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This book contains Divine Names. Do not take it into the bathroom or any other unclean place. First published in 1982 by Red Wheel/Weiser, LLC With offices at 500 Third Street, Suite 230 San Francisco, CA 94107 www.redwheelweiser.com First paperback edition, 1985 Copyright © 1982 Aryeh Kaplan All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from Red Wheel/Weiser. Reviewers may quote brief passages. Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 81-70150 ISBN-10: 0-87728-616-7 1SBN-13: 978-0-87728-616-5 Cover design by Bima Stagg Printed in the United States of America MG 20 19 18 17 16 15 The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48-1984. www.redwheelweiser.com www.redwheelweiser.com/newsletter Contents Introduction MEDITATION The Schools Methods Vocabulary TALMUDIC MYSTICS The Talmudists The Zohar The Hekhalot School The Hekha lot Text RABBI ABRAHAM ABULAFIA The Man Growth of a Prophet Writings Teachings The Hidden Eden Light of the Intellect Life of the Future World Gates of Righteousness The Ladder of Ascent OTHER EARLY SCHOOLS The Gate of Kavanah Gates of Light Rabbi Isaac of Acco Publication of the Zohar Occult Schools Magic Squares SAFED The Ramak Colors Rabbi Chaim Vital Gates of Holiness THE ARI A Human Angel The System Kavanot Yichudim Gate of the Holy Spirit THE HASIDIM The Baal Shem Tov Meditation A Yichud States of Consciousness The Way of Prayer Spiritual Ascent Nothingness Rabbi Nachman's Way NOTES INDEX With trepidation and love. . . By authority from my masters. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Dr. Perle Epstein. Library of Jewish Theological Seminary of America, New York, New York, particularly to Ms. Susan Young and Mr. Micha Falk Oppenheim. Hebrew University Libraries, Jerusalem. Bodleian Library, Oxford, England. Biblioteque Nationale, Paris, France. British Museum, London, England. Biblioteca Apostolica Vatican, Vatican City. Columbia University Library, Manuscript Division, New York, New York. Lenin State Library, Guenzburg Collection, Moscow. Introduction It is with great trepidation that one begins to write a work such as this, involving some of the most hidden mysteries of the Kabbalah. Many would question the wisdom and propriety of placing such information in a printed book, especially in an English translation. But so much misinformation has already been published that it is virtually imperative that an authentic, authoritative account be published. It is for this reason, as well as other reasons which I am bound by an oath to conceal, that the great living masters of Kabbalah have voiced their approval that such a book be published. The science of Kabbalah is divided into three basic areas: the theoretical, the meditative, and the practical. The theoretical deals with the form of the mysteries, teaching the structure of the angelic domains as well as of the Sefirot, or Divine Emanations. With great success, it deals with problems posed by the many schools of philosophy, and it provides a conceptual framework into which all theological ideas can be fitted. More important for the discussion at hand, it also provides a framework through which the mechanism of both the meditative and practical Kabbalah can be understood. Some three thousand Kabbalah texts exist in print, and, for the most part, the vast majority deal with the theoretical Kabbalah. Falling within this category are the best known Kabbalah works, such as the Zohar and the Bahir, which are almost totally theoretical in their scope. The same is true of the writings of Rabbi Isaac Luria, the Ari, considered by many to have been the greatest of all Kabbalists. With the passage of time, this school probed deeper and deeper into the philosophical ramifications of the primary Kabbalistic concepts, producing an extremely profound, self- consistent and satisfying philosophical system. The practical Kabbalah, on the other hand, was a kind of white magic, dealing with the use of techniques that could evoke supernatural powers. It involved the use of divine names and incantations, amulets and talismans, as well as chiromancy, physiognomy and astrology. Many theoretical Kabbalists, led by the Ari, frowned on the use of such techniques, labeling them as dangerous and spiritually demeaning. As a result, only a very small number of texts have survived at all, mostly in manuscript form, and only a handful of the most innocuous of these have been published. It is significant to note that a number of techniques alluded to in these fragments also appear to have been preserved among the non-Jewish school of magic in Europe. The relationship between the practical Kabbalah and these magical schools would constitute an interesting area of study. The meditative Kabbalah stands between these two extremes. Some of the earliest meditative methods border on the practical Kabbalah, and their use is discouraged by the latter masters, especially those of the Ari's school. Within this category are the few surviving texts from the Talmudic period. The same is true of the teachings of the Thirteenth Century master, Rabbi Abraham Abulafia, whose meditative works have never been printed and survive only in manuscript. Most