Abraham Abulafia: A Starter Kit

nD''\i?3 .pp^'DCTD^ TiDnV iDin ]''''3ii7D^ mu;DK?DT ,m"nDDi numoD nnrn xin
iKnV no nnn i^onu^n D''mn''m D"Dni7n d'^didiVdhu; .an^io n;^^ iddh it

'l^WKn bK — np''t:D''»n Vu? hk-'U? Vk mnvD tit nV-'Vo nnnD it np*'3DD
'7Du?n K^TTU^ pi Vkh X''nu7 fD ,n3v'7y nw pV mxn '^u; i'pdu? pn najin
V32 iDKti^i dil^d: hki^^td it j-'yD n''nn3 ixiti? mi^n ''iiin vn d3;3ik .Vvidpt

DiKH p nnTpn mn\i?DK hk u^iooV irD mD"nDDi mp'^n^D mxiin Vu? prp
mna bv ann-'TD^m D"3Din .kits; px amnx n '^u; nrr'^m .•'^Du^n ub^vb
wbi'D'' Drx — nnrnnD n''Vx''TKn n'^nnn nx f^^^n n^iDn — "HKinin"
nvDin DnKHD an .riDDDin muT^n riDU^iin^ it'U^qq nn nnmn n^mn^
U7''nDn^ ''Vn d::i "]k — pvoV ''^d ,n''K-ipDn nxin^n .pimn nnyn nn'^^nn^

.mmn"' nvaD"';^ mnD?D Vu; n;3Knn k-tt rnDon y»:^?3 n'^DyViDKt:? jmh
miDz:3 -|3inti^ ,mn'' m37''"r n:iin Vu^ D'^^'imnn VDiiirb .tjdu^k^ vVn i:s7'':inu?
.a^nmn -"niiDn ip'^vn n^n -iu;xi ,n'''7u^xm -nDon n^mpQ nrr'niz? n-'Dioi^Dn
— min^'V Y^nr2^ nvoo-'D mp''3Dun anpDu? nmo"' u^ iDonn: n^K m"nD;3^
DK ^r}ob TT'Di:; nrsu^n d:i ''Vikt nmnn n:irn .''DDrnmiK-'Dirn □Tion'^nn
nxn3 ^bw mmn lu;^;^ nnv n-'Dy^inx bii; vtdVh nriDn -ip''i7D nu'^in it o

np''2DDD nnp'^i? "jitd >Kn m^ti? niDTn x-'n nmn-'^nn nvb^2 .vr^on ^u;i
.ht XU7133 nriDj pVm ^n-'DyVinx ^u? hViddxd nnriDnnii?

iJ

pxn u^m^T VD"in ]''n wk^ wr ,D''i7i"i'» d'^td"' n'^arnD n^^'ti? ;miL7yV
HKim bD"»nV VD-'HiD D3D3 xin iVxd nDi:!?T nvDii? mVD*'n vr^n nxin Ninii?

— nvniK D''"'nu?i W'vnw "inx Vd D''VD7Dn .kd-o"' ,t m?3U7n\:7 n-'pioDn
iDon .^KH niD^D U7i?D''iL7V .TiviV ,nnu;p n'»3U7n nxm?:n d:^ .noDDn nvmK"
im DinD" i^pKii "'KH n DU?D mu? D^?<mp ^:H ,-'Dn?D Vk-'H*' p im "lb ']^1vr]

"iriDD j-^u^Dn^z:" ^iiTi^n /''7D^nD d^^dVt ^d-'h nnx Vd^h ^ktii D-iDVQn

bv Kin d:^ nmD ^•'xn nn noD ^^nQ vmrT73 nnin dku; i^x ,^N33n ir^n ,px:^
pD^^i nxmu nDi Vd;:) ];D:^y 173^1 o'-VVDn;:)" dh ''d .omDV ididju? D''Mnn
n'^Vvn ,*'"t2;i nyiV .S"m^D''nn pDi:?i m?Dii;D p^Dn;z;o vm fino;:)! p 'pnui^i
man nvnp .^"du? •'t ^v" ir^ii^i?] — diidV hd^^d n37D\i?D^ — 1771^
,p^3i7^ mx-^n nai:?"' i7"DNn'7 onv/DH 'OD"'''nn "idd3 .t:du7x "'Ton V:^k oa mv-'Di?:

TDTD xin '^rnx ,3U7n73 irx ix 'n m'?i7D;DD nu^nDi ni73 niav; xin nxiD
131 mnV IX iDi^n iV mxnnV nD d^dx^'Dh m^y; ix D''iz;iipn mDti?

.n piD ,n'73pn ,Vtn ny nxm .Geschichte der Kabbala, Leipzig 1852, I, p. 15, n. 22
.G. Vajda, "Etudes sur Qirqisani", i?^/ 106 (1941-1945), p. 107, n, 2.

.14 '^v ,N ,nbmr\ "jiiy

.54 'Di7 .m^DDlBH

ID"*© .m^xiD bv ,'>r\m^ t?ipyn nxDnnu; msxV mitt?m .d"S7 t 'tt nr^n -"^nn ^y -"'u;-!

m i?D|7 .K39 ni .431 |N)7''D1 ;334 ^^l .1574-niDDDIX ""'D ;N19 ^1 .Add. 643 'nn^Qp '"D

,85 'oy ,:i ,i?3nnini< ,ipn nu7?D nV D^an nriD iddd ,D"»Vp D-'nru?^ ,x"iTi; px du^d n31?d
,|i nxi iDon Vs? .Ki7i-Di70 *]i ,756 rT'unnn nnccn ^"dd x:j733n noi^n nx Dxin i^n

.•]*?''KT 143 'z:i7 .-non nnn

10

17

K p-lD

'7xn mD^i; Vu? X33?3n --Dixn (x
mi?iD3n D'^Dmn p x''n htxdddx^ vnr\b piD Vxn niD^ ix du? nnDtn
mn^^Di Dx^D''X3 ,]D*'3 .un"'t:D ,mnD nvi:i?Dn mp''3DDD p'rn x''n .np'^uo-'DD
Dron -iiTn] pQ nnnxV ; ^b^ mp-^jDu ''D"id3 pn^ |xd D3D''j x^ .n-'ODmn-nxn
piDvau? DID -jx ,n''Dy'7iDx ^u? vidd "jin^ n^v^u; "imn^ ]mwn^ nD ,pnDn
ru^n'? ^xn mDU?n u7i?:''ii?V a-'mnTi D"»nnpnn nx ixn^ ^rfD^Vinx bv inD*'u;3
:^nnx: tidi m^D"'n iddd i^d ,mxn nymnn ''^Tv:

iv^DU^Qi D-'3Dn nu? nmoV xnp n-'n hdd-ipd'? itV u^pnio rnxn rr-nu? p^D
puni:^ •'X''DiuiD xip3 HTiu; 'n •'X''dtidio Q'^^d^d n^y a**:!:?! nxD
]im::}*»n-i xmnp^ Vxnau Vxnnmi ^xmnt -'X^^V'^tiu^x "iriDiu ^x'^diuiu
yiP xVi D''Di;D nu;i7 u'*w^ nxD Vi; ^■'ov x^u? ,Vx-iu7'' •'nVx 'n pTinxi
my^i^xi mDU7 ( • ) xi^v vd xVx ; iu?xnn im vTi^ ix ^''did n-'n dx ; dhq
.n^Dnon uVi^i i-iT* t;^ .iidd"' n^i^y u^w^ nxn vt

:2iT mnsoV y^^n nnx itdxdd i3x a^xmp ni yup^ nnnn

Vd ]di D^Di7D x"7 niDD-'i:; li; d^did tt myni^xi mT^u? xxvn vd

.1U7X13 1^"! '7DV IX mnD'' Dxii? mDu;n p mnD*' x^i d'^d^d

.rrnDiM nDi:^n htt^ iw^t] ,v^'2^ ^T\in msV "^d ,D''TyD D"»yupn •'^u?
nnxn ^niD px:;i ''xn n .m;D*n D*'D"n2 \:7Dnu;nV pnv nD''U7?Dn D'':ix:3in nDipnn
nx] nmx d^'Viv i^Vi^x Dn-'om D''DpT hdd rn Di^n nbxu^'py :^vmDii:7nQ
mnD mpD3 p"' D'^mu? xVt lu^n d-^Vdix xV ,d''?d'' t\t2'z D''jyntti [m?Dir?n
mDi^n D''xn"n d*'3^i ,iddqd nvmxi d^'VIT D''V"n:i D">piDD n^'xiipi D"»V7DnDi
:4''xn ni Ti7D mnx n3iu;n3 /'nxiD3 m;^! D^'xVDi

Di? ,D1? 'Di7 ,N ,mi271"[D TID ,nD''''nD"n Vi? 1p''i73 001373 ]XD X^IDH nOllH .TD piD

anDnn Vxn m?D;r Vi? .t pio ,:i .wmon rfD ,prV*' Vijn noi3n 'd Vi? D''*?p □•'jip^n

.58-57 miS?m ,363 ,56 '02; ,D''ZD-!T ,01*7^? nXI IT HpO^'DD

yup"? HT yup f'2 rhipnn Vv ;3"i7 1 =]i ,x"D"in d'''7U71t .hjd^u? riDDno .^vdid 'u;

K'-niy ■'DD nOT-an nx X'^^O "'3X ."]V''X1 54 'DI? ,V'Din D"3i7 UmspnS ,D''3pT D^UD DD13

lifix .p*? 05 nxii .104 'ioy .n"o-in j^Vio ,'»Di'72nD min"* n'? nTr noo u7itdo ni^'oio

,(712 IXlV^X =1D1X) 1805 V'DnO pIV V3 ""'D ;X mi?n ,20 '02? ,X ,nv ; 17 'Qi? ,1 ,D''2ix:in

.X41 *"]!

'X .35-33 m"ii7n ,50-49 'Dv .D'l^iT .Di'?^ u ; moi;:?nn Vi:^ 14 '^y ,t ,D'3ix:in i:?ix ,pV
Beitrdge zur :nx"i .IT in^op nx po''3 xV xirt "jx n'Di2i rTi7DU7n la'aoV 'd ,120 prV'

7(5

"nKiDy*? ran'? np-'^Dvn

n3iDn (! ) •'mpVi nvm •'Ton w^Dn^** ]d ^2 np3^ Hb^ Vdh niriD*? n-'n k*?
IVZdV D''m'7Dn '33^ nxDiD Diz; "ion irnx i^onnsx d3?dx .noDnn •'Vii^m
mrnv T-^ay n^rp la*? n^A3 p*? .[mt miDV] fv ''d Vi? mrnv ly-i"* k*?

IX ,v^^bD ^:n?2 HTnonV ii^p-'^ ir^x amnxu? .np^nv mioDD hu^ddj mnDin
miDTH" no'^Dn .D''''3''Dn-"';D'»n -non '»D3nV nyanu? li? -niV miD n"iDD3 x">n
^niDDn nnoti; — rfsy'^inxu; ,mmyn nix*? -rnvDn p3i?D "moiyn 7Diy
T,nn nx .mDtz;n n^np ,inV3pn mxiV Tnv — rVi? itvVx n ^u? inyDurnn
.mmyn xin iVx mxniDV f]mu?» n^Dn .nmrr'n non mioD^ nnrn npiD2;n
IX nv'7uiuDnxn — mVnjin nravrn nn^'iynn mu''u?^ pnD inoia p •'d
n-'H rnx'»'7x x'"xn'';D ipnnn^ mDpu?n d''X3C1» 13x nVx mx3i;D3 .nv3'iu^Dix"'3n

."nvixoxu?" |mx hidd

: •^I'^DH n3:i "1DDD 3mD ^•'u'? ]nx pn^"* n .'^•'nn nynnn lan ^i;QU7 mDn

:|m ^«mair?n •'d-'d nu^i'^ii? VbiD |V^i7 aio x-'n tt' Vxn mx^^fD mii^n "^d
pDH .pi^ nivi H^T li? nD'7i7D nwm rr^xna nwm n'»3V3; naii?n
D*»nDiDn n'''?s7 ixnii? iqd .'^dh ^x n3iu?xn nno mx''^D naiz;n xin jTOxnn
^r^:v nv'T im mmr^ n-'DioiV-'D rr'jry nau?n x-'n in D"'Dmnn

.20 nivn ,28 'QV .nnnn nu^'Dn ,'7TK rtxm K"i? k::? ^i jmn^o ■»'733 ""D Vy 15

.127-118 'Qi7 ."non mm ,*[i hki iTi?'?^ n"? td"id ht mrp '^y 16

nVnm 3nD3 'Ti3''nn . 16 'dv .1867 .i"? -jid .pn:?^ •'DDiDn p3*'V'' pnx -'T-bv ddi3 .xq pns 17

.y^u TiHTin '7U7 rT»3U7n n^xnon
■"'DD n^nu;: mD*'nu^ .•'D''3ijn "idhd b^ viaiD n^ixo «t'dV jax bv; inyi'? nzDnon nVnpn i8
"•D yi .TQTi Kin nQ*? mn"* □"'d^d n^Vir "^y "jtvx nnyv : X98 *^t , 107 ,n"»oipKn — fro
i::d 'n ru?3 didk njiu^nn nxT nin ,N2fD3 Kinu? niWKin /n"' ^2 t.'^iw no |n nutt?n tiu?
n^n n''VN n^jyan xV pniyii? D"i7x rr'^u^n .n3'iu?Ki nVy nnb n'»nniy ^Vdzd iu^dx ■'xa? .vuryn
n:ni?3D □u;ina nVvD i*'D3 dhd n^^x D''xn: a^r*'::? lu^inn*' Knb rnyV "-d D^mD^ i:n3X
nxT ■'3 nrn oyi .n*'i:7xin nu^yon U7inn3iy no i:^n vu^Dy jn^'DO i^xu? hod n'^nji inv
.byiDH i?ir nVnvDn iinDu? dhdu? mwn iifn -.n^i^xin ]d nV'n]i mv rr-nn njiu^nn
U7'' '73X .inb^yn riAiyn rr'^u'm irnx'^^^tt mi^n n:itt;xinu;3 niD^nno n^wn nrnn dVixi
'"*? tiVd X2?D3 Vdo noVi73n mnon mwn x''m n3 poi? D''X"ia3'7 j-'xtr n''i2;"''?u? natyn
"I'r^a 'n 'inDn 'qx m:nyn iz^Vu^n iinb in^ mm ,inx xVi xin nmnn ru^D iin"? xin M3b
mmV nVspD mnn'? anu?!? ]xd d''idt3U7 D'^xm^n □''tyi;?Dn /nyi D^ny"? •]'i'7D'' 'h ^'^q 'h
wT-'^i; mx'?D3'7i D'oiV — xd-':i iTxai .xd in?3 'rnVxH fsnn b'V «i''u^ J3X *?«;

19

X pID

xim ny'7im nan xnntr; ,i3aa iu;nm v*?!? n^aa urnpn mi txi — ino
TOii? TXT ; ^inD*? nb^T nrn') ^ipn mi ni;;^ ni^mji riD^Di ,i:;i2Vzd idd
57»itz; x^i nxn x'pT n^iv xin mpa nrxn i?ir ii'^xi ^^S7n» iz^^^xd mxn
nrm nxnm ptn xnpi nn ,nv»iu?i nxn in»ir;3 ^2X iDn;^ ur"'aiD xVt

.mxin^n mi f ^yn

■nu^u? Tiu?2 T'VD ipn ntt^Q n ,D'»''nn idd bw ■'»'»3i3xn nnnD '^ti? xnaibD "a

DD^fi; D''Vm?3 ,D''X''33 DD^fi? mti^v^ ,D''3''Dn »ni7i •'Ton onV (! ) d"»3^i
^i:im n^HDHD n;^^3m jnxnp a''3TiD?D d'^jd^dt □"'ti^npn mnu? nnoTHD
nDi:fi ,np'»y nr^mn nwv^-] nnmn '^Dn nrnD fx i*7X^i yrTim ^dii
miDDV inn .i'dthu? Du;n no 13Dd pVnoDU^D .n^ij; inxV ii? .pini;^^

.nVmn^ nviD rr'nu?

.''3Di:i nTi7T ii^niriQ mDtr?n niDtn T'b'nriD — it nx it moxm nvii37n •'nu?

in-^n^m — nu7in niDn nn:? nn niiz?OT o^'U^ina nm^nn u?D3n nx iintmn

d;i hdii iu?pnn niDn "nxin^n" ''D j":^^ nxin jo .nxin^V ht ^Vnn bwr2

/'nxi23 m;Di" ry^*? ijxnnti? ,px:^ '^xn n Vu? vi3i3

Xin D]l TDH .DDinZD 1Ti7Vx '1 ,D'»''nn 1D0 *?tt7 '';D''313Xn innDH b^ 1111 p

ni;3n mxi^inV x-'^nV ■'wy ht u;iq''u; .bxn niDU? niDTnn u^id^u? "^ti? rwo-^^
iDoa iT2;Vx n nni i^xi .D'^-'nn idd3 ix pxiJi -^xn n nnin miDnn nVxV

:'2n;DDnn

'X |i:iD ^4^^^Jy .^jrjH q^ pixi mx Vdi ,nrmx 'i p iVx f n** i^a"Dx
pin pi .n-'3n^ ')s n-'r^bn 'n n-'n'^nr "' .]iTin'':i '^ pmn-'n '3 jnnnx

,T3DU?xi nD"i:f3 D''"'r3n •'D''3 o^nm nnnn .pm 'o nxm .84 'tdv ,a .lonj "i:fix u

.102-103 '»y .D-^DIT ,ni7^ ; 124-123 '?Di? ,n"Diyn TDX ^^n
Joseph Dan, "The ; 57-44 'Di? ,D"'3Vy ,p "• HXT HT ni3''n '7^ .D55 f]l . 1812 ITIDDDIX ""'^ 12
Ashkenazi Hasidic Gates of Wisdom'', in: G. Nahon — Ch. Touati (edis.), Hommage

M Georges Vajda, Louvain 1980, pp. 183-189
.'?xn bw D"'''UD^o mou? '7U7 mD"*]-! '►u^xiD |XD mu7iDn» nvmxn 3"0 p □i:?n V^ vnvmx 13
mn Domo "iiybx nu^ nxmi .d'tdh-'d-'D a-'Vnipa Vr nvDU^m np-rii? x'n it nu^'on
,Vtx nxi My\V7'2'z xtt?i3n 'py .hditx"? it nu^^sn nmn DDiity D'Diu^nn nTnr:?n inx

.15-1 '?3y .Dix m;2in D'Dx'7Qn oVii?
iDD .nmn*? .nxn ; m'7D''nn miDOD i3d n-np?3 .iQSi? •»3Dn du?d nvmxnD nnx Vs n^xn 14
ini:?''Dn ni7DU?m .msyViDx Vy it hu^'dd n^Du^n Vi? .28 'ov ,cnx''Vx nnD) ^rnuiT m^DTi
.(D1D13) n'7Dpn ntt?''Dn ."ptx 'Q nxn .mronm p"»i b's

18

n:^3 oyni D'^DTH DHTiiDU^nD VHi .j'^QH "'U7"'x iKU^D ,n:3U?nDai ni:?i7;DD
'^i? niKin^ piDD •'n'pxn |T'Vi7n pnn n-'m m nvpj^i mnc:: D'^PDVii?

D*'''DU?:i D''X^Q]n D''X'7D3 D'^'^VD bvtib D"'Wnp niDU? HDD ■»?D''3D ]vbv

nn'^n i^'^'n hndh Vii? n''3u^n n-'^nD^ •'d .nnr^br^ Di:^n3;D nu^Q n Vu? nbn vmi
i-w^ ''DD .D''ii?i"[pn mDU?n n^'-Vv "'KIDdh VDii^n nVnpV np'>::>\: iition nyiT

nTnV Kn^nnn ^vu; ,mp>?i?D nmu;V mrn^D Vkh m;Du;n D^oii; an :V''yVi:;
^12; *»i:Dn DTr ^nii^^ Du?n Vu? nn:iDDn htdu? dhd rmi73 ; D''Di?D hod p-'^i?
nx nr*'DK7Dn K*'n it nn"'nu7 .d''31U7 Dmp''3i D''DiT'ir ''t-Vv man^Dn .niT'n''

.minVrnoi ."-jiKn mD Vi;n ik .VT'^r^ "'Dik Vvn xin p diu?dt ,in'7iVDi Q'7ii7n
riK ^ir:b' hd ,n''D27ViDN nviV ^k .24inv/:)n injn^V mnti^p m^iDnn Tit:? ''d
wnn bv; HDnx mil:? m^n'pi nt n^n;:: onnV ii^** motion ^u? Nn3;on iu^idh
d:i nanii^Q ,D^n nnon D-'^nn o^iru^n hd "]im ;n'T»mK =iit^ •»T-'7i7 D''u?in

rj-'VD li^DHJ DtiL^n bv Vnu? Tii''2?n T'Vnn ''d ,w:inb i^ddi Dixn Vu? ii:?D3a
.26"r^-iu^m Ti:? ^^vvi m2ii?n?D3" :nT;D nmnn mxn u7D3 Vi7 ^nu? ybnn:^
b^ mwbn ik .hkid]^ vnnb *'i?XDKD ^kh diqu; d"'u;du;^ it'd nni? nxn:
/'pnn mVi7D bi< m'?^^ dVd -'^du? k:?d u^n" — ^^n^'DvViDK
nDn:D ,3nD:D — nmir'';D nw^bwn n'npDn;^ V'^Dn nvmxni:^ •'dd
p inK .3nD3 nV''nn mou^n hk "tdthV" u;"* ,^xn m?D^ d:i p — ^snnu^nDm
n?DDn mi?''Di7D nriDn niDU?n mTiiK •'Ditij ^i? nvny .nnu?nDn ^lon^i hd ^yn

.l'?"'K1 133 '»y ,n''Di7Vl3K .VtX HXI 24

.nPT 81-80 'Di7 ,mxn idd ;X156 ^1 ,774 onD -"o .min nno idd 25

^1T2J m5;?3^QD "^-i:^'?" rD'VQ pniTD ir^D*? ;3i57 ^1 ,774 OnD ""'D .min nnO 1DD 26

.X21 ^"T ,291 |p''t:NT'"D .jvyin nriDD IDD 27

.146-143 'Oy ,n"'Dy'712N .'PTK HKI 28

27

S piD

HDon nrn mu^n Kin -^wn p^n .n2ii:;xin nnon nbit Dntt? D'KiD^an
n"'xi33 n^iu^n x-'m •'^mn mmn ixinan diu;d f Dn3 n^yiD it n^wKin
vm;DU7 mo n^T mi/^JQKn D''X"»33n Vi; ^:JS3n •'nVxn yDu;n n:^?^ n:\u7na
^ynb pxur x-'n it nVvDi .imnVu; '»ddi onD nnx Vd nau^n ''DD D^DD^n
IT nrr mu;n x''n ''u?''^u;n pnm .n*'^x ODrn'? pn dw ''^vvn ipn;3n
niDi^nn n^'pDn K^n itt d^idd -iKinnn ,nD^ynn n^^Dnn a^i73n au^n n:;D
.iQ^ ^nu7in^i 'n ''xtV tdvV mii^'^n K"»m onDu? n:v'7i7m

,n''DiDi^"'Dn ^i7 noDin^n .n-'i/Dun n'']nViK*»nn Kin nwnn b^ pu;Knn I'-Qn
.ViTDa pK n^-'DH pn T3Uiru7 Kin '^wn p»n /npnrDn ''D^n" bu; an'^n^ x^ni
nxi33 pn -man n^pn .^xn n^m'2 ]vv dv ^^iinn - p^^i ^mnn nx nDii:in
'pi? Ti7?D xini ^i^uV inx Vu? iriDipnD nnson iDin xi^v ^xn niD^n maiinnn i-^nV
pnn .n-^Dir^iDX b^ vninip?D^ inx;^ ^oV px^ ny^ixnu? .n^-'on ^u; nmn
1DD :nnn nii^mtt? - ""'inx du?'? x^n mn^n - D^y^n DU?n n;u;n xin -^^-^bwn
n''Di;'7iDx bw innn^ p^onn .^^Vxn Vw oVy^n ^r2WD n'^DV^mx ^:^x d^i p-^vn
ni;D^D nmnn D'7y3n D^n niDn '3 .n^Dvb^2H d:\ p?dx7d .^^"^ P^^ •^"'^^ "^"^"^^

:DniD xin 2iTi3a pi; ni^ix iddd .mu^nn

ni^u^n ^b^n y:vn ^^bn nnDTan o-'ODnn nDO n^^pn niriD irxi^ n^
mira inn "'^n ^d;^ x^diqi nn ^I'pi? oynvn n^i?!!"- Dnn^x rw^Tnw xin
D'?ii?n^ nD '7DD nnv onn nnn Diz;nu? nnmn anu? nxiDiini nDDHDi
nn^iT3 Vi;Dn ^yiDn Vx nDn jo nx^^D hd^ i2;D3n td DDnn p bv^ U7D3n
.'71XU7 TO ni3i niu?D3 Vi^n'? n:3D x-'nn nvTn Tnm niu^Dj U7nnni

n'7X nx a-'DnnV w^^wv ninii^n :bxn n^m ba nuiu; niir?^:\ u^iVu? ^' nT yup^
niDn Dnn -[iddi nix3ann •'t'? mx x-'nn^ n'^b^'wna on .nnin^Dx nx n^ynrn
- nii2;^:in mb^ b^i; m aiT^D .niu^san -u^irn" n-'-^y mx^ifon nx mDu;*?
nu7;D n ,TDn tdvVidxu? D^Vnipon Jiinn □''^p - n'':\XDni n"'Xi33n ,ni7n*'''Dn
:23nmD ,iTQ^n n-'nu? •'QD v^j; tvo TDv'pinxu; ,Dimn;D pvDii? p

'X mu^ HKi iiD^m ]i^in rniy nnnn KW^in n^uV ]3X Vi? ViTn:i ]nj< ^u? inys^n b'V 19
±> fmn ,"NiTi7 pN DniDKV onvon D'ou^n iru? idd V^ nnna nVKU?*?" .^poi'^-'inVn

.74 mi?m 291-290 'Di7 ,(rDu;n)
.356 'Oi? ,nbnpr] mVnnn .m'ru? nxn 20
.34 mi?n .n piD .ppV hki "nNin:i nDDin .min" Vy :N149 ^1 .i580 i-nDDDiN ^"d 21
]UD Dnnnon p "^xniz?^ 'bm dhiz;" .nd^p^ m njpn p N-':im n .Vxy^u?"' nV nr.iDn 22
.X148 ^"7 ,1^^^^ ^"^^^ n^DyViDxu? ''DD /'Nnv^ -n nvmxi thdh iddt mVD^n yiD

' .56 'Di7 ,n"]:-in) n r^in ,diVu7 ':i ''T-Vy ddi3 nrmf« 3"d p d^ i2?itd 23

20

1U7KD nam .^:T'y"^ VuV^i *i3V»i bin'pD inD "'^dd nvi^n 31"i?d n3i:i irai?
Vx i:dd HQDn nm "[Tn ran nr .inVxurm v^k m^n nv .i^m^n
Kim .mo ^^ riir^ .mc inVxu^T .•»nx ,1'? ''W bi< ^bm p nnxi .inDTi7n
om^iL? DiDnn p nnxi A^wb nnDXD .iri?n Kin iu;xd .i]'*:^ rii^nu?
Vk Kim nT ^n:^ p inKi .n^Dn niDi^vn i^ irn D'7Kt:;i nr-'yi ddi^ji
"l'? mn"' y"x Kim D-'nVK ^ii? d^hk ,ip^n nb^y*' Kin m ,Du?n ^'^iDn n^
niK^D anu; D"'y-T d'^dh niK^D^) k^^dhi DnvDiK Dinn p inKi ni?n

.n73Dn

rji:;^ IT'' "'D ,DnQ^ 13K:JD3 V'»i;'7l2; T13a py n^flK nDDD nDKDnDI nT "1QK?D»

IT nVii7D .lOK Du; Vii; vnvniK •'Dit:^^ pV^V p inKi d''idd du; ^u? nvniK
t:?mp D\:; nvniK p n^Din '^li? nu^VD — "n^DiD n\i7i?D" du7d n-'sy'^i^K n:DQ
nDD3 .mTDun nii7''T nV^p ■'tV K'^DDn nu^VD ,nnK u^mp dv; nvniKV ihk
,D''DTiiU7i7 D"'3U?3 ^i']'sr::iT\ ii^iiDDn Du^n pi^nonv :D''K"iip ijk »75 'Oi; .niKn
n:?"'im ]W]vr^^ nnDu^m 12 hdu;*' >Knii7'»V nVna ;i?in -iu?k D-'DDn nu7u;3
mm n^ ^k mm m^nnniKm n^2 Dii^n riK i2;nn ^d din nnnnn nnnm
mm — ''HK — mm : ^^oti^n diz; roDnn on ^3u?n DU^m pu^Kin Du?n /'niKD}?

