Sealing the Six-Dimensions of Space

Traditionally attributed to Moses, and with the earliest physical manuscripts dating to the 6th Century, the Sefer Yetzirah is without question the oldest and most arcane of all Kabbalistic texts. Unlike the more theoretical Kabbalah approach of the Zohar, the Sefer Yetzirah is to be considered a meditative and magical text. Aryeh Kaplin writes:

Careful study indicates that the Sefer Yetzirah is a meditative text, with strong magical overtones. This position is supported by the earliest Talmudic traditions, which indicate that it could be used to create living creatures. Especially significant are the many reports and legends in which the Sefer Yetzirah is used to create a Golem, a sort of mystical android.

Part of the mystery surrounding the text stems from how it is written; in many cases the grammar closely resembles the imperative. Most commentaries read the text in the third person,  “He combined”, “He sealed”, and “He formed”, and thus understand it as a cosmological account of creation. However, these passages can also be read as “combine”, “seal”, and “form” as if the author were giving direct magical instructions.  Of course this dual interpretation fits perfectly with the initiated understanding of creation, not as a forgotten act of the past, but rather as the path to spiritual immortality.

Below is a practice developed directly from the Short Version of the Sefer Yetzirah (Chapter 1.13). It pertains to the six lower sefirot as the principles of infinite directionality. Like the various Pentagram Rituals of the Western Magical traditions, this practice is intended to orient the initiate’s sense of Self to the center of the six-directions of space.

RITUAL: Sealing of the Hexagram

i.     Seal Above. Contemplate the infinite depth of space above. Seal it while vibrating YHV.
ii.    Seal Below. Contemplate the infinite depth below you. Seal it with YVH.
iii.   Seal East. Contemplate the infinite depth before you. Seal it with HYV.
iv.   Seal West. Contemplate the infinite depth behind you. Seal it with HVY.
v.    Seal South. Contemplate the infinite depth to your right. Seal it with VYH.
vi.   Seal North. Contemplate the infinite depth behind you. Seal it with VHY.

The permutations of the three letters of the Tetragrammaton differ amongst the various versions of the text; they are for the most part to be understood as differences in perspective, or ‘rotations’, of the same six-pointed star. The exception is the Long version, which is likely a mistake since YVH is repeated twice. According to Kaplan, the Long version was likely the same as the Gra.

A final note on the pronunciation of the triads; if the practitioner subscribes to the Leanora Leet’s argument that the letters of the Tetragrammaton were intended as signifiers of the three long vowels, then the resulting EY-AH-UW vibrations of the practice come very close to some of the long strings of Voces Magicae from the Greco-Egyptian Magical texts, particularity those invoking ΙΑΩ .

He chose three letters
from among the Elementals
And He set them in His Great Name
and with them, He sealed six extremities.
Five: He sealed “above” and faced upward
and sealed it with YHV.
Six: He sealed “below” and faced downward
and sealed it with HYV.
Seven: He sealed “east” and faced straight ahead
and sealed it with VYH.
Eight: He sealed “west” and faced backward
and sealed it with VHY.
Nine: He sealed “south” and faced to the right
and sealed it with YVH.
Ten: He sealed “north” and faced to the left
and sealed it with HVY.

Gra Version, Sefer Yetzirah 1:13

Originally published October 12, 2009 in Reflections from the Black Stone

Da'at: Knowledge and Union

Through Wisdom is a house built;

and by Understanding is it established;

And by Knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all pleasant and precious riches.

Proverbs 24:3

Wisdom (Chakhmah) , Understanding (Binah), and Knowledge (Da’at) are three concepts that lay at the foundation of Kabbalistic thought. The ability to manipulate the powers of creation  – understood by Kabbalists as the letters and digits of the Tree-  require mastery of these three principles by the initiate. [1]

However, while Chakhmah and Binah are identified as two of the three supernal sefirot (along with Keter),  Knowledge (Da’at) itself is never considered a true sefirah. Few commentaries deny its importance and even fewer posit explanations as to where Da’at fits into the traditional paradigm of 10 sefirot. This is because at base level the sefirot of the Kabbalah compose a decimal system and there are only 10 digits and not 11. [2]

