Ars Judaica 2015 31

azal azal ̣ ” (PhD ” (PhD ̣ ayyah ̣ Since this Since this 2 Qabbalah Visiva Qabbalah which in my my in which ke-makor la-Havanat kabbalat ke-makor la-Havanat kabbalat ̣ asid Kabbalists is one of the ̣ –14th century). ayyah ̣ In the course of time, by an an by time, of course the In 3 2, no. 2 Studies in Jewish Thought 2, no. 2 asid (13th­ ̣ asid), ̣ asid” (Kabbalistic Materials from the School of R. ̣ (Manifestations of Power from efat (Manifestations of Power from Rabbinic Literature omer kabbali mi-beit midrasho shel David ben omer kabbali mi-beit midrasho shel Rabbi David ben ̣ ̣ Hofa‘otav shel ha-ko’ah ba-mistikah ha-yehudit mi-sifrut H Hofa‘otav shel ha-ko’ah ba-mistikah ha-yehudit efat” (The of Rabbi Joseph ibn Sayyah as a Source for the the for a Source as Sayyah ibn Joseph Rabbi of Kabbalah efat” (The ̣ R. David ben Yehudah he-H R. David ben Yehudah See Idel, “H he-H Yehudah he-H ben Yehuda diss., Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2011); Maurizio Mottolese, Mottolese, Maurizio 2011); Jerusalem, of University Hebrew diss., Kabbalah: Mystical “The Intensification of Ritual by the Medieval BodilyApproaches to Roma, Sapienza, La diss., Practices” (PhD Cultic 2014), 233–34. Monatsschrift für See Arthur Marmorstein, “David ben Judah Hasid,” Monatsschrift für des Judentums 71 (1927): 39–48; Gershom Geschichte und Wissenschaft , 107–10. (1983): 194 n. 123 (Hebrew); id., Kabbalah: New Perspectives, 107–10. Codices For a description of this manuscript see Carlo Bernheimer, Hebraici Bybliothaecae Ambrosianae (Florence, 1933), 75–80, 85–86; ], Kiryat Codices Hebraici , [Review of Bernheimer, Giulio Busi, (Hebrew); 188–89 (1934/1935): 11 Sefer that manuscript 2005), 445–46. This is a fifteenth-century (Torino, was in the possession of the early-sixteenth-century Italian Kabbalist and grammarian R. de Balmes. Interestingly enough, another piece belonging to the school of R. David is also found in an Italian manuscript; see Oxford, Bodleiana, Ms. 1663, fols. 128v–129r. 4 (1999): 255–314 4 (1999): 255–314 Understanding of Safedian Kabbalah), Kabbalah Ascent of Prayer by (Hebrew); Sachi Ogimoto, “The Concept of the Z ibn Joseph R. Kabbalist, Jerusalem Sixteenth-century Z ad kabbalat Z (Hebrew); id., to Safedian Kabbalah) (Jerusalem, 2004), 187–200 ibn Z “Kabbalato shel Rabbi Yosef Garb,

2 3 is an anonymous diagram of the ten , ten the of diagram anonymous an is attributed to one identified as R. David opinion should be he-H ben Yehudah proposed identification of the author in 1983, I have been proposed identification of the author that contains unable to detect an additional manuscript now publish the form this diagram and, as promised then, I of analysis an with together diagram, the of content and the Hebrew texts inscribed in it. by modernwhose writings have been identified scholarship oblivion. from rescued and asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram ̣

1 . , some some , ah le-Sarah: le-Sarah: ah ̣ Kavvanah at” (Kavvanah ̣ to Luria,” at the at the to Luria,” ’s Diagram for the the Diagram for ’s asid kavvanah ̣ asid H ̣ H Visualization 1: of Colors, eva‘im: teshuvah kabbalit nishkah ̣ David ben Yehudah he-H ben Yehudah David karim be-filosofyah yehudit u-ve-kabbalah mugashim li-professor Sarah karim be-filosofyah yehudit u-ve-kabbalah mugashim li-professor Sarah ̣ , eds. Karl , Ashkenazi Kabbalah in in , , and ud,” ̣ (Tribute to Sara: Studies in and and Philosophy Jewish in Studies Sara: to (Tribute Vilenski Heler O. eds. Moshe Kabbalah Presented to Professor Sara O. Heller Wilensky), Idel, Devorah Dimant, and Shalom Rosenberg (Jerusalem, 1994), 1–14 (Hebrew); id., “An Anonymous Kabbalistic Commentary on Shir ha- Yih Erich Grözinger and Joseph Dan (Berlin, 1995), 147–48. See also id., the Artificial Anthropoid on Golem: Jewish Magical and Mystical Traditions Enchanted Chains: Techniques and and 1990), 119–26; and id., Enchanted Chains: Techniques (Albany, Rituals in (Los Angeles, 2005), 228–32. See also Yoni See Moshe Idel, Kabbalah: New Perspectives (New Haven, 1988), 103–11; id., “Kabbalistic Prayer and Colors,” in Approaches to Judaism in Medieval , ed. David R. Blumenthal, 3 vols. (Atlanta, 1984–1988), 3:17–27; Times id., “Kavvanah u-z and Colors: A Neglected Kabbalistic Responsum), in Minh Responsum), Kabbalistic Neglected A Colors: and meh History of Kabbalah” forthcoming in AJ 12. conference, “Text and Image in Religious Cosmography: Reading Ilanot and and Ilanot Reading Cosmography: in Religious and Image “Text conference, in Some additional texts found July 2011. University, Haifa Parallel Artifacts,” and published will be analyzed follows, what to in referred briefly manuscripts, “Visualization discussion will be continued in my The current separately. he- Yehudah ben David of Implications 2: Colors, of Less attention is paid to the contents and function of the and function of the Less attention is paid to the contents texts. One of them schematic images embedded in these manuscript in the is found on folio 4r in the kabbalistic 13 Sup. 62 (fig. 1a). Ambrosiana library in Milan, Ms. 62 S my studies that this On several occasions I have noted in 1 Thanks are due to the Ambrosiana LibraryThanks due to the Ambrosiana are permission to reproduce in Milan for in diagramPublishing House the Adelphi the of to and Elisabetta Zevi its for permission diagram and the of obtaining reproduction the for Milan entitled as a lecture study was delivered of the present publication. The core he- ben Yehudah David Kabbalistic Mandala: From “A of which have been discussed in my previous publications of which have been discussed in my previous Distinct contributions to the history of Kabbalah have to the history of Kabbalah have Distinct contributions discussions, variegated in many been made by the of colors as manuscripts, that deal with the visualization the prayer, during “intention” the of part Introduction 32 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel writings havebeenpublishedforthefirsttimeinour of analysis. unidentified Kabbalistswhosewritingsarestillinneed Shalom Ashkenazi(earlyfourteenthcentury), and theworksofsomeothers,especiallyR.Josephben possible todeterminetheaffinitiesbetweenthisKabbalist analysis of the Kabbalistic terminology and concepts it is 4

ben Yehudah he-H (Hebrew); id.,“H Alexander Safran),ed.MosheHallamish(RamatGan, 1990),11–27 Studies intheLiteratureofJewishThoughtPresentedtoRabbiDr. hagut mugashimli-khvodha-ravdoktorAlexanderShafran(‘AleiShefer: he-H R. DavidbenYehuda he-H Yehudah he-H 25–35 (Hebrew);id.,“‘Ta‘amei ha-‘ofotha-teme’imle-RabbiDavidben Alphabet), he-H H 126–134; MosheIdel,“Targumo shelRabbiDavidbenYehudah he- 1972 (Hebrew);,StudiesintheZohar(Albany, 1993), by R.DavidbenYehudah he-H “Sefer ha-gevulle-RabbiDavidbenYehudah he-H Joseph Hacker(Tel Aviv, 1976),249–50,(Hebrew);AmosGoldreich, Meh Moshe Idel,vol.1(Tel Aviv, 1998),137–70.(Hebrew);EfraimGottlieb, Meh (R. DavidbenYehuda he-H Scholem, “RabbiDavidbenYehudah he-H al yedei Rabbi Yosef ben Shalom Ashkenazi” (Ninety-Four Principles of philosophy, id.,“Tish‘im ve-arbahakdamotshelha-filosofim ha-muva’ot and thetextVajda haspublishedthatdealswithAshkenazi’s critique of Archives d’histoiredoctrinaleetlittéraire duMoyenAge33(1956):45–127 la Polemique anti-intellectualiste de Joseph b. Shalom Ashkenazi,” Chapitre de l’Histoire du Conflit entre la Kabbale et la Philosophie: Idel, vol.1(Tel Aviv 1998), 112–36(Hebrew);GeorgesVajda, “Un kabbalah (StudiesinKabbalah),eds.Yosef BenShlomoandMoshe Attributed toR.AbrahambenDavidandHisWorks), inid.,Meh Rabad u-sfarav”(TheRealAuthoroftheCommentaryonSeferYez meh See inparticularGershomScholem’s groundbreakingstudy, “Ha- 20 (2009):181–212.Seealsobelow, nn.4and5. Theosophy ofTen Supernalsah “The ImageofManabovetheSefirot:R.DavidbenYehuda he-H ̣ asid le-Seferha-Zoharu-ferushavla-alfabeta”(R.DavidbenYehudah ̣ ̣ kerei kabbalah(StudiesinKabbalah),eds.JosephBenShlomoand ̣ karim be-sifrutha-kabbalah(StudiesinKabbalahLiterature),ed. abber ha-amitti shelperushSefer yez ̣ ̣ asid andR.IsaacLuria),Da‘at7(1981):69–71(Hebrew);id., asid’s Translation oftheZoharandHisCommentarieson 5 ‘Alei Sefer8(1980):60–73,9(1981):84–98,10(1982): Some of R. David ben Yehudah he-H ̣ asid u-mashma‘utam”(‘Ta‘amei Ha-‘OfotHa-Teme’im’ of ̣ omer kabbali,”169–207;id.,“OdalRabbiDavid ̣ asid ve-ha-Ari”(MoreonR.DavidbenYehudah ̣ asid), inAleishefer:meh ̣ asid GrandsonoftheRamban),inid., ̣ sah ̣ asid), MAthesis,Tel Aviv University, ̣ ot andItsReverberations,”Kabbalah ̣ asid nekhedha-Rambam” ̣ irah ha-meyuh ̣ asid” (Seferha-Gevul ̣ karim be-sifruthe- 4 andother ̣ as le-ha- ̣ asid’s ̣ asid’s ̣ kerei ̣ irah

days. Kabbalistic thought. Ashkenazi willbeusedtoclarifyaspectsofR.David’s scholarship, passagesbelongingtoR.JosephbenShalom in assortedmanuscripts.Likemanyothercases field as well as some new material that I have since found have appeared since myfirst publications inthis specific 6 5

u-mi‘ut ha-yare’ah Liebes, R. JosephbenShalomAshkenazi),Da‘at10(1983):57–70(Hebrew); Shalom Ashkenazi”(RemnantsfromtheCommentaryonPsalmsby 11–27 (Hebrew);id.,“Seridimmi-perusheiTehilim le-RabbiYosef ben R. Yoseph benShalomAshkenazionGenesisRabbah(Jerusalem,1984), (Commentary onGenesis Rabbah: Kabbalistic Commentaryof of 300 (Hebrew).SeealsoMosheHallamish’s tohisedition introduction the PhilosophersCitedbyR.JosephAshkenazi),Tarbiz 27(1958):290– Avraham Reineretal.,2vols.(AlonShvut,2011),1:28–32 (Hebrew). (Ta-Shma: StudiesinJudaicaMemory ofIsraelM.Ta-Shma), eds. Shema: meh from JewishMagictoPracticalandTheoreticalKabbalah),inTa- u-le-kabbalah iyyunit”(OnMagenDavidandtheNameTaftafiah: David ve-ha-shemTaftafya: mi-magyahyehuditle-kabbalahma‘asit e.g., MosheIdel,“RabbiNeh substantial variantsincomparisontothemanuscriptParis.See, when checkingothermanuscriptsofSeferha-Gevul,onemayfindmany them havebeentranslatedintoItalian.Itshouldbementionedthat Qabbalah Visiva, 197–335,andthebriefHebrewtextsaccompanying Sefer ha-GevulasfoundinParis,BnF, Ms.876 havebeenprintedinBusi, Ben LeviHacohen(JerusalemandNewYork, 2009).Thediagramsfrom 1983); 178–79. Kabbalistic HermeneuticsandPoeticImagination(NewYork, 2005),64, Bulletin 5(2007):100–104;ElliotR.Wolfson, Language,Eros,Being: “Ashkenazi EsotericismandKabbalahinBarcelona,”HispaniaJudaica Secret ofLife,tr. James W. Heisig(NewYork, 2003),81–82;MosheIdel, Century (Leiden,2000),139–40;AmadorVega, RamonLlullandthe J. Hames,TheArtofConversion:ChristianityandKabbalahintheThirteenth Sign andImage),EshelBeer-Sheva 4(1996):143–91(Hebrew);Harvey Sabbatai, andtheDiminutionofMoon–TheHolyConjunction, R. DavidbenYehuda he-H See Daniel Ch. Matt, The Book of Mirrors: Sefer Mar’ot ha-Z Commentary onShirha-Yih Idel, “H Perush kabbalili-Vreshit Rabbahle-RabbiYosef benShalomAshkenazi 6 BelowIshalltakeintoconsiderationstudiesthat Or Zaru‘a,byRabbiDavidBenYehuda He-H Studies intheZohar,93–95;HavivaPedaya,“ShabbatShabbtai ̣ omer kabbali,”169–207;id.,“AnAnonymousKabbalistic ̣ karim be-mada‘eiha-yahadutle-zikhro shelYisrael M.Ta-Shema ̣ –ha-h ̣ asid: Text andStudy(NewYork andToronto, ̣ ha-kadosh: ot u-temunah” (Sabbath, ̣ ud,” 139–54. ̣ emyah benShelomohha-navialmagen ̣ asid, ed.Bentsion ̣ ove’ot by

Ars Judaica 2015 33 , are

[ רש A ]

העיגול , fol. 6b: 6b: , fol. irah ̣ , K, until ̣ ]C[ asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram ̣ 8 בגד כפרת והווח 9

כו' וכן אלפה ביתה כולה , [ B ]

י"ב אבנים, ואח"כ כ"ד אדנים שהם אדני 12

טי לנ סע צק אאאא וכו' 10 . זרעו והימים הראשון וכל והנהרות ואדם וככבים, והימים והנהרות ואדם הראשון וכל זרעו

. ]E[ ’, until the entire circle will be moved [C] [C] moved be will circle entire the until ’, ואחר כך י"ב הוויות יהוה יוהה יההו וכן כלם and described here as thirty-two intellects, irah and described here as thirty-two intellects, . ̣ 11