.mm —

'7Kn niDU7 nrniK ^ii*':^ (d
,nrniK n^i? p du? : on omnvniK hk ^ii^jV nniQ mDi7VinKU7 u^mpn niDU? •'lu^
•'unDu? .i^mD^n Du?m ,Knn D^ivn •'"'n idd^ ip"'i7n d-^vdid i''Din''^ "»DnDu;

,VDU7n iiK iDon ip*'y3 n-^yDiD vdit:!?
niDonriD mVKti? .^'^^ ^"i^*^ mtyn riDniD VDU^n mx iddd ^^n^'i^n no*'^

,n"K ,^"K rQ-'DITl^ n^DIK D'^V^pHD IT pl3 .U?mDDn DU^H niTIIKD nHK ^73

WDH Vi7 DDin^n mp"'3n nrntysK Vd -^dV mpi^;^ mmn-^nD nnK Vd .n"K .vk
pi .K"n mron •'dVi n"K mon ■'dV ,fi3ipi nm^^ ,p''Tn ,pp .D^in :nii?i3n
.Dnpi3D D"'Di"T'}? D*'U7''Qn fiV^iD nHK ^Du? .hik'^dl? i;nnK m'^npno p .nK'^n

-.^^nm^ib nbnv nm

.181-179 'Di7 .n-'D^VlDK ,Vtn nXI 682 = "UWn DU7" = "nnD"ID nWVD" Vy 35

1DD Du?D ry Dir ^1 ,D''3i;3n o hd "iinV pn57in X95 =]i ,233 ip'-uxi '"D .^Diyn mx "IDD 36
^1 ,10 pro ""'D ,DTi'7N n] 1DDD ni7"'DiQn nVnun nx hkt noiy'? miiyn .np'^n
'DiTij n'pDuV no:ni .Vdu^h nx -idddit itd mrnD hodq nnu^n ,di50-i di49-ki49
1DD7D nmx CDin "iu;x ,229 ,222 'Dv ^np'^DU .■":?io '7:?x d:i nvDiD i^ODintt? npniKn
nj7Din .VDU7n mx idd^ D*'3ion diid iDonu? VDpn npD bv ir^v ""ifiD oa .Vd^h iix
P.C. Miller '*ln Praise of HKi ; np'Tiyn rT-axjixDn n''axDD HK^^Di myijn •'dit:? ^U7 non

23

X piD

n''n DiD^ipm ''Vi? n'?**'? nii^n ninyn" iTvd ^^p'Di nvu? idd i2n?3i ;29"nin^n

."■'niniD-iK Vy "T'''3m
u?"'ti7 D-'D'^Dio niOD b'ViD Kim nnv nnin pioo — Kon'^Dn — '*wn mii7"»nn
,11333 iKinn IT nVii?D .pip''3i nvniKn hk vwb Kn^non ^i7 (k) : iidjd onm*?
iKimu? •'DD ,niD''U?3 Vti? yinp n^^p Vi? mo;2;V v'^y p) .nKin^m ]^r2r] *?y pisn
IT n^ii7D .niKDinnn nrniKn mp-'ib' DKnnD iti?Kn riK i73i?3^ vVv O) ,]bnb
HK 3*'ni3 mi? p bv^ .onKn Vu7 •'D^3Dn nanon ]2i3nnV v^y o) .j^n'? iKinn

,mnnn
^11:^3 ■'D ly-T" — nnu^HDn Di^n nvniK ^iit'x hk Vb'iD ''u?"»'?u?n nVii^n
VD^n Vj^^pi ■'^Du; 1^3 Kinu? qn^^n D"y nVn mVinV nVn nu^y^n •»ra;i7nD

:^2T13a py I^IK 1DD3 K^fD^ d'^U?'? nbwt^ inyDn Vu; i:^p mK-Tl .^^"Tb'l''

■'3i:?'»nn KiifDin nnDDnnivu; nn "'dd nVnn vm u7"dk nrniK nnpV 71:^
n^Ti rs Vki ^:wb Vk DpTiyi qdii:: oy ison ]d Dnp'» p nnKi .dd"ii?''i
D"'^''i mV Vk DpTiyi D''Dm2?o VDQ Dnp'' p nnKi .ns ^y nymiy ly on
,nn72 nm i^V ikii?"' k^tu; ny ym*' Kinu? ]wb Vdd iV nvu? nn |''nnV inyn

/mmo" ^7^ i^Vnn nnniy '7Kn n^i; nvniK :nD3Dn Vu? pnnio ybnn ip^dV
prpti; .nvVDu; nrniK^ ,'7Du?V pnD piK^'^fDU? .nimmn nvniK» pDin^
"Vy ,ityDK p .niVD^i;3D ididi niu;inn3 imu^Knu; ,b:i^n p33 ybnn inT .3^3
:mDnn ^u; invn nni33in n^yTD*? yjin^ .omu^^Dn nu?i^i273 nvniKn ^iT2f •'t
:iiz;''n'7 yijin^ k''33V mu?DKD it np''330 ■'D nimyDn ,mK3iD nDD k''33 .nKi33n
:^^3niD ,mDyVi3K bii; nn p ,nVinD •'dk pK n;DVu7 p pnr n .nnvD -'ami
n^ZD v^n nvniK ^iiT^^^m [n'^nK iu^k n''nK] nTn piODn nbnpn •'D yimn ]?2r'
/'D^nDiom niniKn i^nnn nDin nVy?Dm ,no3nn r\wn rr^bDn n^y ir^n
:34^r53n '»"'n iDDD miv:^ mi^3 iKinpD nDDinn mii^n ybnn

iny^m vdii}? ^733 ^Dnom mm Kim n3V nV^'nn D\2;n nT ^i:ib Vnm
^mKn3 DK •'D inm^n 'pki ,n'7'':iD3 mnKi w^d nWn nTin VjiViid inbaV:ii

.XI6I qi ,1580 TIIDDDIX ""'D .TliA p^ I^IX "IDD 29

.D63 ^1 ,148 8° D''7Wn' ""'D 30

.XI 13 f)T ,2239 mDDDIX '""3 ,pon ''Uip'»V 31

.370 f]-r ,1580 niDDDIX ""'D 32

.X49 qi .343 mSODIX "'"D .Dn-'U^H T^ tt71TD 33

n-'nnD ''n'?xnn no^'n Vy .D"i7 nV «]t hx^Vdh iddd dji ddi: ,365- x65 ^i ,408 p^'o "-"d 34

22

"HKinr'? ^''^inV np-'iDun

n''Di7^iDK nVnionii? ^^mvi^nn ii^^n DipM .iip^'^n im^^^ ]nn u7Dnu7n'7 u;-»u?
.■'ni7iV .D''DiT:^n iddd da nViy p diu^dt .kiu? riDDin •'T-Vv ,u?u? |kd mrDi^

D^DITS^n -IDDD i:iDpi n''D3?Vl3X ^E? O'^DIT^^H "|in73 d'?!?! kiu^h .mi7i]n ^Qn

Kin Vkh ^7^ ubv^n n^n^ pV tdi nn nxn ,u?nDDn Du;n nvmK irT'i ^"Vk

D"y p D^n nnDTH :'7ipyn pnpv bv xnn o'riyn •'''n nDon^ ^iT^^n no*'^ n-'i^D
TinD nvmx y;i?n m;o\z;i: dhdu; ,D''^iry:3 mi^iDnn hd ^in n^i^ry: nvmnn
n^DTDH ,D''Viry nyDixi nnu^y Vu? hdipd nVDpn;^ it pin .Du?n nvniK vn
.IT ni?''E?b' d:i "npD ki^dV it<L7DK ''d ,''3qii .nrmxn yv p Dii^n Vd hk noinn
□i:7n HK min^n nvmxn bw jn^y^ nx y"3xn nxn» "^^n^r^^b ^iiKn iu^it'd^
miL^y am nnx pi^ nyu^n an DnDD?Dn Vd n^nv :p:fD p inKT .u^niDDn
Ki^^n iDDi^jn "73 Dy ^iion biDDm Viryn nyu^nn mriDn dki .mnx pi;2
mpD pn •'D .n-'^n^ nwp /']"'»'' nxD^ onnxV niDnn mi^ym d''Vk7du; nnnxn
yu?n ^^yn n-'Vipy ^y ndh Q'7iyn •'•'n nDon inu-'u; hk n^in n-^DyVinKu; xin
D''DiT:?n n^''^:? ^iru7 ^iz; mp^n idd .'^^yaKi b^ h'pk □''"idtV npn kV^ .nvniK
yiyn jvyn hk n-'DyVinx ::ibw |kd d:\ .niDon pippin nD''^V nn;3Knn "'T-Vy
nvmxn yu^n |vyi ''d .Tyn'? •'kid .nvniKn 3"y p D\i?n ny ^ir^-^yn nvmnn
bwm ^^nD hik^tdd diz? .n"'DyVTDx bw 42niuDnn iDon da ^did ^ipy -[ira
^iD'^^n ""D ,"ny |"^3 .yu^n idddh Vy htdiz; ^in .nvniK n^D p oxi; nvniK
amn''nn d:i i^tr?** ,a"»3W mntr^ ^n? DnTirmK fjiT'^^ air^V D''nu3^:np D'^^ipyn
riK D''V'»D?Dn D''VTry .4^'7iy: p iddi 43•^2^ t^?:,^ -^^o pjiD .n-'Dy^inK Vt:^ nnnn

11X0 n^ni UDDU Vdoh ,x88 =^1 ,941 prn^D-pVin -"'d nxn .i:nnD mmn mi7i -[idd
.nipi^nn u7Qn bv; i^p'^n "iipnuii" n'^Dn hv'did d^t tijix n3:i idd V^ n )7'7n'7

.ID ,:ii mDiy bv
nT'2T'i?"in mVijivn "idd n3;Du;n bur mnu;Dx '72? toti ,35 'Oi? ,xd tdtz^h .iT-'^^r'^uii? 'd
,n-Tmi;n iik'? i? 717Q nn^n ovzb n^p .d'^ix .xnn D'?ii7n "n nson^ D^'7"iPL7n np-'iDu '^i?
-nKQ PD3 ■nD"'n ht n'nu^ ■'d "737 ^^ ,V'7D nr^vyin m'7Ui7n idd hk tdtd irx n'Di^Vinxu?

.N30 f^l 285 ]DrQ ""O = n38 ^1 .38 rip"''7'lJX-KDn ^"D

.X102 p ,285 prD ""'D
.X320 "]! ,58 p3''Q ""'D

39

40
41

42
43
44

25

K piD

K^

.DU7n nvniK yiDiK ay ^'^^k mxn ^it:^ ^7^7 nixb^nu ymxn nnx km it hV^d
]Du; ;niTx Vu7 IT nm:;3 nnn" mp^D xV .iDon i^y^ .TsyViDKu; •'dd ,d'71k
Vu7 HT iDDn .37v'inK Vxn b^ oVy^n at2;n;D pVn K''n -pVK mnn ^inyi^
DDin^ iTyVx n noon .mmpion k^^qu? iDin ^y nw^i py^ hkid n-'oy^iinK
p2?D iTy^K n DA ..TDyViDK bw Mb tikd nDiin .^iiTii^ b^ np'»3Do 13k d^k^^id
M^ n'»-Vy rnm^ Vd ip^^Di wmsDn Du;n nvmx ynnxD nnx ^0^7 ^"'7K mxn

K

^K

i'K

^3

.;K

K

!K

!K

!2<

'1^

!K

X

'S

'?<

'2<

'!^

^K

K

!X

'.^i^

."!«<

l^

.'?

K

tit:

t:^

;k

;k

;k

X

^K

■^

]K

'?<

'?<

Nonsense" in Classical Mediterranean Spirituality (ed. A.H. Armstrong) New York,

.1986 pp. 482-499
.K97 p ,233 Ip-'UNI ^"3

-iTyVx n nsDD .Dtyn idod moipo n^DDn n37i x2i9 -ii .43 pvT^ -"'d .mnrt ni^/i? iso
DWDT p"y tsp ^1 .mnVxn nDni?») u^-'n min^ n*? min"' nn^Q idd -fin'7 yupn pnyin
riDiya idd"? TDiD "D'-'n d-'hVx niD-iya ido" -•itj-'Drt .n"i7 n:: ^1 ,D^3i;Dn o-no ^inV
nu^u7D tyonu^nu; ptyxnn mDon ^Dipon .jiriDn '^:imn nx ^'^^nn p"D-n mn'7xn
□AT .95 'oy ,(UQ 'nnn) mxmxn mxno idd3 ,TDnn nnn^ p in n xin viddd nn3Du?x
n ^7117 n3^n xin ^itdu? ,"ynT mx noo Vy^" n^:i itdtq xim p"Qi ■'^d'? ttdv ht npo
n ^7^7 r\r\ ]d .mxm^jn hixitd iddd u^pm ]v^b ,D"i7 ^2? ^t .o^ran d-tid nni^^n .in
.3"y UD ^1 .x''Du;n d'''?^?^'' .nnn'? i^n^DD it nu^wV xin dj toii .^U3pi dh^q n .m

37

38

24

D*»n3iQn nmb^i; nxiwn /'nDiK;Dm npDD;Dni nmn no'^u^am ns7T vrnTiix
•^^dVu? "T'nKn nD''U7:V nV"'Dj7;D "nnsn" nD*»t:?3n •»d .mi^VD mDiz;n nriDD "idd^
b:ivv; no •'dd hdiik nnx nr^'^m dx •'d nrmx '»nti? j-'n Dwr x^u?" .mxn mDTn
.mxn niDTH nx miV^n hd'^u^^V n^Dpo "npoDDH" nD'^u^an /'mDnxn h^ddV
d:\ mD''U73 u;iVu;n p n''Di7Vinx /'mxn ni^inn^ niDTnn ni;n m^i^yV inx"
njnnV r^oV nu;2;u7 ^3dd mTD bj Kbb .xnuD'^a ^n^^"? pi ^K ^onnnx m^ipDn

.iriDpu^n

,"xpnD" — nD''ti?3n :D'»n''DiQ nu7i^u?V p d:^ n;o''u?:jn ^'bnn p^inD nnii?
pn nVDpn fx ,d:dix .5»"xpn:2Dip" — Tiixn ht^js? /'KpDi" — nD''U?3n
Di:73 Dixnu? ,T'iixn xii^D^n pionn nx m:^;^V nniDD "i^x ,nav3U? nmxn ni-'i^i?
pn'''' .nD^ti73n nnx tdtd n''Dy'7inxu7 nmiDn jn^ ,|t:p ■'3Di:i px» niivn
nT»^yV "IDT K"^n rnxn niDtn pi:rV n-'iixn nr^^i; nx rnxnnn ^nvav n^Dni:^
nD"'^3 Di^p bnpni^ mu-'^n ■'nu^a .52mx"T'nn nxi i7i3pV niz^p ^x ,n:3iV3 minin
.n-'DvbiDx nnra d:i hu^vq^t n:^^ .n7::^y ''3Dn nio;^ nnnn xim ,nxD '»d*'x
^xca THD HDinx HD-'u^iiD i-nii^n nx rT'D2;'7i3x u?'':^^ ,'7'''7i7a p Vy riD"*!!? ''^d/d
Dx ■'D nrmx tiu? pD Dwr x^u?" : xcdi ^txq m^^vn i''Tixn ^^ ''^t'D '^irjDT
HT'rn nVii7D 1DDD ,n3m /'m^nxD hVddV b^v^i; hq ^^dd .hdtix nnx hd*'^]
imn n^D''U7 iv nnx n»''u?3n di ^ipn Du?n ]a nnx mx TDr^n?" :nDX3

TiD ^i7 niiD xnnu? ''idq inn'»DTniy -np"*! nrxn 'x mx tdth^ '^•'nnnu^D
nn''U733 p^oDn x^T ,nnx nr:iW2 ny^ii? *»Db^ dx "^d id "inxn Vx ,nn'»n

.D54 ^1 ,1582 "niDDDix ""'D .KDH nVni^n ■'•'n iDD .25 'Di? .minn mDTl] i73iy 50
J. H. Woods, The Yoga System of Patanjali, Harvard University Press 1966, p. 193: 51

.Yoga-Sutra 11.49

n?3''W2 nnx no-'u^in mV-'yan nposn Kin ^hths; — xpnn^ip b^ b'2^^^:ir^ u^in^Dn 52
"7^17 ■'nDi^^n mannn :n''Di?VinK'? D"'Knz:n u^ii'd u^ ni^jd'? •'nnVi^n -inx DipoD pi ."T-nxn

KpnDDipn ■'3 ,D:iinQn Jean Herbert 1''i?D ."''P'llJDD "^tt? KIDIO'? XID^pvl Vu? VniK^in

■[K .n'DyViDx b^ nm^Q'? D'xn« iiu^xin u^iTsn .nnnx"? ik n;D^ty:n '^dV m'^'^v ivoa^o
S. Vivekananda, L^j Yogas Pratiques, : nxi .ntn U^Tl'DH mwn?: DK Hm'? biD"' "'^rx

.Paris 1939, p. 551, n. 1
.371 ^1 ,528 |p''UXT ""'D 53
•7"27-:i"i7 3^ ^1 .D-'JIQn DTID 1DDD p"Q"l 'T-^i? pnm .XI 10-D109 f]l ,233 JP'UKI ""'D 54

.•np''3n nDD au?n

27

X pID

IX .^S'^t^Ki^x '^ Vu? n^xo;3 nnVb iu^dxu; "-dd .dx*?d^xd d:\ d^x^^d^ Vxn m^u;
mnppDm h-'dv^idx ]"'D '7iri;D ii?i;D''u?D nvms?Dtt?D ya;:^ nmp3 ^nxi^D x*?

.D"'''Dni?n

niDMD mDTiDn ^u mrijn (a
: nmo^ noDo ddiid , Vv^ ir xiu? -^dd ^niDTnn ^'^nn
,nvmxn xud-'d xin invD D'Diii;nn h-'D-'didq inxu? .np^'^Di: .n»''u?:n (i
D"'i7''DirD nD^u;3n bv D-'3in ,pxi .d-^^id: hd-'u^j •'VVd'? mn^u^n om^? nD-'m
Vu; rnnDD .^^m^iiz; mminD ''d dx ,DTXDTnm nvDi^n ' ,n:ivn nmnn
nx rmbb nan^^n ,ni:i''^D^ bw r\p'>'^'D^b dnQn Dn^p d^dxd d^xijo^ n*»Di7ViDX
.irT*? y-'anu? yoipon nainn nx nn:"? no^j .ii;nD;3n Du^n nvmx xDD'»a
:'^''mD\27n nnDQ iddd x:?Da invD mu^nn izdxdh

ni/ianD n:ii7''3*'i [u^-nD^n du? bw] vnvmxo mxi mx Vd np-^ur ^nnf
HDinx nnx n?D*»u?: ax ''d nvmx ^nu; i-^d Dwr x'pu? (« ) niDiix in;3"'U73
niz?y pi .nnx n^-'u?:! nyu;D mr p inxT .niDnxD nVno^ ^dvu? hd •'dd
nvD r\'v^vb (\ )inxT .mxi mx Vdd mr>''t:73 "'nu; vn-'u; li? mxi mx ^dd
Vd o '^dV i^iTT .mxT mx ^d p nmi^V nnxm mxn nvi3n^ hidthh
T'DQ 'Qib'D d''3dV pn;!D mm nojDnD nDDiiD x"»n d^^dxd^ 'n'^^ri hd^'u^i
iiD^ ly-'xn xnp'' HDu; nmn^i nmnjin mo nnox ^y nm;D diid^ va'?
^r uv ]DU? i;-ip fm ::idx -noD '^^r\T nx li^DiD idu? inD bv 1"d va ';di'7d
m3i2;n nnDnon nxn pn^ d''3dq mm nxi^ino nDDmo ^^m^jipu? ptD

.T'D ^x r':i p x-'H

xm-'^u^n .n^D-'^an bv •'^Dt^n mx''nn xm jTOxnn iHt VDpD D^Di^n m-nc -^w

Dmn;Dn ,d''D''di;d nu?ib'^ -'Wi? ^:DDn mx^'nn .hd'^u^^*? ti^'t^ m^vyn my;3U7Qn

n-iDTH ^in imxn nxinn (D) ,nQ-'u;3n ir^i ,'T»'nxn no^Dn (x) :nnx nTn**

.HD-'U^^V nti^m p nm^DH q.) .no-'u/m - np-^^m mxn

George Anawati, **Le Norn Supreme de Dieu", Etudes de Phihsophie Musulmane, 45

.Paris 1974, pp: 404-405
nnynn ""siu •'t-'?:? f]DX3 T\-\ywr\ niDinn mp"'3DDD nQ'ur^n Vi? di ■'Di:ir'?D"'D i^in 46
"^i; p-1 DD1DD .lo^i? n"'Di?'7inx Viz? no^u^M dd-'u? "'dhdV imn-': .d'^ix "np''3DU" ti;dxdV
b*!? D"'Dwn Dni^DXO .xDn oVivn "n ido Vu? ddi^h pVnn Vi7T Vdii^h nx iddd :7t)p
.nyuipn inpnoD nT''i3:i?on naionn p diu;ot rrro iz:Vi73 .lu^onn dx'd:^ ,no''u?3n

.X87-D86 f]T ,1897 '^''DHD pnv ra ""'D 47
.X ,"7 m2X 48

.nvmxn d"d p Du?n Vil? m:nnxm m^iu^xirr nvmxn p n'?x 49

26

"nxiny'? ran'? np'':Dun

"no D3;dkt .hdhd ni n-^m dish mn mau^nn mroiz;^ vn jnu? ,m»''
Dmnn Dnu?n rr'PDn "iu?x ... ''W nmn Kim np n'?! j-'u? nu? nnx nD''U73
'ji HDD nnj7*'n td n;^ Kim nvi m;:D rr'on aai ynn Din h'^dd mu^D

nmu?pn nmm rmnn ]nu? qwd nnK nD''U7D p^ ,mD''iz7]n ':i Vu? |TpDn
mrDU7;Dn nnu;nn — jVD-rn hkt pu^n hk rr'DnV Kin ,nnK mK Vu? hkod'^o^
''3min men hk i'»D:iinV in K'^n nD^'tyjn .riKt ny .'idt vm Din .DiKn ninw
nn'\D mD"'n iniKn ihk Dip^D .^2''n*'u?Dn omn'' /""'nii?" ,"n"ip''n rn" : DiKniz;
"ii2;k nvn "^j^d m;:u;3 '•'^n unv; D'^'^n mju? "|^ id-'ovt mD''i^3 n"-''' :mDy*7iDK
nou^jn n''n3 unw m pm mniy di:? on'^n^ -'W ^Di? mm n^ii^^n nvn DnD
Di? -anVn pKD ]^:iwb nr^u^n "'nnoD D"'nDmD "'^ti? Dm omiD •'au? Dmot:?
D]i p •'T"Vi?i nKiD]*? DTi:iV nD''U73n Vu? nnViD'' Vi? tdid m yup .^^''DiKn

.64u?D3n miKti?''n^
— nv^min hk "!"»DanVi nviDinn Vr iD:jinnV — nD'^u^jn b'o; mrpDn ^w
•"W DnD''^ vm Dn-'m ^JurDv :'?kd''di VKnna ,D^DKV;Dn •'ju? ''T-bv dti^^d
Dmu7i7DT DnDK^D ''D^ D''3nii7D D"'DK'7;2n niDii? ^D riK DH^'Vi; 'PDKiti? Dnu^n
IK >2;iDn ^DU7n Dy ^ks'^d nmtD mD^ViiDK bi^K .^^''VKnni^i '^kd^'d ^^DnVii/Di
onnK niDipD ^3U73 .^^imnn Vy miD^n jiaVmo nv nmr^ "^Kn^ai .piuoQ

l"^U7 = Dixn D13 mjni^nn = mPDi:?D = mio"' juti^n = nnx hd^u^j = 8 14 = mD'u;3n u 62
nyi mo d'od = yin Din rr-Do = h'^wd omnD = onir^n iT'on = '>:^ omn = t'T' n"Vn
"no'^n nx n-'^an'? piD ,n?3-'^:n "7^? n-'Dvnn nDi^nn ]"'d nirp u?''^? pn"»'' .nip^ i^o no =
.3410 .u?D3n "iDon ntJCiK •'"f-bi? nmai K^inu; □"Dmxn o^'uvDno ]Vi7in pnV ,''3mnn

