Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Hêkalôth Zutarti
James Davila:
- Descenders to the chariot: the people behind the Hekhalot literature
Lawrence Fine:
- Judaism in practice: from the Middle Ages through the early modern period
David Halperin:
The faces of the chariot: early Jewish responses to Ezekiel's vision
Rebecca Lesses:
-Ritual Practices to Gain Power
Peter Schäfer:
- Synopse zur Hekhalot Literatur
- Übersetzung der Hekhalot Literatur
- The Hidden and Manifest God
Michael D. Swartz:
- Scholastic Magic
Transliteration of Hebrew names:
א A, Ÿ
ב B
ג G
ד D
ה H
ו W
ז Z
ח H
ט T
י Y
ךכ K
ל L
םמ M
ןנ N
ס S
ע ÿ
ףפ P
ץצ S, Tz
ק Q
ר R
ש Š, Sh
ת T
HEKALOT ZUTARTI
§ 340- When Moses ascended to God on high, the holy one, blessed be he, instructed him
concerning anyone whose heart goeth astray, he should recite these Names thus: YHWAL,
YHWAL BYH YH BHH AH SBAWT YHWH AYWM. May ye, these holy names, open my
heart! All that I hear, whether words of Torah or worldly matters, let them be kept within my heart
and never more be forgotten by me.
§ 341- This is a book of wisdom, and of understanding, and of knowledge, and of the investigation
of that which is above and that which is below, and of the treasures of Torah, and of heaven and
earth, and of mysteries, which Ehyeh Yah, Yah,, the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, gave from his
knowledge to Moses ben Amram. And he revealed it to him on Mount Horeb, that the world might
stand upon it. And with it, Moses made the signs and wonders that he made in Egypt; and with it, he
smote the Egyptians... the fire which was in the thorn bush. And Metatron, the great prince of the
Lord, the prince of the host of the Lord, revealed himself to him, saying: ‘Moses, Moses!’
§ 342- R. Aqiba said: This name, SNGWL TRGWL SGNSGAL, is sealed, sealed, sealed! This is his
great name, wherewith Moses divided the great sea: ŠWBR YRBRB SGY BDSYQYN MRA
SHTY BR SAYY LBYM.
§ 343- This is his great name which turned the waters into high walls: ANSYHGMN LKSM NÿLM
SWSYAL WŠBRYM MRWB AWN AR ASMWRYAL SHRYŠ ASMM KHH YHAL. Jonah
prayed to the Lord his God . . . I called to the Lord from my distress . . . from the belly of Sheol I cried, and you
heard my voice . . . I have looked into your holy sanctuary (hekhal) . . . you brought my life up from the pit,
Lord God of Israel . . . I will open my thought to you; you will live in my voice: AWSTR YHWH
PSTWR MLYAH are the letters of the name. In the name of Mikael and our Creator, the Lord
himself.
The Four Who Entered Paradise
§ 344- R. Aqiba said: We were four who went into pardes. One looked and died; one looked and was
smitten; one looked and cut the shoots; and I went in in peace and came out in peace. Why did I go
in in peace and come out in peace? Not because I am greater than my fellows, but my deeds have
caused me to fulfill the teaching that the sages taught in their Mishnah: Your deeds will bring you near
and your deeds will keep you afar (mEd 5:7).
§ 345- And these are they that went into pardes: Ben Azzai and Ben Zoma and Aher and R. Aqiba.
Ben Azzai looked 15{into the sixth palace and saw the brilliance of the air of the marble stones with
which the palace was paved, and his body could not bear it, and he opened his mouth and asked
them: ‘These waters—what is the nature of them?’} and died. Of him, scripture says: Precious in the
eyes of the Lord is the death of his saints (Ps 116:15). Ben Zoma looked {at the brilliance in the marble
stones and thought that they were water, and his body could bear that he did not ask them, but his
mind could not bear it} and was smitten {—he went out of his mind}. Of him, scripture says: Have
you found honey? Eat what is enough for you . . ., etc. (Prov 25:16).
Elisha b. Abuya looked16 and cut the shoots. {In what way did he cut the shoots? They say that
whenever he went into the synagogues and study-houses and saw children succeeding in Tora-study,
he used to speak over them and they would be silenced, and} of him, scripture says: Do not let your
mouth lead your flesh into sin! (Eccl 5:5). R. Aqiba went in in peace and came out in peace. Of him,
scripture says: Draw me after you. Let us run. Let the king bring me into his chambers (Cant 1:4).
§ 346- R. Aqiba said: At that time, when I went up to the heavenly height, I made more signs in the
entrances of Raqia than in the entrances of my house, and when I arrived at the pargod, angels of
destruction came out to destroy me. The holy one, blessed be he, said to them: ‘Leave this elder
alone, for he is worthy to behold my glory.’]
§ 348- R. Aqiba said: At that time, when I ascended to the Merkabah, a heavenly voice went forth
from beneath the throne of glory, speaking in the Aramaic tongue. In this tongue, what did it say?
Before the Lord made heaven and earth, he established [corrupt word] in Raqia, by which to go in
and come (scribal gloss: and [corrupt word] means nothing other than ‘gateway’). He established the
irrefutable name, with which to design the entire universe.
