Sefer Yetzirah Magic

☩☩☩

The Key to the
Holy Temple
☩☩☩

Sefer Yetzirah Magic

December 7, 2013

This eBook is periodically revised and updated.
The date-stamp of this edition is shown at the top-right of the page.
Click the following image to download the latest edition.

AstroQab Publishing 1998‒2012
First Electronic Edition 2012
First Published: 12th Dec. 2012
Author: Patrick Mulcahy
Patrick Mulcahy©2012
E-book Cover Art, Design &
Production by Patrick Mulcahy
Email: mallukh_ahi@yahoo.com
Website: http://astroqab.co.nr/

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December 7, 2013

Table of Contents

☩ THE KEY TO THE HOLY TEMPLE ☩ ......................................................... 6
Preface ...................................................................................................... 6
Introduction ........................................................................................... 12
Tree of Yetzirah ..................................................................................... 14
Twelve Boundaries ................................................................................ 25
Ten Sefirot .............................................................................................. 28
Seven Doubles ....................................................................................... 34
Three Mothers ........................................................................................ 37
The Holy Temple ................................................................................... 44
Restoring the Holy Temple................................................................... 58
Jacob & Israel ......................................................................................... 61
Sealing the Depths ................................................................................. 64
The Ritual of Sealing the Depths .......................................................... 70
Commentary ...................................................................................... 71
Invoking the Shekinah .......................................................................... 75
The Shekinah Invocation Ritual ........................................................... 79
Commentary ...................................................................................... 80
Air, Water, and Fire ............................................................................... 83
Fixed, Mutable, and Cardinal ........................................................... 89
Earth ....................................................................................................... 97
Fathers & Descendants.......................................................................... 99
A Tzawfone Working .......................................................................... 111
Commentary .................................................................................... 112
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The Holy ShM ...................................................................................... 114
The Alef Principle ................................................................................ 138
The GLGL Wheel ................................................................................. 143
Verses 2:4-6 Decoded ...................................................................... 145
The LB Wheel ................................................................................... 161
The TLY Spiral ................................................................................. 167
The Book of Ezekiel ......................................................................... 170
Some Jacob’s Wheel Links .............................................................. 172
The Sefer Yetzirah ............................................................................... 173

Table of Figures
Figure 1 : The Emanation of Da’at ............................................................. 9
Figure 2 : Two Versions of the Tree of Life ............................................. 15
Figure 3 : Tree of Yetzirah - Octahedron ................................................. 16
Figure 4 : The Twelve Diagonal Boundaries ........................................... 18
Figure 5 : Twelve Diagonal Boundaries .................................................. 26
Figure 6 : Three Horizontal Pathways ..................................................... 38
Figure 7 : ‚One on three; three on seven; seven on twelve‛ .................. 39
Figure 8 : The Tree of Yetzirah ................................................................. 43
Figure 9 : ‚Three on Seven‛ ...................................................................... 50
Figure 10 : The Double Letters & the Depths .......................................... 54
Figure 11 : ‚Seven on Twelve‛ ................................................................. 56
Figure 12 : The Tree of YHVH.................................................................. 66
Figure 13 : The Holy Temple Octahedron ............................................... 71
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Figure 14 : Sealing the Depths .................................................................. 74
Figure 15 : Yud, Heh, and Vav ................................................................. 84
Figure 16 : The Holy Temple Octahedron ............................................... 91
Figure 17 : Garden, Wall, and Ceiling ..................................................... 93
Figure 18 : Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob/Israel............................................ 101
Figure 19 : Tree of Yetzirah - Six Seals ................................................... 102
Figure 20 : The Six Seals & the Twelve Descendants ........................... 104
Figure 21 : The Octahedron - Descendants ........................................... 108
Figure 22 : Tree of Yetzirah - Descendants ............................................ 109
Figure 23 : Jacob Surrounded by his Twelve Sons ............................... 110
Figure 24 : The Emanation of Shin (and Tav) ....................................... 116
Figure 25 : The Emanation of Maym (and Kaf) .................................... 117
Figure 26 : The Da'at Nexus ................................................................... 119
Figure 27 : The Alef (‫ )א‬Pathway is Focused in Da’at........................... 121
Figure 28 : The Merging of Shin and Maym ......................................... 123
Figure 29 : ShM in the Twelve Pathways .............................................. 132
Figure 30 : ShM & the Sixfold Star ......................................................... 137
Figure 31 : The GLGL Wheel (called Jacob’s Wheel) ............................ 144
Figure 32 : The Basic Wheel Design ....................................................... 145
Figure 33 : Ordinal Numbers - Magical Arrangement ......................... 146
Figure 34 : The Hebrew Letter Correspondences ................................. 149
Figure 35 : The Hebrew Letter Correspondences (Eng.) ...................... 150
Figure 36 : The First Wheel - RLA (231) ................................................ 151
Figure 37 : ONG - Hebrew...................................................................... 153
Figure 38 : ONG - English....................................................................... 153
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Figure 39 : The First Wheel Pathway Sequence .................................... 155
Figure 40 : The Second Wheel ................................................................ 157
Figure 41 : "Air that cannot be grasped"................................................ 158
Figure 42 : The Second Wheel Pathway Sequence ............................... 159
Figure 43 : The Key Mandala ................................................................. 161
Figure 44 : The GLGL Wheel - Tav (‫261 ................................................... )ת‬
Figure 45 : The Projection of Alef ........................................................... 163
Figure 46 : The Implanted Alef .............................................................. 163
Figure 47 : Key Wheel - Alef Shin .......................................................... 165

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Sefer Yetzirah ☩ Magic
☩ THE KEY TO THE HOLY TEMPLE ☩

Preface

Here’s a question for you<
What is the name of the tenth sefirah of the kabbalistic Tree of Life?
If you answered ‘Malkut’ then you’re correct, but only in relation to
the contemporary Tree diagram. The tenth sefirah of the ancient ‘Tree
of Yetzirah’1 is called ‘depth of North’.
Ten: He sealed ‘north’ and faced to the left,
and sealed it with Heh, Vav, Yud.
[From: Sefer Yetzirah, 1:13]

Is today’s Malkut equivalent to the ancient ‘depth of North’?
This book will endeavour to help you answer that, and other
perplexing questions concerning the kabbalistic Tree of Life.

The ‘Tree of Yetzirah’ is my label for the metaphysical structure outlined (and
implied) in the text of the Sefer Yetzirah.
1

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December 7, 2013

A significant point of difference between the Tree of Yetzirah and the
modern kabbalistic Tree of Life is that the sefirot and pathways of the
ancient Yetziratic Tree are etymologically (and therefore, archetypally)
interconnected. That’s because, at its heart, the Sefer Yetzirah is a
linguistic text.
Conversely, while it’s true the sefirot and pathways of the modern
Tree are geometrically (i.e. physically) linked together, they have no
fundamental linguistic (or archetypal) interrelationship. Instead, the
pathways and sefirot are generally viewed as two separate and
essentially dissimilar components that are combined together to form
the Tree of Life diagram.

One thing both Trees have in common is that in both cases their
twenty-two pathways reflect the archetypal essence of the twenty-two
letters of the Hebrew alphabet. And also, the sefirot of both Trees are
numbered one to ten (albeit in differing arrangements). However, a
key distinction between the two versions of the Tree diagram is that
the ten sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah, like its twenty-two pathways, are
derived from the Hebrew alphabet. This was known by the author of
the Zohar<
He [the Creator] enfolded Himself in a covering of a
supernal radiance of thought and created therefrom a
world. He produced from the light of that supernal
radiance mighty cedars of the upper world, and placed His
chariot on twenty-two graven letters which were carved
into ten utterances [sefirot] and infixed there.
[Soncino Zohar. Vol I, Pg. 111. Bereshith, 29a.]
[Bracketed blue text has been added by me.]
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December 7, 2013

The sefirot are called ‘utterances’ because they represent the spoken
word of the Creator, and divine speech requires divine language. 2
For example: The second sefirah of the Tree of Yetzirah is called
‘Breath from Breath’. It’s an expression of the Hebrew mother letter
Alef (‫ .)א‬Similarly, the third sefirah ‘Water from Breath’ is an
expression of the Hebrew mother letter Maym (‫ ,)מ‬and the fourth
sefirah ‘Fire from Water’ is an expression of the Hebrew mother letter
Shin (‫ .)ש‬And the other sefirot are also expressions of Hebrew letters.
My previous book—Formation of the Tree of Life—presents a detailed
exploration of the nature and structure of the Tree of Yetzirah. Its main
thesis is that the lower sefirot of the Tree are emanations of pathways
located in the Tree’s higher branches. And similarly, it explains the
manifestation of the higher sefirot as the projected influence of
pathways in the Tree of the World above Yetzirah.
To summarize: The three supernal sefirot—known as Keter, Hockmah,
and Binah—are projections of the three mother letter pathways (Alef,
Maym, and Shin) of the higher ‘Tree of Beriah’. 3 The three mother
letter pathways of the Tree of Yetzirah are projections of the three
supernal sefirot—Keter, Hockmah, and Binah—of the ‘Yetziratic’ Tree.
The seven lower sefirot are projections of the seven supernal pathways
(i.e. the seven double letter pathways) of the same Tree. The twelve
simple letter pathways of the Tree of Yetzirah, like the path of Shin, are
also emanations of the sefirah Binah.4

2

‚Ten utterances‛ is a reference to the ten sayings of the Elohim in Genesis, Chap.I.

Beriah (i.e. the ‘World of Creation’) overshadows Yetzirah (i.e. the ‘World of
Formation’) from its own existential domain directly above the World of Yetzirah.
3

A vital link exists between Shin and the twelve boundaries of the octahedron. And
similarly, a special esoteric connection exists between Maym and the six vertices.
4

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A good example of the projection process is the manifestation of the
sphere of Da’at (‫ .)ב‬Da’at is an emanation of the pathway (Bayt, ‫ )ב‬that
extends between Hockmah (‫ )מ‬and Binah (‫ 5.)ש‬The influence of the Bayt
pathway descends, consolidates, and stabilizes to form the sphere of
Da’at (‫ .)ב‬Thus, the Hockmah-to-Binah pathway and Da’at share the
same archetypal essence (i.e. Bayt, ‫ )ב‬but differ in the form that the
Bayt archetype takes—that is, a ‘pathway’ versus a ‘sefirah’.

Figure 1 : The Emanation of Da’at

In most kabbalistic traditions, the sphere of Da’at is understood to be the ‘child’ of
the sefirot Hockmah and Binah.
5

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December 7, 2013

The pathways represent passive (or receptive), fluid, open-ended
embodiments of the Hebrew letter archetypes. They are home to the
various hierarchies of angels whose task it is to transmit and give form
to the divine influx. They generate forms from their own substance
that reflect the play of Shin and Maym within their own domains.
The sefirot represent relatively fixed, delimited, stable, but active
expressions of the Hebrew letter archetypes. They anchor the
Consciousness principle within the various planes of the Creation.
They focus the Consciousness principle into the pathways (wherein the
changing physical universe is subjectively experienced).
The golden rule is: Sefirot are emanations of higher pathways;
Pathways are emanations of higher sefirot.
The pathway-sefirah relationship that exists within the Tree of
Yetzirah is unique and adds another level of meaning to the basic
structure of the kabbalistic Tree of Life.

Since the 2007 writing of my book ‘Formation of the Tree of Life’ a few
of my original thoughts concerning the nature and structure of the
Tree of Yetzirah have changed. The changes in my understanding are
not so fundamental however, as to render obsolete my previous book,
but they are quite significant.
The main gist of my new perception involves the realization that what
we now call the ‘non-sefirah’ Da’at is actually counted as one of the ten
sefirot of the original Tree of Yetzirah. It’s given there the name ‘depth
of Above’. And I now realize that the extra ‘non-sefirotic’ component
of the Tree of Yetzirah—the ‘Holy Temple’—is what is now referred to
as the sefirah ‘Tifaret’.
pg. 10


December 7, 2013

Even though the Holy Temple is a very important component of the
Tree of Yetzirah, the Sefer Yetzirah does not number it as sefirah. It
excludes it for symbolic reasons and because it’s concealed within (i.e.
at the centre of) the Octahedron. This is explained below.

pg. 11


December 7, 2013

Introduction

It’s speculated, though not established for certain, that the Sefer
Yetzirah (‘Book of Formation’) was written sometime around the 2nd
century CE—that is, soon after the razing of the second Temple in
Jerusalem in 70 CE.6 The synchronicity of these two events is
significant because I believe the Sefer Yetzirah was produced partly in
response to a spiritual crisis engendered by the Temple’s destruction.
Clearly the book was composed by Jewish metaphysicians intent on
transmitting a system of knowledge that would assist with the
spiritual healing of future generations. But the book was written in
coded form and the decryption key was lost.
The Holy Temple in Jerusalem was the venerated symbol of God’s
holy covenant with His people. It was literally perceived as the ‘House
of God’—the sacred place wherein dwelled the divine Presence, the
Shekinah. And from that holy place the Shekinah was able to
spiritually support the Jewish community.
The destruction of the second Temple in 70 CE was therefore perceived
by the people as ostensibly removing the divine Presence from their
midst, and appeared to break an important spiritual link. It effectively
placed the Jewish people in spiritual exile, and psychologically
alienated them from their God.
But the Jewish occultists of the time (the spiritual elders of Judaism)
knew that the Holy Temple in Jerusalem was merely the mundane

Some kabbalists believe the book was written much earlier and claim its author was
the biblical patriarch Abraham.
6

pg. 12


December 7, 2013

physical expression of an even greater metaphysical Temple destined
to be built within human consciousness. So they composed the Sefer
Yetzirah as an instruction manual for building the ‘third Temple’—the
sacred inner ‘Temple of YHVH’.
Up and Down.
East and West.
North and South.
And the Holy Temple precisely in the center
and it supports them all.

The key to deciphering the Sefer Yetzirah’s coded instructions was
lost, and the numerous revisions of the ancient document have led to
the corruption of the original text. But this e-book, Sefer Yetzirah
Magic, aims to re-forge that original key, and it’s hoped that with it
you’ll be able to rebuild the Holy Temple within your psyche and
thereby establish a more conscious connection with the Creator of All.

pg. 13


December 7, 2013

Tree of Yetzirah

The Sefer Yetzirah details a structure that resembles the Tree of Life
diagram of the modern day Kabbalah. But because the Sefer Yetzirah’s
metaphysical system predates all current traditions of Kabbalah by at
least a thousand years, it’s no surprise that its Tree blueprint is a little
different to the modern kabbalistic Tree of Life.
It’s clear that current versions of the Tree diagram represent the
development (over hundreds of years) of original ideas contained in
the Sefer Yetzirah. But it’s also apparent that most contemporary Tree
designs have strayed considerably from the source in certain important
respects.

If you’re familiar with the modern Tree of Life diagram then you may
need to let go of some basic assumptions and expectations regarding
the shape of the original ‘Tree of Yetzirah’. But you’ll definitely notice
the similarities that exist between the ancient Tree and its modern day
counterparts.
Both the modern Tree of Life and the Tree of Yetzirah have ten sefirot,
although their numbering systems differ.7 And both Tree diagrams
incorporate twenty-two pathways between the ten sefirot. Also, they
both include an additional eleventh sphere. But that’s where their
structural similarities end.

The Sefer Yetzirah numbers the sefirot as opposing complementary pairs. The
sefirot of the modern Tree are numbered hierarchically from highest to lowest.
7

pg. 14


December 7, 2013

Figure 2 : Two Versions of the Tree of Life

Like the modern Tree of Life, the Tree of Yetzirah can easily be drawn
in two dimensions. But unlike the conventional Tree, the essential form
of the Tree of Yetzirah is three dimensional. This is made abundantly
clear by instructions given in the text of the Sefer Yetzirah.8

8

See especially: Sefer Yetzirah, 5:2.
pg. 15


December 7, 2013

The six lowest sefirot of the Yetziratic Tree are presented as the six
vertices (i.e. corners) of an octahedron. Twelve pathways (called
‘boundaries’) extend between the six sefirot and form the twelve edges
of the octahedron.

Figure 3 : Tree of Yetzirah - Octahedron

pg. 16


December 7, 2013

Strangely, many commentators ignore (or are unaware of) the Sefer
Yetzirah’s actual design blueprint for the Tree of Life. Instead, they
promote a numerologically based approach to the positioning of the
twenty-two pathways. But one only needs to read the Sefer Yetzirah’s
description of the twelve edges (or ‚diagonal boundaries‛9 as they are
called in the text) to know that the numerological approach is
untenable. Unfortunately, many people automatically assume that the
phrase ‚diagonal boundaries‛ refers to the twelve sloping pathways of
the

modern

Tree

diagram.

But

the

Sefer

Yetzirah’s

design

specifications directly contradict that idea.
The twelve sloping pathways of all standard versions of the Tree of
Life diagram are separated and scattered over the entire body of the
Tree’s structure. However, the Sefer Yetzirah clearly indicates (in verse
5:2) that the twelve boundaries compose the twelve edges of a single
three-dimensional homogenous form—namely, an octahedron. And
the text also suggests (in verse 6:5) that those twelve boundaries are
located within the lower section of the Tree diagram.

In the image below, the twelve simple letter pathways are coloured
red. The Sefer Yetzirah positions them in relation to six directional
‘depths’. The six depths are named: ‘Above’, ‘Below’, ‘East’, ‘West’,
‘North’, and ‘South’.10

The original Hebrew phrase is ‘‫‘ ,’גבולי אלכסון‬g’vulei alakson’. This term technically
refers to the side of a triangle. See: ‘An Introduction to the Sefer Yetzirah’, by
Christopher P. Benton. Published in: The Maqom Journal for Studies in Rabbinic
Literature, Vol VII, Winter 2004. The twelve ‘diagonal boundaries’ define the sides of
eight equilateral triangles that together form an octahedron.
9

Note that many ancient and modern commentators assign the depth of East to
Tifaret, and the depth of West to Yesod (as per the Hermetic Tree diagram below).
10

pg. 17


December 7, 2013

The twelve sloping pathways of the modern Hermetic Tree of Life
obviously bear no relation to the six spatial directions, and instead are
spread out amongst all the ten sefirot. This is also true of other wellknown versions of the Tree diagram. Therefore, it’s clear that the
twelve sloping pathways do not conform to the Sefer Yetzirah’s design
specifications for the twelve simple letter ‚diagonal boundaries‛.

Figure 4 : The Twelve Diagonal Boundaries

Verse 6:5 of the Sefer Yetzirah gives us the basic structural elements of
the Tree of Yetzirah.

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December 7, 2013

Three:
Each one stands alone.
One acts as advocate,
one acts as accuser,
and one decides between them.
Seven:
Three opposite three,
and one is the rule deciding between them.
Twelve stand in war:
Three love,
three hate,
three give life,
and three kill.
Three love: the heart and the ears.
Three hate: the liver, the gall, and the tongue.
Three give life: the two nostrils and the spleen.
Three kill: the two orifices and the mouth.
And God faithful King rules over them all
from His holy habitation
until eternity of eternities.
One on three.
Three on seven.
Seven on twelve.
And all are bound, one to another.
[Sefer Yetzirah, 6:5]

pg. 19


December 7, 2013

The Tree has a basic fourfold hierarchical structure. The main body of
the Tree is crowned by a single component that’s higher than all the
others. Below it are grouped three components. Clustered below them
is a group of seven components. These seven sit upon a group of
twelve components. As verse 6:5 states<
One on three.
Three on seven.
Seven on twelve.

Verse 6:5 is ingenious in the way that it reveals and at the same time
conceals the deepest mysteries of the Sefer Yetzirah. Without the lost
key though it’s quite difficult to decipher exactly what design elements
this verse is referring to. But with the restored key we can now decode
the information contained in this very cryptic verse.
Three:
One acts as advocate,
one acts as accuser,
This extract from verse 6:5 refers to the three Mother letters, and the
three supernal sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah: ‘Breath from Breath’,
‘Water from Breath’, and ‘Fire from Water’.11 These three correspond
with the three highest sefirot of the modern Tree of Life: ‘Keter’,
‘Hockmah’, and ‘Binah’.

The three sefirot are described in verse 1:10-12 of the Sefer Yetzirah. (See the
Appendix.)
11

pg. 20


December 7, 2013

Seven:
The next section refers to the seven double letters and the six
directional depths (i.e. lower sefirot) of the Tree of Yetzirah: ‘Above’,
‘Below’, ‘East’, ‘West’, ‘North’, and ‘South’. Naturally, Above is
opposite Below, East is opposite West, and North is opposite South. In
other words: ‚three opposite three‛. These six correspond with the
modern sefirot of the Tree of Life known as: ‘Da’at’, ‘Yesod’, ‘Hesed’,
‘Hod’, ‘Netzah’, and ‘Geburah’.
The mysterious seventh component is described as ‚the rule deciding
between them‛. It corresponds with the sefirah of the modern Tree of
Life commonly known as Tifaret. But the Sefer Yetzirah does not refer
to the additional sphere as Tifaret, and does not number it as a sefirah.
Instead it refers to Tifaret as the ‘Holy Temple’ (‫21.)היכל הקודש‬
Seven Doubles: ‫בגד - כפרת‬
Up and Down.
East and West.
North and South.
And the Holy Temple precisely in the center
and it supports them all.

The Sefer Yetzirah refers to Tifaret as the Holy Temple to highlight its
divine function in relation to the six lower sefirot. The six lower sefirot

Aryeh Kaplan translated this phrase as ‘Holy Palace’, but the Hebrew word Haykal
(HYKL, ‘palace’) more often means ‘temple’, and usually refers to the Holy Temple in
Jerusalem. See: Strong: #01965.
12

pg. 21


December 7, 2013

represent ‘pillars’ that establish the six extremities of the ‘World’—i.e.
the ‘World’ octahedron. From the centre Tifaret illuminates the
octahedron with the light of consciousness, and gives expression to the
Holy Name (i.e. ShM, ‫ .)שם‬This will be explained below.

A reading of verse 1:14 makes it clear that the Sefer Yetzirah does not
count the Holy Temple amongst the ten sefirot of the Tree.
These are the ten sefirot beli mah:13
The Breath of the Living God,
Breath from Breath,
Water from Breath,
Fire from Water,
Up, Down, East, West, North, South.

As you can see, the Holy Temple is not included in the above list of ten
sefirot. But even so, it’s still considered to be an essential and very
important component of the Tree of Yetzirah.

The ambiguous Hebrew phrase ‘beli mah’ (‫ )בלי מה‬literally translates as ‘without
what?’ and is usually interpreted to mean ‘nothingness’. (See below for my
translation of the term.)
13

pg. 22


December 7, 2013

Another significant distinction that exists between the Tree of Yetzirah
and the contemporary Tree of Life involves the sphere of Da’at. Da’at
is not counted as a sefirah in the modern Tree diagram, but is
numbered as one of the ten sefirot of the ancient Tree of Yetzirah. The
Sefer Yetzirah calls Da’at the ‘depth of Above’, and also refers to it as a
‘singular covenant’ (or ‘covenant of unity’).
Ten sefirot beli mah.
In the number of ten fingers.
Five opposite five
with a singular covenant
precisely in the middle.
In the circumcision of the tongue,
and in the circumcision of the member.

