Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation in Theory and Practice

«With 32 mystical paths of Wisdom engraved Yah the Lord of Hosts the God of Israel the living God King of the universe El Shaddai Merciful and Gracious High and Exalted Dwelling in eternity Whose name is Holy— He is lofty and holy— And He created His universe with three books (Sepharim), with text (Sepher) with number (Sephar) and with communication (Sippur).» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, apertura del capítulo primero en la versión Gra que traduce Kaplan: con treinta y dos sendas místicas de Sabiduría grabó Yah, y creó su universo con tres libros —*Sepher*, *Sephar* y *Sippur*, texto, número y comunicación—; el volumen no numera las mishnayot en el cuerpo, y esta es la que el Apéndice I numera 1:1.

«Ten Sefirot of Nothingness And 22 Foundation Letters: Three Mothers, Seven Doubles And twelve Elementals.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, la estrofa que fija de golpe las dos series del libro: diez Sefirot de la Nada y veintidós letras de fundamento repartidas en tres Madres, siete Dobles y doce Elementales; el Apéndice I la numera 1:2.

«in the number of ten fingers five opposite five with a singular covenant precisely in the middle in the circumcision of the tongue and in the circumcision of the membrum.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: las diez Sefirot en el número de los diez dedos, cinco frente a cinco, con un pacto singular justo en medio, en la circuncisión de la lengua y en la de la carne; el encabezado *Ten Sefirot of Nothingness* queda en la plana anterior y el tramo arranca después del cambio de plana; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:3.

«Ten Sefirot of Nothingness ten and not nine ten and not eleven Understand with Wisdom Be wise with Understanding Examine with them and probe from them Make [each] thing stand on its essence And make the Creator sit on His base.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: diez y no nueve, diez y no once, con el mandato de entender con Sabiduría y ser sabio con Comprensión, examinar y sondear, poner cada cosa sobre su esencia y al Creador sobre su base; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:4.

«Their measure is ten which have no end A depth of beginning A depth of end A depth of good A depth of evil A depth of above A depth of below A depth of east A depth of west A depth of north A depth of south The singular Master God faithful King dominates over them all from His holy dwelling until eternity of eternities.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: la medida de las diez es diez y no tiene fin, y se despliega en profundidad de principio y de fin, de bien y de mal, de arriba y de abajo y de los cuatro rumbos, con el Maestro singular dominándolas desde su morada santa; el encabezado *Ten Sefirot of Nothingness* se repite treinta y tres veces en el volumen y el ancla arranca después de él; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:5.

«Ten Sefirot of Nothingness Their vision is like the “appearance of lightning” Their limit has no end And His Word in them is “running and returning” They rush to His saying like a whirlwind And before His throne they prostrate themselves.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: la visión de las Sefirot es como la apariencia del relámpago, su límite no tiene fin, la Palabra en ellas corre y vuelve, se lanzan a su dicho como torbellino y se postran ante su trono; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:6.

«Ten Sefirot of Nothingness Their end is imbedded in their beginning and their beginning in their end like a flame in a burning coal For the Master is singular He has no second And before One, what do you count?» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: el fin está encajado en el principio y el principio en el fin, como la llama en el carbón encendido, porque el Maestro es singular, no tiene segundo, y antes del Uno no hay qué contar; el volumen imprime esta estrofa dos veces palabra por palabra, aquí en el cuerpo y otra vez en el Apéndice I, que la numera 1:7, y el ancla toma la primera.

«One is the Breath of the Living God Blessed and benedicted is the name of the Life of Worlds The voice of breath and speech And this is the Holy Breath.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: la primera de las diez es el Aliento del Dios Viviente, bendito y bendecido el nombre de la Vida de los Mundos, voz de aliento y habla, y esto es el Aliento Santo; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:9.

«and your heart from thinking And if your heart runs return to the place. It is therefore written, “The Chayot running and returning.” (Ezekiel 1:24) Regarding this a covenant was made.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: embrida tu boca de hablar y tu corazón de pensar, y si el corazón corre, vuelve al lugar, con el versículo de los Chayot que corren y vuelven y el pacto hecho a propósito de eso; las dos primeras líneas se repiten en el volumen y el ancla arranca en la segunda; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:8.

«Two: Breath from Breath. With it He engraved and carved 22 Foundation Letters Three Mothers Seven Doubles and Twelve Elementals And one Breath is from them.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: la segunda es Aliento del Aliento, con el que grabó y talló las veintidós letras de fundamento —tres Madres, siete Dobles y doce Elementales— y un Aliento sale de ellas; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:10 y la Versión de Saadia imprime en su lugar cuatro direcciones del cielo.

«Three: Water from Breath. With it He engraved and carved [22 letters from] chaos and void mire and clay He engraved them like a sort of garden He carved them like a sort of wall He covered them like a sort of ceiling [And He poured snow over them and it became dust as it is written “For to snow He said, ‘Become earth’” (Job 37:6).]» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: la tercera es Agua del Aliento, con la que grabó y talló las letras del caos y el vacío, del cieno y el barro, como jardín, como muro y como techo, y vertió nieve sobre ellas; los corchetes son de la edición y marcan lo que algunas versiones omiten; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:11.

«Four: Fire from Water With it He engraved and carved the Throne of Glory Serafim, Ophanim, and holy Chayot and Ministering angels From these three He founded His dwelling as it is written: “He makes His angels of breaths, His ministers of flaming fire” (Psalms 104:4).» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: la cuarta es Fuego del Agua, con el que grabó y talló el Trono de Gloria, los Serafines, Ofanim y santos Chayot y los ángeles ministrantes, y de esos tres fundó su morada; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:12.

«He chose three letters from among the Elementals [in the mystery of the three Mothers Alef Mem Shin ( )] And He set them in His great Name and with them, He sealed six extremities.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: eligió tres letras de entre las Elementales, las puso en su gran Nombre y con ellas selló seis extremos; los corchetes son de la edición y los paréntesis vacíos son el hebreo que el troceo no trae; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:13.

«Nine: He scaled “south” and faced to the right and sealed it with Yud Vav Heh ( ). Ten: He sealed “north” and faced to the left and sealed it with Heh Vav Yud» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: los dos sellos restantes, el sur con Yud Vav Heh y el norte con Heh Vav Yud; el troceo imprime *He scaled* por *He sealed* en la novena.

«Six: He sealed “below” and faced downward and sealed it with Heh Yud Vav( ). Seven: He sealed “east” and faced straight ahead and sealed it with Vav Yud Heh ( ). Eight: He sealed “west” and faced backward and sealed it with Vav Heh Yud» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: los sellos de abajo con Heh Yud Vav, del este con Vav Yud Heh y del oeste con Vav Heh Yud; el sello de arriba queda antes del marcador de plana que el troceo reemite dentro del paréntesis del hebreo, y los paréntesis vacíos son ese hebreo.

«These are the Ten Sefirot of Nothingness: The Breath of the Living God Breath from Breath Water from Breath Fire from Water Up down east west north south.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, el recuento con que cierra el capítulo primero: el Aliento del Dios Viviente, Aliento del Aliento, Agua del Aliento, Fuego del Agua, y arriba, abajo, este, oeste, norte y sur; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 1:14.

«CHAPTER TWO Twenty-two Foundation Letters: Three Mothers Seven Doubles and Twelve Elementals. The Three Mothers are Alef Mem Shin ( ), Their foundation is a pan of merit a pan of liability and the tongue of decree deciding between them. [Three Mothers, Alef Mem Shin ( ) Mem hums, Shin hisses and Alef is the Breath of air deciding between them.]» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, apertura del capítulo segundo: veintidós letras de fundamento —tres Madres, siete Dobles, doce Elementales—, con las tres Madres Alef Mem Shin cuyo fundamento es un platillo de mérito, un platillo de culpa y la lengua de decreto que decide entre ellos; lo que va en corchetes es lo que la edición marca como presente solo en algunas versiones, y añade que Mem zumba, Shin sisea y Alef es el Aliento del aire; el Apéndice I numera estas mishnayot 2:1.

«Twenty-two Foundation letters: He engraved them, He carved them, He permuted them, He weighed them, He transformed them, And with them, He depicted all that was formed and all that would be formed.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: las grabó, las talló, las permutó, las pesó y las transformó, y con ellas representó todo lo formado y todo lo que se formaría; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 2:2.

«Twenty-two Foundation Letters He engraved them with voice He carved them with breath He set them in the mouth In five places» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: las grabó con la voz, las talló con el aliento y las puso en la boca, en cinco lugares; el tramo llega hasta el marcador de plana que el troceo reemite después de *five places*; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 2:3.

«Twenty-two Foundation Letters: He placed them in a circle like a wall with 231 Gates. The Circle oscillates back and forth. A sign for this is: There is nothing in good higher than Delight (Oneg— ) There is nothing evil lower than Plague» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: las puso en círculo como un muro con 231 Puertas, y el círculo oscila de ida y vuelta, con el signo de que nada hay más alto en el bien que el Deleite ni más bajo en el mal que la Plaga; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 2:4.

«How? He permuted them, weighed them, and transformed them, Alef with them all and all of them with Alef, Bet with them all and all of them with Bet. They repeat in a cycle and exist in 231 Gates. It comes out that all that is formed and all that is spoken emanates from one Name.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: Alef con todas y todas con Alef, Bet con todas y todas con Bet, repitiéndose en ciclo y existiendo en 231 Puertas, de modo que todo lo formado y todo lo hablado emana de un Nombre; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 2:5.

«He formed substance out of chaos and made nonexistence into existence He carved great pillars from air that cannot be grasped. This is a sign [Alef with them all, and all of them with Alef] He forsees, transforms and makes all that is formed and all that is spoken: one Name. A sign for this thing: Twenty-two objects in a single body.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: formó sustancia del caos e hizo existencia de la no existencia, talló grandes pilares del aire inasible, y todo lo formado y lo hablado sale de un Nombre, con el signo de veintidós objetos en un solo cuerpo; los corchetes son de la edición; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 2:6.

«CHAPTER THREE Three Mothers: Alef Mem Shin ( ) Their foundation is a pan of merit a pan of liability and the tongue of decree deciding between them.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, apertura del capítulo tercero: las tres Madres Alef Mem Shin, cuyo fundamento es un platillo de mérito, un platillo de culpa y la lengua de decreto que decide entre ellos; el volumen repite aquí la estrofa de 2:1 y Kaplan lo declara en el comentario; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 3:1.

«A great, mystical secret covered and sealed with six rings And from them emanated air, water and fire And from them are born Fathers, and from the Fathers, descendents.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: un gran secreto místico, cubierto y sellado con seis anillos, del que emanaron aire, agua y fuego, y de ellos nacen Padres y de los Padres, descendientes; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 3:2.

«in the Year are the hot the cold and the temperate. The hot is created from fire The cold is created from water And the temperate, from Breath, decides between them.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: en el Año, las tres Madres son lo caliente, lo frío y lo templado, creados de fuego, de agua y de Aliento, que decide entre ellos; el encabezado *Three Mothers AMSh* queda antes del ancla por repetirse en el volumen; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 3:5.

«in the Soul, male and female, are the head, belly, and chest. The head is created from fire, The belly is created from water and the chest, from breath, decides between them.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: en el Alma, macho y hembra, las tres Madres son la cabeza, el vientre y el pecho, creados de fuego, de agua y de aliento, que decide entre ellos; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 3:6.

«Heaven was created from fire Earth was created from water And air from Breath decides between them.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, mishná 3:4 según la numeración del Apéndice I: el cielo fue creado del fuego, la tierra del agua, y el aire del Aliento decide entre ellos; el encabezado con las tres Madres y los tres elementos del Universo queda en la plana anterior.

«king over Breath And He bound a crown to it And He combined them one with another And with them He formed Air in the Universe The temperate in the Year And the chest in the Soul: The male with AMSh ( ) And the female with AShM» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: hizo rey a la Alef sobre el Aliento, le ató una corona, las combinó y con ellas formó el aire en el Universo, lo templado en el Año y el pecho en el Alma, el macho con AMSh y la hembra con AShM; el ancla arranca tras el nombre de la letra porque la fórmula *He made the letter…* se repite en el volumen; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 3:7.

«king over fire And He bound a crown to it And He combined one with another And with them He formed Heaven in the Universe Hot in the Year And the head in the Soul: The male with ShAM ( ) And the female with ShMA» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: hizo rey a la Shin sobre el fuego, le ató una corona y con ellas formó el cielo en el Universo, lo caliente en el Año y la cabeza en el Alma, el macho con ShAM y la hembra con ShMA; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 3:9.

«CHAPTER FOUR Seven Doubles: Bet ( ), Gimel ( ), Dalet ( ), Kaf ( ), Peh ( ), Resh ( ), Tav ( ). They direct themselves with two tongues Bet-Bhet, Gimel-Ghimel, Dalet-Dhalet, Kaf-Khaf, Peh-Pheh, Resh-Rhesh, Tav-Thav, A structure of soft and hard, strong and weak» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, apertura del capítulo cuarto: las siete Dobles —Bet, Guímel, Dálet, Kaf, Peh, Resh, Tav— se dirigen con dos lenguas, en estructura de blando y duro, fuerte y débil; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 4:1.

«in speech and in transposition. The transpose of Wisdom is Folly The transpose of Wealth is Poverty The transpose of Seed is Desolation The transpose of Life is Death The transpose of Dominance is Subjugation The transpose of Peace is War The transpose of Grace is Ugliness.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: las siete Dobles en el habla y en la transposición, con el reverso de cada cualidad, Necedad, Pobreza, Desolación, Muerte, Sujeción, Guerra y Fealdad; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 4:3.

«Their foundation is Wisdom, Wealth, Seed, Life, Dominance, Peace and Grace.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: el fundamento de las siete Dobles es Sabiduría, Riqueza, Simiente, Vida, Dominio, Paz y Gracia; el encabezado *Seven Doubles: BGD KPRT* queda fuera del ancla por repetirse seis veces en el volumen; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 4:2.

«Up and down East and west North and south And the Holy Palace precisely in the center and it supports them all.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: arriba y abajo, este y oeste, norte y sur, y el Palacio Santo justo en el centro, que los sostiene a todos; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 4:4.

«of Foundation He engraved them, He carved them, He permuted them, He weighed them, He transformed them, And with them He formed, Seven planets in the Universe, Seven days in the Year, Seven gates in the Soul, male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: con las siete Dobles grabadas, talladas, permutadas, pesadas y transformadas formó siete planetas en el Universo, siete días en el Año y siete puertas en el Alma; el encabezado *Seven Doubles: BGD KPRT* queda fuera del ancla por repetirse; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 4:6.

«Seven and not six Seven and not eight Examine with them And probe with them Make [each] thing stand on its essence» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: siete y no seis, siete y no ocho, con el mandato de examinar y sondear y de poner cada cosa sobre su esencia; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase termina *And make the Creator sit on His base*; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 4:5.

«Seven planets in the Universe: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon. Seven days in the Year: The seven days of the week. Seven gates in the Soul, male and female: Two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and the mouth.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: los siete planetas del Universo, los siete días del Año y las siete puertas del Alma, que son los dos ojos, los dos oídos, las dos fosas nasales y la boca; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 4:7.

«king over Wisdom And He bound a crown to it And He combined one with another And with them He formed The Moon in the Universe Sunday in the Year The right eye in the Soul, male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, primera de las siete estrofas combinatorias del capítulo cuarto: hizo rey a la Bet sobre la Sabiduría y con ella formó la Luna en el Universo, el domingo en el Año y el ojo derecho en el Alma; el ancla arranca tras el nombre de la letra porque la fórmula se repite; las seis restantes van en la tabla de Correspondencias.

«king over Grace And He bound a crown to it And He combined one with another And with them He formed Jupiter in the Universe The Sabbath in the Year» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, última de las siete estrofas combinatorias del capítulo cuarto: hizo rey a la Tav sobre la Gracia y con ella formó a Júpiter en el Universo y el sábado en el Año; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la estrofa termina con la boca en el Alma; el Apéndice I numera 4:8 a 4:14 estas siete estrofas.

«With them were engraved Seven Universes, seven firmaments, seven lands, seven seas, seven rivers, seven deserts, seven days, seven weeks, seven years, seven sabbaticals, seven jubilees, and the Holy Palace. Therefore, He made sevens beloved under all the heavens.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: con las siete Dobles se grabaron siete Universos, siete firmamentos, siete tierras, siete mares, siete ríos, siete desiertos, siete días, siete semanas, siete años, siete sabáticos, siete jubileos y el Palacio Santo; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 4:15.

«Two stones build 2 houses Three stones build 6 houses Four stones build 24 houses Five stones build 120 houses Six stones build 620 houses Seven stones build 5040 houses From here on go out and calculate that which the mouth cannot speak and the ear cannot hear.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: dos piedras construyen dos casas, tres seis, cuatro veinticuatro, cinco ciento veinte, seis seiscientas veinte, siete cinco mil cuarenta, y de ahí en adelante sal y calcula lo que la boca no puede decir ni el oído oír; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 4:16, y en la sexta línea el troceo imprime 620 donde la serie factorial daría 720.

«CHAPTER FIVE Twelve Elementals: Heh ( ), Vav ( ), Zayin ( ), Chet ( ), Tet ( ), Yud ( ), Lamed ( ), Nun ( ), Samekh ( ), Eyin ( ), Tzadi ( ), Kuf ( ). Their foundation is speech, thought, motion, sight, hearing, action, coition, smell, sleep, anger, taste, laughter.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, apertura del capítulo quinto: las doce Elementales, cuyo fundamento es habla, pensamiento, movimiento, vista, oído, acción, coito, olfato, sueño, ira, gusto y risa; el Apéndice I numera estas mishnayot 5:1.

«Their foundation is the twelve diagonal boundaries: The east upper boundary The east northern boundary The east lower boundary The south upper boundary The south eastern boundary The south lower boundary The west upper boundary The west southern boundary The west lower boundary The north upper boundary The north western boundary The north lower boundary They extend continually until eternity of eternities And it is they that are the boundaries of the Universe.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: el fundamento de las doce Elementales son los doce límites diagonales, tres por cada punto cardinal, que se extienden de continuo hasta la eternidad de eternidades y son los límites del Universo; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 5:2.

«Their foundation is [that] He engraved them, carved them, permuted them, weighed them, and transformed them, And with them He formed twelve constellations in the Universe twelve months in the Year and twelve directors in the Soul, male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: con las doce Elementales grabadas, talladas, permutadas, pesadas y transformadas formó doce constelaciones en el Universo, doce meses en el Año y doce directores en el Alma; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 5:3.

«Twelve constellations in the Universe: Aries (T'leh, the Ram) Taurus (Shor, the Bull) Gemini (Teumim, the Twins) Cancer (Sartan, the Crab) Leo (Ari, the Lion) Virgo (Betulah, the Virgin) Libra (Maznayim, the Scales) Scorpio (Akrav, the Scorpion) Sagittarius (Keshet, the Archer) Capricorn (Gedi, the Kid) Aquarius (Deli, the Water Drawer) Pisces (Dagin, the Fish).» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: las doce constelaciones del Universo, con sus nombres hebreos entre paréntesis tal como los imprime la edición; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 5:4.

«The two hands, the two feet, the two kidneys, the gall bladder, the intestines, the liver, the korkeban, the kivah, the spleen.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: los doce directores del Alma, las dos manos, los dos pies, los dos riñones, la vesícula, los intestinos, el hígado, el *korkeban*, el *kivah* y el bazo; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 5:4.

«king over laughter And He bound a crown to it And He combined one with another And with them He formed Pisces in the Universe Adar in the Year And the spleen in the Soul male and female. He made them like a trough He arranged them like a wall He set them up like a battle.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, última de las doce estrofas combinatorias: hizo rey a la Kuf sobre la risa y con ella formó Piscis en el Universo, Adar en el Año y el bazo en el Alma, y los puso como artesa, como muro y como batalla.

«And He combined one with another And with them He formed Aries in the Universe Nissan in the Year And the right foot in the Soul male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, primera de las doce estrofas combinatorias del capítulo quinto: con la Heh, hecha reina sobre el habla, formó Aries en el Universo, Nisán en el Año y el pie derecho en el Alma; el encabezado queda antes del cambio de plana; las once restantes van en la tabla de Correspondencias y el Apéndice I las numera 5:5 a 5:16.

«CHAPTER SIX These are the Three Mothers AMSh ( ). And from them emanated Three Fathers, and they are air, water, and fire. and from the Fathers, descendents. Three Fathers and their descendents. And seven planets and their hosts, And twelve diagonal boundaries» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, apertura del capítulo sexto: de las tres Madres emanaron tres Padres, que son aire, agua y fuego, y de los Padres descendientes, con siete planetas y sus huestes y doce límites diagonales; el tramo se corta en el marcador de plana que el troceo reemite a media estrofa; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 6:1.

«A proof of this true witnesses in the Universe, Year, Soul and a rule of twelve and seven and three: He set them in the Teli, the Cycle, and the Heart.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, cierre de la misma estrofa tras el cambio de plana: prueba de esto son testigos verdaderos en Universo, Año y Alma, y una regla de doce, siete y tres, y los puso en el Teli, el Ciclo y el Corazón.

«Air, water, and fire. Fire is above, water is below. and air of Breath is the rule that decides between them.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: aire, agua y fuego, el fuego arriba y el agua abajo, con el aire del Aliento como regla que decide entre ellos, y el signo de que el fuego sostiene al agua, Mem zumba y Shin sisea; el encabezado de las tres Madres queda fuera del ancla por repetirse; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 6:2.

«Good opposite evil. Evil opposite good. Good from good Evil from evil. Good defines evil And evil defines good. Good is kept for the good ones And evil is kept for the evil ones.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: el bien frente al mal y el mal frente al bien, el bien del bien y el mal del mal, el bien define al mal y el mal al bien, y cada uno se guarda para los suyos; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 6:4.

«The Heart in the Soul is like a king in war.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, tercera línea de la mishná de los tres reyes: el Corazón en el Alma como rey en guerra; el troceo reemite el marcador de plana entre las tres líneas, y la frase se repite palabra por palabra en el Apéndice I, que numera esta mishná 6:3; el ancla toma la primera.

«Three: Each one stands alone one acts as advocate one acts as accuser and one decides between them. Seven: Three opposite three and one is the rule deciding between them.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: tres, cada uno solo, uno abogado, uno acusador y uno que decide entre ellos; siete, tres frente a tres y uno como regla que decide; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 6:5.

«These are the twenty-two letters with which engraved Ehyeh, Yah, YHVH Eiohim, YHVH, YHVH Tzavaot, Elohim Tzavaot, El Shaddai, YHVH Adonoy, And with them He made three Books, and with them He created His Universe, and He formed with them all that was ever formed, and all that ever will be formed.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: las veintidós letras con que grabaron los diez nombres divinos, con los que hizo tres Libros y creó su Universo; el troceo imprime *Eiohim* por *Elohim*; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 6:6.

«Twelve stand in war: Three love, three hate, three give life and three kill Three love: the heart and the ears. Three hate: the liver, the gall, and the tongue. Three give life: the two nostrils and the spleen. Three kill: the two orifices and the mouth. And God faithful King rules over them all from His holy habitation until eternity of eternities. One on three three on seven seven on twelve, And all are bound, one to another.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah: doce están en guerra, tres aman, tres odian, tres dan vida y tres matan, con el reparto de órganos y el Rey fiel gobernando sobre todos, uno sobre tres, tres sobre siete y siete sobre doce, todos atados unos a otros; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 6:5.

«And when Abraham our father, may he rest in peace, looked, saw, understood, probed, engraved and carved, He was successful in creation, as it is written. “And the souls that they made in Haran” (Genesis 12:5). Immediately there was revealed to him the Master of all, may His name be blessed forever, He placed him in His bosom, and kissed him on his head, and He called him, “Abraham my beloved” (Isaiah 41:8).» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, primera mitad de la estrofa final del libro: Abraham miró, vio, entendió, sondeó, grabó y talló, tuvo éxito en la creación y se le reveló el Señor de todo, que lo llamó su amado; el Apéndice I numera esta mishná 6:7, y es la que sostiene la atribución del libro al Patriarca.

«He made a covenant with him and with his children after him forever, as it is written, “And he believed in God, and He considered and He considered it righteousness” (Genesis 15:6). He made with him a covenant between the ten fingers of his hands— this is the covenant of the tongue, and between the ten toes of his feet— this is the covenant of circumcision, And He bound the 22 letters of the Torah to his tongue and He revealed to him His mystery He drew them in water, He flamed them with fire, He agitated them with Breath, He burned them with the seven [planets] He directed them with the twelve constellations.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, segunda mitad de la estrofa final: el pacto entre los diez dedos de las manos, que es el de la lengua, y los diez de los pies, que es el de la circuncisión, con las veintidós letras atadas a su lengua y el misterio revelado, dibujadas en agua, encendidas en fuego, agitadas con Aliento, quemadas con los siete planetas y dirigidas por las doce constelaciones; el troceo repite *and He considered* en la cita de Génesis 15:6.

«THE SHORT VERSION (In order to show how it can be done, this has been translated in the imperative. The bracketed portions are those omitted by Donash.)» — nota del editor al frente del Apéndice I: Kaplan declara que la Versión Corta va traducida en imperativo para mostrar cómo puede hacerse, y que los corchetes marcan lo que Donash omite.

«1. With 32 wondrous paths of Wisdom engrave Yah, the Lord of Hosts, [God of Israel, the Living God, King of the universe, Almighty God, merciful and gracious, High and Exalted, dwelling in eternity, whose name is Holy, and create His universe] with three books, with text (Sephar), with number (Sephar), and with communication (Sippur).» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 1:1: la misma apertura del cuerpo puesta en imperativo —*engrave*, no *engraved*—, con los corchetes de lo que Donash omite; y el troceo imprime aquí *Sephar* dos veces, donde el cuerpo lee *Sepher* para el texto y *Sephar* para el número, divergencia que se consigna sin armonizar.

«3. Ten Sefirot of Nothingness: The number of the ten fingers, five opposite five, with a single covenant precisely in the middle, like the circumcision of the tongue and the circumcision of the membrum.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 1:3, que dice *like the circumcision* donde la versión Gra del cuerpo dice *in the circumcision*.

«13. Five: With three of the simple letters seal “above.” Choose three and place them in His great Name: YHV. With them seal the six extremities. Face upward and seal it with YHV. Six: Seal “below.” Face downward and seal it with YVH. Seven: Seal “east.” Face straight ahead and seal it with HYV. Eight: Seal “west.” Face backward and seal it with HVY. Nine: Seal “south.” Face to the right and seal it with VYH. Ten: Seal “north.” Face to the left and seal it with VHY.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 1:13: el reparto de las permutaciones YHV entre las seis direcciones difiere del de la versión Gra del cuerpo, y las dos se consignan sin arbitrar.

«1. Three Mothers, AMSh: Their foundation is the pan of liability, the pan of merit, and the tongue of decree deciding between them.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 3:1: el platillo de culpa va aquí primero y el de mérito segundo, al revés que en el cuerpo.

«7. Make Mem king over water, bind a crown to it, and combine one with another. And with them seal earth in the Universe, the cold in the Year, and the belly in the Soul, the male with MASh, and the female with MShA.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 3:7: la estrofa de la Mem, que la versión Gra del cuerpo no trae en esta forma, con las secuencias MASh para el macho y MShA para la hembra.

«12. The Seven Doubles, how does one permute them? Two stones build two houses, three build six houses, four build 24 houses, five build 120 houses, six build 720 houses, and seven build 5040 houses. From there on go out and calculate that which the mouth cannot speak and the ear cannot hear.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 4:12: aquí seis piedras construyen 720 casas, donde el cuerpo imprime 620; la serie factorial de esta versión es la que cuadra, y la divergencia se consigna sin corregir ninguna de las dos.

«Their foundation is life, peace, wisdom, wealth, grace, seed, dominance. Each has two sounds: B-Bh, G-Gh, D-Dh, K-Kh, P-Ph, R-Rh, T-Th. [A structure of] soft and hard, [a structure of] strong and weak, double because they are transposes, The transpose of life is death, the transpose of peace is evil, the transpose of wisdom is folly, the transpose of wealth is poverty, the transpose of grace is ugliness, the transpose of seed is desolation, the transpose of dominance is subjugation.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 4:1: las siete cualidades van en otro orden que en el cuerpo —vida, paz, sabiduría, riqueza, gracia, simiente, dominio— y el reverso de la paz es aquí el mal y no la guerra; el encabezado *Seven Doubles, BGD KPRT* queda fuera del ancla por repetirse.

«5. [How? Make Bet king over life, bind a crown to it, and with it depict Saturn in the Universe, Sunday in the Year, and the right eye in the Soul. 6. [Make Gimel king, bind a crown to it, and with it depict Jupiter in the Universe, Monday in the Year, and the left eye in the Soul. 7. [Make Dalet king, bind a crown to it, and with it depict Mars in the Universe, Tuesday in the Year, and the right ear in the Soul.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 4:5 a 4:7: el reparto de letras, planetas, días y órganos difiere del de la versión Gra —Bet con Saturno y no con la Luna—, y la ficha consigna los dos sin arbitrar.

«11. [Make Tav king, bind a crown to it, and with it depict the Moon in the Universe, the Sabbath in the Year, and the mouth in the Soul.]» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 4:11: la Tav va aquí con la Luna, donde la versión Gra del cuerpo le da Júpiter.

«1. Twelve Elemental: HV ZCh TY LN SO TzQ. Their foundation is sight, hearing, smell, speech, taste, coition, action, motion, anger, laughter, thought, and sleep. Their measure is the twelve diagonal boundaries: the north-east boundary, the south-east boundary, the upper-east boundary, the lower-east boundary, the upper-north boundary, the lower-north boundary, the south-west boundary, the north-west boundary, the upper-west boundary, the lower-west boundary, the upper-south boundary, the lower-south boundary. They continually spread forever and ever. They are the Arms of the Universe.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 5:1: las doce cualidades van en otro orden que en el cuerpo y los límites diagonales se enumeran también de otro modo; aquí se llaman *Arms of the Universe* donde la versión Gra lee *boundaries of the Universe*; el troceo imprime *Twelve Elemental* en singular.

«[How does one permute them? Make Heh king, bind a crown to it, and with it depict Aries in the Univese, Nissan in the Year, and the right hand in the soul, male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 5:2: la Heh va aquí con la mano derecha, donde la versión Gra le da el pie derecho; el corchete abierto sin cerrar es de la edición.

«3. Three Mothers which are three Fathers, from which emanate fire, breath and water. Three Mothers, seven Doubles, and Twelve Elementals.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 5:3, que identifica las tres Madres con los tres Padres donde el cuerpo las hace emanar unas de otros.

«2. The Teli in the Universe is like a king on his throne, the Cycle in the Year is like a king in the province, the Heart in the Soul is like a king in battle. “Also every desire, one opposite the other was made by God” (Ecclesiastes 7:14). Good opposite evil, good from good, evil from evil. Good makes evil recognizable and evil makes good recognizable. Good makes evil recognizable and evil makes good recognizable. Good is kept for the good, and evil is kept for the wicked.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 6:2: la misma mishná de los tres reyes, con *battle* donde el cuerpo lee *war*, y con la línea sobre el bien y el mal repetida dos veces tal como la imprime la edición.

«3. Three: each one stands alone. Seven are divided, three opposite three, with a decree deciding between them. Twelve stand in war: three who love, three who hate, three who give life, and three who kill. The three who love are the heart, the ears and the mouth; the three who hate are the liver, the gall bladder, and the tongue. And God, the faithful King dominates them all. One over three, three over seven, seven over twelve, and all of them are bound, one to another.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 6:3: los tres que aman son aquí el corazón, los oídos y la boca, donde el cuerpo da el corazón y los oídos, y esta versión no enumera a los que dan vida ni a los que matan.

«4. And when Abraham our father gazed, he looked, saw, delved, understood, engraved, carved, permuted and depicted, and he was successful. And the Master of all. Blessed be He, revealed Himself to him, and took him in His bosom, [kissed him on the head, and called him, “My beloved”]. He made a covenant with him between the ten toes of his feet—this is the covenant of circumcision—and between the ten fingers of his hands—this is the covenant of the tongue. He bound the twenty-two letters to his tongue and revealed their foundation. He drew them in water, burned them in fire, agitated them with breath. He ignited them with the seven (planets), and directed them with the twelve constellations.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 6:4, la estrofa final: el pacto de la circuncisión va aquí primero y el de la lengua después, al revés que en el cuerpo. (cita larga, releída entera en el crudo: pasa de 700 caracteres)

«1. With thirty-two mystical paths of Wisdom engraved Yah, YHVH of Hosts, God of Israel, the Living God, God Almighty, high and exalted, dwelling in eternity on high, and His name is Holy, and He created His universe with three books, with text, with number, and with communication. [They are] Ten Sefirot of Nothingness and twenty-two foundation letters.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 1:1: la apertura funde en una sola mishná lo que la versión Gra reparte en dos, y no trae los apelativos *merciful and gracious*.

«3. Ten Sefirot of Nothingness: Ten and not nine, ten and not eleven. Understand with Wisdom, and probe with Understanding. Discern with them and probe from them. Make a thing stand on its essence, and make the Creator sit on His base, for He alone is the Former and Creator, and there is none besides Him. And His measure is ten and they have no end.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 1:3: dice *probe with Understanding* donde la versión Gra dice *be wise with Understanding*, y añade una cláusula que el cuerpo no trae, que Él solo es el Formador y el Creador.

«11. Two is breath from Breath. With them He engraved and carved the four direction-breaths (ruchot) of heaven: east and west, north and south. And breath (ruach) is in each one of them.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 1:11: aquí del Aliento del Aliento salen las cuatro direcciones del cielo, donde la versión Gra del cuerpo hace salir las veintidós letras; la Versión de Saadia lee como ésta.

«Chaos is an azure4 line that surrounds all the world. Void consists of the spongy5 rocks that are imbedded in the abyss, from between which water emanates.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 1:12: la glosa del Caos y el Vacío que la versión Gra no trae, con la llamada de nota que el troceo pega a la palabra *azure*.

«1. Twenty-two foundation letters: three Mothers, seven Doubles, and twelve Elementals. And all of them are engraved with voice, carved with breath, and set in the mouth in five places: the letters AChHO, GYKQ, DTLNTh, ZSTzRSh, BVMPh. They are bound to the tongue like a flame bound to a burning coal. AChHO is pronounced with the base of the tongue and the throat. BVMPh is pronounced between the lips and with the tip of the tongue. GYKQ is pronounced with the (back) third of the tongue. DTLNTh is pronounced with the tip of the tongue, together with the voice. ZSTzRSh is pronounced between the teeth, with the tongue lying flat and spread out.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 2:1: aquí el texto describe cómo se pronuncia cada familia fonética, descripción que la versión Gra no trae y que Kaplan usa en su comentario sobre la Resh.

«3. Three Mothers, AMSh: The progeny of the heavens is fire, the progeny of the air is breath, and the progeny of the earth is water. Fire is above and water is below, and breath is the decree deciding between them. From them were born Fathers, and from them all things were created.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 3:3: una mishná de progenies que la versión Gra no trae, donde el fuego es progenie del cielo, el aliento del aire y el agua de la tierra.

«9. How did He form them? AMSh AShM, MASh MShA, ShAM ShMA. The heaven is fire, the air is breath, and the earth is water. Man's head is fire, his belly is water, and his heart is breath.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 3:9: las seis permutaciones de las tres Madres puestas en serie, y el corazón como aliento donde el cuerpo pone el pecho.

«10. Three Mothers AMSh. With Alef He formed breath, air, the temperate, the chest, the tongue of decree between them. With Mem: water, earth, the cold, the belly, the pan of merit. With Shin: fire, heaven, the hot, the head, the pan of liability. This is AMSh.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 3:10: un recuento final que la versión Gra no trae, donde Mem lleva el platillo de mérito y Shin el de culpa.

«2. Seven Doubles, BGD KPRT: Seven and not six, seven and not eight. They parallel the six ribs and the six orders, and the Holy Palace is precisely in the center. “Blessed be the glory of God from His Place” (Ezekiel 3:12). He is the place of the universe, and the universe is not His place» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 4:2: aquí las siete Dobles corren parejas de las seis costillas y los seis órdenes, con el dicho de que Él es el lugar del universo y el universo no es su lugar, ninguno de los cuales está en la versión Gra; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«5. He made the letter Bet king over wisdom, bound a crown to it, permuted one with another, and with them He formed Saturn in the Universe, the Sabbath in the Year, and the mouth in the Soul, male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 4:5: la Bet va aquí con Saturno, el sábado y la boca, donde la versión Gra le da la Luna, el domingo y el ojo derecho, y la Corta le da Saturno, el domingo y el ojo derecho: tres repartos incompatibles impresos en el mismo volumen, y la ficha no arbitra.

«Speech. Speech is the Holy Breath (Ruach HaKodesh). Its inception has no beginning, and its termination has no end.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 1:9: el Habla es aquí el Aliento Santo, donde la versión Gra lo dice de la serie entera, y se añade que su comienzo no tiene principio ni su fin, término; el tramo arranca después del cambio de plana.

«2. Twelve Elementals, HV ZCh TY LN SO TzQ: Their foundation is twelve and not eleven, twelve and not thirteen. The twelve diagonal boundaries peel off as six orders divided between each direction: the eastern upper boundary, the eastern northern boundary, the eastern lower boundary; the southern upper boundary, the southern eastern boundary, the southern lower boundary; the western upper boundary, the western southern boundary, the western lower boundary; the northern upper boundary, the northern western boundary, the northern lower boundary. They continuously spread until eternity of eternities, and it is they that are the Heights of the Universe.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 5:2: aquí aparece el *doce y no once, doce y no trece* que la versión Gra no trae, y los límites se llaman *Heights of the Universe*; la edición imprime esta mishná como 2 y salta de la 2 a la 4.

«4. Twelve Elementals, HV ZCh TY LN SO TzQ: He engraved them, carved them, permuted them, weighed them, transposed them, and with them He formed twelve constellations in the Universe, twelve months in the Year, and twelve directors in the Soul, male and female. Two rejoice (OLZ), two slander (LOZ), two advise (YOTz), two rejoice (OLTz). And they are the korkeban, the teeth, the two hands and the two feet. He made them like a controversy, he arranged them like a war, one opposite the other.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 5:4: los cuatro pares que se alegran, calumnian, aconsejan y se regocijan, con sus siglas hebreas, que ninguna otra versión del volumen trae.

«5. Seven: Three opposite three, and one deciding between them. And twelve stand in war: Three allies, three enemies, three lifegivers, and three killers. Three allies are the heart, the ears and the eyes. Three enemies are the liver, the gall, and the tongue. Three lifegivers are the two nostrils and the spleen. Three killers are the two orifices and the mouth. And God faithful King dominates them all from His holy Dwelling until eternity of eternities.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 5:5: los tres aliados son aquí el corazón, los oídos y los ojos, donde el cuerpo da el corazón y los oídos y la Versión Corta el corazón, los oídos y la boca.

«8. He made the letter Heh king over speech, bound a crown to it, permuted them one with another, and with them He formed Aries in the Universe, Nissan in the Year, and the liver in the Soul, male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 5:8: la Heh va aquí con el hígado, donde la versión Gra le da el pie derecho y la Corta la mano derecha.

«21. Twelve Elementals: HV ZCh TY LN SO TzQ: With Heh He formed Aries, Nissan, the liver, sight and blindness.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 5:21: una recapitulación que añade a cada letra una facultad y su privación, y que la versión Gra no trae.

«4. The Sefirot of the Universe are ten and twelve: fire, breath, water, seven planets, and twelve constellations. The Sefirot of the Year are ten and twelve: cold, hot, temperate, seven days, and twelve months. The Sefirot of the Soul are ten and twelve: the head, chest, belly, seven gates, and twelve directors.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 6:4: una cuenta de Sefirot por dominio, *diez y doce*, que la versión Gra no trae.

«6. The general rule is this: Some of these combine with others, and some are the transpose of others. Some are opposite of others, and others are the opposite of these. If some exist, others do not, and if others exist, these do not. And all of them are attached to the Teli, the Cycle and the Heart.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 6:6: una regla general sobre las combinaciones y las oposiciones de todos los elementos, ausente de la versión Gra.

«11. And these are the twelve constellations: Aries Nissan liver sight blindness. Taurus Iyar gall hearing deafness. Gemini Sivan spleen, smell inability to smell. Cancer Tamuz hemsess speech dumbness. Leo Av right kidney taste hunger. Virgo Elul left kidney action paralysis. Libra Tishrei korkeban coition impotence. Scorpio Mar-cheshvan kivah motion lameness. Sagittarius Kislev right hand anger lack of liver. Capricorn Tevet left hand laughter lack of spleen. Aquarius Shevat right foot thought lack of heart. Pisces Adar left foot sleep insomnia. This is HV ZCh TY LN SO TzQ.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 6:11: la tabla combinatoria entera puesta en prosa, con la facultad y su privación por cada signo; el reparto de órganos difiere del de la versión Gra en todos los renglones.

«12. Three enemies are the tongue, the liver, the gall. Three allies are the eyes, the ears, the heart. Three lifegivers are the teeth, the nose, and the spleen. Three killers are the two lower orifices and the mouth.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 6:12: los tres que dan vida son aquí los dientes, la nariz y el bazo, donde el cuerpo da las dos fosas nasales y el bazo.

«“YH YHVH”—two (divine) Names. “Of Hosts” (Tzuva'ot)—Because He is a sign (ot) in His host (Tzava).9 “God of Israel” (YSREL)—A prince (SaR) before God (EL). “The Living God”—Three are called “living”: the Living God, living waters, and the tree of life.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 6:1: una glosa etimológica de los apelativos divinos que ninguna otra versión del volumen trae, con *Tzava'ot* leído como signo en su hueste y *Israel* como príncipe ante Dios.

«“High”—Because He sits in the height of the universe, and is high above all the high. “Exalted” (Nisa—because He supports (nasa) and sustains those on high and below. All that support are on the bottom, with their burden below them, but He is on top, and His burden is below him. He supports and sustains the entire Universe.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 6:1, sobre *Exalted*: quien sostiene está debajo con su carga encima, y Él está encima con su carga debajo.

«1. With thirty-two mystical Paths of Wisdom engraved YH, YHVH of Hosts, God of Israel, the Living God, El Shadai, high and exalted, dwelling in eternity and Holy is His name. He created His universe with three books, with script, number and telling. Ten Sefirot of Nothingness, twenty-two letters: three Basics,14 seven Doubles, twelve Elementals.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 1:1: aquí las tres Madres se llaman *Basics* y no *Mothers*, y el orden de las mishnayot difiere entero del de las otras versiones.

«3. Twenty-two letters, a foundation of three Basics, seven Doubles, and twelve Elementals. The three Basics are AMSh. Their foundation is a pan of merit, a pan of liability, and the tongue of decree deciding between them. The seven Doubles are BGD KPRT. Their foundation is life and peace, wisdom and wealth, seed, grace and dominance. The twelve Elementals are HVZChTYLNSOTzQ. Their foundation is sight, hearing, smell, speech, taste, coition, action and motion, haughtiness, laughter, thought, and sleep.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 1:3: entre las doce cualidades aparece *haughtiness*, altivez, donde las otras versiones dan ira.

«3. Seven Doubles, BGD KPRT: Seven and not six, seven and not eight. Six ribs for six orders, with the Holy Palace precisely in the center. Blessed by God from His place. His is the place of the universe, and the universe is not His place.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 2:3: las seis costillas y los seis órdenes, como en la Versión Larga y no como en la Gra.

«5. With them YH, YHVH of Hosts, God of Israel, the Living God, El Shadai, High and Exalted, dwelling on high and Holy is His name, engraved twenty-two letters and set them in the Sphere. He oscillated the Sphere back and forth, and the Sphere (continues to) oscillate back and forth. As a sign of this, there is nothing higher than delight (ONG), and there is nothing more evil than plague (NGO).» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 2:5: aquí el círculo se llama *Sphere* y el texto no nombra las 231 Puertas donde las otras versiones sí lo hacen.

«6. Proof of this, trustworthy witnesses, are the Universe, Year and Soul. The Sefirot of the Universe are ten; three are fire, breath and water; seven are the seven planets: twelve are the twelve constellations. The Sefirot of the Year are ten; three are the cold, the hot and the temperate; seven are the seven days of creation» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 2:6: la cuenta de Sefirot por dominio, enunciada como diez repartidos en tres, siete y doce; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«2. The twenty-two letters are a foundation of three Basics, seven Doubles, and twelve Elementals. The three Basics, AMSh, are fire, breath and water. The offspring of heaven is fire, the offspring of air is breath, and the offspring of earth is water. Fire is above, water is below, and breath is the decree that decides between them. Mem hums, Shin hisses, and Alef is the decree deciding between them. AMSh is sealed with six rings and cocooned16 in male and female. Know, think and depict that fire upholds water.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 3:2: la mishná funde las progenies de la Versión Larga con el sello de los seis anillos, y el troceo imprime *cocooned* con la llamada de nota pegada.

«2. Two: Breath from Breath. With it He engraved and carved four directions (breaths) of heaven: east, west, north, and south. And there is a breath in each one of them.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 4:2: aquí del Aliento del Aliento salen las cuatro direcciones del cielo, como en la Versión Larga y no como en la Gra, que hace salir las veintidós letras.

«3. The twenty-two letters are a foundation consisting of three Basics, seven Doubles, and twelve Elementals. The letters are carved with Breath, engraved with voice, and set in the mouth in five places: AHChO, BVMP, GYKQ, DTLNTh, ZSTzRSh. AHChO is pronounced with the base of the tongue and the throat. BVMP is pronounced between the lips and with the tip of the tongue. GYKQ utilizes the first third of the tongue. DTLNTh is pronounced with half the tongue and the voice. ZSTzRSh is pronounced between the teeth with the tongue sleeping.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 4:3: la descripción de las cinco familias fonéticas, con la lengua *sleeping* donde la Versión Larga dice *lying flat and spread out*.

«10. He made Resh king, bound a crown to it, permuted them one with another, and with it He formed the Star of the Sun (Mercury)17 in the Universe, Thursday in the Year, and the right ear in the Soul.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 5:10: Mercurio se nombra aquí *Star of the Sun*, con la llamada de nota que el troceo pega al paréntesis.

«1. The twelve Elementals are HVZChTYLNSOTzQ. He engraved them, carved them, permuted them, weighed them and transformed them, and with them He formed constellations, months and directors. Two are extreme, two stabilize, two advise, and two rejoice. They are the korkebans18 the two hands, and the two feet. He made them like a dispute, and arranged them like a battle. “And God made one opposite another” (Ecclesiastes 7:14).» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 6:1: los cuatro pares se leen aquí *extreme*, *stabilize*, *advise* y *rejoice*, distintos de los de la Versión Larga.

«3. How did He permute them? HV VH, ZCh ChZ, TV YT, LN NL, SO OS, TzQ QTz.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 6:3: las seis parejas de Elementales permutadas, serie que ninguna otra versión del volumen imprime.

«As male and female, how did He permute them? AMSh AShM, MShA MASh, ShAM ShMA. Heaven is fire, air is breath, earth is water. Man's head is fire, his heart is breath, and his belly is water.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 5:3: las seis permutaciones de las tres Madres en otro orden que la Versión Larga, y el corazón por aliento donde el cuerpo pone el pecho.

«1. Air, temperate, chest. Earth, cold, belly. Heaven, hot, head. And this is AMSh.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 7:1: esta versión llega a ocho capítulos donde las otras tienen seis, y aquí condensa en prosa la serie de las tres Madres.

«1. With Alef He formed these: breath, air, temperate, chest, and the tongue of decree. With Mem He formed these: water, earth, cold, belly, and the pan of liability. With Shin He formed these: fire, heaven, hot, head, and the pan of merit.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 8:1: Mem lleva aquí el platillo de culpa y Shin el de mérito, al revés que en la Versión Larga.

«2. With Bet He formed these: Saturn, Sabbath, mouth, life and death. With Gimel He formed these: Jupiter, Sunday, right eye, peace and evil. With Dalet He formed these: Mars, Monday, left eye, wisdom and foolishness. With Kaf He formed these: Sun, Tuesday, right nostril, wealth and poverty. With Peh He formed these: Venus, Wednesday, left nostril, seed and desolation. With Resh He formed these: Sun Star (Mercury), Thursday, right ear, grace and ugliness. With Tav He formed these: Moon, Friday, left ear, dominance and subjugation.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 8:2: cada Doble con su planeta, su día, su órgano y el par de contrarios; el reparto coincide con la Versión Larga y difiere de la Gra.

«1. Mystical Consciousness (Sekhel Mufla). This is the Light that was originally conceived, and it is the First Glory» — voz del texto de las Treinta y Dos Sendas que el volumen imprime como Apéndice II, primera senda; la lista entera es catálogo y aquí va el marco con una muestra razonada, declarada en Notas de carga; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«3. Sanctified Consciousness (Sekhel MeKudash). This is the foundation of the Original Wisdom, and it is called “Faithful Faith.”4 Its roots are AMeN. It is the father of faith, and from its power faith emerges.» — voz del mismo texto, tercera senda: la Sabiduría Original como fundamento y la *Fe Fiel* cuyas raíces son AMeN.

«14. Illuminating Consciousness (Sekhel Meir). It is called this because it is the essence of the Speaking Silence (Chashmal).11 It gives instruction regarding the mysteries of the holy secrets and their structure.» — voz del mismo texto, senda decimocuarta: el *Chashmal*, el silencio que habla, sobre el que Kaplan monta su lectura de la interfaz entre los dos estados de consciencia.

«16. Enduring Consciousness (Sekhel Nitzchi). It is called this because it is the Delight (Eden) of the Glory. As it is, there is no Glory lower than it. It is called the Garden of Eden, which is prepared for the [reward of the] saints.» — voz del mismo texto, senda decimosexta: el Deleite de la Gloria, llamado Jardín del Edén; los corchetes son de la edición.

«32. Worshiped Consciousness (Sekhel Ne'evad). It is called this because it is prepared so as to destroy all who engage in the worship of the seven planets.» — voz del texto de las Treinta y Dos Sendas, senda trigésima segunda y última, que se define por destruir a quienes adoran los siete planetas.

«king over Wealth And He bound a crown to it And He combined one with another And with them He formed Mars in the Universe Monday in the Year The right ear in the Soul, male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, segunda de las siete estrofas combinatorias del capítulo cuarto: la Guímel sobre la Riqueza, con Marte, el lunes y el oído derecho; las cinco restantes van en la tabla de Correspondencias.

«And with them He formed Cancer in the Universe Tamuz in the Year And the right hand in the Soul male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, cuarta de las doce estrofas combinatorias del capítulo quinto: la Chet sobre la vista, con Cáncer, Tamuz y la mano derecha; el ancla arranca después del cambio de plana.

«king over smell And He bound a crown to it And He combined one with another And with them He formed Scorpio in the Universe Cheshvan in the Year And the intestine in the Soul male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah, octava de las doce estrofas combinatorias: la Nun sobre el olfato, con Escorpio, Cheshván y el intestino.