Ten Sefirot of Nothingness
ten and not nine
ten and not eleven

Sefer Yetzirah 1:2

Not being one of the 10 sefirot emanated, Da’at cannot be considered a true sefirah for the same reason that the numeral 11 cannot be considered a digit. Despite this, Da’at is a pivotal and transcendent principle in Kabbalistic literature. The word Da’at literally translates to “Knowledge”, but also carries connotations of joining and intercourse as in the verse “Adam knew his wife Eve” (Genesis 4:1). As such, in Kabbalistic philosophy Da’at represents the same knowledge principle as the gnosis of the classical Philosophers – not relating to epistemological knowledge but rather to experiential Knowledge through union with the object in question… To Experience God, is to Know God.

Kabbalah philosophy explains Da’at as the point of union between Wisdom(Chakhmah) and Understanding(Binah) and as a proto-sefirah that acts as the unifying principle  for the entire Tree. [3] Where the Sefirot can be considered “vessels” for the Light, Da’at is the closest approximation of that Light – in fact,  the Zohar identifies Da’at as the “Light of Chakhmah”. [4]

This traditional notion of Da’at along with the geometric paradigm of the Ari Tree is now prevalent amongst the various western magical currents that adopted Kabbalistic pathworking into their practice. Most students of western magic today will quickly identify Da’at as that non- sefirah that fills the void (both philosophically and geometrically) between the Supernal triad of Keter, Binah, and Chakhmah and the lower seven sefirot of the Tree. While this ethos resonates well with the Ari Tree (geometrically speaking), it does not apply to the Gra version of the Tree where the absence of a void does not impart a hidden or lost sefirah.[5] Gra Kabbalists instead focus on Da’at as the unifying principle underlying the workings of the entire Tree.[6] It is not localized as a point, but is instead employed through the balance and unity exemplified by the Middle Pillar as the harmony between the paths of the left and the right.

When we examine the Trees side by side, we find that the non-sephirah Da’at of the Ari corresponds to the placement of Tiferet in the Gra version. Indeed, when Da’at is taken as an underlying principle indicating Knowledge and union of all the sefirot, we find that in the Gra diagram Tiferet is the Da’at between Binah and Chakhmah, as Yesod is Da’at between Gevurah and Chesed, and Malkut is Da’at between Hod and Netzach. Looking at the Ari Tree, we are left to contemplate what is the Da’at of Chakhmah and Binah if not Da’at itself.

The spatial correspondence between the Ari non-sephirah Da’at and the Gra Tiferet is an interesting concept to work with; particularly for those who employ the Divine names in their practice. In Golden Dawn and other popular Western Magical traditionss the divine name attributed to Tiferet  is YHVH ALVH V DA’AT (“YHVH is Deity and Knowledge”) bequeathing a link between Tiferet and the proto-sefirot Da’at. We also find a similar connection between Da’at and Tiferet in the Zohar, where Da’at is described as the child of the partzuf of Binah (IMA) and the partzuf of Chakhmah (ABA), yet this same “child” role is also assigned to the Microprosopus (Zeir Anpin) symbolized by Tiferet as the sefirah that reflects the common attributes of the lower six. [7] This interchangeable role between Da’at and Tiferet (representing harmony, love, and elevated consciousness) is something to keep in mind as we move forward in the discussion.

It is also interesting to consider that some schools of thought that employ both geometries of the Tree (Work of the Chariot, for example) see in these two diagrams an analogy to the Biblical Fall of Man – the geometry of the Ari Tree pertains to Man in his fallen state without direct access to the supernal triad, while the geometry of the Gra Tree displays pre-fall or resurrected Man with unobstructed access to all levels of truth. The state of “fallen” or “resurrected” describes the position of the Middle Pillar in each geometric paradigm – note that it is simply the sliding down of this central column of the Gra Tree that reveals the void found in the Ari Tree.

We may continue this analogy and parallel the two versions of the Tree with the two Trees of the Garden; the Tree of Knowledge and that of Life. Immortality, or the fruit of the Tree of Life, is hidden from us because Da’at, the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge, was consumed leaving us in a world of acting duality and separation (i.e. the void present in the Ari diagram). So the question becomes – How can we replant this lost  “fruit” of Knowledge so that we may once again have access to the Tree of Life?

