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I always found it fascinating and coincidental that Ain Soph sounds so similar to how we Taoists contemplate about the Tao. That of their being an Unseen Tao that is infinitely vaster and more complex then the lesser/shadow that is represented.
I just want to express my biggest appreciation for your efforts and the content you put out. What you do is incredibly important for the preservation and clarification of teachings that are mostly marginalized by modern forms of scholarship. Because it seems that you treat them with the same respect and reverence as conventional curricula. Personally speaking, it helps me further my understanding enormously. There are few sources that convey this type of knowledge in such a concise and condensed manner, let alone free of charge. Thank you for your service!
There is significant similarities between Ibn Arabis Ard Al-Hashr(from his book Futihat Al-Makiyah) and the structure of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, and what’s remarkable is that both individuals lived in the same time, and the locations which they lived in (Isaac the Blind being Southern French and Ibn Arabi being an inhabitant of Spain) were not geographically very distant or culturally separated from each other. Suppose there should be some research done in that area.
@@tantramantra1, thanks for the hint of, it's quite valuable I've checked it out already, I guess you also know it is the plan used by the architects of the Taj-Mahal and gardens with the building on top, at the place of the Throne of God. Have a good time pal and greetings from Mexico City.
Im a practicing Muslim and appreciate knowledge especially religious studies even if it somewhat controversial to my belief. I use it to strengthen my faith. Thanks for the vid!
I love your work. Just binged a lot of your vids last night. I am hooked. This is just what I needed and you present them with such candor. I appreciate what you do. Thank you!
There is a strange irony that the Sefirot is one of those images that instantly bring to mind occult magic and sorcery, yet the ancient Hebrews whom invented it equally bring to mind a kind of pious opposition to magic and sorcery. Just shows how shallow pop culture really is.
They are mystics, which is just another word for having a magical practice. Pop culture is shallow, but I know a lot of spiritual practitioners, including elders, that practice ‘magic’ or mystical states of consciousness with sincerity, and have been doing so for over 50 years. It is also important that things become accessible. When I hear about these mystics I am grateful for their work, grateful for those that wrote it down, and that I was able to find lineages of people still practicing this kind of ‘magic’. Abrahamic esotericism, and Christian esotericism is alive and well because of these practitioners spoken of in this video. I get as frustrated as the next person with pop culture, but at the same time I know I have to have compassion because they are only working with what they have access to.
@@spocksmustachemcgee2987 I completely agree. I have found amazing practitioners, who are elders and have practiced for ages, some of us in our forties have spoken with them, and a few have agreed to let us record them, and they agree that their linages of magical practice need to become accessible, not all of it of course, but some of it. I hope to begin to share some of it in the next five years.
@N RJ No idea what you are referring to. All peoples have similar stories that come through their mystical practices, through whatever name they call that which speaks to them, whether it be ‘god’ or not. There is so much cross information from culture to culture, which is evidence that in many cases, people are generally not inventing, but hearing and seeing visions from beings in other layers of consciousness. No one said anyone is inventing anything. There is much evidence to go against the idea that mystical-states of consciousness are only sheer fantasy. If you think that only the mystics you agree with are correct, than you are missing out on the threads of wisdom that flow through all the practices, across the whole earth.
@N RJ Now that I know you are a fundamentalist there is no need to continue talking. Fundamentalism is poison, it is a conceptual disease millions carry.
This was so much fun and delightful to watch. It's a pleasure to learn from you Justin. Thank you for these first rate expositions on these rather obscure topics. Much love, Zevi
You are amazing man TY. You never disappoint. What you're explaining about Issac The Blind and his sons writings on the unfoldment of Genesis as opposed to a story of creation is monumental. 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙏
Hello, could you please help me to find this great image of Azriel of Gerona Tree of Life that you show in 14:04 ? Thank you very much for your help Sir!
Recently discovered your page and noticed similarities between kaballah and Filipino amulet culture. We were colonized by Spain in the 1600s and it might have been brought here by then. Our amulet culture is a syncretic of kaballah, alchemy, Christianity, and local animism.
www.arkipelagobooks.com/products/you-shall-be-gods This is the best introduction to our amulet culture. The belief is still active today with many adherents. There are dozens of books on magic. Most of them works in tandem with a specific amulet. Try searching for Atardar and Infinito Dios, these are the common amulets or anting-anting in the Filipino language.
The eternal tree is a tour of all things. Up and down. And when all layered on top of each other becomes a solid sphere. Interwoven interdimensionally.
As I’m new to this subject, for the moment at least - I find some parts of this discussion difficult to follow. However, that is in no way a critique on the video but a personal reflection on myself in requiring to be more learned and informed on the topic. This is indeed a fascinating subject so thank you.