וחיות ועופות ובהמות ושרצים ורמשים ודגי הים ומלאכים וגלגלים והצומח ועשב עשב כל וכן פרטיהם, ופרטי וכלליהם הנמצאות כללי הנמצאות וכלליהם ופרטי פרטיהם, וכן כל עשב ועשב והצומח etc., BBBB until etc., and so the entire Alphabet the entire Alphabet so etc., BBBB until etc., and is written in it [B] And afterwards the entire from ‘Bereshit Bara’ ’Elohim’ etc., until ‘Le-‘einei kol Yisra’el ,WHWWH, TY LN S‘Z “[A] BGD KPRTh ואחר כך י"ב מזלות ואחר כך י"ב חדשים ואח"כ י"ב שבטים אח"כ ]D[ עד כו' בבבב עד :In the second circle, starting at the top, In the second circle, starting at the counter-clockwise וכן תבנית כל intellect; Path 16: eternal intellect; Path 17: 17: intellect; Path Path 16: eternal intellect; Path intellect; Path 18: plentiful sensual intellect; of all the creatures; of the attributes 19, intellect 21: desirous intellect; Path Path 20: pathseeker’s 23: Path intellect; faithful 22: Path intellect; intellect; imagining 24: Path intellect; standing Path 26: renovated intellect; Path 25: experimental perceived intellect; Path 28: intellect; Path 27: 29: materialized intellect; innate intellect; Path intellect; Path 31: persistent Path 30: general worshipful intellect. intellect; Path 32: ואחר כך התורה כולה כתובה בה מבראשית ברא אלהים גו' עד לעיני כל ישראל, עד שיסובב כל Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors, I do not understand why those letters appear while the final two, missing. The categories mentioned in A, B, and C are linguistic par excellence, beings. living and cosmos the to refer E, and D others, two the while Categories A, B, and C represent a case of linguistic order that is projected on the metaphysical level. See Moshe Idel, “On some Forms of Order in Kabbalah,” Da‘at 50–52 (2003): xxxi–lviii. Yez Sefer on Commentary Ashkenazi’s R. Joseph Compare אדני אדנים בעגול אדני המשכן והם הם שם מלכות כנגד להיות כ"ד תוך ספירת צריך להיות כ"ד אדנים בעגול תוך ספירת מלכות כנגד אדני המשכן והם הם שם אדני

c 10 11 12 which has been fleshed out in detail in several Kabbalistic which has been fleshed out in detail Joseph ben Shalom lists, especially in the preface to R. ̣irah. on Sefer Yez commentary Ashkenazi’s This is a list of thirty-two paths of wisdom, mentioned in in mentioned wisdom, of paths thirty-two of list a is This Sefer Yez

יהיה occurs twice twice occurs sefirah כתר עליון הגדול היחוד האמיתי . It is obvious that the copyist did not . It is obvious that the copyist did not 7 אחוזח in the context of the first of context the in נתיב לא. שכל נעבד נתיב לב. מתמיד נתיב ל. שכל נתיב לא. שכל נעבד נתיב לב. היחוד האמיתי המיוחד בכל שמותיו לבן כשלג Path 1: wondrous intellect; Path 2: resplendent resplendent Path 1: wondrous intellect; Path 2: 4: constant intellect; Path 3: sacred intellect; Path separated 6: Path intellect; rooted 5: Path intellect; intellect; Path 7: hidden intellect; Path 8: complete intellect; Path 9: pure intellect; Path 10: sparkling intellect; Path 11: polished intellect; Path 12: clear intellect; Path 13: leading intellect; Path Path 15: establishing intellect; 14: illuminating נתיב כז. שכל מוטבע נתיב כח. שכל מוגשם נתיב כט. שכל כללי נתיב כ"ד. שכל נסיוני נתיב כ"ה. שכל מחודש נתיב כו. שכל מורגש נתיב כ"א. שכל נאמן נתיב כ"ב. שכלקיים נתיב כ"ג. שכל דמיוני הפעולות נתיב י"ט. שכל תכונת כל היצורים נתיב כ'. שכל החפץ סוד שכל י"ח. נתיב השפע בית שכל י"ז. נתיב ההרגש שכל י"ו. נתיב נתיב י"ג. שכל מאיר נתיב י"ד. שכל מעמיד נתיב ט"ו. שכל נצחי נתיב י'. שכל מצוחצח נתיב י"א. שכל בהיר נתיב י"ב. שכל מנהיג מתנוצץ שכל ט'. נתיב טהור שכל ח'. נתיב שלם שכל ז'. נתיב נסתר שכל קבוע נתיב ד'. שכל נשרש נתיב ה'. שכל נבדל נתיב ו'. שכל שכל מופלא נתיב א'. שכל מזהיר נתיב ב'. שכל מקודש נתיב ג'. In the first circle (from the outside), starting In the first circle (from the outside), at the top, counterclockwise: At the top of the page: At the top of the Unity (Crown), the true The Supernal Great all its names, white like snow, that is united in YHWH have a goodthe diagram before him. version of the text in in the short text found in Oxford, Bodleiana, Ms. 1663, fol. 128v. This This 128v. fol. 1663, Ms. Bodleiana, Oxford, in found text short the in phrase betrays some form of polemic tone, as if there are other persons whose understanding of unity is not the true one. See fols. 10a–11a, with some small changes, especially in the matter of location of the same descriptions of the intellects, though the order is basically the same in most of the cases. The correct form should be The phrase The

b

a 8 9 7 The Diagram (fig. 1a) within the diagram inscriptions The principal read as follows: 34 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel 13 sefirot Keter representation oftheInfinityatall,andevensefirah of It isnoteworthythatinthisdiagramthereno f e d I didnotfindaparalleltothetheme of18or36pipeschannels. At thetopofpage: To therightofstrip,intersectingcircles: In thestripdescendingfromsecondtotenthcircle: existences, andtheirprinciplesthedetailsof And theentirestructureofprinciples four [times]Ad[o]nim,thatareAdonaietc.,[E] twelve tribes,stones,andafterwardstwenty- andafterwardstwelvemonths, signs ofthezodiac, YHHW, andsoall[D]afterwardsthetwelve and afterwardstwelveHawayyot,YHWHYWHH is describedastranscendingthestructureoften . It goes without saying that the translation of the כלותי בו נתיב מן לב נתיבות חכמה יש בו י"ח צינורות למעלה במה שיקבל ויש בו י"ח צינורות למטה במה pipes above I finishedbyitthepathofthirty-twopathswisdom; thereisiniteighteen which itemanates./Allthosehintsmustbetransmitted frommouthtomouth. , greenastherainbow, YHWH,Z[e‘yir]’Anppin]. , whitethattendstored,YHWH,Z.’A. , bluethattendstoblack,YHWH,Z.’A. Neẓah , greenthattendstored,YHWH,Z.’A. H ̣ okhmah, theblueofheaven,Ze‘yir’Anppin(divineconfiguration). ̣ , whitethattendstoblue,YHWV, Z.’A. Gedulah, refinedsilver, YHWH,Z.’A. , redasfire,YHWH,Z.’A. 13 Malkhut, blackhue,YHWH,Z.’A. and it will receive by them, and there eighteen pipes below from All thoseninesefirotarecalledZe‘yir’Anppin כלאלוט'ספירות נקראים זעיר אנפין חכמהתכלית השמים זעיר אנפין ישפיע/כלאלו הרמזים צריכיןקבלהמפהאל פה in thecaseoftekhelet(blue). differentlybydifferentKabbalists,particularly understood arbitrary, sincethesametermforacertaincolorhasbeen names of the colors here and below is, to a certain extent, his offspring.” and theseasriversfirstmanall fishes ofthesea,andangelsspheresstars, domestic animals,andreptilesinsectsthe the vegetableandanimalbirds their details,andsotoeacheverygrass, גבורהאדוםכאש יהוה ז"א מלכות גווןשחור יהוה ז"א גדולהכסףצרוף יהוה ז"א תפארת לובןנוטהלאדום יהוה ז"א יסודתכלית נוטהלשחור יהוה ז"א הוד ירוקנוטהלאדום יהוה ז"א נצח לובן נוטהלתכלית יהוה ז"א בינה ירוקכקשת יהוה ז"א Ars Judaica 2015 35

, Sefer Sefer asid nekhed nekhed asid ̣ asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram ̣ [strength] are are [strength] For David’s authorship of this authorship of this For David’s גלגלי החכמה כל בניו לבושי תכלת עם ג' Gevurah Gevurah וֹתָ י‘ בְּמִצְ יְהֹוָה וחפץ מאד אֶ ת יָרֵא אִישׁ אַשְׁרֵי ’

, published in Gershom ilut ha-Semalit, published in Gershom ̣ Commentary on Genesis Rabbah Genesis on Commentary [wisdom] all its sons okhmah [wisdom] all its sons ̣ 20 [splendor] are all clothed [in] white and and [splendor] are all clothed [in] white Tiferet [understanding] where there are the holy holy Binah [understanding] where there are the = 378, as a number of supernal lights, seen already in the late ashmal = 378, as a number of supernal lights, seen already in the late ̣ [sic] are clothed [in] blue with 377 lights kinds of kinds of [sic] are clothed [in] blue with 377 lights the spheres splendors that are found in them. And of of green beasts are all clothed in the likeness Gedulah of spheres the and rainbow, the of like of silver [greatness] are all clothed in whiteness waters. white the like and […] the spheres of H all clothed in the likeness of fire. And the spheres the spheres all clothed in the likeness of fire. And of red. Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors, Scholem, “Kabbalot Rabbi Ya‘akov ve-Rabbi Yizhak bnei Ya‘akov ha- bnei Ya‘akov ve-Rabbi Yizhak Scholem, “Kabbalot Rabbi Ya‘akov Kohen” (The Kabbalah of R. Jacob and R. Isaac, the sons of R. Jacob 2 (1927): 249–50 (Hebrew). ha-Kohen), Madda‘ei ha-Yahadut Milan, Ambrosiana, Ms. 62, fol. 3v: Jacob ha-Kohen’s Ma’amar ha-Az Jacob ha-Kohen’s .כדמות אש וגלגלי תפארת כולם לבושים לבן ואדום שבקשת וגלגלי גדולה כולם לבושים כלובן הכסף וכמים לבנים וגלגלי גבורה כלם לבושים מאו' וע"ז אורות מיני זוהרים שבהם. בינה אשר שם חיות הקדש כלם לבושים כדמו' ירוק treatise, see Scholem, “Rabbi David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben David “Rabbi Scholem, see treatise, and and Malbush of the is 377 number The 146. ha-Rambam,” H antiquity treatise Ma‘aseh Merkavah, which is commented upon by also Compare 26. n. below, also see issues, these For David. R. ha-Malkhut, in Sefer published of Hamadan, Joseph by R. ’ Toledot זהו שדד כל המערכות עגול בתוך עגול הספירות עליונות על הכל מקיפות ומשפיעות כרוזיאל הנקרא מאצילותם על כל הנבדלים דרך כלל. ומאצילות התשובה ששה כחותומאצילות הששי Jerusalem, NLI, Ms. 4° 80, fol. 81r:

19 20 133, R. David adopts a list parallel to the one found in the 133, R. David adopts a list parallel to diagram in one of his shorter commentaries: The first three lines describe concentric circles including including concentric circles three lines describe The first that of the sefirot” ‘Iggul ha-sefirot, the “circle the phrase It is hard to the second part this study. will be dealt with in between statement, found a of such the significance avoid by R. David and the diagram a responsum authored even more next page. However, that appears on the almost total parallelism between the compelling is the and their corresponding sefirot, and names of the colors on a commentary written by R. David what is recorded in of ten colors found . Following the list Ma‘aseh Merkavah Ashkenazi’s Joseph R. in

irah and ̣ 19 Moreover, on on Moreover, asid, and which asid, and which 14 ̣ This is he that he that is This a circle within a circle within 15 16 (two-faced), which fits (two-faced), which asid’s Authorship of the Diagram Authorship asid’s ̣ . An equally equally An ha-Gevul. Sefer , London, BL, Ms. Montefiore 318, ayyim, London, BL, Ms. Montefiore 318, ̣ from the emanation of the from the emanation of the 18 eror ha-h ̣ occurs several times in this school. See, e.g., Idel, occurs several times in this school. See, e.g., Idel, in his name, found on fol. 3b, there is a is a in his name, found on fol. 3b, there eva‘im,” 4–5, in the passage reproduced below, and and eva‘im,” 4–5, in the passage reproduced below, ̣ And Sefer Z , ̣ (repentance) six powers and from the the from and powers six (repentance) 17 דרך כלל ufin ̣ , omer kabbali,” 193–97; see also Liebes, Studies in the ayyah ̣ ̣ du-parz “Happy is the man that fears YHWH, he desires he desires “Happy is the man that fears YHWH, very much his commandments.” constrained the constellations, emanation of the sixth, one called Keroziel. Teshuvah , encompassing the circle of the supernal sefirot, encompassing emanation everything and emanate from their in a general upon all the separated [entities] manner. fol. 28v. fol. 28v. The following statement and the entire paragraph that follows it in ben reproduce did not Isaac I of R. that manuscript a paraphrase the is “Kavvanah u-z Commentary on Sefer Yez repeated multiple times in Ashkenazi’s in ibn Z Idel, “H 126–34. Ps. 122:1. This phrase is found already in R. , in connection with it Here, however, the ability of God astrological order. to overcome the such a phrase in this The meaning of is applied to the human order. instance is the magical power of the Kabbalist. This is an interesting piece of evidence as to the astronomical or astrological backgrounds of the diagrams of ten sefirot. For astrology and R. Joseph Ashkenazi, Sabbat and Sabbateanism : On the Witches’ see Moshe Idel, Saturn’s 2011), 17–22. (London and New York, The phrase

18 short paragraph that alludes to a diagram that is similar to short paragraph that alludes to a diagram that reproduced above, which opens with the following sentences: folios 2a–3a, there are circles that indubitably belong to to are circles that indubitably belong folios 2a–3a, there David’s R. of version some and the affinity between the diagram decisive proof for after the response R. David is the fact that immediately on 14 15 16 17 R. David ben Yehudah he-H ben Yehudah R. David S 13 Sup. Ambrosiana Ms. on fol. 4r of the The diagram I above, as mentioned is anonymous. However, (fig. 1a) On fol. 3b of to identify its author. believe that it is possible a there is the Kabbalistic response of the same manuscript du-parẓufin certain R. David about the views of R. David ben Yehudah he-H ben Yehudah the views of R. David in detail. analyzed and published I have 36 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel treatise, 13th or14th century. Milan,Ambrosiana Library, Ms. 62S13Sup.62,fol. 4r–4v Fig. 1. (b)Twelve diagram; (a)Kabbalistic divinenames,twelve seals,andtwelve inR.David tribes benYehudah he-H ̣ asid (?),Kabbalistic < Fig. 1(a) Ars Judaica 2015 37 asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram ̣ Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors, Fig. 1 (b) > Fig. 38 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel Ashkenazi. Yehudah he-H the diagram,ischaracteristicofsomeR.Davidben secrecy, asseeninthelaststatementatbottomof Ms.Add. 505,fol.8r, weread: a shortdiscussionaboutprayerfoundinCambridge, identification of the author of the diagram. Indeed, in weight, andmore isneeded in order to strengthen the belonging totheschoolofR.David. appears atthetopofdiagramisfoundinatreatise In addition, the term “the great supernal Keter 23 22 21 26 25 24 appears attheendofR.DavidbenYehudah he-H as relatedtoKabbalisticprayer, isfoundinatextwhich Sefer ’OrZaru‘a,andwasauthoredbyhim.

