We've covered quite a bit of ground since the last blog post: a protection chant using the ineffable name YHVH, a further refinement to a Yichudiem, the Kabbalahistic cross, Body of Light and the Ana Bekoach prayer which has been the thread that ties the last few classes together...
The Name of the 42
The Forty-Two Letter Name of God is one Divine Name with 42 letters. I believe it wasn't practical to chant such a large name so it was used in a prayer - created in about the 1st century AD. The prayer is a giant acronym with 7 of the eight verses beginning with each letter. If you do the maths 7 x 7 = 42. Each verse has 7 words each starting with a letter of the Divine Name. The first letter of each verse in-itself spelling a Divine Name that corresponds to a day of the week, beginning with Sunday.
The purpose of the correspondences is to align one's individual energy-field with a portion the Universal Energy emphasised during that day. It helps us to tune into the radio-station broadcast on, say, Tuesday. Is this true you ask? My only reply can be is you must put it to the test (This Knowledge belongs to what the ancient Greeks called Gnosis - Knowledge in the sense of inner knowing). When we pronounce these Names I goto bed feeling so very good. And inner joy is one of the indicators of closeness to Divinity. Divine Names are a remarkable technology.
Here is a transliteration of the prayer:
Ana Becho'ach G'edulat Yeminchah Tatir Tz'rurah
Kabel Rinat Am'chah Sagvenu Taharenu Nora
Na Gibor Dorshei Yichudcha Kevavat Shomrem
Bar'chem Taharem Rachamei Tzidkatcha Tamid Gomlem
Chasin Kadosh B'row Tuvcha Nahel Adatecha
Yachid Ge'eh Le'am'cha Pneh Zochre K'dushatecha
Shav'atenu Kabel Ushma Tza'akatenu Yode'a Ta'alumot
Baruch Shem K'vod Malchuto le'Olam Va'ed
Now if you take each a letter from each verse the following ("meaningless") words can be spelt:
Avgititz - Sunday - The Sun
Karastan - Monday - Moon
Nagdichesh - Tuesday - Mars
Betratztag - Wednesday - Mercury
Chakvetna - Thursday - Jupiter
Yahlefzey - Friday - Venus
Shakutzit - Saturday - Saturn
In Hebrew tradition each day of the week starts with sunset. For example, Sunday evening is the beginning of Monday.
Keeping in mind that we are learning Practical Kabbalah, this prayer and the alignment one achieves pronouncing each Name for the day of the week, and alignment is one of the first steps of any such practice as this.
Pretty soon I shall write up the translation of the Prayer. Watch this space!