Excellent synopsis of the origins of the Tree of the Sephiroth as it developed especially amongst the early Provençal and Geronese Kabbalists. I was unaware of The Early Kabbalah by Joseph Dan and Moshe Idel, so it is now on my Amazon to-buy list, although Gershom Scholem’s classic Origins of the Kabbalah has been one of my go-to textbooks for decades now. One of the images you demonstrated from Pardes Rimmonim by the RaMaK, dated between 1652-1654 c.e. is particularly interesting to me. It seems that the earliest depiction of this Tree of the Sephiroth, besides earlier descriptions of it alone, is the one depicted in the Latin translation of Shaarei Orah by Rabbi Abraham Gikatilla, entitled as Porta Lucis, and dated to 1516 c.e. Dr. Gershom Scholem in Kabbalah (Basic Ideas), pg. 119 claimed that these אילנות depictions began in the 13th century c.e., and were formalized between the 15th-16th centuries c.e., although I am personally unaware of any actual depiction prior to 1516 c.e. If I am wrong, please correct me. Nonetheless, Dr. Gershon Scholem clearly stated that the Sepher Bahir contains an undeniable Gnostic influence (Origins of the Kabbalah, pg. 197), where he also claims that the earlier theory, that the Sepher Bahir originated in Provence, is now proven untenable, although it seems that it may have been redacted by the school of the RaBaD. If this Gnostic influence is indeed true, and it seems rather probable, although to what extent, lesser or greater, is still probably debatable - personally, I think that Dr. Elliot R. Wolfson’s theory for an early Jewish-Christian Gnostic influence for the Sepher Bahir is probable but not certain (Along the Path, pp. 67-69) - then this depiction of the Tree of the Sephiroth as depicted in Pardes Rimmonim, the one with the Hebrew letters צ and מ with the ten Sephiroth stacked atop of each other, seems very reminiscent of the so-called Ophite diagram mentioned in Contra Celsum. I refer to its original description as allegedly quoted from Celsus, and admittedly the version that Origen highly disputed, based upon his own identification of it with a diagram he allegedly examined from the Ophites. Of course, this is the only source of this diagram and its alleged citation by Celsus, Origen’s comments are highly critical of it, we do not know if it is even the same alleged Ophite diagram, and therefore it is a source we should handle with deep skepticism, and furthermore, we do not have an actual copy of it, but rather only hypothetical reconstructions of it by modern scholars. Yet, I would argue that the version of it attributed to Celsus seems rather simple to reconstruct, in comparison to the more complex version of it allegedly seen by Origin himself, and attributed to the Ophite sect. But, if indeed authentic, I would argue some interesting similarities to the later Tree of the Sephiroth, at least this particular version of it from Pardes Rimmonim, and especially if it derived from the Ophite sect which might be designated as being Gnostic. For instance, 6:25 states that this διαγραφή (diagram) consisted of κύκλων δέκα (ten circles) that were απολελυμενων μεν απ αλλήλων (distinct from one another, or stacked upon each other?), being enclosed within the circle of Λευιαθαν (Leviathan), seemingly like Ourobos eating its own tail? It seems like a possible origination to me, although admittedly speculative, yet within the realm of speculation upon which Dr. Gershom and Dr. Wolfson have already tread before me.
For clarification, I do not claim any inerrancy in my Greek translations cited above. In Junior High School, I took one semester of Introduction to Latin and also one year of Basic Latin. In Bible College, I took one semester of Introduction to Hebrew, one year of Basic Hebrew, and one year of Intermediate Hebrew. Furthermore, at Bible college, I was privately tutored for one semester in Basic Aramaic and some aspects of Modern Hebrew and Advanced Hebrew, particularly in the Hebrew accents. As for Greek, I was also privately tutored at Bible college in Basic Koine Greek for one semester. I might add, I also taught myself Basic Egyptian hieroglyphs in High School so that I could translate and construct for myself the Crowleyanite stele of revealing; the inspiration for Liber al vel Legis, the same summer that I did my internship with the Marvel Comics Group, being a bit of an artist, although I usually use my talent to construct ritual magic regalia, especially of the Solomonic type for Goetia. If you Google my nickname, along with Baphomet and Lucien Greaves, you may find some images of the Baphomet I made and shared with Lucien Greaves of The Satanic Temple, along with me performing a destruction ritual from the Satanic Bible, with some of my Rosicrucian or Goetia implements, in regard to our former President.
As a long time SMT fan, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying your videos on subjects such as demonology and esotericism. I’m pretty sure this specific video will boom once a certain a game is released which heavily uses Kabbalah references.
A certain game is released which heavily uses Kabbalah references, eh? It's been around for a fair few years now, but Lobotomy Corp. and its sequel, Library of Ruina heavily reference the Kabbalah. It ain't no SMT game, but it's world, crafted in such a grim yet beautiful way by developer ProjectMoon, is definitely comparable to the post-apocalyptic settings of SMT, although, somewhat more upfront with its gore and horror. Its devs are quite nice, and very passionate about their games, I do hope more people check them out~
Excellence, as always. Dr. Sledge, I am watching your playlist on Hermeticism/Alchemy and was wondering your thoughts on the disconnect from the Divine when Man developed the mass production of metals. I admit that I am a novice to this field so am unaware if this idea is like the kitchen sink. If you ever have a spare moment, I would love to know your thoughts on this. Thank you so much for doing these wonderful videos.
This rules. I need a freaking crash course in Hebrew badly. I wanna be a weird insane servant of God and this stuff feels like the right path, but I'm daunted by how much I'd need to learn just so I could "begin" properly here.
