Sefer Yetzirah Class No 17

We are continuing the study of Mishna 2. 8 by bringing material from Abulafia.

Abraham Abulafafia was born in Spain in 1240 and passes sometime after 1291.

He is associated with the modern school of Prophetic Kabbalah and is typically referred to as its founder.

We are fortunate in that he wrote material that brought many teachings from the Prophetic Schools forward to our times. Otherwise this material may very well have been lost.

It is only in the last 30 years that his material is being printed in both English and for the first time in Hebrew. His writings were in Cherem for many hundreds of years as he was a very controversial personality. His controversies include a visit to the Pope uninvited in order to reunify the Jewish and Christian worlds and bring Mashiach. What is meant by this is he went to the Pope to convert him to Judaism. The Pope heard of this and ordered he be burned at the stake. The Pope died prior to his meeting with Abulafia and also his death meant the burning at the stake decree was no longer valid. He was arrested and spent 4 weeks in jail before being redeemed, which is a foremost Jewish Mitzvah - to free Jewish captives.

Here is a recap of his meditative techniques and methods from Wikipedia

In his numerous works Abulafia focuses on complex devices for uniting with the Agent Intellect, or God, through the recitation of divine names, together with breathing techniques and cathartic practices.

Some of Abulafia’s mystic ways were adapted by the Ashkenazic Hasidic masters. Taking as his framework the metaphysical and psychological system of Moses Maimonides (Mosheh ben Maimon, 1135/8–1204), Abulafia strove for spiritual experience, which he viewed as a prophetic state similar to or even identical with that of the ancient Jewish prophets.

Abulafia suggests a method that is based on a stimulus that continuously changes. His intention is not to relax the consciousness by meditation, but to purify it via a high level of concentration which requires doing many actions at the same time. For this, he uses Hebrew letters.

Chanoch's comments about the above paragraph: This is the academic view that ignores the energy of the Hebrew Letters as they can not be measured by science yet.

Abulafia’s method includes a number of steps.

The first step, preparation: the initiate purifies himself through fasting, the wearing of phylacteries (Tefilin), and donning pure white garments.

The second step: the mystic writes out specific letter groups and their permutations.

The third step, physiological maneuvers: the mystic chants the letters in conjunction with specific respiratory patterns, as well as head positioning.

Chanoch's Commentary: Implied by these words and their tone is a lack of belief that this works. IT DOES. The head movements will be described below.

The fourth step, mental imagery of letters and human forms: the mystic imagines a human form, and himself without a body. Then the mystic ‘draws’ the letters mentally, projects them onto the ‘screen’ of the ‘imaginative faculty’, i.e. he mentally imagines the patterns of letters. He then rotates the letters and turns them, as Abulafia describes in Imrei Shefer: "And they [the letters], with their forms, are called the Clear Mirror, for all the forms having brightness and strong radiance are included in them. And one who gazes at them in their forms will discover their secrets and speak to them, and they will speak to him. And they are like an image in which a man sees all his forms standing in front of him, and then he will be able to see all the general and specific things (Ms. Paris BN 777, fol. 49)."

Chanoch's Commentary: The speaking to the letters is described in lesson 16 and is confirmed by modern psychology.

During the final step of mental imagery, the mystic passes a succession of four experiences. The first is an experience of body-photism or illumination, in which light not only surrounds the body but also diffuses into it, giving impression that the body and its organs have become light. As the ecstatic Kabbalist continues to practice, combining letters and performing physiological maneuvers, the result is the second experience: weakening of the body, in an ‘absorptive’ manner. Subsequently, the mystic may feel an enhancement of his thoughts and imaginative capacity. This is the third experience. The fourth experience is characterized mainly by fear and trembling.

Abulafia emphasizes that trembling is a basic and necessary step to obtain prophecy (Sitrei Torah, Paris Ms. 774, fol. 158a). In another place he writes: ‘all your body will begin to tremble, and your limbs begin to shake, and you will fear a tremendous fear […] and the body will tremble, like the rider who races the horse, who is glad and joyful, while the horse trembles beneath him’ (Otzar Eden Ganuz, Oxford Ms. 1580, fols. 163b-164a; see also Hayei Haolam Haba, Oxford 1582, fol. 12a).

For Abulafia the fear is followed by an experience of pleasure and delight. This feeling is a result of sensing another ‘spirit’ within his body, as he describes in Otzar Eden Ganuz: ‘And you shall feel another spirit awakening within yourself and strengthening you and passing over your entire body and giving you pleasure’ (Oxford Ms. 1580 fols. 163b-164a).

