Kabbalah and Angels

Kenny

Just a quick question: is there any resources that talk about angels and the Kabbalah?

Gazel

Angels

Kenny said:
Just a quick question: is there any resources that talk about angels and the Kabbalah?

Yes, I do think that for example Dion Fortune writes about angels and archangels in the Mystical Qabala. Archangels being connected to Briah, and angels to Yetzirah.

K. Gazel.

kwaw

Kenny said:
Just a quick question: is there any resources that talk about angels and the Kabbalah?

There is a section on angels in the alt.magic kabbalah faq:

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/1896/qblhfaq.html

Kwaw

rachelcat

Check out the Tarot of Ceremonial Magick. Two angels for each minor card!

venicebard

Gazel said:
Archangels being connected to Briah, and angels to Yetzirah.

As an aside, this implies something long maintained by me, namely that the arrangement of Sefirot in pairs in Sefer Yetzirah, which includes the four quarters (east-west-south-north), relates specifically to the Briah world (it being 2nd, hence paired), since archangels are generally considered to be four in number (Michael-Raphael-Gabriel-Uriel) and are often associated with the four quarters.

Furthermore, it is angels, I believe, who do such things as announce the conception of children at key moments in the Bible: this points, then, to the Yetzirah world being associated with the diagram of Sefirot in triplicities, that is, pairs with offspring, which is the most common depiction of the Tree and the one referenced in the Zohar. [The Tree in Atzilut, I maintain, is described in the book Bahir, and that of Asiyah, then, can only be the one made of planetary cycles (as preserved in Hermetic Kabbalah, but with sol being 2, the 'precession' or great year, since this is the relation between 6-year-ecliptic and 10-day-equator). The latter becomes in TdM the suit of coins or rounds (cycles).]

Gazel

venicebard said:
As an aside, this implies something long maintained by me, namely that the arrangement of Sefirot in pairs in Sefer Yetzirah, which includes the four quarters (east-west-south-north), relates specifically to the Briah world (it being 2nd, hence paired), since archangels are generally considered to be four in number (Michael-Raphael-Gabriel-Uriel) and are often associated with the four quarters.

This seems reasonable to me, as to what I know about it all this far (which practically is next to nothing). Does this mean that (and here comes a real dummies question - I a not even sure if know how to ask correctly) that ...

No I must put it differently: Is the Sefer Yetzirah about the Yetzirah world only, or also about the three other worlds?

I have now ordered the book (Kaplan ed.) from my book pusher, since it was only for using on the reading room at the Royal Library. But I am naturally a bit exited about getting started, hence my question.

venicebard said:
Furthermore, it is angels, I believe, who do such things as announce the conception of children at key moments in the Bible: this points, then, to the Yetzirah world being associated with the diagram of Sefirot in triplicities, that is, pairs with offspring, which is the most common depiction of the Tree and the one referenced in the Zohar.

So, that would mean that the way the Sefirot are organised and connected differs from world to world?

venicebard said:

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venicebard said:
The Tree in Atzilut, I maintain, is described in the book Bahir, and that of Asiyah, then, can only be the one made of planetary cycles (as preserved in Hermetic Kabbalah, but with sol being 2, the 'precession' or great year, since this is the relation between 6-year-ecliptic and 10-day-equator). The latter becomes in TdM the suit of coins or rounds (cycles).]

This I really don't understand, I'm sorry to say.

venicebard

Gazel said:
No I must put it differently: Is the Sefer Yetzirah about the Yetzirah world only, or also about the three other worlds?

Now bear with me a moment, and honestly I do not know how much of this is still known to rabbis, as I had to figure it out myself.

I claim Sefer Yetzirah is not about the Yetzirah world at all (except inasmuch as the Briah world contains it in its belly, so to speak), but about the Briah world, hence that its title is a 'blind' (an obscuring of secrets), one hinted at by the fact that the book is almost always referred to in English as 'Book of Creation': 'creation' is closer in meaning to Briah (what I call the 'life world') than to Yetzirah, 'formation' (what I call the 'form world').

So, that would mean that the way the Sefirot are organised and connected differs from world to world?

Yes, in the sense that with each world in sequence (Atzilut-Briah-Yetzirah-Asiyah) arises a new set of relationships that adds itself on to those of the preceding worlds.

The first, Atzilut, is alone: it is that wherein each individual Sefirah derives its meaning from its place on the wheel (I'll explain this in a minute).

The second, Briah, is added to this, making a dynamic of duality or polarity -- the ten seen as five pairs of opposites (on five axes), as depicted in Sefer Yetzirah -- in addition to that of unity (wherein each Sefirah derives its meaning).

The third, Yetzirah, is added to this, giving rise to a dynamic of triads or triplicities in addition to those of unity and polarity.

