"Commentary on Sefer Yetzirah" by Eleazar of Worms

One of the most quoted commentaries on the Sefer Yetzirah is attributed to Rabbi Eleazar (Elazar, Eliezar) ben Judah of Worms Rokeach (1165-1230 or 1160-1237) from his “Perush al Sefer Yetzirah” (Commentary on Sefer Yetzirah) from Sodei Razia (Raziya).

There are several other well known commentaries about Sefer Yetzirah written over the centuries- among the authors include R. Donash, R. Sa’adiah Gaon (882-942), Ariel Kaplan (1972). The translation I am working on for this study is based on the Commentary attributed to R. Eleazar.

The Rabbi was the main inheritor of Ashkenazi esoteric traditions from his teacher, R. Yehudah ha-Hasid and his own father. R. Eleazar is often credited with possessing the knowledge to bring a golem to life.

The English translation is compared with a popular reproduced paragrah from Moshe Idel’s translation found on p. 56 of his book, “Golem: Jewish Magical and Mystical Tradition on the Artificial Anthropoid.” Unfortunately, this book is out print right now. When it becomes available, a link to the book seller will be posted on this page. Idel mainly quotes this one paragraph from the entire "Commentary."

The chapter on Sefer Yetsirah is about 90 pages long accompanied with several diagrams and various charts that have been reproduced in other Qabalah and golem construction books. Midway through the chapter is the popular paragraph (which appears in Hebrew above). The following, in part, is Idel's translation (p. 56):

"Whoever studies Sefer Yetzirah has to purify himself [and] don white clothes. It is forbidden to study [Sefer Yetzirah] alone, but only [in groups] of two or three, as it is written (Ecces 4.9) "Two are better than one [alone]",

and it is written (Gen 12.15) "and the souls they made in Haran."

And it is written, (Gen 2.18) "It is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him."

The paragraph continues on to describe how to create a golem, with virgin dirt and using the phrase "bet, bereshit, bara- With Bayt," He created."

It further describes how to permutate the 221 gates (instead of 231, as most widely used), "and always, the letter of the [divine] name with the and all the alphabet.." in discussion of the use of the 6 vowels and how to designate each vowel to a letter to a human limb.

The translation is very close, but on closer word by word examination using an Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon, there are even deeper meanings revealed. For example, the phrase "fitting helper" has other meanings, including "wife, a golem or partner." The two Hebrew words AyZR KNGDV is defined as helpmate (wife, spouse). This is a dictionary definition. Idel does not use the word wife, but instead “fitting helper.” Other translations has used companion or assistant. It loosely can be considered to also refer to a golem.

See godswordtowomen.org/studies/word%20study/ezerkenegdo.htm for a discussion on EZER KENEGDO and kolel.org/pages/5765/bereshit.html for another discussion on the traditional use of those words.

Idel does not continue the translation of the last 4 sentences of this 70-word paragraph. The Hebrew version further reveals four "systems" or methods using the letters. Each method is a different way to permutate or combine the letters.

R. Eleazar mentions that the fourth method is the permutation (tzeruf) of the first eleven letters from Aleph to Lamed with each of the 22 letters, often referred to in the creation of the golem. But Idel does not quote this in his translation.

After this paragraph, Eleazar lists the combinations of 21 letters with each of 22 letters and their various positions. This gives 462 combinations or 231 (when halved). These charts are reprinted in Rabbi Arryeh Kaplan's "Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation In Theory and Practice" on page 303 (Appendix III), "The 221 Gates of Rabbi Eliezar Rokeach of Wormes." It is reprinted from the Przemysl edition (1889). He says to obtain the proper combination, only eleven letters are doubled. The other 22 letters are left as they are. This is the key to the Aleph-Lamed technique to avoid repeating the same letters twice. The A-L method is often mentioned when constructing the 231 gates.

The Source of the Sodei Razia

The Hebrew text above (from "Perush Al Sefer Yetzirah" page 295, paragraph 2, is part of a chapter in "Sodei Razaya" (Sodei Razia, Razayya, Razia or Razyya), "The Secret of Secrets," written by Rabbi Eleazar of Rokeach (also called Wormes). R. Eleazar (also spelled as Rabbi Elazar ben Judah of Worms (c. 1160-1237).

The book is printed by Shalom HaKohen Weiss, ed, Jerusalem, Sha;arei Ziv Institute in 1991.

The last chapter of "Perush al-Sefer Yetzirah" discusses the mystical tradition of the Qabalah and powers of the Hebrew letters in detail.

R. Elazar (another spelling of his name) provides a study of creation in ths book. He quotes the Jewish Merkavah traditions and Heichalot literature. He explains the characteristics of the angels, the Divine Throne, the Chariot and Divine Voice. The rest of the work features discussions on G-ds names, the fate of the soul after death, the meaing of dreams and a practical guide for reating a golem. More on The Book of Raziel.

I hope to eventually have a full translation of this paragraph and others from Eleazar's "Commentary of Sefer Yetzirah" as a stand alone FileMaker Pro database that connects to a self-made lexicon and other Quabala reference features. See more about the QBL Qabalah Software Project.

OVERVIEW The Ancient Manuscript: Sefer Yetzirah/Sefer Yetsirah

Email: Bob Zucker