telling is a statement at the end of Shaarey Kedushah (Gates of Holiness), which is essentially a meditative manual. The most important and explicit part of this text is the fourth section, which actually provides instructions in meditation. When this book was first printed in 1715, the publisher omitted this last, most important section, with the following note: The printer declares that this fourth section is not to be copied or printed since it consists entirely of divine names, permutations and concealed mysteries, and it is not proper to bring them on the altar of the printing press. Actually, upon examining this section, we find that “divine names and permutations” play a relatively small role, and could easily have been omitted. But besides this, the section in question also presents explicit instructions for the various techniques of Kabbalah meditation, and even this was considered too secret a doctrine to be published for the masses. The Ari himself also made use of a system of meditation involving Yechudim (unifications), and this was included in the main body of his writings, particularly in the Shaar Ruach HaKodesh (Gate of the Holy Spirit). But even here, it is significant to note that, although the Ari lived in the Sixteenth Century, this text was not printed until 1863. For over three hundred years, it was available only in manuscript. With the spread of the Hasidic movement in the Eighteenth Century, a number of meditative techniques became more popular, especially those centered around the formal prayer service. This reached its zenith in the teachings of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov (1772–1810), who discusses meditation in considerable length. He developed a system that could be used by the masses, and it was primarily for this reason that Rabbi Nachman's teachings met with much harsh opposition. One of the problems in discussing meditation, either in Hebrew or in English, is the fact that there exists only a very limited vocabulary with which to express the various “technical” terms. For the sake of clarity, a number of such terms, such as “mantra” and “mandala” have been borrowed from the various meditative systems of the East. This is not meant in any way to imply that there is any connection or relationship between these systems and the Kabbalah. Terms such as these are used only because there are no Western equivalents. Since they are familiar to most contemporary readers, they have the advantage of making the text more readily understood. Many people express surprise that the Jewish tradition contains a formal meditative system, that, at least in its outward manifestations, does resemble some of the Eastern systems. This resemblance was first noted in the Zohar, which recognized the merit of the Eastern systems, but warned against their use. The fact that different systems resemble each other is only a reflection on the veracity of the technique, which is primarily one of spiritual liberation. The fact that other religions make use of it is of no more consequence than the fact that they also engage in prayer and worship. This does not make Jewish worship and prayer any less meaningful or unique, and the same is true of meditation. It is basically a technique for releasing oneself from the bonds of one's physical nature. Where one goes from there depends very much on the system used. CHAPTER ONE Meditation 1. THE SCHOOLS It is universally accepted by the Kabbalists that the first ones to engage in these meditative methods were the patriarchs and prophets, who used them to attain enlightenment and prophecy. Although there are many allusions to this in the Bible, the scripture is virtually silent when it comes to providing explicit descriptions of their methods. Still, if one looks at the appropriate texts, one can gain considerable insight into the methods that were in use in the time of the prophets.1 The earliest direct statement regarding method comes from the First Century, from the early Talmudic period. Here we find some of the greatest Talmudists engaged in the mystical arts, making use of a number of meditative techniques to attain spiritual elevation and ascend to the transcendental realm. Many of these techniques consisted of the repetition of divine names, as well as intense concentration on the transcendental spheres. What little we know of their methods is preserved in a few fragments, as well in a remarkable complete text, Hekhalot Rabatai (The Greater Chambers), of which the main parts are presented for the first time in translation in this book. It was during this period that some of the main classics of Kabbalah were written. These include the Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation), the Bahir and the Zohar. These involved even higher levels than those described in the Hekhalot, and for the most part, only the barest hints are provided as to how these levels were reached. With the close of the Talmudic period, these methods became restricted to a few very small closed secret societies. Both the Bahir and the Zohar remained completely unknown outside of these societies, and were not revealed until the late Twelfth and Thirteenth Centuries respectively. The publication of the