@@samisiddiqi5411 I've taken a semester of Arabic i largely dont remember. Conceptually abjads are a hurdle; as is learning new number systems and such. I can concieve of how to learn it right now but it would be some work; no mere walk in the park. I think it's worth it though so yeah
I understand this is an academic channel, and for that very reason I love using it to further my own understanding of various abrahamic texts. Please bare that in mind while I, with zero to no segway whatsoever, say that I think the depth of your knowledge and the way you explain things is super hot 😅❤😂 I've nothing to repay your service to the world but that simple truth. Ps try to not edit your videos too much. Let it flow bro. You provide some of my favorite pieces explaining these ancient texts. Grasapable, professional, enlightening and unbiased unless accompanied by a heads up. I dig it ❤
It’s amazing how that image, with origins in mystic Jewish communities, is now part of almost every Western esoteric and occult movement. There’s just something so universal about that symbol…
though much more modern, I would like a comment on a person you displayed in the book tag at the end, Aryeh Kaplan. His work on most of the literature involved is rather clear, and heavily indexed and footnoted. I need to get a new copy of his sepher yitzirah as well as the bahir pictured that brought this up.
Hello Dr.Sledge and by the way that last name is the shizzy lol with all respect.Just wanted to express my appreciation for your work and timeI been following your work now for about three years always had an interest in Alchemy and chemistry I'm what you call a cornfield chemist lol from the rural parts of Missouri but always had an interest in the arts but never casted I was raised Christian and was told all Magick growing up was satanic or evil so out of fear never did though I have a strong back ground in what I think is metaphysics just comes naturally.Thanks again J ditty if your ever in Saint Louis hit me up for that Bevo homie Shalom brother peace ✌️
Thanks so much, I didn't know of "The Early Kabbalah" book. Long time student of magick here still loving the modern comparative approach. I agree the Tree of Life is at root 1-10 number philosophy. I have my own Yijing correlations to it: 0 is Dao, 1 is De, 2 is the taiji symbol (a mid-state unity), and 3 is the all yang trigram ending in the all yin trigram as 10. So, 1 and 2 are still in the center of the circle but 3-10 are the eight directional trigrams/sephiroth: the Fu Xi Tree of Life! This means 3-6 = male and 7-10 = female, a fresh new take. The trigrams fit in with the sephiroth symbolism pretty well but Binah = Saturn = the all male trigram is a bit off though (but just as much as Saturn = male god = Binah). By the way, I correlate the cakras to the Tree of Life by simple number: 1 is Kether/Sahasrara to 7 = Netzach/Muladhara. 7 is the first yin part, which is right when the body divides you see just like its two broken lines. 8 is the knees/elbows, 9 is the ankles/wrists, and 10 is the toes/fingers! Anyway, I am at present not sure the Binah = Female and Chokmah = Male symbolism is ideal, so a study of when all the historical symbolism developed is really what I am looking for. My above Fu Xi Tree I think is the true directional attributions of the sephiroth that the Sepher Yetzirah was attempting, it's pretty cool. The Chinese only had discovered 5 planets so they couldn't correlate the 8 trigrams to them. Do you know who the genius was that correlated the 7 planets to the numbers 3-9 and thus the magical squares? That is really the backbone of the Tree of Life: 1-2 being of the Center and Spirit. (10 is planetary earth by the way as the all yin trigram).
@ESOTERICA well done video. FYI Tsaddiq and Yesod are not mutually exclusive, these two words are part of one and the same epithet: צַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם (tsaddiq yesod olam), Righteous One, Foundation of the World (Proverbs 10:25).
Excellent video. Thank you. I get the impression, though, that you use the word "metaphysical" in different senses. Could you explain what you exactly mean by it?
New age gurus: aaaaah yeeees kaabballaahhh shiny bubbles and lines!! Also you can put the tarot cards on the hebrew letter lines!! So spiritual!!! Justin Sledge: confused and impatient stare
I had that ....time...where i was a double week-end saddhu/guru/Rinpoche/Rabbi/Crowleyite/ with a dash of feynman - it lasted 2 weeks- then ended - now i just listen and learn
I find the number of likes for this comment concerning, people watch lectures like this because they’re interested in educating themselves further on a particular topic and possibly branching out into related areas of study, is it really necessary making others doubt the methodology put toward their personal progress just to be noticed by Dr. Senpai?
@@alexzamora6386 Look Alex i've spent years dredging around the new age and occultist web spaces, and most of times they are insufferably cringe, with a mixture of complete disregard for methodology, basing in rumorology, a holier than thou attitude, schizo vibes in many cases and simply very not professional. Major culprit of this can be seen in the youtube channel spirit science for example, who thinks that just because they repeat the word Love a thousand times and try to talk super cheerfully that enables them to propagate unfounded stuff without explanation. We see that ancient jews regarded kabbalah as a very abstract and complex set of interlocking principles, and comparing this superbly intellectual attitude with the shabby and incoherent enunciations that contemporary spiritual culture goes around flinging... its pretty disheartening
“Some are dinning in our ears that we Americans, and moderns generally, are intellectual dwarfs compared with the ancients, or even the Elizabethan men. But what is that to the purpose? A living dog is better than a dead lion.” -Henry David Thoreau
The Creation of a physical universe of limited things is paradoxical from the Abrahamic logic that God/Ain Soph is the limitless essence of all things, but is also justified by divine omnipotence. The Sephirot is God's ten-step process to do the impossible: to make the undefined become defined, and transmute infinite into one, and one into many.
I love this channel its so interesting! Could you please also explain the meaning behind your youtube channel's logo? It looks like a hand clenching something.
It's a Maya glyph of a hand grasping a fish with the phonetic value being "Tzak," meaning "to conjure a mystical vision." The hand grasping the fish is also keen, the slippery fish isn't easily held so the grasp is always-already slipping away pointing to the concrete (grasping) and the illusive (the slipping away) aspect of mystical experiences.