And the fourth, Asiyah, has a dynamic deriving from the elements (four in number) and how these are reflected in the structure of physical cycles from eternity to 'today' (the present) in order of length-of-cycle. The division (derivation of which I can easily explain if necessary) is: 1=fire=stars=eternity; 2-3-4=air=gas-giants=sun[precession]-Saturn-Jupiter; 5-6-7-8-9=water=inner-planets=Mars-year[ecliptic]-Venus-Mercury-moon; 10=earth=earth=day[equator]). This represents the mechanics of how the elementary layers of matter interact: 1, fire, acts as a unity on all three remaining elements (division into its three aspects evidently being in unmanifested air, namely the three planets [or two planets and one belt, the Kuyper belt or whatever it's called] outside the orbit of Saturn); 2 is where air is acted on by fire, 3 where it acts on water, 4 where it acts on earth; 5 is where water acts on earth, 6 where it acts on water or form, 7 where it is acted on by water or form, 8 where it is acted on by air, 9 where it is acted on by fire; and 10, today -- earth, the equator -- is acted on by all three preceding elements (specifically by aspects 1, 4, and 5).

All four are intimately related.

The Sefirot in the first world -- where they are generated -- are set forth with great clarity in the book Bahir, published in Provence at the very time Qabbalah sprang up there (12th-century Provence-Languedoc). From this it can be deduced that the Sefirot in the first or Atzilut world are the first ten 'spokes' of the wheel of 13 middot or divine qualities, as opposed to the oft-pictured ten equidistant 'spokes' pictured in some illustrations.

The ten are: straight up, departure outward from up, approach to straight out, straight out, departure downward from straight out, approach to straight down, straight down, departure inward from straight down, approach to straight in [meaning within oneself], and straight in itself -- meaning self-knowledge, the Kingdom, the Shekhinah or divine Presence in the individual (or collection of individuals).

This leaves three more middot yet to go, namely departure upward from straight in, approach to straight up, and straight up itself (point of departure, thus completing the round).

Hence the Bahir calls 4 Lovingkindness (Chesed), as it is straight out -- towards other -- and 5 the great fire because it is the veering away from, the destruction or withdrawal of, said kindness. And 6 is called the divine throne because it is the approach to straight down, 7 or straight down itself being the 'Holy Palace' in which said throne is located. And so on.

[The relations between worlds are clear but somewhat intricate, so I won't burden you with them unless/until you ask.]

This I really don't understand, I'm sorry to say.

I hope that the above explanation of the Bahir as relates to Atzilut and the elements as they relate to Asiyah may at least help make clear that to which I was referring.

Gazel

venicebard said:
as I had to figure it out myself..

That sounds intriguing - how did you do that?

venicebard said:
I claim Sefer Yetzirah is not about the Yetzirah world at all (except inasmuch as the Briah world contains it in its belly, so to speak), but about the Briah world, hence that its title is a 'blind' (an obscuring of secrets), one hinted at by the fact that the book is almost always referred to in English as 'Book of Creation': 'creation' is closer in meaning to Briah (what I call the 'life world') than to Yetzirah, 'formation' (what I call the 'form world').
Yes, in the sense that with each world in sequence (Atzilut-Briah-Yetzirah-Asiyah) arises a new set of relationships that adds itself on to those of the preceding worlds.

Okay, so the title Sefer Yetzirah, thats one of the so called secrets - about confusing the enemy, so to speak ;o)

I guess this a little bit clearer to me now, also that about how the Sefiroth are arranged in the Atzilut, Briah and Yetzirah worlds.

But when it comes to Asiyah and the dynamic deriving from the elements, I think I'll have to reread your post one or two or more times to grasp it.

venicebard said:
All four are intimately related.

Yes, I think they are. But nevertheless quite difficult to comprehend ;o)

venicebard said:
The Sefirot in the first world -- where they are generated -- are set forth with great clarity in the book Bahir, published in Provence at the very time Qabbalah sprang up there (12th-century Provence-Languedoc).

Okay, interesting. Isn't it also the time and place for the Cathar "culture", being at it highest, or am I fuzziing things now?

venicebard said:
From this it can be deduced that the Sefirot in the first or Atzilut world are the first ten 'spokes' of the wheel of 13 middot or divine qualities, as opposed to the oft-pictured ten equidistant 'spokes' pictured in some illustrations.

How can this be deduced - I think I'm missing a point here?
Should I understand it like this, that there 13 not 10 spokes of this wheel?
I'm not sure I fully understand the directions, think I should have it visualized somehow.

venicebard said:
Hence the Bahir calls 4 Lovingkindness (Chesed), as it is straight out -- towards other -- and 5 the great fire because it is the veering away from, the destruction or withdrawal of, said kindness. And 6 is called the divine throne because it is the approach to straight down, 7 or straight down itself being the 'Holy Palace' in which said throne is located. And so on.

