An Amulet for Success

A while back I had a query regarding the Hebrew terms appearing in the following "Kamea for Success" from the Sefer Razi'el (Book of Raziel). This amulet is employed to improve financial earnings, and, with Divine support, to have great success in all manner of negotiations. The biblical phrase associated with this Kamea is Psalms 45:4 [5] reading:

Transliteration:

va-hadarcha tz'lach r'chav al d'var emet va-an'vah tzedek v'torcha nora'ot y'mincha

Translation:

"And in thy majesty prosper, ride on, in behalf of truth and meekness and righteousness; and let thy right hand teach thee tremendous things."

The appropriate word in this verse is (Tzelach), translated "prosper" in the English Bible however it also means "succeed" which is the fundamental intention behind this amulet. In fact, the Kamea construct comprises mainly the word (Tzelach) and some permutations of the same, e.g. top left and twice located bottom right and left. In this regard it should be noted that writing permutations of words representing vital components of the basic intention of the individual requiring an amulet, is fairly common in Hebrew amulets.

Besides the term Tzelach and its permutations, we note the combination (Yah) which is an acknowledged abbreviation of the Ineffable Name, and a Divine Name in itself. The double YH appearing in the amulet could be read conjointly, i.e. Yiyeh meaning "will be." As you probably noticed, there are also two adjacent letters (Alef) positioned centrally, and separated by a short vertical line with a circle on top which divides the amulet in half. I do not recall these two letters Alef in the amulet being always read conjointly. However I was informed they are in fact abbreviations of Hebrew words. As it is, there are literally thousands of abbreviations in the Hebrew language, especially in Rabbinical and Hebrew spiritual literature. In fact, there are so many, that the average individual who speaks Hebrew as his or her mother tongue, is unfamiliar with most of them. So, if we read the double combination as a Hebrew abbreviation, it could have a number of meanings, depending on context, e.g. Amen Amen; Adonai Elohecha (Lord your God); Ani Omer (I say); etc. In the current instance the abbreviation could well mean Amen Amen, but I have also been told that each of these letters in combination with the first two letters of the Ineffable Name repeated in the amulet, are hidden references to the Sacred Name (Ehyeh).

The bottom portion of the Amulet comprises three images of the "Shield of David," on each of which are superimposed the four letters comprising the Ineffable Name, as well as the Name (Shadai). As noted in my "Book of Sacred Names," the latter Divine Name refers to the "All-sufficient Unlimited One," and that whilst there has been a lot of debate and speculation as to what this very ancient Divine Name really signifies, "it is generally accepted that it means 'Almighty'," and that "some scholars conjectured that the Name was derived from Shadu, the ancient Akkadian word meaning 'mountain.' Thus the 'Almighty' would be seen to be strong, fortified, immutable....." As it is, the "power of protection" is associated with this name, hence it appears in many written Kame'ot.

Be that as it may, there is a set of Divine Names affiliated with this "Amulet for Success" we are addressing, the one given in the printed text of the Sefer Raziel being:

A very different version appears in the Sefer Refa'el ha-Malach (Book of the Angel Rafael), and I am informed that there are equally variantions to be found in the various manuscripts of the Sefer Razi'el. Moses Zacutto, who examined all sources of this amulet, maintained in the Sefer Shorshei ha-Shemot the correct Names to be:

According to Moses Zacutto these Names are vocalised:

Sanamav'ra T'gaf B'rar Zag M'chav Y'ded S'zah'san Tete S'dos'v'ra Hosvakos'd' Idi'heva

A most pleasing incantation is included with the amulet. It reads:

Transliteration:

Y'hi ratzon milfanecha YHVH Elohei Yisra'el shet'tzaveh l'mal'achecha elu lavo el bet [fill in name of individual] v'lalechet imo v'yatzlichu oto bis'chorato uv'chol ma'aseh yadav b'hatzlachah uv'har'vachah g'dolah bein ba-yom bein ba-lailah bein ba-bayit being b'chutz la-bayit bein ba-ir being b'chutz la-ir v'shimcha v'chotamcha ha-kadosh yar'chivu b'ma'asav uv'veito v'hatzlichu li-[fill in name of individual] Omein Selah

Translation:

"May it be your will YHVH Elohei Yisra'el, to command your angels to visit the house of [fill in name of individual], to accompany him, to make him successful with all his endeavours, and bring success in all his actions [works of his hands], and great expansion [growth], whether by day, whether at night; whether at home, whether outside of the house; whether in the city, whether outside of the city; and in Your Name and with Your Holy Seal magnify his actions, and expand his house, and bring success to [fill in name of individual] Amen Selah."

I was told that the entire construct, i.e. the biblical verse, the set of Divine Names, the amulet image, as well as the incantation, should be written on a "kosher parchment," traditionally deerskin. It works equally well when written on a clean sheet of good quality white paper. Afterwards the completed Kamea is carried on the left side of the individual for whom the amulet was written.