עיגולו מכל הגלגל את .המכסה את הגלגל מכל עיגולו ten R. David said: We are not allowed to visualize the 145, p. 195,which inmy opinionbelongs toR.David: in theBibliotèquedeGenéve,Montana, theSegreAmarcollection the there areeightoccurrencesofthetermmalbusharoundacircle.About from Yez identification seemsto beR. JosephAshkenazi’s CommentaryonSefer u-z See London,BL,Ms.771,fol.102b,discussedinIdel,“Kavvanah 146–49, 151andintheforthcomingpartofthisstudyAJ12. See Idel, “An Anonymous Kabbalistic Commentary on Idel, “H colors intheZoharicliterature. was byAshkenazi’s listofcolors,hedidnotexploitthereferencesto the termzohariminasimilarcontext,seeibid.,228.InspiredasR.David Ashkenazi’s For asimilarlistofcolorsandthecorrespondingsefirot,seeR.Joseph 80r butinbothcasesaMalbushisnotmentioned.Seealsobelown.68. Commentary onTen Sefirotbythesameauthor, ,BnF, Ms.853,fol. see Gottlieb,Meh and thefirstsefirah.OnJosephofHamandan’s authorshipofthisbook H ed. J.Toledano (Casablanca,1930),fol.103d,wherethediscussionon H The beginningofanotherthe18blessings‘Amidahprayer. The beginningofonethe18blessings‘Amidahprayer. R. David’s understandingofprayer. ’Or Zaru‘a,whichsystematicallyavoideddealingwiththisdimensionof secret meaningofthebook,wasnotincludedinHakohen’s editionof “Sefer ha-gevul,”88.Thismaterial,whichconstitutesthecluefor However, thosetopicscarryonlycircumstantial ̣ ̣ ashmal ashmal =malbush378.Theearliestknownsourceforthis eva‘im,” 9–10.Astotheauthorshipofthismaterial,seeGoldreich, ̣ ̣ irah, fols. 13a, 13d. On the H ̣ sefirot, exceptinaccordancewiththechapter , reproduced inBusi, Qabbalah VisivaSefer ha-Gevul,reproduced , 260,where ashmal asthegarment,seetextfoundin Ms.Sassoon290,now ̣ omer kabbali,”179n.45. and the number of lights appears in relation to the color white 22 Commentary on Genesis Rabbah Moreover, thetopic of imaginingcolors, ̣ asid’s treatises,aswellthoseofR.Joseph ̣ karim be-sifrutha-kabbalah,251–56.Seealsotheother Seealsotheanonymousincantation, whichI malbush of the sefirot see also in the design , 133, and for his resort to 21 Theambianceof 23 הלבוש הוא חשמל הוא הלבוש Shir ha-Yih ” that ̣ asid’s ̣ ud ,” ,”

27 a prominenttopicinsomeformsofKabbalisticliterature. mention ofthecolorsthatshouldbevisualized,whichis ’Or Zaru‘a. material includesunidentifiedcitationsfromR.David’s H between this R. David and R. David ben Yehudah he- we seeat the bottom of thediagram.Theconnection passage, andtheformulaaboutoral transmissionthat Here thereisaname,R.David,atthebeginningof

28 ̣ asid isevident,sincetheprecedingandsubsequent Z student ofLuria,R.H of ),Shalem6(1992):165–73(Hebrew).AsInotedthere,another Saruk” (TheRelationshipoftheJerusalemKabbalistsandIsraelSarug Moshe Idel, “Bein kabbalatYerushalayim le-kabbalatRabbiYisrael structure, isaviewthatinfluencedLuria’s studentR.IsraelSarug.See that dealwiththecombinationsoflettersconstituteapre-sefirotic ibn Z type ofgarmentshouldnotbeconfusedwithanothergarment,foundin 66r, or JosephibnZ Rabbi Yosef ibnZ Montefiore 318,fols.23v, 27v–28r, 60r, 73r, andGarb,“Kabbalatoshel NLI, Ms.8°416,fol.32r, SeferZ 290, p.562,wherethecolorsaredescribedas“clothed” believe belongstotheschoolofSeferha-Meshiv,foundinMs.Sassoon the passage quotedthere, R.Davidwrote: divinity, aswellthetextreferredinn.20above.Immediatelyafter אמ"רדוד: אין רשות לנולצייר הי' ספירותאלא בראשי פרקים הבאים לידך כגון מגן אברהם החשמל שהוא הפרקים ראש של צבע באותו לעולם תצייר לכן לתפ' הדעת חונן וכגון לחסד השפע תמשוך ואח"כ סביב סביב בעצמה הספירה מלבוש הוא החשמל כי הספירה של הפה אל מפה המקובל הנכון וזהו אלינו עד העולמות אל הנהר מעומק .בציורך מעומק הנהר אל העולמות עד אלינו וזהו הנכון המקובל מפה אל הפה שאר שכל אע"פ ההוא בצבע הוא בם אשר וכל ורקיע חשמל ר"ל אלא ח"ו גשמי לבוש הוא המאורותיתלוו אליהם received frommouthtomouth. the worlds,downtous.Andthisiscorrect,what should draw the influx from the depthofthe river, to is mentionedwithouttheH Kabbalist R.JosephibnZ upon severaltimesinthewritingsofsixteenth-centuryJerusalemite The connectionbetweenH headings whichreachyou,suchasMagenAvraham Ibid., 87–88. ben Yehudah he-H David foundinthismanuscriptsee Idel,“Targumo shelRabbiDavid Kabbalah: New Perspectives, 104–5. For additional texts related to R. of thesefirahitself, headings, sincetheH you shouldalwaysvisualizethatcolorofthechapter to ̣ ayyah H ̣ ̣ ayyah esed, orlikeH ̣ . Formoreontheseissues,seethesecondpartofthisstudy, AJ12. ̣ ’s writings which,thoughstemmingfromavarietyofsources 28 However, whatismoreimportantthe ̣ ayyah

̣ asid le-seferha-Zohar,” 87–91. ̣ ayyah ̣ ayyim Vital, wasalsoacquaintedwithviewsofibn ̣ onen ha-Da‘at ̣ ,” 275–76nn.118,119.SometimestheMalbush ̣ ’s ’s 26 ̣ ayyah ̣ She’erit Yosef, Warsaw, Ms.229,fol.58r. This aroundit,andafterwardsyou ̣ ashmal isthegarment[Malbush] ashmal. SeeSeferZ ̣ ashmal andMalbush ̣ . See,e.g.,’Evenha-Shoham,Jerusalem, ̣ eror ha-H 25 27 toTiferet . Therefore כי ממני תבין אל לבוש אומרי כי ודע כי אומרי לבוש אל תבין ממני כי ̣ ayyim, London,BL,Ms. ̣ eror ha-H has beenelaborated ̣ ayyim, fols.65r, מלובשים SeeIdel, tothe 24

Ars Judaica 2015 39 The The Thus, Thus, Thus, Thus, 34 32 30 ] within ] within which shows asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram 35 ̣ In those circles In those circles 31 , Tiferet .” ’Anppin ’Arikh of 36 , 273. Qabbalah Visiva , 203, 205, 264. Qabbalah Visiva Moreover, in one manuscript of this book we have of this book we have in one manuscript Moreover, , Jerusalem, NLI, Ms. 3921 8°, fol. 64v, and Jerusalem, Sefer ha-Gevul, Jerusalem, NLI, Ms. 3921 8°, fol. 64v, 33 This understanding of the Small-Face as identical to This understanding shows Sefer ha-Gevul shows David’s R. of perusal a However, 29 Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors, Warsaw, Ms. 1193, fol. 13r. Warsaw, See Oxford, Bodleiana,fol. 194r. Ms. 1911, , 197–335. Busi, Qabbalah Visiva I passage the see context entire the For 94v. fol. 4°, 80 Ms. NLI, 23–24. ha-‘ofot ha-teme’im,” published in Idel, “Ta‘amei ] whereas the the [supernal sefirot] whereas ] of the ten Keter ‘Elyon a complete list of ten colors related to a diagram of ten to a diagram of ten a complete list of ten colors related of “eye the represents that sefirot we have here a clear conflict of interpretation regarding regarding interpretation of conflict clear a here have we explicitly text a in found concept key a of meaning the seen in the have we what and to R. David attributed anonymous diagram. more than his unparalleled propensity toward diagrams, forms the and circles 96 the as Kabbalist, other any inserted in them abundantly testify. list of the colors, though not totally identical with what identical with what list of the colors, though not totally very similar to it. is found in the diagram, is nevertheless In one case in this manuscript the name Ze‘yir ’Anppin is described as related to the sefirah 35 Busi, 36 32 See 33 Busi, 34 it.” but with the last, feminine one one feminine but with the last, nine sefirot with not it crown refers to the highest the Long-Face alone: “Now [ [‘Atarah crown lowest to the refers Small-Face we have a clear testimony that his designs, or diagrams, or diagrams, we have a clear testimony that his designs, In some contain references to the two configurations. the circles as cases a few colors are mentioned within well. , is quite rare in Kabbalah, but in Kabbalah, but is quite rare last, feminine sefirah, the of Hamadan, probably an older it is found in R. Joseph David, and in a Zoharic text. contemporary of R. Ze‘yir and Ze‘yir the two divine configurations, ’Arikh ’Anppin as he articulated it in Indeed, ’Anppin, recur constantly. designed to you this book, “All the designs that I have worlds, are in the from the beginning until now of the .” world of ’A[rikh] ’A[nppin] and Z[e‘yir] ’A[nppin] that the linkage between this term and the last, female, female, last, the and term this between linkage the that writings. Additionally, sefirah is not exclusive in R. David’s we find here a clear statement as to the identity of Ze‘yir ’Anppin as the nine lower sefirot.

has been explicitly explicitly been has . Nevertheless, it is is it Nevertheless, . , the garment, namely their their namely garment, the , together comprise the lower lower the comprise together and to the specific parts of the prayer. and to the specific parts of the prayer. (Jerusalem, 1962), XXIII:7, vol. 2, fols. Rimmonim (Jerusalem, 1962), XXIII:7, vol. 2, fols. , 105–7, 211–12 n. 178; and R. Moshe Studies in the Zohar, 105–7, 211–12 n. 178; and R. Moshe However, despite those affinities there is a discrepancy despite those However, . This means that according to the Ze‘yir ’Anppin. This means that according to the Idel, “The Image of Man,” 186. Ms. the designs reproducedSee also from Sefer ha-Gevul, Paris, BnF, , 279, 289; Idel, “The in Busi, Qabbalah Visiva 876, fols. 95v and 98v, Image of Man,” 195 n. 48; id., Kabbalah: New Perspectives, 134–35; Liebes, Cordovero, 15d–16a (Hebrew). On these circles, or diagrams, see Goldreich, “Sefer ha-gevul,” 79–89;

30 31 29 described as related to or constituting the configuration the configuration described as related to or constituting of sefirot nine the diagram may assume that the configuration, and implicitly we sefirah of Keter was understood. This as ’Arikh ’Anppin last identification conforms to what we find in late- thirteenth-century Kabbalah, including that of R. David insofar as the sefirotic identity of Small himself. However, Face or Configuration is concerned, there are a variety of epistles, he identified interpretations. In one of R. David’s themselves. Thus, it is Thus, it is themselves. but not to the sefirot covering, of the diagram together with not just the occurrence David in the Milanese Ambrosiana a response of R. also but author, possible the to points that manuscript a between some details in it and a conceptual similarity a Kabbalist called R. David. However, passage ascribed to of we have a detailed and precise list while in the diagram sefirot, in the short passage colors and their corresponding manuscript colors are mentioned from the Cambridge any indication of the precise in general terms without sefirot corresponding the and colors instances, in the Let me point out that unlike other last quote it is the sefirot that are mentioned, not the “spheres of the sefirot” as is recorded in the diagram and the Commentary on in the quote adduced in n. 20 from sefirah term very the that be may It . Merkavah Ma‘aseh As seen in the that I would like to address in some detail. sefirot nine last the of each diagram, This means that the Kabbalist has had access to the to the has had access that the Kabbalist This means sefirot the of aspect external obvious that something is missing in this passage, namely this passage, namely obvious that something is missing in are connected to the specific names of the colors that each of the sefirot was understood as a sphere. 40 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel 38 R. JosephAshkenazi. that increaseto the infinite, accordingtoastatementof there arealsootherdivinepowers,tenormultiplesof certain configuration,orevenwithinasefirah, theory of sefirot Ashkenazi – applies here, as in some other cases, the by termswrittenabovetheinterpretedwords. the bookofZohar,byhintingatsefiroticvalences Kabbalistic textswithwhichhewasacquainted,including R. Davidtointerpretinatheosophicalmannerearlier of R.Davidquotedabove.Itfitsthegeneraltendency occurs immediatelybeforethetextsadducedinname ’Anppin of the nine last sefirot text theZe‘yir’Anppinisconstituted,likeindiagram, is relatedtothetwoconfigurations.Onbasisofthis but inthiscaseitisobviousthatthesituationofprayer and concerning another part of prayer to the of the prayer as intended to the Gerona, ananonymousKabbalistinterpretstheasection R. IsaactheBlindandwastransmittedbyAzrielof the Kabbalistic intention in prayer that stems from is notinsurmountable,especiallyinthewritingsof discrepancy relatedtothemeaningofZe‘yir’Anppin 37 on he speaks about Keter of

See, e.g., Goldreich, “Sefer ha-gevul,” 74–76; the introduction toMatt, See, e.g.,Goldreich,“Seferha-gevul,” 74–76;theintroduction part ofthispublication,AJ12. See alsoibid.,27andn.6.Formore onthisissue, seetheforthcoming 1994), 44 and n. 117 (Hebrew), where I suggested R. David’s authorship. Ephraim Gottlieb),eds.MichalOronandAmosGoldreich(Jerusalem, in KabbalisticLiteratureandJewishPhilosophyMemoryofProf. Yisrael mukdashimle-zikhroshelprof.EfrayimGotlib(Massu’ot:Studies Sagi Nehor),inMassu’ot:meh Yiz interpretation inMosheIdel,“Alkavvanatshmonehesrehez related toR.Davidhavebeenpreserved.IpublishedDavid’s Sassoon 290,p.233,whichisamanuscriptinmanytraditions did not contain the anthropomorphic terminology, is found in Ms. the earlierKabbalistictradition thatwasinterpretedbyR.David, but See Cambridge,Ms.Add.505.3,fol.7v. TheoriginalHebrewtextof Ze‘yir ’AnppinortoH Thus, wehavearatherpreciseparalleltothediagram, Moreover, inacommentary onatradition regarding Thus, though constituting a certain problem, the ̣ h ̣ ak Sagi-Nehor”(OntheKavvanahofShemoneh‘EsrehinR.Isaac possesses nine within 40 , or to put it differently, the Ze‘yir

sefirot ̣ esed ofZe‘yir’Anppin,butlater sefirot ̣ karim be-sifrutha-kabbalahu-ve-mah of ’Arikh ’Anppin . 39 R. David – like R. Joseph , which means that in a Binah of Ze‘yir ’Anppin, . 37 38 This text H ̣ okhmah el Rabbi ̣ ̣ shevet

