means contraction, but here suggests
Material existence emerges out of ayin, withdrawal, a withdrawal by which God
the pool of divine energy. Ultimately, the made room for something other than
world is not other than God, for this divine God. The primordial void carved out
energy is concealed within all forms of by tsimtsum became the site of creation:
being. Were it not concealed, there could no larger than an infinitesimal point in
be no individual existence; everything relation to Ein Sof, yet spacious enough to
would dissolve back into oneness, or house the cosmos. But the void was not
nothingness. really empty: It retained a trace, a residue
Around the middle of the sixteenth of the light of Ein Sof, just as the vacuum
century in the mountaintop city of Safed preceding the big bang was not completely
empty, but rather in a state of minimum
energy: pregnant with creative potential
and virtual particles.
As Ein Sof began to unfold, a ray of
light was channeled into the void through
vessels. Everything went smoothly at first,
but some of the vessels, less translucent,
could not withstand the power of the light.
They shattered. Most of the light returned
to its infinite source, to the mothers
womb. But the rest, falling as sparks along
with shards of the shattered vessels, was
eventually trapped in material existence.
Our task, according to Kabbalah, is to
liberate these sparks of light and restore
them to divinity. By living ethically
and spiritually, we raise the sparks and
thereby bring about tikkun, the repair or
mending of the cosmos.
If the vessels had not broken, our
world of multiplicity would not exist. We
exist because we have lost oneness.
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Modern cosmology has a theory that To us today, the fundamental
parallels the breaking of the vessels: the forces of nature appear distinct: gravity,
theory of broken symmetry. electromagnetism and two other forces
Symmetry can be unstable. Picture known as the strong and weak nuclear
yourself at an elegant wedding dinner, forces. The balance between these forces
sitting with a dozen other guests around determines the existence and behavior
a circular table. Champagne glasses have of everything in the visible universe.
been placed precisely between each dinner Originally all four forces were linked, and
plate and the next: perfect right-left today scientists dream of finding a single
symmetry. A waiter fills the glasses with set of equations describing all four. By
champagne and everyone sits, waiting for colliding subatomic particles, physicists
someone else to lift a glass. Youre a little have discovered that at extremely high
thirsty and, realizing that the pink bubbles temperatures the differences between the
will not last forever, you decide to take a forces begin to disappear.
sip. But which champagne glass should One more act of imagination. Imagine
you pick? Not fully versed in the rules of yourself journeying back in time, closer
etiquette, you could as easily choose the and closer to the moment of the big
glass to your left as the one to your right. bang. The further you go, the hotter and
Either way, as soon as you reach for one or denser the universe becomes, and broken
the other, the symmetry is broken. Unless symmetries are restored. You go back
everyone else does what you do, someone millions and billions of years. Finally you
will have to reach across the table to get a reach the tiniest fraction of time a physicist
glass. can imagine: 10-43 second after the big
Lets take a more mundane example. bang, a ten-millionth of a trillionth of a
Imagine that youre holding a handful of trillionth of a trillionth of a second after
sharpened pencils, just snug enough that the beginning. Earlier than this is hard
they stand on their points. Now let go. For to probe, because the density of matter
a moment, the pencils remain balanced becomes so great that the structure, and
and rotationally symmetrical. Looking perhaps the meaning, of space and time
down from above, you see a perfect circle break down. At this point, all interactions
of pencil erasers. But the symmetry is between the fundamental forces are
quickly broken, as the pencils fall into a indistinguishable. Perfect symmetry.
tangle of thick pickup sticks. How did the symmetry of the beginning
The pencils are a metaphor for the become so disguised over the course of
universe. The jumble of fallen pencils is time? As the universe expands and starts to
the universe today, while the symmetrical cool, its radiation and particles lose energy.
bundle is the universe in its original state. The various forces become distinct.
One of the challenges of science is to Meanwhile, matter is also losing its
discover the symmetry hidden within the oneness. By the time the universe is just
tangle of ordinary life. one billionth of a second old, there are four
The universe began in an extremely forces and two dozen kinds of elementary
hot state of utmost simplicity and particles. This fracturing of symmetry
symmetry. As it expands and cools, this creates the particles of matter and energy
perfect symmetry is broken, giving rise found today around us and within us.