The term ‚singular covenant‛14 (‫ )ברית יחיד‬is used to describe Da’at’s
special role as unifier of the ten sefirot (i.e. ‘depths’) of the Tree of
Yetzirah. The phrase ‚five opposite five‛ refers to the five pairs of
opposing depths as listed in verse 1:5. (See below.) Da’at is positioned
in the midst (i.e. ‚precisely in the middle‛) of the ten sefirot of the Tree
of Yetzirah. 15
The statement ‚five opposite five with a singular covenant precisely in
the middle‛ suggests a symbolic association between Da’at (as the
‘singular covenant’) and Tifaret (as ‘the Holy Temple’). Their close
association is implied by the similar statement ‚three opposite three

This is Aryeh Kaplan’s translation, but other alternatives include ‚covenant of the
Unique One‛ and ‚covenant of unity‛. See: Sefer Yesira. A. Peter Hayman. Mohr
Siebeck, 2004. Pg. 67.
14

That is, Da’at is positioned at the centre of the middle column of the Tree of
Yetzirah—halfway between Ain Sof and Yesod.
15

pg. 23


December 7, 2013

and one is the rule deciding between them‛16. This phrase refers to the
pivotal function of Tifaret in relation to the six directional sefirot. And
note that it’s also said of Tifaret: ‚And the Holy Palace precisely in the
center‛17—that is, in the centre of the group of six lower sefirot (‚three
opposite three‛).

Da’at is identified as a singular covenant after the Holy Temple has
been built.
When Da’at becomes established (in human consciousness) as the apex
of the Holy Temple octahedron it forms a link between the six lower
sefirot and the four higher sefirot. Da’at as a ‘singular covenant’
symbolizes the union of macrocosm and microcosm—God and
Humanity. In other words, Da’at facilitates the unification of the ten
sefirot.

The Holy Temple in Jerusalem symbolized a covenant of union
between the Jewish people and the divine Creator, but when it was
physically destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE the covenant was
thought to be broken. So, to mirror that reality, the Sefer Yetzirah
excludes the Holy Temple (i.e. Tifaret) from the ten sefirot of the Tree
of Yetzirah. But importantly, it does include coded instructions on how
to rebuild the Temple, and consequently activate Da’at as a covenant
of union between God and Humanity.

16

Sefer Yetzirah, 6:5.

17

pg. 24


December 7, 2013

Twelve Boundaries

The Sefer Yetzirah describes the twelve boundaries as connecting lines
that extend between the six lower sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah. This is
clearly stated in verse 5:2.

Twelve Simples:

‫.הוז חטי לנס עצק‬
Their foundation is the twelve diagonal boundaries:
The east upper boundary;
The east northern boundary;
The east lower boundary;
The south upper boundary;
The south eastern boundary;
The south lower boundary;
The west upper boundary;
The west southern boundary;
The west lower boundary;
The north upper boundary;
The north western boundary;
The north lower boundary.
They extend continually until eternity of eternities,
And it is they that are the boundaries of the World.

pg. 25


December 7, 2013

Because the twelve boundaries extend between the six lower
‘directional’ sefirot, they must be located together in the lower part of
the Tree (as previously explained). It’s obvious from verse 5:2 that the
twelve diagonal boundaries are not separated and scattered amongst
all the ten sefirot of the Tree diagram. But that’s how many students of
the Kabbalah assume they are placed.

Figure 5 : Twelve Diagonal Boundaries

It’s geometrically impossible, for example, for the twelve diagonal
pathways of the GRA version of the Tree diagram (above left) to
conform to the boundary placement instructions of verse 5:2.
However, the Tree of Yetzirah (above right) conforms perfectly to the
Sefer Yetzirah’s design specifications.
pg. 26


December 7, 2013

The three dimensional figure that naturally results from the
instructions of verse 5:2 is an octahedron. Some commentators derive a
cube, but it’s more logical to associate the six directional sefirot (or
‘depths’) with the six vertices of an octahedron (unless the cube
concept is developed outside the natural structure of the Tree of Life).
If you try to picture the six lower sefirot as the six square sides of a
cube you’ll find it very difficult. But it’s easy to see the sefirot as six
vertices with twelve edges extending between them to form an
octahedron.

The octahedron incorporates the entire lower portion of the Tree of
Yetzirah, and provides us with a magical tool we can use to heal the
rift that unfortunately exists within human consciousness. The rift
effectively separates Humanity and the divine Creator. But it only
exists as a hiatus in human awareness.
Human-beings tend to be oblivious of the existence/reality of the
divine Creator. But thankfully the rift doesn’t represent the complete
separation of Humanity from the Divine. That would be impossible.

pg. 27


December 7, 2013

Ten Sefirot

Seven Doubles: ‫.ב ג ד - כ פ ר ת‬
Seven and not six.
Seven and not eight.
Examine with them
and probe with them.
Make [each] thing stand on its essence,
and make the Creator sit on His base.

Six of the seven double letters are associated with the six vertices of the
octahedron. But the Sefer Yetzirah reminds us in verse 4:5 that there
are seven, not six, double letters, so we must associate one of them
with the central point of the octahedron. And it also advises us not to
be tempted to add an eighth double letter, meaning, do not add
another double letter sefirah (i.e. Malkut) to the bottom of the Tree
diagram. It makes a similar statement regarding the ten sefirot in
general.
Ten and not nine.
Ten and not eleven.
Understand with wisdom;
Be wise with understanding.
Examine with them
and probe from them.

pg. 28


December 7, 2013

and make the Creator sit on His base.

The Hebrew word ‘mawkone’ (‫ ,מכון‬MKVN)18 translated here as ‘base’,
is a reference to the sefirah Da’at, called ‘depth of Above’. Mawkone
means ‘foundation’ and is often understood in the Hebrew Bible to
refer to the site of God’s temple. And just as the sefirah Yesod (‫,יסוד‬
YSVD, also meaning ‘foundation’) represents the foundation of human
consciousness, Mawkone identifies Da’at as the foundation of divine
Consciousness.

‚Ten and not nine‛ in verse 1:4 refers to the temptation to exclude the
first sefirah—Ain Sof19, called the Holy Breath—from the sefirot,
thereby deriving nine sefirot instead of ten. ‚Ten and not eleven‛
warns against adding Malkut to the bottom of the Tree because that
would make eleven sefirot.

The ten sefirot of the Sefer Yetzirah are also called ‘depths’.

18

See verses1:4 and 4:5.

19

Ain Sof (‫ )אין סוף‬translates literally as ‘no end’. It represents the infinite unknown.
pg. 29


December 7, 2013

Ten Sefirot beli mah:
Their measure is ten
which have ain sof.20
A depth of Beginning,
A depth of End,
A depth of Good,
A depth of Evil,
A depth of Above,
A depth of Below,
A depth of East,
A depth of West,
A depth of North,
A depth of South.
The singular Master,
God Faithful King,
dominates over them all
from His holy dwelling

Verse 1:5 lists the ten depths in two groups, and as opposing pairs.
Obviously Malkut is not included, but many people still make the
mistake of adding Malkut as a sefirah. And then they compound the
error by assigning a ‘depth’ to it (usually ‘depth of End’ or ‘depth of
Evil’). This not only disrupts the original depth hierarchy, but
completely disrupts the Sefer Yetzirah’s system of ten sefirot.

20

See the note above.
pg. 30


December 7, 2013

The ten sefirot are clearly delineated in the text of the Sefer Yetzirah.
There are four sefirot located at the top of the Tree diagram, and below
them are six ‘directional’ sefirot that produce the octahedron. There is
also an extra component of the Tree, that’s not called a sefirah, but is
referred to as the Holy Temple.

Malkut is not one of the four highest depths, and nor is it one of the six
lower ‘directional’ depths. Therefore it cannot be the ‘depth of Evil’, or
any of the ten depths. The depths, as aforesaid, are presented in two
groups—a higher group of four and a lower group of six—and as a
series of opposing principles.
Ten sefirot beli mah:
which have no end.
A depth of Beginning, [Ain Sof – Holy Breath]
A depth of End, [Keter – Breath from Breath]
A depth of Good, [Hockmah – Water from Breath]
A depth of Evil, [Binah – Fire from Water]
A depth of Above, [Da’at]
A depth of Below, [Yesod]
A depth of East, [Hesed]
A depth of West, [Hod]
A depth of North, [Netzah]
A depth of South. [Geburah]
In fact, the first three lines of this verse cryptically instruct us to
exclude Malkut, and include Ain Sof. ‚Beli mah‛ (‫ )בלי מה‬translates to
‘without Mah’, where the Hebrew word Mah (‫ )מה‬in ancient
Kabbalistic tradition, is associated with the sefirah Malkut.

pg. 31


December 7, 2013

"That extremity of heaven is called Mi, but there is another
lower extremity which is called Mah (What?)... Of a surety
the veiled One, the most high, the sum of all existence will
heal thee and uphold thee—Mi, the extremity of heaven
above, Mah, as far as the extremity of heaven below. And
this is the inheritance of Jacob, he being the "bolt that passes
from extremity to extremity" (Exod. XXVI, 28), that is, from
the higher, identical with Mi, to the lower, identical with
Mah, as he occupies a position in the middle."
[From: Soncino Zohar, Prologue 1b.]

The Hebrew word 'Mi' (‫ 12)מי‬signifies Binah (and the first Heh of
YHVH). 'Mah' (‫ 22)מה‬represents Malkut (and the second Heh of YHVH).
'Jacob' (the Vav of YHVH) is the 'bolt'23 that extends between the first
Heh and the second Heh of YHVH.

The third line of Sefer Yetzirah verse 1:5 actually reads ‚which have
Ain Sof‛, because ‘no end’ is the English translation of the original
Hebrew ‘Ain Sof’ (‫ .)אין סוף‬Therefore, a more appropriate translation of
the first three lines of verse 1:5 is<
Ten sefirot without Mah [Malkut]:
which includes Ain Sof.
Ain Sof is called ‘depth of Beginning’ because it has ‘no end’.

21

Meaning: ‘Who?’

22

Meaning: ‘What?’

23

Note that the Hebrew word Vav (‫ )וו‬means ‘nail’ (or ‘bolt’).
pg. 32


December 7, 2013

The Holy Temple is a sacred place that contains, preserves, and reflects
the Light of the Creator. It is there that He has chosen to especially
abide—concealed in the midst of the octahedron, close to His creation,
in His Holy Temple, or Tifaret. But the Holy Temple remains devoid of
the divine Presence—that is, until we build the Holy Temple
octahedron, and activate the ‘singular covenant’ in Da’at. Verse 1:5
continues<
God Faithful King,
The ‘holy dwelling’ (of verse 1:5) is the Holy Temple octahedron. It’s
the place of the ‘singular Master’, the ‘singular covenant’ (of verse 1:3),
and the ‘One ShM’ (of verses 2:5 and 2:6). The foundation of the Holy
Temple is the sefirah Mawkone (Da’at), called ‘depth of Above’. It’s
associated with the first Hebrew double letter, Bayt (‫ .)ב‬Bayt means
‘house’, as in the ‘House of God’, or Holy Temple.

Another important reason why Malkut is not included as a component
of the Tree of Yetzirah is because it embodies the lowest kabbalistic
world of Assiah (i.e. ‘Making’). The Tree of Yetzirah specifically
delineates the world of Yetzirah (i.e. ‘Formation’). That’s why the six
‘seals’ of Yetzirah only include the first three letters—Y, H, V—of the
divine Name YHVH. They necessarily exclude the final Heh because it
represents Assiah and the sefirah Malkut, and therefore doesn’t belong
in the world of Yetzirah. The final Heh is only appended to the six
YHV seal formulas when magical forces are required to flow down
from the world of Yetzirah into the world of Assiah.
pg. 33


December 7, 2013

Seven Doubles

There’s much speculation among kabbalists as to the Sefer Yetzirah’s
original assignment of the seven astrological planets to the seven
Hebrew double letters. The oldest surviving manuscripts of the text
present conflicting data presumably caused by scribal error and/or
deliberate obfuscation.
My own solution to this conundrum is based on the fact that the Sefer
Yetzirah likes to organize its Tree of Life components in alphabetical
order. For example, the Sefer Yetzirah presents the three mother letter
sefirot in their natural alphabetical order—Alef, Maym, Shin—and it
associates the twelve zodiacal signs with the twelve simple letters in
their natural alphabetical order. Therefore, it’s likely that the seven
double letters will be associated with the seven planets in alphabetical
order.
There’s universal agreement in all versions of the Sefer Yetzirah that
the alphabetical order of the twelve simple letters parallels the natural
heavenly order of the twelve zodiacal constellations (as observed by
astrologers for thousands of years). But what is the ‘natural order’ of
the seven astrological planets?
It’s my belief that, in the Sefer Yetzirah, the planets are ordered
according to their cyclical movement as observed by the ancient
astrologers who wrote the original text.
The orbital periods of the planets (as viewed from Earth) are as
follows<

pg. 34


December 7, 2013

Planet

Period (yrs)

Letter

Saturn

29.46

Bayt (‫)ב‬

Jupiter

11.86

Gimel (‫)ג‬

Mars

1.881

Dalet (‫)ד‬

Sun

1

Kaf (‫)כ‬

Venus

0.615

Peh (‫)פ‬

Mercury

0.241

Raysh (‫)ר‬

Moon

0.0748

Tav (‫)ת‬

In this scheme, planetary seniority is based on the length of a planet’s
cycle. So for example, Saturn is viewed as chief among the seven
planets because its orbital period (29.46 years) is the greatest.
Therefore, Saturn is assigned the first Hebrew double letter (i.e. Bayt).
But modern Hermetic kabbalists tend to reject these correspondences,
even though they feature in many versions of the Sefer Yetzirah—and
strangely, even though the sefirot of the modern Hermetic Tree of Life
are recognized as following exactly the same orbital sequence of
planets.
3. Binah (Saturn, ‫)ב‬
4. Hesed (Jupiter, ‫)ג‬
5. Geburah (Mars, ‫)ד‬
6. Tifaret (Sun, ‫)כ‬
7. Netzah (Venus, ‫)פ‬
8. Hod (Mercury, ‫)ר‬
9. Yesod (Moon, ‫)ת‬

pg. 35


December 7, 2013

The seven lowest sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah also follow this
planetary sequence except that Saturn is assigned to Da’at.24
The most widely accepted planetary assignments in modern Hermetic
Kabbalah (or Qabalah) are those that were introduced by the original
Order of the Golden Dawn. Those atypical correspondences may be
appropriate for the Golden Dawn system of magic, but have no
relevance in the original magical system of the Sefer Yetzirah.

In the Tree of Yetzirah, Binah is assigned the third Hebrew mother letter ‘Shin’, and
the planet Pluto (or ‘divine Fire’).
24

pg. 36


December 7, 2013

Three Mothers

Another common misapprehension regarding the design of the Tree of
Yetzirah is the mistaken belief that the three Hebrew mother letters are
associated with the three horizontal pathways of the Tree diagram.
This assumption results from a superficial reading of the Sefer
Yetzirah. It’s true that there is a numerical association between the
three groups of Hebrew letters and the three groups of Tree
pathways—horizontal, vertical, and diagonal. And it’s very tempting
to associate the two together based purely on that numerological
coincidence. But the text of the Sefer Yetzirah does not support or
describe that arrangement.

As previously mentioned, verse 6:5 of the Sefer Yetzirah defines the
structure of the Tree of Life as a hierarchy of components arranged in
four overlapping groups of 1, 3, 7, and 12.
One on three.
Three on seven.
Seven on twelve.

We know from verse 5:2 that the Sefer Yetzirah organises the lowest
group of twelve simple Hebrew letters as boundaries (or edges)
extending between the six vertices of an octahedron. The edges of the
octahedron include two of the three horizontal pathways of the Tree of
pg. 37


December 7, 2013

Life diagram. So based on this observation alone we can deduce that
the three Hebrew mother letters cannot be associated with the three
horizontal pathways. The following diagram illustrates this point.

Figure 6 : Three Horizontal Pathways

The phrase ‚seven on twelve‛ refers to the six vertices that anchor the
twelve edges of the octahedron (plus its centre point—the Holy
Temple). And the phrase also refers to the seven Hebrew double letter
pathways that are clustered together above the twelve edges of the
octahedron.

pg. 38


December 7, 2013

‚Three on seven‛ refers to the three Hebrew mother letter sefirot that
sit upon the seven double letter pathways at the top of the Tree
diagram.
The phrase ‚one on three‛ refers to the single sefirah called the Holy
Breath (i.e. Ain Sof) that crowns the Tree of Yetzirah. It’s nested upon
the three mother letter sefirot.

Figure 7 : “One on three; three on seven; seven on twelve”

[See below for further explanation of the above diagram.]
pg. 39


December 7, 2013

As you continue to study the Sefer Yetzirah you’ll realize that its
arrangement of sefirot and pathways is based on deep metaphysical
principles, not on a mundane numerological coincidence.

Another common misunderstanding related to the issue of the three
mother letters and the three horizontal pathways derives from the
apparent ambiguity of verse 6:2.

Three Mothers: Alef, Maym, Shin.
Air, water, and fire.
Fire is above, water is below,
and air of Breath is the rule
that decides between them.
And a sign of this thing
is that fire supports water.
Maym hums, Shin hisses,
and Alef is the Breath of air

The simple solution to this ambiguity is that Alef, Maym, and Shin do
not represent the mundane elements: air, water, and fire. Instead, the
three mothers signify divine Elements (or Principles) that are the
spiritual source of elemental air, water, and fire. The three mothers
produce the mundane elements air, water, and fire when their
influence enters the ‘World’ (‫.)עולם‬
pg. 40


December 7, 2013

As it’s written in Sefer Yetzirah 3:4<
In the World25 are air, water, fire.
Heaven was created from fire.
Earth was created from water.
And air from Breath decides between them.

And in verse 3:2 it is written...
A great, mystical secret
covered and sealed with six rings.
And from them emanated air, water and fire.
And from them are born Fathers,
and from the Fathers, descendants.

And again in verse 6:1<
These are the three Mothers: Alef, Maym, Shin.
And from them emanated three Fathers.
And they are air, water, and fire.
And from the Fathers, descendants.
Three Fathers and their descendants.

‘World’ (‫ ,עולם‬Olahm) is the Sefer Yetzirah’s technical name for the octahedron of
the ‘human microcosm’. It’s the octahedron we’re primarily studying in this book.
There are two other octahedrons called ‘Year’ (‫ ,שנה‬Shanah) and ‘Soul’ (‫ ,נפש‬Nefesh).
25

pg. 41


December 7, 2013

The three esoteric mother letter principles are defined and named in
verses 1:10-12. These three verses describe the divine Air element as
‘Breath from Breath’ (‫ ;)רוח מרוח‬the divine Water element as ‘Water
from Breath’ (‫ ;)מים מרוח‬and the divine Fire element as ‘Fire from Water’
(‫ .)אש ממים‬They are technical terms intentionally used to differentiate
Alef, Maym, and Shin from their mundane counterparts: air, water,
and fire.

The three ‘fathers’ and the three mundane elements air, water, and fire,
are represented by the three Hebrew simple letters: Vav (‫ ,)ו‬Heh (‫,)ה‬
and Yud (‫—)י‬not Alef (‫ ,)א‬Maym (‫ ,)מ‬and Shin (‫.)ש‬
The three letters YHV compose the six formulae that seal the six
vertices of the octahedron. In other words, these three Hebrew letters
symbolise elemental forces operating within the lower portion of the
Tree of Yetzirah.
Vav, Heh, and Yud are specifically identified by the Sefer Yetzirah as
being simple Hebrew letters26 in order to draw attention to the fact that
they have an affinity with the twelve simple letter ‘boundaries’ that are
the edges of the octahedron.
So when the Sefer Yetzirah states in verse 6:2 ‚Fire is above, water is
below, and air of Breath is the rule that decides between them‛ it’s
describing the three Hebrew simple letters Heh, Yud, and Vav. And
more specifically, it’s referring to the arrangement of the simple letter
pathways into their three groups: Cardinal (above), Mutable (below),
and Fixed (in between). This will be discussed further, when we
examine the nature of the twelve ‘descendants’. (See below.)

26

‚He chose three letters from among the Simples‛. See verse 1:13.
pg. 42


December 7, 2013

Figure 8 : The Tree of Yetzirah

The Alef, Maym, and Shin sefirot and pathways are arranged
according to the hierarchical order in which they are presented in the
Sefer Yetzirah: Alef first, then Maym, followed by Shin. This is also
their sequence in the natural order of the Hebrew alphabet.

pg. 43


December 7, 2013

The Holy Temple

The unconscious state of the sefirah Da’at (i.e. the ‘singular covenant’)
in the human psyche (i.e. in the octahedron) means that the Holy
Temple (i.e. Tifaret) remains ‘darkened’ due to the absence of the
divine Light (i.e. the ‘Shekinah’) of the Creator. The Sefer Yetzirah
symbolically links this unfortunate condition with the destruction of
the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 70 CE.
Da’at as the ‘singular covenant’ (or ‘covenant of unity’) represents an
‘agreement’ we have with the Creator to assist in the fulfilment of His
divine Plan on Earth. But while the pathway between Tifaret (the
‘Holy Temple’) and Da’at (the ‘singular covenant’) remains closed to
us we remain unconscious of the role we are destined to play in the
Creation.

For the majority of human-beings the Tifaret-to-Da’at pathway (i.e. the
Maym pathway) represents a spiritual hiatus in human consciousness.
Activating Tifaret’s link with Da’at bridges the gap that currently
exists in consciousness between Humanity and the Creator. Without
the covenant of Da’at we’re lost in exile on planet Earth, unaware of
the divine Presence (Shekinah) in our lives.
The Sefer Yetzirah aims to help us fill the spiritual void by providing a
metaphysical blueprint of the Holy Temple octahedron. It’s a design
we can use to build an inner sanctum, activate the path of Maym,
access the ‘singular covenant’, and draw down the divine Presence
into our conscious awareness.
pg. 44


December 7, 2013

The Holy Temple octahedron is a sacred work-space established for
the purpose of reuniting ourselves with the Creator in consciousness,
and for performing kabbalistic magic. The full design of the Temple is
represented by the octahedron that forms the lower portion of the Tree
of Yetzirah. The Creator is symbolized by the sefirot and pathways of
the upper part of the Tree—that is, everything above the octahedron.
The divine Presence (i.e. Shekinah) enters into the Holy Temple by
means of the ‘singular covenant’ of Mawkone (i.e. Da’at)—the
uppermost vertex of the octahedron.

As previously explained, the basic structure of the Tree of Yetzirah is
summarized in verse 6:5<
One on three.
Three on seven.
Seven on twelve.