Thank you, I have been looking for this information for years! The nested tree in particular was really nice to see. I also appreciate the understanding that the creation myth was moved back to represent pre-cosmic becoming. I understand that you are doing ancient text, do you think you will talk about the Tree of Life and it’s connection with the Catholic Church in the future and more recent esotericism like the Golden Dawn? If you know, are there anymore older references to the nested Tree of Life?
You, good sir are a brilliant esotericist and I salute you. What is your opinion of the "goings on" at the Hathor temple(manufactorum rather) at Serabit el-Khadim? What is your understanding of the MFKZT? Nonsense pop culture aside.
Justin or whomever is informed on the subject, Do you believe the Sephiroth and Qlipoth can have a possible connection in being a visual diagram and part of a "how to" system of mapping out consciousness in waking (Sephiroth) and in sleeping (Qlipoth) in how the spirit or mental body operates, interacts, and activates the soul or vital body while awaking (sephiroth) or while going into a sleep state (qlipoth) and are these somehow connected to our brain wave activity as in Alpha, beta, delta, gamma, and theta states of awareness (the spheres or shells) in consciously controlling the vital energies therein. I realize that its dualistic and has connections to good and evil but its something I have to ask.
May I ask something - there is an ancient jewish proverb: " An unexamined dream is like an unopened letter." Did you ever make a video on that topic? My significant other is having astounding dreams and I would love to learn as much as possible about deciphering them.
I am not sure if you have covered this topic or you don't make videos on it, but can you make one on Vishnu? I read somewhere he is very similar to Sumerian god Enlil.
Each Sephorith starting with 2 in Yesod going to 9 in Cokmah are symbolic each representing a degree. If your sun sign is on the degree and you know how to perform the ritual, you seal that Sephorith. If you seal all 7 planet's in one Age Saturn will liberate you.
Could 'blind' have a symbolical implication, in the sense that we have to shut off the incoming physical impulses - to first starve Kellipoth to near - death?
Amazing. The only thing I disagree with is that Ein Soph cant be known. It can be, but not through language, rather, only experientially, for any statements about it inherently leave out the opposite of its qualia, for it is simultaneously everything and nothing.
Has anybody told you that it would be interesting to see a comparison of ancient philosophy and texts and ideology with cryptids paranormal and supernatural accounts like identifying the names of demons in ancient texts and applying it to maybe the demons that for example Ed and Lorraine Warren encountered?
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ua-cam.com/video/eyzWz8mpMM8/v-deo.html
I always found it fascinating and coincidental that Ain Soph sounds so similar to how we Taoists contemplate about the Tao. That of their being an Unseen Tao that is infinitely vaster and more complex then the lesser/shadow that is represented.
Thank you for this lecture.
Glad it was helpful!
U wecom:3 ^_^
I just want to express my biggest appreciation for your efforts and the content you put out. What you do is incredibly important for the preservation and clarification of teachings that are mostly marginalized by modern forms of scholarship. Because it seems that you treat them with the same respect and reverence as conventional curricula. Personally speaking, it helps me further my understanding enormously. There are few sources that convey this type of knowledge in such a concise and condensed manner, let alone free of charge. Thank you for your service!
Another banger of a video. You are so freaking funny- i expected to learn, but am always tickled by how many involuntary chortles i blurt out.
There is significant similarities between Ibn Arabis Ard Al-Hashr(from his book Futihat Al-Makiyah) and the structure of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life, and what’s remarkable is that both individuals lived in the same time, and the locations which they lived in (Isaac the Blind being Southern French and Ibn Arabi being an inhabitant of Spain) were not geographically very distant or culturally separated from each other. Suppose there should be some research done in that area.
See the plain of assembly (ard al-hashr) diagram at the Meccan Illuminations section of the wikipedia entry for Ibn Arabi.
I've noticed this
@@tantramantra1, thanks for the hint of, it's quite valuable I've checked it out already, I guess you also know it is the plan used by the architects of the Taj-Mahal and gardens with the building on top, at the place of the Throne of God. Have a good time pal and greetings from Mexico City.
Im a practicing Muslim and appreciate knowledge especially religious studies even if it somewhat controversial to my belief. I use it to strengthen my faith. Thanks for the vid!
Good for you! Usually a kind comment by a Muslim is followed by demonic comments. Yay! We're clear.
It will never cease to amaze me how scholars can read the biblical texts (Torah) and continuously find new interpretations to extrapolate on.
As a Chabadnik I really enjoy these videos. BH for your content!
So very grateful for your channel, just added all of your book recommendations to my list
Loved "turns out it's trees all the way the down".
I love watching your videos before going to work!
I love your work. Just binged a lot of your vids last night. I am hooked. This is just what I needed and you present them with such candor. I appreciate what you do. Thank you!
amazing. And as always, I am forever entranced by the beauty of kabbalistic illuminations.
There is a strange irony that the Sefirot is one of those images that instantly bring to mind occult magic and sorcery, yet the ancient Hebrews whom invented it equally bring to mind a kind of pious opposition to magic and sorcery. Just shows how shallow pop culture really is.
Maybe because the path was so tedious and arduous, that it became necessary over time to develop some easier spiritual access to the divine.