Only after passing these successive experiences does the mystic reach his goal: the vision of a human form, which is closely linked to his own physical appearance and generally experienced as standing in front of the mystic. The experience is increased when the mystic experiences his autoscopic form (or ‘double’) as speaking: the double begins to talk to the mystic, teaching him the unknown and revealing the future.

Abraham Abulafia describes the experience of seeing a human ‘form’ many times in his writings. However, initially it is not clear who this ‘form’ is. As the dialog between the mystic and the ‘form’ proceeds, the reader understands that the ‘form’ is the image of the mystic himself. Addressing his students and followers in Sefer Hakheshek, Abulafia further elaborates the scenario (New York Ms. JTS 1801, fol. 9a; British Library Ms. 749, fols. 12a-12b): "… and sit as though a man is standing before you and waiting for you to speak with him; and he is ready to answer you concerning whatever you may ask him, and you say ‘speak’ and he answers […] and begin then to pronounce [the name] and recite first ‘the head of the head’ [i.e. the first combination of letters], drawing out the breath and at great ease; and afterwards go back as if the one standing opposite you is answering you; and you yourself answer, changing your voice …" Apparently, by utilizing the letters of ‘the Name’ with specific breath techniques, a human form should appear. Only in the last sentence Abulafia suggests that this form is ‘yourself’.

Yet he explicitly put it, as he has also explained in another book, Sefer Hayei Haolam Haba: ‘And consider his reply, answering as though you yourself had answered yourself’ (Oxford Ms. 1582, fol. 56b). Most of Abulafia’s descriptions are written in a similar fashion. In Sefer Haoth Abulafia describes a similar episode, but from an explicit self-perspective:"I saw a man coming from the west with a great army, the number of the warriors of his camp being twenty-two thousand men […] And when I saw his face in the sight, I was astonished, and my heart trembled within me, and I left my place and I longed for it to call upon the name of God to help me, but that thing evaded my spirit. And when the man had seen my great fear and my strong awe, he opened his mouth and he spoke, and he opened my mouth to speak, and I answered him according to his words, and in my words I became another man (pp. 81–2)."

Chanoch's Comments: There are many secrets being revealed in these paragraphs about how to implement the Abulafia system. It is not necessary to implement all of these steps but it is recommended to practice all of them.

We are now going to read from a student of Abulafia's who wrote a sefer named Sefer Aliyah (Book of Elevation). My teacher translated Chapter 9 and i am summarizing it below.

Here is the link page from the Hebrew Sefer Sulam Aliyah Chapter 9

The way of the vowels and their images and their inner heart. (This is all done as visualization in our minds and its purpose is to help change our consciousness).

This will change your internal organs. Speak out loud do not meditate on the shapes. This is how the prophets spoke the letters and also moved their heads.

You must know the vowel of the letter is the soul and it is what makes it moved. if you think you can recite to the letter without its vowel. Voice Breath Speech. See earlier classes. This is divine inspiriation

The word Notaraikun is a Greek word that when spelled in Hebrew has 5 vowels. The order of thesevowels is O Ah A E U. This is the order that was used by the Prophets in their practice.

5 places of the mouth relate to Breath and Speech. As our breath moves through the 5 parts of the mouth, the throat, the palette, teeth, tongue, and lips, it becomes voice and eventually speech. Do you know the difference? Zeir Anpin vs Malchut - see earlier classes.

All words come forth from the letters and are all included in these 5 forms of the vowels that come from the 5 parts of the mouth.

Yood and Kof are the only letters that have base vowels as Oh.

The two Vowels Kamatz and Patach are sounds today interchangeable. Actually the Kamatz is Ah (long)and the Patach is Ah (short). All of these writings indicate that we are to interchange them and pronounce them with the Ah (long).

The letters are the Aleph Dalet Wawv Zion Caf Lamed Sameck Ayin Tzadi and Tav

The letters that have base vowels of Seri which is E sound. The vowels Shvah and Segol are intertwined with the Seri.

The letters are the Bet, Hey, Chet, Tet, Mem Pey and Reish

The vowel Chirik has 2 letters and is the E sound

The letters are the Gimmel and the Shin

One letter has the vowel Shuruk U sound which is the Nun

The above are the base vowels for every letter.