The first sefirah is described as ‘Breath of the Living God’ and the
‘Holy Breath’.27 It’s associated with the Hebrew mother letter Alef (‫)א‬
and represents the original unfathomable Source from which the
Creation springs. The Sefer Yetzirah uses language and symbolism (in
verse 1:9) to differentiate this sefirah from the next group of three. In
other words, the Holy Breath remains symbolically separated from the
Tree in a manner similar to the way that Ain Sof is differentiated from
the three supernal sefirot of the modern day Tree diagram.

27

See verse 1:9.
pg. 45


December 7, 2013

The modern Tree of Life recognises the existence of Ain Sof, but
doesn’t include it in its numbering system28, preferring instead to begin
the counting from Keter. It then adds Malkut as the tenth sefirah in
order to incorporate the kabbalistic world of Assiah.
The Tree of Yetzirah omits the sefirah Malkut from its numeration, but
does include Ain Sof in the counting. This represents a minor
difference in emphasis between the two systems. Both Trees have ten
sefirot, and include the same basic components except that one
numbers Ain Sof at the top of the Tree, and the other numbers Malkut
at the bottom of the Tree.

So at the very top of the Tree of Yetzirah we have<
1. Breath of the Living God (Ain Sof)
The next three sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah are described in verses
1:10-12.
2. Breath from Breath (Keter)
3. Water from Breath (Hockmah)
4. Fire from Water (Binah)
These three correspond with the modern day sefirot: Keter, Hockmah,
and Binah. They’re associated with the three Hebrew mother letters:
Alef, Maym, and Shin.
The second sefirah (Breath from Breath) is exhaled from the Holy
Breath of Ain Sof (i.e. the first sefirah). This enables the Breath (as

28

Or labels it zero (0).
pg. 46


December 7, 2013

Keter) to emerge into outer manifestation—like a human breath
condensing in a cloud as it meets the frigid air of a winter’s day.
The two breaths have the same essence (symbolized by Alef, ‫ )א‬and are
therefore virtually indistinguishable from each other. As it is written in
verse 1:7<
Their end is imbedded in their beginning,
and their beginning in their end.

In other words, ‚depth of End‛ (i.e. Keter) is embedded in ‚depth of
Beginning‛ (i.e. Ain Sof) and vice versa.29

The exhaled Breath contains both divine Water (‘moisture’) and divine
Fire (‘heat’). These two principles differentiate from each other and
form the third and fourth sefirot—called Hockmah and Binah in the
modern Tree diagram.

So far we have fulfilled the Sefer Yetzirah’s requirement of ‚one on
three‛, but what of ‚three on seven‛? The next verse lists only six
sefirot. This is a great mystery of the Sefer Yetzirah. There are seven
Hebrew double letters, but only six lower sefirot. The mystery is

Keter symbolizes the end of the divine creative-evolutionary process (i.e. the divine
cycle of exhalation and inhalation). Keter is the final destination of Human
Consciousness as it rises to the top of the Tree of Life (i.e. during the divine
inhalation, prior to the absorption of All into Ain Sof).
29

pg. 47


December 7, 2013

solved when one of the seven double letters (Kaf, ‫ ,כ‬the Sun) is
assigned to the Holy Temple. The sefirah Tifaret symbolizes the Holy
Temple, and Mawkone (Da’at) is its foundation.

The Sefer Yetzirah reveals Da’at (or Mawkone) as the spiritual
foundation of the Holy Temple in verse 1:4.

Ten and not nine.
Ten and not eleven.
Understand [Binah] with wisdom [Hockmah].
Be wise [Hockmah] with understanding [Binah].
Examine with them
Make (each) thing stand on its essence
and make the Creator sit on His Mawkone (‫.)מכון‬

The Hebrew terms ‘Hockmah’ (Wisdom) and ‘Binah’ (Understanding)
are code words for the third and fourth sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah.
In other words, verse 1:4 hints at combining these two sefirot to
produce the Creator’s ‘Mawkone’ (‘Base’, ‘Foundation’)—the sacred
site of the Holy Temple.

Here’s a related quote from the Sefer Bahir<
pg. 48


December 7, 2013

What is the seventh? It is the heaven called Aravot .And
why is it called heaven (ShMYM)? Because it is round like
a head. We learn that it is in the centre *Da’at+, with water
[Hockmah] at its right and fire [Binah] at its left. It
supports water (Sh MYM) from fire and water, and brings
peace between them. Fire comes and finds the attribute of
fire on its side. Water comes and finds the attribute of
water on its side. It is therefore written (Job 25:2), ‚He
makes peace in His high places.‛
[The Sefer Bahir. v. 153. Trans. Aryeh Kaplan. ]
[Square-bracketed notes are my own.]

Following its description of the fourth sefirah—‚Fire from Water‛ (i.e.
Binah)—verse 1:12 mentions that the Creator’s dwelling is ‘founded’
from the three sefirot above Da’at. It states: ‚From these three He
founded His dwelling‛. This means: From these three sefirot—Breath
from Breath (Alef/Keter), Water from Breath (Maym/Hockmah), and
Fire from Water (Shin/Binah)—He created the Holy Temple
octahedron. In other words, using Alef, Maym, and Shin He formed
the octahedron as per the very next verse (i.e. verse 1:13)<
He chose three letters from among the Elementals
[in the mystery of the three Mothers: Alef, Maym, Shin].
And He set them in His great ShM ('name')
and with them, He sealed six extremities.

pg. 49


December 7, 2013

The six ‘extremities’ are the six vertices of the Holy Temple
octahedron. This topic is expanded below.
Here’s how the ‚three on seven‛ requirement of verse 6:5 is fulfilled.

Figure 9 : “Three on Seven”

The three sefirot—Keter (‫ ,)א‬Hockmah (‫ ,)מ‬and Binah (‫—)ש‬rest upon
seven double letter pathways (coloured blue). The six lower sefirot and
Tifaret (the Holy Temple) are emanations of the seven double letter
pathways, projected down into the lower part of the Tree. There they
pg. 50


December 7, 2013

become anchored as the extremities of the World—i.e. the six spatial
directions (plus the centre-point of consciousness). In other words, the
seven supernal pathway emanations establish the seven dimensions of
the microcosmic universe.

Thus, the three mother letter sefirot not only rest upon the seven
double letter pathways, but they also hover over the seven emanations
of those pathways—i.e. the seven double letter sefirot.
The seven double letter pathways symbolize the seven archangels who
surround and support the Throne of the Creator. They are the supreme
angels whose ‘intelligences’ guide the seven astrological planets (i.e.
the seven lower sefirot). This is another way of understanding the
intimate relationship that exists between the seven double letter
pathways (archangels) and their emanations—the seven lower sefirot
(planets).

We’ve determined that the lower portion of the Tree of Yetzirah
consists of the Holy Temple (Tifaret) and the six ‘directional’ depths
(numbered five to ten)<

pg. 51


December 7, 2013


♄♃♂ - ☉♀☿☾
Up and Down.
East and West.
North and South.30
And the Holy Temple precisely in the center.
And it supports (‫ ,נשא‬NShA)31 them all.
[Blue text has been added by me.]

5. Above (Da’at)
6. Below (Yesod)
7. East (Hesed)
8. West (Hod)
9. South (Geburah)
10. North (Netzah)
These six directional depths are grouped together and listed as
opposing pairs because they represent the six opposing vertices of an
octahedron.
This arrangement is referred to in verse 6:5 where it’s written<

Note that the original numbered order of the six directional depths (i.e. in verse
1:13) has South (#9) listed before North (#10).
30

The Hebrew word NShA means ‘to lift and carry’, or ‘raise up’. This refers to the
Sun’s role as bearer and carrier of the orbiting planets.
31

pg. 52


December 7, 2013

Seven:
Three opposite three.
And one is the rule deciding between them.

Tifaret is the ‚rule deciding between them‛. It embodies the
Consciousness principle—the unique faculty that discriminates
between all the extremities of the World.
The sphere of Mawkone (i.e. Da’at) symbolizes the spiritual foundation
of the Holy Temple. It represents a divine ‘covenant’ established
between God and Humanity.
Mawkone remains far removed from human consciousness until
eventually (i.e. after certain evolutionary requirements are met) it
becomes consciously integrated as the apex of the Holy Temple
octahedron. By that time, the pathway between Tifaret and Mawkone
(i.e. the path of Maym) has opened to consciousness, and Tifaret has
become divinely illumined32.

The allocation of the seven double letters to the six directional depths
(and the Holy Temple) is presented quite clearly in the text.
The depths of Above and Below are represented by the first (‫ )ב‬and
seventh (‫ )ת‬double letters, respectively. The depths of East and West
are represented by the second (‫ )ג‬and sixth (‫ )ר‬double letters. The
depths of South and North are represented by the third (‫ )ד‬and fifth (‫)פ‬
double letters. The Holy Temple is represented by the fourth (‫ )כ‬double

32

That is, the Shekinah has descended to inhabit the Holy Temple.
pg. 53


December 7, 2013

letter (which is ‚precisely in the center‛ of the group of seven double
letters).

Figure 10 : The Double Letters & the Depths

The letter Kaf (‫ )כ‬represents the Sun—the centre of the microcosmic
solar system.
[Note: In the diagram above the Hebrew letters are written according
to the English left-to-right usage instead of the original Hebrew rightto-left.]

The configuration of the twelve edges of the Holy Temple octahedron
is presented in verse 5:2.
pg. 54


December 7, 2013

Twelve Elementals33.

‫הוז חטי לנס עצק‬
The east upper boundary.
The east northern boundary.
The east lower boundary.
The south upper boundary.
The south eastern boundary.
The south lower boundary.
The west upper boundary.
The west southern boundary.
The west lower boundary.
The north upper boundary.
The north western boundary.
They extend continually until eternity of eternities.

This verse fulfils the final requirement of verse 6:5—‚seven on
twelve‛—because the six vertices (plus the center point/vertical axis)
anchor the octahedron’s twelve edges within the lower portion of the
Tree.

Aryeh Kaplan translates the Hebrew word PShVT (‫ )פשוט‬as ‘elemental’, but the
usual translation is ‘simple’. Interestingly, verse 5:2 arranges the twelve boundaries
of the octahedron according to an element-based ‘fire-air-water’ (i.e. HVY) pattern.
This is explained below.
33

pg. 55


December 7, 2013

Figure 11 : “Seven on Twelve”

Seven Doubles: ‫ב ג ד - כ פ ר ת‬
Up and Down.
East and West.
North and South.
And it supports them all.

pg. 56

Note:

The

central

December 7, 2013
unifying

principle

of

consciousness

that's

represented by the Holy Temple (i.e. Tifaret) illuminates all the other
six sefirot of the Octahedron–that is, ‚it supports them all‛ (SY, 4:4).
And similarly, as stated elsewhere, the two vertical pathways that
adjoin Tifaret (i.e. the Shin and Maym pathways) infuse with the
magical force of ShM all the twelve pathways that form the twelve
edges of the Octahedron.

pg. 57


December 7, 2013

Restoring the Holy Temple

The three mother letter pathways (i.e. the Alef, Maym, and Shin
pathways) compose the central vertical ‘trunk’ of the Tree of Yetzirah.
They do so in their natural alphabetical order: Alef, Maym, and Shin.
As I’ve already explained, it’s impossible for the three mother letters to
occupy the three horizontal pathways of the Tree diagram. That’s
because two of the horizontal pathways are assigned to two
boundaries (i.e. edges) of the octahedron. Those two pathways are
therefore occupied by two simple letters. There is no escaping the
reality of verse 5:2.
The three mother letters are central to the metaphysics of the Sefer
Yetzirah, and it’s vitally important to grasp their meaning in relation to
each other and to the book’s entire metaphysical scheme. And, of
course, this is the most difficult challenge of the Sefer Yetzirah.

In order to fully restore the Holy Temple octahedron, there’s an
evolutionary transformation that must occur within its vertical axis.
The transformation involves the merging of the Shin (‫ )ש‬and Maym (‫)מ‬
pathways (and the simultaneous merging of Shin and Maym within
the octahedron’s twelve boundaries).
Initially, the octahedron is dominated by the path of Shin (‫ .)ש‬The Shin
pathway extends between Yesod (i.e. depth of Below) and Tifaret (i.e.
the Holy Temple) and forms the lower half of the octahedron’s vertical
axis.

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December 7, 2013

When the path of Shin dominates the octahedron, the human psyche is
ruled by the ‘fires of Judgement’ of the feminine principle (Binah, ‫.)ש‬
But as we evolve in consciousness, the fires of Judgement are
gradually mitigated by the waters of Mercy that flow down from the
path of Maym (‫ .)מ‬The Maym pathway extends between Tifaret (i.e. the
Holy Temple) and Da’at (i.e. the ‘singular covenant’). The Maym
pathway is an emanation of the sefirotic Maym of Hockmah.
The Shin and Maym pathways slowly merge together through the
‘valve’ of Tifaret34 until a point is reached when the two pathways
become one. Human consciousness then rises to Da’at and the
‘singular covenant’ (i.e. Da’at) is awakened. This process transforms
the unevolved octahedron into the Holy Temple octahedron, and its
vertical axis becomes one single pathway called the Shem (ShM)
pathway, or Shem Pillar.
The Hebrew word ‘ShM’ (‫ )שם‬means ‘name’ and generally refers to the
Name of God (i.e. YHVH). But ShM is itself a powerful formula that
essentially defines the creative process (as depicted in the Sefer
Yetzirah). The critical importance of ShM is alluded to in the first verse
of the Sefer Yetzirah where it’s written<
And He created His World
with three books (‫.)ספרים‬
With text (‫;)ספר‬
with number (‫;)ספר‬
and with communication (‫.)ספור‬

Tifaret represents the Sun—called ShMSh (‫ )שמש‬in Hebrew. The ShMSh formula
shows the path of Maym situated between the path of Shin below and the higher
sefirotic Shin of Binah above. The formula gives confirmation that Tifaret (the Holy
Temple) represents the doorway through which the ShM transformation occurs.
34

pg. 59


December 7, 2013

In this verse, the three ‘books of Creation’ are identified with the
Hebrew letters SPR (‫ ,)ספר‬the numerical value of which is 340. This is
also the value of the sacred formula ShM (‫ .)שם‬So, in other words,
verse 1:1 is telling us that the ShM formula is central to the creation of
the World. And this notion is reiterated in verse 2:5<
It comes out that all that is formed
and all that is spoken
emanates from One ShM.

And also in verse 2:6<
He foresees, transforms and makes
all that is formed and all that is spoken:
One ShM.

The phrase ‘One ShM’ (‫ )שם אחד‬specifically refers to the single ShM
pathway (or ShM Pillar) that extends between Yesod and Da’at in the
restored Holy Temple octahedron. 35

Note also that the phrase ‚One ShM‛ in verses 2:5 and 2:6 also includes a reference
to the mother letter Alef—i.e. because Alef = 1 (‘one’). It therefore identifies Alef as an
important influence effecting the ShM equation. Alef’s function is explained below.
35

pg. 60


December 7, 2013

Jacob & Israel

The biblical story of Jacob is an allegory of human evolution on our
planet. And his experience at Peniel36 (‘Face of God’) is linked
symbolically with the transformation of the basic octahedron into the
Holy Temple octahedron. All human-beings eventually undergo this
high initiation, called the ShM Initiation (or ‘Name’ Initiation).37
Jacob’s name-change to Israel (‫ ,ישראל‬YShRAL) symbolizes the
elevation of human consciousness from the sefirah Tifaret (Jacob) to
the sphere of Da’at (Israel). At that time Da’at becomes integrated into
human consciousness and the ‘covenant of the Unique One’ (BRYTh
YChYD, ‫ )ברית יחיד‬is activated.
During the evolution of the octahedron the ShM Pillar becomes
established as its central axis. This occurs as Jacob’s guardian angel
(Tifaret, Kaf) releases his hold on the Shin and Maym pathways and
allows them to fully merge together. Jacob as Israel (Da’at) then
assumes control of the ShM Pillar. 38
The ShM Pillar empowers Israel to become consciously involved in the
divine Work of Yetzirah (Formation). In other words, after reconciling

36

See: Genesis, Chapter 32.

So called because during this initiation the identity (i.e. the ‘name’) of the human
‘monad’ (‘Yechidah’) is revealed. This is the true name of the ShM Initiate.
37

Prior to Israel (i.e. a ShM initiate) gaining control of the ShM Pillar, the gradual
merging of the paths of Shin and Maym is supervised by Jacob’s (i.e. an average
human-being’s) Holy Guardian Angel (or Solar Angel). This is standard procedure
during human evolution in the lead up to the ShM initiation.
38

pg. 61


December 7, 2013

the paths of Shin and Maym within his own microcosmic self, Jacob as
Israel is able to consciously assist the Creator in the macrocosmic
merging of Binah (Shin, divine Fire) with Hockmah (Maym, divine
Water). In doing so, Israel takes his first step on a new path of cosmic
evolution.

Jacob’s ShM initiation is described in Genesis, 32:24-32. (See below.)
Notice the frequency of the word ShM in the passage, and the unusual
occurrence of the word Kaf (‫ ,כף‬KP, ‘cup’, or ‘hollow’). The entire
episode is highly peculiar, and therefore likely to contain a hidden
esoteric meaning.
The ‘hollow’ (‫ ,כ‬Kaf) of Jacob’s thigh is Tifaret 39 and the ‚sinew that
shrank‛ symbolizes the decline of Shin’s dominance leading to the
merging of the Shin and Maym pathways to form the ShM Pillar.
In the end, Jacob calls the place of his ShM initiation Peniel (‘Face of
God’) because he’s ‚seen God face to face‛. This name is appropriate
because the awakening of the sphere of Mawkone (Da’at) unites the
‘face of the microcosm’ (i.e. the lower sefirot of the Tree of Yetzirah)
with the ‘face of the macrocosm’ (i.e. the highest sefirot of the Tree).
It’s only via the sphere of Da’at that we’re able to behold the ‘face of
God’. This is the ultimate purpose of the ShM Initiation.

Kaf (‫ )כ‬is the Hebrew double letter associated with Tifaret and the Sun (‫,שמש‬
ShMSh). It’s the sacred Cup that holds the divine Water of the path of Maym (‫ .)מ‬The
Cup itself is made from Fire (‫ ,ש‬Shin). This is the esoteric reason why the Hebrew
word ShMSh (‘the Sun’) shows Maym (divine Water) in the midst of Shin (divine
Fire). Similarly, the Shin of Binah (divine Fire) is a vessel of Fire that surrounds and
covers the Maym of Hockmah (divine Water).
39

pg. 62


December 7, 2013

And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man [angel]
with him until the breaking of the day. And when he saw
that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow
[KP] of his thigh; and the hollow [KP] of Jacob's thigh was
out of joint, as he wrestled with him. And he said, Let me
go, for the day breaketh. And he said, I will not let thee go,
except thou bless me. And he said unto him, What is thy
name [ShM]? And he said, Jacob. And he said, Thy name
[ShM] shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a
prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast
prevailed. And Jacob asked him, and said, Tell me, I pray
thee, thy name [ShM]. And he said, Wherefore is it that
thou dost ask after my name [ShM]? And he blessed him
there. And Jacob called the name [ShM] of the place Peniel:
for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
And as he passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and
he halted upon his thigh. Therefore the children of Israel
eat not of the sinew which shrank, which is upon the
hollow [KP] of the thigh, unto this day: because he
touched the hollow [KP] of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that
shrank.
[Genesis, 32:24-32.]
[Square-bracketed notes are my own.]

pg. 63


December 7, 2013

Sealing the Depths

He chose three letters from among the Simple letters,
[in the mystery of the three Mothers: Alef, Maym, Shin].
And He set them in His great ShM,
and with them He sealed six extremities.
Five: He sealed ‚above‛ and faced upward,
and sealed it with Yud, Vav, Heh (YVH).
Six: He sealed ‚below‛ and faced downward,
and sealed it with Heh, Vav, Yud (HVY).
Seven: He sealed ‚east‛ and faced straight ahead,
and sealed it with Yud, Heh, Vav (YHV).
Eight: He sealed ‚west‛ and faced backward,
and sealed it with Vav, Heh, Yud (VHY).
Nine: He sealed ‚south‛ and faced to the right,
and sealed it with Heh, Yud, Vav (HYV).
Ten: He sealed ‚north‛ and faced to the left,
and sealed it with Vav, Yud, Heh (VYH).

Verse 1:13 of the Sefer Yetzirah explains how we should commence
building the Holy Temple octahedron. It uses essentially the same
methodology and fulfils the same esoteric function as the well-known
Hermetic ‘Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram’. The Sefer Yetzirah’s

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December 7, 2013

version of the ritual is exceptional because it fortifies not only the four
compass-point directions, but also the ‘depths’ of Above and Below.
The Sefer Yetzirah employs six ‘royal seals’ (or ‘rings’, ‫ )טבעת‬to
establish and fortify the six ‘directions’ that uphold and sustain the
World. Each seal formula (see above) is the mirror image of the
formula assigned to the opposite end of its axis. This ensures that the
six formulae conform to the ‚three opposite three‛ requirement of
verse 6:5.

These YHV formulas are based on the natural YHVH structure of the
Tree of Life. (See below.) As far as I know, they do not occur in any
extant version of the Sefer Yetzirah. Unfortunately, the original
arrangement of the YHV formulas is unknown due to deliberate
concealment and/or scribal error. Most importantly however, in
practice, these assignments work very effectively.

There are four levels of the Tree of Life associated with the letters of
the Tetragrammaton (YHVH). The first three levels constitute the Tree
of Yetzirah, while the last level adds the sefirah Malkut (i.e. Assiah).
The highest level of the Tree of Yetzirah is symbolized by Yud (‫ .)י‬At
this level there is no Heh or Vav. The letter Yud (‫ )י‬is assigned singly to
the first two sefirot. The first sefirah is called the Holy Breath and is
associated with Ain Sof. It symbolizes the inhaled breath of the Creator
and contains in latency the ten-fold Tree of Yetzirah. The Yud of the
second sefirah is ‘Breath from Breath’. The second Yud represents the
exhaled (i.e. externalized) breath of the Creator. Thus, they are both
expressions of the same archetype—that is, Yud.
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December 7, 2013

Figure 12 : The Tree of YHVH

pg. 66


December 7, 2013

With 32 mystical paths of wisdom (‫ ,חכמה‬HKMH)
engraved Yah (‫ ,יה‬YH).40
[From: Sefer Yetzirah, 1:1.]