§ 349- And who is the man who is able to ascend on high, to descend below, to ride upon the
wheels, to explore the world, to walk on dry ground, to praise the Glory, to make use of the Crown,
to recite adoration, to combine letters, to recite names, to behold what is on high, and to behold
what is below, to know the meaning of the living, and to see the vision of the dead on high, to walk
in rivers of fire, and to know the lightning?
§ 350- And who is able to explain, and who is able to see? First of all it is written: . . . for no man may
see me and live (Exod 33:20); and in the second place it is written: . . . for God speaks to man, and he lives
(Deut 5:21//24); and in the third place it is written: I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne . . ., etc. (Isa
6:11).
§ 351- What is his name? SSYWT (probably Sisiōuth, a Greco-Egyptian magical name) KSPN
WDNYN DNYN NYN NYNYH who is entirely holy, whose hosts are fire! Even as the fire of
YH, ŠWWH HYY SBY AŠKNYN, splendour, KY ŠK NGYNY ABYKN. . . sitting on a high and
exalted throne. . . Holy! Holy! Holy is the Lord of Hosts! The whole earth is full of his glory! (Isa 6:1–3), . . .
Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place! (Ezek 3:12), AWTYYS, PYSWQSYN, PYTH, ŠHQH,
QSPP, PTQYTWQW (or PSQYSWQW), APHH, SPHQ, SWPQ, YAZYN (or YAYQ), TM,
HA, HHAY, SQWM, WHM, WHAQY, AHH, ALHYM, PT, HYY.
And Israel say before him: A glorious high throne from the beginning [is the place of our sanctuary] (Jer 17:12).
§ 352- His holy ones on high say: We see (him) like the appearance of lightning! His prophets say:
We see (him) in a dream-vision, like a man who sees visions in the night. The kings who are upon
the earth say: ÿlwqh str ghym (corrupt text?) But our rabbis say: He is, so to speak, like us, but he is
greater than everything; and this is his glory, which is hidden from us. Moses says to them, to these
and those: Do not inquire into (the meaning of ) your words, but let him be praised in his place!
Therefore it is said: Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place!
§ 353- R. Aqiba said: On his left, and on his right, I heard them say: {[Whoever wants to learn these
names, let him learn this wisdom. Whoever wants to learn this wisdom, let him learn this secret.]}
Whoever wants to learn this secret, let him learn knowledge from the Hayoth which stand before
him: their motion, their appearance, their faces, and their wings. Their motion is like the lightning.
Their appearance is like the rainbow in the cloud. Their face is like the appearance of purple-blue.
Their wings are like beams of clouds of glory.
§ 354- Four faces for each one: four faces for each face; four faces for each of these faces—sixteen faces
for every face; sixty-four faces for each creature; the number of the faces of the four creatures was
(thus) two hundred and fifty-six faces. Four wings for each one: four wings for each wing; four wings for
each of these wings—sixteen wings for every wing; sixtyfour wings for each creature; the number of
the wings of the four creatures was (thus) two hundred and fifty-six wings.
§ 355- When they wish to look, they look forward, toward the east; and when they wish to gaze, they
gaze, but not behind them, not toward the west. When they fly, they fly with their outer wings and
cover their bodies with their inner wings. When they pray, they pray with their inner wings and
cover their bodies with their outer wings. When they expound, they expound with their outer wings
and cover their bodies with their inner wings. When they fall silent, they fall silent with their inner
wings and cover their bodies with their outer wings. When they speak, they shake and shudder the
world with their speech. And when they rise up to utter song before El Shaddai, the holy one, they
raise up their mouths, their faces and their bodies.
§ 356- In front of the hooves of their feet lie hailstones. In front of the hailstones lie glowing coals.
In front of the glowing coals lie beryl stones. In front of the beryl stones lie clouds of consolation.
(In front of the clouds of consolation) rise up holy ramparts. In front of the holy ramparts, spirits
and liliths are assembled. In front of the spirits and liliths are encircling streams of fire. In front of
the streams of fire, (is the place whereof it is said:) he covers the face of the throne; he spreads his cloud over
it (Job 26:9). In front of (the place whereof it is said:) he covers the face of the throne; he spreads his cloud
over it, there dwell a thousand thousands (who) serve him and a myriad of myriads (who) stand
before him, wherefore it is said: a thousand thousands served him and a myriad of myriads stood before him
(Dan 7:10). Above all these, (with) thunder and lightning, are established the letters of his name.
Their appearance is like the appearance of the rainbow in the cloud. Above them is a cloaked scribe,
more honoured than they and exalted above them. He himself sees them all. His stature is equal to
the world and his fullness dwells in his sanctuary (hekal). He abides in secret. BMKNY TDS SMR
MSMTY HYLWKY GBR.
His feet are supported on fiery flames, on fiery flares, on clouds, on [corrupt word], on [corrupt
word]s of hail, on lightning-flashes of splendour like the sceptre of יעיאל, and
on the hooves of the feet of the Hayoth, like the appearance of the sun, like the appearance of the
moon, like the appearance of the stars, like the human face, like the eagle’s wings, like the lion’s
claws, like the ox’s horns.36 And the brightness of the expression on his face is like the shape of the
spirit or the form of the soul, which no creature can perceive. And his body is like tarshish,37 filling
the world, for neither those near nor those afar can look at him. Blessed, yea, greatly blessed be his
name for ever and throughout the ages!