Bahir in particular gave impetus to the study of the mysteries, and a number of individuals began to openly teach the secret methods. Most remarkable among these was Rabbi Abraham Abulafia (1240– 1295). Having received the tradition from earlier sources, he was the first to actually put them in writing. For this, he weas condemned in many circles, although most Kabbalists consider his methods to be authentic and based on a reliable tradition. Several of his contemporaries, most notably, Rabbi Isaac of Acco and Rabbi Joseph Gikatalia, also speak of meditative methods. Most of their work, however, was eclipsed by the publication of the Zohar in the middle 1290's. This great classic gripped the imagination of almost all Kabbalists of the time, and the teachings of other schools was virtually forgotten. It is therefore no accident that many books written before this were never published, and among those which have not been lost, a good number exist only in manuscript. Since the Zohar has little to say about meditative methods, many important Kabbalists began to ignore the subject completely. They were too involved in trying to unravel the mysteries of this ancient book that had been concealed for many centuries. There were a few exceptions, however, and these Kabbalists made use of the methods of Abulafia, Gikatalia and Isaac of Acco. For over two hundred years, however, we find virtually nobody exploring the Zohar itself to ascertain the meditative methods used by its authors. The main attempts in this direction occurred in the Safed School, which flourished during the Sixteenth Century. It reached its zenith in the teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534–1572), commonly known as the Ari, who showed how the various letter combinations found in the Zohar were actually meant to be used as meditative devices. Although the Ari wrote almost nothing himself, his teachings were arduously copied by his disciplies, and fill almost two dozen large volumes. To a large extent, all this was an introduction to the methodology involved in his system of meditation. Just as the Zohar had overshadowed everything when it was published, so did the writings of the Ari overwhelm the other schools three centuries later. His teachings were seen as the ultimate expression of the Kabbalah, and for the next two hundred years, the greatest part of Kabbalah literature devoted itself to their interpretation. Although the Ari's meditative methods were used by a few individuals, and possibly by one or two minor schools, for the most part the Kabbalists devoted themselves to theory rather than practice. The next great renascence came with the rise of the Hasidic movement, founded by Rabbi Israel, the Baal Shem Tov (1698–1760). When their works are studied, it becomes obvious that the Baal Shem and his closest disciples were ardent students of the earlier meditative texts of the Kabbalah, and in the Hasidic classics, these texts are often paraphrased. During the second half of the Eighteenth Century, and perhaps the first decade or two of the Nineteenth, many people engaged in the classical meditative techniques of Kabbalah, often describing the high spiritual states that they attained. The opposition to this, especially where it involved teaching these methods to the masses, was very strong. An entire group, known as the Mitnagdim (opposers), arose to combat the Hasidim, vigorously denouncing their methods. As a result, the Hasidim themselves began to de-emphasise their meditative practices, and eventually these were virtually forgotten. 2. METHODS Meditation is primarily a means of attaining spiritual liberation. Its various methods are designated to loosen the bond of the physical, allowing the individual to ascend to the transcendental, spiritual realm. One who accomplishes this successfully is said to have attained Ruach HaKodesh, The “Holy Spirit,” which is the general Hebraic term for enlightenment. The best-known contemporary method of meditation is that which involves a mantra, a word or phrase that is repeated over and over for a designated period of time. One concentrates on the mantra to the exclusion of all else, thus clearing the mind of all extraneous thoughts and divorcing it from the normal stream of consciousness. In this method, the mantra may be repeated verbally, or the repetition may be completely mental. This type of meditation is found in the Kabbalah, especially among the earlier schools. In the Hekhalot, for example, one begins his spiritual ascent by repeating a number of Divine Names 112 times. Mantra meditation is an example of structured, externally directed meditation. It is externally directed, insofar as one concentrates on a word or phrase, rather than on the spontaneous thoughts to the mind. Since it involves a specific practice, repeated for a fixed length of time, it is considered a structured meditation. Another example of structured externally-directed meditation is contemplation, where one gazes at an object, placing all of one's concentration on it. In occult practices, the best-known type of contemplation involves gazing into a crystal ball.2 Other types of contemplation involve mandalas, pictures or letter designs, where one gazes upon