Sefer Yetzirah Class No 40

Tonight is the last class in this series of classes. I hope it is not your last class with us. I will continue to teach how to experience HaShem in many different ways. Starting next week we will begin a series of classes about science and Torah. This series will help you find God in science. Since God created science along with religion, although i do not agree that religion is a good thing. We must begin to look for God to truly experience God. If you can not find God you can not experience God.

On July 5 at 8 PM i will start a class about Mashiach and the Prophets. I suggest you start to listen to this class as well. You will find it beneficial in following your heart in the search for Hashem.

I am going to comment on the history of the Sefer Yetzirah and then we will finish the last verse of the Sefer Yetzirah.

To study the history of anything is going to leave you with a mistaken perception. Lets pretend that it is the year 4500 AD and there is an archelogical dig taking place in a mythological dig. They have discovered an object. One Archaeologist says it is a symbol of their God. The next Archaeologist says it is a technological device. Then you are transported to their discussion 2500 years in the future and you look at the object they discovered and you say to them. You are both wrong. It is a Coca Cola Bottle and it was used to carry a sugar liquid that had very little food value but had a great amount of advertising behind it.What do you think the two archaeological experts would say? That is what we are doing today. You want to know the truth of the Sefer Yetzirah. Meditate upon the question and ask Abraham did you write it and is it the same today?

I have explained to you what the academic Kabbalists say about this book. I have my own experience of this book and its teachings. I leave you to your own experience. Keep practicing.

To review the Sefer Yetzirah and the first 5 Chapters. Chapter One we were introduced to the Sephirot. Chapter Two introduced the 22 Letters. Chapter 3 introduced the 3 Mother Letters. Chapter 4 introduced the Double Letters. Chapter 5 introduced the Elemental Letters. Chapter 6 introduced the worlds out there along with what one can expect when one meets the entities "out there". Today we will be finishing with the last verse in the Sefer Yetzirah and the concept of Hitbodedut which is what we have been teaching all along. We need to review different aspects of our meditations as well. The different breathing methods.

Now it is important for you to realize that there are many different versions of the Sefer Yetzirah. How did they come about. My teacher teaches that they were modified by Rabbi Chaim Vital and then by Rabbi Eliyahu the Gaon DeVilna. Both of these modifications were done to have the Sefer Yetzirah comply with the Zohar. The version we learned does not comply with the Zohar. Both paths that of the Zohar and that of the Ramack are paralell versions. The Ramack that we learned is experiential. The Zohar is theoretical and philosophical. It is significantly different yet they work together. it is like the Ashkenazi and the Sephardi. They are two different groups with different approaches to the process.

Technical aspects of Isolation

The gudie To Serving God written in Arabic and recently translated (2008). It was written by the Avraham the son of the Rambam. It is published in the English by Feldheim and is available on their website. It is an excellant book and tends to refute the idea of the rationalist Rambam since his son uses rationalism as a tool not a end in itself. I highly recommed this book. We will be discussing certain excerpts from this book which will be helpful in preparing you for what to expect as you travel inward and outward.

Chapter 13 is called Hitbodedut and it is translated in the book as retreat. The usual translation is isolation. This chapter is describing what is called by the author an Ideal Retreat.

To get through the storm we learned the technique of engraving and carving. The best recommendation is to go out in the middle of the night into the wilderness unbounded by any overhead limitations and perform your whirling dervishes or your Hebrew Chanting or what ever meditative teachnique you use with the Hebrew letters.

Mishna 6.6

שלשה אחד אחד לבדו עומד. שבעה חלוקים, שלש מול שלש ואחד מכריע ביניהם. י"ב עומדים במלחמה, שלשה אוהבים שלשה שונאים, שלשה מחיים שלשה ממתים, ואל מלך נאמן מושל בכולן ממעון קדשו

Transliteration

Shelosha Echad Echad Levado Omed. Shevah Chalokim, Shalosh Mohl Shalosh Veechad MacriAh Benihem. Yood Bet Omdim BeMilchamah, Shalosh Ohavim Shalosh ShonEim, Shalosh MeChayim Shaloshah MeMeitim, VEl Melech Nehman Mushal Becolen Mmeaven Kadeshu.

Translation

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.

Mishna 6.8 from the Ramack

Different versions of the Sefer Yetzirah

Translation

Being that Avraham gazed and he understood, engraved and carved and formed and permuted and was successful. It was revealed to him That God was God and God kissed him and added Gods own name to Avraham. They made a covenant between the 10 fingers of the feet and a covenant between the ten fingers of the hands.

The two brits are the male organ and the tongue. The brit is a convenant that binds us together that cleaves us to Hashem.

In the Parasha of Lech Lecha it says Avraham came from Haran with the souls he created there. Some commentators say that these were the Golems he had created to protect himself. Other commentators say that the 318 warriors that helped Avraham defeat the 4 Kings were the same Golems that came from Haran with Avraham.

You all know the story of the convert who came to Shammai and Hillel. Hillel said to him Do not do unto others what you do not want done to you. And then he said "GO DO IT".

This is what my teacher said to me and this is what i say to you. Go DO IT. Practice till you get it right and then proceed to do it until it works for you. I am here for you. Call write send me telepathic messages.

Let me tell you a story. One of my friends in the Kabbalah Center had a baby. In the Kabbalah Center everyone lets Rabbi Berg Name their child. The Rav was in New York and the baby was in Los Angeles. I received a thought that the babies Name was Esther. Ten minutes later, the announcement was made by the teacher in the Center the Babies Name is Esther. Send me a telepathic message. You can. i will receive it. then i will start sending you messages using the same mechanism.

That is the purpose of this class. series.