history of the 22 paths?

stagfoot

Does anyone know when the first image or mention of the 22 paths occurs?
The only older images of the tree of life I've seen, (maybe 17th century?) seem to have far fewer paths.
 

Huck

stagfoot said:
Does anyone know when the first image or mention of the 22 paths occurs?
The only older images of the tree of life I've seen, (maybe 17th century?) seem to have far fewer paths.

There are some, which are much older ... :) but actually they tell a lot of different stuff. The idea of the "pathes in their correct order" has ironical aspects.
True is, that the Sepher Yetzirah (at least in existence in 5th century AD) talks of "32 pathes of wisdom" and of these pathes 10 are identified in the text as the 10 socalled Sephiroth.
The phantasy, that the remaining pathes connect the 10 Sephiroth with each other in a specific manner, seems to have been added in 13th century (kabbalist Gikatilla, as far I know and "have heard" only, but how the connections were imagined stayed a riddle, at least "each individual kabbalist had his own system", as Gerschom Scholem remarked).

As far I inderstand it: this late "order of the pathes" has nothing, but nothing, with the original mathematical intention of the author of the "32
ways of wisdom" to do.
Indeed, in the case, that one understands the mathematical background of the Sepher Yetzirah really, one sees, that the real topic is a complex mathematical system, in which each element is connected (or better: could be connected, if one desires to do so) to each other ... and this can be done in an order, which has nice and "correct" mathematical aspects.

As far I understand it: The author of the late famous "correct order" simply followed other ideas, in other words, he didn't understood the Sepher Yetzirah.

About the mathematical system of Sepher Yetzirah compare:

http://trionfi.com/0/n/0408/
http://trionfi.com/tarot/new-themes/sepher-yetzirah/
 

kwaw

stagfoot said:
Does anyone know when the first image or mention of the 22 paths occurs?
The only older images of the tree of life I've seen, (maybe 17th century?) seem to have far fewer paths.

The earliest reference I am aware with, like Huck, of a tree model with 22 paths is with Gikatilla. There are many tree models in Judaic Kabbalah, the 22 paths being connected to the Sefiroth in various ways. The concentric circle model is older. If you follow the directions in the SY you end up with 10 concentric circles, 22 paths radiating from the centre to the circumference and 231 'gates'. The SY also divides the 32 paths into the 10 ciphers [numerations] and 22 letters.

Kwaw
 

jmd

I personally doubt that the 32 'paths' of wisdom at times appended were originally intended on being related to the ten Sefirot and the 22 letters.

Rather, and though certainly much later thus interpreted, it seems to me more a way of saying that the Torah includes the ways of Wisdom, and is contained by 32 (opens with Bet and closes with Lamed = 32).

In any case, if we take the Sefer Yetzirah as foundational, then the letters are themselves arranged in a sphere(s) or circle(s), and not upon linear connections between Sefirot.

The circular o spherical arrangement of the letters of course makes the 231 gates easier to perceive.
 

Huck

kwaw said:
The earliest reference I am aware with, like Huck, of a tree model with 22 paths is with Gikatilla. There are many tree models in Judaic Kabbalah, the 22 paths being connected to the Sefiroth in various ways. The concentric circle model is older. If you follow the directions in the SY you end up with 10 concentric circles, 22 paths radiating from the centre to the circumference and 231 'gates'. The SY also divides the 32 paths into the 10 ciphers [numerations] and 22 letters.

Kwaw

I'm not sure, how you read "10 concentric circles, radiating from the center to the circumference" inside the original text of Sepher Yetzirah.

I think, it is especially necessary to part "Sepher Yetzirah" from its interpretations. True is in mathematic, that you've 231 possible connections between 22 objects ... and 10 objects have 45, I may add, not 22.
 

Huck

jmd said:
I personally doubt that the 32 'paths' of wisdom at times appended were originally intended on being related to the ten Sefirot and the 22 letters..