42 41 40 39 of vocalization. that accordingtothistraditionthereisonlyonekind one ofthetenoccurrencestoanother, whichmeans of theTetragrammata thattherearenochangesfrom ten colors,andTetragrammata. Itisonlyinthecase categories of setsten:tenconcentric circles,tensefirot, mainly onaseriesofcorrespondencesbetweenseveral diagram. Asisevident,thecoreofdiagramrelies Let menowanalyzeamajoraspectofthecontent Visualization ofColors between them. the twelve seals, the twelve tribes, and the relationships thetwelvehawayyotofdivinenames,of thezodiac, that deal with non-theosophical issues like the twelve signs there arediscussionsofissuesfoundinthesecondcircle discussion of its content found on fol. 4v (fig. 1b), where above and atablereproduced that is accompanied by a is thepossible affinity between the circular diagram he-H identify thediagramasatextofR.David benYehudah the divergence, and it is quite plausible in my opinion to common denominators are nevertheless greater than a Kabbalist who isas eclectic aswasR.David:The of colorsorvisualizationisnotdiscussedthere. macrocosmic aspectsofthediagram.Inanycase,topic belongs toR.David,andispossiblyanexplicationofthe

u-z found inthelateranonymousresponse publishedinIdel,“Kavvanah Unlike theothertraditionthatalso isrelatedtovisualizationofcolors, diss., Bar-Ilan University, RamatGan,2012),290(Hebrew). Tikkunei ha-Zohar:Poetic,HermeneuticandMysticalAspects)(PhD po’etiyyim, parshaniyyimu-mistiyyim”(TheMythoftheShekhinain Biti Roi,“Mitosha-Shekhinahbe-sifruttikkuneiha-Zohar:hebbetim oriented contemporaryKabbalist,whoauthoredTikkunei Zohar.See marginality ofthisconfigurationinthethoughtanotherZohar- The importanceofthisconfigurationinR.Davidcontraststhe manner. A somewhatsimilardiscussionisfoundinibid.,fol.20d. Commentary onSeferYez ben Yehudah he-H The BookofMirrors,26andn.102;Idel,“Targumo shelRabbiDavid A questionthatcannotbedealtwithindetailhere ̣ ̣ eva‘im,” whereeachTetragrammatron isvocalizedinadifferent asid. 41 42 ̣ asid le-seferha-Zohar,” 64–66. Ibelieve that this short treatise also What is missing in the diagram is an ̣ irah, fols.18b,25a,37a. Ars Judaica 2015 41 I see no I see no . Its ayyer. Its ̣ 47 48 asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram ̣ On the basis of of basis the On 46 um states that “you um states that “you ̣ um refers to the circle opens um refers to the circle opens ̣ . We may furthermore also also furthermore may sefirot. We um’s text that this is a certain kind of mental um’s ̣ (Name and Sanctuary in the Teaching of R. Isaac Isaac of R. ak Sagi-Nehor (Name and Sanctuary in the Teaching ̣ h ̣ The verb translated as “to visualize” is le-z The verb translated as “to visualize” Do the details in the diagram constitute the unspecified constitute the unspecified in the diagram details Do the Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors, Sefer ha- Raziel Sefer in printed passage short anonymous the see colors, Malakh (Amsterdam, 1701), fol. 33b (Hebrew). See Idel, “Al kavvanat shmoneh esreh,” 31–36; id., “Ha-kabbalah bi- 62 (1993): tefillat Provance” (Kabbalistic Prayer in Provence), Tarbiz 278–80 (Hebrew), and in more general terms in the early theosophical Kabbalah, , Ha-shem ve-ha-mikdash be-mishnat Rabbi Yiz the Blind) (Jerusalem, 2001), 73–102 (Hebrew); Elliot R. Wolfson, and Imagination in Medieval Jewish Through a Speculum that Shines: Vision Mysticism (Princeton, 1994), 238–44. Cambridge, Ms. Add. 505, fol. 8r. Ibid., as discussed above.

of Kabbalistic intention during prayer. during intention Kabbalistic of operation mentioned in an explicit context of a circle and reasonable argument against interpreting his words as a his words as a reasonable argument against interpreting Divine Name along recommendation for visualizing the in which there with the color as found in a certain circle, are references to several cosmic aspects. under- for importance decisive of is meaning precise and this is the standing the role played by the diagram, upon it. It is reason why it will be important to expatiate only in R. Tanh 46 47 48 “chapter headings”? In the Kabbalistic material accom- “chapter headings”? regarding panying the diagram there are no instructions of the various the role it may fulfill nor of the meaning the However, the circles. within inscribed details manner in which R. Tanh not only the details the possibility that we may envision but also the circle as instructions for visualization, itself, as part of this process. R. Tanh this correspondence we may, therefore, assume that the that the therefore, assume we may, this correspondence the of vocalization the and colors of list circles constitute detailed instructions in the concentric in various colors Tetragrammaton for visualizing the the corresponding to is at least a part of the chapter headings assume that this list when he wrote, “you shall always mentioned by R. David to that color which is [attributed to] visualize according chapter headings.” the sefirah [according to] the shall visualize the letter of the Tetragrammaton before before shall visualize the letter of the Tetragrammaton etc. your eyes in a circle in your thought,”

, ̣ devarekha. 45 um. ̣ במחשבתך תצייר דברך, בנקוד ה' בנקוד דברך, תצייר במחשבתך you shall visualize you shall visualize 43 shewa, kammaz shewa, 119:89 Ps. in with a color red as the 44 דברך sefirah um, includes next to the sefirah ̣ , was sometimes seen as one of the ways in which which in ways the of one as seen sometimes was , ̣ um, or more precisely the disciple who orally who orally um, or more precisely the disciple ̣ See also Moshe Idel, The Mystical Experience in , um, who is otherwise unknown. He recommends unknown. He recommends um, who is otherwise ̣ When you vocalize devarekha, Evidence that helps flesh out the possible use that a use that out the possible flesh helps Evidence that fire and your thought is performing many things. many things. fire and your thought is performing From the mouth of the Rabbi Tanh in your thought the letters of the Tetragrammaton in your thought the letters of the Tetragrammaton before your eyes, in a circle .תנחום אותיות ידיד המיוחד לפני עיניך בגלגל בצבע אדום כאש ומחשבתך פועלת הרבה מפי רב tr. Jonathan Chipman (Albany, 1987), 32–34. For an interesting 1987), 32–34. For an interesting Jonathan Chipman (Albany, tr. and sphere the mentioning however without passage, this to parallel The vocalization of the word word the of vocalization The shewa’, kammaz shewa’, an early Kabbalistic was pronounced; see, e.g., the Tetragrammaton fragment preserved in Oxford, Bodleiana, Ms. 2240, fol. 248b. This pronunciation differs from that with which I am acquainted in both the Ashkenazi and the Sefardi material known in Barcelona at the end of the thirteenth century; see Idel, “Ashkenazi Esotericism,” 74–91. Galgal, which can also be translated as sphere. Ms. 108, fol. 95r: Paris, Rabbinical Seminary,

the phrase “red as the fire,” and a vocalization a vocalization and fire,” the as “red phrase the Gevurah of that with identical Tetragrammaton the of Indeed, this vocalization is found in all the Tetragrammata the Tetragrammata Indeed, this vocalization is found in all of the paramount role played it is part diagram and in the in the history by concentration on the Tetragrammaton 43 R. Tanh received the tradition from him, describes a circle that a circle that received the tradition from him, describes vocalized with the includes a visualized Tetragrammaton, as fire.” “red color the and word devarekha the of vowels one very similar to Indeed, the above diagram, or at least that described by R. Tanh Kabbalist can make of the diagram is found in a short short a in found is diagram the of make can Kabbalist a certain R. to another Kabbalist, sentence attributed Tanh that: explicit statement as to its purpose. Moreover, the final the final purpose. Moreover, as to its explicit statement are there that clear makes it of the diagram statement which have not to the content aspects related additional transmitted and they meant to be been written down, to the meaning In fact, the different details related orally. and of the Tetragrammata, of the different vocalizations of colors, comprise more detailed the occurrence of names the significance of those variants. information about 44 45 42 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel in yourheart” H Tibbon’s Hebrewtranslationof R.Bah it means to conceptualize, to form amentalconcept. under theinfluenceofArabicphilosophicalterminology, action. A negative attitude towards imagination is found Ruah 54 53 50 49 See as a painterorperhaps sculptor. wasdesignatedinRabbinicliteraturesome casesGod objective form, apicture done by the painter’s hand. In the verbZ and R.DavidbenYehudah he-H verb inthecontextofschoolR.JosephAshkenazi the details found in it. Let me attempt to elaborate on this 51 form ofthisverb,niZ Without mentioningthenoun“imagination,”reflective things, intheveinofmedievalNeo-Aristotelianism. act of imagination, which is prone to invent nonexistent It isdifficulttomissthenegativeconnotationrelatedan err and Yez written: “Anditisknownthatimaginationwillsometime mid-thirteenth century, the anonymous Ruah least inone philosophical text, written sometime in the human imagination, but a mental construct. However, at This is,however, notamatterofimagesshapedwithinthe 52 Bah ̣

, where things are described as “imagined ovot ha-Levavot,wherethingsaredescribedas“imagined 2 (Tel Aviv, [1949]),503: from Ms. Sassoon 290, p. 196, that include works ofR. Joseph and R. ed. Hallamish,36,77,174,180.See alsotheanonymousmaterials Yez See, e.g.,severaltimesinthepreface tohisCommentaryonSefer Thought, ed.NetaStahl(LondonandNewYork, 2012),81–82. on and ,” in Jesus among the Jews: Representation and (Hebrew); MosheIdel,“AbrahamAbulafia:AKabbalist‘SonofGod’ See hisGanNa‘ul,ed.AmnonGross(Jerusalem,2000),58–59 Wolfson, Language,Eros,Being,125. the proposedidentificationbetweentwoinanotherinstance the facultyofimaginationisamatteradditionalinquiry. Compare sull’uso del termine Moslem World Philosophy andTheirGreek, Latin and Hebrew Equivalents,” See HarryA.Wolfson, “TheTerms Tasawwur andTasdiq Ruah rinascimentale,” Materia giudaica15/16(2010/11):331–38. דברים שאינם נמצאים כלל ̣ H ̣ irah, e.g.,fols.2c,3a,andinhisCommentaryonGenesisRabbah , ̣ ya ibnPakudah,H Genesis Rabbah,1:9. ̣ H ̣ , but nevertheless not defined as a positive type of en, butneverthelessnotdefinedasapositivetypeof ̣ en (Warsaw, 1865),16,chap.5: ̣ -Y-R ayyer [will draw] things thatdo not existatall.” ̣ , April 1943: 1–15. See also Fabrizio Lelli, “Osservazioni 52 means to draw a diagram, namely a concrete, means todrawadiagram,namelyconcrete, without a strong negative implication as in withoutastrongnegativeimplicationasin

siyyur ̣ ovot ha-Levavot,ed.A.Z ̣ taYyeR, isusedinR.Yehudah ibn בלבך נצטייר בלבך in alcuni trattati cabba . Whethertheheartisrelatedto ̣ asid. InRabbinicHebrew, 49 ויצייר ישגה לפעמים שהדמיון וידוע שהדמיון לפעמים ישגה ויצייר InmedievalHebrew, ̣ ya ibnPakudah’s ̣ ifroni, GateVIII,ch. ­listici dell’Italia ̣ H ̣ in Arabic en , it is 50 51

many timestotheverbZ history ofJewishmysticism.R.JosephAshkenaziresorts positive turntowardimaginationisnoteworthyforthe results thatmaybegeneratedbyimagination.This instructions tovisualizemakenomentionofthenegative the negativeovertoneshavebeenremovedand human mentalact. and cosmologicalcontexts,whicharenotrelatedtoa here. According to the unidentifiable R. Tanh above, oneshouldgeneratesomethinginhisownmah of Gerona, the imperativeto“kill”it. also inR.AbrahamAbulafia’s writings,onethatisequalto 56 55 Ashkenazi Kabbalist,R.AbrahamAxelradofCologne. ve-ha-Bitah This isthecaseinR.JacobbenSheshet’s Seferha-’Emunah of adiscussionwhereimagination,dimyon,ismentioned. operations relatedtotheverbZ Much moreperformativeistheunderstandingof author isnotknown. 58 57 form ofcogitation,thoughinafewcasesitmayalso it may stand for thoughtbutsometimes also foranother shavah

Tarbiz 51(1982):244nn.31,32;266(Hebrew).Ontheconceptsof Moshe Idel, “Ha-sefirot she-me-al ha-sefirot” (Sefirot above Sefirot), on thisverbinthecontextofdivineactsmentalcreation is notvisualizedbutbelievedtoexistobjectively. Seealsothematerial the brilliantlight, Abraham Axelrad,“KeterShemTov,” inGinzeiH (Jerusalem, 1964–64),2:483(Hebrew). ha-Ramban (Writings ofNahmanides),ed.ChaimD.Chavel,2vols. Pseudo-Nahmanides, “Commentary on the ,” inKitvei divine z Commentary onShirha-Yih David. Compare also with the view found in the anonymous Ashkenazi and Ch. 5,Nahmanides,Kitveiha-Ramban , 331–32. Text) (Tel Aviv, 2000),intheindex,p.496(Hebrew). zman mah his heart– 2:369, whereR.JacobquotesEzraofGerona,astotheneeddirect Ch. 15,seeNahmanides,Kitveiha-Ramban,2:395.Seealsoch.5,ibid., 1853), 47–48(Hebrew). (Selections from Kabbalah Literature), ed. Adolf Jellinek (Leipzig, However, intheKabbalistictextswedealwithhere, Let meturntotheschoolofKabbalistsdiscussed ציורי דברים , a term quite flexible in the Middle Ages, where ̣ is understood astantamounttodecrees. iyyur isunderstood ̣ zori ve-textkadosh(Nahmanides:CyclicalTime andtheHoly ̣ on, 55 דרום למדת לבו יכוון לבו למדת דרום and under his influence also with another in Nahmanides, see Haviva Pedaya, 57 andthelaterso-calledHolyLetter,whose האור הבהיר 54 58 ThisisalsothecasewithR.Ezra ̣ –totheattributeofsouth,describedas ud, Vatican, Ms.274,fol.173r, wherethe . However, theintentionistoalightwhich 53 ̣ -Y-R butalwaysintheogonic ̣ -Y-R aspart, understood Ha-Ramban: hit‘allut – ̣ okhmat ha-Kabbalah ̣ um quoted ציור ̣ a- 56

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’s 67 66 ̣ ayyah ̣ three three 63 you have you have asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram 62 ̣ means: out of of out means: the name of ayyer the name of ̣ emyah ben Shlomoh ha- 61 ̣ 65 in a red color, [good] for [good] for in a red color, 68 64 ba-mistikah ha-yehudit, 88. לשון עמק רומז אל המחשבה על מדרגה שהזכרתי ̣ eva‘im,” 7, n. 35. ̣ Hofa‘otav shel ha-ko’ah ’s Kabbalah, as pointed out by , Jonathan by out pointed as Kabbalah, ’s ̣ . The first part of the quote is found in the instruction of visualization I have called YHWH” (Ps. 130:1) (Ps. YHWH” called have I seen bandits you should recite Taftafayah recite should you bandits seen times and you will be saved from them. And this this And them. from saved be will you and times you Malkhut in the hue of blue, is the attribute of should visualize Agla’ the thought of each and every one. If of each and every the thought any trouble that you will have. any trouble that you Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors, לך ותנצל מהם והוא מדת המלכות בגוון תכלת תצייר אגלא בצבע אדום, לכל צרה שלא שיהי ממעמקים קראתי יה פי' ממחשבת של כל א' וא'. אם ראית ליסטים תזכור טפטפיה ג"פ of colors found in the name of R. David in Cambridge, Ms. Add. 505, of colors found in the name of R. David in Cambridge, Ms. Add. 505, fol. 8r. See also Idel, “Kavvanah u-z Jerusalem, NLI, Ms. 5° 266, fol. 77v. For the description of the first For the description of the first Jerusalem, NLI, Ms. 5° 266, fol. 77v. Sefirot found in see the Commentary on Ten sefirah as white as snow, that I identify as written by R. Joseph of Ms. 853, fol. 80v, Paris, BnF, Hamadan, an older contemporary of R. David. The other colors or hues correspond to the list mentioned in the commentary do not, however, R. David and its source, see Idel, “Rabbi Neh Navi al Magen David,” 27–32, 38–39. This is a well-known acronym of the words of a verse from the ‘ prayer. Ms. Sassoon 290, p. 197: 78, fol. 257v, which also includes traditions of R. David. See also Idel, which also includes traditions of R. David. See also Idel, 78, fol. 257v, 21. “Kabbalistic Prayer and Color,” also connected to R. This seems to be the beginning of another topic, David. On this name in This is the vocalization in the Hebrew original.

ayyah ̣ much more elaborated approach. We have here names names here have We approach. elaborated more much to that are connected other than the Tetragrammaton but the technique colors and sometimes to visualization, This is also above. seen we have to what similar is quite where it is the case in a collection of magical traditions the mercy of Keter said that whoever wants to implore should resort to the trisagion and “Yez Keter, in that hints at the Supernal the Tetragrammaton the color of white as snow.” 66 67 Garb, 68 64 65 62 63 Such an interpretation is characteristic of R. Joseph ibn is characteristic of R. Joseph ibn Such an interpretation Z is an independent stance, possibly and here there ibn Z indicating that such a tendency precedes Here there is an interpretation of a view of R. Joseph Joseph R. of view a of interpretation an is there Here to that of R. David, which takes Gikatilla, in accordance direction. in a markedly magical view the former’s