«2. Twenty-two letters: Engrave them, carve them, weigh them, permute them, and transform them, and with them depict the soul of all that was formed and all that will be formed in the future.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 2:2: aquí se pesa antes de permutar, al revés que en el cuerpo, y lo representado es *the soul of all that was formed*.

«Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Corta, 4:12: la lista de planetas va en otro orden que en la versión Gra, los días se llaman los de la creación y se graban aquí siete *hours* donde el cuerpo da siete semanas; el ancla arranca después del cambio de plana; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«9. He made the letter Vav king over thought, bound a crown to it, permuted them one with another, and with them He formed Taurus in the Universe, Iyar in the Year, and the gall bladder in the Soul, male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 5:9: la Vav con Tauro, Iyar y la vesícula, donde la versión Gra le da el riñón derecho.

«13. Three not in one's control are his eyes, his ears and his nose. Three good sounds to the ear are a blessing, good news, praise. Three bad sights to the eye are an adultress, and evil eye, a roving eye.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 6:13: una serie de tríadas morales —lo que no está en el propio poder, los buenos sonidos, las malas vistas— que ninguna otra versión del volumen trae; el troceo imprime *and evil eye* por *an evil eye*.

«are the twelve lunar months. The Sefirot of the Soul are ten; three are the head, chest and belly; seven are the seven gates, twelve are the twelve directors.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 2:6: el cierre de la cuenta por dominios, con los doce meses lunares y los doce directores; el ancla arranca después del cambio de plana.

«Exalted: because He upholds and sustains those on high and below. All others who carry something are on the bottom and their burden is above them, but He is on top, and His burden is below Him. He upholds and sustains the entire universe. Dwelling in Eternity: because His kingdom exists for eternity of eternities without interruption. And Holy is His Name: Because He is holy, his ministers are holy, and to Him they proclaim, “Holy, holy, holy.”» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 3:5: la misma glosa de los apelativos divinos que trae la Versión Larga, con variantes de redacción.

«He sealed “above,” faced upward, and sealed it with YHV. Six: He sealed “below,” faced downward, and sealed it with YVH. Seven: He sealed east, faced forward, and sealed it with HVY. Eight: He sealed west, faced backward, and sealed it with HYV. Nine: He sealed south, faced to His right, and sealed it with VYH. Ten: He sealed north, faced to His left, and sealed it with VHY. These are the Ten Sefirot of Nothingness. One is the Breath of the Living God, two is breath from Breath, three is water from breath, four is fire from water; above and below, east and west, north and south.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 4:5: el reparto de las permutaciones entre las seis direcciones difiere del de la Versión Larga en el este y el oeste.

«13. He made Eyin king, bound a crown to it, permuted one with another, and with it He formed Capricorn in the Universe, Tevet in the Year, and the left hand in the Soul. 14. He made Tzadi king, bound a crown to it, permuted one with another, and with it He formed Aquarius in the Universe, Shevat in the Year, and the right foot in the Soul. 15. He made Kuf king, bound a crown to it, permuted one with another, and with it He formed Pisces in the Universe, Adar in the Year, and the left foot in the Soul. 16. He separated the witnesses and stood each one alone: the Universe alone, the Year alone, and the Soul alone.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, 6:13 a 6:16: las últimas estrofas combinatorias y la separación de los tres testigos, que esta versión repite dos veces, aquí y en 5:12.

«you, I have made you a prophet for the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5). He made him His friend, and made a covenent with» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión de Saadia, estrofa final: el versículo de Jeremías 1:5 que la versión Gra no trae en este lugar; el troceo imprime *covenent*.

«permuted one with another, and with them He formed Mercury in the Universe, Thursday in the Year, and the right ear in the Soul, male and female.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 4:10: la Resh sobre la paz, con Mercurio, el jueves y el oído derecho, donde la versión Gra le da Saturno, el viernes y la fosa nasal izquierda; el ancla arranca después del marcador de plana que el troceo reemite a media frase.

«11. He made the letter Tav king over grace, bound a crown to it, permuted one with another, and with them He formed the Moon in the Universe, Friday in the Year, and the left ear in the Soul, male and female. And with them He engraved seven firmaments, seven earths, seven seas, seven rivers, seven deserts, seven days, seven weeks, seven years, seven sabbaticals, seven jubilees, and the Holy Palace. He therefore engraved the seventh for every desire under the heavens.» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah en la Versión Larga, 4:11: la Tav con la Luna y el viernes, y el recuento de los sietes grabados, con *seventh for every desire* donde el cuerpo dice *He made sevens beloved*.

«Seven [Planets], he directed them with the Twelve constellations» — voz del Sefer Yetzirah citada por Kaplan al cerrar el capítulo segundo, de la mishná 6:7, para anunciar las aplicaciones astrológicas de los capítulos cuarto y quinto; el ancla arranca después del marcador de plana que el troceo reemite a media frase, y el mismo verso vuelve en el cuerpo del capítulo sexto.

«Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan was a world-renowned Torah scholar who produced over 50 books in his brief lifetime, including Meditation and the Bible, Meditation and Kabbalah and The Bahir. Kaplan's works encompassed commentary and translation of ancient and obscure works by Bible scholars and Kabbalists» — la nota *About the Translator* del volumen, que no es voz de Kaplan sino del editor: lo presenta como erudito de la Torá con más de cincuenta libros, entre ellos *Meditation and the Bible*, *Meditation and Kabbalah* y *The Bahir*.

«For a while he was an editor of Jewish Life magazine, translated an enormous commentary on the Torah by the Sephardic rabbi, Yaakov Culi, and produced an original translation-commentary of the Five Books of Moses, which he called “The Living Torah,” published by Moznaim, Israel.» — sigue la misma nota editorial: la dirección de *Jewish Life*, la traducción del comentario a la Torá del rabino sefardí Yaakov Culi y su propia traducción-comentario de los Cinco Libros de Moisés, *The Living Torah*.

«Aryeh Kaplan was born in the Bronx, studied at local yeshivot, and continued his education at yeshivot in Israel. For a while he entered the field of science and was, for a brief period, the youngest physicist employed by the United States government before devoting his life to Torah scholarship. He died at the age of 48 in 1983.» — cierre de la nota editorial, con el paso por la física antes de dedicarse a la Torá y la fecha de muerte; el asiento de la Library of Congress de la misma edición imprime en cambio *Kaplan, Aryeh 1934–1982 or 3* en la p. 3, y la ficha consigna las dos fechas sin arbitrar.

«The Sefer Yetzirah is without question the oldest and most mysterious of all Kabbalistic texts. The first commentaries on this book were written in the 10th century, and the text itself is quoted as early as the sixth. References to the work appear in the first century, while traditions regarding its use attest to its existence even in Biblical times. So ancient is this book that its origins are no longer accessible to historians. We are totally dependent on traditions with regard to its authorship.» — Kaplan abre la introducción situando el texto: los primeros comentarios son del siglo X, el texto se cita ya en el sexto y hay referencias del primero, de modo que sus orígenes quedan fuera del alcance del historiador y solo se dispone de tradiciones sobre su autoría.

«Equally mysterious is the meaning of this book. If the author meant to be obscure, he was eminently successful. It is only through the most careful analysis, studying every word with its parallels in Biblical and Talmudic literature, that its haze of obscurity begins to be penetrated.» — Kaplan sostiene que la oscuridad del libro es deliberada y que solo cede al análisis de cada palabra contra sus paralelos en la literatura bíblica y talmúdica.

«There have been many interpretations of the Sefer Yetzirah. The earliest commentators tried to interpret it as a philosophical treatise, but their efforts shed more light on their own systems than on the text. The same is true of efforts to fit it into the systems of the Zohar or later Kabbalists. Efforts to view it as a book on grammar or phonetics are even more unsuccessful.» — Kaplan enumera las lecturas que descarta: la filosófica de los primeros comentaristas, que a su juicio alumbra más los sistemas de ellos que el texto; la que lo encaja en el Zohar o en los cabalistas posteriores; y la que lo toma por libro de gramática o de fonética.

«Meditative Kabbalah deals with the use of divine names, letter permutations, and similar methods to reach higher states of consciousness, and as such, comprises a kind of yoga. Most of the main texts have never been published, but remain scattered in manuscripts in the great libraries and museums. Some of these methods enjoyed a brief renaissance in the mid 1700's with the rise of the Hasidic movement, but within a half century they were once again largely forgotten.» — la segunda categoría según Kaplan: nombres divinos y permutaciones de letras para alcanzar estados superiores de consciencia, a lo que llama una suerte de yoga; sus textos principales siguen inéditos en manuscrito, con un renacimiento breve a mediados del siglo XVIII con el hasidismo.

«Careful study indicates that Sefer Yetzirah is a meditative text, with strong magical overtones. This position is supported by the earliest Talmudic traditions, which indicate that it could be used to create living creatures.» — la tesis que ordena el volumen entero: para Kaplan el Sefer Yetzirah es un texto meditativo con fuertes tintes mágicos, y lo apoya en las tradiciones talmúdicas más tempranas, que dicen que servía para crear seres vivos.

«Especially significant are the many reports and legends in which the Sefer Yetzirah is used to create a Golem, a sort of mystical android.» — Kaplan llama la atención sobre el cuerpo de relatos en que el libro sirve para hacer un Golem, que él describe como una especie de androide místico.

«The methods of the Sefer Yetzirah appear to involve meditation; and it is highly possible that it was originally written as a meditative manual. A major 12th century philosopher thus states that it does not contain philosophy, but divine mystery.» — Kaplan propone que el libro se escribió como manual meditativo y cita a un filósofo del siglo XII que dice que no contiene filosofía sino misterio divino.

«This comes across very clearly in the commentary of one of the greatest Kabbalists, Isaac the Blind (1160–1236), who stresses the meditative aspects of the text.» — el apoyo que Kaplan invoca en Isaac the Blind, a quien fecha en 1160–1236 y llama uno de los más grandes cabalistas, por subrayar los aspectos meditativos del texto.

«The introductory colophon states, “This is the book of the Letters of Abraham our father, which is called Sefer Yetzirah, and when one gazes (tzafah) into it, there is no limit to his wisdom.”» — el colofón de un manuscrito del siglo X o anterior, citado por Kaplan: llama al libro las Letras de Abraham nuestro padre y promete sabiduría sin límite a quien se asome (*tzafah*) a él; Kaplan acota enseguida que *tzafah* no dice mirar físicamente sino intuición meditativa mística.

«Rather than have the text oscillate between the third person and the imperative, it would certainly he more logical to read it all in the imperative. The Sefer Yetzirah thus becomes an instruction manual for a very special type of meditation. Out of deference to the majority of commentaries we have refrained from translating it in the imperative, but the implications of such a reading are discussed in the commentary.» — la decisión de traducción, declarada con su motivo: Kaplan considera más lógico leerlo todo en imperativo —con lo que el libro se vuelve manual de instrucciones de un tipo muy especial de meditación— y aun así traduce en tercera persona por deferencia a la mayoría de los comentarios, dejando las implicaciones para el comentario.

«An important 13th century commentator writes that students of Sefer Yetzirah were given a manuscript of the book Raziel, a magical text containing seals, magical figures, divine names and incantations.» — el dato de transmisión que Kaplan recoge de un comentarista del siglo XIII: a los estudiantes del Sefer Yetzirah se les daba un manuscrito del libro Raziel, texto mágico con sellos, figuras, nombres divinos y encantamientos.

«The theoretical Kabbalah, which in its present form is based largely on the Zohar, is concerned mostly with the dynamics of the spiritual domain, especially the worlds of the Sefirot, souls and angels. This branch of Kabbalah reached its zenith in the writings of the Safed school in the 16th century, and the vast majority of published texts belong in this category.» — la primera categoría según Kaplan: apoyada hoy sobre todo en el Zohar, atenta a la dinámica del dominio espiritual —los mundos de las Sefirot, las almas y los ángeles—, con su cenit en la escuela de Safed del siglo XVI y dueña de la mayoría de los textos publicados.

«The third category of Kabbalah–the magical–is closely related to the meditative. It consists of various signs, incantations and divine names, through which one can influence or alter natural events.» — la tercera categoría, la mágica, que Kaplan declara estrechamente emparentada con la meditativa: signos, encantamientos y nombres divinos con que se influye o altera el curso natural.

«Many of the techniques closely resemble meditative methods, and their success may depend on their ability to induce mental states» — Kaplan ata las dos últimas categorías por el procedimiento y no por el fin: las técnicas mágicas se parecen a las meditativas y su éxito puede depender de la capacidad de inducir estados mentales; la frase sigue en la plana siguiente, *where telekinetic or spiritual power can effectively be channeled*, y el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«The commentaries which treat Sefer Yetzirah as a theoretical text, read much of it in the third person: “He combined,” “He formed,” and the like. According to this reading, the text is referring to God's creation. In many cases, however, the grammatical form more closely resembles the imperative» — el argumento gramatical de Kaplan: leído en tercera persona el texto habla de la creación de Dios, pero en muchos pasajes la forma se acerca más al imperativo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The author is telling the reader to “combine” and “form” as if he was actually giving instructions. In many other cases, the text is unambiguously instructive, as in such passages as, “if your heart runs, return to the place,” and, “understand with wisdom, and be wise with understanding.”» — sigue el argumento: para Kaplan el autor le está dando instrucciones al lector, y hay pasajes inequívocamente instructivos como *if your heart runs, return to the place*.

«It was with these powers that one would then be able to perform feats that outwardly appeared to be magical. This is supported by the Talmudical references, which appear to compare the use of Sefer Yetzirah to a kind of white magic.» — Kaplan deriva lo mágico de lo meditativo: con los poderes desarrollados por el ejercicio se harían proezas de apariencia mágica, y se apoya en referencias talmúdicas que a su ver comparan el uso del libro con una suerte de magia blanca.

«The Sefer Yetzirah is a very small and concise book. In its Short Version, it is only some 1300 words long, while the Long Version contains approximately 2500 words. The Gra Version used in this translation contains around 1800 words.» — las cifras que Kaplan da de cada recensión: unas 1300 palabras la Versión Corta, unas 2500 la Larga y unas 1800 la Gra, que es la que traduce.

«The text is presented dogmatically, without substantiation or explanation. In the first chapter in particular, it is solemn and sonorous, reading like blank verse poetry. Very few Biblical passages are quoted, and with the exception of Abraham, no name or authority is mentioned.» — Kaplan describe la forma del texto: dogmática, sin fundamentación ni explicación, solemne y sonora en el primer capítulo como verso blanco, con muy pocas citas bíblicas y sin más nombre ni autoridad que Abraham.

«The first chapter introduces the Sefirot, speaking of them at length. After this, however, there is no mention whatsoever regarding the Sefirot in subsequent chapters. This had led to some speculation that the Sefer Yetzirah might actually be a combination of two (or more) earlier texts.» — el argumento de composición: las Sefirot ocupan el primer capítulo y luego no vuelven a aparecer, y de ahí la especulación de que el libro sea combinación de dos o más textos anteriores.

«The second chapter consists of a general discussion about the letters of the alphabet. It clearly appears to be introducing their use in a meditative context. Also introduced in this chapter are the five phonetic families and the 231 Gates. Again, neither the phonetic families nor the Gates are ever again mentioned in the text.» — el mismo argumento sobre el segundo capítulo: introduce las letras en contexto meditativo junto con las cinco familias fonéticas y las 231 Puertas, y ninguna de las dos vuelve a nombrarse.

«Chapters three to five discuss the three divisions of the letters, “mothers, doubles, and elementals.” These are related to the “universe, soul and year,” presenting a fairly detailed astrological system. In these chapters, the entire thrust of the book is changed, and they contain virtually no hint whatsoever of its meditative aspects. This, however, can be explained by a principle found in many later Kabbalistic texts. In order to focus spiritual and mental powers, one must take into account the time and astrological environment.» — Kaplan explica el giro de los capítulos tercero a quinto —madres, dobles y elementales atadas a universo, alma y año en un sistema astrológico, sin rastro de lo meditativo— por un principio de los textos cabalísticos posteriores: para enfocar las potencias hay que contar con el tiempo y el entorno astrológico.

«This chapter concludes with a stanza linking the Sefer Yetzirah to Abraham. It is this quote that serves as a source to the tradition that the book was authored by the Patriarch.» — Kaplan localiza en la estrofa final la fuente de la tradición que hace del Patriarca el autor del libro.

«So short is the text, that one of the earliest fragments appears to have the entire book written on a single page» — Kaplan añade que uno de los fragmentos más tempranos parece traer el libro entero en una sola página, y en la línea siguiente recoge la especulación de que la fuente original tuviera apenas 240 palabras; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The present text contains six chapters, and in some editions, these are said to parallel the six orders of the Mishnah» — la división en seis capítulos que algunas ediciones hacen paralela a los seis órdenes de la Mishná; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Some ancient sources, however, state that the book contains five chapters, and it seems likely that the present fifth and sixth chapters were combined as one in these texts» — el desacuerdo sobre el número de capítulos, que Kaplan consigna sin arbitrar: fuentes antiguas dan cinco y él supone fundidos el quinto y el sexto.

«The earliest commentator, Saadia Gaon, in a somewhat different version, divides the book into eight chapters.» — la tercera división del mismo libro: ocho capítulos en Saadia Gaon, a quien Kaplan llama el comentarista más temprano.

«The sixth chapter again does not appear to have a clear connection to the earlier parts of the book, although in the Long Version, it is presented almost as a commentary» — sobre el sexto capítulo: Kaplan le niega conexión clara con lo anterior y observa que en la Versión Larga se presenta casi como comentario; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«introduced the concepts of the “axis, cycle and heart,” ideas which are not discussed any place else in Hebraic or Kabbalistic literature, with the exception of the Bahir» — sigue en la plana siguiente el argumento sobre el sexto capítulo: los conceptos de eje, ciclo y corazón, que Kaplan dice no hallarse en ningún otro sitio de la literatura hebrea o cabalística salvo el Bahir; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Of all the chapters, this one seems the most obscure, and it is difficult to decide if its emphasis is theoretical or meditative.» — y el remate: Kaplan declara el sexto el más oscuro y se abstiene de decidir si su énfasis es teórico o meditativo.

«The attribution of Abraham is supported by the final stanza of Sefer Yetzirah: “When Abraham... looked and probed... he was successful in creation...” This passage clearly suggests that Abraham actually made use of the methods found in this text.» — el apoyo interno que Kaplan señala: la estrofa final del propio Sefer Yetzirah, que a su juicio sugiere que Abraham se sirvió de los métodos del texto.

«In many editions of Sefer Yetzirah, scriptural evidence is provided by the verse, “Abraham went as God had told him, and Abraham took... the souls that they had made in Haran” (Genesis 12:5). According to some commentaries, this indicates that Abraham actually used the powers of Sefer Yetzirah to create people.» — la prueba escrituraria que Kaplan dice hallarse en muchas ediciones: el versículo de Génesis 12:5 sobre las almas que hicieron en Harán, leído por algunos comentarios como que Abraham usó los poderes del libro para crear personas.

«Other authorities, however, say that “making souls” refers to converting them to belief in the one true God, and this is also supported by the Zohar.» — la lectura rival que Kaplan pone a renglón seguido y no arbitra: hacer almas sería convertirlas a la creencia en un solo Dios, y el Zohar la respalda.

«Some commentaries attempt to reconcile this with the text of Sefer Yetzirah, explaining that with the miracles wrought through the Sefer Yetzirah, Abraham was able to convince people of the power of God, and thus convert them to true belief.» — el intento de conciliación que Kaplan recoge: con los milagros obrados por el Sefer Yetzirah, Abraham habría convencido a la gente del poder de Dios y así convertido a los conversos.

«A Midrash states that if Abraham would have engaged in the secrets of creation by himself, he would have gone too far in emulating his Creator, and he therefore worked together with Shem, son of Noah.» — el motivo que el Midrash da, según Kaplan, para que Abraham no obrara solo: a solas habría ido demasiado lejos en emular a su Creador, y por eso trabajó con Shem hijo de Noé.

«Such ancient Kabbalistic texts as the Zohar and Raziel also attribute Sefer Yetzirah to Abraham» — el respaldo que Kaplan enumera para la atribución a Abraham: entre los textos cabalísticos antiguos, el Zohar y el Raziel; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«A number of very old manuscripts of Sefer Yetzirah likewise begin with a colophon calling it “the Letters of Abraham our Father, which is called Sefer Yetzirah.”» — el otro respaldo: manuscritos muy viejos que abren con un colofón que llama al libro las Letras de Abraham nuestro padre.

«Another authority notes that it could not have actually been written by Abraham, since if it had, it should have been incorporated into the Bible, or at least be mentioned in scripture» — la objeción que Kaplan recoge contra la autoría literal: de ser de Abraham, el libro debería estar incorporado a la Biblia o al menos mencionado en la escritura; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Similarly, when the Zohar speaks of books antedating the Torah, it does not include the Sefer Yetzirah among them.» — la segunda objeción: el Zohar, al hablar de libros anteriores a la Torá, no cuenta entre ellos al Sefer Yetzirah.

«The most important mysteries of Sefer Yetzirah involve the inner significance of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Here too, we find that Abraham was a master of these mysteries. A Midrash thus states that “the letters were given to none other than Abraham.”» — Kaplan sitúa el núcleo del libro en el sentido interno de las letras hebreas y apoya de nuevo en Abraham con un Midrash que dice que las letras no se dieron a nadie más.

«Sefer Yetzirah is one of the primary ancient astrological texts, and it is possible that it incorporates Abraham's astrological teachings. The fact that this astrology was said to be “in his heart” might also indicate that it involved various meditative techniques, as was indeed the case with ancient astrology, and is also suggested by Sefer Yetzirah.» — Kaplan declara al libro uno de los textos astrológicos antiguos principales y lee el *en su corazón* del dicho talmúdico como indicio de técnicas meditativas, como a su juicio ocurría con la astrología antigua.

«When God revealed himself to Abraham one of the first things that He taught him was not to be overdependent on astrological predictions.» — el límite que Kaplan recoge dentro de la misma tradición: lo primero que Dios le enseña a Abraham es a no depender en exceso de las predicciones astrológicas.

«Abraham was also fully aware of the magical and idolatrous uses that could be developed from these mysteries. The Talmud thus says that Abraham had a tract dealing with idolatry that consisted of 400 chapters.» — Kaplan consigna el reverso: Abraham conocía los usos mágicos e idolátricos que podían salir de estos misterios, y el Talmud le atribuye un tratado sobre idolatría de cuatrocientos capítulos.

«The attribution of the mysteries of Sefer Yetzirah to Abraham would place its origin in the 18th century before the common era. This is not very surprising, since such mystical texts as the Vedic scriptures date from this period, and there is every reason to believe that the mystical tradition was further advanced in the Middle East than it was in India at the time.» — la consecuencia cronológica que Kaplan saca de la atribución: el siglo XVIII antes de la era común, que compara con la fecha de las escrituras védicas sosteniendo que la tradición mística iba más adelantada en Oriente Medio que en India.

«Since Abraham was the greatest mystic and astrologer of his age, it is natural to assume that he was familiar with all the mysteries of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Abraham was born in Mesopotamia, and he also lived in Egypt.» — el argumento de contexto: siendo Abraham nacido en Mesopotamia y residente en Egipto, Kaplan asume que conocía los misterios de ambas.

«The next place where we find the use of Sefer Yetzirah is in a tradition regarding the older sons of Jacob, which states that they used it to create animals and maid servants.» — el siguiente eslabón de la cadena de uso que Kaplan traza: los hijos mayores de Jacob, que según la tradición se sirvieron del libro para crear animales y criadas.

«Further support linking Abraham to the Sefer Yetzirah is found in the Talmudic teaching that “Abraham had a great astrology in his» — la enseñanza talmúdica que Kaplan invoca; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase continúa *heart, and all the kings of the east and west arose early at his door*.

«There is also a Talmudic teaching that Abraham taught the mysteries involving “unclean names” to the children of his concubines» — la tradición de los nombres impuros que Kaplan recoge: Abraham se los enseña a los hijos de sus concubinas; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This is based on the verse, “to the sons of the concubines that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and he sent them away... to the lands of the east” (Genesis 25:6). These gifts consisted of occult mysteries, which then spread in eastern Asia.» — el versículo de Génesis 25:6 sobre los dones a los hijos de las concubinas, que Kaplan lee como misterios ocultos difundidos por Asia oriental.

«Joseph's brothers had eaten an animal without slaughtering it properly, and Joseph did not know that the animal had been created through the Sefer Yetzirah and did not need such slaughter. He therefore reported that his brothers had eaten “flesh from a living animal.”» — la explicación que Kaplan da del informe de José contra sus hermanos: el animal había sido creado por el Sefer Yetzirah y no requería degüello, y José no lo sabía.

«The mysteries of Sefer Yetzirah were used again after the Exodus, when the Israelites were building the Tabernacle in the desert. The Talmud states that Betzalel had been chosen to build this Tabernacle because he “knew how to permute the letters with which heaven and earth were created.”» — el siguiente eslabón de la cadena de uso: Betzalel es elegido para construir el Tabernáculo porque, dice el Talmud según Kaplan, sabía permutar las letras con que fueron creados el cielo y la tierra.

«Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge” (Chakhmah, Binah and Daat) refer to states of consciousness, which we shall discuss at length. It is through the manipulation of the letters that such states of consciousness can be attained.» — la clave de lectura que Kaplan anuncia para todo el comentario: Chakhmah, Binah y Daat nombran estados de consciencia, alcanzables por manipulación de las letras.

«There might have been more than one person with the name Ben Sirah, but the one in this tradition was clearly the son of Jeremiah. Regarding his birth, there is a fascinating tradition. Jeremiah had been accosted by homosexuals in the bathhouse, and as a result, had experienced an ejaculation in the tub. His semen remained viable, and when his daughter later used the same tub, she was impregnated by it, eventually giving birth to Ben Sirah.» — la tradición sobre el nacimiento de Ben Sirah que Kaplan recoge sin suavizar: hijo a la vez de Jeremías y de la hija de Jeremías, por una eyaculación en la tina del baño.

«Such esoteric knowledge was required, since the Tabernacle was meant to be a microcosm, paralleling both the universe, the spiritual domain, and the human body» — Kaplan deriva la exigencia del carácter del edificio: el Tabernáculo era un microcosmos paralelo al universo, al dominio espiritual y al cuerpo humano; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It was not enough merely to construct a physical building. As it was built, the architect had to meditate on the meaning of each part, imbuing it with the necessary spiritual properties.» — la consecuencia operativa: no bastaba levantar un edificio físico, el arquitecto tenía que meditar el sentido de cada parte mientras la construía.

«The sources are silent about the Sefer Yetzirah then until the time of Jeremiah the prophet. Here again we find a tradition that Jeremiah wished to make use of Sefer Yetzirah, but as in the case of Abraham, was admonished not to attempt to do so alone. He therefore took his son, Ben Sirah, and the two explored these mysteries together» — el eslabón de Jeremías, con la misma regla que en Abraham: no intentarlo a solas, de modo que toma a su hijo Ben Sirah; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Through their efforts, they were able to create a Golem, but they did not preserve it.» — el resultado que Kaplan consigna: crearon un Golem y no lo conservaron.

«Some sources say that his name was originally Ben Zera (Son of Seed), but when this name proved embarrassing, he changed it to Ben Sirah» — el cambio de nombre que Kaplan recoge, de Ben Zera —hijo de simiente— a Ben Sirah por resultar embarazoso el primero; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Later authorities were to bring proof from this incident that artificial insemination does not constitute adultery or incest» — el uso jurídico que Kaplan dice que autoridades posteriores hicieron del caso: que la inseminación artificial no constituye adulterio ni incesto; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«These traditions are of particular interest, since there are many hints that Jeremiah taught these mysteries to a certain Yosef, son of Uziel, son Of Ben Sirah» — los indicios de transmisión que Kaplan sigue: Jeremías enseña los misterios a un tal Yosef ben Uziel; el troceo imprime *son Of* con mayúscula, tal cual, y el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«What is even more interesting is the fact that there are hints that this very same Yosef ben Uziel may have written a commentary on Sefer Yetzirah, or even possibly one of the earliest versions of the text itself» — la hipótesis que Kaplan levanta: ese mismo Yosef ben Uziel pudo escribir un comentario sobre el Sefer Yetzirah o incluso una de las versiones más tempranas del texto.

«This is important because it would date the first version of Sefer Yetzirah to the early years of the Second Temple. This was also the time of the Great Assembly, who put some of the last books of the Bible, such as Ezekiel, into writing, and then closed the Biblical Cannon» — la consecuencia de datación: los primeros años del Segundo Templo, época de la Gran Asamblea que puso por escrito los últimos libros de la Biblia y cerró el canon —el troceo imprime *Cannon*—; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Like these prayers, the Sefer Yetzirah was not put into writing, but was taught from memory.» — y el corolario: como las oraciones de la Asamblea, el Sefer Yetzirah no se puso por escrito sino que se enseñó de memoria.

«Upon entering the Talmudic period, we make a transition from tradition to history. We find actual mention of Sefer Yetzirah in the Talmud, and even though it is not absolutely certain that it is identical with our version, there is no real reason to doubt that they are one and the same. In Talmudical times, the Sefer Yetzirah began as an oral teaching, and was eventually incorporated as a book, which was used by the sages.» — el corte de método que Kaplan declara al entrar en el periodo talmúdico: de la tradición a la historia, con mención efectiva del libro en el Talmud y sin razón real, a su juicio, para dudar de que sea el mismo texto.

«The first reference to such use involves Rabbi Yehoshua [ben Chananya], a leading sage of the first century. He is credited with the statement, “I can take squashes and pumpkins, and with the Sefer Yetzirah, make them into beautiful trees. These will in turn produce other beautiful trees.”» — la primera referencia de uso que Kaplan localiza, en boca de Rabbi Yehoshua ben Chananya: con el Sefer Yetzirah convertiría calabazas en árboles hermosos que producirían otros.

«Although the phrase, “with the Sefer Yetzirah,” does not occur in printed editions of the Jerusalem Talmud, it is found in manuscripts.» — el límite textual que Kaplan pone en la misma línea: la frase *with the Sefer Yetzirah* no está en las ediciones impresas del Talmud de Jerusalén, solo en manuscritos.

«According to one ancient source, Rabbi Yehoshua also received the tradition from Rabbi Nehunia ben HaKanah, leader of the school that produced the Bahir. In Sefer HaTagin, we find that the tradition regarding the mystical significance of the crowns (tagin) on Hebrew letters was handed down in the following manner: “Menachem gave it over to Rabbi Nehunia hen HaKanah, Rabbi Nehunia ben HaKanah gave it over to Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh, Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh gave it over to Rabbi Yehoshua, and Rabbi Yehoshua gave it over to Rabbi Akiba.”» — la cadena que Kaplan copia del Sefer HaTagin sobre el sentido místico de las coronas (*tagin*) de las letras: de Menachem a Nehunia ben HaKanah, a Elazar ben Arakh, a Yehoshua y a Akiba; el troceo imprime *Rabbi Nehunia hen HaKanah* en el segundo eslabón, con *hen* por *ben*.

«This reference to Rabbi Yehoshua is highly significant. Rabbi Yehoshua was one of the five main disciples of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai (47 BCE-73 CE), leader of all Jewry after the destruction of the Temple, and a renowned expert in all occult arts» — la posición que Kaplan le da al testigo: Yehoshua es uno de los cinco discípulos principales de Yochanan ben Zakkai —a quien fecha 47 a. e. c. a 73 e. c.—, cabeza de la judería tras la destrucción del Templo y experto reputado en todas las artes ocultas; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It was Rabbi Yehoshua who was Rabbi Yochanan's main disciple in the mysteries of the Markava (Chariot), and he later gained fame as the greatest expert of his time in the occult» — y el remate de la misma cadena: Yehoshua, discípulo principal de Yochanan en los misterios de la Markava y luego el mayor experto de su tiempo en lo oculto; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Rabbi Elazar ben Arakh is best known as the greatest disciple of Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai» — la credencial de Elazar ben Arakh según Kaplan, el mayor discípulo de Yochanan ben Zakkai; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«From the above tradition, we also see that he learned from Rabbi Nehunia, possibly after he left Rabbi Yochanan. The Talmud reports that at this point, Rabbi Elazar went to live by the river Dismas, in the town of Emmaus» — lo que Kaplan saca de la cadena del Sefer HaTagin: Elazar aprende también de Nehunia, quizá tras dejar a Yochanan, y se va a vivir junto al río Dismas, en Emaús; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Emmaus, however, is also known to be the place of Rabbi Nehunia, as well as a general seal of Kabbalistic teaching» — y la lectura de Kaplan: Emaús es también el lugar de Nehunia y sello general de enseñanza cabalística; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is quite possible that Rabbi Elazar became so involved in mysticism, that, as the Talmud reports, he lost his grasp of legalistic theory.» — la consecuencia que Kaplan propone, enunciada como posibilidad: Elazar se habría metido tanto en el misticismo que, como reporta el Talmud, perdió el dominio de la teoría legal.

«From the Sefer HaTagin we learn that Rabbi Nehunia learned at least some of the mysteries from Menachem, who served as vice president of the Sanhedrin (Supreme Court) under Hillel.» — el eslabón que Kaplan añade por arriba: Nehunia aprende al menos parte de los misterios de Menachem, vicepresidente del Sanedrín bajo Hillel.

«If we accept the above tradition, Nehunia ben HaKanah might have received at least some of his mystic knowledge from Menachem the Essene. This would indicate that the Essenes were conversant in the mystical arts, and that they taught them to at least some of the Talmudic masters.» — la hipótesis, enunciada como condicional: si la tradición vale, los esenios sabían de artes místicas y se las enseñaron a algunos maestros talmúdicos.

«Josephus states that the Essenes made use of the names of angels, and were able to fortell the future, using various purifications and methods of the prophets» — el testimonio de Josefo que Kaplan recoge: los esenios usaban nombres de ángeles y predecían el futuro con purificaciones y métodos de los profetas; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Rabbi Elazar taught the tradition regarding the crowns on letters to Rabbi Yehoshua, who in turn gave it over to Rabbi Akiba (12-132 CE). Rabbi Akiba excelled in this area, and the Talmud reports that he could derive many important teachings from these crowns» — el paso de la cadena a Akiba, a quien Kaplan fecha 12–132 e. c. y a quien el Talmud atribuye sacar muchas enseñanzas de las coronas de las letras; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is possible that Rabbi Akiba also produced an oral text of Sefer Yetzirah for his students of mystical lore to memorize. Besides this, personal notes may also have been kept.» — la conjetura de Kaplan, dicha como posibilidad: un texto oral del Sefer Yetzirah producido por Akiba para que sus estudiantes de saber místico lo memorizaran.

«Most authorities identify this individual with Menachem the Essene, discussed by Josephus» — la identificación que Kaplan atribuye a la mayoría de las autoridades: el Menachem del Sefer HaTagin es Menachem el esenio del que habla Josefo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Menachem had once seen Herod as a child, and had prophesied that he would be king. Because of this, when Herod later ascended the throne, he honored Menachem as well as the other Essenes. Due to his relationship with Herod, Menachem could no longer maintain his position in the Sanhedrin.» — el motivo que Kaplan da de su salida del Sanedrín: haber profetizado de niño el trono a Herodes le valió honores del rey, y esa relación le hizo incompatible el puesto.

«Even more significant, Josephus also likens the Essenes to the Pythagoreans» — el eslabón que a Kaplan le importa más: Josefo compara a los esenios con los pitagóricos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Since the Sefer Yetzirah apparently contains some elements that resemble the teachings of the Pythagoreans, it may be that the text was preserved by the Essenes during the period that preceded the Talmud.» — la propuesta que Kaplan saca de ahí, dicha como posibilidad: siendo que el libro trae elementos que a su ver se parecen a la enseñanza pitagórica, el texto lo habrían conservado los esenios antes del Talmud.

«There is no question that in his time, Rabbi Akiba was considered the greatest of all experts in the mystical realm» — la posición que Kaplan le da a Akiba en su tiempo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Rabbi Shimeon bar Yochai, author of the Zohar, was also a disciple of Rabbi Akiba.» — la filiación que Kaplan declara, con la autoría del Zohar dada por sentada en la misma frase.

«It is therefore not surprising that a number of sources attribute the authorship of Sefer Yetzirah to Rabbi Akiba» — la segunda atribución del libro que Kaplan consigna, la de Akiba; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Most of the early Talmudical texts originated with Rabbi Akiba, who transmitted them orally in a well defined form» — el argumento con que Kaplan la explica: los textos talmúdicos tempranos se originan en Akiba y se transmiten oralmente en forma bien definida; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Although these books were not written down, they had been worded by Rabbi Akiba, and it was his wording that was taught orally.» — y el remate: los libros no se escribían, pero la redacción era de Akiba y era la suya la que se enseñaba de memoria.

«At that time, there was a rule that the oral tradition be reviewed exactly, word for word, precisely as they had been given over the rule was, “One should always review the precise wording of his» — la regla de transmisión que Kaplan cita —repasar palabra por palabra la redacción exacta del maestro—; el troceo imprime la frase sin puntuación entre *given over* y *the rule was*, y el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«In this respect, the Sefer Yetzirah would have been no different from the rest of the oral tradition. Although it was meant to be transmitted by word of mouth, and was not actually published» — Kaplan encuadra el libro en el régimen general de la tradición oral: transmitido de boca en boca y no publicado; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«Although these notes were never published, they were carefully preserved in the academies. Subsequent teachers often added marginal notes to these manuscripts, and such notes were even occasionally found in the Biblical scrolls which they used» — el dato que Kaplan usa para explicar la proliferación de variantes: los maestros posteriores añadían notas marginales a esos manuscritos, y tales notas aparecían incluso en los rollos bíblicos que usaban; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Since these notes were preserved by private individuals and never distributed publically, they were collectively known as “hidden scrolls” (Megillat Setarim)» — el nombre que Kaplan da a ese material: rollos ocultos, *Megillat Setarim*; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Not only such esoteric material as Sefer Yelzirah was included in this category, but even such legalistic material as the Mishnah, which was meant to be transmitted orally.» — el alcance de la categoría según Kaplan: no solo lo esotérico, también material legal como la Mishná; el troceo imprime *Sefer Yelzirah*, con ele por te.

«This might help explain why the Sefer Yetzirah exists in so many versions. Unlike the Mishnah, which was eventually published in a well defined edition, the Sefer Yetzirah never developed beyond the state of being a “hidden scroll.” Different versions may have been taught by various teachers, and, since the text was never openly published, there was no way in which these versions could be compared and corrected. Furthermore, many marginal notes may have been incorporated into the text, also producing different versions. All this may provide an explanation for the fact that there is no Hebrew classic that is found with so many versions and variants as the Sefer Yetzirah.» — la explicación que Kaplan propone para la multiplicidad de versiones: a diferencia de la Mishná, el libro nunca pasó del estado de rollo oculto, no hubo modo de comparar y corregir versiones, y notas marginales se incorporaron al texto.

«It seems highly probable that the Sefer Yetzirah was already in its present form when the Mishnah was redacted in the year 204 CE. The Mishnah was edited by Rabbi Yehudah the Prince (135–220 CE), usually referred to simply as “Rebbi.”» — la datación que Kaplan da como altamente probable: el libro ya estaba en su forma actual cuando se redactó la Mishná en 204 e. c., bajo Yehudah el Príncipe, a quien fecha 135–220 e. c.

«In one of the few places where it discusses esoteric lore, the Mishnah states, “The mysteries of creation (Maaseh Bereshit) may not be expounded in the presence of two disciples, and the mysteries of the Markava (Maaseh Markava) may not be expounded even in the presence of one, unless he is wise, understanding with his knowledge.”» — la posible referencia en la propia Mishná que Kaplan señala: los misterios de la creación (*Maaseh Bereshit*) no se exponen ante dos discípulos y los de la Markava ni ante uno, salvo que sea sabio y entienda con su conocimiento.

«The term Maaseh Merkava refers to the meditative methods used to ascend to the higher spiritual realms» — la definición con que Kaplan separa las dos disciplinas: *Maaseh Merkava* nombra los métodos meditativos para ascender a los reinos espirituales superiores; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Although such later philosophers as Maimonides claimed that this involved philosophical speculation, the most ancient sources clearly state that Maaseh Markava dealt with the meditative methods used for spiritual ascent» — el desacuerdo que Kaplan consigna sin armonizar: Maimónides y otros filósofos posteriores leyeron ahí especulación filosófica, y las fuentes más antiguas, métodos meditativos de ascenso; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«According to many authorities, Maaseh Bereshit refers to the mysteries of Sefer Yetzirah» — la ecuación que sostiene buena parte del argumento histórico de Kaplan: para muchas autoridades, *Maaseh Bereshit* nombra los misterios del Sefer Yetzirah; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Talmud relates, “Rabbi Hanina and Rabbi Hoshia would engage themselves in Sefer Yetzirah every [Friday] before the Sabbath, would create for themselves a prime75 calf, and would eat it.”» — el pasaje talmúdico que Kaplan toma como primer testimonio de uso efectivo: los dos sabios se ocupaban del Sefer Yetzirah cada viernes, se creaban un ternero y se lo comían; el troceo imprime la llamada de nota pegada dentro de la frase, *a prime75 calf*, y se conserva tal cual.

«Another version of this account states that they engaged in Hilkhot Yetzirah (Rules of Creation), rather than Sefer Yetzirah» — la variante textual que Kaplan pone al lado: *Hilkhot Yetzirah*, reglas de la formación, en vez de *Sefer Yetzirah*; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In some of the most ancient manuscripts, Sefer Yetzirah is actually titled Hilkhot Yetzirah» — y el dato con que Kaplan resuelve la variante sin descartarla: manuscritos muy antiguos titulan el libro *Hilkhot Yetzirah*; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«There are many interpretations as to exactly what these two sages accomplished in creating such a calf, and why they did it. Some say that they did not actually create a physical calf, but created such a clear meditative image that the spiritual satisfaction was the same as eating» — el abanico de lecturas del ternero que Kaplan consigna: hay quien sostiene que no crearon ternero físico sino una imagen meditativa tan nítida que la satisfacción espiritual equivalía a comer; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Even such a Kabbalist as Abraham Abulafia (1240-1296) maintains that their creation was mystical rather than physical» — la voz de Abraham Abulafia, a quien Kaplan fecha 1240–1296, sosteniendo que la creación fue mística y no física; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Rashba (Rabbi Shlomo ben Aderet: 1235-1310) saw particular significance in the fact that they would engage in this on Friday, the day in which mammals were originally created» — la voz del Rashba, que Kaplan fecha 1235–1310: lo significativo es que lo hicieran en viernes, día en que fueron creados los mamíferos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Evidently, Rebbi also taught these mysteries to his disciple Rav (Abba Arikhta), who in turn taught them to Rav Yehudah (220-299 CE), founder and first master of the Babylonian academy in Pumpadita.» — el siguiente tramo de la cadena de transmisión que Kaplan traza: de Rebbi a Rav (Abba Arikhta) y de éste a Rav Yehudah, a quien fecha 220–299 e. c.

«The Talmud relates that the “elders of Pumpadita were versed (tanu) in Maaseh Bereshit.”84 From the use of the word tanu here, it is evident that Maaseh Bereshit already existed in a definite form, most probably as a written book» — el argumento filológico de Kaplan: el verbo *tanu* aplicado a los ancianos de Pumbedita indica que *Maaseh Bereshit* ya existía en forma definida, probablemente como libro escrito; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This would suggest that Sefer Yetzirah had already been put in writing.» — y la inferencia que Kaplan saca, dicha como sugerencia.

«There is also other evidence that Rav Yehudah learned the mysteries of Sefer Yetzirah from Rav. The teaching, “Betzalel knew how to permute the letters with which heaven and earth were created,” is attributed to “Rav Yehudah in the name of Rav» — el apoyo de transmisión que Kaplan aduce: la enseñanza sobre Betzalel permutando las letras con que fueron creados cielo y tierra se atribuye a Rav Yehudah en nombre de Rav; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Also attributed to him is the statement that God told Abraham to “go out of your astrology.”» — el segundo dicho que Kaplan le adjudica: Dios le dice a Abraham que salga de su astrología.

«This indicates that he had some evidence that Abraham was versed in astrology, a position clearly found in Sefer Yetzirah.» — lo que Kaplan lee en ese dicho: prueba de que Abraham era versado en astrología, posición que declara claramente presente en el propio Sefer Yetzirah.

«As an initiate into the mysteries of Sefer Yetzirah, Rav Yehudah would also have a deep understanding of the mystical significance of the Hebrew language. We thus find that he emphasized the use of the Hebrew language, even in his daily conversation» — el rasgo de conducta que Kaplan lee como indicio de iniciación: Rav Yehudah insistía en el hebreo hasta en la conversación diaria; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Rav Yehudah also maintained that prayer should be voiced in Hebrew, and not in the Aramaic vernacular» — el segundo indicio, la oración en hebreo y no en la lengua vernácula aramea; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Talmud relates that Rav Yosef knew the mysteries of the Markava, while the “elders of Pumpadita” were versed in the mysteries of creation. Rav Yosef got the elders to teach him the mysteries of creation, but would not entrust them with the Markava mysteries in return» — el episodio con que Kaplan separa las dos escuelas: Rav Yosef consigue que los ancianos le enseñen los misterios de la creación y no les confía a cambio los de la Markava; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This indicates that the mysteries of the Markava and those of Sefer Yetzirah were taught by different schools, and that members of one school did not know the teachings of the other. The two involved different disciplines, and care was taken to keep them separate.» — la conclusión que Kaplan saca: dos escuelas, dos disciplinas, y cuidado deliberado en mantenerlas separadas.

«This also answers the question as to why the Sefer Yetzirah is never mentioned in the Hekhalot, the classic of Markava literature» — el hueco que esa separación le explica a Kaplan: que el Sefer Yetzirah no se nombre nunca en el Hekhalot, clásico de la literatura de la Markava; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In the same context, Sefer Yetzirah is mentioned but a very few times in the Zohar, and then, not in the main text» — el segundo silencio que Kaplan consigna: el Sefer Yetzirah apenas se menciona en el Zohar, y no en el texto principal; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In that period, there were some sages who eschewed these mysteries completely. Such an individual was Rabbi Elazar ben Padat, who headed the academy in Tiberius after the death of Rabbi Yochanan in the year 279 CE. When Rabbi Yochanan had offered to teach him the Markava mysteries, he deferred on the grounds that he was too young. After Rabbi Yochanan's death, when Rabbi Assi wished to impart these mysteries to him, he again deferred, saying, “If I would have been worthy, I would have learned them from Rabbi Yochanan your master.”» — la abstención consignada como posición: Elazar ben Padat rehúsa dos veces que le enseñen los misterios de la Markava, primero por joven y después diciendo que de haber sido digno los habría aprendido de Yochanan.

«It was not that Rabbi Elazar doubted that such powers existed. Rather, he felt that they were no longer known. These powers, however, did exist in the Torah. Rabbi Elazar thus said, “The paragraphs of the Torah are not in order. If they were in [correct] order, anyone who read them would be able to [create a world,] resurrect the dead, and perform miracles.”» — el matiz con que Kaplan acota esa negativa: Elazar no dudaba de que los poderes existieran sino que sostenía que ya no se conocían, y los ponía en la Torá, cuyos párrafos declara fuera de orden.

«A generation later, we find two important sages actively engaged in the mysteries of Sefer Yetzirah. The first was Rava (299–353 CE), founder and first master of the Babylonian academy in Mechuza, who is credited with saying, “If the righteous desired, they could create a world.”» — la generación siguiente según Kaplan: Rava, a quien fecha 299–353 e. c., fundador de la academia de Mechuza, con el dicho de que los justos podrían crear un mundo si quisieran.

«His partner was Rav Zeira, who was known as the “saint of Babylon.”98 So great were Rav Zeira's meditative powers that he was able to place his feet in fire without burning them. He would test himself each month to see if this power was unabated. On one occasion, the other sages distracted him, and he failed, whereupon he was called, “The little man with the burned feet.”» — el retrato de Rav Zeira que Kaplan recoge: ponía los pies en el fuego sin quemarse y se probaba cada mes, hasta que los otros sabios lo distrajeron y falló.

«An ancient tradition states that Rava and Rav Zeira worked together for three years, meditating on the Sefer Yetzirah. When they finally mastered it, they created a calf and slaughtered it, serving it at a feast celebrating their accomplishment. They then lost their powers and had to work for another three years to restore them» — la tradición que Kaplan consigna con su costo incluido: tres años de meditación sobre el libro, un ternero creado y comido en banquete, la pérdida de los poderes y otros tres años para recobrarlos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Talmud relates that “Rava created a man” and sent him to Rav Zeira. When the latter saw that this android would not answer his questions, he realized that it was a Golem, and told it to “return to the dust.”» — el episodio del Golem: Rava crea un hombre, Rav Zeira ve que no responde y le ordena volver al polvo.

«This is the first mention of the creation of a Golem in Hebraic literature, but in the middle ages, several other instances are reported» — la datación que Kaplan da del motivo: es la primera mención de la creación de un Golem en la literatura hebrea, con otros casos en la Edad Media; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Instead, Rabbi Elazar adopted a position somewhat opposed to the esoteric schools, accepting the viewpoint of Rabbi Yosi ben Zimra. Denying that the Sefer Yetzirah could be used to actually create life, he said in the name of Rabbi Yosi, “If all the people in the world» — la negativa que Kaplan ficha como tal: Elazar toma partido contra las escuelas esotéricas y niega, en nombre de Yosi ben Zimra, que el Sefer Yetzirah sirva para crear vida; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase continúa *came together, they could not create a gnat and imbue it with a soul*.

«The Bahir remarks that the Golem could not speak because Rava was not completely free from the taint of sin, and as long as man sins, he cannot partake of the powers of the Creator» — la voz del Bahir dentro del comentario de Kaplan: el Golem no habla porque Rava no estaba libre de la mancha del pecado, y mientras el hombre peca no participa de los poderes del Creador; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Even the expression, “Rava created a man,” has mystical connotations. In the original, it is RaBhA BaRA GaBhRA ( ), and, as an early Kabbalist notes, the second word is nothing other than the reverse of the first» — el análisis de la fórmula misma: *RaBhA BaRA GaBhRA*, donde la segunda palabra es la primera al revés; los paréntesis vacíos del tramo son el hebreo, que el troceo no trae; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In many ways, this expression is reminiscent of the word Abracadabra (ABRA K'ADaBRA- ), which literally means, “I will create as I speak.”» — la aproximación que Kaplan propone: la fórmula recuerda a *Abracadabra*, que traduce como *yo crearé según hable*.