Rosicrucian
Digest to the world of diversity and structure we Perfect symmetry sounds alluring, but
No. 2 inhabit. it is sterile. If the primal force had not broken
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Shevirat haKeilim Shattering of the Vessels. Original oil painting by Victoria
Franck Wetsch, SRC.
into four forces, the universe would be a inner space, challenging us to retrace our
very different place, if it existed at all. Tiny path to oneness and to live in the light of
deviations from complete uniformity now what we discover.
give rise to nuclei, atoms and molecules; As we have seen, the Jewish mystics
then galaxies, stars, planets and people. We picture divine sparks in every thing that
exist today in our present condition, with exists. A scientist would say there is energy
all our flaws and imperfections, because of latent in subatomic particles. The spiritual
broken symmetry, just as Kabbalah teaches task is to raise the sparks, to restore the
that our jumbled, blemished reality derives world to God, to become aware that every
from the breaking of the vessels. single thing we do or see or touch or
Broken symmetry and the breaking imagine is part of the oneness, a pattern
of the vessels are distinct theories, each of energy. Raising the sparks is a powerful
generated by a different approach to the metaphor; it transforms religion from a list
question of the origin of the universe: of dos and donts or a list of dogmas into
Yet, their resonance is intriguing. The spiritual adventure.
human mind has devised alternative God is not some separate being up
strategies scientific and spiritual to there. She is right here, in the bark of a tree,
search for our origin. The two are distinct, in a friends voice, in a strangers eye. The
but complementary. Science enables us world is teeming with God. Since God is
to probe infinitesimal particles of matter in everything, you can serve God through
and unimaginable depths of outer space, everything. In looking for the divine
understanding each in light of the other, spark, we discover that what is ordinary is
as we grope our way back toward the spectacular. The holy deed is doing what
beginning. Spirituality guides us through needs to be done now.
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The world is fractured, and God needs both human and divine. Without trusting
us to mend it. By mending the world another person, we cannot love; without
socially, economically, politically we trusting others, we cannot build and
mend God, whose sparks lie scattered sustain community. But how can we trust
everywhere. the cosmos, or this God of oneness?
But we shouldnt fool ourselves. There We can trust that we are part of
will never be a complete tikkun, a complete something greater: a vast web of existence
mending of the world. Things will never be constantly expanding and evolving. When
perfect. Society will never be completely we gaze at the nighttime sky, we can ponder
just. How will it all end? Is there a Messiah that we are made of elements forged within
coming to redeem us? Messiahs captivate stars, out of particles born in the big bang.
our imagination because the world is We can sense that we are looking back
so unfair, history is so fickle. When the home. The further we gaze into space, the
Messiah comes, we are told, everything further we see back into time. If we see a
will be set right: good will finally triumph galaxy ten million light years away, we are
and evil will be eliminated. That would be seeing that galaxy as it was ten million years
nice, but is it the way things work? ago: it has taken that long for its ancient
What is the long-range future of our light to arrive here. Beyond any star we
planet, according to science? Heres the will ever identify, beyond any quasar,
forecast: lies the horizon of spacetime, fourteen
Our sun is about five billion years billion light years away. But neither God
old middle aged and reliable. But five nor the big bang is that far away. The big
billion years from now, the hydrogen fuel bang didnt happen somewhere out there,
in the suns core will run out. The core outside of us. Rather, we began inside the
will sag while the atmosphere of the sun big bang; we now embody its primordial
will mushroom, engulfing several of its energy. The big bang has never stopped.
closest planets, probably including Earth.
Gradually, most of this atmosphere will And what about God? God is not an
fall away, leaving a hot, dense ball of inert object or a fixed destination. There is no
matter. definite way to reach God. But then again,
Life will not necessarily come to an you dont need to reach something thats
end. By then, human beings, or whatever everywhere. God is not somewhere else,
type of intelligent life evolves from us, will hidden from us. God is right here, hidden
have developed the technology to move to from us. We are enslaved by routines.
another, safer solar system. Rushing from event to event, from one
Meanwhile, here we are. We still have chore to another, we rarely let ourselves
quite a while until the year 5 billion. There pause and notice the splendor right in front
will be no final perfection. No one has of us. Our sense of wonder has shriveled,
arranged the future ahead of time; nothing victimized by our pace of life.
is preordained. Chance will play a leading How, then, can we find God? A clue
role in the way things unfold, as it always is provided by one of the many names of
has. We should learn to negotiate with Shekhinah, the feminine aspect of God, the
chance. We should work on mending our divine presence. In Kabbalah She is called
own brokenness, our social fabric, our ocean, well, garden, apple orchard. She is
planet as best we can. also called zot, which means simply this.
Rosicrucian What kind of God can we believe God is right here, in this very moment,
Digest
No. 2 in? The Hebrew word emunah, belief, fresh and unexpected, taking you by
2012 originally meant trust and faithfulness, surprise. God is this.
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Salvator Mundi. From the Secret Symbols of the Rosicrucians of the 16th and 17th Centuries, hand colored by H.
Spencer Lewis.