§ 360- He used to say: Who spreads his name, loses his name, and he who does not study deserves
death, and who makes use of the Crown vanishes, and who does not know qyntmysa (Perhaps ‘how to
make his own decisions’) should be put to death, and he who knows qyntmysa shall be asked for it in
the world to come.
§ 361- And who is the man who is able to ascend on high, to descend below, to ride upon the
wheels, to explore the world, to walk on dry ground, to praise the Glory, to make use of the Crown,
to recite adoration, to combine letters, to recite names, to behold what is on high, and to behold
what is below, to know the meaning of the living, and to see the vision of the dead on high; [to ride]
upon the Ofanim of iron, bqwdpa syyta (corrupt text?)
§ 362- R. Aqiba said: By the word of thy countenance on the day of thy wrath, and (by) thy personal
name, by the fire: what is his first name, whereby he is called at night? MHWAH WAZKYYRYTA
HWMN WÿZRYH DYTYB BQRB MŠA, who dwelleth in the midst of the throne (?); and what is
his second name? BRYH DYQRNWSA. and what is his third name? QRQDYA BRBWRYH,
who issues and goes forth (Dan 7:10), and takes from the seventy-two letters, from the keys: BYAT,
AH is his name; BYTYH is his name; BYT MS is his name; BYT PS is His name. BYT YHWMS
is His name. BYT GLMWSYH is His name. BYT ABRWPYH is His name. BYT ABRWNYH is
His name. BYT ABRGH is His name. BYT GLHWM is His name. BYT BRYŠWN
HWKMDRTA is His name…BYT SRNYQS is His name. BYT SRPANWQS is His name. BYT
SRNYNYQS is His name. BYT SRTQYQS is His name. BYT APADRTA is His name. BYT
QLYŠM is His name. BYT APRGM is His name. BYT HWZYAL is His name. BYT ABYRYAL
is His name.
§ 363- AWRYAL is His name, BRQYAL is His name, HNYAL is His name, MŠYAL is His name,
AYTYAL is His name, ZHDRYAL is His name, AHNYAL is His name, BRKYAL is His name,
ANWAL is His name, QDRYAL is His name, RPYSWAL is His name, MYKAL is His name,
AYNKMAL is His name, NWTNYAL is His name, ATNYAL is His name, AYKNYAL is His
name, TRTAL is His name, GRTAL is His name, ALYAL is His name, AHYAL is His name,
ALTYAL is His name, ÿLWMYAL is His name, YWKYAL is His name, QNYAL is His name,
ŠLWAL is His name, SWRYAL is His name, HZYAL is His name, GBRYAL is His name, RPAL
is His name, MTTRWN is His name, Shadday is His name, Holy is His name. Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh is
His name.
§ 364- These are the twenty-two letters which are twenty-two names (derived) from one letter of the
Torah: TŠRQSPÿSNMLKYTHZWHDGBA —for in Yah, the Lord is an everlasting rock (Isa 26:4);
ADNY, AH, YHA, WHYW YH WHY WHYY WHYH HYH YH —Holy! Holy! Holy! (Isa 6:3);
ADNY, YH YHYW YW YH AH YH BYH AH BAH AS, BS BBS MS MMS PS PPS, YDSS,
SSW, SSY, PGÿ, a crown, an explicit diadem;
AŠMYTYA, AŠTTYH (or AŠŠTYH) , the lord, the lord of their lords and the king of their kings;
ANQTM, PSTM, PSPSYM, DYWNSYM (= the name of 22 letters) and the Shekhina of his power is
between the palms of his hands; and in the name of AZBWGH Holy! Holy! Holy!
§ 365- This is the name of the power. Happy is everyone who knows and recites it in purity—his
Tora will be established in his hand. His praise61 will last forever and for all eternity, for though he
stands in the dark of night, no harm shall again befall him. David said: Lord of Hosts, happy is the man
who trusts in you (Ps 84:13). Jeremiah (sic) said: Trust in the Lord forever, for in Yah, the Lord is an everlasting
rock (Isa 26:4).
§ 366\496- R. Aqiba said: I gazed (in a vision), and I observed the whole of the inhabited world, and
I beheld it just as it is. I went up in a wagon of fire and I gazed into the palaces of hail, where I
found GRWSQA GRNSGA (?) that was sitting upon mqly lba (?). And the substitute name of the
keys of the books of your Creator, ARWNYY YH YWD BYWD HA ALP…YHWH HWA
YHWYYH YHWH YHWH YH YH ALYM YHWH YHWH YHWH WYHY YY ABRSKY
and great is His name, ÿPRWS ARKNWS QRTWS WQRTWS ÿQTYNWS ÿGRMYS QRTWS
SGWSYS (or PGWSYS) AYA…‘Stones of burning coal’ is His name. GRWSQA is His name. ‘Fire
stones’ is His name, GRWSQA. ‘Stones of adornment’ is His name, GRWSQA; ‘Stones of pitch’ is
His name, GRWSQA; ‘Stones of flame’ is His name.