«During the Talmudic period, there were many sages who engaged in these mysteries» — el cierre del periodo según Kaplan: muchos sabios ocupados en estos misterios; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Still, knowledge of these practices clearly existed as late as the 10th century, and Hai Gaon (939–1038) speaks of people engaged in the mystical permutation (tzeruf) of letters» — el testigo con que Kaplan sostiene la continuidad: Hai Gaon, a quien fecha 939–1038, habla de gente ocupada en la permutación mística (*tzeruf*) de letras; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The third word adds a Gimmel, the third letter of the alphabet, to the word before it. This yields a phrase consisting of ten letters, with a numerical value of 612, one less than 613, the number of bones and blood vessels in the human body» — el cálculo gemátrico que Kaplan hace de la fórmula: diez letras con valor 612, uno menos que los 613 huesos y vasos del cuerpo humano; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The man created by Rava was thus something less than human.» — y la conclusión que saca del cálculo.

«of silence was cast over all occult activities. It appears that a number of mystical books were written during the subsequent Gaonic period, but their origins are shrouded in mystery.» — el corte que Kaplan describe al cerrar la era talmúdica, en la plana siguiente: un manto de silencio sobre toda actividad oculta, con libros místicos escritos en el periodo gaónico cuyos orígenes quedan en la sombra.

«It is not until the post-Talmudic period that we find actual quotations from the Sefer Yetzirah. One of the earliest such references is in a poem written by Rabbi Elazar Kalir, who lived in the fifth or sixth century, and perhaps even earlier.» — la primera cita efectiva que Kaplan localiza: un poema de Elazar Kalir, a quien sitúa en el siglo V o VI o antes.

«There are also allusions to the teachings of Sefer Yetzirah in Bereita deShmuel HaKatan, which, according to internal evidence, was written in or around 776 CE» — las otras alusiones tempranas que Kaplan enumera, con el *Bereita deShmuel HaKatan* fechado por evidencia interna hacia 776; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The absence of any unambiguous references to Sefer Yetzirah in earlier literature has led some historians to speculate whether or not the Talmudic citations are referring to our text. Some maintain that our version was written much later than the Talmud. A list of such estimates in given in Table 1.» — el reverso, consignado sin arbitrar: la falta de referencias inequívocas llevó a algunos historiadores a preguntarse si las citas talmúdicas hablan de este texto, y hay quien sostiene que la versión actual es muy posterior al Talmud.

«The most careful analysis, however, reveals a number of strata in the text. The earliest parts of the book appear very ancient, possibly» — la posición de Kaplan sobre la composición: el texto tiene estratos y las partes más tempranas parecen muy antiguas; el tramo se corta en el marcador de plana que el troceo reemite a media frase, y la frase continúa *antedating the Talmudic era*.

«A considerable amount of the text appears to have been added later on, possibly as a glossary or commentary. As some of the earliest commentators on Sefer Yetzirah note, commentaries and marginal notes were occasionally incorporated into the text» — el segundo estrato que Kaplan describe: material añadido después, posiblemente como glosario o comentario, con notas marginales incorporadas al texto según los propios comentaristas tempranos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In the 10th century, Rabbi Yaakov ben Nissim writes, “People write Hebrew comments on the book, and other foolish people come later and comment on the commentary. Between them, truth is lost.”» — la voz de Yaakov ben Nissim, del siglo X, que Kaplan cita: la gente comenta el libro y otros comentan el comentario, y entre unos y otros se pierde la verdad.

«Several strata are evident in Sefer Yetzirah, some apparently added in the late Talmudic period, and others in the Gaonic era. Thus, critical estimates as to its age would depend on which parts were studied.» — la consecuencia crítica que Kaplan saca de los estratos: las estimaciones de antigüedad dependen de qué partes se estudien.

«Most significant is the fact that each of these commentaries was written on a different version of Sefer Yetzirah. The commentary by Donash was written on what is now generally referred to as the Short Version. With minor variations, it was this version that was printed in 1562 in the Mantua edition, and it is dominant in all subsequent printed editions.» — el hallazgo que a Kaplan le importa: cada comentario se escribió sobre una versión distinta, y la de Donash es la Versión Corta, la impresa en Mantua en 1562 y dominante en las ediciones posteriores.

«The commentary of Shabbatiai Donnelo was written on what is now referred to as the Long Version. Many printed editions included this Long Version as a sort of appendix. A complete manuscript, dating from the 10th century, also exists of this version. Although there are important differences in the assignment of values to letters and planets, the Long Version is very much like the Short Version with an additional commentary. This is particularly evident in the sixth chapter, where we find a commentary on the first stanza of the book. Also significant are some recaps (4:14, 5:20), which are actually revisions of the previous text.» — la Versión Larga según Kaplan, sobre la que comenta Donnelo —el troceo imprime *Shabbatiai* aquí y *Shabbatai* una plana antes—: apéndice de muchas ediciones impresas, con un manuscrito completo del siglo X, muy parecida a la Corta pero con comentario añadido y recapitulaciones que revisan el texto anterior.

«The existence of both a Short and Long Version was noted as early as the 13th century by Abraham Abulafia» — la antigüedad del problema de recensiones según Kaplan: Abraham Abulafia ya notaba en el siglo XIII que había versión Corta y Larga; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The third version is that of Saadia Gaon, which is also found in some early Geniza fragments. This is very much like the Long Version, except that the stanzas are in completely different order. This variant, usually called the Saadia Version, has been virtually ignored by the Kabbalists, even though it was apparently used by Rabbi Yehudah HaLevi in his Kuzari.» — la tercera recensión: la de Saadia, presente en fragmentos de la Genizá, parecida a la Larga salvo en el orden de las estrofas, ignorada por los cabalistas y usada, según Kaplan, por Yehudah HaLevi en el *Kuzari*.

«The earliest commentaries on Sefer Yetzirah were written in the 10th century. The first was written in 931 by Saadia Gaon» — el primer comentario según Kaplan, de Saadia Gaon en 931; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase sigue *one of the most important religious leaders and philosophers of his time*.

«As early as the 10th century. Saadia Gaon remarked about the many variants of Sefer Yetzirah, saying, “It is not a common book, and many people have been careless in changing or transposing the text.”» — la voz de Saadia sobre el estado del texto, que Kaplan cita con el punto que el troceo imprime en lugar de la coma: no es libro común y mucha gente ha sido descuidada al cambiar o trasponer el texto.

«A century later, Rabbi Yehudah Barceloni likewise notes that, “there are many versions, some very confused.”» — la voz de Yehudah Barceloni un siglo después: hay muchas versiones y algunas muy confusas.

«In 1562, the printers of the first Mantua edition remarked how they had to sift through many manuscripts to find a dependable text.» — el tercer testimonio que Kaplan alinea: los impresores de la primera edición de Mantua debieron cribar muchos manuscritos para dar con un texto fiable.

«If all the variants found in manuscripts are counted, there are literally dozens of different variants in the text of Sefer Yetzirah. No other Judaic text exists in so many versions.» — la afirmación de Kaplan sobre la magnitud del problema: docenas de variantes y ningún otro texto judaico existente en tantas versiones.

«Some of these might have come from different schools, who, because these teachings were secret, did not communicate with each other. Different marginal notes and commentaries also apparently became incorporated into the text, producing different variants. Furthermore, if the text was preserved orally for a long time, variants in its ordering may have also developed.» — las tres causas que Kaplan propone: escuelas incomunicadas por el secreto, notas marginales incorporadas al texto y variantes de orden nacidas de una larga preservación oral.

«It was the Kabbalists themselves who preserved the correct text, initially concealing it from outsiders. Around 1550, Rabbi Moshe Cordevero, leader of the Safed school and the greatest Kabbalist of the day, sifted through the ten best manuscripts available, choosing the one most closely fitting the tradition of the Kabbalists» — la contraparte de esa hipótesis: los cabalistas conservaron el texto correcto, y hacia 1550 Moshe Cordevero cribó los diez mejores manuscritos y eligió el que mejor cuadraba con su tradición; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«A generation later, the text was further refined by the Ari (Rabbi Yitzchak Luria), one of the greatest Kabbalists of all time. This text, known as the Ari Version, was published a number of times, usually as part of some other collection. It resembles the Short Version in many ways, but there are some very significant differences in assignment. In general, the Ari Version is the only one which is in agreement with the Zohar.» — el paso siguiente: la Versión del Ari (Yitzchak Luria), parecida a la Corta pero con diferencias significativas de asignación, y la única que según Kaplan concuerda con el Zohar.

«Over eighty commentaries have been written on Sefer Yetzirah. Some, especially the earliest, were primarily philosophical. With the emergence of Kabbalah as a public teaching, a number of Kabbalistic and mystical commentaries were also written. When the Bahir and the Zohar were published, commentators worked to fit the Sefer Yetzirah into the system of these texts.» — el censo de comentarios que Kaplan da —más de ochenta— y su historia: primero filosóficos, luego cabalísticos, y con la publicación del Bahir y del Zohar el esfuerzo por encajar el Sefer Yetzirah en el sistema de esos textos.

«A history of the commentaries on Sefer Yetzirah reads very much like a history of the Kabbalah in general. A list of the major commentaries is found in the Bibliography.» — la tesis con que Kaplan cierra la introducción: la historia de los comentarios se lee como la historia de la cábala en general.

«The second, Chakamoni, was written by Rabbi Shabbatai Donnelo in 946, while the third was written by Donash ibn Tamim a decade later» — los otros dos comentarios del siglo X: el *Chakamoni* de Shabbatai Donnelo en 946 y el de Donash ibn Tamim una década después; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«All of these are philosophical, rather than mystical, in content.» — el juicio de Kaplan sobre los tres primeros comentarios.

«Besides this, there is another possibility, suggested by the fact that, in essence, the Kabbalists rejected all the above mentioned versions. It is known that during the Gaonic period (6th-10th centuries), the Kabbalists restricted their teachings to very small secret societies.» — la cuarta explicación de las variantes, que Kaplan presenta como posibilidad: los cabalistas rechazaron todas las versiones anteriores y en el periodo gaónico restringieron su enseñanza a sociedades secretas muy pequeñas.

«Great stress was placed on maintaining secrecy so that their teachings should not fall into improper hands. Since Sefer Yetzirah is such a small book, it presented the greatest danger. The leaders of these schools may have deliberately released spurious versions, so as to confuse those who would be tempted to penetrate their mysteries. With several versions in circulation, the uninitiated would not know which to choose.» — y el mecanismo que propone: siendo el libro tan pequeño, era el de mayor peligro, y los jefes de esas escuelas habrían soltado versiones espurias a propósito para que el no iniciado no supiera cuál elegir.

«A number of variations were found even in this version, and a final edited text was finally produced by the Gra (Rabbi Eliahu. Gaon of Vilna) in the 18th century» — el último eslabón: el texto final editado por el Gra en el siglo XVIII —el troceo imprime *Rabbi Eliahu. Gaon of Vilna*, con punto tras el nombre—; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This is known as the Gra-Ari Version, or simply, as the Gra Version.» — y el nombre que recibe la recensión que este volumen traduce.

«As the next stanza will explain, these 32 paths are manifest as the 10 digits and the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The 10 digits are also manifest in the Ten Sefirot, which are the most basic concepts of existence.» — Kaplan glosa el lema *With 32*: las treinta y dos sendas se manifiestan como los diez dígitos y las veintidós letras hebreas, y los diez dígitos también en las Diez Sefirot, que llama los conceptos más básicos de la existencia.

«The letters and digits are the basis of the most basic ingredients of creation, quality and quantity» — el reparto que Kaplan hace del par: letras para la cualidad, dígitos para la cantidad; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Numbers, however, cannot be defined until there exists some element of plurality in creation. The Creator Himself is absolutely simple, containing no plurality whatsoever. He is the most absolute unity imaginable. Therefore, plurality only came into existence with the advent of creation. Only then could numbers be defined.» — el argumento con que Kaplan deriva el número de la creación: el Creador es absolutamente simple y sin pluralidad, de modo que la pluralidad —y con ella el número— solo empieza con la creación.

«Most of Sefer Yetzirah will deal with these 32 paths, as they are manifest in the letters and numbers. The 32 paths, themselves, however, will not be mentioned again. The early Kabbalists define these 32 paths as different states of consciousness. A list of these is given in Appendix II.» — Kaplan anuncia que las treinta y dos sendas no vuelven a mencionarse y remite al Apéndice II la lista de los primeros cabalistas, que las definen como estados de consciencia distintos.

«According to the Kabbalists, these 32 paths are alluded to in the Torah by the 32 times that God's name Elohim appears in the account of creation in the first chapter of Genesis» — la lectura cabalística que Kaplan recoge: las treinta y dos sendas están aludidas en las treinta y dos veces que el nombre Elohim aparece en el relato de la creación; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The other 22 times that God's name appears in this account then parallel the 22 letters of the alphabet. The three times in which the expression “God made” appears parallel the three Mothers. The seven repetitions of “God saw” parallel the seven Doubles. The remaining twelve names parallel the twelve Elementals. See Table 2.» — el reparto completo que Kaplan hace del recuento: veintidós apariciones para las letras, tres *God made* para las Madres, siete *God saw* para las Dobles y las doce restantes para las Elementales.

«In general, none of the names of God refer to the Creator Himself. The Creator is only referred to as Ain Sof, which means the Infinite Being, or simply, the Infinite. The names used in scripture and elsewhere merely refer to the various ways through which God manifests Himself in creation.» — el límite teológico que Kaplan pone: ninguno de los nombres divinos nombra al Creador mismo, que solo se dice Ain Sof, el Infinito; los nombres dicen los modos en que Dios se manifiesta en la creación.

«The name Elohim, which is used throughout the first chapter of Genesis, refers to the manifestation of delineation and definition. Each of the 32 paths therefore served to delineate and define a particular aspect of creation. Man is seen as a microcosm, with each thing in his body paralleling something in the forces of creation.» — la lectura del nombre Elohim como manifestación de delineación y definición, y de ahí el hombre como microcosmos con cada cosa de su cuerpo en paralelo con una fuerza de la creación.

«Thus, for example, the six days of creation have parallels in man's two arms, two legs, torso and sexual organ. This is the significance of the Torah's statement that God formed man “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:27). Note that the word for “God” here is Elohim. This is because man's form parallels the structure of the delineating forces that define creation.» — el ejemplo con que Kaplan la aterriza: los seis días con los dos brazos, las dos piernas, el torso y el órgano sexual, y de ahí el *a imagen de Elohim* de Génesis 1:27.

«Like the nerves, each of the 32 paths is a two way street. First it is the channel through which the Mind exerts control over creation. Secondly, however, it is also the path through which man can reach the Mind. If an individual wishes to attain a mystical experience and approach the Mind, he must travel along the 32 paths.» — la consecuencia operativa que Kaplan saca de la analogía: cada senda es de doble sentido, canal por el que la Mente controla la creación y camino por el que el hombre llega a la Mente.

«The heart also provides lifeforce to the brain and nervous system. When the heart stops pumping, the nervous system can no longer function, and the mind no longer exerts influence on the body. The heart therefore serves as a causal link between mind and body» — el eslabón fisiológico que Kaplan propone: el corazón como enlace causal entre mente y cuerpo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is for this reason that Sefer Yetzirah calls the heart “the king over the soul” (6:3). It also describes the mystical experience as a “running of the heart” (1:8).» — las dos remisiones internas con que Kaplan cierra el lema, y de las pocas del volumen que numeran la mishná: el corazón como rey sobre el alma (6:3) y la experiencia mística como una carrera del corazón (1:8).

«The Kabbalists note that the 32 paths of Wisdom have their parallel in the human nervous system» — la correspondencia anatómica que Kaplan recoge de los cabalistas, las treinta y dos sendas en el sistema nervioso humano; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota, y la frase sigue repartiendo treinta y una sendas entre los nervios espinales y la última entre los doce craneales.

«In Hebrew, the number 32 is written Lamed Bet ( ). This spells Lev, the Hebrew word for heart» — la gematría con que Kaplan ata las sendas al corazón: treinta y dos se escribe Lamed Bet, que deletrea *Lev*, corazón; los paréntesis vacíos son el hebreo que el troceo no trae, y el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is in the heart that the action of the Mind is manifest in the body. As soon as the influence of the mind ceases, the heart ceases to function, this being the definition of death.» — y la consecuencia: cesada la influencia de la mente el corazón deja de funcionar, que es para Kaplan la definición de la muerte.

«The number 32 is the fifth power of two (25). As the Sefer Yetzirah explains (1:5), the Ten Sefirot define a five dimensional space. The 32 paths correspond to the number of apexes on a five dimensional hypercube» — la lectura geométrica que Kaplan superpone al texto: las Diez Sefirot definen un espacio de cinco dimensiones (1:5) y las treinta y dos sendas cuentan los vértices de un hipercubo de cinco dimensiones; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This is not as difficult as it might seem. A line, which has one dimension, has two (21) apexes or ends. A square, having two dimensions, has four (22) apexes or corners. A cube, which has three dimensions, has eight (23) corners. We thus see that with the addition of each dimension, the number of apexes is doubled. A four dimensional hypercube has 16 or 24 apexes, while a five dimensional hypercube has 32 or 25 apexes.» — el desarrollo del cálculo: la duplicación de vértices por cada dimensión añadida, de la línea al hipercubo; los exponentes se imprimen en línea, sin voladita.

«The 32 paths of Wisdom are therefore called Netivot. They are private paths, which must be blazed by each individual. There is no open highway to the mysteries—each individual must discover his own path.» — la consecuencia que Kaplan saca de la distinción: no hay carretera abierta a los misterios, cada quien abre la suya.

«This is very closely related to the word Peleh ( ), meaning a miracle. A miracle is separated and independent from the laws of the physical world. It is also influenced by hidden forces. As such, it is a link with the mystical and transcendental plane. The same is true of the paths of Wisdom.» — la segunda derivación: *Peleh*, milagro, separado e independiente de las leyes del mundo físico y movido por fuerzas ocultas, como enlace con el plano místico.

«The Sefer Yetzirah later calls the three Mothers, “a great mystical (muPhLA) secret” (3:2). The first of the three Mothers is Aleph ( ) When spelled out, Aleph ( ) has the same letters as Peleh» — el enlace interno que Kaplan traza: el *great mystical (muPhLA) secret* de 3:2 y el Alef que deletreado da las letras de *Peleh*; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Kabbalists call Keter the level of Nothingness (Ayin).18 It is on this level that the laws of nature cease to exist, and can therefore be altered.» — la definición operativa que Kaplan da de Keter: el nivel de la Nada, donde las leyes de la naturaleza dejan de existir y por eso pueden alterarse.

«It is in recognition of this that the Talmud states, “Who is wise (Chakham)? He who learns from every man.”21 It is on the level of Wisdom that all men are one. Hence, if one is on this level, he must learn from every human being, and indeed, from all creation.» — el dicho talmúdico con que Kaplan lo ilustra —sabio es quien aprende de todo hombre— y la consecuencia que le saca: en el nivel de la Sabiduría todos los hombres son uno.

«The Hebrew word for “paths” here is Netivot ( ), a word that occurs only rarely in scripture. Much more common is the word Derekh ( ). As the Zohar states, however, there is an important difference between these two words. A Derekh is a public road, a route used by all people. A Nativ, on the other hand, is a personal route, a path blazed by the individual for his personal use» — el lema *Paths*: Kaplan distingue con el Zohar entre *Derekh*, camino público usado por todos, y *Nativ*, ruta personal abierta por el individuo; los paréntesis vacíos son el hebreo que el troceo no trae, y el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is a hidden path, without markers or signposts, which one must discover on his own, and tread by means of his own devices. The 32 paths of Wisdom are therefore called Netivot. They are private paths, which must be blazed by each individual. There is no open highway to the mysteries—each individual must discover his own path.» — el resto del mismo lema: senda oculta y sin señales, que cada quien descubre por su cuenta, sin carretera abierta a los misterios.

«These paths are said to be mystical, Peliyot ( ) in Hebrew. This comes from the root Pala ( ), which has the connotation of being hidden and separated from the world at large» — el lema *Mystical*: *Peliyot* viene de la raíz *Pala*, que connota lo escondido y separado del mundo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Not only are these paths individual, but they are hidden, concealed and transcendental.» — y el remate del lema: las sendas no solo son individuales, también ocultas y trascendentes.

«According to the Zohar, the word Peleh specifically relates to the paths of Wisdom» — lo que Kaplan toma del Zohar: la palabra *Peleh* se refiere específicamente a las sendas de la Sabiduría; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The type of miracle denoted by the word Peleh is specifically one that is accomplished through the manipulation of these paths. The methods of manipulating these paths is one of the important teachings of Sefer Yetzirah.» — y la consecuencia operativa: el milagro que dice *Peleh* es el que se obra manipulando las sendas, y esa manipulación es una de las enseñanzas importantes del libro.

«According to the Kabbalists, the letter Aleph denotes Keter (Crown), the highest of the Sefirot» — la asignación cabalística de Alef a Keter, la más alta de las Sefirot; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is with regard to Keter that Ben Sirah said, “In what is mysterious (muPhLA) for you, do not seek.”» — el dicho de Ben Sirah que Kaplan pone sobre Keter: no busques en lo que para ti es misterioso.

«As the book Raziel points out, the three letters of Peleh ( ) represent increasingly hidden values» — la lectura que Kaplan toma del libro Raziel: las tres letras de *Peleh* representan valores cada vez más ocultos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«According to the phonetic families defined by Sefer Yetzirah (2:3), the first letter, Peh ( ), is pronounced with the lips, the second letter, Lamed ( ), with the middle of the tongue, and the final Alef ( ), with the throat. Thus, the first letter is pronounced with the outermost revealed part of the mouth, while the last is voiced with the innermost concealed part. The word Peleh thus denotes the transition from the revealed to the concealed.» — el desarrollo fonético: Peh en los labios, Lamed en medio de la lengua y Alef en la garganta, de la parte revelada a la oculta de la boca.

«These 32 paths are said to be paths of Wisdom (Chakhmah). In a Kabbalistic sense, Wisdom is seen as pure, undifferentiated Mind» — el lema *Wisdom*: Chakhmah leída como Mente pura e indiferenciada; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is pure thought, which has not yet been broken up into differentiated ideas. Wisdom is the level above all division, where everything is a simple unity.» — y la definición completa: pensamiento aún no roto en ideas diferenciadas, nivel por encima de toda división donde todo es unidad simple.

«While Wisdom is pure undifferentiated Mind, Understanding is the level where division exists, and where things are delineated and defined as separated objects. On the level of Wisdom, all men are included in a single world soul. Understanding is the level of Neshamah, where the soul of each individual assumes a distinct identity, and each one is seen as a separate entity. The divine name associated with Understanding is Elohim» — Kaplan opone Chakhmah y Binah como lo indiferenciado y lo dividido: el escrutinio y la comprensión pertenecen a la Comprensión, y de ahí la analogía siguiente; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«An example would be water flowing through a system of pipes. Water itself is an undifferentiated fluid, having no essential (macroscopic) structure. Structure is only imposed on it when it flows through the system of pipes. In the analogy, Wisdom is the water, while Understanding represents the pipes that channel it.» — la analogía con que Kaplan fija el par: la Sabiduría es el agua, fluido indiferenciado sin estructura propia, y la Comprensión las tuberías que la encauzan.

«In this respect, Wisdom and Understanding are seen as being male and female respectively. In the Kabbalah, Wisdom is seen as the Father (Abba), while Understanding is the Mother (Immah). The male represents unchanneled creative force. This can only be brought into fruition when delineated, enclosed and channeled by the female womb. It is for this reason that the Sefer Yetzirah (1:2) calls the primary letters “Mothers.”» — el reparto de géneros en la cábala según Kaplan: Sabiduría como Padre (*Abba*) y Comprensión como Madre (*Immah*), fuerza creadora sin cauce que solo fructifica encerrada y encauzada por la matriz femenina, y de ahí que 1:2 llame Madres a las letras primarias.

«This also resolves another difficulty. Earlier, we said that the 32 paths represent the heart, since the Hebrew word for heart, Lev, actually spells out the number 32. The heart, however, is normally associated with Understanding, while these paths are said to pertain to Wisdom» — la dificultad que Kaplan se plantea y responde: el corazón se asocia a la Comprensión y las sendas se dicen de la Sabiduría, y su salida es que las sendas encauzan Sabiduría mientras su sustancia es Comprensión; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Hebrew word here is Chakak ( ). This usually has the connotation of removing material, as in the verse, “Engrave (chakak) yourself a dwelling in a rock” (Isaiah 22:16). Derived from this root are the words Chok ( ) and Chukah ( ), meaning “rule” and “decree,” since rules and laws serve to remove some of the individual's freedom of action» — el lema *Engraved*: *Chakak* connota quitar material, como grabar una morada en la roca, y de esa raíz salen *Chok* y *Chukah*, regla y decreto, porque las leyes quitan libertad de acción.

«The word Chakak is very closely related to the concept of writing» — la distinción que Kaplan hace entre grabar y escribir: al escribir se añade material y al grabar se quita, y por eso el Chakak bíblico designa sistemas como el cuneiforme; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«To understand why the author uses the term “engraved” here, we must understand the idea of creation. Before a universe could be created, empty space had to exist in which it could be made. But initially, only God existed, and all existence was filled with the Divine Essence, the Light of the Infinite (Or Ain Sof). It was out of this undifferentiated Essence that a Vacated Space had to be engraved. The process, known to the Kabbalists as the Tzimtzum (Constriction), is clearly described in the Zohar» — el argumento cosmogónico de Kaplan: antes de crear un universo hacía falta espacio vacío, y como solo existía Dios, hubo que grabar un Espacio Vacante en la Esencia indiferenciada; el proceso es el *Tzimtzum*.

«In the beginning of the King's authority The Lamp of Darkness Engraved a hollow in the Supernal Luminescence» — la voz del Zohar citada por Kaplan: la Lámpara de Oscuridad graba un hueco en la Luminiscencia Suprema.

«The undifferentiated Light of the Infinite which existed before the Constriction is on the level of Wisdom, which is pure undelineated Mind. The power of constriction is that of Understanding, this being what the Zohar calls the “Lamp of Darkness.” It is negative light, or negative existence, which can engrave a hollow in the Divine Essence.» — la lectura que Kaplan hace del pasaje: la Luz indiferenciada anterior a la Constricción está en el nivel de la Sabiduría, y la potencia que constriñe es la Comprensión, la Lámpara de Oscuridad, luz negativa capaz de grabar un hueco.

«The hollow was made through the 32 paths, since letters and digits are the basic bits of information. While random letters and numbers do not actually convey information, as long as they exist, it is also possible for information to exist. The Vacated Space is therefore the state where it is possible for information to exist, but where this possibility has not yet been realized.» — la identificación que Kaplan propone: letras y dígitos como los bits básicos de información, de modo que el Espacio Vacante es el estado en que la información es posible y todavía no está realizada.

«These letters were subsequently combined into words, forming the Ten Sayings of creation. Each of these sayings brought information into the Vacated Space, through which creation could take place there. The order was therefore first “engraving,” and then “creation.” The Sefer Yetzirah therefore states that the Creator “engraved. . . and created His universe.”» — el orden que Kaplan deriva del propio texto: primero grabar y después crear.

«Many of the Kabbalistic commentaries translate this as “He engraved Yah. . . .” In Hebrew, the word “he” is often not written out, but understood from the verbal form. The “He” here refers to the Infinite Being (Ain Sof) who is above all the divine Names» — el lema *Engraved Yah*: muchos comentarios cabalísticos leen que el sujeto tácito es el Ser Infinito (*Ain Sof*), por encima de todos los Nombres divinos.

«According to this, the Sefer Yetzirah is saying that the Infinite Being began creation by engraving the divine Names through the 32 paths of Wisdom. The Names are written with letters, and they could only come into being after the letters had been created.» — la consecuencia de esa lectura: el Infinito empieza la creación grabando los Nombres divinos por las treinta y dos sendas, y los Nombres solo pueden ser después de creadas las letras.

«It is in the same vein that some of the early Kabbalists interpret the first verse in Genesis to read, “In the beginning He created Elohim, along with the heaven and the earth.”35 The first thing that the Infinite Being created was the name Elohim, which is associated with the Constriction.» — la lectura del primer versículo del Génesis que Kaplan recoge de los primeros cabalistas: en el principio creó Elohim, junto con el cielo y la tierra, de modo que lo primero creado es el nombre Elohim.

«This Constriction or hollowing of the Divine Essence did not occur in physical space, but rather, in conceptual space. It is “hollow” insofar as it contains the possibility for information, but not actual» — el límite que Kaplan pone a su propia figura: la Constricción no ocurre en espacio físico sino conceptual, y el hueco lo es en cuanto contiene la posibilidad de información; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase continúa *information*.

«As such, it is the “Chaos and Void” (Tohu and Bohu) mentioned in the account of creation, where the Scripture states, “the earth was chaos and void” (Genesis 1:2). Chaos is a state where information can exist, but where it does not exist» — la identificación del hueco con el Caos y el Vacío del Génesis: estado en que la información puede existir y no existe.

«This can also be read in the imperative, “With 32 mystical paths of Wisdom, engrave Yah. . . and create His world.” The term “engrave” here would mean to form a clear mental image of the Name, so as to meditate on it, as we will discuss later (1:14). The method is alluded to in Rava's saying, “If the righteous desired, they could create a world.”» — la lectura imperativa que Kaplan pone al lado sin sustituir la otra: grabar sería formar una imagen mental clara del Nombre para meditar en él, con el dicho de Rava sobre los justos que podrían crear un mundo.

«Saadia Gaon translates this as, “the Eternal.” The Kabbalists normatively associate the name Yah ( ) with Wisdom (Chakhmah). Actually, however, only the first letter of this name, the Yud ( ), designates Wisdom. The second letter, Heh ( ) designates Understanding, the feminine principle.» — el lema *Yah*: la traducción de Saadia Gaon —el Eterno— y la precisión de Kaplan sobre el nombre, donde solo el Yud designa Sabiduría y la Heh designa Comprensión, el principio femenino.

«The reason why this name as a whole is used to designate Wisdom is because Wisdom cannot be grasped except when it is clothed in Understanding. For this reason, the Yud alone is not used as the name for Wisdom, but rather, the Yud combined with the Heh.» — el motivo que Kaplan da: la Sabiduría no se aprehende sino vestida de Comprensión, y por eso el nombre de la Sabiduría no es el Yud solo sino el Yud con la Heh.

«There are a number of reasons why these two letters represent Wisdom and Understanding respectively. Yud has the primary form of a simple point. This alludes to the fact that Wisdom is simple and undifferentiated. The numerical value of Yud is 10, indicating that all Ten Sefirot are included in the simple nature of Wisdom.» — el argumento por la forma de las letras: el Yud como punto simple, alusivo a lo indiferenciado de la Sabiduría, y su valor diez, que mete las Diez Sefirot en la simplicidad de la Sabiduría.

«At the end of a word, when used as a suffix, the letter Yud means “me” or “my.” Wisdom is the essential nature of the individual, belonging to him alone. As such, it is the ultimate “my.” The same is true of the Sefirah of Wisdom (Chakhmah) with respect to the Infinite Being.» — la segunda lectura del Yud: como sufijo dice *mío*, y la Sabiduría es la naturaleza esencial del individuo, lo *mío* por excelencia.

«Heh has a numerical value of 5, alluding to the five fingers of the hand. As such, it represents Understanding, the hand that holds Wisdon, distributing and channeling it» — la lectura de la Heh: valor cinco por los cinco dedos, y de ahí la Comprensión como la mano que sostiene la Sabiduría y la reparte; el troceo imprime *Wisdon*.

«Heh is one of the two letters in the Hebrew alphabet that is written as two disjunct parts. This alludes to the fact that Understanding represents the beginning of separation.» — el tercer argumento sobre la Heh: se escribe en dos partes disjuntas, y eso alude a que la Comprensión es el comienzo de la separación.

«There is some disagreement in the Talmud as to whether or not Yah is a divine name» — el desacuerdo que Kaplan consigna sin armonizar: el Talmud discute si Yah es nombre divino, y el Sefer Yetzirah toma partido porque sí lo es; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In Hebrew, this is written as YH YHVH ( ). It was with these six letters that God created all things. It is thus written, “Trust in God for eternity of eternities, for with YH YHVH He formed universes”» — el lema *Yah, the Lord…*: con esas seis letras, dice Kaplan, Dios creó todas las cosas, apoyado en Isaías 26:4.

«This name usually designates the Sefirot which are associated with revelation and prophecy. These are Netzach (Victory) and Hod (Splendor)» — el lema *The Lord of Hosts*: el nombre designa las Sefirot de la revelación y la profecía, Netzach y Hod.

«This name, however, also contains the Tetragrammaton (YHVH), here translated as “the Lord.” The Tetragrammaton designates the totality of all the Sefirot. Hence, the phrase, “YHVH of Hosts,” actually represents all the Sefirot as they are revealed to man» — y la segunda capa: el Tetragrámaton designa la totalidad de las Sefirot, de modo que *YHVH de los Ejércitos* representa todas ellas tal como se revelan al hombre.

«This is the reason for the designation, “YHVH of Hosts.” It refers to revelation, the state in which God associates Himself with beings that are lower than Himself, namely, His “hosts.”» — la definición que Kaplan da de la revelación: el estado en que Dios se asocia con seres inferiores a sí, sus ejércitos.

«According to the Talmud, the first person to use the designation, “Lord of Hosts,” was Hannah, when she prayed, “O Lord of Hosts, if You will look at the affliction of Your servant”» — el dato que Kaplan toma del Talmud: la primera en decir Señor de los Ejércitos fue Hannah al orar.

«This is connected to “Lord of Hosts.” While revelation in general is to all of God's hosts, in particular, it is granted to Israel. As we shall see (2:4), the name Israel is closely associated with the 231 gates.» — el lema *God of Israel*: la revelación general va a todos los ejércitos y en particular a Israel, nombre que Kaplan asocia a las 231 puertas de 2:4.

«The Hebrew word for “God” here is Elohim. This alludes to Understanding, the concept that divides and delineates.» — y la asignación de Elohim a la Comprensión, el concepto que divide y delimita.

«The name is associated with the essential creative forces, represented by the Sefirah of Yesod (Foundation). In man, this force parallels the sexual organ.» — el lema *The Living God*: Kaplan lo asigna a Yesod, la Sefirah de las fuerzas creadoras esenciales, que en el hombre corresponde al órgano sexual.

«In Hebrew, this phrase is Elohim Chaim. This Sefirah takes all the forces, collectively referred to as Elohim, and presents them in an active, procreative mode. Life is defined as that which is active and procreates, and hence, this is the connotation of “Living God.”» — la definición de vida que Kaplan deriva del nombre: lo que es activo y procrea.

«This is the mode in which God relates to the universe as a king, and it is associated with the Sefirah of Malkhut (Kingship). Of all the Sefirot, this is the only one which comes into direct contact with the lower stages of creation.» — el lema *King of the Universe*: Malkhut como la única Sefirah que entra en contacto directo con las etapas inferiores de la creación.

«The first five designations, “Yah, the Lord of Hosts, God of Israel, the Living God, King of the Universe,” thus designate the Ten Sefirot in their downward mode, as they are the source of all creative force.» — la lectura de conjunto que Kaplan hace de la primera serie de nombres: las Diez Sefirot en modo descendente, fuente de toda fuerza creadora.

«These two names are usually translated as “Almighty God.” Saadia Gaon, however, translates them as “Omnipotent Almighty.”» — el lema *El Shaddai*, con la traducción alternativa de Saadia Gaon puesta al lado sin arbitrar.

«We therefore have two designations for Yesod (Foundation), “Living God” (Elohim Chaim), and El Shaddai. “Living God” is the designation of this Sefirah from a God's eye view, while El Shaddai is its designation from a man's eye view. God thus told Moses, “I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as El Shaddai”» — la distinción de punto de vista con que Kaplan resuelve el doble nombre de Yesod: *Living God* desde el ojo de Dios y *El Shaddai* desde el ojo del hombre.

«The first five designations represented the downward process, from God to the universe, through which the creative force is channeled. The author, however, is now designating the names that relate to the upward process, through which man approaches the Divine. “King of the Universe,” the lowest stage, applies to both directions.» — el resumen del reparto: cinco nombres para el proceso descendente y los siguientes para el ascendente, con *King of the Universe* valiendo para los dos sentidos.

«mode. In the Bahir, the disciples thus ask, “From above to below we know. But from below to above we do not know.”» — el giro que Kaplan señala en el texto —de aquí en adelante los nombres designan las Sefirot en modo ascendente— apoyado en el dicho del Bahir sobre lo que se sabe de arriba abajo y no de abajo arriba; el tramo arranca después del marcador de plana que el troceo reemite a media frase.

«These are the second and third of the Thirteen Attributes of Mercy, expressed in the verse, “El, merciful and gracious”» — el lema *Merciful and Gracious*: Kaplan los identifica como el segundo y el tercero de los Trece Atributos de Misericordia de Éxodo 34:6.

«On this level, one can comprehend the inner workings of the six Sefirot, Chesed (Love), Gevurah (Strength), Tiferet (Beauty), Netzach (Victory), and Hod (Splendor). It is through these Sefirot that God expresses His mercy to the world.» — la asignación que Kaplan hace del nivel: comprender el funcionamiento interno de las Sefirot por las que Dios expresa su misericordia; el troceo enumera seis y nombra cinco.

«The next designations are all taken from the verse, “For thus says [God], High and Exalted, dwelling in Eternity, and whose Name is Holy, I dwell lofty and holy...”» — el lema *High and Exalted*: Kaplan localiza en Isaías 57:15 la fuente de todos los apelativos siguientes.

«“High and Exalted” refers to the level of Understanding (Binah). The lower seven Sefirot correspond to the seven days of creation. Understanding (Binah) is above these seven Sefirot, and hence, it is the level preceding action and creation. This is the level where God is seen as being utterly transcendental, separated from all the worldly, and high above everything mundane.» — la asignación de *High and Exalted* a Binah, por encima de las siete Sefirot inferiores que corresponden a los días de la creación, y por eso nivel anterior a la acción.

«“Dwelling in eternity” speaks of the level of Wisdom (Chakhmah). This is the level that is above time. Here one perceives God as transcending not only space, but time as well.» — la asignación de *Dwelling in eternity* a Chakhmah, nivel por encima del tiempo.

«The Kabbalisls note that the expression, “His Name,” which in Hebrew is Sh'mo ( ), has a numerical value (gematria) of 346. This is the same as the value of Ratzon ( ), meaning “will.“47 Will is even higher than Wisdom, since it is the impulse that gives rise to all things, even thought» — la gematría con que Kaplan llega a Keter: *Sh'mo* vale 346, lo mismo que *Ratzon*, voluntad, que declara más alta que la Sabiduría por ser el impulso que da origen incluso al pensamiento; el troceo imprime *Kabbalisls*.

«In Kabbalistic terms, Will is designated as Crown (Keter). Just as a crown is worn above the head, so is the Will above and outside all mental processes.» — la figura con que lo cierra: como la corona se lleva sobre la cabeza, la Voluntad está encima y fuera de todo proceso mental.

«The word Holy (Kadosh) denotes separation, and its general sense implies separation from the mundane» — la lectura de *Holy* como separación: Keter queda separado de todo concepto imaginable y, por estar sobre los procesos mentales, no puede ser aprehendido por ellos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The last expression, “lofty and holy” is not found in many versions of Sefer Yetzirah. It possibly relates to the Infinite Being (Ain Sof), which is lofty above all concepts, even Will.» — una divergencia textual que Kaplan consigna en el propio comentario: *lofty and holy* falta en muchas versiones, y él propone que se refiera al Ser Infinito, por encima incluso de la Voluntad.

«The impulse of creation first went downward through the Sefirot, and then it went upward again, returning to the Infinite. Only then could creation take place.» — el movimiento doble que Kaplan describe: el impulso baja por las Sefirot y vuelve a subir al Infinito, y solo entonces puede haber creación.

«The Hebrew word for book, Sepher ( ), has the same root as the word Sephirah ( ), except that the former is masculine and the latter is feminine.» — el lema *With three books*: Kaplan hace derivar *Sefirah* de la misma raíz que *Sepher*, libro, con el masculino y el femenino como única diferencia.

«These three books are said to be “text, number, and communication.” The Hebrew word for “text” here is Sepher ( ), which literally means “book.” “Number” is Sephar ( ), from which the English word “cipher” is derived. “Communication” is Sippur ( ), which more literally is “telling.”» — el desglose de los tres libros: *Sepher* texto, *Sephar* número —de donde viene *cipher*— y *Sippur* comunicación o relato.

«These three books correspond to the three divisions of creation defined by Sefer Yetzirah, namely, “Universe, Year, and Soul.” In more modern terms, these would be called space, time and spirit. “Universe” refers to the dimensions of space, “year” to time, and “soul” to the spiritual dimension.» — la correspondencia que ordena el libro entero: Universo, Año y Alma, que Kaplan traduce a términos modernos como espacio, tiempo y espíritu.

«As we shall see, the Sefer Yetzirah speaks of a five-dimensional continuum, defined by the Ten Sefirot. The first three are the three dimensions of space, the fourth dimension is time, while the fifth is the spiritual dimension.» — la lectura dimensional de Kaplan: un continuo de cinco dimensiones definido por las Diez Sefirot, tres de espacio, el tiempo y la dimensión espiritual.

«The three books define the three ways in which the array of the 32 paths can be presented. First, one can draw a diagram representing them, as one would picture them in a book. This is the aspect of “text.” This is also the aspect in which they appear in the Book of the Torah, in the first chapter of Genesis.» — el primero de los tres modos de presentar las treinta y dos sendas según Kaplan, el diagrama, que es el aspecto de texto.

«These three aspects are most apparent in the letters of the alphabet» — la aplicación a las letras: forma física, valor numérico y sonido; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«“Text” (Sepher), the physical form of the letter, pertains to the continuum of space, since form only can be defined in space. This is “Universe.” Number (Sephar), implies sequence, and this is the sequence of time, which is the continuum of the “Year.” Finally, communication (Sippur) applies to the mind, and this is in the spiritual continuum, which is “Soul.”» — el reparto que cierra la tríada: texto para el espacio (Universo), número para la secuencia del tiempo (Año) y comunicación para la mente (Alma).

«These three words also define the term Sefirah. First, the word Sefirah shares the root with Sefer, meaning book. Like a book, each Sefirah can record information. The Sefirot thus serve as a memory bank in the domain of the Divine. A permanent record of everything that has ever taken place in all creation is thus made on the Sefirot.» — la primera definición que Kaplan da de Sefirah: como un libro, registra información, de modo que las Sefirot son el banco de memoria del dominio divino.

«Secondly, the word Sefirah shares a root with Sephar, meaning number. It is the Sefirot that introduce an element of number and plurality into existence. The Creator, the Infinite Being, is the most absolute unity, and the concept of number does not apply to Him in any manner whatever. In speaking of the Infinite Being, the Sefer Yetzirah therefore asks, “Before one, what do you count” (1:7)?» — la segunda: el número entra en la existencia con las Sefirot, porque al Ser Infinito no le aplica en ningún sentido, y de ahí la pregunta del texto en 1:7.

«In this mode, every event and action is measured and weighed by the Sefirot, and the appropriate response is conceived and calculated. Using the computer as an analogy, the Sefirot function as the processing unit of the Divine domain in this mode.» — la analogía moderna con que Kaplan lo traduce: en ese modo las Sefirot funcionan como la unidad de proceso del dominio divino.

«Finally, the word Sefirah shares a root with Sippur, which means “communication” and “telling.” The Sefirot are the means through which God communicates with His creation. They are also the means through which man communicates with God. If not for the Sefirot, God, the Infinite Being, would be absolutely unknowable and unreachable. It is only through the Sefirot that he can be approached.» — la tercera definición: las Sefirot como medio de comunicación en los dos sentidos, sin las cuales el Ser Infinito sería absolutamente incognoscible e inalcanzable.

«Of course, as all the Kabbalisls warn, one should not in any way worship the Sefirot or pray to them» — el límite devocional que Kaplan recoge de los cabalistas: no se adora a las Sefirot ni se les reza; el troceo imprime *Kabbalisls*.

«One may, however, use them as a channel. Thus, for example, one would not think of directing a petition to the postman, but one could use him to deliver a message to the king. In a mystical sense, the Sefirot form a ladder or tree through which one can “climb” and approach the Infinite.» — y el uso que sí concede, con la figura del cartero: no se le dirige la petición, se le usa para entregar el mensaje al rey, y así las Sefirot forman una escalera o árbol por donde se sube al Infinito.

«Thus, when the Sefer Yetzirah presents the words Sepher, Sephar and Sippur here, it is not doing so accidentally. Rather, the book is deliberately presenting roots which define the concept of the Sefirot. This is all the more obvious, since this entire chapter deals with the Sefirot.» — la lectura que Kaplan hace del pasaje: los tres términos no están por casualidad, el libro presenta deliberadamente las raíces que definen el concepto de Sefirot.

«The three aspects, “text, number and communication,” are the keys to the methods of Sefer Yetzirah. If one wishes to influence anything in the physical universe (space), he must make use of the physical shape of the letters. If this involves a meditative technique, one would contemplate the appropriate letters, as if they were written in a book. The method involves making each particular letter combination fill the entire field of vision, eliminating all other thoughts from the mind.» — el paso de la doctrina a la técnica: para influir en el universo físico hay que usar la forma de las letras, y la meditación consiste en hacer que la combinación llene el campo visual entero.

«Finally, if one wishes to influence the spiritual realm, he must make use, either of the sounds of the letters, or of their names. This technique, which we shall describe, is the one that is used when making a Golem.» — y el tercer registro de la técnica: para influir en el reino espiritual se usan los sonidos de las letras o sus nombres, que es la técnica del Golem.

«The word Sefirah literally means “counting.” It is thus distinguished from the word Mispar, meaning “number.” Although the Sefirot are said to represent the ten basic digits, they are not actual numbers. Rather, they are the sources from which the numbers originate.» — la precisión terminológica de Kaplan: *Sefirah* dice contar y no número (*Mispar*), y las Sefirot no son números sino las fuentes de donde los números salen.

«Although the Sefer Yetzirah does not name the Ten Sefirot, their names are well known from the classical Kabbalah. They are given in Table 6. The Sefirot are usually presented in an array consisting of three columns, as in the figure.» — el silencio del texto que Kaplan consigna: el Sefer Yetzirah no nombra las Diez Sefirot, y los nombres vienen de la cábala clásica.

«The names of the Sefirot are all derived from scripture. In recounting Betzalel's qualifications, God says, “I have filled him with the spirit of God, with Wisdom, with Understanding, and with Knowledge” (Exodus 31:3). As the Sefer Yetzirah later states (1:9), the “spirit of God” refers to Keter (Crown), the first of the Sefirot. Wisdom and Understanding then refer to the next two Sefirot.» — la derivación escrituraria de los nombres, con el versículo de Betzalel y la remisión interna a 1:9 para el espíritu de Dios como Keter.

«All of these sources list three qualities—Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge. Knowledge, however, is not a Sefirah, but merely the point of confluence between Wisdom and Understanding. In many ways, however, it behaves as a Sefirah, and it is thus often included among them» — el estatuto ambiguo de Daat que Kaplan consigna: no es Sefirah sino punto de confluencia entre Sabiduría y Comprensión, aunque se comporte como tal y suela contarse entre ellas.

«The next seven Sefirot are named in the verse, “Yours O God are the Greatness (4), the Strength (5), the Beauty (6), the Victory (7), and the Splendor (8), for All (9) in heaven and in earth; Yours O God is the Kingdom (10)...”» — el versículo de 1 Crónicas 29:11 del que Kaplan saca los nombres de las siete Sefirot inferiores, numerados en el propio tramo.

«In most sources, however, the first of these is called Chesed (Love) instead of Gedulah (Greatness). Similarly, the sixth is called Yesod (Foundation) rather than “All.” In older Kabbalistic texts, however, both designations are used.» — la divergencia de nomenclatura que Kaplan consigna sin arbitrar: Chesed por Gedulah y Yesod por *All*, con las dos designaciones en uso en los textos cabalísticos antiguos.

«According to some Kabbalists, the Ten Sefirot also parallel the 10 Hebrew vowels» — la equivalencia que Kaplan atribuye a algunos cabalistas: las Diez Sefirot en paralelo con las diez vocales hebreas, que con las veintidós letras dan la totalidad de la lengua; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Hebrew word here is Beli-mah ( ). This word can also be translated as meaning closed, abstract, absolute or ineffable.» — el lema *Of Nothingness*: Kaplan abre el abanico de traducciones de *Beli-mah* sin cerrarlo —cerrado, abstracto, absoluto, inefable—; los paréntesis vacíos son el hebreo que el troceo no trae.

«This word occurs only once in scripture, in the verse, “He stretches the north on Chaos, He hangs the earth on Nothingness (Beli-mah)” (Job 26:7). According to many commentaries, the word Beli-mah is derived from the two words, Beli, meaning “without,” and Mah, meaning “what” or “anything.” The word Beli-mah would then mean “without anything,” or “nothingness.”» — la primera etimología que Kaplan recoge, de *Beli* y *Mah*: sin nada, nada; el único lugar de la escritura donde aparece es Job 26:7.

«According to this interpretation, the designation “Sefirot of Nothingness” is used to indicate that the Sefirot are purely ideal concepts, without any substance whatever. Unlike letters which have form and sound, the Sefirot have no intrinsic physical properties. As such, they are purely conceptual.» — lo que esa lectura implica según Kaplan: las Sefirot son conceptos puramente ideales, sin sustancia ni propiedades físicas, a diferencia de las letras, que tienen forma y sonido.

«Other sources state that Belimah comes from the root Balam ( ), meaning “to bridle.” This is found in the verse, “Do not be like a horse or mule, who do not understand, whose mouth must be bridled (balam) with bit and rein”» — la segunda etimología, rival de la primera y consignada sin arbitrar: *Balam*, embridar, con el versículo del Salmo 32:9.

«This second interpretation seems to be indicated by the Sefer Yetzirah itself, since it later says, “Bridle (balom) your mouth from speaking of them” (1:8). According to this, Belimah would be translated as “ineffable.” The text is speaking of “Ten Ineffable Sefirot,” indicating that they cannot be described in any manner whatever.» — el argumento interno con que Kaplan se inclina por la segunda: el propio texto dice después *embrida tu boca de hablar de ellas* (1:8), de modo que *Belimah* diría inefable y las Sefirot no podrían describirse de ningún modo.

«According to both interpretations, the Sefirot are distinguished from the letters. While the letters are primarily modes of expression, the Sefirot are inexpressible by their very nature.» — lo que las dos etimologías comparten según Kaplan: las letras son modos de expresión y las Sefirot son inexpresables por naturaleza.

«A leading Kabbalist, Rabbi Issac of Acco (1250–1340), points out that Belimah has a numerical value of 87. God's name Elohim, on the other hand, has a value of 86. Belimah thus represents the stage immediately following the pure essence of the Divine» — la gematría de Isaac de Acco, a quien Kaplan fecha 1250–1340: *Belimah* vale 87 y Elohim 86, de modo que representa la etapa inmediatamente posterior a la esencia divina pura; el troceo imprime *Issac*.