The answer may lie in practice as the venue through which Knowledge is experienced. One common technique in meditative Kabbalah is to map the sefirot to the subtle centers of the human body – visualizing the initiate as a veritable microcosm of the Tree. Through this practice we find that the non-sefirah Da’at (Tiferet in the Gra Tree) corresponds to the region of the throat. It is in this subtle center where sound (as vibration) and light (as the astral imprint of vibration) are united as One.  While the throat may be the source of unity between light and sound as it is the point from which the divine names are spoken and vibrated, this unity between vibration and light happens within each subtle center. For example, the divine name for Yesod vibrates audibly from the Da’at center of the throat, but the imprint of sound and sensible vibration happens in the Yesod center of the groin. Therefore, in practice,  Da’at indeed manifests  as the source of unity throughout all levels of the Tree. We may note the parallels to the doctrine of  logos (“word”, “ratio”, “harmony”) in traditional Philosophy as the means through which gnosis is emparted to the initiate. In particular, we are brought to the notion of Da’at as the metaphorical and literal “word of God”.

The doctrine of Da’at may have always been part of the teachings of the Tree and the 10 Sefirot of Nothingness, but its image was perhaps intentionally hidden from profane eyes only to be revealed to initiates. The “profane” geometries of the Tree containing only the 10 Sefirot reflective of our own 10 digits (the 5 fingers of the left and right hands) and Da’at, the “hidden” 11th digit  as the key by which the initiate could unify and transcends their polarity.

Notes

[1] A rather in depth discussion on the triad of Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge in Kabbalistic docterine through the ages can be found in Aryeh Kaplan. Sefer Yetzirah (Boston, MA:Weiser Books, 1997).

[2] As the 11th non-sefirah there are some worthwhile correspondences to examine alonside the numeral 11. In traditional Pythagorean number philosophy – an undisputed influence on Kabbalistic thought – where there are only 10 digits, the integer 11 has merit on its own. It is the first of the double” numbers encompassing the unity of the ten digits (as the union of the first and last digits, 1 + 10)and is interpreted as the reflection of unity (1) upon itself – which fits perfectly into the traditional Kabbalistic interpretation of Da’at as that principle of unity and that point of reflection for the supernals to act upon and manifest the lower seven. Furthermore, through Pythagorean reduction 11 gives us the dyad(1+1=2) – yielding duality and articulating Da’at as the point of separation and, of course, unification between the supernal principles of the Godhead and the manifestation of those principles in the dimensional universe.

[3] Aryeh Kaplan(tran.). Sefer Yetzirah (Boston, MA:Weiser Books, 1997).

[4] Michael Laitman(translator). The Zohar (NY:New York, Laitman Kabbalah Publishers, 2007).

[5] Though of course, through careful observation and reflection of the Gra Tree into three-dimensional space we indeed find evidence of at least two more potential “hidden” sefirah (i.e the Tree as an isometric projection of a double cube). In particular, see Leonara Leet. The Secret Docterine of the Kabbalah(Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions Press, 1999).

[6] Aryeh Kaplan(tran.). Sefer Yetzirah (Boston, MA:Weiser Books, 1997).

[7] “Hesed, Gevura, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, and Yesod combine into one Sefira, called Zeir Anpin (ZA). ZA itself is sometimes referred to as Tifferet, for this Sefira reflects the common attributes of all of its six Sefirot”. From Michael Laitman. The Zohar (NY:New York, Laitman Kabbalah Publishers, 2007). pp. 43.

Originally published November 9, 2010 in Reflections from the Black Stone

The 32 Paths of Wisdom

Ten Sefirot of Nothingness
And Twenty-Two Foundation Letters
Three Mothers
Seven Doubles
And twelve Elementals
(Sefir Yetzirah, 1:2)

These first words of the Sefer Yetzirah lay the foundation for the entire treatise as contemplation on the mathematical and symbolic relations between the ten Sefirot of creation and the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Together these make up the thirty-two emanated “Paths of Wisdom” by which God creates and orders the universe. As such, they are also to be understood as the paths of re-absorption and mystical ascension towards the source of the Divine.