§ 367\497- This is the spell and the seal by which the earth is bound and by which heaven is bound.
The earth flees from it and the inhabited world trembles before it. It opens the mouth of the sea and
closes the hooks of the firmament. It opens the heavens and inundates the inhabited world. It
uproots the earth, and whirls the Universe into confusion; GNMSYH is its name; GNYMSYA is its
name; ABRMYA is its name; ABRYRWN (or ABRWNWN, ABRWNYTN) is its name;
AGRWSYA (or AGRNSYH, ABRNSYH) is its name; AL ALHYM is its name; PH is its name;
ŠHY is its name; QDWŠ is its name; SBAWT is its name.
§ 367- His body is full of fiery thrones: DGBT GB HYWWG is its name. The locks of his hair are
like his body: DBR BRD RWBG is their name; and half of them have another name: GLŠRB is
their name. His one eye, which sees from end to end of the world: ATTST is its name, and the
sparks that go forth from it shine with light for all creatures; and his other eye, with which he looks
behind him and sees what will come to pass in future: ATTWST (’Atatwesat) is its name. His body is
like the rainbow (Ezek 1:28), and the rainbow is like the appearance of fire surrounding it (Ezek 1:27)} The
rainbow: QŠTA RWMA QWSTYNA is its name. The sword: MSMSYYA is its name. {The throne
of glory: PYRWPA RWDPWS is its name. His dwelling place: PWRWPA RWPDA PYRWWPB
is its name. ....... and so forth, the personal name.
§ 368- The legs of the Throne of Glory - they are indeed the Hayoth standing beneath it. The first
leg of the Throne, which is a Hayah, is called BBKLY PÿW ÿGLA ÿGLYY ASBYYA. The second
leg of the throne, which is a Hayah, is called MSMS KAMS MSMA KYKN BWBYH KLNY
YPÿY. The third leg, which is a Hayah, is called KKBB AGLYY. The fourth Hayah, which is a living
leg of the Throne, is called SWMS YD ASBÿYH ASSYYH KWBS BBT DSBÿYYA. And the
image of their faces is the imprint of a lion, and the stamp of an eagle, and the image of an ox and
the sealed face of a man. 4 faces each, and 4 faces to each corner, and 4 faces to each of these
corners - 64 faces for each Hayah.
§ 369 - The prince with the face of the man is called HWALYH AMSB AMS AMT KMS. The
prince with the face of the lion is called MPSYH HWDWRYH HYRWŠA AL AWRYH HWD
HWWH KPGMKN. The prince with the face of an ox is called AMSYH ŠWB ALYH
SMMSMSM. The prince with the face of the eagle is called ÿPÿPY LHWZYAL ALYH MMSYH
LHWDYDYYAL. And when Israel sinned, the face of the ox was hidden, and in its stead was
brought a kerub. The prince of the Kerub’s face is called HNQ NQYH PSYH ÿMT MBYALYH
KRWBYH KRWBYH PSWPSYH PSPSYH.
§ 370- The Hayoth, when they fly, they fly with 32 wings and cover their bodies therewith. And they
fly on the wind, for they are wholly made of fire, and the fire is lighter than the wind, so that the
wind supports the fire, as it is said: ‘Wherever the wind would go, they went…’ (Ezekiel 1:12, 1:20).
And the sound of the wings of the Hayoth is as the earthquake whereof Elijah spake: ‘And behold,
YHWH passed by, and a great strong wind…’ Here we have the wind, ‘and after the wind, an
earthquake’ (1 Kings, 19:11). The earthquake was as the sound of mighty waters, as it is said: ‘And I
heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters’ (Ezek 1:24). ‘And after the
earthquake, fire’ (1 Kings 19:12). This is the fire whereof Daniel spoke: ‘And its wheels as burning
fire’ (Daniel 7:9), and he says: ‘A river of fire issued forth and flowed forth from before Him. A
thousand thousands served him, and 10,000 times 10,000…’ etc. (Dan. 7:10)
§ 371 And the Throne of Glory stands upon the four Hayoth, and the likeness of the Throne is the
likeness of the Firmament (raqiÿa). And the Firmament is like the waters of the sea, and the waters
of the sea are like the colour blue, and the colour blue is sapphire. And around the Throne are pure
thunder clouds, giving forth lightning flashes like jewels of taršiš. And the brilliance of the flashing of
the Throne, which is as sapphire with jewels of taršiš, is the Brightness (hannogāh). As the likeness of
them both, sapphire and taršiš, thus is the likeness of the Hashmal. It is like the appearance of fire,
but it is not fire. Rather, it is like fiery flames of manifold colours mixed together, and the eye cannot
comprehend their likeness. And around the Throne is fire flashing forth continuously from the
radiance, and the many flashes of its appearance. And from the midst of these terrors, the likenesses
of the Hayoth, which are the legs of the Throne, appeared unto Ezekiel. To each leg, there were
four faces; to all the pairs of faces, there were four wings. Thus you shall find that for the four legs
there were 16 faces and 64 wings, in each direction.