I feel a bit like in a mist or even a haze here. Hope it disperses gradually. Maybe I will understand (a little bit) more down the road.

venicebard said:
[The relations between worlds are clear but somewhat intricate, so I won't burden you with them unless/until you ask.]

Someday I might ;o)

venicebard said:
I hope that the above explanation of the Bahir as relates to Atzilut and the elements as they relate to Asiyah may at least help make clear that to which I was referring.

I still have some difficulties, but they are on my part, I am most grateful that you took the time to help me.

Yours truly,
K. Gazel

venicebard

Gazel said:
That sounds intriguing - how did you do that?

Slowly, over a 3-and-a-half-decade period (I'm slow because I'm methodical and don't take other people's word for the most fundamental things).

Yes, I think they [the four] are [interrelated]. But nevertheless quite difficult to comprehend ;o)

Quickly, the way to comprehend them is to see the four worlds as four interdependent wheels (as described vaguely in Ezekiel 1).

Asiyah (physical world) is the round (wheel) of the womb, out of which we are (physically) born.

Yetzirah is the round twice its height that is the zodiac of the seated torso in context of which said womb exists: when we stand (upon completing our meditation), the second half of the zodiac detaches itself and extends down the legs to the feet, but while meditating it can be conceived as extending back up the spine to the head. Its twelve signs are the twelve 'simple' letters samekh-tzaddi-cheyt-vav-ayin-qof-teyt-heh-zayin-yod-lamedh-nun, their order then being jumbled in making the alef-bet (in such a way as to convey important information, moreover).

Beriyah is the round twice its height, centered atop the head when seated, that is the zodiac of the surroundings. Only its bottom half is manifest to the eye, and even what is seen in its top half (stars, planets) show us only their bottom halves: the bottom half consists of seven signs, which are the seven 'double' letters dalet-tav-kaf-reysh-gimel-peh-beyt (peh-tav-kaf-reysh-gimel-dalet-beyt before the Fall). This represents not the actual (physical) surroundings but the Idea or Form (in the Platonic sense) that surrounds the Idea or Form of the meditating torso.

Finally, Atzilut is the round twice its height that is the round of the Monad or All: it is centered atop the head of the standing Adam Qadmon, or Primordial Man: sexless, this represents the Idea or Form (in the Platonic sense) of Upright Sentience, which is the Divine Form in that all that is seeks it. This wheel represents the eternal, Beriyah represents that which has finite duration, and Yetzirah represents that which is engaged in where the present instant (Asiyah) comes from and goes to, the former through feeling and the latter through desire (passive and active aspects, respectively, of the doer).

But when it comes to Asiyah and the dynamic deriving from the elements, I think I'll have to reread your post one or two or more times to grasp it.

Each elementary layer is limited by the square of its number: elements are in order (in nature) fire-air-water-earth, the 1, 2, 3, and 4 of Maria the Jewess's alchemical aphorism concerning the rebirth of unity in the quaternary.

Furthermore, water (form) can act on itself, whereas air cannot. This is confirmed by geometry, wherein a plane figure determined by at least three points can subdivide another plane figure, whereas a line or axis determined by at least two points cannot: one line can either lie on another and thus be that other, or else not lie on it, whereupon it is only the point of their intersection, not the line itself, that does the dividing (assuming they intersect).

Furthermore, number is structured such that 1-2-3-4 is repeated in the negative in 5-6-7-8 -- based on their effect on digital sums -- with 9 being minus-zero so to speak, leading to the rebirth of +1 in 10. This leads to dichotomy with valence when the pattern in matter (chemical valence) is affected by the Fall: when the 2nd, 2, pulls against 1 instead of with it, they cancel out to make 2-helium a plus-or-minus-zero (inert gas). Thus numerical +3 becomes valence +1 and so on, causing +4 and -4 to crunch together in 6 (carbon) and again in 14 (silicon) to bring valence once again into allignment with number (from 15 through 21).

So the functions derive from water being reflective, hence negative: 5 and 6 are numerical -4 and -3, earth and water being elements towards which water is active, while 7, 8, and 9 are valence -3, -2, and -1, water, air, and earth being elements towards which water is passive.

Okay, interesting. Isn't it also the time and place for the Cathar "culture", being at it highest, or am I fuzziing things now?

You are correct; and the Troubadour culture amongst the gentry as well!

How can this be deduced - I think I'm missing a point here?

Based on such things as Lovingkindness being 4th, the 4th sign or spoke being cancer the breasts, pointing straight ahead (towards other).

Should I understand it like this, that there 13 not 10 spokes of this wheel?

No, 12: the 13th middot is the return to the first spoke having completed the (universal) round.

I'll be back (he warns).

kwaw

I saw an Angel today...

the smell still lingers...

its kind of ... beautiful.

Kwaw

Kabbalah and Angels

Kenny

Gazel

kwaw

rachelcat

venicebard

Gazel

venicebard

Gazel

venicebard

kwaw