Sefer ha-Yetzirah, 231 Gates Options

This book of formation is supposedly how God created / formulate all creations. Altought I'm still clueless on how to use this book, the 231 Gates are mentioned in this book a few times and I am curious what does it refers to?

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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/mfight.gif) Enlighten me pls (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flame.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/piss_old.gif)

The Sefer Yetzirah provides an overview of the Sephiroth and how to use them. The 231 gates are the original way of pathworking the energies in the tree of life prior to people associating things like the Tarot to the paths. Crowley believe that the Tarot associations made the SY redundant but there is a lot more to it than that.

When people learn how to pathwork the tree of life, they use images, symbols and sometimes words to enable them to connect with the paths and the spheres. The SY provides rituals and mantras to use to experience the paths on a much higher level of conciousness, which is required for you to actually use these energies in magick.

The majority of magicians use the ToL as a form of enlightenment, they walk the paths and learn about the usinverse. The SY provides a format for the magician to learn how to use these energies in practical magick.

The only thing about the SY is that in order to use it, you need to have a fair amount of experience with magick, the tree and the paths. The SY assumes that you have walked all of the paths, have a working knowledge of the energies associated with them and then moves on to show you how to use them

Hope this make you read it more Kinjo, its a good book.

Cheers,

Bro-M

I did read it and it's like reading an encrypted code lol! Probably I'll understand more when I am more grounded in the qabalah.

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a very good book in english to explain kabalah is Chicken Qabalah by Lon Milo Duquette, for giving goyim a good understanding of the principles in a very straight forward manner without relying on speculation and fantasy.

but i do recomend learning hebrew, or at least memorizing the aleph-beth and learning some basic stuff. the language and philosophy are so closely connected that they really do compliment one another.

it is impressive that you have read sepher yetzirah, it is a short book but pretty heavy material. it is one that you can go back and read over and over as your understanding deeens and get more and more out of. and there are alot of rabis who have written wonderful comentaries.

i also suggest "The Bahir" latter if you want some more deep reading.

Blessings and peace!

oh yeah, and the two thirty one is the number of double letter combos that can be made fromt the 22 letters of the hebrew aleph-beth. here is a site that has an explanation and sacred geometrical pattern.

http://www.sy231theory.com/231gatesofwisdom.html

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(IMG:style_emoticons/default/visit_kr.gif) May the force be with you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) !

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Thanks mate

The only thing about the SY is that in order to use it, you need to have a fair amount of experience with magick, the tree and the paths. The SY assumes that you have walked all of the paths, have a working knowledge of the energies associated with them and then moves on to show you how to use them

Considering that the SY was written long before the advent of Western Theurgy, the above point is unfounded. The works of the (pre-Western) Kabbalists assume knowledge and practice of Jewish law, ritual, and scripture. This holds true for Kabbalah Iyunith (Contemplatice Kabbalah) and Kabbalah Ma'asith (Practical Kabbalah). You will find more on the names of God and their meanings (as used within the SY) in the Talmud than you will anywhere else.

This is not to say that Western theurgists cannot use the SY for magical purposes or that they cannot interpret it in a magical light. I merely wished to correct a tiny bit of misinformation.

Hi Doc,

I fail to see how my point is unfounded? I can see how the traditional use of the SY may be different from the present day CM use of the SY but I still maintain that you have to have a firm grounding in the ToL and be familiar with the energies of the tree to use the SY effectively for practical magick. The SY assumes a working knowledge of the universe, regardless of who you are and where you come from, it's methods are advanced in their nature.

Also, since you are the local expert on Kabala (both here and on OF), would you be willing to answer some specific questions on the 231 gates and their application in practial magick? My questions on this will probably sound quite noob, but help would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Bro-M

The SY assumes a working knowledge of the universe, regardless of who you are and where you come from, it's methods are advanced in their nature.