«In the simplest sense, these are called Foundation letters because it was through the letters of the Hebrew alphabet that the universe was created» — el lema *22 Foundation Letters*: se llaman de fundamento porque por ellas fue creado el universo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«With each act of creation, the Torah reports that “God said.” Thus, “God said: let there be light,” and “God said, let there be a firmament.” The decrees through which God brought creation into being consisted of sayings. These in turn consisted of words, and these words were formed out of letters. Hence, it was through the letters of the alphabet that the universe was created.» — el argumento con que Kaplan lo deriva del Génesis: los decretos creadores son dichos, los dichos son palabras y las palabras, letras.

«These letters of creation were not only responsible for the inception of the world, but they also constantly sustain it. It is thus written, “Forever, O God, Your word stands in the heavens” (Psalms 119:89). The very words and letters with which the universe was created are also the ones which constantly sustain it. If these words and letters were withdrawn for even an instant, the universe would cease to exist» — la segunda función que Kaplan les asigna: no solo iniciaron el mundo, lo sostienen, y retiradas un instante el universo dejaría de existir.

«Thus, if one knows how to manipulate the letters correctly, one can also manipulate the most elemental forces of creation. The methods of doing this comprise the main subjects of Sefer Yetzirah.» — la consecuencia operativa que Kaplan declara asunto principal del libro: quien sabe manipular las letras manipula las fuerzas más elementales de la creación.

«The letters are said to pertain to Foundation (Yesod), since it is only through the letters that Wisdom and Understanding can come together and be coupled. As discussed earlier, Wisdom is pure nonverbal thought. Understanding, on the other hand, can only be verbal, since if an idea cannot be expressed verbally, it cannot be understood. The only link between nonverbal Wisdom, and verbal Understanding, consists of the letters of the alphabet.» — el argumento por el que las letras pertenecen a Yesod: solo por ellas se acoplan Sabiduría y Comprensión, porque lo que no puede expresarse verbalmente no puede entenderse.

«We therefore see that the ability to manipulate the letters of creation depends on “Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge.” Knowledge (Daat), however, is the point at which Wisdom and Understanding come together. If has the connotation of joining and intercourse, as in the verse, “Adam knew his wife Eve” (Genesis 4:1).62 Knowledge therefore serves in the place of Foundation between Wisdom and Understanding. It is in this same context that the Sefer Yetzirah speaks of “Letters of Foundation.”» — el remate: Daat, el punto donde se juntan Sabiduría y Comprensión, con la connotación de unión que tiene el *conoció* de Génesis 4:1, hace de Fundamento entre las dos.

«These letters are also called mothers (Imot) in the same sense that a crossroad is called a “mother of the road” (Ezekiel 21:26).66 These three letters are called “crossroads,” since they form the horizontal links between the Sefirot in the Tree of Life diagram. On a more basic level, these are “mothers,” because the number of horizontal links defines the order of the array, as discussed below.» — el segundo motivo: *madre del camino* dice encrucijada, y las tres Madres forman los enlaces horizontales entre las Sefirot en el Árbol de la Vida.

«These are the seven letters that can express two sounds: Bet ( ), Gimel ( ), Dalet ( ), Kaf ( ), Peh ( ), Resh ( ), and Tav ( ). The Elementals are the twelve remaining letters, which have a single sound. These two groups will be discussed in chapters four and five, respectively.» — el lema *Seven Doubles*: las siete que expresan dos sonidos y las doce Elementales restantes, de un solo sonido.

«If we draw ten points in three columns in the simplest manner, we see that they are automatically linked by 22 lines. Of these, three are horizontal, seven are vertical, and twelve are diagonal as shown in figure 2 on page 26. The division presented by Sefer Yetzirah is therefore a natural consequence of the array. This figure can actually be looked upon as a member of a family of diagrams. The order of the diagram is then determined by the number of horizontal links.» — el argumento geométrico con que Kaplan naturaliza la partición del texto: diez puntos en tres columnas quedan unidos por veintidós líneas, tres horizontales, siete verticales y doce diagonales.

«In practice, for reasons dealing with the basic nature of the Sefirot, they are not arranged in this natural order, but have the middle line lowered somewhat. There are several different ways that the Kabbalisls assign the letters in these diagrams. These are shown in figures 3–6.» — el límite que Kaplan pone enseguida: en la práctica el orden natural no se usa, y los cabalistas asignan las letras de varias maneras distintas en los diagramas; el troceo imprime *Kabbalisls*.

«These are the three letters, Alef ( ), Mem ( ), and Shin ( ). They will be discussed at length in Chapter Three. These letters are called “Mothers” because they are primary. Essentially, Alef is the first letter of the alphabet, Mem is the middle letter, and Shin is the second from the last» — el lema *Three Mothers*: Alef, Mem y Shin son primarias por posición, primera, media y penúltima del alfabeto; los paréntesis vacíos son el hebreo que el troceo no trae.

«The reason why Tav ( ) — the last letter of the alphabet — is not used is because it is one of the Doubles.» — y el motivo de la exclusión de Tav, la última letra, por ser una de las Dobles.

«One reason why these letters are called “Mothers” is because, in general, the letters are derived from Understanding (Binah). As discussed earlier, Understanding is the primary feminine principle, and is therefore called Mother» — el primer motivo del nombre según Kaplan: las letras derivan de Binah, principio femenino primario llamado Madre; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«Creation is said to have been accomplished with God's fingers, as it is written, “When I see Your heavens, the work of Your fingers” (Psalms 8:4). The 10 numerical digits similarly parallel the ten fingers in man. The five fingers of the hand contain a total of fourteen bones. This is the numerical value for Yad ( ), the Hebrew word for hand.» — el lema *The number of ten fingers*: los diez dígitos en paralelo con los diez dedos, y la gematría de *Yad*, catorce como los huesos de la mano.

«Although the Sefirot are usually divided into three columns, they can also be arranged in two arrays, one to the right, and the other to the left. The “masculine” Sefirot on the right side would then be all those normally on the right, as well as the upper two center Sefirot. The “feminine” Sefirot on the left would include the three normally on the left, together with the lower two center Sefirot» — el lema *Five opposite five*: el reparto alternativo de las Sefirot en dos series, masculina a la derecha y femenina a la izquierda.

«The five masculine Sefirot are often referred to as the five Loves (Chasadim), since they are on the side of Chesed (Love). The five feminine Sefirot are similarly called the five Strengths (Gevurot) because they are on the side of Gevurah (Strength). See figure 7 on page 34.» — los nombres de las dos series: los cinco Amores del lado de Chesed y las cinco Fuerzas del lado de Gevurah.

«When the Sefirot are in their normal state, arrayed in three columns, they are in a state of equilibrium. But when the Sefirot of the central column are moved to the right and left, so as to divide the Sefirot into two arrays, a powerful tension is produced. When they are in such a mode, powerful spiritual forces can be directed and channeled.» — la mecánica que Kaplan propone: en tres columnas hay equilibrio, y al partirlas en dos series se produce una tensión por la que se dirigen y encauzan fuerzas espirituales.

«Therefore, in many places where God interferes directly with the physical world, the scripture speaks of God's fingers or hands. The most obvious case occurs with reference to creation itself, which the Psalmist calls “the work of Your fingers,” as quoted above. We similarly find, “My [left] hand has founded the earth, and My right hand has spread out the heavens” (Isaiah 48:13). Before such a creative act could take place, all the Sefirot had to be polarized to male and female sides, generating tension and force. Just as human procreation involves male and female, so does Divine creation.» — la lectura que Kaplan hace de las manos y los dedos de Dios en la escritura: antes de un acto creador las Sefirot debían polarizarse en lados masculino y femenino, generando tensión y fuerza.

«Very closely related to this are the various actions that use the hands to channel spiritual forces. These include the laying of hands, the lifting of the hands in the Priestly Blessing, and the spreading of the hands in prayer. In all these cases, the intent is to channel the power of the Ten Sefirot through the ten fingers» — las prácticas que Kaplan ata a esa mecánica: imposición de manos, alzamiento de manos en la Bendición Sacerdotal y extensión de manos en la oración; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In making them correspond to the two hands, the Sefirot are polarized, creating spiritual tension. See figure 8 on page 34. Once such tension exists, through meditation and concentration, the powers of the Sefirot can be focused and channeled.» — y el procedimiento: creada la tensión, la meditación y la concentración enfocan y encauzan las potencias de las Sefirot.

«The Hebrew here is Brit Yachid. Some read Brit Yichud, “a unifying covenant,” but the meaning is similar» — el lema *And a singular covenant*, con la variante de lectura consignada sin arbitrar: *Brit Yachid* o *Brit Yichud*, pacto singular o pacto unificador.

«In general, a covenant (brit) is something that comes between two separate parts. The paradigm of a covenant is that which God made with Abraham when he commanded him, “Take to Me a prime heifer, a prime female goat, a prime ram, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon”» — la definición de pacto que Kaplan da —lo que viene entre dos partes separadas— con el paradigma del pacto de Abraham en Génesis 15:9.

«These five animals paralleled the five fingers. Three of the animals were divided in half, so that the six halves represented the six Sefirot that are normally to the right and left. The four halves of the birds, which were not divided, represented the four Sefirot which are» — la lectura sefirótica que Kaplan hace del pacto de las piezas: cinco animales por los cinco dedos, seis mitades por las Sefirot laterales y las cuatro aves sin dividir por las de la columna central; el tramo se corta en el marcador de plana que el troceo reemite a media frase.

«The two tablets containing the Ten Commandments were also called the “Tablets of the Covenant” (Deuteronomy 9:9). It was for this reason that they were given as two tablets, rather than as a single one.» — el segundo ejemplo de la misma figura: las dos tablas del Decálogo, dos y no una por ser Tablas del Pacto.

«When the Ten Sefirot are divided into this double array, the place in the middle becomes the focus of spiritual tension. This place is then called the “singular covenant” or “unifying covenant.”» — la definición que Kaplan da del pacto singular: el punto medio se vuelve foco de la tensión espiritual.

«The Hebrew word for “circumcision” is Milah. This same word, however, also means “word,” as we find, “God's spirit speaks in me, and His word (milah) is on my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2). Hence this can also be translated, “a word of the tongue.” The “circumcision of the tongue” refers to the ability to utilize the mysteries of the Hebrew language» — el lema *Circumcision of the Tongue*: *Milah* dice a la vez circuncisión y palabra, de modo que el sintagma puede leerse *palabra de la lengua* y remite a manejar los misterios de la lengua hebrea.

«In a more general sense, such circumcision denotes a fluency of speech. One who cannot speak properly is said to have “uncircumcised lips.” Moses thus said, “How will Pharoah listen to me, when I have uncircumcised lips?” (Exodus 6:12). When one is given the power of proper speech, his tongue is said to be circumcised. This is both the “circumcision” and the “word” of the tongue.» — la segunda acepción: la fluidez del habla, con los labios incircuncisos de Moisés en Éxodo 6:12 como contraejemplo.

«A good example of this is found in the Priestly Blessing. Here, the priests raise their hands and pronounce the blessing outlined in scripture (Numbers 6:22–27). The priests must raise their hands so that they are precisely level with the mouth, as it is written, “Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people, and he blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22).73 The cohen-priest must concentrate on the fact that his ten fingers represent the Ten Sefirot. As a result of the focus of spiritual force between his two hands, his tongue is “circumcised,” and his blessing has its proper effect.» — el ejemplo operativo que Kaplan desarrolla: el sacerdote alza las manos al nivel de la boca y concentra en los diez dedos las Diez Sefirot, y del foco entre las dos manos sale la lengua circuncidada.

«The same is true of raising one's hands in prayer. Here again, the two hands focus spiritual power so as to “circumcise” the tongue, allowing the individual to pray effectively.» — la extensión del mismo procedimiento a la oración con las manos alzadas.

«This also provides insight into the significance of the two Cherubim that were on the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies. These two Cherubim were the source of all prophecy. Prophecy involves a particularly intense focusing of spiritual energy, allowing the prophet to actually speak in God's name. Prophecy was thus the ultimate level of “circumcision of the tongue.”» — la lectura de los dos querubines del Arca como fuente de toda profecía, entendida como el enfoque más intenso de energía espiritual.

«When the Cherubim were removed from the Holy of Holies with the destruction of the First Temple, prophecy as such ceased to exist» — el dato con que Kaplan cierra la serie: retirados los querubines con la destrucción del Primer Templo, la profecía como tal dejó de existir.

«According to the Zohar, the two Cherubim represented the Sefirot divided into a masculine and feminine array» — lo que Kaplan toma del Zohar: los querubines como las Sefirot repartidas en serie masculina y femenina.

«These were placed on the Ark, which contained the original Tablets of the Ten Commandments. There were five Commandments on each tablet, so the two represented a similar array of the Sefirot. This created a permanent state of tension, through which the spiritual force associated with prophecy could be focused.» — y el remate: cinco mandamientos por tabla dan la misma serie doble, y de ahí un estado permanente de tensión donde enfocar la fuerza de la profecía.

«Just as the fingers of the two hands represent the Ten Sefirot, so do the toes of the two feet. Between the legs is the circumcision of the sexual organ.» — el lema *Circumcision of the Membrum*: los diez dedos de los pies repiten las Diez Sefirot y entre las piernas queda la circuncisión.

«The world was created in six days, representing the six primary directions that exist in a three-dimensional universe. The seventh day, the Sabbath, is the perfection of the physical world, and it represents the focal point of these six directions, as discussed below (4:4). The eighth day then represents a step above the physical, into the realm of the transcendental» — el argumento del octavo día: seis días por las seis direcciones, el sábado como punto focal y perfección del mundo físico, y el octavo como paso por encima de lo físico.

«Through the covenant of circumcision, God gave Abraham and his descendants power over the transcendental plane. The most obvious case in which this occurs is in conception, where a soul is brought down into the world. Since the mark of the covenant is on the sexual organ, it gives the individual access to the highest spiritual realms, from which he can draw down the most lofty souls.» — lo que Kaplan sostiene que el pacto otorga: poder sobre el plano trascendental, y en la concepción, acceso a los reinos de donde se atraen las almas más altas.

«By meditating on the fact that the ten toes represent the Ten Sefirot, one is able to concentrate spiritual energy into the sexual organ» — la técnica que Kaplan describe: meditar que los diez dedos de los pies son las Diez Sefirot para concentrar energía en el órgano sexual; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The covenant of circumcision also represents the channeling of sexual energy. The sexual drive is one of the most powerful psychological forces in man, and when it is channeled along spiritual lines, it can help bring one to the highest mystical states. In giving the commandment of circumcision, God indicated that the emotions and desires associated with sex could be used for the mystical quest of the Divine on a transcendental plane.» — la lectura general que Kaplan hace del precepto: el impulso sexual como una de las fuerzas psicológicas más poderosas, que encauzada por vía espiritual lleva a los estados místicos más altos.

«When one is in this position, all of these forces are brought together. The ten fingers, ten toes, tongue and sexual organ comprise a total of 22 elements, paralleling the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet» — el remate del lema anterior: diez dedos de las manos, diez de los pies, la lengua y el órgano sexual dan veintidós elementos, los de las veintidós letras; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The individual's body itself thus becomes an alphabet, with which he can “write” in the spiritual realm.» — y la consecuencia que Kaplan saca: el cuerpo mismo se vuelve un alfabeto con el que escribir en el reino espiritual.

«This section speaks primarily of the first three Sefirot, Keter (Crown), Chakhmah (Wisdom), and Binah (Understanding). Later, we find a similar discussion with regard to the lower seven Sefirot (4:5).» — el encuadre que Kaplan le pone a la mishná: habla sobre todo de Keter, Chakhmah y Binah, con una discusión paralela sobre las siete inferiores en 4:5.

«The highest faculty in man is will. This corresponds to the first of the Sefirot, Keter (Crown).» — el lema *Ten and not nine*: Kaplan pone la voluntad como facultad más alta del hombre y la hace corresponder a Keter.

«If one were to attempt to describe God, it would be tempting to say that He is pure Will. This would be very much like saying that God is “spirit,” or that He is “love,” since all such descriptions attempt to depict God in terms of human traits. If any human trait were to be used, however, it should be will since this is the highest of all human faculties.» — el argumento teológico que Kaplan monta: llamar Voluntad a Dios sería como llamarlo espíritu o amor, describirlo con rasgos humanos, aunque la voluntad sea el más alto de ellos.

«If we would say that God was pure Will, however, then we would be saying that He is identical with Keter. Keter, however, is merely a Sefirah, and as such, it is something created by God and inferior to Him. We therefore cannot even say that God in pure Will. Even Will is among His creations, and is inferior to Him. Therefore, there is no word that can be used to describe God's essence.» — y el límite: Keter es una Sefirah y por tanto criatura, de modo que ni siquiera la Voluntad nombra a Dios, y no hay palabra que describa su esencia.

«The author consequently states that the Sefirot are “ten and not nine.” For if we were to say that God is Will, then Keter would be identical to God, and only nine Sefirot would remain. But since there are ten Sefirot, then even Will is nothing more than a Sefirah, and it is something that is inferior to the Creator.» — la lectura que Kaplan da del *diez y no nueve*: si Dios fuera la Voluntad, Keter se identificaría con Él y quedarían nueve.

«The Sefer Yetzirah also warns, “ten and not eleven.” This is to teach that God Himself, the Infinite Being, is not to be included among the Sefirot. If He were, then there would be eleven rather than ten» — y la del *diez y no once*: el Ser Infinito no se cuenta entre las Sefirot.

«God belongs to a totally different category than the Sefirot, and is not to be counted among them. As a result, we cannot even describe Him by such purely abstract qualities as will, wisdom, love or strength. When the Bible makes use of any of these qualities in relation to God, it is speaking of the Sefirot created by God, and not of the Creator Himself.» — la consecuencia hermenéutica que Kaplan saca: cuando la Biblia atribuye a Dios voluntad, sabiduría, amor o fuerza, habla de las Sefirot creadas y no del Creador.

«As discussed earlier, Understanding (Binah) involves verbal thought, while Wisdom (Chakhmah) is pure nonverbal thought. Understanding consists of the normal reverie, where the person thinks out things so as to understand and organize the thoughts. Wisdom, on the other hand, is pure thought, and in particular, it refers to a state of consciousness where the mind is not engaged in reverie.» — el lema *Understand with Wisdom*: Binah como pensamiento verbal y reverie ordenado, Chakhmah como pensamiento puro no verbal, estado en que la mente no está en reverie.

«It is very difficult to experience pure, nonverbal thought. As soon as a person attempts to clear his mind of thought, he immediately begins to think, “Now I am not thinking of anything.” The state of Wisdom or Chakhmah consciousness is one of pure nonverbal thought, which is very difficult to attain.» — la dificultad que Kaplan describe: en cuanto uno intenta vaciar la mente, empieza a pensar que no está pensando en nada.

«It is in an attempt to attain the state of Chakhmah consciousness that the various meditative methods are used. Thus, mantra meditation attempts to clear the mind of reverie by filling it with the repeated words of the mantra. Similarly, contemplation pursues the same goal by filling the mind with the contemplated object.» — la función que Kaplan le asigna a las técnicas: la meditación con mantra llena la mente de la palabra repetida y la contemplación la llena del objeto, y las dos buscan el mismo estado.

«Wisdom is associated with the nonverbal right hemisphere of the brain, while Understanding is associated with the verbal left hemisphere. As the Kabbalists explain, Wisdom is normally only experienced when it is clothed in Understanding. One may be able to experience the workings of the nonverbal areas of the mind, but only when one clothes them with verbal thoughts.» — la traducción neurológica que Kaplan propone: Sabiduría en el hemisferio derecho no verbal y Comprensión en el izquierdo verbal, con la Sabiduría experimentable solo vestida de Comprensión.

«The first step is to, “Understand with Wisdom, and to be wise with Understanding.” This involves a deliberate oscillation between Understanding and Wisdom, between verbal Binah consciousness, and nonverbal Chakhmah consciousness.» — la instrucción que Kaplan lee en el texto: una oscilación deliberada entre la consciencia verbal de Binah y la no verbal de Chakhmah.

«Try for a moment to stop thinking. You remain completely conscious, but there are no verbal thoughts in your mind. If you are an average person, you may be able to maintain such a state for a few seconds, but immediately your mind begins to verbalize the experience. You might say to yourself, “I am not thinking of anything.” But as soon as you do this, of course, you actually are thinking of something.» — el ejercicio tal como Kaplan lo dicta al lector, con su fracaso previsto incluido.

«Chakhmah consciousness is particularly important in reaching the Sefirot. As mentioned earlier (1:2), the Sefirot are ineffable, and cannot be understood verbally. As the Sefer Yetzirah itself says, they must be reached by “paths of Wisdom,” that is, through the paths of nonverbal Chakhmah consciousness.» — el porqué de la insistencia: siendo las Sefirot inefables y no entendibles verbalmente, hay que alcanzarlas por sendas de Sabiduría.

«Once an individual is able to experience the Sefirot, he must make use of them to examine and test them. The author does not say “examine them,” but “examine with them.” The Hebrew word used here is Buchan, and it means that one is to test things for their intrinsic quality as they are at the immediate moment» — el lema *Examine with them*: Kaplan subraya que el texto no dice examinarlas sino examinar CON ellas, y que *Buchan* dice probar la cualidad intrínseca de las cosas en el momento.

«When a person has an awareness of the Sefirot, he can then “examine” anything in creation and determine the Sefirah to which it pertains. As he becomes proficient in doing this, he can use various things to strengthen his attachment to their associated Sefirah. When the Sefer Yetzirah was first written, each individual had to do this on his own. Now, however, there are many lists which associate various things and ideas with their appropriate Sefirot, and these can be used as aids in binding oneself to them» — la práctica que Kaplan describe y su historia: al principio cada quien debía hacer sus propias asociaciones y ahora hay listas que sirven de ayuda.

«Note carefully that the Sefer Yetzirah does not tell us to contemplate the Sefirot themselves. Rather, it instructs us to use them in developing an inner sight with which to view the world» — el límite que Kaplan pide leer con cuidado: el libro no manda contemplar las Sefirot sino usarlas para desarrollar una vista interior del mundo.

«The Sefer Yetzirah is also indicating here that when a person perceives the true spiritual nature of a thing, he also elevates that thing spiritually. “Standing” refers to such elevation. The expression, “make each thing stand” therefore says that when one “probes from them.” he elevates the things that he probes.» — el lema *Make each thing stand on its essence*: percibir la naturaleza espiritual de una cosa la eleva, y eso dice el *estar de pie*.

«The word Makhon ( ) comes from the root Kon ( ), which is also the root of the word Hekhin ( ), meaning “to prepare.» — el lema *Make the Creator sit on His Base*: *Makhon* viene de la raíz *Kon*, de donde también *Hekhin*, preparar, de modo que no dice base física sino preparada para un fin; el troceo deja abierta la comilla de cierre.

«In general, the anthropomorphism “sit,” when used with respect to God, indicates a sense of lowering» — la lectura del antropomorfismo: sentarse dice bajar, y Dios sentado es Dios rebajando su esencia para ocuparse de su creación; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In Kabbalah, there is general rule that every “awakening from below” motivates an “awakening from above.” Thus, when a person mentally elevates each thing to its spiritual essence, he also brings spiritual sustenance (shefa) down to that particular object. This sustenance can then be channeled and used by the individual. Under some conditions, this can be used to actually bring about physical changes in the world» — la regla cabalística que Kaplan aplica: todo despertar de abajo mueve un despertar de arriba, de modo que elevar mentalmente una cosa le baja sustento espiritual (*shefa*) aprovechable.

«It is like a heavy pendulum, the longer you push it back and forth, the further it will swing» — la figura con que Kaplan describe el progreso del ejercicio: un péndulo pesado que llega más lejos cuanto más se le empuja; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«The Hebrew word for “probe” here is Chakar, which usually indicates attaining the ultimate knowledge of a thing» — el lema *Probe from them*: *Chakar* dice llegar al conocimiento último de una cosa.

«The Sefer Yetzirah says that one should “probe from them.” As a result of the spiritual power that one attains from the Sefirot, one should probe each thing to its ultimate depth. Through one's experience of the Sefirot, one is to gain the deepest possible insight into everything in the world.» — y la instrucción que Kaplan lee: con la potencia que dan las Sefirot, sondear cada cosa hasta su fondo.

«In this context, the Sefer Yetzirah here calls God the Yotzer. We have translated this as “the Creator,” but a more accurate rendition would be “the Former,” or the “One who forms.”» — la enmienda que Kaplan hace a su propia traducción: *Yotzer* dice más el Formador que el Creador.

«In Hebrew, there are three words which have similar meaning. They are Bara, meaning “to create,” Yatzar, meaning “to form,” and Asah, meaning “to make.” According to the Kabbalists, Bara indicates creation ex nihilo, “something from nothing.” Yatzar denotes formation of something from a substance that already exists, “something from something.” Asah has the connotation of the completion of an action» — la distinción que Kaplan toma de los cabalistas: *Bara* como creación de la nada, *Yatzar* como formación de algo ya existente y *Asah* como consumación de una acción.

«The Kabbalists teach that stages parallel the three supernal universes, which are called Beriyah (Creation), Yetzirah (Formation), and Asiyah (Making). They are alluded to in the verse, “All that is called in My Name, for My Glory (Atzilut), I have created it (Beriyah), I have formed it (Yetzirah), and I have made it (Asiyah)”» — los tres universos supernos que Kaplan hace corresponder a esos verbos, con el versículo de Isaías 43:7 que los nombra.

«The highest universe is Atzilut, the domain of the Sefirot themselves. Below this is Beriyah, the domain of the Throne. Since Beriyah (Creation) is “something from nothing,” Atzilut is often referred to as “Nothingness” (Ayin). Hence, the Sefirot, which are in Atzilut, are called Sefirot of Nothingness.» — la explicación que Kaplan da del propio título de la mishná: Beriyah es algo de la nada, luego Atzilut se llama Nada, y las Sefirot que están en Atzilut son Sefirot de la Nada.

«Below Beriyah is the universe of Yetzirah (Formation), which is the world of the angels. Finally, there is the universe of Asiyah (Making), which consists of the physical world and its spiritual shadow. See Table 7.» — los dos universos inferiores: Yetzirah, mundo de los ángeles, y Asiyah, el mundo físico con su sombra espiritual.

«Here, Sefer Yetzirah is speaking primarily about establishing a link between the two lower worlds, Yetzirah and Asiyah. The methods of Sefer Yetzirah involve the manipulation of the forces of the Universe of Asiyah, and this is the reason for the name of the book. The text therefore speaks of God as the Yotzer, the Former, indicating His manifestation in the world of Yetzirah.» — la explicación que Kaplan da del nombre del libro: sus métodos manipulan las fuerzas del universo de Asiyah y el texto llama a Dios *Yotzer* por su manifestación en Yetzirah.

«It is for this reason that the Sefer Yetzirah uses the term Makhon (Base) rather than Throne (Kisey). The term “Throne” would indicate the Universe of Benyah, which is the world of the Throne. Makhon, on the other hand, is a level of Yetzirah.» — y el porqué de la palabra elegida: *Trono* apuntaría a Beriyah y *Makhon* apunta a Yetzirah; el troceo imprime *Benyah* por Beriyah.

«Here the Sefer Yetzirah defines the five dimensional continuum which is the framework of its system. These five dimensions define ten directions, two opposite directions in each dimension.» — el encuadre que Kaplan pone a la mishná de las profundidades: cinco dimensiones que definen diez direcciones, dos opuestas por dimensión.

«parallelism between the spiritual and the physical domains» — la lectura que Kaplan toma del Talmud, en la plana siguiente: *Makhon* dice el paralelismo entre el dominio espiritual y el físico, que es la base preparada por la que Dios se sienta y canaliza su influencia; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«From the above mentioned verse, “He founded (yasad) the earth on its base (Makhon),” we see that Makhon refers to a spiritual level that is close to the physical world, namely, the lowest level of Yetzirah» — el nivel donde Kaplan sitúa *Makhon*: el más bajo de Yetzirah, cercano al mundo físico.

«Makhon is on the level corresponding to Yesod (Foundation), which has the connotation of connecting and binding. Hence, it binds Yetzirah to Asiyah. By elevating objects in the physical world, one can then draw upon the forces of Yetzirah, the world of the angels.» — y el uso que Kaplan le da: Yesod ata Yetzirah con Asiyah, de modo que elevar objetos del mundo físico permite tirar de las fuerzas del mundo de los ángeles.

«The Ten Sefirot are thus seen as consisting of five sets of opposites. These are the “five opposite five” discussed above (1:3). The opposites parallel the five fingers on each of the two hands» — la lectura que Kaplan hace de las diez direcciones: cinco pares de opuestos, los mismos *cinco frente a cinco* de 1:3, en paralelo con los dedos de las dos manos.

«Wisdom is always defined as the beginning by the Kabbalists. This is based on such verses as “The beginning is Wisdom” (Proverbs 4:7).106 This corresponds to the beginning of existence, before creation was defined, articulated, or verbalized» — la asignación de la profundidad de principio a Chakhmah, apoyada en Proverbios 4:7: el comienzo de la existencia antes de que la creación fuera definida o verbalizada.

«God then created the world with ten sayings. This represents the power of Understanding (Binah), which is the aspect of verbal thought. As discussed earlier, the name Elohim, used in the account of creation, represents Understanding. “Sayings” can only come about through Understanding, denoted by the name Elohim.» — y la del fin a Binah: los dichos creadores solo pueden darse por la Comprensión, que el relato nombra Elohim.

«Psychologically, Wisdom also represents the past in another manner. Memory is not verbal, but is stored in the mind in a nonverbal mode. It is only when one brings a memory to the surface that it becomes verbalized. Since pure memory is completely nonverbal, it is in the category of Wisdom.» — el argumento psicológico que Kaplan añade: la memoria pura es no verbal y solo se verbaliza al traerla a la superficie, de modo que cae en la categoría de Sabiduría.

«The future, on the other hand, cannot be imagined at all, except in verbal terms. One can remember the past, but not the future. The future can only be conceived when it is described. The main way in which we know the future is by extrapolating from our knowledge of the past, or, in the language of the Talmud, “Understanding one thing from another.”» — la contraparte: el futuro solo se concibe descrito, y se conoce extrapolando del pasado, lo que el Talmud llama entender una cosa de otra.

«Past and future are also the counterparts of Wisdom and Understanding insofar that they are respectively male and female. The past is said to be male, since it directly influences the future. In this manner, it is as if the feminine future is impregnated by the past.» — el reparto de géneros aplicado al tiempo: el pasado masculino porque influye directamente en el futuro, que queda como preñado por él.

«Keter is said to be “good,” since it is the Sefirah closest to God. For the same reason, Malkhut, the Sefirah furthest from God, is said to be evil. This does not mean that Malkhut itself is actually evil, since all the Sefirot are completely and absolutely good. However, since Malkhut points in the direction away from God, it is said to denote the direction of evil.» — la asignación de las profundidades de bien y mal, con su límite dicho en la misma frase: Malkhut no es mala, todas las Sefirot son absoluta y completamente buenas, pero apunta en dirección contraria a Dios.

«The entire array of the Sefirot is often called the “Tree of Life.” The center line, from Keter to Malkhut, when taken alone, is called the “Tree of Knowledge.” It is on this line that good and evil come together, this being the mystery of the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil” (Genesis 2:9), of which Adam and Eve were commanded not to partake» — la distinción entre Árbol de la Vida y Árbol del Conocimiento que Kaplan introduce aquí: la línea central sola es el segundo, y en Daat convergen el bien y el mal; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In general, a knife or cutting blade has one dimension less than the continuum that it cuts. In our three-dimensional continuum, a blade is essentially a two-dimensional plane. Therefore, in a five-dimensional continuum, one would expect a blade to have four dimensions. Such a blade would be a four-dimensional hypercube» — el argumento con que Kaplan lee el Midrash de la espada de Dios: la hoja tiene una dimensión menos que el continuo que corta, de modo que en cinco dimensiones tendría cuatro y dieciséis vértices, que es el número de filos que da el Midrash.

«There are 32 hyperquadrants that can be defined in a five-dimensional hyperspace. These correspond to the 32 apexes on a five» — la lectura geométrica que Kaplan repite: treinta y dos hipercuadrantes en un hiperespacio de cinco dimensiones, que corresponden a los vértices del hipercubo; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase continúa *dimensional hypercube, as discussed above (1:1)*.

«The Sefer Yetzirah does not say, “their number is ten,” but, “their measure is ten.” What it is saying is that the Sefirot define a continuum of ten directions or five dimensions.» — el lema *Their measure is ten, which have no end*: Kaplan subraya que el texto dice medida y no número, porque las Sefirot definen un continuo.

«Each of these directions is said to be infinite and endless. Indeed, in saying that “they have no end,” the Sefer Yetzirah uses the term, “Ain (la-hem) Sof.” This is the term usually used for God, the Infinite Being. Each direction extends without limit, and in this respect, the Sefirot share a property with the Infinite Being» — el hallazgo léxico que Kaplan señala: para decir *no tienen fin* el texto usa *Ain Sof*, el término que suele nombrar al Ser Infinito, de modo que las direcciones comparten con él una propiedad.

«The initiate is here given an allegory through which he or she can perceive his or her path to the Infinite Being. The allegory consists of any of the directions. Thus, for example, “up” has no end. One can continue to travel in an upward direction, but can never actually reach “up.” The same is true when one travels “up” spiritually.» — la alegoría que Kaplan pone para el iniciado: se puede seguir subiendo sin llegar nunca a *arriba*, y lo mismo vale para la subida espiritual.

«The Sefer Yetzirah does not speak of directions, but of depths. In general, the concept of depth indicates something at a great distance, as when one looks down a deep well, gazing at its “depth.” It therefore denotes great distance, both physical and mental. Therefore, an idea that is difficult to understand, and far from one's comprehension, is also said to be deep.» — el lema *A depth of beginning*: la profundidad dice gran distancia, física y mental, y por eso se llama profunda la idea difícil de entender.

«These ten depths therefore represent the ten directions extended to infinity.» — la definición que Kaplan da de las diez profundidades.

«It is written, “Counsel in man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out” (Proverbs 20:5). Although the depth of these directions is infinite, it can be described mentally. The first technique involves verbal thought, through being “a man of Understanding.” Gradually, then, one can also learn to depict these infinite depths nonverbally.» — el procedimiento que Kaplan deriva de Proverbios 20:5: primero se describe la profundidad con pensamiento verbal y después se aprende a representarla sin palabras.

«The first exercise is to try to depict the “depth of beginning.” Attempt to picture an infinity of time in the past. Let the mind travel back to a minute ago, and hour ago, a day ago, a year ago, continuing until you reach a level where you are trying to imagine an infinity ago. Then do the same with regard to the future.» — el primer ejercicio, dictado paso a paso: llevar la mente hacia atrás hasta intentar imaginar una infinidad de tiempo, y después hacia adelante.

«The next exercise involves trying to imagine infinite good and infinite evil. The limits are pure ideas, which cannot be verbalized. Finally, one must imagine the limits of the spacial dimensions. One must perceive the height of the sky and beyond the sky, the depth of the earth and beyond the earth» — los ejercicios siguientes: el bien y el mal infinitos, que son ideas puras no verbalizables, y los límites de las dimensiones espaciales.

«In this manner, one gradually trains the mind to depict the infinite. Since the Sefirot themselves are also infinite, this exercise can help one attain communion with the Sefirot» — la finalidad que Kaplan declara: entrenar la mente para representar lo infinito y con eso alcanzar comunión con las Sefirot, que también son infinitas.

«The individual can then learn how to climb the Tree of the Sefirot, and eventually approach the loftiest spiritual heights. This is accomplished through these depths. It is written, “A song of steps, from the depths I call You O God” (Psalms 130:1). One calls out to God by meditating on the depths, and then one can ascend through a series of steps. The psalm is therefore called “a song of steps.”» — el remate del ejercicio: se clama a Dios meditando en las profundidades y se asciende por una serie de peldaños, y de ahí el título del salmo.

«This can also be read, “The Master is singular,” and a similar expression is found below (1:7).» — el lema *The singular Master*, con la lectura alternativa puesta al lado y la remisión interna a 1:7.

«After describing the five dimensional continuum defined by the Sefirot, the Sefer Yetzirah specifically refers to God as the “singular Master.” The Hebrew for “singular” here is Yachid, indicating a complete and absolute unity. The unity of God is absolute. He is not like a person who consists of many parts. He is not even like the most simple physical object, since even such an object has three dimensions. To say that God is bound by dimensions would in itself introduce an element of plurality in His essence, and this is excluded.» — el argumento con que Kaplan corta su propia figura dimensional: *Yachid* dice unidad completa y absoluta, y decir que Dios está sujeto a dimensiones metería pluralidad en su esencia.

«After the Sefer Yetzirah has defined the five-dimensional continuum, one might be misled to think that God Himself is a five-dimensional being. The text therefore stresses His unity at this point. The concept of dimensionality does not apply to God at all.» — y el porqué de que el texto insista aquí en la unidad: para que no se lea que Dios mismo es un ser de cinco dimensiones.

«In Hebrew, this is El Melekh Ne'eman ( ). The initial letters of this phrase spell out Amen ( ), and according to the Talmud, it is this phrase that defines the word Amen» — el lema *God faithful King*: las iniciales de *El Melekh Ne'eman* deletrean Amén, y según el Talmud esa frase define la palabra; los paréntesis vacíos son el hebreo que el troceo no trae.

«The statement here that God is “faithful” means that He is accessible only through faith. The human intellect can only grasp concepts within the five-dimensional continuum of space-time-spirit. God, the Infinite Being, however, is beyond this. He may relate to the universe as “King,” but He Himself is above the grasp of our mentality.» — la lectura que Kaplan hace de *fiel*: accesible solo por la fe, porque el intelecto humano solo alcanza lo que cae dentro del continuo de espacio, tiempo y espíritu.

«The Hebrew word for “dominate” here is Moshel. There are two synonyms that indicate dominance — Melekh and Moshel. A Melekh is a king who interacts with his subjects, and is therefore affected by them. A Moshel, on the other hand, is a tyrant and dictator, who rules, but is in no way influenced by his subordinates» — el lema *Dominates them all*: Kaplan distingue *Melekh*, rey que trata con sus súbditos y es afectado por ellos, de *Moshel*, que gobierna sin ser influido.

«God is sometimes called a Melekh, but this refers only to His actions through Malkhut (Kingship), the lowest of the Sefirot. The Infinite Being, however, is actually a Moshel, an absolute ruler who is in no way affected by His creation.» — la consecuencia que saca: Dios se llama *Melekh* solo por su obrar en Malkhut, y el Ser Infinito es propiamente *Moshel*.

«The word Ma'on is defined by the verse, “O God, You have been a habitation (ma'on) for us” (Psalms 90:1). The Midrash interprets this to indicate that “God is the habitation of the world, and the world is not His habitation.”» — la definición que Kaplan toma del Midrash: Dios es la morada del mundo y el mundo no es su morada.

«The Hebrew word for “habitation” here is Ma'on ( ). The expression “Holy habitation” (Ma'on Kadosh) occurs a number of times in the Bible» — el lema *From His holy habitation*: *Ma'on Kadosh* aparece varias veces en la Biblia; los paréntesis vacíos son el hebreo que el troceo no trae.

«There are two synonyms which denote eternity. The first is LeOlam, usually translated as “forever,” which indicates the end point of the time continuum. Often used is the expression LeOlam VaEd ( ), which means “forever and eternity.” The expression “eternity,” here denotes the realm outside the time continuum, where the concept of time does not exist at all.» — el lema *Until eternity of eternities*: Kaplan distingue *LeOlam*, el punto final del continuo temporal, de la eternidad como reino fuera del tiempo.

«Even in such a timeless domain, however, there is still a kind of hypertime, where events can occur in a logical sequence. The Midrash calls such hypertime, the “order of time” (seder zemanim).122 The expression “eternity of eternities” (Adey Ad) denotes a domain that is beyond even such hypertime.» — la tercera escala que Kaplan introduce: un hipertiempo donde los sucesos se ordenan lógicamente, que el Midrash llama *seder zemanim*, y por encima de él, la eternidad de eternidades.

«The word for “vision” here is Tzafiyah, which usually denotes a prophetical or mystical vision. The Hekhalot, an ancient mystical text which might be contemporary to Sefer Yetzirah, speaks of the “vision (tzafiyah) of the Markava» — el lema *Their vision*: *Tzafiyah* dice visión profética o mística, y Kaplan la ata a la *tzafiyah de la Markava* del Hekhalot, texto que declara posiblemente contemporáneo del Sefer Yetzirah; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Sefer Yetzirah is now describing how the Sefirot appear in a mystical vision. In earlier sections, the text spoke of the exercises used to visualize the Sefirot, and now it describes their appearance.» — el giro que Kaplan señala en el texto: de los ejercicios para visualizar las Sefirot a la descripción de cómo aparecen.

«One reason why gazing at the Sefirot is called a “descent” is because, in order to accomplish this, one must first attain Chakhmah consciousness, as discussed earlier. In the array of the Sefirot, however, Chakhmah is the highest, at least of those which are approachable. In climbing the Tree of the 32 paths of Wisdom, one must begin by attaching himself to Chakhmah (Wisdom). When this is accomplished, one then looks down at the other Sefirot. Only then does one begin climbing the Sefirot, beginning at the lowest.» — la explicación que Kaplan propone de la paradoja: hay que alcanzar primero la consciencia de Chakhmah, la más alta de las accesibles, mirar desde ahí hacia abajo y solo entonces empezar a subir desde la más baja.

«The great Kabbalist, Rabbi Moshe de Leon (1238–1305), best known as the publisher of the Zohar» — la voz de Moshe de Leon, a quien Kaplan fecha 1238–1305 y llama publicador del Zohar.

«When the Sefirot are seen in a mystical vision, their appearance is like sunlight reflected on a wall from a bowl of water. As long as the bowl is absolutely still, the reflected image is clear, but the slightest vibration causes it to break up and oscillate wildly.» — la analogía de Moshe de Leon que Kaplan reproduce: la luz del sol reflejada en una pared desde un cuenco de agua, nítida si el cuenco está quieto y rota por la menor vibración.

«Similarly, a clear vision of the Sefirot would be possible in theory, but only if the mind were absolutely still and calm. The slightest exterior thought, however, destroys the image completely. When the mind is in a state where it can visualize the Sefirot, it is disturbed by the most minute distractions.» — y la lectura que Kaplan hace de la analogía: la visión sería posible en teoría con la mente absolutamente quieta, y el menor pensamiento exterior destruye la imagen.

«The Hebrew word for “limit” here is Takhlit ( ), which also means “completion” and “ultimate.”129 It is derived from the root Kalah ( ), meaning to “complete” or “finish,” as in “the heaven and earth were finished (kalah)” (Genesis 2:1). The word Takhlit also denotes purpose, since when something fulfills its purpose it is said to be completed and fulfilled.» — el lema *Their limit has no end*: *Takhlit* dice también completud y último, viene de *Kalah*, acabar, y por eso dice propósito.

«The Bahir, another very ancient text, explains that the word Tzafiyah, derived from the root Tzafah, indicates that one is looking down from a high place» — lo que Kaplan toma del Bahir: *Tzafah* dice mirar desde lo alto hacia abajo.

«In the Hekhalot, the mystical experience is often described as a descent in a downward direction, and it is called “descending to the Markava.”» — y la consecuencia: en el Hekhalot la experiencia mística se describe como descenso, y se llama descender a la Markava.

«This is taken from the verse, “And the Chayot, running and returning, like the appearance of lightning (bazak)” (Ezekiel 1:14). The word Bazak, which is found only in this one place in the Bible, is usually translated as “lightning” or “a spark.”» — el lema *Like the appearance of lightning*: el versículo de Ezequiel 1:14 y la traducción corriente de *Bazak*, que aparece una sola vez en la Biblia.

«According to other interpretations, Bazak denotes a flashing meteor or a bursting bubble» — las lecturas rivales que Kaplan pone al lado sin arbitrar —meteoro fugaz, burbuja que revienta— y lo que todas dicen a su juicio: que las Sefirot solo se visualizan un instante; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The phrase “His word” is Devaro ( ). Others, however, vocalize this Dabru ( ), which means “they speak.” This line then reads, “They speak of them as running and returning.”» — una variante de vocalización que Kaplan consigna sin arbitrar: *Devaro*, su palabra, o *Dabru*, hablan, con lo que el verso pasa a decir que hablan de ellas como corriendo y volviendo.

«This teaches that one cannot focus for any length of time on any of the Sefirot. The mind can concentrate and see them as a “flash of lightning,” but only for an instant. Then one must return. One oscillates between “running” and “returning,” peeking for an instant, and then immediately returning to one's normal mental state» — la lectura operativa: no se puede sostener la mirada sobre las Sefirot, se las ve un instante como relámpago y hay que volver.

«The Kabbalists note that “running” denotes Chakhmah, while “returning” implies Binah» — la asignación que Kaplan recoge: correr dice Chakhmah y volver dice Binah.

«As discussed earlier, one can only visualize the Sefirot with Chakhmah consciousness, through the nonverbal part of the mind. Such Chakhmah consciousness is very difficult to maintain, since the mind normally functions in a state of verbal Hinah consciousness. As mentioned earlier (1:4), the only way to attain Chakhmah consciousness is to swing back and forth between Chakhmah and Binah. It is only during the instant of pure Chakhmah consciousness that the Sefirot can be perceived.» — el argumento que lo cierra: la consciencia de Chakhmah es difícil de sostener porque la mente funciona normalmente en la verbal, y solo en el instante de Chakhmah pura se perciben las Sefirot; el troceo imprime *Hinah* por Binah.

«In Hebrew, the word “run” is usually Rutz ( ). Here, however, the commentaries note that the root of the word is Ratza ( ), and this is apparently the only place in the entire Bible where this root is found» — el hallazgo léxico que Kaplan señala: la raíz del verso es *Ratza*, y este sería el único lugar de toda la Biblia donde aparece.

«According to the Midrash, this root is related both to Rutz, “to run,” and to Ratzah ( ), meaning to “will” or “desire.”137 The word Ratza ( ) therefore has the implication of “running with one's will,” or impelling the will to concentrate on something beyond its grasp. This indicates the mental effort through which the Sefirot are visualized.» — lo que Kaplan saca de esa raíz con el Midrash: *Ratza* liga correr con querer, de modo que dice correr con la voluntad, empujarla a concentrarse en algo que excede su alcance.

«“Speech” (Davar) refers to the general concept, while a “saying” (Ma'amar) denotes a particular statement. It is only with regard to the generic “speech” that the Sefirot oscillate, “running and returning.” But when there is a Ma'amar, a specific saying or edict, they no longer oscillate, but rush “like a whirlwind.”» — el lema *They rush to His saying like a whirlwind*: Kaplan distingue *Davar*, el habla en general, de *Ma'amar*, el dicho particular, y solo con el primero oscilan las Sefirot.

«According to the commentaries who interpret this line as “they speak of them running and returning,” the entire text is speaking of “they,” namely the masters and prophets. Although they normally only visualize the Sefirot “running and returning,” when a specific edict from God was heard, they would pursue it like a whirlwind, going far beyond their normal bounds.» — la lectura alternativa que Kaplan pone al lado: si el sujeto son los maestros y profetas, son ellos los que persiguen el edicto divino más allá de sus límites normales.

«This teaches that when there is an edict from God, the mystic can go far beyond the normal bounds to pursue it. The fact that he is pursuing a divine “saying” allows him to have access to much higher states of consciousness than the normally can attain.» — la consecuencia práctica que Kaplan saca: el edicto divino le da al místico acceso a estados de consciencia mucho más altos de lo que normalmente alcanza.

«It is for this reason that many mystics would engage in meditations related to the observance of various commandments. They were making use of God's “saying” and edict, and in this manner, were able to reach much higher levels than usual. The divine “saying” associated with the commandment would also serve to attract the Sefirot and make them more accessible.» — la práctica que Kaplan explica con eso: las meditaciones ligadas a la observancia de los preceptos aprovechan el dicho divino del mandamiento.

«The vehicle through which one rises and enters the mystical realm is called a Markava (chariot), and the art of engaging in this practice is called “working in the Chariot” (Ma'aseh Markava).144 It is therefore highly significant that the scripture states, “His Chariot (markava) is like a whirlwind (sufah)” (Isaiah 66:15).145 This indicates that the Sufah wind acts like a Chariot, conveying one into the mystical realm. It is a force that carries one beyond the normal limit (sof) into the transcendental.» — la ecuación que Kaplan arma: el vehículo es la Markava, y el versículo de Isaías 66:15 que compara el Carro con el torbellino hace del *Sufah* la fuerza que lleva más allá del límite.

«Saadia Gaon interprets Sufah to denote the dust devils that one sees in small whirlwinds, where the dust assumes many shapes and forms. These forms constantly change, and a distinct form lasts only for a moment. Similarly, when one visualizes the Sefirot, one can see them in many forms, but like sand devils, they last only for an instant, and then dissolve.» — la lectura de Saadia Gaon que Kaplan pone al lado: los remolinos de polvo que cambian de forma a cada instante, como las formas en que se ven las Sefirot.

«The Hebrew word for whirlwind here is Sufah, a term that occurs many times in the Bible» — el lema del torbellino: *Sufah* aparece muchas veces en la Biblia.

«The word Sufah ( ) comes from the root Safah ( ), meaning “to annihilate.”» — y su etimología según Kaplan: viene de *Safah*, aniquilar; los paréntesis vacíos son el hebreo que el troceo no trae.

«At the beginning of the mystical experience, Ezekiel says that he saw a “storm wind (sa'arah) coming from the north”» — el viento tempestuoso con que Ezequiel abre su visión, que Kaplan cita como *sa'arah*; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«As discussed earlier (1:4), when we speak of God as “sitting,” it means that He is lowering His essence so as to be concerned with His creation. His Throne is the object upon which He sits, and hence, it denotes the vehicle of such lowering and concern.» — el lema *Before His Throne they prostrate themselves*: sentarse dice rebajar la esencia para ocuparse de la creación, y el Trono es el vehículo de esa preocupación.

«While “sitting” is a lowering that one does on one's own initiative, prostrating oneself and bowing is a lowering that one does because of a higher power. The tools of God's concern are the Sefirot, since it is through them that He directs the universe. As a result of the concept of God's Throne, the Sefirot must also lower their essence and interact with the lower world. The Sefer Yetzirah therefore says, “before His Throne they prostrate themselves.”» — la distinción con que Kaplan lee el postrarse: sentarse se hace por iniciativa propia y postrarse por una potencia superior, y las Sefirot, herramientas de la providencia, tienen que bajar su esencia.

«The universe of the Sefirot is called Atzilut. Below it is Beriyah, the world of the Throne. As Ezekiel describes it, “Above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a Throne. . . and upon the likeness of the Throne, was a likeness of the appearance of a Man” (Ezekiel 1:26). The Throne is in the universe of Beriyah, while the “Man” on the Throne represents the anthropomorphic array of the Sefirot in Atzilut.» — la topografía que Kaplan pone bajo el verso, leída de Ezequiel 1:26: el Trono está en Beriyah y el Hombre sobre el Trono es la serie antropomórfica de las Sefirot en Atzilut.

