Query regarding the various Path systems

conversus

I have read with deepening interest many of the threads connected with the study of the Kabbalah in this forum. I am rather new to the study of the Kabbalah, and perhaps not so much a student. My question regards the pathways that connect the Sephiroth. Various systems ascribe different letters to the paths, with some sort of internal consistency. At the moment I seem to have a preference, but that may be neither here nor there. My question regards the Yetziratic Text associated with the paths. Is there a certain constancy of association of these texts as they "describe" the given path between any x and any y? Or, do they too float about among the spheres as the letters seem to.

If these associations also vary, is there an easy to compare them?

Thanks for what ever help or advice you can share!
 

jmd

The Sefer Yetzirah does not itself place the letters on any so-called 'paths' that are presented on later models to connect the emanations in various ways. In fact, the Sefer Yetzirah is quite clear that the letters are place in a circle (or sphere - or the plural of these).

See the text, in most versions 2:4 (I have transcribed a version of the Sefer Yetzirah here on my Fourhares.com site if interested.
 

conversus

I think that I need to rephrase my question. In several monographs following the Golden Dawn Tradition and I believe at least one other if memory serves, the "pathways" between the Sefirot are associated with a text from the 32 Paths of Wisdom. A very readable collection is available as Appendix II in Kaplan's Sefer Yetzirah. . .

My question involves these associations. For example the Golden Dawn associated the "pathway" betwixt Hesed and Gevurah with the text: Intelligence of the Secret of Spiritual Activities : so called because of the influence diffused by it from the most high and exalted supreme Glory. I believe that they also associate this with the letter Tet.

I believe that the followers of the Luria School associate this pathway with the Letter Aleph, but with the same text of the 32 paths. . .

My question is are these associations between the text and the actual pathways relatively constant, or do these also fluctuate.

If the latter, is there a convenient way to study the different associations?

Thanks again. This has been a really great forum!
 

jmd

Others may better reply to this question, as I continue to be baffled by why the text on the "32 ways of Hockmah" has been taken to somehow refer to the ten Sefirot and additional allocations of 22 connections made between these.

From my perspective, "32 Ways of Hockmah", it seems more likely that this text referred to the Wisdom contained within "32" - ie, between Beit (2) and Lamed (30) that open and close the Torah.
 

DianeOD

The Ways

I can't vouch for the antiquity of this small scroll. But it was labelled "Judeo-German amulet, nineteenth century"

Since this date could be after the publication of Waite's book... it possibly follows him. But maybe its original. I'd tend to call it a phylactery rather than an amulet.


AmuletscrollJudeoGerman19thC.jpg
 

jmd

Thanks Diane.

This seems to show one of the standard representations of the Tree and its Klippotic inversion.
 

DianeOD

"Waite" diagram

Yes, it does look standard.

Does anyone have a date for our earliest attested example of this diagram?

I am curious about whether the version in that phylactery is possibly taken from Waite, or whether he based his diagram on older sources.

Anyone?
 

jmd

The earliest version I am aware of comes from Phillipe d'Aquin Tree of the Kabbalah in 1625, from which Kircher derives his version, from which the GD and others derive theirs.

See the Tarotpedia.com entry on this.
 

venicebard

It is my studied opinion that the path-assignments preserved by the Golden Dawn are correct with regard to the letters. But their association of letters with trumps is, of course, completely wrong, as the very evidence which indicates the letters are correctly placed precludes their trump assignments being anything other than that of bardic numeration.


jmd said:
The Sefer Yetzirah does not itself place the letters on any so-called 'paths' that are presented on later models to connect the emanations in various ways. In fact, the Sefer Yetzirah is quite clear that the letters are place in a circle (or sphere - or the plural of these).
Yes, Sefer Yetzirah expresses the tradition that preceded the 12th-century blossoming of Kabbalah: the letters and Sefirot both arise from the round, and this is what connects them to the alphabet-tradition of the British Isles, for which the letters also arise from the round (the solar cycle as it relates to human physiology).


conversus said:
My question involves these associations. For example the Golden Dawn associated the "pathway" betwixt Hesed and Gevurah with the text: Intelligence of the Secret of Spiritual Activities : so called because of the influence diffused by it from the most high and exalted supreme Glory. I believe that they also associate this with the letter Tet.

I believe that the followers of the Luria School associate this pathway with the Letter Aleph, but with the same text of the 32 paths. . .

My question is are these associations between the text and the actual pathways relatively constant, or do these also fluctuate.
I have long wondered this myself and would be interested in knowing the answer.

jmd said:
Others may better reply to this question, as I continue to be baffled by why the text on the "32 ways of Hockmah" has been taken to somehow refer to the ten Sefirot and additional allocations of 22 connections made between these.

From my perspective, "32 Ways of Hockmah", it seems more likely that this text referred to the Wisdom contained within "32" - ie, between Beit (2) and Lamed (30) that open and close the Torah.
Why can't both be true?