The three Mothers ( ש ,מ, א) are the first, middle, and penultimate letters of the alphabet , they correspond to the three elements of creation (Ruach/Logos, Philosophic Water, and Philosophic Fire). The seven Doubles ( ת ,ר ,פ , כ ,ד ,ג ,ב) are the seven Hebrew consonants that have a hard and soft pronunciation; they represent the seven planets. The remaining twelve letters are the Elementals ( ה ,ו, ז, ח, ט ,י, ל, נ, ס, ע, ץ, and ק ) attributed to the twelve constellations of the Traditional zodiac... Let us take a moment to point out the obvious; among other things, the seven planets also equate with the days of the week and the constellations with the months in a year.

Thus, when discussing these correspondences we must keep in mind their multi-dimensional nature as symbols of both space and time; and of course, we must not forget that even by taking into account their space-time correspondences we are still limiting our discussion to manifestations of the symbols and not the transcendent principles behind those symbols that exist regardless of space or time.

The twenty-two letters are mapped to the line segments, or paths of the Kabbalistic Tree according to the inherent geometric division of the Tree: three horizontal, seven vertical, and twelve diagonal paths.

The three Mothers govern the three horizontal paths as pictured above. They represent the primordial polarities of Philosophic Fire (ש), and Philosophic Water (מ) separated and joined by the divine 'breath' of Ruach (א). This is a clear metaphor to the act of creation and the Breath of God via the spoken word (Logos) separating the higher waters (ש /🜂) from the lower (מ /🜄).

The seven Doubles map to the seven vertical paths. The most logical order by which to attribute the Doubles to the planets is by order of emanation. Thus: ב= Saturn, ג = Jupiter, ד = Mars, כ = Sun, פ = Venus, ר = Mercury, and ת = Moon. Of course, this is the Traditional ordering of the planets based on their sidereal cycles and astronomical distance from earth (See Classical Planets & Chaldean Order). This is the order in the Short, Long, Saadia, Suares, Donash, and Shiur Komah versions of the Sefer Yetzirah. The Gra and Golden Dawn versions differ significantly and are quite likely influenced by the letter-planet correspondences found in the Zohar. However, this is beyond our present scope.

The various versions of the Sefer Yetzirah attribute each of the twelve Elementals to the twelve constellations in alphabetical and zodiacal order. Since they all begin with Aries, we can be assured that all the surviving versions of the text are not older than the Age of Aries (post 12th Century B.C.E).

Despite their differences all the sources indicate that the patriarch Abraham was the original author of text which is at odds with the system beginning with the constellation of Aries. Due to a slight wobble in the earth’s axis, the zodiacal constellation corresponding to the Vernal Equinox shifts every 2,160 years; an event known as the Precession of the Equinoxes. The historical Biblical period from the time of the patriarchs (Abraham) to the building of the first Temple in Jerusalem would have corresponded to the Age of Taurus, well before the Age of Aries. It is worth noting that during the Age of Taurus, the Cardinal constellations would have been Taurus, Aquarius, Scorpio , and Leo. The traditional imagery of Taurus as a Bull, Aquarius as a Man, Scorpio as an Eagle and Leo as a Lion correspond exactly to the description of the Tetramorphs in Ezekiel’s vision of the Chariot.

Returning to the Sefer Yetzirah, this means one of two things: 1) The astronomical correspondences were either forgotten or never specified in the original text and replaced with the classical Age of Aries zodiac at a later date, or 2) The Sefer Yetzirah is intended as a dynamic living text that must be seen through the lens of a current, past, or future Age. Indeed, it is a worthwhile pursuit to experiment with the different zodiacal correspondences during the various Ages to better grasp the full power of the Tree.

Furthermore, the correspondence systems all maintain that alphabetic order corresponds to spatial order (read clockwise); however, this brings forth questions of multi-dimensionality. If we instead focus on the constellations as symbols of time, the order must be reversed since the sun travels counter-clockwise through the zodiacal belt. This is the Kabbalistic principle of reflection in practice.