«The highest universe that can actually be visualized is Yetzirah, the world of the angels. In this world, one can visualize a reflection of the Throne, and hence, Ezekiel said that he saw “the likeness of a Throne.” One can also see a “reflection of a reflection” of the Sefirot, and he therefore saw, “the likeness of the appearance of a Man.”» — el límite de lo visualizable según Kaplan: Yetzirah, donde se ve un reflejo del Trono y un reflejo de reflejo de las Sefirot, y por eso Ezequiel dice semejanza.

«According to most commentaries, the “beginning” is Keter (Crown), while the “end” is Malkhut (Kingship). These are the two end points of the spiritual dimension.» — el lema *Their end is imbedded in their beginning*: principio y fin como Keter y Malkhut, los dos extremos de la dimensión espiritual.

«In the most basic level, Keter is seen as the concept of Cause, while Malkhut is the archetype of Effect. Since a cause cannot exist without an effect, and an effect cannot exist without a cause, the two are interdependent on each other.» — la lectura de Kaplan en clave de causa y efecto: Keter como Causa y Malkhut como arquetipo del Efecto, interdependientes porque ninguno existe sin el otro.

«The Sefer Yetzirah likens this to a “flame bound to a burning coal.” A flame cannot exist without the coal, and the burning coal cannot exist without the flame. Although the coal is the cause of the flame, the flame is also the cause of the burning coal. Without the flame, it would not be a burning coal.» — la figura del texto llevada al argumento: la llama no existe sin el carbón y el carbón encendido tampoco sin la llama, de modo que el efecto causa a su causa.

«Thus, even though Keter is Cause and Malkhut is Effect, there is also a sense in which Malkhut is the cause of Keter. Often in Kabbalah, where such a situation exists, Keter is seen as existing on a lower level than Malkhut. Thus, for example, Keter of Beriyah is below Malkhut of Atzilut, and Keter of Yelzirah is below Malkhut of Beriyah.» — la consecuencia que Kaplan saca para el orden de los mundos: Keter de un universo queda por debajo de Malkhut del superior; el troceo imprime *Yelzirah*.

«As discussed earlier, there is no term that can be used to describe God. God Himself cannot even be called the Cause» — el límite teológico repetido: ni *Causa* puede decirse de Dios.

«A cause is to some degree dependent on its effect, and God cannot be dependent on anything. The Kabbalists therefore teach that before creating anything else, God created the concept of “Cause.” This is the Sefirah of Keter (Crown).» — y la salida que Kaplan toma de los cabalistas: antes de crear nada más, Dios creó el concepto de Causa, que es Keter.

«The Sefer Yetzirah therefore states that “the Master is singular. He has no second.” The Sefirot may be interdependent, but this does not include the Infinite Being. Since God is absolutely unitary, He cannot even be called the Cause, since this would imply an effect as a “second.”» — la lectura del verso siguiente: las Sefirot serán interdependientes, pero el Ser Infinito no entra en esa interdependencia.

«When we view the Sefirot as being ten directions in a five-dimensional continuum, we can also interpret this in another manner. Every pair of Sefirot defines an infinite line, extended infinitely in both directions. The end points of such an infinite line, however, come together and meet once again al the “point at infinity.” This is a fact recognized by mathematicians, and considerable use of the “point at infinity” is found in complex analysis, the calculus of complex numbers.» — la lectura matemática que Kaplan superpone: cada par de Sefirot define una recta infinita cuyos extremos se reúnen en el punto en el infinito del análisis complejo.

«Although this is a highly abstract concept, it is not that difficult to understand. Imagine a circle, with two antipodal points, O and N. Obviously, two lines extending outward from O will once again come together at point N. But then what happens if we make the circle infinitely large? The larger the circle, the closer the curve approaches a straight line. In the limit where the circle becomes infinitely large, the lines extending outward from point O actually become straight. But still, they come together at point N. This point al infinity is where all endpoints meet» — la ilustración del círculo que crece hasta el infinito, donde las rectas siguen encontrándose en el punto antipodal; el troceo imprime *al infinity* por *at infinity*.

«In our three-dimensional continuum, we can likewise extend all lines outward infinitely. The end points of all these lines would then be an infinite sphere surrounding all space. However, each opposing pair of lines would meet at the point at infinity, and therefore, all outgoing lines must meet at this point» — la extensión del argumento al espacio de tres dimensiones: la esfera infinita que rodea todo el espacio y el punto donde se encuentran todas las rectas salientes.

«Thus, in one sense, the entire three-dimensional space continuum can be seen as surrounded by an infinite sphere. In another sense, however, this entire infinite sphere can also be represented by a single point — the point at infinity. A point, however, is infinitely small. Thus, the point at infinity can be seen as being both infinitely large and infinitely small at the same time.» — la paradoja que Kaplan formula: la esfera infinita y el punto en el infinito son la misma cosa, a la vez infinitamente grande e infinitamente pequeña.

«Thus, if every pair of Sefirot defines an infinite line, the beginning of each line is “imbedded” in its end. This is true of all the Sefirot. All opposites, in their extreme case, become joined as one.» — la aplicación al verso: el principio de cada recta queda encajado en su fin, y todos los opuestos, en su caso extremo, se unen.

«In particular, this is true of the Keter-Malkhut line. In the direction of Keter, this line extends infinitely toward God, the ultimate Good. In the Malkhut direction, it extends infinitely away from God, toward ultimate evil. These two end points can also be viewed as the ultimately spiritual and the ultimately physical. In this sense, we must therefore say that the ultimately physical and the ultimately spiritual are “imbedded” in each other.» — la aplicación a la línea Keter-Malkhut: lo últimamente espiritual y lo últimamente físico encajados uno en otro.

«The most basic question is: Why did God create a physical world? God created the universe to bestow good to His creation, but this good is purely spiritual. This being true, what need is there for a physical world? Before we can answer this question, we must first ask another question. What is the difference between the material and the spiritual?» — la pregunta que Kaplan se plantea y que ordena las planas siguientes: si el bien que Dios da es puramente espiritual, qué falta hace un mundo físico.

«We speak of the material and the spiritual as two different concepts. We know that the spiritual is not material. But precisely what is the difference? The answer should be obvious. The main difference between the material and spiritual involves space. Physical space only exists in the physical world. In the spiritual, there is no space as we know it.» — la respuesta que da: la diferencia principal entre lo material y lo espiritual es el espacio, que solo existe en el mundo físico.

«Although concepts of distance and closeness exist in the spiritual realm, they do not have the same meaning as they do in the physical world. In a spiritual sense, closeness involves resemblance. Two things that resemble each other are said to be spiritually close. Two things that differ, on the other hand, are far apart in a spiritual sense.» — la definición de cercanía espiritual que Kaplan propone: la semejanza, de modo que lo que difiere está lejos.

«This has very important implications. In the spiritual world, it is utterly impossible to bring two opposites together. Because they are opposite, they are by definition, poles apart.» — la consecuencia que saca: en el mundo espiritual es imposible juntar dos opuestos, porque por definición están en polos contrarios.

«Thus, for example, God and man are worlds apart—“as the heavens are higher than the earth.” On a purely spiritual plane, it would be totally impossible for the two ever to be brought together. It was for this reason that God created the concept of space. Spiritual things can be bound to the material, just as, for example, the soul is bound to the body.» — y la respuesta a su pregunta: Dios creó el espacio para que lo espiritual pueda atarse a lo material, como el alma al cuerpo.

«One can use this as a meditation. Try to imagine the sphere at infinity and the point at infinity, and attempt to perceive how they are actually one. You will then see that your usual conception of» — el ejercicio que Kaplan propone sobre esa figura: imaginar la esfera y el punto en el infinito y percibir que son uno; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase termina *space and extension are not as simple as you believe*.

«The archetype of the spiritual being is the angel. Since an angel has no body, it can never contain both good and evil in its being. Our sages therefore teach us that angels have no Yetzer HaRa» — el argumento que Kaplan desarrolla sobre el ángel como arquetipo de lo espiritual: sin cuerpo, no puede contener a la vez bien y mal.

«It is only in a physical being that both good and evil can exist together. Although they are at opposite poles spiritually, they can come together in the physical man. One reason why God created man in a physical world was to allow him to have full freedom of choice, with both good and evil as part of his makeup. Without a physical world, these two concepts could never exist in the same being» — la consecuencia: solo en un ser físico conviven bien y mal, y de ahí que Dios pusiera al hombre en un mundo físico para darle plena libertad de elección.

«The Midrash tells us, “One angel cannot have two missions. Neither can two angels share the same mission.”» — la enseñanza del Midrash con que Kaplan aclara lo no físico.

«Angels can be differentiated only by their mission, that is, by their involvement and attachment to some physical thing.» — la lectura que hace de ella: los ángeles solo se distinguen por su misión, es decir por su atadura a algo físico.

«We can also understand this in terms of the human mind. In a sense, the mind is a pure spiritual entity, bound to man's physical brain. Many thoughts and memories may be bound together by man's physical brain, but the mind can only focus on one of them at a time. In simple terms, a person can only think of one thing at a time. A thought is a spiritual entity, and as such, can only contain a single concept. Since both a thought and an angel are basic spiritual entities, this is very closely related to the fact that an angel can only have a single mission» — la traducción que Kaplan hace del mismo argumento a la mente humana: un pensamiento es entidad espiritual y solo contiene un concepto, y por eso se piensa una cosa a la vez.

«For a similar reason, angels have no way of knowing anything that does not pertain to their particular mission. An angel may be created initially with a vast storehouse of knowledge, but it has no way of increasing it, at least, not beyond its own sphere of activity. Thus, for example, we find one angel asking another a question: “And one [angel] said to the Man dressed in linen. . . ‘How long shall it be until the end of these wonders’” (Daniel 12:6)? One angel had to ask the other, because he himself could not know something outside of his own domain» — el corolario que Kaplan saca, con el ángel de Daniel 12:6 preguntándole a otro: ninguno puede saber nada fuera de su misión.

«The fact that good and evil can exist in the same physical space also allows good to overcome evil in this world. Here again, this is only possible in a physical world. In a purely spiritual arena, good could never come close enough to evil to have any influence over it. In the physical world, however, good and evil can exist together, and good can therefore overcome evil.» — el segundo motivo que Kaplan da del mundo físico: en un terreno puramente espiritual el bien no podría acercarse lo bastante al mal para influir en él.

«The Zohar expresses it by stating that we are here “to turn darkness into light.”» — y la fórmula que toma del Zohar para decir a qué se está aquí.

«Two angels therefore cannot share the same mission. It is only their different missions that make the two angels different entities. They cannot be separated by space like physical objects» — el desarrollo del argumento: sin espacio que los separe, dos ángeles solo se distinguen por la misión.

«Therefore, if they both had the same mission, there would be nothing to differentiate them, and they would be one. Similarly, one angel cannot have two missions. On a purely spiritual plane, two different concepts cannot exist in a single entity. If an angel had two missions, then it would be two angels.» — y las dos mitades del teorema: con la misma misión serían uno, y con dos misiones serían dos.

«In order to reach the highest levels of holiness, man must therefore become part of the physical world. When he obeys God's commandments, he attaches himself to the same physical objects as the One who gave the commandments. In obeying these commandments, man therefore attaches himself to God to the greatest possible degree. He is thus able to scale the highest spiritual heights.» — el remate del argumento: cumpliendo los preceptos el hombre se ata a los mismos objetos físicos que quien los dio, y así se ata a Dios cuanto es posible.

«This is the symbolism of Jacob's dream in which he saw, “A ladder standing on earth, whose top reached the heavens” (Genesis 28:12). It is only through earthly deeds that we can climb the loftiest heights. The different levels of the spiritual world, the rungs of the “ladder,” can only be bound together when they are “standing on the earth.”» — la lectura de la escalera de Jacob que Kaplan hace con eso: los peldaños del mundo espiritual solo se atan entre sí apoyados en la tierra.

«The Sefirot are not physical, and do not appear to be attached to any physical concept. Since they represent different concepts and levels, the question then arises: How can they interact? Obviously, the only possible way is through some relationship with the physical world. It is only when two different Sefirot come together and interact with the same physical object that they can also interact with each other. The Kabbalists therefore engage in many physical activities with the primary intent of “unifying the Sefirot.”» — la aplicación a las Sefirot: solo interactúan cuando dos de ellas concurren sobre un mismo objeto físico, y de ahí las prácticas cabalísticas de unificación.

«Another way in which the Sefirot are unified is through the Divine Names. This is especially true of the Tetragrammaton, YHVH ( ). According to the Kabbalists, the apex of the Yud ( ), represents Keter, the Yud itself, Chakhmah, the initial Heh ( ), Binah, the Vav ( ), which has a numerical value of six, the next six Sefirot, and the final Heh, Malkhut.» — el segundo medio de unificación que Kaplan describe: el Tetragrámaton, con el ápice del Yud como Keter, el Yud como Chakhmah, la primera Heh como Binah, la Vav por su valor seis como las seis siguientes y la Heh final como Malkhut.

«The same is true of the other letters of the alphabet. Although the letters are best known as they are written down physically, they actually also represent spiritual forces. Through various combinations of the letters, the spiritual forces associated with them are brought together in various effective combinations. These spiritual forces are the “letters with which heaven and earth were created.”» — la extensión al resto del alfabeto: las letras son también fuerzas espirituales, y son las letras con que fueron creados cielo y tierra.

«The Zohar states: “If one wishes to know the wisdom of the holy unification, let him look at the flame rising from a burning coal or from a kindled lamp. The flame cannot rise unless it is unified with something physical.”» — la voz del Zohar que Kaplan pone bajo el lema *Like a flame in a burning coal*: la llama no se alza si no está unida a algo físico.

«The Sefer Yetzirah therefore states that “their end is imbedded in their beginning. . . like a flame in a burning coal.” The only way in which the end and beginning can interact is because both are bound to related physical concepts.» — la lectura que Kaplan hace del verso con eso: fin y principio solo interactúan porque ambos están atados a conceptos físicos emparentados.

«This can also be used as a meditation» — la meditación de la llama que Kaplan describe parte por parte: la mecha como mundo físico, la llama azul como Malkhut, la amarilla como las seis siguientes, la exterior apenas visible como Binah, la luz irradiada como Chakhmah y el concepto mismo de llama como Keter; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«All of these parts are unified only through the wick. By contemplating a flame in this manner, one can bind himself to the Ten Sefirot.» — y la finalidad del ejercicio: contemplando así una llama uno se ata a las Diez Sefirot.

«The great Kabbalist, Rabbi Abraham Abulafia, notes that the Hebrew word for “coal,” Gachelet ( ), has a numerical value of 441. This is the same as the value of Emet ( ), meaning “truth.”» — la gematría de Abulafia que Kaplan recoge: *Gachelet*, carbón, vale 441, lo mismo que *Emet*, verdad.

«It is Truth that binds all opposites together. This is indicated by the word itself. The word Emet begins with an Alef ( ), the first letter of the alphabet, and ends with a Tav ( ), the last letter. Thus, the “end is imbedded in the beginning.” This is accomplished through the Mem ( ), the middle letter of the alphabet.» — y la lectura que le sigue: *Emet* empieza por Alef y acaba en Tav, de modo que el fin queda encajado en el principio por medio de la Mem.

«Another master Kabbalist, Rabbi Joseph Gikatalia (1248–1323), points out that Alef and Tav are also the first letters of the word Atah ( ), meaning “Thou.” The Heh ( ) at the end of this word, which has a numerical value of five, represents Binah, as expressed in the five books of the Torah, and in the five phonetic families of the alphabet» — la voz de Joseph Gikatalia, a quien Kaplan fecha 1248–1323: Alef y Tav son también las primeras letras de *Atah*, Tú, y la Heh final, de valor cinco, representa Binah.

«In order to address God as “Thou,” we must first “imbed the beginning (Alef) in the end (Tav).” Only then can we address Him through the letters of the Torah, represented by the Heh.» — y la consecuencia devocional que Gikatalia saca según Kaplan: para decirle Tú a Dios hay que encajar primero el principio en el fin.

«The very fact that this Name can be written on a physical piece of paper, where the letters representing the Sefirot are brought together, serves to unify the Sefirot. Each Sefirah is associated with a letter, and when these letters are physically brought together, the Sefirot can also interact.» — el argumento material: escritas físicamente juntas, las letras que representan las Sefirot las ponen a interactuar.

«Even though the Sefirot were created before the physical world, they exist in a domain that is above time, where past, present and future are one.» — la salida que Kaplan da a la objeción cronológica: las Sefirot existen en un dominio por encima del tiempo donde pasado, presente y futuro son uno.

«Besides being brought together by their association with the physical world, the Sefirot are also unified by God Himself. In his prayer, Elijah thus says regarding the Sefirot. “You bind them, and You unify them.”» — el lema *For the Master is Singular*: además de por lo físico, las Sefirot quedan unificadas por Dios mismo, con el dicho de la oración de Elías.

«When the Ten Sefirot are represented as the ten directions, the physical can be taken as the zero point, from which they all emanate. God, as it were, can be said to parallel the point at infinity, where they all converge. Of course, God has no representation whatever, but this is the closest that the human mind can come to imagining a representation. By contemplating the point at infinity, one can approach a conception of the Infinite Being.» — la figura que Kaplan propone con su límite dicho en la misma frase: lo físico como punto cero y Dios como el punto en el infinito, sabiendo que Dios no tiene representación alguna y que es lo más cerca que llega la mente humana.

«This point at infinity is both infinitely large and infinitely small. It does not have any defined place in the continuum of space, time, or the spiritual. It has neither shape nor form, yet, at the same time, it is defined as a single, unitary, undifferentiated point. All of this is also true of God. Of course, God is much more than this.» — el desarrollo de la figura y su segundo límite: el punto no tiene lugar ni forma y es a la vez unitario, todo lo cual vale de Dios, que es mucho más que eso.

«This also implies that God is absolutely simple. In the domain that existed before creation, there was nothing other than God. As mentioned earlier, even such simple concepts as Cause and Effect had to be created. The same is true of number.» — la consecuencia: antes de la creación no había nada fuera de Dios, y hasta Causa y Efecto tuvieron que ser creados, y lo mismo el número.

«If the concept of “oneness” existed in God, this would imply that the concept of number exists in His essence. This in itself would introduce an element of plurality. One could then speak of God and His “oneness,” that is, His association with the number one. “God” and “His oneness” would then be two concepts.» — el argumento con que Kaplan excluye el número de la esencia divina: hablar de Dios y de su unidad ya serían dos conceptos.

«In describing God here, the Sefer Yetzirah does not say that He is one (Echad), but that He is singular (Yachid). It is saying that God is so absolutely singular that there is no quality whatever that can be attributed to Him.» — la distinción léxica que Kaplan subraya: el texto no dice *Echad* sino *Yachid*, singular hasta el punto de que no se le puede atribuir cualidad alguna.

«As the philosophers state, we cannot describe God with any quality or adjective whatever, only with negative attributes or attributes of action» — y la consecuencia que toma de los filósofos: solo atributos negativos o de acción, con los que se dice lo que Dios no es y lo que hace; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This is based on the verse, “There is One, He has no second, He has neither son nor brother”» — el lema *He has no second*, con el versículo de Eclesiastés 4:8 del que Kaplan lo deriva.

«How can one count before the concept of “one” came into existence. As the Sefer Yetzirah later says, “one” parallels Keter, the first Sefirah (1:9). As discussed earlier (1:1), the concept of numbers did not come into existence until the creation of the Sefirot, which were the first elements of numerality and plurality in creation. The concept of “one” did not come into being until the Sefirah of Keter was created. God, the Infinite Being, existed before Keter came into being.» — el lema *Before one, what do you count*: el número solo aparece con las Sefirot, la unidad con Keter, y el Ser Infinito existía antes que Keter.

«The Sefer Yetzirah defines the word Belimah, which we translate as “nothingness.” It says that it also has the connotation of bridling (balam).» — el lema *Bridle your mouth*: Kaplan lee aquí la propia definición que el texto da de *Belimah*, con la connotación de embridar.

«The essence of the Sefirot can only be attained when one bridles one's lips from speaking, and closes one's mind to all verbal and depictive thought. Only when one makes the mind completely blank can the Sefirot be experienced.» — la condición que Kaplan pone: labios refrenados y mente cerrada a todo pensamiento verbal o figurativo, la mente en blanco.

«This is particularly important, since many techniques of Kabbalah meditation involve the recitation of a mantra-like device or various types of contemplation. All such techniques, however, are only a means through which the mind is cleared of all thought. The actual experience of the Sefirot only comes after one stops using the technique and remains absolutely still, with all the thought processes hushed» — el límite que Kaplan le pone a las técnicas: mantra y contemplación solo sirven para vaciar la mente, y la experiencia llega cuando se deja de usar la técnica.

«In Kabbalah, the term “heart” usually denotes Binah» — el lema *And your heart from thinking*: el corazón como Binah, la parte verbal de la mente, que hay que embridar; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Here, “heart” again refers to Binah consciousness. The Sefirot must be experienced with Chakhmah consciousness. If one tries to depict them with Binah (the “heart”), then the mind can become engulfed in a profusion of symbolism. As the Kabbalists explain, this is very dangerous, since the mind can be swallowed up in this kaleidoscope of symbolism, and not be able to emerge from it» — el peligro que Kaplan declara: intentar figurar las Sefirot con Binah engulle la mente en un caleidoscopio de simbolismo del que puede no salir.

«This is what happened to Ben Zomah, who lost his mind when he entered Paradise» — el caso con que Kaplan lo ilustra, Ben Zomah perdiendo la razón al entrar en el Paraíso.

«This “running” consists of a rapid profusion of symbolism, either verbal or visual» — la instrucción de emergencia que Kaplan lee en el verso: si el corazón corre, volver al lugar, enfocando algo físico para restaurar el equilibrio; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In this respect, one must emulate the Chayot, the “living angels” seen by Ezekiel in his vision. One must oscillate between “running and returning.” Since one can only think with Binah consciousness, one must use it to swing into Chakhmah consciousness. This state can only be maintained for a short time, whereupon Binah consciousness returns, and one tries to depict his experience. At this point, one must immediately return to the physical. In this manner, one can oscillate back and forth, reaching higher each time» — el procedimiento completo que Kaplan describe: oscilar entre correr y volver, usar Binah para pasar a Chakhmah, y al volver a Binah regresar enseguida a lo físico.

«From the context, this covenant is a mutual agreement between God and the mystic. The mystic promises that he will not attempt to depict the Sefirot with Binah consciousness, and God promises that if one runs back immediately, then he will be able to return.» — el lema *A covenant was made*: Kaplan lee un acuerdo mutuo, el místico promete no figurar las Sefirot con Binah y Dios promete el regreso a quien vuelva enseguida.

«According to some critical studies, this line is the end of the most ancient part of the text. The Sefer Yetzirah (6:7) also appears to indicate that the covenant mentioned here was that which God made with Abraham. What the text might be saying is that, regarding everything that has been written up to this point, a covenant was made, possibly with Abraham.» — el dato crítico que Kaplan consigna: para algunos estudios esta línea cierra la parte más antigua del texto, y el pacto sería el de Abraham.

«It is in this context that the Kabbalists advised those who were attempting to reach the highest levels to bind their soul with an oath that it should return to their body» — la práctica que Kaplan recoge: atar el alma con un juramento de que volverá al cuerpo.

«Besides such individual oaths, there is also a general covenant that implies that the soul will be able to return, even from the highest levels.» — y el pacto general que, según Kaplan, garantiza el regreso aun desde los niveles más altos.

«In particular, as the Sefer Yetzirah states (1:3), a covenant denotes circumcision. One of the reasons for circumcisions is to indicate that one should be able to control one's sexual passions» — la tercera lectura del pacto que Kaplan pone: circuncisión, y con ella el control de la pasión sexual.

«Communion with the spiritual is also sexual in a sense, and the covenant of circumcision also helps to control this passion. A person who can control his sexual passions even at the height of desire, can also control his mind when it enters the spiritual realm.» — y la analogía que saca: quien controla la pasión en su punto más alto controla la mente al entrar en el reino espiritual.

«The Sefirah alluded to here is Keter (Crown). This is the number one. It is the first of the numbers to come into existence» — el lema *One*: la primera Sefirah es Keter, y es el primer número en existir.

«This is based on the verse, where God says of Betzalel, builder of the tabernacle in the desert, “I will fill him with the Breath of God (Ruach Elohim), with Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge” (Exodus 31:3). We therefore see that the “Breath of God” comes before Wisdom and Understanding. Among the Sefirot, then, this corresponds to Keter» — el lema *The breath of the Living God*: el Aliento de Dios precede en el versículo a Sabiduría y Comprensión, y por eso Kaplan lo hace corresponder a Keter.

«The word ruach, which we translate here as “breath,” is also the word for wind, and the Sefer Yetzirah also apparently uses it as the term for air. This word, however, is often used in the Bible to denote spirit, and this is the sense that it is used here.» — la nota de traducción que Kaplan pone: *ruach* dice viento, aire y espíritu, y aquí lo lee como espíritu.

«Normally, the air is invisible and undetectable. It is only when it moves that one can feel it as a wind or breath. Similarly, the spiritual continuum is undetectable, except when it moves. It is then experienced as spirit (ruach). Hence, ruach is the word for wind, breath, and spirit.» — el argumento con que Kaplan une los tres sentidos: el aire solo se siente cuando se mueve, y el continuo espiritual solo se experimenta cuando se mueve.

«As mentioned above (1:1), the term “Living God” (Elohim Chayim) denotes Yesod (Foundation), when this Sefirah is in a procreative mode, disbursing all the forces of creation. The “spirit” here, which is from Keter, is that which is ultimately disbursed by Yesod. Since Keter itself cannot be experienced, it is referred to in terms of Yesod, since that is where it is experienced» — el lema *Living God*: Kaplan lo asigna a Yesod en modo procreador, y explica que Keter, inexperimentable, se nombra por donde se experimenta.

«In Hebrew, the two terms here are Barukh ( ) and MeBhorakh ( ). Both words actually mean “blessed.” Barukh denotes that God is intrinsically blessed, while MeBorakh implies that He is blessed by others in prayer.» — el lema *Blessed and Benedicted*: *Barukh* dice bendito en sí y *MeBorakh* bendecido por otros en la oración.

«This also refers to the Sefirah of Yesod (Foundation), but in a mode where it bestows spiritual influx and life to the universes below Atzilut. It is therefore called “Life of Worlds.”» — el lema *Life of Worlds*: Yesod en el modo en que reparte influjo espiritual y vida a los universos por debajo de Atzilut.

«These were the tools of creation, as it is written, “With the Word of God, the heavens were made, and with the Breath (Ruach) of His mouth, all their hosts” (Psalms 33:6). According to the Talmud, this alludes to the first Saying of creation, that is, to Keter» — el lema *Voice of Breath and Speech*: las herramientas de la creación según el Salmo 33:6, que el Talmud refiere al primer Dicho, es decir a Keter.

«Voice (kol) is pure inarticulate sound, and as such, it is related to Chakhmah. Speech, on the other hand, is articulate and related to Binah. These two opposites are then connected by “Breath” (Ruach).» — el reparto que Kaplan hace de la tríada: la voz, sonido inarticulado, como Chakhmah; el habla articulada como Binah; y el Aliento uniendo los contrarios.

«This can also be interpreted in terms of creation. “Voice” is pure, inarticulated creative force. It is alluded to in the first verse of the Torah, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” The Talmud states that this was the first of the Ten Saying with which the world was created» — la lectura del mismo trío en el orden del Génesis: el primer dicho inarticulado, el Aliento sobre las aguas y solo después el *hágase la luz*; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In Hebrew, this is Ruach Hakodesh, usually translated as “Holy Spirit.” This is the usual term for divine inspiration, which in its higher forms also includes prophecy.» — el lema *This is the Holy Breath*: *Ruach HaKodesh* como término corriente de la inspiración divina, que en sus formas altas incluye la profecía.

«This “Holy Spirit” can be seen as the intermediate between Voice and Speech. It is thus also intermediate between Chakhmah and Binah consciousness. Ruach HaKodesh is the divine inspiration and information that one can bring back from a state of Chakhmah consciousness to one's normal state of Binah consciousness.» — la definición operativa que Kaplan da: lo que se trae de vuelta desde el estado de Chakhmah al estado normal de Binah.

«Such Ruach HaKodesh is like Keter, which stands between Chakhmah and Binah, but which is above them. Both Chakhmah and Binah are functions of the mind itself, while Ruach HaKodesh comes from without. It is therefore likened to Keter, since a crown is worn above the head and is external to it.» — y el porqué de la asignación a Keter: Chakhmah y Binah son funciones de la mente misma y el Ruach HaKodesh viene de fuera, como la corona que se lleva sobre la cabeza.

«This is also describing the act of creation. The analogy would be the formation of a glass vessel» — la analogía del soplador de vidrio con que Kaplan figura la creación.

«First the breath (ruach) emanates from the mouth of the glassblower. The vessel is shaped through the interaction of the breath, where the wind bounding off the walls causes pressure. The vessel then expands in all spacial directions.» — y su desarrollo: la vasija toma forma por la presión del aire rebotado en las paredes y se expande en todas las direcciones del espacio.

«When we say that God is “blessed,” this means that His essence is brought down, so as to interact with His creation and “bless” it» — la lectura que Kaplan hace del bendecir: la esencia divina baja para interactuar con su creación.

«Hence, it is related to the word Berekh ( ), meaning “knee.” Just as the knee, when it is bent, serves to lower the body, so a blessing serves to lower the Divine. This is closely related to the concept of sitting, discussed above (1:4).» — y la etimología: *Berekh*, rodilla, porque doblarla baja el cuerpo, como la bendición baja lo divino.

«This is Malkhut (Kingship), the lowest of the Ten Sefirot» — el lema *Breath from Breath*: Malkhut contada justo después de Keter, siguiendo el dictamen de encajar el fin en el principio; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In the language of the later Kabbalists, the first Breath from Keter is called Direct Light (Or Yashar). This second “Breath from Breath,” associated with Malkhut is called Reflected Light (Or Chozer)» — los nombres que Kaplan toma de los cabalistas posteriores: Luz Directa desde Keter y Luz Reflejada en Malkhut.

«The Kabbalists often speak of Lights and Vessels. “Light” denotes the concept of giving, while Vessels indicate that of accepting and receiving. The Kabbalists also teach that the Vessels came into being through the “collision” between Direct Light and Reflected Light» — la doctrina de Luces y Vasijas que Kaplan resume: la luz da, la vasija recibe, las vasijas nacen del choque entre luz directa y reflejada, y son las letras del alfabeto; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Sefer Yetzirah therefore speaks of “Breath” and of “Breath from Breath.” The first “Breath” denotes the simple breath that emanates from the lungs and throat. “Breath from Breath” is that which is reflected by the various parts of the mouth to produce the sounds of speech» — la lectura fisiológica que Kaplan hace del verso: el primer aliento sale de pulmones y garganta y el segundo es el que rebota en las partes de la boca para producir los sonidos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In man, this takes place in the mouth, while in the Sefirot, it occurs in Malkhut. It is for this reason that the Tikkuney Zohar speaks of Malkhut as the “Mouth.”194 It is also through Malkhut that all images of the higher Sefirot are reflected so that they should be visualized» — la correspondencia con Malkhut, a la que el Tikkuney Zohar llama la Boca, y por la que se reflejan las imágenes de las Sefirot superiores.

«As discussed earlier (1:1), the word Chakak, which is translated as “engrave,” denotes the removal of material. The letters came into existence when the reflected breath removes portions of the direct breath. This takes place through the various motions of the mouth.» — el lema *Engraved and carved*: grabar es quitar material, y las letras nacen cuando el aliento reflejado quita porciones del directo.

«The second process is Chatzav, which is translated as “carve” or “quarry.” This denotes separating material from its source, as in the verse, “From its mountains, you quarry (chatzav) copper” (Deuteronomy 8:9). It also refers to “quarrying” in a spiritual sense, as in, “Look at [God] the Rock from which you were quarried (chatzav)” (Isaiah 51:1).196 The word Chatzav thus denotes the process wherein the letter sounds leave the mouth and are expressed independently.» — el segundo verbo: *Chatzav*, cantear, que dice separar el material de su fuente, y aquí, los sonidos que dejan la boca y se expresan por su cuenta.

«All letters that are expressed involve the same breath. In a spiritual sense, this means that the same inspiration comes from all letters. This is the Ruach HaKodesh that emanates from Malkhut. Since Malkhut is called the “Mouth,” the spirit emanating from it is called “speech.” Just like physical speech, this consists of “words,” which in turn are comprised of “letters.”» — el lema *And one breath is from them*: la misma inspiración viene de todas las letras, el Ruach HaKodesh que emana de Malkhut, llamada la Boca.

«Some authorities interpret this phrase, “And breath is one of them.” This is because Breath (Ruach) is associated with the letter Alef, as below (3:7)» — una lectura alternativa del mismo verso que Kaplan consigna: *y el aliento es uno de ellos*, porque el Aliento se asocia a la letra Alef.

«This is Chakhmah (Wisdom).199 The Midrash thus says, “Breath (Ruach) gave birth to Wisdom.”200 Wisdom is represented by water, since water is an undifferentiated fluid, as discussed earlier (1:1). Structure must be imposed on it from without.» — el lema *Water from Breath*: Chakhmah representada por el agua, fluido indiferenciado al que la estructura se le impone desde fuera, con el dicho del Midrash de que el Aliento dio a luz la Sabiduría.

«Here God is saying that His “thought,” which is Chakhmah, is as far above the human mind as the sky is above the earth. But just as rain can descend from the sky, so can God's Wisdom come down to man, accomplishing what He desires.» — la lectura que Kaplan hace de Isaías 55:9-11: el pensamiento divino está tan por encima de la mente humana como el cielo de la tierra, y como la lluvia, puede bajar.

«In a psychological sense, Keter represents Ruach HaKodesh, the divine inspiration that can only be granted by God. Wisdom, on the other hand, can be gained by man on his own.» — la traducción psicológica: la inspiración divina solo se concede, y la Sabiduría el hombre puede ganarla.

«Breath also alludes to the process whereby God imposes His will on creation deliberately, so as to change natural events. Chakhmah, on the other hand, involves the natural course of events, which precede without any divine intervention. It is because of Chakhmah that the course of nature can exist. In a physical sense, water is said to allude to the undifferentiated primeval matter» — el segundo reparto: el Aliento como intervención deliberada que cambia el curso natural y Chakhmah como el curso natural mismo.

«Here the Sefer Yetzirah is speaking about the beginnings of written letters. The spoken letters arise from breath, but for the written letters to exist, there must exist a writing fluid, such as ink. This implies the liquid state, of which the prototype is water. The writing fluid is spoken of as “mire and clay.”» — el lema *With them He engraved*: para que haya letras escritas hace falta un fluido de escritura, y ése es el cieno y el barro.

«The scripture states that, “the earth was chaos and void.” The Kabbalists note that “earth” (eretz) is a feminine word, and teach that it alludes to Malkhut, the archetype of the feminine. “Chaos and void,” which related to Chakhmah, did not come into existence until after Malkhut. This is the same as the order of the Sefer Yetzirah, which also places Chakhmah after Malkhut» — el argumento de orden que Kaplan construye: *tierra* es femenino y alude a Malkhut, de modo que el caos y el vacío vienen después, como en el propio orden del Sefer Yetzirah.

«“Chaos and void” allude to the interaction between Chakhmah (water) and Keter (Breath). “Mire and clay” allude to the interaction between Chakhmah (water) and Malkhut (earth). Mire consists mostly of water, and therefore represents the dominance of Chakmah. Clay consists mostly of earth, and represents the dominance of Malkhut. The mire is the writing fluid, while the clay is the medium upon which it is written.» — el reparto de la segunda pareja: el cieno, sobre todo agua, como dominio de Chakhmah, y el barro, sobre todo tierra, como dominio de Malkhut, fluido de escritura y soporte.

«The Hebrew letters have three basic parts, a top, center, and bottom. The top and bottom usually consist of heavy horizontal lines, while the center consists of thinner vertical lines. The bottoms of the letters were “engraved like a garden.” This is where material is removed from the matrix, leaving a hollow. The sides of the letters are then “carved like a wall.” These are the vertical lines which separate the letters from each other like walls. Finally, the tops of the letters are added, like a ceiling covering the letters» — el lema *He engraved them…*: los tres verbos del texto repartidos entre las tres partes de la letra, el fondo grabado como jardín, los costados tallados como muro y el techo puesto encima.

«As mentioned earlier, Chakmah has two modes. The first is that of Chakmah consciousness, while the second is that of memory. Chakhmah consciousness is fluid, and is represented by water. Memory, on the other hand, is fixed, and is denoted by snow.» — los dos modos de Chakhmah que Kaplan distingue: la consciencia, fluida como el agua, y la memoria, fija como la nieve; el troceo imprime *Chakmah*.

«The letters themselves represent the fluid state. Like a fluid, at this point, they can be combined in any way that one desires. Only after snow is poured over them do they become set and immutable in the solid state. A similar idea is found in the Bahir, which states that before it was given to Israel, the Torah was likened to water, but after it was given, it was likened to stone» — la aplicación a las letras: fluidas se combinan a voluntad y con la nieve quedan fijas, con el dicho del Bahir sobre la Torá comparada al agua antes de ser dada y a la piedra después.

«This is Binah (Understanding).214 The process described here is alluded to in the verse, “Fire kindles water”» — el lema *Fire from Water*: Binah, con el versículo de Isaías 64:1.

«The analogy is rain, which is formed when warm, moist air collides with cold air. Similarly, the interaction of direct and reflected breath creates the Sefirah of Chakhmah. Just as rain falls in all things alike, so Chakhmah bestows God's blessing on all things without distinction» — la analogía de la lluvia: como cae sobre todo por igual, Chakhmah reparte la bendición divina sin distinción.

«The difference between breath and water is that breath must be blown downward, while water falls on its own» — la distinción operativa que Kaplan saca de la figura: el aliento hay que soplarlo hacia abajo y el agua cae sola.

«The spiritual essence implied by Keter can only be granted by God's direct intervention and will» — y su traducción: lo de Keter solo se da por intervención y voluntad directa de Dios, y lo de Chakhmah baja por sí solo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Tohu denotes pure substance that does not contain information. Bohu is pure information that does not relate to any substance» — la definición que Kaplan da del par: *Tohu* sustancia sin información y *Bohu* información sin sustancia.

«Both are undifferentiated, and are therefore included in Chakhmah. With Bohu (information), the alphabet letters could be engraved on Tohu (substance).» — y la consecuencia: los dos son indiferenciados y caen en Chakhmah, y con la información se graban las letras sobre la sustancia.

«This is omitted in some versions, but the idea is found in the Midrash» — el lema *He poured snow over them*, que Kaplan declara ausente de algunas versiones aunque la idea esté en el Midrash.

«The liquid state represents fluidity and change, whereas the solid state represents permanence. When the Torah speaks of instability, it uses water as an example, as in the verse, “unstable like water”» — la oposición que Kaplan monta: el estado líquido dice fluidez y cambio, el sólido permanencia.

«The Sefer Yetzirah also implies that the physical world came into being through Chakhmah, while the spiritual world has its roots in Binah. This is because Chakhmah, the concept of giving freely, is the root of mercy, while Binah, the concept of restraint, is the root of justice. Since evil exists in the physical world, if can only be sustained through God's mercy, as the Psalmist sang, “I have said, the world is built on mercy” (Psalms 89:3). In the spiritual world, on the other hand, pure judgment prevails» — el reparto que Kaplan lee en el texto: el mundo físico desde Chakhmah, raíz de la misericordia, y el espiritual desde Binah, raíz del juicio, porque el mal solo se sostiene por misericordia.

«According to the philosophers, Water represents the primeval matter, while Fire represents the primitive aether» — la equivalencia que Kaplan atribuye a los filósofos: Agua como materia primigenia y Fuego como éter primitivo.

«This is the vehicle through which God “sits” and “lowers” His essence so as to be concerned with His creation, as above (1:4). According to the Kabbalists, this Throne represents the Universe of Beriyah. It is in this universe that the power of Binah is dominant.» — el lema *The Throne of Glory*: el Trono como universo de Beriyah, donde domina Binah.

«This is the highest species of angels, which exist in the Universe of Beriyah. Other Kabbalists refer to them as Powers, Forces or Potentials (Kochot), rather than angels» — el lema *Serafim*: la especie más alta de ángeles, que otros cabalistas prefieren llamar Potencias o Potenciales.

«The word “Serafim” comes from the root Saraf, meaning “to burn.” They are given this name because they are in the world of Beriyah, where Binah, which is represented by fire, is dominant» — la etimología que Kaplan da y el porqué del nombre: *Saraf*, quemar, por el dominio de Binah, representada por el fuego, en Beriyah.

«The Chayot are the angels of Yetzirah, and these were the beings that were visualized by Ezekiel. He therefore said, “Above the firmament that was over the heads [of the Chayot] was the likeness of a Throne. . .” (Ezekiel 1:26). Finally, the Ophanim are the angels of Asiyah. These were therefore seen below the Chayot, as the prophet said, “There was an Ophan on the earth near the Chayot”» — el reparto de las órdenes angélicas por universos: Chayot en Yetzirah, vistos por Ezequiel, y Ofanim en Asiyah, vistos debajo.

«“Ministering angels” are those which appear to man on earth. While other angels can only be seen prophetically, ministering angels can also be seen physically» — la última clase: los ángeles ministrantes, que a diferencia de los demás pueden verse físicamente y no solo proféticamente.

«The word for “dwelling” here is Ma'on, which we encountered previously (1:5). This term relates to God as He encompasses all creation, including time and the spiritual dimension. Breath, Fire and Water are the sources of the spiritual (Keter-Malkhut) and time (Chakhmah-Binah) continuums, and these encompass all creation.» — el lema *He founded His dwelling*: Aliento, Fuego y Agua como fuentes del continuo espiritual y del temporal, que abarcan toda la creación.

«The verse says that the angels are made of “breaths” (ruchot), in the plural. This alludes to both direct and to reflected breath. The word for angel here is Malakh, which also means “messenger.” Just as breath descends and ascends through God's will, so do these angels. They therefore carry out the function of direct and reflected Breath. The second kind of angel functions as a minister, remaining in a single universe. These are visualized as fire.» — la lectura del versículo final: los ángeles hechos de alientos en plural, aludiendo al directo y al reflejado, y la segunda clase de ángel, que se queda en un solo universo y se ve como fuego.

«The Sefer Yetzirah stresses the importance of the fact that these letters were chosen from among the Elemental letters. This provides one reason why the letters Yud Heh Vav ( ) were chosen. As the Sefer Yetzirah will later explain (2:3), in alphabetical order, the first three phonetic families are: It is immediately obvious that the first letters on these groups are the first three letters of the alphabet. Of these, Alef is one of the three Mothers, while Bet and Gimel are among the Doubles. In these three groups, therefore, the first simple letters are Heh, Vav and Yud. These are the letters of the Tetragrammaton.» — el lema *He chose three letters*: Kaplan explica por qué son Yud, Heh y Vav, las primeras simples de las tres primeras familias fonéticas.

«The primary ordering of these letters is Yud Heh Vav. According to the book Raziel, this is because Yud includes the first four letters of the alphabet. Yud has a numerical value of 10, and this is the sum of the first four letters (1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 10). After 4 comes 5, the numerical value of Heh, and then 6, the numerical value of Vav» — el orden que el libro Raziel justifica según Kaplan: Yud vale diez, que es la suma de las cuatro primeras letras, y siguen cinco y seis.

«As the Sefer Yetzirah later explains (3:4), Mem is water, Shin is fire, while Alef is breath-air. However, we also know that Yud represents Chakhmah, which is the archetype of water, and Heh represents Binah, which is fire. We therefore have a relationship between Yud and Mem, as well as between Heh and Shin.» — el lema *In the mystery of the three Mothers*: Kaplan cruza las dos series y saca la relación de Yud con Mem y de Heh con Shin.

«As we shall see, the three Mothers (Alef Mem Shin) represent thesis, antithesis and synthesis, the basic triad of Sefer Yetzirah (3:1). Here the text explains how a three-dimensional space is produced from these three concepts.» — la clave que Kaplan anuncia para todo el libro: las tres Madres como tesis, antítesis y síntesis, tríada básica del Sefer Yetzirah.

«Thesis and antithesis represent two opposite directions in a one dimensional line. Together with synthesis, they yield three elements. Since these three elements can be permuted in six different ways, they define a three-dimensional space having six directions» — el argumento combinatorio: tres elementos permutados de seis modos definen un espacio de tres dimensiones con seis direcciones.

«There are a number of ways in which the directions are represented by the letters. In the Gra version, we have the following: In this system, the axis is determined by the neutral letter Vav ( ). As mentioned earlier, Yud is thesis, Heh is antithesis, and Vav is synthesis. Since it represents synthesis, Vav is therefore the zero point, which is the point on the axis. See Table 13 and figure 11.» — el lema *He sealed above…*: en la versión Gra el eje lo fija la letra neutra Vav, que por representar la síntesis es el punto cero.

«The position of the Vav thus determines the axis. The up down axis is represented by the last column, the east west axis by the first column, and the north south axis by the middle column. The direction is then determined by the remaining two letters, Yud and Heh. If they are in direct order, YH ( ), then they define the positive direction on the axis. If they are in reverse order, HY ( ), then they define the negative direction.» — la regla de lectura del sistema Gra que Kaplan formula: la Vav da el eje y el orden directo o inverso de Yud y Heh da el sentido.

«The second important system is found in the Short Version, and used by most of the commentaries. Here, the system is: Here, the axis is determined by the letter in the first column. The assignment is The positions of the last two letters then determine whether it is in the positive or negative direction along the given axis.» — el sistema rival que Kaplan pone al lado sin arbitrar: el de la Versión Corta, seguido por la mayoría de los comentarios, donde el eje lo da la letra de la primera columna.

«Vav has numerical value of 6, and therefore represents the six basic spacial directions» — la asignación de Vav a las seis direcciones básicas del espacio por su valor numérico.

«It also represents the six Sefirot: Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, and Yesod. Among the elements, Vav is said to represent Air and Breath. Indeed, in Hebrew, the word for “direction” is Ruach, the same as that for Breath. Vav is therefore derived from Alef.» — y el resto de la asignación: las seis Sefirot centrales y, entre los elementos, el Aire, porque en hebreo *dirección* se dice igual que *aliento*.

«The Saadia version is very much like the Short Version, except that the permutations representing east and west are interchanged.» — la cuarta variante del reparto de direcciones que Kaplan consigna sin arbitrar: la Saadia, igual a la Corta salvo que intercambia este y oeste.

«To determine the order for the opposite direction, the Ari then makes use of a system used by the Sefer Yetzirah itself. (2:4). The text states that the two prime opposites are Oneg (ANG ) meaning “delight,” and Nega (NGA ), meaning a “plague.” In forming an opposite, it takes the first letter and places it at the end. This is precisely what is done to produce Gevurah (Strength), which represents the north. The Yud ( ), which was at the beginning, is now placed at the end, producing the combination HVY ( ). The north south axis is then represented by the two letters HV» — el procedimiento del Ari que Kaplan explica: para formar el opuesto se pasa la primera letra al final, como hace el propio texto con *Oneg* y *Nega*, deleite y plaga.

«The system of the Zohar is exactly the same as that of the Ari, except that east and west are interchanged. The system of the Tikuney Zohar uses a similar principle, but somewhat differently.» — las dos variantes restantes: la del Zohar, igual a la del Ari salvo el intercambio de este y oeste, y la del Tikuney Zohar, con el mismo principio aplicado de otro modo.

«We can now understand the conceptual nature of the Sefirot. The most primary relationship possible is that which exists between Creator and creation. This is the cause effect relationship. Cause is Keter, while Effect is Malkhut.» — el resumen conceptual que Kaplan hace del sistema: la relación más primaria posible es la de Creador y creación, que es la de causa y efecto.

«Once the concepts of Cause and Effect exist, another concept comes into being, namely that of opposites. If opposites exist, similarities must also exist. Two new concepts therefore come into being. These are Similarity and Oppositeness. In the language of philosophy these are thesis and antithesis.» — el segundo paso de la deducción: de causa y efecto salen Semejanza y Oposición, tesis y antítesis, que son Chakhmah y Binah.

«Once Similarity and Opposition exist, another concept comes into being, namely Relationship. In philosophic terms, this is the synthesis between thesis and antithesis. In our present terminology, this is the Vav of the Tetragrammaton. The word “Vav” means a hook, and the letter Vav as a prefix means “and.” In both senses, it denotes connection and relationship.» — el tercer paso: la Relación como síntesis, que es la Vav, palabra que dice gancho y como prefijo dice *y*.

«Until the concept of Relationship was introduced, only four abstract points existed: Keter and Malkhut, and Chakhmah and Binah. It is with the concept of Relationship that a three-dimensional conceptual continuum comes into existence. This defines six directions, and hence, the numerical value of Vav is 6.» — el argumento con que Kaplan deriva el seis: con la Relación aparece un continuo conceptual de tres dimensiones, y con él seis direcciones.

«Each of the four abstract concepts then gives rise to a relationship. Chakhmah gives rise to Chesed (Love), Binah gives rise to Gevurah (Strength), Keter gives rise to Tiferet (Beauty), and Malkut gives rise to Yesod (Foundation).» — la derivación de las cuatro Sefirot siguientes a partir de las cuatro primeras.

«Tiferet is similarly derived from Keter, the concept of Cause. In order to have the relationship of Cause, an element must give the precise amount of existence or motivation required for the effect. This is the concept of measured giving, represented by Tiferet. Tiferet is beauty, the golden mean.» — la derivación de Tiferet: la causa da la medida exacta de existencia que el efecto requiere, y eso es el dar medido, la belleza como justo medio.

«Since Tiferet is derived from Keter, it would be expected to be above Chesed and Gevurah. However, since Tiferet is also the synthesis between Chesed and Gevurah, it is usually represented as being below them.» — la tensión que Kaplan consigna dentro de su propio esquema: Tiferet debería estar sobre Chesed y Gevurah por venir de Keter, y se dibuja debajo por ser su síntesis.

«Malkhut, the concept of Effect, is usually said to be the feminine archetype of creation. Since Yesod is derived from Malkhut, Yesod is naturally drawn to it and motivated to attach itself to it. It is for this reason that Yesod is said to parallel the sexual organ. It is called Yesod (Foundation) because it is the lowest of the six.» — la derivación de Yesod desde Malkhut, y el porqué de su paralelo con el órgano sexual y de su nombre.

«Once the concept of Relationship has been introduced, these four concepts are no longer merely abstract points in conceptual space. They are connected by the concept of Relationship. The two pairs, Chesed-Gevurah and Tiferet-Yesod are like two crossing lines. This yields four directions in a two-dimensional continuum.» — el paso siguiente del esquema: los dos pares como dos rectas que se cruzan, con cuatro direcciones en un continuo de dos dimensiones.