.no-'tt^^n -'I'^-bv iTD^n no'^D '?2; ,28

^3U7D = mDU?3 "n = D"n maiy = 824 = mD''tt?3 n"*' .X55-n54 'in ,1582 miDODlX ""'D 63

•'iiy = D'niiD D''3U^ = n»\:^3n n-^na = many = 678 = wtu: '>2^ -, nou?:n nrn = nvn
.355 ^1 ,1303 8° D■'VI:7^T -"'D d:i nxn .nrDu^n •'nn^Q = D'DDm?:
"•'^pit:^ Dn^nim ,mynn 3iy^?3 '7p;2;onv' :N322 ^1 ,58 pro ""'d .Vivi ]:i idd*? nn^^n 64
,D''''n nDu?3 VDKD nD"'i (7 ,3 rr'^KiD) dtidt p»n n'7:)iDD .maiTm miD^n .my\27n
*7DD moinnn .mo'^yan mo^'U^in dv .niQ^n niDtn mon piDn-'u? 71:; ,nvmxn Vpiiym
]"37D"in •'nriD ,n'7np'7 iu;itd3 ]"n7Dnn n^nV miE7m ."ma nnx n^n' didi ,m?DDnn
D'-tynnD D''»DmDQ nTiDioi nimx n^ivvi nnvon du^dv :33fp '?3i7 ,n .(*?yTii?ii7 nnQ)
D'n nnV i^np' '73X ,mpo vid :3 xi' xVi oVivn n"'m iDxiy xin 10^3 •'d ... nViyn

.95 myn ,|'7n'7 nxn ."pn^m
27 ^n ,408 p3''D ""'D ,u?Djn "'^H "iDD nxi : "nDx^^ZD^D "■jx'?o" Dtt^n nx nna n''Di;bi3x 65

.11271 3225 ^1 ,40 JDPD ^"D .IDU? nDX IDD ;2-X

.X87 f]n ,1997 V'DnD pir 1^3 ""'D ,mot2;n nnsQ idd 66
.171-168 'Di7 .]"nn •'\2^p'*b^ mDin oVii? ,Vtx nxn 67

29

X piD

K'^nn nD''U73D inKm rion D''Vu7nti^ li? D^ivnu; poDn nw K''nn
.nn "]nKnV '^Dinu? n^ Vdd nnKn "inD''U?3 mDnK no mvu? •'Dd mnr^Dn

nnDD iDDD .nm^DD p k^ ;nD''u;3D ]m nD''u?3D ininKnV u?'' ,nrKnu; •'DD

•»13"»U; ^z;** ^3U7n UK IDDDU? m^D ,nm3DD nHK nD''U?D piK ^y IDIID mDU7n

;''Vp

m}fp nnK nn-'u^a dk ^d id pDin mKn nr:i'>mb 'Kn nD-'u^i i-'D ViDn kVi
DU7n niKV 'xn fD ik Dnu^'^D 'Kn j-^m D^n bv; mKn pD ^k ...nDiiK ik
Di^u?nD*i ,inv kVi kddd ''b»D mD''t2;3 'd D''u;3nV n^iD^ ^b ^^ ^^D-'DiDnD
'n p mnD Vdk .inr k'pt id'? miD'»u?3 'n D''u?:nV mu?n ^V ^^ mui mu Vd

.^TD mii7"in

mD''U73 wiV^ mu;3^ miU73KD nnn ,n^w noin ny'^DiD KDn D^iyn •''^n iddd

."m3^'7 nnK mK b'^ kdd*'?: pD
pmv :nD''^3n ]qtd nvniKn nK kddV mo-'Kn Kin mDtnD ^iiDn inK ^^d
pm kV ^dk .nnK''DD pD mm nK'':f''D pD ^01:72 kdd"* kVt .iDi^n Diu^ru?
.59"nn'' T\?:iw:n nK"'2r"'i iiDin pm ik ^^nm n;D'»u?3n d'»id''t vdd idtu?
nD''U73m n?2''mn T»^nn .n^'^ii^^n Vur msvvn mvDU^^D pn^ nny iiDi?:
D''^?^ /'r).b T'DD" D''VDn ''T-^i? ^''i?'? KDinii? mn;i7n nnDD iddd mp'D tdiid
^P^d'? .n:^'' '7i; iD;inn'7 inViD** iQib'D .dikdu? nmnan nmn nK m'^DO^ nVK
no'D /']uu? yip" •'iD'^Dn nK ^ViDn ^^nvmKn d"q p Du;n nK tdtd DiKn
nViD-'n .]t3u;Di mi?Dn ikVdd nmt vin nru? ,pvD ,"nr nk ii^m^"^ ^DpT^n
D'^iyn "'•'n iDDD n^ inK mc^D n^Din .nD''^3n n-'-by mn^inn Vy iDiinn'?

i^^KDn

]wwn m;:n ... nnK n?2''w^: p^ mD''U?3n a n^m dk DW3m Di^n mvT

.3110-xiio in .Di:? 55

.X'"' — D''DiDnn .""'x — Dnu^^n 56

uw:b^ psi? ipn"?! prion^ mu^n "jV ly' mxi mx b:^ pnv -.354 qn .1582 nnisoDix ""'d 57

."nnDtnn mD^y;:;: mD"'U73 U7i>u; mr^^D
.nnrnn nx TiDOiym d^d^d vdio "nm ... pn*' xV' UDU^^on 58
XU3V ""^^pn mnoV '3 .p':?b •'xnD .x87 ^1 ,I897 V"Dn3 pnv vi -"o ,m?3ii^n nnD;^ nso 59
np'':3tJ3 D''U7Dni27Qn .D'si^^n '^^fx nxiD nxnn ijx d''x:?iq .no-'iy: no "|in nvmx
Anawati-Gardet, Mystique Musulmane, nxi .nD"'U72T n^'-i:?: jdT3 XD3''D "p^ n3Vli:7D

.Paris 1961, pp. 208-209
.pnn nn-'DD — nm3Jin htdV Vdd nrrnxn 3"o p ou^n ii7q^q mT»DDn n'73p3 60

.361 ^n ,1582 nmDDDIX ""'3 61

25

H'sm wxnn myi3n Vu? u^dd mx'Ti .mxDinDn nvmxn nj?''^'? DxnnD ,u;x-i

•'3d;d ^invifn ^3V : "iu?xm ^n'? i7'»3n^ ^-'nnn mxn nnDTnn ^■'nnni:? nnxi
"np^'^n iv^jD ^u;xn y^yii .''3irn xinu? ''3DD ,i;3:!?i73 ^^K"^^ .''ts'^jd HMn^

|n mixu?3n mnp3 ^dix Vdk .nVyD^ K'^n mD^ nmp''3 in D^^in nau?
IX 'D mx3 nn"»D7nu7 /x xTiti? mxn p h^vtdV nu;x in nixn p hudV
x'^i HDD'? xb^i 'pxDir^ x'pi fD'^V xV ^U7X1 HUH bx nnVnnn2 'p mxn
nnxu; nii^^n d'»3txd ^dd xin 1*7x3 ni^n -ju^xi nx ntr?^ Vnx .V^d n^i?nV
ni7i3n ^1U77^n iii^xD d"xi d''3D Vx q''3D nwn ^iod "iinx mx Di? imD
"CD nriDi T»rj; iijidi d'^qu^h 13i3D hVvd 12? "iU7xi ym hidths nixn
yDQ nixn nn^Tn nn'''7n pioDn x^u? nn*''? "pdd ^31"l:l np3i ^^ynm ii'^x'^i
in"' nD''t:73n p'ODriE? tv nVi;^ narbyn ni^i^nn n'nn ^n;D'^2 ^u;;^ •»ddi
Tim Vx nD''^3n D*»Vu?n'7 i?n mDTnriTD "p ixu?'' dxi ,^ii?xi nyi^n uv

.Vdh Q'''7U7nu7 ly ^u^xi

rm^^pn ^s^Dii^n nix iddd d^ tdi3 nnmnn |xd nxinti? y^nnn

ii?Qn "1^1 Db'ivV xifv iixn DU^Dti? niTDH ''3D'? |'''7''Dn3 nriDiD "|U?xii
nVvni 73vyn -jDn n"iT?Dn i7]?Dx» '7'»nnn D'7n3i ^tt?x"^ dd T:nb nii^p
D''Vu?nti? nnxi nb^y^V lu^xii a''Vu7n\^ iv dvd d^d n^'^^^r] ay ^.u^xi
l''D''n Vx Vxioii^HD "]i2;xi 7^Dn n:23i ... nnx d^d fixn ly ninn^n

.^xaurn '^x |'»D'»nD fDpni

.■np''3n niyi3n nx nipn*? niiVDi xbx p''x u^xnn niyi^n •'d .^•'Vyn nixn^ 1^3
.n3n3 nin*? ^Din 'np''3ni jir3n Da inn ,3 piDn nx"i3^ ''Dd ,nT p*'D''3
.niDTnn nyn d'^'th niyi3n Vu? iixm 13U7'' ^^pu?nn iddd .D^'»Tn myian (3
:Q''3niD nDinn niyn^fxn npTnn mil? nx ^pu^Qi ■'xth'' xin m nxm

.23 '»y .n'Sy^lDK ,Dl'7ty '•T-'?^ DD13 .354-K54 «]1 ,1582 iniDDDIK ""'D 76

.N"y 3D 11 mD"13 77

J. L. Blau, 7%^ Christian nXT .226 'DV ..T'DyblDK .DiVtt? .31 10-Xl 10 f)1 .233 |p"'D?n '"'D 78

.Interpretation of the Cabala in the Renaissance, New York 1965, p. 69. ri. 12

.mt3Di;:7n2 ,3i2-xi2 ^i ,749 n-'unan nnoon -"'d ;39-x9 »ii ,i80i '7"Qnn piv va -"'d 79

.3166 fjl ,10 p3'»0 ""'D .D-'nVx 13 1DD DA HXII

37

H piD

Xin ''D vm^iyDi n"** iTDtn" : n?3''u?3n nityn iniDm ^xn miny bv i3X ono^
^^nnVVn n"** V'rnn na^3n by : djii .^^"in;D''U?33 n'"* iTDn — du711 n^iy nnin

,7i"-|2U7 nD"'U;31 nD''iy3 "^D^ l'?'7n ^o-i;^^^!

'1 .72nDDn m^xi 1DD3 yDion a^n niDtni nD^tt?3 p a ii:?pn nx ny tdt3

:nVx anni iDnD is-'x idu^u? idd ^1nD x-'nD u^xtii ■'i itVx

xdVx3 iiip3 fiii'2:3 VjiVjinQ '1 p Dtt? aia3Di nyiL^D D'p^n fi'nnri tr?'' ''D
fl'nnn on nvwnw I'^x aviVn ^'innu? idxi i'^dit^^ ^nnn xmn
in ]ni3n n p d^d nix i:;*' nD''u;3i nr^-^m ^d Vyi d''U73D dixu? niQ''^3
''"i2;;;iU7 iivdi Qixn n'^n^ in'' ''D x:no Vd Vy "''D iti x'»nn nD''u;3n nvn
ntVi xiinn minyV i''niD''U73 '7D TTty ''ixi D^nni nD''U73 pi3n xin
.'1D1 n** ^^nn n?:u;3n b:) pioDn i"nn ^"n 13iid

Dmp''3n b-Dn .nvnixn n p nu^n ^dii"*:? D''3iDti7i ^Vx niDtn I'-n i^pn
nxniQD p'^y ^inTD — ,''nyiV n3i^xiV — ]xd ni2;y3 ,nD''u;'3n pn^ .^'*Q''''iu;Dxn
nixniD ,VDU7n iix iddd nxninni dqiiid ity^x n b^ ninnn i\i?y iddtd
y^^n*? 1U7DX mu^yio n3''n3» '>d ,pQxnV nu7p .75D-»3i;Dn dud idd2 myDion
m j-'yD TnD 2)£p ,DipD Vddi ,nvnix d:i TDTn^ u?** iu?xd ,nyu73 nin''^3 Y"^nn
mu^xi 1DD3 yDiQU? •'DD ni3vyi b^ T3byu7 .TDyVinx '^u; in^'Dn nx imo
nxi3D ,nu7iiV xwi3^ nxin3n nwnb n''U7yQ ^11 nDDin irD ryn*? •'wy .nDDn

."►miin COD ''^n
niyi3n3 TDy^iDX nnnn nn^D nvmxn niDtn i''7nn .u^?cin niyi3n (2

.382 f]1 .1582 IUDDDIX ""'D .X3n D'Tiyn ''^n IDD Vu; DVOn TU7 68

.T ,:p D''Vnn 69
.(134 'Qy ,p3Vx-nnx''n nno) u ,t n3i n"'u?N"i3 70

"'D ,V3U7n niK IDD'7 DJl mwm .X87 f]! 1897 V'013 piV V} ""'3 .mniyi nriDD "IDD 71

.377 ni .233 ]P''UX1

,3"y ID ^1 ,]T]Dr\ in-''7X 'iV nvD'^n tt?no3 dji n310 yopn .' piD .ikth i^it? 72

. .1 ,n Dn3i 73

xin j-'x -jx n"'Dy^i3X b'^iH m nysio ,d''dit:j ^"^nnb ]di o'^p'^n f]"inn'7 nyu^n npi'^n 74
.bv^D2 ^Donn'? •'iiz^y htd "iiyp j'^xii? diu?o nxi33 .i}"? D"'yiTn DnDD3 Dn''3"'3 lu^po

IDD :X60 f]! .774 D'lD ""'3 .HTi:"' IDD U?1TD ; X5 ^1 ,38 XDII ""'D ,D1X U7'»X IDD : 1X1

nx3iQ3 D]i na-^-} .onnx d''31 moipn3 nri ,340 ^i ,1580 iudddix ""'s .ti3:i ]iy ixix
,ji"y ID ^1 ,y pVn .rbiyn pi3 ■'33 ,"'xVitx Dni3x 'iV n^nn nx idd iin3 ,ip^ nx iddd

.131D3 Vy

.tt^XTn ni in*''7X n Vu^ mo P"?di n^'n ,yiT3 .3-x D71D ,mQi:;n ■'tJiD "wv^ 75

30

nbn nrniKn ]vv mam )i;')bw pu?"* .^^wiDvr^n 2;i3n3 ]DipD nx mD"'^no
nvmxn bw |m^n nmra^Q .n-'^u^n namn .mVoti^m miVDin .nn^inn
niDDin p .|"i7^n ■'jd^ mmriD m^nn nrmxniz; ^b:i?2 ,|T»Din niD mTi73
i;Din H'^n nT''Di nm^ ^diz; du?d ,'7D^n ^ii; ijrv xu;i3^ i^k nv^v;:)! nvmx

.mVonDCiKn n^::>'nn min ■'dV .^Vdu? mV"'i;DV
xin -iu?K np-^DDun iu?Dnu?n n*'DS7Vi3K "^^dV -i3d ''d ,d''i^Vd =i"»ub' px niDi
:n"'Di7^i3K p^Q «3j^Dn D^ii7n ■'•'n nson .m;:ip7D hddd n-'Vi? pnn riK n"'ni?2

Dn"2?i D''3v^yn vdkVd idki 'm Dii^n nx t**:;^ nrnz^xn ym^u^n?: pn
wb^ 1DD ur^^rn nnxi p"'3D d"'DU7V ix onDiy mx •'^n on i^xd pn^n
□''mn D''r3i?n "i^nrDU^n^?: f^n^ p^i "|Vdu7 pn i^id m p*'"'!? nnxi ...

.pn^n mnu^nan nvmxn ^V ix''n'» n^x

,;i7mDDn Diz;n nvmx2 imian ''d ,pDD b^b i3i7D -nnriD .p inx q'^di hdd
x'^n n3iu7Xin mn^m ini7i3 jnDDT vry amor' :mT»i2?n p^ jn-'Vv idx:u?
m^i:;iy mm:^^ ni?2n ^Vai 'it v^'^ao ]du??o ix nr^^ m:nD 27mx u?"'ty T-'r^
u;'' nmxu; n^iDnn nx n'^oyVinx ixnn ]d?d inxV .^4'"'u;''Dnn n^nDn □"'ddid
Ve^ mr dh i?3nxn nrmx n •'n mnti? nirnnxi TDinn nvmx 3"i? p d^ : f di^
104 = 3"V •! yv xni?D''a*7 n^TiDm .n^'V niriD nvmxn 3"y p Di:7n Tb .yi^nn
.Dnnx □''Vmpn ■'DDd^ ivdhh np-^^DD^ mV-'Dp^ 'rv ii;:)i;3 ]^n^ .4 x 26 =
n"»DiDi^''D DU73 x''3D .nDDu^x DiVu; p pT» H .H-'DyVinx b^ "T'yiijn iin p
mrnn hdd^ nni^n ."iii^Dna rr'Vi? ]']iw .it nxm^ .nxnn nxai^n nx
D"TOyii? .DTiiTD Ti'^nn D^DiDi'7"'Dn :inx xti?i3 by nirn^nn pn |xd d:s?do2?xt
np''3DD D*'i7''}^D ,1:11^^73^ iDipu? D''u?:x ^x IX n^Dvb'inx bu? ini ■'33 nvnV vn
y^b pJXDni:? ,r3rao mxniM nn^^Dn it'? a''D3''n hqd^ n?Dnn ,m:ji3nn b^

:85nXD1Dn plt^V 1T1

pini irx ; DJW*? HTT 121 "n^x nxi::3n p^vn o'^DiDi'p'Dn •'Mn inno idd
D^inV n;^!^^; pi73 TP^^ ^'^'^^ ''^ loimti? D"'U73xn p u?''x x^^o"'^

."□''Vnpy" ^•'yoD DJ K^r nu^x .id ,1 maty Vy y'Dxnn u^n^D nxi 82

.N52 f]l ,1582 IIIDDDIN '"D 83

>TK nxn JT-UD'O np'jDUD ii^'iD-'iym o^ryn mno f3 i\i;pT\ bv .K58-D57 ^1 ,nw 84

.81-79 'DV .mmnnnn
iDnQn" TinKD3 .iT'iyxiD nulls'? n^D^x ^or n Vu; iu?tt'D iino ^m'^u? 'y n-^-bi? ddi2 85
'Qy .(n"Dnn-T"Din) i idd nnp ."viddi T'DxnnV onmn nrr idd tyiTD b^i; ^nDxn

.223 'Di7 .n'^XID ,U7''D^n ;2 mi7n ,DU? .DlVu? bll? vim m HKn ;299

33

K PID

T»DD nx Hm DiiDb T^'^ ^^^ ^^^""^ ^"^^ '^^ ^^^^ ^"^^i^ '^^^^ '"^"^^
ir^Dn pbnD xinu7 p^n b^ d-'^'dd nx-'u;] niDin m^D'^m mbxDU^n
niTT nr^p m^upn D*'3ii?n ,Vx?3U?7d 'm pD-'n '3 hdd u7Dm hdq vm^Dii^x
uiu^D binm v:i??:xn pVnm .mpi^in anb mmnpn ai mpnn nimnp
... D^D pu?V niD-iD D^''m3 i;nDn -|3wVn ^^ it nm:?n T'T' d"^ i^t nn'?
mDi3 Dwn •'2Db nmx mm nu;x nn^D in** nmn td ... [mDTnn ^uid]
mVxDU77Di mrD''» 'n laiD 'n niyn^^x "' mniD m:^''^ mT'DO i^y
"I^dV Vi? -j'^xnu? T D''i2;n D^i/T n^nn ^dtt mmDn n^Dn nnxi nDinV
m-nnV mvn^x tid hdtod p''^'' t n-'bs? d'^^i mvDi^x 'nn muwD
p-'X ixb DXT irn m^nn inr yT xu;^V n^^in nxi ... nn:^ vnnn hdtdu?

— '']ir3n" IX ,nTU7b .nvmxn xud-'d ni7D vi^nV u;''iy mVivsn nx VvV nnx'^n
mny] .noa P"id inv"' — D^aiu? o'^aion nvmxn "'iu''2 nx n"'Di?'7i3X r]::)}:^ p
nDiVD rnb"2 m^v3n mD'3Dn mV^sn - nwn nn^Tn Vu? ^u;'''7U7n nVu?^ nnv

.p-'iDim Vd^h :U?D3n mm^n

n^D-'iiDH nnDTnn (i

n-'D-'DnDQ -inxu? ,np-'3Da h^did r''n nx^n i7:^dxd nnnvn mucDn miDon

n V:s?x nx:?Q3 nnnp np^^DU Vy miy .(p^^in ]nT2^^) Vxn nu; nvmx p^ni xin

nm:^ iDon .Du;n nvmxn jrvn ^7^; D-'jii^n q-'dV^h nx didqh .T'ob* px pnr

: 811^X3 .r-'H nxDH Vu; ''3U7n ^^b^n nion nxna^ nn^iu; .nViyn

n^DX •'x^ xVx ,U7pi3nn pnn xin nyiD "iv:^i iQinn V^q Du?n utr^D
u;m^no VnmTD irx p-'nin ^d ,^nu^:i "iQin m^ iv:^ ''Vn^ n^^'^V p-'DiV
Dn''mmi?3T vnrmx m^^na ]''"'i7-'U7 xin iv^-rn Vvd p\z;*'U7 nn mm
nrmxn nxu^i .mnmom mraorr p vnrmx ^d p d:^ pn*'! didd;^^
niDiynn Drxu7 d^t Du;n nvmx n'7iT3 mni anb vir xVt myyiino
"'D nV DDH Vd V2?x yiTH pi ... DnDonn yiann Dmrn^v^ mD'^Vnn xbi
DiE;n HT t)iii;D''U7 onu^D Vd^ ^ix p ox .nvmxn v^no** ]VD-in p^pnonn
.*»V:3^ D^^ "J'l'*^ ^^"^'^ "^^ "^'"^'''^ "''^^^'^ ui\i7Dn "iDinn Vvq
]rxwi mDnn nx my-'aDu; ,^'nnx ,DVi73n ii7mD;Dn Dti^n nvmx xin rupn xwi3

.D ,NDp wbnn 80
DU7n nvmxD idho .myoran ^d Vv Tiip^m "my-'io" roiD oisin .32 'Oi? .i860 X3n 81
-13D PIT rrrn ,25 ,i .ntiD iddd vdid ht jvyn .3"xn nvmx nxu? m mv^^Du; .U7VDon
.nvDH ]u?i\yo xnn n^v n '7:jn p-inxT nann ■''^mpo ^ipn

52

mvu •'T*^ xn** xVi nyi la'^Vx nann xb i"nn m Vy 'n' oii^n npm mxn

r'ni7i n"3iy D^n**" riT'Din np"'3Dt? Vv id^dh "inx DDti?D y-'Dia iiD-'n imxn
mpia iD^n 3iu;n'» ivivn Vd d^tdx ... "inrnn Du;n np3 naiD nVnp mriD^ Tixn

^a'^jin yry '^d^ inv^Dn 'n nrmx ^rau7^D3 T-^nn .Tim -npnn 'n .mnx "in"
-|nn\i?nD" ''iD''3n .^^-Qinin Din "^dtd .n^nn nVviD "innu^nDi u;xd diix i?^:^
in:i ^y D*'i7^2:iD o-'rv htxd iddd i^kdh^ ]wxin iDx^n xd-'DT "nnnn nVyiD
pn:!^'' n ''d prr*^ .^^^^ipDin mtt?n nnp-'i/u? np-'^DuV miVriD nti^x ,pnmD ''axD
nvmx |VDT mnx n-'iiiXD no^-Dn dv n-'DyVinx ^tr? inmn nx nVu? id37 ];oi

.y"»n nxD3 x^'n d:i nnmu; ncsn ,Vxn
'Di7 ,290 pu;u; T"nnD iin?D nrmxn |v?3T xu?iin anni K'^^nb •'ixn ,«iiddV

: 648

-nxm i^iVn rr'VDnn inD^n Qu?n i"::^ ^Din n^nVn i3n nnn^u^D
p nxn u''3m nxin d^t riDnVu^n TDtn i: pxu?D '^dxt m ^VDnonn
u?D3m Ti::i "''^n u7D3 nnx^ tdh n^mu? 711^1 nij^m^^^n nirn p'^n nxn
"imo •'Vdiv pnn tdh ^^i/^ onDnn ornxn ^inn nnxi nx x'^nu?
nvnum I'^V'^Dm rr^r^^n n'^n'' nvn rr'n*' dxi u^npi mnD nvnV ^inu^m
iTtn-w nm^i; it'd imxn nvp^n ^"'nm vd^jx^ nvnun nV''VD pT ya^^xD

nb W'wb u;'' .D^'^mpD n?3D Dnpn nv^T nn''m mxio nnm ,n;oxD ,it np'*^::!?
i3xnnu^ mDip^Dn n-^DD xiniz; hd -.h^'dv^i^x Vu? imin n33nD nnDiTD nnp^^
.nnD;^^ .ii pnsn inT''U7 ,Dnnx m?DipM ^Din ."^y^^nxD xnn n^iyn '''»n iddd
D^u?3 nvmxn Vu? |T»^"in ;bx3 pmV nu'^ii^n n"»Di;D pn |rx nv;n nvmx

,768 n-'unnn nnDon ""'d-i 1943 tiidddik ""'dV d:i mwm : k95 ^qi .108 ^"ohd ons '"d 94
riKi) D"rv riTXD iddq |n d'-p jp Vdo 108 V"Dn3 d'id "'d .771/2 'om ,xi9i-ni90 =qi
-]nn D-'^D^fD Du;n nvmx nT':^ .(X89-x82 ^i) n''Dy'7inx "pu? Dtz;-m'7i? nn-'n jm {X92 n"f
-imn Vdq nt pip D:n .229 'Dy ,919 ]ww ^"D3 dji ^did .niTDo'? ]"3vn niD^^n no

.V'DDXT ^DV ]?2i pnr "i bu? ^:^^n72
•]K ,51 ,:i .a''Dimn hiitd^ D"n?Dnn ^7^ nn;u?nn n^j;''Dn?D ni7Du;in ^"Tin nDi ^d ,pDD px 95

35

K p-|D

Du^n nvmx nnx f^nn idis? ix nwainn '^iu^dd ht Vdt n^i^ns
Dyn ia"n mn ^^b^p i/Dtt?*' D"»DyD .mxmi^n mxii^n rry "la^'? tt^msDn
Vdd nn** pi mxnn "»Vd Vdd i^vmn nxT' pi ,i7?3U?n lyin ^^d ^dd u^ym
"l'7n'» pi ti?iu;''»n ■'Vd Vdd u;ii7D'' pi avun •''^d Vd3 divu'' pi nnn ■'Vd
s^mn in D''ti?3iVn vv:2:i^ vtv i^^ib u?ipn nvnixu; -rivn ht Vdi .niD''i

.nxiD] .n;D-nn

.Dui2f;3n "innon nx 13 mxnb pxu? r^^ ,n3'''»3i;Q n'^DV^mx'? onmn nmp
^u; iD"n^ n'7''DpQ "nxiny^ nx''3on np-'iDOD ^monn own nvnixn niD^innnn
DDirau? ''D Vi7 /ix /'D'^didiVd" ou^n Dnmn nxnn :iii7i nxT .rr'Di^Vinx
nDDi □"n;:)^ b^ n"'DiDi^''Dn "pnu? hptdh nx riQ'^in ,nT2^"» nso nm D''mii7D
u^iiDM nniw inx d-'did mx:sfD''n .d'pix .n''Di?'7iDx •'dhd nx nr-'Dx^n ,nTr
pn i-'no •»in''7 n'iu;DXD nrx — "in D''u;niVD ««vi7n:jr' — rr'Dy'^inx ■'Tn
nv iw ,iT n^poTD xpm -jx .n-'DV^mx ^U7 "omnxn" D-^nnnn inx^ it nxniQ
.''xin^n "^nipTDH V^ inim mnnonn n^nnb nniu;n .^•^oV px nmn nxniDn
]ZD n^^pzDD mit:; nn''n^ .nD'^-'p r\m72 nn''D xVx imin nx wth xV n^'syVinx

.no'»n nb ]n: xiniz; pm
•'■'n^ vnnV "i"n Vxn du? nx nin''DnDn nvnixn ]v?2in nxn iDi? |di pn:^'* n

t^^DTV nTX?3 "iDon vim iVxi .xnn a^ivn

"T1D VTb n^jnntz; jion'? pn n''Tn''V pn idix vnyi -i"3ii? n^n** ^ix
nnu7n;Dn nnixn n^p^'u? jv^v Vxn innwn.>} pinm nb'i/DV iu7D3 n^ivp
i^:b D'^u;*' ,xnni nn idv Du?n r^n htt^i xnn dViv posn •'Vn nn-'^Dnn
nDon tidV D''ninD dh ibxn invion own nvmx innu^n^i iVdu? "'^''i?
lu^xnu? iDi^ '»3i:^'ii n'^'7nn ''^n I'ryn nVnji nix Vd n'^nm nm^x nn^nn
nn^nni ann "jVdu? "^rr vn*' T'rv "t:\3D 'n** "rnvnn o^n ni'^mx D'^u^n
•'n^Dxn pimn inn inxn on'^jii? nn\i?n?Dni nonnn ,iw ^nn .^id i^^xn p^
u?D3U7 pi ^Di n:ii ^^Q-jpnin onxi ^^pmn ini ^«in npnib nnnn 'TDXti?

