A Legendary Priest-King and a Geometric Design

I marvel at how people simply "buy" into the most preposterous rubbish, and it would seem they actually relish being led by the nose. I have lost count of the number of times correspondents have tried to convince me of the verity of the most blatant nonsense, by informing me that "it is the absolute truth" since they have seen it written "in black and white." In the current instance it was on Wikipedia, which my correspondent maintained is "a most reliable resource." As it is, Wikipedia certainly offers information but can hardly be construed trustworthy. In numerous instances this resource is dishing up the biggest boloney as fact.

I am presently specifically referring to the ramblings of an individual who styles himself the direct descendent of the biblical Melchizedek, and who claims grand galactic origins, and an equally grand design for himself. Of course, this character is certainly not the first amongst a number of 20th century would-be "messiahs," who have commandeered and abused the identity of the legendary biblical Priest-King. However, he is apparently the first to have misappropriated an ancient, simple, and very popular geometric design, newly styled the "flower of life," to which he assigned a lot of browbeating pseudo-scientific twaddle. It would seem that subsequently all and sundry are satisfied to dance merrily to the crazy rhythms of this off-beat tune!

Now, the image in question is generally known as the six-petalled rosette, a most popular geometric design employed in legal documents like Jewish Ketubot [marriage agreements]; Hebrew amulets; etc. In fact, it is the simplest geometric design which can be drawn with any flat circular object. I constructed it when I was six years old with the aid of a lid of a canned fruit bottle, and was very proud of my "discovery" only to be later greatly disappointed at my lack of originality, when the very same image was shown to me in published format.

As it is, the design in question is widely used in traditional folk art, some even calling it a "hex" sign. It was also extensively carved on ancient Middle Eastern ossuaries, as well as employed in a variety of Hebrew amulets, and as a decorative design in illuminated manuscripts, etc. It appears in both the most simple format, and in more complex and expanded versions as shown in the examples below: or or

As hinted at above, throughout the ages the popularity of these designs is due to the fact that the basic image is easily drawn with any circular object, i.e. the edge of a cup, etc. Researching its inclusion in Hebrew amulets, I have recently perused various examples of its uses in the arts and crafts of Kurdistani Jews, including in magical items like amulets. These people refered to this item as a Chabusa, i.e. a "quince" design. The Hebrew for the quince-fruit is chabush, which the Kurdistanis thought this image represented. Others referred to it as an "apple" design, and others still thought it representative of a lily, the six-petalled Shoshan on which it has been claimed the "Magen David" (Shield of David) is based. In fact, the design in question and the hexagram often complemented each other on the walls of ancient synagogues, like the famous one of Kfar Nachum (Capernaum); or the synagogue of Kfar Shura near Rosh Pina in Israel; etc.

So, in contrast to the many fanciful notions regarding the derivation of the six-petalled rosette, its origins are really quite simple and far removed from all the fictitious "extraterrestrial" jabber.

Psalm 45:4 [5] and the Amulet for Success

In addressing the "Amulet for Success" from the Sefer Raziel, I failed to mention that Psalms 45:4 [5], the verse associated with the amulet in question, was itself reconstituted into a set of ten Divine Names employed to enhance or expand, as it were, the "powers of success" in amulets constructed for financial matters, or as an additional aid to furthering success in business. The original verse reads:

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 Divine Names constructed from this verse are:

As you probably noticed, the first letters of the ten Divine Names, read in the normative manner, incorporate the first two words of the verse and the first two letters of the third word. Next, reversing the flow, i.e. commencing with the second letter of the tenth Name, then reading backwards the second letters of the other Names and working upwards towards the first Name, will offer us the concluding letter of the third word, the fourth, fifth and sixth words of the verse in question, as well as the first letter of the seventh word. Continuing the flow by reversing direction again and reading the third letter of each Name back down to that of the tenth Name, will in turn provide the remainder of the seventh word, the eighth word, and the first three letters of ninth word. Finally, reversing the flow once again and reading the fourth letters of the ten Divine Names backwards and upwards, we are presented with the last two letters as well as the concluding two words of Psalm 45:4 [5].

This is certainly one of the most interesting ways, amongst the many employed in the construction of highly specialised Divine Names from unique Biblical verses.