They are mystics, which is just another word for having a magical practice. Pop culture is shallow, but I know a lot of spiritual practitioners, including elders, that practice ‘magic’ or mystical states of consciousness with sincerity, and have been doing so for over 50 years. It is also important that things become accessible. When I hear about these mystics I am grateful for their work, grateful for those that wrote it down, and that I was able to find lineages of people still practicing this kind of ‘magic’. Abrahamic esotericism, and Christian esotericism is alive and well because of these practitioners spoken of in this video. I get as frustrated as the next person with pop culture, but at the same time I know I have to have compassion because they are only working with what they have access to.
@@spocksmustachemcgee2987 I completely agree. I have found amazing practitioners, who are elders and have practiced for ages, some of us in our forties have spoken with them, and a few have agreed to let us record them, and they agree that their linages of magical practice need to become accessible, not all of it of course, but some of it. I hope to begin to share some of it in the next five years.
@N RJ No idea what you are referring to. All peoples have similar stories that come through their mystical practices, through whatever name they call that which speaks to them, whether it be ‘god’ or not. There is so much cross information from culture to culture, which is evidence that in many cases, people are generally not inventing, but hearing and seeing visions from beings in other layers of consciousness. No one said anyone is inventing anything. There is much evidence to go against the idea that mystical-states of consciousness are only sheer fantasy. If you think that only the mystics you agree with are correct, than you are missing out on the threads of wisdom that flow through all the practices, across the whole earth.
@N RJ Now that I know you are a fundamentalist there is no need to continue talking. Fundamentalism is poison, it is a conceptual disease millions carry.
This was so much fun and delightful to watch. It's a pleasure to learn from you Justin. Thank you for these first rate expositions on these rather obscure topics. Much love,
Zevi
Shalom Zevi! ☄️
Thank the Divine Emanation it's Friday!
Great video on the origins of the tree of life. I am just now reading Tzahi Weiss' book of the Sefer Yesirah. This is tying in nicely!!
You are amazing man TY. You never disappoint. What you're explaining about Issac The Blind and his sons writings on the unfoldment of Genesis as opposed to a story of creation is monumental. 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙏
you are one of the very few teachers of this knowledge awesome to watch your work I like how you present it also great job
Amazing work Dr!
Keep Dazzling Us! Grateful!🤩
Awesome video as always! Specially interesting due to the fame of the Sephirot
Absorbing, as always... 🙏
What a great video as always
This was absolutely fascinating! I'll go order "the early Kabbalah" now! Thank you so much.
Hello, could you please help me to find this great image of Azriel of Gerona Tree of Life that you show in 14:04 ? Thank you very much for your help Sir!
So good! Definitely ordered the Early Kabbalah book! This episode was super helpful, thank you!
Pound per pound one of the best collection of kabbalistic texts and very affordable - I think you will find it fascinating!
@@TheEsotericaChannel thank you for the recommendation!
Recently discovered your page and noticed similarities between kaballah and Filipino amulet culture. We were colonized by Spain in the 1600s and it might have been brought here by then. Our amulet culture is a syncretic of kaballah, alchemy, Christianity, and local animism.
This is really neat - I don't really know anything about Filipino esotericism so thanks for sharing your insights.
Filipino amulet culture? Any ressources to explore more on that topic?
www.arkipelagobooks.com/products/you-shall-be-gods
This is the best introduction to our amulet culture. The belief is still active today with many adherents. There are dozens of books on magic. Most of them works in tandem with a specific amulet. Try searching for Atardar and Infinito Dios, these are the common amulets or anting-anting in the Filipino language.
@@kadiserafica Thanks a lot! Will do the research.
The eternal tree is a tour of all things. Up and down. And when all layered on top of each other becomes a solid sphere. Interwoven interdimensionally.
Thank you for this lecture sir
Thank you for teaching the humans.🙌❤
As I’m new to this subject, for the moment at least - I find some parts of this discussion difficult to follow. However, that is in no way a critique on the video but a personal reflection on myself in requiring to be more learned and informed on the topic. This is indeed a fascinating subject so thank you.
Excellent synopsis of the origins of the Tree of the Sephiroth as it developed especially amongst the early Provençal and Geronese Kabbalists. I was unaware of The Early Kabbalah by Joseph Dan and Moshe Idel, so it is now on my Amazon to-buy list, although Gershom Scholem’s classic Origins of the Kabbalah has been one of my go-to textbooks for decades now.
One of the images you demonstrated from Pardes Rimmonim by the RaMaK, dated between 1652-1654 c.e. is particularly interesting to me.
It seems that the earliest depiction of this Tree of the Sephiroth, besides earlier descriptions of it alone, is the one depicted in the Latin translation of Shaarei Orah by Rabbi Abraham Gikatilla, entitled as Porta Lucis, and dated to 1516 c.e.
Dr. Gershom Scholem in Kabbalah (Basic Ideas), pg. 119 claimed that these אילנות depictions began in the 13th century c.e., and were formalized between the 15th-16th centuries c.e., although I am personally unaware of any actual depiction prior to 1516 c.e. If I am wrong, please correct me.
Nonetheless, Dr. Gershon Scholem clearly stated that the Sepher Bahir contains an undeniable Gnostic influence (Origins of the Kabbalah, pg. 197), where he also claims that the earlier theory, that the Sepher Bahir originated in Provence, is now proven untenable, although it seems that it may have been redacted by the school of the RaBaD.
If this Gnostic influence is indeed true, and it seems rather probable, although to what extent, lesser or greater, is still probably debatable - personally, I think that Dr. Elliot R. Wolfson’s theory for an early Jewish-Christian Gnostic influence for the Sepher Bahir is probable but not certain (Along the Path, pp. 67-69) - then this depiction of the Tree of the Sephiroth as depicted in Pardes Rimmonim, the one with the Hebrew letters צ and מ with the ten Sephiroth stacked atop of each other, seems very reminiscent of the so-called Ophite diagram mentioned in Contra Celsum.
