The Book of Raziel

Raziel

Raziel, (Hebrew: רָזִיאֵל Rāzīʾēl, "God is my Mystery") also known as Gallitsur (Hebrew: גַּלִּיצוּר Gallīṣūr) is an angel within the teachings of Jewish mysticism (of the Kabbalah of Judaism) who is the "Angel of Secrets" and the "Angel of Mysteries”. He is also called "Keeper of All Magic." He is one of the angels associated with the sephirah Chokmah of Kabbalah, alongside Jophiel.

The name of the Angel (or Archangel) Raziel means "secrets of God" and is therefore a most appropriate pseudepigraphical author for a book on magic. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Raziel's mission is as the "transmitter of secrets." Various spellings of his name include Raziel, Ratziel, Razial, Ratzial, Retziel, Reziel, and Rezial.

According to the text, God sent the angel Raziel to Adam in response to his fervent prayers. Raziel then revealed to Adam profound mysteries concerning:

• The spiritual laws of nature and life on Earth.
• The knowledge of planets, stars, and the laws of creation.
• The power of speech, thought, and the human soul within the physical world.
• The esoteric meanings of the Hebrew alphabet and divine names.

Sefer Raziel , also known as Sefer Raziel HaMalakh or "The Book of Raziel the Angel," isa grimoire of Practical Kabbalah from the Middle Ages, primarily written in Hebrew and Aramaic. It is considered one of the most important texts on Jewish medieval magic and is often referred to as the "Book of Secrets" or the "Book of the Archangel Raziel". The text claims to have been revealed to Adam by the archangel Raziel, the "Angel of Secrets" and "Angel of Mysteries," after Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden and sought wisdom. According to the narrative, Raziel was sent by God to comfort Adam, who was in despair, and to teach him the spiritual laws of nature, life on Earth, and the power of speech, thought, and the soul.

The book is said to contain a vast array of knowledge, including the mysteries of the universe, the 72 letters of the name of God and their 670 esoteric mysteries, 1,500 keys, the five names of the human soul, the seven hells, the divisions of the Garden of Eden, and detailed angelology. It features magical uses of the zodiac, gematria, names of God, protective spells, and instructions for creating talismans and amulets.

Raziel, the Keeper of Secrets, the Guardian of Forbidden Knowledge ‎ ‎Tradition teaches that Raziel is the author of the Sefer Raziel, a legendary book said to contain every principle of magic, the mechanics of creation, and the hidden laws that bind the visible and invisible worlds.

According to Jewish mystical lore, this book was once given to Adam after he was cast out of Eden. It was Raziel who delivered the forbidden knowledge of how humanity could rebuild its spiritual power, rise again in consciousness, and even command creation itself. ‎When the other angels discovered that Raziel had given this book to mankind, they were enraged. They feared humanity would ascend too quickly. They feared mankind would unlock realms meant only for celestial beings. It is said they stole the book from Adam and cast it into the sea. But Raziel would not be defied. He reclaimed the book and returned it to humanity through Enoch, who later transformed into Metatron, the highest of angels. ‎ ‎Raziel is associated with the mysteries of alchemy, sacred geometry, divine mathematics, and the codes that form reality. Occult traditions say he is the one who guides magicians into the deeper pathways of metaphysics, unlocking the mysteries behind sigils, angelic languages, the manipulation of the four elements, and the art of commanding spiritual forces. ‎ ‎The Zohar calls Raziel the Angel of Mysteries. It teaches that he oversees the river of wisdom that flows from the upper worlds down into the subconscious minds of prophets, mystics, and dreamers. ‎ ‎Some esoteric orders believe that Raziel once appeared to Solomon and gave him deeper mastery over the forces of nature. This is why Solomon commanded spirits, understood the nature of demons, and accessed higher magical sciences. ‎ ‎Raziel is also connected to the rainbow light that surrounds the Throne. This is known as the Sphere of Prism Consciousness. When Raziel manifests, he appears as a being of impossible color shifting through the spectrum like liquid light. ‎

The Angel of Sacred Knowledge and Esoteric Secrets

The angel Raziel can be compared to the Manda d-Hayyi of Mandaeism. Both are described as intermediaries who convey divine knowledge to humans, especially Adam. In Jewish mysticism, Raziel delivers the "Sefer Raziel" or “Book of Raziel” to Adam, containing esoteric secrets about the universe and divine mysteries, while in Mandaism, Manda d-Hayyi instructs Adam about the mysteries of life and creation.