This, I do agree with. The SY is perhaps the only remaining document that deals with the magical side of ma'asei bereshith (the works of creation). As such, it's going to necessitate some metaphysical knowledge. What the requisite knowledge was at the time of it's authorship, we do not know, although there are hints in Hazal (another name for the Talmud, an acronym which stands for hokhmenu zikhronam livrakha - our sages of blessed memory) that active knowledge of the Shemoth (names of God) was one of those.

I can see how the traditional use of the SY may be different from the present day CM use of the SY but I still maintain that you have to have a firm grounding in the ToL and be familiar with the energies of the tree to use the SY effectively for practical magick.

Regarding the continual evolution of the Kabbalah, the SY predates the formal resolution of the ToL and elucidation of the Sefiroth. The SY considers the Sefiroth to be on ineffible quality ("ten Sefiroth of nothingness" - SY 1:2). One of the arguments that the pre-Lourianic tradition of Kabbalists in Yemen had against the Zohar and Lourianic Kabbalah in general was the personification of the Sefiroth. Rabbi Yehiyah al-Kafah wrote a rather scathing text on the matter, known as Milhamoth ha-Shem (Wars of God) on the matter. To this day, the unadulterated tradition of Yemen (Biladi) refrains from citing the Zohar in liturgy.

Also, since you are the local expert on Kabala (both here and on OF), would you be willing to answer some specific questions on the 231 gates and their application in practial magick? My questions on this will probably sound quite noob, but help would be appreciated.

I will answer any questions I'm able to on any Kabbalistic or Kemetic subject (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

This post has been edited by DocHolliday: Jun 29 2005, 02:07 PM

Cool, thanks Doc.

My understanding of the 231 Gates is that they are recited to access the energies of the Sephiroth much like normal path working except without the use of the normal GD correspondences. The Gates being groupings of Hebrew letters, are vibrated in a certain order and each letter pair is pronounced multiple times to account for the main vowel sounds (correct me if I am wrong see noob questions).

Now, Noob question 1:

There are 22 letters. For a specific GATE, the letter of that Gate, say Aleph would then need to be combined with each other letter except itself to form letter pairs. This would give me 21 letter pairs for the Aleph Gate. (42 if you include both directions but I am only interested in the Gates for creation / day, not destruction / night)

This is NOT what is described in the SY. The Aleph Gate in the SY has 231 letter pairs starting with what I described above as the first line. It then goes on to create 231 letter pairs for just the Aleph gate - I don't understand why you need to do this? Why can't you just combine Aleph with the other letters in one direction depending on what you want (creation / destruction)

Noob question 2:

Since Aleph, Shin, Mem (from memory, I am moving and don't have my books) are the three mothers, which equate to the three horizontal paths on the tree and also to the supernal triad (Kether, Binah & Chockmah).

Now, if I wanted to complete all of the gates, I am confused on the order of doing so. It makes sense to me that I would start in the middle pillar (aleph) and then recite the doubles (Vertical paths) under aleph and then the left pillar, the doubles and the elementals and then the right pillar, the doubles and elements respectively.

Is that the correct order to recite them in? or do you have to follow the order of creation detailed in the Bereshith?

Noob Question 3:

For each letter pair, how many times do you recite it? Which vowel sounds do you use? Do you always use the same vowel sounds for each letter in the pair at one time?

Noob Question 4:

This is an extension to question 2, but I wanted to keep it separate so that they didn't get confused.

If I want to invoke the middle pillar via the 231 gates method, would I start with the Aleph Gate, then move to the next (Gimel?) gate etc. In the next Gate, do I not use the Gimel + Aleph combination since it has already been used above?

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Thats it for now, if you can provide some clarrity on this it would be most helpful for me. I have used a lot of the other rituals in the SY, but I have never gotten the Gates to work properly.

If you have completed all Gates, could you PLEASE post on what method you used and what results you obtained. There is so much that can be taken from this wonderful little book IF one has the understanding to extract the learning.

