Golem

Cabala, generically, Jewish mysticism in all its forms; specifically, the esoteric theosophy that crystallized in 13th-century Spain and Provence, France, around Sefer ha-zohar (The Book of Splendor), referred to as the Zohar, and generated all later mystical movements in Judaism. The earliest known form of Jewish mysticism dates from the first centuries AD and is a variant on the prevailing Hellenistic astral mysticism, in which the adept, through meditation and the use of magic formulas, journeys ecstatically through and beyond the seven astral spheres. In the Jewish version, the adept seeks an ecstatic version of God's throne, the chariot (merkava) beheld by Ezekiel (see Ezekiel 1).

Medieval Spanish Cabala, the most important form of Jewish mysticism, is less concerned with ecstatic experience than with esoteric knowledge about the nature of the divine world and its hidden connections with the world of creation. Medieval Cabala is a theosophical system that draws on Neoplatonism and Gnosticism and is expressed in symbolic language. The system is most fully articulated in the Zohar, written between 1280 and 1286 by the Spanish Cabalist Moses de León, but attributed to the 2nd-century rabbi Simeon bar Yohai. The Zohar depicts the Godhead as a dynamic flow of force composed of numerous aspects. Above and beyond all human contemplation is God as he is in himself, the unknowable, immutable En Sof (Infinite). Other aspects or attributes, knowable through God's relation to the created world, emanate (see Emanation) from En Sof in a configuration of ten sefirot (realms or planes), through which the divine power further radiates to create the cosmos. Zoharic theosophy concentrates on the nature and interaction of the ten sefirot as symbols of the inner life and processes of the Godhead. Because the sefirot are also archetypes for everything in the world of creation, an understanding of their workings can illuminate the inner workings of the cosmos and of history. The Zohar thereby provides a cosmic-symbolic interpretation of Judaism and of the history of Israel in which the Torah and commandments, as well as Israel's life in exile, become symbols for events and processes in the inner life of God. Thus interpreted, the proper observance of the commandments assumes a cosmic significance. In Jewish legend, an image or form that is given life through a magical formula. A golem frequently took the form of a robot, or automaton. In the Hebrew Bible (see Psalms 139:16) and in the Talmud, the term refers to an unformed substance. Its present meaning developed during the Middle Ages, when legends arose of wise men who could instill life in effigies by the use of a charm. The creatures were sometimes believed to offer special protection to Jews. The best-known of the golem stories concerned a Rabbi Löw of 16th-century Prague, who was said to have created a golem that he used as his servant.

Music by:
Pearls of Dew, "Golem", from the Alpha CD 2007

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• golem
• magical
• entity
• egregore
• thought
• form
• Judah
• Loew
• ben
• Bezalel
• 16th
• century
• rabbi
• Prague
• jewish
• folklore

[PhilosopherFresh]

creepy cool!

[alchemistra]

lol, the timing is right : )

[StevenErnest]

Wow, thanks for posting this!

For years, I've been meaning to track down this silent film... I love the gematria idea of words having such power. And the Golem is an archetype like Frankenstein's monster, or modern AI.

Very cool! Wild music, too. ^_^

[alchemistra]

Thanks! "I love the gematria idea of words having such power."

Yep, that's what I was going for : )

[nevek1111]

ACHOO

[alchemistra]

Gesundheit!

[calabiyauasaurus]

This is pretty cool, but the God of Abraham forbids magic, jewish mysticism is no different than any other kind of Satanic magic, they just attribute it to "holiness" as an excuse to open people to the realm of darkness.

Also, I know, because I was into the occult and had a horrible, yet enlightening experience.

[Esperantistik]

What song is it? :)

[CatAsassin]

the band is called "pearls of dew", just lisetned to it onb the radio. ist nice, and a nice video too

[anutarasamyat]

...is the 8th sphere... the 8th bal ... and the Qube

[WoodMagnet]

what's in the attic? emet? truth? ☺

[stimulater7]

beyond the 7 spheres .....interesting

[NudePanorama]

Very nice video, and the description is very usefull. Music goes very well with the images.