.t? ,K HTr 1DD 86

.(156 'Oi? ,p3^x-nnx''n nn^) n .r nm rr'iyKiD n^wn 87
nmjn iDii? ,i"id3 mn'-nn nDmnn piK nV^pa mnxm D"'i7a:fD ni3nDnnn n-'-'^n *7y 88
1^X1 .rmn'^nD D''i7n^n nx VVd tdttd irx n^Dy'7inx .minx mrnnn ^dv n Vu? nxaiDn
pVn nnvna ,mmxD m:3innnn nx xin ^pnn ,16 'J2V .nnn'*? nxn mpxD ,inx mpon
.94 myn T^ ,-]u?Dn3 nnain nxmoD d:i nxn .nn ^7:111 xinu? itd hdid^h ,nbip aiD;^

.235 'Q27 ,Dnpn7D ,3'»'7U1Jl D:i HXni ;Dp27 nu^iD ,Tn/«v ,7m'?ij nn73 89
.1 ,1 DU; 92 .D .-^ DU7 91 .2D ,X'' Dnm 90

34

"hkid:"'? r^inV np^io^jn

io2xnn D^npn •'•'n iddd .nrr idd3 jVi? -jnnD n*»?D''3D mnriDnn •'T-Vv ni2Ji3
Dm mm Dy ms-n^n u;"dk m^x ':in d*»k-)33 D-^r^y '^ dikd u?*' ■'d i?!" iidx:
d-'d;^ fum .U7X p"XD i:^3D u;x ^u; mmi? ':in xnn] ^ki n3m q-^di mm U7K ''dx^d
^1:1 Vu7 IT npiVn /'m-i t'dfi iji^d m-10 miai d-'D t'^d la^D d^o mm:? ^d
D-'DT u?x u?d:3 ty^DN moK u7iVu;" :nDX3 Du; ,4 ,^ ,nmr 1DDD nmpD .D-rxn
Tr npi'7n^ /'OTirn ynDQ miD mw d-^^d xid: pm u;nd xidj u?nt .mm
mVTQH npiVn xnm ,io3mVTnT xmnnD -i3D x^^d^h .^in mo*' mDi7Vn3x »T'Din
; ^H = n^p ,mix ,nVD = p"xu : inx mc'? nnx b'D mD*'*'U7n .m^fi^p vdix •'D^
mifia p .D-'n = ■'V-T ,n-ipy ,pnD = m'VD ; mn = D-'n ,D'»''a7XD .D-'Qixn = t'dh
U7Dnu;n n^Di7Vi3x .nvmx '>V anwp mxn ^i^ ybn n\27iVu7 d^iz; ,n\2;''Dnn
nxn3 Dx .m^TDH mou? Vu; niDmn ^;z;xn Dip^n nvmxn D"y ]3 uwn nrmxn
i7U7nD -inx xVx irx mnunu? mnn .msi^Vinx ^u? nu?''Dnn mnriDnn nx p
.mm"' nwrti in m33iannn rxi .dtxh ^1^2 mmp3n
mxm -i3-'xn du? nx nxu^TDn mDTnn np^3DD ^7^; •'^xdh ■'Dixn nx pi^V u;*'

:io4n'»DyVi3X nniD xdh d^iph ''m ison .rVv miD^n

,13 ly^nu? pwxnn i^^n xin ^xnn .^lo j\n u^xn idiVd mi:^T pm tz;xi
D37 mQiD xin D":i junm ib ddt m?D-iD xim u;x"in V^ imb'Dn xin ^iion
mDTnn nyu;D T'':;n "iiz7x iv^^m ,nbn mpD d^^ mi^ niD-iD xim ,\i?xn^
annx •'3dV ix pn^ inyu?^ D^Di:\nQ inx ^1:31 S7nu xinn m-'i^n m^wb
7Dn nnxT d""* ]^7.D nvmx ■'nu?^ xin dxi xmn nnin du? p'rn Dit^^n
D37DXT n'"' niDi E7X-) mmi m'WT Di? d"^ mn T["v;t nDsnn du?t iddh'?
.n?3X3 n"u;m^ □'"' u?"m?D xin •'d d'"' ^"D''D n'"' n^m d"^ w^'i'^ro y^nn
im T^:^T n u?xin ^in nVmn iDxn hddt lOTnu? hd Vd ht iv^2 i^Dtm
7mDii?n;DD mv^f^xn in-np3i imn i7MX nxim py^ nnx i^xd "iii?xi
.-|mD mmp: mx"'2?D idiu^u? pipn 'n mx n-'^v nxn nnxi

.312 ^T ,1582 niDDDIK ""'D

67 'Di7 ,(n"Du;n) a n3u;n idd — |Vx 12 /'mbiDi xn'^nn'? xidd" ,''nDis ''Qy-]3 la nxn
^nn ,nD^''nu"n nxm D-'-'mn-^D^ miDO^ D^m mDipo^ nv'-Dio it npi'7n .34 mym

"lE3Dm ,235 'DV ,290 ]1WU? *"'D3U7 •»D^:i3Xn ■nD''nn Dl IT npi^n3 tt^OniyQ lD:fi7 n*'Dy'71DX

i7upD rDion ,"n-\i-]T' n3ion ^d .Tyn'? tt?^ .X8i n"T .1580 miDODix ''"d ,im py i]?ix
•-o^D nmn-'n n^DionV-'Dn .didk '^ nxn ;"m^Ta" ivdu^d ,K3n oVnyn •'•'n iddo uui^jdh

.94-93 'DV ,3 ,tJ"DWn 3"'3X Vn ,D"'''a"'3n
.X61 ^1 .1582 -niDDDIX '»"3

102
103

104

37

K p"ID

miDn .^^■'DxtJDDxn T'Vnnn Vu? ''Dion n'^u^n nrmxn m-'xi nx anpD pu?xnn
^Din nvmxn ]vm^ .Dnnx nnnno V2;x nmi3 nrx nnoa pnV np''3DD p it
lip'^DCDH ^:fx -iDD nyDin ]T'Din np-'iDU 'd ,Ty3 .Dip;D3 in pn mpmV dV^^x

,^'^r^n nxDH mt:?xin •'nnyVx px
nViyn "»''n nson x:;;33 n^'Dv^inx Vu? m^ainnnn np'':DD3 nnx p3y;3 mo**
□nn'^x nu7i^u73 niiiinnm hidth np'^ant?'? tdii xin m;Dip;3. n;3Dn .xnn
T'2?m 'V xin;27 ^lon u?xi t'dthV my mu^v :mii:im junn ,^xnn iD'^np-'y
mxn niDTH pm "innx mpzD moTn pn nw:n ^xt ^aunn VDno^ nnx iVxd
.-^^mn-'n imxn inx Dipiom .^^"xinn mxn ^y n'7U7i;Dn x^'nn

noD T'Dn -an onnxn TDTnti? m njn .'n ^^nn ii?xn TDTm mu?n myi
xintt? y^^Dxi ,u7xnn U7xi xin^ d''3D ^U7xnn mmp3 'a i^xd on ^n •'mnxw
x''n\y ^nmjin mmpi ':i iVxd mu^n jdt u^xnn ^lo ximz; mnxn u^xnn iin
nnx nmp3 x*»m ^inn ^in xinu; y2??3xi "iinn u;x"i xinu; d''3D p^ mp?D
mmp3 'a i^xd mu^n my pi ^lon ^lo xin^ mnxi ,in'»y:?Dxn inVn
.yy;^ '»V:iV:i nmp3 x-'nu? y^fDxi .^lon i27xn .pm-'U nmp3 x'^n a''3D punn
t?in iii^x nv^nn Dipn x''n^ n>?yn mVnn nmp3 xmu? mnxi ,^iDn "iin

a m3n mmm V^inn ^nvmx n"y ]n diz; ^u? nvmx xun**^ Vy ddid^d yupn
— lyxn n^ViD nnx nmm .mx mo min^ i'7X "pyD mmn'' ui ,nnx ^d nvmx
mD niDTn 'm-'^yu; ,|xdd .njiinx mx — ^lo ,m3u? mx — ^^n ,miu;xi mx
.imim i:Dn ,Dixn u;xn nx d-'Tdtq .anmxn '7y mjiDnn ,nvmx 'u VVijn
DU7n V^iD p Diu?oi ,Dn2''xn inxn ^ii''^ "'mV x-^nnV n'pi^^y mxn n-iDTnn myu

.iooq/'i^ ^im:?n nx nvmxn n^y p
iiyp "^y nTDiD mnun nyoin •'d .nmo diVu? 'ji ?it np-'iDU ^ti? mmmpD Dn;o
■•D ,''3D*n ^x .^ohinD2 pmnn^ nnnin^ h'^iddx .DTx^n-^nm mDyVmx yn
IT np-'iDU .myrV .minan xm "ixn^ nu^pu; idt'd nx^na xiniL? ny-rn xpm

n'7JinDn ki^i:'? ^b^ np''33i33 i3 tt^anu^D n"'Dy'7n3xt:^ ^ipyn Di "jDin n?3''iDQ nrn3n 96

.n f]''yD ,:i pis ,pnb nxn .i:vTn3

Henri Corbin, Creative Imagination in the Sufism oflbn Arabi, Princeton 1969, p. 234, 97

.n. 41-42

.K62 f]"r ,1582 1TID031K '"3 98

.363-K63 f]! ,Dtt? 99

.312 ^T .Dtl? 100

.170 'Qy .n''Di7^13N ,D1^1L? 101

55

Tm n-'m d"tx nwb 'f?^p i^Du;"* xb'u? mvr^ o^prn 'f? nnm pna nnui "i^nV
DK1 .Dix Di^z;'? "|"nD nVjin 'rKi n'''7i73 ik "nnn nu7T inx "'Vdo mnnDT inrDi
.n^''Vn inu;i7nu7 nu^'^n mun D3;dxt .inu^y Di;« "^dk n'Dn nvn in'^u^ynt:? ,V3in

:n;Di-r "nK"'n -inn ^i2p^£7nn iDon ."^K^n^

p:^i; ipn'? 71:^ nnK m^Tin m^nn nnx D^i? p de^ tdthV n^^nnu^D
ti?"i£)i;:> "invnVi inv^n qu; iid tdthV inr;D mpD3 invD "inrnV
naii^HD ow p^n "ixu7n N^^T ^in-';i7 ■'Vnn ^dz: nai n^iD ''n b^ra Vimm
u7''Kn nriK i^kdi nvniDn Hb^ nrn^i xV nvi?::::! nvii^i^xn nlnu^n^?^
''3D3 nxi2? nti;iyn u?"'Kn I3m3 "iu;kd ^Du?n D^ivn nr^ VdV u]i in: iu;n
]n Vd iDD^y^ n^D Kim ^r\b^1b ^2^7l^ V3m inu?N ^v wwnb m:i?i any

.1^ "l^m i3i7i 13DD Tinvm nn:iu;m

:^^^p"iir ni7U7 iDon a*'3U?3 ~ hidthh pi:?*? iht'd

HTD HDom ir^b i^K niMnn iku? ^dd wb^ mnu nn^ Vk n'72;n"' ni?
nn "nnv'^D nmx mv^iioT u^D^n mD^D'?^ mVnaiio nvynu anvn -^jDn
Vk pDr p DK njm ... mpin ]q mpi on nu?j< nvn^Kn mn:^n
.mu^n inr mm '^ip i3 yniz;*' nb^ m^n mm dxt nnvo mnn nnmnnn

ni;n pv x-»n iu^k nrDu?n ••aD^ "nm nxm mnnii? hd "]mm ^^x^3 ^^''Dn
nxmn miiaV Vi7iD nt ^d ''d ,d''33V dVd vm ^Din dki yr:iaT p:;^ np3i ^H-Tin
D''DmDD D''33b DnrinD fjuiVD n^v nnxv -.^i^nnx mp^i .^^'^"ixd nnnxi

.129 m^HD ,|VnV iKDv^ jniiVa ^n'^bii n Dti^n onmV miu^m
.312 IT .749 n-'Dnnn nnDon ""'d ;N9 f]i jsoi b^r^n^ p^v v: ""'d 112
mm-' 'iV n'''72;n dVid idddti? nx-'nn nip» xin ht vup ,x72-37i ^1 .8° 148 D'''7ii;iT -""d 1 13
iddV -IU7XD mv pi:i nvu? -idd'? hdit ]wbn .227-226 'Qi? .nV^pn ,diVu? hni .TDin'pK

.rT''7i?n 0*710 idd3 tman mu"'xn

D'^ID -IDD .210 't2V ,n"'Di?VlDN ,m*?U7 ;n51 ^1 ,1582 IIIDODIK ""'D .KDH Db-IVH "H 1DD 114

omii^pn D-'inx d'uddd3 *'1]?d "O'iDVn Dninn" toiq .227 'Dy ,n'7DpD ddii n"''7yn
n-':i'nD '"D3 ,"D''3irnn onDon non^i^ pu7Ki u^naiy" miDon mn-'nn .'^kh aty mDtnn
ni3Tn m?3np»n mVii7Dn pm .tt^mDDn DC7n mDtn mxino ,X55 fji ,2914 nt:^Dnn''3ixn
yopD ,DVi:jn nrr ddud dji hxt .d^'id'? onri^ h^^'dVi rr'^ynn .nV'-Don d:i mio: it
tt^n-nVo ^n^bK n d^^d D-'x^Qn dhdiV miu^m ; 406 'Di? .nc •'piD , 01^7^7 n"'-'?^ xmnij;

39

K piD

-TV nu?Kn wK^b "^^nmv : ^05n-T'i?'»n n^ii^sn mDv'^inK nm nx u^id*? nnv Vdi3
0^7^ D''''2tyn DTiD n3i;DU7 T»Dn ,u?Kin D"pV d''31u7xi dti^ r^:^r:^w nby^i;
."nnK mDT xri ,mnm hdidh D^ii^'Vu? D^nn 'n T'sn -noD Kapn
.t2;Kn — n^pM mw my?2 niivn pm miia ,U7X1 ^7^ |K3 nnnn ■'d pDo fK
nvniKD ^iD''U7 mi7i73 jkd d:\ ,Knn DVii7n ■''»n iddd idd .^id ,(nDip ■'Vik) K?Dp

1DD3 l^-'KT .aVlJ^n HK KIID^ HD — |JO ; DnmKH ^V p"'DTn^ U^*»U7 ,n"i; p DU?

n'7iyD mu;'»Q •'3^; n*7'»D;D it np-'^DU ."irnun m m:u7V" nD — xnn aViyn "n
.|nyDtt;n mpD nx i^v*? u^n nvmxn nx xun^ ^^ lO'^^w
nmm n'? mVi/n d^id -idd3 d^i3 mxin^n np'»3DDn ^11; nxnn ''Dixn
D''3itynn immn ^w -[inD ,nVD3 nV^ dvm .-anon p-'ny;:} iiddd .•'rDiD*'7x
np''3Dun mx-'n ^^^b .i^^kdh D'7ii;n "n iddi ^:Du;n mx idd — mDs?'?i3x b^

: ^o^i3n?:n nniD ^''^Vt

1»DT Dm^^-'H Vd 1ti?y3T D"»DX^Dn 1X133 D^i:i^:^1 DDIIH^I nvmX 3''Dn •'D

^3 nws7^ ]D^v nvnixn V3D3 u?"* p iip^ D^^m .DDn*? U7xn i;3D3 ^''u?
viv losy'nx m T'vi .nvi3i nQ3n3 onix d'»T3t;3V nu?p3ni mm -^ri^
D^x"'33n "73 -ixu? pi .71x1 D-'Dii? 1X133 Dn3u? nmix p]?'? ^x'?:^^ mn
vn nnyi3ni dVi:\V:ii nvmxn 'iii'']^ niy:f;3X3 mm mi V33U7 an-'onm
1X13D i3'':^DU7 1031 .mu?xin mo D''3DnDi nixVD3i d'^d: wm:^
.xin n*7 mmtt^i xnna xnn X3i^ ioq^^^^;^!;^^

nn^TnV D''X3n (n
ni3TnV aniVin D-'x^nV m^i?: .Du;n m3Tnb np'':3Dn •'did nx ijix-^n^ inxV
nv^2W" :^^^bD]i;n mx iddd .i'^x D*'X3n moy'^i^x nxnn viddo D^''3tL?3 .it
im3nm p2?v v^p imp:^ nVvn'? pipnn hth "T333n o^n nx 'T»3TnV n^^inu?
D'^iyn ni3^no V3d ^U7D3^ p^V nnui p'^iTb -i'7ip you?"' xVu? invD Dipon
in''^ p}^i? pm ^xnu;'' imbx nxnp^ p3m" :»i'x3n n^ii^n •'•'n idd31 -/'nm

.131 '?3i7 ,n''D^Vl3K .'^TN 105

.161 '?2V ,(n"u;n) 33 idd nnp ,diVu? 'a •'t-Vv odt: 106

.165 '72V ,DU/ 107

.N"v n: ^1 ni3-i3 •''733 108

.3"i7 no f]i f "nniD ^^733 109

.X109 ^1 233 JP'UKI '"'3 ,V3U7n mK IDD 110

DD3un "lino .210 'Oi? ,n-'Dv'7i3x .mVu7 ;35i ^1 ,1582 '^^^DD3^^? ""'3 ,x3n oVii/n •••'n idd hi

Ch. G. Nauert,^^n>/?afl«60 ^71X13 p"'DQ .137-136 'QV .D'^DIT ,n^b^ 1in3 DDi:n .HTH
U?' '3 ,{the Crisis of Renaissance Thought, University of Illinois Press, p. 289 n. 7

38

Nu;n3n m33i3nn bv noDiDon j\i n^D:^b^nH t'^?:^ .mm d'^ovd n-'Vi? "ntnV u;''u?
*7i7 iz;K-in nx i73i73bi "paV" py^ nx .nvniKn n?< ^n^fV u;"* rniDnnn mnu/Dn

x'^nnV nrn n''Di7Vinx Vt:? in^iiD .mnnKn mp''3DDn» i:V vith ^dd fDiVn^
.HDnni:? mDnn n-'-Vy nmx nno*? dx ''d .nn^n •'t-^v nvnnn bw nv'^.ib

piD '22x3n dVivh •'•'n iDon .mTn?D mx^in na n^'uni^ minn pKion
m^u;n Vx y^i^nn obu^n dikV x^ ^du^hu? x'»n i3^2?x nVapn •'D'' ,n-'DyVi3x
nn '24^^p q^-^j^t n:^ mi i23^3;3-)du7 mnu? t'd tdthu? nnx p^xn pioDn
iL?iVu7 ■'^a mau? C"n-T=) nrnnxT ontz^y mDtn nnx n^Dt:? x'^n n^TiDn /'pDn
n-^^DU^n m'r'VDn n^nD it n-'DixnD n'»Vy .piouD dv yji;: nrV iu?dx nvmx
/'n::no2 mxuoDX" 'rii? nmjiopD n'^DvVnnx V^ in'^mn nx ht'd^d mDTnn nvn
m^innD np"'DD''7D n-^DyVinx nmnn xi^ioV px .'^s-jpo*? nn''3:i"i;o b^ mr^n ■'dV
mu7?Di n^JDixD x'^n ^nvw .m pt mDU?D3n nvnn ''tV imx x-'^nV n''iu?v i;:7x
nii^^n ipDn^ ny-nnn mn^axn pxu? •'Db ,n^Qi:^;o mojnnn jdt "|U7d p

.:di pT pix^ n^DixQ
xnn D^iyn •'"'n ^^n*7 nn^p n^w^b pi nxmn x''n n''Dy^inx b^ ^nv'o;
inx'^nu? np''2DDn n^^n nx bnpb nvjp ,p diu^d .nin aVnyn "nV n-T'nn mtm
.n"''7Dtr;m n-'jDirin mV'^PDn nni ns/D^n .^26;^,^^^ mi^D-'n'? pi nxmnD ^"'i?*?
pinn-*^ nPD Vd" .iny-r^ .n-^Dy^inx nnn^ miv: ,-'Di3D''nn n:fDn nx nr-'DXDn
pi:i Vd Vnn''T D"?:"'3Dm D''3i2?nn "innx lu^Vm ,iDD3n ""VDu^n yDu;n ^^2Jx
•'D x'^nn nvn m;Dn D"Di7U7 p:^yn Diu^nnu; ly nprm nVifa myu; lynurnV
.^27''rnDnu7 hd nniDnm nn:iu^nD hhd^ mi "iinio ^D'l:^?: i^dj niDn*'
Du?n 'iD-'D 'ri; nooinan pi •'mt :n"'Di;^nnx Vu? np^^DDUD p^VD on'^n p2?3
.mi^^DH nniV .pip"'3i vnvmx ^*i"i"'i: Vu? m;D'»7n nmu;Dxn Vdd u;"nDDn
nx onA n'^DV^inx ^b''H^ M^"i<2r\ dVivV pVn iV "fx vn^nixD Diyn nx nainr?"