The second Tetragrammaton level is comprised of the third and fourth
sefirot. At this level the letters Yud and Heh are combined in pairs and
there is no Vav. Hockmah is given YH (‫ )יה‬and Binah is assigned HY
(‫ .)הי‬These two sefirot represent opposing principles, like centrifugal
and centripetal force, light and darkness, 'Good' and 'Evil', etc.
Hockmah represents the movement of energy from Yud to Heh, or
Male to Female, while Binah signifies the opposite, but complementary
energy flow of Heh to Yud, or Female to Male.
These two fundamental kabbalistic formulas—YH and HY—are found
in the two supreme Names of God: YHVH (‫ ,יהוה‬Yehovah) and
ALHYM (‫ ,אלהים‬Elohim). YHVH is commonly associated with
Hockmah and ALHYM with Binah.
The sefirah Binah is considered especially important because the
formula HY (‫ )הי‬parallels the key formula of creation, ShM ('Name',
‫ .)שם‬Heh (‫ )ה‬is associated with Shin (‫ ,)ש‬and Yud (‫ )י‬is associated with
Maym (‫ .)ם‬Generally speaking, the flow of energy from Binah to
Hockmah (via the Bayt, ‫ ,ב‬pathway) represents the evolution of
consciousness (propelled by the fiery pressure of Shin) away from its
dependence on the Form principle (Binah).
The six lower sefirot plus the Holy Temple (i.e. Tifaret) constitute the
third (i.e. YHV) Tetragrammaton level of the Tree of Life. The Hebrew

Appropriately, this is the very first line of the Sefer Yetzirah. Note that the YH
formula is assigned to the sefirah Hockmah (Wisdom), called depth of Good.
40

pg. 67


December 7, 2013

letter Vav (‫ )ו‬appears for the first time at this level and it’s here that the
letters of the Holy Name are combined in threes.
At this level the letter Vav is added to the Yud and Heh (of the higher
sefirot) thereby producing the six seals of Yetzirah. These six formulae
establish the ‘extremities’ of our space/time continuum and field of
consciousness. The three letters—Yud, Heh, and Vav—are called
'fathers' in the Sefer Yetzirah. They symbolize the three Hebrew
Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
The two seals that occupy the middle pillar symbolize the back and
forth energy flow between Father/Hockmah (Y) and Mother/Binah (H).
In these two formulas the letter Vav (V) holds the central position. It
represents the Son principle (or microcosm). So basically, the
Da’at/Tifaret formula YVH signifies Father-Son-Mother, and the Yesod
formula HVY represents Mother-Son-Father.
The Yesod (i.e. ‘depth of Below’) formula HVY contains the three
letters Heh, Vav, and Yud in their natural order in the Hebrew
alphabet—that is, from Alef to Tav. Therefore, it symbolizes a
movement away from the Source, towards materiality.
Similarly, the Da’at/Tifaret (i.e. ‘depth of Above’) formula YVH
contains the three letters Yud, Vav, and Heh in their reverse natural
order in the Hebrew alphabet—that is, from Tav to Alef. Therefore, it
symbolizes the returning flow of energy back to the spiritual Source.

The two seals occupying the right-hand pillar (i.e. of Mercy) both
contain the YH sub-formula of Hockmah (‘Father’). Basically, both
formulae reflect (from different angles) the relationship between the
Father (YH) and the Son (V).
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December 7, 2013

The two seals that occupy the left-hand pillar (i.e. of Judgment) both
contain the HY sub-formula of Binah (‘Mother’). Basically, both
formulae reflect (from different angles) the relationship between the
Mother (HY) and the Son (V).
The final Heh is added to YHVH when the sefirah Malkut
(symbolizing dense physical manifestation) is appended to the Tree of
Life. Malkut occurs at the lowest (i.e. fourth) Tetragrammaton level on
the Tree diagram. This is where the Holy Name is completed—i.e.
where it assumes its four-fold (i.e. ‘Tetragrammaton’) form.
As long as the sphere of Da'at remains dormant within human
consciousness, the sefirah Malkut (as the final Heh of YHVH) remains
spiritually desolate—i.e. devoid of the Divine Presence (or Shekinah).
But when Da'at is awakened in consciousness—that is, when the Holy
Temple octahedron is established and sanctified—then the Heh of
Binah (i.e. the higher Shekinah) is once again able to descend to inhabit
the microcosm, even unto the Heh of Malkut.

There are twelve special forms of the Holy Name YHVH that are called
'descendants' in the Sefer Yetzirah. These twelve formulae combine
together to form the sefirah Malkut. Each of the twelve descendants is
associated with one of the twelve boundaries that form the octahedron.
The twelve descendants symbolize the twelve sons of Jacob, and the
twelve tribes of Israel. (See below for more information.)

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December 7, 2013

The Ritual of Sealing the Depths

In verse 1:13 the six vertices of the octahedron are called ‘extremities’
(‫ ,קץ‬QTz) but in other verses they’re referred to as ‘depths’ (‫,עומק‬
OVMQ). Personally, I prefer to use the English word ‘depth’ during
my Holy Temple rituals.

ShM, ShM, ShM
I seal the Depth of Room with ‫( יוה‬Y, V, H)
I seal the Depth of Takath with ‫( הוי‬H, V, Y)
ShM
I seal the Depth of Mizrawk with ‫( יהו‬Y, H, V)
ShM
I seal the Depth of Dawrome with ‫( היו‬H, Y, V)
ShM
I seal the Depth of Ma'arab with ‫( והי‬V, H, Y)
ShM
I seal the Depth of Tzawfone with ‫( ויה‬V, Y, H)
ShM
I banish the darkness from this place with ‫( יהוה‬Y, H, V, H)
ShM, ShM, ShM

pg. 70


December 7, 2013

Commentary

Stand and face the East. Breathe deeply and rhythmically. Assume a
relaxed state, but keep your mind focused. Use your power of
visualization to see the spheres above and below you, and at the four
compass points.

Figure 13 : The Holy Temple Octahedron

pg. 71


December 7, 2013

Visualize the sefirotic spheres in their appropriate sefirotic colours. See
also their associated Hebrew double letters glowing brightly within
them. The four compass point spheres should be positioned in the air
at about waist height.
Repeat each line of the ritual three times in three breaths.
Intone the six seals by pronouncing their Hebrew letters. For example,
pronounce YVH as Yud, Vav, Heh.
After sealing the depth of Room (Above/Da’at) and the depth of
Takath (Below/Yesod) intone ShM (‘Shshshshemmmmmmm’). See a
column of purple light extending from the depth of Below (Takath) to
the depth of Above (Room). When it's established, see also the sefirah
Tifaret (coloured gold) in the midst of the ShM Pillar. Visualize the
Hebrew letter Kaf (‫ )כ‬within the sphere of Tifaret.
The ShM Pillar represents the ‘core’ of your ‘nuclear reactor’. Use its
power to seal the depths, and to banish the darkness from your
octahedron.
As you seal each of the four compass point depths, draw with your
finger (or wand) a pentagram of white light superimposed on top of
the associated sefirotic sphere. Breathe out the light of ShM and focus
it through your finger/wand. Also, as you turn to face each new
direction, intone ShM and draw a line of white light that joins together
the previous pentagram with the next pentagram. Complete the circle
by facing again towards the East—i.e. after the last depth (Tzawfone)
has been sealed. Then intone ShM and draw a large circle of light that
begins from Dawrome (South) rises to Room (Above) then descends to
Tzawfone (North) then continues to descend to Takath (Below) and
rises/returns to Dawrome (South) to complete the circle. Then intone
ShM and draw a large circle of light that begins from Mizrawk (East)
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December 7, 2013

rises to Room (Above) then descends to Ma’arab (West) then continues
to descend to Takath (Below) and rises/returns to Mizrawk (East) to
complete the circle. End by facing the East.
Each time you turn and face a new direction endeavour to see all the
depths/sefirot arranged in their new relative positions: In front of you
and behind you, to your left and right. See also the depths above and
below you, and your ShM Pillar with Tifaret (i.e. the Holy Temple) in
the midst. With this visualization exercise you’re establishing a
foundation for all your magical operations.
Also, when you visualize each depth, and draw its pentagram, imagine
the four boundaries (or edges) that join it to the rest of the octahedron.
The visualisation should be like looking into a corner where four edges
meet.
As you intone the Hebrew letters of each seal briefly visualize them in
white light within their associated pentagrams.
As you seal the first two depths (i.e. Above and Below) turn your gaze
towards them. Use your power of visualization to imagine the
pentagrams upon the sphere above you and the sphere below you. (In
other words, there's no need to draw those two pentagrams with your
wand.) Also, try to visualize the four edges of the octahedron that
connect the depths of Above and Below with the four compass-point
depths.
At the end of the ritual, when you banish the darkness and pronounce
the Name ‘Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh’, project with your mind a Yud towards
the depth of Mizrawk (East), a Heh towards the depth of Dawrome
(South), a Vav towards the depth of Ma’arab (West), and the final Heh
towards the depth of Tzawfone (North). See waves of white light
pulsing from the ShM Pillar and spreading out to fill and purify the
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December 7, 2013

space within the Holy Temple (octahedron). See also, lines of white
light that represent the twelve edges of the octahedron. Maintain this
visualization for as long as desired.
After two weeks of performing this daily ritual you shouldn’t need to
repeat each line of the ritual three times. Your visualizations should be
strong enough so that one pronouncement per depth will suffice.

Figure 14 : Sealing the Depths

pg. 74


December 7, 2013

Invoking the Shekinah

With 32 mystical paths of wisdom
engraved Yah.
The Lord of Hosts.
The God of Israel.
The Living God.
King of the World.
Almighty God.
Merciful and Gracious.
High and Exalted.
Dwelling in Eternity.
Whose ShM is Holy.
He is Lofty and Holy.
with three books (SPhRYM).
With text (SPhR).
With number (SPhR).
And with communication (SPhVR).

When you’ve firmly established the design of the Holy Temple
octahedron within your consciousness, then it’s time to invite the
Shekinah, the divine Presence, to dwell within it. This is achieved by
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December 7, 2013

intoning the names of God mentioned in verse 1:1 of the Sefer Yetzirah
(quoted above). The names are presented as opposing pairs that
coincide exactly with the sequence of opposing depths as listed in
verse 1:5.

Ten sefirot belimah:
which have no end.
A depth of Beginning,
A depth of End,
A depth of Good,
A depth of Evil,
A depth of Above,
A depth of Below,
A depth of East,
A depth of West,
A depth of North,
A depth of South.
God Faithful King,

pg. 76


December 7, 2013

The eleventh divine name ‘Whose ShM is Holy’ (or ‘The Holy ShM’) is
associated with the ShM Pillar. But the given order of all the other
names in verse 1:1 precisely parallels their depth counterparts as
presented in verse 1:5.
Verse 1:1

Verse 1:5

Sphere

Yah

Depth of Beginning

Ain Sof

The Lord of Hosts

Depth of End

Keter

The God of Israel

Depth of Good

Hockmah

The Living God

Depth of Evil

Binah

King of the World

Depth of Above

Da’at

Almighty God

Depth of Below

Yesod

Merciful and Gracious

Depth of East

Hesed

High and Exalted

Depth of West

Hod

Dwelling in Eternity

Depth of North

Netzah

Whose ShM is Holy

ShM Pillar

Tifaret

Lofty and Holy

Depth of South

Geburah

The divine name mentioned at the end of verse 1:5—‚God Faithful
King‛—is akin to the name ‚King of the World‛ given in verse 1:1.
Both names are associated with ‘depth of Above’ (i.e. Da’at).
God Faithful King,

pg. 77


December 7, 2013

Da’at is distinguished from the other components of the Tree of
Yetzirah because it’s the sacred portal through which the Shekinah
enters into the Holy Temple octahedron. And Da’at is also the base (i.e.
Mawkone) upon which the Creator (Who is especially represented by
the highest sefirot) sits.
The Shekinah ritual is simple, but powerful. It’s performed every day
for a week. It’s always performed immediately after the ‘sealing the
depths’ ritual. The Shekinah ritual is performed in order to consecrate
the Holy Temple octahedron and to firmly establish it

in

consciousness.
The divine names are intoned within their associated depths in
precisely the same sequence as they are sealed.

Divine Name

Hebrew

Depth

Beginning
‫יה‬
The Lord of Hosts
End
‫יהוה צבאות‬
The God of Israel
Good
‫אלהי ישראל‬
The Living God
Evil
‫אלהים חיים‬
King of the World
Above
‫מלך עולם‬
Almighty God
Below
‫אל שדי‬
Merciful and Gracious ‫רחום וחנון‬
East
High and Exalted
West
‫רם ונשא‬
Dwelling in Eternity
North
‫שוכן עד‬
Whose ShM is Holy
‫ קדוש שם‬ShM Pillar
Lofty and Holy
South
‫מרום וקדוש‬
Yah

Hebrew

Sefirah

‫ראשית‬
‫אחרית‬
‫טוב‬
‫רע‬
‫רום‬
‫תחת‬
‫מזרח‬
‫מערב‬
‫צפון‬
‫שם‬
‫דרום‬

Ain Sof
Keter
Hockmah
Binah
Da’at
Yesod
Hesed
Hod
Netzah
Tifaret
Geburah

pg. 78


December 7, 2013

The Shekinah Invocation Ritual

I invite the Divine Presence
to infuse this Holy Temple.
Melek Olahm
El Shad-dah-ee
Qawdoshe Sheem
Rahkoom ve-Khanoon
Mawrome ve-Qawdoshe
Rawm ve-Nawsaw
Shohken Ahd
Eloheem Khaw-yeem
Elohee Yis-raw-ale
Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh Tze-bay-oth
Yud-Heh
I consecrate this Holy Temple
in service to the Divine Creator.

pg. 79


December 7, 2013

Commentary

Perform this ritual immediately after ‘Sealing the Depths’ (every day
for the period of a week).
Begin by facing east.
Raise your arms towards the Heavens as you pronounce ‚I invite the
Divine Presence to infuse this Holy Temple‛. And raise your arms also
at the end of the ritual when you say ‚I consecrate this Holy Temple in
service to the Divine Creator‛.
Face towards each depth and intone its divine Name. Project the
Names into their associated spheres. There’s no need to mention the
names of the depths. Simply face in the appropriate direction and
visualize each coloured sphere as you intone its associated divine
Name. Make sure you also visualize the appropriate Hebrew double
letter within each sphere. For example: As you intone Rahkoom veKhanoon visualize the Hebrew letter Gimel (‫ )ג‬within the blue Hesed
depth of Mizrawk/East.
Repeat each divine Name a number of times during a cycle of three
breaths. You can intone some of the divine Names several times in one
breath to good effect. Use your own discretion and let your own
experience be your ultimate guide.
Return to face the East when you’re ready to intone the divine names
of the highest depths. There is no need to face towards the four highest
depths.

pg. 80


December 7, 2013

Divine Name

Hebrew

Depth

Letter

Melek Olahm

‫מלך עולם‬

Above

El Shad-dah-ee

‫אל שדי‬

Below

Qawdoshe Sheem

‫קדוש שם‬

ShM Pillar

Rahkoom ve-Khanoon

‫רחום וחנון‬

East

Mawrome ve-Qawdoshe

‫מרום וקדוש‬

South

Rawm ve-Nawsaw

‫רם ונשא‬

West

Shohken Ahd

‫שוכן עד‬

North

Eloheem Khaw-yeem

‫אלהים חיים‬

Evil

Elohee Yis-raw-ale

‫אלהי ישראל‬

Good

Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh Tze-bay-oth

‫יהוה צבאות‬

End

Yud-Heh

‫יה‬

Beginning

‫ב‬
‫ת‬
‫כ‬
‫ג‬
‫ד‬
‫ר‬
‫פ‬
‫ש‬
‫מ‬
‫א‬
‫א‬

Visualise the depth of Ro’ah (‘Evil’) as a red cloud high above the
octahedron, and behind your left shoulder. See within it the Hebrew
letter Shin, flaming red. See fiery energy rush from it to the depth of
Room (Da’at) above you and fill the Holy Temple octahedron.
Visualise the depth of Toob (‘Good’) as a blue cloud high above the
octahedron, and behind your right shoulder. See within it the Hebrew
letter Maym, vibrant blue. See watery ultraviolet energy flow from it to
the depth of Room (Da’at) above you and fill the Holy Temple
octahedron.
Visualise the depth of Akh-ar-reeth (‘End’) as a yellow cloud high
above the octahedron and in front of you. See within it the Hebrew
letter Alef, golden yellow. See brilliant golden lightning flash from it to
the depth of Room (Da’at) above you and fill the Holy Temple
octahedron.
pg. 81


December 7, 2013

Visualise the depth of Ray-sheeth (‘Beginning’) as an invisible cloud
that surrounds the octahedron and expands to infinity. See within it
one thousand Hebrew letter Alefs, iridescent white. See its ethereal
energy encompassing the Holy Temple octahedron.
Perform this ritual every morning for seven days. After that your Holy
Temple will be consecrated.

pg. 82


December 7, 2013

Air, Water, and Fire

The mundane elements—air, water, and fire—are said to emerge from
the three Hebrew mother letters.
And from them emanated air, water, and fire.
And from them are born Fathers.

The ‚great mystical secret‛ is that the three Hebrew simple letters—
Yud, Heh, and Vav—are emanations of the three Hebrew mother
letters. And these three simple letters symbolize the three mundane
elements, and the three ‘fathers’.
When the Sefer Yetzirah refers to air, water, and fire, it’s not referring
directly to the three mother letters: Alef, Maym, and Shin. Rather, it’s
referring to their three elemental emanations (i.e. Vav, Yud, and Heh).
Traditionally, Yud is thought to come from Maym, Heh from Shin, and
Vav from Alef.41 If this is true (which I believe it is) then the Sefer
Yetzirah directly contradicts the modern Hermetic correspondences
that see Yud as fire, and Heh as water. More on this later.

41

See: Sefer Yetzirah, by Aryeh Kaplan. Weiser, 1991. Pg. 140 and 153.
pg. 83


December 7, 2013

The three simple elemental letters emanate from the three mothers as
per the following diagram.

Figure 15 : Yud, Heh, and Vav

Yud (‫ )י‬descends to the sefirah Hesed from Maym (i.e. Hockmah). Heh
(‫ )ה‬descends to the sefirah Geburah from Shin (i.e. Binah). Vav (‫)ו‬
descends to the sefirah Da’at from Alef (i.e. Keter). The fact that the
sefirah Hesed (i.e. Mercy) is commonly characterized by water, and
Geburah

(i.e.

Strength)

by

fire,

supports

these

elemental

correspondences.

pg. 84


December 7, 2013

Notice in verse 3:2 we are told that the three mother letters are
‚covered and sealed with six rings‛, and then air, water, and fire are
mentioned.
A great, mystical secret.
Covered and sealed with six rings.
And from them emanated air, water and fire.

The six YHV rings42 (i.e. ‘seals’) each contain air (Vav), water (Yud),
and fire (Heh) in different combinations.
He chose three letters [Y, H, V]
from among the Simple letters,
(in the mystery of the three Mothers: Alef, Maym, Shin).
And He set them in His great ShM.
[Bracketed notes are my own.]

It’s therefore important to discard the erroneous idea that the Sefer
Yetzirah is referring directly to Alef, Maym, and Shin when it speaks
of elemental air, water, and fire. And to dispel the associated myth that
the mundane elements are assigned to the Alef, Maym, and Shin
pathways of the Tree of Life.

The Hebrew word is TBOTh (‫ .)טבעת‬It refers to the signet ring that a King uses to
seal his official proclamations.
42

pg. 85


December 7, 2013

And they are air [Vav], water [Yud], and fire [Heh].
Three Fathers and their descendants.

The Sefer Yetzirah re-emphasizes the important distinction that exists
between the three mundane elements and the three Hebrew mother
letters in verses 3:7-9 where it’s written: ‚He made the letter Alef king
over Breath43‛, ‚He made Maym king over water‛, and ‚He made Shin
king over fire‛. Thus, rather than being identical to the mundane
elements, the three mother letters are said to rule over them (i.e. from
their sefirotic stations at the top of the Tree of Yetzirah).

This hypothesis is confirmed in verse 6:2 where the technical phrase
‚air of Breath‛ (or ‚air from Breath‛) is used to describe the air
element, while ‚Breath of air‛ is used to describe Alef. Note the
distinction.
Three Mothers: A, M, Sh.

43

That is, ‘air of Breath’.
pg. 86


December 7, 2013


And in verse 3:4.
Three Mothers: Alef, Maym, Shin
in the World are air, water, fire.

The phrase ‚air from Breath‛ does not refer to Alef (‫ .)א‬Rather, it
describes the air (Vav, ‫ )ו‬that emanates from the divine Breath (i.e.
from Alef, ‫ .)א‬In other words, ‚air from Breath‛ is code for ‘Vav from
Alef’.
As previously mentioned, ‚Air of Breath‛ is counterbalanced by the
technical phrase ‚Breath of air‛ that occurs in verse 2:1 (and in 6:2
quoted above).
deciding between them.

‚Breath of air‛ emphasizes the idea that Alef is the divine Breath from
which air (Vav) emanates.
pg. 87


December 7, 2013

In the macrocosmic world (i.e. at the top of the Tree of Yetzirah) Alef
(Keter) ‘decides between’ Maym (Hockmah) and Shin (Binah). But in
the microcosmic world of the octahedron (i.e. the lower portion of the
Tree of Yetzirah) elemental air (Vav) ‘decides between’ water (Yud)
and fire (Heh).

pg. 88


December 7, 2013

Fixed, Mutable, and Cardinal

We know that the six YHV seals (or ‘rings’) are assigned to the six
sefirot (i.e. depths)—that is, to the six vertices of the octahedron. And
we also know that the twelve edges of the octahedron extend from the
six vertices in a symmetrical pattern that follows the order of the
twelve simple Hebrew letters as presented in verse 5:2.
Twelve Elementals:

‫הוז חטי לנס עצק‬
♈♉♊ ♋♌♍ ♎♏♐ ♑♒♓
The east upper boundary,
The east northern boundary,
The east lower boundary,
The south upper boundary,
The south eastern boundary,
The south lower boundary,
The west upper boundary,
The west southern boundary,
The west lower boundary,
The north upper boundary,
The north western boundary,
[Blue text has been added by me.]

pg. 89


December 7, 2013

The key to understanding this verse is based on the Sefer Yetzirah’s
allocation of the twelve simple letters to the twelve signs of the
zodiac.44
Verse 5:2 presents a geometrical arrangement of the twelve boundaries
that’s based on the threefold division of the zodiac into cardinal, fixed,
and mutable signs. It’s an arrangement that’s patterned on the Hebrew
letter formula HVY, where Heh (‘fire’) signifies a cardinal sign, Vav
(‘air’) indicates a fixed sign, and Yud (‘water’) represents a mutable
sign.45
Fire (Heh) is ‘above’—that is, the four cardinal sign boundaries are
attached to the ‘depth of Above’ (i.e. Da’at). Water (Yud) is ‘below’—
that is, the four mutable sign boundaries are attached to the ‘depth of
Below’ (i.e. Yesod).
The statement ‚Air of Breath is the rule that decides between them‛
refers to the four fixed (Vav) sign boundaries that define the horizontal
perimeter of the octahedron. They’re positioned precisely between the
cardinal (Heh) boundaries above and the mutable (Yud) boundaries
below.
Cardinal (Above)

Fixed (Middle)

Mutable (Below)

Heh (H)

Vav (V)

Taurus

Zayn

Gemini

Het

Cancer

Tet

Leo

Yud (Y)

Virgo

Lamed

Libra

Nun

Scorpio

Sameck

Sagittarius

Ayin

44

Aries

Capricorn

Tzaddie

Aquarius

Qof

Pisces

See: Sefer Yetzirah, Chap. 5.