§ 372- And upon the Throne is the Great Fire, for from the Veil (ha-parōket) of fire that is spread
before Him, no comparison can be made. And seven Ministers (archangels), mighty ones of power,
are before and inside the Veil. And twelve are stationed outside the Throne, three in each direction,
and they are: KWKBYAL, PDYAL and MYKAL on the right; ÿZRYAL, ZKRYAL and ŠMÿYAL
on the left; GBRYAL, RPAL and AHZYAL behind Him; RGÿYAL, DNNAL and AWRYAL
before Him. And He sitteth in the middle. His glory is like the appearance of Hashmal. And upon
His brow is the Crown of the Shem-ha-Meforash, which is all made of fire, and upon His head is a
diadem of splendour, as it is said: ‘From the brightness opposite him burned coals of fire’ (Ps.
18:13). On His right is life, and on His left is death, and in His hands there are fiery sceptres. On His
right there are two powerful mighty Princes, and their names are: ŠBDYAL and PRYAL. And on
His left there are two powerful mighty ones who execute the severe decrees, and their names are:
HBWRA and GLYSWR (Galitzūr).
§ 373 - Upon the Throne of Glory is the seat of His glory, and the Hayoth bear the Throne, and the
Ofanim are the wheels of the Chariot, and they are all of fire intermixed with fire, as it is written:
‘Their appearance was like coals of fire’ (Ezek. 1:13). His dwelling-place, RDPYN SYYPYN is its
name. And how should this name be investigated (or ‘interpreted’)? So powerful is His personal
Name that even the exalted Angels know it not; ADNY YH YHWW HY AH YH HYY HA HA
HW YH ABRZGN RB WYH is His Name. ‘He that covers the face of the throne’ is His Name!
§ 374- And there are 14 (sic) letters that stand opposite the Crown: YDYD YDYDYH WHYY
HYY HYY HAAH HA YDYD YH YHWN HWW HWA HA WMN. Blessed be YHWH, with
an abundance of thanksgiving hymns and with the performance of good works. May it be Thy will,
O YHWH my God, that I neither sin nor succumb to wrath, neither now, nor into eternity.
YHWH is King. YHWH was King. YHWH shall be King forever and ever!
§ 375- Rabbi Aqiba said: These are the princes of the faces of the Hayoth. They say ‘Holy’. They say
‘Blessed’.
§ 376- Rabbi Aqiba said: I give testimony based on my testimony that Metatron said to me;
Metatron, who is the great prince of testimony, our lord and master, who exalts our blood and who
saves us and redeems us from every evil thing, and delivered me from all kinds of destruction and all
kinds of misfortunes. (a version of Shiur Qomah follows)
§ 386- This Lad is Metatron, the Prince of the Presence, who is appointed as a great Prince over all
the princes.
§ 387-And he has 70 names, which are: YHWAL, YWPYAL, YWPPYAL, APPYAL, MRGZYAL,
GYPWYAL, PÿZYAL, ÿÿH, PRYAL, TTRYAL, TBKYAL, AW, YHWH, DH, WHYH, ÿBD,
DBWRYAL, ÿPÿPYAL, SPRYAL, PSPSYAL, SNYGRWN, MTTRWN, SWGDYN,
ADRYGWN, ASTWS, SQPS, SQTS, MYGWN, MYTTWN, MYTTRWN, RWH-
PYSQYNWT, ATTYH, ASSYH, ZGZGYH, PSPSYH (or PSPSYH), MSMSYH, ABSWNYS,
MRGŠ, BRDŠ, MKRKR, MSPRD, TŠGŠ, TŠBŠ, ATRPYTT, BSYHW, AYTMWN, PSQWN,
SPSYH, ZRH, ZRHYH, ABRWBYH, HBHBYH, PLTPLTYH, RBRBYH, HSHSYH,
TPTPYH, TMTMYH, SHSHYH, ÿRÿWRYH, ÿLÿLYH, ZRYZYH, SSRSYH, SSDYH,
ZRZRYZYH, ÿRYMYH, SBRSBHYH, SMKS, YHSYH, SSBYBHYH, SBKSBYH,
QLYLQLYH, KYHHH, HHYH, WH, WHYH, ZKYKYH, TWTRYSYH, SWYRYH,
ZHPTRYH, ZÿZÿYH, ZPZPYH, GLRZYH, MLKMLKYH, ÿTTYH, ÿMQQYH, SLSLYH,
SBSBYH, GÿYTGÿYTYH, PRYŠPRYŠYH, ŠPTŠPTYH, HSYMYH, ŠRŠRYH,
GBYRGBYRYH, GYRGYRYH, ZYWA RBA (‘Great light’), ‘Faithful Lad’, ‘Little YHWH’, after
the name of his master, ‘for my name is in him’ RBRBYAL, NÿYMYAL, SGNSGAL (or
SGNZGAL). Prince of Wisdom.
