Sepher Yetzirah

Ventrue

Is anyone interested in a study group on the Sepher Yetzirah, it would be an undertaking, and I wouldn't want to do unless we have more than a small handful. This isn't the busiest forum, but i'm not sure if it's because we dont have anyone interested or if its all lurkers. So.....anyone who is intersted please chime in.

Ven
 

MikeTheAltarboy

I'd like to join, as best I can. :)
 

Laurel

I'd love to join in. Did you have a specific version and translation in mind, or would you like to compare and contrast them all?
 

Ventrue

Well, I am currently mulling through the Kaplan version. Which isn't always the most accepted, and is the least orthodox, BUT I think a lot of us are ...less than orthodox... So the Sefer Yetzirah translated by Aryeh Kaplan is the version I am working with. But Using different versions shouldn't be TOO difficult as long as it has the chapters broken down pretty well, which most of them do.

Ven
 

MikeTheAltarboy

My choices are Isidor Kalisch or W.W. Wescott. I don't have a hard copy, so I'm working from sacred-texts.com. :)
I'd love to hear how the Kaplan version differes. I like him.
 

venicebard

Another willing participant here. I can usually get online once a week or so.

Sometimes alternate versions’ translations of specific terms are useful, especially with lexicons for checking. Kaplan’s SY is great, as it gives the Hebrew and is generally well translated methinks. The two others I use are:

The Book of Creation, Translation and Commentaries by Irving Friedman (N.Y.: Samuel Weiser, Inc., 1977), p. 5.

Book of Formation (Sepher Yetzirah): The Letters of Our Father Abraham (Los Angeles: Work of the Chariot, 1970), p. 6.

The second of these is probably rather rare, a mere pamphlet-with-a-binding really, but deep in the spirit of it, at any rate, and an occasionally better translation than either of the other two.
 

rachelcat

Hi, folks. I'm in! I just started reading the Kaplan, too, so I'm all set. And thanks for the other translation suggestions. It's so great to I'm not all alone in studying these things. And I need all the help I can get! Thanks Ventrue!
 

Ventrue

Well, I do like the way the Kaplan is broken down maybe we could do it with threads that do Chapter 1:Section 1 1:2 1:3 etc

i'm not sure how the other versions are broken down maybe i need to go to sacred texts and have a look-see.

Ven
 

kwaw

SY texts online

There are many sites, here are a few:

Isidore Kalisch:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/jud/sy/index.htm

Short version, Aryeh Kaplan translation:
http://www.psyche.com/psyche/txt/scholem_sy.html

SY with extracts of Saadia commentary:
http://www.wbenjamin.org/saadia.html

SY Gershom Scholem translation:
http://www.geocities.com/tar294/sephscho.htm

SY William Wynn Westcott translation with introduction:
http://www.alchemylab.com/sepher_yetzirah1.htm

SY E Benton with commentary
http://web.wt.net/~cbenton/sefer/sefer.htm

SY home page of Bob Zucker:
http://emol.org/kabbalah/seferyetzirah/index.html

Kwaw
 

Ravenswing

Count me in.

in a holding pattern
Raven