Sefer ha-Razim: Book of Mysteries

Lost for centuries, Sefer ha-Razim, The Book of Mysteries, is one of the oldest surviving works of Jewish mysticism. Likely composed in Palestine or Egypt between the third and fifth centuries CE, it preserves an extraordinary cosmology of seven heavens, each inhabited by angels, spirits, and divine powers.Unlike later Kabbalistic writings, Sefer ha-Razim emerges from the formative world of late antiquity — a time when prayer, ritual, and divine names were seen as parallel paths to knowledge of the sacred. Through its detailed hierarchy of the firmaments, it reveals how early mystics conceived of creation as a living structure, sustained by language and light.Translated here into clear contemporary English with full reverence to its original tone, this edition opens a rare window into the ancient mind: a world where speech was creation, where the Name was power, and where the boundary between prayer and magic was not yet drawn.Dr. Erik Gray’s rendering invites readers, scholars, and seekers alike to encounter this foundational mystical text in language that speaks to the modern imagination — without dilution, distortion, or dogma.A work of history. A map of heaven. A whisper from the dawn of faith and mystery.This volume also includes a companion translation from the same mystical tradition — The Harba de-Moshe (The Sword of Moses) Together they form the foundation of ancient esoteric knowledge. Read more