סֵפֶר יְצִירָה | Sefer Yetsirah, a derivation of A. Peter Hayman’s experimental “earliest recoverable text” — vocalized and translated by Aharon Varady

The text of the Sefer Yetsirah presented here follows the “experimental exercise” produced by A. Peter Hayman in his Sefer Yeṣira: Edition Translation and Text-Critical Commentary, “Appendix III: The Earliest Recoverable Text of Sefer Yesira” (Mohr Siebeck, 2004). For details on his construction and his review of the available recensions of Sefer Yetsirah, please refer to Hayman’s complete commentary. Numbers in parentheses indicate sections. I have added spaces between sections indicate traditional chapter breaks. Square brackets indicate some doubt as to whether the included wording was present in the earlier form of the text (p.124). . . .

Categories: Sefer Yetsirah

Tags: cosmogony, cosmology, creation, early first-millennium CE, esoteric Judaism, שמע shemaŋ

Contributor(s): Unknown Author(s) and Aharon N. Varady (translation)

מדרש הגדול על פרשת תרומה | Why the Mishkan Resembles the World and the Human Body: a translation of Midrash haGadol on Parashat Terumah, by Shir Yaakov Feit (in memory of Laurie Feit, z”l)

This translation was prepared by Shir Yaakov Feinstein-Feit in loving memory of his sister, Laurie Feit, z”l, (1961-2017). “Midrash HaGadol or The Great Midrash (Hebrew: מדרש הגדול) is an anonymous late (14th century) compilation of aggadic midrashim on the Pentateuch taken from the two Talmuds and earlier Midrashim of Yemenite provenance. In addition, it borrows quotations from the Targums, and Maimonides[2] and Kabbalistic writings (Oesterley & Box 1920), and in this aspect is unique among the various midrashic collections. This important work—the largest of the midrashic collections—came to popular attention only relatively recently (late 19th century) through the efforts of Jacob Saphir, Solomon Schecter, and David Zvi Hoffman. In addition to containing midrashic material that is not found elsewhere, such as the Mekhilta of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, the Midrash HaGadol contains what are considered to be more correct versions of previously known Talmudic and Midrashic passages.” (via wikipedia) . . .

Categories: Midrash Aggadah, Sefer Yetsirah

Tags: anatomical, cosmological, cosmology, creation, Early Medieval, Homo Signorum, macranthropy, Man of Signs, microcosm, microcosmism, mid-first millennium CE, Midrash HaGadol, ספר יצירה Sefer Yetsirah, פרשת תרומה parashat Terumah, Tabernacle, המשכן the Mishkan

Contributor(s): Shir Yaakov Feinstein-Feit and Unknown Author(s)