Sepher Ha-Razim: The Book of Mysteries (Texts and Translations, No. 25.)

Michael A. Morgan translates Mordecai Margaliath’s text of Sepher Ha-Razim, a fourth century CE magical text, into English. Sepher Ha-Razim includes a story about the book’s transmission from the angel Raziel to Noah eventually down to Solomon, six sections describing the nature, function, magical praxis and angelic inhabitants of six of the heavens, and the divine throne in the seventh heaven. With parallels to Talmudic passages, Enochic literature, and Hekhaloth literature, Sepher Ha-Razim sheds light on Greco-Roman magic in general and more specifically Jewish life in the early centuries CE. Title Page......Page 3 Preface to the Series......Page 5 Foreword......Page 7 Table of Contents......Page 9 Introduction......Page 11 A. The Manuscripts......Page 12 B. Structure......Page 16 C. Date......Page 18 D. The Translation......Page 21 E. Abbreviations and Short Titles......Page 23 Sigla......Page 24 Translation......Page 25 Preface......Page 27 The First Firmament......Page 31 The Second Firmament......Page 53 The Third Firmament......Page 71 The Fourth Firmament......Page 77 The Fifth Firmament......Page 83 The Sixth Firmament......Page 87 Appendix: Angelic Lists......Page 97 B. Magical Literature......Page 101 2. Non-Angelic Proper Names......Page 102 4. Properties of Angels......Page 103 5. Purposes Which Angels Can Be Made To Serve......Page 104 6. Magical Materials......Page 105 7. Incantation Formulae......Page 106 This work is an annotated translation of the Margalioth Hebrew text of Sepher Ha-Razim, which makes available for the first time in English this important collection of late antique Jewish magic. Dating to the fourth century C.E., this magical handbook contains instructions and invocations to be used in various magical praxes. A fine example of the syncretistic nature of the Hellenistic world, Sepher Ha-Razim gives some indication of the tensions between a developing/ orthodoxy and a popular religion. The text shows parallels to the Greek magical papyri and an interesting use of Merkabah symbolism. Translated By Michael A. Morgan. Translation Of: Sefer Ha-razim.