«Highly significant is the system of the Ari, presented in his discussion of the mystical meditations associated with the Four Species. The Four Species consist of the citron (etrog), palm (lulav), myrtle (hadas), and willow (aravah). They are taken on the festival of Succot (tabernacles), following the commandment, “On the first day, you shall take fruit of the citron tree, branches of palm trees, boughs of myrtle trees, and willows of the brook”» — el sistema del Ari, que Kaplan liga a la meditación de las Cuatro Especies de Sucot.

«These species are waved in all six directions, and according to the Ari, the appropriate letter combination must be meditated upon for each direction» — la práctica que Kaplan describe: al agitar las especies en las seis direcciones se medita la combinación de letras que toca a cada una.

«The east west axis is on the neutral zero point on both the up down line and on the north south line. In the three column representation, Tiferet (east) and Yesod (west) are both in the middle line.» — el porqué de que este y oeste empiecen por Vav en ese sistema: son el punto cero neutro de los otros dos ejes y en la representación de tres columnas caen en la línea media.

«Therefore, Chakhmah, which is Similarity, gives rise to Chesed, which is the concept of giving» — el porqué de esa derivación: para dar hay que estar cerca, y la cercanía espiritual es semejanza; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase continúa poniendo la Oposición como origen de Gevurah, el retener.

«One may use the letters to climb the Tree of Life, but the Sefirot are the points where one must rest.» — la distinción de funciones que Kaplan formula: las letras para subir el Árbol de la Vida y las Sefirot como los puntos donde se descansa.

«There is actually an important apparent contradiction in the text. In one section (1:6), the text says, “Their vision is like the appearance of lightning. . . they speak of them ‘running and returning.’” This would imply that it is impossible to see the Sefirot for more than an instant, just like a flash of lightning. Later, however, the text states, “If your heart runs, return to the place, as it is written, ‘The Chayot running and returning’” (1:8). This appears to say that one can go further, but that one should refrain from doing so» — la contradicción aparente que Kaplan señala en el propio texto: 1:6 dice que las Sefirot solo se ven un instante y 1:8 parece decir que se puede ir más lejos y no conviene.

«What the text is actually doing, however, is describing two distinct stages of initiation into the mysteries of the Sefirot.» — la salida que propone: no hay contradicción sino dos etapas distintas de iniciación.

«The first stage begins with the exercise where the initiate must “understand with Wisdom, and be wise with Understanding” (1:4). Here he learns how to oscillate between Binah consciousness and Chakhmah consciousness. On this level, he can meditate on the Sefirot as ten depths, allowing the mind to reach out to the infinity of each of these depths. Since he is still in a state of oscillating mentality, he sees the Sefirot like flashes of lightning, “running and returning.”» — la primera etapa según Kaplan: oscilar entre Binah y Chakhmah y meditar las Sefirot como diez profundidades, viéndolas como relámpagos por la mentalidad todavía oscilante.

«This, however, is something that cannot be accomplished with Binah consciousness. This state of consciousness can only imagine things verbally, or depict things in physical terms. The point at infinity is both infinite and infinitesimal, and therefore, cannot be depicted. It can only be contemplated with Chakhmah consciousness.» — el porqué del cambio de estado: el punto en el infinito es a la vez infinito e infinitesimal y no se puede figurar verbalmente.

«As the text notes, this represents the unity that preceded the concept of number. It introduces a device very much like a Zen koan, asking, “Before one, what do you count”? What is the number that precedes all number?» — la comparación que Kaplan propone: la pregunta del texto funciona como un koan zen.

«Both the point at infinity and the koan are meant to train the mind to visualize absolute nothingness. The Ari notes that Keter, the highest of the Sefirot, is often designated by the word Ayin, meaning “nothing.” The Infinite Being, the level above Keter, cannot even be designated by this word. The only word that can be used is Effes, which, according to the Ari, denotes a nothingness that thought (Binah) cannot grasp at all.» — lo que Kaplan toma del Ari: Keter se dice *Ayin*, nada, y el Ser Infinito por encima ni con esa palabra, sino con *Effes*, una nada que el pensamiento no alcanza.

«It has been said that the best way to describe absolute nothingness is to speak of it as “what you see behind your head.” Since vision does not exist in the back of the head, what one sees there is absolute nothingness. If I ask you what you see behind your head, you answer that you see nothing. Contemplating on what one sees behind one's head is therefore a good way to learn how to visualize absolute nothingness.» — el ejercicio que Kaplan repite de otros: contemplar lo que se ve detrás de la propia cabeza.

«In general, the soul is said to consist of five parts: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah, Chayah and Yechidah. Of these, only the first three, Nefesh, Ruach and Neshamah, have any effect on the mind. The last two, Chayah and Yechidah, are called “envelopments” (makifin), which cannot enter the mind» — el reparto del alma en cinco partes que Kaplan recoge, con las dos últimas declaradas envolturas que no entran en la mente.

«Neshamah, the highest part of the soul that “enters” the mind, parallels the Sefirah of Binah. See Table 15 on page 90. Chakhmah consciousness is above thought, and is like something that exists outside the mind. Or, as in the analogy used earlier, it is like what we “see” behind our heads. Just like something behind the head can only be seen if reflected in a mirror, so Chakhmah consciousness can only be grasped when reflected and clothed in Binah.» — la correspondencia que Kaplan traza: Neshamah con Binah, y Chakhmah por encima del pensamiento, aprehensible solo reflejada y vestida de Binah, como lo que está detrás de la cabeza en un espejo.

«He must maintain this level, and is accordingly instructed, “If your heart runs” back to Binah, “return to the place.” This “place” is Chakhmah consciousness, which the initiate has already attained. Once the initiate has reached a point where he can maintain a state of Chakhmah consciousness, he is ready to actually begin climbing the Tree of Life, which is the ladder of the Sefirot.» — y el remate: el *lugar* al que volver es la consciencia de Chakhmah ya alcanzada, y sostenerla es lo que habilita a empezar a subir el Árbol de la Vida.

«Aside from their theoretical implications, the Ten Sefirot also have important mystical and meditative significance. The Sefer Yetzirah, in this first chapter, has presented a system of meditating on the Sefirot and of binding oneself to them.» — la lectura de conjunto que Kaplan hace del capítulo primero: no solo doctrina, un sistema para meditar en las Sefirot y atarse a ellas.

«The ten infinite directions, however, represent a state of separation and disunity. This is the essence of Binah.» — el paso a la segunda etapa: las diez direcciones infinitas son separación y desunión, que es la esencia de Binah.

«It is in this context that the text says, “Bridle your mouth from speaking and your heart from thinking.” “Heart” denotes Binah consciousness, and hence, it is saying that on this level, the initiate must blank out Binah consciousness completely.» — la lectura del verso 1:8 dentro de ese esquema: en este nivel el iniciado debe apagar del todo la consciencia de Binah.

«The second step is “Breath from Breath.” The text states, “with it engrave and carve 22 letters.” The Kabbalists explain that “engraving” and “carving” denote meditative techniques. This is supported by the last section (6:7), which states that Abraham “looked, saw, understood, probed, engraved, and carved, and was successful in creation.”» — el inicio de la instrucción práctica que Kaplan lee en el capítulo: grabar y tallar son técnicas meditativas, y lo apoya en la mishná final sobre Abraham.

«They teach that “engraving” denotes a process where one depicts a letter in one's mind. “Carving” then means that this letter is separated from all other thoughts, so that the entire mind is filled with it» — las definiciones operativas que Kaplan recoge: grabar es representar una letra en la mente y tallar es separarla de todo otro pensamiento hasta que la llene entera; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This is the stage of Malkhut, where one stands at the bottom of the Tree of Life. It is at this stage that the initiate must work with the letter that he wishes to use. He must then “draw it in water, and kindle it with fire” (6:7). The subsequent instructions therefore indicate how the letter is to be charged with spiritual power.» — la etapa que corresponde a Malkhut: trabajar con la letra elegida y cargarla de potencia espiritual.

«The third step, then, is “Water from Breath.” At first, the initiate depicts the letter in transparent air, visualizing it clearly. Now he must reach up to the level of Chakhmah, returning to a state of Chakhmah consciousness. He then begins to see the letter as if he were looking at it through water. This is “drawing it through water.” The letter begins to blur and fade, as if it were being viewed through increasingly deep water.» — la tercera etapa descrita como técnica visual: la letra empieza a verse como a través del agua y se difumina.

«The initiate must then “engrave and carve chaos and void, mire and clay.” At this stage, the form breaks up and dissolves completely, like something seen through turbulent water. This is “chaos and void.”238 The image then fades away completely, as if it were being viewed through muddy water. This is “mire.” Finally, all that is left is inky blackness, as if one were buried in totally opaque mud and clay.» — la continuación del ejercicio: la forma se disuelve en agua turbulenta, se apaga en agua fangosa y queda una negrura de tinta.

«All through this process, you are constantly aware of the feeling of water, cool and absolutely calm. It is the dark, wet feeling of the womb, where you are totally isolated from all sensation.» — la sensación que acompaña al ejercicio, que Kaplan compara con el útero: agua fría y en calma, aislamiento total.

«The initiate then reaches the fourth step, where he returns to a state of Binah consciousness. This is depicted as fire and blinding light, as the Midrash continues, “Fire conceived and gave birth to Light.” This is the stage where one “kindles them with fire.”» — la cuarta etapa: vuelta a la consciencia de Binah, figurada como fuego y luz cegadora, con la continuación del mismo Midrash.

«The method of drawing the influx into these lower Sefirot involves contemplating the three letters Yud Heh Vav ( ). These should be visualized as if written in the Ashurite script, with black fire on white fire. See figure 14. These letters should appear huge, filling the entire mind» — la técnica para bajar el influjo a las seis Sefirot inferiores: contemplar Yud Heh Vav en escritura asiria, con fuego negro sobre fuego blanco, enormes.

«While contemplating the letter combinations, one should face in the appropriate direction, either physically or mentally. After completing all six directions and permutations, this part of the exercise is complete.» — el remate del ejercicio: encarar cada dirección, física o mentalmente, hasta completar las seis.

«Having completed the initiation into the Ten Sefirot, the text now discusses the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.» — el encuadre que Kaplan pone al capítulo segundo.

«The first set of letters are the Three Mothers, which will be discussed in further detail in chapter 3. Here they are introduced because they define the thesis-antithesis-synthesis structure that is central to the teachings of Sefer Yetzirah. They also serve as an introduction to the meditative techniques involving the letters.» — por qué las Madres se introducen aquí según Kaplan: definen la estructura de tesis, antítesis y síntesis que es central en el libro.

«These three letters represent the three columns into which the Sefirot are divided. The right hand column, headed by Chakhmah, is represented by Mem. The left column, headed by Binah, is represented by Shin. The center column, headed by Keter, is represented by Alef. As discussed earlier, Chakhmah is water (which is here represented by Mem), Binah is fire (which is Shin), and Keter is breath-air (which is the Alef).» — la correspondencia de las tres Madres con las tres columnas: Mem a la derecha con Chakhmah, Shin a la izquierda con Binah y Alef en el centro con Keter.

«The Hebrew word for “pan” here is Kaf. This word can denote the pan of a scale, but it also denotes the palm of the hand. Likewise, the word Lashon can be used for the tongue of a balance, the pointer which indicates when the two pans are in equilibrium. Its usual meaning, however, is the tongue that is in the mouth» — el lema *A pan of merit*: *Kaf* dice platillo de balanza y palma de la mano, y *Lashon* dice fiel de la balanza y lengua de la boca.

«Therefore, on one hand, the letters Alef Mem Shin ( ) represent the two pans and tongue of a balance. On the other hand, they represent the two hands, and the “covenant between them” (1:3), which is the tongue.» — la doble lectura que Kaplan saca de esa ambigüedad: los dos platillos y el fiel, o las dos manos y el pacto entre ellas, que es la lengua.

«The Hebrew word for “decree” here is Chok ( ). This comes from the root Chakak ( ), meaning to “engrave.” It is the “tongue of balance” that “engraves” the letters. This is represented by the letter Alef ( ), the basis of the alphabet.» — el lema *The tongue of decree*: *Chok* viene de *Chakak*, grabar, de modo que es el fiel de la balanza el que graba las letras.

«The text describes this process saying. “Engrave them like a garden, carve them like a wall, cover (or surround) them like a ceiling.” First visualize this blackness beneath your feet. Your feet may then appear to dissolve, a phenomenon that is also mentioned in other ancient mystical texts» — la coreografía del ejercicio que Kaplan dicta: la negrura bajo los pies, que pueden parecer disolverse, fenómeno que dice mencionado en otros textos místicos antiguos.

«Slowly, make this blackness creep over you, surrounding you completely like a wall. Finally, let it cover and surround you like a ceiling of inky black mire. At this point, you will have no visual sensation whatever, neither physical nor mental.» — y su remate: la negrura rodeando como muro y por último cubriendo como techo, hasta no haber sensación visual alguna.

«It is with respect to this state that the Midrash states, “Water conceived and gave birth to absolute darkness (afelah).”» — el dicho del Midrash con que Kaplan cierra la etapa.

«Here, the initiate must “engrave and carve out the Throne of Glory, Serafim, Ophanim, and holy Chayot.” He depicts (engraves) and fills the mind (carves) with these images, these being the same as the ones visualized by the prophets» — el contenido de la cuarta etapa: llenar la mente con el Trono y los órdenes angélicos, los mismos que visualizaron los profetas.

«He must start with the Throne, and then continue through the various levels of angels, ending with the Chayot in the Universe of Yetzirah, which corresponds to the Six Directions. The influx is thus brought to the level of Binah.» — y el orden del recorrido: del Trono a los Chayot del universo de Yetzirah, que corresponden a las Seis Direcciones.

«The idea of black fire is not just the absence of light, but negative light» — la precisión que Kaplan hace sobre el fuego negro: no es ausencia de luz sino luz negativa.

«The black must be so intense that it is brilliantly black, just as a light is brilliantly white. This is the black fire with which the letters must be depicted.» — y su medida: un negro tan intenso que brilla, como brilla lo blanco.

«The Hebrew word for “hum” here is Damam ( ), in which the letter Mem is dominant. Similarly, the word for “hiss” is Sharak ( ), which begins with a Shin» — el lema *Mem hums, Shin hisses*: Kaplan deriva los verbos de palabras hebreas donde domina cada letra.

«The humming sound associated with Mem is very calm, and it is thus, the sound associated with water and Chakhmah consciousness. If one wishes to attain Chakhmah consciousness, one repeats this sound in the manner described like the Kabbalists. The resemblance between this and the “Om” chant is certainly more than coincidental.» — la técnica que Kaplan saca del zumbido de la Mem, y la comparación que declara más que casual con el canto *Om*.

«This sound is also closely associated with prophecy, which involves Chakhmah consciousness. The Kabbalists say that the “fine still (damamah) voice” (1 Kings 19:12), heard by Elijah, was actually a “fine humming sound.”5 This humming sound is used to attain such a state of consciousness, and as such, it is experienced when one is in a prophetic state.» — el vínculo con la profecía: los cabalistas leen la voz fina y quieta que oye Elías como un fino zumbido.

«Just as telling is a passage in Job, which, incidentally, also describes the prophetic experience very graphically (Job 4:12–16): A word was stolen to me My ear caught a touch of it In meditations from night visions When a trance falls on man Terror called me and I shuddered It terrorized most of my bones A spirit passed before my face Made the hair of my flesh stand on end It stood and I did not recognize its vision A picture was before my eyes I heard a hum (damamah) and a voice.» — el pasaje de Job 4:12-16 que Kaplan cita como descripción gráfica de la experiencia profética, con el zumbido al final.

«The letter Shin has the hissing sound of sh or s. This sound is associated with fire and Binah consciousness.» — y la contraparte: el siseo de la Shin, atado al fuego y a la consciencia de Binah.

«The two sounds, M and Sh, may also be used as a device for oscillating between Binah and Chakhmah consciousness. One invokes a strong state of Binah consciousness by pronouncing the Shin, and then swings to Chakhmah consciousness by voicing the Mem. The pronunciation of these two letters can also include the five primary vowels, in a manner that will be described below (2:5) in greater detail.» — la técnica que Kaplan propone con las dos: la Shin para invocar Binah y la Mem para pasar a Chakhmah.

«It is significant to note that these two sounds are dominant in the word Chashmal ( ), which, according to the Kabbalists, is the interface between the physical and the spiritual. In his vision, Ezekiel thus says that he saw, “The appearance of Chashmal in the midst of the fire” (Ezekiel 1:4). It was only after visualizing the Chashmal that Ezekiel was able to perceive the Chayot and enter into the state of prophecy. In our present terminology, Chashmal would be the interface between Binah consciousness and Chakhmah consciousness. It therefore appears out of the “midst of the fire,” since it arises from a state of Binah consciousness.» — el hallazgo que Kaplan propone sobre *Chashmal*, que los cabalistas hacen interfaz entre lo físico y lo espiritual: las dos consonantes dominantes son las mismas, y en su terminología sería la interfaz entre Binah y Chakhmah.

«Since M and Sh are the dominant consonants in Chashmah, it is possible that the word itself was used as a mantra when the prophet swung between Binah and Chakhmah consciousness. “The appearance of Chashmal” would then be the visual experience that one would have during such a state of oscillation. Even the more advanced prophets, who could enter a state of chakhmah consciousness at will, would use the term Chashmal to describe this interface» — la conjetura que Kaplan enuncia como posibilidad: que la palabra misma se usara como mantra al oscilar entre los dos estados; el troceo imprime *Chashmah* por *Chashmal*.

«According to the Talmud, the word Chashmal comes from two words, Chash, meaning “silence,” and Mal, indicating speech. It can therefore be translated as “speaking silence.”7 It is a double sensation, where one is experiencing the “silence” of Chakhmah consciousness, and the “speech” of Binah consciousness at the same time. The two parts of the mind are experiencing different things simultaneously.» — la etimología que Kaplan toma del Talmud: *Chash* silencio y *Mal* habla, silencio que habla, sensación doble donde las dos partes de la mente experimentan cosas distintas a la vez.

«Such double sensation can be easily experienced. Take a red glass and place it over the right eye, and place a green glass over the left eye. When you look through both eyes, you will perceive two opposite sensations simultaneously. The world will take on a surrealistic, almost spiritual, appearance. The interface between Chakhmah and Binah is even more etherial.» — el experimento casero con que Kaplan lo ilustra, un cristal rojo en un ojo y uno verde en el otro.

«The Kabbalists also note that the two letters Shin and Mem spell out Shem ( ), the word for “name.”8 It is through the “names” of objects, and in particular, through divine Names, that one can make the transition between Chakhmah and Binah consciousness. As the Baal Shem Tov taught, it is through a name that one can grasp the spiritual essence of a person or object» — lo que Kaplan recoge de los cabalistas y del Baal Shem Tov: Shin y Mem deletrean *Shem*, nombre, y por el nombre se alcanza la esencia espiritual de una persona o cosa.

«The Zohar also says that the letters Mem and Shin define the mystery of Moses, whose Hebrew name, Mosheh, is spelled Mem Shin Heh ( ).10 This would be an allusion to the fact that the two consonants, Mem and Shin, represent Chakhmah and Binah. The Heh has a numerical value of 5, and this would represent the five primary vowels, with which the combination of consonants is pronounced.» — lo que Kaplan toma del Zohar sobre el nombre de Moisés, con la Heh final valiendo cinco por las cinco vocales primarias.

«A somewhat similar idea is taught explicitly by the early Kabbalists. The Torah states that Moses killed an Egyptian who was striking an Israelite, and the Midrash explains that this was accomplished with a divine Name» — el episodio del egipcio muerto por Moisés con un Nombre divino, y la gematría de *Koh*, que vale veinticinco por las veinticinco combinaciones de dos letras con las cinco vocales; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Alef is a silent consonant, and as such, it represents a simple breath of air. This does not draw one toward either state of consciousness. Normally, breathing is an unconscious act, and hence, it pertains to Chakhmah consciousness. However, one can also control one's breathing, and it is then in the domain of Binah consciousness.» — el lema *Alef is the Breath of air*: la Alef no arrastra a ninguno de los dos estados, porque respirar es inconsciente y a la vez controlable.

«First the letters are “engraved” out of nothingness. Then they are “carved” out and separated. They are then “permuted,” so that a given combination appears in different sequences. They then are “weighed” and manipulated according to their numerical values. Finally, they can be “transformed” through the various standard ciphers» — el lema *He engraved them*: los cinco verbos del texto leídos como cinco operaciones sucesivas, grabar, tallar, permutar, pesar por valor numérico y transformar por cifras estándar.

«Consciously controlling the breath is therefore a valid technique for bringing together these two states of consciousness. It is also useful in making the transition between the two states. Thus, the Kabbalists make use of controlled breathing in association with such techniques as pronouncing two consonants with the five primary vowels» — la técnica que Kaplan deriva de la Alef: el control consciente del aliento para juntar los dos estados y para pasar de uno a otro, asociado a pronunciar dos consonantes con las cinco vocales primarias.

«This section can also be read in the imperative: “Engrave them, carve them, permute them, weigh them, and depict all that was formed . . .” When interpreted in this manner, this section is teaching a technique discussed by various Kabbalists» — la lectura imperativa que Kaplan pone al lado, convertida en instrucción al iniciado.

«The initiate must first depict the letters, “engraving” them in his mind. Then he must “carve” them out, making them fill his entire consciousness. After this, he can permute them in various ways. He can also manipulate them through their numerical values and the standard ciphers.» — y el procedimiento: grabar las letras en la mente, tallarlas hasta que llenen la consciencia, permutarlas y manipularlas por valores y cifras.

«Another important technique involved meditating on the letters by writing them» — la segunda técnica que Kaplan describe: meditar las letras escribiéndolas.

«The simplest method was to take a word and permute it in all possible ways. If one used a set system to permute these letters, this was called Gilgul, or “cycling” of the letters» — y su forma más simple: permutar una palabra de todos los modos posibles, lo que con sistema fijo se llama *Gilgul*.

«As explained earlier, “engrave” means to sound a letter, while “carve” means to express it. Some versions add, “He bound them to the tongue like a flame is bound to a burning coal.” This is similar to an expression used above (1:7).» — el lema *He engraved them with voice*, con una variante textual que Kaplan consigna: algunas versiones añaden que las ató a la lengua como la llama al carbón encendido.

«The division of the letters into five groups is presented here, but this is the only time that this is mentioned in Sefer Yetzirah. No apparent reason or application for this division is given.» — el silencio del texto que Kaplan señala: las cinco familias fonéticas aparecen una sola vez y sin razón ni aplicación declarada.

«There are two basic ways in which these families are ordered. The first way is that which is presented here, which starts from the throat, the most internal part of the mouth, and then continues outward to the lips» — los dos ordenamientos rivales que Kaplan consigna sin arbitrar: el del texto, de la garganta a los labios, y el de los comentarios más antiguos, alfabético; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is significant to note that all five families are present in Bereshit ( ), the first word of the Torah» — el dato que Kaplan añade: las cinco familias están todas en la primera palabra de la Torá.

«The Kabbalists, however, draw a parallel between the five phonetic families and the five doubled letters. According to the Ari, the letters paralleling the phonetic families in the order presented here are: Tzadi, Nun, Kaf, Mem, Peh» — el paralelo que los cabalistas tienden y que Kaplan atribuye al Ari, entre las cinco familias fonéticas y las cinco letras finales.

«Another concept that is conspicuously missing in the Sefer Yetzirah is that of the vowels. Here again, they form a group of five, the main vowels being Cholam (o), Kametz (a), Tzereh (e), Chirik (i), and Shurek (u). See Table 21 on page 104. These are often alluded to in the mnemonic Pituchey Chotam ( ), the “signet engraving” (Exodus 28:11) of the Bible» — el tercer silencio que Kaplan señala: las vocales, que también son cinco y se recuerdan por el mnemotécnico *Pituchey Chotam*.

«In general, the five vowels are very important in the use of the Sefer Yetzirah. The usual procedure is to take a pair of letters, pronouncing them with the twenty-five possible combinations of the five vowels. This appears in the system of Rabbi Abrahamz Abulafia, as well in various techniques of making a Golem. There appear, however, to be a number of different opinions as to the ordering of the vowels, and a few of these are presented in Table 22» — el procedimiento corriente que Kaplan describe: tomar un par de letras y pronunciarlo con las veinticinco combinaciones de las cinco vocales, como en Abulafia y en las técnicas del Golem; el troceo imprime *Rabbi Abrahamz Abulafia*.

«Some of the later Kabbalists also assign the five phonetic families to the five Sefirot: Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach and Hod. Yesod is not included, since, in this respect, Yesod and Tiferet are counted as one» — la asignación de las familias fonéticas a cinco Sefirot que Kaplan recoge, con Yesod fuera porque cuenta como uno con Tiferet y porque pertenece a la melodía y no al sonido; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«There is, however, a difference of opinion between the Ari and the Ramak as to whether the Sefirot are to be taken in descending or in ascending order» — el desacuerdo que Kaplan consigna sin arbitrar: el Ari y el Ramak discrepan sobre si las Sefirot se toman en orden descendente o ascendente; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The first clue as to how to assign these to the five-dimensional continuum comes from the ordering of the final letters in the Talmud: Mem Nun Tzadi Pen Kaf ( ). In all sources, both Talmudic and Kabbalistic, the letters are presented in this order. The correct alphabetical order of the letters, however, would be: Kaf Mem Nun Peh Tzadi ( ). See Table 24 on page 106. The question then arises: why are these letters usually not presented in their alphabetical order?» — la pregunta que Kaplan se plantea: por qué las letras finales se presentan siempre en un orden que no es el alfabético.

«This is the precise order in which these letters are usually presented, and this hardly appears to be coincidental. Also significant is the fact that the Ari states that the usual order MNTzPKh ( ) only applies to these letters when they parallel the Five Strengths. When they relate to the Five Loves, they are in direct alphabetical order» — la respuesta que propone y el apoyo que le da: el orden acostumbrado corresponde a las Cinco Fuerzas, y el Ari dice que ante los Cinco Amores las mismas letras van en orden alfabético directo.

«In relating the five primary vowels to these phonetic families, the Zohar presents them in the order i u e o a, this being the order that they appear in PiTuCheY ChoTaM ( ).36 Since the Zohar here presents the phonetic families in alphabetical order» — el orden de las vocales que Kaplan toma del Zohar, el del mnemotécnico *PiTuCheY ChoTaM*.

«We now have three groups of five: the phonetic families, the final letters, and the primary vowels. All these can be related to the five dimensions.» — el resultado de todo el argumento: tres grupos de cinco, familias fonéticas, letras finales y vocales primarias, todos referibles a las cinco dimensiones.

«The most obvious reason for the five phonetic families would be so that the divisions of the alphabet should parallel the divisions in the five dimensional continuum defined by Sefer Yetzirah» — la razón que Kaplan propone para las cinco familias fonéticas: que las divisiones del alfabeto corran parejas con las del continuo de cinco dimensiones.

«Indeed, the Kabbalists teach that these five groups parallel the Five Loves and Five Strengths (see 1:3), which are the end points of these dimensions» — el apoyo que le da: los cabalistas hacen esos cinco grupos parejos de los Cinco Amores y las Cinco Fuerzas.

«The assignment of these families to specific dimensions, however, is not indicated, although it may be derived indirectly.» — y el límite que Kaplan pone enseguida: la asignación concreta no está indicada, aunque pueda derivarse indirectamente.

«One of the mysteries of the Sefer Yetzirah is the fact that the double letters are not mentioned. These double letters are the ones which have different forms in the middle and at the end of a word» — el segundo silencio que Kaplan declara misterio del libro: las cinco letras con forma final no se mencionan nunca.

«The Zohar clearly draws a parallel between the five phonetic families and the five prime vowels, and this is echoed by other Kabbalists» — lo que Kaplan toma del Zohar: las cinco familias fonéticas en paralelo con las cinco vocales primarias.

«The five primary vowels would then also represent the five dimensions of the Sefer Yetzirah.» — y la consecuencia que saca: las cinco vocales representarían también las cinco dimensiones.

«As the Talmud states, the forms of these letters were forgotten, and later reinstituted by the prophets» — el dato talmúdico que hace más notorio ese silencio: las formas de las letras finales se olvidaron y las reinstituyeron los profetas; el crudo imprime *re-instituted* partido por el salto de renglón y `span()` lo devuelve unido, sin el guion.

«The word for “circle” here is Galgal. This can also be translated as “sphere” or “cycle.” Later, the Sefer Yetzirah speaks of the Galgal again, saying, “The cycle (galgal) in the year is like a king in the provence” (6:3).» — el lema *In a circle*: *Galgal* dice también esfera y ciclo, y Kaplan lo ata a la mishná 6:3.

«The first chapter thus speaks of one aspect of kingship, which is the heart. As the text later says, “The heart in the soul is like a king in war” (6:3). The heart therefore dominates the continuum of the spiritual. Now, in the second chapter, the text is turning to a second aspect of kingship, the Cycle (galgal), which dominates time.» — la arquitectura que Kaplan propone del libro: el capítulo primero por el corazón, que domina lo espiritual, y el segundo por el ciclo, que domina el tiempo.

«In general, if a number of points are placed in a circle, the number of possible lines that can connect any pair of points can be easily calculated. If we let n be the number of points, and L the number of lines, the formula is: L = n (n - 1)/2 Take the number, multiply it by the number below it, and divide by two.» — la fórmula combinatoria con que Kaplan deduce el número de puertas.

«The number of lines that can connect the 22 letters placed in a circle is therefore (22 × 21)/2. See figure 18 on page 111. Making the calculation, we find that there are 231 such lines. These are the 231 Gates.» — y el cálculo: veintidós por veintiuno partido por dos da 231, que son las Puertas.

«The Kabbalists present an important meditation regarding these gates» — la meditación de las Puertas que Kaplan describe, apoyada en el texto del capítulo primero; el troceo imprime coma donde iría punto tras la llamada de nota; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The initiate must contemplate the ground, visualizing it as murky black mud, He must then “engrave” the 22 letters, forming each one in his mind, These should make a circle in the ground. Then he must “carve them like a wall,” He must “carve” each letter out of the ground and stand each one up, making a circle of letters, surrounding him like a wall. One of the major Kabbalists, Rabbi Isaac of Acco, speaks of a similar meditation, where the letters are visualized on the horizon» — el ejercicio paso a paso: grabar las letras en el suelo de barro negro formando un círculo y después tallarlas y ponerlas de pie como un muro alrededor, con el paralelo que Kaplan trae de Isaac de Acco.

«Next, the initiate must “deck them like a ceiling.” He must imagine the 231 lines connecting the 22 letters, and depict them like a ceiling over his head.» — la tercera fase del ejercicio: imaginar las 231 líneas que unen las letras y ponerlas de techo.

«Once he has completed this exercise, he is ready to make use of the circle. If he wishes to use it to create, he must proceed in direct order, beginning with the Alef. Focusing the mind on the Alef, he then follows each of the 21 paths emanating from it to the other letters, from Bet to Tav. He continues in this manner, using all the other letters» — el uso del círculo para crear: en orden directo desde la Alef, siguiendo las veintiuna sendas que salen de cada letra.

«According to some, this is also a technique for making a Golem, If one wishes to destroy it, one proceeds in the precise opposite direction, beginning with Tav, and ending with Aleph.» — y la aplicación que Kaplan atribuye a algunos: técnica para hacer un Golem, con el orden inverso para destruirlo.

«It is also related that the disciples of the Riva40 attempted to use the Sefer Yetzirah to make a creature. They went in the wrong direction, however, and sunk in the earth up to their waists through the power of the letters. Trapped, they cried out for help. The Riva was finally contacted, and he told his other disciples to recite the alphabets while proceeding in the opposite direction, until the others were freed» — el relato que Kaplan recoge: los discípulos del Riva fueron en la dirección equivocada y se hundieron en la tierra hasta la cintura por la potencia de las letras.

«The number 231 represents the number of ways in which two different letters of the Hebrew alphabet can be connected. This number also is the number of two letter words that can be formed with the letters, provided the same letter is not repeated, and provided that order is not considered. These combinations may be arranged in a triangle» — el lema *With 231 Gates*: el número cuenta las parejas de letras distintas sin repetición y sin considerar el orden.

«This first method is called the Logical Method (figure 20). Besides this, there is also a Kabbalistic Method (figure 21), which is somewhat more complex» — los dos métodos de disposición que Kaplan distingue, el Lógico y el Cabalístico.

«In the Kabbalistic Method, one begins by writing the entire Hebrew alphabet, from Alef to Tav. On the second line, one writes every other letter, ending with Shin. One then skips the Tav and begins once again with Alef. The sequence therefore repeats itself.» — el Método Cabalístico descrito paso a paso: el alfabeto entero, luego cada segunda letra, y la vuelta a empezar tras saltar la Tav.

«The eleventh line is particularly interesting. Since 22 is divisible by eleven, the two letters, Alef and Lamed, repeat themselves for the entire line.» — el rasgo que Kaplan destaca del arreglo: en la línea once, por ser veintidós divisible entre once, Alef y Lamed se repiten toda la línea.

«The next step is to take the array and break it into pairs. This yields 21 lines and 11 columns, producing a total of 231 pairs. These are the 231 Gates according to the Kabbalistic Method.» — y el remate del método: veintiuna líneas por once columnas dan las 231 parejas.

«What we actually have then is a simple multiplication table, where only the last digits have been retained. Clearly obvious in this array is the diagonal symmetry, which is also found in the alphabetical array.» — la analogía numérica con que Kaplan explica el arreglo: una tabla de multiplicar de la que solo se retiene el último dígito, con su simetría diagonal.

«One thing that is immediately apparent is the fact that even though we obtain 45 pairs, they do not correspond exactly to the 45 unique pairs that can be obtained from 10 digits, See figure 25 on page 116. We actually find that 14 pairs are missing, while an equal number are repeated.» — el defecto que Kaplan mide en el Método Cabalístico: de las cuarenta y cinco parejas posibles con diez dígitos, catorce faltan y otras tantas se repiten.

«Some commentaries present a more primitive method, where the initiate actually draws a circle around the object that he wishes to form» — el método que Kaplan llama más primitivo: trazar un círculo alrededor del objeto que se quiere formar.

«Proceeding in a circle, he chants the letter combinations, first Alef with all the other letters, then Bet, until the alphabet is completed. If one wishes to destroy the creation, he proceeds in the opposite direction.» — y su ejecución: cantar las combinaciones dando la vuelta, y en sentido contrario para deshacer lo creado.

«Very important is the eleventh line, where the letter pairs repeat themselves. In the Alef array, the letters Alef and Lamed repeat themselves in this line. In the Bet array, the letters Bet and Mem will repeat themselves. As subsequent arrays are constructed, the repeating letters continue to conform to those in the ALBaM ( )cipher.» — el rasgo que Kaplan sigue por todos los arreglos: las letras que se repiten en la línea once siguen la cifra ALBaM.

«It is not clear if these later Kabbalists did this so as to conceal the true method, or if it actually represents a completely different procedure.» — la duda que deja escrita: si el cambio buscaba ocultar el método verdadero o es un procedimiento distinto.

«The first eleven arrays are said to represent the eleven Sefirot when the quasi-Sefirah Daat (Knowledge) is also included. The sequence is: Keter, Chakhmah, Binah, Daat, Chesed, Gevurah, Tiferet, Netzach, Hod, Yesod, Malkhut.» — la asignación que Kaplan recoge: los once primeros arreglos por las once Sefirot con Daat incluida.

«The first eleven arrays, where the pairs of ALBaM are in direct order, represent the “front” of these eleven Sefirot, The second set of eleven, where these pairs are reversed, represent the “back” of the Sefirot. These arrays are presented in Appendix III.» — y la lectura de los otros once: el frente y el dorso de las Sefirot.

«These arrays are very important in binding oneself to the Sefirot. They are also used in the creation of a Golem.» — el uso que Kaplan declara de esos arreglos.

«According to the early Kabbalists, the 231 Gates are alluded to in the name Israel» — la lectura gemátrica del nombre Israel que Kaplan recoge de los primeros cabalistas; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Midrash states that at the beginning of creation, “Israel rose in thought,”47 The name “Israel” thus alludes to the fact that creation took place through these 231 Gates. According to the later Kabbalists, these 231 gates are what remained in the Vacated Space that preceded creation» — lo que Kaplan saca de ahí: la creación se hizo por esas 231 Puertas, que para los cabalistas posteriores son lo que quedaba en el Espacio Vacante.

«There is, however, a very ancient tradition which reads 221 Gates rather than 231.51 This is the reading favored by Rabbi Eliezer Rokeach of Wormes, who learned it by tradition from Rabbi Ychudah HaChasid» — la variante mayor que Kaplan consigna sin arbitrar: una tradición muy antigua lee 221 Puertas, favorecida por Eliezer Rokeach de Worms; el troceo imprime *Ychudah HaChasid*.

«The term Revayah is later used by Sefer Yetzirah to denote the “temperate” season, paralleling the letter Alef (3:5, 7). Just as the Alef serves as the intermediate between Shin and Mem, these arrays might serve as a means of transition between Binah and Chakhmah consciousness.» — la conjetura que Kaplan levanta sobre esa palabra: como la Alef media entre Shin y Mem, estos arreglos podrían servir de tránsito entre los dos estados de consciencia.

«The number 221 is also significant as being the product of two primes, 17 and 13. The numbers can therefore be placed in a unique array. This system follows logically from the Kabbalistic Method discussed earlier. In the array produced by this method, the two letters, Alef and Lamed, are repeated eleven times. Since this is a single combination, such repetition is redundant. In Eliezer Rokeach's system, the Alef-Lamed pair is used only once. Since ten such pairs are omitted, instead of 231 Gates, one is left with 221.» — la explicación estructural que Kaplan da de las 221: al usarse una sola vez la pareja Alef-Lamed, que en el Método Cabalístico se repite once veces, se omiten diez parejas.

«A number of somewhat similar arrays are used by the later Kabbalists» — la variante de los cabalistas posteriores que Kaplan consigna: saltan un número de letras en la segunda columna y siguen con el alfabeto en su orden.

«Although the Sefer Yetzirah says. “Ten and not eleven” (1:4), this is only speaking of the inner essence of the Sefirot» — la salida que Kaplan da a la contradicción con 1:4: el *diez y no once* habla solo de la esencia interna de las Sefirot; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«When the Sefer Yetzirah speaks of the “32 Paths of Wisdom,” it uses the word Nativ for “path,” The numerical value of Nativ ( ) is 462, exactly twice 231. Since each of the 231 Gates contains two letters, there are a total of 462 letters in each array» — la gematría que Kaplan liga a las Puertas: *Nativ* vale 462, el doble de 231, que es el total de letras de cada arreglo.

«In some versions of Sefer Yetzirah, the actual reading is “462 Gates.”» — la variante de lectura que Kaplan consigna: algunas versiones dicen 462 Puertas.

«The Kabbalists note that this number is based on the Talmudic teaching that in the Future World, King David's cup will hold 221 measures» — el apoyo de la lectura de 221: la copa del rey David contiene 221 medidas en el Mundo Venidero.

«This is based on the verse, “You have annointed my head with oil, my cup is overflowing” (Psalms 23:5). In Hebrew, “overflowing” is Revayah ( ), which has a numerical value of 221.» — y el versículo del que sale, por la gematría de *Revayah*, desbordante.

«Another important representation of the 231 Gates is that of Rabbi Abraham Abulafia» — el arreglo de las Puertas que Kaplan atribuye a Abraham Abulafia.

«Close examination shows some redundancy in this array. Certain combinations are repeated, while others are omitted. This array can be modified, however, so that its redundancies are removed and all combinations are represented.» — el defecto que Kaplan le mide al arreglo de Abulafia y la corrección que propone: hay combinaciones repetidas y otras omitidas.

«one should actually walk around the circle, or whether it means that one must merely move around it mentally and meditatively.» — la duda que Kaplan deja abierta al final del lema de las Puertas y no resuelve: si hay que caminar el círculo o recorrerlo solo mental y meditativamente; el tramo arranca después del cambio de plana.

«this verse is, “You have annointed my head with oil.” This alludes to the feeling of being bathed in oil which is frequently encountered during the mystical experience» — el dato experiencial que Kaplan añade sobre las 221 Puertas: la sensación de estar bañado en aceite, frecuente según él en la experiencia mística; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This is because the Bible refers to the most direct experience of God using the word “delight” (Oneg). It is thus written. “Then you will delight upon God”» — el lema *There is nothing in good higher than Delight…*: Kaplan lo apoya en que la Biblia nombra con *Oneg* la experiencia más directa de Dios.

«The word for “plague,” Nega ( ), is obtained from Oneg ( ), by simple rotation. The term Nega denoted especially a leprosy like plague, which was a sign of disapproval by God.» — la contraparte: *Nega* sale de *Oneg* por simple rotación, y nombra una plaga como signo de desaprobación divina.

«A very similar permutation is presented by the Kabbalists. The highest spiritual level to which one can aspire is the Sefirah of Keter (Crown). The further one climbs, however, the more rarified the atmosphere, and the greater the spiritual danger. By a simple permutation, the word Keter ( ), becomes Karet ( ), the Hebrew word for excision, where a person is completely cut off spiritually» — la permutación gemela que Kaplan recoge de los cabalistas: *Keter* se vuelve *Karet*, excisión, cuanto más alto se sube y más rarificado el aire.

«One of the early 1Oth century mystics, Hai Gaon, noted that many people who embarked on the mysteries were successful, but then met with untimely death» — el testimonio de Hai Gaon que Kaplan pone como advertencia: muchos de los que emprendieron los misterios tuvieron éxito y luego muerte prematura; el troceo imprime *1Oth* con ele por uno; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«According to the Kabbalists, this Name is the Tetragrammaton, YHVH ( ). Each letter must be permuted with the Tetragrammaton in an appropriate manner.» — el lema *One Name*: los cabalistas lo identifican con el Tetragrámaton, con el que hay que permutar cada letra.

«The technique for doing this is outlined by Rabbi Eliezer Rokeach of Wormes, particularly in the context of creating a Golem» — la fuente de la técnica según Kaplan: Eliezer Rokeach de Worms, en el contexto de hacer un Golem; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«When one is working with a letter, he must combine that letter with the letters of the Tetragrammaton, using all five vowels.» — la regla de la técnica: combinar la letra con las del Tetragrámaton usando las cinco vocales.

«As discussed earlier, there is some question regarding the sequence of the five primary vowels (2:3). There are at least a half dozen different opinions. If the proper sequence is crucial, much dangerous experimentation would have to be done to determine the proper sequence. It is possible, however, that the sequence is not overridingly important.» — la incertidumbre que Kaplan deja abierta: hay al menos media docena de opiniones sobre el orden de las vocales, y determinarlo exigiría experimentación peligrosa, aunque quizá no sea decisivo.

«Since Alef is the letter associated with the thorax, the entire Alef array would pertain to this part of the body. Next the initiate would proceed to the head, for which he would use the Shin array, as explained below (3:9). He would form an array of the 221 Gates where every line begins with a Shin. He would then continue in this manner through all the parts of the body, using the letters that the Sefer Yetzirah associates with each part.» — el recorrido por el cuerpo que Kaplan describe: el arreglo de Alef para el tórax, el de Shin para la cabeza, y así con cada parte según las letras que el libro le asigna.

«These authors also stress that one must not make any mistake or error in the pronunciation. They do not say what must be done if one errs, but from other sources, it would appear that at very least, one would have to begin the array from the beginning. During this entire procedure, no interruption whatsoever may occur.» — el rigor que esos autores exigen según Kaplan: ningún error de pronunciación, y ante el error, volver a empezar el arreglo.

«These authors also intimate that they are only revealing the outline of the method, and are not presenting it in its entirety. This also appears evident from other sources.» — el límite que Kaplan señala en sus propias fuentes: dan el esbozo del método y no el método entero.

«There is also evidence that creating a Golem was primarily not a physical procedure, but rather, a highly advanced meditative technique» — la lectura que Kaplan propone del Golem: no un procedimiento físico sino una técnica meditativa muy avanzada, que forma una imagen mental de un ser humano miembro a miembro; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«A person would not attempt to climb a dangerous mountain without the proper training and equipment. Any novice who would attempt a climb without an experienced guide would be courting disaster. Climbing spiritual heights can be equally dangerous.» — la analogía con que Kaplan cierra el aviso: nadie sube una montaña peligrosa sin entrenamiento ni guía experimentado, y subir alturas espirituales es igual de peligroso.

«For each letter, one must go through the entire sequence of 221 (or 231) Gates. Each such sequence contains 442 letters, and therefore, in completing all 22 letters of the alphabet, one will have made use of 4862 letters.» — el cálculo con que Kaplan mide el ejercicio entero: 442 letras por secuencia y 4862 en las veintidós del alfabeto.

«The method of creating a Golem is outlined by Rabbi Eliezer Rokeach in his commentary on Sefer Yetzirah, and presented in somewhat greater detail by the author of Emek HaMelekh (Depths of the King» — la fuente del procedimiento del Golem según Kaplan: el comentario de Eliezer Rokeach y, con más detalle, el autor del *Emek HaMelekh*.

«An initiate should not do it alone, but should always be accompanied by one or two colleagues. The Golem must be made of virgin soil, taken from a place where no man has ever dug. The soil must be kneaded with pure spring water, taken directly from the ground. If this water is placed in any kind of vessel, it can no longer be used. The people making the Golem must purify themselves totally before engaging in this activity, both physically and Spiritually. While making the Golem, they must wear clean white vestments.» — las condiciones del procedimiento: nunca a solas, tierra virgen nunca cavada, agua de manantial tomada del suelo sin vasija, purificación total y vestiduras blancas; el troceo imprime *Spiritually* con mayúscula.

«The formation of such a spiritual body, however, would also result in a tremendous spiritual potential. Once the conceptual Golem was completed, this spiritual potential could be transferred to a clay form and actually animate it. This was the process through which a physical Golem would be brought to life.» — el puente que Kaplan traza entre la técnica meditativa y el Golem físico: el potencial espiritual del Golem conceptual se transfiere a una forma de barro y la anima.

«Also important was the system taught by Rabbi Abraham Abulafia, which is apparently rooted in earlier techniques. See figure 39 on pages 128–129. It is not certain, however, whether Abulafia is expanding upon the methods of Rabbi Eliezar Rokeach, or if he is drawing from an entirely different tradition.» — el segundo sistema que Kaplan expone, el de Abulafia, con la duda que deja abierta sobre si amplía a Eliezer Rokeach o viene de otra tradición.

«In this system, the initiate pronounces the letters together with those of the Tetragrammaton, just as in the system of Rabbi Eliezar Rokeach. However, instead of merely using the five primary vowels alone, he must use every possible combination of these vowels, twenty-five in all.» — la diferencia del sistema de Abulafia: no las cinco vocales sueltas sino sus veinticinco combinaciones.

«If this method were used with an entire array of 221 letter pairs, completing a single array would be a major task, taking over an hour and a half to complete. It would take over 35 hours to complete the entire sequence of 22 letters. It is questionable if this was ever actually done in practice, but it is not impossible. Forming a Golem was considered to be the most advanced—and dangerous—of all meditative techniques. An initiate advanced enough to attempt it might also have the discipline necessary for over thirty hours of continuous meditation.» — el cálculo del esfuerzo y el juicio que Kaplan pone: más de treinta y cinco horas para la secuencia entera, cuestionable que se hiciera y no imposible.

«Besides this, Abulafia also prescribes specific breathing exercises to be used while chanting these letters. Between each letter one is to take a single breath. Between pairs, one is to take no more than two breaths, between lines, no more than five, and between each letter of the Tetragrammaton, no more than twenty-five.» — los ejercicios respiratorios que Kaplan describe: un aliento entre letras, dos entre pares, cinco entre líneas y veinticinco entre letras del Tetragrámaton.

«Specific head motions are also prescribed for this exercise. These head motions are to be made slowly and deliberately, while one pronounces the letter and exhales. See figure 40. These motions correspond to the shape of the vowel. While doing this exercise, one is sealed, facing toward the east.» — los movimientos de cabeza prescritos, hechos despacio al pronunciar y exhalar, según la forma de la vocal, y sentado de cara al este; el troceo imprime *sealed* por *seated*.

«There is evidence that the names and shapes of the Hebrew vowel points were used for mystical purposes long before they were used in writing and grammar. The earliest non-mystical use of the vowels dates from the eighth or ninth century, while mystical uses are found in Kabbalistic sources that date as early as the first century. It is highly possible that the shapes of the written vowels were taken from the head motions associated with their sounds.» — la hipótesis que Kaplan propone sobre las vocales: su uso místico es anterior al gramatical, y las formas escritas podrían venir de los movimientos de cabeza.

«Abulafia uses his system of breathing exercises and head motions with the letter Alef, since Alef (with a numerical value of 1) expresses unity with God. The same system can also be used with other letters. There is no evidence, however, that this method was ever used with an entire array of 221 letter pairs. To use it with even a single letter is a major effort. It is possible, however, that this method could be used with various letters to attain specific results with them» — el alcance del sistema de Abulafia y su límite: se usa con la Alef por la unidad con Dios, y no hay evidencia de que se aplicara nunca a un arreglo entero de 221 pares.

«Earlier, the Sefer Yetzirah stated that chaos (tohu) was “engraved and carved” from water (1:11). As we explained there, “Water” alluded to Chakhmah and the basis of all physical creation. The “water” mentioned there denoted the most primitive spiritual root of water, as it exists in the universe of Atzilut, the realm of the Sefirot. It was out of this that the first stage of matter. “Chaos” (tohu), was formed. The text here therefore states that it was out of this “chaos” that matter was formed.» — el lema *He formed substance out of chaos*: Kaplan lo encadena con 1:11, donde el caos se graba del agua entendida como raíz espiritual primera en Atzilut.

«The word for “substance” here is Mamash ( ). This comes from the root Mashash ( ), meaning “to touch.” What is produced is a reality that can not only be seen, but which is physical enough to be touched.» — la etimología con que Kaplan fija el sentido: *Mamash* viene de *Mashash*, tocar, de modo que lo producido no solo se ve, se toca.

«Chakhmah, however, is on the level of Nothingness. It is from this Nothingness, however, that all things were created. From this “nonexistence,” Binah and Beriyah, which are called “existence” (Yesh), were brought into being.» — el lema *And made nonexistence into existence*: de la Nada que es Chakhmah salen Binah y Beriyah, que se llaman existencia.

«The reference here is obviously to the verse, “Wisdom has built its house, it has carved its seven pillars” (Proverbs 9:1). This is further evidence that this section is speaking of Chakhmah (Wisdom)» — el lema *He carved great pillars*: Kaplan lo remite a Proverbios 9:1 y lo aduce como apoyo de que la sección habla de Chakhmah.

«There is some discussion at to the meaning of the “seven pillars” in this verse. In one place, the Talmud says that they are the seven days of the week» — las lecturas rivales de los siete pilares que Kaplan alinea sin arbitrar: los siete días, los siete pilares sobre los que se sostiene el mundo y las siete ciencias; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Kabbalists teach that these seven pillars represent the lower seven Sefirot» — la lectura cabalística que Kaplan añade y concilia con la talmúdica: las siete Sefirot inferiores; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In the system of the Sefer Yetzirah, it is obvious that these seven pillars represent the seven Doubles. They are called “pillars” because they are represented by vertical, lines in the Tree of Life diagram.» — y la lectura propia del sistema del libro: los siete pilares son las siete Dobles, llamadas pilares por ser las líneas verticales del Árbol de la Vida.

