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Date Posted: 20:43:32 11/18/02 Mon
Author: DJ
Author Host/IP: dial-216-198-101-171.mokancomm.net / 216.198.101.171
Subject: Re: Merkavah Mysticism
In reply to: schwabra 's message, "Merkavah Mysticism" on 17:52:24 11/18/02 Mon

snip

Initially the Kabbalah was a metaphysical teaching, a discussion of the essential truths behind the sacred texts of the Torah. (Book of Instruction) imparted orally from rabbi to pupil. A living tradition, it has been reinterpreted for successive generations, the Tree being a diagram that can be applied to explain the attributes of every aspect of Creation.

For the kabbalist, God is not the severe law-giver of the Old Testament but the Absolute who drew back, so that the four worlds of Emanation, Creation, Formation and Action could come into existence, so that he might perceive Himself. OK now...it says.... According to kabbalistic teaching, in withdrawing to create a void the Absolute caused light to stream forth at 10 different levels known as sefirot. These emanations represent the 10 attributes of the Divine and are governed by the three pillars which maintain balance between them. (kind of confusing to imagine)... They are the guiding principle for those who wish to realize their true self and manifest the Divine on Earth.

The Key to the Kabbalah is "balance" of what are in essence complimentary Attributes. Imbalance in the individual can express itself in abnormal behavioral traits or in physical illness: On a wider scale, it can manifest in social disorder and even conflicts between nations. Recognizing the causes of imbalance in oneself is one aspect of the work of the Kabbalist.

The Sefer ha Zohar (The Book of Splendour) and the Sefer ha Yetzirah (The Book of All Creation) are the cornerstones of kabbalistic literature. Together with the Sefer ha Torah - The core text of the Old Testament - they can be studied not only as books of wisdom but also as books of instruction, promising the adept direct experience of the higher worlds.

Occultists would add the Tarot cards to the list of Kabbalistic texts, for they consider the 22 cards of the Greater Arcana to be pictorial representations of the 22 paths connecting the sefirot on the Tree of Life.

A little on The Book Of Creation ~
The discovery of the Serer ha Yetzirah between the 2nd and 4th centuries CE marked the break between the ancient mystical tradition known as the Work of the Chariot (Merkava) and the birth of the scholarly approach which characterizes the classical Kabbalah. The principles represented by the sefirotic system were first set down in this anonymous work, which described the 10 spheres as being linked by 22 paths, each one corresponding to a letter in the Hebrew alphabet. From this point on, the mystical significance of numbers and letters was held to be the key to the Mysteries. the 13th century Kabbalist Abraham Abulafia (1240-92) held that any man who could decipher the key would no longer need to believe in a Messiah because he could become his own Savior.


http://www.paganspath.com/meta/kabala.htm

Very interesting, Thanks Schwra.....

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