.X53 ^1 ,1582 inDDDIK ""'D 122

.■' .n D''Tu;n tu? 123

.3 ,□;:? Du; 124

. M. Laski, Ecstasy, New York 1968, pp. 47 ff. 125

.117 nivn .V'-yV nxi 126

.352 ^1 ,1582 mDDDIN ""'D .XDH nVl^n ''■n "IDD 127

.3"y :? J]! p-nmo ^b22 128

4i

n-rnx'? /']'»'7Dn3 inDiD ^u?x•^1 p'^o ix ^nan Vd Vi? D'u^in ix omnu
HD' Try I'X'u? -ry nain miD pbin n'?'*'?^ dx" :nxnnn nDOiino it jmnoD
pi n'»DyVi3x '7U; I'^x mxnn nnno ,nTi3D'»nn npina c^^iz? ny-T*? .^^^^nD''
HT p^ay'? niiyj .iJ7^nr;D idxm n'^Din'? no^au? •'dd .n-'D^^y nTi:D''n^ -nxo non

D-^D-nn "'D^ nrmxn nx p:?'? ^mp^n '^''nnD .iVx Q-^xin x^-^du? nnx^
Vnnv :ii8"DVn did'H" x-'h i^x d^ditv Vu? n"'T"»Dn muDn .V'^yV ijix"»nu7
pnV Dn^ 1U7X ly niT^HM a^jiVa'?! dddh^ niDi oy moyiD nvmx p:fb
lin^ Dn iDDu? p li^-^jnnti^Di D'7i:i'7-':\a Tb^niv n;Dm onyi^na U7''u;"»i on-'Va'^an

"TQ^^TDH nDD31 .'i^-^DT yDUr^H yDli? ^Sp'? piQ nnx IJDT ... DH'^DI-l'ifD IXQ IXD

niDn^fo mV»n p^'dthdu? ^^Ti^n -no pyn •'jx T'nymnu? hd a^Dxy : ^^o-i;^^:
mD-*] 12X dhdV i2ipi2f nyu? nson /":ibn mon ^^nD ''n^x mn;^ ybv m^n
nQDHD m-'nD nyi^n^ nv-^r^i; -[n:? o^VyDn iVx Vdv :nT 2''\o'\?:i bw n^i^

np'jDun ^7^? n-^Dix n^nnn ynDD xin nnurnon ix nVn Di;D*'n ^■'did
pnV ,nxi33n Vx rr^oy'riDx b^ti? iDn '3'd-id p |v;Din .y**^;: n-'DyVinxt:;
inxuTD *»x-m3u? .D''onD'7 inya .myun^ VnVy .OTXDn-'n:] ix navn D'»n*'DiD
V-'yDDH .m'^iD-'DDn pjjiJDn nrnniD hd^ nmp;^ pi n''Dy'?iDx y»i?D .finao
nvDi2fn ,r\^vT\ - myirn nip-'^Donu; nyn .n^Vx D'^y-'a^u; nu?inn nynnn nx
,^Vd piD nm^Q nViDiiD n-'-Vy 'dt^d TiDn nwn x-'n niDnn — OTx^n'^nm

D''|?Dynix\yo inb njsn "jn^Ku? mu^yV .... ni^nniyD" :38i 'dp ,290 ]w^ """Dn (pi^i^D)
HDi 1U7K-ID vVdh wbun pivD HD-'Ka 113 3W^ onsH noiDin p3ir?nQT "in^iD in^rn

."Dmra33 oxip-'i ... -noTDn bD mb onDD '^■'nn''

.X109 f]! ,233 Ip'tJXT '"3 .^DU^H "TIX IDD 115
.227 'Qi? ,1^3,73 """3 .Dl"?!:? ; K52 ^T .1582 m2D31N '"3 ,X31 3^71^1 ""n IDD 116
M. Bowers S, Glasner, *'Autohypnotic Aspects of the Kabbalistic Concept of 117
"•]tr .Kavanah", Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis 6 (1958), pp. 3-23
VTDVni n-'Di7Vi3K rrniK mb't:; u Vu? inDD3 y»Dion loinn Vy D'»3ono;3 an3nDn
injin •'3 y)ST\b ^-iKii p .'^"nQ-n m'73''nn m-iDD'? m-nu^pn myDin m w^nnyt^^
T1QK03 133 ny^Dio D'o^^y rrniD'H bm iK^^in kii n33"ion mv b^ ■'DN0D3?<n 3sonii?
"Die Sektenfrommigkeit der Therapeuten", MGWJIS (1934), p. JXOTTI pnr Vu?

.110. n.l
C. Rowland, "The Visions of God in TiKl D^:iU? D"»31p>DD'D 'txx Dinn nil^m Vy 118
.Apocalyptic UiQiatme", Journal for the Study of Judaism 10 (1979), p. 141 and n. 10

.X52 qi ,1582 niDDDIX ""'S ,X3n D'^iyn -"n IDD 119

.X293 «T7 ,680 D^D "^"3 120

.N73 ni ,8^ 148 D"''7U7nT' ""'D 121

40

2 piD

rT'xiD^n n^npm np'^oinn

np-'DiQn nrr^n KO^y into .n'^Ni^^n nbipn np-'V^rob nxinan pnu? nii;pV d-^jd ''iii?
np-'Diion nu?D''i:7 xcri itxd ; n''^<^n:3n n-'iinVi nxia:^ n'p'^DiDn np'^^Di^b ''i^n

.VTD^m n''Dv'7i3K bvi; 7\p'':i::^'2 iwn TDn;^

np'»3DD'7 "'TTonD np''Di^n .k

•'Db' iDiux** mVipm n:i^?2W jTxn •'d D''3TKn i;?DU?^ n^n ^iTT^^^n •'d i7i
mVipn =]in*'2?DT D^ip "'di^^du? ^^n^T m^D n^m ^mnnm pi^^n nm^?
pD"* T'3 D^'Diion □nn'^m ^nnnx ^bnnn ^nni^m ^^bn n-WD^w d'^^txh
b^pn nmv Dnm □''3TxV pinnn nvvn d'^k-'^d D''yn:n?D on Vxdu; T'DI

"IDD "jinD DDi: :;JVpr\ ; 3-K7 ^"f ,0r. 3 136 rT'U'l^n nnDDH ""O ; D- K324 ^1 ,58 pPD ""'D

'7U7 VDHDD f on ^Dv H up''Vu7 D-'uip^VD "inn Nim ,K53-i52 =]i .T'Dpn pnp .nx'-Vsn

•"'D .DnQNOn 1DD "]in3 npTlVD =]DV p =1DV n .niI4 ^"T 2239 ITIDDDIK ""'DD n^'Di^VlDN

nN-inK''VDn-iDDp3'7 58]DrQ''"DfD noi: "irii^b .nK-'Von-iDD imn xi9 ^i ,30 ^vdi;3

.36-35 'Di7 .D^IDy D'^DD ,D"Dn ,lbnX
.359 'Di? DpiPK

f]iV-'n" D"'Dii;n --dV ,360 'oy ,dw nbiH hk-i h'^k a''mio Vu; nv'^xp-'Dion m"'iyau;on bv
.134 'Qi; ,Du; .ixm pi?ou7 "^u? i^opm mian" "mVipn mD'7nnn" .""pip

HDD inn ■'iu''nn .78 'dv ,mxn iddd 0:1 ("noK hdhk ''Vdhs i^d3 innx m-iv) "hdhk

.382 n*^ ,3925 8° O-'b^M''

45

K piD

Dti^n •'iD'^n n-^-^v xpTn xdh db^vn ''•'n'? y-'an'? iu?dx — i^mn -jiD'»nn
.mmyn nN''VD;D .u?nDDn Du?n nx nxu;'? mcxn '7i? mnn htdv Tn: .u^mDon
n5;Din ir^D*? .^29tj n'»i;3 Vi? nm on-^yQ oi-'X .ma^riD xV ^xt n''DvVinx Kbw
.Vxn di:;d U7io''U7n -7:112 anifi^n iDi^nnn inx nipr:^:} -^d .tdth^ m .pn nx::T»
••ir^TDX '7xn ^7^7 iQu?n nnxn nu^x ,1913 n3U73 n-'oiin n^pu; n-rn r]v^:^)b ti^iid
x-'DD n^Dnn nvn Du?n ■'iD^'n ''d ,nr?Dxn nvnann nnn .i^y mnti^pnnV np''y

.^^'^xiwV Vxn nw nx nxur*? |^x "'d .nna^nan
,'?"'y'7 mxTiu? imn nx in n3D;D di'?^; ':iu? •^i^on b:j Tvnb •'ixin p ,1102^
np^yti? D1U7Q ,^3w.^,;3,3Q n*»axQ" piTo mD^n pin nxn xm mnipD n^Dn
d:i mill;'? nu?Dx •'D ,diji rr'DvVinx .rnxn ^u; '»D'':Dn in:3o nx miu?'? x^^n nnaiiD
x-'H ]Du; /'m:xxQ p-T" iDm nx m^D^ u;** p-'D'? ; ^^^^^:n nx djit i7DDn nx
x''nu7 ,nnp''yn nnjnD ^x .•'3irnn vnun nx m3U7V mnu^DxV D'^nrD^ main
m3iz;V xnu?-|VD3 nnii;'? /'H'^jixq" xVn "np'^DO" d^*7 n''nxn ,u;D3n bv v'^^^nb
m p:: in"»^:?nu; du^d .inv-nn nx msii?^ ,nxi2D .n^'orVinx wb'i^n finn nx

.Dnnx D''Dip"'DO^n

mi7n3 .Vi?"? moT^n nxDion mnb whdu pi3i*7Q i.tVk n^ D'onvon w^nib n-iwn 129
n'?! v^dV DinDu; Di:7D Diu^nn ... idt hdi n-iTPaV v^di vdi^ bv nD"' D"nxr' :ii4
pi oT'DTnV ]^xi DTiD n"'?'? npan ppn bv ^pb^\nn nvmn n b^ 'v;r^^ ... ttidii^d ihkud^

TyifH] r'TH --IK" : 210 'Di7 ,919 ]Wm ""'DD .(381 'Q2; .290 pU7t27 ""'D) "Dn3 IHDU^nn flDV

"133 's r3m Vd3 invDH Dwn ■»xi'7'»;d3 uon'? Vna pipn 'o^^pd 'nu^ain n^y pi pnii'*
n^wxm Q3QX .r'*-! vxi n t ^n nn kh 'n htd ni7D-)K nymx r^xim H"r\rt ^Diitt? nvT
•7x1 n"^inn DTrnx Kipn p -ju^d: mou^i ib iou;n nnvT .t'v nn mb^ nV nnK •'iVd
TiV^^n IT nxi Knn □'7ii7V pVn ^b yn unnDH itt^xn vnrmKn Dti?n nx n:nnn Vd 'd D:imn

."Dn3 pinnn d:dx 'lyDa nx

R. Fulop-Miller, The Mind and Face of .71 m^n tV ,T ^''VD .:i p"lD ,]'?nV nxm 130
npo bv T2'^?:i ni:7X ."IDnon .Bolshevism, London — New York 1927, pp. 258-260
.1U7' b^ 112^ ''^\2•>n Vy xin dj ooiDon .DTx^'m'? iu?on nn nxn ,]iv3 oinx in3 nvi^nn
.nT prD iwpb nn3in "73 px "jx ."nmn-^n n'73p"3 nu;"'Dnn mpo •'3 (260 'Oi73) piui

.145 'OS? ,D''Qm ,DnVU7 131

.133-129 'Di? ,n''Dy'7n3x .Vtx nxi 132

42

14 Introduction

Finally, an interesting difference which does not pertain
directly to the different Kabbalistic systems, but to the biogra-
phies of their leading figures: namely, that the vast majority
of the works of the ecstatic Kabbalah were written by itiner-
ant Kabbalists, This was the case with Abulafia; this was also,
apparently, the fate of Sa^arey Sedeq, by his own testimony, and
of R Isaac of Acre, By contrast, through the 1280's we do not
know of any Kabbalists who contributed to the formation of the
theosophical-theurgical Kabbalah whose lives were uprooted.
At most, one hears of a move from Catalonia to Provence and
back again, or visits to the various cities of Castile, but not of
migration from one continent to another. Many of the Span-
ish Kabbalists— such as Nahmanides, Ibn Adret, and R. Todros
Abulafia — resided permanently in the major cities and consti-
tuted the religious establishment. On the other hand, the ecstatic
Kabbalists found difficulty in striking roots in any one place, but
tended to wander about without being subject to any system of
authority for any extended period of time. If we add to this
the tension that grew between Abulafia, the spokesman of the
ecstatic Kabbalah, and R. Solomon ibn Adret, who was among
the major representatives of the theosophic-theurgic Kabbalah,
we may conclude by saying that we have two mystical schools
whose ideational and experiential structures differ from one an-
other in the most radical conceivable manner,

Abulafia was considered, by the Christian Kabbalist Jo-
hanan Reuchlin/^^ as a pillar of Christian Kabbalah,^ ^ as well as
one of the two pillars of Jewish Kabbalah, Christian Kabbalah
is based to a considerable extent upon the thought of Abulafia,
whose writings were translated into Latin and Italian.^

Chapter One

Techniques for Attaining Ecstasy

Abraham Abulafia's system differs from that of other me-
dieval Jewish thinkers in presenting a detailed, systematic path
enabling the seeker to attain to mystical experience. In this sys-
tem various concepts used to describe reality by Arab and Jewish
philosophers are transformed into subjects of personal experi-
ence by means of a suitable technique- This technique paves
the way toward the zenith of mysticism: the total unity between
man's intellect and the supreme Being, whether this is under-
stood as God or as the Active Intellect. While other medieval
thinkers as well saw this experience as their soul's desire, which
they strove to attain with all their strength, we nevertheless do
not find in philosophical works of this period any detailed, spe-
cific instructions as to the means of realizing such contact. The
discussions by R. Abraham ibn Ezra and Maimorudes and by
their disciples concerning the nature of 'prophecy,' in which they
saw the hallmark of this ideal experience are not to be read as
concrete instructions, rooted in a specific path toward the real-
ization of the desired goah They rather describe a phenomenon
from the distant past, namely. Biblical prophecy, without claim-
ing although not explicitly denying that similar experiences are
possible within their own generation.

In my opinion, the path propounded by Abulafia in his
books is an adaptation of the Jewish mystical traditions which he
had learned from the Ashkenazi world of Franco-Germany to the

16 Techniques for Attaining Ecstasy/

spiritual needs of Jews educated within the philosophical schools
of Spain and Italy, which primarily thought in Maimonidean
concepts. To these were added elements originating in mysti-
cal techniques outside of Judaism — Greek-Orthodox hesychasm,
Indian Yoga and possibly also Sufism, The last-mentioned is^
however, primarily visible in the writings of his students, rather
than in Abulafia's own writings. We shall therefore begin by
describing the elements of technique as they appear in the writ-
ings of Abulafia and his disciples. As recitation of the Divine
Names was the main technique developed by this school, we
shall begin our discussion with this topic*

1, The Ecstatic Character of the Recitation
of the Divine Names

The recitation of the Name or Names of God as a means
of attaining ecstasy is a widely-known mystical practice, play-
ing a significant role in techniques known from India^ Tibet,
and Japan, in Islam and in Orthodox Christianity, We shall not
discuss these techniques in a detailed way here; some mtlU be
mentioned again at the end of this chapter for purposes of com-
parison with the material found in Abulafia. Before discussing
Abulafia's system, however, we shall examine the Jewish prece-
dents for use of the Divine Names in order to achieve changes
in human consciousness, hi late antiquity, in Hckalot Rabbati, we
read:

When a man wishes to ascend to the Merkdbah, he calls to
Suryah the Prince of the Presence, and adjures him one hun-
dred and twelve times with the Name twtrsy'y h\ which is
read twtrsy'y swrtq twtrkyl twfgr 'srmylyy zbwdy'l wzhrtyl tnd'l
Sijhwzy' dhybwryn w'dyrryrwn Ha- Bern ^Elokey Yisra' ei He may
neither add nor subtract from these one hundred and twelve
times — for were he to add or subtract he might lose his life —
but he shall recite the names with his mouth, and the fingers

I

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 11

of his hands shall count one hundred twelve times — and im-
mediately he descends to and mles the hAerkahdh}

A similar passage appears in another treatise belonging
to this literature:

His mouth utters names and the fingers of his hands count one
hundred eleven times; so shall whoever makes use of this as-
pect [i e,, technique], let his mouth utter names and the fingers
of his hands count one hundred eleven times, and he must not
subtract from these names, for if he adds or subtracts, he may
lose his life?

Both these passages would seem to imply that this refers
to an established custom connected witli the "descent to the
Merkdbdh." Similar methods were used during the Gaonic pe-
riod; in one of his responsa, R. Hai Gaon (939-1038) writes;

And Ukewise [regarding] a dream question: there were several
elders and pious men who [lived] with us who knew them [the
Names] and fasted for several days, neither eating meat nor
drinking wine, [staying] in a pure place and praying and recit-
ing great and well-known verses and [their] letters by number^
and they went to sleep and saw wondrous dreams similar to
a prophetic vision.^

In another responsa^ R. Hai Gaon testifies that:

Many scholars thought that, when one who is distinguished
by many qualities described in the books seeks to behold the
Merkdbdh and the palaces of the angels on high, he must foUow
a certain procedure. He must fast a number of days and place
his head between his knees and whisper many hymns and
songs whose texts are known from tradition. Then he wUl
perceive within himself and in the chambers [of his heart] as if
he saw the seven palaces with his own eyes, and as though he
had entered one palace after another and seen what is there.^

The former passage from R. Hai Gaon refers to "great and
well-known verses and letters by number"; G, Vajda contends

18 Techniques for Attaining Ecstasy

that the sense of the phrase, letters by number, refers to groups
of letters which equal one another in their numerical value (i.e,,
geiuatrm)S' In my opinion, this in fact refers to the use of the
Divine Name of seventy- two letters: the "great and well-known
verses" are probably the three verses, Exodus 14:19-21, each one
of which contains seventy- two letters in the Hebrew original, i.e.,
"letters in number/' The second quotation also seems to me to
be connected with the use of Divine Names. In Sefer tm-'Aruk of
R, Nathan b. Jehiel of Rome (1035-ca. 1110), we again read in the
name of R. Hai Gaon, that "Pardes is that which is expounded
in Hekalot Rabbati and Hekalot Zutrati; i.e., that they would perform
certain actions, and pray in purity, and use the crown and see
the Hekalot and the bands of angels in their position, and see how
there was one chamber after another, and one within another/'^
G. Scholem has suggested that the expression ''use the crown"
signifies the use of the Divine Name/ A younger contemporary
of R. Hai Gaon, Rabbenu Hanannel, many of whose ideas were
borrowed from the works of R. Hai, likewise writes about the
sages who entered Pardes, stating that they ''prayed and cleansed
themselves of all impurity, and fasted and bathed themselves
and became pure, and they used the names and gazed at the
Hekalot/'** In Rashi's opinion, the ascent to heaven signifying
the entry into Pardcs was performed "by means of a name/'^

Similar testimony appears among the Ashkenazic Hasid-
im; Sefer ha-Hayyirn, attributed to R, Abraham ibn Ezra, presents
an interesting description reflecting the widespread use of

Names:

A vision {rnareh) occurs when a man is awake and reflects
upon the wonders of God, or when he does not reflect upon
them, but pronounces the Holy Names or those of the angels,
in order that he be shown (whateverl he wishes or be informed
of a hidden matter— and the Holy Spirit then reveals itself to
him, and he knows that he is a worm and that his flesh is like
a garment, and he trembles and shakes from the power of the
Holy Spirit, and is unable to stand it. Then that man stands up
like one who is faint, and does not know where he is standing,

►

The Mystical Experience in Abrahum Abulafia 19

nor does he see or hear or feel his body, but his soul sees and
hears and this is called vision and sight, and this is the matter
of most prophecy/^

The disputant of the anonymous author of Sefer ha-
Hayyim.K Moses Taku (ca, 1235), describes a similar technique
in a surviving fragment of his book, Ketab Tamrnim:

And two of those who were lacking in knowledge [among] the
schismatics Ithought] to make themselves prophets, and they
were accustomed to recite Holy Names, and at times performed
kawwanot during this recitation, and the soul was astounded,
and the body fell down and was exhausted. But for such as
these there is no barrier to the soul, and the soul becomes
the principal thing [in their constitution] and sees afar; Ibut]
after one hour, when the power of that Name which had been
mentioned departs, he returns to what he was, with a confused
mind.^^

The last two passages corroborate one another: during
the procedures of reciting the Names, the body trembles vio-
lently, freeing the soul from its dependence upon the senses and
creating a new form of consciousness. The process is in both
cases compared to prophecy; one should note that prophecy is
also mentioned, in a similar context, in R. Hai Gaon's previously
quoted words: "similar to a prophetic vision/'

R. Eleazar of Worms (ca, 1165-ca.l230, the Roqeah), a con-
temporary of the above-mentioned anonymous author of Sefer
ha-Hayyim, also knew the technique of recitation of the Names of
God — a usage likely to bring about results similar to those men-
tioned in the works of R. Hai Gaon or in Sefer ha-Hayyinu These
are his conunents in Sefer ha-HokmakS^

abg yts^^-'these are the six letters, each and every letter [stand-
ing fori 3 [Divine] name in its own right: ^^* A - Adiriron; B
- Bihariron; G - Giluiriron; Y - Yagbilmyah; T - Talmiyah; S -
Satnitayah. By rights, one oughtn't to write everything or to
vocaMze them, lest those lacking in knowledge and those taken

10 icchmifucs for Attaining Ecstasy

(sic [^should be "striken") in understanding and of negligible
wisdom use ttiem. However, Abraham our father passed on
the name of impurity to the children of the concubines, in or-
der that they not know the future by means of idolatrj^^"* Thus,
some future things and spirits were revealed to us by means of
the [Divine] attributes, through the pronunciation of the depths
of the Names, in order to know the spirit of wisdom — thus far
the Sefer Yirqah}^

R. Eleazar of Worm's statements reflect an awareness of
the antiquity of involvement in Divine Names and their recita-
tion as a means of acquiring knowledge of the future or various
wisdoms; the patriarch Abraham already knew these secrets and
attempted to conceal them from the children of the concubines,
and they were subsequently passed down from generation to
generation until the Jewish medieval mystics. The expression,
"pronunciation of the depths of the names/' is particularly in-
teresting in light of the fact that Abulafia-who explicitly admits
to R. Eleazar's influence-was to see his own Kabbalah, that of
Names, as the deepest path within the Jewish esoteric tradition.
All of these quotations share the fact that they were formulated
outside of the framework of the great speculative systems of the
age-the Aristotelian and the Neoplatonic. Indeed, they reflect
those types of approaches which Mircea Eliade, the scholar of
comparative religions, would designate as "shamanistic/'

Upon the emergence of philosophy, the use of Divine
Names became transformed into a means for realizing forms
of consciousness which transcend the ordinary frcime of mind,
R Isaac ibn Latif (ca. 1210-ca. 1280) writes in Ginzey ha-Melek:^'^

The attainment of [knowledge of] the existence of God is
the highest form, including three kinds of comprehension
(Imsdgdh),^^ which are: conceptual comprehension, prophetic
comprehension, and that comprehension which is hidden until
the coming of the Righteous one, who shall teach [it]. The first
kind is the comprehension of the existence of a first cause for
all [things], by means of conclusive proofs: this is speculative

Tfie Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 21

philosophical comprehension, grasped tlirough knowledge of
those things which exist apart from the First Cause. The sec-
ond kind is comprehension that the First Cause acts by a sim-
ple will, desigiiated as spiritual speech, and this is [known asl
prophetic comprehension, grasped by means ol the Divine in-
flux emanated upon the prophets by knowledge of the secret of
His glorious names, through the comprehension of each one of
them and of their wholeness; tltis level is one to which the mas-
ter of conceptual speculation has no entry. The third kind is
comprehension of this knowledge by means of the Name which
is completely and utterly hidden [and] described as within, and
this is the essence and the highest of all comprehensions, and
it is this one which is reserved in the future for those who fear
God and take into account His name [Malachi 3:16].

The first kind of understanding mentioned here is that of
natural theology based upon philosophy, which is the province
of "scholars of speculation." The second is a combination of the
approach of R Solomon ibn Gabirol (ca. 1020-ca,1057; known in
Latin as "Avicebrol"), which asserts the identity of will and the
approach of speech, ^^ and speculation upon the Divine Names.
At the time^, this explicit connection between prophecy and con-
templation of the Divine Names was an unusual one and, in my
opinion, is indicative of the penetration into Ibn Latif s thought
of a view from one of Abulafia's sources. The third kind of
comprehension mentioned above involves the hidden Name of
God; this is an allusion to the name "hwy, which was considered
the hidden name of God both by the circle of Sefer ha-"lyyun and
by Abulafia.^^ The similarity to Abulafia is particularly great, as
both Abulafia and Ibn Latif believed that knowledge of the hid-
den name of God will be realized in the times of Messiah. In
^Osdr 'Eden Gdnuz, Abulafia writes:-^*

What we have seen in some of the books of those sages^^ con-
cerning the division of the names is that one who has knowl-
edge of their essence wiQ have a great and wondrous superior-
ity in Torah and wisdom and prophecy above all his contem-
poraries. These are the things which God has chosen above all

22 Techniifues for Attaining Ecstasy

else in the world of the soul; therefore, He has given them to
the soul in potentia, and when they go from potmtia to actu, the
soul acts on another soul, so that the souls are renewed, and
this knowledge shall save many souls from Sheol.

Three different approaches to the Divine Names appear
in this passage: that true knowledge of the names is liable bo
make one wise; that they are capable of bringing an individual
to the level of prophecy, le^ to a mystical experience; and that
they contain hidden powers to change reality by "renewal" of
souls- All three of the approaches combined here— the infor-
mative, the magical, and the ecstatic — were present within the
circle of Kabbalists whom Abulafia knew, R. Moses b. Simeon
of Burgos, described by Abulafia as one of his students, writes:

It is truly known that those prophets who concentrated in-
tensely in deed and in thought, more so thcin other people of
their species, and whose pure thoughts cleaved to the Rock of
the World with purity and great cleanliness that the supernal
Divine will intended to show miracles and wonders through
them^ to sanctify His great Name, and that they received an
influx of the supernal inner emanation by virtue of the Di-
vine names, to perform miraculous actions in physical things,
working changes in nature,^^

These words of R. Moses of Burgos indicate that a tech-
nique for receiving prophetic flow by means of Divine Names
was known in Spain in the second half of the thirteenth century.
As we shall see below in the chapter on prophecy and music,
Abulafia's approach to music was likewise known to the circle
of R, Moses of Burgos.

Before we continue to analyze Abulafia 's technique, I
should like to mention one feature common to all the passages
quoted above: namely, that they refer to the Divine Names as
distinct linguistic units, which the one 'prophesying' must repeat
several times. In these passages, the Name is not broken down
into a mtaltitude of units, which constantly change by means

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 23

of different combinations and vocaUzations, This technique of
breaking-down or atomizing the Name is the most distinctive
characteristic of Abulafia's technique; the Holy Name contains
within itself 'scientific' readings of the structure of the world and
its activities, thereby possessing both an 'informative' ctiaracter
and magical powers. It is reasonable to assume that both qual-
ities are associated with the peculiar structure of the Name.^^
However, in Abulafia's view this structure must be destroyed in
order to exploit the 'prophetic' potential of these Names and to
create a series of new structures by means of letter-combinations.
In the course of the changes taking place in the structure of the
Name, the structure of human consciousness likewise changes.
As Abulafia indicated in a number of places,^^ the Divine Name
is inscribed upon man's soul, making it reasonable to assume
that the process of letter-combination worked upon the name is
understood as occurring simultaneously in the human soul: "In
the thoughts of your mind combine and be purified, "^^ We shall
now see how the Divine Names are used as a means of attain-
ing mystical experience or, as Abulafia writes,^^ "in the name
my intellect foimd a ladder to ascend to the heights of vision/'

Just as the letters themselves generally appear on three
levels — writing, speech and thought^** — so do the Names of God;
one must 'recite' the Names first in writing, then verbally, and
finally mentally. The act of writing the combination of the let-
ters of the Divine Names is mentioned in several places in the
writings of Abulafia and his followers, only two of which we
shall cite here: "Take the pen and the parchment and the ink,
and write and combine Names "^^ and, in Sa^arey Sedeq,^^ "when
midnight passed [over] me and the quill is in my hand and the
paper on my knees."