«These seven Doubles are derived from the three Mothers. This would support an ancient version, which instead of “substance” (Mamash— ), read AMSh ( ), the three Mothers» — la variante textual antigua que Kaplan consigna: en vez de *sustancia* leía AMSh, las tres Madres; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Golem-making was merely the most advanced and spectacular use of the methods of Sefer Yetzirah. Each letter individually, however, is» — el uso menor que Kaplan describe tras el Golem: cada letra por separado se asocia a una parte del cuerpo; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«also associated with a part of the body. The array associated with the particular letter could be used as a meditation to affect that specific limb. This could be used to strengthen the spiritual energy of that limb, or even for curative purposes.» — y para qué sirve: el arreglo de esa letra puede meditarse para afectar ese miembro, fortalecer su energía espiritual o curar.

«Here this state of mental static is called “chaos” (tohu). As both the Kabbalisls and linguists teach, the word Tohu ( ) comes from the verb Tahah ( ), meaning to be “astounded” or “confused.”72 This is the normal state of mental confusion, where the mind is clouded with static» — la lectura psicológica que Kaplan da del caos: *Tohu* viene de *Tahah*, quedar pasmado o confuso, y nombra el estado normal de confusión mental.

«This is also associated with Binah consciousness, and accordingly, a number of Kabbalisls associate Tohu with Binah» — las dos asignaciones que Kaplan recoge: *Tohu* con Binah según varios cabalistas y con la Klipah, la Cáscara, según el Zohar; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is out of this Tohu, this state of confused Binah consciousness, that one must create a palpable image. There are many images that can be produced, but the most common is the mental Golem, the astral body. The initiate thus “forms palpable substance (mamash) out of chaos.” This implies attaining a state of Chakhmah consciousness. The Kabbalists thus note that the word Golem ( ) has a numerical value of 73, the same as that of Chakhmah» — la operación que Kaplan describe y la gematría con que la apoya: *Golem* vale 73, igual que *Chakhmah*.

«One must then “make nonexistence into existence.” Earlier, in stating, “form substance out of chaos,” the text uses the word “form,” while here it uses the word “make.” In Hebrew, especially according to the Kabbalists, the word “form” (yatzar) denotes the initial forming of “something from something.” The term “make” (asah), on the other hand, refers to the completion of the process. Thus, in “forming substance out of chaos,” one begins the mental act of creation. In “making nonexistence into existence.” one completes it.» — la distinción de verbos con que Kaplan ordena las dos operaciones: *formar* inicia el acto mental de creación y *hacer* lo completa.

«The term “formation” also implies an activity taking place in Yetzirah, the lower spiritual universe. Thus, when one “forms substance out of chaos.” one is bringing about a purely spiritual result in the universe of Yetzirah. “Making,” on the other hand, refers to the universe of Asiyah, which borders on the physical. This implies results that may actually be manifest in the physical world.» — la topografía de las dos operaciones: formar obra en Yetzirah y hacer en Asiyah, que linda con lo físico.

«In order to accomplish this, one must enter fully into the realm of Nothingness. This is the highest level of Chakhmah consciousness, bordering on Keter. One therefore begins with “nonexistence,” which is Nothingness.» — la condición que Kaplan pone para lo segundo: entrar de lleno en el reino de la Nada, el nivel más alto de Chakhmah, lindante con Keter.

«When one reaches this level, he can actually make something “that actually is” (yeshno) or “existence.” He can actually bring about results in the universe of Asiyah, which can then be reflected in the physical world. In making a Golem, this would correspond to the state of consciousness required before the mental image could be imposed on the clay, bringing it to life.» — y el resultado: en el Golem, el estado de consciencia que hace falta para imponer la imagen mental sobre el barro.

«It is in this state of consciousness that one can visualize the Sefirot as “great pillars.” One “carves” them out, this meaning that the image of the Sefirah is seen separately, totally filling the consciousness. Even though the Sefirot are totally ineffable and indescribable, when a person is in this state of consciousness, he can “carve” them out. They are then perceived as solid pillars, made of transparent air. Like the air, the Sefirot are still invisible, but in this state of consciousness, even the air can become visible.» — la lectura que Kaplan hace de los grandes pilares: las Sefirot talladas se ven como pilares sólidos de aire transparente, invisibles como el aire y visibles en ese estado.

«The Sefer Yetzirah describes a sign through which one knows that he has attained this state. He must go through the entire array, “Alef with them all, and all of them with Alef.” This means that he permutes the array forward and backward, which respectively are the modes of creating and destroying.» — el lema *This is a sign…*: recorrer el arreglo entero hacia adelante y hacia atrás, que son los modos de crear y de destruir.

«The initiate then “forsees, transforms and makes.” The word for “foresee” here is tzofeh, and as discussed earlier (1:6), this word denotes mystical insight and foresight. If the initiate has attained the proper state, he attains a mystical insight through which he can perceive the inner essence of all things. He can then engage in the process described earlier, where the Sefer Yetzirah said, “discern with them, and probe from them” (1:4).» — el efecto que Kaplan describe: la visión mística por la que se percibe la esencia interna de todas las cosas, con la remisión interna a 1:4.

«Most important is the final realization: “All that is formed and all that is spoken is one Name.” The initiate not only knows this intellectually, but he can actually visualize and see that all creation is nothing more than one Name, the Tetragrammaton.» — el remate que Kaplan declara lo más importante: el iniciado no solo sabe sino que ve que toda la creación no es más que un Nombre.

«This goes back and refers to the entire chapter. “Twenty-two objects in a single body,” is a sign that the initiate has completed this discipline and has mastered it fully. He uses each of the 22 letters to form a mental image of a different part of the body. Each part of the body can thus be formed separately. The ability to complete separate parts, however, does not prove mastery of the method of Sefer Yetzirah. The final proof of mastery is the ability to assemble all these 22 objects into a single body» — el lema de los veintidós objetos: Kaplan lo lee como signo de dominio del capítulo entero, y la prueba final no son las partes sino ensamblarlas en un solo cuerpo.

«This is the process of completing a mental Golem. The initiate must not only form all the parts, but he must actually assemble them. This means that while he is engaged in the meditation to create one part, he must not lose his mental image of the parts that he formed earlier. As each part of the image is formed, it must be retained in the mind, with subsequent images added to it, part by part. The amount of mental discipline, as well as the advanced nature of the meditative technique required for this, is virtually beyond description.» — la exigencia que Kaplan describe: formar cada parte sin perder la imagen de las anteriores, con una disciplina mental que declara casi indescriptible.

«The creation of a mental Golem is therefore a culmination of the arts of Sefer Yetzirah, as well as a test to determine if one has mastered them. This did not involve the actual creation of a physical Golem, since this was only done on very special occasions. As the Kabbalists warn, such an undertaking should not be attempted without permission from on high» — el lugar que Kaplan le da al Golem mental —culminación y prueba de las artes del libro— y la advertencia que recoge: no emprenderlo sin permiso de lo alto.

«when a person contemplates a physical object completely and totally, he can actually bring that object onto his thought. If his thought is then bound to the supernal Mind, he can elevate that object to the level of Mind. From there, it can be further elevated to the level of Nothingness, where the object ceases to exist. When this object is then once again brought back to the level of Mind, it can be brought back in any form that the initiate desires. Thus, when he finally brings it back to its normal physical state, the object can be changed in any manner he desires. As the Maggid states, “he can even transform it into gold.”» — el paralelo hasídico que Kaplan trae, del Maggid de Mezritch: contemplado del todo un objeto se lo lleva al pensamiento, de ahí a la Mente y a la Nada, donde deja de existir, y al traerlo de vuelta puede cambiarse de cualquier modo, incluso volverlo oro; el tramo arranca después del cambio de plana.

«The word for “mystical” here is MuPhla ( ).5 This is very closely related, and shares the same root with the word Peliyah ( ), used in relation to the Thirty-two Paths of Wisdom (1:1). One reason for this, as discussed earlier (2:1), is because it is through these Mother letters that one can enter into the realm of Chakhmah consciousness, which is the portal to the transcendental.» — el lema *A great mystical secret*: Kaplan une *MuPhla* con la raíz de *Peliyah* de 1:1, y explica el parentesco por el paso a la consciencia de Chakhmah.

«These three Mother letters are also related to the mystery of the divine Name. The Sefer Yetzirah earlier said, “He chose three letters. . . in the mystery of the three Mothers, AMSh ( )” (1:13). Thus, the letters AMSh ( )are the roots of the letters of the Tetragrammaton, YHV ( ). According to the Kabbalists, Yud is derived from Mem, Heh from Shin, and Vav from Alef» — la derivación que Kaplan recoge de los cabalistas: Yud viene de Mem, Heh de Shin y Vav de Alef, de modo que las Madres son misterio más hondo que el Tetragrámaton; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Tetragrammaton actually only relates to the Ten Sefirot. There is, however, an aspect of creation that existed before the Sefirot. In this stage, the proto-Sefirot existed as simple non-interacting points. In the language of the Kabbalists, this is known as the Universe of Chaos (Tohu). In this state, the Vessels, which were the proto-Sefirot, could neither interact nor give to one another. Since they could not emulate God by giving, they were incomplete, and could therefore not hold the Divine Light. Since they could not fulfill their purpose, they were overwhelmed by the Light and “shattered.” This is known as the “Breaking of Vessels.”» — la doctrina luriánica que Kaplan introduce aquí: las proto-Sefirot del Universo del Caos no podían dar ni interactuar, no pudieron sostener la Luz y se quebraron.

«The broken shards of these Vessels fell to a lower spiritual level, and subsequently became the source of all evil. It is for this reason that Chaos (Tohu) is said to be the root of evil.» — y la consecuencia: los tiestos rotos caen a un nivel inferior y se vuelven la fuente de todo el mal, por lo que el Caos se dice raíz del mal.

«After having been shattered, the Vessels were once again rectified and rebuilt into Personifications (Partzufim). Each of these Partzufim consists of 613 parts, paralleling the 613 parts of the body, as well as the 613 commandments of the Torah. These Partzufim were then able to interact with each other. More important, through the Torah, they were also able to interact with man. This is the stage where the Sefirot become givers as well as receivers.» — la reparación: las Vasijas rehechas en Partzufim de 613 partes, que ya pueden interactuar entre sí y, por la Torá, con el hombre.

«The Kabbalists teach that the letters of the Tetragrammaton, YHV ( ), only pertain to the Universe of Rectification. In the Universe of Chaos (Tohu), the divine Name consisted of the letters AMSh» — el reparto de Nombres por universos que Kaplan recoge: el Tetragrámaton solo en el Universo de la Rectificación, y AMSh en el del Caos.

«When a person enters into the mysteries, he must parallel the sequence of creation» — la correspondencia que Kaplan traza entre la secuencia de la creación y la del iniciado: primero el Caos, con la mente llena de imágenes transitorias y las Sefirot desconectadas; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The initiate can then enter the Universe of Rectification, where the Sefirot are connected and assume the form of Partzufim. Each Partzuf is a human-like form, very closely related to the conceptual Golem. The creation of this mental Golem-Partzuf is accomplished through the letters of the name YHVH together with various letters, as described above (2:5). This is the Name associated with the Universe of Rectification.» — la segunda etapa: las Sefirot conectadas en Partzufim, forma humana muy emparentada con el Golem conceptual.

«The three Mother letters, AMSh also spell out the Hebrew word Emesh ( ), meaning “yesternight.” This occurs in the verse. “You slept last night (emesh) with my father” (Genesis 19:34). The word emesh also denotes deep impenetrable gloom, as in the verse, “Gloom (emesh), waste and desolation” (Job 30:3).9 This is the inky gloom that existed before creation, in the Universe of Chaos, the “yesternight” before the Sefirot were brought into being.» — el juego léxico que Kaplan levanta: AMSh deletrea *Emesh*, anoche, que también dice tiniebla impenetrable, la del Universo del Caos anterior a las Sefirot.

«There is also evidence that the word emesh was also used as a mystical name of God. Thus, Laban said to Jacob, “The God of your fathers last night (Emesh) said to me” (Genesis 31:29). This can just as easily be read, “The God of your fathers, Emesh, said to me.” Similarly, Jacob said, “And Emesh gave judgment”» — el hallazgo que Kaplan propone sobre esa palabra: en dos versículos del Génesis puede leerse como nombre místico de Dios.

«Another element of the mystery of the letters AMSh is the fact that they represent the reconciliation of opposites. Logically, there is no way in which opposites can be reconciled. These letters therefore represent a mystery that cannot be penetrated by logic.» — el porqué del secreto según Kaplan: las Madres representan la reconciliación de los opuestos, que lógicamente no se pueden reconciliar.

«One commentator states that the letters AMSh contain the mystery through which one can walk on fire» — la aplicación que Kaplan recoge de un comentarista y la conjetura que le añade: el misterio de andar sobre el fuego, que Rav Zeira quizá usara para no quemarse los pies; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The obvious scriptural source is the verse, “The script which is written in the King's name and sealed with the King's ring, cannot be reversed”» — el lema *Sealed with six rings*, con el versículo de Ester 8:8 del que Kaplan lo deriva.

«According to this, the “rings” here would be the rings of the King's name, that is, the letters YHV ( ). The Kabbalists therefore say that these six rings are the six directions, which, as the Sefer Yetzirah (1:13) earlier says, were “sealed” with the letters YHV ( ).14 Behind the permutations of the letters YHV is the deeper mystery of the permutations of the letters AMSh, now under discussion.» — la identificación de los anillos con las seis direcciones selladas por YHV en 1:13, y detrás, el misterio más hondo de las permutaciones de AMSh.

«These six directions, which comprise the physical universe, are what hide the deeper mysteries. It is thus written. “He has set the universe in their heart, so that man cannot find out the work that God has done, from the beginning to the end” (Ecclesiastes 3:10). As the commentaries point out, the word “universe” here in Hebrew is Olam ( ). It comes from the root Alam ( ), meaning “occlusion,” and also has this connotation. As long as a person can only think in terms of the physical dimensions of space, the inner reality is concealed from him.» — la lectura que Kaplan hace del versículo de Eclesiastés: *Olam*, universo, viene de *Alam*, ocultar, y quien solo piensa en dimensiones físicas tiene la realidad interior tapada.

«Also significant is the fact that a ring is normally worn on the finger. As the Sefer Yetzirah states (1:3), the Ten Sefirot are represented by the ten fingers. The six rings are thus worn on the six “fingers” corresponding to the six Sefirot, which represent the six directions» — el segundo sentido del anillo: se lleva en el dedo, y los seis anillos van en los seis dedos que corresponden a las seis Sefirot direccionales.

«The “six rings” here also allude to the “six rings of the throat,” mentioned in the Zohar» — la tercera lectura, del Zohar: los seis anillos de la garganta de donde sale todo sonido, que tapan el misterio de AMSh, raíz del habla; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«represent cause, effect and their synthesis. Shin ( ) is cause, Mem ( ) is effect, and Alef( ) is the synthesis between these two opposites. In the Tree of Life diagram, these are represented by three horizontal lines.» — el lema *From them are born Fathers*: Shin causa, Mem efecto y Alef síntesis entre los dos opuestos, que en el Árbol de la Vida son las tres líneas horizontales.

«The beginning of this section is exactly the same as 2:2, except that all the letters were being discussed there, and here only the three Mother letters are under consideration. In both cases, there are five processes: engraving, carving, permuting, weighing, and transforming.» — el lema *He engraved them…*: Kaplan señala que la sección repite 2:2 y que la diferencia es que allí se trataban las veintidós letras y aquí solo las tres Madres.

«When, as in chapter two, all 22 letters are given equal status, then all five dimensions as the five phonetic families (2:3). Here, on the other hand, the three Mothers are taken separately. The five dimensions are therefore also divided into three domains: Universe, Year, and Soul. The Universe consists of the three spacial dimensions, Year consists of the time dimension, while Soul consists of the spiritual dimension.» — el reparto que Kaplan propone: con las veintidós letras las cinco dimensiones salen como las cinco familias fonéticas, y con las tres Madres se dividen en tres dominios, Universo, Año y Alma.

«The Sefer Yetzirah stated earlier (1:13) that the three letters YHV, which define the space continuum, are derived from AMSh. Therefore, it is the letters AMSh which separate the space continuum from that of time and the spiritual.» — la función que Kaplan le da a las tres Madres en el sistema: separan el continuo del espacio del tiempo y de lo espiritual.

«There is an important difference between the space continuum and the other two. It is only in space that one can move voluntarily. In time, one moves in one direction at a predetermined rate. In the spiritual dimension, a physical body cannot move at all. Only the soul can move through the spiritual dimension, and it is for this reason that this domain is called Soul.» — la diferencia que Kaplan señala entre los tres continuos: solo en el espacio se mueve uno voluntariamente, en el tiempo a ritmo fijo, y en lo espiritual solo el alma se mueve.

«The letters AMSh differentiate space from time and soul. These same letters can therefore be used to do away with this differentiation.» — y la consecuencia operativa que saca: las mismas letras que diferencian pueden usarse para deshacer la diferenciación.

«In the simplest physical terms, “water” represents matter, “fire” is energy, and “air” is the space that allows the two to interact» — la traducción física más simple que Kaplan propone del trío: agua materia, fuego energía y aire el espacio que deja interactuar a los dos.

«The fourth force, gravity, corresponds to “earth.” Earth, however is not a basic element, but a confluence of the other three» — el lugar que Kaplan le da a la gravedad y a la tierra: no elemento básico sino confluencia de los otros tres, y por eso la Heh final del Tetragrámaton, repetición de la primera; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«On an even more elementary level, these three elements represent the three axes in the unitary symmetry, SU(3), which is the most basic property of matter.» — la tercera traducción física: los tres ejes de la simetría unitaria SU(3).

«These three elements also relate to the experiential. Here, fire represents the radiation of energy, while water represents the absorption of energy. These are thesis and antithesis, giving and receiving, which themselves are manifestations of cause and effect. Air, which represents the transmission of energy is then the synthesis, linking the two.» — la traducción experiencial: fuego radiación de energía, agua absorción, aire transmisión, es decir tesis, antítesis y síntesis.

«In this aspect, fire and water also represent the psychological modes of Binah and Chakhmah consciousness. As discussed earlier, “fire” is Binah consciousness, where the mind itself is constantly radiating energy. “Water.” on the other hand, is Chakhmah consciousness, where the mind can absorb spiritual energy from without. “Air” is then Ruach HaKodesh, the medium through which such spiritual energy is transmitted.» — y la traducción psicológica: fuego como Binah, que irradia, agua como Chakhmah, que absorbe, y aire como Ruach HaKodesh, el medio.

«Fire represents Binah, and as discussed earlier (1:1), the word Binah comes from the root Beyn, meaning “between.” It is from Binah that the concept of separation comes into being. Furthermore, it is only as a result of the concept of separation that space can exist. If not for Binah, all existence would be concentrated in a single point.» — el argumento con que Kaplan deriva el espacio de Binah: *Binah* viene de *Beyn*, entre, de ahí la separación, y sin separación toda la existencia estaría en un solo punto.

«In the same manner, “earth is created from water.” “Earth” represents the solid state, where matter exists with a minimum of space separating its molecules. This stems from Chakhmah, which tends to minimize separation and distance.» — y la contraparte: la tierra como estado sólido, con el mínimo de espacio entre moléculas, viene de Chakhmah, que tiende a minimizar la separación.

«In a gas such as air, the molecules tend to fly apart and separate. Yet, at the same time, they are held together just sufficiently to give the gas substance. Gas is therefore always in a state of contained expansion. This is intermediate between the containment of solid matter and the total expansion of pure radiation.» — el lugar intermedio del aire: expansión contenida, entre la contención del sólido y la expansión total de la radiación pura.

«Fire is represented by the letter Shin. Shin is the dominant letter in the word Esh ( ), meaning fire. It is joined with the Alef, representing air, because a fire cannot exist without air» — la justificación de las letras por su forma y su sonido: Shin domina en *Esh*, fuego, y se junta con Alef porque el fuego no existe sin aire.

«The three heads of the Shin also suggest the flames of the fire. The hissing sound of this letter furthermore is like the hiss of a flame. The three heads of the Shin are separated, suggesting the general concept of separation. Corresponding to the Shin is the letter Heh ( ), which is only one of the two letters in the alphabet consisting of two disconnected parts.» — la lectura de la forma de la Shin: tres cabezas como llamas, sonido siseante como el de la llama, y cabezas separadas que dicen separación.

«Water is represented by the letter Mem. Here again, Mem is the dominant letter in the word Mayim ( ), meaning water. Indeed, the very name of the letter Mem comes from the word Mayim» — la lectura de la Mem: domina en *Mayim*, agua, es letra cerrada que dice contención y unidad, y se pronuncia con la boca cerrada; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The year is divided into three basic parts. There is the hot summer and the cold winter, which are thesis and antithesis. The two temperate seasons, spring and autumn, are both taken together and are spoken of as the temperate season. This is the synthesis.» — el reparto del año que Kaplan explica: verano y invierno como tesis y antítesis, y las dos estaciones templadas contadas juntas como síntesis.

«Here we see the concept of a cycle between opposites. This cycle, like many others, constantly swings between two opposites. At the midpoint in each swing, no matter in which direction, the cycle must pass through the intermediate midpoint. Thus, both in going from hot to cold, and from cold to hot, the cycle must pass through a temperate season. It is out of cycles such as these that time is defined. The Sefer Yetzirah therefore states that the Cycle is the king in the domain of time (6:3).» — la idea de ciclo que Kaplan saca de ahí: toda oscilación entre opuestos pasa por el punto medio, y de ciclos así se define el tiempo.

«On a somewhat deeper physical level, fire, water and air represent the three basic physical forces. “Fire” is the electromagnetic force, through which all matter interacts. The atomic nucleus, however, consists of like positive charges, which would repel each other if only electromagnetism existed. There must therefore exist another force which can bind the nucleus together. This is the “strong nuclear” or pionic force, which binds the nucleus together, represented by “water.”» — la traducción física que Kaplan lleva más lejos: fuego como fuerza electromagnética y agua como fuerza nuclear fuerte o piónica, que ata el núcleo.

«If this nuclear force were to interact with all particles, however, all matter would be mutually attracted together, forming a solid lump denser than a neutron star. On the other hand, even within each elementary particle, there is a need for a cohesive force to counteract the electromagnetic repulsion within the particle itself. This force can be neither electromagnetic nor pionic. This is the “air,” which represents the “weak nuclear” force, which “decides between” the other two. It is this force that allows light particles (leptons) such as electrons to exist. See figure 41.» — y el tercer término: el aire como fuerza nuclear débil, que decide entre las otras dos y permite existir a los leptones.

«Air is represented by Alef, since it is the initial letter of Avir ( ), meaning “air.” Alef is a silent letter, whose sound is as undetectable as the invisible air.» — la lectura de la Alef: inicial de *Avir*, aire, y letra silenciosa, con sonido tan indetectable como el aire invisible.

«The Hebrew word for “temperate,” here, is Ravayah ( ). This use of the word Ravayah is virtually unique in Hebrew literature.» — el lema *The temperate*: Kaplan declara casi único en la literatura hebrea este uso de *Ravayah*.

«The usual interpretation of Ravayah is abundance, as in the verse, “my cup is abundant (ravayah)” (Psalms 23:5). It should be recalled that it is from this verse that some Kabbalists find an allusion to the 221 Gates, discussed earlier (2:4).» — el sentido corriente que Kaplan pone al lado, abundancia, con el versículo del que otros sacan la alusión a las 221 Puertas.

«The most obvious source for this usage is the verse, “We have come through fire and water, You brought us out to Ravayah” (Psalms 66:12). Some commentaries interpret Ravayah here to also mean “abundance.” but from the context, “temperate” seems to be a more logical interpretation. Ravayah would then denote the desired meaning between “fire” and “water.” The Sefer Yetzirah also uses this word in such a sense.» — el argumento por el que Kaplan prefiere *templado* a *abundancia*: el contexto del Salmo 66:12, donde queda entre el fuego y el agua.

«It is significant to note that the Talmud interprets “fire and water” in this verse to denote psychological states» — las dos lecturas que Kaplan recoge de ese mismo par: estados psicológicos según el Talmud y dos purgatorios opuestos según el Midrash; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Fire is the overabundance of sensation, and it is also related to shame» — la traducción psicológica que Kaplan propone: el fuego como exceso de sensación ligado a la vergüenza, el agua como falta de sensación ligada a la depresión, y *Ravayah* como el estado perfecto entre ambos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Similarly, the human body is a microcosm of the supernal “Man.” See figure 42 on page 151. This is the “Man” sitting on the throne, seen by Ezekiel. The supernal “Man” represents the array of the Sefirot. The “Soul” mentioned here then also refers to the anthropomorphic representation of this array.» — la segunda capa: el cuerpo humano como microcosmos del Hombre superno, el que Ezequiel ve en el trono, que es la serie de las Sefirot.

«With respect to the Sefirot, Shin is the line between Chakhmah and Binah; Alef, between Chesed and Gevurah; and Mem, between Netzach and Hod. The top line represents the head, the center line, the chest, and the lower line, the belly» — el reparto de las tres Madres entre las líneas horizontales del Árbol y las tres partes del cuerpo.

«According to Rabbi Abraham Abulafia, there is also an allusion here to the two covenants mentioned above (1:3). The covenant of the tongue is in the head, while the covenant of circumcision is in the region of the belly. Between the two, in the chest, is the heart, which is king over the soul (6:3). This alludes to the Torah, which is the primary covenant» — la lectura que Kaplan atribuye a Abulafia: el pacto de la lengua en la cabeza, el de la circuncisión en el vientre, y entre los dos el corazón, rey sobre el alma.

«The head also represents man's creative power, which is represented by fire. The belly is man's receptive power, represented by water. The chest and lungs must both inhale and exhale, and therefore pertain to both.» — el reparto funcional: cabeza como potencia creadora y fuego, vientre como potencia receptiva y agua, y pecho que inhala y exhala y pertenece a los dos.

«In a deeper sense, the head is seen as the center of Binah consciousness. It is the head that is the seat of the conscious stream of thought. The workings of the belly, on the other hand, are almost completely subconscious. The belly therefore parallels the Mem, which denotes Chakhmah consciousness. It is for this reason that some mystics would contemplate their belly when attempting to attain Chakhmah consciousness.» — la lectura psicológica que Kaplan añade: el vientre obra casi del todo bajo el umbral, y por eso algunos místicos lo contemplaban para alcanzar la consciencia de Chakhmah.

«Breathing borders on both the conscious and the unconscious. One usually breathes unconsciously, but one can also control one's breathing consciously. Breathing is therefore associated with both Binah and Chakhmah consciousness. It is for this reason that controlled breathing techniques are important in making the transition between these two states. Breathing is centered in the» — la razón que Kaplan da de la importancia de las técnicas respiratorias: el respirar linda con lo consciente y lo inconsciente a la vez; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«Some commentaries interpret Gaviyah to denote the sexual organ» — la lectura rival que Kaplan consigna y acota: algunos leen ahí el órgano sexual, y los comentarios mayores precisan que esa connotación la tiene *cabeza de la Gaviyah*, no la palabra sola; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Most simply, this means that with regard to concepts related to Breath, Alef is always the first letter in the permutation» — el lema *He made Alef king*, en su sentido más simple: la Alef va siempre primera en la permutación.

«In a deeper sense, this means that Alef was bound to the Sefirah of Malkhut (Kingship). Malkhut is said to be the “mouth.” and as such, it is the Sefirah through which the power of all the other Sefirot is expressed» — y en el sentido hondo: hacer rey a la letra es llevarla a la boca, que es Malkhut, por donde se expresa la potencia de todas las Sefirot.

«This indicates that the letters are bound to the highest of the Sefirot, Keter. As the Sefer Yetzirah states earlier (1:9), this is the direct Breath. Malkhut, on the other hand, is reflected Breath. Before a letter can be expressed through Malkhut, it must be bound to Keter. Thus, the “End is imbedded in the beginning” (1:7).» — el lema *Bound a crown to it*: antes de expresarse por Malkhut, que es aliento reflejado, la letra debe atarse a Keter, que es el directo.

«This also speaks of the physical letters, which have small “crowns” called Taggin on top. The Talmud thus says that when Moses ascended to heaven, he saw God “binding crowns to the letters.”» — la segunda lectura, material: las coronas o *Taggin* de las letras escritas, que Moisés ve a Dios atando.

«In Hebrew, air is Avir ( ), temperate is Ravayah ( ), and chest is Geviyah ( ). Except for the Resh in Avir, all of these words are spelled the same: The endings of these words is consistently VYH ( ). This represents the hidden power of the letters Yud Heh Vav ( ) in the three Mothers AMSh.» — el lema *Air, temperate, chest*: las tres palabras terminan igual, y Kaplan lee ahí la potencia oculta de Yud Heh Vav dentro de las tres Madres.

«The initial letters of Avir, Ravayah and Geviyah spell out Arag ( ), which means “to weave.” It is out of these three syntheses that the fabric of creation is woven.» — el juego que Kaplan cierra con esas tres palabras: sus iniciales deletrean *Arag*, tejer, y de esas tres síntesis se teje la creación.

«Rabbi Eliezar Rokeach of Wormes writes that if one wishes to create a male Golem, then the sequence AMSh ( ) must be used. If one wishes to create a female Golem, then the sequence must be AShM ( ). If one wishes to destroy the Golem, then the sequence is ShMA» — la instrucción operativa que Kaplan recoge de Eliezer Rokeach: AMSh para un Golem macho, AShM para una hembra y ShMA para destruirlo.

«The “soul” here also refers to the body. One reason for this is because the soul is an exact counterpart of the body.» — el lema del Alma: Kaplan aclara que *alma* dice aquí también cuerpo, por ser el uno contrapartida exacta del otro.

«The Hebrew word for “chest” here is Gaviyah ( ).29 The use of Gaviyah for chest is also unique in Hebrew literature.» — el lema *The chest*: Kaplan declara también único en la literatura hebrea este uso de *Gaviyah*.

«This is the set of double letters, each having two possible sounds» — el encuadre que Kaplan pone al capítulo cuarto: las Dobles corresponden a las siete líneas verticales del Árbol de la Vida; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The double sound is retained by all Jews for Bet, Kaf, and Peh. The hard Bet ( ) has the sound of b, while the soft has the sound of v. The hard Kaf ( ) has the sound of k, the soft, the sound of kh, like the German ch, as in “doch.” The hard Peh ( ) is pronounced like a p, while the soft is like an f.» — el estado de la pronunciación que Kaplan describe, letra por letra.

«In all these cases, the hard sound is a plosive, pronounced in an explosive puff of sound. The soft sound is a fricative.» — la regla fonética que Kaplan formula sobre las Dobles.

«The northern European Ashkenazic Jews pronounce the soft Tav ( ) like an s. Most southern European Sefardic Jews pronounce both the hard and soft Tav the same, like a t. Some Sefardim pronounce the soft Tav like a soft th, as in “thing.”» — las divergencias de rito que Kaplan consigna sin arbitrar: askenazíes, sefardíes y una parte de los sefardíes pronuncian la Tav blanda de tres modos distintos.

«The Yemenite Jews also distinguish between the soft and hard Gimel and Dalet. The soft Gimel ( ) has the sound of a j, or among others, like a deep gutteral fricative g. The soft Dalet ( ) has the sound of a hard th, as in “the.”» — y la cuarta divergencia: los judíos yemeníes conservan también la distinción en Guímel y Dálet.

«As a general rule, these six letters, BGD KPT ( ), always take the hard form at the beginning of a word. This is one reason why no Biblical names are found beginning with an f. This would imply a Peh ( ) at the beginning of the name, and it would automatically take the hard sound, which is that of a p.» — la regla que Kaplan deriva y su consecuencia curiosa: ningún nombre bíblico empieza por efe, porque la Peh inicial toma siempre el sonido duro.

«Highly significant is the fact that the Resh ( ) is here considered to be one of the Doubles. Most post-Talmudical grammarians take precisely the opposite view, and state that the Resh never takes a Dagesh. Not only is there no verbal distinction between the hard and soft Resh, but modern Hebrew grammar does not even recognize such a difference in the written form.» — el desacuerdo que Kaplan declara significativo y no armoniza: el texto cuenta la Resh entre las Dobles y la mayoría de los gramáticos postalmúdicos sostienen lo contrario.

«There are, however, ten different words, appearing in fourteen places in the Bible, which are written with a Resh containing a Dagesh» — el dato con que Kaplan acota el desacuerdo: catorce lugares de la Biblia escriben la Resh con Daguesh, aunque las reglas de BGD KPT no le apliquen; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The present sound of the Resh is a fricative, and is therefore most probably the soft sound. The hard Resh was either lost or deliberately concealed after the destruction of the Temple. In earlier times, its use was standard, and there is evidence from their transliteration of names, that its pronunciation was known to the authors of the Septuagint» — la historia que Kaplan reconstruye: la Resh dura se perdió o se ocultó tras la destrucción del Templo, y en el siglo X solo la usaba la comunidad Mazya de Tiberíades; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Tiberias had been the last city in which the Sanhedrin, the great court which preserved the tradition, had flourished» — y el porqué que propone: Tiberíades fue la última sede del Sanedrín, que confió ese misterio a su comunidad; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«There is no r sound in use today that meets all these criteria. Furthermore, there is no plosive sound pronounced with the teeth that could be a candidate for the hard Resh. The original pronunciation of this letter therefore remains a mystery.» — el resultado que Kaplan declara abierto: ningún sonido de erre en uso cumple los criterios, y la pronunciación original de la letra sigue siendo un misterio.

«Before printing was introduced, most manuscripts also indicated the soft sound by a line above the letter, known as a Rafeh. This device is used in the Damascus “Keter Torah” Pentateuch, written in the ninth century» — el lema *Hard and Soft*: el *Rafeh*, la raya sobre la letra que marcaba el sonido blando antes de la imprenta, con sus testimonios fechados; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Tikkuney Zohar also states that the hard and soft sounds are related to the “Chayot running and returning” (Ezekiel 1:14). It says, “they run with the hard sound, and return with the soft.”9 According to some commentaries, this indicates that the hard plosive sound is pronounced more quickly than the soft fricative sound» — lo que Kaplan toma del Tikkuney Zohar: se corre con el sonido duro y se vuelve con el blando, que algunos comentarios explican por la velocidad de la plosiva.

«However, since the Sefer Yetzirah (1:6) teaches that “running and returning” also relates to meditative techniques, it would appear that the hard and soft sounds were used for this purpose. These seven Doubles would be used to climb the vertical lines in the Tree of Life. When the initiate would use the letters to “run” and climb upward, he would use the hard sound, and when he would “return,” he would use the soft sound.» — la lectura operativa que Kaplan propone: los dos sonidos como técnica para subir y bajar las líneas verticales del Árbol de la Vida.

«The Bahir states that the letters are the body of the script, while the vowels are its soul» — lo que Kaplan toma del Bahir y de los cabalistas posteriores: las letras son el cuerpo y las vocales el alma, y Daguesh y Rafeh quedan en medio, ni vocal ni letra; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«These are the concepts that can be controlled through the seven double letters. The methods are similar to those outlined in chapter 2.» — la lectura operativa que Kaplan da del fundamento de las Dobles: son conceptos que se pueden controlar por esas letras.

«According to the Tikkuney Zohar, the hard sound implies harsh judgment, while the soft sound implies lenient judgment» — la asignación que Kaplan toma del Tikkuney Zohar y el desacuerdo que consigna sin arbitrar: hay autoridades que la invierten; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The word for “transpose” here is Temurah ( ). Earlier, the Sefer Yetzirah said, “He engraved them, carved them, permuted them, weighed them, and transposed them” (2:2). The word for “transposed” there was Hemir, ( ), which has the same root as the term used here. Earlier, we followed the commentaries who interpreted “transposed” to relate to the use of the standard ciphers. From the text here, however, it would appear that it denotes the transposition between the hard and soft sounds of the Doubles.» — el lema *Transpose*: Kaplan enmienda aquí su propia lectura anterior, y propone que el verbo diga la transposición entre sonido duro y blando y no el uso de las cifras.

«Peace and war relate both to nations and to the individual. A person can be at war with himself, or at peace with himself» — el lema *Peace, War*: Kaplan extiende el par a lo individual y declara que las letras sirven para transmitir esas cualidades a uno mismo o a otro; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The directions would indicate the direction that one must face, or the head motion that he use, when attempting to transmit the qualities mentioned in the last section.» — el uso operativo que Kaplan asigna a las seis direcciones del texto: hacia dónde encarar o qué movimiento de cabeza hacer al transmitir esas cualidades.

«Two of these concepts are alluded to in the Talmud: “He who wishes wisdom, let him face south; He who wishes wealth, let him face north.”16 This was reflected in the Temple, where the Menorah, which related to wisdom, was to the south, while the Table, indicating wealth, was to the north.» — el paralelo talmúdico que Kaplan trae y su reflejo en el Templo: la Menorá al sur por la sabiduría y la Mesa al norte por la riqueza.

«We see here that the letter Resh indicates peace. When there is no peace, this letter cannot be sounded correctly.» — el enlace que Kaplan hace con el misterio de la Resh: sin paz, esa letra no puede sonar bien.

«This is usually interpreted to denote Malkhut» — el lema *The Holy Palace*: la lectura corriente lo pone en Malkhut, apoyada en la gematría de *Hekhal*, sesenta y cinco como *Adonoy*; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Besides being the lowest Sefirah, Malkhut is also the end point of the Keter-Malkhut spiritual dimension. The “Holy Palace” in the center therefore not only relates to Malkhut alone, but also to its association with Keter. In channeling sustenance from Keter, the center point supports all the others» — la segunda capa: el punto central sostiene a los demás porque canaliza el sustento desde Keter.

«According to the Bahir, “Hekhal HaKodesh” here should not be read as “Holy Palace,” but as “Palace of the Holy.”20 The “Holy” denotes Keter, and the “Palace of the Holy” refers to Malkhut when it is directly connected to Keter in the mystery of “Imbed their beginning in their end” (1:7).» — la lectura rival que Kaplan recoge del Bahir: no Palacio Santo sino Palacio del Santo, es decir Malkhut conectada directamente con Keter.

«This also represents a great mystery in creation, as explained by Rabbi Judah Liva (1525–1609), the Maharal of Prague, famed as the creator of a Golem. He states that the reason why the world was created in six days is because a three-dimensional world has six directions, as the Sefer Yetzirah states here. Each day was necessary to complete one of these six directions. The Sabbath is then the center point, which binds all together and supports them all» — el argumento del Maharal de Praga, a quien Kaplan fecha 1525–1609 y presenta como famoso creador de un Golem: el mundo se creó en seis días porque un mundo tridimensional tiene seis direcciones, y el sábado es el punto central que las ata.

«These seven elements also parallel the seven branches of the Menorah» — los paralelos que Kaplan alinea para el siete: las siete ramas de la Menorá, los siete ojos sobre una piedra de Zacarías y la porción a siete y a ocho de Eclesiastés; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The seven Doubles are often associated with the seven lower Sefirot» — la precisión que Kaplan hace contra la asociación corriente: las Dobles no son las siete Sefirot inferiores sino las siete líneas verticales, de las que aquéllas son los extremos inferiores; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Sefer Yetzirah warned us earlier that there were Ten Sefirot, no more and no less (1:4). Here the text warns us that there are seven vertical paths, no more and no less. If an eighth vertical path were added, it would be taken as a path from Keter to the Infinite Being, and such a path cannot exist. Furthermore, if a path to Keter were omitted, one might be misled into thinking that Keter is God, and this is also erroneous.» — la lectura del *siete y no ocho*: una octava senda vertical iría de Keter al Ser Infinito y no puede existir, y quitar una haría creer que Keter es Dios.

«One can probe and examine with these letters very much like one does with the Sefirot. In 1:4, however, the text also said, “Understand with wisdom, and be wise with Understanding,” while here this is omitted. The discussion there involved the basic exercise of fluctuating between Chakhmah and Binah consciousness. Here, the exercise involves the letters themselves, rather than pure states of consciousness.» — el lema *Examine with them*: Kaplan señala lo que aquí se omite respecto de 1:4 y explica la diferencia, que allí el ejercicio era de estados de consciencia y aquí de letras.

«In 1:4 the reading was “probe from them,” while here it is “probe with them.” When the text spoke of the Sefirot themselves, it could say, “probe from them,” since it is from the Sefirot that one receives spiritual energy. Here, however, it is not the letters that provide spiritual energy, but the Sefirot to which they relate. The text therefore states, “probe with them,” indicating that the letters are the tools through which one can probe» — el lema *Probe with them*: Kaplan lee la preposición como dato, porque la energía viene de las Sefirot y las letras son solo la herramienta.

«The first Sefirah that the initiate must reach is Malkhut, and he accomplishes this by meditating on the center, which is the center of his being. Only after he reaches Malkhut can he reach out to the other Sefirot. The Bahir therefore identifies the “Holy Palace” with the very purest essence of thought» — el orden del ascenso que Kaplan describe: primero Malkhut, meditando en el centro del propio ser, que el Bahir identifica con la esencia más pura del pensamiento.

«The seven vertical paths associated with the seven Doubles are manifest in the physical world as the astrological forces associated with the seven planets: Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, Venus, Mercury and Moon.» — el lema *Seven planets*: la manifestación física de las siete sendas verticales como las fuerzas astrológicas de los siete planetas.

«The Talmud also speaks of the various influences of the planets and days of the week» — el desacuerdo que Kaplan consigna sin armonizar: las influencias de planetas y días que da el Talmud no parecen seguir el sistema del Sefer Yetzirah; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«As the commentaries explain, God's providence works through the angels, but these angels, in turn, work through the stars and planets. As some authorities put it, the angels are, in a sense, like souls to the stars. Thus, for example, some sources speak of the stars as having intelligence, but the commentaries note that this is actually speaking of the angels that are associated with them» — la mecánica de la providencia que Kaplan recoge de los comentarios: los ángeles obran por los astros, y son como almas de las estrellas.

«There are, however, two types of angels. We have already spoken of the teaching that there are angels created with every word of God. Elsewhere we find that angels are created every day, with a new troop being made each morning» — la distinción que Kaplan monta: ángeles creados con cada palabra de Dios y renovados cada mañana, frente a los que tienen nombre y existencia permanente; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In discussing this, the Kabbalists arrive at a significant conclusion. They state that there are two basic kinds of angels: permanent angels and temporary angels. The temporary angels were created on the second day, while the permanent ones, which are likened to the birds, were created on the fifth. They also state that an important difference between the permanent and temporary angels is the fact that only the permanent ones have names» — la conclusión cabalística que Kaplan recoge: ángeles temporales creados el segundo día y permanentes el quinto, y solo los permanentes tienen nombre.

«One of the most important factors in astrology is the time and date of a person's birth. The Talmud thus states that there is a “Mazal of the hour.”39 The time, day, and date upon which a person is born has an important influence on his destiny.» — el principio astrológico que Kaplan enuncia con apoyo talmúdico: hay un *Mazal de la hora*, y la hora y la fecha del nacimiento pesan en el destino.

«Earlier, however, we discussed the Midrashic teaching, “One angel cannot have two missions, and two angels cannot share the same mission” (1:7).41 But if this is a general rule, how can a single angel oversee the birth of every person who was ever to be born? Does this not mean that he has many missions?» — la objeción que Kaplan se plantea a sí mismo: si un ángel no puede tener dos misiones, cómo preside uno solo todos los nacimientos.

«In answering these questions, the commentaries note that the angels are like souls to the stars» — la salida que propone: como el alma humana queda integrada por su cuerpo pese a sus muchas tareas, el ángel queda integrado por su astro; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The same is true of the angels having names. These angels are like souls to the stars, and this also means that the stars and planets are the “bodies” of these angels. See figure 46. As such, each star serves as a focus for a particular angel, maintaining it as an integrated whole, even though it may have many different tasks.» — y la consecuencia: los astros son los cuerpos de esos ángeles, y cada estrella es el foco que mantiene íntegro al suyo.

«There is therefore a one-to-one relationship between the stars and angels. Each star has its own particular angel, and each angel has its own star. It is this relationship that allows the named angels to have many tasks, and still not be differentiated into many angels by these tasks. Each named angel is integrated by the star that serves as its body.» — la relación uno a uno que Kaplan traza entre astros y ángeles.

«This also explains why the permanent angels have names. The Zohar teaches that every single star in the universe has a name» — el apoyo escriturario que da: el Zohar dice que cada estrella tiene nombre, y el Midrash que esos nombres corresponden a los de los ángeles; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This also explains why the named angels were created on the fifth day, while the unnamed, temporary angels, were created on the second day. The named angels were associated with the stars, and could therefore not be created until after the stars. The stars were not created until the fourth day, and the angels could therefore not be created until the fifth.» — el cierre del argumento por la cronología del Génesis: los astros se crean el cuarto día, luego sus ángeles no podían ser antes del quinto.

«Here the Sefer Yetzirah discusses the letters in relation to the primary traits, the planets, the days of the week, and the parts of the body. There are a number of variations in these assignments, and the more important ones are given in Table 33 on pages 178–179.» — el aviso que Kaplan pone sobre estas siete estrofas: hay varias asignaciones distintas y las principales van en su tabla.

«Each letter can be used to influence the part of the body with which it is associated. This can be accomplished through using the array of 221 (or 231) Gates associated with that letter. These letters are used in a similar manner when creating a Golem.» — el uso operativo de cada letra sobre la parte del cuerpo que le toca, por el arreglo de Puertas correspondiente.

«Most important are the relationships between the letters, days of the week, and planets and between the seven primary traits: Wisdom, Wealth, Seed, Life, Dominance, Peace and Grace. One can use the methods of the Sefer Yetzirah to attain or enhance any one of these by using the soft pronunciation of the seven Doubles. If one wishes to transmit their opposite, one uses the hard pronunciation.» — la regla práctica que Kaplan formula: pronunciación blanda de las Dobles para atraer las siete cualidades y dura para transmitir su contrario.

«Elsewhere the Talmud teaches that there is an angel called Laylah that oversees birth. It is this angel that proclaims if the individual» — el ángel Laylah que según el Talmud preside el nacimiento; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana y la frase termina *will be strong or weak, wise or foolish, rich or poor*.

«The influence of the planets in the system of Sefer Yetzirah does not depend on their position in the sky, but on the hour of the day.» — la clave astrológica que Kaplan declara propia del sistema del libro: la influencia planetaria no depende de la posición en el cielo sino de la hora del día.

«The planets were placed in their positions on the eve of the Fourth Day, that is, on Tuesday night. They were placed one at a time, an hour apart, in order of their distance from earth. Thus, in the first hour (6 P.M.), Saturn was placed in its position. In the second hour (7 P.M.), Jupiter was positioned.» — la reconstrucción con que Kaplan deriva el ciclo horario: los planetas colocados de hora en hora la víspera del cuarto día, por orden de distancia a la Tierra.

«Each planet then dominated the hour in which it was positioned. After the first seven hours, their dominance began a new cycle, with the planets in the same order. This seven hour cycle continues throughout the week, and it is the same every week.» — y la regla que resulta: cada planeta domina la hora en que fue colocado, y el ciclo de siete horas se repite toda la semana.

«Note that the name of each day is associated with the planet that dominates its first hour in the morning» — el dato que Kaplan aduce como apoyo: los nombres de los días llevan el planeta que domina su primera hora de la mañana; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Romans had originally named the days after the planets dominating their first hour. This nomenclature still survives in the Romance languages. Thus, in French, Tuesday is Mardi (Mars' day), Wednesday is Mercredi (Mercury's day), Thursday is Jeudi (Jupiter's day), and Friday is Vendredi (Venus' day).» — y su rastro en las lenguas romances, que Kaplan enumera en francés.

«The planet that dominates the first hour of the day or night is said to dominate that entire period. The most auspicious times, however, are those associated both with the correct day and with the correct planet. See Table 36 on page 182. Thus, for example, in our (Gra) version of Sefer Yetzirah, both Sunday and the Moon are associated with Wisdom. During the day on Sunday, the Moon is dominant in the fourth and eleventh hours, or from 9-10 A.M. and from 4–5 P.M. These are then the most auspicious times for working to attain Wisdom» — la regla operativa que Kaplan formula con un ejemplo trabajado: los tiempos más propicios son los que juntan el día y el planeta correctos.

«There is a commandment, “There shall not be found among you. . . one who calculates times (MeOnan)” (Deuteronomy 18:10). In the Talmud, according to Rabbi Akiba, this specifically applies to one who calculates auspicious times, and a number of authorities accept this opinion as binding» — la objeción halájica que Kaplan consigna: según Akiba el precepto de Deuteronomio 18:10 prohíbe calcular tiempos propicios, y varias autoridades lo tienen por vinculante.

«This, however, only means that one should not make astrology a dominant influence in one's daily life. As we see from all the commentaries on Sefer Yetzirah, when one is engaged in these mystical techniques, this prohibition is not applicable» — y el límite con que Kaplan la acota apoyándose en los comentarios: la prohibición mira a que la astrología no gobierne la vida diaria, no al uso dentro de estas técnicas místicas.

«When the Sefirot and days are placed in their usual order, the planets appear in the order given in our version of Sefer Yetzirah. This version therefore is that which fits most closely to the teachings of the Zohar.» — y el argumento con que Kaplan justifica la elección de la versión Gra: es la que más se ajusta a las enseñanzas del Zohar.

«The association with colors is also significant, since one can also meditate on these colors when seeking to transmit the associated influence. The colors are also useful in general in meditations involving the Sefirot» — el uso que Kaplan le da a los colores: meditar en ellos al transmitir la influencia asociada.

«The later Kabbalists write that these are the Seven Chambers in the Universe of Beriyah» — el lema *Seven Universes*: los cabalistas posteriores los identifican con las Siete Cámaras de Beriyah.

«Some early souces state that these Seven Universes are the seven thousand years that the world is supposed to exist» — la lectura rival que Kaplan pone al lado: los siete milenios de existencia del mundo, con el séptimo como el día en que todo será sábado; el troceo imprime *souces*; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Others relate the Seven Universes to the Kabbalistic doctrine of Sabbaticals. This states that there are seven distinct periods of creation, each lasting seven thousand years» — la tercera lectura, la doctrina de los Sabáticos: siete ciclos de siete mil años, con desacuerdo entre cabalistas sobre en cuál estamos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«order in which they were created, the Gra version, which we are using, follows a different system. It is based on the ordering of the planets as found in the Zohar» — la divergencia entre versiones que Kaplan consigna: la mayoría ordena los planetas por creación y la Gra sigue un sistema distinto, el del Zohar; el tramo arranca después del cambio de plana.

«This is very close to the scientific estimate that the expansion of the universe began some fifteen billion years ago.» — el cotejo que Kaplan hace de la cuenta cabalística de los ciclos con la estimación científica de la edad del universo.

