The Mystery of Sandalphon

The Mystery of Sandalphon (From Merkabah Rabbah) abbi Ishmael said: ‘I beheld the King of the Universe sitting upon a high and exalted throne, and a ministering angel (Heb. gedūd) standing from the Earth up to the Firmament; Sandalphōn was his name’. And in the hour when He, RZZYHWH - ‫ רזזיהוה‬, the God of Israel, seeks to swear by prayers (tefilin), and to cast a curse by his hand, he takes prayers from his head and he suspends decrees from the earth and whoever is able to hide from before RZZYHWH, the God of Israel, whose face is His name, and whose name is His face; the utterances of His lips are His name; His words are the fire; the breath of His lips is fire. With His breath He ordained the whole world. Therefore, happy is the person who uses this mystery, and sanctifies it with the holiness of heaven and earth: his days shall be forever lengthened.

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Thus spake Rabbi Ishmael unto Rabbi Aqiba regarding the mystery of Sandalphon: Sandalfon spake to me, he whose name is: Tzepap APLA Negōriēl, who is the terrible God, Kebōdriēl (or Zebudriēl - ‫ זבודריאל‬in other mss) Nagrēyy Angēyy Apppa Apyerayu Anga; additionally Derayu Re‘af Ze‘an YHWH, the God of Israel. These three beloved names: Gedudyayy Tehuryayy Habibya (or Habibiel – ‫ חביביאל‬in other mss). .

When he revealed unto me the names of the angels, I stood, and I memorized them with permission. And there was light in my heart, like the lightning, which goeth forth from one end of the Universe to another. Rabbi Ishmael said: The man who uses this mystery and the names of the angels, he should write them according to his authority, and thus shall he obtain light from their hands. Give me five shepherds and I shall give unto them a share of this matter. Rabbi Ishmael said: The man who uses this mystery and the names of the angels should mention 2 names, 2 of them seated and 2 standing. And he should mention the name of RZZ YHWH, God of Israel before he writes them down. If he writes them down without mentioning, his heart shall succumb to folly. R. Ishmael said: I asked Rabbi ‘Aqiba concerning the word of ‘Atzeret (i.e. Simhat Torah), the word of Rosh HaShanah, the word of every single New Moon, and the word of the first of the month of Adar. He said to me concerning all that I asked:

As to holiness and purity, uprightness and piety are in your heart, and you can take your stand on their vigor. The word of ‘Atzeret: HP YH HPY HPA HYZA ZYHA YDA DS YHW. Write these on myrtle leaves on the eve of ‘Atzeret. At cockcrow he must put the myrtle inside his mouth and blot them (the letters) out. The word of Rosh Ha-Shanah: YH has seen YY' NBRA fearsome SB SBYB DS ZYHA. Write these on bay leaves on the eve of Rosh Ha-Shanah. At cockcrow he must put the bay leaves inside his mouth and blot them out. The word of every single New Moon: DD TBA TRTY NYTA - ‫דד‑טבא‑טרטי‑ניטא‬. Write these on your fingernail and put your fingernail inside your mouth and blot them out. The word of the first of the month of Adar: splendour of the way KYWYA BBBYH YTRPA DWM PYRYAY YKNYS AWR AHY AHHHW HH YH YHW YHY YSDYR and wisdom. Write these on a dish of silver and pour wine inside it and blot out the letters with wine: Acts of knowledge of YHWH, a multitude of praise-songs and confessions, psalmodies, acts of holiness, fearsome acts, mighty acts, and acts of salvation belong to our King, to our Savior, to our Redeemer. Amen. Amen. Amen. Peace. For a revelation: Purify yourself for seven days and bathe in a river three times a day, and purify yourself from bad food and from wine. And in the hour that you come to pray this name, put in your mouth a rolled leaf and chew it first and afterward pray: ‘Blessed be Thy name AH AH YH YH HW HW HY HY HA HA. Mikael - ‫מיכאל‬, the great angel who is the prince at the throne on which God is engraved, praises Him with these in the first firmament: AHA AHA AHA, 3 times, YHWH AY A Y AWA W YAW. Gabriel - ‫גבריאל‬, the righteous angel, praises with this in the second firmament: Tzabaot AW AW Y W A A AW Y W YAW HA AH HW the explicit name (Shem ha-meforash) BH. Suriel - ‫ סוריאל‬praises in the third firmament: YY' YHWH, merciful and gracious God. BN living and abiding. HW, 3 times; AW, 3 times; PW, 3 times; PY, 3 times; AHW AHW BH. Akatriel - ‫ אכתריאל‬praises in the fourth firmament: AW AW AY AY HWH HWH Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh BAT (‫)באת‬. It is the explicit name. Metatron sits on his throne of glory, AHY AHY PLMKS KK MRAWT AWT AW AW HY HY HW HY HW AY Y W HYA BH. Raphael - ‫ רפאל‬praises in the fifth firmament: YW AW HWYA YW HW, 4 times; HW HW MAHW Y HW AHW YA W Y AA AWWA WAW YA A. Budiel - ‫ בודיאל‬praises in the sixth firmament: Adonai, Adoniel Elim Shaddai Tzaba’ot AH, 3 times; AW, 3 times; BH BH HG HG HWD HW HW WHW HHW HW HA BH. Yomael (or Yomiel) - ‫ יומאל‬the angel praises in the seventh firmament.’

And fumigate yourself and your clothes with myrrh, frankincense, and white blossom. And in any place that you wish, you may pray and it shall be heard, whether day or night, whether on the sea or on dry land, any time that you invoke in purity. And keep yourself from all evil, lest it harm you. For it is the explicit name.

Bibliography Synopse zur Hekhalot literature, 655-670, by Peter Schäfer Merkabah Shelemah by Shlomo Mossayeb Descenders to the chariot: the people behind the Hekhalot literature by James R. Davila.