The base vowel is the first sound that is made when saying the name of the letter.

Speech is divided into these 5 base vowels. All other vowels are included within these 5 base vowels.

The movements of our body relate to the movements within our consciousness.

When one pronounces any Holy Name one does not pronounce it with the vowels from the Masoretic text. Adonai is actually AhDahNuYoh. This is a very big secret that is only taught by one teacher that i know of publicly. I learned it from him and i am teaching it to you. If you ever enter into a discussion with other people they will not be informed and it is not your job to inform them or correct them. They are right in what they know for them. You have the merit of receiving (Kabbalat) this from my chain of teachers. Always accept the correction with thanks and appreciation. There is an amazing truth here. Unity does not always come from being right. The goal is unity not being right. Enough said.

The correct way to pronounce the Tetragrammaton is YohHuHey. Say it all you want and nothing happens until you learn the secret of vowels and practice practice practice and then practice some more.

Actually, there are 5 X 5 X 5 X 5 gates within the Tetragrammaton. Each combination will cause the Name to act differently. Learn them practice them. Find out which work for you. We will learn them from the link above.

The purpose of theses gates is to arouse your inner heart and your inner mind.

the movement of the head is to imitate the form of the vowel.

You start with your head in a balance point. Do not move your head keep it balanced. You move your neck which causes your head to move.

Stomach breathing not chest breathing. NO FLEHM open your mouth and let your voice flow forth.

Hold that position above as long as you can hold a breathe.

Always face East when you practice these. Do face the Holy Temple in front of you, In fact visualize the Holy Temple, not the wall only but the Holy Temple itself. Go on Google and find images of the Temple. Look to the east when you are standing in the Temple. See the Holy of Holies in your MInd's Eye.

Holam - deep breath thru nose bellow the breath out. Move your neck, in a flowing path, so that there is a straight line from your stomach thru the chest thru the neck. Do not go past straight but end up in a straight line when you run out of breath.

Kamatz is made up not from two lines but as a horizontal line and a dot in the middle of the horizontal line. The dot is below the line connected to it. Move your neck from left to the right to and back to middle where you drop your neck half way or slightly (not all the way down) to demonstrate the dot.

Seri - is two dots. Begin moving your neck from right to left. South to North. Kamatz is a large movement. Seri is a small movement. Contemplate directions are related to ideas not deep thoughts. but ideas. Ideas will come as entities.

Cherique is one dot only. Take your neck to make a right angle to your body as much as possible. try to get to your chest.

Shuruk Dot is in the middle of the Vav. Stretch out your neck right and left keeping your head in the middle.

These vowels proclaim God to be King in all 6 directions.

The proper way to do this is to follow the Sofer would do it.

How to pronounce the Names with the vowels.

Begin with Adonai with the vowels of Notarikun. Do the Name with 2 letters and then 2 other letters

radiate the source and then come to know the branches. This is a hint about the Language of Branches taught by Rabbi Ashlag.

Look at the link. Start with Adonai - 2 letters Aleph Dalet front and Aleph Dalet back with the 5 vowels. Then do the Nun Yood front and Nun Yood Back with the 5 vowels.

Don't forget to do the head movement and the correct breathing.

This is where you begin. Always start with these 100 breaths.

One additional rule to learn. When you build something. you build and internal and then an external. The internal starts with the Tetragrammaton. The external starts with the letters first. Enough said.

Breathing Techniques

Hold the sound as long as you can hold your breath

Make sure you are dressed in clean white clothing.

You shall wear the Talit and if in the day wear the Tefilin

After you finish bow down to the ground- put your head on the ground. No separation between each letter. No more than two breaths.

No more than 5 breaths at the end of a line.

you can take up to 25 breaths at the end of the 25 gates.

Make a mistake (either in sound or head movement) in a line go back to the beginning of the line.

If you see a form bow down before it. If you hear a voice say Please my Lord because your servant is listening. AND THEN LISTEN

If your mind or body is weak STOP for the week. You can fall asleep that is not weakness.

What letters or words should you be doing?

If you have a Book of Adam, do any of the additional words. If you have the 72 Names with your Name intertwined. Do all of them

Every day of the year has a specific 72 Names so do a name each day. Or do anything else that makes sense to you. Check with me first before you do anything other than practice.

Turn the neck to towards your left shoulder, let the letter come forth from your mouth with a pleasant voice and song. Turn your head slowly from left to right. In essence write the line with your head.