I refer to its original description as allegedly quoted from Celsus, and admittedly the version that Origen highly disputed, based upon his own identification of it with a diagram he allegedly examined from the Ophites.
Of course, this is the only source of this diagram and its alleged citation by Celsus, Origen’s comments are highly critical of it, we do not know if it is even the same alleged Ophite diagram, and therefore it is a source we should handle with deep skepticism, and furthermore, we do not have an actual copy of it, but rather only hypothetical reconstructions of it by modern scholars.
Yet, I would argue that the version of it attributed to Celsus seems rather simple to reconstruct, in comparison to the more complex version of it allegedly seen by Origin himself, and attributed to the Ophite sect.
But, if indeed authentic, I would argue some interesting similarities to the later Tree of the Sephiroth, at least this particular version of it from Pardes Rimmonim, and especially if it derived from the Ophite sect which might be designated as being Gnostic.
For instance, 6:25 states that this διαγραφή (diagram) consisted of κύκλων δέκα (ten circles) that were απολελυμενων μεν απ αλλήλων (distinct from one another, or stacked upon each other?), being enclosed within the circle of Λευιαθαν (Leviathan), seemingly like Ourobos eating its own tail?
It seems like a possible origination to me, although admittedly speculative, yet within the realm of speculation upon which Dr. Gershom and Dr. Wolfson have already tread before me.
For clarification, I do not claim any inerrancy in my Greek translations cited above.
In Junior High School, I took one semester of Introduction to Latin and also one year of Basic Latin.
In Bible College, I took one semester of Introduction to Hebrew, one year of Basic Hebrew, and one year of Intermediate Hebrew.
Furthermore, at Bible college, I was privately tutored for one semester in Basic Aramaic and some aspects of Modern Hebrew and Advanced Hebrew, particularly in the Hebrew accents.
As for Greek, I was also privately tutored at Bible college in Basic Koine Greek for one semester.
I might add, I also taught myself Basic Egyptian hieroglyphs in High School so that I could translate and construct for myself the Crowleyanite stele of revealing; the inspiration for Liber al vel Legis, the same summer that I did my internship with the Marvel Comics Group, being a bit of an artist, although I usually use my talent to construct ritual magic regalia, especially of the Solomonic type for Goetia.
If you Google my nickname, along with Baphomet and Lucien Greaves, you may find some images of the Baphomet I made and shared with Lucien Greaves of The Satanic Temple, along with me performing a destruction ritual from the Satanic Bible, with some of my Rosicrucian or Goetia implements, in regard to our former President.
Thanks. You are amazing as usual
real interesting stuff bro
As a long time SMT fan, I’ve been thoroughly enjoying your videos on subjects such as demonology and esotericism. I’m pretty sure this specific video will boom once a certain a game is released which heavily uses Kabbalah references.
Haha yeah me too! I came here after doing the summer school section of Persona 3.
A certain game is released which heavily uses Kabbalah references, eh? It's been around for a fair few years now, but Lobotomy Corp. and its sequel, Library of Ruina heavily reference the Kabbalah. It ain't no SMT game, but it's world, crafted in such a grim yet beautiful way by developer ProjectMoon, is definitely comparable to the post-apocalyptic settings of SMT, although, somewhat more upfront with its gore and horror.
Its devs are quite nice, and very passionate about their games, I do hope more people check them out~
A wonderful little capsule of knowledge.
Beautifully crafted
Thank you. Awesome. 👍
Philosophie,religion and psychologie as one unit.that works for good.🙌❤
Yesssss! Been waiting for this!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wait a minute... Why is it showing comment was posted 2 days ago...?
@@stressedout7174 Patrons get early access to the episodes!
Oh im a patron! Do I just have to link my patreon and youtube account tgt?
@@ohsweetpotato you should get an email and a patreon link
Amazing!
Thank you for the flawless lecture.
Excellent !
Excellence, as always.
Dr. Sledge, I am watching your playlist on Hermeticism/Alchemy and was wondering your thoughts on the disconnect from the Divine when Man developed the mass production of metals.
I admit that I am a novice to this field so am unaware if this idea is like the kitchen sink. If you ever have a spare moment, I would love to know your thoughts on this.
Thank you so much for doing these wonderful videos.
This rules. I need a freaking crash course in Hebrew badly. I wanna be a weird insane servant of God and this stuff feels like the right path, but I'm daunted by how much I'd need to learn just so I could "begin" properly here.
@@TheVerinen2 i don't recall asking you
Semitic languages are easy. The grammar is primitive. All you need to do is expand your vocabulary.
@@samisiddiqi5411 I've taken a semester of Arabic i largely dont remember. Conceptually abjads are a hurdle; as is learning new number systems and such. I can concieve of how to learn it right now but it would be some work; no mere walk in the park. I think it's worth it though so yeah
@@TheVerinen2 says who?
Could you share the sources for the images in this video?? I’d love to take a closer look
More! More!