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.

On the Death of Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzeira

I am greatly perturbed by the murder of Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzeira, the grandson of the famed 20th century Kabbalist Baba Sali, even more so when I learned of the motive behind the murder. As it is, a lot of controversy has been surrounding the Rabbi over the last year, and I have been reflecting on the role this might have played in his murder. He was basically accused of charging exhorbitant fees for spiritual services rendered. Now, I am perfectly aware that there is a powerful religious faction out there who condemns anyone receiving any reward for segulot, etc. This simply does not make sense to me in a world where you have to "earn your keep," and where you need cold hard cash to keep body and soul together. Personally speaking, my only objection is against those who are fleecing their clients, and in this regard it was said that the Rabbi was taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from a very gullible public, who were buying into his "supersitious promises." Critics called it "a hair raising tale," and accused the Rabbi of being a swindler.

Having been on the most beneficial receiving end of Segulot and Kameot, I am disinclined to glibly dismiss such items as being superstitious nonsense. This notwithstanding, I certainly would not condone robbing the poor of their hard earned money, and this would seem to be the major issue at play here. One ultra-Orthodox resident of Brooklyn, Menachem Ellowich, maintained his daughter died because Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzeira "cursed" her, and he stated "the day my daughter died, I decided to bury him," and that since "he cannot get the rabbi convicted of manslaughter, at least he wants to get back the $100,000 he paid for the blessing that would end his daughter's barrenness." The subsequent tale of the excursion(s) of Menachem Ellowich and others to the Rabbi is a convoluted one, in which accusations and counter accusations have been flying in all directions. As it is, believing with every fibre of my being in the process of "self creation," i.e. that all humans are constantly creating their own personal life circumstances, it appears to me that the "reality" which the Rabbi had been "living" in recent years, and was seemingly unable to recognize or change, had turned into a roller coaster ride leading to a tragic inevitability.

Now, "realities" do have a tendency of being "reinterpreted" with hindsight. Subsequent to the funeral of Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzeira, a headline read "Rabbi Abuhatzeira Bore the Burden of Evil Decrees," and the subheading continued "Rabbi Abuhatzeira saved the people of Israel from evil decrees through his brutal death, leading rabbis say." The brother of the deceased affirmed that "harsh punishments were decreed on the people of Israel, and he wanted to nullify them," and continued "as he nullified many harsh decrees for us.....We ask you, Rabbi Elazar: go before the Throne of Glory and pray there for the people of Israel. Pray for the entire family. Pray for your sons, your daughters, your grandchildren and wife." How very curious! According to all reliable sources, he was slayed by a frequent visitor, Asher Dahan, a 42 year old resident of the Haredi city of Elad, who was constantly seeking blessings and advise from the Rabbi, and whose motive is reported to have been solely "that Abuhatzeira had failed to solve his marital problems." Now, did we not hear similar sentiments expressed by his every growing list of detractors around the globe?

Underlying this situation is a most serious matter. Firstly, whilst one may employ special spiritual techniques and practices in support of ones aim to solve problematic situations, i.e. a failing marriage, I believe the fundamental failure here is recognition, or at least the instruction of the "disappointed killer," of the necessity to change the "obstacles" within himself which lead to the failing of his marriage in the first place. It is no good to simply lay the blame squarely at the feet of your life partner. The witty May West was perfectly right in claiming that "it takes two to get one into trouble"! Secondly, I believe the major dilemma are in fact these "Tzadikim" who set themselves up on a pedestal of self-aggrandisement. Their perceived "infallibility" is placing them so way beyond criticism and the recognition of their fallibility as beings of flesh and blood, that they are being viewed by their compatiots as being virtually the "mouthpiece" of the Divine One on earth, if not the very incarnations of the Almighty in person.....God forbid!

It is always "I will heal you"! "I will solve your marriage problems"! When will they realise that you can no more live anyone else’s life for them than you can eat or defecate for them? Again, don't get me wrong, I am a firm believer in the traditions of "Practical Kabbalah," however, what I find fundamentally flawed is the cultivation of total reliance on the person of the Tzadik to solve all life problems. Most people are unable, or even unwilling, to work changes within their own beings, i.e. establishing the right mindset which would afford at least the possibility for a lasting implementation of the new "reality" they seek. Instead they would expect a Tzadik, especially one who is a "mini-Messiah," to "do it" for them. This is extremely dangerous, and all would-be "Tzadikim" should take careful note that if they dare allow this to continue, there is bound to be more incidents akin to this sorry saga of the now "martyred" Rabbi Elazar Abuchatzeira!