The second level, ttiat of verbal articulation, is more com-
plex, including several components which must be analyzed sep-
arately; 1) the seeker of mystical experience must sing tiie letters
and their vocalization (this point will be discussed separately in
the chapter on music and prophecy); 2) he must maintain a fbced

24 Techniques for Attaining Ecstasy

rhythm of breathing; 3) his head must be moved in accordance
with the vocalization of the letter pronounced; 4) he must con-
template the internal structure of tiie human being. These last
three procedures will be discussed below at greater length.

The third level involves the mental combination of the EH-
vine Names: "Know that mental [letter-]combination performed
in the heart brings forth a word, [the latter] being [the resxiit of
the ietter-]combination, entirely mental and bom from the sphere
of the intellect/'^ ^ A brief description of the movement from one
level to another appears in ""Osdr 'Edcft Ganuz.^^

One must take the letters vns yhw, first as instructed in the
written form which is an external thing, to combine them, and
afterwards one takes them from the book with their combina-
tions^ and transfers them to one's tongue and mouth, and pro-
nounces them until one knows them by heart. Afterwards, he
shall take them from his mouth [already] combined, and trans-
fer them to his heart, and set his mind to understand what is
shown him in every language that he knowS/ until nothing is
left of them.

An explicit process of interiorization is presented here: the
letters of the Divine Name undergo a process of 'purification' by
which they are transformed from tangible letters, existing out-
side of the intellect, into intellective letters, existing in the heart.
This process is one of construction of the intellect, beginning with
sensibiha and ending in intelligibilia. Thus, through the com-
bination of the letters on all three levels, one may arrive at the
highest level of consciousness: prophecy, or mystical experience.
Several passages shall be cited below indicating that this tech-
nique allows a 'prophet' to achieve unique spiritual attainments.
The Castilian Kabbalist R. Isaac b. Solomon ibn Abi Sahula, a
contemporary of Abulafia, writes: "It is known that when he re-
ceived this verse (I am that I am [Ex. 3:14]), Moses our teacher,
of blessed memory, attained the very essence of wisdom and
the highest level in the renewal of miracles and wonders, by the

■

I

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 25

combination of its letters/'^^ The process of attaining wisdom is
described in impressive terms in Abulafia 's Hayyey ha-Nefes:

And begin by combining this name, namely, YHWH, at the
beginning alone, and examine all its combinations and move
it and turn it about like a wheel returning around, front and
back, like a scroll, and do not let it rest, but when you see its
matter strengthened because of the great motion, because of the
fear of confusion of your imagination and the rolling about of
your thoughts, and when you let it rest, return to it and ask [it]
untQ there shall come to your hand a word of wisdom from it,
do not abandon it. Afterwards go on to the second one from
it, Adonay, and ask of it its foimdation [yesodo] and it wiU
teveal to you its secret [sodo]. And then you will apprehend
its matter in the bruth of its language. Then join and combine
the two of them [YHWH and Adonay], and study them and ask
them, and they will reveal to you ttie secrets of wisdom, and
afterwards combine this which is, namely, 'El Sadday, which
is tantamount to the Name ['£/ Sadday = 345 = lia-Sem], and it
will also come in your portion. Afterwards combine "'Elohim,
and it will also grant you wisdom, and then combine the four
of them, and find the miracles of the Perfect One Ii,e., God],
which are miracles of wisdom,^''

From this passage, as well as from the one cited above
from ^Omr ^Eden Gdnuz, we leam that one must combine the let-
ters of a given Name, and then combine them in turn with the
combinations of the letters of another Name. This activity is re-
ferred to by Abulafia by the term Ma'aseh Merkdbdh i.e., the act
of combining [harkavah] the letters of one Name in another which
brings about the receiving of metaphysical knowledge, i.e., the
standard meaning of Ma^aseh Merkdbdh in Abulafian Kabbalah. In
Sefer ha-'Ot, p, 75^ we read:

One who concentrates upon the Ineffable Name which is com-
bined in twelve ways — six of them inverted — which causes the
grandeur of Israel, shall rejoice in it, and the joy and happiness
and gladness will combine in the heart of each one who seeks

26 Techniques for Attaining Ecstasy

the name, in the name Yh'whdyhnwh "Eloha T/ Sadday YHWH
Sewaot.

The first and second of these Names are combinations of
one Name within another: YHWH - ADNY - YHWH - YHWH.^^

2. Combinations of Letters of the Divine Names

TTie two Divine Names most frequently used by Abulafia
in letter-combination are the Name of seventy-two letters, whose
combinations are mostly described in Hayyey tm-Vlam ha-Ba\ and
the Tetragrammaton (the Name of Four Letters or the "Ineffable
Name")/ details of whose combinations are discussed in 'Or ha-
SekeL We shall begin our discussion with the latter.

The method of combination expounded in Sefer "Or ha-
Sekel is exemplified by the use of the letter Aleph, which is com-
bined in turn with each of the letters of the Tetragrammaton, so
that one arrives at four combinations, as follows: >y 'h 'w 'h. Each
of these units is in turn vocalized by every possible permutation
of the five vowels, holam, qdnms, hiriq, sere, qubus, in the sequence
of both 'y and y\ and so on. One thereby derives four tables,
each containing fifty vocalized combinations. The following is
an example of one of these tables:^^

!«

' K

'K

T

'K

«£

«

k:

9'

K^

«'

K"*

V"

»'

K*

^

r$

'K

:•»

'"%

^

?V

'9

»

'<f

IS!

m

»'

(F?

K?

r^

k:

»:

?:

K

3S

m

~?

:»5

'15

3J

vn

?»

:»

%

«j

m

*«:

K

K

The Mystical Experience in Abraliam Abulafia 17

This table/ as we have mentioned, is one of four in which
the letter Al^ is combined with the four letters of the Divine
Names, But, as Abulafia states in the book, it is not only by
chance that he 'chose' this form of combination as an example;
in his view, the letter \Alef constitutes part of the hidden Divine
Name, ^hmy.^'^ However, this explanation seems a kind of exegesis
of material which he already found in his earlier sources. In one
of the works of R. Eleazar of Worms (ca. 1165-ca. 1230), we find
a combination-technique quite similar to that of Abulafia; in this
technique, the letter Alef is also combined with each of the four
letters of ihe Tetragrammaton, each unit being vocalized by two
vowels- We shall cite one example;^^

:»

:b

^K

:»

»

:p

^

^s

»

»

%

!!»

?*

'K

■•K

m

%

'K

^

^S

'»

m

m

'!»

:«

■•K

TTfl

;»

m

W

'K

:?

?«

:»

%

W

■"K

The main difference between Abulafia's table and R.
Eleazar's one lies in the total number of vowels used: rather
than five vowels,^^ as in Abulafia, in R, Eleazar there are six,
by means of the addition of the shewa. The total number of
combinations thereby increases geometrically. In my opinion,
Abulafia adapted an Ashkenazic system of combination to the
Sephardic system of vocalization, based upon five major vowels;
the sewa, counted as a vowel by the Ashkenazim, disappeared,
thereby decreasing the total number of vocalized combinations.
Abulafia, for whom this system of combination was exemplified
by the use of the letter Alef and the otiier letters of the Ineffable
Name, saw this as an allusion to his view that the Name 'hwy is
the Hidden Name of God.

Whereas tlie system described above is based upon a
square, each of whose sides contains a different combination
of the letters of the Divine Name, the system found in Hayyey

28 Techniques Jbr Attaining Ecstasy

tm-'Olam ha-Ba^ is based upon the circle. The name of seventy-
two letters is recited while contemplating circles, each of which
contains nine letters out of the 216 letters of the Name; one
thereby arrives at a system of twenty-four circles, containing
in toto all in aU the Name of seventy-two letters. It seems to
me that the source of this system can also be identified; in the
longer commentary to Exodus by R. Abraham ibn Ezra (1089-
1164), the author describes the mathematical qualities of the let-
ters constituting the Ineffable Name, and thereafter writes that
"all of the numbers are nine from one direction, and ten from
the other direction. If one writes the nine in a circle, and dou-
bles over the end with every number, one will find the units
on the left side, and the tens, which are like units, on the right
side.""**^ It seems unlikely to assume that Abulafia based his sys-
tem in Hayyey ha-^'Oldm fm-Ba' upon circles of nine letters by mere
chance, without any relation to the above quotation from Ibn
Ezra's commentary.^ ^

As was the case in the adaptation of R. Eleazar of Worm's
system of combination to the Sephardic system of grammar, here
Abulafia incorporated the idea of the nine-letter number into a
circle with the seventy-two letter Name. It is worth mention-
ing that the nine letters within a circle reappear in Abulafia's
Sefer ha-Haftdrah,^^ where they appear within the circle of the let-
ters of the forty-two letter Name, while preserving the number
nine. We should also note that the use of concentric circles in
order to combine the letters of various Divine Names likewise
appears in other works of Abulafia, such as Imrey Sefer^^ and Gan
Na'ul^^ It is also interesting to note that circles including Divine
Names appear in Islam as well, as one learns from a study by
G- Anawati/^ although I have not yet found significant points
of contact between the use of the circle in Abulafia and in the
Arabic sources.

*

I

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 29

3. Techniques for Recitation of the Names

As we have seen above, the procedure for reciting the
Name contained a number of elements, each of which shall now
be enumerated separately.

A Breathing

Any technique in which the pronunciation of letters occu-
pies a central place must attach importance to proper principles
of breathing. Discussions of breathing appear in Yoga, in Sufism
and in Hesychasm, albeit with different emphases."*^ Abulafia's
writings contain brief statements and allusions to a technique of
breathing to be practiced by one who pronounces the Ineffable
Name. We shall attempt here to analyze the fragmentary mate-
rial which has come down to us. The most significant of these
passages appears in Mafteah ha-Serndt,'^'^ where it states:

One must take each one of the letters [of the Tetragram-
maton] and wave it with the movements of his long breath (!)
so that one does not breathe between two letters, but rather one
long breath, for however long he can stand it, and afterwards
rest for the length of one breath. He shall do the same with each
and every letter, until there will be two breaths in each letter:
one for pausing when he enunciates the vowel of each letter,
and one for resting between each letter. It is known to aU that
every single breath of one's nostrils is composed of taking in
of the air from outside, that is, mi-ba"r le-ga'w [from outside to
inside], whose secrets allude to the attribute of Geburdh and its
nature, by which a man is known as gibbor [mighty]— ^that is, the
word ga"w ba"r [a rearrangement of the consonants of the word
gi&bdr] — for his strength by which he conquers his Urge/^ As in
the secret of abg yts qr^ sin with ygl pzq sqw syt,^^ composed of
the emission of breath from within to outside, and this second
composition is from g"w to b"r.

This passage combines together two significant elements:
the techiucal description of breathing, and the theoretical discus-

30 Techniques pr Attaining Ecstasy

sion of the meaning of breathing. The teclinical aspect includes
three different elements, comprising one unit: 1) the intake of
air, namely, breathing; 2) the emission of air while pronouncing
the letter and its vowel; 3) the pause between one breath and the
next. In his epistle Seba^ Netibot ha-Torah, p. 7, Abulafia refers to
"the secret of the Name and the vocalization of some of its letters,
their knowledge, and the resting breath, the interrupting [breath]
and the extending [breath]." Comparison of the three terms used
in Sefer Mafteah Jta-Sandl indicates that the resting breath is paral-
lel to the phrase, "he shall rest for the length of one breath"; the
extending breath parallels the intake of air before pronouncing
a letter, "so that he not breathe between two letters, but takes
one long breath, as much as he is able to stand in length"; while
the interrupting breath is parallel to the emission of air which
accompanies the pronunciation of the letter, "one for pausing,
as at the time of pronoxmcing the vowel of that letter." Abulafia
refers to three breaths elsewhere as well,^" but only for purposes
oigematria, without any technical interpretation likely to assist in
the understanding of his approach.

The division of the breathing process into three stages
is not new; it already appears in Yoga, in which the process
of breathing is divided into puraka, the intake of breath; recaka,
the emission of breath; and kumUmka, the retention of air." True,
there is no exact parallel between the retention of breath in Yoga,
whose aim is to use up the oxygen present in the air one breathes
by means of slight physical effort, to the state of rest mentioned
by Abulafia, which follows the emission of breath. It may be that
the word 'halt,' which refers to the holding of the air in order to
pronounce the letter of the Divine Name, is a parallel to the halt
practiced in Yoga, but we cannot state this with any certainty. ^^ jj^
both systems, one arrives at an extremely slow pace of breathing,
which is a goal in and of itself in Yoga, and in practice also in
Abulafia. Without stating so directly, he emphasizes the need for
a long period of emission, on the one hand, and the maximum
exploitation of the air held in the lungs, on the other: "that he
should not breath between two letters except for one long breath.

\

I

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 31

for so long as he is able to stand/' Indeed, in Pe^ulat fm-Yesirdh, he
states that "one should pronounce one letter of the Name with
a great voice, in one breath, until he exhausts his breath from
breathing out"^^ In Vr hu-Sekel, he similarly states:

When he begins to pronounce one letter with a given vocaliza-
tion, one should remember that it alludes to the secret of the
unity, so do not extend it more than the length of one breath
and do not interrupt it during that breath at all until you com-
plete its expression. And extend that [particular] breath in ac-
cordance with the strength of the length of one breath, as much
as you are able to extend it.^*

As we have seen, one ought to extend both the breath and
its emission. The same is not true, however, for the pause be-
tween breaths; Mafteah Im'Semot speaks of the pause as equalling
the length of one breath, while in "Or Im-Sekel there is a slight
variation:^^

Do not separate between one breath and the breath of the letter,
but ding to it, whether one long breath or a short one. . . But
betw^n the letter of the name and the "Alef, in the direct ones,
or between the ^Akf and the letter of the Name, in the in-
verted ones,^^ you may take two breaths— no more— without
pronouncing anything. At the end of each column, you may
take five breaths, and no more, but you may also breathe less
than five breaths.

Hayyey ha-^Oldm ha-Ba^ gives a different version, which al-
lows for the possibility that one may take three breaths between
the pronounciation of each letter^'^

Another rule entailed in the act of pronouncing the Names
refers to the prohibition against pronouncing the letters while
breathing in: "and it is possible that the speaker [i.e., the per-
son who recites] may breathe, and will not speak with his lips
between the emission of air and its intake, but he is not allowed
to speak with his mouth and take in the breath together,^^ but
that tile speech and the emission of air may occur together. "^^

32 Techniques fur Attaining Ecstasy

Turning to the theoretical significance of breathing, we
find that the process of intake and emission of air is alluded to in
the afore-cited passage from Mafteah ha-Semot by the words mi-ba"r
le-ga"w, which symbolize the attribute of Gehurdh within man-
that is, his ability to overcome his evil Urge. For this reason,
man pronounces the Name of forty-two letters^" incorporating
the expression qera' sdtan ["cut off Satan"] which corresponds, in
my opinion, to "conquering his Urge." The ability to overcome
corporeality, tantamount to the Evil Urge and to Satan, by means
of breathing, is likewise alluded to in another formulation from
Haifyey fm-'Oldm ha-BuK

And you may yet again, if you wish, breathe three breaths
which axe one. . - And immediately the Satan will die, for they
were enemies to the perceptions which are in the blood of man,
and the blood is the animal [attribute]. But the secret of the one
breath is Sadday- [i.e.,] Sin Dalet Yod- and that is the second
seal... which killed the demons with the seal of the Messiah,
which kills the evU blood, and also kills the evU attribute, so it
immediately dies by the precious hand by the strength of those
three breaths.*^

The function of the three breaths which are one is that,
as they constitute one unit connected with the pronunciation
of one letter, they may destroy or murder the Satan and the
imagiiiation, i.e., the adverse perceptions inherent in the blood
of man, in the evil blood, etc. On the other hand, the breath
is the means of strengtheiung the spiritual element in man: the
"precious hand," Sadday, the seal of Messiah.^^ Elsewhere in the
same work, Abulafia writes about

...eighteen breaths, which wiU add to your years of life, which
are the life [in gematria: 18] of the soul, from the two creatures
in which there is the life of the soul. And there are in you
two nostrils in which they are mingled, and understand this,
for they are the nostrils of the soul, whose secret is the two
cherubim, and they are hvo chariots which force the Sekiriah to
dwell on earth and to speak with man.^^

I

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 33

This passage suggests the ability of the breath to bring
about a mystical experience, and through that the survival of
the soul." The two aspects of breath— that of overcoming cor-
poreality and of strengthening spirituality— are symbolized by
the two angels, Gabriel and Michael: "from his tiA^o nostrils one
may recognize the two archangels, of whom it is said that the
names of all the angels change in accordance with their work and
their deeds and their activities,^^ [i.e.,] Michael and Gabriel. "««
In Abulafia's writings, Michael is identified with the Active In-
tellect or Metatron, while Gabriel is identified with Sandalphon,
to whom is encharged the corporeal realm. «^ In two other pas-
sages, we learn of the service and knowledge of God with the
help of breathing: "Remember Yah and his activities, for He is
the one who seals and makes an impress — know Yah through
your breath.«» '"All that has breath shall praise Yah, Halleluyah'"^^ and
it is said," 'with each and every breath that is within you, praise God,'""

In conclusion, we must mention the connection between
breathing and the recitation of the Name as it appears in 'esit
HokmdhJ^ The sbcteenth-century Safedian Kabbalist, R. Elijah de
Vidas, quotes therein a certain book not mentioned by tide, as
foUows:

There are 1080 divisions to an hour, corresponding to which
the Tetragrammalon is combined and permutated in various
combinations of vocalizations of the alphabet, in a total of 1080
combinations. These 1080 combinations correspond to the 1080
breaths which a man breathes, and to each breath there cor-
responds one letter of the name of four letters, which gives
vitality to that breath.

And this is alluded to in "For by every thing which comes from
the mouth ofCktd may man live." ^^ As God gives breath and life,
it is appropriate that all his [man's] breaths be devoted to the
service of the Creator, and to this our sages referred in Genesis
Rabba [in tiieir interpretation of] the phrase "all that lias breath
shall praise Yah..." [Ps. 150:6]

34 Techniques for Attaining Ecstasy

The connection between the act of breathing and the
recitaUon of the 1080 combinations of the Ineffable Name, with
aU possible vocalizations/* is made here, to the best of my
knowledge, for the first time. It is based upon R. Eleazar of
Wonns' 'Eser Hawayot and on the quotation from 'Or ha-Sekel, both
of which appear in Pardis Rimmonim,''^ the major work of de Vi-
das' master, R. Moses Cordoveio.

From a practical viewpoint, it is difficult to imagine that
one may breathe 1080 times in one hour, particularly when one
also needs to pronounce letters; in any event, such a rapid pace
would seem to contradict Abulafia's whole approach. However,
the very occurrence of the breathing technique together with the
pronunciation of letters of the Divine Name evinces the practice
of an Abulafian-Uke technique among the Safedian Kabbalists, a
fact further strengthened by other evidence.

B. Shaking of One's Head

In Abulafia, the act of pronouncing the letters is accom-
panied by motions of the head corresponding to the vowels of
the letters pronounced. A detailed description of this practice
appears in Hcnjydy ha-'6ldm ha-Bfl',^« quoted here in extenso:

After you begin to pronounce the letter, begin to move your

heart and head: your heart by your inteUection, because it is an

inner [organ], and your head itself, because it is external. And

move your head in the form of the vowel [-point] of the letter

which you are pronouncing. This is the manner of the form of

the motion: know that the vocalization which is above is caUed

Holam, and that alone is marked above the letter, but the other

four vowel sounds are below the letter. And that [vowel] which

is above the letter 'Alef, which you pronounce with the letter

Kaf or Qof do not in the beginning incline your head either

to the right or the left, nor below or above at all, but let your

head be set evenly, as if it were in a scale [i.e., balanced], in

the manner in which you would speak with another person of

the same height as yourself, face to face-

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 35

Thus, when you extend the vowel of the letter in its pronunci-
ation, move your head up toward the heavens, and close your
eyes and open your mouth and let your words shine '-" and
clear your throat of all spittle so that it not interfere with the
pronunciation of the letter in your mouth, and in accord with
the length of your breath shall be the upper movement, un-
til you mterrupt the breathing together with the movement of
your head. And if after uttering [the letter] there is a moment
left to complete the breath, do not lower your head until you
complete everything.

^ The process described here in detail is also alluded to

briefly in Sefer 'Or ha-Sekel:''^

And your head is crowned with tefillin, facing east, for from
there bght emerges to the world, and [from] there you may
move your head toward five directions. And on [the vowel]
holam begin from the center of the east, and purify your
thoughts, and lift your head with the breath bit by bit until
It IS complete, and your head shall be facing up. And after
this is completed bow down to the earth once., and on [the
vowel] sere move your head from left to right, and on qamas
from right to left.

As one can clearly see, the head motions are simply at-
tempts to imitate the written form of the vowel sounds an at-
tempt repeated in the use of music, where the vocalization is
teansfonned mto musical notes, as we shall see in the next chap-
ter. "

C. The Hands

We find a description in Sefer Im-Heseq of the hand move-
ments to be performed during the pronunciation of the Divine
Naines.^8 THs description is unique in Abulafia's extant works
and It reflects the position of the hands during the Priestly Bless-
mg.

36 Techniques for Attaiiiing Ecstasy

"Let my prayer be acceptable as incense, the offerings of my
hands as sweet meal-offerings."^° And Uft your eyes up to the
heaven, and lift your left and right hands, Uke the lifting up
of hands of the kohen, who divides his fingers, five on one
side and five on the other, with two on the right and two on
the left [in each hand], the two smallest fingers, qemisdh and
zjeret (i.e., the pinky and the "ring finger") joined together, and
these two next to them also joined. And divide between them,
with the thumb stuck out by itself, and your hands shall also

be in this fonn V^V VtV and your tongue shaU

separate between tiiem, like a balance stone, [here details of
the pronunciation are given]. . . and immediately put down your
hands, which you lifted before God with ease, in the image
of the ten Sefirot from the right, like the image of the ten fin-
gers, five over against five, to the right and left. And you have
switched the powers and made meritorious the one who was
guilty; therefore place your left hand on your heart, spread out
with the five fingers, and above it place your right hand, out-
stretched with its five fingers, to indicate that the meritorious
one has overcome him. . . and if you wish to lift your hands for
a longer period of time, you are allowed to do so; but if not,
you need not worry.

Thus far, we have described those actions which one is
to perform while pronouncing the letters. A separate chapter
wiU be devoted to the song or "melody," as Abulafia calls the
pronunciation of the letters in different tones. We shall now
turn to the third stage of the pronunciation of the Divine Name,
namely, the inner activities performed in "the heart," that is,
with the powers of the soul: the intellect and the imagination.

4. The Inner Pronunciation

From the mid-thirteenth century, there appears in Hebrew
mystical literature a technique, one of whose components is the
unagining of the letters of tiie Divine Names. Evidence of such a
practice appears in R. Isaac Ibn Latif, who enumerates three dif-

t

L

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 37

ferent stages of contemplation of the letters of the Divine Name.
In his Surat ha-"Olam, which was apparently written at the end of
the second third of the thirteenth century, he writes:"^

The desired end is to strip the Name of [its] matter and to
imagine it in your mind, although it is impossible for the imag-
ination to depict it without some physical image, because the
imagination is not separate from the sensibilia, and most of
what is attained by the activity of the imagination is performed
through the contemplation of the shape of the letters and their
forms and number. And it must also be understood that its
letters [i.e., those of the Divine Name] are that which make it
move and speak, and that the other letters move about, but one
cannot image them in speech except for the letters of the Name,
even though they do not become mingled and do not change
their places in the squaring of the numbers. . . And it is known
to anyone who is wise of heart that when the imagination goes
away, so do the letters. Therefore, the straightforward intellect
must strip this Name of simple matter, and imagine it in the
form of pure mind.

The subject of this passage is the letters of the Divine
Name, 'hun/, which enliven speech and whose numerical coim-
terparts {i.e., 1, 5, 6, 10) each retain their final digit when they are
squared.82 According to Ibn Latif, there are three levels of con-
templation of these letters: the material, the imaginative and the
intellective. The second stage is to be understood, in my opin-
ion, as the depicting of the letters in the power of the imagina-
tion, without the physical presence of the written letters. These
imaginary letters are thereby bransformed into an object of con-
templation of the intellect just as, according to the Aristotelian
theory of knowledge, every imaginary form is the material for
intellectual activity.

Ibn Latif' s words indicate that the technique which he
discusses at length in several places was already in use some
time before its occurrence in Abulafia. In the latter's Haiyyq/ ha-
'Oldm ha-Ba>, we read:

38 Techniques far Attaining Ecstasy

Prepare your true thoughts to imagine the Name, may He be
Blessed, and with it the supernal angels. And visualize them
in your heart as if they are human beings standing or sitting
around you, and you are among them like a messenger. . . And
after you have imagined this entirely, prepare your mind and
your heart to understand the thoughts whose matters are to
be brought to you by the letters you have thought of in your
heart**^

It becomes clear several pages later that this refers to the
letters of the Ineffable Name, of which it is said that they are
the ones portrayed "and he shall close his eyes and intend in
his thought, and the first intention is that he is to imagine that
there are four camps of the Indwelling, or a Tabernacle around
them, and four beautihJ flags in roimd forms surrounding the
fifth camp.""^ Following this passage, Abulafia describes the im-
age that is to be imagined: the seventy-two letters Name in the
center, with the four names of four letters in the four comers
of the square. Next to the seventy-two letter Name is written
thirty-two [probably an allusion to the 32 netihot mentioned in
Sefer Yesirah\; this is an allusion to the gematria: 72 + 32 = 104 = 4
X 26 [26 is the geniatria of the Tetragrammaton],

One also ought to note here the parallels to the techniques
of imagining in the writings of other Kabbalists. Abulafia's
younger contemporary, R. Joseph b. Shalom Ashkenazi, cites
an extremely interesting quotation in the name of "the phUoso-
phers." This quotation, to be discussed below, is important in a
number of different respects; I shall confine myself here to men-
tioning just one of them. The unidentified philosophers cited,
who were presumably contemporaries or predecessors of Ab-
ulafia, proposed a techruque of contemplation quite similar in
several respects to that contained in the above quotations from
Abulafia, though not identical with it. The following is the text
of the passage:*^

The phUosophers have already written on the issue of prophe-
cy, saying that it is not improbable that there wiU be a person to

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 39

whom things will appear in his imaginative faculty comparable
to that which appears to the imaginative faculty in a dream.
All this [could take place] while someone is awake, and all his
senses are obliterated, as the letters of the Divine Name [stand]
in front of his eyes, in the gathered colours. Sometimes he will
hear a voice,*" a wind, a speech, a thunder and a noise with
all the organs of his hearing sense, and he will see with his
imaginative faculty with all the organs of sight, and he will
smell with all the organs of smeU, and he will taste with all
the organs of taste, and he will touch with all the organs of
touch, and he will walk and levitate. All this while the holy
letters are in front of his eyes, and its colours are covering it;
this*^ is the sleep of prophecy.