59 at 60 ashavah as ̣ ayyim Vital’s ayyim Vital’s ̣ ashavah. ̣ הדמיון המחשבה, הדמיון mah .” though the view the view .” though um’s um’s ̣ , namely in his mind, in his mind, , namely , Vatican, Ms. 274, fol. 174r, fol. 174r, 274, Ms. Vatican, ud, , translated in Moshe Idel, Moshe aredim, translated in ̣ ̣ בשכלו emyah ben Shlomoh ha-Navi al magen David,” 38–39. ̣ Commentary on Shir ha-Yih on Shir Commentary המתפלל צריך לכוין במחשבתו ובכוונתו השלימה למקור החפץ שהוא קוצו של but the corresponding sefirah but um does not specify ̣ , namely thought, imagination, and intellect. However, in this in this , namely thought, imagination, and intellect. However, was was ashavah, namely at the first sefirah. The name Taftafiah ̣ mima‘amakim] the rank I mentioned “from depths [ The language of ‘omek, hints at the thought, The context of these acts is related to two different different two to related is acts these of context The Compare to what was written a few pages beforehand, in a collection of material belonging to R. David, Ms. Sassoon 290, p. 193: “The prayer the of root the to intention perfect his and thought his direct should [divine] will, that is the tittle of the yod that is the depth of the [divine] thought and about it it is said “From the depths I called Thou, the Lord.” “ closer to imagination, see in R. Jacob ben Sheshet’s text referred to in n. closer to imagination, see in R. Jacob ben Sheshet’s 57 above. Mah considered in some texts as the magical “name of the thought.” See Idel, “Rabbi Neh יוד שהוא עומק המחשבה ועל זה נאמר: 'ממעמקים קראתיך י"י' והשכל where the visualization of colors is discussed as related to (Albany, 1988), 133. See also the anonymous Studies in Ecstatic Kabbalah (Albany, Ashkenazi passage referred to in the second part of this publication, AJ 12, and the passage referred to in the second part of this publication, Sefer H R. Eleazar Azikri’s passage from See Hamburg, Ms. Levi 78, fol. 257r. See also below R. H See Hamburg, Ms. Levi 78, fol. 257r. is that of R. Joseph Gikatilla. Compare also with Hamburg, Ms. Levi is that of R. Joseph Gikatilla. Compare also with Hamburg, Ms. Levi treatise no specific colors are mentioned, as part of the esoteric trend trend esoteric the of part as mentioned, are colors specific no treatise of the anonymous Kabbalist. For the resort to the term mah

61 60 an interesting parallel to R. Tanh an interesting parallel refers to the “circle,” thus concealing an essential aspect an essential aspect refers to the “circle,” thus concealing is conceived to of the practice, which at least implicitly, purpose of the be esoteric. In the short text the ritual but the empowering imaginative act is not specified, many “performing mentioned: is deed the of aspect of the things.” Indeed, such a magical understanding The worldview. David’s R. to alien not is visualization immediately found passage short a in written is following sefirot: after the responsum about the ten hyper- components: the letters of the Divine Name, and the letters of the Divine Name, and the components: the the color red. The tradition of case in our specific color, R. Tanh Thus, our modern understand visualization propensity to be faculty of imagination should not as related to the upon the medieval texts, at least automatically projected not as if it is self-evident. 59 stand for imagination. However, in another text R. David in another text imagination. However, stand for and of the Tetragrammaton the visualization mentions that one should do the color 44 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel ritual, themostimportantJewishprayer. TheverbZ the associationofactvisualizationwithaspecific of as transmitted orally. However, what is new here is Like R. Tanh content of the act of visualization is not mentioned. visualize colors,ontheotherhand,thoughspecific the onehand,butcontainsimplicitinstructionsto includes negationofthevisualizationsefirot,on are notallowedtovisualizethetensefirot,exceptetc.” above fromtheCambridgemanuscript.Thephrase“We found inthepassagenameofR.David,quoted in the next paragraph. belong toR.Davidorhisschool,andwillbeaddressed Yisrael blessing,foundintwoversionsthat,myopinion, also recursinananonymouscommentaryontheShema‘ before hiseyesthenameYHWH, the wordYisra’el relation totheactthataccompaniespronunciationof that tendstowhite.” 70 69 imagined letters or sounds to the corresponding letters incertaincolors,oneiscapableofelevatingthe attributes, ismentioned.However, byvisualizingthese interdiction tovisualizethesefirot,conceivedofasdivine toward theendoffourteenthcentury, wherethe the anonymousKabbalisticresponse, probably written verb occurs in a similar context to thatof R. David: in writings ofR.AbrahambenEliezerha-Levi. it alsorecursmuchlaterinsimilarcontexts,likethe reminiscent ofthedonningheadphylacteries,and the letters ofthe Divine Name between “his eyes” is

diagram. though the description of the color differs somewhat from that in the The vocalizationisshewa’, kammaz comparison ofthetwoversionsinaseparate study. 128v–129r, andMs.Sassoon290,pp.300–301.Ihopetopublisha Ms.1663,fols.manuscripts, see,e.g.,Oxford,Bodleiana, several in See New York, JTS, Ms. 2430, fol. 81r. For another version, found colors inhiswritings.Seealsoabove,n.20. fols. 53c,56d,57ab,58b,61b,104ab,etc.Thereisnovisualizationof anonymously inSeferha-Malkhut,ed.J.Toledano (Casablanca,1930), colors andsefirot found inthediagram.Thisisalsocasewithdiscussionsabout Another instanceofresortingtotheverbZ There is a fourth significant instance in which this ̣ um’s tradition, this one, too, is conceived in theotherwritingsofR.JosephHamadan,printed that referstoTiferet: “Heshouldvisualize 71 Thisrecommendationtovisualize 69 Inone ofthem itiswritten in ̣ , shewa’, kammaz 70 inavisualizationofred ̣ , likeinthediagram, ̣ -Y-R is sefirah, ̣ -Y-R

74 73 72 75 71 certain topic,orsomeformofmentalconcentration, is derived,whichmeanstodirectone’s attentionona first istherootK-W-N, fromwhichthenounKavvanah they appearrequiresadistinctionbetweenthetwo.The concerning lettersandcolors.Themannerinwhich In thispassagetherearetwoverbsrelatedtooperations the responsumaboutletters: resort tocolorsanddivinenamesinprayer, inarather of . some casescircleswerenotintendedtobecomeanobject rather lengthydiscussion.Thus,wemayassumethatin in thediagram,thoughacircleisnotmentioned the colors thatcorrespondto whatwe have seen above quote, thereisaresorttotheverbZ of theinstructionsfoundincontinuationthis of letters and colors. Also in this case, as well as in many Here thevisualizationisagainamatterofcombination includes aspecificshapeoflettersandcolor. while an esoteric issue. during prayer, andagainthisisconceivedasbeingquite context isquiteobviouslytheKabbalisticintention and soofactingonit,without,however, seeingit.The

Published in Idel, “Kavvanah u-z This isawidespreadtypeofsymbolisminKabbalah. Idel, “Kavvanahu-z that istobekeptinmindwhilepraying. Megillah, 20a,thoughaddinganew level, thedetailsofsefiroticone the earlierRabbinicunderstanding of thisverb,BTBerakhot,13b; See Idel,“Alkavvanatshmonehesreh,” 31–36.Thismeaningcontinues fol. 260r;Ms.Sassoon290,p.301: Oxford, Bodleiana,Ms. 1663, fol. 128r; Oxford, Bodleiana,Ms. 1784, לכתר ובקוצה ביוד מכוין כלל דרך שהוא יהוה שאמ' בשעה כגון ומראיו בגווני' מכויין ולחכמה ויצייר היוד גםקוצה לבן כשלג הלובן with thetitle,thatiswhitelikesnow. intends generallytoYod example inthemomentwhenhesaysYHWH, letters, he intendstothehuesand colors, as for [. ..]andwhenheintendstothem,namelythe Let mealsomentiontheexistenceofinstructionsto and toH Z

̣ aYyeR refersheretotheactofvisualization,which ̣ okhmah, 72 eva‘im,” 2–4. ̣ As to the resort to the verb we read in 73 Yod andheshouldvisualizetheYod ̣ eva‘im,” 4–5: and toitstitle,Keter אל נוטה אדום בציור יהוה שם עיניו בין ויצייר בין עיניו שם יהוה בציור אדום נוטה אל ̣ -Y-R באותיות ר"ל בהם וכשמכוין בהם ר"ל באותיות 74 and tonamesof

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80 ,” 279–80. ̣ asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram ̣ ayyah ̣ 81 downward was embraced by R. Moshe Cordovero; see, e.g., downward was embraced by R. Moshe Cordovero; see, e.g., , trans. Allan Arkush, ed. R.J. Zwi Zwi R.J. Allan Arkush, ed. trans. Kabbalah, the Origins of okhmah ̣ Thus, it is not a matter of contemplation of a static a static contemplation of of matter a not it is Thus, Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors, , vol. 7 (Jerusalem 1975), 17, 77 (Hebrew). ’Or Yakar ibn Z See also Garb, “Kabbalato shel Rabbi Yosef Cambridge, Ms. Add. 505, fol. 8v. Compare also to Milan, Ambrosiana, Cambridge, Ms. Add. 505, fol. 8v. in the table occurring immediately after the diagram, Ms. 62, fol. 4v, where a more cosmic propensity can be discerned, as mentioned above. strong See Idel, Kabbalah: New Perspectives, 229–33. For Scholem’s as contemplative, see, prayer proclivity to depict early Kabbalistic e.g., his H

79 80 81 However, this is not just a cosmogram, a diagram that just a cosmogram, a diagram that this is not However, the structure was intended to offer in a succinct manner to enhance a of the cosmos, since it is also intended is accompanied by ritual performance – prayer – that of letters of divine the visualization of colors and shapes the sefirot. It is names that are related to divine powers: cosmogram, quite obvious that this is not just another the references to since the occurrence of the colors and In purpose. a such for relevant not are Face” “Small the the other ones general, the sefirotic diagrams, including divine of representations with deal basically David, R. by powers, without a cosmological dimension. as discussed scheme that is assumed in the traditions visualization that above, but an energetic operation of changes from onegenerates a certain shape in colors which towardintended Though prayer. during another to blessing an objective divine world, the main type of operation generates effects that stem from human imaginative powers. This dynamic aspect is quintessential for understanding is calledwhat do with has little to general, and Kabbalah in contemplation. The Diagram: A Cosmogram or a Mandala? A Cosmogram The Diagram: list of thirty- the well-known circle there is In the outer – by means as intellects paths – identified two mystical was created, while the second circle of which the world e.g., the of all the realms of reality, contains the names signs of the Zodiac,alphabet, stones, planets, spheres, of kinds of living creatures such as fish and various man. It is obvious that the Kabbalist the sea, animals, and which macrocosmos, the of idea the express to intended been included within the divine is envisioned as having Such a macrocosmic approach is also macroanthropos. David. R. to related tradition another in at hinted

, from from alone or of alone or of . This sefirot. This asid,” 69–71. The asid,” 69–71. The ̣ . I hope to publish this to publish this hope I . or, as in the diagram, as in the diagram, or, 78 asid’s traditions, ends with traditions, ends with asid’s

̣ 77 refers to the second and lower and second the refers to צריך קבלה מפה אל פה Zohar irah, fols. 18d, 20b, 27a, 30d. ̣ , while in the works okhmah and Yesod ̣ does not obliterate its anthropomorphic anthropomorphic its obliterate not does

sefirot sefirot the encompassing entity as an ’Anppin Ze‘yir 79 ’Arikh ‘Anppin ’Arikh as identified regularly , Keter , , If we bring together those two traditions, about If we bring together 76 . In other contexts of R. David’s thought, this thought, this sefirot. In other contexts of R. David’s sefirah sefirot between H On the basis of the rhetorics and the details supplied in On the basis of the Ms. Sassoon 290, p. 194; 290, Sassoon Ms. conception of conception See Idel, “Od al Rabbi David ben Yehudah he-H See Idel, “Od al Rabbi David ben Yehudah text together with many others in my forthcoming monograph on on monograph forthcoming my in others many with together text and Prayer. Visualization however, without, colors, and letter between nexus a such For mentioning visualization, see R. Joseph Ashkenazi s Commentary on Genesis Rabbah, 143. For a nexus between sefirot and colors, see Commentary on Sefer Yez

76 lengthy interpretation of verses related to prayer without, related to prayer of verses lengthy interpretation the and visualization mentioning however, text, which appears in a collection of material from from collection of material appears in a text, which he-H R. David ben Yehudah the statement: “A transmission from mouth to mouth is is mouth to mouth from transmission “A statement: the needed.” 78 77 letters of the divine name and colors, a correlation which name and colors, a correlation which letters of the divine we may gain some insight into is not necessarily obvious, the content of visualization. the aforecited material, I consider the existence of some I consider the existence of some the aforecited material, as with visualization of colors, as well traditions dealing fact. I should like their actual practice, to be an established circle. Interestingly to dwell upon the significance of the between the enough, this diagram draws a distinction first prefers in the Hebrew form, ’Orekh or as R. ben Yehudah Ze‘yir ’Anppin, ’Anppin, and the other nine, designated as according to Zoharic i.e., the lower divine configuration anthropomorphic symbolism. The latter is an obvious in the which symbol, nine fact the anthropomorphic; manifestly is configuration differs from that the concept appearing in the diagram Zohar the of that proposed above is correct, If the understanding character. then the process of visualization includes not only divine names, colors, or circles, but also an anthropomorphic of the that symbolizes an aspect of color configuration divine realm. Tiferet of Tiferet divine head, consisting of the sefirah of R. David it includes ten sefirot, the 46 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel and theHindumandalaareindeed interesting. in bothcasesthecirclehasalsoamacrocosmicaspect. imaginary representationofdivineforcesandcolors two practicessharetheprocesses of visualizationand Ashkenazi text. figuration inR.JosephAshkenaziandaprobablylater the treeofsefirotwithinananthropomorphiccon- to discernsomehintsofthetheoryexistence which is at the same time also a cosmogram, it is possible Moreover, whilethemandalamayalsobeapsychogram, 82 the Kabbalisticdiagramisgraphicallydifferentfrom 83 the treatisesofR.JosephibnZ For thereferencetotermmandalaincaseofcirclesfound prayer. Seealsothesecondpartofthisarticle,AJ12. of theactdescribedbyscholarsascontemplationinconnection the nature thatmodifies to magic,asthesecondphaseofawidermodel aspartofabroaderstructure,beitconnectedtotheurgyor understood What iscalledthecontemplativeandunitiveelementsshouldbe Early EcstaticKabbalah)(LosAngeles,2004),98–104(Hebrew). kabbali li-tfillotme-ha-me’ahha-yudgimel(TheIntentionofPrayersin Afterman, reading. SeeIdel,“Alkavvanatshmonehesreh,”31–42.alsoAdam of connection betweenKavvanahanddivinenames,theconcept with contemplationinhisLanguage,Eros,Being,3–4.However, the compare alsotoWolfson’s essentialisticconceptofKabbalahasdealing Werblowsky (Philadelphia and Princeton, NJ, 1987), 243–45, and Mekubbal be-levha-se‘arah:RabbiMoshehH of Piaczena)(AlonShevut,2010)(Hebrew);andJonathanGarb, Perspectives ontheTeachings ofRabbiKalonymusKalmishShapiro le-torato shelha-Admormi-Piachena(TheFlameoftheHolyFire: Angeles, 2014)(Hebrew);RonWacks, Laheveteshkodesh:she‘arim Imagery Techniques intheTwentieth CenturyJewishMysticism)(Los dimyon ba-mistikahha-yehuditba-me’ahha-‘asirit(Vision asaMirror: Jewish mysticism,seeDanielReiser, Ha-mar’ahke-mar’ah:tekhnikatha- Yosef ibnZ For a Persian Sufi discussion of seeing colors and circles aspart of the above. andcategoriesoften,likeinthediagramreproduced zodiac should bementionedthatinsomemandalas therearealsosignsofthe Cahiers internationauxdesymbolisme,no.48-49(1984):53–62.It 65–180; IoanP. Coulianou,“Le mandalaetl’histoiredesreligions,” and edited by Gerald Chapple and James B. Lawson (Princeton, 1984), Zimmer, Immortality andFreedom(Princeton,1958),219–27.SeealsoHeinrich and PracticeoftheMandala(London,1961),vii;MirceaEliade,Yoga, For thesecharacteristicsofthemandala,seeGiuseppeTucci, TheTheory 13 (Hebrew). the Heart ofStorm:R.Moshe Hayyim Luzzatto)(Tel Aviv, 2014),112– The phenomenological affinities between this diagram in that period, scarcelyconfirmssuchacontemplativehamshakhah inthatperiod, Artistic Form and Yoga in the Sacred Images of India, translated ̣ ayyah Kavvanat ha-mevarekhli-mkomha-ma‘aseh:iyyunimbe-ferush ̣ ,” 296 n. 259. For techniques of visualization in modern ,” 296n.259.Fortechniquesofvisualizationinmodern 84 However, there are also clear differences: ̣ ayyah ̣ , seeGarb,“KabbalatoshelRabbi ̣ ayyim Luz ̣ ato (Kabbalist in 82 The 83