Here we will expand upon the Elemental correspondences during the prophetic Age of Taurus as a simple exercise to demonstrate the dynamic nature of the Tree. The letter-constellation pairs would thus be: ה = Taurus , ו = Aries, ז = Pisces, ח = Aquarius, ט = Capricorn , י = Sagittarius, ל = Scorpio , נ = Libra, ס = Virgo, ע= Leo, ץ = Cancer, and ק = Gemini.

The resulting Tree displays the polarities of the Universe balanced by the Central Pillar. The constellations to the left of the Center Pillar all correspond to the active classical elements (Fire and Air), while those to the right to the passive classical elements (Water and Earth). The constellations zigzag from Taurus to Gemini in zodiacal order. The descending order (Taurus to Gemini) follows the Precession of the Equinoxes, while the ascending order (Gemini to Taurus) is the annual progression of the Sun across the zodiac. Whichever way you look at it, the directionality of the zigzag corresponds to the active and passive polarities on the left and right- these polarities being the driving force of creation in the never-ending circuitry of the double helix.

There seems to be an apparent contradiction as the Sefirot of Binah (3) is on the right side corresponding to the active constellations, and Chokmah(2) is on the left with the passive constellations. Traditionaly, Chokmah is attributed to the masculine principle of Wisdom, while Binah is the feminine Understanding. This however is not a contradiction; far from it, in fact this outlines the very principle of Kabbalistic reflection. That which is male/+ reflects towards that which is female/-, this is how the incorporeal Supernal Triad interacts with the material universe. Furthermore, this same principle of reflection is hard-wired into our own neurological circuitry. Our Left Brain controls the muscles and sensations on the Right side of our body, while the Right Brain does the same for the Left side.

Meditate upon this and the biblical narrative of the Serpent coiled around the Tree in the Garden will take a whole new dimension.

Originally Published November 17, 2008 as “Concerning the Tree” in Reflections from the Black Stone

The Trees

And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.

(Genesis 2:9)

The symbol of the Tree in spiritual and religions traditions is that of the axis-mundi of creation and, for the initiates into the esoteric practices, a meditative guide to gnosis and union with the Divine. Cross-culturally the Tree stands as a symbol of central orientation and spiritual hierarchy. The Norse Yggdrasil , the Mesoamerican Yax Imix Che , the Vedic Asvattha are but a handful of examples of sacred “World Trees” akin to those mentioned in Genesis.

Kabbalah takes a geometric approach to the symbol in using tree diagrams to illustrate the Ten Sefirot of the Sefer Yetzirah. Through these Trees the Kabbalist encapsulated the mathematical correspondence between the 10Sefirot of creation and the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

There are two primary geometric variations of the diagram: 1) the Ari (Isaac Luria) , and 2) the Gra (Eliyahu the Gaon of Vilna).

Most students of Western esoterica are familiar with the Sefirot layout of the Ari Tree as it was popularized by Aleister Crowley and the various Golden Dawn/Freemasonic offshoots. The Ari Tree hinges on the non-Sefirot of Da’at (‘Knowledge’) that is the pivot of reflection between the supernal triad and the lower seven Sefirot. Whereas the Gra Tree is more compact and geometrically balanced resembling an isometric projection of a double-stacked cube.

The only difference between the geometric layouts of the Gra and Ari versions is the central column (Tiferet, Yesod, and Malkut ) of the lower Sefirot that is shifted downward in the Ari Tree. Aside from this, the organization of the Sefirot are identical.

Meditating upon the two Trees side-by-side we find a geometric allegory to the Biblical Fall from Grace represented by the “fall” of Tiferet (‘Splendor’), Yesod ('Foundation'), and Malkut (‘Kingdom’) away from the supernal triad of Keter, Binah, and Chakhmah.

Thus taken together, the geometric arrays of the Gra and Ari Trees may be interpreted as the two trees of the Garden of Eden: the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge. As consequence of mankind’s fall from grace, the Tree of Knowledge is void of the fruit of Da’at making the Tree of Life and eternal existence and union with the Divine unobtainable. This “Fallen Tree” corresponding to our state of waking consciousness in day to day life, whereas the “Perfect” geometry of the Tree of Life speaks to a resurrected and higher level of consciousness. 

And the LORD God said: 'Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.'

(Genesis 3:22)

Originally Published November 16, 2008 in Reflections from the Black Stone