Cardinal signs are said to be ‘initiating’ (like ‘Fire’). Fixed signs are said to be
‘preserving’ (like ‘Air’). Mutable signs are said to be ‘transforming’ (like ‘Water’).
45

pg. 90


December 7, 2013

Figure 16 : The Holy Temple Octahedron
pg. 91


December 7, 2013

In fact, § 12 of the Saadyan Recension46 of the Sefer Yetzirah directly
refers to the mundane air principle’s close association with the four
compass-point sefirot...
Two ‒ Air from Spirit *i.e. ‘Breath from Breath’+.
He carved and hewed in it the four winds of heaven
‒ east and west, north and south
And the air [i.e. Vav] is in each one of them.
[From: Sefer Yetzirah, § 12.]
[Blue text added by me.]

This verse occultly informs us that the four fixed (i.e. Vav/air) simple
letter pathways (i.e. the ‚four winds of heaven‛) are attached to the
four directional sefirot: ‘Depth of East’ (i.e. Hesed), ‘Depth of West’
(i.e. Hod), ‘Depth of North’ (i.e. Netzah), and ‘Depth of South’ (i.e.
Geburah).

The full HVY arrangement of the twelve simple letter pathways within
the octahedron is alluded to metaphorically in verse 1:11 where it is
stated<
He engraved them like a sort of garden
He carved them like a sort of wall
He covered them like a sort of ceiling

And in verse 5:11<

46

Sefer Yesira. A. Peter Hayman. Mohr Siebeck, 2004. Pg. 83.
pg. 92


December 7, 2013

He made them like a trough
He arranged them like a wall
He set them up like a battle.

Figure 17 : Garden, Wall, and Ceiling

As you can see, the four fixed pathways (coloured yellow in the
diagram) form a ‘wall’ around the kabbalist, while the four cardinal
pathways (red) provide an obvious ‘ceiling’. The ‘garden’ and ‘trough’
pg. 93


December 7, 2013

imagery of the four mutable pathways (blue) suggests something dug
into the ground, which is also symbolically apposite.

The Sefer Yetzirah ultimately confirms the HVY key to its boundary
arrangement by assigning the letter Heh to a cardinal sign (Aries), Vav
to a fixed sign (Taurus), and Yud to a mutable sign (Virgo).
Letter

Sign

Mode

Direction

Element47

Heh

Aries

Cardinal

Above

Fire

Vav

Taurus

Fixed

In Between

Air

Yud

Virgo

Mutable

Below

Water

These correspondences support the tradition that Heh comes from
Shin (and is therefore associated with fire), and Yud comes from
Maym (and so is associated with water).48

These pseudo-elemental correspondences relate to the Sefer Yetzirah’s division of
the zodiacal signs into cardinal, fixed, and mutable signs.
47

I’m not suggesting, however, that Hermetic kabbalists should change the elemental
attributions of YHVH to Water-Fire-Air-Earth. These attributions are only relevant
within the context of the metaphysical scheme of the Sefer Yetzirah.
48

pg. 94


December 7, 2013

And note also that the Saadyan Recension49 of the Sefer Yetzirah
indicates the primacy and importance of the HVY formula in § 15<
<He chose three simple
letters and fixed them in his
great name ‒ HVY.
[From: Sefer Yetzirah, § 15]

In other editions of the Sefer Yetzirah the ‘great name’ is given as YHV,
but I believe the Saadya version has it right. It’s a direct reference to
the Cardinal-Fixed-Mutable (H-V-Y) sequence of the twelve simple
Hebrew letters (as presented in verse 5:2).

Thus, the six YHV seals that are attached to the octahedron’s six
vertices are occultly associated with the three groups of cardinal (Heh),
mutable (Yud), and fixed (Vav) edges of the octahedron. And it’s this
special configuration of the twelve edges of the octahedron that’s the
basis for the following paragraph of Sefer Yetzirah, verse 6:2.
Air [Vav], water [Yud], and fire [Heh].
Fire [Cardinal] is above, water [Mutable] is below,
and air of Breath [Fixed] is the rule

49

pg. 95


December 7, 2013

The Holy Temple octahedron has the sphere of Da’at as its highest
vertex, and incorporates the combined paths of Shin and Maym as its
vertical axis. Notice (in the diagram above) that the path of Shin
(divine Fire) is focused in Yesod and therefore is closely connected to
the four mutable (mundane ‘water’) boundaries. And note also that the
path of Maym (divine Water) is directly linked via Da’at to the four
cardinal (mundane ‘fire’) boundaries.
This tells us that the path of Shin (divine Fire) is naturally disposed
towards blending its energy with the four mutable (water) pathways,
while the path of Maym (divine Water) is especially focused towards
the four cardinal (fire) pathways.
Indeed, the reconciliation and blending of fire and water, and water
and fire, is the major theme of the Sefer Yetzirah. It’s achieved through
the merging of Shin (divine Fire) and Maym (divine Water), and in the
blending of Heh (mundane fire) and Yud (mundane water).

pg. 96


December 7, 2013

Earth

When the Sefer Yetzirah mentions ‘earth’ in verse 1:11 it’s referring to
the octahedron’s twelve-fold boundary configuration and to the final
sefirah called Malkut 50.
Three: Water from Breath.
With it He engraved and carved
[22 letters from]
chaos and void; mire and clay.
He engraved them like a sort of garden [mutable paths].
He carved them like a sort of wall [fixed paths].
He covered them like a sort of ceiling [cardinal paths].
[And He poured snow over them,
and it became dust.
As it is written:
‚For to snow He said, ‘Become earth’‛ (Job 37:6).+
[Bracketed blue text added by me.]

The ‘garden’, ‘wall’, and ‘ceiling’ symbolism of verse 1:11 refers to the
four mutable (Yud/water), four fixed (Vav/air), and four cardinal
(Heh/fire) boundaries of the octahedron.
When ‘snow’ (i.e. Maym, divine Water) is ‘poured over them’ (i.e.
poured over the twelve boundaries) they form ‘earth’ (i.e. the sefirah
Malkut comes into manifestation).

50

Malkut represents the collective physical manifestation of the twelve boundaries.
pg. 97


December 7, 2013

In verse 3:4 the term ‘earth’ more specifically refers to the four mutable
boundaries of the ‘World’ octahedron.
Three Mothers: Alef, Maym, Shin,
in the World51 are air, water, fire.
Heaven52 [cardinal pathways] was created from fire [Heh].
Earth [mutable pathways] was created from water [Yud].
And air [middle pathways, Vav] from Breath [Alef]
decides between them.
[Sefer Yetzirah, 3:4.]

‚Earth‛, in verse 3:4 corresponds with the ‚garden‛ of verse 1:11
(quoted above). Similarly, in verse 3:4, ‚heaven‛ corresponds with the
‚ceiling‛ of verse 1:11, and ‚air from Breath‛ corresponds with the
‚wall‛ mentioned in that verse.
Within the context of the octahedron called ‘World’ 53 the four cardinal
(Heh) pathways are technically referred to as ‘heaven’ because they’re
attached to the ‘depth of Above’ (i.e. Da’at). Similarly, the four mutable
(Yud) pathways are referred to as ‘earth’ because they’re anchored
within the ‘depth of Below’.

51

That is, the ‘World’ octahedron.

In the ‘World’ octahedron fire, water and air form Heaven, Earth, and Air. But in
the ‘Year’ (i.e. astral) octahedron they form: hot, cold, and temperate. And in the
‘Soul’ (i.e. physical) octahedron they form: head, belly, and chest. (See verses 3:4-6.)
52

There are three octahedrons. ‘World’ (‫ ,עולם‬Olahm) is the Sefer Yetzirah’s technical
name for the octahedron of the ‘human microcosm’ in general. It’s the octahedron
we’re working with in this book. There are two other octahedrons called ‘Year’ (‫,שנה‬
Shanah) and ‘Soul’ (‫ ,נפש‬Nefesh). These two represent the human astral and physical
bodies, respectively.
53

pg. 98


December 7, 2013

Fathers & Descendants

The twelve ‘boundaries’ (or edges) of the Holy Temple octahedron are
also associated with the twelve sons of Jacob. The sefirah Tifaret, in the
midst of the octahedron, symbolizes Jacob surrounded by his twelve
sons. This symbolism brings to mind the death of Jacob in Genesis 49,
where Jacob on his death-bed, gathers his twelve sons around him.
And Jacob called unto his sons, and said: Gather yourselves
together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the
last days. Gather yourselves together, and hear, ye sons of
Jacob; and hearken unto Israel your father.
[Genesis 49:1-2.]

The story of Jacob’s life especially exemplifies the ShM Initiation. This
advanced initiation involves the ‘death’ of the human ego-soul
(Tifaret/Jacob) and the development of ‘monadic’ consciousness
(Da’at/Israel). In other words, it involves the death of the ‘Son’ aspect
and the development of the ‘Father’ (Israel) aspect of human
consciousness.

The nature and function of the three ‘fathers’ (and their ‘descendants’)
is a great mystery of the Sefer Yetzirah.
The key to the puzzle is in the association of the three ‘fathers’ with the
three Hebrew simple letters: Yud, Heh, and Vav.

pg. 99


December 7, 2013


When the Sefer Yetzirah mentions the three ‘fathers’ it’s alluding to the
three historical patriarchs of Judaism: Abraham (Yud), Isaac (Heh),
and Jacob (Vav). And similarly, when it speaks of the ‘descendants’ it’s
referring to the twelve sons of Jacob, and the twelve tribes of Israel.
Three Fathers, and their descendants.

The three fathers are especially associated with three sefirot of the Tree
of Yetzirah, namely—Hesed, Geburah, and Da’at. And also by
extension, with the three ‘pillars’ of the Holy Temple octahedron.

pg. 100


December 7, 2013

Figure 18 : Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob/Israel

And consequently, each father rules over the two YHV ‘seals’ that
occupy his associated pillar.
The sphere of Tifaret (i.e. Jacob) and the sefirah Da’at (i.e. Israel) both
share the same seal formula because they represent the same father
(Vav), but at different levels of consciousness.

pg. 101


December 7, 2013

Pillar of
Severity
Isaac

Pillar of
Mildness

Pillar of
Mercy

Jacob/Israel Abraham

(Heh)

(Vav)

(Yud)

South

Above

East

Geburah

Tifaret/Da’at

Hesed

HYV

YVH

YHV

West

Below

North

Hod

Yesod

Netzah

VHY

HVY

VYH

Figure 19 : Tree of Yetzirah - Six Seals
pg. 102


December 7, 2013

The twelve descendants are derived from the six seal formulas by
adjoining an additional letter Heh (‫ )ה‬to the beginning or the end of
each seal. The added Heh symbolizes the twelve boundaries of the
octahedron and their product—the final sefirah called Malkut.
Each descendant formula represents the movement of the Shekinah
(i.e. ShM) through the pathways and sefirot of the octahedron.
The six formulas with Heh appended as a suffix symbolize the
movement of the creative water of Maym (‫ )מ‬as it flows from the six
sefirot (i.e. vertices) into and through the twelve pathways (i.e. edges)
of the octahedron.
The six formulas with Heh attached as a prefix represent the action of
the purging fire of Shin (‫ )ש‬as it works to clear away debris from
within the twelve boundaries of the octahedron. The movement of
Shin is from the pathways towards the six sefirot/vertices.
There are two descendent formulas associated with each of the six
sefirot/vertices of the octahedron. The sefirot themselves are
represented by the three-letter ‘seals’ from which the descendants are
constructed. The pathways attached to each sefirah/vertex are
symbolised by the additional letter Heh.
In their totality the twelve pathways represent the etheric matrix that
underlies, supports, and sustains the existence of the final sefirah
Malkut.
So every Maym descendent formula represents the flow of Maym
energy (i.e. divine Water) from a sefirah into a pathway. Conversely,
every Shin descendant formula represents the flow of Shin energy (i.e.
divine Fire) from a pathway towards a sefirah.

pg. 103


December 7, 2013

Figure 20 : The Six Seals & the Twelve Descendants

pg. 104


December 7, 2013

Because the twelve simple letter boundaries of the octahedron
represent the infrastructure that underpins and sustains the existence
of Malkut (and the world of Assiah) the twelve descendent formulae
also symbolize the movement of energy from the six directional
sefirot/vertices down into Malkut (and vice versa).
The six Maym descendant formulas represent the flow of Maym 54 from
the six sefirot into Malkut. The six Shin descendant formulas represent
the flow of Shin from Malkut towards the six directional sefirot.
For example: The seal for the depth of Mizrawk (i.e. East/Hesed) is
YHV. The associated Maym descendant formula is YHVh ( ‫ .)יהוה‬This
formula represents the flow of Maym energy from Hesed (YHV) into
the Da’at-to-Hesed pathway (and consequently, also down to the
sefirah Malkut where it evokes a physical manifestation55).
YHV → h
Hesed → Pathway (& Malkut)
The Shin descendant formula for the depth of Mizrawk (East/Hesed) is
hYHV (‫ .)היהו‬It represents the movement of Shin from the Da’at-toHesed pathway (h) to Hesed (YHV).
h → YHV
Malkut (Pathway) → Hesed
In other words, the six Shin descendants represent the evolutionary
influence of environmental forces (i.e. Malkut and the twelve
pathways) upon the human psyche (i.e. the six sefirot/vertices).

54

That is, the ‘snow’ of verse 1:11.

55

‚For to snow He said, ‘Become earth’‛ (Job 37:6). [From: Sefer Yetzirah, 1:11.]
pg. 105


December 7, 2013

The six Maym descendants, on the other hand, represent the creative
influence of the human psyche (i.e. the six vertices) upon the
mental/astral/physical environment (i.e. twelve boundaries & Malkut)
in which it is immersed.

The twelve descendant formulas are employed during magical
operations conducted within the Holy Temple octahedron. These
magical workings should only be conducted after the Holy Temple has
been consecrated (i.e. only after you’ve previously performed the
Shekinah Invocation ritual) 56. The ‘Sealing of the Depths’ ritual should
always precede any magical operations performed in the Holy Temple.

Fathers

Depths

Seals

Abraham

East
(Hesed)

YHV YHVh ‫יהוה‬

Mercy

North
(Netzah)

VYH VYHh

Isaac

South
(Geburah)

HYV HYVh

Severity

West
(Hod)

VHY VHYh

Jacob/Israel

Above
(Da’at)

YVH YVHh

Below
(Yesod)

HVY HVYh

‫י‬
‫ה‬
‫ו‬
Mildness

‫יהו‬
‫ויה‬
‫היו‬
‫והי‬
‫יוה‬
‫הוי‬

Descendents
hYHV
hVYH
hHYV
hVHY
hYVH
hHVY

‫היהו‬
‫ויהה‬
‫הויה‬
‫היוה‬
‫ההיו‬
‫והיה‬
‫הוהי‬
‫יוהה‬
‫היוה‬
‫הויה‬
‫ההוי‬

Zodiac



Simeon

Aries

Zebulon

Gemini

Manasseh

Capricorn

Gad

Pisces

Issachar

Cancer

Naphtali

Virgo

Asher

Libra

Benjamin

Sagittarius

Judah

Leo

Reuben

Taurus

Ephraim

Aquarius

Dan

Scorpio












Note that you’re only required to consecrate your Holy Temple once—that is, every
day for the period of a week.
56

pg. 106


December 7, 2013

During most magical operations the descendant formulae are
employed in pairs—a Shin descendant formula combined with its
complementary Maym counterpart. For example: HYVH and HHYV
are used during depth of Dawrome (i.e. South/Geburah) workings. The
depth of Dawrome seal is HYV. The Maym descendant formula for the
depth of Dawrome is HYVH, and its Shin counterpart is HHYV.

In column 4 above, the extra Heh (‫ )ה‬is represented by a lowercase ‘h’.
The zodiacal correspondences of columns 7 and 8 follow the HVY
sequence described in verse 5:2, but it’s not obvious because in the
table the descendant formulas are grouped according to their
association with the three fathers.
You’ll notice in column 5 that two of the descendant formulae appear
to be duplicated. This is due to the repetition of the letter Heh. For
example, the Pisces formula (‫ ,הויה‬hVYH) is ostensibly similar to the
Aquarius formula (‫ ,הויה‬HVYh).57 But in truth, these formulas differ
greatly because one letter Heh (H) represents the influence of Binah
and the other Heh (h) symbolizes Malkut.

In the diagram below, the descendants are assigned to the twelve
boundaries of the octahedron according to a special methodology. The
four compass-point (i.e. horizontally aligned) directions have their
Maym descendants (i.e. those with a Heh suffix) assigned to the upper
boundaries, and their Shin descendants (i.e. those with a Heh prefix)
assigned to the lower boundaries. The descendants of the two seals on
the vertical axis are assigned to the four horizontal boundaries. Thus,

57

The other duplication occurs in relation to the Cancer and Taurus formulas.
pg. 107


December 7, 2013

the descendants of the vertical axis represent the middle principle
(Vav) that ‘decides between’ the four upper boundaries (Heh) and the
four lower boundaries (Yud).
So, for example, depth of Mizrawk (East/Hesed, YHV, ‫ )יהו‬has its Shin
descendant (hYHV, ‫ ,היהו‬Gemini) assigned to the pathway linking it to
the depth of Takath (Below/Yesod), and its Maym descendant (YHVh,

‫ ,יהוה‬Aries) assigned to the pathway linking it to the depth of Room
(Above/Da’at).

Figure 21 : The Octahedron - Descendants

pg. 108


December 7, 2013

Figure 22 : Tree of Yetzirah - Descendants

The diagram above shows the four cardinal boundaries (red) linked to
depth of Above, and the four mutable boundaries (blue) attached to
depth of Below. The four fixed boundaries (yellow) form the square
perimeter of the octahedron.

pg. 109


December 7, 2013

The creative energy that flows from the path of Maym (‫ )מ‬works
through the six Maym descendant formulas. It’s fitting therefore that
four of them—i.e. those that occupy the four cardinal pathways—have
direct access (via Da’at) to the central Maym pathway. Similarly,
because the evolutionary force of the central Shin (‫ )ש‬pathway works
through the six Shin descendant formulas it’s appropriate that four of
those formulae are assigned to the four pathways (i.e. mutable) that
are directly linked (via Yesod) to the central Shin pathway.

Figure 23 : Jacob Surrounded by his Twelve Sons

pg. 110


December 7, 2013

A Tzawfone Working

The following is a simple example of magical working that can be
performed within the Holy Temple octahedron.

Depth

Tzawfone

Sefirah

Netzah

Divine Name Shohken Ahd
Seal

VYH (‫)ויה‬

Shin Desc.

hVYH (‫)הויה‬

Maym Desc.

VYHh (‫)ויהה‬

I invoke the Shekinah of Tzawfone.
Shohken Ahd (repeat)
I purge the pathways of Tzawfone with hVYH. (repeat)
I water the garden of Tzawfone with VYHh. (repeat)
Shohken Ahd (repeat)

pg. 111


December 7, 2013

Commentary

Perform a Tzawfone working when you wish to attract something into
your life.
After sealing the depths, begin the magical operation by facing
towards the depth of Tzawfone (North).
The most important aspect of all your magical operations is the
focused concentration of your mind (i.e. the visual component) and the
focused intent of your Heart (i.e. the strength of your desire).
Visualize the depth of Tzawfone—green, with the Hebrew letter Peh
(‫ )פ‬shining brightly within it.
See also the four pathways (i.e. ‘edges’) that extend from Tzawfone to
Room (Above), Takath (Below), Ma’arab (West), and Mizrawk (East).
During the operation, visualize the object you are seeking to attract
within the sphere of Tzawfone. More specifically, see yourself within
the sphere as already possessing the object.
As you ‘purge the pathways’ of Tzawfone with the Shin descendant
formula, see spiritual fire flame along the four pathways that adjoin
the sphere of Tzawfone. See the fire flow towards and into the depth of
Tzawfone. See it burn away any obstructions in the pathways that
might block the free flow of energy through them.
Maintain the visualization for as long as desired.

pg. 112


December 7, 2013

As you ‘water the garden’ of Tzawfone with the Maym descendant
formula, see divine water flow from the depth of Tzawfone into its
four adjoining pathways (and along all the pathways that compose the
octahedron). Visualize the water bringing the desire of your Heart into
manifestation.
Maintain the visualization for as long as desired.
End by intoning the divine Name Shohken Ahd, and know in your
Heart that the result of the operation is in process of being fulfilled.

pg. 113


December 7, 2013

The Holy ShM

As you know, my investigation has identified the ShM formula as
fundamental to the veiled metaphysical scheme of the Sefer Yetzirah.
This notion is also supported by numerical58 clues provided in the
book’s Hebrew title—i.e. SPR YTzYRH, ‫.ספר יצירה‬
The two root words composing the title are SPR (‫‘ ,ספר‬Book’) and YTzR
(‫‘ ,יצר‬Form’).
SPR = 60 + 80 + 200 = 340 = ShM
YTzR = 10 + 90 + 200 = 300 = Sh
SPR YTzR = 340 + 300 = 640 = ShMSh
From the above you can see that the root title—SPR YTzR—has the
same numerical value as ShMSh (‫‘ ,שמש‬the Sun’, the ‘Holy Temple’).
The word SPR (‘Book’) is equivalent to ShM (‘Name’). The word YTzR
(‘Form’) is equal in value to the Hebrew letter Shin (‫ ,ש‬Sh, ‘divine
Fire’). The latter is appropriate because the sefirah Binah—the ‘Mother
of Form’—embodies and expresses the Shin archetype.
The unusual word ‘sefirot’ (‫ ,ספירות‬SPYRVTh) was invented by the
author(s) of the Sefer Yetzirah to describe the ten ‘depths’ of the Tree
of Life. And it’s likely the authors chose to create the word because its
root—‘SPR’—cryptically links the ten sefirot of the Tree to the ShM
formula—i.e. because SPR is numerically equivalent to ShM.

Hebrew occultists throughout the ages have used the numerical values of the
Hebrew letters to hide secret meanings from casual readers. The technique is called
‘Gematria’.
58

pg. 114


December 7, 2013

The ShM Pillar forms the vertical axis of the Holy Temple octahedron.
In other words, it forms the lower ‘microcosmic’ portion of the Tree’s
Middle Pillar that extends from Da’at through Tifaret to Yesod.
The ShM Pillar is composed of the Shin and Maym pathways. The Shin
pathway rises from Yesod to Tifaret. The Maym pathway descends
from Da’at to Tifaret. Fire rises, water falls. This path arrangement is
understood as perfectly natural and appropriate when the mind is free
of the illusion that the three mother letters are associated with the three
horizontal pathways of the Tree of Life.