Jewish milieu. to thepenetrationofanalienmysticaltechniqueintoa oftimeinAcre,afactwhichmaybeclue certain period via theintermediacyofSufimaterial.R.Davidlivedfor a that HindutraditionsinfiltratedintoKabbalah,perhaps notwithstanding, onecannotunderratethepossibility Jewish ritualistic prayer serially. These differences Kabbalistic diagraminsomeone’s mindaccompanies a specialliturgy, thevisualizationofcontent of amandalaintheobjectiveworldisaccompaniedby are conspicuously unrelated. While the construction those formsofmandalawhichIcouldsee;theirdetails 85 84

in his H where techniquestoreachecstaticexperiencesaredescribed,especially interestingly enough,Abulafiaresortedtocirclesinhishandbooks, of influence of techniques stemming from the Indian territories. Also is interestingthattwoKabbalistswhovisitedAcrereflectsomeform it ishardtobringspecificexamplesfortheaffinityofdiagram, it the technique of the mandalas differs from one school to another, and 40 (1977):522–49;46(1983):258–304;52(1989):265–-305.Though Bulletin oftheSchoolOrientalandAfricanStudies29(1966):302–25; Tuvia Gelblum,“Al-Bı¯ru¯nı¯’s ArabicVersion ofPatañjali’sthe famouseleventh-centuryauthoral-Biruni;seeShlomoPinesand ‘Yogasu¯tra’,” 24–26. Patanjali’s Yoga-Sutra wasalreadytranslatedintoArabicby some typeofthreefoldbreathingtheoryfoundinYoga practices;ibid., 109–16. Moreover, inmyopinion,Abulafiahadbeeninfluenced by years afterthevisittherein1260;seeIdel,TheMysticalExperience, Abulafia, designedamacrocosmicdiagram, aspartofa revelation,twenty that anothervisitortoAcreinthethirteenthcentury, R.Abraham Yehudah he-H (London andEdinburgh,1857),88;Scholem,“RabbiDavidben mi-Bedresh ve-hashpa‘atam”(SeferYez be-khitvei RabbiAvraham Abul‘afyau-srideiperushoshelRabbi Yiz commentary onSeferYez Abulafia isreportedtohavehadateachernamedR.Josephwhowrote a and thattheykneweachother. Accordingtoacertainmanuscript, Ashkenazi wereinBarcelona,possiblyatthesametimearound1270, perhaps muchmore,isthepossibilitythatbothAbulafiaandR.Joseph See AbrahamZacut,Seferha-Yuh 151–52 andn.84. See Idel, “An Anonymous Kabbalistic Commentary on Moyen Âgeoccidental(Paris,2004),147–71. Latin MiddleAges.SeeMichel Pastoureau, Unehistoiresymboliquedu changing colorsofthegarmentspriestsduringvariousfeastsin by MichelPastoureaurelatedtoourtopic,sincehespeaksaboutthe initiated bythemystic.Neitherisdiscussionofliturgicalcolors 60–67, 107–8n.159,butthereisnoreferencetoavisualization Isfarayini, Lerevelateurdesmysteres:Traité desoufisme(Lagrasse,1986), dikhr by acontemporaryofR.David,seeHermannLandolt,Nuruddin ̣ ayyei ha-‘Olam ha-Ba’ ̣ asid nekhedha-Rambam,”141.Itshouldbepointedout 85 Inaddition,R.Josephwasacquainted ̣ irah. SeeMosheIdel,“‘SeferYez . Another interesting coincidence, or ̣ asin ha-Shalem,ed.ZviFilipowski ̣ irah andItsCommentariesin irah’ u-ferushav ̣ Shir ha-Yih ̣ ud hak ̣ ,” ,” Ars Judaica 2015 47

irah,” irah,” ̣ in the in the .” The type ud.” The type ̣ asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram ̣ in the diagram. diagram. the in , ed. Hallamish, 226, 226, Hallamish, ed. , , fol. 30d; and Idel, irah, fol. 30d; and Idel, ̣ asid nekhed ha-Rambam,” ̣ , were not just connected ud, were not just connected ̣ . Thus the synthesis is not just just not is synthesis the . Thus ̣ ayyah ̣ abber ha-amitti shel perush Sefer yez abber ha-amitti shel perush ̣ asid nekhed ha-Rambam,” 140, about the solely asid nekhed ha-Rambam,” 140, about the solely ̣ 90 . This highly interesting document document . This highly interesting Shema‘ Yisrael The previous assumption that the diagram contained that the diagram contained The previous assumption until one will until one will pronounce the word Yisra’el Don’t YHWH, with visualize the Divine Name, which is and one will visualize it its vowels and its color, namely as if the last letter of the [Divine] Name, H, surrounds the entire world, from above and above and H, surrounds the entire world, from below. Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors, 119–20; id., “Rabbi David ben Yehudah he-H 119–20; id., “Rabbi David ben Yehudah Rabbah Genesis on Commentary Ashkenazi’s 140; 229, 247, 259 and his Commentary on Sefer Yez “An Anonymous Kabbalistic Commentary on Shir ha-Yih of Kabbalah found in the commentary that I described complicates the “Rabbi David Kabbalah as presented by Scholem, picture of R. David’s he-H ben Yehudah Spanish nature of his Kabbalah. All the three early authors dealing Spanish nature of his Kabbalah. All the three early authors dealing with colors and visualization, R. Joseph Ashkenazi, R. David, and the anonymous commentator on Shir ha-Yih formally to Ashkenaz but in their works there are themes related to to related themes are there works their in but Ashkenaz to formally the on Commentary the in evident also is this and culture, Ashkenazi Z ibn Joseph R. of Prayer-Book between Spanish Kabbalah and a technique of visualization, but a more complex combination. The secret of encompassing and JTS, Ms. 2430, fol. 81r. New York, encompassed in connection to letters occurs several times in the See Scholem, “Ha-meh See Scholem,

90 89 phase of the school of Kabbalists under scrutiny here, an here, an under scrutiny school of Kabbalists phase of the in this Several times calls for further research. issue that is already to a student who reference is made commentary to of the secrets, perhaps pointing acquainted with some existence of a circle of Kabbalists. the possibility of the text can mentioned in R. David’s the “chapter headings” sefirot about details the comparing by be substantiated and colors with a short anonymous commentary on the the on commentary anonymous short a with colors and prayer visualization of the divine names is based upon the in various colors, most of which included in this prayer sefirot and colors of list the to correspond and sefirot Since the similarity between the colors prayer is astonishing, diagram and the commentary on the the colors, the including the peculiar ways used to denote intended to supply conclusion that the diagram-list was names in prayer instructions for visualization of divine two examples in is inescapable. I shall adduce here only order to exemplify this conclusion:

,” 88 However, since since However, 89 Kabbalah: New Perspectives, abber ha-amitti shel perush Sefer ̣ , and the possibility that that possibility the and ud, ̣ Thus, the migration to Europe of of Europe to migration the Thus, 86 In my opinion, the visualization of colors, In my opinion, the 87 , Frankfurt am Main, Ms. 121, fol. 12v–13r. On an aspect of of aspect an On 12v–13r. fol. 121, Ms. Main, am , Frankfurt ud ̣ , ed. Hallamish, 223; Idel, Idel, Hallamish, 223; ed. Rabbah, Genesis Commentary on asid had explicit connections to Ashkenaz and and asid had explicit connections to Ashkenaz ̣ ̣ irah,” 125 n. 25. However, attractive as such a hypothesis may be, as such a hypothesis may be, attractive However, the Writings of R. Abraham Abulafia, and the Remnants of R. Isaac Isaac of R. Abraham Abulafia, and the Remnants of R. the Writings 79 (2011): 525–27 Commentary and Their Impact), Tarbiz Bedershi’s (Hebrew). See also Scholem, “Ha-meh See his Commentary on Genesis Rabbah, ed. Hallamish, 249–50. A parallel discussion to it is found in the anonymous Commentary on Shir ha-Yih yez the Muslim practice R. Joseph mentions there, see the earlier Jewish Cult on the Alfonsi “Petrus Septimus, Bernard in discussed treatments of Mecca,” Speculum 56 (1981): 134–36. See also in the Commentary on Genesis Rabbah, ed. Hallamish, 157, 159, 229. Kuzari the in Conceptions and Terms “Shi‘ite Pines, Shlomo See Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and 2 (1980): 245–47, which exemplifies the affinities using later Kabbalistic texts that were actually influenced by R. Joseph Ashkenazi. 23; id., “Kabbalistic Prayer and Colors,” 107–8, 111.

See both R. Joseph Ashkenazi and R. David ben Yehudah ben Yehudah both R. Joseph Ashkenazi and R. David he-H an Eastern tradition close to the Hinduism and Tibetan Tibetan the Hinduism and tradition close to an Eastern that views some case, In any impossible. is not practices R. Joseph Ashkenazi may stem from are characteristic of Ismaili circles. 86 87 88 with Arabic culture, as and Arabic words he mentions customs. Arabian I did not find in the Ashkenazi material resort to material resort to I did not find in the Ashkenazi the hypothesis visualization of colors by using a circle, valuable. It should of a Hindu or Sufi influence is still in the Ashkenazi be mentioned that the material found in my opinion, to a quite early commentary may refer, it is complicated by the presence of theories related to theories related to it is complicated by the presence of mid-fourteenth- visualization of colors in no later than in an anonymouscentury central Europe, briefly mentioned ha-Yih Shir on Commentary and were to Ashkenazi material in this commentary, probably somewhere in that region. R. David or his source. It should be mentioned that the It should be mentioned that the R. David or his source. that were found outside of Judaism need to resort to sources aspects of the visualization insofar as the experiential motivated by the claim of R. Joseph of colors, is also origin of his discussion of colors and Ashkenazi as to the philosophers.” among “the wise men of the too, reflects an impact of a Sufi view of Hindu origin on of a Sufi view of Hindu origin too, reflects an impact 48 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel themselves: purpose ofvisualizationasperceivedbytheKabbalists response dealingwithprayer, inordertoelucidatethe corresponds tothecolor“greenasrainbow.” what is written inthe diagram where thethird sefirah Name.” green, likethecolorofrainbow, theentire[Divine] this prayeroughttobedirected“toBinah David. Thepronunciationofthefirst Tetragrammaton in Yisrael, which shouldbeattributed inmyopinionto R. confirmed by an anonymous commentary ontheShema‘ circular diagramthatshouldbevisualized,isthuspartially understanding ofthediagramasamandala,namely been visualized,butalsolettersascircles.Ourprevious evidence that,duringprayer, notonlyhavecolors notwithstanding, theexistenceofthisimageisirreversible is probablynotidenticalwiththediagram;thisdifference macrocosmic overtones.Thevisionofthelettersascircles by thevisionoflettersascirclesthatbearexplicit The visualizationofthelettersandcolorsisaccompanied 93 92 91

responses seeGershomScholem,“Teshuvot ha-meyuh in Idel,“Kavvanahu-z New York, JTS,Ms.255,fol.60r. TheHebrewtexthasbeenpublished visualization ofthedivinename. torecommendthemysticism, especiallybecauseitwasunderstood Ps. 16:8.ThisversehashadanextensiverecordinthehistoryofJewish Ibid., fol.81r. spheres thatrefertosefirot. especially interestinginaschoolthatdealswithconcentriccirclesor that of R. IsaacofAcre,andisdeservingseparateinquiry. Thisis literature relatedtotheschoolofR.JosephandDavid,aswell Yosef Gikatila”(TheResponsaAttributedtoR.JosephGikatilla), in whole secretishintedatintheverse that theletterswillmoveandflyinair, andthe as snow. Andhe(!)willdirect[yourthought]so all the consonants, its visualization being white with thisvocalization,whichisthekammaz visualize thenameYHWHbetweenyoureyes mouth, youshalldirect[yourthought]toand points totheKeterandpronounceitwithyour When you shall think upon something which Finally, IshalladduceapassagefromlaterKabbalistic the DivineNamealwaysbeforeme.” 91 Thisrecommendationshouldbecomparedto ̣ eva‘im,” 5.OnthiscollectionofKabbalistic 93 92 “Ihaveset in thecolorof ̣ asot le-Rabbi ̣ under

realm. ascend tothesupernalMerkavah,namelysefirotic to be ontologically creative, itsbeing products able to of The vocalizationoftheTetragrammaton withthevowels appropriately regardedasamysticalpractice; of consciousness, and hence this technique may be to R.JosephAshkenazi,itinducesaparanormalstate divine namesmaybesummarizedasfollows:according liturgy. shorthand ofatechnicalesotericpracticeenactedduring of realityaspossibleontheother, theabovediagramisa one hand,andcosmogramsthatrepresentasmanyranges apparitions ofcolorsandlightsintheMiddleAgeson operation, intendedto obtain some results. Unlike the during aliturgicalperformancetheyarepartofhuman only the covering of the passage and in several other cases. Thus,colors are not into ourworld,asstatedattheendofR.David’s short influx downwardintothelowerworldsandfinally This performanceisaccomplishedbydrawingthe names, “yourthoughtisperformingmanythings.” of R.Tanh 96 95 94 to ascend; to thispassage,thevisualizedcoloredlettersaremeant manuscripts of specific colors and sefirot. According also differencesbetweenthevariousidentificationsin than one tradition related to vocalizations, as there are color does correspond. It is obvious that there was more in thesamemanner. However, thedesignationof Keter, wherealltheTetragrammata have beenvocalized

kammaz Sefer ha- prophecy, shouldbecompared towhatiswrittenintheCommentaryon power ofimagination,influencedbyMaimonides’description See Idel,EnchantedChains,228–32.Thispassage’s emphasisonthe For alongerdiscussionofthisissue,seeibid. u-z See alsoNewYork, JTS, Ms. 255,fol.59v, publishedinIdel,“Kavvanah (Jacob FreimannFestschrift)(Berlin,1937),163–70(Hebrew). Emet le-Ya‘akov: seferyovel li-mlotshiv’imshanahle-Ya‘akov Fraiman Joseph Ashkenazi;seeScholem,“Ha-meh (Hebrew), attributedbyScholem, correctlyinmyopinion,toR. Zohar, in The two different results of visualization of colored eva‘im,” 3. ̣ 95 Thispeculiarascentmayelucidatetheallusion Sefer ha-Bahir, ed. Reuven Margoliot (Jerusalem, 1978), 18 ̣ isnotfoundinourdiagramconnectionto 94 ̣ thus,humanmentalactivityisconceived um that,bymeansofvisualizeddivine , entitled ’Or ha-Ganuz, published together with sefirot, but when initiated ̣ abber ha-amittishelperush Tikkunei 96 the