§ 388- And why is he called SGNZGAL? Because all the treasuries (ginzê) of wisdom are committed
in his hand. And all of them were opened to Moses on Sinai, so that he learnt
them during the forty days, while he was standing (remaining} the Torah in the seventy aspects of
the seventy tongues, the Prophets in the seventy aspects of the seventy tongues, the Writings in the
seventy aspects of the seventy tongues, ''the Laws in the seventy aspects of the seventy tongues, the
Traditions in the seventy aspects of the seventy tongues, the Haggadoth in the seventy aspects of the
seventy tongues and the Tosafot in the seventy aspects of the seventy tongues. But as soon as the
forty days were ended, he forgot all of them in one 8 moment. Then the Holy One, blessed be He,
called YPYPYH, the Prince of the Torah, and (through him) they were given to Moses as a gift. As
it is written (Deut. x. 4): "and the Lord gave them unto me". And after that it remained with him.
And whence do we know, that it remained (in his memory)? Because it is written (Mai. iv. 4): "
Remember ye the Law of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel,
even my statutes and judgements. ' The Law of Moses': that is the Torah, the Prophets and the
Writings, 'statutes': that is the Laws and Traditions, 'judgements'; that is the Haggadot and the
Tosafot. And all of them were given to Moses on high on Sinai.
§ 393- Let it be thy will, Lord our God that thy mercy may conquer thine anger, in the hour in which
we invoke thy great and terrible name, so that we may not be burned in the fire, for all thy servants
are like blazing fire. Let it be thy will, O merciful and gracious Father, that we may be saved from
demons in that hour, because to Thee Thy name is lofty, to Thee Thy name is holy, to Thee is Thy
name pure, Thy name is terrible, thy name is glorious, and Israel is holy and pure because of Thee.
Thou didst not reveal Thy name to any nation of the world, but only to us. Thou called us sons and
servants for thy name's sake. Blessed be thy name forever and ever, which I write thus: AKTRYH
BHG WBYHAL ALYH QNNYAL HWHYH YH BYSRH YHW YH RSS TYGÿS QDWŠ
HWDYH YHWH YDH, the ineffable name that is on the Crown, His name is ineffable, HW
HYH HW HW YHWYH is his name. HDWY YHWH YHWH YHWH HWHW. HWHW
BGW HYH BHY RTTS HWS YHWH HYH WYHYH YHW WHY BÿTMTWN
WYHYSSYH PRYŠH. Blessed be the name of the glory of his kingdom, forever and ever.
§ 394- BSPS NNN DNWN NYNYH, entirely holy, MHWŠ BAWŠYH YHWHWŠ HWŠ
WSBY HWŠ BWNYN AWR BŠAN NYNH ABHN NYH YHYH YH YH YH HWN YH
ASWN ABSWN ATWN (or AŠWN) ABTWN ARSWN (or ABSWN).
This is my name for ever, and this it shall be unto all generations. Blessed be the name of the glory
of his kingdom forever and ever. YH, God of Hosts, Shaddai, God of Israel, TA is His name.
§ 397- This is the prince: his name is YWPYAL, they call him YHDYAL. In the camps of holiness
they call him Metatrōn. They call him SSNGYAL YH YHW HY HWH HW YH YH HYH HY
HW GP HA HWG; for healing, GTŠ TLT HKMWGYH QDWŠ QNNYAL QNNYH AL HW
HA WYH HYH BGY HYH, explained on the Crown.This is his great name that was transmitted
to Moses at Sinai, from the mouth of the faithful and humble God, and from the mouth of Moses it
was transmitted to Joshua, and from Joshua to the elders, and from the mouth of the elders to the
prophets, and from the prophets to the men of the Great Assembly, and from men of the Great
Assembly to Ezra, and from the mouth of Ezra to Hillel, and from Hillel it was hidden, till Rabbi
Abbahu came and said: ‘This is my name forever’. NYTM, HÿYPYS, MQDRGŠ,
AWSPRDMWN, QYTWS, WYWSYTWS, WYWSYTWS, GRMSTWN, QWRYS, QRDYDWS,
YWY. This is my great name. YH is his name. YHW is his name. This is the name of my glory. He
is the prince, the Prince of Countenances, and all of the ministering angels stand before him. This is
the great prince. He is the prince over all the princes and prince over all the twofold myriads, and
the thousands of thousands, and stands before the One who is elevated above the Gods, above the
heaven.
§ 420- Rabbi Ishmael said: There is no creature amongst all His servants who calls him by this name,
but He calls him MGHŠH, because he is second in rank to HDRYRWN, the good majesty, the
pure majesty, the majesty of splendour, the light of Yah, the light of PNHWDY YH YH YHWH,
God of Israel. And he stands at the first gate, and ministers at the great gate, and when I saw him,
my hands were burned and I was standing without hands and without feet, till I saw PNYWN
(Panayōn) the prince, one of the highest servants, and he stands before the Throne of Glory opposite
the inner room of the Seraphim, whose name is like His name, and it is one and the same name.