The microcosmic Shin pathway (Yesod to Tifaret) is an emanation of
the macrocosmic Shin of Binah (divine Fire) into the Holy Temple
octahedron. Similarly, the microcosmic Maym pathway (Da’at to
Tifaret) is an emanation of the divine Maym of Hockmah (divine
Water) into the Holy Temple octahedron.
As the Shin (‫ ,ש‬divine Fire) and Maym (‫ ,מ‬divine Water) pathways are
blended together within the Holy Temple octahedron they form one
singular pathway that stretches from Da’at to Yesod called the ShM
(‫ )שם‬Pillar.
In other words, the microcosmic ShM is an emanation and reflection of
the macrocosmic ShM.

pg. 115


December 7, 2013

Figure 24 : The Emanation of Shin (and Tav)

The microcosmic Shin (‫ )ש‬pathway is an emanation of the macrocosmic
Shin sefirah (i.e. Binah).
The emanation of Shin (from Binah) descends in conjunction with the
emanation of the Tav (‫ )ת‬pathway. The emanation of the Tav pathway
descends to form the Tav sefirah (i.e. Yesod, ‘depth of Below’).
The Shin pathway is embedded in the Tav sefirah, just as ‘kundalini
fire’ (i.e. the ‘Nachash serpent’) is infused in the principle of Form.
Shin is the redeemer of the Form principle.
pg. 116


December 7, 2013

Figure 25 : The Emanation of Maym (and Kaf)

The microcosmic Maym (‫ )מ‬pathway is an emanation of the
macrocosmic Maym sefirah (i.e. Hockmah).
The emanation of Maym descends (from Hockmah) in conjunction
with the emanation of the Kaf (‫ )כ‬pathway. The emanation of the Kaf
pathway descends to form the Kaf sphere (i.e. Tifaret, the ‘Holy
Temple’).
The Maym pathway is anchored within the Holy Temple revealing
Wisdom to be the fuel that energizes and transforms Consciousness.
pg. 117


December 7, 2013

‚And thou shalt be like a watered garden‛ (Is. LVIII, 11), that is,
like the celestial garden whose supernal waters never fail, but
flow on for ever and ever; ‚and like a spring of water, whose
waters fail not‛ (ibid.), alluding to the river that issues from
Eden and flows on for all eternity.
Observe that the ‚well of living waters‛ is a symbol within a
symbol for guiding faith. There is the well [Hockmah] which is
the very source of the waters, and there is the well [path of
Maym] which is fed by that source of water. There are thus two
grades, which are, however, really one with two aspects, male
and female, in fitting union. The well and the issue of waters are
one, designated by the name of ‚well‛, it being at once the
supernal never-ceasing fountain and the well that is filled by it.
And whoever gazes at that well gazes at the true object of faith.
This is the symbol which the patriarchs transmitted in digging
the well, in such a way as to indicate that the source and the
well are indissoluble.
AND HE CALLED ITS NAME REHOBOTH (lit. streets, broad
places) [pathways]. By this he intimated that his descendants
would one day tend that well in the fitting manner through the
mystical potency of offerings and burnt-offerings (like Adam,
when God ‚put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and keep
it‛ (Gen. II, 15), to wit, by offerings and burnt-offerings), so that
its springs should flow forth on every side, as Scripture says:
‚Let thy springs be dispersed abroad, and courses of water in
the streets (rehoboth) [pathways]‛ (Prov. V, 16). Hence here the
name of Rehoboth (streets, broad places).'
[Soncino Zohar, Tol'doth, 141a-141b, v2, pp. 51-52.]
[Bracketed comments in the quote above are my own.]

pg. 118


December 7, 2013

The above passage (from the Soncino Zohar) alludes to the projection
of Maym into the microcosm from the macrocosmic Maym of
Hockmah.

Figure 26 : The Da'at Nexus

The sefirah Da’at (i.e. ‘depth of Above’, ‫ )ב‬is a faculty whereby the
Consciousness principle becomes intelligently aware of the entry of
Shin (‫ )ש‬and Maym (‫ )מ‬into the Holy Temple octahedron.
pg. 119


December 7, 2013

The Fire of Shin passes from Binah into the Tav pathway and initially
descends into the octahedron in conjunction with the sphere of Tav
(i.e. Yesod). But the descent of Shin into the octahedron remains
unconscious until the sphere of Da’at is contacted. Shin remains
attached to Yesod via the adjacent Shin pathway. From there Shin
energises and purifies Yesod59. It gradually rises up the spine,
eventually moving through the etheric/physical, astral, and mental
bodies (i.e. the vertices of the octahedron).
Shin also corresponds with the fire that’s generated within the molten
core of the Earth. It pushes outward from the centre, heating and
energizing the substance of the Earth with its radiation. It radiates
from the centre to the surface of the planet where it stimulates the
growth of biological organisms—i.e. physical forms to serve as
vehicles for consciousness.
The Water of Maym flows from Hockmah into the path of Kaf and
initially descends into the octahedron in conjunction with the sphere of
Kaf (i.e. Tifaret60). But the entry of Maym into the octahedron remains
unconscious until the sphere of Da’at is contacted. The Maym pathway
is formed adjacent to Tifaret. It represents a reservoir of divine Water
that flows into and through Tifaret during the process of Creation.
Maym also corresponds with a mysterious creative energy that enters
our solar system by passing through the inter-dimensional portal that
is the Sun. The energy of Maym radiates invisibly from the Sun and
stimulates creative change on all the planets in our solar system. The
radiation of Maym is perhaps more strongly felt during the eruption of
solar flares.

59

Yesod represents the etheric matrix—the foundation of physical manifestation.

60

Tifaret represents the ‘causal body’, or Ruach.
pg. 120


December 7, 2013

A ShM Initiate gains access to the Tav and Kaf pathways via Da’at. The
Fire of Shin flows from Binah into the Tav pathway and
simultaneously surges from the Shin pathway into the Tav sefirah (i.e.
Yesod, ‘depth of Below’). The water of Maym flows from Hockmah
into the Kaf pathway and simultaneously pours from the Maym
pathway into the Kaf sphere (i.e. Tifaret, the Holy Temple).

Figure 27 : The Alef (‫ )א‬Pathway is Focused in Da’at

pg. 121


December 7, 2013

When a ShM Initiate becomes focused in Da’at s/he also establishes
contact with the Alef (‫ )א‬pathway. The Alef pathway transmits the
divine purpose/will of the Creator from Keter to Da’at. Therefore when
a ShM Initiate is working with the powerful forces of Shin (Binah) and
Maym (Hockmah) s/he is necessarily operating under the guiding
influence of the Will of the Creator.
The pathway-sefirah relationships highlighted in the images above
should be carefully studied because they reveal the central function
and purpose of Alef, Maym, and Shin within the Tree of Yetzirah.

The blending of Shin and Maym is the ultimate goal of human and
cosmic evolution and creation. The goal is achieved microcosmically
(i.e. within human consciousness) during a period of many lifetimes,
as the path of Shin slowly becomes resolved with the path of Maym
(i.e. within the octahedron). After this high goal has been reached a
human-being

becomes

consciously

involved

in

the

greater,

macrocosmic ShM process.
The macrocosmic blending of Shin and Maym (i.e. within the Creator’s
consciousness) is achieved during a vast period of many aeons, as the
divine Shin of Binah becomes fully resolved with the divine Maym of
Hockmah. This macrocosmic creative-evolutionary process occurs
within the path of Bayt (‫ )ב‬that extends between Hockmah and Binah.
The Bayt pathway embodies the universal macrocosmic creativeevolutionary process—the merging of the sefirotic Shin and Maym
within the divine consciousness of the Creator. The sefirah Da’at
represents a limited microcosmic extension (or projection) of the Bayt
pathway.

pg. 122


December 7, 2013

Because the Bayt sefirah (i.e. Da’at) is an emanation of the Bayt
pathway there’s a communication (or resonance) that occurs between
them. In other words, whatever occurs within Da’at also feeds back to
the Bayt pathway.
Therefore, as Shin and Maym are blended in the ShM Pillar their
merging is relayed from Da’at back to the Bayt pathway where it
contributes in a small way to the blending of the macrocosmic Shin
and Maym.

Figure 28 : The Merging of Shin and Maym

pg. 123


December 7, 2013

In other words, Da’at supervises the merging of the Shin and Maym
pathways within the context of a larger macrocosmic evolutionary
process that’s occurring within the Bayt pathway.

After the ShM initiation, Israel (i.e. a ShM Initiate) operating
consciously from Da’at, draws Shin and Maym down from Binah and
Hockmah and merges them in his/her ShM Pillar. In doing so he
continues to contribute to the ongoing cosmic creative-evolutionary
process that’s occurring here on Earth (and elsewhere in our multidimensional Universe).
The Sefer Yetzirah refers to a ShM Initiate61 as a ‚singular Master‛
(Adon Yichid, ‫ )אדון יחיד‬and ‚God faithful King‛ (El Melek Naman, ‫נאמן‬
‫ .)אל מלך‬As it is written<
God faithful King,

61

Another well-known title for a ShM Initiate is ‘Master of the Name’.
pg. 124


December 7, 2013

And similarly<
And God faithful King
rules over them all

The meaning of the Hebrew letter Bayt (i.e. BYTh, ‫ )בית‬is ‘house’. The
phrase ‚His holy habitation‛ refers to the sefirah Da’at (Bayt) and the
Holy Temple octahedron (in general).

The name ‚Adon Yichid‛ (‘singular master’) is a title giving
recognition to the fact that a ShM Initiate has contacted his ‘Yechidah’
(i.e. Da’at, the human ‘monad’) in consciousness, and has therefore
become a ‘Master of the Name’.
The phrase ‚El Melek Naman‛ means ‘divine, trustworthy king’ and
expresses the unshakeable faith (or ‘devotion to the Path’) that is an
essential attribute of every ShM Initiate.

The sefirah Tifaret (‫ ,)כ‬as the Holy Guardian Angel, is Da’at’s deputy.
Da’at coordinates the microcosmic ShM process with the macrocosmic
ShM process (i.e. that’s occurring within the path of Bayt). Tifaret, on
the other hand, is responsible for the evolutionary merging of Shin and
Maym within the microcosmic Holy Temple octahedron.

pg. 125


December 7, 2013

Tifaret is stationed between the Shin and Maym pathways and acts as
a valve (or gateway) that controls the rate of flow (i.e. the blending) of
Shin and Maym within the microcosm. The angel of Tifaret supervises
the early stages of the microcosmic evolutionary process, and then
Da’at (i.e. Israel, the ShM Initiate) assumes control as the Shin and
Maym pathways finally merge together.
For this reason the sefirah Tifaret (i.e. the Holy Guardian Angel) is
associated with the divine Air element. He stands as arbiter between
the divine Fire of the path of Shin and the divine Water of the path of
Maym. The Sefer Yetzirah refers to this angel in verse 1:12<
From these three He founded His dwelling.
As it is written:
"He makes His angels of breaths;
His ministers of flaming fire" (Psalms 104:4).
The literary intention of verse 1:12 is to describe the nature of the
fourth sefirah—‘Fire from Water’, the ‘depth of Evil’, the sefirah
Binah—i.e. the divine principle of Form. The above extract tells us that
the Holy Temple octahedron (i.e. ‚His dwelling‛) is fundamentally
formed from the substance of angels.
At the centre of the octahedron is the ‘Angel of Breath’ (i.e. the Holy
Guardian Angel).
Inhabiting (and literally forming) the twelve boundaries of the
octahedron (i.e. the twelve simple letter pathways) are the ‚ministers
of flaming Fire‛. These latter angels exemplify the Form principle (i.e.
Binah) within the microcosm and give expression to the evolutionary
Fire of Shin.
pg. 126


December 7, 2013

The Shin (‫ )ש‬of Binah (‘depth of Evil’) represents the force of cosmic
kundalini—the ‘Nachash serpent’. It symbolizes the feminine power in
the Earth—i.e. the evolutionary force that infuses the substance of the
universe. The sefirah Binah of the Tree of Yetzirah therefore especially
symbolizes the base chakra of the Creator. 62
The Maym of Hockmah (depth of Good) symbolizes the wisdom, or
creative inspiration that’s lights the divine consciousness of the
Creator. The sefirah Hockmah of the Tree of Yetzirah therefore
especially symbolizes the Creator’s crown chakra.63
The Bayt (i.e. Saturn64) pathway therefore, represents the path of
movement of the cosmic kundalini serpent as it rises along the
Creator’s metaphorical spine—from Binah to Hockmah.

The microcosmic path of Shin represents the force of kundalini as it
rises and moves through the various layers of substance that constitute
the physical, emotional, astral, and mental bodies of a human-being
(i.e. as it moves through the octahedron).
The microcosmic path of Maym represents the creative force 65 that
seeks to bring the divine reality of the human monad66 into physical
manifestation.

62

Similarly, the sefirah Malkut is associated with the base chakra of a human-being.

63

Similarly, the sphere of Da’at is symbolic of a human-being’s crown chakra.

64

In astrological tradition, Saturn is said to rule the spine.

65

Termed Chiah (‫ )חיה‬in the Hebrew Kabbalah.

66

Called the Yechidah (‫ )יחידה‬in the kabbalistic tradition.
pg. 127


December 7, 2013

Here's how the ancient kabbalistic book the Sefer Bahir describes Shin
(and its relationship with Maym)...

What is the Shin? He said: It is the root of the tree. The
letter Shin is like the root of a tree. What is this tree that
you mentioned? He said: It represents the Powers of the
Blessed Holy One, one above the other. Just like a tree
brings forth fruit through water, so the Blessed Holy One
increases the Powers of the Tree through water [Maym].
What is the water of the Blessed Holy One? It is wisdom
[Hockmah]. It is the souls of the righteous. They fly from
the fountain to the great pipe *Da’at+, ascend and attach
themselves to the Tree. Through what do they fly?
Through Israel. When they are good and righteous, the
Divine Presence dwells among them. Their deeds then rest
in the bosom of the Blessed Holy One, and He makes them
fruitful and multiplies them.
[The Sefer Bahir, v. 118-19. Trans. Aryeh Kaplan.]

pg. 128


December 7, 2013

In the following extract the Zohar describes the divine Water of Maym
as ‚dew of bdellium‛.

Said R. Judah: ‚Little do men know how God extends His
mercy to them at all times and seasons.
Three times a day a spirit enters the cave of Machpelah
and breathes on the graves of the patriarchs, bringing
them healing and strength.
That spirit distils dew [Heb: TLA, ‫ 76]טלא‬from on high, from
the head of the King [Hockmah], the place of the supernal
fathers, and when it reaches the lower patriarchs [Hesed,
Geburah, & Tifaret] they awake.
That dew [Maym], as we have learnt, comes down by
degrees till it reaches the lower Garden of Eden [Binah],
and becomes impregnated with its perfumes [Shin].
Then a spirit [Alef] containing two other spirits [Maym &
Shin] arises and traverses the spice-beds [Binah], and
enters the door of the cave *Da’at+.
Then the patriarchs [Hesed, Geburah, & Tifaret] awake,
they and their spouses [Netzah, Hod, & Yesod], and
supplicate on behalf of their descendants [the twelve
pathways].

Note that the numerological value of the Chaldean TLA (‘dew’) is 40. This is also
the value of Maym (‫.)מ‬
67

pg. 129


December 7, 2013

If the world is in distress on account of its sins, and the
patriarchs sleep, the dew not descending from on high,
then the remedy is to take out the Scroll of the Law. Then
the soul tells the spirit, and the spirit tells the higher soul,
and the higher soul tells God.
God then takes His seat on the throne of mercy, and there
issues from the Ancient Holy One a stream of dew of
bdellium [Heb: BDLCh, ‫ ,]בדלח‬which flows to the head of
the King, so that the fathers are blessed.
Then the dew flows to those sleepers, and all are blessed
together, and God has mercy on the world.
We have learnt that God does not show mercy to the
world till He has informed the patriarchs, and for their
sakes the world is blessed.‛
[Soncino Zohar. II. pg. 323. Vayehi, 225b.]68
[Bracketed blue notes are my own.]

As mentioned previously, the sefirah Tifaret symbolizes the ‘Holy
Guardian Angel’ who oversees the separation of the Shin and Maym
pathways, and whose role it is to supervise the evolutionary process of
their gradual blending and merging. This is the same angel that’s
occultly alluded to in Exodus 23:20-24.

68

See also: The Zohar. Kabbalah Center Version. Vayechi, 328-331.
pg. 130


December 7, 2013

Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the
way, and to bring thee into the place which I have
prepared. Beware of him, and obey his voice, provoke him
not; for he will not pardon your transgressions: for my
name [ShM] is in him. But if thou shalt indeed obey his
voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto
thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.
For mine Angel shall go before thee, and bring thee in unto
the Amorites, and the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the
Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites: and I will cut
them off. Thou shalt not bow down to their gods, nor serve
them, nor do after their works: but thou shalt utterly
overthrow them, and quite break down their images.
[Exodus, 23:20-24.]

The phrase ‘thine adversaries’—i.e. the Amorites, the Hittites, the
Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites—is an esoteric
allusion to obstacles in the twelve pathways that block the flow of ShM
between the six depths/sefirot (i.e. the six vertices) of the Holy Temple
octahedron.

The merging of the Shin and Maym pathways within the ShM Pillar is
precisely paralleled by the blending of Shin and Maym within the
twelve simple letter pathways that surround it. In other words, the
condition of the ShM Pillar exemplifies the collective evolutionary
pg. 131


December 7, 2013

state (i.e. in terms of the merging of Shin and Maym) of the twelve
simple letter boundaries of the octahedron. This means the ShM Pillar
is a measuring gauge (or barometer) of the general evolutionary
condition of the human microcosm.

Figure 29 : ShM in the Twelve Pathways

pg. 132


December 7, 2013

For karmic reasons the twelve pathways are initially resistant to the
influx of Maym. This resistance is overcome through the application of
the evolutionary Fire (i.e. kundalini fire) that emanates from the Shin
pathway. Shin clears the debris that’s blocking the flow of Maym
(divine Water) through the substance of the twelve pathways.
The twelve edges of the octahedron symbolize twelve major meridians
(i.e. etheric channels) that carry and transmit the creative force of
human consciousness (as that force circulates between the six depths of
the octahedron).69 The six depths/vertices of the octahedron represent
six major faculties of human consciousness.

The twelve meridians exist in all the various bodies of substance that
compose the human vehicle, and they all contain some obstructions to
the flow of the divine Water of Maym. The evolutionary role of the Fire
of Shin (i.e. kundalini fire) is to burn through any blockages that are
impeding the full expression of the consciousness of the human soul
(Ruach) and monad (Yechidah). We all experience the resumption and
continuation of this evolutionary process as we begin each new
incarnation on Earth.

When the Shin and Maym pathways have become completely merged
together they form the sacred Name ShM (‫ .)שם‬This has the
grammatical effect of converting Maym (‫ )מ‬into Maym-final (‫.)ם‬

The twelve boundaries are emanations of the twelve macrocosmic meridians
(embodied by the sefirah Binah) that circulate the Fire of Shin and the Water of
Maym through the body of the Creator.
69

pg. 133


December 7, 2013

The conversion of Maym to Maym-final indicates that the Maym
pathway has been transcended, and the ShM Initiate has gained
conscious access to the sefirotic Maym of Hockmah (‫ .)ם‬It means that
s/he is now qualified to participate in the macrocosmic process of
Creation.

Rabbi Rahumai sat and expounded:
What are the twelve tribes of Israel?
But this teaches us that the Blessed Holy One has twelve
rods (on high. The word Shevet is the same for both
‚tribe‛ and ‚rod.‛) What are they? What is this like?
A king [Hockmah] had a beautiful fountain [Maym].
All his brothers [seven lower sefirot] had no water [Maym]
other than this fountain, and could not endure thirst. What
did he do? He made twelve pipes 70 [pathways] for the
fountain, and named them afters his brothers’ children
[descendants]. He then said to them, ‚If the sons are as
good as their fathers, they will be worthy, and I will let
water flow through the pipes. The fathers [lower sefirot]
will then drink all they wish, and so will the sons
[pathways]. But if the sons are not worthy and do not do
what is right in my eyes, then regarding this, these pipes
will stand. I will give them water only on the condition
that they give none to their children, since they do not
obey my will.‛
[The Sefer Bahir, v. 113. Trans. Aryeh Kaplan.]

70

Or ‘canals’.
pg. 134


December 7, 2013

An important preliminary part of our magical operations within the
octahedron is called ‘purging the pathways’. This is achieved
symbolically via the application of the fire of Shin (i.e. using the Shin
descendant formulas). The conscious application of Shin assists the
pathways to become more receptive to the creative influence of the
water of Maym. By ‘purging the pathways’ we open ourselves (and
pledge ourselves) to the personal transformation that’s required to
bring the energy of Maym into manifestation in our lives.
Our personal transformation may require the removal of some
blockages within our physical, emotional, and/or mental bodies. So, for
example, we may be required to change the way that we think (in
some respect) or we might be required to let go of an emotional
hindrance, or change our physical patterns of behaviour.
As we overcome these kinds of obstacles, the way is cleared for the
creative water of Maym to flow through the pathways, and thus to
manifest the creative will and desire of our soul/monad.

Verse 6:4 of the Sefer Yetzirah refers to the natural polarization of the
Shin and Maym principles when it speaks of ‘good’ and ‘evil’. These
terms allude to the sefirot ‘Depth of Good’ (i.e. Hockmah) and ‘Depth
of Evil’ (i.e. Binah) and are code for the associated principles: Maym
and Shin.
pg. 135


December 7, 2013

‚Also God made one
opposite the other‛ (Eccl. 7:14).
Good [Hockmah] opposite evil [Binah].
Evil [Binah] opposite good [Hockmah].
Good from good.
Evil from evil.
Good defines evil.
And evil defines good.
Good is kept for the good ones.
And evil is kept for the evil ones.
[Sefer Yetzirah. 6:4.]
[Bracketed text added by me.]

The phrase ‚Good from good‛ is a reference to the fact that the Maym
pathway is a microcosmic extension of the sefirah Hockmah (Depth of
Good). Similarly, ‚Evil from evil‛ refers to the pathway of Shin—it
being a downward projection into the microcosm of the sefirah Binah
(Depth of Evil).
The final two lines of the verse emphasize the idea that the Shin
principle (i.e. ‘evil’) dominates the lives of materialistically minded
human-beings, while the Maym principle (i.e. ‘good’) dominates the
lives of ‘spiritually focused’ human-beings.

pg. 136


December 7, 2013

Figure 30 : ShM & the Sixfold Star

pg. 137


December 7, 2013

The Alef Principle

The mother letter Alef (‫ )א‬represents a universal ‘control condition’—
that is, a fixed criterion established by the Creator and according to
which everything in the Universe is judged, weighed, and measured.
Alef corresponds to the pivot of the scale—the single stable
omnipresent point that calibrates the balance between the ‘unrealized’
realm of Ain Sof (i.e. ‘non-existence’) and the ‘realized’ realm of the
manifested Tree of Yetzirah. This is the function of the sefirotic
expression of Alef as represented by the sefirot ‘the Holy Breath’ (Ain
Sof) and ‘Breath from Breath’ (Keter). The ten depths of the Tree of
Yetzirah (i.e. the ‘extremities’ of the Universe) are each anchored to
this All-embracing Alef principle.