Isn't it, that the term Sephiroth was considered to appear first in Sepher Yetzirah? The sentence with the "32 pathes" is at the beginning of the text ... it's just the headline of that what follows, and following text mainly explains 10 Sephiroth and 22 letters (which are 32 elements and just that, what the headline promises).

Rather, and though certainly much later thus interpreted, it seems to me more a way of saying that the Torah includes the ways of Wisdom, and is contained by 32 (opens with Bet and closes with Lamed = 32).

:) ... This mixes reason with "show elements" ... a "B" and a "L" is easily set at the begin and end of a text to point to a "wished interpretation", but the mathematical qualities of the number 32 you cannot alter according your wishes. "BL" means "heart", not "wisdom"

... and the 32 points to a complex mathematical system, which is the true content of the whole text, which only reflects (and interprets) the mathematical system by connecting other practical elements (10 Sephiroth and 22 letters) to it, just as it also connects astrological elements, parts of the body etc.
 

kwaw

Huck said:
I'm not sure, how you read "10 concentric circles, radiating from the center to the circumference" inside the original text of Sepher Yetzirah.

Place the letters in a circle and connect each letter. The first 'lines' connect every sequential letter a-b-g- etc creates 'one' circle; connect every second letter sh-a-g; th-b-d; etc. this gives you the second circle, then every third letter, every fourth etc and you arrive at a series of lines whose tangents prescribe 10 circles, and eleven lines that go through the centre from one letter to its letter opposite letter on the circle, giving you 22 lines radiating from the centre to a letter on the circumference.

Kwaw
 

Huck

kwaw said:
Place the letters in a circle and connect each letter. The first 'lines' connect every sequential letter a-b-g- etc creates 'one' circle; connect every second letter sh-a-g; th-b-d; etc. this gives you the second circle, then every third letter, every fourth etc and you arrive at a series of lines whose tangents prescribe 10 circles, and eleven lines that go through the centre from one letter to its letter opposite letter on the circle, giving you 22 lines radiating from the centre to a letter on the circumference.

Kwaw

Hm ... Of course you can make a circle of the letters ... does the Sepher Yetzirah suggest, that the reader should draw a circle?
Well, yes, here, according Aryeh Kaplan:

"2,4:
Twenty-two foundation letters. They are set in a circle as 231 Gates. The circle rotates back and forth. And this is a sign: There is no good higher than delight (ONG), and there is no evil lower than plague (NGO).
2.5.:
How? Weigh them and transpose them, Alef with each one, and each one with Alef. Bet with each one , and each one with Bet. They repeat in a cycle. Therefore, everything formed and everything spoken emanates in one name.
2.6.: Form substance out of chaos and make nonexistence in to existence. Carve great pillars out of air that cannot be grasped . This is the sign. This is the sign : one foreseees, transposes, and makes all creation and all words with one Name. A a sign of this : Twenty two objects in a single body."

I don't understand your comment. If you start AB ... as first cycle and AC... as second and AT .. as last, then I count 32 circles (19 regular circles with 22 elements, one with 2 circles with 11 elements (cause 2x11 = 22), one with 11 circles with 2 elements (cause 11x2=22)).
32 is a nice number, but I don't think, that it is essentially relevant here.

... but I see, the connection lines form as tangents circles, right, there are ten circles and 11 lines cross in the center. That seems, what you wanted to say. Good.

Anyway, I would say, that the passage of the text is "dark". "The circle rotates back and forth" ... that's dark, interpretable in many directions.

Actually the 231 Gates have 462 results or, somehow, 484 elements: AB creates also BA and AA, BB, GG also should be considered.
 

Huck

kwaw said:
See Kaplan diagram p.111.

Kwaw

Yes, that's nice, that leads, when focusing, to an optical sensation ... but did the author of SY have the same painting conditions? Likely not.

The whole passage is a little obscure, as if written by a later author.
It looks like an addition of a Gematria fan. Likely parts of SY are older than other parts. The astrological parts for instance should be younger than the whole concept.