The similarity of the content of this quotation to Abu-
lafia's teaching is interesting, despite the fact that he is clearly
not the author quoted here; the contemplation of the letters of
the Divine Name as a technique for bringing about 'prophecy' is
clearly parallel to Abulafia's own path. Moreover, the quotation
of these words in the name of "the philosophers," despite the fact
that it is mingled with ideas from Sefer Yesirah, fits the mixture of
Maimonidean philosophy and S^ Yesirah mysticism character-
istic of Abulafia's own writings. Nevertheless, the presence here
of a certain motif which is definitively rejected by Abulafia— i.e.,
"and its colors are enwrapped in it"**— makes it difficult for us
to identiiy this passage with any likelihood as one of the "losr
writings of Abulafia. Yet it is precisely this conclusion, taken
together with the quotation from Ibn Latif, which is significant
for our understanding of the development of the teaching of this
ecstatic Kabbalist Abulafia did not create a new theory, but de-
veloped an already existing tendency, albeit one in some respects
rather different from that expressed in his works.

R. Isaac of Acre, an ecstatic Kabbalist of the late thirteenth
and early fourteenth century, saw the act of imagining of the
letters composing the name of God as a means of achieving the
life of the world to come. These are his words in Menrat 'Einayim:^^

40 Techniques for Attaining Ecstasy

I, Isaac the young, the son of Samuel, of Acre, may it speedily
be rebuilt, say [as follows], to the elite as well as to the vulgus:
that whoever wishes to know the secret of attaching one's soul
above and cleaving one's thought to Almighty God, so that
one may acquire the World to Come with that same constant
thought without interruption, and God will always be with
him, in this [world] and the next [do as follows]. Let him
place before his eyes and his thought the letters of the Ineffable
Name, as if they are written before him in a book, in Assyriac
writing, and let him visualize each letter before his eyes as
great, without limits. I mean by this to say that when you
envision the letters of the Ineffable Name before your eyes,
[imaginatively] put your mind's eye on them but the thought
of your heart be on the Infinite {^Eyn Sd/1, [the envisioning and
the thought] both concomitantly And this is the true cleaving
of which Scripture said, "to cleave to Him,"^^ "and to Him
shall you cleave,"^^ "and you who cleave/'^^ etc. And so long
as ttie soul of man cleaves to the Name, may He be blessed,
no evil shall befall you, and you shall come to no error in any
matter, either intellective or sensory, and you will not faU into
the hand of chance, for so long as one is cleaving to God, may
He be blessed, he is above aU chance and rules over them.

Another sentence in the same work describes the tech-
nique of imagination:

I, Isaac, . . of Acre, have come to write a tradition pertaining to
the intention of the punctuation of the Holy Name. , . of which
whosoever knows it wiU think in his heart of its vocalization
as if it is vocalized before him.^^

In a magical passage appearing in die manxiscripts, the
idea of imagination appears as follows: "Another way YHWH
with the vocalization of debdreka. Imagine in your mind the let-
ters of the Ineffable Name before your eyes, in a circle colored
red as fire, and your thought shaU perform much. From Rabbi
Tanlium/'^^ The expression, "your mind shall perform much,"
and the end of the previous passage from Menrat "Einayim, suggest
an explicitly magical direction, conveying a technique, the main

»

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 41

95

element of which is the attainment of cleaving to God (debequt)
It may be that R. Isaac of Acre combined Abulafia's teaching
with a magical understanding of the imagining of the lettei^ of
God's Name which also was predicted in the thirteenth century.

In conclusion, it is worthwhile citing a few comments
concerning the imagining of the letters from MS. Sasson 290, p.
648:

You may picture the Ineffable Name like the white flame of the
candle^ in absolute whiteness, and the light in your looking at
the candle, and even when there is no candle, remember the
flame, and there you may see and look at the light, from the
pure white light. And one must always imagine that you are
a soul without a body, and the soul is the light, and you are
always within the above-mentioned flames, by way of fl\e pure
clouds. And strive to be pure and full, and if it is daytime
wearing sisit and tefillin and the ring upon your finger, and at
night as weU the ring upon your finger And be accustomed
to cleanliness in that house where you stand in the sanctuary
of God, v^thin His precious, holy and pure names,

I have discussed the visualization of the Divine Names
at some length, because it concerns an extremely widespread
technique, known to a number of different Kabbalists, How-
ever, there is one point which is decisive for the understanding
of Abulafia's doctrine: what he assumes to be a means, in the
passages we have cited from Hayyey ha-Vldm ha-Ba\ become (in
other passages of his to be discussed in the third chapter) the
goal- The letters of the Divine Name are not only a component of
the method of cleaving to God; the process of imagining the let-
ters in the first stage precedes the vision of the letters in the final
stage of the ecstatic process.^^ This distinction between technique
and goal is not clear in other authors, so that in their descrip-
tions the imagining of the letters is transformed into immediate
cleaving to them. Finally, let us note that the technique of imag-
ining akeady appears in the early thirteenth century mystic Ibn
Arabi,^^

42 Techniques for Attain ing Ecstasy

Another interesting element of Abulafia's technique of
contemplation appears in Hayyey ha-^Oldm ha-BaK In several places
there, he refers to a technique of recitation and contemplation
connected to the three main organs of the body: the head, the
belly and the torso:

And he should again pronounce the head of the end, which is
L {lamedl and imagine as if you are gazing at your belly and
do not breathe between pronouncing the place of your organ
and pronouncing that letter which rules over that organ,^^

Elsewhere in the same work we read:

Again, go and mention die head of the middle of the Name.
You already know that you ought to pronounce [the names of]
the organs from what I have said, that there are so-to-speak
three spots on your head: the inside, which is the head of
the head; the middle, which is the inside of the head; and the
behind, which is the end of the head. And likewise imagine
as if there are three points on your torso, which is the place
of your heart: the head, which is the center of the middle; the
middle, which is the middle of the middle, wliich is but one
point in its center; and the behind, which is the end of the end.
And Ukewise imagine that there are three points in your belly:
the front, which is the point of your navel, the head of the end;
the middle, which is the point of your entrails; the middle of
the end, and beliind, which is the point of the end of your
spine, which is the place of the kidneys where the spinal cord
is completed, the end of the end.^^

This passage is based upon the pronunciation of the letters
of the Name of seventy-two letters, consisting of units of three
letters, each three of wfiich constitute one column, A unit con-
sists of a beginning, the first letter; a middle, the second letter;
and an end, the final letter It follows from this that, by recit-
ing a column of nine letters pertaining to the bodily organs, one
thereby refers to the htmnan head, torso and beUy. An error in
the recitation of one letter is likely to bring about a change in one

t

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 43

of the organs of the body, for which reason the name of seventy-
two letters also includes the combination Mum [defect], ^*^^

What are the sources of this technique? The reference to
the navel leads G- Scholem to think that there is a connection
between Abulafia and the school of hesychasm, which practiced
the contemplation of one's navel ^^^ But it seems to me that pre-
cisely that opinion which he sees as "one which is difficult to
imagine" is the correct one; namely, that this technique came
about through an internal development, based upon study of
Sefer Yesirah, In Hayyey ha-'Olam ha-Ba\ it states:

Know that there are within man three matters created by the
three pillars [i-e , primary letters]^ 'ms, combined with yhw,
and these are the angels of fire, wind and water Behold, the
head is created by three forms of fire, corresponding to ta^q
[corresponding to] fire, and the beUy [is created of] water, cor-
responding to s'd [corresponding tol water, and the torso, cre-
ated from the wind^ corresponding to tm"d [corresponding to]
wind.102

This division of the human body originates in Sefer Yesirdh
iii, 4, where it states ''[There are] three pillars [called] ms in
the soul; fire, water and wind. The head is created from fire,
the beUy is created from water, and the torso, which is created
from wind, mediates between them/" Abulafia added a new
element to this division, occurring already in Baraita de-MaiMot,^^^
in which the astrological signs are divided into three groups,
each element belonging to another group; ta"q = Taleh, 'Aryek
Qeset (i,e,, Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) = fire; tm''d = Te^dnnm, Moznayim.
Gedi (i.e-, GCTiini, Libra, Capricom) = wind; sa'ad = Sartdn, "Aqrdb,
Deli{le., Cancer, Scorpio, Aquarius) = water Through this, there
came about the view that the three parts of the human body are
likewise connected to the three letters.

Abulafia used the letters of the Name of seventy-two let-
ters rather than the initials of the names of the constellations.
Viewed in this way, it is clear that according to his approach the

44 Techniques far Attaining Ecstasy

navel is no more than one of the nine pointe of the human body,
and that there is no special significance to its contemplation. It
is worth mentioning here the magical character of the technique
of pronouncing the name of the organ and the letter appointed
over it. hi Hayyey ha-Oldm ha-Ba^, Abulafia writes:

Head and belly and torso, that is, the head, beginning inside

the end. The "head" is the first point that you imagine in it;

the "end" is the purpose of the head, and is like a tail to it, and

^ the belly is likewise like a tail to the head, and is the image

of the torso, wherein the heart is located. And the image that

you ought to imagine at the time of pronunciation, in order

to change within that image the nature of [one] part of the

bodies, alone or with others, is: think in your heart the name

of that thing, and if it is [composed] of two letters, such as yam

[sea], and you wish to invert it, and the name of the reversal

is yabasah [dry land], the companion of yam with yabdsdh, and

this is "beginning and end, yah/' But the middle is me-yahis

yam; behold. Yah me-ydbes Yam ("God makes dry the sea"), for

He in truth makes the sea into dry land. And pronounce in

this image whatever you remember, and thus you will first say

heh, in the middle of your head, and draw it within your head

as if you were contemplating and see the center of your brain,

and its central point in your thoughts, and envision the letter

heh inscribed above it, which guards the existence of the points

of your brain. ^'^'^

We may now understand Abulafia's remarks in Pe'ulat ha-

Yesirah:

Begin at the head of your head, untU there the first eight lines
to preserve the head, and he shall mention the second eight
lines to fulfill the first, in the first order, and he shall mention
the eight third lines, the storm and the wind, and one image
emerges. -^^

There is no doubt that this refers to the head, the torso
and the belly, with the help of a sUghtly different classification:
(a) the head; (b) the first [qarna; the correct reading may be qomah-

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 45

stature]; (c) end. As in Hayyey ha-Vldm ha-Ba^, the letters of the
Name of seventy-two letters, which are pronounced over the
organs of the body, are here mentioned in order to create the
homunculus, while in Hayyey ha-Vlam ha-Ba\ "in order to change
nature/' namely the spiritual nature of man-his psyche. It is
worth mentioning that this technique incorporates two different
planes of activity: the letters must be pronounced while one
envisions in one's mind die place which they influence.

The magical character of this technique is manifested in R,
Judah Albotini's Sulldm ha-"Aliyah. Here the author copies, almost
word for word, the relevant passages from the two major works
by Abulafia, "Or ha-Sekel and Hayyey ha-6ldm ha-BaK^"^^ Prior to
describing the above-mentioned technique, the author writes:^**^

...that the angels were created and all creahores were made
from the twenty-two letters and their combinations and their
permutations, and as fire by nature warms, and water cools,
so do the letters by their nature create all sorts of creatures,
and [fulfill] the requests of those who mention them with wis-
dom and knowledge. Of this our sages said^^** that Bezalel
knew how to combine the letters with which heaven and earth
were created. Likewise, the other prophets and pious men in
each generation, by means of the combination and permuta-
tion of letters and tiieir movements, used to perform miracles
and wonders and tum about the order of Creation, such as we
find it explained in our Talmud^^g y^^ ^^^^^ created a man
and sent him to R. Zeira.

^ 5- Preparations for Recitation

Having described the details of the technique of reciting
the Divine Name, we shall now discuss the necessary prepara-
tions related to this act In two of his books, Hayyey ha-'Olam
haBa> and 'Or ha-Sekel, Abulafia describes these conditions:

46 Techniques for Attaining Ecstasy

. . , At the time that you wish to recite this bieffable Name as
engraved above v^ith its vocalization, adom yourself and se-
clude yourself in a special place so that your voice will not
be heard to anyone apart from yourself, and purify your heart
and your soul from all thoughts of this world. ^^°

Elsew^here, he writes:

Be prepared for thy God, oh Israelite! Make thyself ready to
direct thy heart to God alone. Cleanse the body and choose a
lonely house where none shall hear thy voice. Sit there in thy
closet and do not reveal thy secret to any man. If thou canst,
do it by day in the house, but it is best if thou completest it
during the night. In the hour when thou prepares! thyself to
speak with the Creator and thou wishest Him to reveal His
ought to thee, then be careful to abstract all thy thought from
the vanities of the world.^*^

A siniilar description is repeated in Sefer ha-Heseq:

When you wish to recite the name of seventy-two letters, fol-
lowing the preparation we have mentioned, you must arrange
to be alone in a special place, to pronounce the secret of the In-
effable Name, and to separate and isolate yourself from every
speaking creature, and from all vanities of [the world, so as not
to view them as] attributes [of God], And also so that there
not remain in your heart any thoughts of human or natural
things, of either voluntary or necessary [matters], as if you are
one who has given a writ of divorce to all forms of the mun-
dane world, as one who has given a testament in the presence
of witnesses in which he orders [another] to take care of his
wife and his children and his property, and has relieved him-
self of all involvement and supervision and transferred it from
himself and gone away.^^^

The two main stipulations appearing here— separation
from the vanities of the world and isolation in a special house
for the purpose of this recitation— reappear in Sa^arey Sedeq:

ir

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 47

He should also ascend to purify his soul above all other wis-
doms which he has learned; the reason for this being that, as
they are natural and limited, they contaminate the soul and
prevent the Divine forms, which are extremely fine, from pass-
ing through it. . , therefore one must isolate oneself in a special
house, and if the house is such that he will not even hear a
voice, this is even better. ^^^

A third preparation for the act of recitation is to adom
oneself m tallit and tefiHin:

And wrap yourself in a tallit and place your tefillin on your
head and your arm, so that you may be fearful and in awe of
the Sekinah, which is with you at that tune. And cleanse your-
self and your garments, and if possible let them all be white,
for aU this greatly assists the intention of fear and love.^^^

Elsewhere, we read, "And sit enwrapped in clean white
pure garmente or new garments over all your garments, or over
your tallit, and your head adorned with tefillin/'''^ To this atmo-
sphere of mystery is added the instruction that "if it is night,
light many candles, until it shall enlighten your eyes well/'^^^
As two contemporary students of hypnotism have attempted to
show in a study,^*^ to which we shall return later, these instruc-
tions constitute a method akin to, though not identical with, that
inducing auto-hypnosis.

Once these conditions have been fulfilled, the one con-
templating begins to combine letters accoiding to the methods
described above. The immediate goal of tiiese combinations is
to achieve a state of ''warming of the heart":^*^

And begin to combine small letters with great ones, to reverse
them and to permutate them rapidly, until your heart shall be
warmed through their combinations and rejoice in their move-
ments and in what you bring about through their permutations;
and when you feel thusly that your heart is already greatly
heated through the combinations. . , then you are ready to re-
ceive the emanated influx. *^^

48 Techniques for Attaining Ecstastf

In Sefer ha-Melamed, Abulafia says, "but that of which I
have informed you concerning the matter of the secret of com-
bination, that when you mention the words combined, then the
divine spirit shall rest upon you through the heating of your
heart."^^" We read another formulation of this motif in Sa^arey
Sedeq, "all these acts must be performed with rapid motion,
which warms the thought and increases the longing and joy/'^^i
This motif of "warming" the heart or the thought is decisive
for xmderstanding the nature of the technique suggested by Ab-
ulafia; one may easily be misled by the external similarity be-
tween the components of Abulafia's path toward the mystical ex-
perience and certain details in Yoga or hesychasm. But beyond
the details, which are clearly borrowed from outside sources,
Abulafia's way is an original one in terms of the psychological
mechanism by which the new consciousness which he reaches is
activated. While in the other known techniques— Yoga, Sufism
and hesychasm— the goal is to attain the maximum degree of
concentration by means of a generally simple formula, to be re-
peated over and over again, Abulafia's method is based upon the
contemplation of a constantly changing object: one must com-
bine the letters and their vowel signs, "sing" and move the head
in accordance with the vocalization, and even lift one's hands in
the gesture of Priestly Blessing. This combination of constantly
changing components is entirely different from what we know
of these other techniques. Abulafia is not interested in relaxing
the consciousness by means of concentration on a "point," but
in purifying it by the necessity to concentrate intensely on such
a large number of activities that it is almost impossible at that
moment to think about any other subject. By this means, the
consciousness is purified of every subject apart from the names
being uttered.

The concentrated effort also assures rapid results; in
Hayyiy ha-"Olam /w-Ba-'^z Abulafia states that,

...it is the tradition amorig us, that the influx comes to the
complete man when he completes the first verse following the

The Mystical Experience in Abralmm Abulafia 49

pronounciation of the twenty-four names, whose mnemonic^^
is "My beloved is white and ruddy; the voice '^^ of my beloved
knocks" ( Dodisah we-mdom; Qdl dodidqfeq).

The point here is that, after one utters the twenty-four
Names (symbolized by the gematria of the word dodi), each of
which consists of three letters, it is possible to reach contact
with the archangel Metatron. This intense increase in the level
of mental activity at the time of pronunciation places the Ab-
ulafian experience under the category of "intense ecstasy," to
use the terminology of Marganit Laski.^^s One does not find
in Abixlafia experiences of contemplative mysticism which are
continued over a long period of time. Instead, his approach is
intense; for this reason, the duration of the experience is also
limited, as it is impossible for the mind to function on such an
intensive level over a long period of time. Abulafia's system
directs one toward short bursts into Eternal Life, followed by a
rapid return to the life of this world. For this reason, the above-
mentioned approach, in which Abulafia's technique is seen as a
means of bringing about a state of auto-hypnosis, seems diffi-
cult to accept.>26 The decrease in the level of bodily and mental
activity characteristic of the hypnotic state is absent in Abulafia.
In his opinion:

The more the sublime intellective flow is strengthened within
you, the more your external and internal orgaT\s become weak-
ened, and your body begins to tremble greatly and mightily,
until you think that you shall surely die at that time, for your
soul will become separated from your body out of the great
joy in attaining and knowing what you have known. ^^^

I would like to note one interesting side aspect of Ab-
ulafia's techiuque: namely, that his method is based upon the
actual expression or pronimciation of the Ineffable Name, and
tiiat, in every possible combination of vocalization and of the
letters themselves. According to the Mishnah, "One who pro-
nounces the Name in its letters [i.e., as it is written] has no
share in the World to Come."'28 Abulafia claims the exact op-

50 Techniques for Attaining Ecstasy

posite: that the way to attain the World to Come is precisely,
and only, by pronouncing the Ineffable Name, Thus, we find
here an extraordinary phenomenon: Abulafia's system is based
upon the performance of an act, the recitation of the Holy Name,
which constitutes a definite fmlakic transgression. It is therefore
quite surprising that neither Abulafia nor his opponents even
mention this problem. ^^^ This makes an interesting contrast to a
somewhat similar case in the Christian world. I refer to a reli-
gious movement that sprang up in Russia in 1913, which con-
sidered the Name of God as the principal means for connecting
with Him; in its view, the recitation of God's name during wor-
ship brings about the unification of the worshipper with God
Himself through the very act of pronouncing. Its opponents ar-
gued against this view that one is categorically proscribed from
uttering God's name unnecessarily. ^^^

In conclusion, one may mention the term used by G.
Scholem to characterize the above-described path. In several
places, he referred to Abulafia's path as a kind of "magic of
inwardness," ^^^ whose main intention is to change man's irmer
structure. Abulafia claimed that one could alter both man's na-
ture and his souL^^^ For this reason, while his path ought to
be identified as a magical one because it alludes at times to
the possibility of changes in external nature, its main intention
of influencing the soul deserves the term technique rather than
magic. As against the vain attempt to change the outside world,
Abulafia at least succeeded in changing his own consciousness,
as did the other mystics.

Chapter Two

Music and Ecstatic Kabbalah

There are two main aspects to the association between
mystical ecstasy and music in the ecstatic Kabbalah: on the one
hand, music served as an analogy for the technique giving rise
to ecstasy and the ecstatic experience; on the other, it was an
important element of the actual technique of Abulafia and his
stud^its- We shall first consider music as an analogy*

I 1- Analogy for Ecstasy-Evoking Techniques

In Gan Na^ul, we find a passage containing a comparison
between the influence exerted by music and the combination of
letters:^

Know that [letter-]combination is like the hearing of the ears,
for the ear hears and the sounds are combined according to
the form of the tune and the sound-enunciation.^ Witness the
(string instmrnents) kinnor and nebet; their sounds are com-
bined, and with the combination of the sounds the ears hear
variation and exchange^ in the pangs of love."* The strings
which are struck with the right hand and with the left hand
vibrate, bringing the sweet taste to the ears, from which sound
moves to the hearty and from the heart to the spleen.^ In the
meantime, joy is renewed through the pleasure of the variation
of the tunes, which can only be renewed by the form of the

352 Notes to Introduction

11. See, for example, Hebmische Bibtiographie, 4 (1861), 71-79, and
his numerous footnotes to the descriptions of the manuscripts in the
Munich Library.

12. See A. Jellinek, Moses ben Scheni-Tob de Leon und sein Verlialtniss
Zum Sohar (Leipzig, 1851).

13. See David Neumark, Geschichte der judisdwn Philosophie dcs Miltie-
lalters (Berlin, 1907), 1: 183-225; Shimeon Bemfeld, Dwat "Elohim (War-
saw, 1931), pp. 142-146; Azriel Gunzig, "Rabbi Abraham Abulafia,"
ha-Eskol , 5 (1964), pp. 85-112 [Hebr.]; S. Karppe, Etudes sur les origines
et la nature du Zohar (Paris, 1901), pp. 294-306.

14. See Scholem, Sanirey Sedeq, pp. 127-139; idem, Kabbalistic
Manuscripts, pp. 225-230; idem, "Chapters from Sefer Sulldm ha-'AUyak
by R. Judah Albotini," Qiryat Sefer , 22 (1945^), pp. 334-342 [Hebr]

15. Pp. 119-155. See also his lectures on Abulafia and the texts he
published from manuscripts in his Abra]mm Abulafia.

16. One of the reasons for the absence of any reference to Abulafia's
writings in these studies is the fact that his approach is significantly
different from that of the Kabbalistic mainstream with which Scholem
dealt in the above-mentioned shadies, including that on debequt.

17. See Abraham Berger, "The Messianic Self-Consciousness of Abra-
ham Abulafia," in Essays on Jewish Life arid Thought Presented in Honor
of S. Barm (New York, 1959), pp. 55-61: Pearl Epstein, Kabbalah, the
Way of the Jewish Mystic (Rome, 1984), pp. 109-120. See also the ex-
tensive references to Abulafia in the writings of Aryeh Kaplan, who
made considerable use of material from the ecstatic Kabbalah in order
to present an original Jewish mystical path to the modem reader.

18. See, for example, the remarks by David Bakan, Sigmund Freud a>id
the Jewish Mystical Tradition (New York, 1965), pp. 75-82.

19. On the difference between these two tendencies in Kabbalah, see
Idel, Abraimm Abulafia, pp. 434-449; idem, Kabbalah: New Perspectives,
Introduction, pp. EX-XVn.

20. On the difference between the Abulafian hermeneutics and that
of the theosophical-theurgical school, see Idel, Abraham Abulafia, pp.
239-240; idem. "Infinities of Torah in Kabbalah," pp. 151-152; idem,
K^balah: New Perspectives, pp. 200-210.

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia 353

21. Gershom Scholem, Die Erforschung der Kabbala von Reuchlin bis zur
Gegenwart, (Pforrheims, 1969), pp. 11-12.

22. Chayyim Wirszubski, A Christian Kabbalist reads the Torah
(Jerusalem, 1978), pp. 22, 38 [Hebr.]

23. See, idem, "Liber Redemptionis-An Early Version of Rabbi Abra-
ham Abulafia's Kabbalistic Commentary on the Guide for the Perplexed
in Latin Translation by Flavius Mithridates," Proceedings of the Israel
Academy of Sciences and Humanities, 3 (1969), pp. 135-149 [(Hebr.];
M. Idel, "Agideo da Viterbo and the Writings of Abraham Abulafia "
Italia, 2 (1981), pp. 48-50 .

Notes to Chapter 1

1. Ch.l6. The text cited here is based primarily upon S. Wertheimer,
Batey Mtdrdsot, I, 92, with minor corrections based upon the text in
Beyt ha-Midras, in, ed. Jellinek (Ch. 14); Cf. Schafer, Synopse, pp. 88-
89, par. 204-205. On the Divine Names mentioned in this passage, see
Scholem, Major Trends, p. 56 and p. 363, notes. 57-58.

2. S. Mussaioff, Merkdbdh Selemah (Jerusalem, 1921), fol. 4b; on the
parallelism between this passage and the previous, see the note by
Wertheimer, Batey Midrdsot, I, 92, n. 75.

3. Printed in fa'am Zeqenim (Frankfort a. M., 1855), p. 54 ffol The
version cited here appears in R. Judah al-Barceloni's Perus Sefer Yesirah
(Berlin, 1885), p. 104. See also B. Levin, "Osar ha-Ge'onim W, Responsa,

; p. 17; idem, I, 20, n. 1; MS. New York - JTS 1805 (Enelow CoUection!
. 712)fol.41a.