And he stands at the Throne of Glory, and clothes God with the garment (h aluq), and adorns the
Hashmal, opens the gates of salvation to show favour, loving-kindness and mercy to all those who
ascend to behold Him…
§ 421- ÿAnafi’ēl said: Anyone who seeks to pray this prayer and to obtain understanding of the work
of his Creator must invoke for himself one of these letters. Again, I shall not turn to my right or to
my left, until I turn and do his will for him. And anyone who tells gossip about him (the initiate) -
forthwith I smite and destroy them, apart from the angel who is sent by the Glorious King, HY
YWD ALP HY YWD GÿYYH SSYH ALPP THŠ MŠYYM HA AYHH RWQ WYW HY WHY
HY ABDR HYM MAHWBYM YSRWNYS HA MLYYS YHW YHW AY HYY HH, the great,
mighty, fearsome, majestic, and strong God, who is hidden from the eyes of all creatures, and kept
secret from the attending angels, but is revealed unto Rabbi Aqiba through the work of the Chariot
to do accomplish his will.
As it is written: ‘Every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have
formed him; yea, I have made him.’ (Isaiah 43:7), therefore let him do my will and my desire and my
request and all that I ask. Amen, Amen. Selah. YHWH is King, YHWH is King. YHWH shall be
king forever and ever.
§ 422- R. Aqiba said: When I explained this practice of ascending and descending to the Merkabah,
they appointed a blessing for me each day in the court above and the court below.
§ 423- And again, R. Aqiba said: A heavenly voice addressed me from beneath the throne of glory
and it said to me: For my friend, who suffers and endures the practice of ascending and descending
to the Merkabah before me, I have appointed a blessing to be said three times each day in the court
above and the court below. And I shall love and redeem the household in which they learn it.
§ 424- R. Aqiba said: Whoever wishes to learn this Mishnah, and to express the name explicitly,
should sit in fast for forty days and rest his head between his knees until the fast takes control of
him.101 And he should whisper (it) to the earth and not to heaven, so that the earth may hear, but
not heaven. If he is an unmarried youth, he may say it as long as he has had no emission; and if he is
a married man, he should be continent for three days, as it is said: Be ready by the third day; [go not near a
woman] (Exod 19:15). If he tells it to his friend, he should tell him one letter from the beginning and
one letter from the end, but he should not join one to the other, lest he should make a mistake and
destroy the world of the holy one, blessed be he. [If he is chained in prison for his soul’s sake, that
it may not perish, he may say it during the daytime but not at night, lest he should make a mistake
and destroy the world of the holy one, blessed be he.] If he wishes to test him, he may test him once
but not twice, and, when he tests him, he should examine him strictly, lest he should make a mistake
and destroy the world of the holy one, blessed be he. He should practice it regularly, month by
month and year by year, for thirty days before Rosh Hashana, from the beginning of the month of
Elul to Yom Kippur, so that Satan and the forces of evil may not afflict him all year.
§ 489- Blessed be the great Name of the One who, in the beginning of His wisdom, created heaven
and earth, and who did not reveal His wisdom to human beings, but gave it to the ministering
angels, and the ministering angels revealed the secret to human beings. Anyone who finds this book
and discovers all that is written in it must not lie on his bed for forty upon forty days. He must not
see the face of a male or female twin, or the face of a male or female leper, (or a man or a woman
who has a flux; nor may he see a woman in menstrual impurity. He must not eat bread baked by a
woman or water drawn by a woman, but must knead with his own hand and mill it with his own
hands, and bake one loaf a day and eat it. He shall not eat meat, nor may he eat any kind of fish, nor
drink wine or intoxicating drink; nor may he eat onion and garlic, or garden vegetables. If a seminal
emission occurs, even on the last day, all the previous days are rendered invalid, and he must return
to the beginning. He shall wear white garments and immerse in a river every day for those eighty
days, in the evening and in the morning, and be clean.
On the last day he shall take this book in his hands and go down to the river in a place that is
hidden from human beings, and open it and read from it. And when he finds two incantations [that
appear together], he shall say, “Powerful {YH} and strike his heart. And if he raises his eyes to
heaven and sees the face of the Shekinah he will die. And if he lowers his eyes to the ground he will
live. And when it is revealed to him, he shall hurry twenty paces back. And when he says his
blessings, he shall study it.
And he must not exchange it (i.e. the secret or the book), neither for gold nor silver, nor for
precious stones (or) for pure jewels. For he who shall do such a thing shall not remain alive.
Throughout his days, he will seek death, but shall not die. He will ask for life, without living. He
shall be so hungry that he shall eat his own flesh and drink in thirst his own blood. His days shall
turn into nights and the nights will turn into day. He will die by the vermin of the earth, and his
body shall not be buried. A demon will suffocate him, and a lion shall devour him.
§ 490- Anyone who does not reveal this great name is blessed (before God). It shall be good for him
in death and in life. Kings will bow to him, and leaders of the world will give him honour. They will
bind a strong crown on his head; he will appear like an angel of God, and they will fall back under
his feet. All of his words will be ordered in his mouth, and Satan shall not be an obstacle to him. No
man shall rise up before the face of his anger. Everything to which he puts his hand shall succeed.
If he listens to all of (God’s) merciful commandments, he is praised every day. He does right
and justice to the people. He feeds the hungry and clothes the naked. He gathers the exiles and
brings them into his house, this on account of the great Names which he must use in holiness.