them, emptying the mind of all other thought. In Kabbalah meditation, the simplest contemplative device is the Tetragrammaton itself, and this is discussed even in non-Kabbalistic works.3 More complex forms are also used, and this method seems to have reached its zenith under the influence of Rabbi Shalom Sharabi (1702–1777). Very closely related to this is the method of Yechudim (Unifications), which plays an important role in the system of the Ari. Here one does not contemplate a physical picture, but rather a mental image, asually consisting of various combinations of divine names. Since the structures and combinations of these names are predetermined, and do not arise spontaneously in the mind, this is also considered to be an externally- directed meditation. The second basic method of meditation is that which is internally- directed. This consists of meditating on thoughts, feelings or mental images that arise spontaneously in the mind. Usually, this is best accomplished by focusing on a general area, around which these thoughts will be evoked. Since there is no formal or predetermined method of evoking such thoughts, this is most commonly an unstructured meditation. Internally-directed meditation can be practiced purely in thought, or, as in some systems, one's thoughts can also be verbalized. One of the best methods of verbalizing such thoughts while keeping them concentrated on a single focus is to express them as spontaneous prayer. It is this method that forms the basis for the meditative system of Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. The third basic type of meditation is that which is non-directed. Such meditation strives for a stillness of the mind and a withdrawal from all perception, both internal and external. It plays an important role in the advancd states of many other methods, but at the same time, it can also be used as a method in its own right. Very little is expressly written about this method, but it appears to play a role in the teachings of such Hasidic masters as Rabbi Dov Baer, the Maggid of Mezrich (1704–1772) and Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berdichov (1740–1809). There is evidence that this method was used, at least for the most advanced, in the very terminology of the Kabbalah. Indeed, in a number of cases, it is only when looked upon in this sense that some terminology is comprehensible. Thus, for example, the Kabbalists call the highest level of transcendence Ayin, literally “Nothingness.” Actually, this alludes to the ultimate level reached by non-directed meditation, where all perception and imagery cease to exist. Besides being divided into these three basic methods, meditation can be classified according to the means used. The three basic means are the intellect, the emotions, and the body. The path of the intellect is very prevalent among the theoretical Kabbalists, and was also used outside of the Kabbalistic schools. The most common method was simply to contemplate on various aspects of the Torah, probing the inner meaning of its commandments. It also included delving deeply with the intellect into the structure of the supernal universes, and, as it were, becoming a denizen of these worlds. For many, this method lead to a very high state of ecstasy, and this method forms the basis of the Habad system of Hasidism.4 Another form of intellectual meditation involves the study of devotional works, carefully contemplating each concept in an effort to attain self- improvement. It was primarily this method that formed the basis of the Mussar Movement, which arose in the Nineteenth Century as a response to Hasidism. Such contemplation, or Hitbonenut, plays an especially important role in the devotional work Mesilat Yesharim (Path of the Just), by the great Kabbalist Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707–1747). In this remarkable book, the author outlines all the steps leading up to, but not including, Ruach HaKodesh the ultimate enlightment. The method of attaining these desired traits is that of Hitbonenut–contemplation on the teachings germain to that step and rectifying one's life in the light of these teachings. Incidentally, although it is not widely known, the ten levels discussed in this text clearly parallel the ten mystical Sefirot of the Kabbalists. The path of the emotions also plays an important role in the systems of the Kabbalists. One place where it is particularly important is in Kavanah- meditation, the system that makes use of the formal daily prayers as a sort of mantra, especially in the Hasidic schools. Here one is taught to place all of his feelings and emotions into the words of his worship, thus attaining a divestment of the physical (hitpashtut hagashmiut). This path is also found in meditations involving music, which played an important role in the meditations of the ancient prophets of the Bible. A path combining the intellect and emotions is the path of love, described in detail by the leading philosopher, Rabbi Moses Maimonides (1135– 1204). He writes that when a person deeply contemplates on God, thinking of His mighty deeds and wondrous creations, he becomes profoundly aware of His wisdom, and is brought to a passionate love for God.5 He speaks of a