Thanks in advance,

BrotherM

Greetings! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ac42.gif)
I'm feeling totally outclassed and out of my element here. What little I know of the Kabala has been reinforced by listening to you two (DocHoliday & BrotherM) ramble on about Jewish mysticism.
A point, if you will, that refering to SY as not being of Western Theurgy has me puzzled. I was under the impression that the Kabala was Western Theurgy.?? True, we consider the land mass as 'Middle Eastern' but where does one draw the line philosophically? This point is, I think, off topic but I was curious.
Also, on topic, can the 231 paths described above have any relationship to Bardons (very Western) Key to the True Qabala? Also, another 'noob' question, in the older hebraic writings concerning Sefer ha-Yetzirah, there is no mention of Da'ath. Was this brought about by our nineteenth century occultists? And, to top off my incoherant ramblings, which system of Gematria do either of you favor? Thanks for any patient attention that you can give. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/mf_bookread.gif)

BrotherM:

Beli neder (without a vow), I'll be able to adequately answer your questions over the weekend.



bym:

A point, if you will, that refering to SY as not being of Western Theurgy has me puzzled. I was under the impression that the Kabala was Western Theurgy?

The Kabbalah, as it originated (the argument of Kemetic roots is of no consequence here), is an Afro-Asiatic system of philosophy and metaphsyics. Even though we consider Judaism to be a Western religion, it's flavour is still Afro-Asiatic in nature, even among the Franko-German communities. The cosmology of Judaism as a whole is in the same vein as that of Kemet, it's language is in the same family as Sumer, Akkad, Babel, and Axum. Even the little things, such as using one's weak hand to clean ones self show Judaism's Near Eastern roots. As such, any magical or mystical system to grow from Judaism will have the same colouration, in spite of how the Western world has adopted it.

Also, on topic, can the 231 paths described above have any relationship to Bardons (very Western) Key to the True Qabala?

I am unfamiliar with Bardon's work. In general, I've avoided the Western theurgic take on the Kabbalah (with the exception of Israel Regardie's works). In spite of my ignorance, the degree to which the Kabbalah has become an integral part of Western Theurgy leads me to believe that the 231 paths will find themselves within most magus' systems and works.

Also, another 'noob' question, in the older hebraic writings concerning Sefer ha-Yetzirah, there is no mention of Da'ath. Was this brought about by our nineteenth century occultists?

The Sefer Yetzirah is explicit that there are ten and only ten Sefiroth. Da'ath, as it stands, is considered "the Sefirah which isn't." Da'ath's purpose is to be a thing which divides the supernal triad of Kether, Hokhmah, and Binah from the lower seven Sefiroth. The few times in which you find it used as a Sefirah within the Hebraic system are those times in which Kether is not counted, due its proximity to En Sof.

And, to top off my incoherant ramblings, which system of Gematria do either of you favor?

I'm a strict adherent to the numerical values of the alef-beth (Hebrew alphabet) as historically preserved (e.g. alef = 1, yod = 10, etc).

Doc:

Thank you, I eagerly await your answers. Hopefully with your guidance I will be able to complete something that I have been working on for quite a while and then start to experience the universe at a totally different level. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yahoo.gif)

Bym:

I have not spent much time on Bardons Qabala because it is not compatable with the GD Kabbala that I use. I have been warned in the past that the attributes that Bardon assigns to Yod He Vau He are sufficiently different to the GD that if both systems are used together it can result in "personal" problems within the magician. I am not suggesting that either system is superior in any way, after all, reality IS no matter how you approach it and at unity there is no differentiation.

I would say that the 231 Gates would be compatible with Bardons system. I say this because the gates transend the meanings of the letters or any attributes that are assigned to them. As I understand it, the 231 Gates use the "elemental" forces associated with each of the letters that God used to create the universe. In Kaplan's commentary on the SY he says that (badly paraphrased because my books are in transit as I am moving house) "To make a change in the physical, the shape of the letter is used, to make a change in the mental, the name of the letter is used, to make a change in the spiritual, the sound of the letter is used". As the Gates method is about bringing to bear the forces of creation as God did, it is operating on the spiritual and thus the sounds of the letters are used, regardless of their meanings. When the mind is silenced, and the sounds are vibrated correctly it puts you in contact with the pure divine currents of the universe.