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̣ eva‘im,” 4. , and then ud, and then ̣ asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram ̣ who fear the who fear the 102 100 105 ud,” 151. ̣ On the basis of several On the basis of several 108 (1979): 84–111; 109 109 84–111; (1979): 108 Diogenes These visualization tech- 103 104 asid’s extensive commentary on extensive commentary on asid’s ̣ tremble at His word. 101 omer kabbali,” 169, 201–6; id., “An Anonymous Anonymous “An id., 201–6; 169, kabbali,” omer ̣ ’Or Zaru‘a, was composed as an exoteric Kabba- Kabbalistic Commentary on Shir ha-Yih Mysticism,” and Tradition Jewish (1980): 64–77; Nicholas Sed, “Le Mystere des Couleurs de J. Gikatilla,” Idel, “Kabbalistic Prayer and Colors,” 18–19. “H Idel, See Mal. 3:16. Isa. 66:2. JTS, Ms. 255, fol. 60r; Idel, “Kavvanah u-z New York, Know that this is a Kabbalistic tradition which was was which tradition Kabbalistic a is this that Know are writing it down, to you, and we handed down it or to pass it down forbidden to disclose [but] it is [only] to those to everyone, but Let me emphasize that though some symbolic symbolic some though that me emphasize Let Divine Name and took heed of His name, blessed took heed of His name, blessed Divine Name and be He, who See, especially, Gershom Scholem, “Colours and Their Symbolism in Gershom Scholem, “Colours and Their Symbolism in See, especially, Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors,

asid, which are characterized by the transmission of of transmission the by characterized are which asid, ̣ fragments elaborating on prayer and visualization, I visualization, I fragments elaborating on prayer and cultivated before would conjecture that its practice was discussion found in R. David, as seems plausible from a on Shir ha-Yih Commentary anonymous the he- ben Yehudah in the Kabbalistic school of R. David H additional esoteric issues. 103 104 100 101 102 Due to this atmosphere of secrecy and the truncated and the truncated of secrecy Due to this atmosphere technique the of details the transmission, of manner fragments in away hidden remained visualization of manuscripts; nevertheless, this of various anonymous neglected by Kabbalists. R. David technique was hardly ben Yehudah he-H ben Yehudah prayer, grounded in the theosophical- though listic commentary, it esoterically theurgical type of Kabbalah, even though with the help of alludes to the performance of prayer a visualization technique. niques continued to be done until the sixteenth century, sixteenth century, niques continued to be done until the as shall be shown below. colors may of terms in ten sefirot interpretations of the be found in Kabbalah before R. Joseph and R. David, in my opinion the use of the visualization of those colors as part of an elaborated technique should be related to their school, sometime in the last decades of the thirteenth and then by their followers. century, 105

,” ud ̣ Shir ha-Yih Shir Even more more Even 99 okhmah in Sefer ha-Bahir 39. ̣

98 while in a passage translated above from a passage translated while in 97 irah,” 128–31. For another correspondence between this irah,” 128–31. For another correspondence between this ̣ This Kabbalistic technique has passed unnoticed by unnoticed by This Kabbalistic technique has passed reads: “All these The text underneath the diagram 151, and also 146–47. Sefer yez commentary and R. Joseph Ashkenazi, one that concerns us here, see the related to H description of the color Tekhelet See the passage quoted above from the Cambridge manuscript, attributed to R. David. On this model, see Moshe Idel, Hasidism: Between Ecstasy and Magic 1995), 103–45. (Albany, on Commentary Kabbalistic Anonymous “An Idel, See

Ms. Sassoon 290, p. 197, we have seen a magical use of use of have seen a magical 290, p. 197, we Ms. Sassoon of colors and names. If my the practice of visualization to letters the causing of process the of reconstruction to enable the descent of the divine ascend on high and school Kabbalistic this to correct, according is influx that a modern be scholar may human mental activity, fraught is imagination, to related as describe to inclined magical powers, though an ecstatic with theurgical and be achieved by its means. In any case experience can also and its possible subsequent impact the upward movement supernal the attaining on depend which downward, of what I call realm, represent one of the earliest examples the mystical-magical model. 97 98 99 second result, found in material related to R. David, is a David, is a related to R. found in material second result, one, theurgical impressive are the statements of the anonymous author of author anonymous the of statements the are impressive the Kabbalistic responsum; I shall quote here only part of his elaborations on the esoteric nature of visualization: modern scholarship. One of the major reasons for this is modern One of the major reasons for this is scholarship. with the details of the fact that none of the texts dealing are only available visualization are readily at hand, but being, are generally in manuscripts which, for the time a not is situation modern by This ignored scholars. of this technique’s matter of mere chance, but is a result a only to adduce should like and I highly esoteric nature, its esotericism. few of the statements which demonstrate – a mouth” to mouth transmitted be must allusions found at the end of wording virtually identical with that few instances inthe aforecited passage of R. David, in some material Kabbalistic the in also and Ashkenazi, Joseph R. written in central Europe, where colors play an important not provided. are details though role, 50 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel 108 107 106 a graphicalrepresentationinhisdiagrams: Commentary on SeferYeẓirah (fig.2),thoughIdidnotfind already discussed in R. Joseph ben Shalom Ashkenazi’s century. However, it seems that this combination was the dozensofdiagramstensefirot visible andareunparalleled, asfar as Iknow, byany of are found.Thosetwographicalcomponentsquite shape as a diameter, where the names of the visual components:tenconcentriccircles,andavertical R. David’s diagram(fig.1a)isconstitutedoftwomain R. David’s Diagram,R.JosephAshkenaziand

Compare theviewoftensefirotas“spheres sefirot” in Job 41:5.Interestinglyenough,thisverse,aswelltheentirechapter, The conceptofsevendoubleconsonantsrecursinseveralchapters of branchesbranches. branches and branches ofbranches, and branches spheres, andtheexampleofittreethathas example ofitistheencompassingsphere like branchesthatexpandfromtheroot.And And thewordkefullot[double] within hisdoublebridle?” spheres, likeawheel, And sincetherearetensefirotthatcirclesand male andfemale,fromspeechopposite. 40a, andHallamish’s prefacetohisedition ofCommentaryonGenesis the discussion here? with thepositivesefirot.Isthisdualityrelatedtotextunder that explicitly tomaleandfemale.However, seeonp.40theassumption ed. Hallamish, 96, without, however, referring to twotypesof has been addressed by R. Joseph in his Commentary on Genesis Rabbah, Sefer Yezirah. Speculum thatShines,301–3. 46; id.,“KabbalisticPrayerandColors,”27n.44;Wolfson, Througha a much later composition. See, e.g., Idel, “Kavvanah u-z is connectedtoprayer. However, asIhopetoshowelsewhere,thisis 1981), 162–80.Inthistreatisevisualization–notofcolorsbutlights An AnthologyofGermanJewishThought,ed.AlfredJospe(Detroit, Concept ofKavvanahinEarlyKabbalah,”StudiesJewishThought: Scholem totheearlythirteenthcentury;seeGershomScholem,“The “Sha‘ar ha-Kavvanahla-Mekubbalimha-,”thatwasdatedby dating oftheshortpassage,entitledinafewitsmanuscriptsas Chrysopaeia 1(1987):2–30.Mystatementhereisbasedonadifferent Commentary onSeferYez temurot, namelyoppositepowers,havebeenemanatedtogether ̣ irah, fol.22a.Seealsoibid.,fols.22c,35a, 108 107 andsomeofthemare sinceitisdoublefrom 106 is“whocancome before thesixteenth 109 eva‘im,” 9 n. ̣ sefirot or sefirot

109 Commentary onSefer YezCommentary from R.Joseph ben ShalomAshkenazi’s diagram Fig. 2. Kabbalistic sefirot, probably influenced by both of thetenconcentricspheresasreferringtooneset Here there is a combination of the geometricalimage found sincetheverybeginningofKabbalah.Thedouble astronomical diagrams,with that of the tree of sefirot, Fol. 37a: Fol. inquiry. as vesselsandsefirotdivineessence.Thisissuerequiresanadditional later developmentinR.MosheCordovero’s bringingtogethersefirot extent thedistinctionsbetweentwotypesofsefirotadumbrate as branches.SeeCommentaryonGenesisRabbah,178–79.To acertain with theconceptof“theintellectsefirot”asparallelto sefirot, whichobviouslyrefertotheascircles,shouldbecoupled A questionthatcannotbedealtwithhereiswhetherthespheresof the “spheresofsefirot”inhisCommentarySeferYez ten simplesefirotandthecompositeones,latterdescribedas Rabbah, 24–27.ComparealsotoAshkenazi’s distinctionbetweenthe כענפים מהם ויש גלגל כעין וכדורים עגולים הם אשר הי"ס מן שיש ולפי ומתמורה. המשל לענפים ענפים מהם ויש בגלגלים ההיקף גלגל בזה והמשל מהשרש. המתפשטים .בזה האילן שיש לו ענפים וענפים לענפים וענפי ענפי ענפים לענפים ha-Gevul, inIdel,“Ta‘amei ha-‘ofotha-teme’im,” 23–24andn.88. Cambridge, Ms.Add.505,fol.8r-v. See alsothepassagefromhisSefer a textthatIidentifyaswrittenby R. DavidbenYehudah he-H 83v. For the branches of the 94a, 103d,andhisCommentaryonTen Sefirot,Ms.Paris,BnF853,fol. in mentioned R.JosephofHamadan.See,e.g.,Toledot ’Adam,published that theconceptofbranchesalsooccursinwritingsabove- Sefer ha-Malkhut, ed. J. Toledano (Casablanca, 1930), fols. 53c, 67c, ומדבור ונקבה, מזכר כפול הוא כי יבא' מי רסנו 'בכפל מלשון כפולות ומלת כפולות מלשון 'בכפל רסנו מי יבא' כי הוא כפול מזכר ונקבה, ומדבור ̣ irah sefirot that may multiply infinitely, see Sefer Yez Letmepointout ̣ irah and by ̣ irah, fol.21d. ̣ asid,

Ars Judaica 2015 51 does not does not ̣ However, to to However, asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram ayyah ̣ ̣ 114 , circles, while the the while circles, , ,” 281 n. 162. ̣ ayyah ̣

‘iggulim 116 Let me quote the manner Let me quote the manner arranged in three straight 115 have been described by described been have sefirot Yod irah, fol. 18a. For the description of the Yod ̣ , 1:2 (Warsaw, 1891), 22, as translated translated as 22, 1891), (Warsaw, 1:2 ayyim, ̣ , which is a major element in in element major a is which sefirot, H ̣ Roots of Faith and Devequt: Studies in the History of Roots of Faith and Devequt: Studies in the History of , as analyzed briefly by Jonathan Garb, by Jonathan Garb, , as analyzed briefly ̣ Sefer ’Ez Sefer ayyah ̣ Commentary on Sefer Yez ayyim Vital, Vital, ayyim ayyim Vital: ayyim Vital: ̣ ̣ 7–8 7–8 on the Kabbalist R. Joseph ben Shalom Ashkenazi), Bar-Ilan (1980): 211–14 (Hebrew). as the sphere of the earth, namely the globe, see ibid., fols. 33a, 39a. Kabbalistic Ideas (Los Angeles, 2004), 131–84. in Pachter, Roots of Faith and Devequt, 131. in Pachter, here are two aspects in the manner of the ten of the ten here are two aspects in the manner circles sefirot: First they are circles, drawn as ten And they have another aspect one within another. in that they are ten sefirot lines in the image of a man with head, arms, thighs, lines in the image of a man with head, shall help, I body all of which, with God’s and feet set in writing clearly below. Since the emergence of Lurianic Kabbalah, such a a such Kabbalah, Lurianic of emergence the Since The combination of a circle and its diameter as related a circle The combination of Garb, “Kabbalato shel Rabbi Yosef ibn Z Garb, “Kabbalato shel Rabbi Yosef Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors, Mordechai Pachter, Mordechai Pachter, who already suggested the possibility that Luria had been been had Luria that possibility the suggested already who Jerusalemite Kabbalist. influenced by the in which these two types of types two which these in R. H the best of my knowledge, R. Joseph ibn Z the best of my knowledge, deal with two sets of of sets two with deal to the diagrams I discuss here. the discussions related with two sets of complex graphical scheme that deals Lurianic the in depiction standard the become has sefirot The concentric corpus and its numerous reverberations. as designated been have circles yosher, the straight diametrical line has been described as to two different line, each of the two shapes referring depictions of the ten sefirot. 113 See 114 115 of R. Joseph we have adduced above. That is why I would above. That is why we have adduced of R. Joseph in a will be discovered if such a diagram not be surprised Joseph. belonging to R. manuscript R. in found also is creation theosophical of a step to Joseph ibn Z However, despite this depiction that speaks about the despite this depiction that speaks about the However, three lines that organize the ten sefirot, found within the second set in the sefirotic realm – a theme that was not his in reproduced above, diagram David’s R. in reflected 116 H

or by the or by the 110 that is more that is more is found at the is found at the I would say that I would say that 112 111 אילנות עגולים כי ספירותיהם עגולים 113 irah, fol. 18b: ̣ Though the text is not very clear, the fact that three the fact that three Though the text is not very clear, “Male and Female”: Equality, Female’s , and Eros: R. and Eros: R. Theurgy, Female’s “Male and Female”: Equality, terms: trees, circles, and sefirot, occur together in one sentence is quite reminiscent of the passage quoted earlier. ben Yosef Rabbi ha-mekubbal al ha-bahir Sefer hashpa‘at “Le-verur Shalom Ashkenazi” (Investigations on the Influence of the Book Bahir .כדורים ולא שטוחות Moshe Cordovero’s Dual Ontology (in preparation). Moshe Cordovero’s However, the way in which the two sets of ten in which the two sets of ten the way However, Thus, we may speak of the diagram of R. David (fig. Thus, we may speak of the diagram of R. David (fig. For Ashkenazi’s acquaintance with this book, see Moshe Hallamish, Hallamish, Moshe see book, this with acquaintance Ashkenazi’s For Commentary on Sefer Yez See Idel,