Within the Tree of Yetzirah (i.e. within the existential realm) the Alef
principle controls the shifting balance between the manifested
Creation of the Logos (i.e. ‘Fire from Water’, Binah) and that which is
still scheduled to manifest to complete the divine Plan (i.e. ‘Water from
Breath’, Hockmah). This is the function of the Alef pathway (as distinct
from the sefirotic expression of Alef).
The sefirah Binah (i.e. ‫ ,ש‬Shin)—the Mother of Form—symbolizes the
framework (or blueprint) of the divine Plan of the Logos. Binah
incorporates everything that has so far manifested (to consciousness)
in our multidimensional Universe. It’s like the outline of a partially
completed jigsaw puzzle, or a wireframe model to which the
manifesting Creation is gradually adhering and accruing.
pg. 138


December 7, 2013

The sefirah Hockmah (i.e. ‫ ,מ‬Maym) embodies the divine creative
energy that’s queued behind the veil of manifested Reality, and that’s
yet to appear in our Universe. Hockmah is like a bag of jigsaw puzzle
pieces that are yet to be positioned in their proper places in the puzzle.
It’s synonymous with the phrase ‘World to Come’ in traditional
kabbalistic literature. It’s pure divine ‘potential energy’, held back
behind the threshold of consciousness—like a river held back by a
great dam that controls and limits its flow. Alef is the principle that
governs (and controls) the entry of this divine energy into time and
space (and every other dimension of our Universe).
The Alef principle is necessary because Maym (i.e. the energy of
Creation) can only enter the Universe through the gateway of
Consciousness—specifically, higher Consciousness.71 And beings of
advanced consciousness must be trained (via the guiding influence of
Alef) to align their personal will with the divine Will of the Logos in
order to become qualified to receive the influx of Maym.
Therefore, Alef represents a divine immutable Law that ultimately
determines (or influences) the experience of Consciousness within the
Universe in every moment of time.
Sefer Yetzirah, verse 3:1 states:
Their foundation is:
A pan of merit;
A pan of liability;
And the tongue of decree deciding between them.

Conversely, the entry of Shin into the Universe is via lower levels of consciousness
(and the ‘subconscious’ realm). Shin establishes the foundation of the Universe, and
Maym builds the Creation upon and within that foundation.
71

pg. 139


December 7, 2013

The above is Aryeh Kaplan’s translation of the original Hebrew. His
interpretation portrays the Alef principle as essentially a decisionmaking process—i.e. ‚the tongue of decree deciding between them‛.
Kaplan’s translation emphasizes the discriminatory faculty of
consciousness, but in truth Alef represents a principle that’s much
deeper than the discriminating mind.
Here’s an alternative translation of verse 3:1<
Three primary letters: Alef, Maym, Shin.
Their basis is:
The scale of acquittal;
The scale of guilt;
And the language of law
holds the balance between them.72
Hayman’s translation suggests that the Alef principle is a fixed
immutable Law, and that it functions as a pivot, controlling the
balance of the Universal scale. Therefore, Alef represents the ultimate
determining factor in the Universe. It exists at the threshold between
Consciousness and Unconsciousness, as a motionless and immoveable
expression of divine Will and Purpose. The Law of Alef is ‘One’—that
is, its singular essence is at the root of the conscious being of every one
of us.
Thus, Alef symbolizes the ultimate Law that we all must learn to
adhere to. Every decision (leading to action) that we make in our dayto-day lives is weighed and measured according to whether or not it’s
in conformity (or harmony) with this singular unifying divine Law.

72

pg. 140


December 7, 2013

When we act in harmony with the sacred Law of Alef we draw down
into manifestation a small portion of divine potential energy (i.e.
Maym) that swells at the back of Consciousness. It’s then that the
Gatekeeper (i.e. the ‚Angel of Breath‛73, or ‘Holy Guardian Angel’)
opens the ‘flood-gate’ and allows a little of the divine Water of Maym
to trickle through Tifaret (the Holy Temple) and enter the twelve
pathways of the octahedron. As the Water of Maym combines with the
Fire of Shin within the twelve pathways (and the ShM Pillar) an aspect
of the divine Creation comes into conscious manifestation. And this is
woven into our collective Reality, and appears within the sefirah
Malkut. In other words, we contribute to the gradual manifestation of
the divine Plan on Earth—i.e. the ‘World to Come’.
Because the ‘World-to-Come’ is ‘meant to be’ (i.e. by divine
ordination), the ‘magical’ ShM process is sometimes accompanied by a
conscious awareness of ‘synchronicity’ (or ‘serendipity’). We can
therefore determine that the Alef principle is the unseen suprarational
cause of synchronicity, and that synchronicity is a natural side-effect of
the emergence of the divine Presence (i.e. the ‘Shekinah’) on Earth.
When we choose to act in non-conformity with the Law of Alef we
trigger a different metaphysical process—a process that’s dominated
by the divine evolutionary Fire of Shin. In this case the ‚pan of
liability‛ (or ‚scale of guilt‛) gains the ascendancy and the Law of Alef
(as the pivot of the scales) responds automatically to correct the
imbalance. It does so by manifesting a personal experience (i.e. a series
of events) that will ultimately lead to the evolution of consciousness.
The evolutionary experience is produced within the twelve pathways
of the octahedron by the divinely sanctioned activity of the ‚ministers

73

pg. 141


December 7, 2013

of flaming fire‛ 74 (i.e. the angels who give expression to the divine Fire
of Shin). It’s sometimes felt as a painful experience, but ultimately it
leads to positive developments in the future.
The purpose of Alef’s evolutionary response is to transform
consciousness so that subsequent decisions and actions will be more
perfectly in harmony with the Law of Alef (and as a consequence, the
divine Plan on Earth will be realized). So mote it be.

74

Ibid.
pg. 142


December 7, 2013

The GLGL Wheel

The twenty-two letters are the foundation.
They are fixed on a wheel [GLGL, ‫]גלגל‬
with 231 [RL"A, ‫ ]רל"א‬Gates.
The wheel rotates back and forth.
A sign for this is:
There is nothing in good

higher than Delight [ONG, ‫.]ענג‬
There is nothing in evil
lower than Plague [NGO, ‫.]נגע‬

Besides describing the original ancient Tree of Life blueprint, the Sefer
Yetzirah also contains cleverly encoded design instructions for an
elaborate mandala that resembles a wheel (GLGL, ‫.)גלגל‬
My research and experimentation (since 2001) has shown that the
‘wheel mandala’ is a detailed map of powerful metaphysical energy
currents that permeate and strongly influence our mundane world.

pg. 143


December 7, 2013

The wheel mandala has three concentric ‘rims’ (or ‘rings’) and seven
spokes, and upon the spokes are arranged twenty-one smaller wheels–
i.e. three wheels per spoke. The smaller wheels also have three rims
and seven spokes and upon their spokes are arranged twenty-one
Hebrew letters–three per spoke. One Hebrew letter is also positioned
at the centre of each wheel.

Figure 31 : The GLGL Wheel (also called Jacob’s Wheel)

pg. 144


December 7, 2013

Verses 2:4-6 Decoded

The main design elements of the wheel mandala are contained in verse
2:4 of the Sefer Yetzirah. It’s here that we’re told the twenty-two
Hebrew letters are arranged upon a wheel.
They are fixed on a wheel [GLGL, ‫<]גלגל‬

The unusual wheel design concealed in verse 2:4 was discovered by
accident (in January, 2001) while I was exploring a possible
relationship between the twenty-two Tarot trumps and various magic
square number arrays.

Figure 32 : The Basic Wheel Design

pg. 145


December 7, 2013

After arranging the ordinal numbers 75 of the twenty-two Tarot trumps
(i.e. 0 to 21) on the wheel an interesting mathematical association with
the Sefer Yetzirah emerged.

Figure 33 : Ordinal Numbers - Magical Arrangement

I chose the above configuration because it has mathematical properties
that are similar to a ‘magic square’.
We can describe the figure above as a ‘magic circle’ because the three
numbers on each of its seven ‘spokes’ (or ‘radii’) add to the same
number–i.e. thirty-three. Similarly, all the rows of numbers in a ‘magic
square’ add to the same value.

75

That is, according to the roman numerals printed at the top of each trump card.
pg. 146


December 7, 2013
Spoke Numbers Total
1

01+12+20

33

2

02+13+18

33

3

03+14+16

33

4

04+08+21

33

5

05+09+19

33

6

06+10+17

33

7

07+11+15

33

Grand Total

231

The Hebrew language assigns a number to every letter of the alphabet,
and when the Hebrew letter values of the word GLGL (‫‘ ,גלגל‬wheel’)
are added together they total 66.
( )

(

)

( )

(

)

The calculation can be broken down as follows:
(

)

(

)

Note the repetition of the number 33 in GLGL.
Of course, the arrangement of the ordinal values of the twenty-two
Hebrew letters on the wheel mandala also produces spoke values of
33. As you will see below, this is not a coincidence.
The second obvious clue left for us by the author of the Sefer Yetzirah
is his mention of the number 231.
We already know that 231 is the sum of the numbers from one to
twenty-one. (See the table above.) But this number also shows up
pg. 147


December 7, 2013

when we apply the letters of the Hebrew alphabet to the wheel
mandala.

The number 231 is mysteriously revealed when we replace the
numbers on the wheel with their Hebrew letter counterparts–i.e. as per
the following table of ‘ordinal’ values.

Value Hebrew English Value Hebrew English
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

‫א‬
‫ב‬
‫ג‬
‫ד‬
‫ה‬
‫ו‬
‫ז‬
‫ח‬
‫ט‬
‫י‬
‫כ‬

A

12

B

13

G

14

D

15

H

16

V

17

Z

18

Ch

19

T

20

Y

21

K

22

‫ל‬
‫מ‬
‫נ‬
‫ס‬
‫ע‬
‫פ‬
‫צ‬
‫ק‬
‫ר‬
‫ש‬
‫ת‬

L
M
N
S
O
P
Tz
Q
R
Sh
Th

pg. 148


December 7, 2013

The table above numbers the twenty-two Hebrew letters according to
their natural alphabetical order. 76
Here’s how these Hebrew letter/number correspondences translate to
the wheel mandala<

Figure 34 : The Hebrew Letter Correspondences

And here it is transliterated to English<

These are the ‘ordinal’ values of the Hebrew alphabet. They are not the same as the
values given to the Hebrew letters when they’re used to signify numbers in the
Hebrew language.
76

pg. 149


December 7, 2013

Figure 35 : The Hebrew Letter Correspondences (Eng.)

Incredibly, the number 231 (RLA, ‫ )רל"א‬is written in Hebrew on the
first spoke of this first wheel of the multi-wheel mandala.

In the Hebrew language the letters RLA (‫ )רל"א‬represent the number
231. The appearance of this number on the first spoke of the first wheel
is extraordinary. It indicates that the author intentionally included the
number 231 in this key verse to serve as another clue to the secret
design of the GLGL wheel mandala.

pg. 150


December 7, 2013

Figure 36 : The First Wheel - RLA (231)

A third clue also confirms the integrity of this wheel design. It’s found
in the final part of verse 2:4<
The wheel rotates back and forth.
A sign for this is:
There is nothing in good
higher than Delight [ONG, ‫.]ענג‬
There is nothing in evil
lower than Plague [NGO, ‫.]נגע‬

pg. 151


December 7, 2013

It’s generally recognized by Sefer Yetzirah researchers that the Hebrew
words ONG (‘delight’) and NGO (‘plague’) were deliberately included
in verse 2:4 as cryptic clues to aid in revealing the deeper mysteries of
the book.
Many researchers however, assume that ONG and NGO refer to the
Hebrew letter permutations that form the ‘231 gates’.77 But the Sefer
Yetzirah makes it clear (elsewhere in the text) that the gates are
composed of two Hebrew letters, so why did the author choose words
of three letters as his word-keys? And why conceal this information at
all when it’s stated plainly in the very next verse.
He permuted them, weighed them,
and transformed them,
Alef with them all
and all of them with Alef,
Bet with them all
and all of them with Bet.
They repeat in a cycle
and exist in 231 Gates.

It becomes obvious what the author of the Sefer Yetzirah was actually
referring to when we take another look at the Hebrew letters as we’ve
mathematically arranged them on the first wheel of the GLGL multiwheel mandala.

The ‘231 Gates’ are the 231 possible pairings of the twenty-two Hebrew letters
(without duplication).
77

pg. 152


December 7, 2013

Figure 37 : ONG - Hebrew

Figure 38 : ONG - English

pg. 153


December 7, 2013

As you can see, the Hebrew word ONG is clearly visible on the third
spoke of the wheel. This is further confirmation that our wheel design
and its Hebrew letter arrangement are correct.
But there’s still one more step (or rather a series of steps) to perform in
order to construct the larger, more complex multi-wheel mandala.

The first wheel mandala (pictured above) contains only the first
twenty-one gates, or more correctly, twenty-one ‘pathways’. The letter
pairings are termed ‘pathways’ because although there are 231 gates,
there are a total of 462 pathways 78 of entry through those gates. In
other words, gate A-B can be passed through from the left, in which
case it’s experienced as the pathway A-B, or it can be passed through
from the right, in which case it’s experienced as the pathway B-A. This
important detail is what verse 2:5 informs us when it states<
Alef with them all
and all of them with Alef,
Bet with them all
and all of them with Bet.
They repeat in a cycle
and exist in 231 Gates.

The Hebrew word ‘netiv’ (NThYB, ‫‘ ,נתיב‬pathway’) occurs (in its plural form) in
Sefer Yetzirah 1:1. The numerical value of NThYB is 462. Verse 1:1 contains the
phrase ‘netivot peliot’ (NThYBVTh PLYAVTh) ‘mystical pathways’. This phrase read
in reverse contains ALP BYTh (A-B)–the first two Hebrew letters spelled in full. It’s a
coded reference to the ‘231 gates’ and the ‘462 pathways’.
78

pg. 154


December 7, 2013

Note that according to verse 2:5 the Hebrew letter pairings ‚exist in
231 Gates‛, but are not the ‘gates’ themselves.

The first twenty-one pathways are derived from the wheel mandala by
combining the central letter (Tav, ‫ )ת‬with each of the surrounding
letters starting from the inner rim (or ‘first ring’) and the first spoke.
The cycle ends when the seventh spoke on the outer rim (or ‘third
ring’) is reached. This sequence traces out a three-arc spiral that winds
around the mandala from the inner ring to the outer ring.

Figure 39 : The First Wheel Pathway Sequence

pg. 155


December 7, 2013

The first pathway of the wheel is Th-A (Tav-Alef, ‫ .)ת-א‬This pathway
initiates the first arc of the spiral. The second pathway is Th-B (TavBet, ‫ )ת-ב‬which is followed by Th-G (Tav-Gimel, ‫ ,)ת-ג‬etc. The seven
spokes are cycled through in their natural order, one to seven (around
the inner rim). The first arc of the spiral ends at the seventh spoke with
the pathway Th-Z (Tav-Zayn, ‫.)ת-ז‬
The second arc of the spiral begins on the middle rim and the first
spoke. It commences with the pathway Th-L (Tav-Lamed, ‫ .)ת-ל‬The arc
follows the natural order of the spokes around the middle rim and
ends with the pathway Th-K (Tav-Kaf, ‫.)ת-כ‬
The third arc of the spiral follows the same course, beginning with the
pathway Th-R (Tav-Raysh, ‫ )ת-ר‬on the first spoke and outer rim, and
ending with Th-S (Tav-Sameck, ‫ )ת-ס‬on the seventh spoke and outer
rim.
This sequence of Hebrew letter pathways may appear strange because
it doesn’t follow the normal alphabetical order. However, my own
(and other’s) experience examining energy cycles produced by this
pathway sequence (since 2002) has shown it to accurately symbolically
resonate with significant events and developments in people’s lives.

In order to determine the next array of twenty-one pathways we must
shift the Hebrew letters one place backwards on the wheel mandala.
This produces a second wheel with a different letter configuration.
The resulting Hebrew letter arrangement is configured according to
the original ‘magic circle’ template except that the letters have taken
one step back from their original placements. So Alef (‫ )א‬steps
backwards into the original position of Tav (‫ ,)ת‬and Tav steps back into
pg. 156


December 7, 2013

the original position of Shin (‫ ,)ש‬etc. All the rest of the twenty-two
wheel mandalas are constructed using this ‘one step back’ sequence.

Figure 40 : The Second Wheel

The next verse of the Sefer Yetzirah, verse 2:6, provides us with
another word-key that not only reconfirms our wheel design, but also
verifies our revolving Hebrew letter arrangement. The word-key is
‘air’ (AVYR).
He formed substance out of chaos
and made non-existence into existence.
He carved great pillars from air [AVYR, ‫]אויר‬
that cannot be grasped.
pg. 157


December 7, 2013

Figure 41 : "Air that cannot be grasped"

The Hebrew word AVYR (‘air’, ‫ )אויר‬is plainly visible on the fifth spoke
of the second wheel mandala (pictured above).

The twenty-one pathways of the second wheel unfold according to the
same rim and spoke sequence as the pathways of the first wheel. And
this general rule applies also to the pathways of all the remaining
wheels.

pg. 158


December 7, 2013

Figure 42 : The Second Wheel Pathway Sequence

The first pathway of the second wheel is A-B (Alef-Bayt, ‫ 97)א-ב‬and the
final pathway is A-O (Alef-Ayin, ‫ .)א-ע‬The pathway spiral always
begins on the inner rim first spoke and always ends on the outer rim
seventh spoke.
The final wheel in the series is the twenty-second wheel. Its twentyone pathways complete the 462 pathways of the full Hebrew letter
cycle of the Sefer Yetzirah.

Note that this letter pairing is the 22nd in the entire unfolding sequence of
pathways. Mysteriously, it appears to allude to the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew
Alef-bet.
79

pg. 159


December 7, 2013

Verse 2:4 mentions the rotation of the GLGL wheel<
The wheel rotates back and forth<
As demonstrated above, within the GLGL wheel there is a
simultaneous double rotation of the Hebrew letters.
The phrase ‚the wheel rotates back and forth‛ can be understood to
mean that the Hebrew letter pathway spiral rotates forward within
each wheel, while (at the same time) the Hebrew letters rotate
backwards as each wheel is formed within the GLGL multi-wheel
mandala.

pg. 160


December 7, 2013

The LB Wheel

The final (i.e. 22nd) wheel plays a special role in the metaphysical
scheme because it’s placed at the centre of the larger multi-wheel
mandala. This wheel is like a ‘master key’ because it contains the
design for the layout of all the other wheels within the multi-wheel
configuration. For this reason I call it the ‘key wheel’, or ‘key
mandala’. 80 Like the nucleus of a cell the ‘key mandala’ contains the
complete ‘DNA’ blueprint of the larger Wheel.

Figure 43 : The Key Mandala

80

I also refer to it as the LB (‫ )לב‬Wheel for reasons explained below.
pg. 161


December 7, 2013

The twenty-one Hebrew letters contained within the main body of the
‘key wheel’ precisely mirror the central letters of the twenty-one
surrounding wheels. In other words, the key wheel maps out how all
the other wheels are organized within the multi-wheel mandala. It
does so by arranging all the centre letters of the other wheels according
to its own Hebrew letter configuration.

Figure 44 : The GLGL Wheel - Tav (‫)ת‬

pg. 162


December 7, 2013

So, for example, the first wheel has Tav (‫ )ת‬as its central glyph. The Tav
wheel is located on the inner rim and first spoke of the larger multiwheel mandala–the same relative position of Tav in the body of the
key wheel. (See the white highlights in the figure above.)

The twenty-one pathways of the key mandala instil their influence
invisibly into the surrounding wheels of the multi-wheel mandala. In
fact, the key mandala controls and governs from its central position the
entire scope of the multi-wheel.

Here’s another example: The second wheel of the GLGL multi-wheel
mandala has Alef (‫ )א‬as its central Hebrew letter. (See below right.)

Figure 46 : The Implanted Alef

Figure 45 : The Projection of Alef

pg. 163


December 7, 2013

The ‘seed’ of Alef is projected from the key wheel (above left) and is
implanted on the inner rim and second spoke of the multi-wheel
mandala. The Hebrew letter spiral then unfolds and forms a wheel
around the Alef seed.
The purpose of the spiral within the second wheel is to nurture the
Alef seed and bring it into manifestation (i.e. from the World of
Yetzirah/Formation into the World of Assiah/Making).
Similarly, the function of the spiral pathway sequences as they occur
within all the lesser wheels of the multi-wheel mandala is to bring
their central Hebrew letter archetypes into ‘physical’ manifestation.
And consequently, the function of the entire multi-wheel scheme is
ultimately to bring the central Hebrew letter of the central ‘key wheel’
into manifestation–i.e. the letter Shin (‫.)ש‬

Of great significance is the fact that the key wheel (and therefore the
whole multi-wheel complex) has the Hebrew letter Shin (‫ )ש‬at its
centre.
He formed substance from
chaos, and he made it with
fire [ASh, ‫ ]אש‬and it exists,
and he hewed out great columns
from intangible air<
[From: Sefer Yesira, § 20] 81

81

Sefer Yesira. A. Peter Hayman. Mohr Siebeck. 2004. Pg. 104.
pg. 164


December 7, 2013

The above extract is from A. Peter Hayman’s translation of § 20
(referenced as verse 2:6 in Kaplan) of the Long Recension of the Sefer
Yetzirah. Note that it states: ‚he made it with fire‛.
In fact, not only does the key wheel mandala have Shin (symbolizing
‘divine Fire’) at its centre, but it also has the two letters that compose
the Hebrew word for ‘fire’ (i.e. ASh, ‫ )אש‬spelled out in full on its 2nd
and 7th spokes.

Figure 47 : Key Wheel - Alef Shin

The second spoke spells the word ALPh (‫ ,אלף‬Alef, A, ‫ )א‬and the
seventh spoke spells ShYN (‫ ,שין‬Shin, Sh, ‫ .)ש‬The seventh spoke
includes Vav (‫ )ו‬on the inner rim, but this can be ignored. These letter
sequences are beyond coincidence (in my opinion).

pg. 165


December 7, 2013

Shin represents divine Fire and characterizes the sefirah Binah in the
metaphysical scheme of the Sefer Yetzirah. So the key wheel can be
imagined as being analogous to Binah on the Tree of Life. The seven
spokes of the multi-wheel can then be thought of as the seven
emanations of Binah–i.e. symbolizing the seven lower sefirot of the
Tree of Life.

pg. 166


December 7, 2013

The TLY Spiral

The meaning of the Hebrew word TLY (‫ )תלי‬in the Sefer Yetzirah is
much debated. Some commentators see it as an allusion to the cosmic
coiled serpent–i.e. the constellation Draco that’s located near the
celestial North Pole. But I believe it represents the coiled spiral-cycle
that winds its way around the multi-wheel mandala and maps the
Hebrew two-letter gates and pathways.
In my experience the TLY spiral can be understood as representing the
‘path of the serpent’ within our Earth sphere because it appears to
express the flow of ‘kundalini fire’ that moves through the life of every
human-being–promoting the evolution of body, mind, and soul.

