Sepher Yetzirah (Book of Formation) - Westcott

CHAPTER V.

SECTION I. The Twelve Simple Letters are Heh, Vav, Zayin, Cheth, Teth, Yod, Lamed, Nun, Samech, Ayin, Tzaddi, and Qoph43: they are the foundations of these twelve properties: Sight, Hearing, Smell, Speech, Taste, Sexual Love, Work, Movement, Anger, Mirth, Imagination44, and Sleep. These Twelve are also allotted to the directions in space: North-east, South-east, the East above, the East below, the North above, the North below, the South-west, the North-west, the West above, the West below, the South above, and the South below; these diverge to infinity, and are like the arms of the Universe.

2. These Twelve Simple Letters he designed, combined, and formed into the Twelve celestial constellations of the Zodiac, whose signs are Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.45 The original text lists Hebrew letters here, but they correspond to the twelve signs of the Zodiac. The Twelve are also the Months of the Year: Nisan46 March–April, Iyar, Sivan, Tammuz, Av, Elul, Tishrei, Cheshvan, Kislev, Tevet, Shevat, and Adar. The Twelve are also the Twelve organs of living creatures,47 the two hands, the two feet, the two kidneys, the spleen, the liver, the gall gallbladder, the private parts, the stomach, and the intestines.

He made these like provinces and arranged them as if in a battle formation for warfare. And also the Elohim48 original: "God" or "Divine Powers" made one from the region of the other.

There are Three Mothers and Three Fathers; and from them issue Fire, Air, and Water. There are Three Mothers, Seven Doubles, and Twelve Simples.

3. Behold, these are the Twenty-Two Letters from which Jah, Jehovah Tzabaoth original: "The Lord of Hosts", the Elohim of the living, the God of Israel, exalted and sublime, the Dweller in eternity, formed and established all things; High and Holy is His Name.