4. Levin, 'Osar ha-Ce^onim IV, Responsa, p. 14; Scholem, Major Trends,
pp. 49-50. n. 33-35. Jellinek thinks that this reflects Sufi influence, but
he has not given any reasons for this statement. See Beitrdge, no. 22,
p. 15. See now also Idel, Kabbalah: New Perspectives, pp. 89-91.

5. Vajda, "Etudes sur Qirqisani," REJ, 106 (1941-45), p. 107, n. 2.

6. *Aruk ha-Salem, voL I, p. 14.

354 Notes to Ompter 1

7. Scholem, Jewish Gnosticism, p. 54.

8. See his commentary on Hagiggah, fol. Ub.

9. Rashi on Hasiggdh 14b. Compare the aggadah cited in Yalqiit Sim^oni
to Genesis, sec. 44.

10. MS. Cambridge Add. 643, fol. 19a; MS. Oxford 1574, fol. 34b;
MS. Vatican 431, fol. 39a. This passage is quoted in the name of Ibn
Ezra— with sUght changes— in Sefer Ketab Tamim of R. Moses Taku,
'Osar Nehmad, HI, p. 85, which matches the version found in MS.
British Library 756, fol. 170b-171a. On this work, see Dan, Esoteric
Theology, p. 143ff.

11. 'Osar Nehvmd, ID, 84. See M. Guedemann, ha-Torah iveJm-Hayyim
hi-yemey ha-Beynayim be-Sarfat uwe-'Askenaz, pp. 123-124, and Scholem,
Major Trends, pp. 102-103.

12. MS. Oxford 1812, fol. 55b. On this work, see Dan, Studies, pp.
44-57; idem, "The Ashkenazi Hassidic Gates of Wisdom," in Hommage
a Georges Vajda, (eds.) G. Nahon-Ch. Touati (Louvain, 1980), pp. 183-
189.

13 The letters of the forty-two letter name are here interpreted as
the initials of mystical Names of God. TMs is an ancient approach,
which had considerable influence on the Medieval mystics; R. Eleazar
of Worms seems to have been one of the important avenues through
which this approach made its way into Europe. On the subject gener-
aUy, see Idel, "The World of Angels," pp. 1-15.

14. The interpretation of each of the letters as a Name in itself already
appears in the Hekalot Uterahire; see, for example, Hikalot Zutarti, ed.
R Elior, p. 28. On the influence of this outiook on Abulafia, and
of his outiook on R. Moses Cordovero and on Hassidism, see Idel,
"Perceptions of ihe Kabbalah."

15. Based upon Sanhedrin, fol. 91a; see Idel, "The Concept of Torah,"
p. 28, n. 20.

16. On ttiis abbreviation as a reference to R. Eleazar, see Dan, Esoteric
Theology, pp. 118-127.

17 Ch 41. Printed by A. Jellinek in Kokbe Yislmq, 34 (1867), p. 16.
The work was composed at the beginning of the second half of the
thirteenth century.

:

i

♦i---'

The Mystical Experience in Abralmm Abulafia S55

18. A certain paraUel to the opinion of Ibn Utif appears in the words
of an anonymous author whose work was preserved in MS. Mainz-
Academie 107, fol. 98a.

And now I shall point out what the three times YHWH refers. Know
that there are two [kinds] of comprehension which one may compre-
hend of Him, may He be blessed. The first is that He exists: this
comprehension is the one spoken of when they say that we may un-
derstand God through His deeds, for it is impossible without there
being a first cause. The second is that, even though we have not yet
reached it, we are confident that in the future awesome things are to
be generated, from which we may recognize the rank [ma^aldh] of the
cause which generated them, on a level greater than that which we
know now, in what has been generated in the act of Creation. And
albeit that this comprehension is greater than the former one, the
common element of both is that through His actions one knows the
Active Agent. But these comprehensions differ in that the fonner is
an comprehension of his existence, and the latter is comprehension of
his rank. But there is yet a third [kind of] comprehension, with which
created beings are not involved at all, and this is the comprehension
of the essence, which is hidden from all beings but God alone, who
alone comprehends His essence, and none other. And these thiee
comprehensions are alluded to in the verse, "God has reigned, God
does reign, God will reign forever and ever."

The awesome deeds referred to here are evidenUy parallel to Ibn Latif's
remarks concerning tiie Divine will, on the one hand, and tiie mira-
cles and wonders performed by means of tiie supernal will, in tiie
quotation to be brought below from R. Moses of Burgos, on tiie otixer
hand.

19. For Ibn Gabirol's influence on Ibn Latif in the identification of
'will' and 'speech,' see S. O. HeUer-WUenski, "The Problem of the
Authorship of the Treatise Sa^ar Im-Samayim, ascribed to Abraham Ibn
Ezra," Tarbiz . 32 (1963), pp. 290-291, and note 74 [Hebr.]

20. See Scholem, Les Origines, p. 356.

21. MS. Oxford 1580, fol. 149a. On "Torah, Wisdom and Prophecy,"
see also below, Ch. 4, n. 34.

22. The reference is to R. Ishmael, R. Nehunyah ben ha-Kanah and R.
'Aqiba, "who are among the great ones of Israel among the authors.

356 Abulafia's Theory of Unguage

such as Pirqey Hekalot, Sefer ha-Bahir and 'Otiyot de^Rabbi 'Akibar as

Abulafia explains below, in fol. 148a.

23. "Perus'sem ben M"B Otiyot, printed by Scholem in Tarbiz, 5

(1934), p. 56 [Hebr.l

24. See the chapter devoted to this subject in Idel, Abraimm
Abulafia, p. 133 ff.

25. Sitrey Tordh, MS. Paris, BN 774, fol. 156a; Se/er ha-'6t,
pp. 80-81.

combine

26. Sitrey Torah, ibid., fol. 157b. The verbs
"be purified" are different forms of the root srf.

and

27. Mafteah Im-Ra^ayon, MS. Vatican 291, fol. 21a.

28. See the chapter on language in Idel, Abraham Abulafia.

pp.

29.

30.

31.

32.

33.

143-146.

'Osdr 'Eden Ganta, MS. Oxford 1580, fol. 161a.

MS. Jerusalem 8° 148, fol. 63b.

Liqqutey ttamis, MS. Oxford 2239, fol. 113a.

MS. Oxford 1580, fol. 70b.

Peruss Sir ha^Sirim , MS. Oxford 343, fol. 49a.

34 MS. Miinchen 408, fols. 65a-65b, also pubUshed in
Sefer ha-Peli'idh, fol. 35b. On the dialogic element in Abulafia s
mystical experience, see below, Ch. 3.

35. On Ma^asch Merkab^ah = sent be-se^n = 682, see Idel,
Abralmni Abulafia, pp. 179-181.

36 Vr ha-Sekel , MS. Vatican 233, fol. 95a, copied in Pardis
Rimrtwmm, fol. 92c, under the title S^er ha-Nimuf^ Compare,
against this, the table appearing in Ner 'Elohim, MS. Munchen

language, Torah, and Hermeneutics in Abulafia 357

10, fol. 149a-149b and 150b, which differs in a number of re-
spects from that in 'Or ha-Sekel. A specimen of the table of letter-
combinations which we have printed appears as well in Tocci,
"Techniques of Pronunciation," pp. 222-229 which he printed
from 'Or ha-Sekel; he likewise noted the source of the section in
Pardes Rimmonmi in "Or ha-SekeL For sunilar phenomena of com-
binations of vowels in ancient pagan magi, see P. C. Miller "In
Praise of Nonsense," in Classical Mediterranean Spirituality, ed. A.
H. Armstrong (New York, 1986), pp. 482-499.

37. MS. Vatican 233, fol. 97a.

38. "Eser Haivayot, MS, Munchen 43, fol. 219a, as well as
in several passages in Sefer fm-Sem. The section was copied from
the works of R. Eleazar in Minfjat Yehuddh by R. Judah Hayyat
{Ma-areket ha-Elohut, fol. 197b), and from there to Pardes Rinunonim,
fol. 92b. The expression, "the book of the structures [nm^arakdt]
of the living God" is an allusion to Ma^areket lia-Elohui, R. Moses
Cordovero substituting the author for its commentary. The first
Spanish Kabbalist to use an Ashkenazic system in his books
was R. David ben Judah he-Hasid, in Mar'ot ha-Sdbdt, p. 95. This
source was also known to R. Moses Cordovero, who mentions
him as "the author of Sefer 'Or Zarua'," wfiich, as is known, is
the work of R. David. Compare Pardes Rimmdmm, fol. 93b with
the citation given in Marmot ha-Sob^dt. R. David's contemporary,
R. Menahem Recanati, also alludes to this system in his Perus
ia-Torah, fol. 49b.

39. See chapter on language in Idel, Abrakim Abulafia, sec.
3 and note 31. Abulafia based the use of the word notariqon
upon widespread knowledge in his circle. See MS. Berlin-
Tubingen Or. 941, fol. 88a, which contains a text very similar to
part. 3 of Ginat 'Egdz, in which the word notaritjdn appears with
the vocalization of five different vowels.

40. On Exodus 3:15.

358 Abulafin's Theory of Language

41. M. Steinschneider {Hehmsche Bibliographie, voi. 21, p.
35) alludes to the possibility of the influence of ha-'Agulot ha-
Ra'ayoniyot on the technique of circles in Hayyey ha-Vldm !w-Ba\
However, it is difficult to substantiate such an assumption in
Ught of the fact that Abulafia does not at all mention ha-'Aguldt
ha-Ra'ayoniyot, despite the fact that this was a widespread work
among the Jews.

42. MS. Rome-AngeUca 38, fol. 38b; MS. Munchen 285, j

fol. 30a.

43. MS. Miinchen 285, fol. 102a.

44. MS. Miinchen 58, fol. 320a.

45. George Anawati, "Le nom supreme de Dieu," Etudes
de philasophie musulniane (Paris, 1974), pp. 404-405.

46. Extensive bibliographical material on breathing and
on the various techniques of pronunciation was gathered by
Tocci in the notes to his article, "Technique of Pronunciation."
However, his analysis of the details of Abulafia's system of
breathing is based upon a passage from Vr Im-Sekd and upon
the printed portion of Hayyey ha-Vlam }w-Ba% he was unaware of
several important discussions concerning breathing technique,
which we shall cite below, for which reason his study is incom-
plete.

47. MS. New York, JTS 1897, fol. 86b - 87a.

48. 'Abdt, 4:1.

49. These are the first and last letters of the Name of
forty-two letters.

50. Seba- Netibdt ha-hrdh, p. 25; Hayyey ha-'Oldm ha^Ba^, MS.
Oxford 1582, fol. 54b.

T

■

Language, Torah, and Hemicneutics in Abulafia 359

51. J. H. Woods, Tfte Yoga System of Patanjali (Cambridge,
Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1966), p. 193; Yoea-Sutra H
49, re,,

52. The accepted interpretation of kiimbhaka is "halting"—
an interruption in the breathing activity after one draws in air.
In one place only have I succeeded finding an interpretation
suitable to Abulafia as well: in the French translation of the
lectures of Vivekananda on the sufa-a of PatanjaUl, Jean Herbert,
the branslator, remarks that the mearung of kumbhaka is a halt
before or after the breath. The former interpretation suits the
idea of "rest" in Abulafia, but I cannot verify the reliability of
this interpretation. See S. Vivekananda, Les Yogas uractiques (Paris
1939), p. 551, note 1.

53. MS. Vatican 528, fol. 71b.

54. MS. Vatican 233, fols. 109b-110a. Copied by R. Moses
Cordovero in Pardes Rimmonmi, fol. 92c-d, as Sefcr ha-Niqqud.

55. Ibid., fols, llOa-llOb.

56. The straight ones are read as 'Akf-Yod, and the inverted
ones as Yod-Alef.

57. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 54b: "And between each letter
you are allowed to wait and to prepare yourself and breathe for
the duration of three breaths of tiie breaths of pronimciation."

M. 58. The sentence "but he is not allowed. . . . together"
' appears twice; I have eliminated the repetition.

■* 59. Mafteah ha-Sernot MS. New York, JTS 1897, fol. 87a. It is

m worth noting that, despite the difficulty in uttering letters while
breathing, such an instruction does appear among the Sufis, who
make use of a technique combining pronouncing while breatiung
and emitting air. See Anawati-Gardet, Mystique musulniane (Paris
1961), pp. 208-209.

360 Abulafia's Theory 0/ Language

60. In Sefiiotic Kabbalah, the forty-two letter Name serves
as a symbol for the attribute of Gei'Hra/i— the Sefirah of "Rigor".

61. MS. Oxford 1582, foi. 61b.

62. G' nesimot [three breaths] = 814 = nesimdh 'alwt = ha-sdtan
yamui = mastinot [one breath; Satan will die; enemies] = ha-hasdgol
be-dam ha-^adam [the comprehension in the blood of man] = sin
Met yod [the letters of Sadday written out in full) = hotam seni [the
second seal] = iiemit Iia-sedim [killed the demons] = ba-hotdm ttmsiah
[with the seal of Messiah] = mcmit lia-dam Jia-ra' [kills the bad
blood] = niemit midddh ra^ah [kills the bad attribute] = met mi-yad
yeqdrdh [dies by a dear hand]. There may be a connection between
the positive valuation of breathing as a means of strengthening
the spiritual element, and the idea of the Orphic poets, quoted
and rejected by Aristotle in De Anima, 410b, 28, that the soul is
drawn in by breathing.

63. MS. Oxford 1582, fols. 54b-55a. Y'H nesimot (18
breaths) = 824 ^ senot liayyim [years of life] - hayye nesdmot [life
of the soul] = mesanney imyut [the changers of vitality] hayut /m
nesdnidh [vitality of the soul]. Sene nehirim (two nostrils) = 678 =
^arabot = nehirc nesdmdh [nostrils of the soul] = senayim kerubim [hvo
cherubs] = seney murkabim (two compounded] = makrike ha-Sekindh
[those who force the SekinahJ. See also MS. Jerusalem 8° 1303,
fol. 55b.

64. Compare Gan Nfl'u/, MS. Miinchen 58, fol. 322a:

As it is said [Gen. 2:7], "And he breathed into their nostrils the breath
of life," and one who weighs the letters must contemplate the secret
of the recitation of the names, with the hidden breaths sealed by all
the wisdoms, and in them he shall live after death.

Compare also Nahmaiudes in his conunentary to Ecclesi-
astes, Kitbey Ramban, ed. Chavel, Jerusalem, 1963 1, 192:

And with the unique name [there are] letters created and revealed
miracles performed in the world for with His Name He spoke and

Language, Torah, and Hermetieutics in Abulafia 361

the world was, and there is no chance in his words, but through them
he splits the Sea and the Jordan.

See also note 67 below.

65. Abulafia derives the word mahak (angel) from meldkdh
(labor). See Hayyey ha-Nefes, MS. M'unchen 408, fols. 27a-b; Imre
Sefer, MS. Miinchen 40, fol. 225b, etc.

66. Maftiah ha-Semot, MS. New York, JTS 1897, fol. 87a.

67. See Idel, "The Worid of the Imaginahon," pp. 168-171.

68. The concluding poem of Hayyey ha-Vldm ha-Ba\ MS
Oxford 1582, fol. 82a.

69. Psalm 150:6.

70. Genesis Rabba , 14:9, ed. Theodor-Albeck, p. 134.

71. Mfl/^ea/i ha-Semoi, MS. New York, JTS 1897, fol 87a
Compare also 'Or lia-Sekel, MS. Vatican 233, fol. 77b.

72. Sa^ar ha-Yirdh, Ch.lQ. The section is also quoted in
Midras Jalpiydt of R. Elijah ha-Kohen, fol. 15b.

73. Deuteronomy 8:3.

74. The division of the hour into 1080 seconds, as well
as the 1080 combinations, also appears in Abulafia, but he does
not draw any connection between them in his known works, no
doubt because no connection of this type exists in actuality. See-
'K 'Adam, MS. Rome, Angelica 38, fol. 5a; Perm Sefer Yesirah, MS
Paris 774, fol. 60a; 'Osdr Gan 'Edtm, MS. Oxford 1580, fol. 40b;
and many other places. See also the introduction to 'Or Ydadr
pnnted in R. Abraham Azulai's it Or ha-Hamah (Bene Barak!
1973), m, fol. 44c sec, 73 on Bamidbar.

362 Abulafia's Vieoiy of Ungmge

75. Sa^ar Pirti ha-Semot, Chs. 1-2; as is well known, R.
Moses Cordovero was the teacher of R. Elijah de Vidas.

76. MS. Oxford 1582, fols. 54a-54b, printed by Scholem,
Abulafia, p. 23.

77. Berakot, fol. 22a.

78 MS Vatican 233, fols. llOa-llOb; Scholem, Abulafia, p-
226 See"also"j. L. BUu, The Christian Interpretation of the Cabala in
the Renaissance (NewYork, 1965), p. 69, n. 12.

79. MS. New York, JTS 1801, fob. ^f ; MS. Brih^^^^^
brary 749, fol. 12a-b, with omissions. See also N.r Bohtm, MS.
Miinchen 10, fol. I66b.

80. Psalms 141:2.

81 (Wien 1860), p- 32. In the printed version the word

tJ::'2^^^eT(J^oi MelBe, an idea which ap,^
"of Gerona, ax.d afterwards by R. Joseph of Hamadaa

82. See Ibn Ezra's commentary to Exodus 3:15, which b
also cited in the section on ciides, below, Ch. 3.

83. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 52a.

84. m.. foL 57b-58a. On the """""""".^^.l^
one's eyes and the use of mystical technique, see Idel, miod^u,
as Concentration," Studies, essay VH, Appendix A.

8.S Printed by G. Scholem, from the commaiUry of R
loseph AshSto L«». B^Htt. in his ardcle ''The Tme Au*«

Ke Commentary to ^. ^^^^ ^^l^%,\^^'^ t
his Works," Qiryal Sefer , 4 (1927-28), p. ^^^ t^^

1

language, Torali, and Hermeneutics in Abulafia 363

Schoiem's remarks, ibid., n. 2; Hallamish, Kabbalistic Commmtaru,
p. 223.

86. Sefer Yesirdh 1:9.

87. Compare Genesis Rabbah, 17:5, ed. Theodor-Albeck, p.
156.

88. The problem of the contemplation of colors and lights
in Kabbalah shall be discussed in a separate work, in which
I will analyze this passage from R. Joseph from other aspects.
Abulafia does not mention colors at all in his works, while else-
where, in the epistle m-Zot li-Yehudah, p. 16, Abulafia criticizes
the contemplation of lights as being of a lower type of Kabbalah
than that which he advocates.

89.

235.

Ed. Goldreich, p. 217; see also GotiJeib, Studies, p.

90. Deuteronomy 11:22.

91. Deut 10:20.

92. Deut. 4:4.

93. Ed. Goldreich, p. 89.

94. MS. Paris, Seminaire Israelite de France 108, fol. 95a,
and compare MS. Oxford 1943 British Library 768, fols. 190b-
191a, and ibid., 77\/l. MS. Paris 108 contains sections from botii
Me'irat "Einayim (see fol. 92a), and an anonymous work of Abu-
lafia (fol. 82a-89a). The forming of the letters of tiie Name with
colors, while connecting matter to Sefirot, appears as well in MS.
Sasson 919, p. 229, which also includes material from the circle
of R. Isaac of Acre.

95. There is no doubt that R. Isaac of Acre's remarks
were influenced by Maimonides' understanding of providence in

364 Abulafia's Theory of Language

Guide, in:51, albeit his inteUectual approach was given a magical
significance.

96. The circle used by Abulafia in his technique turns
afterwards into a subject revealed in his vision.

97. H. Corbin, Creative Imagination in the Sufism of Ibn Arabi
(London, 1970), p. 234, n. 41-42.

98. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 62a.

99. Ibid., fol. 63a-b.

100. Ibtd., fol. 12b.

101. Abulafia, p. 170.

102. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 12b.

103. See G. Ben-Ami Zarfati, "Introduction to Baraita de-
Mazalot" [Hebrl, Bar Ilan; Sefer ha-Sdmh, 3 (1968), p. 67 and note
34. This division appears in many places in medieval literature;
see Wertheimer's Bdtey Midrdsot, n, p. 26, and the comments of
Abraham Epstein, Mi-Qadmoniyot im-Yehudim Qerusalem, 1957), p.
82. Abulafia himself also used this distinction in his anonymous
work in MS. Sasson 290, p. 235, and in Vsar 'Eden Ganuz, MS. Ox-
ford 1580, fol. 81a. It is worth noting that the concept of "forms"
isurot), which appears in the section quoted from Hayyey ha-Vlam
ha-Ba>, means "constellations"; see I. Efrat, lewish Philosophy in the
Middle Ages, 11, p. 93-94 [Hebr.j

104. MS. Oxford 1582, fol 61a.

105. Idel, Abraham Abulafia, p. 131.

106. Published by Scholem in Qiryat Sefer, 22 (1945), p.

161.

107. Ibid., p. 165.

Language, Torah, and Hermeneutics in Abulafia 365

108. Berdkot, fol. 55a.

109. Sanhedrin, fol. 65b.

110. 'Or ha-Sekel, MS. Vatican 233, fol. 109a.

111. Hayyey ha-Vldm ha-Ba', MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 51b; Sc-
holem, Abulafia, p. 210. English translaHon taken from Scholem,
Major Trends, pp. 136-137. From this text, Ch. G. Nauert, Agrippa
and the Crisis of Renaissance Thought (Urbana, 111., 1965), p. 289, n.
7, concludes that there may have been some connection between
Abulafia and Agrippa, although at present there is no evidence
to support such an opinion. Compare the words brought in the
name of R. Elijah of London, quoted below in n. 129.

112. MS. New York, JTS 1801, fol. 9a; MS. BriHsh Library
749, fol. 12b. ^

113. MS. Jerusalem 8° 148, fols. 71b-72a. This is the source
for the description in Sulldm ha-'Aliydh of R. Judah al-Botini; See
Scholem, Kabbalislic Manuscripts, pp. 226-227. The language is
more sinular to Sa^arey Scdeq than to Hayyey ha-Vldm ha-Bw, as
thought by Scholem, ibid., n. 5, even though Abulafia's book
greatly influenced the quotation from Sulldm Im-Aliydh.

114. Hayyey ha-Oldm ha-Ba', MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 51b;
Scholem, Abulafia, p. 210; and Sefer Sulldm ha-'Aliydh, printed in
his Kabbalistic Manuscripts, p. 227. The motif of the "white gar-
ments" appears in a number of texts connected with the recita-
tion of the Divine Name. The recitation of the Ineffable Name
is described in a work entitled Simus Rison k-girsat ha-Sefdrim Im-
Hisoniim, MS. Bologna, University No. 2914, fol. 55a. Among the
actions which precede this recitation are immersion in a ritual
bath, fasting, and wearing white clothes. See also the ceremony
of creating the golem in the section quoted by Scholem, On the
Kabbalah, p. 185. Compare his words quoted in the name of R
Elijah of Londres (London) in MS. Sasson 290, p. 381:

366 Abulafia's Theory of Language

When you wish....to make your question, him your heart from ail
other involvements, and unify your intentions and your thoughts to
enter Pardes. Sit alone in awe, wrapped in tallit and with tefillin
on your head, and begin [to recite) 'Miktam le-Dawid' [Ps. 16], the
entire psalm....and read them with their melodies.

115. Vr ha-Sekel , MS. Vatican 233, fol. 109a.

116. HayyCy lui-Vldm fia-Ba', MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 52a;
Scholem, Kabbalistic Manuscripts, p. 227.

117. M. Bowers - S. Glasner, "Autohypnotic Aspects of
the Kabbalistic Concept of Kavanah," journal of Clinical and Ex-
perimental Hijpiosis, 6 (1958), pp. 3-23. The authors rely almost
exclusively upon the material appearing in G. Scholem on Abu-
lafia and his disciples, and also analyze phenomena pertaining
to the Hekalol literature and to M. H. Luzzatto. It should be noted
that the assumption that the ecstatic situation of the "descenders
to the Merkdbdh" is the result of self-hypnosis already appears in
the article by Yitzhak Heinemann, "Die Sektenfrommigkeit der
Therapeuten," MGWJ, 78 (1934), p. 110, n. I.

118. On the sensation of heat among various mysrics, see
C. Rowland, "The Visions of God in Apocalyptic Literature,"
journal for the Study of Judaism, 10 (1979), p. 141, and n. 10.

119. Hayyey ha-Vldm ha-Ba', MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 52a.

120. MS. Paris - BN 680, fol. 293a.

121. MS. Jerusalem 8° 148, fol. 73a.

122. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 53a.

123. Song of Songs 5:10.

124. Ibid., V. 2.

125. M. Laski, Ecstasy, (New York, 1968), pp. 47 ff.

'ii

Language, Torah, and Hermeneutics in Abulafia 367

126. See above, n. 117.

127. Hayyey ha-Vldm ha-Ba>. MS. Oxford 1582, fol. 52a.

128. Sanhednn, fol. 90b.

129. Compare the things attributed to R. Elijah of London
(see above, note 114), who writes, after what is cited there;

Thereafter he should bow on his knees with his face to the east and
say as follows.... and thiidc of the Name which is written before him,
but not utter it with his lips....and the Name of four letters, which
is divided on the perfection of the vocalization into 38 sections, and
they are not to be pronounced, but he is only to direct his thoughts
to them. (MS. Sasson 290, p. 381).

And compare to MS. Sasson 919, p. 210:

I, R. Isaac of Acre, felt in myself a great longing to gaze
at the milui [i.e., the plene writing of each letter] of the Ineffable
Name in all its ways, for I already knew that the ways of heh
and waw four and four, thtis, h ha hh hy w luw waw wyw. But the
first one has only one milui, thus, ywd. But now guard yourself
and guard your soul lest you read the letters hhwyh, and do not
read them, for whoever pronounces the Name by its letters as
they are written has no portion in the World to Come. See this
and ask your soul, but contemplate them.

See also below, Ch. 3, pp. 304-305.

130. R. Fulop-Miller, The Mind and Face of Bolshevism (Lon-
don, New York, 1927), pp. 258-260. The author, who points out
the origins of this movement in Mt. Athos in Greece, and sees
a continuation thereof in hesychasm, which is likewise based
upon the recitation of the name of Jesus, claims (p. 260) that the
source of his approach lies in "Jewish Kabbalah," but there is no
proof for such a connection.

131. Scholem, Major Trends, p. 145.