Awesome thanks
I understand this is an academic channel, and for that very reason I love using it to further my own understanding of various abrahamic texts. Please bare that in mind while I, with zero to no segway whatsoever, say that I think the depth of your knowledge and the way you explain things is super hot 😅❤😂 I've nothing to repay your service to the world but that simple truth. Ps try to not edit your videos too much. Let it flow bro. You provide some of my favorite pieces explaining these ancient texts. Grasapable, professional, enlightening and unbiased unless accompanied by a heads up. I dig it ❤
Thank you 🙏 , 🌲 “ we can plant a house we can build a tree I don’t even care we can have all three “
It’s amazing how that image, with origins in mystic Jewish communities, is now part of almost every Western esoteric and occult movement. There’s just something so universal about that symbol…
❤Blessings
though much more modern, I would like a comment on a person you displayed in the book tag at the end, Aryeh Kaplan. His work on most of the literature involved is rather clear, and heavily indexed and footnoted. I need to get a new copy of his sepher yitzirah as well as the bahir pictured that brought this up.
😲😲👋👋👋💋💋 Tree of Life!! My favorITE symbol!!
The origin of the sephiot. Cool!
Hello Dr.Sledge and by the way that last name is the shizzy lol with all respect.Just wanted to express my appreciation for your work and timeI been following your work now for about three years always had an interest in Alchemy and chemistry I'm what you call a cornfield chemist lol from the rural parts of Missouri but always had an interest in the arts but never casted I was raised Christian and was told all Magick growing up was satanic or evil so out of fear never did though I have a strong back ground in what I think is metaphysics just comes naturally.Thanks again J ditty if your ever in Saint Louis hit me up for that Bevo homie Shalom brother peace ✌️
Hello, I am interested in the whole Mazzaroth-Zodiac history, and the origin of the beliefs behind those. Is that something you can cover?
Thanks so much, I didn't know of "The Early Kabbalah" book. Long time student of magick here still loving the modern comparative approach. I agree the Tree of Life is at root 1-10 number philosophy. I have my own Yijing correlations to it: 0 is Dao, 1 is De, 2 is the taiji symbol (a mid-state unity), and 3 is the all yang trigram ending in the all yin trigram as 10. So, 1 and 2 are still in the center of the circle but 3-10 are the eight directional trigrams/sephiroth: the Fu Xi Tree of Life! This means 3-6 = male and 7-10 = female, a fresh new take. The trigrams fit in with the sephiroth symbolism pretty well but Binah = Saturn = the all male trigram is a bit off though (but just as much as Saturn = male god = Binah). By the way, I correlate the cakras to the Tree of Life by simple number: 1 is Kether/Sahasrara to 7 = Netzach/Muladhara. 7 is the first yin part, which is right when the body divides you see just like its two broken lines. 8 is the knees/elbows, 9 is the ankles/wrists, and 10 is the toes/fingers!
Anyway, I am at present not sure the Binah = Female and Chokmah = Male symbolism is ideal, so a study of when all the historical symbolism developed is really what I am looking for. My above Fu Xi Tree I think is the true directional attributions of the sephiroth that the Sepher Yetzirah was attempting, it's pretty cool. The Chinese only had discovered 5 planets so they couldn't correlate the 8 trigrams to them. Do you know who the genius was that correlated the 7 planets to the numbers 3-9 and thus the magical squares? That is really the backbone of the Tree of Life: 1-2 being of the Center and Spirit. (10 is planetary earth by the way as the all yin trigram).
Thanks
Justin, it would be a real treat if you would have David Chaim Smith on to talk about Isaac the Blind.
@ESOTERICA well done video. FYI Tsaddiq and Yesod are not mutually exclusive, these two words are part of one and the same epithet: צַדִּיק יְסוֹד עוֹלָם (tsaddiq yesod olam), Righteous One, Foundation of the World (Proverbs 10:25).
Excellent video. Thank you. I get the impression, though, that you use the word "metaphysical" in different senses. Could you explain what you exactly mean by it?
Thank you for your work.
Qliphoth next?
It's a fascinating and complex design that's both female and male.
Comments have traveled in time ahead of the lecture having just appeared seconds ago!
Those are from Patrons who get early access to the episodes!
I know right? I am wondering that as well.
@@TheEsotericaChannel oh. Thank you for telling that.
@@TheEsotericaChannel thank you kindly!
Any thoughts regarding comparing the tree of life and the sefirot with Yggdrasil and nine realms?
I've just gotten a copy of Gareth's Knight's 'A Practical Guide to Cabalistic Symbolism' have you read it and is it worth a read?
"The Aeon is a child at play with coloured balls."
~Heraclitus
From what text is that beautiful diagram that you pan across?
Great Hermes what a wo-woo, did I spell that right?
Will you do an episode about Da'ath? Or Christian kabbalism?
New age gurus: aaaaah yeeees kaabballaahhh shiny bubbles and lines!! Also you can put the tarot cards on the hebrew letter lines!! So spiritual!!!
Justin Sledge: confused and impatient stare
I would slightly adjust this to "Victorian Age Occultists:........"
I had that ....time...where i was a double week-end saddhu/guru/Rinpoche/Rabbi/Crowleyite/ with a dash of feynman - it lasted 2 weeks- then ended - now i just listen and learn
I find the number of likes for this comment concerning, people watch lectures like this because they’re interested in educating themselves further on a particular topic and possibly branching out into related areas of study, is it really necessary making others doubt the methodology put toward their personal progress just to be noticed by Dr. Senpai?