In Mandaeism, after the creation of the material world, Adam Kasia (Adam Kadmon in the Mandaean tradition) asks Abatur (Ancient of Days or Metatron in the Mandaean tradition. The Merkabah text Re' uyot Yehezkel identifies the Ancient of Days as Metatron [3]) what he will do when he goes to Tibil (Earth or Malkuth). Abatur responds that Adam will be helped by Manda d-Hayyi, who instructs humans with sacred knowledge and protects them.

The Book of Raziel

The famous Sefer Raziel HaMalakh "Book of Raziel the Angel" attributed to this figure is said to contain all secret knowledge, and it is considered to be a book of magic. He stands close by God's throne and therefore hears and writes down everything said and discussed.[4] He purportedly gave the book to Adam and Eve after they ate from the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil (that resulted in their expulsion from the Garden of Eden) so the two could find their way back "home" and better understand their God. Raziel's fellow angels were deeply disturbed by this, and thus stole the book from Adam and threw it into the ocean. God did not punish Raziel, but instead retrieved the book through the Rahab and returned it to Adam and Eve.

According to some sources, the book was passed on through the generations to Enoch (In 3 Enoch believed to have later become the angel Metatron), who may have incorporated his writings into the tome. From Enoch, the archangel Raphael gave it to Noah, who used the wisdom within to build Noah's Ark. The Book of Raziel was said to have come into the possession of King Solomon,  and some texts claiming to be this volume have appeared.

The legend of the Sepher Raziel, or 'Book of Raziel', states that the book was originally inscribed on a sapphire stone. A copy was given to Seraph, then Metatron, then Adam. It is said that the angels (specifically the Cherubim) were upset that such knowledge was given to Adam, and so they descended to earth to steal the book back from him. This is an interesting echo of the idea that both angels, and their fallen brethren the demons, are unhappy that books of magic, containing formulae that can constrain them, have been made available to man. To ensure that the book would not be found again, the angels tossed it deep into the ocean. However, according to Jewish tradition, God ordered the archangel Raphael (or Rahab, according to some sources) to retrieve it, who then gave it to Noah to protect him during the flood. Eventually, after a number of adventures, it was given to King Solomon by a Babylonian prince

The Book of Mysteries (also known as the Book of Secrets) is an ancient Essene text found in fragmentary form among the Dead Sea Scrolls.

 the term raz occurs frequently. Raz means "mystery" or "secret", and is defined as a type of wisdom or knowledge that is known by God and can only be known by humans by divine revelation.[1] This word often occurs in the phrase raz nihyeh, which can be translated as "the secret of the way things are".[2] The assumption behind The Book of Mysteries is that revelation, not reason, is the key to wisdom. The book is authored by an unnamed teacher who claims to be the recipient of such a revelation and is passing it along to his students.

The eschatology of the book is rather unusual. The end time described by the author does not manifest itself in the normal culmination of a battle, judgment or catastrophe, but rather as "a steady increase of light, [through which] darkness is made to disappear or in which iniquity dissolves and just as the smoke rising into the air eventually dissipates".[5] In this sense, wisdom is an inevitable force that needs to be yielded to by those who choose to accept it and are capable of understanding it. There is no mention of angels, or YHWH's coming, or resurrection of the wise, or any of the typical messianic language that is usually associated with Jewish or Christian eschatological texts. It simply argues for a change in focus from folly to wisdom, and therefore righteousness.

Sefer HaRazim 

Sefer HaRazim (Hebrew: ספר הרזים; "Book of Secrets") is a Jewish magical text that dates to around the turn of the 4th century AD.[1]: 8  According to the text's preface, it was given to Noah by the angel Raziel, and passed down throughout Biblical history until it ended up in the possession of Solomon, for whom it was a great source of his wisdom and purported magical powers. This is not the same work as the Sefer Raziel HaMalakh, which was given to Adam by the same angel, although both works stem from the same tradition; large parts of Sefer HaRazim were incorporated into the Sefer Raziel under its original title.

It is thought to be a sourcebook for Jewish magic, calling upon angels rather than God to perform supernatural feats.