The Hebrew word TLY means ‘to hang, or suspend’, but it also implies
something that’s ‘curved’, like a hanging ‘curl of hair’ (TLTL, ‫.)תלתל‬
And hence its translation as ‘hook’ in the Sefer Yetzirah.
The twenty-two letters are
their foundation. It is fixed
on the Hook [TLY, ‫ ,]תלי‬on a wheel
with two hundred and [thirty]-one gates.
[From: Sefer Yesira, § 18.] 82

82

Sefer Yesira. A. Peter Hayman. Mohr Siebeck. 2004. Pg. 98.
pg. 167


December 7, 2013

My interpretation of the meaning of TLY (‘hook’) in the above extract
is ‘a spiral’ (which, of course, is naturally curved).
‚The twenty-two letters are
their foundation. It is fixed
on a spiral [TLY, ‫]תלי‬
on a wheel [GLGL, ‫‛<]גלגל‬

TLY is one of a group of three words that are always mentioned
together in the Sefer Yetzirah–TLY, GLGL, and LB. These three are
usually translated as ‘hook’, ‘wheel’, and ‘heart’ respectively, but I
believe a more meaningful translation is:
TLY (‫‘ : )תלי‬spiral’,
GLGL (‫‘ : )גלגל‬circle’ (or ‘wheel’),
LB (‫‘ : )לב‬centre’ (‘innermost part’).
In other words, they’re all technical terms that refer to components of
the multi-wheel mandala.83 GLGL refers to the wheel itself. TLY refers
to the spiral pathway within the wheel. LB refers to the key wheel at
the centre (or ‘heart’) of the multi-wheel mandala.

The Hebrew word LB (‫ )לב‬has the numerical value 32 (i.e. L + B = 30 +
2). The number 32 characterizes the LB wheel (and all the wheels of the
GLGL

mandala)

because

every

component

mandala

has

32

fundamental elements:

Because the Sefer Yetzirah is multi-layered these words also have other meanings
in other contexts within the book.
83

pg. 168


December 7, 2013

3 Rims (Gabot, ‫)גבות‬
7 Spokes (Yadot, ‫)ידות‬
22 Hebrew letters (‘Eyes’, Oyinim, ‫48)עינים‬
Thus, the basic numerological structure of the LB wheel mandala
establishes the 3-7-22 geometric blueprint for the whole GLGL
mandala. And note that its design closely mirrors the numerological
structure of the kabbalistic Tree of Life diagram. 85

The numerical value of TLY is also significant<
(‫)תלי‬
The TLY spiral-cycle is a sequence of 441 pathways that begins from
the first pathway Th-A (Tav-Alef) of the first wheel and ends at the
21st pathway N-Z (Nun-Zayn) of the 21st wheel. The cycle is then
repeated ad infinitum.
The TLY spiral is composed of only 441 pathways (rather than 462)
because twenty-one (of the 462) pathways are contained within the key
wheel (i.e. LB mandala) at the centre of the multi-wheel complex.
These twenty-one pathways do exist within the TLY spiral, but only in
a state of latent potential at the centre of each of the twenty-one lesser
wheels of the multi-wheel mandala. The 21 concealed pathways
emerge into manifestation as a result of the action of the TLY spiralcycle that winds its way around them.

84

This terminology is derived from Ezekiel I (quoted below).

Because the Tree of Life diagram has three higher sefirot, seven lower sefirot, and
twenty-two pathways.
85

pg. 169


December 7, 2013

The Book of Ezekiel

The Sefer Yetzirah contains instructions for building a complex
mandala the appearance of which can be described as ‘wheels within a
wheel’, which brings to mind the vision of Ezekiel<
Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel
upon the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of
the four of them.
As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction:
their appearance was like the gleaming of a chrysolite; and
the four had the same likeness, their construction being as
it were a wheel within a wheel.
When they went, they went in any of their four directions
without turning as they went.
The four wheels had rims and they had spokes; and their
rims were full of eyes round about.
And when the living creatures went, the wheels went
beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the
earth, the wheels rose.
Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels
rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures
was in the wheels.
[Ezekiel, 1:15-20. The Revised Standard Version of the Bible.]
pg. 170


December 7, 2013

Ezekiel’s vision is highly suggestive of the Sefer Yetzirah’s wheel
design, and it may be that the prophet saw an image reflected from the
same esoteric source that inspired the Sefer Yetzirah.
Ezekiel describes four ‘living creatures’ accompanied by four wheels.
The four wheels symbolize cycles of energy that flow through the four
kabbalistic Worlds–Emanation, Creation, Formation, and Making.
The Sefer Yetzirah’s wheel (also called Jacob’s Wheel) belongs to the
third kabbalistic world–the World of Yetzirah–the ‘psycho-spiritual’
‘World of Formation’. It maps out a process that involves the
implantation of twenty-one seed-forms from the World of Formation
into the lower ‘physical’ World of Making (Assiah). And it describes
how, through a complex spiral-cycle, those seed-forms are brought
into manifestation within the World of Assiah.
The four wheels had rims (Gabot, ‫ )גבות‬and they had
spokes (Yadot, ‫ ;)ידות‬and their rims were full of eyes
(Oyinim, ‫ )עינים‬round about.
The ‘eyes’ (‫ ,עינים‬OYNIM) of Ezekiel’s wheels are possibly an oblique
reference to the 462 Hebrew letters that are arranged upon the three
‘rims’ (or ‘rings’) of the GLGL Wheel mandala.
Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels
rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures
was in the wheels.
The ‘spirit of the living creatures’ possibly refers to the ‘key wheel’ (or
‘hub’) that’s nested at the centre of the GLGL Wheel. It instils its ‘spirit’
into the twenty-one surrounding wheels by providing the Hebrew
letters that are fixed at the centre of each wheel.

pg. 171


December 7, 2013

Some Jacob’s Wheel Links

Main Website
Basic Introduction
Three Master Cycles of Jacob’s Wheel
The 462 Gates
Jacob’s Wheel Posters & Wall-charts
Jacob’s Wheel Cycle Calculator Software

pg. 172


December 7, 2013

Appendix One:

The Sefer Yetzirah86

1:1

With 32 mystical paths of wisdom
engraved Yah;
the Lord of Hosts;
the God of Israel;
the Living God;
King of the World;
El Shaddai;
Merciful and Gracious;
High and Exalted;
Dwelling in Eternity;
Whose ShM ['name'] is Holy;
He is Lofty and Holy.
with three books.
With text.
With number.
And with communication.

This is Aryeh Kaplan’s translation, but with some changes and bracketed notes
added by me. I’ll continue to work on modifying it for future editions of this e-Book.
86

pg. 173


1:2

December 7, 2013

Ten sefirot beli mah ['without Mah']
And 22 Foundation Letters:
Three Mothers,
Seven Doubles,
And twelve Elementals.

1:3

Ten sefirot without Mah.
In the number of ten fingers.
Five opposite five
with a singular covenant
precisely in the middle.
In the circumcision of the tongue,
and in the circumcision of the member.

1:4

Ten and not nine.
Ten and not eleven.
Understand with wisdom.
Be wise with understanding.
Examine with them
And make the Creator sit on His base.

1:5

which have Ain Sof ['no end'].
A depth of Beginning.
A depth of End.
pg. 174


December 7, 2013

A depth of Good.
A depth of Evil.
A depth of Above.
A depth of Below.
A depth of East.
A depth of West.
A depth of North.
A depth of South.
God faithful King,

1:6

Their vision is like the ‚appearance of lightning‛.
Their limit has no end.
And His word in them is ‚running and returning‛.
They rush to His saying like a whirlwind.
And before His throne they prostrate themselves.

1:7

Their end is imbedded in their beginning,
and their beginning in their end,
like a flame in a burning coal.
For the Master is singular.
He has no second.
And before One, what do you count?

pg. 175


1:8

December 7, 2013

Bridle your mouth from speaking
and your heart from thinking.
And if your heart runs
return to the place.
It is therefore written,
‚The Chayot running and returning.‛ (Ezek. 1:24)
Regarding this a covenant was made.

1:9

One is the Breath of the Living God.
Blessed and benedicted is the ShM
of the Life of Worlds.
Voice and breath and speech.
And this is the Holy Breath.

1:10

Two: Breath from Breath.
22 Foundation letters.
Three Mothers,
Seven Doubles,
and Twelve Elementals.
And one Breath is from them.

1:11

Three: Water from Breath.
[22 letters from]
chaos and void,
mire and clay.
pg. 176


December 7, 2013

He engraved them like a sort of garden.
He carved them like a sort of wall.
He covered them like a sort of ceiling.
[And He poured snow over them
and it became dust
as it is written:
‚For to snow He said, 'Become earth‛ (Job 37:6).]

1:12

Four: Fire from Water.
the Throne of Glory,
Serafim, Ophanim, and holy Chayot,
and Ministering angels.
From these three He founded His dwelling.
As it is written:
‚He makes His angels of breaths,
His ministers of flaming fire‛ (Psalms 104:4).

1:13

He chose three letters from among the Elementals
[in the mystery of the three Mothers
Alef Maym Shin].
And He set them in His great ShM.
And with them, He sealed six extremities.
Five: He sealed Above and faced upward
and sealed it with Yud Vav Heh.
Six: He sealed Below and faced downward
and sealed it with Heh Vav Yud.
Seven: He sealed East and faced straight ahead
and sealed it with Yud Heh Vav.
Eight: He sealed West and faced backward
and sealed it with Vav Heh Yud.
pg. 177


December 7, 2013

Nine: He sealed South and faced to the right
and sealed it with Heh Yud Vav.
Ten: He sealed North and faced to the left
and sealed it with Vav Yud Heh.

1:14

These are the ten sefirot without Mah:
The Breath of the Living God.
Breath from Breath.
Water from Breath.
Fire from Water.
Up, Down, East, West, North, South.

pg. 178


December 7, 2013

Chapter 2

2:1

Twenty-two foundation letters:
Three Mothers,
seven Doubles,
and twelve Elementals.
The three Mothers are Alef, Maym, Shin.
A pan of merit,
a pan of liability,
and the tongue of decree deciding between them.
[Three Mothers, Alef, Maym, Shin.
deciding between them.]

2:2

Twenty-two foundation letters.
He engraved them, He carved them,
He permuted them, He weighed them,
He transformed them,
And with them, He depicted all that was formed
and all that would be formed.

2:3

He engraved them with voice.
He carved them with breath.
He set them in the mouth
In five places:
pg. 179


December 7, 2013

Alef, Het, Heh, Ayin in the throat.
Gimel, Yud, Kaf, Qof in the palate.
Dalet, Tet, Lamed, Nun, Tav in the tongue.
Zayin, Samekh, Shin, Resh, Tzadi in the teeth.
Bayt, Vav, Maym, Peh in the lips.

2:4

He placed them in a circle
like a wall with 231 gates.
The circle oscillates back and forth.
A sign for this is:
There is nothing in good higher than Delight.
There is nothing in evil lower than Plague.

2:5

How?
He permuted them, weighed them, and
transformed them.
Alef with them all,
and all of them with Alef.
Bayt with them all,
and all of them with Bayt.
They repeat in a cycle,
and exist in 231 gates.
It comes out that all that is formed
and all that is spoken
emanates from one ShM.

2:6

He formed substance out of chaos,
and made nonexistence into existence.
He carved great pillars from air
pg. 180


December 7, 2013

that cannot be grasped.
This is a sign:
[Alef with them all, and all of them with Alef.]
He foresees, transforms and makes
all that is formed and all that is spoken
‘One ShM’.
A sign for this thing:
Twenty-two objects in a single body.

pg. 181


December 7, 2013

Chapter 3

3:1

A pan of merit,
a pan of liability,
and the tongue of decree deciding between them.

3:2


3:3

He engraved them. He carved them.
He permuted them. He weighed them.
And with them He depicted:
Three Mothers A, M, Sh in the World.
Three Mothers A, M, Sh in the Year.
Three Mothers A, M, Sh in the Soul.
Male and female.

3:4

in the World are air, water, fire.
pg. 182


December 7, 2013


3:5

in the Year are:
The hot,
the cold,
and the temperate.
The hot is created from fire.
The cold is created from water.
And the temperate, from Breath,

3:6

in the Soul, male and female,
are the head, belly, and chest.
The head is created from fire.
The belly is created from water.
And the chest, from breath,

3:7

He made the letter Alef king over Breath.
And He bound a crown to it.
And He combined them one with another.
And with them He formed:
Air in the World,
The temperate in the Year,
And the chest in the Soul.
The male with A, M, Sh.
And the female with A, Sh, M.
pg. 183


3:8

December 7, 2013

He made Maym king over water.
And He combined one with another.
Earth in the World,
Cold in the Year,
And the belly in the Soul.
The male with M, A, Sh.
And the female with M, Sh, A.

3:9

He made Shin king over fire.
Heaven in the World.
Hot in the Year.
And the head in the Soul.
The male with Sh, A, M.
And the female with Sh, M, A.

pg. 184


December 7, 2013

Chapter 4

4:1

Seven Doubles:
Bet, Gimel, Dalet,
Kaf, Peh, Raysh, Tav.
They direct themselves with two tongues:
Bet-Bhet, Gimel-Ghimel, Dalet-Dhalet,
Kaf-Khaf, Peh-Pheh, Raysh-Rhaysh, Tav-Thav.
A structure of soft and hard,
strong and weak.

4:2

Wisdom, Wealth, Seed,
Life, Dominance, Peace, and Grace.

4:3

In speech and in transposition.
The transpose of Wisdom is Folly.
The transpose of Wealth is Poverty.
The transpose of Seed is Desolation.
The transpose of Life is Death.
The transpose of Dominance is Subjugation.
The transpose of Peace is War.
The transpose of Grace is Ugliness.

pg. 185


4:4

December 7, 2013

Up and Down.
East and West.
North and South.
And it supports them all.

4:5

Seven and not six.
Seven and not eight.
Examine with them,
And probe with them.
Make [each] thing stand on its essence.
And make the Creator sit on His base.

4:6

Seven Doubles: ‫ ב ג ד - כ פ ר ת‬of foundation.
He engraved them, He carved them.
He permuted them, He weighed them.
He transformed them.
Seven planets in the World.
Seven days in the Year.
Seven gates in the Soul.
Male and female.

4:7

Seven planets in the World:
Saturn, Jupiter, Mars,
Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon.
pg. 186


December 7, 2013

Seven days in the Year:
The seven days of the week.
Seven gates in the Soul, male and female:
Two eyes, two ears, two nostrils,
and the mouth.

4:8

He made the letter Bayt king over Wisdom.
The Saturn in the World.
The Sabbath in the Year.
The Mouth in the Soul.
Male and female.

4:9

He made the letter Gimel king over Wealth.
Jupiter in the World.
Thursday in the Year.
The right Eye in the Soul.
Male and female.

4:10

He made the letter Dalet king over Dominance.
Mars in the World.
Tuesday in the Year.
pg. 187


December 7, 2013

The left Eye in the Soul.
Male and female.

4:11

He made the letter Kaf king over Life.
The Sun in the World.
Sunday in the Year.
The right Nostril in the Soul.
Male and female.

4:12

He made the letter Peh king over Seed.
Venus in the World.
Friday in the Year.
The right Ear in the Soul.
Male and female.

4:13

He made the letter Raysh king over Peace.
Mercury in the World.
Wednesday in the Year.
The left Ear in the Soul.
Male and female.
pg. 188


4:14

December 7, 2013

He made the letter Tav king over Grace.
The Moon in the World.
Monday in the Year.
The left Nostril in the Soul.
Male and female.

4:15

With them were engraved:
Seven Worlds, seven firmaments,
seven lands, seven seas,
seven rivers, seven deserts,
seven days, seven weeks,
seven years, seven sabbaticals,
seven jubilees,
and the Holy Temple.
Therefore, He made sevens beloved
under all the heavens.

4:16

Two stones build 2 houses.
Three stones build 6 houses.
Four stones build 24 houses.
Five stones build 120 houses.
Six stones build 620 houses.
Seven stones build 5040 houses.
From here on go out and calculate

pg. 189


December 7, 2013

that which the mouth cannot speak
and the ear cannot hear.

pg. 190


December 7, 2013

Chapter 5

5:1

Twelve Elementals:
Heh, Vav, Zayn,
Het, Tet, Yud,
Lamed, Nun, Sameck,
Ayin, Tzaddie, Qof.
speech, thought, motion,
sight, hearing, action,
coition, smell, sleep,
anger, taste, laughter.

5:2

Twelve Elementals.

The east upper boundary.
The east northern boundary.
The east lower boundary.
The south upper boundary.
The south eastern boundary.
The south lower boundary.
The west upper boundary.
The west southern boundary.
The west lower boundary.
The north upper boundary.
The north western boundary.
pg. 191


December 7, 2013


5:3

Twelve Elementals.

He engraved them, carved them, permuted them,
weighed them, and transformed them.
Twelve constellations in the World;
Twelve months in the Year;
And twelve directors in the Soul.
Male and female.

5:4

Twelve constellations in the World:
Aries (T'leh, the Ram);
Taurus (Shor, the Bull);
Gemini (Teumim, the Twins);
Cancer (Sartan, the Crab);
Leo (Ari, the Lion);
Virgo (Betulah, the Virgin);
Libra (Maznayim, the Scales);
Scorpio (Akrav, the Scorpion);
Sagittarius (Keshet, the Archer);
Capricorn (Gedi, the Kid);
Aquarius (Deli, the Water Drawer);
Pisces (Dagin, the Fish).

pg. 192


5:5

December 7, 2013

Twelve months in the year:
Nissan, Iyar, Sivan,
Tamuz, Av, Elul,
Tishrei, Cheshvan, Kislev,
Tevet, Shevat, Adar.

5:6

Twelve directors in the soul.
Male and female.
The two hands, the two feet,
the two kidneys,
the gall bladder, the intestines,
the liver, the korkeban,
the kivah, the spleen.

5:7

He made the letter Heh king over speech.
Aries in the World;
Nissan in the Year;
And the right foot in the Soul.
Male and female.
He made the letter Vav king over thought.
Taurus in the World;
Iyar in the Year;
And the right kidney in the Soul.
Male and female.
pg. 193


December 7, 2013

He made the letter Zayn king over motion..
Gemini in the World;
Sivan in the Year;
And the left foot in the Soul.
Male and female.

5:8

He made the letter Het king over sight.
Cancer in the World;
Tamuz in the Year;
And the right hand in the Soul.
Male and female.
He made the letter Tet king over hearing.
Leo in the World;
Av in the Year;
And the left kidney in the Soul.
Male and female.
He made the letter Yud king over action.
pg. 194


December 7, 2013

Virgo in the World;
Elul in the Year;
And the left hand in the Soul.
Male and female.

5:9

He made the letter Lamed king over coition.
Libra in the World;
Tishrei in the Year;
And the gall bladder in the Soul.
Male and female.
He made the letter Nun king over smell.
Scorpio in the World;
Cheshvan in the Year;
And the intestine in the Soul.
Male and female.
He made the letter Sameck king over sleep.
Sagittarius in the World;
Kislev in the Year;
And the Kivah in the Soul.
Male and female.
pg. 195


5:10

December 7, 2013

He made the letter Ayin king over anger.
Capricorn in the World;
Tevet in the Year;
And the liver in the Soul.
Male and female.
He made the letter Tzaddie king over taste.
Aquarius in the World;
Shevat in the Year;
And the Korkeban in the Soul.
Male and female.
He made the letter Qof king over laughter.
Pisces in the World;
Adar in the Year;
And the spleen in the Soul.
Male and female.

5:11

He made them like a trough.
He arranged them like a wall.
He set them up like a battle.
pg. 196


December 7, 2013

Chapter 6

6:1

These are the Three Mothers: Alef, Maym, Shin.
Three Fathers and their descendants;
And seven planets and their hosts;
And twelve diagonal boundaries.
A proof of this:
True witnesses in the World, Year, Soul.
And a rule of twelve,
and seven, and three.
He set them in the Teli, the Cycle, and the Heart.

6:2

and Alef is the breath of air

6:3

The Teli in the World is like a king on his throne.
The Cycle in the Year is like a king in the province.
The Heart in the Soul is like a king in war.
pg. 197


6:4

December 7, 2013

‚Also God made one
opposite the other‛ (Eccl. 7:14).
Good opposite evil.
Evil opposite good.
Good from good.
Evil from evil.
Good defines evil.
And evil defines good.
Good is kept for the good ones.
And evil is kept for the evil ones.

6:5

Three:
One acts as advocate;
one acts as accuser;
Seven:
Twelve stand in war:
Three love;
three hate;
three give life;
and three kill.
Three love: the heart and the ears.
Three hate: the liver, the gall, and the tongue.
Three give life: the two nostrils and the spleen.
Three kill: the two orifices and the mouth.
And God faithful King rules over them all
pg. 198


December 7, 2013

One on three;
three on seven;
seven on twelve.

6:6

These are the twenty-two letters
with which engraved:
Ehyeh, Yah, YHVH Elohim, YHVH,
YHVH Tzavaot, Elohim Tzavaot,
El Shaddai, YHVH Adonoy.
And with them He made three Books.
And with them He created His World.
And He formed with them all that was ever formed,
and all that ever will be formed.

6:7

And when Abraham our father,
may he rest in peace,
looked, saw, understood, probed,
engraved and carved,
He was successful in creation.
As it is written: ‚And the souls that
they made in Haran‛ (Genesis 12:5).
Immediately there was revealed to him
the Master of all, may His ShM be blessed forever.
He placed him in His bosom,
and kissed him on his head,
and He called him,
‚Abraham my beloved‛ (Isaiah 41:8).
He made a covenant with him,
and with his children after him forever.
As it is written: ‚And he believed in God,
pg. 199


December 7, 2013

and He considered it
to him for righteousness‛ (Genesis 15:6).
He made with him a covenant
between the ten fingers of his hands
(this is the covenant of the tongue)
and between the ten toes of his feet
(this is the covenant of circumcision).
And He bound the 22 letters of the
Torah to his tongue.
And He revealed to him His mystery.
He drew them in water;
He flamed them with fire;
He agitated them with Breath;
He burned them with the seven [planets];
He directed them with the twelve constellations.
End of Sefer Yetzirah

pg. 200


December 7, 2013

pg. 201

Sefer Yetzirah Magic

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