@@alexzamora6386 Look Alex i've spent years dredging around the new age and occultist web spaces, and most of times they are insufferably cringe, with a mixture of complete disregard for methodology, basing in rumorology, a holier than thou attitude, schizo vibes in many cases and simply very not professional. Major culprit of this can be seen in the youtube channel spirit science for example, who thinks that just because they repeat the word Love a thousand times and try to talk super cheerfully that enables them to propagate unfounded stuff without explanation. We see that ancient jews regarded kabbalah as a very abstract and complex set of interlocking principles, and comparing this superbly intellectual attitude with the shabby and incoherent enunciations that contemporary spiritual culture goes around flinging... its pretty disheartening
“Some are dinning in our ears that we Americans, and moderns generally, are intellectual dwarfs compared with the ancients, or even the Elizabethan men. But what is that to the purpose? A living dog is better than a dead lion.”
-Henry David Thoreau
5:44 This might be the only occasion in which I've encountered the word "milieu" outside of AD&D.
The Creation of a physical universe of limited things is paradoxical from the Abrahamic logic that God/Ain Soph is the limitless essence of all things, but is also justified by divine omnipotence. The Sephirot is God's ten-step process to do the impossible: to make the undefined become defined, and transmute infinite into one, and one into many.
I love this channel its so interesting! Could you please also explain the meaning behind your youtube channel's logo? It looks like a hand clenching something.
It's a Maya glyph of a hand grasping a fish with the phonetic value being "Tzak," meaning "to conjure a mystical vision." The hand grasping the fish is also keen, the slippery fish isn't easily held so the grasp is always-already slipping away pointing to the concrete (grasping) and the illusive (the slipping away) aspect of mystical experiences.
@@TheEsotericaChannel wow thank you for the explanation!
Thank you, I have been looking for this information for years! The nested tree in particular was really nice to see. I also appreciate the understanding that the creation myth was moved back to represent pre-cosmic becoming. I understand that you are doing ancient text, do you think you will talk about the Tree of Life and it’s connection with the Catholic Church in the future and more recent esotericism like the Golden Dawn? If you know, are there anymore older references to the nested Tree of Life?
10:05 - Is that a "Turtles All the Way Down" reference?
Fucking awesome, thank you for doing this!! lml
You, good sir are a brilliant esotericist and I salute you. What is your opinion of the "goings on" at the Hathor temple(manufactorum rather) at Serabit el-Khadim? What is your understanding of the MFKZT? Nonsense pop culture aside.
Justin or whomever is informed on the subject, Do you believe the Sephiroth and Qlipoth can have a possible connection in being a visual diagram and part of a "how to" system of mapping out consciousness in waking (Sephiroth) and in sleeping (Qlipoth) in how the spirit or mental body operates, interacts, and activates the soul or vital body while awaking (sephiroth) or while going into a sleep state (qlipoth) and are these somehow connected to our brain wave activity as in Alpha, beta, delta, gamma, and theta states of awareness (the spheres or shells) in consciously controlling the vital energies therein. I realize that its dualistic and has connections to good and evil but its something I have to ask.
Where is the "nesting doll" version of the tree to be found, please?
May I ask something - there is an ancient jewish proverb: " An unexamined dream is like an unopened letter."
Did you ever make a video on that topic? My significant other is having astounding dreams and I would love to learn as much as possible about deciphering them.
I am not sure if you have covered this topic or you don't make videos on it, but can you make one on Vishnu? I read somewhere he is very similar to Sumerian god Enlil.
@@mikenoneofyourbusiness7122 it's certainly not dead. Maybe come out of your little bubble.
I was taught that the Tree of Life was "adapted" from Sumerian and Egyptian versions.
Academic Source?
Is there any direct link of Jewish Kabbalah to ancient egypt (midiannite /isrealites in Egypt)?
What is your take on the proposed Neoplatonistic/Alexandrian origin as detailed in 'The Greek Qabalah' by Kieren Barry?
It's nonsense from a historical perspective - scholars have a firm grasp of the development in medieval France and Spain
There are two trees do you ever compare?
Curiosity, does the Tree of Life configuration have any connection to the imagery of the Christ on the cross?
sir, do you follow the channel The Rapture Puzzle?
10:05 are the letters in the box מ צ ה נ ת ?מ ח כ ח כ ?
What are your thoughts on the sefirot corresponding to parts of the human body in certain belief systems? Where did that concept originate I wonder
It's as early as the Zohar for sure
Isnt that what Abulafia thought about it?
Each Sephorith starting with 2 in Yesod going to 9 in Cokmah are symbolic each representing a degree. If your sun sign is on the degree and you know how to perform the ritual, you seal that Sephorith. If you seal all 7 planet's in one Age Saturn will liberate you.
Neon Genesis evangelion has brought me down a very interesting rabbithole
Could 'blind' have a symbolical implication, in the sense that we have to shut off the incoming physical impulses - to first starve Kellipoth to near - death?
Amazing. The only thing I disagree with is that Ein Soph cant be known. It can be, but not through language, rather, only experientially, for any statements about it inherently leave out the opposite of its qualia, for it is simultaneously everything and nothing.
What's the meaning of the Mayan glyph that's part of your logo? Why Mayan?
He also has a pretty bitchin Theme song too
New Esoterica? LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
7:57 I like that Yesod better
Has anybody told you that it would be interesting to see a comparison of ancient philosophy and texts and ideology with cryptids paranormal and supernatural accounts like identifying the names of demons in ancient texts and applying it to maybe the demons that for example Ed and Lorraine Warren encountered?