110 is quite obvious, as it is a commentary as it is a commentary the sefirot is quite obvious, nature of of the two different nature “double,” and the on the term female,” of “male and by the couple sets is highlighted I call “dual ontology,” which is part of what are related to each other is not specified in the in the sefirot are related to each other is not specified may we and otherwise, or graphically quotations, last between conceive of more than one type of relationship David contributes them. This is why the diagram of R. general assumption something specific to the more of two sets of decades of sefirot. Though the tree is it nevertheless has certainly not a simple straight line, that we have here some vertical nature, and I assume its roots on high the image of the inverted tree with combined When downward. expand that branches and wheels or spheres, with the geometrical concentric sefirot this Kabbalistic perception of the organic, a more complex image emerges, as seen above. as seen above. organic, a more complex image emerges, with an image In any case, a comparison of our diagram work shows that they found in R. Joseph Ashkenazi’s cases there are share a common denominator: in both ten concentric circles and the letter Yod representing earth. center, 1a) as combining the graphical aspects of R. Joseph’s Joseph’s 1a) as combining the graphical aspects of R. scheme (fig. 2) with the content of the verbal description 112 couple of “speech and opposite.” It should be mentioned and opposite.” It should be mentioned couple of “speech , the same book the two words ’Ilanot that in one case in the ‘iggulim occur together though namely trees, and them is not clear. relation between , quite influenced by Sefer ha-Bahir R. Joseph, who was for one set of the sefirot, while R. adopted the tree image employed of the Zoharic theosophy, David, who was fond imagery instead. the anthropomorphic 111 52 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel 119 118 Pachter, RootsofFaithandDevequt,131–34,138,141–42. 117 first divineact,thewithdrawalorZ theogenesis, sincetheconcentriccirclesarerelatedto is ofparamountimportanceforthewell-knownLurianic in amannermuchclosertoR.David’s diagram. own bookVital representsthesetwoaspectsofthesefirot the entranceofdivinelightwithinspace,under or the“threadof’EinSof,”representssecondstage, serve theplaceofcreation,calledtehiru.Thestraightline, retreat of the divine light from the circular space that will

See, e.g., ibid., 131. Compare also to Gershom Scholem,Kabbalah For R.David’s impactonthistopic,seeIdel, “TheImageofMan.” Vital’s representationofthetwotypessefirot circular representationofthesefirot. (Jerusalem, 1974),109,whotook intoaccountonlyR.Joseph’s Kabbalistic diagram in Hayyim Vital, Sefer inHayyim diagram ’Ez Vital, Fig. 3.Kabbalistic ̣ imz , namely the um, namelythe ̣ (fig. 3) ̣ H ̣ , Mantua, the Library ofthe JewishCommunity,ayyim, Mantua,the Library Ms.50,fols. 20v–21r

ten introduced in the mostthe of representation geometrical century that Zoharic anthropomorphic imagery was already inthelatethirteenth centuryorearlyfourteenth However, theabovediagramtellsusadifferentstory. Itwas a theosophicalstructureconstitutedoftensefirot. acts, has been conceived ofasa Lurianic innovation. aspects ofthesefirot,aswelltwoprimordialdivine the coregraphicalrepresentationofLurianicKabbalah. books, mentioned above – though much less so in his two other and inhisresponsumdealingwiththesupernalsefirot approach, whichisquiteobviousbothinhisSeferha-Gevul the stronganthropomorphicpropensityfoundinR.David’s the form of the supernal Anthropos or ’, In modern scholarship,thiscombinationofthetwoIn modern sefirot byR.David,creatingthereby theblueprint Mar’ot ha-Z ̣ – found its way to ove’ot and’OrZaru‘a–founditswayto 118 Thus, Thus, 119 117

Ars Judaica 2015 53

and ̣ eva‘im,” 196. 127 asid’s Kabbalisticasid’s Diagram ̣ ayyim Vital’s answer answer Vital’s ayyim 128 ̣ . For a similar discussion, see . For a similar discussion, see באחדות השוה הוא העגול כי כל עיגול ולפי שעילת העילות לא יקרב ולא ירחק that is a circle, since in in since a circle, is that 126 מאחר שהא"ס שוה בכל בחי' השוואה גמורה לא יצדק irah, fol. 35a: ̣ irah, fol. 25a: ̣ , fol. 11a; Idel, “Kavvanah u-z irah, fol. 11a; ̣ ayyim, 1:2, 22. ̣ H ̣ : in the form of concentric spheres and as three three as and spheres of concentric form the : in , from within each and every sefirah every and each within from , sefirah . R. Joseph was very fond of this phrase; see, e.g., dut shavvah. R. Joseph was very fond of this phrase; see, e.g., ̣ sefirot נקודה ממנו שתהא ראויה לאחרית ולא לראשית לא יצוייר בו נקודה ממנו שתהא ראויה לראשיתו של העיגול ולא לאחריתו וכן לא יצוייר שאין להם סוף עשר ולפיכך אמר י"ס שוה בכל הדברים אך הוא מן לדבר מן הדברים אך הוא שוה בכל י"ס ולפיכך אמר עשר שאין להם סוף , ed. also ibid., fol. 25d, as well as his Commentary on Genesis Rabbah, ed. Hallamish, 180. כיון שמדרגות כולם שוים כנ"ל מחברתה הא"ס וכולם מקבלים ממנו אור בעצמו א"כ מה הפרש בין זה לזה ובמה תתעלה כל ספי' וספי' ואסחר לון מלבר לכל ספי' וספי'... וא"כ מאחר שכל הי"ס קרובות בהשוואה אל באור א"ס העליון ח"ו וכן נודע שאור א"ס נוקב ועובר בעובי כל ספי' וספי' ומלגאו כל ספי' בו מעלה ומטה פנים ואחור כי כל הכינונים האלו מורים הם היות קצבה וגבול ותחום ומדה Commentary on Sefer Yez Commentary on Sefer no circle can someone imagine a point that from from a point that can someone imagine no circle will be appropriate of the circle it the beginning end, and likewise no point can to start, neither its [be to appropriate be will that it in imagined be neither the beginning. considered] the end is equal from all the aspects of Since the ’ is equal from all the aspects of [categories of] up and down, absolute equality, all these face and back are not adequate, since and domain, cognomens refer to limit and boundary, ’Ein Sof, and size within the light of the supernal God it is known that the light of ’Ein forbid, and each and Sof penetrates and passes the depth of every around them from outside of each and every sefirah around them from outside of each and ’Ein[. . .]. Since all the ten sefirot are equally close to what is Sof, and all receive light from it, therefore and by what the difference between this and that, since priority on the other, have would one sefirah the ranks of all of them are equal. [. . .] the equal union equal the .] . [. Commentary on Sefer Yez ’Ah Commentary on Sefer Yez Sefer ’Ez Visualization of Colors, 1: David ben Yehudah he-H Yehudah ben Visualization 1: David of Colors, to the quandary created by the existence of diverging by the existence of diverging to the quandary created to as earlier Kabbalists of the writings views found in representations of the existence of two types of visual the 125 lines, as mentioned above: 126 127 This explanation, which assumes that the circumference which assumes that the circumference This explanation, privileged point, namely some perfect of the circle has no H R. to compared be should form, 128 ‘ten 124 does not does not 123 However, let me point let me point However, Such an interpretation Such an interpretation

121 , a commentary on the the on commentary , a 120 122 Commentary on irah, fol. 18a and Commentary on ̣ asid, and all of them fully fully all of them and asid, ̣ In my opinion, this statement has In my opinion, this statement has ativat ha-Idrot be-sefer ha-Zohar” (The Idrot ativat ha-Idrot be-sefer ha-Zohar” (The Idrot ̣ 125 (The (The le-hit‘allut hitggallut bein ha-Mal’akhim: Olam Commentary on Sefer Yez irah 1:4. ̣ asid nekhed ha-Rambam,” 142–45; Goldreich, “Sefer ha- ̣ he-H gevul”; Neta Sobol, “H Qabbalah Genesis Rabbah, ed. Hallamish, 79, 82, all published in Busi, Qabbalah , 174–96. See also Goldreich, “Sefer ha-gevul,” 79–84. Visiva Idel, Moshe in Section in the Zohar) (Ph.D diss., Tel Aviv University, 2011), passim passim 2011), University, Aviv Tel diss., (Ph.D Zohar) the in Section , 197–335. (Hebrew); Busi, Qabbalah Visiva 37– 2008), Aviv, of Angels: Apotheosis and Theophany) (Tel World 45 (Hebrew). school more than the term ’Ein Sof. In order to foster the assumption that Luria’s theogony Luria’s In order to foster the assumption that About R. David’s book, see Scholem, “Rabbi David ben Yehudah David ben Yehudah book, see Scholem, “Rabbi About R. David’s See, however, for example, the passage from the ‘Iyyun circle, discussed for example, the passage from the ‘Iyyun See, however, This is a regular reference to the highest divine realm, prevalent in this Sefer Yez

See, e.g., absorbed the Zoharic imagery, which is less evident in the Zoharic imagery, the absorbed pre-Zoharic forms of Kabbalah. is certainly not a retrieval of the secrets of the Zoharic retrieval of the secrets of the Zoharic is certainly not a to the application of a propensity ’ but constitutes is that general, in images geometrical and circles, use writings of R. already evident in the abovementioned Joseph ben Shalom Ashkenazi. out that Ashkenazi’s writings were much less concerned concerned less much were writings Ashkenazi’s that out were the books of with anthropomorphic imagery than he-H R. David ben Yehudah come close [to] or distance itself from the things, but it is the things, but it is come close [to] or distance itself from equal in all the ten sefirot, and this is why it is said: that have no end’.” 120 122 121 123 124 for the later elaborations, especially those found in the in the especially those found elaborations, for the later Luria. and R. Isaac of R. Moshe Cordovero writings special the about say to more had David R. Whether as part of his secret doctrine structure of a diagram, In ascertain at this stage of research. or not, is hard to ha-Gevul Sefer his case, any , is a commentary on the anthropomorphic on the anthropomorphic ’Idra’ Rabba’, is a commentary of Zoharic treatise that uses a variety theosophy of the circles. images, predominantly is related to the school of R. Joseph ben Shalom ben Shalom is related to the school of R. Joseph the of statement more one compare me let Ashkenazi, causes latter: “And since the Cause of the , as we learn sefirot, as we learn to do with the spherical shape of the book: from another discussion in the same 54 Ars Judaica 2015 Moshe Idel concept ofthebreakingvessels. in thetheogonyprocess, the caseofconceptdivinewithdrawalasafirstact that weremarginalandbecamethenmorepivotal.Thisis an esoterictraditionandbecamecentralinLurianism,or nourished Lurianictheosophy, whichearlierwerepartof too, itishardtoignoretheexistenceofsourcesthat concerned inthefabricofLurianicthought,thiscase, 129 Ibid., echo inLuria. male andfemaleaspectsofthetensetssefirot,foundan noted thatperhapsalsotheviewofR.Josephasto designated asthe“threadof’EinSof.” spheres andthelinethatdescendswithinthesespheres, light withdrew, wherehealsomentionsthetenconcentric the spherical shape of the space from which the divine This passage comes immediately before the discussion of stature, unliketheZoharicviewthatregardstermas term it isplausiblethataviewofR.Daviddealswiththe 131 130 extant inauniquemanuscript,Ms.Sassoon290 related toanepistleofR.DavidbenYehudah he-H as constitutedbytensupernalluminosities,whichis Bracha Sack, Bracha Moreover, asisthecaseinsofarotherissuesare See RachelElior, “Ha-zikaha-metaforitbeinha-ella-adamu-rz “‘Al toledotmussagha-z and Yehuda Liebes(Jerusalem,1992),341–62(Hebrew);Moshe Idel, of (Genizat Ha-OrinSimeonLavi’s KetemPaz andtheLurianicDoctrine Rabbi Shim‘onLavibe-hashva’ahle-torotha-z (Hebrew); BoazHuss, “Tefisat ‘genizatha-or’ba-seferKetem pazle- Kabbalah of Rabbi Moshe Cordovero) (Beer Sheva, 1995), 57–82 281 n. 162, 306, who refers to the possible impact of ibn Z (Hebrew). Kabbalah), eds.RachelEliorandYehuda Liebes(Jerusalem,1992),54 Visionary RealityinLurianicKabbalah)Kabbalatha-Ari(Lurianic andMantheSignificanceof phorical RelationbetweenGod shel ha-mammashutha-h already foundinprint1562. the Luria ismoreplausible,takingintoaccountthewidedisseminationof Moreover, itseemsthatatleastinthiscase,theimpactofR.Josephon Jerusalemite Kabbalist’s writingstherearenottwodecadesofsefirot. Luria, inrelationtothetopicunderscrutinyhere.However, inthe parz Z ̣ Commentary onSeferYez imz חוט הא"ס ̣ ̣ uf, asreferringtoafull-fledgedanthropomorphic um), inKabbalatha-Ari(LurianicKabbalah),eds.RachelElior Be-sha‘arei ha-kabbalahshelRabbiMoshehKordovero(The 130 . SeealsoGarb,“KabbalatoshelRabbiYosef ibnZ ̣ imz ̣ 131 ezyonit be-kabbalatha-Ari”(TheMeta- ̣ irah inmanuscriptsandthefactthatitwas ̣ um ba-kabbalahu-va-meh theconceptof’AdamKadmon 133 AsIhaveshown, imz ̣ 129 um ha-luryaniyyot” ̣ Itshouldbe ̣ kar” (Onthe 132 ̣ ayyah orthe ̣ ayyah ̣ ifutah ̣ asid, ̣ on on ̣ ,” 137 136 135 134 133 132 had accesstoasimilarone. Ambrosiana manuscript(fig.1),butthattheyprobably necessarily beenacquaintedwiththediagramfoundin emphasize thatthisdoesnotmeanLuriaorVital had major developmentinthehistoryofKabbalah.Letme an Eastern mystical tradition found its way into the last is that a diagram that was influenced, at least in part, by Lurianic Kabbalah.Theimplicationofsuchanimpact we have an additional example for such an impact on of thespecialtypediagramfoundinAmbrosiana restricted onlytotheseearlierKabbalisticsources. in thewritingsofR.David, though this theoryis not first actofemanationinLurianicKabbalah,isalsofound appearance ofevilpowersbeforedivineonesasthevery Z Luria was acquainted with R. David’s book theory ofthedivineconfigurations. referring totheformoffacealone,isfoundinLuria’s already presentinmuchearlierschoolsofKabbalah. considered by scholars to be Luria’s innovations were is just a preliminary list that shows that what has been ̣ ove’ot.

Liebes, See Gershom Scholem, Kabbalat ha-Ari: osef ma’amarim (Lurianic For thepresent,seealsoIdel,“Ta‘amei ha-‘ofotha-teme’im,”26–27; See Idel, “H See Idel,“OdalRabbiDavidbenYehudah he-H Idel, “TheImageofMan.” Another importantLurianicviewthatdealswiththe Moreover, asGershomScholemhasdulypointedout, 2008), 250n.30,2962;Idel,“Kabbalistic PrayerandColors,”19. Kabbalah: Collected Studies), ed. Daniel Abrams (Los Angeles, 117, 290. and Garb, “Kabbalato shel Rabbi Yosef ibnZ Perfection andPerfectibilityinJewishMysticism. Yosef ibnZ the Zohar,223–24n.293. (Hebrew); Garb,“KabbalatoshelRabbiYosef ibnZ Concept ofZ Zohar,’Or Yakar (Jerusalem,1989),16:199(Hebrew). 336–38 (Hebrew).SeealsoR.MosheCordovero’s commentaryonthe Studies), Te‘udah, vol.21–22,ed.RonitMeroz(Tel Aviv, 2007), “Zoharic Writings”), inH Angelet u-khtavav ‘ha-zohariyyim’” (R. Joseph Angelet and his Commentary onShirha-Yih Messianism (Albany, 1993),85–86;Idel,“AnAnonymousKabbalistic 137 Studies intheZohar,125,id.,JewishMythand Thus,itstandstoreasonthatalsointhecase ̣ ̣ ayyah omer kabbali,” 183 n. 68; Garb, “Kabbalato shel Rabbi ̣ imz ̣ um inKabbalahandItsResearch),ibid.,59–112 ̣ ,” 283–89.SeealsoIdel,PrimevalEvil,Totality, ̣ iddushei Zohar(NewDevelopmentsin ̣ ud,” 151–54;RonitMeroz,“RabbiYosef 134 ̣ ayyah ̣ asid”; Liebes,Studiesin ̣ ayyah ̣ ,” 268–69, 275n. Mar’ot ha- ̣ ,” 267–78. 135 136 This