One who knows this great Name, will gather the lion by his ear, and the dragon by the skull of his
head. If he is angry at the sea, it will become dry; at the fire and it will be quenched. If he wishes to
kill, he kills, and if he wishes to bring to life, he brings them to life. Before him the earth trembles,
mountains and heights shake.
The Hayoth chant a hymn, saying: “Holy, holy, holy is YHWH of hosts, the whole earth is full of
His glory”. And they glorify these great names in the world in every firmament.
He who desires to become wise, should read all this book every day, but he should not say it (out
loud), lest He, whose Name is blessed, be angry.
Call 300 Chariots: 72 are his names, 1200 His surnames, 66 his characters, 96 his glswryn, 24 are the
measure of His holiness; 42-fold is the splendour of His myriads.
He spoke, and the world was, His name is forever and ever and ever. Without him, there is nothing
good and nothing evil, till the end of all generations.
§ 491- YH (37 times). Holy God (six times), YH (28 times). Thou art the one who has mercy on
the people and the spirits that go out into the world. AYTPS HWA HMYM. YH (16 times). ABL
MTSBT DBQRB KÿPK GNGPS TSYMK. QMNG LÿQWT HYH SS HŠH. ÿPS GPS
TMNTA YSB TSWMK QMBR GL ÿQWM HYH HŠHY.
Thou art one in heaven, and thou art one on the earth, thou art ABRWSMN. Thou art
AGRSMW ABRH HM THT YHW AHYH YHA AH HWH YH YHW HY DYH WYH. YH
(24 times). Holy God, Holy God, Holy God, Holy God, Holy God, Holy God, six (times). YH (15
times).
§ 492- This is the name revealed unto Moses at Sinai: QWM HWA AWBSS ŠMSS ŠSS SQS
STNYNA MMSYS NZ. These are the words that a man says when he walks along with his
adversary; he should call out: given to him, by his great Name, which is enduring: QÿYYS HWA
AYŠ ŠSB AWŠ SMSTM SQ HMS SMNYAL MSPS (Matzpatz) QWS, which was revealed to
Moses at the burning bush. “This is my name forever:” (Exodus. 3:15): SBWR HSNWR SM QM
QWPQSQWS, which endures till the end of all generations.
§ 494- YH (40 times), heart of the King, heart of the King, MŠQRB SL ABRTWS ABRYNWS
ANTWS SLYL SLMWN ANAL, YHZQAL, that was engraved on the tablets of stone, and the
warriors of the great Name, MYKAL, RPAL, ZYWAL.
Whoever guards this carefully (the mystery), he shall prosper. NWRYAL is great, great in his
confusion (?); you beheld ARPKŠR, the great father; he sat before me. The name of his master is
HWAY... name of the Lord, God, Lord, holy and strong. Elohim, YHW, YHA, AL YŠHQ YŠQ,
Lord, living god and king of the world, Lord, King eternally. WYWRDY ( we-yordē, ‘and those who
descend’) YŠHWŠYAH. And Jehoram the king arose and he prospered…(?)..KNPYN ASYSPS
MQWŠLA SWMRA BPLT PLTLM, YHYS. Ring of God, enlightening and fearful. KRYHWQ
YHYQ RBH BRZYH THWT MSPRS SM, KWPL BRKW WDLDRWS DRWM MRBYM
YHQ YWPRST (or APRST, MRPST, YWPRYSH), QWRYAL RHYMH ALHYM ALY
MASK ALL BRAT ATARH (or ATRWRH) ALHYM SYWHY, Eternal Lord, LMBRTWS.
They say thus: WPYRMH WARSYMN YLL SWRSWR TWBYH, Lord God of Israel,
WTBRYT WASQMWS (or ASQTWS) KSMW SLL MBNYW ŠMT YHYMN, SYTRY MN
QDWŠY WHY MSPRWS, who sitteth upon the Kerubim, Lord of truth, Lord of hosts, for peace.
MHMYAL MYŠAL AWZYAL TWRYAL QMWAL RBYAL HRYAL, QBYAL QMWAL
ÿRDYAL MLTYAL PLTYAL RHWMYAL, WHHNYAL, WBHNYAL SSYAL SRPYAL
SRAL. ŠWHRYAL MHNYAL GDYAL HWŠYAL ÿNNAL QŠTYAL. ÿSPYAL TRPYAL
BHLYAL RGLYAL RMAL QLBS ATRGWN. LA HWQNA ASTQTH SWLTA LQWPQWS
LQWPQS RHTYAL. WDWMYAL ZHWRYAL SWMKS YHLAL AWZYAL. ANYAL
HZQYAL SRPYAL MTNYAL MRGBYAL ŠWKNYAL NWRYAL. NKBDYAL NPLYAL
QDŠYAL HWRYAL WDWMYAL. HWDYAL MLKYAL.
§ 495- Any man who reads this book must go by himself to the river, to a place that is concealed
from human beings and from the spirits that roam the world. There he will see a man, and he will
survive by his mercy, and by his prayer he shall be saved. He will use this name: AKLMT SBTRB
QRB BÿA ÿPS GPS TMNTA YSB TSYMK QMBD GLÿQWS. No fire shall occur in a house
wherein this book is placed, nor will destruction befall it.