«The current Hebrew year is 5736. In this calendar, the year in which Adam was created is counted as year one. If we then count the Biblical genealogies from the time of Adam, we find that 5736 years have elapsed since the time he was formed. However, the Kabbalists clearly say that other human beings existed before Adam, and this is even supported in scripture» — la fecha desde la que Kaplan escribe y el límite que pone a la cuenta: los cabalistas dicen que hubo seres humanos antes de Adán.

«Actually, there are two accounts of creation in the Book of Genesis. The first chapter of Genesis speaks of the initial creation of the universe, while the second chapter speaks of the creation of Adam. During the six days of creation described in the first chapter, God did not actually create the world, but rather, created the ingredients which would allow the world to develop. It thus refers to the creation of all matter, along with space and time» — la lectura que Kaplan hace de los dos relatos del Génesis: el primero no crea el mundo sino los ingredientes que le permitirían desarrollarse.

«After these six days of creation, God allowed the universe to develop by itself, renewing His creation each seven thousand divine years or 2.5 billion earthly years. All the laws of nature and the properties of matter had been fixed for all time, as it is written, “He has established them forever; He has made a decree which shall not be transgressed”» — la cosmología que Kaplan propone: fijadas las leyes, Dios deja que el universo se desarrolle por sí mismo, renovando su creación cada siete mil años divinos, que él cuenta como 2 500 millones terrestres.

«Each of the six cycles of creation brought something new into the world. The fifth cycle was the one that brought forth life, and this took place around two and a half billion years ago. Around 974 generations before Adam, or some 25,000 years ago, man developed all the physical and mental capabilities that we possess today» — la cronología que Kaplan traza: el quinto ciclo trae la vida, hace unos 2 500 millones de años, y hace unos 25 000 años el hombre alcanza sus capacidades actuales, todavía sin alma divina; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«God then created Adam, the first true human being with a soul, “and He blew in his nostrils a soul of life” (Genesis 2:7).68 According to tradition, the creation of Adam took place on Rosh HaShanah, the Hebrew New Year, which occurred on September 9, 3761 B.C.E.» — y el corte que pone: Adán es el primer ser humano verdadero, con alma, y la tradición fecha su creación en Rosh HaShaná.

«These are listed in the Long Version (4:13) as being: Vilon, Rakia, Shechakim, Zevul, Ma'on, Makhon, Aravot. These are also mentioned in the Talmud» — el lema *Seven Firmaments*: Kaplan los toma de la Versión Larga, que aquí suple lo que la Gra no enumera; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Long Version (4:13) lists these as: Adamah, Tevel, Nashiyah, Tzaya, Chalad, Eretz, Chalad. Another source gives them as: Eretz, Adamah, Arkah, Gey, Tzaya, Nasya, Tevel» — el lema *Seven Earths*: Kaplan alinea tres listas de fuentes distintas, con nombres que no coinciden, y no arbitra entre ellas; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«According to many authorities, these refer to the seven continents: North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, Antarctica» — la lectura moderna que Kaplan recoge: las siete tierras como los siete continentes, sin continente en el polo norte, que por eso se dice abierto; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Many commentaries state that these are the seven lakes and seas in the Holy Land» — el lema *Seven Seas*: Kaplan pone al lado la lectura tradicional, los siete lagos y mares de Tierra Santa, y la moderna, los siete océanos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«These are the seven rivers associated with the Holy Land: The Jordan, Yarmoch, Kirmyon, Poga, Pishon, Gichon, Chidekel» — el lema *Seven Rivers*, con el motivo por el que el Éufrates no se cuenta; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«These are the seven deserts through which the Israelites passed during the Exodus from Egypt: Eitan, Shur, Sin, Sinai, Paran, Tzin, Kadmut» — el lema *Seven Deserts*: los del Éxodo.

«This is seven times 49 (or 50) years, a total of 343 (or 350) years. The First Temple stood for 410 years, and during this period, Israel observed seven jubilees» — el lema *Seven Jubilees*: la cuenta y su comprobación histórica en los 410 años del Primer Templo.

«This also relates to the concept of Sabbaticals of creation, where each jubilee period consists of 49,000 years. There will be seven such jubilee periods, and the universe will therefore last a total of 343,000 years. These are divine years, each one consisting of 365,250 earthly years. Thus, the total time between the initial expansion and final collapse of the universe will be 125,287,500,000 years. This figure of 125 billion years is very close to the scientific calculation.» — la cuenta cósmica que Kaplan hace con esa cifra: 343 000 años divinos, es decir 125 287 500 000 terrestres entre la expansión inicial y el colapso final, que compara con el cálculo científico.

«One of the aspects of the future world will be extreme longevity on the part of mankind. Regarding this period, it is foretold, “As a child one shall die at a hundred years old” (Isaiah 65:20).81 According to Rabbi Isaac of Acco, the lifespan will have become so extended that one who dies at the age of a hundred will be considered like a child currently dying at the age of 3. Thus, the normal lifespan will be approximately 33 times its present value, or around 2,000 years» — la extrapolación que Kaplan atribuye a Isaac de Acco: la vida humana llegaría a unos dos mil años, y contados como años divinos, al orden de ochenta millones; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«According to Rabbi Abraham Abulafia, there are seven levels in creation: Form, matter, combination, mineral, vegetable, animal, and man. Man is thus the seventh level, and is most beloved by God» — el lema *He made sevens beloved*: los siete niveles de la creación según Abulafia, con el hombre en el séptimo.

«Here the letters of the alphabet are called “stones.” The Kabbalists say that they are “stones quarried from the great Name of God» — el lema *Two stones*: las letras llamadas piedras, y lo que Kaplan recoge de los cabalistas, que son piedras canteadas del gran Nombre de Dios.

«The text here is discussing the number of permutations possible with a given number of letters. If one has 2 letters, AB, one can permute them in 2 ways: AB and BA. These are the “2 stones” that “build 2 houses.”» — la lectura que Kaplan da de la serie: es el número de permutaciones posibles con un número dado de letras.

«We therefore see, that for a given number of letters, the number of permutations is given by 1 × 2 × 3 × . . . . × N.» — la fórmula a la que Kaplan llega y que llama factorial.

«In general, letter permutations played an important role in the practices of the meditative Kabbalists. These permutations were often chanted very much like a mantra in order to bring about a desired state of consciousness» — el uso que Kaplan declara de las permutaciones entre los cabalistas meditativos: se cantaban como un mantra para inducir un estado de consciencia; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Assume that a person wished to pronounce all 5040 possible permutations of seven letters. He would therefore have to pronounce a total of 5040 × 7, or 35,280 letters. Assuming that he could pronounce three letters a second, it would take over three hours to recite them all. Difficult, but not impossible.» — el lema *That which the mouth cannot speak*: el cálculo con que Kaplan mide lo decible, tres horas largas para las permutaciones de siete letras.

«If one wished to pronounce all possible permutations of eight letters, he would have to recite a total of 40,320 × 8, or 322,560 letters. At the same rate, this would take approximately thirty hours. For all practical purposes, this is outside the realm of normal human capability. The text therefore states that this is something that “the mouth cannot speak, and the ear cannot hear.”» — y el umbral de lo indecible: treinta horas para ocho letras, fuera del alcance humano normal, que es lo que a su juicio dice el texto.

«The Sefer Yetzirah includes it here, since it is possible to pronounce all the permutations of the seven Doubles, and apparently, this was done in some techniques» — el porqué de que el texto lo diga aquí según Kaplan: las siete Dobles sí se pueden permutar enteras, y las doce Elementales tomarían sesenta y tres años; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«From Table 43, we see that there are about a sextillion (1021) possible permutations of all 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This is very close to the total number of stars in the observable universe. This universe contains around a hundred billion (1011) galaxies, each one with approximately ten billion (1010) stars. A very similar figure is also found in the Talmud» — el cotejo cosmológico que Kaplan hace: las permutaciones de las veintidós letras son del orden del número de estrellas del universo observable, de modo que hay un nombre por estrella; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This can also be interpreted as temper or aggressiveness.» — el lema *Anger*, con la alternativa de traducción que Kaplan deja abierta.

«The Hebrew word here, L'eitah, literally means swallowing. Many commentaries, however, interpret it to mean taste» — el lema *Taste*: Kaplan consigna que la palabra dice literalmente tragar y que muchos comentarios la leen como gusto.

«These attributes do not have opposites. They can either be present or absent, but their absence is not the opposite of their presence. They are therefore represented by the twelve Elementals, which only have a single sound.» — el argumento con que Kaplan explica por qué estas doce cualidades van con las Elementales: no tienen opuesto, solo presencia o ausencia, y las Elementales tienen un solo sonido.

«As we shall see, these qualities parallel the twelve months, as well as the twelve signs of the zodiac. They also have a parallel in the twelve tribes of Israel.» — las tres series paralelas que Kaplan anuncia: meses, signos del zodiaco y tribus de Israel.

«There are two ways of ordering the twelve tribes. The first is that which occurs in the beginning of the Book of Exodus (1:2–5): Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naftali, Gad, Asher, Joseph» — el primero de los dos órdenes de las tribus que Kaplan consigna, el del Éxodo.

«Other authorities list the tribes in the order of their camps in the desert» — el segundo orden, el de los campamentos en el desierto, que Kaplan pone al lado sin arbitrar; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«This change of order occured after Levi was given the priesthood and removed from the order of the tribes. To complete the twelve, Joseph was divided into two tribes, Ephraim and Manasseh. This was in accordance to Jacob's blessing, “Ephraim and Manasseh shall be like Reuben and Simeon to me”» — la explicación que Kaplan da del cambio de orden: retirado Leví al sacerdocio, José se parte en Efraím y Manasés para completar las doce.

«When the traits are in the order given in our (Gra) version, the tribes must be matched up with them in the order of the camps» — la regla de correspondencia que Kaplan fija para la versión que traduce, con José en el lugar de Efraím y Leví en el de Manasés; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«These twelve attributes also parallel the twelve permutations of the Tetragrammaton. Even though four letters can normally be permuted 24 different ways, since two letters are the same here, this number is halved» — la cuarta serie paralela: las doce permutaciones del Tetragrámaton, que son doce y no veinticuatro por repetirse dos letras.

«According to most authorities, this is the order of permutations of the Tetragrammaton paralleling the months of the year» — el orden de esas permutaciones que Kaplan atribuye a la mayoría de las autoridades.

«The twelve Elementals are said to relate to the twelve diagonal boundaries. See Table 46 on page 204. These correspond to the twelve edges of a cube. When a person uses these letters in any meditation, he must also concentrate on the appropriate direction.» — la lectura geométrica que Kaplan da de los doce límites: las doce aristas de un cubo, y la instrucción operativa de concentrarse en la dirección que toca.

«The ordering here begins on the east, and then goes through the four primary directions: east, south, west, north. This corresponds to the teaching, “Whenever you turn, turn toward the right.”» — el orden de los rumbos que Kaplan señala en el texto y la máxima con que lo empareja.

«The ordering of directions is also the same as that of the four camps in the desert» — la razón que Kaplan da de que la versión Gra dé tres límites por lado: las tres tribus de cada uno de los cuatro campamentos; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In each of these four directions, one first takes the upward boundary, then the right boundary, and then the lower boundary. In this manner, one describes the letter Bet ( ) on each side. This corresponds to the teaching that the world was created with a Bet, this being the first letter of the Torah» — el hallazgo gráfico que Kaplan propone: el recorrido de los tres límites de cada lado dibuja una Bet, la letra con que fue creado el mundo.

«A number of other versions give the twelve boundaries like they are here» — la divergencia entre versiones que Kaplan consigna sin arbitrar: unas dan los límites como aquí y otras agrupan por rumbos de otro modo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Bahir relates these twelve diagonals to the Tree of Life» — lo que Kaplan toma del Bahir: relación uno a uno entre los límites diagonales y las líneas diagonales del Árbol de la Vida; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The term, “eternity of eternities,” which in Hebrew is Adey Ad, has already been discussed (1:5) as denoting a realm beyond space and time. The use of the term here would imply that the diagonal boundaries actually extend beyond the realm of space and time.» — el lema *They extend to eternity of eternities*: si el término dice un reino más allá del espacio y el tiempo, los límites diagonales se extienden más allá de ellos.

«Earlier, when the Sefer Yetzirah (4:4) spoke of the six primary directions, it did not call them boundaries. The reason why they are called “boundaries” (gevulim) here is because they are used in method of meditating on the “boundaries” of space. The initiate meditates on the four letters Bet which seal the universe on four sides, setting the limits of thought» — el porqué de la palabra *límites* según Kaplan: sirven al método de meditar en los límites del espacio, con las cuatro Bet que sellan el universo y las doce permutaciones del Nombre; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In discussing the twelve diagonals, the Bahir says, “On the inside of them is the Tree.”23 This is the Tree of Life, the array of the Ten Sefirot, connected by the 22 letters. The Tree is not inside the twelve boundaries from an earthly point of view, since it is external to the physical universe. It is only inside these boundaries when viewed from the point at infinity, that has been discussed earlier (1:7). It is at this point that all the boundaries are unified.» — la precisión con que Kaplan lee el dicho del Bahir: el Árbol no está dentro de los límites desde el punto de vista terrestre, sino visto desde el punto en el infinito.

«When a person meditates on the infinity of the diagonal boundaries, he is also able to move along the diagonal paths in the Tree of Life. This is important, since it is much easier to ascend along the diagonals than along the vertical paths.» — la ventaja operativa que Kaplan declara de esta meditación: por las diagonales se asciende más fácil que por las verticales.

«These boundaries parallel the boundaries of the twelve tribes mentioned in Ezekiel 48. Each of these diagonal boundaries relates to one of the twelve tribes.» — el lema *Boundaries of the Universe*: los doce límites emparejados con los de las doce tribus de Ezequiel 48.

«Instead of “boundaries of the Universe,” the Short Version reads, “arms of the Universe» — la variante textual que Kaplan consigna: la Versión Corta lee *brazos del Universo* donde la Gra lee *límites*; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Moses begins by calling God, “the Rider of the heavens.” The word “rider,” rokhev ( ), is closely related to markava ( ), the mystical “chariot” that is the essence of the mystical experience. The concept of “riding” involves traveling and leaving one's natural place» — la lectura que Kaplan hace de ese título: *rokhev*, jinete, emparentado con *markava*, y cabalgar dice salir del propio lugar, de modo que Dios deja su estado inconcebible y se deja ver; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It then says, “A dwelling (me'onah) is the God of eternity.” As discussed earlier (1:5), the word ma'on (and me'onah) indicate a level above space and time, the “place of the universe.”29 The word for “eternal” here is Kedem, which usually indicates Keter» — la lectura del resto del versículo: *ma'on* dice un nivel por encima del espacio y del tiempo, y *Kedem*, eterno, dice Keter, de la raíz que significa rodear; el tramo se corta en el cambio de plana; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«On the highest level, we conceive of God as being totally divorced from all space and time. This conception involves a state of consciousness that pertains neither to perception nor to nonperception. On a lower level, we see Him as the one who defines space and time, as the “Place of the Universe.” This involves a state of consciousness perceiving Nothingness. On a still lower level, we see God as being beyond the boundaries of the universe.» — los tres niveles de concepción de Dios que Kaplan escalona, con su estado de consciencia correspondiente.

«Thus, if a person wishes to experience God, he must begin at the lower level and work his way upward. He therefore begins with the “arms of the Universe,” contemplating the infinity of space in the twelve diagonal boundaries. Only after this can he reach the level of “a Dwelling is the God of eternity,” where he conceives God as the “Place of the Universe.” Finally, however, he must attain a conception of God as being totally divorced from space and time. He then sees Him as the “Rider of the heavens,” who merely uses all depictions as a means through which He can be conceptualized.» — el orden de ascenso que Kaplan deriva de esa escala: de los brazos del Universo al Lugar del Universo y de ahí al Jinete de los cielos.

«A very important element in attaining the mystical experience is the negation of the self. When a person sees himself as nothing, then his self becomes transparent to the Divine. Commenting on the verse, “from under the Arms of the Universe,” the Talmud states that a person must “make himself like he does not exist.”,32 Through contemplating the infinities of the universe, one can nullify the ego.» — la condición que Kaplan declara muy importante: la anulación del yo, con el dicho talmúdico de hacerse como quien no existe.

«In another very significant teaching, the Talmud states that, “The spirit (ruach) depends on the stormwind (sa'arah). . . and the stormwind hangs from the arms of God.”33 This is also based on the verse, “From under the Arms of the Universe.” The stormwind (sa'arah), however, was the first manifestation of Ezekiel's vision, as ho says, “I looked, and behold, a stormwind coming out of the north” (Ezekiel 1:4).34 The stormwind relates to the stormy state of consciousness that precedes the true mystical experience, which is called “Spirit” (Ruach).» — la enseñanza talmúdica que Kaplan encadena con la visión de Ezequiel: el estado tormentoso de consciencia que precede a la experiencia mística verdadera.

«The Talmud states that the state of Sa'arah, which is the gateway to the mystical experience, depends on the Arms of the Univese. One attains this state when one meditates on the infinities of the diagonal boundaries and the permutations of the Tetragrammaton associated with them.» — y la técnica que saca de ella: se alcanza ese estado meditando en las infinitudes de los límites diagonales y las permutaciones del Nombre.

«In the text here, we see that the ordering of the twelve diagonal boundaries begins with the east and ends with the north. Since the last direction upon which one meditates is the north, Ezekiel saw the “stormwind coming from the north.”» — el detalle con que Kaplan cierra el argumento: el orden del texto acaba en el norte, y de ahí que Ezequiel vea el torbellino venir del norte.

«In the Long Version, the reading here in Sefer Yetzirah is “Heights of the Universe.” Some commentaries state that these “Heights” are the “Arms of the Universe.”» — la tercera variante de lectura que Kaplan consigna: *Alturas del Universo* en la Versión Larga.

«The Zohar states that these Heights are related to the feminine principle in creation, especially to the Sefirah of Malkhut» — lo que Kaplan toma del Zohar sobre esas Alturas y el uso que le da: por la meditación en las doce líneas infinitas se entra en Malkhut; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The twelve diagonal boundaries are therefore like transmission lines, through which creative energy flows into the universe from the twelve diagonal paths in the Tree of Life. As such, these infinities are the interface between the physical and the transcendental.» — la figura con que Kaplan cierra el lema: los doce límites como líneas de transmisión, interfaz entre lo físico y lo trascendente.

«In Hebrew, the word here is Dakkin. This usually denotes the small intestine, but it can also include the large intestine or colon.» — el lema *The intestines*: la palabra que trae la versión Gra y su alcance.

«In other versions, instead of Dakkin, the Sefer Yetzirah uses the term Massas or Hemsess. Ordinarily in Hebraic literature, this does not denote a human organ. The term usually refers to the Omasum or manyplies, the third stomach in ruminating (cud-chewing) animals such as cattle» — la variante textual que Kaplan consigna con su dificultad: *Massas* no nombra ordinariamente un órgano humano sino el omaso de los rumiantes; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«fire” seen by Ezekiel are the forces of the evil Husks (Klipah), which must be breached before one can enter into the mysteries» — la lectura del obstáculo que Kaplan hace de la apertura de Ezequiel: torbellino, nube y fuego son las fuerzas de las Cáscaras que hay que romper antes de entrar en los misterios, y por eso Moisés promete que Dios aparta al enemigo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The term Korkeban is most often used to denote the gizzard in fowl» — el lema *The Korkeban*: la palabra nombra la molleja de las aves y solo rara vez un órgano humano; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Zohar clearly identifies the Korkeban as the stomach, and this opinion is shared almost universally by all later Kabbalists» — el abanico de identificaciones que Kaplan alinea sin arbitrar: estómago según el Zohar y casi todos los cabalistas posteriores, esófago, intestino delgado, colon y hasta apéndice según otros; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Kivah is also an organ usually associated with animals. In ruminants, it is the fourth stomach, known as the maw or abomasum. In calves, it is also known as the rennet bag, since it contains the rennet making glands» — el lema *The Kivah*: el cuarto estómago de los rumiantes, con otro abanico de identificaciones humanas que Kaplan no arbitra; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In animals, the Kiva was part of the offering given to priests, as the Torah states, “They shall give to the priest the shoulder, the two cheeks, and the Kiva” (Deuteronomy 18:3). Maimonides states that the reason for this is because the Kivah is the first among the digestive organs, and this opinion is echoed by the Kabbalists» — el argumento de Maimónides que Kaplan recoge: el *Kivah* se da al sacerdote por ser el primero de los órganos digestivos, y su análogo humano sería el esófago; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Talmud and Zohar, however, apparently teach that the main function of the Ivah in man is to induce sleep» — la lectura rival que Kaplan pone al lado: la función principal sería inducir el sueño, lo que apuntaría a un órgano glandular, quizá el páncreas; el troceo imprime *Ivah* por *Kivah*; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«One reason why the Kiva might be associated with sleep is because in animals it is the organ that digests milk. The human analogue may also be associated with milk, and milk is known to induce sleep» — la explicación que Kaplan propone de esa asociación, por la leche y su efecto; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is also possible that the Korkeban and Kiva are not human organs at all. This would mean that use is made of them only when the Sefer Yetzirah is used with relation to animals and birds. By making use of these organs, one may create an animal or bird rather than a human. This might have been the technique that the Talmudic sages used to create a prime calf.» — la salida que Kaplan deja abierta y que le sirve para el ternero talmúdico: que esos dos no sean órganos humanos y se usen solo al aplicar el libro a animales y aves.

«There are several variant readings found in the different versions and commentaries. The major ones are given in Table 48 on page 219.» — el aviso que Kaplan pone sobre las doce estrofas: hay varias lecturas variantes entre versiones y comentarios.

«In this version, the Kivah is associated with sleep, the liver with anger, and the spleen with laughter. The same association is found in the Talmud» — las tres asignaciones que Kaplan destaca de esta versión y su apoyo talmúdico.

«Here we see that the signs of the zodiac are associated with the twelve Hebrew lunar months, rather than with the position of the Sun, as in Western astrology. The assignment here approximates that of Western astrology, but is more accurate from a Kabbalistc viewpoint.» — la diferencia con la astrología occidental que Kaplan declara: aquí los signos van con los meses lunares hebreos y no con la posición del Sol; el troceo imprime *Kabbalistc*.

«If one wishes to attain a deep understanding of the significance of the astrological signs, one must contemplate the patterns of stars that form each one. As one gazes at these stellar arrays, not only does the picture of the sign emerge, hut one also gains insight into its inner essence.» — la técnica contemplativa que Kaplan propone para los signos: mirar los patrones de estrellas hasta que emerja la figura y con ella su esencia interna.

«In general, it was forbidden to actually draw pictures of the figures represented by the astrological signs» — el límite halájico que Kaplan consigna: estaba prohibido dibujar las figuras de los signos, porque en la antigüedad llevó a adorarlas, y sí se permite dibujar las estrellas o unirlas con líneas; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The constellations are said to be like a trough because they channel spiritual sustenance down to the physical world. The months are like a wall. The parts of the body are involved in a constant state of war, as discussed later (6:3)» — el lema *He made them like a trough*: las constelaciones como canal que baja sustento espiritual, los meses como muro y las partes del cuerpo en guerra constante.

«Besides his time of birth, a person's name also plays an important role in determining astrological signs. In order to determine this influence, one must write the person's name and the name of his mother in Hebrew characters. The letters must then be added up, so as to determine the numerical value of both names» — la técnica onomástica que Kaplan describe: el nombre propio y el de la madre en caracteres hebreos, sumados por valor numérico.

«To determine the sign of the zodiac, one must cast off twelves, and take the remainder. That is, one must divide the above sum by twelve, and determine the remainder. This is used to determine the sign of the zodiac» — la regla de cálculo: dividir entre doce y quedarse con el resto para el signo, y entre siete para el planeta; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Also important are the 28 “camps” of the Divine Presence, corresponding to the 28 days of the lunar month» — los veintiocho campamentos de la Presencia Divina y la duración del mes lunar que Kaplan da con sus decimales; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Besides this, there is also the sidereal month, the time during which the Moon passes through all twelve signs of the zodiac. This period is 27 days, 6 hours, 780 seconds (27.25902 days). This is the period during which the Moon revolves around the earth, and returns to its original position with regard to a fixed star.» — la segunda medida: el mes sidéreo, el tiempo en que la Luna recorre los doce signos.

«The lunar month is longer than the sidereal month. The reason for this is because, in order to complete a lunar month, the Moon must not only pass through the twelve signs of the zodiac, but it must also occupy its previous position in relation to the Sun. During this month, however, the Sun itself has advanced through the zodiac. The lunar month is therefore longer than the sidereal month by a factor of one twelfth. The Moon therefore passes through each of the twelve signs of the zodiac in 2 days, 6 hours, 1865 seconds (2.271585 days).» — la explicación de la diferencia entre los dos meses y el tiempo que la Luna pasa en cada signo.

«Besides the 28 lunar days, the sidereal month can also be divided into 28 equal parts. Each one of these parts is one of the Moon's “camps.” The moon passes through each of its camps in 23 hours, 1310 seconds.» — la definición de campamento que Kaplan da: cada una de las veintiocho partes iguales del mes sidéreo.

«The 28 camps parallel the 28 “times” mentioned in Ecclesiastes» — el paralelo que Kaplan traza entre los veintiocho campamentos y los veintiocho tiempos de Eclesiastés; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The 28 camps are associated with the twelve signs of the zodiac through the 42 Letter Name, given above (4:14). See Table 53 on page 224. This name is combined with the letters of the Tetragrammation in the manner shown in figure 54 on page 225. This yields a total of 168 letters, or six for each of the 28 camps.» — el modo en que Kaplan ata campamentos y signos, por el Nombre de 42 letras combinado con el Tetragrámaton.

«Also associated with each of the twelve signs is a permutation of the names YHVH and Adonoy ( ). By meditating on these combinations, as well as the derivatives of the 42 Letter Name, one can gain knowledge of things that will happen in the designated times.» — el uso adivinatorio que Kaplan describe: meditando esas combinaciones se gana conocimiento de lo que ocurrirá en los tiempos designados.

«The 28 “times” of Ecclesiastes can be divided into two groups of 14. One group consists of the good times, while the other consists of the evil times. The 14 good times are said to come from the 14 letters of YHVH Elohenu YHVH: YHVH ELHYNU YHVH One then takes the letter, which in the alphabet comes after each of these 14. This yields the letters» — el reparto de los veintiocho tiempos en catorce buenos y catorce malos, derivados por letras de las tres Nombres y de sus sucesoras en el alfabeto; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«There is another system that also provides insight into each hour of the day. As discussed earlier (2:5), when various letters are combined with the Tetragrammaton, five vowels are used. When one wishes to make such a combination relating to the hours of the day, however, one must add a sixth vowel, the Shva (:).72 The array associated with each letter of the Tetragrammaton then consists of 36 elements.» — el sistema horario que Kaplan añade: para las horas del día se agrega una sexta vocal, la Shvá, y el arreglo pasa a treinta y seis elementos.

«Both in the Talmud and in Kabbalah, the normative division of the hour is into Chalakim, with 1080 Chalakim making an hour. Thus, there are 18 Chalakim to a minute.» — la unidad de tiempo que Kaplan usa: el *Chelek*, con mil ochenta por hora.

«The duration of each letter, expressed in Chalakim, is taken as being equal to its numerical value.» — la regla de duración de cada letra por su valor numérico.

«This method can more easily be understood if we take an example. Assume that a person's name is Abraham ( ) and his mother's name is Sarah ( ). Making use of the numerical value for each letter, we see that Abraham has a numerical value of 248, while that for Sarah is 505. Adding the two together, the final sum is 753.» — el ejemplo trabajado con que Kaplan ilustra la técnica onomástica: Abraham vale 248 y Sarah 505, y la suma da 753.

«To determine the sign of the zodiac, we must divide by twelve, yielding 62, with a remainder of nine. Consulting Table 49 on page 220, we find that the appropriate sign is Capricorn. Similarly, to determine the planet, we divide 753 by seven. The quotient is 107, with a remainder of four. We thus find that Mars will exert a strong influence on a person named Abraham, who is the son of Sarah.» — y el resultado del ejemplo: resto nueve para Capricornio y resto cuatro para Marte.

«There are, however, twelve permutations of the Tetragrammaton. These can either pertain to the twelve hours of the day, or to the twelve hours of the night. When the Alef precedes the letters of the Name, as in figure 56, these permutations pertain to the twelve hours of the night. When the letters of the Name precede the Alef, they represent the twelve hours of the day.» — la regla con que Kaplan reparte las doce permutaciones entre horas de día y de noche, según la Alef vaya antes o después.

«This is the same as 3:2, except that here the Fathers “emanate,” while above, they were “born.” From the Mothers, AMSh, emanated the concept of thesis, antithesis, and synthesis, as discussed earlier. These are the Fathers, represented by fire, water, and air. From this triad comes the three columns of the Sefirot, and from them, all the rest of creation.» — el lema *From them emanated three Fathers*: Kaplan señala la diferencia de verbo respecto de 3:2 y repite la derivación de la tríada.

«This is one of the most mysterious words in the Sefer Yetzirah. The term occurs neither in the Bible nor in the Talmud, and there is considerable discussion as to its meaning» — el lema *The Teli*, que Kaplan declara una de las palabras más misteriosas del libro, ausente de la Biblia y del Talmud.

«The only place where we find a similar word is in a single reference to a weapon, where Jacob told Esau, “Take your instruments, your Teli and your bow” (Genesis 27:3). Some commentaries interpret the Teli here to be a kind of sword, and it is given this name because it hangs (talah) from one's side» — el único paralelo léxico que Kaplan halla, en Génesis 27:3, con dos lecturas rivales, espada que cuelga o aljaba donde se apilan las flechas; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«According to many Kabbalists, the Teli mentioned here in Sefer Yetzirah is the imaginary axis around which the heavens rotate» — la identificación cabalística que Kaplan recoge: el eje imaginario en torno al cual giran los cielos, del que cuelga la esfera celeste; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Many authorities identify the Teli with the “Pole Serpent” (Nachash Bare'ach), mentioned in the verse, “By His spirit, the heavens were calmed, His hand has pierced the Pole Serpent” (Job 26:13).6 It is also mentioned in the verse, “On that day, with His great, harsh sword, God will visit and overcome the Leviathan, the Pole Serpent, and the Leviathan, the Coiled Serpent, and He will kill the dragon of the sea”» — la segunda identificación: la Serpiente Polar de Job 26:13 e Isaías 27:1.

«The Pole Serpent is often associated with the constellation of Draco» — la tercera identificación, con la constelación del Dragón, y el dato astronómico con que Kaplan la apoya; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«There are, however, two imaginary poles in the sky. The first is the celestial pole, which is directly above the earth's north pole. The second is known as the ecliptic pole. This is the pole of the sphere of which the ecliptic is the equator.» — la distinción astronómica que Kaplan introduce: polo celeste y polo de la eclíptica.

«In describing the positions of the stars, the ancients made use of the ecliptic pole, rather than the celestial pole. In this system, we find that the constellation of Draco actually surrounds the ecliptic pole.» — y el argumento que saca de ella: los antiguos usaban el polo de la eclíptica, y respecto de él el Dragón lo rodea literalmente.

«Since the Pole Serpent has stars in all the houses of the zodiac, it is also seen as supporting them all» — la función que Kaplan le atribuye al Dragón: tiene estrellas en todas las casas del zodiaco, de modo que las sostiene y las dirige; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In ancient times, the Teli, in the form of Draco, was worshipped as an idolatrous deity» — el dato que Kaplan consigna sin juzgarlo: el Teli fue adorado como deidad idolátrica, y Isaac de Acco lo identifica con el Baal bíblico; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Many philosophical commentaries on Sefer Yetzirah, as well as astronomical texts, interpret the Teli as being the inclination between two celestial planes» — la lectura rival que Kaplan pone al lado: el Teli como la oblicuidad entre eclíptica y ecuador celeste, que por su forma de huso se figura como dragón o pez; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Hebrew astronomers also used the term Teli to denote the inclination of the orbit of a planet from the ecliptic, particularly in the case of the moon» — la cuarta acepción que Kaplan registra: la inclinación de la órbita de un planeta respecto de la eclíptica, sobre todo la de la Luna.

«The term, however, appears more suggestive of a kind of bola. This is a line with a ball at the end, used to ensnare animals.» — la lectura que Kaplan propone en lugar de espada o aljaba: una bola, línea con una pelota al extremo para atrapar animales.

«This Pole Serpent, which is identified with the Leviathan, may then be seen as an imaginary creature from which the earth hangs.» — la consecuencia de esa identificación: una criatura imaginaria de la que cuelga la tierra.

«in an ancient mystical Midrash, we find that the world “hangs from a fin of the Leviathan» — y el Midrash místico antiguo que Kaplan trae, donde el mundo cuelga de una aleta del Leviatán.

«while the Coiled Serpent (Nachash Akalkalon) is the female» — el reparto de géneros que Kaplan recoge entre las dos serpientes, con el versículo de Jeremías 31:22; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Other commentaries identify the Teli with the Milky Way, and say that this is the Pole Serpent» — la quinta identificación que Kaplan consigna y acota: la Vía Láctea, aunque el libro de Raziel la llame Río Dinur; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Another important opinion is that of the practical Kabbalists. They write that Teli is actually a place under the firmament of Vilon, and that it is inhabited by humanoid beings, which deport themselves in holiness and purity like angels. The divine mysteries are revealed to these beings, and they have the authority to reveal these things to mortal humans. Methods are also given whereby these beings can be contacted» — la sexta lectura, de los cabalistas prácticos: el Teli como un lugar bajo el firmamento de Vilón habitado por seres humanoides a quienes se revelan los misterios divinos y que pueden ser contactados.

«While adhering to the view that the Teli is the segment between the ascending and descending nodes, Rabbi Judah HaLevi (1068– 1118) also writes that the Teli alludes to the spiritual world, and to hidden mysteries which cannot be grasped» — las lecturas de Yehudah HaLevi, a quien Kaplan fecha 1068–1118, y de Abulafia: el Teli alude al mundo espiritual y sus nudos son nudos de amor y unión mística; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The nodes of the Teli are the points where two divergent orbits meet. The physical and spiritual worlds can also be looked upon as two divergent orbits. The Teli would then represent the nodes where the physical and spiritual meet.» — la síntesis que Kaplan propone: el Teli como los nodos donde se encuentran las dos órbitas divergentes de lo físico y lo espiritual.

«This picture is clarified through a Talmudic example. The Talmud presents a picture where, “the stormwind hangs (talah) between the two arms of God like an amulet.”30 This “hanging” can be identified with the Teli. As discussed earlier, the “stormwind” (sa'arah) refers to the initiation into the prophetic or mystical experience» — el ejemplo talmúdico con que Kaplan lo aclara: el torbellino colgado entre los dos brazos de Dios como un amuleto, y los brazos son los doce límites diagonales; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«One of the most significant interpretations is that of the Bahir. The Bahir states: “What is the Teli? It is the likeness before the Blessed Holy One. It is thus written. ‘His locks are hanging (taltalim)’» — la lectura del Bahir que Kaplan destaca: el Teli como la semejanza ante el Santo, con el versículo del Cantar de los Cantares.

«In both Talmudic and Kabbalistic traditions, this verse has two interpretations. First, it relates to a vision of God, indicating that when He is visualized in battle, He is seen a young man with black hair» — las dos lecturas tradicionales del versículo que Kaplan alinea: la visión de Dios como joven de cabello negro, que los cabalistas llaman Zer Anpin; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The second interpretation relates this verse to the Torah. The Talmud states that the hanging (or piled) hair relates to the fact that every letter of the Torah contains “piles and piles” (teli tela'im) of wisdom» — la segunda lectura: los cabellos como las *pilas y pilas* de sabiduría de cada letra de la Torá y como las líneas sobre las que se escriben; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«In this picture, each letter of the Torah is seen as a hair in the beard of Zer Anpin. These are not seen as simple hairs, but as channels, through which God's wisdom emanates from His “head.” The “head” is the concealed wisdom of God, while the letters are its outward revelation» — la figura que Kaplan desarrolla: las letras como cabellos-canales del Zer Anpin, y la proporción entre lo que comprendemos y la sabiduría divina como la del cabello al cerebro; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«According to the Midrash, however, they do not refer to the letters themselves, but to the lines (sirtut) upon which they are written. When one writes a physical Torah, one must first draw lines upon which to write the letters. These lines are not actually drawn with ink, but are merely impressed into the parchment with a sharp instrument. These almost invisible lines represent the “hanging” of the hair, the link between the letter and its spiritual root.» — la precisión del Midrash que Kaplan recoge: los *taltalim* no son las letras sino las líneas apenas visibles impresas en el pergamino sobre las que se escriben.

«The Teli also relates to the meditation on a letter. In this meditation, one pictures the letters as written with black fire on white fire. One contemplates the letter, concentrating on the near invisible line upon which it is drawn. This line is seen as a hair in the divine beard, from which the universe hangs.» — y la traducción del argumento a técnica: contemplar la letra escrita con fuego negro sobre fuego blanco y concentrarse en la línea casi invisible que la sostiene.

«universe. Each of these universes is also related to a letter in the Torah» — la consecuencia cosmológica que Kaplan saca de la figura del cabello: cada universo se liga a una letra de la Torá, y el Teli es el cabello del que cuelga el nuestro; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Hebrew word for cycle here is Galgal. In a number of places in the Talmud, this word is also used to denote the cycle of events in the world» — el lema *The Cycle*: *Galgal* dice ciclo de los acontecimientos, esfera y círculo, y en el Talmud también la esfera del zodiaco, y el texto lo hace rey del tiempo porque el tiempo se define por movimiento cíclico; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The Sefer Yetzirah (2:4) earlier stated that the 22 letters had to be fixed in the Galgal to produce the 231 Gates. The word Galgal therefore also denotes the mystical array of the 22 letters. In this respect, the Teli denotes the almost invisible lines upon which the letters are written. The Galgal is the circle in which they are drawn.» — el enlace que Kaplan traza entre los tres reyes y el sistema de letras: el Teli como las líneas casi invisibles y el Galgal como el círculo donde se dibujan.

«Most significantly, the Galgal is also seen as being below the feet of the Cherubim. God thus told an angel, “Come to the innards of the Galgal, beneath the Cherub” (Ezekiel 10:2). This Cherub is explicitly identified with the Chayot seen in Ezekiel's initial vision, as he says, “And the Cherubim went up, this is the Chayah that I saw on the river Chebar” (Ezekiel 10:15). Earlier (1:3), we have also discussed how the Cherubim serve as the focus of the mystical experience. The Galgal is therefore a cycle that lifts one up to the level of the Chayot, which are in the Universe of Yetzirah.» — la lectura que Kaplan hace del Galgal en Ezequiel 10: está bajo los pies de los querubines, y por él se sube al nivel de los Chayot.

«The Bahir states that the Galgal is the Womb» — lo que Kaplan toma del Bahir sobre el Galgal: el presente como vientre donde nace el futuro, con Chakhmah el pasado y Binah el futuro; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«An important cycle that we have discussed earlier (1:4) is the oscillation between Chakhmah and Binah consciousness. The first initiation into the spiritual domain comes through this exercise, and hence, as a Galgal, it is the entrance into the mysteries. In this sense, the Galgal is the womb from which one is reborn into a spiritual plane.» — el segundo sentido que Kaplan le da: la oscilación entre Binah y Chakhmah como el ciclo que es entrada a los misterios, vientre del que se renace a un plano espiritual.

«The heart is seen as king over the soul (6:3). Of all parts in the body, it is the dominant one. The soul relates to the spiritual dimension. Thus, when the Sefer Yetzirah speaks of the mystical experience, it describes it as a “running of the heart” (1:8).» — el lema *The Heart*: el corazón como parte dominante del cuerpo y rey sobre el alma, y la experiencia mística como una carrera del corazón.

«The Hebrew word for heart is Lev ( ), and as mentioned earlier (1:1), this is also the number 32 in Hebrew. As the Bahir states, the heart represents the 32 Paths of Wisdom» — la gematría que vuelve aquí, *Lev* igual a treinta y dos, con el Bahir haciendo del corazón las 32 Sendas y el libro de Raziel comparando aliento y Espíritu Santo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The one place where this is mentioned is in the account of the revelation at Sinai: “You came close, and you stood under the mountain, and the mountain burned in fire, until the heart of heaven — darkness, cloud, and gloom. And God spoke to you from out of the fire”» — el único lugar bíblico del *corazón del cielo* que Kaplan localiza, en el relato de la revelación del Sinaí.

«The three steps mentioned by Ezekiel also appear parallel those taught by the Sefer Yetzirah (1:10–12). First comes Breath (Ruach), which can also be translated as wind, which is the “stormwind” of Ezekiel. Then comes “water from Breath,” which can be associated with the raincloud that he saw. The opaqueness of this cloud is similar to the “mire and clay” mentioned in Sefer Yetzirah.» — el paralelo que Kaplan traza entre los tres pasos de Ezequiel y las mishnayot 1:10 a 1:12.

«The third step is “fire from water.” This is the “flashing fire” seen by Ezekiel. The Sefer Yetzirah says that out of this fire one depicts, “The throne of Glory, Serafim, Ophanim, and holy Chayot” (1:12). Similarly, after experiencing the fire, Ezekiel was able to visualize the Chayot and the Throne of Glory.» — y el cierre del paralelo: del fuego salen el Trono, los Serafines, Ofanim y Chayot en las dos series.

«In this verse, the scripture states that God spoke “out of the fire.” Elsewhere, however, it says. “You heard His voice out of the midst of the darkness” (Deuteronomy 5:20). But as the Zohar states, the “fire” mentioned here is the fire of darkness» — la contradicción aparente que Kaplan consigna y resuelve con el Zohar: se habla desde el fuego y desde la oscuridad, porque es fuego de oscuridad, el anhelo que viene de la anulación total del pensamiento; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«It is significant that the Bahir relates the Teli to the hair on the head, while the Galgal is related to the womb or belly. The Heart is naturally associated with the chest.» — la correspondencia corporal que Kaplan cierra con los tres reyes: Teli con el cabello de la cabeza, Galgal con el vientre y Corazón con el pecho.

«From the context, we see that the fire that reached to “the heart of heaven” was the fire associated with revelation, from which God spoke. Such fire is the third step in the initiation of revelation» — la lectura que Kaplan hace del fuego del Sinaí: el que llegó al corazón del cielo es el fuego de la revelación, tercer paso de la iniciación.

«It was only in the fire that he visualized the Chashmal. Similarly, in Elijah's vision, the three steps were, “wind . . . sound . . . and fire” (1 Kings 19:11– 12). In one place, the Midrash also relates this fire to the ladder in Jacob's dream» — y la serie que alinea: Ezequiel ve el Chashmal solo en el fuego, la visión de Elías tiene los mismos tres pasos, y el Midrash liga ese fuego a la escalera de Jacob; la elisión de tres puntos dentro de las comillas es de la edición.

«This is essentially a repetition of 3:4 and 2:1. Water and Mem represent Chakhmah, while fire and Shin denote Binah. Since Chakhmah is usually considered to be above Binah, it is somewhat difficult to understand why fire is seen as being above water» — la dificultad que Kaplan se plantea en su propio sistema: Chakhmah se tiene por encima de Binah, y aquí el fuego está sobre el agua.

«The reason behind this, however, is related to the penetration of Chakhmah and Binah into Zer Anpin (Microprosopus). The Kabbalists teach that Yesod of Chakhmah penetrates down to Yesod of Zer Anpin, while Yesod of Binah only penetrates as far as the heart (Tiferet) of Zer Anpin. Since Binah ends in the heart, it is often identified with this organ. Chakhmah is clothed in Binah, and since Binah ends in the heart, it is there that Chakhmah is first revealed. The 32 Paths are thus identified with the heart (LeV), which is Binah, but they are also identified with Chakhmah» — la salida que propone, con la doctrina de la penetración en Zer Anpin: Binah acaba en el corazón y ahí se revela primero Chakhmah, de modo que las 32 Sendas se identifican con las dos.

«Thus, even though “fire is above and water is below,” still, “fire supports water.” Wisdom may penetrate creation to a greater degree than Understanding, and may be found in lower levels, but still, Binah “supports” Chakhmah, and is below it. This is reflected in the sounds of the Mem and Shin, which represent these as states of consciousness.» — y la formulación que resume la paradoja: la Sabiduría penetra más hondo en la creación y aun así la Comprensión la sostiene y está debajo.

«As discussed earlier, on the basis of the Bahir, the Teli is identified with the head, the Galgal with the belly, and the Heart with the chest. Thus, the Teli relates to Shin and fire, the Galgal, to Mem and water, and the Heart to Alef and air. What we therefore discover is that space is related to fire, time to water, and spirit to air.» — el reparto final que Kaplan cierra: Teli con Shin y fuego, Galgal con Mem y agua, Corazón con Alef y aire, de modo que el espacio va con el fuego, el tiempo con el agua y el espíritu con el aire.

«The word “king” always alludes to the Sefirah of Malkhul (Kingship). It denotes the interaction between a ruler and his subjects. When we speak of an entity as a king, it is an indication that it is interacting with something that is below it.» — el lema *The Teli in the Universe*: rey dice Malkhut, es decir interacción con lo que está debajo; el troceo imprime *Malkhul*.

«The Teli is the king over the Universe, that is, over the domain of space. It is seen as a “king on his throne.” Although the Teli interacts with space, it does not become part of it.» — la lectura que Kaplan da de la figura del trono: el Teli interactúa con el espacio y no se vuelve parte de él.

«We can see this in two ways. First of all, we can take the view that the Teli is the axis around which the universe revolves. In circular motion around an axis, everything moves but the axis itself. The axis is the focus of the motion, but does not partake in it. Similarly, the Teli is king over space, but does not become part of it.» — el primero de los dos argumentos: en un movimiento circular todo se mueve menos el eje.

«Even though a king sitting on his throne may not come between his subjects, he is still highly affected by them. The spiritual is similarly affected by the physical.» — el límite que Kaplan añade a la figura: el rey en su trono es afectado por sus súbditos, y así lo espiritual por lo físico.

«Unlike the axis, the cycle not only defines time, but also becomes pan of time. The cycle cannot stand still in time, but must include itself within the flow of time. Hence, it is like a “king in the province.”» — el lema *The Cycle in the Year*: el ciclo no puede estarse quieto en el tiempo y tiene que incluirse en su flujo.

«That which defines space can remain aloof from space. That which defines time, on the other hand, cannot remain apart from it.» — la formulación general que Kaplan saca de esa diferencia.

«In human terms, it is the mind that provides a perception of both space and time. You can stand in one place and perceive a large portion of space. Like the Teli, you can perceive large areas of space, and still remain aloof from them. You do not actually have to be in a portion of space in order to perceive it. This is not true of time. You can only perceive the time in which you exist. You may perceive the past in memory, or the future in the imagination, but direct perception only exists in the present. You can perceive space at a distance, but time only when in proximity to it.» — la traducción del argumento a la experiencia: el espacio se percibe a distancia y el tiempo solo en proximidad.

«Since no one can perceive the future, you cannot know what you will do later. It is due to this fact that you can have free will in the present. Thus, it is this basic difference between space and time that allows freedom of action.» — la consecuencia que Kaplan saca, y es de las más fuertes del comentario: la diferencia entre espacio y tiempo es lo que hace posible el libre albedrío.

«The different spacial points, as well as past and future, involve end points in their respective continua. Still, they do not represent opposites. In the spiritual dimension, on the other hand, the two end points are good and evil, and these are diametrical opposites. Since the heart is the midpoint between these opposites, it is seen as the site of battle between good and evil. The Talmud therefore identifies the heart as the scene of the battle between the Good Urge (Yetzer Tov) and the Evil Urge (Yetzer HaRa)» — el lema *The Heart in the Soul*: solo en la dimensión espiritual los extremos son opuestos, y por eso el corazón es campo de batalla entre las dos inclinaciones.

«This speaks of the heart, which is like a “king in battle.” The two extremes on the spiritual axis—good and evil—are actual opposites. Like light and darkness, the two cannot coexist.» — el lema *One opposite the other*: bien y mal como opuestos reales que, como luz y oscuridad, no coexisten.

«As discussed earlier (1:5), good is the point on this axis that is closest to God. Evil is the side that is furthest from Him. All good comes from the side of good, while all evil comes from the other side.» — el lema *Good from good*: el bien como el punto más cercano a Dios en el eje y el mal como el más lejano.

«The Zohar explains that light can only be recognized because of the existence of darkness» — el argumento que Kaplan toma del Zohar: lo que es parte integral del entorno no se siente, y por eso no tenemos sentido para el aire; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«Similarly, if light were always present, without being divided into shades and colors, we could not see anything with it. Every shade or color involves some absorbtion of light, and hence, a degree of darkness.» — y su aplicación a la luz: todo matiz o color implica absorción, es decir un grado de oscuridad.

«The dimension of good and evil not only serves to define these concepts, but also serves to reward them. It is taught that God created the world in order to bestow good to the world» — el lema *Good is kept for the good ones*, donde Kaplan abre la excursión teológica que cierra el comentario: Dios creó el mundo para dar bien.

«First of all, we must realize that any good that God gives must be the ultimate good that His creation can accept. The Psalmist said “How great is Your good, stored up for those who fear You” (Psalms 31:20). Our sages interpret this to say that God bestows good in the greatest possible abundance» — el principio que fija: el bien que Dios da es el mayor que su criatura puede aceptar; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«But what is this ultimate good? What is the greatest possible good that God can bestow? If we think about it, the answer is really quite simple. The greatest possible good is God Himself» — la respuesta que da a su propia pregunta: el mayor bien posible es Dios mismo; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«The ultimate good is therefore to partake of God, and it is this good that He planned to give the world. He would create a world where creatures ultimately could partake of His essence. The Psalmist sings of this, “Taste and see that God is good, happy is the man who finds refuge in Him”» — y su consecuencia: Dios crea un mundo donde las criaturas puedan participar de su esencia.

«God therefore created the world in such a way that we could draw close to Him and partake of His essence. Of course, we are not speaking of physical closeness, but of spiritual closeness. Such closeness involves the knowledge and understanding of God, as well as resembling Him to the greatest degree possible.» — la precisión que Kaplan añade: la cercanía no es física sino espiritual, y consiste en conocimiento, comprensión y semejanza.

«The ultimate good that God offers is therefore the opportunity to perceive Him. In one place, our sages thus teach us that God created the world in order that men may know Him» — la identificación que hace de los dos motivos: que el mundo se hizo para que se conozca a Dios no es razón aparte, es el modo de dar el bien; el tramo se corta antes de la llamada de nota.

«To know God and understand Him in any way is to have a deep awe and dread of His Majesty. All true wisdom is that of God. But such wisdom and knowledge imply the fear and reverence of God. The Psalmist thus said, “The beginning of Wisdom is the fear of God” (Psalms 111:10). Solomon expressed the same idea when he said, “The fear of God is the beginning of Knowledge”» — el eslabón siguiente: conocer a Dios implica temerlo, con los versículos de Salmos y Proverbios.