Research Workshop: Maps of the Divine

It is with great interest that I noted the recent "research workshop" titled "Text & Image in Religious Cosmography: Reading Ilanot and Parallel Artifacts" which was held over the last three days under the auspices of the University of Haifa. This one is of great personal interest since it dealt with the "Kabbalistic Divinity Maps," i.e. the diagrams of the sefirotic tree found in Kabbalistic literature, which is commonly called the "Tree of Life."

As it is there are two interesting video links on this workshop website. The first titled "It's good to see the King" offers a brief overview into the history of the sefirotic tree by Dr. Yossi Chajes, whilst the second is a YouTube video in which Dr. Chajes discusses "the divinity maps in the seventeenth-century Latin work Kabbalah Denudata" by Knorr von Rosenroth. At the bottom of the webpage there is also a link to "selected images of Ilanot (Kabbalistic divinity maps)" which is worth perusing. You can access the site directly at:

http://research.haifa.ac.il/~chajes/chajes/maps.html

Members interested in this topic might also want to peruse Dr. Chajes' collection of photographic images of the "Musayef Ilanot" which can be viewed on:

http://picasaweb.google.com/chajes11/MusayefIlanot#

What Exactly Comprises Practical Kabbalah?

I have been queried regarding what exactly comprises "Practical Kabbalah." My personal stance is that the expression "Practical Kabbalah" incorporates a lot more than simply "magical applications," such as those addressed in my "Book of Sacred Names." Besides these, I personally include:

1. meditational techniques like those of Abraham Abulafia, as well as the Kavvanot and Yichudim of Lurianic Kabbalah, the Tzerufim of Albotini, and the many kabbalistic practices which Aryeh Kaplan, amongst others, listed in "Meditation and Kabbalah," etc.;

2. worshipful invocations and prayers such as those found in Kabbalistic Siddurim (prayer books), etc.;

3. practical applications of the ten sefirot, the latter having been termed "the spiritual energies of Mind and Emotion" by Rabbi Laibl Wolf in his book "Practical Kabbalah," and of which there are a number of wonderful and well-known "practical" studies such as those by my late mentor, William G. Gray, or the more recent very innovative and equally well written "The Miracle Tree: Demystifying the Qabalah" by R.J. Stewart, etc.

There is probably a lot more to add to this list. Whatever the case may be, I personally believe that ALL practical applications of Kabbalistic doctrines, pertain to what is collectively termed "Practical Kabbalah."

The Image on the Cover: "Universal Shiviti Amulet" - Part 9

G. Positioned External to and Within the Centre of the Magen David Complex:

1. - Yohach Kalach

Final letters of the words of Psalm 91:11

Transliteration:

ki mal'achav y'tzaveh lach lishmorcha b'chol d'rachecha

Translation:

"For He will give his Angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."

2. Six Archangels within the Magen David Complex aligned with the three repetitions of Yohach Kalach

H. Central Magen David

1. - Taftafyah

Letters positioned in the corner triangles of the hexagram.

This Divine Name is composed of the first two letters of verses 69, 70 and 76 of Psalm 119 which read:

Transliteration:

(verse 69) Taf'lu alai sheker zeidim ani b'chol lev etzor pikudecha.

(verse 70) Tafash kachelev libam ani torat’cha shi'asha'e'ti.

(verse 76) Y'hi na chasd'cha l'nachameini k'imratecha l'avdecha.

Translation:

(verse 69) "The proud have forged a lie against me; but I with my whole heart will keep Thy precepts."

(verse 70) "Their heart is gross like fat; but I delight in Thy law."

(verse 76) "Let, I pray Thee, Thy lovingkindness be ready to comfort me, according to Thy promise unto Thy servant."

2. - Shadai

The Universal Shiviti Kame'a concludes with the powerful Divine Name Shadai in its very centre.

(The End)