When dealing with the Gematria, I use the GD method mostly so that I can work with the Kamea. This said however, I don't worry about sticking to a single method, if something that I am doing is based on a different system, I would change. For instance, to follow all of the 32 paths of wisdom, no one single model of the ToL can be used.

Also, everyone, I am sorry if referring to my questions as "Noob" questions caused offense. The reality is we are all students of the occult and often the more we learn the less we know.

Mad love,

BrotherM

Thanks very much, DocHoliday and BrotherM!
I, for one, was not offended by the 'noob' reference. I want to learn things and I am a 'noob' in the field of such. I certainly appreciate the lesson! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I apologize for not having these answers ready by the end of the weekend. I've been quite busy with work, and am also experiencing some severe, contact-based alergic dermatitis (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

Having thought over things and referencing an English translation of Sa'adia Gaon's text of the SY (I'm still working through the Hebrew text), I hope that the following answers will prove adequate.

The Aleph Gate in the SY has 231 letter pairs starting with what I described above as the first line. It then goes on to create 231 letter pairs for just the Aleph gate - I don't understand why you need to do this? Why can't you just combine Aleph with the other letters in one direction depending on what you want (creation / destruction)

Alef comes before Beth, yet Beth is the first letter used in the Torah. Beth is a fixed point, from which one begins and moves forward (the letter is closed on all sides but one). Aflef, coming before the fixed point of origin is open. One could say that it encompasses all. Hence, Alef possessing it's own set of 231 letter pairs.

Is that the correct order to recite them in? or do you have to follow the order of creation detailed in the Bereshith?

Judaism, in all its incarnations over the ages, follows a linear, yet cyclic pattern. The creation of the Tabernacle mirrors that of creation. The laws regarding what is and is not permitted on the Sabbath is taken from the creation of the Tabernacle. The cycle of holy days (beginning with Passover and ending with the Festival of Booths) follows the emergence of the Jewish people, starting with the Exodus from Egypt. through the giving of the Torah, to the entry into the Holy Land. Even one's daily rituals have a similar format.

Given this, it is my belief that one should follow the order of creation in working with the Alef-Beth on the ToL. This is, most likely, what the first Kabbalists had in mind when the SY was penned. However, in spite of my obvious bias in favour of a more Judaic approach (which even I deviate from at times), the Hermetic permutations of the Kabbalah have proven themselves valid. Since they are valid, one need not follow the Judaic pattern in order to attain their desired results.

For each letter pair, how many times do you recite it? Which vowel sounds do you use? Do you always use the same vowel sounds for each letter in the pair at one time?

This is a difficult question to answer, as prior to R. Abalufia, there is no written record of the vocalization of letter pairs. Unfortunately, I'm not quite sure which pile of books in which my guide to Kabbalistic meditation is buried. When I find it, I can post the proper vowel sounds to go with the pairs (along with head motions, if so desired).

That said, one recites each pair seven times, once for each vowel (pathah, holem, hirik, zere, seggol, kamatz, kubbutz). I do not know the order off the top of my head. Once I locate my book, I will post the order, and more than likely ammend the vowel list (certain vowels tend to "double" each other).

Edit to add the following:

A link to a translation of an excerpt of Sa'adia Gaon's Judeo-Arabic commentary on the SY, regarding the 231 gates

This post has been edited by DocHolliday: Jul 7 2005, 09:34 AM

Doc,

Thanks for reply mate, the Gates are a hugely complicated topic, I am going to keep reading up on my Kaplan comentary and I will post anything I find up here. Doc, I hope you find the book of yours and can post on the vowel sounds.

Cheers,

Bro-M